Barghahn, Louise (Nordman) Reinke 1847-1928

NORDMAN, REINKE, BARGHAHN, ZAPF, FRANKE

Posted By: Judy Moyna (email)
Date: 4/20/2011 at 14:00:57

After an illness of several months, Mrs. Franz Barghahn, an aged resident of Elkader, passed away at the home of her son Henry, on Wednesday morning, February 22nd, 1928, at the good old age of 80 years, two months and fourteen days.

Louise Nordman was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 8th, 1847. When two years old she lost her mother. The rest of the family then moved to Indiana. There Louise remained until having received the rite of confirmation. Then she came to Guttenberg, Ia., where she found employment.

At the age of 17 years she was united in marriage to Fred Reinke, at Guttenberg. Six children were born to this union, of which four preceded their mother in death.

Sometime after the death of her husband, Fred Reinke, she was married to Franz Barghahn, at Clayton Center, in 1879. Eight children were born to them, of which three preceded their mother in death. Thus Mrs. Barghahn was the mother of fourteen children. Perhaps few realize what it means for a mother to raise such a family.

For many years the family made their home on a farm northeast of Elkader, where Mr. Barghahn passed away June 21st, 1915. Since then Grandma Barghahn made her home with her son Henry and family with the exception of a few years, when she was keeping house for Christ Zapf family in Volga township.

Having a strong constitution Mrs. Barghahn was always able to go about her work until the middle of December of last year, when a complication of dropsy and heart trouble began to cause much distress at times. Nothing was left undone to give relief and comfort to the aged mother. She herself hoping against hope for the better to the very last, it was plainly visible that her strength was failing fast. On Washington’s birthday, at seven o’clock in the morning, she closed her eyes in the last sleep. Thus a long life of labor and sorrow came to a close.

The departed mother is survived by seven sons: Louis Reinke of Elkader, George Reinke of St. Louis, Missouri. John and Henry Barghahn of Elkader. Charles Barghahn of Madison, Wisconsin. Ben Barghahn of Goshe, Ind.

She also leaves fourteen grandchildren, other relatives and many old-time neighbors and friends.

She was a member of the Evangelical church and of the Frauen Verein.

Funeral services were held Friday afternoon, February 24 at her late home and in the Evangelical church with Rev. C. H. Franke, her pastor, officiating. The Frauen Verein attended in a body. Interment was made in the East Side Cemetery.

~The Clayton County Register, Elkader, Iowa, Thursday March 1, 1928, p.1.