Frank Mook, 1899 Biography

MOOK, DIEDRICH

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 12/10/2006 at 19:39:55

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:

Frank Mook

Mr. Mook was born on 10 April 1844 in Effelder, in Thuringia, Province of Saxony. He spent the years of his youth there and attended elementary school, and after he finished school he learned the trade of harness-maker and upholsterer. After a successful term of apprenticeship, he strapped on his knapsack to travel through Germany and to broaden his skills. He worked in the capital cities of Mecklenburg, Oldenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Denmark, as well as in the free cities of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck. He then returned back to his hometown and set up in business. On 18 January 1870, Mr. Mook married Miss Anna Diedrich, a well-brought-up and respected young lady. He operated his business in Effelder for two years, and then a relative of his, a Mr. Schilling, came over on a visit from America and persuaded the young couple to immigrate to the “Promised Land” of America. They carried out this decision in June of that same year and came with their four children to the United States. The family settled first in State Center, Iowa. Then a Catholic parish was founded in Templeton, Carroll County, and the Rev. Bernhard Schulte, pastor at the Catholic Church in State Center who was taking care of the Templeton parish as a mission, was finally called to Templeton as the pastor. And the young Mook family joined the parish in Templeton and moved their harness-making business there. He soon became a property owner when he purchased a business building in the business block of the town, where yet today he lives with his family and operates a successful harness-making business. Mr. Mook is an esteemed German-American, a capable professional who did not just learn the basics of his business, but has learned all the rules of his trade and later expanded his knowledge further. He is a friendly gentleman, a good-natured Saxon, who has earned the active support of his fellow-citizens. Nine children were the fruits of this happy marriage, three of whom died at a tender age. The names of the children still living are: Dora, Franziska, Elisabeth, who a while ago took her final vows as a Franciscan Sister in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Theresia, Katharina, and Maria.

Mr. Mook is a patron of the Carroll Demokrat and has been a subscriber of the paper since the time he has been here.