Henry Hackfort, 1853-1939

HACKFORT, GEHLING

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 9/24/2003 at 20:49:23

Henry Hackfort Biography

I translated the following biography from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa between about 1874 and 1918. It was originally published in a special 25th Anniversary Edition of the paper on Friday, 20 September 1899. I have not changed the place or name spellings, and the footnotes in brackets are my own explanations. It read as follows:

Henry Hackfort

This gentleman was born in Alstätte, County of Ahraus, [1] Government District Münster, Westphalia on 22 February 1853. Mister Hackfort spent his youth here, attended elementary school, and received First Holy Communion at the local parish church. He decided at this time on the occupation of farmer, and worked on the family farm until he was 20 years old. For a long time now, the man had developed a plan to make a journey to travel to the free states of America, and he now carried out this plan. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean and landed on the shores of America, made his way at first to Festina, Winneshiek County, Iowa, where an uncle of Hackfort’s, Mr. Herm. Geling, [2] resided. Here, he worked on various farms in the vicinity. On 4 May 1877, Mr. Henry Hackfort married the virtuous and Christian Miss Maria Geling, who had been born in Wisconsin on 4 August 1856. The young couple remained yet another two years in Winneshiek County, and then moved to Pleasant Valley Township, Carroll County, where they purchased an 80-acre farm and took possession. The blessings of God were with the Hackfort family, because he increased his land holdings now and then so that today he is the owner of three farms which together total 557½ acres. Mr. Hackfort and his wife and children are favorably regarded in the entire county and enjoy an excellent reputation. This very happy marriage has produced nine children, two of which abide at the throne of God. The names of the still living children are: Heinrich, Hermann, Anna, Bernhard, Maria, Elisabeth and Joseph.

Notes:
[1] The correct spelling of the County is "Ahaus." It is in northwestern Germany, not far from the Dutch border. Alstätte is just a few miles northwest of Ahaus.
[2] The name of this family should probably be spelled "Gehling."