Mehlhop, John H.

MEHLHOP, SANDER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Plym. CC (email)
Date: 3/19/2005 at 12:01:24

John H. Mehlhop

John Mehlhop, a well-known and substantial retired farmer, Henry township, now living at Remsen, where he and his family are very comfortably situated, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of this country since he was eighteen years of age. He was born in the Prussian province of Hanover on February 19, 1847, son of Johann Albert and Margaret (Sander) Mehlhop, also Hanoverians, the former of whom was a carpenter and both of whom spent all their lives in their native country. They were the parents of three children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the eldest, the others being Mary, who is still living in Hanover, and Beta, who is married and lives in Grant county, Wisconsin.

Upon completing his schooling in his native land, John H. Mehlhop decided to come to the United States and seek his fortune in the Northwest. He came over here in 1865, he then being eighteen years of age, and located at La Crosse, Wisconsin, in the neighborhood of which he was for five years engaged in farming. He then went to Grant county, that same state, was married there in 1878 and worked at general labor there until he came to this county, where he ever since has made his home. In 1882 Mr. Mehlhop came over to this part of Iowa and after prospecting a bit bought a quarter of a section of land in Henry township, this county. The next year he moved with his family on to that farm and began to develop and improve the same. From the very beginning he prospered in his farming operations and presently added to his holdings by the purchase of an additional quarter section and on this farm he remained engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1907, when he retired from the active labors of the farm, bought his present handsome home at Remsen and has lived there ever since. Mr. Mehlhop is a Democrat and has served the public in the capacity of school director and as treasurer of the school district in which he lived for years. Though he and his wife started in a small way when they began life's journey together, their united efforts have been successful and they are now enjoying the ample rewards of their industry and prudent management.

It was in the fall of 1878, in Grant county, Wisconsin, that John H. Mehlhop was united in marriage to Anna Meyer, who also was born in the province of Hanover, a daughter of Frederick and Mary (Seamers) Meyer, natives of that same province, the former of whom was a brick-mason and who spent all their lives in their native land. Frederick Meyer and wife were the parents of five children, two of whom died in Hanover and three of whom came to this country, those besides Mrs. Mehlhop being Dietrich, a brick mason, who died at Plattville, Wisconsin, and Fred, a tailor, who died in Chicago. To Mr. and Mrs. Mehlhop six children have been born, namely: John, who died at the age of eight years; Henry, a well-known farmer of Henry township, this county, who married Emma Erickson and has three children, George, Alma and Marie; Louise, who died at the age of two years and six months; Anna, who married John Hollen, a farmer, of Henry township, and has four children, Mary, Henry, Emma and Viola; Carl, a farmer of Henry township, and Bertha, who died at the age of six months. The Mehlhop established a very substantial home in Henry township and ever took an earnest part in the various social activities of that neighborhood.

BOOK SOURCE:
History of Plymouth County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen, 1917