THIRD GENERATION

15. Emma Eliza HALL ^(27)(12) was born on 7 Apr 1882 in Dorchester, Saline Co., Nebraska. She died on 8 Oct 1974 in Des Moines, Polk Co., Iowa.⁽²⁸⁾ Margery Bruce, in her compilation of the HALL family, writes:
"Emma continued to live in Nevada [after the death of her husband], and was listed in the 1961 telephone book. . . at 613 Seventh Street. Shortly afterwards she moved to Des Moines to live in the home of her daughter Julia and [son-in-law] Al Watkins at 1340 East Douglas. She lived with Julia until she needed full-time care, then resided in a nursing home at 4140 Grand in Des Moines until her death. . . at the age of 92 years, 6 months and 1 day. She was buried at Nevada beside her husband of over forty years and her infant son." She was buried in Nevada, Story Co. Iowa.

Margery Bruce describes Emma in this way: "Emma was a petit little lady, cheerful and beloved by her friends and family. For years she had taken in laundry to suppliment the money John made. The hurt that she felt because the Lyons and Hall families, although living nearby, never acknowledged her presence, was not shown although she harbored a life-long resentment toward them. The only recognition she got came to her very late when her father's estate was settled and she received her share. A short time later, her brother Roy paid her a visit in Nevada [,Iowa]." This story is disputed, however, by Grant's family. According to Lucy Hall Strumpfer, Roy lived with them for nearly a year when Lucy was about 12. She recalls her father and uncle often wondering what ever happened to their mother and sister. Grant never knew his sister Emma; in fact, he didn't even know her name.

She was married to John P. BERNICKER (son of John BERNICKER and Julia TROUTNER) about 1900 in Iowa.^{(29) (30)} According to daughter Julia Watkins, it was not until Emma was about to marry that the Martin and Mary Polton family, who had raised her, told her of her true parents. John P. BERNICKER ⁽³¹⁾ was born on 28 Apr 1872 in Germany. John came to Iowa when he was about 18 yeas old. He died on 22 Aug 1942 in Nevada, Story Co. Iowa. ^(32)(33) Margery Bruce wrote about John that he "was in his sixties when he had a stroke and was confined to the state hospital at Mount Pleasant. Later he was transferred to the Story County Home until his death. . . at the age of 70 years, 3 months and 24 days. He was buried at Nevada Cemetery, Story County, Iowa."
A German immigrant, and the son of John and Julia (Troutner) Bickner, John worked as pump salesman, and later as an automobile mechanic in Nevada, Story County, Iowa. Emma Eliza HALL and John P. BERNICKER had the following children:

+48 i. Julia Ellen BERNICKER.