THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS GRAIN ELEVATOR AND LUMBER German born Henry Potgeter came to Grundy county in the 1880’s and taught parochial school at the Christian Reformed Church three miles west of Wellsburg (now Timothy Christian School). He taught during the winter and carpentered in the summer. In 1889, […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS IMMIGRATION STORIES (Part V) “In 1876 I remember one day in early summer Father and Paul (who was now 21) were coming up the path from the field, each with a hoe. They were arguing about something and Father struck Paul across the shoulders with […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS IMMIGRATION STORIES (Part IV) “Several of the neighbor girls and women came to help cook for the gang and what a meal they did put out, or meals, I should say. Those old machines would break down and I have known the threshing to take […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS IMMIGRATION STORIES (Part III) In the chapters that follow a great deal more will be said about Willard Hartman’s struggle during the depression to save the family farm.  Best Friends, Willard Hartman on the left, Russell Holmes on the right. “Willard was a special person, […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS IMMIGRATION STORIES (Part II) “ When we were all kids at homes everyone sang. Chub had a Kate Smith-type of voice only more powerful and with greater range. However, she became a chronic asthma patient so she did not sing much in later years. If one […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS IMMIGRATION STORIES (Part I) An example of one of the early German settlers who arrived prior to the railroad is A. B. Jaspers and his wife Foektje who came separately and married in Steamboat Rock. They were among the earliest German immigrants to make their […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS HARD TO ACCEPT AT FIRST Herbert Quick, who was of Dutch extraction, considered his family Americans since he was born here as had his father been. His description of the German immigrants invasion of our area, may at first, seem offensive to those who descended […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS THE GERMAN INVASION Clay township and Steamboat Rock’s earliest settlers were mostly of 106 American birth. Shortly thereafter German immigrants began toA arrive in small numbers at first. Through the 1860’s and 70’s and 80’s the German population began to swell to such great numbers […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS BUT, THE CRIMES CONTINUED It is very interesting that in 1886, when two Rainsbarger brothers were in their graves, Nate in the penitentiary, and Frank in jail in Marshalltown awaiting trial for the murder of Enoch Johnson, the horse thieving in Hardin county went on. […]

THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS FEAR “David John Johns was the brother of Henry Johns and had moved to Hardin county in 1854, the same time that Henry arrived.” “On October 10, 1858 in Hardin County, Iowa David and Lucinda Emmaline (Emma) Rice were united in marriage. Emma was 15 […]