Gayer, Jacob Frederick 1834-1900 & Johanna Scheytt Family

GAYER, HOLZHEY, SCHEYTT, BISCHOFF

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 1/3/2022 at 08:45:32

Gayer, Jacob Frederick abt. 1879-1949 and Johanna Scheytt Family

This story was taken from the ‘Rock Valley Records & Recollections’ book (pp. 69-71) written about 1976 in honor of the two hundredth birthday of our nation. It was a revision of the history written by Lottie Thomas in 1955. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society and some research notes were added.

Frederick Gayer, his wife Johanna, and six of their eight children, Karl Frederick (Charles), Fredericka (Ricka), Mary Magdalena (Marie), Gottlob, Frederick William (Fred), and Christina Dorthea (Annie), left their home in Wittenburg, Germany for America in 1886.

While on the boat, Frederick met Mr. Addler from LeMars who told him about the rich fertile land of Sioux County. Acting on this advice, Frederick purchased 160 acres of land in Plato Township, Southeast ½ Section 18, at $5.00 per acre.

They began their lives on the farm by digging a well, building a barn, and a two-story house which had two rooms upstairs and two rooms downstairs.

The three youngest children in the family, Fred, Gottlob, and Annie, went to the nearest school, which was two and one-half miles from home (Plato No. 3, which had been built in 1860). Their teacher was John Grossenburg, who was the grandfather of Sydney Grossenburg. Because the children had trouble driving the horses to school, their parents set up school in their home for them and the neighbor children. Tom O’Connor was the teacher. Later a school was built one-half mile from the home, Plato No. 4. Minnie Lynch was their teacher while they attended there.

Annie liked Minnie Lynch as a teacher and wanted to do something special for her. One morning she left home very early for school. She planned to build the fire in the school heating stove so the room would be warm when the teacher came. Since the door to the schoolhouse was locked, she tried to enter through a window. She raised the window and as she was crawling through, the window came down and caught her by the neck. It was sometime before some of the school children arrived to release Annie, but they did just in time to save her, as by that time her face had turned blue. Annie later became Mrs. Fred Klein.

Another frightening experience for Annie happened during the bootlegging era around the time of World War I. The road going by the Gayer home, carried heavy bootlegging traffic, which came from Trosky, Minnesota, and went to Sioux City. The Gayer family dreaded to see cars with drawn shades go by for they knew that was a bootlegger’s car and that he was armed. One day when Annie was home alone, a gun battle broke out between two bootleggers near the Gayer home. Soon a wounded bootlegger staggered to the doorstep of the house and collapsed. Annie was terrified, but she gathered up enough courage to dress his wound, and by the time she had finished, the Gayer family arrived home. Fred took the victim to the local doctor, but he died later.

An exciting day for Gottlob and Fred, as young lads, was attending the Buffalo Bill Circus in LeMars. They left at 2 o’clock in the morning by team and buggy, and saw Buffalo Bill personally.

Frederick Gayer died in 1900, and his wife, Johanna, in 1922. Both are buried in Peace Lutheran Cemetery, Rock Valley. Five of their children, Annie, Ricka, Charles, Gottlob, and Fred, continued to make their homes in this community.

ANNIE GAYER
Annie Gayer married Fred Klein (see Charles Klein history)

CHARLES GAYER
Charles bought land just northeast of the home farm and made his home there. Three of his children, Bill, Charles (Chas), and Minnie stayed in this area. Bill farmed the Charles Gayer farm until his death, when it was then sold. The Roger Ranschau’s now live there. Minnie married Walter A. Moore, and they also farmed in Plato Township until their retirement, and they are now residents of Rock Valley. Charles (Chas.) Gayer, who married Edith Hilmers, purchased a farm in Plato Township Southeast Section 7, where they farmed until moving to Rock Valley. Their daughter, and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Brad Bauman, and their family are now doing the farming.

FRED GAYER
Fred Gayer, son of Frederick Gayer, in 1909, married Alvina Tank (cousin of John Tank)(. Alvina at the age of twenty came by herself from Germany to Tama County, Iowa, to the home of her aunt. After they were married, they made their home on the Gayer Farm (where Bernard and Lloyd Gayer live), farming in partnership with Fred’s brother, Gottlob. Here their four oldest children were born.

Fred and Gottlob had another farm, Plato Township, Northwest corner of Section 8, to where Fred and his family moved to in 1916. Six more children were born at this home. Fred farmed this land until 1044 when he and his wife moved to Rock Valley, 1016 Main, where Mrs. Gayer is still residing.

Children of the Fred Gayer’s are Martha, Mrs. Herman Dierks of Rock Rapids, Iowa; Emma, Mrs. Charlie Moeller of Inwood, Iowa; Fred of Rock Vayy, who married Verna Tverberg; Minnie, Mrs. Roy Bauder of Hawarden; Louise, Mrs. Edwin Heuer of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Esther, Mrs. Art Bauder of Sioux Center, Iowa; Ann, Mrs. Hayes Wasser of Hawarden, Iowa; Dorothy, Mrs. Dorothy Jones of San Diego, California; Robert, who married Lura Thompson, Rock Valley; and Marcia, Mrs. Jerry Heiden, of Osage, Iowa.

Robert Gayer, son of Fred, has been on the farm since his parents’ retirement in 1944, except for two years, 1950-52, which he spent in the service. The Robert Gayers have three daughters; Karen, Mrs. Jerry Waterson of Sioux Falls, S.D., Mrs. Mark Hulst of Charles City, Iowa; and Jayne at home.

To date the Fred and Robert Gayers have spent a total of sixty years on this farm.

GOTTLOB GAYER
The time came when Gottlob, son of Frederick Gayer, was the only family member left on the home place, since his brothers and sisters had married and were living in other locations. In 1920 he married his housekeeper, Anna Hamann, who had come from Hamburg, Germany several years previously. They made their home on the home farm. Their six living children are Rose Marie (Mrs. Melvin Kramer) of Waverly, Iowa; Marian (Mrs. Herman Kooiman) of Clearwater, Florida; Joyce (Mrs. Walt J. Warntjes); Berdena (Mrs. Harry Buma); Lloyd; and Bernard, all of Rock Valley.

Lloyd and Bernard are presently living on and farming the home place, along with Bernard’s wife, Delores (Hoff). The Bernard Gayer children are Tom, Terry, (both married and moved away), and David and Laurel Ann, who being the fourth generation, make approximately ninety years of Gayer family members on this farm.

Above submiited to the book by Rose Marie Gayer Kramer, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Gayer, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gayer.

RESEARCH NOTES by Wilma J. Vande Berg
A report on ancestry.com by family members.
Jakobe Friedrich Gayer was born 15 Dec 1834 at Illingen, Enzkreis, Badne Wuerttemberg, Germany and died 20 Jul 1900 Rock Valley IA, He was the son of Johannes G. Geyer 1805-1881 and Rosina Catharina Hizhey 1811-1883. He married Johanna Rosine Scheirr/Scheytt born 19 Jul 1839 Illingen, Germany, and died 5 Mar 1922 Webster City IA, Buried at Rock Valley, IA. She was the daughter of Wilhelm Michael Scheytt 1811-1876 and Johanne Friederike Bischoff 1815-1867, They were married 25 Sep 1859 at Illingen…Germany
Children listed in this report were as follows: (not verified by submitter)
• Indicates children did not reach adulthood.
1 Hannah Gayer 1859-1939
2 Carl Friedrich Gayer 1861-1861 *
3 Caroline Louise ‘Martina’ Gayer 1862
4 Carl Friedrich Gayer 1863-1863 *
5 Anonyma Gayer 1865-1865 *
6 Frederika Wilhelmine Gayer 1866-1943
7 Christiane Dorothee Gayer 1867-1868 *
8 Karl Friedrich Gayer 1869-1947
9 Marie Gayer 1870-1945
10 Jacob Friedrich Gayer 1873-1873 *
11 Chrisitana Gayer 1874-1880 *
12 Gottob Jacob Gayer 1876-1948
13 Fred Gayer 1879-1948
14 Christiane Dorthea Gayer 1881-1953
15 Charles Gayer

Obits submitted by Beth De Leeuw
OBITUARY OF (Jacob) FREDERICK GAYER
Sioux County herald of July 25, 1900 Rock Valley news page 1
J. Gayer, residing six miles southwest of town, dropped dead very suddenly Friday morning; he had been for many years a resident in this vicinity and was much respected. The funeral took place Sunday afternoon at _ o'clock
(From the Sioux county cemetery index of headstones – Jakob F. Gayer born 15 Dec 1834 died 20 Jul 1900 buried Peace Luth Cemetery.
From an ancestry.com report Jakob Friedrich Gayer was born 15 Dec 1834 Germany died 20 Jul 1900 Rock Valley IA. Wife Johann Rosine Scheytt 1839-1922 married 1860 children were – Johanna, Carl, Caroline, Frederika, Karl, Charles, Mary, Gottlob, Friederich, Christine.

OBITUARY OF JOHANNA GAYER
Source: Rock Valley Bee (3-10-1922)
Born: July 19, 1839
Died: 1922
Mrs. Johanna Rosina Scheytt Gayer, mother of the Gayer brothers and sisters of Rock Valley vicinity, passed away at the home of her daughter at Webster City, Iowa, Sunday morning. The remains were brought to Rock Valley Monday for funeral services at the Lutheran Church south of town and for burial in the Lutheran Cemetery.
The Webster City Freeman gives the following account of her death: “Mrs. Johanna Gayer, 82 years old, passed away quietly away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Edward Callies, 1005 Davison Street, yesterday morning at 9:15.
Her death came as a great shock to her friends and relatives as she was apparently in her usual health. She had risen in the morning and eaten her breakfast. Later she went to her room to lay down on the bed. She told Mrs. Gilles, however, that she was all right. When the daughter returned later she found her dead.
“A son, Fred Gayer, and his two daughters of Rock Valley, Iowa, arrived Saturday for a visit with Mrs. Gayer.
Mrs. Gayer was born in Germany, July 19, 1839. She was married to Jakob Gayer there. The family came to America and settled at Rock Valley in May 1886. Her husband died July 20, 1900.
She is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Edward Callies, of this city, Mrs. Robert Callies of Titonka, Iowa and Mrs. Fred Klein and Mrs. Louis Miller, of Rock Valley; and three sons, Fred, Charles and Gottlieb, all of Rock Valley. Nearly sixty grandchildren and great-grandchildren also survive.
Short funeral services were held at the home here last evening at 7:30 , in charge of Reverend Church. H.A. Koenig, of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The remains were taken to Rock Valley this morning where funeral services will be held up there tomorrow. Mrs. Edward Callie sill attend there.

This picture of the Gayer family was found on a family report on ancestry.com on the Jacob Gayer family.

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