Backhaus, August 1877 - 1955

BACKHAUS, MEIER, CALLAGHAN, MARSH, MEYER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 12/20/2024 at 00:55:31

Clayton County Register, 10 Feb. 1955.

Funeral services were held in Garnavillo Saturday afternoon for August Backhaus, 77, retired farmer and prominent member of church and community organizations. Mr. Backhaus died at 10:10 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 01, in Finley hospital in Dubuque, the result of a heart ailment.

Mr. Backhaus was born Sept. 26, 1877 in Garnavillo township, Clayton county. He was baptized at St. Paul's Lutheran church in Garnavillo and confirmed at the Pioneer Rock church at Ceres. On May 07, 1901, he was married to Miss Emma Meier in St. Paul's church in Garnavillo. They made their home on the Backhaus farm south of Garnavillo until 1943, when he retired and moved to Garnavillo. Mrs. Backhaus died in 1947.

Mr. Backhaus is survived by one son, Lorenz and three daughters, Mrs. Claude (Grace) Callaghan, Minneapolis; Burnette of Chicago, and Mrs. Carl (Margaret) Marsh, Castalia; eight grandchildren and one brother, Henry Backhaus of Clear Lake. One daughter Beatrice, Mrs. Eldo Meyer, preceded him in death in 1933.

He served on the council of St. Paul's church for a number of terms and was recently secretary of the congregation. He had been a member of the board of directors of the Garnavillo Savings Bank since April 26, 1943. He was a former director of the Garnavillo Cooperative Creamery company and a member of the Clayton County Farm Bureau.

The Rev. L.C. Urlaub conducted the services at St. Paul's church and at the graveside in the Garnavillo cemetery.