FUNK, George W. - 1914

FUNK, POLEN, CHEESBRO, PARK, WARE

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/6/2009 at 04:49:43

HISTORY OF
Cherokee County
IOWA
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1914
by Thomas McCulla

GEORGE W. FUNK.

George W. Funk is an early settler of Cherokee county, his residence here dating from 1867. During all of the intervening period he has made his home on the farm which is now his place of residence and his success has been such that he is now accounted among the prosperous agriculturists and representative citizens of this locality. He was born in Pennsylvania, June 13, 1842, and is a son of Dr. John L. and Elizabeth (Polen) Funk, natives of that state. The parents emigrated to Iowa in 1850 and settled in Lee county, the father practicing medicine at Salem for three years. He afterward engaged in professional work in Iowa City for four years and then moved to Hardin, where he maintained an office until he retired from active life. He died there in 1876, at the age of sixtyfive, and was survived by his wife for many years, she making her home at Dell Rapids, South Dakota, until her death. In their family were eight children, of whom two still survive: George W., of this review; and D. V. K., of Vega, Texas.

George W. Funk came to Iowa with his parents when he was eight years of age and he acquired his education in Lee county and in Iowa City. When he was twenty years of age he purchased his first farm, buying forty acres of land in Hardin county and transforming this from a tract of raw prairie land into a productive farm. In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, Fourteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and after serving one year and a half was transferred to Company L, Seventh Iowa Cavalry. He was in the Union army for three years and all of his fighting was with the Indians. After the close of hostilities Mr. Funk traded his Hardin county land to his father and moved to Cherokee county in 1867. He took up a homestead claim of eighty acres and entered another eighty from the government. This forms a portion of his present farm and he has added to it continually from time to time until his holdings now comprise eight hundred and fiftytwo and onehalf acres. It is located on sections 7, 18 and 17, Afton township, and is divided into four farms all in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Funk engages in general farming and stockraising and, being a progressive and able business man, has met with a gratifying and well deserved success.

On the 10th of May, 1874, Mr. Funk married Mrs. Alice Cheesebro, the widow of Charles Cheesebro and a daughter of Nathan Park. Mrs. Funk was born near Buffalo, New York, and came west with her parents when she was four years of age, living in Wisconsin until her marriage. By her first marriage she has a son, William Cheesebro, of Cedar Rapids. Mr. and Mrs. Funk have become the parents of three children. Artie and Arthur, twins, were born February 12, 1875. The former died at the age of thirtyfour and the latter is living upon the old homestead. In 1900 he married Miss Fannie M. Ware and they became the parents of four children: George E., who was born December 26, 1900; Nora May, born in 1902; Blanche M,, 1903; and Agnes A.,who died at the age of eleven months. Mr. and Mrs. Funks other child was a daughter, Cora May, who died when she was thirtyfive years of age. Mrs. Funk passed away May 7, 1908.

Mr. Funk is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is a republican in his political beliefs. He is a member of the G. A. R., thus keeping up his associations with those who like himself served in the defense of the Union. His long period of residence in this county has given him a high standing in the community, where he is esteemed and respected as a progressive business man and a publicspirited citizen.