HAMBRECHT, Frederick 1827-1908

HAMBRECHT, HOLBOTH

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/27/2012 at 18:10:17

BORN: 10 APR 1827
DIED: 16 SEP 1908

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 democrat 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.

[History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 82.]
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NOTES:

Friedrick Hambrecht died September 16, 1908, in Mitchell County, and is buried at Stacyville Cemetery.

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Photo of Frederick Hambrecht from History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, Illustrated, 1883 -- From Osage Public Library.

Photo of Tombstone on GPP
 

Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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