George Ortmann was born in Friedbach, Meiningen, Germany on April 29, 1855. He received his education and Christian training at Hauback. In 1871 he went to Bavaria to work on a large farm to gain knowledge in practical agriculture. In the spring of 1873 he came to America to St. Louis, Missouri. (He arrived in New York on 17 June 1873 aboard the Smidt, from research by Robert Ortmann.  Source "Germans to America")

In the fall of 1876 he married Anne Blome, daughter of Florentz and Martha (Graf) Blome of Blackjack, Missouri. A year later he came by lumber wagon and team of mules to West Point, Nebraska. Anna came a little later by train. They lived on a farm in this vicinity for a year, before moving to Fontanelle, Nebraska. They lived there till the spring of 1894 when they moved to a farm they bought southwest of Pender, Nebraska (presently owned by Alvin Ortmann). They and their two sons, Robert and George, lived here till 1906 when they bought a farm a short distance southwest of Bancroft, (presently owned by Don Konicek).

In 1910 they retired to Bancroft when Robert married and took over the farming.

He and Anna became members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. He served the congregation as secretary for several years and was chairman of the building committee when the new church was built in 1924. He also served as elder.

Retirement brought extra time for Anna. She began piecing quilts and quilting them for her family and friends. Eventually more ladies became involved in helping her quilt. The quilting was done in various homes and money earned was turned over to the Ladies Aid. After the new church was finished they quilted in the church basement. Ladies doing this formed the Sewing Circle.

They were parents of seven children, five dying in infancy. Two sons, Robert and George grew to manhood and married. Robert married Clara Siebrandt. They had three children, Ruth (Mrs. John Maas), Alvin and Arthur. Robert died at the age of forty years of flu and pneumonia. George married Hannah Diass. They had no children. George died of Bright's disease at the age of forty-two.

George Senior was seventy when he bought his first car and learned to drive it.

He passed away in December 1930, and Anna survived until March 1962. She attained the age of 102 years. She lived alone in their home until at the age of ninety-three when she fell and broke her hip. Much to her disappointment she could never walk again. She spent the remaining years at the Martha Schantz Rest Home in Beemer, Nebraska. Both are buried in the Bancroft Cemetery.

By: Mrs. John Maas in 1984

for the Heritage of Bancroft Centennial book