Michael Hollenbeck

HOLLENBECK, CHASE, OSTERHOUT, BASS, PAGE, DAY

Posted By: Diane (email)
Date: 2/24/2002 at 21:20:03

In 1863 Michael Hollenbeck was elected sheriff, and in 1865 re-elected, serving four years. Mr. Hollenbeck is a native of New York, and still lives in Shell Rock, where he first settled in 1854.
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Michael Hollenbeck is the youngest son of Michael and Sarah (Chase) Hollenbeck, and was born in Oneida county, New York, September 17, 1822. Both his mother and father died during the year 1846 – the latter dying one month later than the former. The son remained in his native county until he had attained his majority, and then came West and settled in Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he lived eight years, and then moved to DeKalb county, Illinois, where he remained but one and one-half years.
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He was married March 26, 1843, to Miss Elsie Osterhout. In January, 1854, they came to Butler county, Iowa, and entered a farm of 160 acres in section 29, Shell Rock township. Here Mr. Hollenbeck built a small log cabin, into which he moved his family in May, 1854. During the early years of their settlement here they experienced many hardships. Upon their arrival but one five-dollar bill was left, and they lived in their log cabin the first summer with no roof, excepting an elm bark one. In this house the family lived for twelve years, but as time went by it was considerably improved.
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At the time of their arrival in the State not one railroad was built. Mr. Hollenbeck was supervisor, and a member of the first county board, and was also elected the first justice of the peace of the township, besides which he has held other town offices. He was elected sheriff of Butler county in 1863, and held the office for four years.
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Eight children have been born to them, six of whom are living – Romanzo, now living in this township; Rozelia, now the wife of George Bass, of Kansas; Alice, now the wife of H. A. Page, of Kansas; Ida, wife of Gen. H. M. Day, of Waterloo; Wait and Eliza. In addition to his property in Butler county, Mr. Hollenbeck also owns a fine farm in Kansas.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Page: 297-298