HENRY W. TIBBEN.
Henry W. Tibben, who owns four hundred acres of excellent farming land in section 4, Audubon township, was one of the organizers of the Audubon Township Creamery Company, and has been a director of the company for many years.
Henry W. Tibben was born on March 10, 1863, in Rock Island, Illinois, and is the son of John W. and Katherine (Schwenneker) Tibben, natives of Friesland and Hanover, Germany, respectively. They came to the United States when young people, and were married in Rock Island, Illinois. The father, a farmer by occupation, came to Audubon county from Rock Island, Illinois, in 1881, and after purchasing three hundred and twenty acres of land in Audubon township, lived on his farm until his death. He and his wife, both of whom are now deceased, were the parents of seven children, six of whom are still living, as follow: Henry W., Amos F., Anna, deceased, John C., William, Mrs. Minnie Carson and Mrs. Emma Porter. All the children except Emma, who lives in eastern Iowa, live in Audubon county.
After living at home until his marriage, Mr. Tibben then rented land for five years, and eventually purchased a hundred and sixty acres of land in section 4, of Audubon township. He has added to this and now has a total of four hundred acres, all in Audubon township. It is an interesting fact that Mr. Tibben's hen-house was the original dwelling on the farm. He has made many improvements upon the land, and erected many substantial buildings, and he now has a well-improved and highly profitable farm.
On December 16, 1884, Henry W. Tibben was married in Audubon county to Mary Hocamp, who was born on October 25, 1866, in Hancock county, Illinois, and who is the daughter of William and Hannah (Elleman) Hocamp, natives of Prussia, who came to the United States when young people and who were married in Quincy, Illinois. Although William Hocamp had been a miner in his native land, he became a farmer after coming to the United States. Finally he moved to Audubon county in 1875, and after locating in Audubon township, purchased some land in this township. The mother died in the eighties, but the father is still living retired on his land.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Tibben have had eight children, as follow: Clara N., born on January 31, 1886, is a clerk in Petersen's store in Exira, where she has been employed for ten years; Nettie M., August 31, 1887, married Walter Meyers, and they live in Audubon township; Edward H., February 18, 1889, married Edna Luke, and they live in Audubon township; Ralph H., May 3, 1891; Ethel L., November 2, 1898; Helen H., November 17, 1899; Florence L., October 20, 1902, and Lowell W., September 16, 1904.
A Republican in politics, Mr. Tibben served as township trustee for a period of ten years, and also served on the school board for several terms. Mr. and Mrs. Tibben are members of St. John's Lutheran church; Mrs. Tibben"s mother was one of the charter members of this church. The Tibben children, however, are members of the Audubon township Christian church.
A popular citizen of his community, Henry W. Tibben is a worthy descendant of the sturdy German parentage which established the family in America. Prudent in all the affairs of life, genial in manner, Mr. Tibben has the satisfaction of knowing that he has attained a worthy measure of success. He has always taken a commendable interest in public movements and his influence has been of potent power for good in Audubon township.
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Transcribed from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 763-764.
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