Heinrich Heithoff, 1899 Biography

HEITHOFF, BRANDEL, RAPIEN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/20/2007 at 14:22:32

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:

Heinrich Heithoff

Mr. Heinrich Heithoff was born on 15 December 1867 in Guttenberg, Clayton County, Iowa. In 1870 his parents moved to Roselle Township, Carroll County, and thus they are among the first German settlers in Carroll County. The old “Vater Heithoff” purchased 120 acres of land here, but from time to time he expanded his real estate to 440 acres, which, however, is made up of two separate farms. Heinrich Heithoff, whose biography we present here, attended the public and parish schools in Roselle, and after he had received First Holy Communion he, like his father, took up farming and worked loyally and industriously on his parents’ farm.

On 23 February 1892, Mr. Heinrich Heithoff married Miss Theresia Brandel, a refined and virtuous young woman. Mr. Heithoff and his young and friendly wife enjoy an excellent reputation and are very popular among all their acquaintances. They still live today on the old parental farm, which is equipped with good farm buildings and a fine residence. This happy marriage produced four children: Katharina, Johann, Anna, and Sophia.

Mr. Heinrich Heithoff’s good father [Bernhard], who was born in Greiven, Westphalia and immigrated to America when he was young, unfortunately died on 13 October 1882. Mr. Heithoff’s good mother was born in 1824 in Haselün, Province of Hanover, and she immigrated to America in 1847 with her parents. Two years earlier, she had married Mr. Heinrich Rapien, a virtuous and hard-working young man, but he died soon after immigrating.

In August 1847, the still-young widow married Mr. Bernhard Heithoff, and they moved their home to near Guttenberg, Iowa. As mentioned above, in 1870 they moved to Carroll County, where the now-deceased Mr. [Bernhard] Heithoff worked with good success at farming, eventually became the owner of 440 acres of land, and departed this earth on 13 October 1882, respected and well-liked by all his acquaintances.

The present Grandmother Heithoff now lives with her son Heinrich on the old farm in Roselle Township, where she intends to live out her twilight years. She is an engaging old woman, and she is highly esteemed by everyone.