Anton Anthony Friedman

REINART, HOFFERT, GEHLING, THIELEN, BUCCHOLZ

Posted By: Richard Gehling (email)
Date: 2/6/2010 at 18:27:52

Anton Anthony Friedman(n) was born at 6 P.M. on 16 July 1815. Like the seven generations of Friedmann ancestors before him, his place of birth was in the little village of Zell, Baden, in what is now southwestern Germany. The village was situated on a fertile plain about fifteen kilometers east of the Rhine River (which today serves as the border between Germany and France). Just to the east lay the famed hills of the Black Forest. Far to the southeast were several idyllic lakes, and beyond them the mighty Alps of Switzerland.

The Friedmann families were of the Roman Catholic faith, but at the time of Anton's birth their hometown of Zell had neither a Catholic church nor a cemetery of its own. Therefore all the Friedmanns were members of St. Johannes Catholic Church in the town of Vimbuch, which lay about five kilometers to the east of Zell. Anton was baptized there at 11 A.M. on the day after his birth by the resident priest, Father T.B. Werle.

Anton was the first of thirteen children born to Mathias Friedmann and Maria Anna Weiler. The children were named Brigitta (1817), Maria Anna (1819), Eleonora (1821), Catharina (1822), Theresia & Victoria (1823), Rosina (1824), Landelin (1826), Rosina (1828), Theresia (1832), Joseph (1834), and George (1837). The first ten children were born in Zell, Baden, but the last three in Stark County, Ohio.

Anton was just 17 years of age when he left his childhood home in Zell to immigrate with his parents and siblings to Stark County, Ohio. There his father purchased a farm and, on 23 April 1833, applied for citizenship in the Stark County Common Pleas Court. Citizenship was granted on 18 September 1838.

Four months later, on 29 January 1839, Anton was married to a neighbor girl named Elizabeth Wentzel, the 19-year-old daughter of Andreas and Mary Magdalena Wentzel, who had arrived in Philadelphia on 16 June 1817 aboard the immigrant ship Xenophone. The Wentzels had first settled in Berks County, PA, where their seven children were born and baptized, then sometime in the 1830’s moved to Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio. Here Andreas farmed eighty acres of prime Midwestern cropland.

Anton and Elizabeth Friedman(n) seem to have soon acquired a nearby farm of their own. Over the ensuing years, Elizabeth gave birth to 11 children: John (1839), Mary (1842), Susanna (1843), Joseph (1844), Jacob (1845), Andrew (1846), Magdalena (1848), Paulina (1851), William (1852), Louis (1854), Peter (1858). The first ten children were born on the family farm in Ohio, the last one in Iowa, where Anton and Elizabeth had moved about 1857, after having spent a year in Missouri. The Friedman(n)s settled in Dubuque County, Iowa, where Anton spent the rest of his life as a farmer in Liberty Township, near the little town of Luxemburg.

After the death of his wife, Elizabeth, on 5 June 1895, Anton moved to the home of his oldest son, John. He died there on 23 April 1901 at the age of 85, and was buried beside his wife in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Luxemburg, Iowa.

(Will of Anton Friedman):

"In the name of God amen.

" I Anton Friedman of Luxemburg, in the township of Liberty in the County of Dubuque and State of Iowa, of the age of seventy nine (79) years, and being of sound mind and memory, do make publish and declare this my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say,

"First. I order that all my lawful debts be promptly settled and paid.

"Second. I order that the sum of sixty dollars be paid to one (or more) Catholic priests for the purpose of saying Holy Masses for the peaceful rest of my soul. And a further sum of sixty ($60.00) dollars for the same purpose for saying Holy Masses to be paid to one (or more) Catholic priests after the demise or death of my beloved wife Elizabeth Friedman for the peaceful rest of her soul.

"Third. I order that one of two gravestones, or monuments shall be erected at my and my beloved wife's grave, as a remembrance for about the value of one hundred ($100.00) dollars in all.

"Fourth. I order that my son John Friedman has to support and take care of my beloved wife Elizabeth Friedman from my property for her use and support only and further that my wife Elizabeth Friedman has no right and is not allowed to distribute or give away any of my property to any one of my children and nobody else.

"Fifth. In order that all my children receive all the equal amount of my real estate and personal property you will find the following list what they have received.

"My son John Friedman has received $840.00

"My daughter Mary Neises formerly Friedman $840.00

"My daughter Susanna Reinart $840.00

"My daughter Paulina Heles $1140.00

"My daughter Magdalena Reinart $1140.00

"My son Joseph Friedman $1240.00

"My son William Friedman $1240.00

"My son Peter Friedman $1240.00

"My son Louis Friedman decd. $1240.00

"Sixth. In order that after the demise or death of my beloved wife Elizabeth Friedman then the following shall receive their entitled share to make the above shares equal.

"To my son John Friedman the sum of $400.00

"To my daughter Mary Nieses formerly Friedman $400.00

"To my daughter Susanna Reinart formerly Friedman $400.00

"To my daughter Paulina Heles formerly Friedman $100.00

"To my daughter Magdalena Reinart formerly Friedman $100.00

"Seventh. In order the balance whatsoever of my property is there shall be divided equal between my children and also the children of my son Louis Friedman deceased they shall be entitled to the same share as if my son Louis Friedman decd. would be alive yet.

"Eighth. I hereby appoint my son John Friedman to the sole Executor of this my last will and testament. Hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Luxemburg Iowa, this 28th day of March in the year of our Lord 1895.

"Anton Friedman
“Luxemburg, Iowa.”

(FROM: Dyersville Commercial, Friday, April 26, 1901)

"Death of Mr. Friedmann

"One of Liberty Township's Most Highly Respected Citizens Died Last Friday

"Mr. Anton Friedmann, one of the pioneer settlers of Liberty Township, died at the home of his son John Friedmann on April 23, 1901, of old age being 86 years of age at the time of his death. Deceased was born near Rastadt, Baden, in Europe, in June 1815 and at the age of 20 years came to America and first settled at Canton, Ohio, which was about 1835. He was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Wenzel at Ohio, in June, 1843, and 10 years after that moved to Missouri, where they remained one year and in 1854 came to Iowa and settled near Luxemburg, north of Dyersville where they made their permanent home. In 1893 they celebrated their golden wedding which was a happy event.

"His wife died June 6, 1895, and since then he has resided with his son John.

"Twelve children were born to them of whom 7 survive. They are John of Luxemburg, Joseph, William and Peter of Templeton and Roselle; Mrs. Susan Reinert of Roselle, Mrs. Lena Reinert of Minnesota, and Mrs. Paulina Heles of Worthington. All were present at the funeral with the exception of Peter and Mrs. John Reinert of Minnesota who could not possibly come.

"Mr. Anton Friedmann was one of Liberty Township's most respected citizens, always a devoted husband, and as a neighbor always kind to oblige.

"The funeral took place last Friday morning and the large number of sympathizing friends who attended attested that he was a popular gentleman. Solemn requiem mass was celebrated for the repose of his soul, in Holy Trinity Church, by his grandson Rev Father J H Friedmann of Worthington, assisted by Rev. Father Oberbroeckling as deacon and Father Schilmoeller as sub-deacon and Rev. Father Pope as master of ceremonies. After the requiem services interment took place in the church yard near by.

"May he rest in peace."