Johann Behrens, 1899 Biography

BEHRENS, FREUND, BRÜGGEN, BRUEGGEN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/20/2007 at 11:37:00

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

Johann Behrens

Mr. Behrens was born on 14 December 1855 in Walchum, Province of Hanover. He attended elementary school in his home village until his 15th year. The young Behrens then formed a resolution to immigrate to the free states of North America, a bold thing to do at his age, and he immigrated in that same year with some distant relatives. He settled first in Dubuque County, Iowa, where an uncle of his lived. Here he turned to farming, and after he had worked there 14 months he traveled to Davenport where he stayed with relatives and found employment at all sorts of work. Then Mr. Behrens turned again to his old love, namely farm work. He remained in the vicinity of Davenport for six years. He and a friend, Rudolf Brüggen [Brueggen], rented a farm together and operated it successfully. For three years, they shared lodgings as bachelors, but then Mr. Behrens struck his colors and surrendered unconditionally. On 10 January 1882, Mr. Behrens went from a bachelor to a properly settled married man, and the young lady who did it to him was the virtuous Miss Elisabeth Freund. The happy couple remained another four years near Davenport, and in the spring of 1886 the couple moved to Roselle Township, Carroll County, where they purchased a fine 120-acre farm very near to the friendly little town of Roselle. They later acquired another 80 acres of land, so that their real estate now consists of 200 acres of the finest land, which is especially distinguished because of its favorable location and good soil. In 1888 Mr. Behrens had a large barn built, and last spring he had a roomy and comfortable residence erected, which naturally increased the value of the farm considerably. The Behrens family is respected, popular, and esteemed by all their acquaintances. They also enjoy a very good reputation.

This happy marriage produced seven children, one of whom died at a tender age. The names of the children still living are: Otto, Elisabeth, Johannes, Heinrich, Anna, and Joseph.