KELLING, CHARLES H.

KELLING, BEAVER, STEPHENS, ALDRICH, KNIGHT

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 2/27/2004 at 12:49:32

Biography reproduced from page 650 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Charles H. Kelling is one of the four first settlers in Grant township, where he now owns a highly improved and valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres located on section 24, which he has been cultivating for twenty-one years. He was born in Wright county, this state, on July 22, 1865, and is a son of George and Jane (Beaver) Kelling. The father, who is a native of Germany, emigrated to the United States in early life, locating in Scott county, Iowa. In 1854, he removed to Wright county and purchased a tract of government land, which he cultivated during the remainder of his active life. He is still residing on his old homestead at the venerable age of eighty years, the oldest surviving settler in Wright county. The mother, who was a native of Pennsylvania and of Dutch extraction, passed away at the old home in Wright county in 1901. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Kelling numbered thirteen, all of whom are living, our subject being the eldest. In order of birth the others are as follows: John, who is a retired farmer of North Dakota; Ella, who is living at home with her father; Albert, who engages in the creamery business at Medical Lake, Washington; Edward, engaging in farming at Max, North Dakota; Amanda, who became the wife of D. M. Stephens, a retired railroad man and farmer of Goldfield, Iowa; Arthur, cultivating the home farm in Wright county; Walter, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Florence, Iowa; George, who is a farmer of Clayton, North Dakota; Oliver, who is at home; Eliza, the wife of J. J. Aldrich, a blacksmith of Marshalltown, Iowa; Maude, who married Jay Knight, a farmer of Carworth, Iowa; and Hattie, who is living at home.

There was no particular event or circumstance in the early life of Charles H. Kelling to distinguish it from that of other youths who are reared in the country. He obtained his education in the district schools and remained at home until he was twenty-seven years of age, assisting with the duties and labors connected with the cultivation of the farm. After leaving the parental roof, he went to Pocahontas county and worked out for nine months, but at the expiration of that time he decided to engage in farming for himself, so he came to Kossuth county and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 24, Grant township. When he located here his was the fourth house to be erected in the township, this portion of the county being very sparsely settled at that time. Later he extended the boundaries of his farm by the purchase of another forty acres, and now owns one of the most valuable properties in the community. He is practical and systematic in his undertakings as is evidence by the appearance of his farm. His fields are thoroughly drained and by rotation of crops are kept in a high state of productivity. He has built durable fences, erected a comfortable house and substantial barns and outbuildings, and all are kept in good repair. In connection with farming, Mr. Kelling has made a specialty of breeding and raising stock. He keeps high-grade cattle, and raises Shropshire sheep and Poland China hogs, the latter of whom are registered. He is meeting with success and is recognized as one of the representative agriculturists of the township by reason of his enterprising and progressive methods. Mr. Kelling has one of the best apple orchards in this section of the county. It contains fifty trees, eleven years old and in full bearing, and as the trees are carefully tended, they annually yield abundantly.

The fraternal relations of Mr. Kelling are confined to his membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in politics he is a democrat, and served for a term as trustee of Grant township. He is a man who takes an active interest in every movement that will aid in advancing the progress and development of the county, and is a stockholder in the Cooperative Creamery and Farmers Elevator Company at Ledyard.