William Aitken Family

AITKEN, STRUBLE, PEMBROOK

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/21/2015 at 13:33:15

Monona County History
1982

The William Aitken Family, page 84-85

William and Blanche Struble Aitken began their married life together on a farm, owned by Howard Reese, as a renter 1 ½ miles north of Turin in Monona County, Belvidere Township, Feb. 15, 1915. Here their first daughter was born.

William Aitken was a native of Aberdienshire, Scotland, born Nov. 22, 1883, and came to America, landing with the family in Canada in 1903. Shortly he came into the U.S. as he enjoyed this kind of farming which he pursued all his life.

Blanche Erma Struble was born Feb. 9, 1895 in Monona County; the oldest of eleven children of Ira Edward and Effa Elizabeth Pembrook Struble. Mrs. Struble was the 2nd child of eleven children of John Wesley and Amelia Knuse Pembrook, born April 15, 1874, in Crawford Co., Iowa. Ira Edward Struble was the 8th child of the eleven children of Charles and Margaret Leddy Struble, born April 24, 1872, in Kossouth Co., Iowa. The Strubles carrying on the tradition of eleven children in a family.

William and Blanche were the parents of six daughters; Juanita, Mrs. Mahlon Rickoff; Winona, Mrs. Edward Olson; Wanda, Mrs. Emil Olson; Wilda, Robert Erickson; Wyma, Mrs. Everett Knoff; and Letty Jane, Mrs. Les Hammer. Five of their daughters taught school in Monona County following the footsteps of their grandmother, Mrs. Ed Struble.

William and Blanche Aitken’s first home was a country schoolhouse remodeled; the Struble School on the Beaver of Jordan Township moved to 40 acres in Arcola Community, Kennebec Township. This land had been purchased from the George Fischer Estate. Here five of their daughters were born.

In 1927, the Aitkens moved to a rented farm, the Copeland farm. After 14 years they returned to the Arcola Community to build a new house on their farm in 1941. Here William and Blanche lived until William’s death in June, 1949. Blanche left the farm in 1956 to reside in Castana, Iowa, where she became Mrs. John Poulasky. Blanche and John moved to Onawa, IA, in July, 1964, where she now resides. Mr. Poulasky passed away in Feb., 1979.

A unique happening in Blanche’s family was sisters marrying brothers in three generations. Two of her aunts, Aunt Nellie, Mrs. Willie Davis; Aunt Edith, Mrs. Johnny Davis; two of her sisters, Floris, Mrs. Chester Davis; Clelia, Mrs. Charles Davis; and two of her daughters; Winona, Mrs. Edward (Ted) Olson, Wanda, Mrs. Emil Olson, all married brothers.

Blanche is still enjoying a good life in Monona County with her family of 13 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren besides her step-family. She is active supporting her hobbies of piecing quilts and baking bread. She enjoys the many family get-togethers at holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries. The only missing link of this happiness was the death of her daughter, Mrs. Emil Olson.