History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 74

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042

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America has profited much by the addition to her life of all that is German. By far the larger portion of German immigration, grown less in later years through more favoring conditions in the fatherland, has been a blessing to this country. The very large portion of the present population of the United States made up of Germans and their descendants is shown by the fact that out of 80,000,000 souls, about one-fourth, or 20,000,000 have German blood in their veins. And if to these be added the English and Scandinavian people, which addition is just, as they are of Germanic stock, it is easy to see that all other elements are exceeded, and that makes for the greatness of America. That the German lan- guage may be kept alive by those descended from the German immigrants and also by other American citizens and fostered to a degree greater than ever be- fore to me seems of great importance. It is gratifying to note that the practical American has found a value in a knowledge of the German tongue. It is equally euphonious with the English and ranks next to that language in use among civilized nations. German commerce enlarges its field each year, and it is to be hoped American commerce will expand in the same way. These two great

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leaders in the world's civilization are dependent on each other. May the good- fellowship between them become increasingly cordial.

. THE POPULATION OF GERMAN DESCENT IN DAVENPORT AND SCOTT COUNTY.

The earliest German immigration came to Scott county almost at the begin- ning of her history. From historic sources of unquestioned verity the population of Davenport in 1836 was about 100, consequently the history of the village cannot be said to have begun before that date. On May 15, 1836 the first German family came to this vicinity. It was the family of Carl Jacob Freitag (Friday) who with his wife and his three sons, Johann, Jacob and Gottlieb, had emigrated from Württemberg, pressed forward across the broad, western prairies, for the most part using a yoke of oxen for transportation, until he settled as a farmer in what is now Rockingham township, a few miles down the Mississippi river. Here in the new home three days later a daughter, Caroline, was born to the German pioneer couple. In the year 1836 there also landed in America the Bomberg family which included Friedrich Ernst Bomberg, his wife and seven children. From Gotha in Thuringen they came, and made their first American home on a farmstead near Buffalo in Scott county, where in October of the fol- lowing year. 1837, Mr. Bomberg passed away. In the same year of Mr. Bom- berg's death his widow brought her flock of little immigrants to Davenport and made their home in the young village, and here remained, the first German family in Davenport. April 14, 1910, there died in the old home Mrs. Augusta Ranzow, nee Bomberg, the last member of the very earliest German family to settle in Davenport. In the year 1837 came Adam Weigand, Joseph Gehmann, Christopher Schneider, the last named, the discoverer of coal at Buffalo, ten miles below Davenport, which is mined until the present time. At the close of the year 1846 the population of Davenport was increased by sixty Germans, a large part bringing with them their families. Among the immigrants from Ger- many who came during the first ten years following 1836 we find Michael Gold, Christian Kober, E. Steinhilber, Christ Schuh, Carl Sauer, Johann H. Schuett, Franz Lambach, Louis Beyer, Johann Kaspar Wild, Franz Xaver Kessler, Kaspar Schroepfer, Nicholas Mock, Asmus Vieths, Peter and Claus Puck, Jochim and Hinrich Steffen, Jochim Plambeck, and others. April II, 1847, seventeen persons landed in Davenport, among whom were Claus Lamp, Asmus H. Steffen, Jochim Schoell, Hinrich Muhs, J. F. Lafrenz and Hans Wiese. June 21, 1847, ninety other persons came. Among these were Hans Stoltenberg, Wulf Hahn, Jochim Klindt, Thies Sindt, Claus H. Lamp, Eggert Puck, Claus Wulf. etc. July 13, 1847 came fifty additional people. August 1, 1847, sixty emigrants from the old fatherland followed, among whom were two who became especially well known and popular-Matthias J. Rohlfs and Nicholas J. Rusch. In December of the same year twenty-four German immigrants landed at New Orleans whose destination was Davenport, but who could not reach this place until the following spring, for it was not until that time that the Mississippi was free of ice.

Early in the year 1848 Davenport received an additional company of German immigrants numbering about 250, most of these coming from Schleswig-Hol-

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

stein, where political conditions were intolerable. This stream of immigration continued, as those who had reached this land induced their friends and rela- tives to come. When finally the struggle of Schleswig-Holstein against Danish despotism had reached an unfortunate conclusion a larger immigration began in the years from 1851 to 1853. The German immigration was swelled by those coming from other German provinces, due to the reaction following the times of revolution in the fatherland. Until the beginning of the '8os of the last cen- tury a large stream of German immigration poured into this vicinity, which gradually became weaker, and although today comparatively few in the old fatherland think of emigrating it has never entirely ceased.

The Iowa census of 1890 gave Scott county a population of 43,164, of which 10,130, or very nearly one-fourth, were natives of Germany. If to this large number be added the German immigration of the twenty years following 1890 and the direct descendants of all those coming from Germany a strong showing is made for the strength of German-Americanism in this county. That not all descendants of Germans retain their German spirit is unfortunately true, yet on the other hand, it is pleasant to be able to state that in a large number of the sons and daughters of the immigrants of the '40s till '6os, the inherited spirit of the fatherland still is manifest and the love of the German language and the good old German customs has not died out. There has been no lack of continued commercial success for such true German-Americans. It is only necessary to mention here the descendants of several old forty-eighters and others more recent : Louis Hanssen's Sons, Christ Mueller's Sons, Ferdinand Roddewig's Sons, H. & H. Rohlfs, Wahle brothers, Peter Feddersen, Oswald, Walter and Herman Schmidt, Charles Naeckel's Sons, T. Richter's Sons, the sons of Henry Lischer, Alfred and Henry True, Henry and William Wiese, Ad. Eckermann, and others.

October 14, 1902, a German-American Pioneer association of Scott county came into existence. Only such Germans as have lived in America for fifty years, or those of German parentage who have reached the age of fifty years, may become members. The association has reached a membership of several hundreds, due very largely to the activity of its secretary, John Berwald. A complete membership list was published in the jubilee edition of the Iowa Reform of last year. It is probable that a revised list of the members will be incor- porated in this work. In this connection it may be mentioned that as early as the year 1873 an association of German veterans was formed in Davenport whose title is "Schleswig-Holstein Kampfgenossen Verein von 1848-1850." To the special edition of the Democrat and Leader, published to commemmorate the fiftieth anniversary, two of the best known members of this verein, Emil Geisler and Bleik Peters, contributed. The latter, who was the president of the society for many years, died recently. The annual meeting of this organization occurs on March 24, At the date of the publication of the Half-Century Demo- crat, October 22, 1905, the association had 175 members, of whom fifteen are over eighty years old, and the remaining 160 between seventy-two and eighty. In the article contributed by Bleik Peters appears a long list of deceased members. This list has naturally increased greatly in the past five years, but about 100 of the old forty-eighters are still living, hale and hearty. It will probably be

GERMAN PIONEERS OF SCOTT COUNTY

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

more than another decade before the last of these staunch old heroes shall be called upon to join the great army. To give the details of the Schleswig-Hol- stein Kampfgenossen Verein would take more space than is available. A large volume would scarce suffice to record the efforts and accomplishments of these old soldiers and of the younger generation of German-Americans who have taken such energetic part in the development of Davenport and Scott county, but it is fitting that this contribution to the work in hand shall not overrun the bounds of a reasonable article. There is much that has not been touched upon. The problem is now how to handle what remains with conciseness. Now follows such an attempt.

A SHORT TRIP CROSS-COUNTRY.

A drive through Scott county, that is, through the farming district that stretches from Davenport with its 45,000 inhabitants, to the westward, north- ward and eastward, is well worth one's while. For it gives opportunity to see some of the most fruitful and valuable farming land in the great agricultural state of Iowa. As a matter of course the right season of the year must be chosen. In an automobile the longest distances can be covered in the shortest time, and automobiles in great numbers utilize the country roads, that is if they are in a good condition, which, unfortunately is not always the case, even in summer. But for our purpose the automobile is too rapid, and we will take the older fashioned means of travel, the horse and buggy.

We drive through the townships of Davenport and Blue Grass until we reach the little city of Walcott which is about ten miles from Davenport. After a short stay in this place our drive continues through Cleona, Hickory Grove and Sheridan townships and in this circuit we touch the villages of Plainview, Maysville, Eldridge and Mt. Joy. Everywhere in this expanse of land, wealth is apparent, which is also the case in each one of the fourteen townships of the county. We inquire to whom this or that especially beautiful farm belongs, and the names of the proprietors given us are always those of Germans. We are told that very nearly nine-tenths of the land in Scott county is owned by Ger- man immigrants and their descendants. An inspection of the townships traversed on this trip as depicted upon a Huebinger map of Scott county shows that the owners of the farms whose names are recorded on this map, with very few excep- tions, are German. In Cleona township where farms large and small to the number of 150 are platted we find that out of this number only three are owned by those whose names do not have a German sound, as for instance Erastus Bills. All others are German. We find that formerly more Americans were landowners in Scott county, but that the German was thriftier, knew better how to manage, and that gradually chances to buy were offered and accepted. It has always been, and still is, possible to tell on what farms a German has had the management, and on what farms a representative of any other nationality has tried the remunerative occupation of farming. On the German farms there is system,-no farm machinery rusting in the open, no dilapidated sheds on the place, no rank weeds and evident negligence, as is often the case when an- other than a German farms. Of course there are here as is customary, excep- tions to the rule. Gradually the German farming population has acquired the

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

largest part of the best land in the county. Scott county farmers are with few exceptions German, and wherever one enters a farmhouse one meets with cordial welcome and hospitality.

Wealth reigns in the farming region of America, and this is notably the case in Scott county.

In addition to their splendid estates, their stock which at the present time is of such great value, their residences, other buildings and modern agricultural machinery, our farmers have a very large share in the deposits-amounting to many million dollars-in the large Davenport banks, and also in the smaller banks which have been established within the last ten years in the country towns. In many of these little cities met with in a cross country drive, such as Walcott and Eldridge, we find that the German population greatly out- number the English. Eldridge, even, has a good Turner association with a large membership. When we reach home in Davenport from our trip through the farming territory we are more than ever convinced that the German farm- ing population of the county has made fine choice of occupation and is succeed- ing splendidly therein. Also in the city of Davenport, as has already been in- timated, the German prospers in many professions and undertakings, of which short mention will be made in that which follows.

GERMAN-AMERICANS SUCCESSFUL IN VARIED CALLINGS.

In Davenport many German-Americans have been, and still are, successful in manufacturing. Several will be mentioned, as they come to mind: Wahle Brothers, in machinery ; Henry Kohrs & Son, wholesale pork packing; Schmidt Brothers, washing machines, etc .; Voss Brothers, washing machines, etc; Bram- mer Manufacturing Company (Hugo Bräunlich and others), washing machines ; Nicholas Kuhnen, Otto Albrecht & Co. (Theodor Hartz), cigar manufacturers ; and in the same line Ferdinand Haak and Sons, P. N. Jacobsen, Jr., H. Harkert, Claus F. Hanssen, W. & E. Goettsch, Julius Goos, Junge & Oden, C. L. Wollen- berg; Krabbenhoeft Brothers, cigar boxes, etc .; M. E. Nabstedt & Sons, manu- facturing jewelers; Wilhelm and Reinhard Wagner, printers ; Zoller Brothers, brewers; and in the same line, George Klindt, Herman Wulff, F. Holdorf, etc .; as successor to H. Koehler, Oscar Koehler, M. Frahm, J. Lehrkind, etc .; L. P. Best, in various branches of industry; H. Korn & Sons, wholesale bakers;" R. Mittelbuscher, cooperage; Ed. Berger, building material; H. O. Seiffert, build- ing material; F. G. Clausen, as architect and part owner of factories; F. T. Blunck, in factory and other enterprises, etc., etc.

In professional circles, doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, etc., we find many Ger- mans or the direct descendants of Germans. Here follows a partial list of doc- tors : P. A. Bendixen, Henry U. Braeunlich, Oscar Dahms, George E. and Her- bert Decker, August de Fries, E. O. Ficke, L. F. Guldner, A. L. Hageboeck, Julius T. Haller, C. C. Hetzel, H. E. Hoefle, C. F. Jappe, J. F. Kempker, Kulp & Kulp, A. B. Kuhl, Fred Lambach, John V. Littig, Carl and Heinrich Matthey, F. Neufeld, L. J. Portmann, F. E. Rudolf, A. Sauer, Ben Schmidt, P. H. Schroeder, Wm. A. Stoecks, E. F. Strohbehn, Kuno H. Struck, Karl Vollmer, J. S. Weber.

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

The pharmacists follow: Louis P. Carstens, Theodore Danquardt, Hugo Emeis, Martin Hansen, J. Harding, Wm. Hieber, J. J. Jepsen, E. J. Kisten- macher, J. E. Klenze, W. Lage, G. G. Lauffer, A. F. Meisner, E. A. Moetzel, J. F. Neufeld, A. Riepe, Gustav Schlegel & Son (Carl F.).

These are the dentists : Hugo A. Braun, F. H. Dueser, H. Littig, H. G. Pape, A. L. Schmidt, W. A. Seeboldt, J. D. Unangst.

The present German members of the Davenport bar: Henry A. Arp, Waldo Becker, Louis Block, Phil Daum, H. E. C. Ditzen, C. A. Ficke, Robert Ficke, Sam Finger, Charles Grilk (who is in line for the honor of representing the second Iowa district in congress), Carl F. Hass, Albert W. Hamann, Wm. Hoersch, Henry H. Jebens, G. H. Koch, V. L. Littig, Alfred C. Mueller, Walter H. Petersen, Louis E. Roddewig (police magistrate), Claus Ruymann, Adolph Ruymann, Henry Thuenen, Jr., Fred Vollmer (county attorney ), Henry Vollmer.

Notaries public among the German-Americans : John Heinz, Edna A. Goettig, Arthur, Charles and Julius Ficke, Otto Ladenberger, Albert J. Noth, Otto Rieche, Ignatz Schmidt, H. O. Seiffert, Gustave Stueben, Edward Soukop.

The German clergymen who have been active in Davenport for many years : Right Rev. Anton Niermann, of the St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic) church, who for more than fifty years has presided over his parish. During last year at the celebration of his fiftieth anniversary the title of monsignior was conferred upon him by Pope Pius X. He has reached the advanced age of eighty-one years. His assistant at the present time is Rev. John Scherf. For more than twenty- seven years Rev. A. D. Greif has been the pastor of the German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity church. With deep regret the members of his congregation have very reluctantly bade him farewell upon his departure for his new field, Charter Oak, Iowa. His successor is Rev. Mahnke. Two additional highly respected evangelical pastors are Rev. Herman P. Greif and Rev. Carl Holter- mann.

It would require too much space to enumerate all the Germans who hold responsible positions in the ten or more banks of the city, most of which were founded by Germans, or to name the directors or employees of the same. Here are a few taken from the two first named classes: Charles N. Voss, Ed. Kauf- mann, J. D. Brockmann, John H. Hass, Gust Stueben, August E. Steffen, Wm. Heuer, Otto Eckhardt, Julius Hasler, Claus Stoltenberg, Julius E. Burmeister.

Even much less would it be possible to enumerates all the German-Ameri- cans who are active in commercial enterprises at the present time or have been in the past. To the list of those who have been especially successful in the past belong the name of Robert Krause and many others. All lists of names herein given make no claim to completeness, the purpose being to give a somewhat correct idea of the activity of the Germans in Davenport and Scott county.

The oldest grocer in Davenport is John C. Johannsen, whose business was founded as early as 1867. In this same branch John H. Schuett has long been active,-for from thirty to forty years. A few German Israelites who have been successful in commercial enterprises: Silberstein Brothers, H. & J. Deutsch. Simon & Landauer, John Ochs' Sons, etc. Especial mention should be made of those large merchants, wholesale and retail, J. H. C. Petersen's Sons, who have been the most successful merchants in Davenport for the last thirty years.

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

THE GERMANS OF SCOTT COUNTY IN PUBLIC LIFE.

Although Iowa Germans and their direct descendants number some 400,000, or about one-sixth of the population, they have never entered into public life in proportion to their numerical strength. The fellow citizens of Irish extraction, although forming a smaller portion of the population, better understand the entry into political life. The immigrating German must first gain a command of the English language, in many cases a slow process, and he is as a rule re- served and reticent where the reorganization and reformation of political con- ditions are concerned. Much could be accomplished in the political field were it not that the old world habit of disagreement brought with him from the old home by the immigrant German-American shows itself at inopportune times. But the purpose of this article is not to pick flaws, but to demonstrate the good qualities of the Germans and their successes in this neighborhood.

But it can be said that the German-Americans of Scott county do exhibit a united front when called upon to show their high esteem for personal liberty and condemnation of un-American and unjust compulsory laws, although they have learned by experience that they cannot yet oppose successfully the superior strength of their opponents in the state and must for the time being submit to laws passed by the legislature and unworthy of a free people.

Scott county has sent many excellent Germans to the general assembly at Des Moines. As early as 1859 Scott county elected Nicholas J. Rusch to the state senate, and later in 1860 Rusch was elected lieutenant governor on the same ticket with Iowa's war governor, S. J. Kirkwood. Somewhat later, in the year 1869, Scott county sent the Schleswig-Holstein patriot, Hans Reimer Claussen to the state senate where he rendered valuable service to the liberal element of the people of Iowa. In 1884 Scott county elected that guardian of free thought, William O. Schmidt, to the house of representatives and at a later date to the senate, where he won great honors as the champion of liberal ideas and the op- ponent of prohibition. Matthias J Rohlfs, a forty-eighter also proved his ex- cellence in the legislature. Others representing Scott county in the lower house at Des Moines have been : Ernst Mueller, Lorenz Rogge, Philip Dietz, Henry Thuenen, Jr., Jacob Nabstedt, A. W. Hamann, A. A. Balluff, Adolph Stolten- berg, Fr. Balluff, H. H. Boettger.

A large number of Germans have been prominent in the city administration of Davenport. At the head of the list stands Ernst Claussen, the youngest of the forty-eighters. As a boy of sixteen he fought with Schleswig-Holstein against the despotism of Denmark. Ernst Claussen, the mayor, who served more years than any other, his term running from 1883 to 1889, is remembered for his resolute character and uncompromising liberalism, and also for his typical American patriotism. Other notable German mayors were: C. A. Ficke, 1890-1891 and Henry Vollmer, 1893 to 1896. Both of these followed in the liberal pathway marked out by their predecessor Claussen. Fred Heinz was also an excellent mayor, and Waldo Becker, a native born son of German parents, gave the best of his ability to the service of the city. The mayor chosen at the April election of 1910 is Alfred C. Mueller, son of Christ Mueller, one of the founders of the Davenport Turngemeinde.

MEMORIAL SHAFT OF THE KAMPFGENOSSEN- VEREIN OF 1870-71 IN WASHINGTON SQUARE

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

To name all the past and present German members of the city council with the accompanying dates and the wards from which they were elected would take too much space and the thought must not be entertained. The first German city fathers of Davenport were: A. Wiegand and A. F. Mast in 1851 and 1852. Later German members of the city council, the count running to the present : C. J. H. Eyser, L. Beyer, E. A. Gerdtzen, John Schott, T. Guelich, A. Schmallfeld, H. Ramming, H. H. Andresen, F. Vollstedt, G. P. Ankerson, Bleik Peters, John Schmidt, William Glassman, Francis Ochs, H. Lambach, J. Wunderlich, Samuel Hirschl, G. M. Matthes, C. Tegeler, H. A. Runge, N. Kuhnen, P. B. Harding, Otto Klug, Christopher Kruse, H. Abel, H. Lischer, H. F. Laverenz, C. F. Knappe, Martin Kunkel, J. Speetzen, H. Schumacher, F. Vollstedt, H. Lamp, William Claussen, N. Krambeck, Henry Kohrs, F. G. Clausen, Theo. Blunck, George Rebuer, A. J. Lerch, Christ Kuehl, 1882, and is again a member 'of the council, Valentine Laux, A. C. Beyer, William Klein, William Bischoff, P. J. Stelling, L. H. Rehling, P. F. Petersen, Edward Edinger, H. J. Meyer, Henry Korn, G. W. Kerker, F. G. Dickmann, Henry Abel, Ernst Zoller, Wm. Rath, W. J. Reese, J. Eckmann, J. C. Brauch, Frank Klauer, Wm. Reese, Henry Stender, Gus Eckhardt, Henry Vollmer, Henry Thuenen, Jr., Chas. Schutter, John Berwald, Walter Hass, W. H. Regennitter, Louis Eckhardt, Charles Schick, John Schnack, Wm. E. Matthes, John P. Mass, Louis Wiese, Theo. Bargholz, William Gosch, Chas. F. Zoeckler and Fred Denger.

Among those holding city positions these served as treasurer : L. Schricker, H. Mittelbuscher, Otto Klug, Rudolph Priester, Louis Rieck, F. Kruse, J. B. Frahm, Chas. Hagermann, Wm. Heuer, Wm. G. Noth. These served as city" clerk: J. G. Tuerk, H. Goos, Hugo Moeller; as marshal and chief of police : John Kaufmann, Frank Kessler, Henry Martens, Thies Herzog; as assessor: E. Hugo Schmidt, Jeppe Bierring, Ignatz Hild ; as city attorney : Henry Thuenen, Jr. ; as assistant city engineer, C. H. Beuck ; as street commissioner ; B. Eseke, A. D. Lepper, Henry Nagel; as city electrician : Al. Goldschmidt; as chief of the fire department : John C. Piening, John L. Stoltenberg ; as police magistrate: B. Finger, John Kaufmann, G. F. Kramer, S. A. Finger, Louis E. Roddewig; as plumbing inspector : Adolph Kahles, Otto Meinert, etc.

Probably the above list is not complete, but an effort has been made to make it so.

On the school board and park commission Germans have rendered valuable services. A complete list of the names is not at hand, but here are a few repre- sentative names of those filling those positions recently or at the present time. Members of the board of education and treasurers of the school district : Jens Lor- enzen, Paulo Roddewig, Dr. H. Braeunlich, Henry Vollmer, W. H. Gehrmann, Dr. C. Matthey, Edward Berger, Theodor Hartz, Dr. G. E. Decker, Alex Naeckel, Alfred C. Mueller, Dr. Oscar Dahms, Edward Harms; park commissioners: John D. Brockmann, Dr. H. Matthey.

German county officials .- Auditor : H. Jarchow, Edward Berger; sheriff, Louis Eckhardt; county clerk, Wm. G. Noth; recorder : H. Vollmer, Sr., Frank Holm; treasurer: M. J. Rohlfs, Henry C. Struck, Rudolph Rohlfs, Ben F. Luetje ; county attorney : Fred Heinz, Julius Lischer, A. W. Hamann, Fred Vollmer; county superintendent of schools: C. L. Suksdorf, J. H. Jacobs, H.

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History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 74

Author: Downer, Harry E Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1042

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042