Fuelling, William Fredrick 1866 - 1918

FUELLING, MEIER, SEIFERT, BROWN, GELLERMAN, BAAK, LUEPKER, STICKFORT

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 2/6/2016 at 11:48:40

Elkader Register, Thur., 14 Nov. 1918.

William Fredrick Fuelling was born the 19th day of July, 1866, in Bohmte, Massmanns Kotten Prov. Hanover, Germany. He was the son of Gerhard Heinrich Fuelling and his wife Anna, nee Meier.

In 1870, shortly after the death of his father, his mother, with the other children, emigrated to the United States and settled in Farmersburg township, Clayton county.

The 19th of January 1889 he was united into the holy bonds of matrimony with Miss Louisa Seifert, the daughter of Rev. Fr. Seifert of Read. Three children were born to this union: Otto Louis, married to Geneva Brown, at present the partner of the Lumber Co. known as Fuelling and Son; Alma Marie, who died August 13, 1893; and Leroy William, who died December 29, 1899.

Mr. Fuelling started on a small scale as a carpenter and builder; in 1899 he bought the lumber yard of Oelke and Mathews and with good diligence and iron will he enlarged his business until he had built up the best general contracting business in this section of the state.

The last five years he was in partnership with Mr. Henry Hinsch, now of Calmar. It was at that time when he was building the school house at Greeley and the bank at Garnavillo that he was stricken by the sickness that ended in his demise. On the tenth day of June, 1916, while cranking his auto, he suffered a paralytic stroke. His loved ones exercised the best care for him as seven different doctors and three nurses were engaged in the course of his sickness to stop it, but in vain.

Surrounded by his loved ones he was on the threshold of eternal life, on the eve of Nov. 9, at the age of 52 years, 3 months and 21 days.

He was a good and devoted husband, and loving father. He was a genius in his way, coming from obscure circumstances he had to work his way through many difficulties. He built almost the entire town of Farmersburg, and constructed the best and costliest buildings in the Northeast part of Iowa.

He was honored with many honorable positions; he was for four years the mayor of this city; he was one of the founders of the Farmersburg Savings Bank, and vice president and director of said institution; president of the Grain Co.; and a devoted member of the Lutheran congregation.

He leaves to mourn for his untimely departure, his wife, Louisa; his son, Otto, and daughter-in-law; his two grandchildren, Kenneth and Winnefred, who were his comfort through many dark hours; his brother, Louis, of Farmersburg; his sister, Louisa (Mrs. Gellerman) of California; and his sister, Julianna (Mrs. P. Baak), of Le Mars, Iowa.

His brother Ernest and sisters, Mrs. Luepker, and Mrs. Stickfort preceded him to the eternal shore.