Nilles, Peter 1856-1920

NILLES, FRANK

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/18/2023 at 10:37:15

LeMars Sentinel, Tuesday, June 8, 1920

REMSEN PIONEER DIES.

Remsen Bell-Enterprise:
The death of Peter Nilles, which occurred Thursday morning, May 29, at 11:40 was expected by the family and intimate friends for some time, as Mr. Nilles was very ill with asthma and bronchitis for many weeks. He began to suffer with rheumatism five years ago, and later his other ailments took hold of him and caused considerable suffering for a long time. The family was at his bedside when the end came.

Peter Nilles was 63 years of age at the time of his death. He was born on August 14, 1856, in Bissen, Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, Europe, and came to the United States in 1878, settling in Chicago. For one year he was employed by a gardener, and for two more years he worked as a teamster in that city. For several years after coming here, Mr. Nilles worked on farms, and on January 13, 1885, he was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Frank, then living here.

Mr. and Mrs. Nilles were the first couple to be married in the Catholic Church in Remsen, the ceremony taking place in the first church structure, which was later destroyed by a cyclone. Their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary was celebrated at the family home in Remsen last January, when their children all gathered as a surprise to the couple.

Immediately after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Nilles moved to a farm three miles south of Remsen, which they owned. They lived there for thirteen years, and then purchased the old Frank farm, owned by Mrs. Nilles’ father, one mile south of their first place, in Marion township. They moved to that place and lived there until the year 1909, when they moved to town and retired. Before coming to town, however, Mr. and Mrs. Nilles made a trip to their old home in Luxemburg, visiting there for two months.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nilles were the parents of thirteen children, five of whom died young. The remaining eight children are: Hubert, John, Dominic, Joseph, Peter, and Annie, all of Remsen; and Nicholas, of Dell Rapids, S.D.; and Mary, now Mrs. Adam C. Schmidt, of Wauzeka, Wis.