FELDT, Ferdinand [1918]

FELDT, BRUNK, WILTE, GRASSEL, DIEDRICH

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 6/13/2010 at 16:33:26

Ferdinand Feldt, who is engaged in general farming on section 18, Newburg township, is one of the self-made men of Mitchell county who owes his business advancement and prosperity directly to his own labors. He was born in Pomerania, Germany, on the 4th of May, 1855, a son of Michael and Caroline (Brunk) Feldt, who came to America with their family in 1872 and settled near Mitchell, Iowa, taking up their abode upon a farm in Rock Creek township. They had a family of five children: August, who is still living near Mitchell; William, who makes his home in Rock Creek township; Louise, who has passed away; Ferdi­nand, of this review; and Albert, who is new located in Worth county, Iowa. The death of the father occurred in 1887, when he was seventy-six years of age, for he was born in 1811. His wife, who was born in 1820, passed away in 1908.

Ferdinand Feldt acquired a common school education in Rock Creek township and when not busy with his textbooks assisted his father in the work of the home farm until he attained his majority. He then started out in the business world on his own account, renting a farm south of St. Ansgar. He thus continued to rent land until he had saved from his earnings a sum sufficient to enable him to purchase property. He bought a farm in connection with his brothers, but hard times came on and though he labored earnestly to make the place pay, he was obliged to let it go. He afterward rented for cash for three years and during that period, through the practice of untiring industry and close economy, he again accumulated enough to enable him to purchase a farm, and became the owner of a tract of land in Barton township, Worth county. It has ever been characteristic of Mr. Feldt that he has never allowed himself to become discouraged, but by unfaltering industry and perseverance he has worked his way upward and deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. His father died in 1887 and Mr. Feldt then purchased the old home property, becoming owner of eighty acres of land in Newburg township. To this he has added from time to time until at present he owns an entire section of well improved land, constituting one of the extensive and valuable farms of Mitchell county. In all of his work he is most progressive and enterprising and utilizes the latest scientific methods in his farm work, which produce splendid results.

Mr. Feldt was united in marriage to Miss Ottilie Wilte and they have become the parents of five children: Gustav, who is living in Newburg township; Anne, the wife of Fred Diedrich; Elizabeth, the wife of George Grassel; and Ella and Robert, who are at home.

In his political views Mr. Feldt is a republican, and while not an office seeker, he has served as a director of his school district. He is a member of the German Lutheran church and is interested in all that pertains to the welfare and prog­ress of his community. He is a stockholder in the lumber and grain company and also in the creamery company, and in business affairs he displays sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise. He has never allowed obstacles or diffi­culties to bar his path, but by determined effort has surmounted these and has worked his way steadily upward until his position in the agricultural circles of Mitchell county is a most enviable one. He is now the possessor of a handsome competence that supplies him with all of the necessities and many of the luxuries of life

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, pages 273 & 274.