History of
Plymouth County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen, 1917
K
Henry E. Kohler
Diversified farming is essential to profitable production
and maintenance of soil fertility, but it is necessary to specialize on
something to secure a superior standard of excellence. While Henry E.
Kohler, one of the leading farmers of Fredonia township, Plymouth county,
carries on general farming he has long specialized in certain standard breeds of
live stock.
Mr. Kohler was born, March 6, 1874, at Elgin, Iowa, and is
a son of Nicholas and Mary (Lang) Kohler, both natives of Switzerland, from
which country they came, single, with their parents to America, locating near
Elgin, Iowa. The father learned the tailor's trade in Europe, but after
coming to the New World he worked at the carpenter's trade and farming. He
was born in Berne, Switzerland, November 21, 1833, and his wife was born on
February 9, 1842. He died January 11, 1913. She died April 25, 1914.
Nicholas Kohler was one of a family of four sons and one daughter. He came
to Fredonia township, Plymouth county, in 1879, and brought up his family of
eight children on the farm where his son, Joseph, now lives, and where he
resided for a period of twenty-eight years, then retired from active life, moved
to California, but came to Le Mars a year later and he and his wife spent their
last days there. They belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran church at
Remsen. He was first a Democrat and later a Republican. His children
were named as follow; Alfred, who owns twenty-eight hundred and eighty
acres in Moody county, South Dakota, married Matilda Miller, and they have seven
children; Rosa married Gotfried Zangger, of Larchwood, Iowa, and they have
five children; Lydia is the wife of A. J. Stang, of Le Mars, and they have five
sons; Emma is the wife of C. C. Banghman, of Palo Alto, California, and
they have one son; Henry E., of this sketch; Pauline lives at Palo Alto,
California; Joseph, who is operating the old homestead in Fredonia township,
married Lucy Hodapp and they have five children; Julia married Peter Tonsfeldt,
of Meadow township, and they have four children.
Henry E. Kohler was educated in the public schools of his
home community and in Le Mars Normal School. He started out for himself in
1897 and farmed two years before his marriage, which took place on March 2,
1899, to Lucy Weber, a native of Moline, Illinois, and a daughter of C. L. and
Catherine (Hacksett) Weber, both natives of Berlin, Germany, from which
country they came with their parents to America, single, and located at
Freeport, Illinois. C. L. Weber was a blacksmith by trade, and he worked
in the plow works at Freeport for some time, later moving to Moline, where he
worked in the shops for a number of years. He came to Plymouth county in
1882 and bought five hundred and sixty acres in Fredonia township, on which he
made his home for twenty-eight years, then lived in Le Mars six years, where his
death occurred, August 2, 1915, at the age of sixty-four. His widow died
at the home of Mrs. H. Kohler, Remsen, Iowa, on December 17, 1916. Their
children were named as follow: Lena married John Ollimon, of Soldier, Idaho, and
to them ten children have been born, two of whom are deceased; Anna married
William Kilker, of Le Mars, and they have three sons; Sarah married William
Reeves, of Le Mars, and they have four children; Lucy, wife of Mr. Kohler, of
this sketch; Agnes married Charles Ladenberger, of Bismark, North Dakota, and
they haves three children; Louis, who lives on the home farm, married Cerelia
Mullong, and they have one child; Frank lives on the old Weber place, and
he married Carrie Reintz, and they have one son; Della married Edward Detloff,
who is farming just north of Le Mars, and they have one son.
To Henry Kohler and wife three sons have been born,
namely; Elmer N., whose birth occurred on April 18, 1901; Frank A., born on
December 3, 1907; and George H., born on November 1, 1912.
Mr. Kohler has lived on his present place in Fredonia
township since his marriage. He owns three hundred and twenty acres in
sections 25 and 26, and one hundred and sixty acres in section 14. He has
kept his land under modern improvement, and in 1905 he built an eight-room
residence, of hard pine finish, cement foundation, and he has gas lights and
other modern fixtures. He has also built up-to-date outhouses, including a
garage. In connection with a general farming business he raises Hereford
and Shorthorn cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs, and formerly raised some of the finest
Percheron horse in the county. He is now living practically retired from
active life.
Politically, Mr. Kohler is a Republican. He has
served as justice of the peace, road boss, as township clerk for two years, and
school director for eighteen years. He belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran
church at Remsen, of which he is a liberal supporter. With three others he
installed the electric lights in the church edifice. He is one of the
leaders in his community.
John H. Kruse
Among the many well-known farmers and successful stockmen of Washington
township, is John H. Kruse, who was born in Grundy county, Iowa, on August 2,
1871, being the son of Hiram and Anna Kruse. Hiram and Anna Kruse were
natives of Germany and the state of Iowa, respectively, and received their
education in the local schools. Hiram Kruse grew to manhood in the land of
his nativity and, as a young man, came to the United States and located in
Grundy county, where he worked as a farm hand for some years. It was here
that he was married and established his home on a rented farm, where he engaged
in general farming until 1885, when he came to Plymouth county. Here he
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Grant township, which he
developed and improved and later increased to three hundred and twenty acres.
This farm he made his home until the time of his death, in 1894, and here the
widow still lives. Mr. Kruse was a man of exceptional ability and a good
manager and a hard worker. Coming to this country a poor boy, he by his
hard work and close application to business, established himself as one of the
successful and substantial men of Plymouth county. He made many friends
and at the time of his death he was held in the highest regard and esteem by all
who knew him. He and his wife were the parents of the following children:
D. H., John H., Hiram H., Hilka, Anna, Zena and Clara.
John H. Kruse received his education in the public schools
of Grundy county and there grew to manhood and, as a lad, assisted his father on
the home farm. He later engaged in farming on the home place until he was
twenty-three years of age, when he rented land for ten years, at which time he
purchased his present farm in Washington township. The tract at the time
he made the purchase was for the most part undeveloped and unimproved, but he
now has one hundred and sixty acres of most excellent land, all under a high
state of cultivation and well improved. He cultivates about sixty-five
acres of corn each year, and the rest of his place he devotes to small grain,
hay and pasture. He keeps some sixty head of Chester White hogs and some
fine cattle.
John H. Kruse was married in 1895 to Johann Reemps, the
daughter of Fred Reemps and wife, and to this union seven children have been
born, five of whom are now living as follow: Anna, Flora, Tena, Hannah and
Ida, all of whom are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Kruse are active members of the German
Lutheran church of Preston township and are prominent in the social life of the
community, where they live. Politically, Mr. Kruse is an independent, yet
he takes much interest in the local affairs of his township and uses his best
efforts to securing good local government.
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