Fredelake, Henry 1850-1941
FREDELAKE, VOSS, DITTMER, AULWES, CASSUTT, REED, DUENSER
Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 5/9/2010 at 04:33:29
Last Rites Held for H. Fredelake
Henry Fredelake, whose residence in Guttenberg for nearly 89 years earned for him the distinction of having lived there longer than any other resident, died last Friday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Gus Dittmer. Mr. Fredelake, who also was the oldest living resident of that town, was only a little more than a month under 91 years old. Funeral services for Mr. Fredelake were held last Sunday at the Gus Dittmer home at Guttenberg in charge of Rev. H.C. Coovert. Six grandsons acted as pallbearers.
Mr. Fredelake was the only son of Margaret and Henry Fredelake and was born in Germany on May 3, 1850. When two years old he migrated with his parents to America. The family came to Cincinati, Ohio, where they remained for a short time and then came to Guttenberg, a German settlement that had been organized but a few years previous. There he was to make his home for nearly 89 years, a life span that earned him the distinction of having lived in Guttenberg longer than any other human being.
At the time of his arrival there, Guttenberg was but a scattered settlement in the wilderness and Mr. Fredelake spent many of his boyhood days hunting and fishing with the friendly Indian tribes that still roamed the river bottoms during that era. During his active days, Mr. Fredelake was employed in the lumber mills there and also was in the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad for a number of years. In this capacity he was one of those who helped build the first railroad across Clayton county in 1871.
On May 11, 1873, he was united in marriage to Selina Voss who preceded him in death 20 years ago. To this union 10 children were born, eight of whom survive their father. They are: Mrs. Gus Dittmer, Mrs. Mary Aulwes and Mrs. Gusta Cassutt, all of Guttenberg; Mrs. Anna Dittmer of Ireton; Mrs. Hilda Reed of Alexandria, Mo.; George of Forrestburg, S.D.; John of Madison, Wisc.; and Otto of Milwaukee, Wisc. A son, Henry, and a daughter, Mrs. Elsie Duenser, preceded his in death several years ago. Twenty-nine grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren also survive.
~Ireton Ledger, April 10, 1941
(Ireton, Iowa)~notes:
Mr. Fredelake wrote his memories of early Guttenberg for the Clayton County Centennial in 1936. His story is posted on the Clayton co. Biography board.The photo of Henry Fredelake is from a news article in the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald & Times Journal, May 5, 1930; written on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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