POTGETER, Henry 1853-1942

POTGETER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/20/2012 at 19:45:51

Henry Potgeter, Iowa Pioneer, Died Friday

Henry Potgeter, one of the early residents of central Iowa, died at his home in Steamboat Rock last Friday. He would have been 89 years old on his next birthday. He was the oldest person living in Steamboat Rock, where he had resided for more than a half-century.

Two years ago he met with an accident that resulted in a broken hip. The injury proved a severe shock to a man of his years and his general health declined from that time. He was widely known throughout northeast Grundy and in a portion of Hardin county through the many years that he was engaged in the lumber and grain business.

Mr. Potgeter was a native of Germany. He was born October 15, 1853. Sixty years ago he came to Iowa and for seven years he resided in Grundy county. He was a carpenter and contractor. He was the builder of the First Christian Reformed church west of Wellsburg and made some of the fixtures that are still in use in this church.

Nine Children in Family
Mr. Potgeter was the father of nine children, all of whom are living. The wife also survives. The children are: Mrs. Albert Burgess, Duval, Wash.; Mrs. Lizzie Matheson of Nevada; Mrs. C. J. Rowan, Beverly Hills, Calif.; John, of Eagle Grove; Fannie and George of Steamboat Rock; Martha, of Washington, D.C.; Fred of Rockford, Ill., and Mrs. Emil Holzheuser, Mitchell, So. Dak. The large family of surviving children reside in seven different states.

Funeral services were held in the home Monday afternoon and later at the Steamboat Rock Presbyterian church. Rev. A. C. Kruse officiated at the service. Burial was in the Steamboat Rock cemetery.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 7 May 1942, pg 9

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Oldest Resident Of Steamboat Rock Dies

Henry Potgeter, 89, oldest resident of Steamboat Rock, died at his home Friday noon following a lingering illness. Mr. Potgeter was born in Germany Oct. 15, 1853. He came to Grundy county in 1882. He built the First Christian Reformed church west of Wellsburg. In 1889 he moved to Steamboat Rock where he operated an elevator until he retired several years ago.

Surviving are his widow, nine children, Mrs. Albert Burgess of Duvall, Wash., Mrs. Lizzie Mathinson of Nevada, Mrs. C. J. Rowan of Beverly Hills, Calif., John of Eagle Grove, Fannie and George of Steamboat Rock, Martha of Washington, D. C., Fred of Rockford, Ill., Mrs. Emil Holzheuser of Mitchell, S. D.

Funeral services were held Monday at the Presbyterian church with interment in the Steamboat Rock cemetery.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 6 May 1942