Henry Fanselau was born February 28, 1890, south of Idalia, Colorado near the Kit Carson County line.  He was the seventh child born to German immigrant parents, August and Wilhemina (Wolff) Fanselau.  Three of his sisters died in infancy and one sister died at the age of nine of diphtheria in 1893.  She was buried in what was known at that time as the Hedinger Cemetery, which is situated on the Yuma County line and two miles west of Highway 385.  At that time there was a small Lutheran Church near the cemetery,

     About this time the family moved 8 miles North and 2 east of Bethune.  Henry's sisters Katie and Minnie Fanselau, married brothers; Gottlieb and Fred Bauder.
 
     Henry and his only brother Edward, three years younger than he, attended Blue View, a one room public elementary school.  For a time they attended church school at Irnmanuels Lutheran, which was two or three miles from their home.

    Lillie Bamesberger, adopted daughter of Ferdinand and Dora Bamesberger, was born on February 18, 1893, in Denver, Colorado.  Her adoptive parents were also German immigrants and moved from Denver to the Bethune area a few miles from the Fanselaus.

    The Bamesbergers also raised a foster son, Amos Holland, who was three years younger than Lillie.  They too attended Blue View school and Lutheran Church School, which also taught the basic three R's.  Schools were in session 5 to 6 months out of the year and few pupils at that time finished the eighth grade.  Henry and Lillie grew up in the same community.

      In the year 1911, most of the land had been taken for homesteads in the area.  At the age of 21, Henry ventured further.  He purchased a relinquishment on a homestead of 320 acres, located 16 miles south and 4 east of Burlington.  Prior to this time only 160 acres could be proved up.

      On April 14, 1912, Henry and Lillie were married at Immanuels' Lutheran Church, located 10 miles north and 1 east of Bethune.  This was the same date as the sinking of the luxury liner, Titanic.

      Following their marriage they moved to their home which was later known as the Smoky Hill Community.  There was a Post Office about 4 miles from their home which was called Cole.  It was in a private home and mail was delivered from Burlington two or three times a week.  Some staple groceries were also sold there.  Rural mail delivery was realized about 1923 or 1924.

     In March, 1916, complying with legal regulations, Henry proved up on the half section, described as S 1/2, T 11, R. 43.  This was during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.

     The Fanselaus struggled and sacrificed the same as most of the pioneers at that time in history.  They butchered, cured and canned beef and pork, canned vegetables and fruit, made laundry soap and raised chickens for meat and for laying hens.  Eggs were exchanged for groceries at the store.  In the 23 years that they lived on the farm, the water was carried in buckets from the well for household use.  The only lights were two kerosene lamps.

     Three daughters were born to Henry and Lillie; Mildred, Leona and Geneva.  Married, a farmer and a father, Henry was deferred from the draft during World War I.

     In 1919, the family owned their first automobile, a used 1917 Model T Ford touring car.

       The girls attended Smoky Hill School where ten grades were taught.
In 1934, Mildred married Robert Stahlecker and Leona married George Wiedman.  Both couples moved to Oregon in the spring of 1935.
In 1934 a severe drouth plagued most of the high plains states and very little cattle feed was raised.  Due to the drouth and the great depression of the 30's, the Fanselaus sold their livestock and belongings and following the pattern of many families in the midwest, they migrated to the west coast, settling in Newberg, Oregon, in September, 1935.  Crops were being raised there and jobs were available.  Average wage for a man was 25 cents per hour for cutting cord wood, labor in the saw mills or general farm work.  Henry and Lillie both worked at seasonal jobs, picking fruit, berries and hops.  They also worked in a cannery during fruit and vegetable seasons.
In 1940, Geneva married in Newberg, Oregon and still lives in that area.

      Living in Oregon seven years, Henry and Lillie returned to Eastern Colorado and settled in Bethune where they resided for nine years.  In 1951 they moved to Burlington, living in their home at 333 5th Street for 22 years.

      In 1973, poor health did not allow them to remain in their home.  Lillie spent her last five years of life in the Burlington Rest Home.  Her death was May 1978.  Henry was in Grace Manor Nursing Home for seven years, and his death was April, 1980.  Outside of the time lived in Oregon, Henry spent the rest of his 90 years in Kit Carson County.