Charles, David, Frank & Joseph Rettenmaier, 1899 Biography

RETTENMAIER, MAUS

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/15/2006 at 13:52:32

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:

Charles Rettenmaier

In another place [in this paper], the reader is presented with a picture of four persons that shows the sons of the deceased Mr. Jos. Rettenmaier, who are named Charles, David, Frank, and Joseph. In 1874, their father moved from Blackhawk County to Kniest Township, Carroll County, where he had purchased a farm a few years earlier. We still have a lively memory of the friendly old gentleman because he was an honest and honorable man from the souls of his feet to top of his head. He was, therefore, highly respected by all of his fellow-citizens, especially among the German-Americans, and so was elected to office as one of the Supervisors of Carroll County and served for six long years as an honorable member of the highest board. The noble and friendly man, however, most distinguished himself by always having an open heart for his fellow-citizens. He was always ready to help whenever there was an occasion, and at the same time he always avoided all ostentation. And so it was a heavy blow, not only for the whole family, but also for his many friends and acquaintances when he suddenly died on 7 March 1889.

Charles, the oldest son of the deceased, who had already grown to a man, continued the operation of the parental farm and today still lives on the well-equipped property. He was born on 13 September 1862 in Blackhawk County. He attended school there until he was 12 years old, and when his parents moved to Kniest Township in 1874, he completed his further education in the parish school in Mt. Carmel. He then took up the plow and helped his father on the large farm. On 22 November 1887, he our Charles married Miss Katharina Maus, a virtuous young lady from Carroll. Mr. Rettenmaier, who still lives on the 240-acre parental farm, is very successful and conducts a profitable livestock operation. In the spring of 1899 he purchased the parental farm and sold his 200-acre farm in Pleasant Valley Township. This very happy marriage has produced four children, three daughters and a little boy, whose names are: Maria, Anna, Rosalia, and Albert.

Mr. David Rettenmaier, the second-oldest son of the late Mr. Jos. Rettenmaier, who is pictured to the right in the photograph, was also born in Blackhawk County, on 4 November 1866. After his parents moved to Kniest Township, he attended the parish school in Kniest Township. He also devoted himself to farming and assisted his father on the farm until he was 24 years old. He then married Miss Maria Maus, an esteemed young lady from Carroll and the sister of the wife of his brother Charles. They were married on 18 November 1891 in Saints Peter and Paul Church by the Rev. Father Nacke. After having successfully conducted a business in his own building for a few years, he has been for a few years the local business manager of Woodward Brothers in Carroll, a well-known business in agricultural implements and machines. This happy marriage was blessed with four children whose names are: Anna, Eva, Clara, and Hildegard. Like his brother Charles, Mr. David Rettenmaier also enjoys an excellent reputation and is very popular and respected by all his acquaintances.

The other men, Charles and David’s brothers, are likewise popular young men. Frank is a student at the State Agricultural School in Ames, and Joseph is employed in the Stürges & Thürlimann Pharmacy.