| Notes |
- Nicholas Modaff, called "Red Nick," was born November 11, 1844, in Vianden, Luxenbourg. He died August 8, 1904, and is buried in St. Nicholas cemetery in Aurora. "Red Nick," "Big Nick," "Little Nick," and another brother came over from Vianden, Luxenbourg, in the early 1860s to the Detroit, Michigan, area. One brother stayed in Luxenbourg and his granddaughter still lives there. Nicholas worked on the stone quarry when he came over and bought a 73-acre farm along Plain Avenue by Liberty Street where Dukane Precast has its plant.
Though Nicholas met his wife, Caroline Feidert (1/12/1851-1/15/1913), in Aurora, they were both from Viaden, Luxenbourg. The couple had five sons and two daughters: Frank (1876-1941); William (1883-1954); Barbara (1884-1888); Anna [Weydert] (1885-1963); Angeline (1887-1895); died in childhood of diptheria; Philip (1890-1958) died on his daughter's wedding day---the bride and groom were at the hospital in their wedding attire and after Philip died, they held their wedding; and Charles (1903-1949).
The Nicholas Modaff Farmstead bordered the CJ&E Railroad tracks, and the kids used to pick up the coal that fell from the trains. They used the coal to burn in the stove. Sometimes the fireman on the train would throw a shovel full of coal from the train as it passed and watch the kids collect the coal. In those days, women milked the cows.
Peter Modaff, the third son of "Red Nick," married Dora Frisch, born on January 23, 1887 she was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Frisch who had come over from Alsace Lorraine, France. Peter and Dora Modaff moved from Aurora and rented a farm in Naperville on March 1, 1914, for $3.00/acre from William Paeth. The farm comprised 117 acres covering the area that is now 75th Street and Modaff Road. Peter and Dora had seven children: Caroline [Gaworski] (6/25/1910); Lillian [Landorf] (2/13/1912); Nicholas (1/24/1914); Cecelia [Kuhn] (3/28/1916); Agnes [Theis] (1/24/1918-9/21/1998); Bernard (12/30/19/20-12/29/1995); and Peter, Jr., (3/3/1922-4/19/1923)
After giving birth to Peter Jr., Dora died on April 28, 1922, from blood poisoning.
Most people were still using horse and wagons to farm and move things. The farm itself was on a dirt lane close to a quarter mile from the main road. In 1918, Peter bought his first car, a Model T Ford with a crank start and no battery. He sold a team of horses and for $500 and paid less than $400 for the car and surprised Dora with it.
By 1920, Peter had to put gravel on a dirt lane so he wouldn't get the car stuck in the mud. Back then, car owners also had to remember to turn off the light switch before they crank-started the car or the lamps would burn out.
In 1924, rent on the farm increased to $9.00/acre, so Peter decided to buy the place. He paid $160.00/acre to purchase it for a total of $18,000.00. Peter put $3500.00 down and had two mortgages, one with the bank and the second with John Book. Interest was at 7%.
Everything was going good until the Depression hit in 1929. The Peter Modaffs managed to survive with hard work and the help of President Roosevelt's 4% government loan to help rural families. Peter became good at fixing roads, so he was elected Naperville's Road Commissioner in 1935. His sons helped him run the farm. In 1944, Peter married his second wife, Mathilda Bermes. She had six children of her own, but none with Peter. Peter died during his fifth term as Road Commissioner and his son, Bernie, finished out the last year of his term.
Peter's third child, Nicholas John Modaff, married Alice Catherine Meisinger (5/12/1905-7/10/1993) on Febuary 6, 1937, at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Naperville. Both attended St. Peter and Paul School and Naperville High School. They started their family of six children on the Meisinger homestead in the stone house on South Washington Street across from Pioneer Park in Naperville. Nicholas Jr. (who is married and has five children), Joseph (who is a publisher and has two children), Carolyn (who is married to Phil Weissinger and has five children), Mary (Konder, (6/12/1942-9/17/1971), Edith (Ken Brown], and David (who is married with two children)
Nick and Alice sold the farm in 1959 for development and bought a farm in Wheatland Township where they lived for 18 years when they partially retired and moved to their new home in Plainfield, leaving Nick Jr. to operate the farm
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1844 - 1904 (59 years)
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