Jos. Rettenmaier, 1832-1889

RETTENMAIER, REINHART, GIESING, MAUS

Posted By: David Reineke
Date: 10/25/2015 at 08:56:40

I translated the following obituary from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper
published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published on 15 May
1889. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Jos. Rettenmaier

One of the largest funeral processions, if not the largest, ever to take place in the county,
moved last Sunday from the residence of the suddenly deceased Mr. Jos. Rettenmaier, one-and-a-
half miles west of Mt. Carmel. As the last honors indicate, he was indeed considered one of the
best, most upright, and bravest German men of Carroll County. It is said that 175 teams followed the mortal remains, and that the last teams had not yet left the farm of the deceased when the first had already arrived at the churchyard. The circumstances as well as the cause of the very sudden and unforeseen death are as follows: In the morning, Mr. Rettenmaier was quite well and asserted that he had not felt so well in a long time and that his appetite was better than ever.

In the afternoon, he was gathering corncobs together on the farm and then went into the house
complaining of feeling unwell and of pain in the chest. He sat in his chair and his wife came to
him. He told her that it was very cold, whereupon she wrapped him in a wool cover. Despite that, he complained about the cold although sweat was running from his face. He sank back in his chair and died without his wife having any idea. One cannot imagine the horror and pain of Mrs. Rettenmaier when a short time later she beheld the lifeless body of her faithful life’s companion. Attempts were made at resuscitation and Dr. Johnson in Breda was sent for. He arrived and conducted an inquiry, whereupon he diagnosed the death as due to heart attack. This is all the more striking because the deceased had never suffered from heart trouble. Even on the day after, many people did not want to believe that the respected man was really dead because he lay there so naturally in his appearance, and the color in his face was as ruddy as if he were only sleeping, and his skin was as soft as a living person’s.

Mr. Joseph Rettenmaier was born in Werdenberg, Rheinpfalz, Germany, in 1832. As a child he came
with his parents to America, namely to Pennsylvania. From there his parents moved westward. They settled down near Waterloo, Blackhawk County, Iowa. In 1874 he moved with his parents to Kniest Township, where he worked one of the most beautiful farms. He was twice elected to the county board of supervisors, to which he belonged as a reputable, strictly upright member for 6 years.

It can be said of him that he had hardly an enemy. He was loved and respected by all. He brought great credit to himself wherever peace needed to be made. Everywhere he could, he reached a helping hand to the poor and needy through word and deed. As a husband and father he was constantly loving, and there are probably few men who will be so mourned by his wife and children as Mr. Rettenmaier. He was a faithful, pious member of his (the Catholic) Church and his absence often will be felt. He leaves behind a wife and 8 children, of whom 4 are sons and 4 are
daughters. Three of his children, two daughters and a son, are married. The oldest daughter
married Mr. Jos. Reinhart in Sheridan Township, the second Mr. John Giesing from here, and the
son took as a bride Miss Katie Maus. May he rest in Peace.