Henry Lawrenz (July 8, 1893-1965) and Ella Morisse (February 22, 1898) were
  married June 17, 1917, at Nashville, Kansas. After their marriage they moved to
  a farm in Barber county, Elm Mills township. This farm belonged to my parents,
  Goerge and Gesene Gerdes Morisse, who came to America from Oldenberg, Germany
  in 1883, and were married at Nashville. They homesteaded a farm east of Nashville.
  I was one of six children.
     Henry was one of ten children born to Julius and Eva Heublein Lawrence, who
  came to America as young people and were married.
     Julius changed the spelling of his name May 23, 1917 from Lawrenz to Lawrence.
  Henry was of legal age and the spelling of his name did not change. He never
  desired to have it changed.
     In the first years of our marriage all farming was done with horses. During 
  threshing, it took a large crew of men and you hired whomever you could get. One
  man I remember, insisted on sleeping with a gun under his pillow.
     Our children attended a rural grade school located two miles north of our home.
  It was named Crooked Creek. It closed in 1938. They then attended Isabel schools
  and all graduated from Isabel High School.
     We attended the Lutheran Church at Nashville. Our children were 4-H members. 
  Henry served on the School Board, Township Board, and Church Board for many years.
     Our first tractor was a McCormick Deering 15-30 with steel wheels and lugs. The
  first combine was a Case pull-type with 16 foot header. These were purchased between
  1927 and 1929. Farm work was much easier.
     In 1937, we purchased a  butane tank and had a floor furnace and a Tappan cook
  stove. No more wood to cut, but our neighbors were sure we would blow up.
     Butane also made a gas Servel refrigerator possible. We never had an icebox.
  Prior to this our refrigeration was a water box, that had water pumped through it by
  the windmill, and on into the cattle tank. These water boxes were used to keep milk,
  cream, butter and other food.
     About the same time, we purchased a 32-volt Delco Electric system. A gas engine
  generated electricity that was stored in batteries. This gave us lights and an
  electric iron. REA brought us electricity in 1948.
     We lived all of our married lives on the same farm. Henry died December 20, 1965.
  I continued to live on the farm until the past year when my health forced me to move
  to Medicine Lodge.
     We were the parents of eight children. Two sons died as infants. Our son, Eugene
  has farmed the land for many years. Our daughters are Muriel Raleigh, Odetta Keimig,
  Arlene Thurman, Pauline McManaman and Virginia Guhl. There are twenty grandchildren. 
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 275 
     Submitted by: Ella Lawrenz