Lubbers, Paul

LUBBERS, FUHRMANN, HANSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 1/28/2003 at 14:22:32

PAUL LUBBERS. 

Prominent among the successful business men of Clinton is the well-known insurance and real estate dealer, who for some years has taken a very active and prominent part in public affairs. He was born in Lyons, March 5, 1858, and is a son of John Lubbers, one of the early settlers of this county. The father is a native of Bremen, Germany, and a son of Edward Lubbers, who spent his entire life in that country. At the age of fifteen years John Lubbers went to sea as a sailor, and was serving as second lieutenant in the German navy during the war of 1848, when he was captured by the Danes and held a prisoner for three months. He then managed to escape and came to America, locating at Sandusky, Ohio, in 1850, where he bought a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits for some years. Before taking up his residence there, however, he made a trip to California. In 1854 he came to Clinton county, Iowa, and erected the hotel at Lyons, now known as the Dressen Hotel. This he conducted until 1861, when he enlisted as captain of Company E, Twenty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, of which he was later made lieutenant colonel and served throughout the war. After his return home he carried on the hotel for a time and then he traded it for an improved farm, which he operated until his death. He was a Democrat in politics and served as assessor and in other minor offices. He died in 1885, at the age of sixty-six years, honored and respected by all who knew him. In early manhood he married Miss Johanna Fuhrmann, a native of Schleswig, Germany, and to them were born nine children, but all died in infancy with exception of Paul and Hattie. The wife and mother now makes her home in Clinton, but the old home farm is still in possession of the family.

Paul Lubbers was educated in the public and high schools of this county, and engaged in farming until he attained his majority. He was then employed as clerk and bookkeeper in Lyons until 1881 and in Clinton for the following five years. In 1886 he was appointed deputy treasurer of the county under Mr. Lund, and after filling that office for four years he was employed as bookkeeper in the City National Bank of Clinton for two years. At the end of that time he was elected in 1891 county treasurer, and served in that capacity for eight years with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the general public. In 1893 he became a member of the firm of J. Q. Jeffries & Company, insurance and real estate dealers, who are now doing a very large and important business.

In 1885 Mr. Lubbers was united in marriage with Miss Lena Hanson, a daughter of John Hanson, of Lyons, who was formerly a farmer of this county. Of the four children born to this union, three died in infancy, and Alber is now attending school in Clinton.

In his social relations Mr. Lubbers is an honored member of Western Star Lodge, No. 100, A. F. & A. M., and Walhalla Lodge, No. 150, I. O. O. F., of which he is past grand, and the Encampment, No. 20. He is also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias fraternities, and is captain of the uniformed rank of the last named order. He is widely and favorably known throughout the county, and is quite popular both in business and social circles.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.