- REV. ALBERT B. BECHTOLT, who owns and conducts a fine farm
one mile north of
- Browntown, in Cadiz township, Green county, is well known
in that locality both as an earnest preacher of the United Brethren
persuasion and as a thrifty farmer, active in all good works
for the moral and material growth of the community in which he
has taken up his residence.
- Mr. BECHTOLT is a native of Green county, born March 24,
1861, in Jordan township, where
- his father, Daniel B. BECHTOLT, has resided for half a century.
The family is of German origin, our subject's great-grandfather,
Mathias BECHTOLT, Sr., having been born in Germany, whence he
emigrated to America before the Revolutionary war, settling in
Berks county, Penn. His family consisted of eleven children,
namely: Isaac, George, Frederick, Daniel, Mathias, Jr., William,
Elizabeth, Catherine, and three who died young. Of these, Mathias,
Jr., grandfather of Rev. Albert B. BECHTOLT, was born in 1788
in Berks county, Penn., and in 1813 married Miss Christina EPLER,
of Berks county, who bore him eight children: Christina, Catherine,
Mathias, Lydia, Peter, Permelia, Elizabeth and Daniel B., all
deceased except Permelia and Daniel B. The family came to Wisconsin
in about 1851, settling in Jordan township, Green county, where
the father homesteaded forty acres of government land. There
the parents passed the remainder of their days, and they lie
buried in the old Kelly graveyard in Cadiz township.
- Daniel B. BECHTOLT who was born Feb. 22, 1837, in Licking
county, Ohio, received his
- education in his native State, and was trained to agricultural
pursuits on his present farm, which he has continued to carry
on most profitably, having a well-improved place, now comprising
160 acres, equipped with good barns, etc. When he commenced life
on his own account he had not a dollar to his name but he has
succeeded by dint of perseverance to acquiring a comfortable
competence, and at the same time has made for himself an honorable
name among the best citizens of his community. As one of the
leading farmers of the township his influence in local affairs
is strong, and always exercised in the cause of right. His political
support is given to principle and not to party, and he may always
be depended upon to aid by his ballot the best men and the best
measures, regardless of their political sponsors. In religion
he is inclined to the faith of the United Brethren.
- On March 12, 1857, Mr. BECHTOLT was united in marriage with
Miss Matilda WAGNER, who
- was born Feb. 19, 1839, in Pennsylvania, a daughter of Charles
and Lydia (SHULTZ) WAGNER, and eight children blessed this union
namely: Maria, now deceased; Albert B., our subject; Lydia, wife
of Charles BLAIN, of Jordan; Samuel, of Iowa, who married Ettie
LAFEVER; George, of Monroe township, Green county, who married
Ina WELLS; Ervin, who remains on the old home place, and is married
to Isa WELLS; Ida Elmedia, wife of Walter KESSLER, of Jordan;
and Orpha, who died when an infant. Mrs. BECHTOLT passed away
June 19, 1880. She was a true Christian woman, sharing in the
high esteem in which her husband has always been held, and was
deeply mourned by her neighbors and friends throughout the township.
- Albert B. BECHTOLT was reared on the old home place in Jordan,
and received his early
- education in the public schools of that neighborhood, later
taking a special three-years course for the ministry, while in
Nebraska and Iowa. Having been reared to farm work, he came to
Cadiz township at the age of twenty-one years, and hired out
on the farm to Thomas WATSON for a time. His next move was to
Hampton, Iowa, where he remained five years, thence removing
to Litchfield, Neb., of which place he was a resident eleven
years, until his return, in 1900, to Green county. Here he purchased,
from Joseph WOODLE, of Monroe, a large farm of 230 acres in Cadiz
township, in cultivation of which he is now engaged. Mr. BECHTOLT
was in Nebraska during the terrible drought of 1894, when the
farmers were obliged to depend upon the charity of the East for
support and grain for the next year's crops.
- While at Hampton, Iowa, Mr. BECHTOLT was converted, uniting
with the United Brethren
- Church, and he has been a preacher of that denomination since
1888, during which time - with the exception of three years -
he has also engaged continuously in agricultural pursuits, his
work as a minister of the Gospel being conducted solely with
the aim of doing all in his power for the betterment of his fellow
men, by the advancement of the cause of Christ. While in Nebraska
he was the leader in the building of two churches. Mr. BECHTOLT
is a man whose high moral worth and strength of character are
no small factors in his success as a religious worker, and his
intelligence, thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, and fluency
as a speaker are naturally valuable aides to him in this respect
also. However, it is his earnestness, kindliness and real desire
to do good, traits which are shown forth strongly in his consistent
Christian life, which win most readily, and his efforts have
met with rich reward. That he has executive ability of a high
order is apparent from the fact of his active continuance of
agricultural pursuits, in which he has succeeded so well, even
though they have not received his entire attention. Rev. Mr.
BECHTOLT is a prominent citizen of his township in more ways
than one, and his influence is directed into those channels where,
in his opinion, it will do the greatest good to the greatest
number. His political support is given to the man, not to the
party. Fraternally he is a member of the I.O.O.F. and the M.W.A.
- On Sept. 23, 1886, in Hampton, Iowa, Mr. BECHTOLT was united
in marriage with Miss Mary
- TRINDLE, of that place, who was born Dec. 25, 1865, daughter
of James and Margaret (BAIRD) TRINDLE, of Hampton, and is of
Scotch-Irish origin. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
BECHTOLT, as follows: James D., June 12, 1887; Ervin, May 10,
1889; George, July 7, 1892; J. Earl, July 7, 1894, Blanch, Dec.
20, 1897; Viola, Dec. 15, 1899. All are living except Earl, who
died Nov. 15, 1895.
- Mrs. BECHTOLT's parents had children as follows: William,
who is deceased; George W., of
- Kearney, Neb.; Jane, wife of D. J. SWEELEY, of Kearney, Neb.;
Martha, deceased, who married William HALL; John, a resident
of Kearney, Neb.; Julia S., wife of J. S. SILVIUS, of Browntown,
Wis.; Orphia, deceased wife of B. E. CLAYPOOLE; and Mary, Mrs.
BECHTOLT. Mrs. BECHTOLT's grandfather BAIRD was a prominent resident
of Bairdstown, Penn., which place was named in honor of the BAIRDs.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 709-710.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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