Stemer, Jacob Christian 1850 - 1945

STEMMER, REIMER, DITTMER, RUEGNITZ, HALLETT, BECKER, WERTLEY, WENTZ, KRAUSE, MALL

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 2/5/2024 at 10:14:23

Clayton County Register, 18 Jan. 1945.

Funeral services for Jacob C. Stemmer, 94, pioneer and Elkader's oldest citizen, who died here at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Wm. C. Reimer, early Sunday morning, Jan. 14, were held at the Witt funeral chapel at 1:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, and at the Frieden's Evangelical church at 2 p.m. The Rev. Paul Kitterer officiated. Burial was made in the East Side cemetery.

Jacob Christian Stemmer was born in Soellingen Boden, Germany, May 26, 1850, a member of a family of 11 children. At the age of 10 years he came with his parents to America, the journey in a sail boat requiring six weeks for the passage, landing at New York. They migrated west, locating at Liberty colony near Communia, Iowa.

His early life was spent as an apprentice wagon maker in Schoch's wagon shop at Elkader, following which he was in the lumber business here for a time. Later he entered in a partnership with his brother-in-law, Martin Dittmer, in the implement business in which he was engaged for the greater part of his active life. The firm Stemmer and Dittmer was widely known throughout northeastern Iowa.

He was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Dittmer May 26, 1875. The late Rev. F. W. Seifert of Clayton Center performed the ceremony.

Mr. Stemmer was a charter member of the Frieden's Evangelical church and served as one of its first officers. He was a 50 year Mason and a member of the Elkader Lodge No. 72 A.F. & A.M., and the oldest Mason in Clayton county. He was also a charter member of Charity Chapter No. 152, O.E.S., and of the Modern Woodmen.

Mr. Stemmer loved to travel. During his life he saw the development of transportation in the county from the time of travel afoot to the time of automobiles. During the last 10 years he made four round trips with his daughter and family to California and back by car. In his 90th year he accompanied his family to Regina, Canada, to be the honored guest at the wedding of his grandson, the Rev. Karl Reimer. He was active and about until five weeks ago, since which time he had been confined to his home.

Surviving are the two daughters, Mrs. Bernard (Ida) Ruegnitz of Dubuque and Mrs. Wm. C. (Lina) Reimer of Elkader, with whom he had made his home since 1909; also seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by is wife in 1909; two sons, Jacob, who died in infancy, and Harry, who died in Montana in 1922; one daughter, Mrs. Earl (Anna) Hallett, who died at Sterling, Ill., in 1938; five sisters, Mrs. Carolyn Becker, Mrs. Julia Wertley, Mrs. Lena Wentz, all of Elkader, Mrs. Elizabeth Krause of Communia, and Mrs. Kathryn Mall of Belle Plaine; one brother, Matthias Stemmer. The other four brothers and sisters died in infancy.

Pallbearers were: Walter Sadewasser, L. D. Dittmer, L. J. Palas, L. F. Buckman, Everett Hagensick and Fred Wistric.