Joseph Fuchs, 1899 Biography

FUCHS, LANGENFELD

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 11/11/2006 at 16:18:36

I translated the following biography from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published in a special 25th Anniversary Edition of the paper on Friday, 20 September 1899. Information in brackets and notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Jos. Fuchs

The Anniversary Edition presents a fine picture of Mr. Fuchs and his spouse, although it is an older one. This man was born on 28 August 1850 in Calumet County, Wisconsin, to honest and upright people who provided their son Joseph with a good upbringing. When he was four years old, his parents moved to Stearns County, Minnesota, where our Joseph attended the public school. After he had acquired a good education, he applied himself to and learned the trade of farming, and he assisted his father on the family farm. On 10 February 1874, Mr. Joseph Fuchs married Miss Sophia Langenfeld, a respectable and virtuous young lady, and after he had worked one more year with his father, the young couple moved to Eden Township, Carroll County, Iowa, where they initially rented a farm on which they worked industriously and honestly. After a few years, they purchased 80 acres of land in the same township, and after another few years they purchased 80 acres of bordering land. And in the spring of 1894 they purchased the neighboring Boos farm, which was 160 acres in size, of which, however, Mr. Fuchs sold 40 acres. Their entire real estate consists now of 280 acres of the finest land, which is especially notable by virtue of its excellent location and its fine buildings. In any case, this was quite a fine success.

At the present time, Mr. Joseph Fuchs is the earliest German settler in Eden Township, and he still lives on his originally purchased farm. From his success and progress, one can see that he is a capable and progressive farmer who has made good use of his time and ability. Two years ago, he was entrusted with the office of township trustee, and the Fuchs family is altogether highly respected and popular among English-Americans as well as German-Americans. This happy marriage has produced 12 children, one of whom has passed away and sits at God’s throne. The names of the children still living are: Gertrude, Katharina, Maria, Margaretha, Johann, Nickolaus, Rosa, Susanna, Elisabeth, Joseph, and Michael Wilhelm.