Planalp, John 1823-1909

PLANALP, ABPLANALP, VON BERGEN, SIMMONS, MACON

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 3/8/2012 at 09:15:58

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; April 20, 1909

JOHN PLANALP

John Planalp (or Abplanalp, as the family name is written in the old country) was born in Central Switzerland, in 1823, and came to this country in 1851. He settled in New York and three years after landing here he married Margaret Von Bergen in Sullivan county, New York. The year following they moved to Ripley county, Indiana. There they lived for ten years, during which time four sons and one daughter were born to them.

In 1865 the family came in a prairie schooner to Iowa and were among the early settlers in Hickory Grove township, near Newburg. There three sons and four daughters were born and there the family lived and grew up. In 1899 the mother died after a prolonged illness and two years ago Mr. Planalp moved to this city, making his home on south Main street. Here he died Tuesday night, following brief illness. Brief services were held at the late residence here and interment made in the U.B. cemetery, where services were conducted by his former pastor, Rev. D.C. Violet, of Toledo, assisted by Rev. Mr. McCurdy, present pastor of the U.B. church, in Hickory Grove.

Five of his twelve children preceded him in death, while four sons and three daughters are still living, together with nine grandchildren. The names of the suviving children are J.W. Planalp of Storm Lake, C.D. Planalp of Coquille, Oregon; Grant Planalp of Grinnell, W.C. Planalp of Canby, Minn. and Mrs. G.W. Simmons, Mrs. T.S. Macon and Miss Lucy Planalp of Grinnell. All were present at the funeral services with the exception of C.D. Planalp and family who could not come on account of the great distance and W.C. Planalp and family who were detained by illness.

Mr. Planalp was a type of rugged, hardy pioneer, who won a competency for himself under difficulties on the Iowa prairies by hard, faithful work and good management. He lived to see the lands he had put under cultivation and wisely kept rise in values, leaving valuable property for his children. He was honest, hearty and thrifty and possessed a kind generous heart. He was of a religious nature and had deep faith in the eternal truths. He was for many years a faithful member of the German Lutheran church, but about four years go transferred his membership to the U.B. church of Hickory Grove, in which he was a pillar. He was a type of the keen, intelligent, industrious immigrant to whom the western country in particular owes the debt of good citizenship for the large part they played in redeeming the land and establishing good government. Personally he was affable to a marked degree and by his good natured ways as well as by his high character, won the friendship of all who knew him. He had passed far beyond the scriptural allotment of years and laid down to rest after eighty-six years, as a tired man after a day's work well done. He died at peace with God and man and left the memory of a kind father and a good neighbor behind him.

His late residence in Grinnell will be occupied by Grant Planalp and Miss Lucy Planalp.