FROMM, John

FROMM, KLUDT, NIEMAN, KINNEY, HART, STANTON, PRYOR, HARRY, MCCLINTOCK

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/4/2014 at 06:53:20

HISTORY of CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IOWA
WHEELER, J.H. Vol. II. Pp. 461-62. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1910

BIOGRAPHY ~ JOHN FROMM

John Fromm, one of the most extensive farmers and stock raisers of Lime Creek township, Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, January 27, 1847, a son of John and Hannah (Kludt) Fromm. John Fromm Sr. was born in 1816 and died in 1892, and his wife, who was born in 1818, died in 1901. They were parents of seven children, all of whom survive, namely: Sophia, wife of John Nieman, of Wisconsin; John; Charles, of Lime Creek township; Henry, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Fred, William and Andrew, all of Wisconsin. Mr. Fromm and his family left Germany in the fall of 1851, and after a voyage of seven weeks landed at New York. They proceeded at once to Milwaukee, and a week later located in Washington county, Wisconsin, where he purchased timber land and began clearing a place to erect a house and cultivate a farm, where he remained until his death. In his native country he had been a shepherd.

At the time his parents located in the wilds of Wisconsin John Fromm Jr. was but four years old. He was reared on a farm and received but a limited education. He ran away from home and enlisted, January 4, 1865, in Company K, Fourteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He served until the end of the war, then returned home and remained there until the fall of 1870, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Cerro Gordo county, a part of his present farm. There were but forty acres of this under cultivation, and at first Mr. Fromm worked for others. He erected a small house twelve by sixteen feet, where he lived alone until his marriage. He now owns two hundred and forty acres of well improved land, on which he has made all possible improvements and has planted trees. He is one of the most successful and enterprising farmers of that region and stands high in the community. He served as school officer and road superintendent and in politics is independent. He is public spirited and actively interested in local affairs and has always contributed his share to the progress and welfare of the community.

Mr. Fromm married, December 25, 1876, Anna Kinney, born in Warren county, New Jersey, July 2, 1860, daughter of John and Aurora (Butze) Kinney, the former a native of Pike county, Pennsylvania, born August 2, 1829, and the mother, also born in Pike county, October 22, 1829. They now live in Mason City, Iowa. They were parents of six children, of whom the following five survive: Charles, of Mason City; Sarah, widow of Harding Hart, of Plymouth, Iowa; John, of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Mrs. Fromm; and Elizabeth, wife of John Stanton, of Mason City. Mr. and Mrs. Kinney moved to Cerro Gordo county in September, 1866, and located near Rock Falls, where they purchased a farm. Later they moved to Worth county, Iowa, and for the last few years have lived with their children.

Eight children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Fromm, of whom seven survive, namely: Aurora, wife of Delbert Pryor, of Minnesota; Kate, at home; Clara, wife of John Harry, of Plymouth, Iowa; May, wife of Robert McClintock, of Mason City; Bertha, Charles and John, at home; Elizabeth, deceased.

NOTE: John Fromm died on June 29, 1914. Anna (Kinney) Fromm died on August 15, 1930. Elizabeth H. Fromm was born on November 14, 1878, and died March 19, 1881. Charles H. Fromm was born on December 28, 1895, and died December 5, 1948; his wife, Gertrude, was born December 29, 1896, and died October 28, 1986; their son, Charles W., was born on June 9, 1920, and died on January 20, 1940. Interments were made at Oakwood Cemetery, Plymouth IA.

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