Franz H. Wegmann, 1899 Biography

WEGMANN, LENGELING, WARNING

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/6/2005 at 22:28:36

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. Information in brackets and notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Franz H. Wegmann

If the conversation is about German pioneers of Carroll County, then Mr. Franz H. Wegmann should not be forgotten, because this man also belongs to the “old settlers” who, in the early 1870’s, found miles-wide stretches of virgin soil in Carroll County.

It is easily understandable that, due to his 30-year presence here, this man is among the most well-known German-Americans in Carroll County. Indeed, the Wegmann family is among the most respected in Carroll County, and many citizens, like the writer of this article, have had the opportunity through the long years to appreciate this man’s integrity, honor and friendship.

Mr. Franz Heinrich Wegmann was born on 13 May 1840 in Hiltrup, near Münster [Muenster], in Westphalia, to respectable parents who provided little Franz with a solid and Christian upbringing for his later occupation. After he had completed elementary school and received First Holy Communion, he took up agriculture. He worked partly on his mother’s farm and partly on other farms, with a break of a few years during which he served the King of Prussia. He took part in the campaign against Austria and was honorably discharged after the war. He then returned home and worked there until he was 29 years old, at which time he carried out the decision, which he had made earlier, to try his luck in the United States of North America. He first settled in the area of Chicago, where he again turned to agriculture. A year later, we see him on the way to Cedar County, Iowa, and in the fall of 1871, he moved to Wheatland Township, Carroll County, where he purchased 100 acres of prairie, and after he had prepared the land for farming, he moved to the farm with his brother Bernhard, who also had acquired a piece of land there. Until 1875, the brothers worked their farms faithfully and industriously, and by this time, the brothers had purchased an additional 80 acres. On 6 February 1877, Mr. Franz Heinrich Wegmann married Miss Elisabeth Lengeling, a worthy and respectable young woman. Six children were the fruit of this happy marriage, of whom, however, four died at a tender age. The names of the children of this marriage still living are Anna and Frank. On 11 August 1885, his dear brother Bernhard died, whereupon Franz Heinrich purchased his deceased brother’s real estate from the heirs. The two farms, 280 acres, were then merged and operated by Mr. Franz Heinrich Wegmann. On 21 December 1887, he had the misfortune to lose his dear life’s companion to death. In 1889, he decided to remarry with Miss Maria Warning. The wedding was performed through the blessing of the priest on 26 February 1889. This genuinely Christian and happy marriage has produced five children, one of which already waits at God’s throne. The names of the children still living are: Heinrich, Clara, Anton, and Leo.

As a postscript, we mention here also that Mr. Wegmann is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Demokrat, and he is a founder and stock-holder of the Carroll Demokrat.

NOTES: There is also a biography of Franz Wegmann in Maclean’s History of Carroll County, Iowa (1912). He was also a brother of Father Theodore Wegmann, who died in Roselle in 1887. Another brother, Anton, died in Germany.