Koehler, Margaret 1834-1911

KOEHLER

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 6/17/2020 at 11:55:42

Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, June 23, 1911

Pioneer Woman Dead

Had Lived Here For Past Thirty-Five Years

Was Mother of Many Sons

Deceased Was a Native of Germany and Came to America When a Girl, and the Family Settled in Freeport, Illinois.

Mrs. Margaret Koehler died at her home on Court street in this city on Wednesday night, aged 77 years. She had been in feeble health for some time due to failing powers consequent on the infirmities of age. A few days ago she suffered a slight stroke of paralysis, which probably hastened the end.

Mrs. Koehler was one of the pioneer residents of Le Mars, having lived here for the past thirty-five years, and was well known to all the older residents and to many of the younger people. To know her was to love her.

She enjoyed the respect and esteem of the whole community. Her life was a pattern. She devoted herself to her family, her friends and good works and many can testify to kindly deeds in the early days when the pioneers were not so well off or fortunate as their children and grandchildren.

Mrs. Koehler was a native of Germany and was born at Wollstein on March 15, 1834, her maiden name being Margaret Gund. With her parents she came to America in 1848, the family settling at Freeport, Ill., and subsequently in Galena, where she met and married Christian Koehler. Mr. and Mrs. Koehler came to Le Mars in 1876 and this has been the family home since. Mr. Koehler died on September 4, 1885. They had a large family of children and seven sons and two daughters are left to mourn the loss of a devoted mother and to revere the memory of a good woman. They are Chris Koehler, of Hastings, Neb.; Geo. Koehler, of Blue Hill, Neb.; Bart Koehler, of Geneva, Neb.; Henry Koehler, of Kansas City; Major B. M. Koehler, of the U. S. army at New York; Major L. M. Koehler, of the U. S. army at Fort Sneller; R. J. Koehler, Mrs. J. H. Struble and Miss Sophia Koehler, of this city. She also leaves two brothers, Louis Gund, of Marcus, and Henry Gund, of Lincoln, Neb., and a sister Mrs. Elizabeth Hettinger of Free Port, Ill. Two sons of the deceased died in 1900 within a few weeks of each other, Anthony, who succumbed to illness, and Capt. Edgar Koehler, of the United States army, who met death while in action fighting in the Phillipine Islands. She also leaves a number of grandchildren

In her declining years Mrs. Koehler has been Mrs. Koehler has been devotedly tended and nursed by her daughters and sons. She always looked forward to her birthday, March 15, when for many years the sons at a distance have made a point to be at home with their mother, the day being a happy and sacred anniversary in the family.

Many old friends paid a tribute of affectionate remembrance when the news was spread that Mrs. Margaret Koehler had passed to the beyond. The funeral services will be held at the home on Court street on Saturday morning at 10 o’clock, Rev. C. G. Butler, pastor of the First Presbyterian church officiating.