ABELS, John F. 1841-1926

ABELS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/1/2015 at 19:28:56

John F. Abels, Grundy Pioneer, Passes Away

Had Been A Grundy County Resident For More Than A Half Century

Came From Ogle County, Ill., to Grundy County Fifty-Four Years Ago

J. F. Abels, one of the oldest residents of Grundy county, passed away Tuesday morning of this week at his home in this city, infirmities of old age being the cause of his death.

He had been in poor health for some time and has failed rapidly the past three weeks. He was 85 years of age last June 28th.

Mr. Abels came from Germany when thirteen years of age and settled in Ogle county, Illinois, and came to Grundy county fifty-four years ago last February, settling on a farm in Colfax township. He followed farming and was a continuous resident of Colfax township until 1903, when he moved to Grundy Center and has lived here since.

His wife preceded him in death four years ago. He leaves four sons and one daughter.

Mr. Abels was a veteran of the civil war and he took great pleasure in recounting his experiences during those trying times and relating the many hard-fought battles he was in.

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon. Short services will be held at his late home at one o'clock and from the Drake church later. Burial will be in the family lot in the Drake cemetery.

An obituary of Mr. Abels will be published next week.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 November 1926, pg 1

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Final Taps Come For J. F. Abels

John Frederich Abels was born June 28, 1841, in Stappelmoor, Eastf., Germany. With his parents he came to this country in 1854, settling at Silver Creek, Ill., and later moved to near Forreston, Ill. When in 1861 President Lincoln called for volunteers, he placed himself in the service of his adopted country, serving over three years in the army.

In 1866 he was joined in marriage to Hinderica Groenhagen. This union was blessed with seven children, five sons and two daughters. One son, Harm, and one daughter, Mrs. Anna Kramer, preceded him in death.

With his wife he came to Iowa in 1872 and settled on the farm in Colfax township, where he remained until he retired in 1903 and moved to Grundy Center. Here his wife died in December, 1922. Weary and tired of life, he passed away Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1926.

Mr. Abels was a member of the Colfax Presbyterian church almost from its beginning.

Those who survive him are four sons, Barney, Luke and John of this vicinity, and George of Lyon county, Iowa; one daughter, Mrs. Margaret Cramer, of Grundy Center, forty grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren, two brothers, George of Alden, Iowa, and Herman of Forreston, Ill.

During the Civil war Mrs. Abels manifested his loyalty to the government and his adopted country by enlisting on September 11th, 1861, among the boys in blue of Company C, 46th Illinois Infantry. He participated in the battle of Shiloh, where the regiment lost one-half of its men. He also took part in the engagement of Ft. Donelson, the siege of Corinth, the hotly contested siege of Vicksburg, the battle of Jackson, Miss., and other important battles of the war. When his three years term of service had expired he was honorably discharged on the 10th of September, 1864. He was always found at his post, faithful to his duty and the old flag which now floats over the united nation.

In politics, Mr. Abels was a staunch republican and was ever a stalwart advocate of the party. During his residence in Colfax township he held many positions of trust, including township trustee for six years, township assessor for about six years, and member of the Board of Supervisors for three years, being on the board at the time the present county farm was purchased. The prompt and able manner in which he discharged his duties won for him the highest commendation of all concerned.

The funeral services were held from the Drake church in Colfax township Friday afternoon, November 26th, 1926, and interment was in the Drake church cemetery.

Those relatives from a distance who attended the funeral were Simon Klock, Forreston, Ill.; John and Harm DeWall, Baileyville, Ill.; Mrs. Harm Abels and children, John, Fred and wife ?, and Mrs. Harm Classen, of Sibley, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Abels, of George, Iowa; Mrs. Hugh ? and son ?, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Dodd and daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Abels and daughter, and John Douglas, of Alden, Iowa; Rev. and Mrs. Ike Kruse, of Steamboat Rock, Iowa.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 December 1926, pg 6