Graening, H.

KABEN, ROVER, BUENGER, WARNKE, STROTTMANN, PETERS, HUE

Posted By: BCGS
Date: 12/2/2009 at 22:04:14

H[enry] Graening, living retired in Denver, was born in Maxfield township, this county, in 1857. He is a son of Henry and Maria (Kaben) Graening, natives of Germany, who came to America in 1854 and settled in Bremer county, where the father purchased land from the government at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. He followed farming in this locality until his death, which occurred in 1899, and he accumulated one hundred and sixty acres in Maxfield township. He had survived his wife some years, her death having occurred in 1887. To their union were born three children: Rev. John, a minister of the Lutheran church in Maxfield; H. of this review; and Mary, the wife of Fred Rover, of Butler county.

H. Graening acquired his education in the public schools of Maxfield township and when he was twenty-one years of age took charge of his father's homestead, which he purchased some years later. For a long period thereafter he engaged in general farming, carrying forward the work of developing and improving his property along modern and practical lines and becoming one of the most substantial and prosperous agriculturists of this locality. In 1908 he sold his holdings and moved into Denver, where he has since lived retired. He is a stockholder and director in the Denver Savings Bank and has served as secretary of the First German Mutual Insurance Company of Bremer and adjoining counties. This concern has over fifteen hundred members and carries five million dollars worth of insurance in policies.

Mr. Graening was united in marriage to Miss Dora Buenger, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Carl and Maria (Warnke) Buenger, who came to Iowa about the year 1870 and settled in Bremer county, where the father engaged in farming until his death. To their union were born five children: Henry, of Tripoli; Dora, wife of the subject of this review; Minnie, who married William Strottmann, of Waverly; Emma, the deceased wife of J.C. Peters; and William. Mr. and Mrs. Graening became the parents of seven children: William, cashier of the Denver Savings Bank; Anna, who married L.C. Hue, of Bremer county; Emma, at home; Herman a farmer in this county; Emil, operating the old homestead; Carl, also of Bremer county; and Martha, who died in infancy. The family are members of the Lutheran church.

Mr. Graening gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and has held a number of township offices. He is interested in the growth and progress of Denver and Jefferson township and is numbered among the most valued and substantial residents of this locality.

History of Bremer County, Iowa Vol. II 1914