OTTO, Frederick William J. 1847-1923

OTTO, BIRKHOLZ, SCHWANDT

Posted By: Betty Silvia (email)
Date: 6/23/2017 at 10:13:44

CLIPPING #1:

Frederick William Otto was born February 24, 1847 in Voelskow, Pomerania, Germany and came to America in 1866 settling first at Watertown, Wisconsin. After six years, in 1872 he came to Charles City, Iowa, settling on a farm in West St. Charles Township near Flood Creek, where he was engaged in farming until 1900 when he moved to Charles City where he lived at 601 Gilbert Street until death called him to his home on Saturday, April 28, 1923. He attained an age of 76 years, 2 months and 23 days.

On December 17, 1873 he was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Braend, of Waterloo, Wisconsin, the Rev. Jacob Bletch performing the ceremony. Two children, one son and one daughter blessed this union.

Shortly after his arrival in America, he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Watertown, Wisconsin. While he lived on the farm he was affiliated with the Flood Creek M. E. church and since his residence in Charles City he was a member of the Central M.E. church.

Mr. Otto was an unassuming man of decided convictions and sterling qualities of character, diligent honesty, sincere and frugal. He loved his family and home; he had a sympathetic nature and was much touched by the sorrow of others. To the church he gave due attention to the means of grace. His place in public worship was never vacant without cause. He loved to read the Bible and Christian literature. At the time of his death he had just about completed reading Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress, which he had read previously a number of times.

Last Friday morning he suffered a stroke which rendered him unconscious from which he never rallied until death claimed him Saturday afternoon. He leaves to mourn his departure his beloved wife, one son, William Otto, Rockford, Iowa; one daughter, Lydia Birkholz, Grand Forks, N.D.; fourteen grand children, two brothers, one in North Dakota and one in Pasadena, California, and one sister, Mrs. Schwandt of Charles City.

Funeral services were held from the Central M.E. church on Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. F.H. Thiel assisted by Rev. E.W. Henke officiating.

Interment was made in Riverside cemetery.
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ELDERLY RESIDENT DEAD FOLLOWING A STROKE OF APOPLEXY

Mr. Fred Otto who has been a resident of Charles City for nearly twenty-five years, passed away at his home at 601 Gilbert Street at 2:15 Saturday afternoon following an illness of short duration caused by a stroke of apoplexy which occurred Friday morning. Deceased was in his seventy-sixth year and has been a resident of Floyd County for over fifty years. He leaves a wife and children besides a host of friends to mourn his loss. The funeral services will be held at 2:00 p. m. tomorrow afternoon at the house and at 2:30 from the Central M.E. church, which services will be in charge of Rev. Thiel who will be assisted by Rev. Henke. Interment will be made at Riverside cemetery.

SOURCE: Newspaper clippings among the Birkholz family papers. They were likely published in a local newspaper in Charles City, Iowa. A copy of the clippings were included in a family scrapbook compiled by Carol Spicer, of Thompson, North Dakota in 2008.

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Floyd Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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