Heesch, John

HEESCH

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 10/22/2008 at 16:09:02

John Heesch

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.214, Pleasant Twp.)
John Heesch, farmer, P. O. Avoca, was born in Holstein, Germany, September 21, 1843, son of Hans and Anna (Timm) Heesch; both natives of Holstein, Germany, he, born in 1817 and died in 1855; she, born in 1819, and died as did her husband also, in their natives country. They were farmers, and the parents of six children, five sons and one daughter. Our subject received his education in his native country, and started in life as a farmer. He came to the United States in 1865, and lived in Davenport, this State, for eight years. Here he was married, June 5, 1869, to Wilhelmina Freese, born in Waldeck, Germany, April 23, 1849, daughter of Friedrich and Wilhelmina (Roch) Freese, both natives of Waldeck, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Heesch have five children - Anna, Louisa, Katharina, John and Wilhelmina. Our subject came to Pleasant Township in 1873, and purchased 160 acres of wild land at $8 per acre. In 1875, he added eighty acres of wild land at $12.50 per acre. He set out a grove of two acres, an orchard of 140 trees and has made many other substantial improvements, including good farm buildings. He carries on general farming. In religion, he is a Lutheran, and in politics a Republican. He is at present Road Supervisor.