Kellner, Henry 1828 - 1883

KELLNER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 2/8/2017 at 12:11:17

Elkader Register, Fri., 26 Oct. 1883. Condensed from an over two newspaper columns long eulogy/obituary.

Our citizens were startled on Monday evening by the report that ex-treasurer, Henry Kellner, had been found dead in his room at the Schroeder House.

He had eaten a hearty dinner and in returning to his room had run up the stairs as lightly as a young man, and seemingly in good health and spirits. This was the last seen of him until about 10 minutes past six in the evening, when on going to call him to supper, he was found laying on the floor, in the cold embrace of death. Dr. Purdy was called and gave the cause of his death as angina pectoris, a disease of the heart, with which he had been troubled for some time.

Henry Kellner was born 28 Feb. 1828 at Heilengastadt, near Nordhausen, Prussia. While he was yet very young his parents moved to Nordhausen, his father being one of the judges of the court, and here he received his education, graduating from high school at 17 years of age. On leaving school he applied for and received an appointment as a government surveyor, and followed this profession until 1855. By profession he was a civil engineer and served in the Prussian army as such. He also served in the Foreign Legation of the English army during the Crimean war. In 1855 he took a trip to England, Gibraltar and Constantinople, seeing the sights. Returning to his native country early in 1856 he decided to emigrate to the United States, and came to this country that year, locating at Milwaukee, where he remained until 1857, when he removed to Clayton county, settling at Guttenberg, where a brother had lived before. On reaching Guttenberg, he secured a position as clerk in the steam mill of __eck & Bro., and continued in that position until the fall of 1869, when he was nominated and elected treasurer of Clayton county by the republicans, which party he had early identified. He served the county in that capacity for 10 years, when he retired from public life to attend to his private business, having amassed a competence. He made three trips to the old country, in 1868, 1880 and 1882.

Henry Kellner leaves two brothers and two sisters in Germany, and a sister-in-law and nephew in the United States. His sister-in-law living at Hannibal, Mo., and his nephew at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The funeral occurred Wednesday afternoon, and was one of the largest ever seen in Elkader, friends being present from all parts of the county.