Harre, Otto

HARRE, MEIERKORT, KRACHT, GEISE, KANNE, HAGER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/30/2009 at 12:37:20

Harre, Otto

If a list could be made of the original homes of the old settlers of this portion of Iowa it would be found that a very large number of them came to Jasper County from the German Empire, or at least their ancestors did, some of them, maybe, settling in the old Keystone or Empire states or other sections of the East, and not a few in the Badger and Wolverine states of the North, and from these their descendants emigrated to this section; thus thousands of our best citizens are of this descent and blood. The German people are noted the world over for their thrift, honesty and industry, and for that reason the United States has always welcomed them to our shores. One of the progressive farmers of Independence Township, Jasper County, who belongs to the second generation of Germans in America is Otto Harre, whose birth occurred in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, December 2, 1870. He is the son of Fred and Wilhelmina (Meierkort) Harre, both natives of Lippe-Detmold, Germany, the father on June 4, 1830, and the mother on October 3, 1848. There they spent their childhood, and immigrated to America in early life, locating in Wisconsin, from which state they came to Jasper County, Iowa, when their son Otto, of this sketch, was quite young. Here they established a good home through their untiring industry and honesty, and here the father spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in Independence Township on September 4, 1888; the mother survives, living now in Baxter.

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Harre, all of whom are living; they were named as follows: Mrs. Emma Kracht, who lives in Baxter; Fred, who lives in Pleasanton, Nebraska; Mrs. Pauline Geise, born October 3, 1864, lives in Malaka Township; Otto, of this sketch; Albert, born August 13, 1873, lives in Waverly, Iowa; Mrs. Mattie Kanne, born April 19, 1875, lives in Malaka Township; Mrs. Clara Hager, born October 30, 1877, lives in Baxter; William, born August 20, 1879. The elder children were born in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, the younger ones in Independence Township, Jasper County, Iowa.

Politically, Mr. Harre is a Republican and he has been a member of the school board in Eden Township, Marshall County, and he has always been active in bettering the conditions of his vicinity.

Mr. Harre is the owner of one of the best farms in Eden Township, Marshall County, which he has placed under excellent improvements and a high state of cultivation. He has carried on general farming and stock raising, and he has a good home and splendid outbuildings. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1341.