Visit with Bernhard Puettmann, 1894

PUETTMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 5/12/2007 at 12:31:16

I translated the following article from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published on Friday, 28 December 1894. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

[From Roselle]
[Bernhard Puettmann]

Last week we visited Mr. B. Püttmann. He informed us that he was 67 years old and that he has weathered a few storms. He came to America in 1845 and settled in Wisconsin, and after he had lived there for 11 years he moved to Winneshiek County, Iowa. He lived there for 13 years, and then he moved to Carroll County, and he intends to remain here for as long as it is pleasing to God. He is the father of four sons and eight daughters, grandfather of 43 grandchildren, nine of whom have already been called into eternity. In further conversation, the man came to speak of the school question in Carroll County, and I heard that Mr. Püttmann was strongly opposed to a uniform system. All in all, we will have to disagree with him. But the situation will be decided, because then the matter will be put to a vote.