Friedrich Conrad Dircks 1832-1915

DIRCKS, FINKE, RICHMANN, REENTS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/11/2016 at 07:42:43

March 1915 - The Lowden News

Passing Away of an Aged Citizen

The burial of Friedrich Conrad Dircks took place Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Evangelical church, Rev. Fred Werning officiating.

The deceased was born in Frille, Kreis Minden, Germany, on September 22, 1832, and died March 12, 1915, at the age of fourscore and two years, five months and 20 days, thus ending the life of one of Lowden's oldest citizens.

On November 15th, 1857, he was united in marriage to Christine Finke. To this union were born seven children, the two first born died in infancy.

In 1868 the family, then consisting of Mr. and Mrs. and two children, Fred, of south of town, and Christine (now Mrs. W. C. Richmann of this place), came to the United States, landing at New York where they lived until 1869, then moved to Lowden. Soon after he purchased a farm and this occupation was followed up until 1902 when the farm was sold and they retired. With the exception of five years, when they lived at Holland, Iowa, the rest of the time has been spent here in town.

On November 15th, 1907, Mr. and Mrs. Dircks celebrated their golden wedding. Few couple live to enjoy 58 years of wedded life as did this couple.

Mr. Dircks served in the Prussian-Austrian war in 1865 and in 1892 when the Lowden Kreiger Verein was organized he was one of the charter members. He stayed with this society until 1910 when their annual celebrations in June were moved to Wheatland; this he strenuously objected to and rather than give in to this he withdrew from the society.

The disease was an active member of the Evangelical church and seldom failed to attend services until the past year or more when his illness kept him confined to his home.

Those left to mourn his departure are his aged widow, his children, Fred Dircks and Mrs. W. C. Richmann, of this place; Mrs. H. H. Reents, of Benson, Minn., and Henry and William of Clarence; fifteen grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and one brother in Germany.

The remains were laid to rest in the Van Horn cemetery. Those who assisted as pallbearers were: Henry Boedeker, Henry Plate, C. G. Muesing, W. F. Richmann, Henry Becker and George Tonne.

Relatives from a distance who attended the funeral were his niece, Mrs. H. F. C. Richmann, of Casey; A. W. Dircks, a nephew, from Van Horn; Charles Conrad, of Holland and Mrs. Edw. Guenther of Wheatland.