USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 71
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BERNARD H. HUELSHOFF, traveling agent for the Rider-Wallis Company, Dubuque, is a native of Germany, born at Lingen, Prus- sian Province of Hanover, May 10, 1845, and a son of Heinrich and Elizabeth Huelshoff. Both parents are now deceased, the father dying October 2, 1891, the mother April 1, 1885, and both are buried at Lingen. Bernard H. Huelshoff received his primary and collegiate education in Germany, and for a time thereafter resided at Cologne, on the Rhine. He then immigrated to America, via New York city, and, locating at Cincinnati, Ohio, for several months, was engaged as instructor in Latin in the high school there. In 1867 he came to Dubuque to visit relatives, and while here was offered and accepted a position as salesman with the H. B. Glover Company, with whom he remained five years. The next seven years he was employed in a similar capacity by Thomson & Jones, suc- ceeding which he became associated with the Rider-Wallis Company, with whom he has remained for a period of thirty years. Mr. E7,elshoff has always taken great interest in literature and art, and
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is the author of various historical publications and poems which have been favorably received both in this country and Germany. He is an honorary member of the German Veteran and German Song societies, and in religious views is a member of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic church. On October 24, 1872, in Dubuque, he was united in marriage with Miss Bertha Hoffbauer, a native of Wis- consin and daughter of Friederich and Mathilda Hoffbauer. Her parents came to America from Germany in 1850, locating first at St. Louis, Missouri, and later removing to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both have long since passed away, the father in 1879 and the mother in December, 1865, and they are at rest in the cemetery at Buffalo, Iowa. Mrs. Huelshoff came to Dubnque in 1863 to reside with her sister, Mrs. Otto Yunkerman, one of Dubuque's pioneer settlers. To Mr. and Mrs. Huelshoff four sons and three daughters have been born, as follows: Carl Henry, department manager of a con- cern at Portland, Oregon: Franz Bernard, who attended St. Joseph's College and is now engaged in the lumher business at Portland; Leo Richard, civil engineer; Alphonse B., in banking business at Portland : Elizabeth, a graduate of Visitation Academy and the Dubuque Finley Hospital; Julia M., who attended high school and Visitation Academy and who now is a member of the Sisters of St. Francis under the name of Sister Celeste, and Thekla G., a graduate also of Visitation Academy and at present teaching in the Audubon School. Mr. Huelshoff was one of the founders and the secretary of the German Concordia Association, and is one of Dubuque's enterprising and representative citizens.
THOMAS MCCRANEY came to Dubuque in 1832 and erected two cabins at the mouth of the hollow where Eighth street was located. One of the cabins stood on the south side of the hollow. Mr. McCraney lived in the north cabin and the same year ( 1832) erected a furnace for the purpose of smelting lead ore up the hollow. He also built another house for the hands, near the furnace. This place began to be called "McCraney's Hollow." Like others he was driven out by the soldiers. In April, 1833, McCraney sold his claim, cabins and furnace to Charles Gratiot. Mr. Lorimier and Mr. Gratiot were partners in the smelting business at Gratiot's Grove, Wis- consin. Mr. Lorimier came to Dubuque in June, 1833. George Harrison, of Illinois, assisted by Thomas McCraney and others, laid out Dubuque into blocks, streets, etc. The hollow became known as Lorimier hollow. McCraney or Lorimier hollow did not extend below where the old Diamond House stood. or below where it intersected Eighth street after 1833. The hollow was on the south side of Eighth street and extended up the left-hand hollow, known as Hill street. The right-hand hollow became known as Julien avenue .- (Herald, February 21, 1861. )
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FRANC W. ALTMAN, of the firm of Peter Kiene & Son, insurance. loan and real estate operators, is a son of the old pioneer Theodore Altman. The father was a native of the Duchy of Luxemburg, but in 1854 decided to come to America and cast his lot with the thousands of home and fortune seekers who flocked to this country at that time. Accordingly he immigrated to the United States. came directly to Dubuque, was married to Maria Storch in 1857, and for many years was prominently identified with the public affairs of this city. He became well known as a hotel man and conducted the Harmony Hall hotel during his active business career, but the last twenty years was not actively engaged in business. He served one term as alderman from the Third ward and two terms as alderman from the Second ward, and always took an active part and interest in public affairs. On October 17, 1908, he passed away at the age of seventy-seven years, but his widow still survives and resides in this city.
His son, Franc W. Altman, the immediate subject of this memoir, was born in Dubuque, July 22, 1860, and was educated in the public and parochial schools. For two years he was employed by the Diamond Jo line, steamboat operators; in 1875 he entered the employ of Peter Kiene & Son and subsequently became identified with this firm, of which he is now a member and has since thus continued for thirty-six years. Aside from his connection with the above mentioned firm Mr. Altman is a director of several business and manufacturing establishments of this city. He is a member of the Dubuque Club, and was at one time president of same. On January 12, 1887, at Dubuque, he was united in marriage with Miss Dora Kicne, daughter of Peter Kiene, Sr., his former partner in business, and to them one son, Franc K., now attending the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, has been born.
JOHN W. BRUMMER, residing in Vernon township, was born October 25. 1854, in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, near East Dubuque. and is the son of Jeret Henry and Helen (Johnston) Brummer. The father was born in the Kingdom of Hanover, Germany, in 1814, and his wife was a native of the same locality, born the same year. They were married in Germany in 1845, came to America on their wedding trip and first settled in Grant county, Wisconsin. Mr. Brummer remained on the home place in Wisconsin until his death. November 7, 1882. His wife died in 1892, and to them four children were born. John W. Brummer received his early education in the public schools. He commenced work for himself at the age of eighteen years on his father's farm. On October 5, 1880, he married Miss Celia Gillespie, a native of Jackson county, Iowa, and daughter of Anthony and Anna ( Perryman ) Gillespie. Her father was born in Ireland and upon coming to America first settled in Virginia. In 1850 he moved to Iowa and located on a farm in
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Jackson county. He died fourteen years ago and his widow eight. They had four children, of whom Mrs. Brummer was the thin. . John W. Brummer and family moved to their present farm Dubuque county in 1889, and he and wife have five children : Anna, Maretta. Ida. Raymond and Mabel. Anna married Albert Mc- Carty : Marietta married Charles Kress ; Ida married P. J. Conolly ; Raymond is now attending business college at Omaha, Nebraska ; Mabel is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Brummer are members of New Mellory church. He has been president of the school board twelve years, member of the town board four years and as a Republican has been prominent in the politics of his county. His farm com- prises 240 acres of finely improved land, and he specializes in the raising of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. He is recog- nized as one of the substantial farmers and representative citizens of the county.
JOSEPH J. DREIIER, teacher and organist of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic church and school, Dubuque, was born in this city and is a son of Joseph and Margaret (Nockels) Dreher. The parents are natives of Tyrol, Austria, and the Duchy of Luxem- burg, respectively, and came with their families to America in 1867. Joseph J. Dreher was primarily educated in St. Mary's parochial school, and later attended the Normal school at St. Francis, Wis- consin, from which he graduated in 1892. For three years there- after he was principal of St. Joseph's school at Leavenworth, Kansas, and served as organist in the church at that place. In 1895 he removed to East St. Louis to assume the positions of principal and organist in the St. Henry school and church, and remained thus engaged until coming to Dubuque, in 1898. He was here offered and accepted the positions as teacher and organist in the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic school and church, in which capacities he has officiated ever since. Mr. Dreher is an active member of the Catholic and National Educational associations, and is identified with the Catholic Teachers' Association of Laymen. He is an hon- orary member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, a Democrat in politics and a Roman Catholic in religious views. Socially he is connected with the St. Vincent De Paul and the Aloysius societies. He at present resides with his parents at 1733 White street.
REV. GURNEY MAHAN ORVIS, pastor of the Summit Congrega- tional church, of Dubuque, was born at Williamsfield. Ashtabula county, Ohio, December 9, 1849. His father, Rev. William B. Orvis, was of Welsh ancestry, the original settler of that name com- ing to this country about the year 1700. He was a man of superior attainments and education, a preacher of the Congregational faith, a publisher and an author of note, "Christ Coming to His King-
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dom" and "Ritualism Dethroned" being products of his pen. He ; married Susan Wealthy White and followed his ministerial calling 1 Ohio, Illinois and elsewhere. Mrs. Orvis, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was a descendant of Elder White, of Colonial fame. Her ancestors came to the colonies in 1632 and lived for many years in the shadow of the famous Charter Oak at Hartford, Connecticut. Members of this family have figured prominently as statesmen, soldiers and citizens, in the formative and subsequent periods of the history of this country. Rev. G. M. Orvis became pastor of the Summit Congregational church of Dubuque in 1894. and he has ever since been retained in this position. His early education was obtained in the public and high schools of Atlanta, Logan county, Illinois, and subsequently he entered Oberlin College, from which he graduated in 1875 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then entered the theological department of Yale University, which conferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1878. He later, in 1880, took a post-graduate course in this institution. In the year 1905 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Lenox (Iowa) College. Doctor Orvis began his ministerial career as pastor of the Congregational church at Nevin- ville, Adams county, Iowa, and from there was called to Winthrop, Buchanan. county, Iowa, where he remained ten years. Through his efforts many, important improvements have been made during his pastorate at Dubuque, and the church has been very much enlarged and has increased rapidly in numbers. His intimate knowledge of child life and young people, his sympathy with their joys and sor- rows and his charity for all mankind have caused his work to be a power for good in the community. At New Haven, Connecticut, on June 19, 1878, he married Miss Julia Green, who died in 1883. At Winthrop, Iowa, on November 28, 1887, he married Mrs. Mary E. Vincent, who since their marriage has been an able assistant. For many years she has had charge of a young men's Bible class which has scarcely an equal in the state, and has always been a leader in the work among young people. She has identified herself with the Christian philanthropic work of the city and was the first president of the Young Women's Christian Association. From its beginning she has been a member of the board of the Rescue Home, and is now serving as its president. From early womanhood she has been prominent in the missionary work as carried on by the Presbyterian and Congregational churches of the state. Doctor Orvis is the father of three children : Mrs. Harry D. Beresford, of Ft. Dodge, Iowa; Miss Julia G. Orvis, a teacher in North Dakota, and one who died in infancy. It might well be said that he and wife are the parents of a great many more, for they have maintained in their home and educated a large number of children not of their family.
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REV. GEORGE W. HEER, pastor of St. Mary's Roman Catholic parish, Dubuque, since 1905, is one of the best and most widely known clergymen, personally, in Dubuque county. He is a native of the Prussian Province of Westphalia, Germany, his birth occur- ring April 25, 1849, and a son of Lawrence and Theresa Heer, who came to America in 1855 and died at Fort Madison, Iowa, where both are buried. When but six years old Father Heer came to this country with his parents. He received his literary education at the Quincy ( Illinois) College, and his theological training at St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, where, on March 16, 1872, he was ordained to the priesthood ; succeeding which, in regular order, he was stationed at Keokuk, Richmond, Centralia, Worthington, Dyersville and Dubuque, but it was in this county that he became most widely known. Through his instrumentality the church and school at Worthington were built; at Dyersville he remodeled the church, established a high school and founded an academy for girls. His activities did not cease upon his removal to Dubuque. He has established St. Mary's high school in connection with his parish, and in many other ways has become a power in religious circles. Father Heer is loved and honored for his many sterling qualities of mind and heart.
HON. ROBERT BONSON, by reason of his life-long residence in Dubuque, and the prominence of his father in public affairs, is one of the best and most widely-known men in eastern Iowa. Richard Bonson, his father, was of English nativity and came to Dubuque county in 1834, where, for a great many years, he was engaged in farming and smelting. He married Harriett Watts, and their exem- plary lives, filled with good deeds and kind actions, commanded universal respect. Mr. Bonson was a man of unusual force and character. He served two terms, in 1854 and 1856, as a member of the state legislature, and was state bank examiner under Iowa's war governor, Samuel J. Kirkwood. He died in 1883, followed by his widow twenty years later.
Robert Bonson was born in this county on January 5, 1868. After attending the country schools in early boyhood he entered the high school of the city of Dubuque, and after his graduation there- from was for two years a student in the law department of the state university at Iowa City. From this institution he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1890, and two years later was awarded a like degree from the Columbia (New York) University. He at once began practising in Dubuque and soon attained high rank in his profession. From 1895 to 1898 he filled the unexpired term of Senator Baldwin as a member of the upper house of the state legislature, and in 1906 was elected to the bench of this judicial district, a position he has since continuously occupied with honor and credit. Aside from the foregoing, Judge Bonson was associated
Guida/BEche
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with his brother, William W. Bonson, in ship-building. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, by which he was honored by election to the office of grand exalted ruler. On March 28, 1889. he was united in marriage with Miss Alice, daughter of Charles and Mary Manter, of Chicago, and they are the parents of two children, named Marjorie and Richard.
GUIDO BECK. In a city possessing beautiful homes, stately cathedrals and churches, commodious halls and substantial public buildings and attractive business houses, prosperity is at once dis- cerned. In a like manner the architectural merit of such edifices reflects the education and artistic taste of the designers and owners. Guido Beck has had much to do with the beauty and thoroughness of the architecture of Dubuque. He. like many of America's best men in the various walks of life, is of foreign descent. his birth occurring January 25, 1853, at Tafertsweiler Ober Amt. Sigmar- ingen, Province of Hohenzollern, Germany. Severin and Karoline ( Koeberle ) Beck were his parents. The father was reared to early manhood by the Prince of Sigmaringen, later in life became a teacher and was known as Professor Beck. In 1848 when Germany was shaken by a revolution he favored the cause of the people and took their part in the struggle that followed. Many of the Beck family came to America. three brothers of Professor Beck set- tling in the state of Illinois, where they subsequently died. The Koeberle family, from which the mother was descended, originated from the Prussian royal family, and in years past took an active and prominent part in the affairs of that country.
After attending the elementary schools of Tafertsweiler until fourteen years old. Guido Beck journeyed to the city of Sigmar- ingen and there learned the stonecutter's trade and attended the technical schools for three years. Subsequently, at Stuttgart. King- dom of Wurttemberg, he cut stone for about a year, after which he spent a year in the Royal Technical High school. He was then sent to Heidelburg to superintend the building of the waterworks during the next two years. He then returned to Stuttgart and be- came a soldier of the German army for three years, after which he re-entered the Technical High School, and he was duly graduated therefrom with honors and medals and a certificate as architect. Al- though the youngest of many who applied for the position of super- intendent, he was given the contract by the German government to construct an asylum at Schussenried, Kingdom of Wurttemberg, which was to be given over entirely to the nursing back to health of the needy sick. This is one of the finest institutions of its kind in Germany. Mr. Beck completed the work on this building in 1882, and then, against the wishes and advice of all his friends, left his native country and immigrated to America, where, he thought, chances for success were infinitely greater and the field for work
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much broader. For a time after coming to the United States, owing to the fact he was unable to speak the English language satisfac- torily, Mr. Beck worked as a stone-cutter in the government arsenal at Rock Island, Illinois. There he familiarized himself with the lan- guage, customs and peculiarities of a strange people, thoroughly mastering the American style of architecture, which, with the knowi- edge he already possessed, made him in time one of the foremost men of his line in the entire Northwest. As time went on he spe- cialized in the building of beautiful church edifices, and, since 1885, when he came to Dubuque, he has erected over one hundred of these institutions, varying in size from comparatively small ones to cathe- drals. He was also granted the contract for building St. Joseph's college, chapel and auditorium, and drew the plans for the West Hill and West Dubuque Catholic churches. In his religious views Mr. Beck is a member of St. Raphael's Cathedral, and has sung in the choir of that institution for the past twenty-five years. While yet in Rock Island he was united in marriage with Miss Augusta Nesen- sohn, who came from Germany to meet and marry him, but she passed away the following year, 1885, and eight years later Mr. Beck married Miss Rosa Martin, daughter of P. B. Martin, a pio- neer contractor and builder of Dubuque. To them two sons have been born, as follows. Severin, attending St. Joseph's College, and Karl Leo, born on the day that Pope Leo died. It can be said of Mr. Beck that he has lived an honest. useful life and has become a good and deserving citizen of the land of his adoption.
HON. A. F. FRUDDEN, president of the Frudden Lumber Com- pany, of Dubuque, was born on the island of Fohr, in the North sea, September 10, 1854, a son of Cornelius F. and Elke Frudden. The father followed the sea and was for years captain of a German merchantman, but in the latter part of the eighties retired from the active duties of life and immigrated to America. After landing at New York he came West to Dubuque and lived a retired life in this city until he passed away in 1903, aged eighty-two years. His wife died three years previously, seventy-three years old, and both are now at rest in Linwood cemetery. The family are of German descent, and as far as known the male members always followed the sea.
The early education of A. F. Frudden was secured in the public schools of the island of his nativity, and while yet a young man he immigrated to America. landing at New York. and shortly there- after came West to Clinton, Iowa, where for two years he worked as a farm laborer. In 1873 he secured employment with Curtis Brothers & Co., of Clinton. Iowa, starting at the saw and being promoted as merits warranted until he became foreman. This position, however, he resigned in 1884. to become associated in a like capacity with the Carr, Ryder & Wheeler Sash & Door Manu-
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facturing Company, in Dubuque. This concern has since been reorganized, is now operating under the firm name of Carr, Ryder & Adams Company and is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Mr. Frudden remained with this corporation four years, and then resigned to organize the Frudden Lumber Company, of which he has been the president and active head ever since. Under capable management this establishment has proved unusually successful, and now, aside from the main office in this city, has branches in the following towns : Castalia, Ossian, Fort Atkinson, Jackson Junction, Charles City, Floyd. Eagle Grove, Vincent, Ackley and Persia. Aside from business Mr. Frudden has taken an active interest in politics, and as a Democrat has been elected to the lower house of the state legislature, holding office during the 29th, 30th and 3Ist general assemblies. In the fall of 1906 he was further honored by being elected to the state senate, serving during the 32nd and 33rd general assemblies. He is a director in the First National Bank. Socially he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, having attained the rank of Knight Templar in York Rite Masonry and the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite branch of the order. He was married on November 30, 1876, to Miss Philine C. D. Johannsen, of Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Ingwert Ludwig Johannsen, a native of Schleswig Holstein, Germany, who came to America and died in Crawford county. Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Frudden the following named children have been born: Dora, who died in infancy; Edward, who also died young: Carl E., manager of the Ackley lumber yard; Justus L., bookkeeper : Alma P .; Mil- dred T., at home, and Edward C .. attending high school. The family residence is located at West Third and Winona streets.
CHARLES H. EIGHMEY is one of the few remaining old settlers of Dubuque. In 1850, when he first came here with his parents, Dubuque was a straggling frontier town of about 2,000 inhabitants whose attentions, at that time, were largely devoted to mining and furnishing supplies for homeseekers in northern Iowa, Minnesota and the Northwest. During the time subsequent to that date Mr. Eighmey has witnessed, and been a participant in, the growth and development of Dubuque until it has become one of the important commercial centers of Iowa. Born in Saratoga county, New York, on November 28, 1834, Charles Henry Eighmey is the son of Leman and Chloe (Barrows) Eighmey, who were descended from Dutch-French and English ancestry respectively. The family came to Dubuque county, Iowa, in 1850, and here the father carried on farming and mining. He subsequently moved to Black Hawk county, where he farmed until his death in 1865. His widow sur- vived him twenty years. Their son. Charles H., received his educa- tion in the district schools, the Mount Morris Seminary and Cornell (Iowa) College. Having studied law, he was duly admitted to the
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bar, and from 1860 to 1870 was engaged in legal practice in Du- buque as an associate of Judge Cooley. From the date of its organization Mr. Eighmey has been a director of the First National Bank. In 1870 he became its cashier and so continued until 1890, when he became president. a position he has occupied ever since. In point of continuous service Mr. Eighmey is the dean of the bankers of Dubuque, and during the panics of the past forty years has been a potent factor in keeping the high character and standing of his bank untarnished. He is a member of St. Luke's Methodist Epis- copal church, in which he is the president of the board of trustees. Throughout his long residence here he has been active in the moral and commercial history of the community. On October 4, 1864. he was united in marriage with Elizabeth J. Stuart, whose father, William G. Stuart, a prominent character in Dubuque county, was state senator, county sheriff and county treasurer, and died in 1906, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. To this union one daughter, named Augusta, has been born.
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