USA > Iowa > Clayton County > History of Clayton County, Iowa : from the earliest historical times down to the present : including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families, prepared from data obtained from original sources of information, Volume I > Part 88
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of one hundred and sixty acres, this being land which he obtained from the government and upon which he resided ten months of each year until he had perfected his title to the property. His polit- ical support is given to the Democratic party and he has been called upon to serve in various public offices of local order. He was constable for fourteen years, township trustee four years, and a member of the village council of Littleport for four years. He is a charter member of Littleport Camp, No. 1723, Modern Woodmen of America, and was one of the founders of the Lutheran church at Littleport, of which he and his wife became earnest communicants and of which he is now serving as secretary of the board of trustees. In the year 1871 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Pust to Miss Sophia Pike, who was born in the city of Baltimore, Md. Their devoted companionship continued for more than forty-four years and the tender and gracious ties were severed only when the loved wife and mother was summoned to the life eternal, her death having occurred October 30, 1915, and her memory being revered by all who came within the compass of her gentle influence. Emil W., eldest of their children, is engaged in the lumber and merchan- dise business at Alberta, Canada, and is postmaster of his town; Christian C. is one of the leading business men of Littleport, where he is engaged in the hardware, implement, furniture and lumber business; Lizzie is the wife of Albert G. Grenwalt, M. D., who is engaged in the practice of his profession at Runnells, Polk county, Iowa; and Louisa is the wife of J. Liddy, of Littleport.
Edwin W. Radach has made for himself secure vantage place as one of the representative business men of the younger generation in his native county and is engaged in the conducting of a well- equipped general store in the village of Clayton, where his substan- tial trade is based upon effective service and fair and honorable deal- ings. Mr. Radach was born in the village of Guttenberg, this county, on the 16th of July, 1883, a member of a family of five chil- dren, of whom two are living. He is a son of John and Henrietta (Meltzer) Radach, who were born and reared in Germany, where their marriage was solemnized and whence they came to America in 1883, in May of which year, about two months prior to the birth of the subject of this review, they established their home in Clayton county, Iowa, where they still reside and where the father has been sexton of the City Cemetery. In the public schools of his native county Edwin W. Radach continued his studies until his gradua- tion in the high school at Guttenberg, and he then put his acquire- ments to practical test and utilization by becoming a teacher in the district schools, his activities in the pedagogic profession having continued, and that with marked success, during a period of three years. He then established his present business enterprise at Clay- ton and he has since been known as one of the leading business men and influential citizens of this village, with inviolable place in popu- lar confidence and good will. He has not sought public office or to enter the domain of practical politics, but he gives staunch sup- port to the cause of the Democratic party and takes helpful interest in those things that tend to conserve the civic and material welfare
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thus it may well be understood that there was ample cause for the affectionate esteem which was granted to him in which he long lived and labored and in which his very presence was a benediction. He continued in active practice until advancing years led to his retirement, and, revered by all who knew him, he passed to eternal rest on the 28th of July, 1901, when 83 years of age. His widow still resides in the attractive old homestead that has been her place of abode for more than half a century, and she celebrated in 1916 her seventy-seventh birthday anniversary. A kindly and gracious gentle woman, she is loved by all who have come within the com- pass of her influence, and is one of the honored pioneer women of Clayton county. Dr. Edward C. Rawson, the only child of his parents, acquired his early education in the public schools of Straw- berry Point and as a youth he was inspired to adopt the profession that was signally honored by the character and services of his father, under whose direction he gained his preliminary training. He finally went to the city of Chicago and entered the medical school of Northwestern University, and in this celebrated institu- tion he was graduated as a member of the class of 1891 and with the well-earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. He initiated the active practice of his profession in his native town, on the 28th of April, 1891, and became the virtual successor of his honored father, He has long controlled a large and representative practice and has secure prestige as one of the leading physicians and surgeons of his native county. He is an active member of the Clayton County Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. The Doctor continues a close and apprecia- tive student of the best standard and periodical literature of his profession and spares neither time nor effort in keeping in close touch with the advances made in medical and surgical science. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party and he is affi- liated with the local lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons and that of the Knights of Pythias, of which latter he has served as chancellor commander. June 8, 1892, recorded the marriage of Dr. Rawson to Miss Gertrude E. Gilchrist, who likewise was born and reared in this county, and of the two children of this union only the younger is living, Rayma G., who was born November 10, 1903. Don M., the first child, was born December 4, 1896, and his death occurred March 13, 1902.
Michael Regan has been a resident of Clayton county since he was about two years of age, was reared under the conditions and influences that marked the pioneer epoch of the history of the county, and has gained prominence and distinctive success as one of the representative business men of Elkader, the county seat, where 'he is engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, as senior member of the well known firm of Regan & Witte. He became one of the founders of this enterprise nearly thirty years ago, and his careful and progressive policies, marked at all times by fair and honorable dealings, have been potent in the development and upbuilding of one of the leading business concerns of the capital city of the county, in addition to which he has proved altogether
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Margaret, is deceased, the four surviving children being Ruey Rosalia, Katherine Elizabeth, John Joseph, and Dorothy Dolores.
Henry Reichart has been engaged in business in his native town of Littleport since 1894 and is one of the representative business men and well known citizens of Clayton county, where he has won success and independence through his own ability. He was born at Littleport on the 4th of January, 1869, and is a son of Frederick and Mary (Dahling) Reichart, both natives of Germany and both children at the time of the immigration of the respective families to America. Frederick Reichart was a lad of fourteen years when his parents established their home at Guttenberg, Clayton county, and his wife was thirteen years old when her parents became resi- dents of the same village. Frederick Reichart was here reared to manhood, here he learned the carpenter's trade, and he was for many years one of the successful contractors and builders of Clayton county. He died on the 15th of April, 1915, and his widow now resides in the city of Dubuque. The eldest of their children is Augusta, who is the widow of Michael Ronig and who maintains her home at Dubuque; Louisa is the wife of Frank Christ, of that city ; Dora is deceased; William resides at Littleport; the subject of this sketch was the next in order of birth: Lena and Frederick are deceased; Mary is the wife of William Koch, of Elkader; Clara is the wife of Otto Newmaster, of Dubuque; Charles is a resident of Littleport; and Ida is the wife of Michael Cuzeick, of Dubuque. Henry Reichart is indebted to the public schools of his native county for his early educational discipline, and in his earlier youth he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. At the age of twenty-one years he began work as a bridge carpenter for the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad Company, and after having been thus engaged for a period of seven years he engaged in the merchandise business at Littleport, where he has since continued to be success- fully identified with this line of enterprise. His tastes and ambitions have been entirely aside from the activities of politics and the hold- ing of public office, but his civic loyalty is unmistakable and his support is given to the cause of the Democratic party. On the 4th of April, 1894, Mr. Reichart wedded Miss Louisa Ambruster, who was born and reared in this county, and they have two daughters, Pearl and Lanida. The elder daughter was, in 1916, a student in the Bayless Business College, in the city of Dubuque.
John G. Reidel has been a resident of Clayton county from the days of his childhood and is another of the native sons of Iowa who have achieved marked success and prestige as representatives of agricultural industry in this county, his fine landed estate of two hundred acres being situated in Giard township and constituting one of the model farmsteads of this section of the Hawkeye State. Mr. Reidel was born in Linton township, Allamakee county, Iowa, on the 1st of September, 1856, but within a short time thereafter he was brought to the old homestead farm in Giard township, Clayton county, where he has continued his residence during the long intervening period of half a century. He is a son of Charles and Catherine (Hoch) Reidel, both of whom were born in Hessen-
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pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America, and both he and his wife are attendants of the Evangelical Church. May 23, 1880, recorded the marriage of Mr. Reidel to Miss Mary K. Sautter, who was born and reared in this county and who is a daughter of George and Frederica (Heilman) Sautter, early and honored settlers of Mendon township. Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Reidel the following brief data are entered in con- clusion of this article: Lillian is the wife of Albert C. Pingle, of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin; Charles C., who is associated in the work and management of his father's large farm, is married and has one son, Howard T .; Mabel A. F. is the wife of Guy Walk, a prosperous farmer of Allamakee county ; and John J. is a success- ful farmer in Monona township, he and his wife having one daugh- ter, Marion.
Louis O. Reierson owns and resides upon a portion of the large landed estate that was accumulated by his father in Clay- ton county, and he is one of the progressive farmers and popular citizens of the township in which he has always main- tained his home and in which his circle of friends is coincident with that of his acquaintances. Mr. Reierson was born in Marion town- ship, this county, on the 12th of September, 1884, and is a son of Reier and Mary (Olson) Reierson, both of whom were born and reared in this county, where their parents settled in the pioneer days, within a short time after immigrating to America from Nor- way. Reier L. Reierson was identified successfully with farm en- terprise in Clayton county during his entire active career, and at the time of his death, which occurred July 24, 1915, he was the owner of a well-improved landed estate of five hundred and twenty acres, in Marion township. He was a man of sterling integrity, was a loyal and liberal citizen, was a Republican in politics and was a consistent communicant of the Norwegian Lutheran church, as is also his widow, who still remains on the old home place that is endeared to her by the gracious memories and associations of the past. Of the children the subject of this review is the eldest; Mary is the wife of John O. Wall, of Marion township; and Cornelius and. Ruth M. remain with their mother on the old home place. Louis, O. Reierson gained his early education in the public schools and from his boyhood to the present time he has found as the stage of his activities the farm estate that was accumulated through the ability and energy of his honored father. On the 1st of March, 1916, he purchased one hundred and seventy-six acres of the old home- stead, and to the operation of this farm, in Section 11, Marion town- ship, he is now devoting his attention with marked progressive- ness and energy and with the attending success which his broad and practical experience insures. He has erected good buildings on his individual farm and has installed on the place also a modern silo, of seventy-five tons' capacity. He is aligned as a loyal supporter of the cause of the Republican party, is serving at the time of this writing, in 1916, as treasurer of his school district, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Norwegian Luth- eran church. On the 20th of June, 1912, was solemnized the mar-
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been able to retire from active work. Mrs. Reimer passed to the other life December 19th, 1906, Mr. Reimer afterward removing to Minneapolis, where he is living retired. Seven children were born to them: Henry, a farmer of Read township; Louise, wife of Wil- liam Splies of Garnavillo township; Carrie, who is married to John Fritz of Giard township; Lena, married to Walter Sadewasser, and living in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Charles and Herman, both of Volga township; and William, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Reimer's success in his profession, aside from his native ability, is due in a large measure to the years of thorough preparation he de- voted to its study. In 1906 he began his course of study in Drake University, spending one year, then entering the University of Ore- gon, spending one year, after which he received his Bachelor degree of Law, and also took the state bar examination. At this time he was as yet under 21 years of age and not allowed, on account of his years, to practice his profession, he returned to Iowa, re-enter- ing Drake University with his old class, receiving his Bachelor de- gree from the University and also taking the Iowa State Bar ex- amination. Not satisfied with these degrees he took a post gradu- ate course at Drake, receiving the master's degree at the end of another year, and then took the Chicago law course, receiving the degree of doctor of jurisprudence. During all the course of these studies he also took the literary course, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Literature from the Chicago Seminary of Sciences in 1910. For a year he traveled extensively over the country before coming to Elkader. He went to Elkader, Iowa, April 1, 1911, and entered upon the lucrative practice of his profession. He makes a specialty of abstract work, and is president of the Clayton County Abstract Company, which employs the card index system in the conduct of its business, thereby having a complete and absolutely reliable list of all deeds and titles of Clayton county. On Decem- ber 26, 1912, Mr. Reimer led to the altar Miss Lina Stemmer, and to their marriage has been born one son, Carl, Jr. Mr. Reimer is Republican in politics and holds the office of town clerk. He is very active in the affairs of his church, the German Evangelical, serving as its secretary. He takes keen interest in automobile ac- tivities, being secretary and treasurer of the Clayton County Auto- mobile Club.
Carl Reinecke .- Among the many men who have been potent in shaping the destiny and the public opinion of Clayton county, few have played a more important role than Carl Reinecke, Sr., who for 45 years was the able editor of "Der Nord Iowa Herold." Mr. Reinecke brought to his newspaper work not only a thorough tech- nical knowledge of the printing craft gained by experience both in the old world and the new, but a ripe judgment and a wide knowl- edge gained as a close student of affairs during the course of his long and useful life. Carl Reinecke, Sr., was born in Calbe. a. s. Saxony, on January 29, 1840, the son of Louis and Henrietta (Stange) Reinecke, both of whom were natives of Calbe. The thorough and efficient schools of the little Saxon city furnished the foundation for the broad education which characterized him.
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agriculture. Returning to Elkader he assisted his father in the conduct of the "Der Nord Iowa Herold," and he took such active and effective part in the councils of the Democratic party that He was fittingly rewarded with the appointment as postmaster of El- kader, which office he assumed on January 27, 1916. To the con- duct of this office he has given faithful and efficient service and the patrons have been highly pleased with his administration in every respect. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and active in all the social and civic life of Elkader.
William F. Reinecke has been a resident of Clayton county since his childhood and has here found in his maturer years ample opportunity for the bending of his energies and ability to the achievement of definite success and the winning of an honorable name. He served three consecutive terms as treasurer of Clayton county and since his retirement he has been prominently and influentially identified with banking interests in the county. He is now cashier of the Strawberry Point State Bank, and has been resourceful and progressive in the upbuilding of the substantial business controlled by this representative financial institution. He is a son of Charles and Frederica (Wagner) Reinecke, sterling citi- zens concerning whom specific record is given on other pages of this publication, so that a repetition of the data is not demanded in this connection. He whose name initiates this review made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools at Elkader, including those of the high school, though he left the same prior to graduation. As a youth he found employment in the country printing office of his father, and this association with newspaper work proved an effective supplement to his educational discipline. He continued his connection with his father's printing and publish- ing enterprise until the spring of 1898, when he formed a partner- ship with Vilas L. Gilje, under the firm name of Gilje & Reinecke, and they purchased the clothing stock and business of J. K. Molumby, at Elkader. Mr. Reinecke continued to give his atten- tion to this prosperous business enterprise until 1904, when he sold his interest to his partner, as he found insistent demands upon his time and attention in the administration of the affairs of the office of county treasurer, to which he had been elected in the autumn of 1902. The most effective voucher for the efficiency and acceptability of his management of the fiscal affairs of the county is that afforded in the fact that he was re-elected county treasurer in 1903 and 1906, so that he served three consecutive terms, his retirement being essentially a matter of his own volition, as he declined again to become a candidate for the office in 1908. In the autumn of that year he was elected cashier of the Clayton County Bank at Guttenberg, and on the 1st of December of the following year he formed his present alliance as vice-president and cashier of the Strawberry Point State Bank. As a broad-minded and progressive citizen of well fortified political convictions, Mr. Reinecke has been influential in the councils of the Democratic party in Clayton county and has given effective service in behalf of the party cause. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church,
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morning he at last arrived at the home of the friend who had kindly agreed to help him in placing himself in his adopted land. For two and one-half years he was employed in a trunk factory in Philadelphia and he then started for Clayton county, Iowa, where kinfolk of his mother resided. On arriving in the city of Chicago misadventure again became his portion, for he was put on the wrong train and landed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, instead of the desired destination in Clayton county. From the Wisconsin metropolis he came by freight train to McGregor, Clayton county, where he was refused further transportation, though his ticket designated Elkport as his destination. His worldly possession by this time had been reduced to his apparel, thirty-five cents in cash, a silver watch and a gold ring. Without providing himself with breakfast Mr. Reuschel, who was then 15 years of age, set forth on foot for the village of Guttenberg, where he arrived footsore and weary, but with undaunted courage. It is pleasing to record in this connection that he still retains in his possession the little gold ring which he wore on this journey. On arriving at Guttenberg a kindly old hotel man, Henry Eppenes, provided him with a bountiful supply of food and sent him on to his destination, at Elkport. At this latter place, which is now his home, he found employment in the harness shop of John Bals, a relative of his mother, and entered upon a practical apprenticeship to the harnessmaker's trade. After remaining with Mr. Bals for a period of seven and one-half years Mr. Reuschel went to the city of Dubuque, where he remained twelve years in the employ of a large harness and saddlery concern. After three years of service he was made foreman of the shop and during the last three years he held the position of superin- tendent of the entire manufacturing department of the business. In 1904 Mr. Reuschel returned to Elkport and purchased the shop and business of his former employer, Mr. Bals, and he has since conducted the enterprise most successfully, the shop building which he owns having been devoted to its present use for the long period of forty-five consecutive years and being one of the pioneer busi- ness establishments of Elkport. Mr. Reuschel has expanded the scope of his business by acting as local agent for the Demo Cream Separator Company and also as agent for the Hartford Fire Insur- ance Company. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1890 and has since given a staunch support to the cause of the Republican party. That he has secure place in popular con- fidence and esteem is shown by the fact that he served two terms as mayor of Elkport, besides having given efficient administration also in the offices of the township clerk, township assessor and mem- ber of the school board, of which last mentioned body he is presi- dent at the time of this writing, in 1916. He was mayor of Elkport, 1911-13. He is a zealous communicant of the German Lutheran church at Elkport and is serving as a member of its board of trus- tees. He is affiliated with the local organizations of Modern Wood- men of America and the Modern Brotherhood of America, in each of which he holds the office of clerk. Mr. Reuschel on October 5, 1893, married Amelia Mueller, of Elkport and they have four chil-
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exponent of agricultural industry and been associated with other lines of business enterprise. He and his wife now maintain their home at Luxemburg and of their union have been born ten children, all of whom are living. John A. Ries gained his preliminary educa- tion in the public schools of his native state and thereafter was for some time a student in the college at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He further prepared himself for the active affairs of business by completing an effective course in a commercial college in the city of Dubuque, and after leaving this institution he went to the city of Chicago, where he was employed as a bookkeeper for a period of four years. He then made a somewhat extended trip through South Dakota, after which, in 1912, he established his residence at Clayton, where he has since built up and successfully conducted a general store that caters to a large and constantly increasing pat- ronage. Mr. Ries is aligned as a staunch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and has served most efficiently as a mem- ber of the village council of Clayton. His name is still enrolled on the list of eligible young bachelors in Clayton county.
Harley S. Rittenhouse, the genial and capable editor of the Monona Leader, a stirring and up-to-date Republican newspaper of Clayton county, is a native of the Badger State, having been born in Eastman, Wisconsin, May 24, 1874. His father, Harvey B. Rit- tenhouse is a native of Indiana, but in 1850 he removed to Craw- ford county, Wisconsin, and is still living at the advanced age of seventy-nine years. His mother, Regina (Kelly) Rittenhouse, who died May 9, 1908, was born in Illinois. The father was a painter by trade, but at the outbreak of the Civil war enlisted for the serv- ice of his country in Company C, Sixth Wisconsin Infantry, and served for a year and a half. Their home was blest with a family of eleven children, who, in the order of their birth, are: Lilly, wife of J. W. Kimball, of Prairie du Chien, Wis .; Warren, who died in infancy ; Clara, wife of William Huston of Minnesota ; Minnie, wife of Henry Baab, of the same state; Rufus, deceased; Harley, with whom this sketch is concerned; Robert, who died at the age of 7 years; Delia, wife of Fred Wicks, of Minnesota; John E., whose home is in'North Dakota; Maud, of Saskatchewan, Canada ; Grace, the wife of Roy Sutton, who are also residents of Saskatchewan. Harley Rittenhouse is essentially a self-made man of the highest type. He attended the common schools until he reached the age of thirteen years, but at that time started out in a newspaper ca- reer, which is a liberal and thorough education in itself. Entering a printing office at Prairie du Chien, Wis., he remained for two years, sedulously applying himself to learning his chosen trade. Al- ways seeking advancement, he was later employed at Winona, Minn., and in McGregor, Iowa. On September 19, 1895, he came to Monona and began work on the Monona Leader, under the kind tutelage of Colonel George H. Otis. For thirteen years he con- tinued his service under this generous and helpful employer, with never a single misunderstanding to mar the pleasantness of the closest business and social relations. In 1905 he bought a half in- terest in the Leader, and in 1908 assumed the full responsibility
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