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BUNJER, Hiska 1838-1917

BUNJER, SPIEKER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 9/13/2011 at 20:22:30

Mrs. Hiska Bunjer, one of our early pioneers, passed away Saturday morning November 24 [sic], near Steamboat Rock, Iowa, at the home of her youngest daughter, Mrs. August Tritteen, at the age of 79 years, 1 month and 15 days.

Mrs. Bunjer was born Oct. 2, 1838, at Randerfehn, Ostfriesland Germany, and came to this country in company with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Spieker at the age of 14 years, the voyage across the ocean being made in a sailing vessel. The family lived near Forreston, Illinois, two years and then came to Iowa, the trip across the prairies being made in an emigrant wagon. They located first in Hardin county along the Iowa river near Hardin City, a little settlement of pioneers, and after a residence of several years there and in the village, removed to the northwest part of Grundy county. Here Miss Spieker was married to Heye Bunger in 1859. The young couple purchased land and settled down to farming. Grundy county was at that time a wide expanse of prairie land, neither of the railroads had been built as far as the present site of Ackley and the town had not been laid out. When supplies were needed the family drove with a team of oxen to Independence and it was with a yoke of oxen that the tilling of the soil began. Here the family toiled together, reared their children, and cleared the homestead of debt, after years of hardships incident to pioneer life. The death of the husband occurred in 1875, but Mrs. Bunjer continued her residence at the old homestead until within seven weeks of her death when she removed to the home of her daughter where she passed away of pneumonia after an illness of one week.

One son and four daughters are left to mourn the loss of a good mother; John Bunjer of Lennox, S. Dak.; Mrs. Sinus Sinning and Mrs. Ubbe Beving both from near Ackley, and Mrs. August Tritteen living near Steamboat Rock. One daughter preceded her in death. There are twenty-three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Deceased also leaves one brother, John Spieker of Aplington and one sister, Mrs. Jerry Huisman of Wellsburg.

Funeral services were conducted at 12 p.m. o'clock, Tuesday, November 20, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tritteen, and at the East Friesland Presbyterian church six miles southeast of Ackley, of which she had been a faithful member for many years. Rev. F. W. Engelke, pastor of the church officiated at the service, and the body was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery.

--The Ackley World-Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 22 November 1917


 

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