George F. Schenk

SCHENK, SCHROEDER, ROMMERT, SCHILTZ, LATCH

Posted By: Barbara Gehlsen Nugent (email)
Date: 8/24/2011 at 15:34:15

History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 2, by James Whitcomb Ellis, 1910. Biographical Sketches

GEORGE F. SCHENK.

The Valley View Stock Farm, which is owned by George F. Schenk, is one of the valuable properties of eastern Iowa, and is a tract of two hundred and fortyfour acres, located on sections 14, 15 and 23, Bellevue township. Mr. Schenk is a native son of Jackson county, born on a farm in Tete des Morts township on the 13th of April, 1873, his parents being Jurden (Jurgen) and Katharine (Schroeder) Schenk, who were natives of Germany, where they were also married. There four children were born to them, and the father, having but limited means, believed that he might better provide for the support of himself and family in the new world, which offered better opportunities and advantages. He located in Jackson county and here through hard work and economy accumulated a good farming property of one hundred and ninety acres in Richland township, seven miles west of Bellevue. Six more children were added to the family circle after the arrival of the parents in Jackson county, the record being as follows: William, who makes his home in Nebraska; Henry and Fred, who died within a week's time, the former at the age of twenty-one and the latter when nineteen years of age; Ernest, a resident of Andrew, Jackson county; Mary, the wife of Adolph Rommert, their home being near that village; George F., of this review; Carl and John, who live near Andrew; and Godfrey, who met death in a cyclone in 1906, when he was a young man of twenty-four years. The parents are also deceased, the father dying at the age of seventy-one years, while the mother was sixty-four at the time of her demise. They had lived in Jackson county for a number of years and were numbered among its highly respected German-American citizens.

George F. Schenk acquired his education in the district schools and during the period of his boyhood and youth accompanied his parents on their various removals, which, however, were made within the confines of Jackson county. He remained under the parental roof until he attained his majority and then went to Elgin, Illinois, and for eight months was employed in the watch factory of that city. He next entered the employ of G. H. Rolling, a jeweler of Bellevue, with whom he remained for two years. He then engaged in business on his own account, opening a jewelry store in Swea City, Iowa, and conducting the establishment for three years. At the end of that time he came to Bellevue and opened a similar store and from that time until about a year ago he gave his time and attention to that business, when he purchased his present farm of two hundred and forty-four acres, located on sections 14, 15 and 23, Bellevue township, his home being known as the Valley View Stock Farm. On the place stands a fine stone house and a large barn, eighty by forty-eight feet, which was erected by Mr. Schenk in 1910. He carries on general farming but it is his intention to stock the place and give the greater part of his attention to the stock business. In addition to his farm Mr. Schenk also owns a two-story brick store building, twentyfour by seventy feet, at No. 51 Front street in Bellevue, where his jewelry business was formerly located but he now rents the building.

On the 16th of December, 1897, occurred the marriage of Mr. Schenk and Miss Josephine Schiltz, who was born in Bellevue, May 25, 1876, a daughter of Matthew and Mary (Latch) Schiltz, both of whom were born in Germany but now reside in Bellevue. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Schenk has been born George Harold, whose birth occurred November 27, 1898, and John Dwight, born January 11, 1910.

Mr. Schenk is a member of the Lutheran church in Bellevue and his life has been in harmony with its principles and teachings. Capably managing his business interests, his success has followed and today he is in possession of a valuable farming property. His enterprising and progressive spirit have made him a typical American in every sense of the word, and he has the friendship of many and the respect of all who know him.