USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 83
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John and Fredrica Stuedeman, the parents of Ernest Stuedeman, were both born in Germany, where the former worked on a farm. In 1860 they came, with their family, to America, landing at New York City and later removed to Clinton county, Iowa. John Stuedeman had eight hundred dol- lars when he arrived in this country, with which he purchased a farm of forty acres, paying twelve dollars an acre for it. In a few years, he bought one hundred and sixty acres more at a cost of thirteen dollars an acre, and continued to add to his acres until he owned an entire section of land in
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Clinton county. To John and Fredrica Stuedeman were born ten children, one of whom died in Germany. The others were Otto, Albert, Bertha, Rudolph, Martha, Anna, Lucia, Ernest and Carl, all of whom are now deceased with the exception of Otto and Rudolph, the latter of whom lives on the old home farm in Clinton county.
At the age of twenty-four, Ernest Stuedeman was united in marriage with Anna Rohwedder, the daughter of Max Rohwedder. She was born on June 24, 1848, and died on August 1, 1895. To this union were born nine children, namely: Lucia, who is married, lives in Carroll county and has three children; Catherine died in infancy; Alma, who lives in Manning, is married and has two children; Elsa, who resides in Wisconsin, is married and has three children ; Matilda is at home; Erwin, who is a farmer in Audu- bon county, is married and has one child; Laura, Max and Virtus are all at home.
Mr. Stuedeman was a Democrat and served as constable of Clinton county in 1880 and school director of Lincoln township for two years. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and passed all of the chairs in this lodge. The Stuedeman family are all loyal members of the German Lutheran church, Mr. Stuedeman having belonged at Manning.
CHRIS P. LAURITSEN.
Chris P. Lauritsen, who owns a splendid farm of two hundred acres in Sharon township, Audubón county, Iowa, was born on the Island of Aeröe, Denmark, May 23, 1847, and is the son of Peter H. and Ellen Marie (Simon- sen) Lauritsen, both natives of Denmark. Peter Lauritsen was a farmer and was engaged in that occupation all of his life. He died in his native land after having reared a family of eleven children. Chris P. is the young- est of these children; one brother is still living in Denmark.
Chris Lauritsen received his education in his native land, and after leaving school worked as a farm hand and in a brick yard. He also served in the Danish army and when he was thirty-four years old, came to America, locating in Shelby county, Iowa. There he purchased eighty acres of land and engaged in general farming for two years. Subsequently, he moved to Audubon county and purchased the farm upon which he is now living. Mr. Lauritsen bought only forty acres at first and for this paid eighteen dollars an acre. He improved the land by careful cultivation and by the erection.
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of substantial buildings and fences, and added to the original tract until he now owns two hundred acres of land. Altogether he has invested probably more than ten thousand dollars in improvements. He raises seventy-five acres of corn, forty acres of alfalfa and small grains. Mr. Lauritsen had fifteen hundred dollars when he came to America.
Chris P. Lauritsen was married, in 1882, to Anna Marie Hansen, the daughter of Rasmus and Christina Hansen. Two children, Peter H. and Ellen Marie, have been born to this marriage. Ellen Marie married Claus J. Larsen and has four children, Chester, Edna, Edward and Lillian. Mrs. Lauritsen was born on the Island of Aeröe, Denmark, and her parents also were natives of that island.
Mr. Lauritsen is a Republican. He and his family are members of the Danish Lutheran church, of which he has been trustee. Mr. and Mrs. Lau- ritsen deserve great credit for their careful management and frugal, economi- cal living by which they have been able to save a substantial competence for their declining years. They are highly-respected citizens of this locality where they are so well known. Mr. Lauritsen has lived a useful career, and having reared a family to useful and honorable lives may enjoy the satisfac- tion during the remainder of his life of knowing that his days here have been well spent.
ABRAHAM L. McMURPHY.
Abraham L. McMurphy, general farmer and stockman, of Lincoln township, Audubon county, was born on May 6, 1864, at Muscatine, Iowa. He is a son of Charles and Martha McMurphy. He attended the public schools at Muscatine, after which he worked with his father on the farm, until twenty-one years of age. He then came to Audubon county, working for two years as a farm hand, and in 1887 rented a farm in Audubon county and lived there one year, at the end of which time he moved to Carrol county, where he again rented, for three years, and then came to section 29 in Lincoln township, Audubon county, where he bought eighty acres, to which five years later he added eighty acres more, and three years after that forty acres additional.
Mr. McMurphy has invested about eight thousand dollars in improve- ments on his home place, and his special attention, in the way of crops, has been devoted to the raising of corn and small grain, the most of which has been fed to the stock on the place, of which he sells yearly quite a number of cattle and about one carload of hogs.
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Mr. McMurphy has served as township trustee for a period of one year. He is a member of the Methodist church. His political principles are Republican.
The father of the subject of this sketch was born in New York state, and his mother in Pennsylvania. They were married in Muscatine, Iowa, where they owned two hundred acres of land, and where they spent the last years of their lives.
Abraham L. McMurphy was married, in 1891, at Manning, Iowa, to Laura Arny, daughter of Levi and Sinda Arny. They have been blessed with five children, as follow: Virnal, Harry, Ralph, Eli and Myrtle, all of whom are at home but Virnal, who is married and lives in Audubon county.
HANS P. HANSEN, SR.
Among the many well-known farmers of Audubon county, Iowa, is Hans P. Hansen, Sr., who is now living retired in Kimballton. He and his wife started in life in a small way, and have by good management and unceasing industry achieved a large measure of success as farmers in this county. Few men are better known in Audubon county than Hans P. Han- sen, and few have a greater number of warm friends than he. In 1912 he retired from the farm, removing to Kimballton, Iowa, where he purchased a fine home. He has always been a good farmer, and stock raiser, and a short time ago added fourteen acres to his farm in Sharon township, located five miles east of Kimballton.
Hans P. Hansen, Sr., was born on November 15, 1854, on the island of Fyen, Denmark, the son of Hans George and Mary Hansen, who were also natives of that island. The former was a farmer all his life, and died in his native land at the age of seventy-two years. His wife died at the age of forty-eight. They were members of the Danish Lutheran church, and lived to rear a family of three children, of whom Trena, the second born, is deceased; Hans P., the subject of this sketch, is the eldest of the family ; Sorensen lives on the old home place in Denmark.
Educated in the schools of his native land, Hans P. Hansen, Sr., started out to make a living for himself at the age of fifteen. Taking up the voca- tion of farming he purchased a small tract of land and farmed in his native country, until 1886, when he came to America. He had been married in Denmark to Mary Hansen, who was born in that country, the daughter of
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Hans Jepsen and Carrie Marie Hansen. Mrs. Hansen's father was a farmer, and spent all his life in his native land.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hans P. Hansen, Sr., have been born six children, namely: Carrie is the wife of Edward Jensen, of Sharon township, Audu- bon county ; Hans George, who is engaged in the lumber business at Aurora, Nebraska, married Mary Hemmington; Lawrence is a real estate dealer at Exira, Iowa, and married Cina Gerloff; Nels was the fourth born; Axil is a farmer in Sharon township, and married Anton Augaard; Carl is a farmer in Sharon township, and married Kirsten Sorensen.
In 1886, after coming to America, Hans P. Hansen, Sr., located in Sharon township, where he was engaged in farming for four years for three different men, John Petersen, Martin Petersen and Lars Esbeck. About 1890 he purchased forty acres of land near Exira, and one year later sold the farm and rented a farm for five years in Hamlin township. He rented land in Oakfield township for three years and then purchased one hundred and twenty acres five miles east of Kimballton, to which he has lately added fourteen acres. Here he lived from 1900 to 1912, when he retired and removed to Kimballton.
Mr. Hansen has never aspired to any office, and is independent in poli- tics, voting for measures and men of superior merit rather than for political parties and party emblems. Mr. and Mrs. Hansen are members of the Dan- ish Lutheran church at Kimballton and take an active interest in the affairs of this congregation.
BERNARD DOFFING.
Although a resident of this country only eighteen years, Bernard Dof- fing, who was born on September II, 1875, in Rhineland, Germany, has become the owner of a splendid farm comprising one-half section of land in section 16, of Audubon township.
Mr. Doffing's parents, Matthew and Catherine (Thellin) Doffing, had eight children, five of whom lived to maturity and all of whom live in the United States. All have lived in Audubon county at some time or other. William, the first of the sons to come to America, arrived here in 1881 and lived here until 1914, when he moved to Texas. After being there a short time, he moved to Missouri. All of the other children, except Bernard, came to America in 1893. Bernard Doffing came in 1897 and after landing at New York city, came direct to Audubon county, where he worked out by the month for two years.
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After renting land for about three years, Mr. Doffing, in 1901, pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 16, of Audubon town- ship, the farm where he now lives. He has since added one hundred and sixty acres to the original farm and now has one-half section of good land all of which is located in section 16. Mr. Doffing has built several substan- tial and modern buildings upon the farm, especially two barns, two cribs, a granary, a garage and a scale-house. The residence was standing on the farm when he purchased it. Altogether he now has one of the best improved farms in Audubon township.
Mr. Doffing makes a specialty of purebred, registered Hereford cattle and now has on the farm thirty-five head of registered stock. Although he has never shown any of these animals in the prize ring, he is a member of the National Hereford Breeders' Association. He has now been engaged in raising Hereford cattle for a period of three years.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Doffing is the present township trustee of Audubon township. He is a member of the Exira Catholic church.
Since coming to America, Bernard Doffing has devoted himself almost exclusively to agriculture and the fact that he has given his vocation his undivided attention, is responsible perhaps for his great success as a farmer. He is generally known in Audubon township, not only as a skillful and suc- cessful farmer but as a good citizen and is popular in the neighborhood where he lives.
CHRIS HENRIKSEN.
It is a well authenticated fact that success comes as a result of legitimate and well applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance in a course of action when once decided upon. Success was never known to smile upon the idler or dreamer and she never courts the loafer. Only those men who have diligently sought her favor, are crowned with her blessing. In tracing the history of Chris Henriksen, a retired merchant of Audubon, Iowa, and a well-known citizen of Audubon county, it is plainly seen that the success which he enjoys has been won by those commendable qualities heretofore mentioned. And it is also his personal worth that has gained for him the high esteem of the people of Audubon and Audubon county.
Chris Henriksen was born on August 23, 1855, in Denmark. He is
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the son of Henry Iverson and Anna (Daita) Henriksen. They were laboring people who lived and died in the land of their birth. Four of the family, however, came to America. Iver came first in 1872. He lives in Audubon and is retired. Mary, the wife of Martin Rasmussen, lives in California. Christina, deceased, was the wife of Chris Berg.
Chris Henriksen attended school in Denmark and came to America in 1876. He worked for Captain Stuart in Stark county, Illinois, in the town of Osceola for three years and in 1879 came to Audubon county in the employ of Stuart. He worked for Stuart for one year and then worked on the railroad for two years. Finally he moved to a farm. After his marriage, he farmed for seven years in Sharon. He owned a farm of one hundred and forty acres, and in 1889 came to Audubon and was employed by a hardware firm for three years. In 1893 Mr. Henriksen purchased the general store of Fisher Brothers & Company and for twenty years was one of the leading merchants of the town. He sold out his stock in 1912 and retired. In 1901 Mr. Henriksen erected a fine brick building in Audubon. and in 1904 he erected a beautiful residence in the western part of Audubon. It is situated on a hillside with terraced grounds and excellent surroundings. Mr. Henriksen is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres in Cass county, three hundred and twenty acres in Day county, South Dakota, and ten acres in his home place. He also owns a fine store building. Chris Henriksen is a self-made man. He began life as a poor Danish boy and has managed to acquire and accumulate a substantial competence for his old age.
Chris Henriksen was married in 1883 to Alene Berg. She died in 1898, leaving five children, namely: Henry, who lives at Fresno, California; Theo- dore, of Audubon; Berg and Segivall, who are at home; and William, who is a clerk in the postoffice. Theodore is married and has one child, Leo. In 1899 Mr. Henriksen was married, secondly, to Anna Elizabeth (Jensen) Bornesen, the widow of Hans B. Bornesen. By her first marriage, she had four children as follow: Hans, who lives on a farm; Mrs. Jensena Jacob- sen, of Audubon county; George, a farmer in Leroy township; and Mrs. Margaret Hughes, who also lives in Audubon county.
Mr. Henriksen has been more or less active in the councils of the Demo- cratic party and has served as city councilman in Audubon. He and his wife and family are members of the Danish Lutheran church. Mr. Henriksen is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Danish Brotherhood.
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NELS PETER PETERSEN.
Nels Peter Petersen, one of the most prosperous farmers of Oakfield township, Audubon county, Iowa, who has been a resident of this country for nearly forty years, was born in Denmark, August 14, 1845, the son of Rasmus and Mary Ann (Nelson) Petersen. The father was a wagon maker in his native land and followed that occupation after coming to America in 1876. At that time, he located upon the farm where his son, who had pre- ceded him to America, is now living.
Nels P. Petersen was one of three children born to his parents, the others being Hannah Marie and Anna Christina. In his native land, before coming to this country, he took up his father's occupation and was engaged in following this trade with his father. Incidentally, he also served the legal period of enlistment in the Danish army.
Upon coming to this country in 1870, Mr. Petersen located in Cass county, Iowa, where he worked for the Rock Island railroad for five years. He then purchased a farm of eighty acres at eight dollars an acre, and it is this farm upon which he now lives. The land consisted of raw prairie and the sod had never been broken, Mr. Petersen breaking it for the first time. From time to time he purchased more land, improving it as he bought it. Altogether it is fair to say that he has spent something like eight thousand dollars in various kinds of improvements. Most of the land is rented out now but Mr. Petersen himself raises sixty acres of corn and forty acres of small grain every year. For a young man who came into a strange country, where he was unfamiliar with the language and the customs of the people, it must be admitted that he has made a phenomenal success, being now one of the substantial landowners of Audubon county.
On July 3, 1876, Nels P. Petersen was married to Martha Johnson. To this marriage have been born seven chcildren, one of whom, Anna, the second born, is deceased. The other children are, Clara, Regina, Edward, Charles, Rosa and Hannah. Regina married A. C. Knudsen and has one child, Ester. Edward married Lydia Herbert. The remainder of the family are all unmarried and live at home with their parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Nels Petersen are members of the Danish Lutheran church and they are prominent in the affairs of the congregation. Mr. Peter- sen is a Republican in politics and has served as school director in Oakfield township. Having been one of the earliest settlers in Audubon county, Mr. Petersen has seen it develop from year to year from a raw prairie to a county of the most fertile soil to be found anywhere in the great Hawkeye state.
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Mr. Petersen himself has had a large part in this splendid agricultural development, adding not only his labor and toil to the development of the country, but his wisdom and counsel as well. In his declining years, it is a just tribute to his early toil and patience, that he is comfortably situated to enjoy these years in ease.
ALFRED MILLER.
Alfred Miller is a successful farmer of Exira township, Audubon county, Iowa, where he owns two hundred and forty acres of land. Mr. Miller came to America at the age of twenty-seven and has been living in this country now for thirty-three years. He has lived in many different parts of the country and is thoroughly acquainted with the manners and customs of the people in all sections of the United States, through which he has widely traveled. Mr. Miller has been very successful as a farmer and enjoys an enviable reputation in Exira township, where he is living.
Alfred Miller was born on October 8, 1859, in Schleswig, Germany. His parents were Andrew and Mollie Miller, both natives of Schleswig. Andrew Miller was a laborer in Germany, working at various occupations and trades until he came to America and located in Oakfield township, Audubon county, Iowa, where he lived with a daughter, Mrs. Kathryne Hansen. He is now retired from active labor and is living in Exira, Iowa. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, as follow: Alfred, the subject of this sketch; Hans is a resident of Exira; Kathryne is the wife of Hans Hansen; Chris is living in Guthrie county, Iowa, as does his brother, Peter; Mary became the wife of Rhomas Louner; Mollie is the wife of J. P. Christensen; Louise married Chris Hansen, a farmer of Oakfield township.
Alfred Miller received his education in the schools of his native coun- try, and after leaving school he moved to Denmark, where he worked for five years as a laborer on a farm. In 1882 he came to America, and located at Omaha, Nebraska, and worked out by the day for a year, after which he came to Audubon county, Iowa, and located in Oakfield township, where he rented a farm until 1887, when he bought a farm. He operated this farm until 1889, when he moved to the farm on which he is now living. He first purchased forty acres, and has gradually added to his land hold-
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ings until he is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres of fine land. He is a general farmer and stock raiser and has been very successful in his agricultural pursuits. He raises forty acres of corn each year, twenty acres of small grains, and sells about fifty head of hogs each year. He keeps twenty-five head of cattle on his place the year round.
Alfred Miller was married on March 18, 1887, to Anna Yingved, the daughter of Swend Yingved, and to this union three children have been born, Mollie, John and Louis. Mollie is the wife of Jesse Nissen. John married Maud Liffingville. Mrs. Miller was born in Denmark, and came to the United States in 1887 with her parents, who settled in Oakfield town- ship, where they lived the remainder of their lives, both being now deceased.
Mr. Miller is a member of the Danish Lutheran church, as well as his family, and takes an active part in the affairs of this denomination. Mr. Miller belongs to the Danish Brotherhood, and adheres to the principles of the Democratic party.
E. JOHN HINRICKS.
Among the older residents of Audubon county, Iowa, perhaps no one has seen more of the world and traveled more widely than E. John Hinricks, who owns two hundred and forty acres of land in Oakfield township. For seven years he was a sailor and for sixteen years he was employed in the gold mines of New Zealand and Australia. During his early career he visited most of the well-known countries of the world.
E. John Hinricks was born on October 16, 1842, in Hanover, Germany, . the son of Henry and Rebecca Hinricks, both of Germany. The father was a weaver by trade, and followed this occupation all of his life, dying in Ger- many in 1904. His wife passed away five years previously, in 1899, after having had six children, Marie, Peter, Thomas, Johannah, E. John and Ina, all of whom are deceased except the subject of this sketch.
E. J. Hinricks, who was educated in the public schools of his native land, became a sailor upon reaching maturity, and sailed before the mast for seven years, when he went to New Zealand and Australia, and there worked in the gold mines for about sixteen years. Believing that he might have a better opportunity in the new world, he came to this country in 1876, and worked in the gold and silver mines of Nevada and Idaho for fourteen years.
In 1890 Mr. Hinricks came to Audubon county, and purchased one hun- dred and twenty acres of land upon which he now lives. Later he purchased
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an additional one hundred and twenty acres, and has been engaged in farm- ing this land during recent years. Ordinarily he raises seventy acres of corn and seventy acres of small grain, and feeds out one hundred and forty head of hogs every years. He has been very successful in mixed farming, and year by year his wealth and profits have grown.
On December 12, 1889, E. John Hinricks was married to Mary Heesen, daughter of Jochun and Hilka (Treese) Heesen. To this union have been born three children, Henry, John and Chris, all of whom are unmarried and who live at home with their parents. Mrs. Hinricks, a native of Germany, as were also her parents, came with them to this country in 1887. They located in Cass county, Iowa, where the father rented a farm for a short time, and then retired and lived with his children. He passed away in 1903, his wife having died many years previously. They had four children, Gas- ena, Hohannah, Hio and Mrs. Hinricks.
Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Hinricks are members of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Hinricks is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Politically, he is identified with the Democratic party.
In his travels Mr. Hinricks has met many people and visited many lands, but if he were asked today what is the best country on the globe in which to live he would undoubtedly answer, America. Not only are the people of this country possessed of a greater measure of political liberty than anywhere else on the globe, but they likewise have a larger measure of economic oppor- tunity. It is these things which the people, coming from other lands, first recognize and most appreciate.
VAL LEANORD.
Whether the elements of success in this life are innate attributes of the individual or whether they are quickened by a process of circumstantial devel- opment, it is impossible to determine clearly. Yet the study of a successful career, whatever the field of endeavor, is none the less interesting and profit- able by reason of the existence of this same uncertainty. In the life career of Val Leanord, who for many years has been identified with the various interests in Audubon county, Iowa, may be found many qualities which always win success. The splendid success which has crowned his efforts - has been directly traceable to those commendable traits which are so much admired by his fellow townsmen. Mr. Leanord served well his country dur-
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ing the dark days of the Civil War, giving two years of his life to the service of his country.
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