FREESE, Asjen 1845-1910

FREESE, FRERICHS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 9/25/2016 at 12:16:03

Another Old Soldier and Grundy Pioneer Answers Last Call

Asjen Freese Dies Tuesday after a Prolonged Illness

Asjen Freese died at his home in this city at 12:25 p.m. Tuesday after a prolonged sickness of several months with dropsy. Funeral services to be conducted by Rev. L. P. Krome will be held at the house at 1:00 Friday afternoon and later at the church at Holland. Interment will be made in the family lot in the Holland cemetery. Members of Wilson Post G.A.R. will act as pall bearers.

The death of Mr. Freese removes another Grundy pioneer and a veteran of the civil war from the ranks in Grundy county. It also removes one who contributed a good share to Grundy county's development during the forty-one years that he resided here. He came to this country in '62 at which time he was 17 years old. That was a critical period in the country's history. Before he was old enough or long enough in the country of his adoption to become one of its citizens he took a hand in its defense. That was characteristic of the man. He was willing to take a hand to mix in. He kept in touch with what was going on and in all matters or measures of public interest he was lined up on one side or the other. He filled various offices of trust in the township, was a member of the board of supervisors and county sheriff. For many years he was prominent as an auctioneer and in this work and in the offices he held he was one of the best known men in the county. He had an abiding faith in Grundy county soil and whenever the opportunity and his means justified it he enlarged his real estate holdings. Grundy county land with him was always a good proposition to buy and too good a proposition to sell.

Mr. Freese during his long and trying siege of sickness endured his suffering like a true veteran. He had more concern for those who cared for him so devotedly during the last months than he manifested in his own trouble.

Obituary
Asjen Freese was born in Hanover, Germany, Sept. 26, 1845. He was a son of Weert and Lena Freese.

He moved with his parents to Ogle county, Ill. in 1862. He enlisted in 1864 as a member of Company F, 15th Ill. Inf. and was mustered out in September 1865. After the war he returned to Ogle county, Ill. where he made his home until 1869 when he came to Pleasant Valley township, Grundy county, Iowa.

In 1871 he was united in marriage to Hilke Frerichs. From this union were born eight children, namely, Mrs. C. Poppenga, Mrs. G. O. Peters, Mrs. P. A. Meyer, Miss Reka Freese, Miss VerDene Freese, Mrs. F. S. Beckman, Mrs. C. A. Biebesheimer and Mrs. E. B. Smith all of whom live in Grundy county but VerDene who died April 22, 1902. Besides these he has three sisters, Mrs. Ben Buus, Lennox, S.D., Mrs. H. H. Frerichs of Wellsburg, and Mrs. H. P. Smit of Holland. There are six grandchildren.

He was honored with a number of public offices, county supervisor, constable of Pleasant Valley township, trustee and sheriff of Grundy county.

Mrs. Freese died July 8th, 1906 at Grundy Center.

He retired from farming in 1896 and moved to Grundy Center where he lived up to the time of his death.

Mr. Freese since early years was a member of the Lutheran church.

--Grundy County Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 June 1910, pg 1