John Barnable, one of Union township's well-known farmers and the owner of a fine place of one hundred and sixty acres there, is a native son of Iowa and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Jackson county on September 10, 1852, son of Thomas and Catherine Barnable, natives of Ireland, whose last days were spent in Jackson county, this state. 

Thomas Barnable emigrated from Ireland to Canada in his youth and began working in the timber. He was married in Canada and afterward went to New York state, but remained there only a short time, presently coming out to Iowa and establishing his home in Jackson county. There he bought a tract of land, paying for the same three dollars and a quarter and acre, and became a substantial farmer, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. Of these children, the subject of this sketch was the first-born and is the only one residing in Plymouth county.  

John Barnable was reared on the parental farm in Jackson county and received his schooling in the schools in the neighborhood of his home. He early began farming on his own account, renting land, and after his marriage in 1880 continued making his home in Jackson county until 1885, when he moved over into Pottawattamie county, where he remained for a year, at the end of which time, in 1886, he came up into Plymouth county and bought a farm of eighty acres one-half mile south of the village of Oyens, where he made his home until 1892, when he bought the quarter section on which he is now living in Union township and where he ever since has made his home, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Upon taking possession of that farm Mr. Barnable began improving the same, set out a grove and has made improvements on the place to the extent of nearly seven thousand dollars. He has a fine house, a good barn and farm buildings and his fields are fenced hog tight. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Barnable has given considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and ships annually a couple of carloads of hogs and a carload of cattle. He is a Democrat and gives his earnest attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office. 

Henry Baune, one of Remsen township's well-known and substantial farmers, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of this country since 1880. He was born in the grand duchy of Oldenburg on September 8, 1864, son of August and Dena Baune, who also were born in Oldenburg and who remained there, the father being there engaged as a carpenter, until 1880, in which year they came with their family to the United States and settled in Delaware county, this state. There August Baune rented a farm on which he established his home and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1889. His widow is now living with her son, Charles Baune, in Sioux county. August Baune and wife were the parents of nine children, four of whom are still living, but only one of whom, the subject of this sketch, is a resident of Plymouth county.

Reared in his native land, Henry Baune remained there until 1880, when he accompanied his parents and the other members of the family to this country and engaged with his father in farming in Delaware county, this state, continuing thus engaged until the time of his father's death in 1889. The next year he married and in the spring of the following year, on March 1, 1889, came over to Plymouth county and rented a farm west of Remsen, where he made his home for seven years, at the end of which time he bought a tract of eighty acres, to which he later added an adjoining tract of forty acres and has since then made his home on that place, he and his family being very comfortably situated there. In addition to his own farm of one hundred and twenty acres, Mr. Baune rents an adjoining tact of one hundred and twenty acres and is conducting his farming operations along progressive and up-to-date lines and is doing very well.

In 1890 Henry Baune was united in marriage to Elizabeth Schultz, daughter of Henry Schultz and wife, and to this union nine children have been born, six of whom are now living, namely; Edward, who married Anna Fredericks, and Aloysius, Lawrence, Raymond, Gregory and Clarence. The Baunes are members of the Catholic church at Remsen and take an earnest interest in parish affairs, as well as in the general social activities of the community in which they live, and are helpful factors in furthering all good causes in that part of the county. Mr. Baune is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.

CHARLES BECK   

Farming and stock raising in Plymouth county, has held the attention of many of the ambitious young men of that locality, among the number being Charles Beck, one of the progressive men of Plymouth township, who was born in Stanton township on April 5,1879, and is the son of Joseph and Caroline (Icorst) Beck.   

Joseph and Caroline Beck were born in Germany and there they received their education in the public schools, grew to maturity and were later married. Joseph Beck was born on August 17, 1838, and after some years of married life, he and his wife came to the United States in 1864. On their arrival in this country, they after a time located in Stanton township, Plymouth county. Here they established a home on a farm, which they at once began to develop and improve. In addition to looking after his own interests, Mr. Beck took an active part in the general welfare of the township and the county. He had much to do with its growth and development and was recognized as one of the influential men of the district, and was held in the highest regard and esteem by all who knew him. Before coming to Plymouth county, Mr. and Mrs. Beck were for three years residents of Wisconsin and were for a time in Minnesota. After many years of active life in Stanton township, Mr. and Mrs. Beck, retired from the activities of farm life and moved to Le Mars, in 1909, and it was there that he died on May 21, 1912. Mrs. Beck is still living at her home in Le Mars.   

Joseph and Caroline Beck were the parents of the following children, Emma, August, Minnie, Rose, Charles, Albert, Edith, Julius, Ed, Clara and Herman. Emma is the wife of Henry Ideker, of Lincoln township; August is engaged in general farming and stock raising in Stanton township, Minnie married Mike Konkle, a well-known farmer, of Stanton township; Rose is the wife of George Konkle and they live in Canada; Albert is a substantial farmer, of Stanton township; Edith is the widow of Henry Prust and lives at Le Mars; Julius is engaged in farming in Hungerford township, and Ed. and Herman are engaged in farming in Lincoln and Stanton townships, respectively; Clara is the wife of John Hoffman, of Lincoln township. Mr. and Mrs. Beck were reared in the faith of the German Lutheran church and, during their active life, took much interest in all church work.   

Charles Beck received his education in the public schools of Plymouth county, and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work on the old homestead. He remained at home until the time of his marriage on October 1, 1907, to Amelia Mathwig, a native of Lincoln township, the daughter of Gottleib and Augusta (Schroeder) Mathwig. Her parents were natives of Germany and there received their education in public schools and there grew to maturity. They later married and came to the United States. Here they established a home on a farm in Lincoln township, and here the father died in 1888. The mother is still living at an advanced age. They were the parents of eight children, Lena, Edward, John, Emma, Rose, Minnie, Ida and Herman. Lena resides in Sioux township; Edward, John and Minnie are at home; Rose is the wife of Herbert Seles, of Hinton, Iowa; Ida is the wife of John Konkle, a well-known farmer, of Lincoln township, and Herman is a resident of Hungerford township.   

Charles and Emma Beck are the parents of four children, Joie, Raymond, Harold and Arthur, all of whom are at home. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Beck established their home in Lincoln township, where they remained until the spring of 1911, when they moved to their present farm in Plymouth township. Here they have a most excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres, all of which is under high cultivation and well improved. Mr. Beck is engaged in general farming and stock raising in which he has been most successful. He has many Shorthorn cattle and Hampshire hogs, together with some very fine draft horses. He has always taken an active interest in the civic life of the township and votes the independent ticket, but has never aspired to office. He and his wife are active members of the German Lutheran church and have long been prominent in church work, in Lincoln township.

J. P. BECK, one of the well-known and successful merchants of Remsen, was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 6, 1865, the son of M.M. and Catherine Beck. When J.P. Beck was two years of age, his parents moved to Ossian, Iowa, and there he received his education in the public school. At the age of sixteen he attended the Chicago Pharmacy College and later came with his father to Plymouth county and located at Remsen, where he worked for his father, who had purchased the Frank Miller store. He remained with his father until the latter retired from the business, he and J.H. Ahman then purchasing the business and continuing the same under the firm name of Beck & Ahman. This partnership continued for ten years, at the end of which time Mr. Beck bought the store, which he has since continued, under the name of the Beck Retail Commercial Union store, and has met with a large measure of success.   

The father of J.P. Beck was born in Germany and there received his education in the public schools and there grew to manhood. He remained in his native country until 1848, when he decided to come to America. He settled in Missouri, where he worked at the carpenter trade for some time, and then moved to Polk county, Iowa, where he engaged in farming until 1867, when he moved to Ossian, Iowa, and there engaged in farming, remaining there until 1881, in which year he located at Remsen, where he engaged in the general mercantile business. He started in a small way with a store but twenty-four by forty feet in six. In 1906 he erected a brick building that was twenty-five by one hundred feet, and later increased the space of the store to fifty by one hundred feet. At the time Mr. Beck engaged in business in Remsen, there were but two general stores in the town, and today his original place of business is the oldest and one of the most substantial places of business in the town. To Mr. and Mrs. Beck the following children were born: Mrs. Lena Schweback, Mrs. Doctor Schultz, F.Z., and J.P. The family has long been active in the social and the religious life of the community and is held in the highest esteem. Mr. Beck took a prominent part in the development of the township and had much to do with the civic life of the community.   

J.P. Beck was united in marriage in 1888 to Susie Hoffman, the daughter of Nicholas Hoffman and wife, and to this union seven children have been born, Joseph, Adolph, Raymond, Clarence, Nora, John and Rosa. Adolph Beck married Regina Wenner.   

J.P. Beck has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the community and was for eight years treasurer of Remsen. He and his family are active members of the Catholic church and have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the community. For many years Mr. Beck has been a member of the board of trustees of his church, and is an active member of the Knights of Columbus, of the Catholic order of Foresters, of which he is treasurer; of the Roman Catholic Mutual Protective Society and of the Luxemburg Bunderbund of America, of which he is also treasurer. He is also a stockholder and a director of the Farmers' Savings Bank of Remsen and vice-president of the Remsen Tank Line Company, and is interested in the Wynot cash store, at Wynot, Nebraska, and in the Thomas Grocery Company at Le Mars. He was one of the organizers of the Retail Commercial Union, and is one of the directors and has served as president of the company, a concern that has developed into one of the largest buying concerns in the United States. Mr. Beck is also one of the organizers and is at present one of the directors of the Des Moines Wholesale Grocery Company, a concern that is doing an immense business in that section of the country.   

J.P. Beck has long been identified with the Democratic party and has been active in the local affairs of the township and of the county, where he is held in the highest regard, being regarded as one of the most substantial and influential citizens of the community. He has had much to do with the business interests of the district and has been one of the prominent factors in the general progress and the development of the community.

Willis G. Bolser, president of the German-American Savings Bank of Le Mars and possessor of other extensive banking interests in Plymouth county, is a native of Wisconsin, born on a farm in Walworth county, that state, November 13, 1863, son of John and Ellen (Christopher) Bolser, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Norway.  John Bolser and his wife were among the earliest settlers in Walworth county, where he spent his last days.  His widow is now living at Palmyra, Wisconsin.

Reared on the home farm in Wisconsin, Willis G. Bolser received his schooling in the country schools of that neighborhood and when fifteen years of age, in 1878, came to Iowa and took employment with the Illinois Central Railroad Company, being engaged with that company until 1893, in which year, while acting as agent for the company at Le Mars he was elected president of the German-American Savings Bank at Le Mars and has ever since occupied that position, for years having been recognized as one of the leading bankers in northwestern Iowa.  Mr. Bolser also has other extensive bank holdings, being interested in the Plymouth County Bank at Oyens, the Farmers' Savings Bank at Struble, the German Savings Bank at Craig and in the Bank of Brunsville, all in this county.  In 1915 the German-American Savings Bank at Le Mars erected its present magnificent bank building, one of the finest structures of it kind in Iowa.  This building is constructed of Bedford stone, along modern lines of architecture, and is a handsome addition to the business district of the county seat.  In addition to his large holdings in a banking way, Mr. Bolser also has extensive land holdings and is regarded as one of the most substantial citizens in this part of the state.

In May, 1883, Willis G. Bolser was united in marriage to Carrie E. Mead, of Aplington, this state, and to this union four children have been born, namely: Miles O., who is an electrical engineer at Los Angeles, California; Ellen C., wife of Dr. W. W. Larsen, of Le Mars; Clark M. and Norman J.

Bernhard Borchers, one of the well-known and successful farmers of Preston township, Plymouth county, Iowa, was born in Will county, Illinois, on August 2, 1872, being the son of Bernhard and Anna Borchers. Bernhard and Anna Borchers were born in Oldenburg, Germany, and there received their education in the public schools, grew to manhood and womanhood and were married. For some years after their marriage they continued to reside in the land of their nativity, where Mr. Borchers was engaged as a laborer. Many of their neighbors and countrymen had come to the United States, where they were making homes for themselves and their families, and their success caused Mr. and Mrs. Borchers to leave the land of their young manhood and womanhood and sail for America. On their arrival in this country, they came at once to Will county, Illinois, and for a year after their arrival they worked at whatever they could find to do. They then rented a small tract of land and engaged in farming on a small scale, which they continued for thirteen years. In 1881 they moved to Iowa and Mr. Borchers rented eighty acres of land in Plymouth county. He later purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in the county and erected a good and substantial frame house. This farm in Preston township he made his home until the time of his death, in 1901, at the age of sixty-three years. The widow survived for fourteen years, her death occurring in October, 1915, at the age of seventy-three years. They were the parents of eleven children, all but two of whom reached the age of maturity. One died on the voyage to the United States and was buried in the ocean, and Gilbert died in Illinois. The others of the family were, Bernhard, Henry, Mary, August, Louis, Will, John, Anna and Minnie. Henry is a well-known farmer of Johnson township; Mary, now deceased, was the wife of J. Dirk, Brunsville; August, Louis, Will and John are all farming in Preston township. Anna is the wife of Charles Mammer, of Grant township, and Minnie is the wife of Michael Eilers, of Preston township.

After some years, Bernhard Borchers, Sr., added to his original purchase of one hundred and sixty acres of land and became one of the substantial and influential men of the township. He was a firm believer in thorough cultivation and soon had his farm under a high state of improvement. He took much interest in local affairs and had much to do with the progress and development of both the township and the county. He and his wife were most estimable people and were held in the highest regard by all who knew them. Bernhard Borchers, Jr., the subject of this sketch, received a part of his education in the schools of Illinois, before the family moved to this state, and after the family located in Preston township, he completed his education in the schools of this county. He grew to manhood on the home farm, where, as a lad and young man, he assisted his father with the farm work, and remained at home until the time of his marriage.

In 1899, Bernhard Borchers was united in marriage to Minnie Siebens, whose family were among the earliest settlers in this part of the county, the family having come to this section of the county in an early day and having much to do with the early life of the township and the county. After his marriage, Bernhard Borchers rented two hundred and forty acres of land of his father in section 9, Preston township, and began life for himself as a farmer. He continued to farm the place for two years, at which time the father died and the estate was settled. Bernhard Borchers paid the difference and retained the whole of the farm of two hundred and forty acres, which he had been working. The buildings on the farm at the time he came here were very poor. Today there is a beautiful two-story frame house, with large barn and many other most substantial buildings, all of which have been placed there by Mr. Borchers and his wife. It has meant a great deal of hard and persistent work to bring the place up to its present high state of perfection, but now it is one of the ideal farms and pleasant homes of the township. The farm is divided into fields, all of which are well fenced. The beautiful grove was on the farm when Mr. Borchers came here, but he has planted and cared for a fine orchard that is growing on the place. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising and has met with much success in his chosen work. He now has some ninety head of fine Hereford cattle and two hundred head of Duroc-Jersey hogs.

Bernhard and Minnie Borchers are the parents of five children, Anna, Lena, Eilert, Lewis and Willie. Mr. and Mrs. Borchers are active members of the German Lutheran church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community, where they are held in the highest regard and esteem by all. They are a most hospitable people and take much pleasure in the entertainment of their neighbors and friends, their beautiful home often being the scene of a happy gathering. Mr. Borchers has always taken much interest in the political and civic life of the township and the county and has been one of the prominent Republicans of his community. He has served for a number of years as a member of the school board and is at present trustee of his home township.

Henry Borchers, a well-to-do and progressive farmer of Johnson township, this county, is a native of Germany, but has lived in this country since he was three years of age and in Plymouth county since he was seventeen. He was born on February 18, 1864, son of Ben and Anna Borchers, natives of Germany and residents of Oldenburg, who came to the United States in 1867, later coming to Iowa and settling in Plymouth County, where their last days were spent.

Ben Borchers was a laborer in his native Oldenburg and some years after his marriage determined to seek his fortune in the land across the sea. With that end in view he came with his family to the United States and settled in Will county, Illinois, where for a year he and his wife worked at such employment as their hands could find to do and then he rented a bit of land there and began farming in a small way, continuing thus engaged there for about thirteen years, or until the spring of 1881 when he moved to Iowa and began farming in this county. Upon his arrival here Mr. Borchers rented a farm of eighty acres in Preston township and there established his home. He presently bought a quarter of a section of unimproved land in that township, erected a good frame house thereon and there spent the rest of his life. He improved the place and brought it up to a high standard of cultivation and as he prospered in his operations bought other land, presently becoming recognized as one of the substantial farmers of that neighborhood. There Ben Borchers died in 1901, at the age of sixty-three years. His widow survived him fourteen years, her death occurring in October, 1915, she then being seventy-three years of age. They were the parents of eleven children, all of whom grew to maturity save two, one who died and was buried in the ocean while the family was en route to this country, and Gerhart, who died in Illinois. Of the surviving children the subject of this sketch is the eldest, the others being as follow Ben, who is farming in Preston township, this county; Mary, now deceased, who was the wife of J. Dirks, of Brunsville, this county; August, Louis, Will and John, all of whom are farming in Preston township; Anna, who married Charles Mammer, of Grant township, and Minnie, who married Michael Eilers, of Preston township.

Henry Borchers was about three years of age when his parents came to this country and his boyhood was spent on the farm in Will county, Illinois. He was about seventeen when the family came to Plymouth county and his schooling was completed in the schools in the neighborhood of the family home in Preston township. Being the eldest son he was a valued assistant to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home farm and remained at home thus engaged until his marriage in 1891, when he started farming on his own account, renting a quarter of a section of land from his father in section 9 of Johnson township. Two years later he bought that place from his father and ever since has made his home there. Mr. Borchers has been successful in his farming operations and has one of the best-improved farms in that part of the county. In 1906 he supplanted his old house by a fine new modern house, equipped with a gas-lighting plant and modern conveniences and there he and his family are very comfortably and very pleasantly situated. He has a grove of three or four acres and an excellent orchard, a commodious barn and general farm buildings in keeping with the same and up-to-date provisions for the care of live stock. He keeps from thirty-five to fifty head of cattle and from eighty to one hundred head of hogs and has done very well as a stock man. In 1914 Mr. Borchers increased his land holdings by the purchase of a quarter section in Westfield township, which he is at present renting.

Henry Borchers has been twice married. In 1891 he was united in marriage to Kate Rickloss, who died, leaving one child, a daughter, Anna, who married Ben Toel, a farmer, of Johnson township, this county. Mr. Borchers then married Helen Toel and to this union three children had been born, Ben, Alma and Freda. The Borchers are members of the German Lutheran church and take a proper interest in the general beneficences of the same, as well as in the general social activities of the community in which the live.

Eilert Borchers, a well-to-do retired farmer of Grant township and who for years was trustee of that township, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of Plymouth county since 1873 and is thus accounted among the pioneers of this county. He was born in the kingdom of Hanover, March 18, 1843, son of Henry and Margaret Borchers, also Hanoverians, who followed their son to this country in 1873 and located in Jones county this state, later moving to Sioux county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The father died soon after he came here and the mother stayed with a son until he got married; after that she stayed with subject for about twelve years, when she died. Henry Borchers was a blacksmith in his native country, but upon coming to this country became a farmer. He bought a farm of two hundred acres in Sioux county and there established his home. He and his wife were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Diederich.

Brought up to the blacksmith trade by his father, Eilert Borchers worked at that trade in his native land until 1870, in which year he came to the United States, remaining for a short time in Pennsylvania, where he was engaged working on a railroad, but presently went to the vicinity of Chicago, where for a short time he was engaged in farm labor. He then came to Iowa and located in Jones county, where he married and where he remained until 1873, when he came to Plymouth county and bought a quarter of a section of land in Grant township, paying for the same six dollars an acre, and there he established his home and has ever since resided on that place, one of the best-established farmers in that part of the county. Upon taking possession of his raw prairie farm, Mr. Borchers put up a small shanty which served as a home until he could erect a more commodious residence. he also set out a grove and lost little time in bringing his place under cultivation. As he prospered he added to his land holdings and is now the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres, which he rents out, having practically retired from active labors of the farm some time ago. Mr. Borchers is a Republican and from the very beginning of his residence in Grant township has given his close attention to local civic affairs. For years he served as trustee of the township and in other ways has done his part in public affairs. he helped to organize the German Lutheran church in the neighborhood of his home and is a charter member of that organization, of which he was trustee for many years. Mr. Borchers' wife, who was Catherine Popken, daughter of Gerd and Gretke Popken, and whom he married in Jones county before coming to Plymouth county, died in 1901. There were no children born to that union.