Johann Heinrich Simons, 1899 Biography

SIMONS, BELTERMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 2/23/2007 at 14:45:35

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 Heinrich Simons

He was born on 9 January 1840 in Appeldorn, County of Kleve, on the Lower Rhine. After he was released from school, he worked on various farms until his 20th year. In 1860 he became a soldier and served three years with the 55th Infantry Regiment in Preussisch-Minden. From 1863 to 1866 he again worked at farming, and when the war with Austria [Austro-Prussian War] broke out, Mr. Simons was assigned to the Army of the Main. He took part in the battles near Langensalza, near Dermbach, Wiesenthal, Laubach, and Aschaffenburg, where he was wounded. A bullet struck his fourth breast button, crushed it in, and penetrated sideways, causing a large flesh wound. He was then sent back to Frankfurt, where he received the necessary care in a military hospital until he recovered. When he had again returned to his regiment, there was an armistice, and then peace was declared. He then took employment at the large cannon factory of Friedrich Krupp near Essen, and on 17 May 1867 he married the virtuous Miss Gertrude Beltermann. Mr. Simons was again inducted during the Franco-Prussian War. He served in the local Essen Territorial Reserve Battalion, which was garrisoned in Wilhelmshafen. After the war he again worked at Krupp’s steelworks, and in 1880 he and his family immigrated to America, where he settled in Carroll County. He then worked several years as a bricklayer, and in 1894 he purchased a large 280-acre farm in Newton Township. He moved there the next year and after a few years he built a fine residence on the property. Ten children were the fruit of this happy marriage, of whom, however, only three are living, namely: Theodor, married to Adelhaide Wibben; Jakob, who is still at home; and Gertrude, married to Mr. Alois Bayer.