J D W Horns

HORNS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/20/2009 at 00:51:20

J D W Horns, A valuable farm of 240 acres is in the possession of J D W Horns, who is living on Sec 18, Yell township. More than a third of a century has passed since he arrived in Boone county. When he came to this portion of the state in 1868 he took up his abode on Sec 14, Amaqua township. The German element has been an important one in our American citizenship and of this Mr Horns is a representative. He was born in Germany February 12, 1842, his parents being John and Annie Horns, both of whom were natives of Germany, where the father conducted a meat market and spent his entire life in that country, passing away at the age of eighty-two years.
In fact, the subject of this review is the only member of the family that ever came to America. He had heard favorable reports of the business openings n this country an of the opportunities afforded young men in the land of the free, and resolved to test the truth of these reports by establishing his home beyond the Atlantic. Accordingly he crossed the ocean, landing in New York, whence he went to St Louis, Missouri, where he lived for three months. He next took up his abode in Lyon, Iowa, where he worked at the blacksmith’s trade for three years. In 1868 he came to Boone county, locating in Amaqua township, by the purchase of 160 acres of land. This he improved for three years, after which he located in Ogden, where he conducted a blacksmith shop for seven years. He next purchased land which made him the owner of a farm of Sec 17, Yell township, and there he carried on the work of tilling the soil for eleven years, when he sold that property and rented a very large farm known as the Sawyer property. There he engaged in stock raising for four years, then removed to his present place, known as the old A P Thompson farm, on Sec 18, Yell township. He has always been a hard working man and he knows from practical experience the value of diligence and perseverance. That he is a successful farmer is the result of his own labor, for he had no inheritance to aid him or influential friends to assist him in getting a start in life, but while winning a good living he also developed strong character and is a man of genuine worth.
Mr Horn was married to Miss Sophia Linderman, a native of Germany and a daughter of Casper Linderman, also of that country. Her parents came to America late in the year 1872 and both lived with Mr Horns until called to their final rest. Seven children have been born of the marriage of our subject and his wife. John, the eldest married Annie Ramsey and is a contractor of Chicago, Illinois, Albert wedded Margaret Carlton and is conducting a meat market at Eagle Grove, Iowa, William married Minnie Baton and their home is near his father’s farm. Otto married Crystal Sherwin and is also in the eat business in Eagle Grove, Iowa. Rudolph is also conducting a meat market at that place. Louis and Edward the younger members of the family are still with their parents.
Both Mr and Mrs Horns are devout members of the German Lutheran church of Ogden and in his political views he is a Republican. For three years he served as township trustee and for a similar period has been treasurer of the school board of his township, filled that position at the present time. He was also constable and in the discharge of his official duties he has ever been notably prompt and reliable. Since 1871 he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity and has been senior warden of the blue lodge in Ogden. Such in brief is the life history of Mr Horns, who when a young man came to the United States, finding himself in a strange country, amid strange people, whose language he did not understand, but as the years have passed he has adapted himself to his new surroundings and changed conditions has made the most of his opportunities and has become one of the substantial and representative farmers of his adopted county.

1902 Boone County History Book