Hanke, Dallas

HANKE, ARMOUR, HUNTER, VINCENT, HITCHLER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/23/2009 at 17:07:52

Hanke, Dallas

The true western spirit of progress and enterprise is strikingly exemplified in the lives of such men as Dallas Hanke, one of Jasper County's honored native sons, whose energetic nature and laudable ambition have enabled him to conquer many adverse circumstances and advance steadily. He has met and overcome obstacles that would have discouraged many men of less determination and won for himself not only a comfortable competency, together with one of the very choice farms of this favored locality, but also a prominent place among the enterprising men of this section of the great Hawkeye commonwealth. Such a man is a credit to any community and his life forcibly illustrates what energy and consecutive effort can accomplish when directed and controlled by correct principles and high moral resolves, and no man is worthier of conspicuous mention in a volume of the province of the one at hand.

Mr. Hanke was born in Jasper County on November 25, 1870, the son of Edward and Margaret (Armour) Hanke, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married, and the father worked as a candy-maker in Philadelphia for some time. About forty-five years ago he came to Jasper County, Iowa, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Kellogg Township, which he developed and on which he made his home for twenty-five years, when he rented his farm, moved to Kellogg, and there engaged in the hotel business for two years, and from there he moved to Stewart for about three years and then he came to Newton, where he lived about three or four years and then returned to his farm for two years and then went to Philadelphia, where he engaged in the grocery and oil business. There his death occurred about fifteen years ago at the age of sixty years. He was familiar with the oil business, having been engaged in that for some time in Pennsylvania. After his death his widow remarried, her last husband being John Ashley, and they are living in Newton, Iowa.

Dallas Hanke was the youngest child in a family of four children, namely: John is engaged in farming east of Newton; George died in Pennsylvania in very early life; Dena married James Hunter, a machinist, and they are living in Des Moines. By her second marriage Mrs. Hanke has no children.

Dallas Hanke received his schooling in the district school in Kellogg Township and also attended school some in Newton. He started in life for himself when twelve years of age and when twenty years old he began farming for himself. He purchased eighty acres of land in Newton Township when he was twenty-one years old and this he farmed for sixteen years, when he sold it together with another eighty, which he had added to it. This was in 1907. He then bought the place he now owns and put up a fine, modern residence. His splendid farm here consists of two hundred and five acres, well improved and under a high state of cultivation, in fact, there is no more valuable or desirable farm in the County, and, considering the fact that he has made this fine property by his own efforts, he has a just cause to be proud of it. He has never depended upon anyone to do either his work or planning, and, having managed well and closely applied himself, his large success is the legitimate reward of energy well spent a life honorably lived.

In 1892 Mr. Hanke was united in marriage with Mary Vincent, who was born at Metz, Iowa, the daughter of Platt and Alla (Hitchler) Vincent. Her parents were very early settlers at Metz. Mr. Vincent, who is now seventy years of age, has been a teacher in the public schools for a period of fifty years and is still engaged in the work, being one of the best known and popular educators of the County, his services having been in great demand, both his ability and character having been fully tested and found of the highest order. His wife died when the daughter, Mrs. Hanke, was three years of age. Mr. Vincent has remained faithful to his wife's memory and has never married again. His only other child, besides Mrs. Hanke, was a son, who died in infancy.

To Mr. and Mrs. Hanke five children have been born, as follows: Raymond, who is attending high school in Newton; Floy has just completed the graded schools; Alva attends school in Newton, as does also Merlo; Earl is a year old at this writing.

Mr. Hanke is a stanch Republican, and while he takes the interest of a good citizen in the affairs of his town and County, he is not a seeker after public honors. He is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Newton, as is also Mrs. Hanke, who is a cultured and affable lady, who, like her husband, has made a host of friends since moving here. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1006.