Schulte, Louis H. 1860-1938

SCHULTE, MOHNING

Posted By: Linda Mohning (email)
Date: 2/19/2007 at 14:58:44

Louis H. Schulte is
Stricken Suddenly
_____

Death Comes Without Warning
Monday to Widely Known
and Beloved Pioneer.
_____

Death came swiftly—unannounced—Monday as it dealt a crushing, painful blow to a prominent Remsen family and the community as a whole, when Louis H. Schulte, for half a century one of the leading business, political and civic leaders of the county passed away peacefully at his home in Sunnyside addition to Remsen. A heart attack, believed to have been induced by over-exertion, was given as the immediate cause of his death. Mr. Schulte was 77 years old and is survived by his sorrowing widow, two sons and a half-brother. Funeral services took place at the family home this (Thursday) afternoon.

Mr. Schulte and his good wife celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary last Sunday when a reception was held at the home of their son Irving, four miles south of town, and scores of admiring friends called during the day to pay their respects to this honorable and honored couple and to wish them well in the years to come. The important anniversary was celebrated Sunday for convenience sake although the precise date was February 9,[1938] but death stole a march by less than 48 hours to dispel their fond hopes of reaching the fiftieth milestone of wedding bliss.

During the past year the family and friends noticed a gradual decline in Mr. Schulte’s physical state although there was no chronic ailment. Infirmities slowly crept upon him toward the close of an active life, but Sunday, among family members, other relatives and numerous friends Mr. Schulte was in high spirits and his pleasure over his associations was perceptible throughout the day. . Monday found him again enjoying life to the fullest and while visiting relatives were way for a few hours he decided on a visit among friends in town as had been his daily custom for years. His spirit and physical wellbeing were such on this occasion that he left his walking cane behind and he spent several hours at various places about town and did some shopping. Late in the afternoon he returned to his home in Sunnyside, a distance of about eight blocks, but fatigue overtook him and he was seen to rest for a few minutes in from of the Peter Ott home, just a short distance from his own.

Upon entering the home Mr. Schulte conversed with his wife and others in his usual cheerful manner but a few minutes later complained of being tired, and he reclined on a couch. His son Irving and wife were then present and the family sought to make him as comfortable as possible but thought lightly of his condition. Soon he rallied and conversed on various subjects, and as the supper hour approached Mr. and Mrs. Irving Schulte drove to their home 4 miles south of town. As they entered their home they were called to the telephone and were informed that the father had passed away. It was then 5:45 o’clock.

Born November 22, 1860, on a farm near Garnavillo, Iowa, Louis H. Schulte was a member of a pioneer Clayton county family. His father died when Louis was but six months old and the mother continued for a number of years to operate the farm. In his young manhood Mr. Schulte, after leaving school, learned the trade of a tinsmith and was employed in Garnavillo for several years.

Seeking to widen his scope of experience and convinced of better prospects in this part of the state, Mr. Schulte came to Remsen in 1886 and for six months was employed at his trade by J.T. Wictor. Mr. Schulte returned to Garnavillo and on February 9, 1887(sic-1888), he was united in marriage there to Sophia Mohning. Impressed with apparent possibilities in western Iowa where the verdant prairies held an appeal to him, Mr. Schulte brought his bride to Remsen where he had gained an acquaintance, and he purchased 80 acres four miles south of town. The couple settled here to begin a long life of joint struggle for themselves and usefulness to the community and in these Mr. Schulte became eminently successful. A subsequent purchase double the size of the Schulte farm, to which improvements were added year by year to make it one of the best equipped farmsteads in this end of the county. The old home is still owned by the family and is occupied by the Irving H. Schulte family.

While on the farm Mr. Schulte served Remsen township as assessor for several years. This was his first political position, to be followed by important victories in this field in after years, and one of the outstanding marks of the esteem in which he was held was his repeated success at the polls as a republican in the face of overwhelming opposite party affiliations.

For nine years as a resident of rural Remsen township Mr. Schulte represented the Second district on the board of supervisors. Here he clearly demonstrated his qualities of leadership, honesty and integrity. Old timers distinctly recall the bitter fight that raged for weeks in the supervisors’ chamber when it came to a decision on the acceptance of the (then) new courthouse. Mr. Schulte was one of two members who refused to register their acceptance because they had observed various gross discrepancies in the quality of material used in the construction of the new building. Three supervisors favored acceptance and after many days of argument the matter was settled as an honorable defeat on the part of the Second district supervisor and his teaming colleague. His stand on the question won Mr. Schulte a wide acquaintance and much admiration and laid the foundation for subsequent favorable consideration at the hands of voters in both the major parties.

In 1906 his friends urged Mr. Schulte to seek the Remsen postmastership in spite of the fact that he still resided in the country. He won the appointment and served for eight years during the Theodore Roosevelt and Taft administrations. Not the slightest fault was found with his service, both among patrons and by postal department authorities.

When Woodrow Wilson was placed in the presidential chair and a democrat followed a postmaster, Mr. Schulte again hearkened to the urging of his friends, both democrats and republicans, and filed for the republican nomination for this office of county treasurer. He was nominated without opposition and in the November election in 1914 he was an overwhelming winner for the office, which he held with credit to himself and his constituents for one term. Declining to accept another nomination, his son Irving made the race and succeeded. The father and mother continued to make their home in Le Mars for three years—five years in all—after which they returned to Remsen to spend their declining days among the friends they loved so well and who welcomed them back as permanent residents.

Louis H. Schulte was a man of many admirable traits of character, all of which early in life won him distinction and favorable patronage and in his later life made him one of the conspicuous public figures in the community in which he lived—and beyond. Absolute honesty and fair play in business and politics were embodied in his motto of life and this characteristic created a large following of loyal admirers who never wavered in their confidence in his ability and firm desire to serve as a good citizen should. The fact that he won public recognition by all political parties while staunchly he adhered to the basic principles of but one, was both a testimonial of his worth and a tribute to his character. Mr. Schulte’s family life was sublime. Devoted, trustworthy, able and loyal in every detail of public and private life—these were the sum and substance of his makeup of character which made him one of the county’s outstanding figures and a man who will be truly missed by hundreds of friends as his passing is heart-breaking to those nearest and dearest him in life.

Surviving are, besides the sorrowing widow and half-century helpmate, two sons, Irving H. and Fred, both of Remsen, and a half-brother, Fred W. Benjegerdes of Postville, Iowa. Three brothers, a sister and a half-brother preceded him in death.

Funeral services were held this afternoon at the Schulte home and hundreds of friends from over the county and adjoining territory joined the grief-laden relatives in paying a last and fitting tribute to the memory of the deceased. Services were conducted by Steve Oathout of Sioux Falls, a leader in the Watchtower organization of Bible students. Burial was made in the Remsen cemetery.

Pall bearers were: A.D. Ohlendorf, Paul Schmidt, John Harnack, Charles F. Lang, Cloyde Woodke and Earl Cooper.

[Calculated date of death from this obit as 7 Feb 1938.]