FRERICHS, John 1860-1950

FRERICHS, PICKELMAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/9/2015 at 07:54:28

John Frerichs, Grundy Pioneer Died Sunday

Came To Grundy County In Covered Wagon 82 Years Ago; Was Farmer And A Dealer In Grain And Livestock

John Frerichs, who came to Grundy county with other members of his family 82 years ago, died at his home in Holland at 10:30 Sunday morning. He was 90 years old. He had been in failing health for the past nine months. Death was the result of infirmities of old age.

Very few people have been privileged to spend so many years in Grundy county as Mr. Frerichs. The 82 years that he resided in Grundy county he made his home in Colfax township continually.

Mr. Frerichs was born in Germany June 17th, 1860. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Frerichs. When John was 7 years old the family came to America. For a year they resided on a farm near Freeport, Ill. The following year they came to Grundy county. They made the trip from Illinois to their new home in Grundy county in a covered wagon.

With the parents there were seven members of the family, four sons and one daughter. The father of the family had come to Grundy county the year before the family were brought here and bought a farm in Colfax township which became the home of the emigrant family. The four sons were Harm, Dick, John and Henry. The daughter later became Mrs. Asjen Freese. John outlived all of the other members of the family. It took this family ten days to make the trip from Freeport to Grundy county. The same trip can now be made in 4 hours with a car, or an hour by plane.

John grew up on the family farm in Colfax township. At the age of 21 he and Catherine Pickelman were married. The first two years of their married life they lived on a Colfax township farm. Two years later he and his wife moved to Holland. That was 67 years ago and he resided in that town continually up to the time of his death.

In Grain and Livestock Business
After moving to Holland Mr. Frerichs entered the grain and livestock business with his brother Henry under the firm name of Frerichs Brothers. A number of years later they purchased a grain elevator at Grundy Center which was under the management of Henry Frerichs. John remained in the grain and livestock business 31 years and devoted his time for many years to his extensive farm interests. He also became interested in banks at Holland and Wellsburg. He helped to organize the bank at Holland and for many years was that bank's president. His son-in-law, O. A. Ontjes, became cashier and manager of the bank at Holland. His son Harm was made cashier of the Farmers & Merchants bank at Wellsburg.

Was Twice Married
John Frerichs was twice married. His first wife died in Holland in 1916. Four years later, December 21, 1920, he and Mrs. Hiska Steinmeyer were married and made their home in Holland continually. The wife survives.

Other surviving members of his immediate family are his son Jack from Waterloo. His other children preceded him in death. There were Mrs. O. A. Ontjes and his son Harm. There are seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren from the first marriage. There are six surviving stepchildren. They are Mrs. Justina Meyer, Grundy Center; Mrs. Ben Junker, Aplington; Marie Steinmeyer, Grundy Center; Martha Steinmeyer, Fort Dodge; August Steinmeyer, Grundy Center; Mrs. Lamke Anderson, New York City. All of the stepchildren were able to be at the funeral. There are 19 step-grandchildren and 9 step-great-grandchildren.

Funeral Service Wednesday
Funeral services were held at the home in Holland at one o'clock on Wednesday and later at the Engelkes Funeral Home in Grundy Center. The services were conducted by Rev. A. W. Malin, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran church in Shiloh township. Burial was in the cemetery at Holland.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 12 October 1950, pg 1, 6