FLOY, Marius Petersen

FLOY, HENINGSON, HANSEN, NEVE, RICHARDS, NISSEN, BLUMENSTEIN, DEMMER, GUNDRY, SCHMALE, MYERS, FOELL

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/4/2014 at 06:41:42

HISTORY of CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IOWA
WHEELER, J.H. Vol. II. Pp. 499-500. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1910

BIOGRAPHY ~ MARIUS PETERSEN FLOY

Marius P. Floy, a prosperous farmer and cattle raiser owning some seven hundred acres of well improved land in Cerro Gordo county, was originally a subject of the Kaiser, his birth having occurred in Schleswig-Holstein, February 17, 1853. His parents were Peter P[etersen]. and Marie (Heningson) Floy. The father died in Germany in 1890 and the following year the mother and her family came to America and took up their residence in Cerro Gordo county. Here the mother resided until her demise in 1902, at the age of seventy-nine years. There is a large family of children, the following being the enumeration: Senek P., of Grimes township; Karl P., of Grimes township; Maria (Hansen) of Thornton, now a widow; Peter P., of Grimes township; Matz P., of Grimes township; Martin P., of Grimes township; Antonia P., of Grimes township; Ingeborg (Neve) of Franklin county.

Mr. Floy's father was a fur dealer, but a man of small means. Nevertheless the son received a good education in his native land and began his career as a wage earner, working upon farms. When he came to America his earthly possessions consisted of nothing but a ticket from New York to Chicago. He arrived in Chicago just after the fire of 1871 and work was scarce, so he went on to Kankakee county, where he was gratified to get work with a farmer who paid him sixteen dollars a month. After three years he came on to Sheffield and for two years worked for farmers in its vicinity. He was employed by John T. Richards and later he and Jacob Nissen rented land of him and operated it in partnership. The two in course of time bought two hundred acres of land. They broke the land and attempted to cultivate it and kept bachelors hall or “batched,” as life without a female housekeeper is termed. Mr. Floy also hunted extensively. But though they worked hard they lost the farm, only retaining their horses and machinery. Mr. Floy changed from wheat to cattle raising, purchased cows and calves and two hundred and forty acres on time at seven dollars an acre, paying eight per cent interest. This land forms a part of the present Floy homestead. The cattle raising proved financially successful and Mr. Floy has stuck to the business. Mr. Floy's large farm is highly improved, all of the improvements having been made by him. He handles a good grade of Polled Angus cattle, which he believes to be superior. He also raises many hogs. A part of his land is situated near Thornton. Mr. Floy was reared in the Lutheran church and has very liberal religious views. For many years he has given loyal allegiance to the Republican party and for the past sixteen years has served as school treasurer.

Mr. Floy was married, February 9, 1882, the lady to become his wife being Miss Caroline Blumenstein, born July 27, 1860, in Jo Daviess county, Illinois. She is the daughter of Christian and Fredericka (Demmer) Blumenstein, natives of Germany, who came to the United States in 1854. The father died in Illinois in 1865, at the age of seventy-five years. Mrs. Floy came to the county in the spring of 1876 and she has ever since resided here. This couple are the parents of eight children, six of whom are living and at home. They are Maria; Christian; Josephine, who died in 1909 at the age of twenty-two; Katherine, who is a teacher in the county schools; Wilhelm; Marcus and Henry (twins); and Elmer. The postoffice address is Thornton.

NOTE: Marius Peterson Floy died on May 8, 1924, Thornton IA. Caroline (Blumestein) Floy died on February 22, 1933, Thornton IA. They were interred at Pleasant View Cemetery, Thornton IA.

Of Marius and Caroline's children:
"Mary" Maria Frederika Petersen Floy, born January 20, 1883, died November 15, 1924, interred Pleasant View Cemetery
Josephine "Josie" Petersen Floy, born March 26, 1886, died August 10, 1909, interred Pleasant View Cemetery
Catarine Mateilde Petersen "Kate" or "Katherine" (Floy) Gundry, born November 7, 1887, died October 27, 1967, Mason City IA; married Albert LeRoy "Roy" Gundry, born March 14, 1885, died October 25, 1974, Clear Lake; both interred Pleasant View Cemetery
Christian "Christ" Carl Petersen Floy, born January 5, 1888, died February 14, 1965; married Anna Wilhelmine Schmale, born May 3, 1900, died March 8, 1999; parents of infant son, born and died May 2, 1924; interments at Pleasant View Cemetery
Wilhelm Petersen "Will" Floy, born August 24, 1889, died February 28, 1956, Mason City; married Essa Jane Myers, born January 29, 1888, died April 8, 1962, Rochester MN
Marcus Petersen Floy (twin), born January 25, 1893, World War I Veteran, PFC, 204 Co. M.P.C., died June 30, 1966, Des Moines IA, interred Pleasant View Cemetery; married Caroline Schmale, born September 21, 1895, Meservey IA, died October 29, 1987, Mason City IA, interred Meservey Cemetery, Franklin Co. IA.
Henry Petersen Floy (twin), born January 25, 1893, died of cholera at six weeks of age
Elmer Petersen Floy, born June 8, 1895, died May 23, 1964, Thornton IA, interred Pleasant View Cemetery; married Lenora A. Foell

Marius' mother, Maria (Henningsen) Floy, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany on September 18, 1823, and died on January 9, 1902, Thornton, IA, interment at Pleasant View Cemetery.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014