Getlef Klever (14 Oct 1843 - 18 June 1924)

KLEVER, VOHS, GOODMAN, SLAGER

Posted By: Deb Bennett-Jónsson (email)
Date: 7/8/2010 at 17:00:39

Newspaper: Unknown
Posted: Unknown

GETLEF KLEVER
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Died at His Home in Williamsburg Wednesday Morning
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Getlef Kleever was born in Germany, October 14, 1843, and died at his home in Williamsburg, Wednesday morning, June 18, 1924, at the age of 80 years, 8 months and 14 days.

Mr. Kleever attended the schools of his native country where he obtained his education. He was united in marriage in Germany to Miss Mary Vohs. The couple continued to reside in their native land for a while and 56 years ago they came to this country, accompanied by the grandparents, Mrs. And Mrs. Fred Kleever and the brothers of Mr. Kleever, Fred, Peter, Charles and John.

Landing in New York, they came direct to Iowa County. Arriving at Marengo, they came across the country where they settled on farms in Pilot Township, which was the home for a number of years.

Mr. Kleever was one of the real pioneers of this country. The time they came here Pilot township was very sparsely settled as was the balance of the country. The hardships endured by this family were such that it moulded them into men and women of strong character and high ideals. The family larder was supplied by the wild game which then abounded in this community. Deer, prairie chickens and other wild life was the chief sustenance of the pioneer in those days.

Vast acres of wild prairie land that had never felt the plow stretched for miles on every hand and the breaking of this sod, which had been in existence since the formation of the earth was no small matter. Several yoke of oxen were hitched to the big breaking plows and the soil was then prepared for the first crops ever put in by man. Mr. Kleever made a business of breaking sod for his neighbors, working day in and day out, fighting the dreaded fever which comes from freshly broken ground, and ever watchful of the dreaded rattlesnakes which objected to the invasion of their free range.

The deep snows and cold weather of the winters in those days necessitated a great amount of preparation for their coming. The wood for the long winter months must be cut and stacked near the house, the provisions had to be procured from the settlements when the trails were open and at night the howling of wolves was a requiem for the passing of the day.

And with the coming of the spring the crude farming implements of the farmers of those days were gotten out, the corn planted by hand, and the various insect pests made merry war upon the seed.

No markets were available for the selling of the grain, unless it was hauled a great many miles and the payment for the labor of putting in the crops was merely the existence of the family.

And in the evening of his life, he could travel back over the footprints of his youth and see that he had builded better than he thought. Wresting from the many tentacles of opposition a home that the present generation has no idea of the cost in disappointments.

Leaving the farm about twenty years ago they moved to Williamsburg where his helpmate and good wife passed to her eternal rest about fifteen years ago. There remains two sons and two daughters, John and Fred; Mrs. Dan Goodman and Mrs. William Slager, to mourn his passing

The funeral will be held Friday afternoon in the Pilot Grove church, Revs. Druse and Cole having charge of the services. The remains will be laid to rest beside those of his wife in the cemetery at that place.