USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 82
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Mr. Andrews is a Republican. He is an agnostic.
To Mr. and Mrs. Andrews the following children were born at Exira : Charles Franklin, born on April 24, 1872, unmarried; Claude Norton, March 10, 1874, unmarried ; Jessamine Julia, April 16, 1877, unmarried; Wallace Pearl, July 28, 1879, unmarried; John Hamlin, October 15, 1886, unmar- ried; Philip Stearns, July 20, 1888, married Fleta E. Walker.
AUGUST DREIER.
August Dreier, who owns a well-improved farm of eighty acres in section 2 of Audubon township, with a splendid house, barn and other buildings, equipped with all modern conveniences, was born on January 28, 1874, in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany, the son of Fritz and Augusta (Schowlo) Dreier, also natives of Germany, born in the same place as their son. Fritz Dreier was a laborer in his native land but engaged in farming after coming to the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Dreier had eight children : Fritz, Jr., August, William, Minnie, Louisa, Herman, Charles and Louis, all of whom are living in the United States. Besides August, his brother, William, and his sister, Minnie, live in Audubon county. Minnie is the wife of William Nieman.
Coming to the United States in 1892 alone and landing at Boston, August Dreier came directly to Audubon county, Iowa, where his uncle, August Burr, already lived. Four years later, in 1896, his parents and the remainder of the family came to this country, settling in Audubon county, where the father lived until his death.
August Dreier attended school until he was fifteen years old and then worked at various occupations until he was twenty, when he decided to come to this country. After arriving here he worked by the month for six years and farmed for his father for about three years. In 1901 he went to Garrett, Indiana, and worked in the Baltimore & Ohio railroad shops for two years. He then came back to Audubon county, where he rented land until 1910. In that year, Mr. Dreier purchased eighty acres of land in section 2 of Audubon township and here he now lives. He has rebuilt
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the house which now consists of six large rooms, and he has also built a new corn crib and made other improvements, such as the erection of hog houses, a hen house and the installation of waterworks on the farm.
On September 12, 1900, August Dreier was married to Edna Niemann, who was born on March 12, 1880, in Mecklenburg, Germany, and who is the daughter of Carl and Christina (Aherend) Niemann, also natives of Mecklenburg, Germany. Mrs. Dreier's father, who was a shepherd in the old country, took up farming on coming to America. He and his wife were the parents of ten children : William, Herman, Minnie, Agusta, Louisa, Eda, Paul, Elbert, Carl and one who died in infancy. The Niemann family, after coming to this country in 1894, came direct from New York City to Audubon county. The parents are now deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. August Dreier are the parents of six children: Anna, born on June 17, 1901; William, March 29, 1903; Minnie, June 17, 1904; Martha, March 23, 1907; Elmer, November 24, 1908, and Clara, November 2, 1910.
A Democrat in politics, the only office which Mr. Dreier has ever held is that of school director, in which he served with conspicuous satisfaction. The Dreier family are members of the German Lutheran church.
Although Mr. Dreier is engaged in general farming, he keeps several milk cows for dairy purposes and these have proved very profitable invest- ments. He is a skillful farmer, a man of modest demeanor, wholly unassum- ing in his relations with his neighbors, and one who, for that reason, is popular in the community where he lives.
SOREN S. FAABORG.
Another of the well-known native-born Danish farmers of Sharon town- ship, Audubon county, Iowa, who have succeeded in a large measure since coming to America, is Soren S. Faaborg, the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land in Sharon township, who was born in Denmark, March 31, 1853, the son of Simon S. and Christena (Allen) Faaborg. The father and mother came to America in 1875, and after locating in Clinton county, Iowa, there rented a farm for five years. The father died in Audubon county, July 4, 1899; his wife, the mother of Soren S. Faaborg, died in 1875, a few days after their arrival in America. They were the parents of six children.
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Soren S. Faaborg, after having been educated in his native land, worked as a farm hand for four years, and when he was twenty years old came to America, locating in Clinton county, Iowa, where he also worked as a farm hand for three years. Mr. Faaborg rented land for six years, and in 1882, when he was twenty-nine years old removed to Audubon county, and settled upon the farm where he now lives, and for which he paid at the beginning eight and nine dollars an acre. The farm originally consisted of eighty acres, but has been increased to one hundred and twenty. Mr. Faaborg broke most of the sod on the farm, and has invested since purchasing the place some five thousand dollars in improvements of various kinds. He is accustomed to raise at least forty acres of corn every year, which yields an average of sixty bushels to the acre, a higher yield than is usually got in this neighborhood. He feeds about fifty head of hogs every year, and the combi- nation of mixed farming has proved very successful for him.
Soren S. Faaborg was married on August 21, 1881, eight years after coming to this country, in Clinton county, Iowa, to Kjestena Petersen, daughter of Knud and Kjestena (Boysen) Petersen. Mr. and Mrs. Faaborg have had eleven children, as follow: Dorothy, Signe, Dagmar, Cecelia, Johannah, Agnes, Simon and Knud, all of whom are living, and three children who are deceased, Simon, Johannah and Agnes. Of these children, Dorothy married Sophus Sorensen, and they have three children, Larha, Soren and Eva. Signa married Peter Hansen, and they have five children, Harold, Arnold, Alvin, Ernest and Alma. Dagmar married Hans Jessen, and they have two children, Richard and Carl. Cecelia married Albert Larson. Johannah married Oscar Sorensen. The remainder of the family are unmar- ried and live at home.
Mrs. Faaborg, a native of Denmark, came to America with her parents in 1872. Her father, who was a farm hand in his native land, after coming to America located in Chicago, Illinois, where he worked as a laborer for two years, and then removed to Clinton county, Iowa, where he worked for the Rock Island Railway Company. After quitting the railway service in which he was engaged for nine years, he removed to Audubon county, Iowa, and purchased eighty acres of land. He is now living retired at Elkhorn.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Faaborg has held several offices of trust and responsibility in his community, having served as school director and as road supervisor. Mr. and Mrs. Faaborg are' members of the Danish Lutheran church, and Mr. Faaborg is a trustee of the church. He is one of the best-known citizens of the community, honorable, upright and fair in
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all of the relations of life, a man who has always paid strict attention to his business, and who has always filled with scrupulous pains his business and social obligations. He is a worthy citizen of this great country, which has become his home by adoption.
PETER H. ANDERSON.
Born December 28, 1856, in Denmark, Peter H. Anderson, a well-known farmer and stockman of Sharon township, and the son of Hans and Margaret (Jensen) Anderson, both of whom were natives of Denmark and who lived and died in that country where they were farmers, has made a phenomenal. success of farming since coming to America in 1882. Mr. Anderson was educated in the schools of his native land, and after leaving school worked as a hired hand until he decided to come to America. He was one of nine children born to his parents, seven of whom are now living, but he is the only member of the family living in this county.
Arriving in America in 1882, he located in Sharon township, Audubon county, Iowa, where he purchased a hundred and twenty acres of land, for a portion of which he paid fifteen dollars, and for the balance, twenty-five dollars an acre. In the meantime, however, Mr. Anderson has added forty acres to his original tract, and now owns a farm of a hundred and sixty acres, upon which he has invested upwards of eight thousand dollars in general improvements, such as buildings, fences, ditches, etc. He is engaged in general or mixed farming; raises fifty acres of corn a year, which averages sixty bushels to the acre, and feeds a hundred head of hogs and forty-five head of cattle annually ; he keeps only the very highest grade of live stock. Mr. Anderson has a one-hundred-ton silo on his farm, and was one of the first agriculturists in this part of Audubon county to erect a silo, an invest- ment that has proved very profitable. Since Mr. Anderson's silo was erected, many other farmers of the neighborhood have also erected and maintained silos.
Peter H. Anderson was married in 1881 in Denmark, one year before coming to America, to Anna Madsen. No children were born to this first marriage and, after her death, Mr. Anderson was married in 1899, to Carrie Hansen, daughter of Chris Hansen. To this second marriage three children have been born, all of whom are unmarried and who live at home with their parents; they are, Anna, Hans and Christena.
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Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Anderson are prominent and influential members of the Danish Lutheran church, in which Mr. Anderson has served as a trustee. He is an independent voter, and since coming to this country has never identified himself permanently with any political party. He sup- ports measures and men rather than parties and party emblems, and in this way believes he can more worthily discharge his duties as an intelligent and alert citizen who has at heart the best interests of his neighborhood, his county and his state. Mr. Anderson is known in Sharon township where he lives as an enterprising farmer and valuable citizen; he is well liked by the people of his neighborhood and is admired and honored for his industry, his skill and the good management of his farm.
ANDERS JEPPESEN.
Anders Jeppesen, the proprietor of a splendid farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Sharon township, Audubon county, Iowa, and a well-known citizen of this community, was born on December 24, 1870, in Denmark, the son of Jorgen and Bertha Jeppesen, the former of whom was a plasterer by trade and who has followed this occupation all his life. Of his seven children only two, Anders and a daughter, are living at this time in America.
Anders Jeppesen was educated in the public schools of Denmark and worked as a farm hand after leaving the schools of his native land, until he came to America in 1892. After arriving in this country and locating in Nebraska he worked as a farm hand until he came to Audubon county, Iowa, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in Sharon township, where he has since been engaged in general farming. Mr. Jeppesen has invested about five thousand dollars in improvements of various kinds on the farm and raises about forty acres of corn every year, which he feeds to live stock, and sells each year from fifty to seventy-five head of hogs from the farm.
Anders Jeppesen was married in 1894, two years after his arrival in this country, to Jacobena Christiansen, the daughter of Knud and Christina Christiansen. Of the twelve children born to this union, ten are now living : Mina, Amalie, Johannes, Kirstine, Knud, Bothilde, Anna, Marie, Jorgen, Herluf, Karl and Hertha.
Mrs. Jeppesen is also a native of Denmark. Her mother came to America after the death of her father and located in Elkhorn, Iowa, one
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year. Subsequently she came to Audubon county, Iowa. Christina Jeppesen was the mother of nine children.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeppesen have been members of the Danish Lutheran church since coming to this country, and Mr. Jeppesen has been for a long time a trustee in this church. The Jeppesen family are active in the affairs of their denomination and are prominent and influential citizens in the com- munity where they reside.
Anders Jeppesen is one of the native sons of the thriving little kingdom of Denmark who has come to this country and who has established a com- fortable home and surrounded himself with the conveniences of life. The Danish people are among the best citizens of this great republic and Anders Jeppesen is no exception to the rule. He is popular in the neighborhood and ranks as a high-class, intelligent and successful farmer.
ERNEST BERNARD VOSS.
Among those citizens of Audubon county, Iowa, who are possessed of great strength of character and who have impressed their personality upon the community where they live, taking a full share in the building and development of the county, is Ernest Bernard Voss, of Exira, who is a well- known contractor and builder and who was formerly engaged in farming. He is a man of upright principles and has had a large part in the advance- ment of the community.
Mr. Voss is the son of John and Caroline (Ruff) Voss and was born at Strasburg, France, on January 24, 1864. He came with his parents on the steamship "Colorado," to this country, arriving at New York city, November 7, 1870. The family settled at Ground Point, Indiana, but, in February, 1871, moved to Homestead, Iowa. In December, 1876, they moved to Audubon county.
In 1889 Mr. Voss purchased eighty acres of land in section 3, of Audu- bon township, where he lived for several years, improving the farm and developing it to a very high degree. In November, 1893, Mr. Voss moved to Exira and, until 1895, conducted a meat market at that place. He was town marshal of Exira for four years during his first residence in this city. Subsequently, Mr. Voss engaged, in partnership with John Peterman, in contract building. They operated a planing-mill and repair shop in Exira until 1906, when Mr. Voss moved to a farm in section 36, of Exira town-
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ship, which he had previously purchased. Here he remained until 1908, when he purchased a two-hundred-acre farm in Eureka township, Adair county, Iowa. In February, 1911, Mr. Voss moved back to Exira and again engaged in contract building. He operates a planing-mill and repair shop.
On April 20, 1889, Ernest B. Voss was married, in Audubon township, Audubon county, Iowa, to Anna Petri, the daughter of John and Wilhelmina (Wagner) Petri. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. William Ehlers. Mrs. Voss died on July 2, 1909, in Eureka township, Adair county, leaving seven children: John Charles, who married Eva Van Slyke; Will- iam Henry, who married Leola Lair; George Charles, who married Evelyn Rendleman; Frances Mary, Martha, Clara and Mary, who are unmarried. The last two named, Clara and Mary, are twins. On January 1, 1912, Mr. Voss was married, secondly, in Stuart, Iowa, to Laura Eunice Wright, the daughter of Nathan and Mary (Harlan) Wright. The ceremony was per- formed by Rev. N. A. Hollingshead.
Mr. Voss has always been identified with the Republican party, and has been more or less prominent in local politics. In fact, he has no little influ- ence in the local councils of his party in this county. Mr. Voss is a mem- ber of the J. C. Newton Camp, Modern Woodmen of America. He is an enterprising business man, a well-known citizen and has a host of friends throughout this and adjoining counties.
SAMUEL RICHARD JOHNSON.
Samuel Richard Johnson is a native of Illinois, his birthplace being in Grundy county. He was born on August 8, 1876. His father, John John- son, was a native of Sweden, and his mother, Christina Johnson, was a native of Norway. John Johnson migrated to America with his parents and located in Grundy county, Illinois. They lived there for several years, and there the parents died. In Grundy county John Johnson met and married the mother of the subject of this sketch. He rented land in that county. In the spring of 1881, John Johnson brought his family to Audubon county, where he obtained eighty acres of land in Sharon township, and began imme- diately to make improvements on it. In 1900 he retired from active work, and removed to Audubon, where he died in 1904. His widow still resides there.
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John Johnson limited his work to farming, in which he was successful. In religious matters, he and his wife were affiliated with the Methodist Epis- copal church. He was a Republican. The family of Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson consisted of nine children, five of whom are living, namely: John P., a merchant and farmer of Greenfield, Iowa; Edward F., county super- visor, living in Audubon; Mary, who married Clarence Wildy, of Douglas township, this county; Samuel Richard, the subject of this biography; and Elmer, a carpenter of Atlantic, Iowa.
Samuel Johnson was educated in the schools of Audubon county, includ- ing a year's work in the Audubon schools. After his twenty-first birthday, he left home to spend three years in southeast Wyoming. The life of the ranch interested him, and he at first took up this picturesque occupation, but later left it for railroad work. Like his ancestors, he was fond of tilling the soil, and at the first opportunity to obtain some land for himself, he procured one hundred and sixty acres from the government and proved up on this homestead in the West.
In 1898, Samuel Richard Johnson was married to Cora Creasman, who was born in Wyoming, a daughter of Frank Creasman. The following year, they left Wyoming and returned to Audubon county, locating five miles southwest from Audubon. They lived for three years in Hamlin township, and then in Melville township for two years. Returning to Hamlin town- ship, they resided there three years, when Mr. Johnson purchased his present farm of eighty acres in section 12, of Leroy township. This has become known as "the old Johnson place," and is one of the best improved properties of the county. The owner has been much interested in the raising of Short- horn cattle, of which he has twenty head; Duroc-Jersey hogs, of which he has from fifty to sixty head, and draft horses. Besides this, he engages in all the industries carried on by the modern progressive farmer.
To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born four children, Orpha, Helen, Herbert and Floyd.
A man of modest tastes, Mr. Johnson has never been an office seeker. He always votes the Republican ticket. He is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge of Audubon, also of the Methodist Episcopal church, which his wife also attends.
Mr. Johnson's home is one of the landmarks of Audubon county, and has become so not only because of long residence there, but also because of the place he and his wife have occupied in the social and religious life of the community. Both he and Mrs. Johnson are delightful people to meet. They are genial in temperament, well informed, and kindly in spirit, qualities which win for them many friends.
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JOHN F. HILL.
One of the oldest citizens in Audubon county, Iowa, the late John F. Hill, had been a resident of the great Hawkeye state almost continuously for nearly sixty years, with the exception of four years, which he gave to the service of his country during the dark and bloody days of the American Civil War. Not only did Mr. Hill himself have an honorable and valiant military record, but he is descended from militant stock, his grandfather, Frederick Hill, who came to this country from Germany, having served in the American Revolution and having fought valiantly for several years in the cause of freedom. An uncle of John F. Hill, John Hill, was a brave soldier in the War of 1812.
Before Mr. Hill had attained his majority, he enlisted in the regular army, November 2, 1851, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was sent to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to serve in the Third United States Infantry. From Santa Fe, he was detailed to the barracks at Newport, Kentucky, for the winter, and in the spring of the next year was sent to St. Louis, Missouri, from which the Third Infantry moved to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. From Ft. Leavenworth he drove through to Santa Fe. In the meantime, his par- ents, or rather his grandparents, having found out that he had enlisted, began proceedings to get his discharge, as he was not of age at the time of his enlistment. When he arrived in Santa Fe, his discharge was awaiting him and he then found it necessary to drive all the way from Santa Fe to Mis- souri, and from Missouri home.
John F. Hill was born on December 27, 1831, in Bedford county, Penn- sylvania, and died on June 12, 1915. His parents, Henry and Frances (Burns) Hill, were also natives of Bedford county. Henry Hill was the son of Frederick Hill, of Revolutionary fame, who was born in Germany and who came to America shortly before the American Revolution. John F. Hill was the only child born to his parents and his father, who was a blacksmith by trade, died when John F. was only three years old. John F. then went to live with his grandfather, Frederick Hill, and was reared and educated by him, attending the old-fashioned log cabin school.
After the death of his grandfather, John F. Hill took up farming and in 1857 came to Iowa, driving through from Pennsylvania to Cedar county. There he remained until 1860 when he moved to Johnson county. On November 2, 1861, Mr. Hill enlisted in Company F, Fourteenth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, which was a part of the Sixteenth Army Corps,
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Army of the Tennessee. Mr. Hill's first battle was that of Ft. Donaldson, Tennessee, which was an exciting event in his career. He next fought at Shiloh, then at Corinth, Mississippi, and finally at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. After taking Ft. Derusa, Louisiana, the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry was engaged in a battle at Yellow Bayou, Louisiana, and again at Tupelo, Mis- sissippi. From this place the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry was sent to Missouri, where the regiment served until November 8, 1864, when it was mustered out. Mr. Hill was never wounded nor taken prisoner throughout the war and was sick only about two weeks during the entire period of the war.
After being mustered out of the Union army, he returned to Johnson county, Iowa, where he lived for twelve years, and in April, 1872, came to Audubon county, Iowa, where he rented land in Greeley township for six years. Mr. Hill then purchased the farm in section 6, of Audubon county, where he lived until the fall of 1914. He then retired and moved to Exira, Iowa, where he lived until the time of his death.
On March 1, 1855, John F. Hill was married, in Bedford county, Penn- sylvania, to Elizabeth May, who was born on March 31, 1834, in Bedford county, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Kellerman) May, both of whom were of German descent.
To Mr. and Mrs. John F. Hill were born five children, Hester, Jacob H., Jennie, Ella and Bert. Hester married Samuel McCord and has seven chil- dren : Charles, who first married Hattie Hicke and had one child, Russell, and after her death married Maggie Teffler and has three children, Cecil, Gerald and another; Grace, who married James Hendricksen and has three children, Bertha, Mabel and Everett; Clarence, who married Martha Teffler and has one child; Mabel, who married Walter Wood, and has one child, Clifford; Floyd, who married Lena Marsh and has three children; Verna, who married William Fawler and has three children; and Harley, who is unmarried. Jacob H. married Evelyn Young and has one child, Flossie, who married Oscar Nimblim and has three children, Glenn, Agnes and Carl. Jennie married William Zike and had three children, Verna, now deceased, who married Earl Prime and had two children, Wayne and Pearl; Oliver and Golden, who are both single. Ella married Newton Brown and has two children, Goldie, who married Glenn Cassidy and has two children, Lester and Ralph; and Edna, who is unmarried. Bert is unmarried and still lives at home. Mr. and Mrs. Hill had thirteen grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren.
John F. Hill was a member of Morton Post No. 34, Grand Army of the Republic, and was one of the charter members of the post. He was com-
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mander of the post at one time. Mrs. Hill is a member of the Christian church. Although John F. Hill was an ardent Republican and a great admirer of the career and works of Abraham Lincoln, he was never espe- cially active in politics and never held office.
John F. Hill was a worthy citizen of this great state. A patriot at heart, he had the satisfaction of knowing that no man living in Audubon county had given more of his life energy to the cause of his country than he. No man served more valiantly in the Civil War, and no man living in Audubon county excelled John F. Hill as a citizen and neighbor.
ERNEST STUEDEMAN.
The late Ernest Stuedeman, who was a retired farmer and stockman of Lincoln township, Audubon county, Iowa, was born on October 14, 1846, in Stettin, Prussia, Germany, and died on May 12, 1915, at his home in Lincoln township. He was the son of John and Fredrica Stuedeman, and came to this country from Germany with his parents when he was fourteen years of age. He attended the country schools and worked for his father until he was twenty-four years of age, when he was married. After his marriage he farmed for himself on his father's farm, remaining there about twenty- eight years, and then bought one hundred and sixty acres. He sold this land in 1888 and then rented a farm in Crawford county, where he lived for fifteen years. He left that place and came to Manning, where he bought a farm in Lincoln township, section 20, in 1903. This place contained two hundred and forty acres, for which he paid sixty-two and one-half dollars an acre. Mr. Stuedeman put about twelve thousand dollars worth of improve- ments on his farm. During the time he was in business, he sold about two carloads of cattle and three carloads of hogs annually. All the grain raised on the farm was fed to the stock.
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