Nicholas Godes, b. 22 Jun 1848

KOCH, URBUS, KLINE, MENTZIOR, STORM

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 4/8/2004 at 07:20:38

Nicholas Godes, the popular Democratic Ex-Postmaster of Preston is a man of more than ordinary abilities, an extensive reader and a number one business man. Whatever he undertakes he aims to do well, and it is said by the postal clerks on the main line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, that the mail from the Preston postoffice is delivered to them in better shape then that of any other postoffice along the line. This indicates in part the characteristics of Mr. Godes, who is prompt to meet his obligations of whatever kind they may be, and has thus established himself in the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens.

The native place of Mr. Godes was on the other side of the Atlantic in the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, in the village of Brachtenbach, Province of Wiltz, within fifteen miles of the French line, and about two and one-half miles from the Belgium line, where he was born on the 22d of June, 1848. His parents, Henry and Katrina (Koch) Godes, were natives of the same place as their son, the father born in 1796, and the mother in 1806. During that period Luxemburg was under the French Government, and the Godes family were in consequence French citizens, although of German descent. The maternal grandfather of our subject was one of the prominent men of his province and held the post of Chief Magistrate during the times of Robespierre. He lived to the advanced age of ninety years. Henry Godes, the father of our subject, was eighty years old at the time of his death which occurred in 1874, and the mother was seventy-six, and died March 7, 1881.

To the parents of our subject there were born ten children, six of whom are living, and four of whom came to America. Margreta is the wife of Peter Urbus and lives in Minnesota; Susanna, piously inclined, is a Sister in the order of the De La Doctrine Chritiene, and is now living at the convent in Nacy, France; Elizabeth is the wife of John Kline, and resides at Dommelding, Luxemburg; Nicholas, of our sketch, was the next in order of birth; Sophia, Mrs. Dominique Mentzior, is a resident of Preston, this county; Claus married Miss Caroline Storm, and is farming near Defiance, Iowa; they have one child, a son.

Although the mother tongue of Mr. Godes was the language of Germany, he learned French as well, becoming au fait in the dialect of la belle France, attending the public schools where both were taught, and finally attained such proficiency that he was enabled to give instruction in both the French and German tongue. In the meantime he was carefully trained by his excellent parents in the doctrines of the Catholic Church. His father was in fair circumstances, owning some property and considerably engaged in farming, stock-raising and dairying, in regard to which, Nicholas became quite well posted during his sojourn under the parental roof.

When a youth of twenty years, however, Mr. Godes repaired to the city of Rheims, where he remained a period of seven years, first occupying himself at farming, and then became janitor of Petite Seminary, at Rheims. The last three years of this stay there, he was valet de chambre for Monsieur Le Comte DeSavigny, a member of one of the oldest and most highly respected families of France. The erection of his mansion, the Chauteau De Savigny, was commenced in 1863, and completed in 1867, there being employed 400 workmen for a period of nearly four years.

This seven years of his life, Mr. Godes considers, was well spent, for he became well acquainted with French people and French institutions, but the goal of his aspirations was America, and the advantages there held out to the young and enterprising man, and to this land he determined to come. He went home for a short period to complete his preparations for the voyage, and set sail from Antwerp on the 6th of March, 1874, taking passage on the "Cibell" a sailing vessel of the Red Star Line, from which he stepped ashore in New York City on the 1st of April following. His destination was Natrona, Alleghany Co., Pa., where he joined some friends who had preceeded him to this country, and employed himself at first upon a farm, then in a factory. He finally emigrated to Hennepin, Putnam Co., Ill., where he was again employed on a farm, and attended an English school for two months, until the beginning of 1876.

In March of the year above mentioned, Mr. Godes, pushing further Westward across the Mississippi, came to this county, took up his abode in Preston, and for two years thereafter was engaged in a lumber yard. In the meantime he had saved what he could of his earnings, and purchasing the railroad block, established a saloon and billiard hall, which he operated seven years. At the expiration of this time, longing for the sight of his native land and the home faces, especially that of his mother, he turned his steps toward his native land, but met with a most bitter disappointment in the death of his mother, which occured a short time before his arrival.

Mr. Godes spent eight months in Europe, visiting Germany, Belgium and many of the principal cities of France, the battle fields, forts, castles and cathedrals, and thus added largely to his store of knowledge. He returned to the United States in April of the year following, and settling down once more in Preston, this county, engaged in business. He has always been a man embracing every opportunity for obtaining useful information, and upon the opening of the New Orleans Exposition, in 1885, set out for the South, spending a month in and around the Crescent City.

In Sept. 1885, Mr. Godes commenced the erection of his brick store building on the north side of Gillett street, which he completed the year following. This occupies an area of 55x20 feet, is one story in height, and is occupied by the postoffice, confectionery and stationery store. On the 20th of September of that year, Mr. Godes received the appointment of Postmaster of Preston, under the administration of President Cleveland, and although there was much Republican opposition to the candidate, such has been his efficiency and faithfulness, that even the opposing element has been compelled to acknowledge that Mr. Godes has been the best Postmaster which Preston has ever had. That same year also he was elected Township Clerk, which position he resigned in order to enter upon the duties of the larger office. The postoffice building was erected by Mr. Godes who also added the furniture and fixtures. It is a shapely structure with a plate glass front and is an ornament to the town. The Democrats were anxious to retain Mr. Godes in his present office as also were many Republicans, but on the 22nd of March, 1889, he resigned the office of Postmaster, on the incoming of the Republican administration, although not relieved by his successor until the 1st of June, 1889. He has been quite prominent in local politics, serving as a delegate to the various conventions, and in the year 1887, was a delegate from the District Convention to represent the Postmasters of the district in the Second National Convention of Postmasters held at Washington, D.C. He was also a delegate to the Democratic State Convention at Cedar Rapids, which nominated Whiting for Governor. In 1888 he was a delegate to the Congressional Convention at Davenport, and often takes his seat in the Democratic County Conventions.

In March, 1889, Mr. Godes purchased the Preston Lumber Yard, and there is every reason to suppose that he will conduct it successfully, as he possesses undoubted business ability, and is uniformly courteous to all those with whom he has dealings.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)