Lenth, Dorathea 1844 - 1922

LENTH, SCHMALFELDT, PALAS, SCHULTZ, REYNOLDS, FUHRMANN, OELKE

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/8/2013 at 23:28:52

Postville Herald, Thursday, 21 September 1922. (condensed).

Dorathea Length died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred H. Schultz, north of Postville, early Wednesday forenoon, September 13, 1922, of apoplexy following a general break down in health.

Dorathea Schmalfeldt Lenth, daughter of William and Maria Schmalfeldt, was born January 24, 1844, in the village of Gross Lasch in the province of Mecklenburg Schwerin, Germany. In 1860, at the age of sixteen, she came with friends to America, settling near Farmersburg, Iowa.

On January 24, 1864, Dorathea Schmalfeldt and Carl Lenth were married by the Rev. Mr. Wrench at Garnavillo, Iowa. They settled on a farm near Farmersburg, where they shared all the hardships and toil of pioneer farming in Iowa. This farm remained their mutual home for fifty-two years and continued to be Mrs. Lenth's home until three months ago when she came to stay for a time at the homes of her daughters, Mrs. Lena Palas and Mrs. Louise Schultz of Postville.

In their home twelve children were born, four of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Lenth was preceded in death by her youngest son, Rudolph, in 1910, by her husband in 1915, and by her eldest son, Albert, in 1920. She is survived by her daughters, Mrs. Lena Palas and Mrs. Louise Schultz of Postville; Mrs. Bertha Reynolds, Mrs. Mary Palas and Mrs. Amanda Fuhrmann of St. Olaf, Iowa; and by her son Carl of Farmersburg; by twenty-four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. William Oelke of Farmersburg, Iowa.

One of the greatest joys of her later life was the privilege of commemorating with her husband their 50th wedding anniversary in 1914. Another of her joys was the culture and care for her flower garden. She also treasured the traditions, folk songs and poetry of her native Mecklenburg.

It was not until two years ago when her home was destroyed by fire that her strength began to fail. After repeated attacks of illness she fell into a deep sleep on September 6th from which she was called home on Wednesday morning September 13th.

The funeral was held from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred H. Schultz, Saturday, September 16, and then from St. Paul's Lutheran church in Postville, Iowa, Rev. E. Schmidt presiding; and from St John's Lutheran church, Farmersburg, Iowa, Rev. F. Braun presiding. Interment in the Farmersburg cemetery.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Submitter is not related.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.