Loffswold, Edmund A. 1849-1915 & Melvina Cline Family

LOFFSWOLD, LOFSVOLD, JACOBSDATER, MCMANUS, LOFSWOLD

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 1/3/2022 at 15:05:08

Loffswold, Edmond .A. 1849-1915 and Melvina Cline Family

This story was taken from the ‘Rock Valley Records & Recollections’ book (p 67) 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.

E.A. Loffswold came to Sioux County in 1873 and homesteaded on the northeast quarter of Section 4, Rock Township, three miles north and one-half mile east of Rock Valley. He built a log cabin there in 1874. He was married to Melvina Loffswold at LeMars in the year of 1875, and they moved onto the homestead in that year where both of them lived until their deaths; Mr. Loffswold passed away in 1915 and Mrs. Loffswold in 1945. They had a family of twelve children, all of whom lived to manhood or womanhood.

The farm homestead by Mr. Loffswold has never been out of the family and is now owned by Mrs. Flaig, of Portland, Oregon, a niece of Odgen Loffswold, who was the last family member to live there. The farm buildings have all been removed. Ted Bartman now farms the land.

In the year 1879 a severe wind and hail storm destroyed all of the crops and Mr. and Mrs. Loffswold went back to Wisconsin where they spent the winter and returned to Iowa in the spring of 1880.

The Loffswolds told their children of having to butcher their hogs in the year before the railroad came to Rock Valley and hauling the hogs to Pattersonville (now Hull) where they traded the hogs for groceries. In the transaction, they were allowed two and one-half cents per pound for the hogs. Since the Loffswolds were here before the Indians had gone, Mrs. Loffswold said that many a time they traded pork to the Indians for venison. The Loffswolds also fed Jesse James and his gang when they roamed these regions.

The Loffswolds helped organize the Methodist Church, and Mr. Loffswold was appointed to the first board of trustees.

The Loffswolds endured all of the hardships of pioneer days but lived to see their family raised and the country develop from the prairie stage to a well settled community.

(A revision of the 1955 history written by Ogden Loffswold, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Loffswold)

OBITUARY OF E.A. LOFFSWOLD
From the Alton Democrat, October 16, 1915: Rock Valley news:
Edmond A. Loffswold, a highly esteemed citizen residing five miles north of Rock Valley, died at his home Thursday October 7th, after an illness of a few months' duration. The deceased was born in Christiana, Norway, June 8, 1849, and at the time of his death was sixty-six years, two months and twenty-nine days of age. He came to Darlington, Wis., in 1865, when but a boy in his teens, where he lived until he reached his majority. In 1871 he, in company with four other men, drove through from the Badger state with one horse and oxen. He homesteaded the land which has been his home the past forty-four years, and endured the many privations and hardships incident to pioneer days. He taught school where the town of Doon now stands, and by thrift acquired a competency to sustain him and family in the decline of life.
In 1876 he was married to Miss Melvina Cline, and as a result of this union twelve children were born to them, all of whom survive him and were present to pay the last tribute of respect to a loving and kind father, namely, L. O. Loffswold, Mrs. F. A. Hurt and George Loffswold, Chester, S.D.; Mrs. J. M. Anderson, Dell Rapids, S.D.; Dale Loffswold, Humboldt, S.D.; O. R., W. J., Arthur, Hazel, Jennie and Ethel of Rock Valley. [yes, only 11 were listed]
He was a devout member of the Methodist church, and when the church was built at Rock Valley he was selected as a member of the board of trustees which position he held until his death. He was a substantial supporter of the church and did what he could to advance its interests. Mr. Loffswold was quiet and unassuming, a man of faith, with many impulses of a generous nature, in the employment and use of which he won his way into the affections of those with whom he mingled. He was noted as a modest, manly man, full of good work, always seeking to advance the cause of Christianity, and realizing in so doing that all else that was essential to health and happiness were divinely accorded, making a life that worthy and beautiful, one that his children will increasingly admire and seek to emulate. In his removal from our midst we must bow in humble submission to Him who doeth all things well.
Funeral services took place at the Methodist church Saturday afternoon, conducted by Dr. H. K. Hastings in the presence of many sympathizing neighbors and friends, after which he was aid to rest in Valley view cemetery. Peace to his ashes. Those who attended the funeral from abroad were Mrs. E. Thompson, Fulton, S.D.; Andrew Loffswold, Mitchell, S.D.; Mrs. P. Sanderson, Minneapolis, Minn.; Jake Loffswold, Athens, O.; Thomas Cline, Darlington, Wis.; Mrs. Sangstead, Alexandria, S.D.; Mr. and Mrs. Dan Frame, Canton, S.D.; F. A. Hurt, Chester, S.D.; J. M. Anderson, Dell Rapids, S.D.; Mrs. Dale Loffswold, Humboldt, S.D.; Mrs. L. O. Loffs, Jasper, Minn.
[The Rock Valley Bee for this time period is missing.]
OBITUARY OF MELVINA LOFFSWOLD
Rock Valley Bee of Oct 31, 1946
Melvina Loffswold, daughter of John and Margaret Cline was born Feb. 24, 1857 at Darlington WI, and passed away at her home farm near Rock Valley Oct 23, 1946 at the age of 89 years, 8 months and one day.
Her early girlhood was spent in Wisconsin with her parents. On May 31, 1876 she was married to Edmond A. Loffswold and came to her pioneer home in a log cabin on the farm north of Rock Valley, where wh had lived ever since. At this time the closest town was Le Mars and the only means of transportation was either horse and wagon or ox cart.
For five years after their marriage they made heir home in a log cabin before being able to get the lumber hauled for their present home. Many articles could be written about the experiences of these pioneer people. Yet in spite of them all they stayed and broke prairie and established their home and raised their family of thirteen children, three of which have passed on. One son in infancy, Edwin Dale, July 22 1932; and Genevieve, March 7, 1924 and her husband Oct 7, 1915.
Not only did Mrs. Loffswold rear her own family, during this time when modern comforts and conveniences were not known, but she had time to help her neighbors. Many are the stories of the old timers of calling her in the middle of the night to help them in time of need. She always had time to help others. She was one of the charter members of the local Methodist church, joining it in 1877. The children recall many times of going to Hudson camp meeting in a wagon. Then amusements were few and people had time to attend their religious services.
She leaves to mourn her passing one sister, Mrs. Melissa Dowery, of Darlington WI, ten children: Lee of Pipestone MN, Mrs. Luella Hurt of Chester SD, Ogden at home, Wilbur of Spokane WA, Mrs. Alice Anderson of Byron MN, Arthur J of Sioux Falls SD, Mrs. Hazel Elmstrom of Montevideo MN, George W. of Madison SD, Lester of Sioux Falls, Mrs. Ethyle Mann at home, and Mrs.Betty Gerritson of Sioux Falls. 22 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren, also survive.

DEATH OF MELVINA LOFFSWOLD
The Death record of Mrs. Melvina Cline Loffswold lists her as a widow 90 years of age born 24 Feb 1856 Darlington Wisconsin died 23 Oct 1946 at Rock Valley IA. Her parents were John Cline and wife Margaret Ann.

RESEARCH NOTES: added by Wilma J. Vande Berg
From a family report on ancestry.com, done by others, not verified by submitter…
Edmond A. Loffswold was born 8 Jun 1849 at Lofsvold, Gran, Opplnd, Norway and died 7 Oct 1915 at Rock Valley IA. His parents were Anders Hansen Lofsvold 1802-1866 and Anna Syrine Jacobsdater 1820-1901. He married 31 May 1876 at LeMars Iowa to Mary Melvina Cline.
Mary Melvina Cline was born 24 Feb 1856 at Fayette, Wisconsin and died 23 Oct 1946 Rock Valley IA . She was the daughter of John Cline 1818-1916 and Mary Angeline McManus 1818-1902.
Their children were listed on the site as:
Lee Oscar Loffswold 1877-1951
Anna Louella Lofswold 1878-1953
Laymon Loffswold 1880
Ogden Ray Loffswold 1880-1966
Wilbur Jay Lofswold 1881-1951
Lulu C. Lofswold 1881
Infant Lofswold 1884-1884
Alice Orlina Lofswold 1885-1948
Dale Edwin Loffswold 1887-1932
Arthur Joel Lofswold 1889-1977
Hazel Mary Lofswold 1891-1960
George Washington Lofswold 1894-1975
Lester Dewey Lofswold 1896-1956
Jennie May loffswold 1898-1924
Ethel Melvina Lofswold 1901-1969

A family picture has been shared for this website by a great granddaughter, Kathi Hill Haberman. The photograph was taken of family members who attended Edmund Lofswold's funeral.

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