WIRTH, Henry 1875-1949

WIRTH, KRIZEK, RHOADES, REYNOLDS

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 12/27/2010 at 15:12:25

Henry Wirth 1875-1949

ST. ANSGAR, IOWA – Funeral services for Henry Wirth, long-time resident of St. Ansgar and vicinity, who died at his home here Saturday morning were Tuesday.

He was born on February 3, 1875 in New York State, the son of John and Aloise Wirth. He came with his parents to St. Ansgar vicinity and settled on the farm at age of 17. He had been ill for some time and had undergone surgery last spring.

He leaves a sister-in-law Mrs. Josephine Wirth, who had cared for him during illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, one sister.

[Waterloo Daily Courier, Tuesday, January 3, 1950]
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#2:

Henry Wirth 1875-1949

Henry Wirth was born in New York City February 3, 1875, the third of five children of John and Aloise Krizek. He was baptized there, and following graduation from the local grammar schools, worked as an apprentice in a blacksmith shop.

When he was 17 years old, he followed his two older brothers, Joseph and John, to Iowa where the latter were farming the 240 acre Nissen farm purchased by their father in 1892. Prior to that time, the two brothers had been working a 40 acre tract near by. The first few winters after Henry arrived were spent in repairing existing buildings and constructing new ones.

The following spring (1893) their parents and sister Louisa came from New York City to make their home here. That fall, the father died, leaving the three brothers to operate the farm for their mother.

During the winter months of the next few years, while farm buildings and a new house were being constructed, Henry alternated with his brothers in traveling and sailing to various foreign countries. He acquired a wide knowledge of Central and South American peoples and could always be relied upon for an interesting story.

He retired from active farming shortly after the death of his oldest brother in 1933, when he and his sister moved to their house in St. Ansgar, leaving a third to work part of the acreage. Henry took an active interest in his gardening and spent many hours reading, especially historical and travel books about the places he had visited in earlier years.

All other members of the immediate family preceded Henry in death. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Mrs. John Wirth, who cared for him during his illness, a nephew William of Elm Grove, Wis., and two nieces, Mrs. D.R. Rhoades of St. Ansgar, and Mrs. J.A. Reynolds of Naugatuck, Connecticut.

St. Ansgar Enterprise
(Credit: Karen Robertson)
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NOTE:
Henry must have died on Saturday, December 31, 1949.