Lang, Gustav 1845-1935

LANG, JANTZ

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/14/2004 at 17:50:29

PIONEER LAND OWNER TAKEN BY DEATH

Gustav Lang died in his home at Merrill, Saturday, Sept. 7, 1935, following an illness of 27 weeks. Mr. Lang came from Wisconsin in 1869, and homesteaded in Stanton township, where he lived 38 years until retiring and moving to Merrill. He was 90 years of age.

Funeral services were held Tuesday at the Methodist church in Merrill, and burial was in the Stanton township cemetery.

[newspaper dated 12 Sep 1935]
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Another Obituary:

Gustav Lang Was One of The Pioneer Settlers of The Merrill Community. After a sickness of several months, most of which was spent in bed, Gustav Lang, the eldest citizen of Merrill, passed away at his home Saturday afternoon. He had passed the four score and ten mile post which made him 90 years, 2 months and 20 days old.

Mr. Lang was born in Germany, June 17, 1845, and came to America with his parents seven years later. They settled at Manasha. Wis., where he grew to manhood and worked most of the
time in the pinery. It was in the year of I860 that he was married to Miss Amelia Jantz. To their union were born 11 children, five of whom preceded him in death. The last of these
to pass away was Mrs. Anna Miller, who died in 1929, leaving four daughters and her husband to mourn her going. His wife passed away in February, 1930.

The family came from Manasha to Plymouth county, Iowa, in 1860, and settled on a farm in Stanton township. They spent 38 years on the farm, the first two of which he farmed with an ox
team. On his 90th birthday the 17th day of last June he well remembered that in those days it took a full day to drive to Le Mars or Sioux City, and another to return home. Mr. Lang was a carpenter by trade and spent most of his active life at this trade and farming. As a result of hard work and careful management he became a large land owner .

With the help of John Dobbert , he built the first bridge over the Floyd River at Melbourne, which was at that time the county seat of Plymouth County.

Mr. and Mrs. Lang moved to Merrill and retired from their labors in 1907. After the death of his wife five years ago , his son George and wife lived with him and kept house for him .

The six children who survive him are: Mrs. Bertha Richardson of Aberdeen, S. D.; Will , Albert, and George of Merrill ; Mrs. Rose Coatsworth, of Alexandria, S. D ., and Henry of Sioux City. Besides 24 grandchildren and 11 great-grand children , there are many other relatives and friends to mourn his loss. Mr. Lang was brought up in the Lutheran faith, and during
the days when the family was all together about the home fireside he conducted a family altar. In the latter years of his life he attended the Evangelical and Methodist churches.

After a brief service in the home Tuesday afternoon, the body was taken to the Methodist Church in Merrill, the same church from which his wife's funeral was held in 1930 . The past
or , Rev. J. M. Howdeshell, conducted the services after which the remains were laid to rest by the side of those of his companion in the Stanton Township Cemetery.

Le Mars Globe Post
Monday, Sept. 16, 1935
Le Mars, Iowa