Maria born June 18, 1868 in Sulz Switzerland, she left for America in 1885. She married Fredrick Godde on Oct. 28, 1893 and died Dec. 25, 1940.

   Frederick Godde born June 18, 1863 in Westphalia Germany and died Feb. 12, 1930.

   In Germany, Fred was a baker by trade but at the age of 22 he came to the U.S. It was in October 1885 that he and Marie Saummers (who later became the bride of Ferdinand Godde) left Bremen Germany and it took about sixteen days to complete the trip. The landed in N.Y. and from there went over the Southern route by way of New Orleans, Texas and landed in Los Angeles. Fred made his home at the Fredinand Godde's while working in and around Hollywood and Los Angeles for about eight years. In the year 1890, Fred came to the Antelope Valley, he walked from Lancaster nine miles towards the foothills, looked over a piece of land and walked back to Palmdale on the train to Los Angeles and bought this land. It was a homestead 1/4 section (160 acres). The three brothers, Frank, Max and Fred had one section together. Frank had 1/2 and Max and Fred had each a quarter. Fred's land was mostly bare with some brush on it. He planted it to almonds, fruit trees, vineyard, and wheat. Fred also had 160 acres near Palmdale, which h sold and bought 120 acres in the Leona Valley also 160 acres known as the Eels Place. He gave the corner of land where the Leona School now stands also the present County road which was surveyed thru his place. Fred spent many days grubbing brush and clearing the land, which he later planted to alfalfa, apples, pears and apricots. He drove back and forth over the hill which tool 1 1/2 hours one way. It was too steep to do heavy hauling so he had to go around a distance of twelve miles. At present with the new road, a machine and truck takes twenty minutes one way.

   Soon after Fred had his homestead, he built a five room house on it and got married to Miss Mary Weber of Los Angeles. Their early days were hard and very discouraging, with no rain and no crops, they practically made their living from chickens. Fred would take the eggs to the Mojave Mines with old Hense and Mayor and Liz and Kate, with his faithful horses hitched to a wagon, a distance of twenty miles. Sometimes he would make trips to his brother's in Hollywood, 75 miles away. In the early days, the folks would drive to church in the spring wagon to wherever the Mass was, either at Lancaster, 8 miles, or Palmdale, 9 miles or to the St. Anthonys church in Leona Valley. In the first years, Mass was said only once in three months. Some- times the priest came either to their house and said Mass and all the neighbors would come from miles away to attend. For many years, Mass was said only once a month in Lancaster. In 1920, it was made a parish of its own and Mass was celebrated every Sunday in the Sacred Heart Church. Fred took up the collections in that church for twenty years until he died, February 12, 1930. The Belleview Elementary School, to which we all attended and all graduated from the 8th grade, consisted of grades up to the 8th. It was one and a quarter miles from home. Fred was clerk of this school for fifteen years. The Co-superintendant, Mark Keppel, was a good friend of Freds and always helped him get a Catholic teacher who would teach us Catechism every Friday after school. For years and years, every drop of water had to be hauled for - use. One well was dug 300 feet with not one drop of water. In 1920, another well was drilled with enough water for home use and irrigation after the reservoir was built. The the place was piped with running water with a sink put in the kitchen and a bathroom built in 1927. Also a screen porch. The place was wired for electricity in 1926 and all conveniences put in, stove, washer, etc. When we were children, Ma did all the washing by hand (having to pack the water) besides, she baked bread twice a week, 12 to 16 loaves at a time, in an old wooden stove. Our dad liked to tell us stories and when he either told all he knew or got tired, he'd end up with the story about the sheep going over a bridge and we had to wait till they all were over before another story was told.

   Adelaode wrote this up and Kate copied. September 12, 1966

   Mother and Dad were married October 28, 1893. On their 25th wedding anniversary, Oct. 1918, we children bought them a coo-coo clock. My mother always wanted one as they had them in Switzerland.

Sincerely,
Kate Godde Billet