vonBerg, Bridget Marie 1840-1912

BIRD, VONBERG, BERG, VON BERG

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 5/2/2023 at 18:50:22

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
Tuesday, May 5, 1912

WAS NO TOWN THEN.
Mrs. Berg Was Among First of the Early Settlers.
HAS LIVED HERE FORTY YEARS.
Homesteaded on the Place Where She Died When the Larger Portion of Northwestern Iowa Was a Boundless Sea of Prairie.

Mrs. Bridget Berg, one of the first settlers in this vicinity, died at her home east of town in America township on Saturday after an illness of some duration, death being caused principally by failing powers due to the weight of years.

Bridget Marie Bird was a native of Canada and was born in the city of Quebec on August 5, 1840, where she grew to young womanhood. In 1856 the family moved to Bloomington, Ill., and in 1860 to McGregor, Iowa. Here she met and became acquainted with Charles Von Berg and they were married on May 5, 1862, at McGregor, where they lived until 1867, when they went to live near Waterloo.

They homesteaded in in Plymouth county in July, 1868, one mile east of where now stands St. Joseph’s church in this city, and that has been her home since. Mrs. Berg was among the first of the pioneers in this section. There were a few scattered along the banks of the Floyd, but east of here was one vast plain of prairie for miles and miles with here and there a shack belonging to some homesteader or squatter.

In those days John Blodgett, now deceased, had a store where now stands the home of G. E. Richardson, and the late Capt. Betsworth had a log cabin near the Karley residence in the northeast end of town. This was all the town there was when the Bergs homesteaded, and the railroad had not yet been built.

Mrs. Berg leaves three sons and a daughter to mourn the loss of a loving mother. They are Chas. Von Berg and A. C. L. Von Berg of this city; William Von Berg, of America township, living on the old homestead, and Mrs. Will Henry, of Marcus.

The funeral was held yesterday morning at St. Joseph’s church, Rev. F. X. Feuerstein officiating.