John Barclay Mohler 1857-1945

MOHLER, BARCLAY, ROSS, WASMUND, BEECHEL

Posted By: Georgea Clinton (email)
Date: 6/7/2011 at 10:48:11

Feb 19, 1945 - Carroll Times - J.B. Mohler, 87, who had formerly been identified with the Carroll public school system for 36 years, died at his home, 615 North Clark street, at 10:40 Sunday morning. Mr Mohler had been in failing health all fall and bedfast since December 27. His condition had been critical for about a week. Funeral services are to be at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon at the Huffman Funeral home, where the body is resting until the time of the rites. The Rev. Robert M Peters, minister of the Methodist church, will officiate.

Besides serving as custodian of the old north side school building, Mr. Mohler had many other responsibilities. He had the distinction of being the first manual training instructor in Carroll county. In 1905, under Superintendant W.P. Johnson, he conducted a class daily. Again, during World War I, he was in charge of the manual training department. When the present high school building was erected in 1917 and 1918, Mr. Mohler was superintendent of construction.

He began work as custodian September 1898. On the second day of his employment, Carl C Magee, superintendent, handed him the keys of the book room and from that time until his retirement, Mr Mohler was in charge of the text books. Many additions were made in the teaching staff while Mr Mohler was connected with the schools. When he began work, there were only three instructors in the high school, with the superintendent filling in as a fourth. The entire north school had a force of 11 teachers. At the time of Mr Mohlers retirement in the summer of 1934 there were 27 teachers on the faculty of the school. The buildings also underwent changes. In 1905 the east addition was built to the old school. After the new high school building was completed in 1918, Mr. Mohler remained at the grade school building, which was later torn down to make way for the present building, which was erected in 1911. Upon Mr. Mohler's retirement, he was succeeded as custodian of the grade school building by his son, Walter.

Born in Linn County John Barclay Mohler was born on a farm in Otter Creek township, Linn county, Iowa, October 14, 1857. He was one of seven children of Isaac and Mary Jane Barclay Mohler. In 1869 his parents brought their family to Carroll county, settling on a farm northeast of Carroll. His father had the privilege of naming the township in which they located, and he gave the name of "Grant."

Mr. Mohler attended rural school in Grant township and stayed on the home farm until his marriage. He was married to Miss Augusta Kasdorf of Carroll in the Methodist parsonage here January 1, 1878, with the Rev. J.C. Eckles officiating. Jan. 1, 1945, marked their 67th wedding anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Mohler lived on a Grant township farm near the old homestead until March 1890, when they moved into their present home on North Clark street. A cabinet maker by trade, Mr. Mohler formed a partnership in this line of work with the late B. Hart, under the firm name of Hart & Mohler. This partnership continued until Mr. Mohler took employment with the public schools.

Besides his wife, Mr. Mohler leaves one son and three daughters: Walter and Misses Grace and Wilma Mohler, at home, and Mrs. H.C. Ross (Cora), Des Moines, who was here when Mr. Mohler passed away; three grandchildren: Cpl. John Ross, who is in England, Mrs. H.C. Kuecks and Mrs. Edward Powers, both of Butte, Mont.; four great grandchildren; and one brother, C.M. Mohler of Sac City.

Mr. and Mrs. Mohler's oldest child, John Louis, died at the age of two years. A daughter, Emma Jane, passed away in 1917, and a son, Fred, in 1928. Mr. Mohler was also preceded in death by one brother: C.K. Mohler of Chicago, and four sisters, Mrs. J.S. Wasmund of Spokane, Wash., and Mrs. Philip Beechel, Fannie, and Emma Mohler of Carroll. Mr. Mohler was a member of the Methodist church, which he joined in 1894.