Jemru Riefe

RIEFE, HOUSTON, HOFFMANN

Posted By: Diane Wilson (email)
Date: 5/19/2004 at 22:35:25

Henry Riefe, successor to J. M. Houston, is now carrying one of the largest stocks of general merchandise in the county. Mr. Riefe is a native of Hanover, Germany, born in 1858, emigrated to the United States in 1873 and fist stopped in New York, where he engaged as clerk in a grocery store. He subsequently clerked in Brooklyn.
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In 1875 he came to Iowa and engaged as clerk at Greene, and subsequently at Charles City. In 1879 Mr. Riefe returned to Germany to visit his friends and was absent five months. On his return to the Unit4ed States he again stopped about three months in the city of New York, then came to Clarksville, and has since been in his present business.
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In 1879 Mr. Riefe married Miss A. Hoffmann, daughter of C. Hoffmann, of Charles City. They have had one child (deceased). In the winter of 1882-3 he bought the business of J. Cohn, in addition to his other business, an took possession of it January 1, 1883, which was in the large double store owned by Mrs. Walker, and has now the largest and most complete stock of goods in the town. In his native country he was brought up in town and received a liberal education, graduating from the public schools and took a course at the higher school.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Page 536