Tonsfeldt, John 1854-1924

TONSFELDT, HANSON

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/15/2010 at 15:41:10

JOHN TONSFELDT CALLED BY REAPER

FUNERAL TO BE HELD FRIDAY
AFTERNOON IN REMSEN AND
LAID TO REST THERE

John Tonsfeldt, well known retired
farmer of Remsen, died at his home in
Remsen Tuesday morning, March 18,
at the age of 69 years, 7 months and
22 days. Death followed an apoplectic
stroke. Mr. Tonsfeldt suffered his
first stroke two weeks ago Sunday
and was recovering when the second
stroke occurred the following Saturday
morning.

The funeral will be Friday afternoon
at one o'clock; from the residence
at Remsen. The body will be taken
to the St. Paul's Evangelical church
and then to the Remsen cemetery.

Deceased Is survived by his wife
and the following children: H. P.
Tonsfeldt, Le Mars; Mrs. A. G. Miller,
Elkton, S. D.; Mrs. B. L. Tesdell and
Mrs. H. C. Burnstedt, of Des Moines;
A. C. Tonsfeldt, of Remsen; Miss.
Emma Tonsfeldt, at home. There are
21 grandchildren. One brother, Henry
Tonsfeldt, lives in Germany, and one
sister, Mrs. Voss, makes her home at
Albany, Ore. Four brothers and three
sisters preceded him in death.

Mr. Tonsfeldt was born July 25
1854, at Schulp, Holstein, Germany,
where he grew up. At the age of 18
years he came to the United States
and went first to Keystone, Benton
County, la., where he worked at farm
work. In 1880, on August 6, he was
married to Miss Mary Hanson and
settled on a farm near Keystone. In
1884 he moved with his wife and two
children to Remsen, in Plymouth County,
when there was still a lot of prairie
here. There were a few settlers
but they were quite scarce. Those were
the days when Iowa was still a
part of the Great American
deserts. The unbroken prairies
did not hold the moisture the
way the farmers plowed fields do now,
and droughts were plentiful. The grass-
hoppers had come and gone by this
time, but Mr. Tonsfeldt and his family
had plenty of pioneer hardships.
Towns and railroads were few and
far between, and there was not much
to them anyway.

Mr. Tonsfeldt continued to farm his
place until 1911, when he moved to
Le Mars and the children took hold of
the farm. He lived here six years—
then moved back to Remsen, in order
to be nearer the children. He has
made his home there ever since.

Deceased was a member of the Evan-
gelical church all his life. Mr. Tonsfeld
was a public spirited citizen. He
liked to be among other men and
took an active Interest In community
affairs, thus setting a good example
to be followed by his children after
his death. He early realized the advantage
to the farmer and the community
of raising cattle and in his
early days here fed many cattle. In
later years he specialized in Herefords.

Le Mars Globe-Post
Thursday, March 20, 1924
Le Mars, Iowa