HAMBRECHT, Frank

HAMBRECHT, HOLBOTH

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 6/28/2009 at 21:15:44

Frank Hambrecht is living on section 13, Union township, Mitchell county. It was upon this farm that he was born on the 29th of August, 1863. His entire life has here been passed and his fellow townsmen are therefore familiar with his history. He has devoted his time and energies to general agricultural pur­suits with good results and is numbered among those who are keeping stable the business affairs of the district.

His father, Frederick Hambrecht, came to Mitchell county, Iowa, in 1856, being among its earliest pioneers. He was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, on the 10th of April, 1827, and on coming to the new world took up his abode in Lasalle county, Illinois, where he was united in marriage to Miss Christiana Holboth, on the 19th of April, 1857. She was born on the 29th of July, 1834, in Bavaria, Germany, and by her marriage she became the mother of seven children: Frank; George; Conrad, who is engaged in the practice of law at Iowa City; Henry; Emma; Julia; and Vienna. The last two are now deceased, while the others are still living upon the old home place, save Conrad.

Following his arrival in Iowa, Frederick Hambrecht lived in true pioneer style. The work of progress and development had scarcely been begun in this section of the state. Much of the land was still unclaimed and uncultivated. One looking abroad over the country saw the landscape covered in June with the native prairie grasses, starred with a million wild flowers, while in De­cember it was one dazzling and unbroken sheet of snow. On hundreds of acres not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made. The family bore many of the hardships and privations of early pioneer times. They lived for one year on corn bread. The nearest market town was McGregor, Iowa, a hundred miles away. Times were hard throughout the country and it was especially difficult to gain a start in Mitchell county owing to the remoteness of the county from the older established sections, so that there was little market for what was raised. However, as the years passed by Mr. Hambrecht prospered in his undertakings and as his financial resources increased he invested more and more largely in land, becoming owner of seven hundred and twenty acres, constituting a very valuable property. He started, however, with but one hundred and sixty acres, which he purchased at the usual government price of a dollar and a quarter per acre. He gave his political allegiance to the democratic party but did not seek nor desire office. His religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church and he assisted in organizing and became one of the charter members of the Presbyterian church of his section. He also helped organize the first school where the present church stands. His work was indeed of great worth to the community and his name will ever be honored as one of the pioneer settlers who contributed in marked measure to public progress and improvement in this section of the state.

Frank Hambrecht, whose name introduces this review, was reared upon the old home farm and pursued a common school education, supplemented by study in the Cedar Valley Seminary through three seasons. At a very early age he began work in the fields and has always continued to engage in farm work. He now owns in his home place three hundred and twenty acres of rich and valuable land, from which he derives a gratifying annual income as a reward for the care and labor which he bestows upon the fields. He has started a herd of thoroughbred Hereford cattle and intends to give considerable time to stock .raising. His brother George, also upon the homestead, was educated in the common schools and has spent the greater part of his life in the county. The other brother, Henry, acquired a common school education and has worked with his brother Frank from his boyhood to the present time.

Frank Hambrecht is a stockholder in the Stacyville Grain & Coal Cooperative Elevator Company, was one of its charter members and served on its board of directors for four years. In community affairs he has ever been deeply inter­ested and has occupied the position of trustee of Union township for ten years. In business matters his judgment is sound. In public matters he manifests marked devotion to the general good and his aid and cooperation can at all times be counted upon to further public improvements. He represents one of the honored pioneer families and his work is carrying to still further completion the good work begun by his father in pioneer times.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 82.