George M. Balk, 1899 Biography

BALK, GROSSMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 9/18/2004 at 15:39:04

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. I have not changed the place or name spellings. Information in brackets and notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

George M. Balk

This man, of whom we present an accurate biography, is unfortunately no longer among the living, but the deceased, due to his character as a family man, is still remembered by all. He was born on 30 September 1834 in Döllnitz, Royal District of Vohenstrauss, county of Oberpfalz and Regensburg. After successfully attending school, he worked for his parents until he was 26 years old. Then he immigrated to America and settled in St. Lucas, Iowa. On 18 July 1860, he married the respected Miss Anna Maria Grossmann who was born in Bernerieth, Bavaria, on 4 June 1835. After three months, the young couple bought 95 acres of land near St. Lucas, later added another 20 acres, and then an additional 40 acres. They sold this land in 1874 and moved to Pleasant Valley Township where they quickly acquired 80 acres. Mr. Balk then built a residence, as well as barns and stalls, and in the course of time he increased his real estate holdings to 440 acres. Unfortunately, Mr. Balk met a sudden death on 13 February 1888. Afterwards, his widow sold the entire farm property, and in 1893 she moved to Willey where she had a nice house built and now lives in retirement enjoying the fruit of her productive labor. Their happy marriage produced nine children, one of which died at a young age. The names of the children still living are: Anna, Frank, Johann, Lorenz, George, Adam, Maria and Michael.

NOTES: There is a Vohenstrauss in the region of Oberpfalz, which is probably the town named in the article. It is in northeastern Bavaria, southeast of Weiden, near the Czech border. There is a village called Döllnitz in that area, about 10miles southeast of Weiden. There does not seem to be a town called Bernerieth anywhere, although there is a Bernrieth that is listed as near Weiden.