THE 1880’S IMMIGRATION AND OUTLAWS

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, he borrowed $1000 from an Illinois farmer, moved to Steamboat Rock and bought into one of the two grain elevators, the Thol Isebrand elevator. His pastor, Reverend Bode, cosigned the note. A few months later Isebrand sold out his other half of the business to Henry. 

Henry handled grain, coal, and farm machinery. Grain was mostly wheat, oats, and barley. When he started in business on October 15, 1889, the first load of oats that he took in was from Mans Bienga, father of Mrs. Claus Janssen.

This was the first transaction noted in Henry’s record book, and reads: Oats received, 64 bushels, price 12 cents. 

During this first year in business Henry kept records in German, while slowly learning English from a bilingual New 145 Testament. During the next thirty years the business gradually expanded, and the selling of stock feed became an important addition to the operation.