Nicholas Otti and wife, Mary, came to the United States from Bern,
      Switzerland in 1866. Enroute, their son, Edward was born on the 
      Atlantic Ocean, the ship wrecked in stormy weather and his mother's
      only English word of "baby" saved him as she held him in a pillow.
      Other children were born later, Mary, Elise, Albert, Fred, John,
      Leah, Rachel, Caroline, Ben and Joseph.
        They lived in Illinois, then came to Kansas, settling near Harper,
      until the opening of the Cherokee Strip. Nicholas and Edward staked 
      land claims southeast of Kiowa, in Oklahoma.
        Edward married Maggie Shultz, their children were Mary, Edward W.,
      Fred, Rhoda, Katie, John, Sarah and Lydia.
        My father, Edward W. (Eddie) married Bessie Richards at Woodard,
      Oklahoma. She was born in Indian Territory near Bartlesville. They
      established their home in Hardtner. Dad was a barber, helped ranchers
      and neighbors round-up and work cattle, shocked grains, butchered
      hogs, and measured men for tailor made suits in the evenings. He
      enjoyed doing all these things. Mother helped nurse in homes, taking
      care of mothers and new babies, fixed hair for friends, organized
      many community dinners and was active in the Evangelical Church and
      Rebekah Lodge. Their children are Margaret, Charles, Edwena and me.
      We were all born at home.
        Father died at the age of 34. Mother remarried and lived on a farm
      one-half mile west of Franklin school, later she lived on the George
      Fritz Ranch near Lake City, then moved to California. She returned
      in 1947, living in Freedom and Alva, Oklahoma.
        Margaret married Bill Wagner, a farmer and construction worker 
      residing in Alva, Oklahoma. Charles married Dorothy Kerr. He is now
      a retired naval officer and employed with NASA, and lives in Houston. 
      Edwena is a real estate agent and resides in El Cajon, California.  
        I lived with my grandparents and Uncle Fred at Burlington, Oklhaoma. 
      My first teacher, Laura French, also taught my daddy. I learned to 
      drive a Model T car. I milked the cows, fed calves and hogs and washed
      the separator used to separate cream from the milk, each morning before
      going to school.
        I met Bob Lukeins at the Burlington skating rink. We waited to get
      married until after WWII. He was a paratrooper in the service for 5
      years in the PHillipines and Japan.
        We were married in 1946, and farmed 160 acres. Bought a JOhn Deere D
      tractor, a pickup and completely paid for them in 1947. For recreation
      we visited neighbors and relatives, attended church and took care of
      our children, Judy and Danny.
        In 1958, we moved to Kiowa and are engaged in farming and livestock
      raising. Judy and Danny were active in 4-H and graduated from Kiowa
      High. Judy was a 4-H exchange student in NOrway in 1965. She is a
      registered nurse and home economics graduate and is married to Dr. 
      Mark Schrock, an Extension Agriculture Engineer at Kansas State, at
      Manhattan, Kansas. They have a son, Nathan.
        Danny is a graduate of Ft. Hays College lives on a farm northeast of
      Kiowa, is engaged in farming and livestock for himself and with his
      Dad.  
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 286  
     Submitted by: Lois and Bob Lukins