Valentine Henrich, son of Philip and Elizabeth Henrich, was born 1850 in Hesse-Nassau, Germany.  He came to America with a group of friends at the age of nineteen.  His capital consisted solely of his strong hands and a willing heart.  The study of the career of such a life should be an inspiration to those of the coming generation who little realize the privations and discouragements which often faced our forefathers in settling up a new country.

Valentine landed in New York in March of 1869.  He immediately went to Chicago where he worked for a year and a half at his trade of carpentering.  He then went to Lee County , Illinois where he worked as a farm laborer until 1875.  Mr. Henrich married Caroline Dinges in November of 1875, who was born in 1855 in Lee County, Illinois.  They rented land there with the intention of later going farther west to buy land of their own.  In 1882 they came to Richland Township, Sac county, Iowa and rented land for two years.  Then he bought one hundred sixty acres in Section 8 in Richland Township for twenty-five dollars an acre.  He went into debt for the total amount, built a house and started to pay for his land.  It was not an easy task for he had the grasshoppers, storm, drought and many other discouragements to meet, but he stuck to his farm with characteristic German determination and within fifteen years had it all paid for.  At that time he had to pay the high rate of eighteen percent interest on his borrowed money.  He later bought more land in Richland and also in South Dakota.  He moved to Odebolt in 1907.

Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Henrich were parents of Christina (Mrs. Peter Roeder); Mary (Mrs. John Ziegmann); Peter, married Elizabeth Miller; John, married Katherine Konradi; Josephine (Mrs. William Mandernach); Joseph, married Elizabeth Reis; and Gertrude (Mrs. Gus Schramm).

Mr. and Mrs. John Ziegmann under Ziegmann and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Henrich moved from the area.

Mr. and Mrs. John Henrich were parents of Gertrude (Mrs. Nick Thies-George Faber); Leona (Mrs. Vincent Bird); Howard, married Margaret Bauer; John, died in infancy; Katherine (Mrs. Byron Goering); William, married Grace Gardner; Virgil, died in childhood; and Darlene (Mrs. Bernard Bird).

Mr. and Mrs. William Mandernach were parents of Hazel; Lorraine (Mrs. Paul O'Neal); Ralph; and Lloyd.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Henrich's children: Leonard; Florian; Alice (Mrs. Alfred Gosch); Reta (Mrs. Robert Zimmerman); Marcella (Mrs. Leonard Literski); Frances (Mrs. Alvin Hochstein); Mary (Mrs. Bernard Selbitschka); and Agnes (Mrs. Joe Literski).

Mr. and Mrs. Gus Schramm under Schramm.

August Wilhelm Hokansson, born December 28, 1864 in Smoland, Sweden, son of Peter and Tilda Wilhelmina (Nystrom) Hokansson.  He came to America in 1888 and located in Odebolt.  In Sweden his name was Peterson but there being so many Petersons in this area he wasn't getting his own mail so he had his name changed to Hokansson. In order to come to America he had a contract with a C.W. Hallstrom, calling for August to be forwarded from Gothenburg to New York in North America for the sum of 105 Kronor.  The journey took place from Gothenburg by steamer steerage passage to Hull, in England, and thence, within 48 hours after having passed the customs, to Liverpool by rail, 3rd class, and from Liverpool within 12 days after arrival there, by ocean steamer steerage passage to New York in North America.  From New York the emigrant to be forwarded, immediately after having passed the customs and complied with other formalities, by rail 3rd class to his destination, Odebolt, Iowa. He was allowed space on steamer for one package not exceeding 10 cubic feet and 150 pounds by weight (Reuben Hokanson has this original contract written in both English and Swedish).

He receive his citizenship papers September 1, 1896.  In February 1901 he married Ellen Sophia Peterson, daughter of Carl and Anna Sophia (Larsson) Petersson, who was born November 11, 1877, in Orebro Lan, Sweden.  She came to America with her parents at age 12, locating first at Arthur and later at Odebolt.  After their marriage August and Ellen moved to a farm northeast of Odebolt, known as the Krusenstjerna homestead, where they lived until her death in 1944.  Then August moved into Odebolt and lived with his son Russell until his death in October, 1952.

Children born to August and Ellen Hokansson were Reuben, married to Emma Bonnicksen; Esther (Mrs. Ewald Brown); Rudolph, married Cecilia Johnson; Russell; Ruth (Mrs. Earl Turner); Mabel (Mrs. Orville Buehler); Hilda (Mrs. LaVerne Baker)' and Robert, married Alvina Leitz; one son, a twin to Robert, died in infancy.

[Photo available  -  contact the webmaster if you would like it to be scanned.]

John Huldeen, born in Smaland, Sweden, in 1855.  He came to America about 1875,coming to Odebolt vicinity to find work.  He worked on Wheeler Ranch for many years and helped break up the prairie sod where the heart of Odebolt now stands.  He was foreman of the ranch for some time and had charge of the ranch the last years Wheeler owned it.

In 1891 John married Anna Teaquist, born 1864 in Vastergotland, Sweden, daughter of Abraham and Jane Teaquist, who came to America in 1870 and to Sac county, Iowa in 1877.

John and Anna were parents of Albert and twins, Alvin and Arvid.  The boys were born on the west ranch where the sheep barns were later built.  John and Anna fed and kept about twenty men who worked on the ranch.  Later they moved to North Ranch in northeast corner of section where ranch houses are now.

Mr. and Mrs. Huldeen started farming for themselves in 1898.

Albert Huldeen married Carrie Pearson and were parents of one child, Arleen.
Arvid married Esther Nordeen.
Alvin married Florence Brynteson and were parents of John, Carolyn, and Gerald.

Huldeen farm photo located on this link - Odebolt Area Farms

[Photo available  -  contact the webmaster if you would like it to be scanned.]

biography index

[Home]   [History Index]

[Copyright Notice]