Hummel, Louis Michael – 1857-1944

HUMMEL, STRATER

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 10/1/2014 at 16:13:22

Funeral Services Held For Jasper County Pioneer
To Iowa With Family Shortly After County Opened To Settlement
Funeral services for Louis Michael Hummel, 86 year old son of pioneer immigrant farmers to Iowa who died Thursday, March 30, at his home northwest of Monroe, were conducted Sunday afternoon from the Crumpacker Funeral home in Monroe. The Rev. P. G. Bauer, pastor of the Kellogg Lutheran church officiated and burial was made in the Monroe Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Orville, Keith, Willis, Ray and Forrest Nearmyer, all brothers, and Wayne and Donald Nerarmyer.
During the rites, Mrs. William Lewis, playing her own accompaniment, sang “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Rock of Ages.”
Native of Indiana
The third child of the late Benjamin and Nancy Hummel, “Mike” as Mr. Hummel was familiarly known, was born in a log house near Elkhart, Ind., on Sept. 4, 1857, and, with his parents at the age of six, moved west in a two-wagon train locating in Jasper county on the same farm on which he continued to live until his death.
They bought 190 acres of land at $6 per acre, later adding 80 acres, much of it unbroken. By wagon, they returned to Iowa City, then the end of the railroad line for a barrel of scrap iron and tools before they could start building their cabin home.
Four years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Hummel, the former Mary Catherine Strater to whom he was united in marriage on March 16, 1898, were given recognition in Wallace’s Farmer and Iowa Homestead magazine for their outstanding record as successful Iowa farmers.
Pioneer Life
In an interview at that time Mr. Hummel recalled that their “Cabin rose above the sod, its cracks stuffed with sticks, made tight with a mortar of marsh grass and clay. It was fenced in with crossed rails for cattle then ran loose. To bring up the cattle, we bought ponies from the Indians at $15 a head. The native slough grass was four feet high, broken only by hazel brush. We had to use 14 head of oxen on a breaker the first plowing.
“The old sod breaker wheels were made of wooden logs, six inches in thickness; had a wooden axle, a level to drop the share down a foot to clean hazel roots. As we’d plow one furrow, we’d drop in corn then cover it with the next furrow. Cultivating was slow, had to plow it from both sides … had a fair stand, raised right around ten bushels to the acre.” Mr. Hummel recalled dealings with the Indians whose trail ran near his house; stage coach drives; and good hunting which included a 36-pound wolf which he bagged and a 35-pound Mississippi catfish he speared in Skunk river.
Survivors
In addition to his wife he is survived by an only son, Fred. He was preceded in death by one brother and one sister, in addition to his parents.
Mr. Hummel was baptized in early childhood in the Lutheran faith and was confirmed during the time the Rev. Boden of Kellogg conducted services in the Excelsior school house. He was also a member of the Daily News’ Three Quarter Century club.
Mr. Hummel’s death came after several weeks’ illness during which he had been confined to his bed for three weeks. He had been in failing health since 1937.
(NOTE: his obituary included a photo)
Source: Newton Daily News, April 8, 1944, page 1, col. 3