Gerhard Simons, 1899 Biography

SIMONS, ROETTEN, RÖTTEN, HEMMERS

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 3/11/2007 at 19:02:04

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:

Gerhard Simons

This man was born on 17 November 1847 in Appeldorn, on the Lower Rhine. He attended school in his home village and received First Holy Communion in the local parish church. He then took up farming and worked on various farms until his 20th year. He then became a soldier and served nine months in Münster, Westphalia. He was then discharged and worked until 1870 on various farms. Then, because the war with France broke out [Franco-Prussian War], Mr. Gerhard Simons was called to the colors. He served with the transport troops, and he was honorably discharged after the war. He then made his way to Essen and received a position in Krupp’s large ironworks. On 21 May 1877 he married Miss Hendrina Rötten, a virtuous young woman who was born on 21 September 1851 in Grieth, on the Lower Rhine. He worked another four years at Krupp’s factory, and then he immigrated to America with his family. Upon arriving here, he made his way to Carroll, Iowa, where he purchased a home and worked as a mason. In 1895 he purchased a large 200-acre farm in Grant Township, and the family still lives on this fine farm today, esteemed and popular among all their acquaintances. His happy first marriage [which is not mentioned above in the article] produced two children, and their names are: Jakob and Johanna. The names of the children of the second marriage are: Gerhard, Wilhelm, Gertrude, Heinrich, and Maria. The first wife was named Mathilda Hemmers.