John Schlichte, 1899 Biography

SCHLICHTE, WEGMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 12/10/2006 at 19:36:45

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. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

John Schlichte

This man is also an early German Pioneer who has lived in Carroll County for 25 years already, and who deserves credit for the cultivation of this county’s many advantages.

He was born in the large town of Cincinnati, Ohio in November of 1849. And when he was a child of one and a half years, his parents moved to Dubuque County, Iowa. The little boy spent the years of his youth partly in the country and partly in New Vienna, and he attended school until he received his First Holy Communion in the Catholic church in New Vienna.

He then took up farming and worked on various farms until he was 21 years old. Feeling the desire to stand on his own feet, Mr. Schlicte rented a farm near New Vienna, and thereby worked independently at farming for three years as a single man. On 2 February 1872, he married Miss Anna Wegmann, a virtuous and decent young lady, whereupon, in the spring of 1874, the young couple moved to Warren Township, Carroll County, where Mr. Schlichte purchased 50 acres of land which he worked during the following summer. In that same autumn, Mr. Schlichte purchased an additional 80 acres in the same township, so that the farm amounted to 130 acres. The Catholic church for the local Catholics was first built on this piece of land, although a few years later it was transported to Templeton, where it is still dedicated as the church today.

From time to time, he acquired more land, so that he now calls 540 acres of real estate his own, of which he works 410 acres himself. The extensive farm is especially notable for its good land, excellent location, and fine buildings.

Mr. John Schlichte and his wife and children are known in the entire county, and are respected and esteemed by all their acquaintances. For several years, Mr. Schlichte was president and business manager of the Templeton Creamery Company, he was a township trustee for nine years, and still today he is treasurer in the church committee of the Catholic church in Templeton. This happy marriage has produced 10 children, two of whom died at a tender age. The names of the children still living are: Anna, Joseph, Francis, Maria, Clara, Eddy, Silly [sic], and Rosa.

Notes: The church was built on property donated by Mr. Schlichte near the time when Templeton was first founded, probably around 1882. It was about 3.5 miles north of town. It was dismantled and moved to Templeton in 1883.