USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history, biographical > Part 60
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
CLINTON H. RICHIE
For three years after his attendance at the Iowa City Academy Clinton HI. Richie taught school in Johnson and Louisa counties. Following this he entered the United States mail service. In 1891, however, he found his real work, that of farming, and therein he has been constantly engaged for twenty years, success having long ago crowned his efforts.
RESIDENCE OF CLINTON H. RICHIE
Our subject is a native of Johnson county, having been born December 14, 1865. His parents are N. B. and Katherine (Loehr) Richie, of Lone Tree.
In 1905 Mr. Richie was married to Miss Daisy Selser, a native of Louisa county. Three children, C. H., Jr., Ruth and Grace, gladden the home. Mr. Richie is a republican and a Methodist. His fraternal affiliation is with the M. W. A., Camp No. 3145, of Columbus Junction.
PETER ALBERT LOUIS (Deceased)
Peter Albert Louis and William Louis, brothers, married two sisters, daughters of Henry and Johanna (Blenna) Bas- terdes. Peter married Mary Addie Basterdes, and William married Eudora Sophia Basterdes. Of this once happy quar- tette Mary Addie Louis alone survives at this writing (1912). Both the Louis and the Basterdes families figure prominently
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in the early history of Johnson county and Iowa City. Both are of German origin. Peter Albert and William Louis were born on the Rhine, near Dusseldorf. Their parents were Al- bert and Gertrude Louis, natives of Germany. Peter Albert, our subject, was educated in the common schools of Germany. He learned the trade of coppersmith in his native land under his father's tutorship, but when he came to Iowa City, in 1854, he took up the work of tinsmithing, for which his training as a coppersmith had fitted him to some extent. He became a skilled workman in this line and established a stove and tin- ning business. His brother William, having also come to An-
RESIDENCE OF ADA LOUIS
erica and to Iowa City, afterwards became associated with Peter in this business and the firm was known as Louis Broth- ers, until the deatlı of William in April, 1883. Thereafter Peter conducted the business until his death. Four children were born to Peter Albert Louis and Mary Addie Basterdes : Albertina, died in Iowa City at the age of twenty-four; Ernest, married to Miss Beasty, died, leaving a wife and two children, Albert and Addie, now living in Friend, Nebraska; Adelaide, a graduate of St. Agatha Seminary; Vincent, a shoe merchant, residing in Marshalltown, Iowa. Our subject was a member of the Roman Catholic Protective association and the German
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
Aid society. His widow is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic church. She resides at the old family home, 516 East Burling- ton street, Iowa City.
William Louis, brother of our subject, was formerly assistant postmaster of Iowa City under the administration of Dr. William Wright. He also filled the office of city treasurer, and at the expiration of his term, in 1869, entered into partner- ship with his brother Peter in the stove and tinware business. He was organizer of the German Aid society in Iowa City. His marriage to Eudora Sophia Basterdes took place in 1858. Six children were born of this union: Gertrude, wife of Judge Anthony Van Wagenan, of Sioux City, Iowa; Edna, now of the firm of Cerny & Louis, Iowa City; William, married to Miss Minnie Tama, now of Winfield, Kansas; Mary Louise, wife of F. W. Meyers, former postmaster of Denison, Iowa, editor of the Denison Review, and an alumnus of the S. U. I .; Frank John, of Iowa City; Henry Edward, superintendent of con- struction and former local manager of the Iowa Telephone company, Iowa City. William Louis died in April, 1883. His wife survived until April 27, 1911. She was one of the original members of St. Mary's Catholic church, having joined when the mission services of the church were held in the old Haverstroh home, opposite the S. U. I. campus.
Henry Basterdes, the father of Eudora and Mary Louis, came alone to Iowa City in 1842. The voyage was made by sailing vessel, and six weeks were required for the passage. He landed in New York, and thence went to New Orleans, where his sister resided. From that city the journey to John- son county was made by steamer and wagon. Two years later the wife and family followed, and landed in Baltimore after a voyage of six weeks in a sailing vessel. Thence the journey to Iowa City was made by way of the Chesapeake canal route, taking six weeks for the overland trip. Henry Basterdes was a dyer by trade, but on arrival in Iowa City began day's work on the "Old Capitol" building and other odd jobs. He estab- lished a home near some fine springs known as Mineral Springs, and later on opened a boarding house there which be- came quite famous. (See reference to Mineral Springs in volume one of this History .- Ed.) The children of Henry and Johanna Basterdes, in the order of birth, were: Eudora,
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born in Germany in 1839; Mary Addie, born in the old Iowa City House in 1846; Amelia, now Mrs. Joseph Escher, living in Pocatello, Idaho; Frank, married, and living in Illinois. Henry Basterdes died in 1891 at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. William Louis. His wife died at the residence of her daugh- ter, Mrs. Peter Louis, in March, 1883. Both were members of St. Mary's Catholic church, in which they were active workers.
VINCENT GROSS (Deceased)
The late Vincent Gross was one of the best known men in Johnson county, where he was one of the early settlers, and where he redeemed several pieces of land from the wilderness. He was born near Belford, France, January 8, 1822, and was a son of Gregory Gross, who fought twelve years under General Napoleon. He came to America in 1840 and first located in Ohio. He learned the trade of blacksmith from Henry Cook, of Harrisburg, Stark county, that state, and came to Iowa City in 1842, helping to make the first plows manufactured in that city. He laid out the village of South Liberty, the post- office being named Bon Accord, and which was in Liberty township.
Vincent Gross crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel, which was thirty-two days making the voyage, and on the same ship there came Nicholas Birrer and his eldest son, Martin Birrer, the latter of whom still lives in Liberty township, Johnson county. The place where Nicholas Birrer settled is now occu- pied by John Dietch. The Birrer family were prominent in the early history of the region and are given further mention elsewhere in this work. After landing at New York City, the Gross and Birrer families went on to Albany and thence over the Erie Canal to Buffalo, then by boat to Cleveland, whence they went overland to Canton, formerly the home of President Mckinley. In June, 1845, Mr. Gross went to Wellsville, Penn- sylvania, and thence down the Ohio and up the Mississippi river to what is now Muscatine, but was then Bloomington, Iowa. There his brother, Gregory Gross, met him with teams and they crossed the prairies to Iowa City, then the state capi- tal. Soon afterward Vincent Gross opened a blacksmith shop
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
at South Liberty, and the town was surveyed and the plat laid ont May 9, 1857, the name of the postoffice, which was Bon Ac- cord, being recorded July 10, of the same year, in the presence of F. HI. Lee, a notary public of Iowa City. There were then eight or ten houses, two general stores, a harness shop, a shoe- maker's establishment and a wagon shop. Around this little hamlet were sometimes seen as many as twenty ox wagons, and a stage coach passed the town.
Among the papers left by Vincent Gross were records of many early transactions in the town, which have been printed in the form of a pamphlet and which form interesting reading to the present generation. He purchased several preemption claims from soldiers of the War of 1812, and also made many purchases from the Government direct, the latter including the place now occupied by his son Charles, the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 18, township 78, range 6, the title for which was dated March 1, 1850, signed by Zachary Taylor (President), and made upon a sheepskin. He paid $50 for forty acres to Cushing Shaw, an Ohio veteran of the War of 1812, the deed being also signed by Polly Shaw, and dated January 29, 1853. He secured the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 17, Liberty township, by paying $100 to William Secor, who received a deed December 24, 1845. His brother Gregory entered forty acres comprising the north- east quarter of section 18 of the same township, the deed ex- ecuted by William B. Ford, J. P. On September 4, 1848, Mr. Gross secured his final naturalization papers, before the dis- triet court at Iowa City, signed by Clerk Stephen Gardner and witnessed by Frank Joseph Schnoebelin. His land purchases included several other patents which he purchased from vet- erans of the War of 1812, and in this way the land now owned by his descendants has passed through very few hands and is subject to very few entries on the title deed. Gregory Gross executed a title dated March 13, 1856, when he was justice of the peace, the same being signed by Zachary Taylor and com- prising the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 18, of the two previously mentioned, and this piece of ground, one-half an acre in extent, was the site of the school house.
Mr. Gross erected a log house, which he occupied for many
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years, then built a more pretentious home, but when the latter burned, he again lived in the original log house. He subse- quently erected a comfortable residence which is now occupied by one of his sons. He continued working at the trade of black- smith until 1860. His son Charles purchased the original home- stead for the sum of thirty dollars per acre, and also owns all except two lots of the old townsite. As mentioned in the sketch of the latter, Vincent Gross made his own horse shoe nails. He was an expert in his line and worked at his trade many years before there was much machinery to make it easy to conduct a blacksmith and repair shop. He became well known for the high quality of his work and had a good patronage. He donat- ed a piece of ground, where a log school house was erected, but upon the school being located elsewhere in later years, the land reverted to the donor and is now a part of the farm of his son Charles.
Mr. Gross was one of the original members of St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic church, which was located in the same town- ship and southwest of his home, and was one of the earnest workers in the cause. He was a democrat in politics. He was among the few pioneers who entered land from the Govern- ment, and was one of the most industrious men of his day. For a long time his nearest trading point was Bloomington, or Muscatine, as it is now named, and the medium of exchange was some kind of goods. Very little money was needed and that was for paying taxes, for which the early settlers man- aged to procure some currency. The old spinning wheel which his wife used for preparing the cloth for family use is still in the possession of the family. She used lindsey for the girls' dresses and made jeans for the boys. She, as well as her hus- band, worked hard, and they reared a large family. She was a good manager and a kind and loving mother, caring for the physical and moral welfare of her family and helping to win the success which became theirs in a financial sense.
On Independence Day, 1846, Vincent Gross married Phoebe March, daughter of John and sister of Enoch Marks, of Hills. The marriage ceremony was performed by an early mission- ary in St. Mary's church at Iowa City. They became parents of the following children: Mary, Mrs. Jacob Hirt, of Hills, Iowa; Mrs. Sarah Anna Reed; Frank, of California; John, of
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
Omaha ; Charles, a sketch of whom also appears in this work; Celia, wife of J. Smith, of Liberty township; Eva, wife of Philip Michael, of Sharon township; Ida, wife of Albert Rup- penkamp, whose farm adjoins the old Gross farm on the west. The father of these children served in many public offices, such as township trustee, school director, and member of the town board, of which he was president for some time. He died Sep- tember 19, 1900, at the age of seventy-seven years, and his widow survived until January 8, 1906, when she passed away, at the age of seventy-five years. Both are held in loving mem- ory by their surviving children and are held in kind remem- brance by their many friends. They had made a home in a new country and had done their share to help along in the gen- eral progress of events, always having at heart the welfare of the community with which they were identified.
VON STEIN - RÖSSLER
John Peter von Stein was born at Neunkirchen, Germany, December 28, 1819, and died at Iowa City, Iowa, December 13, 1903. He was the elder son of John William von Stein, who was born December 14, 1782, at Neunkirchen, Germany, and died March 3, 1835, at Chambersburg, Franklin county, Penn- sylvania. The latter was married May 8, 1814, to Anna Bar- bara Blumenschein, of Winterkasten, Germany, who was born February 28, 1787, and died February 24, 1855. They, with their five children, planned to go to Canada, but changed their minds and about 1827 settled in Pennsylvania. Of the five children, two, John Peter and John Philip, came to Johnson county, Iowa; Marie Katharine died in childhood; Mrs. Marie Barbara Klüh and Mrs. Marie Katharine Klock re- mained in Pennsylvania. John Philip enlisted in the Union army during the Civil War and gave his life for his country, in the battle of Cedar Creek.
John Peter von Stein ontlived his brother and sisters. He was eight years old when his parents came to America. In 1838, when he was eighteen years of age, he left Chambers- burg, Pennsylvania, and went with a family of his acquaint- ance to St. Louis, Missouri. That being a "dry" year and
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the Ohio river low, the trip was made in a flatboat from Pitts- burg. He remained six months in St. Louis, during which time he was employed in a boot and shoe establishment. At the end of that time he returned to Chambersburg and there, later, conducted a boot and shoe business of his own. His arrival in Iowa City was prior to the advent of the railroad, and it was while he was associated with Jacob Ricord in the boot and shoe business that the first iron horse awoke the echoes on the Iowa river. The Pennsylvania House was his boarding place in these primitive days. Pending the arrival of the railway, however, John Peter von Stein was not idle, for in 1850 he
RESIDENCE OF SARAH VON STEIN
was the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land near North Liberty, in Penn township, to which he later turned his practical attention, adding to his holdings until he was the owner of two hundred and ninety-nine acres in that township. On April 5, 1858, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Friedricke Rössler, daughter of John George Rössler. The young people improved their farm in Penn township and made it their home until 1893, when they sold it and removed to Iowa City, where they built a home in 1894.
Mr. von Stein's ancestors have been adherents of the Lu-
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
theran faith since the Reformation. Both he and his wife were descendants of families that stood for good citizenship and the betterment of mankind. The von Stein family formerly came from Switzerland, and later went to Germany. It is said of the progenitors of the von Stein and Rössler families that they were trustworthy, deserving people, and frequently held offi- cial position in the Fatherland.
John Peter and Mary Friedricke von Stein were the parents of five children : Anna Catherine, Mary Charlotte, George Wil- liam, Sarah Elizabeth and one daughter who died in infancy. George William also died in childhood. The remaining chil- dren reside on the Iowa City homestead. Sarah Elizabeth was formerly a teacher in the public schools of Iowa City. Mr. von Stein was a firm believer in the principles of democracy and gave his active political support to the democratic party.
Mary Friedricke Rössler, who became Mr. von Stein's wife, was born December 9, 1827, in Wurtemburg, Germany. Her maternal grandfather was Gottlieb Emmanuel Ebersard Seut- ter, a native of Germany, who came to America in 1830 and died about the age of sixty-three years and was buried near Columbus, Ohio. He married Marie Dorothea Weingärtner, who was born and died in Germany. Katherine Dorothea Sentter, daughter of this couple and mother of Mrs. von Stein, was born at Grossglattbach, Wurtemburg, Germany, Septem- ber 10, 1800. She became the wife of John George Rössler, who was born in Germany February 13, 1796, and died at his home in Sharon township, Johnson county, August 5, 1859. The parents of Mr. Rössler were Christopher and Marie Agnes Rössler, both natives of Germany. John George Rössler, with his wife and seven children, came to America in 1830. Mrs. Rössler's father accompanied them on the ocean voyage, which occupied thirty-five days, in a sailing packet or mail vessel. The travelers went up the Hudson river to Albany, thence to Buffalo and Cleveland, and then on to Columbiana county, Ohio, where they located. After remaining there four years, they moved to Warren county, Ohio. Disposing of their land there in 1840, they started for Iowa. Their arrival at Iowa City occurred on July 3, 1840, and the following day was deeply impressed on their memories from the fact that it was the day of the laying of the cornerstone of the new capitol building, as
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well as the second Fourth of July celebration in Iowa City. Iowa's capital city at that time contained about forty or fifty families.
After spending about eighteen months in Iowa City, John George Rössler and family settled in Sharon township and be- gan to improve his farm, in the fall of 1841. In 1856 he sold his farm of five hundred acres and located in the same town- ship south of the farm which later became the homestead of his son Jacob. There Mr. Rössler spent his last days. Some years later his widow took up her abode next door to her son Jacob and this was her last home. She died when in her sey- enty-ninth year, January 27, 1879.
Five of the ten children of John George and Katherine Dor- othea (Seutter) Rössler lived to old age. The dates of their births and deaths are as follows: Christopher Samuel, born December 26, 1819, died November 3, 1893; Gottlieb Friedrich, born March 19, 1821, died May 10, 1889; John Jacob, born Octo- ber 4, 1822, died February 10, 1911; Marie Katherine, who married John Bruhn, was born July 1, 1824, and died March 10, 1887 ; Mary Friedricke von Stein, born December 9, 1827, died July 5, 1900. All of these mentioned were born in Ger- many, became residents of Johnson county, and there spent their declining years.
These pioneer families were among many who contributed largely to the transformation of Johnson county and the sur- rounding country. They built comfortable homes, and their hospitality was extended to all. They reared families who, like themselves, are casting their influence for all that is up- lifting in their communities.
The Rössler and von Stein ancestry having been Lutherans, it was not surprising that John Peter von Stein and his wife should have taken a deep interest in the affairs of the church. Both were charter members of the English Lutheran church at North Liberty and were active in all departments of its work. They left an appreciable good influence in the neighborhood where they were early settlers and all who knew them revere and cherish their memory.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
REVEREND F. A. KOTTENSTETTE
Reverend Father F. A. Kottenstette, the popular and able pastor of St. Joseph's Catholic church, of Hills, Iowa, was born at Fort Madison, Iowa, in 1872, and received his early educa- tion in the parochial schools of that place. He is a son of Peter Kottenstette, now deceased, the father a native of Germany. Upon deciding to prepare for the priesthood, F. A. Kotten- stette entered St. Ambrose College, at Davenport, but finished his classical course at Quincy, Illinois. He returned to St. Ambrose College to complete his philosophical course, and re- ceived his theological training at St. Paul (Minnesota) Sem- inary, being ordained to the priesthood soon after his gradua- tion from that institution in 1899.
Father Kottenstette's first temporary charge was at Clear Creek, Iowa, where he also had charge of the congregation at Neola. Later he became an assistant to Father Niermann, of St. Joseph's Parish, Davenport, and during his two years' ser- vice there was further prepared for his future work alone. In November, 1902, he took charge of his present parish. He served at St. Stanislaus church until the completion of St. Joseph's church, and celebrated his first mass in the latter ed- ifice January 1, 1903, since which time he has been resident pastor. He celebrates mass at St. Joseph's each Sunday at eight o'clock A. M., and on alternate Sundays also at ten-thirty A. M. He also serves St. Mary's Parish at Lone Tree on al- ternate Sundays. The Ladies' Altar and Rosary Society is a helpful factor in the parish work. His mother, Mrs. Peter Kottenstette, is a frequent attendant upon Father Kotten- stette's ministration at Hills. This good priest is a preacher of more than ordinary eloquence, and a diligent and faithful worker. He is held in great esteem by his parishioners, and although still a young man, has made his mark in the priest- hood in his part of the state, and gives promise to a career of great usefulness. His congregations include some of the most influential families of the community, who liberally support the good work of the church.
The history of St. Joseph's church is very interesting and gives an example of what can be accomplished in a few years by earnest and well directed effort. The three persons who
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first took the matter up were Mesdames Will Droll, Louis Knebel, and Joseph Draker. They drove to Iowa City for the purpose of talking over the situation with Father Schulte of that place. After listening to their ideas this good priest ad- vised them to send him a list of names of persons they expected to be interested in the project of establishing a church at Hills, so that he could refer the matter to the bishop. Soon after- wards a subscription list was started, being taken to interested parties by Charles Knebel, son of Louis Knebel, and Joseph Draker.
St. Stanislaus church has been in existence since 1854, hav- ing been organized by Right Rev. Loras, of Dubuque, and don- ors of the land for the site of the building were Gregory Gross, deceased, whose widow lives east of St. Joseph's, at Hills, his donation being twenty acres of land; Michael Doll, who lives at Iowa City, also donated twenty acres. The frame church which was erected and dedicated in February, 1854, is now used as a mission. The original members were: Michael Doll, Gregory Gross, R. Knebel, B. Dagenhart, Fidell Heitz- man, John Millecker and others of his family, Adam Amish, Nicholas Birrer, Joseph Rummelhart, and others. The build- ing cost fifteen hundred dollars. The first regular pastor was Rev. Father George Snyder, and the others who succeeded him were: Father Fendrick, Father Schiffmacher, Father Knep- ley, Father Mally and Father Heer. One year after the erec- tion of the church building a burying ground was laid out around it, and the first person buried therein was a child of F. Burke. On the same day occurred the first baptism, that of Catherine Darnell. The second child to be baptized in the new parish was Richard Heitzman, fifth child of Fidell and Mary (Wombacher) Heitzman. The beautiful altar in this church was the handiwork of F. Pavier Mellicke (an uncle of Joseph W. Mellicke, of Liberty Township).
Prior to the organization of a church at Hills Catholics liv- ing in Hills and vicinity worshipped at Iowa City, Lone Tree, Riverside, or at St. Stanislaus. The old church is used month- ly when Father Kottenstette holds mass there, and the mem- bers of the old congregation help to support St. Joseph's church at Hills, St. Mary's of Lone Tree, the latter being a mission of St. Joseph's.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
The first church committee of St. Joseph's comprised the following: Joseph Pitlick, chairman; Joseph Draker, secre- tary and treasurer ; John Schott, Sr., Louis Knebel and Joseph Kraal, Sr. The building is of brick and was erected under the supervision of Father Kottenstette, being dedicated by Very Reverend A. J. Schulte, of Iowa City, with due ceremony. The cost was about six thousand dollars, and at first they used plain board seats, replacing them when they were able to do so. The church proper has a seating capacity of 214, and including the galleries, will seat 250 persons. From sixty to seventy fami- lies comprise the congregation. Previously to his service at St. Joseph's church, Father Kottenstette had served at St. Stanislaus church, three and one-half miles southwest of Hills. The parsonage at Hills is a fine ten-room brick edifice, begun in the fall of 1905 and completed in 1906. It is modern in every respect and joins the church on the south.
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