Richter, John 1854-1922 & Mary Sware Family

RICHTER, SWARE

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 3/24/2022 at 15:27:46

Richter, John 1854-1922 and Mary Sware Family

This story was taken from pages 138-139 of the Rock Valley St. Mary’s Catholic Church Book written for the centennial of the church in about 1982(?). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

JOHN RICHTER was born in Burlington, Wisconsin in December of 1852. He came to this area in the 1870’s and settled on a farm northwest of Rock Valley. John returned to Burlington, Wisconsin, to marry MARY SWARE. Some years later they returned to Rock Valley to make their home on this farm. Mary had been born in Burlington, Wisconsin in August of 1858. Seven children were born to them, and they spent their childhood on this farm.

1. ANNA MARIE RICHTER was born in Burlington, Wisconsin on July 9, 1877. On September 28, 1897, she married Henry Koltze, son of Frederick Koltze and Katherine Quade of Preston, Iowa. In 1916 they moved to Minneota, Minnesota, where they made their home until 1941 when they retired from farming and moved to Marshall, Minnesota. Nine children were born to them.

Mrs. Harry Moorse (Lucy), Minneota, Minnesota.
John Koltze, Washington, Illinois, deceased August 21, 1957.
Mrs. Francis Baert (Julia), St. Paul, Minnesota.
Mrs. Henry Hamerlinck (Sadie), Minneota, Minnesota.
Mrs. Camiel Baert (Margaret), deceased February 27, 1963.
Fred Koltze, Minneota, Minnesota.
Alfred Koltze, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Mrs. Arthur Thanghe (Katherine), Faribault, Minnesota.
Mrs. Leo Fonteyn (Agnes), Minneota, Minnesota.

Anna Koltze died April 8, 1949, and Henry Koltze died on June 30, 1960. They are both buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery at Rock Valley, Iowa.

2. KATE RICHTER was born in 1879. She married a Mr. Russmiller and settled in Wisconsin where she died and is buried.

3. JULIA RICHTER was born in 1883 and remained in Rock Valley, except for a short time in 1938 when she moved to Pocohontas, Iowa, to keep house for Father Hyland. Julia died on May 16, 1960 and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa.

4. AL RICHTER was born in 1884 and spent his life in Rock Valley. He worked for a time in William Richter’s Garage. After this he did some trucking for Leo Grossenburg, and later had his own trucking business. Al died April 18, 1953, and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa.

5. JOSEPHINE RICHTER was born April 6, 1888. She was united in marriage to Clarence Ogden at Rock Valley in 1909. Several years after their marriage they left Rock Valley and moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, where they farmed until 1915 when they moved to Lennox, South Dakota where Clarence was section foreman on the Milwaukee Railroad. In 1926 they moved to Horicon, Wisconsin, but returned to Lennox in 1930. Clarence died in 1955. Seven children were born to Clarence and Josephine Ogden. Margaret, Pearl and Clarence Jr. preceded Josephine in death. Mrs. Ogden passed away at the Lennox Good Samaritan Center on February 19, 1970. She is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Lennox, South Dakota. Surviving children are Herman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Laurence of Lennox, South Dakota, Sister Mary Veronica of Presentation Sisters in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and Mrs. Larry (Catherine) Ideker of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

6. JOHN BERNARD RICHTER was born May 5, 1890. He continued to live at home all his life. He died August 31, 1933, and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa.

7. LAWRENCE RICHTER was born July 13, 1892. He died August 29, 1961. (see Lawrence Louis Richter given separately in book, summarized herein).
He farmed in Sioux County and in 1918 was in the WWI phase in France. He married Christina Trebon on Jun 25, 1924. Christina was born to Adolph Trebon and Anna Kaskie.
Lawrence died Aug 29, 1961 is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery Rock Valley. Tena died Oct 26, 1981 . The had two sons: Richard and Robert.

Mrs John - Mary (Sware) Richter died on March 31, 1905 and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa.
John Richter later left the farm and moved to a home in the north part of Rock Valley where he resided with his children, John Bernard and Julia. John Richter died in November of 1922, and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa.

OBITUARY OF JOHN RICHTER
JOHN RICHTER PASSED AWAY TUESDAY MORNING
John Richter, a pioneer resident of Rock Valley and vicinity, passed away at his home in this city at 1:30 o'clock Tuesday morning, his death being due to leakage of the heart.
Mr. Richter had not been well for several months past, but he never complained and was not confined to his home until within the past few weeks. He recovered from this attack sufficiently to be up and around for a few days. He walked down town Friday, but was taken sick that day and failed rapidly until the final summons came.
Mr. Richter was a man whom everybody liked. He was a friend of all who knew him and his death is mourned not only by the bereaved relatives, but by many others as well.
Funeral services will be held from St. Mary's Church in Rock Valley Friday morning. Further particulars will be given next week.
Source: Rock Valley Bee, December 1, 1922.
* * * * * * * * * *
DEATH OF JOHN RICHTER
John Richter, an account of whose death was given briefly in last week's Bee, was born Dec. 1, 1854, at Burlington, Wisconsin, and died at his home in Rock Valley Nov. 28, 1922, aged sixty-seven years, eleven months and twenty-seven days. His early life was spent in his boyhood home, where he grew to manhood and received his training for life's work. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary Schweir at Burlington, Wisconsin, in July, 1877. To this union seven children were born, all of whom survive their father. His wife preceded him in death seventeen years ago.
Five years after his marriage, in 1882, Mr. and Mrs. Richter moved to Sioux County onto a farm northwest of Rock Valley, which Mr. Richter farmed for thirty-two years. During all these years, he leased this farm and never had a written lease with the owner, the only lease being a verbal one, which shows the confidence that the landlord, as well as all others who knew Mr. Richter, placed in him. He was a man in whom everybody had the utmost confidence and trust. His word was always as good as honesty and integrity could make it. Everyone who knew him was his friend, because he had a way of making friends of all with whom he came in contact.
Mr. Richter was a faithful member of the Catholic Church, and of the Catholic Order of Moresters [probably Foresters]. Mr. Richter retired from the farm four years ago and moved to Rock Valley where he resided until the time of his death. His life was ever an active one. Even after he had retired from the farm, he was always busy. He was truly one of the pioneers of this vicinity, having spent forty years of his life here, and passed through all the hardships, privations and inconveniences incident to pioneer life.
He leaves to mourn, seven children, Mrs. H. C. Koltze, of Minneota, Minn.; Mrs. Henry Rossmiller, Burlington, Wis.; Mrs. Clarence Ogden, Lennox, S. Dak.; and Julia, Alfred, John and Lawrence, of Rock Valley, all of whom were present at their father's funeral. He also leaves three brothers and one sister, Henry Richter and Alfred Richter, and Mrs. Wm. Luke, of Burlington, Wis., and Wm. Richter, of Rock Valley.
As mentioned in last week's Bee, Mr. Richter's death was due to leakage of the heart. Although he had not been well for several months he was not confined to his home until about two weeks before his death, and even then he walked down town a few days before.
Funeral services were held Friday, December 1, the anniversary of his birthday, from St. Mary's Church in Rock Valley, conducted by Rev. Father Lynott. The services were largely attended. Among those from a distance who attended the funeral were, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Richter, Mrs. Wm. Luke, Mr. Theodore Richter, Mrs. John Ketterhager of Burlington, Wis.; Miss Mildred Ellerbroek, of Auburn, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Richter of Madison, S. Dak.; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Haas, of Sioux City, Iowa; and Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Crowley, of Canby, Minn.
Source: Rock Valley Bee, December 8, 1922.
(Family history sources on Ancestry.com spell his wife's birth name as Schwer.)

OBITUARY OF MARY RICHTER
Passed Away
Mrs. John Richter, who has been a constant sufferer for nearly four years passed away last Thursday at her home five and one half miles northwest of Rock Valley. She suffered a stroke of paralysis nearly four years ago from which she never recovered. Throughout her long sickness she has borne up with Christian fortitude and patience.
The deceased was a little over forty eight years of age when death came to her relief. Twenty seven years ago last July she became the faithful and devoted wife of the husband left to mourn her loss. Seven children were born to bless their union: three sons and four daughters all of whom survive her. Her death is a sad blow to this happy home.
Funeral services were held from the Catholic church Sunday forenoon at 10 o'clock, Rev. Father O'Rielly officiating. A large concourse of friends and neighbors followed the remains to [her] last resting place. Mrs. Ellerbroek of Sac county, a sister of the deceased and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Richter of Ashton were present at the funeral. Interment took place in the Catholic cemetery south of town. The Bee joins with the many friends of the bereaved ones in extending sincere sympathy.
Source: Rock County Bee, April 7, 1905.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 1900 census for Rock Valley has John (age 43?) and Mary (41, born Aug. 1858) Richter, married 23 years, both born in Wisconsin of German parents, farming, with children Katie (20), Julia (17), Alfred (15), Josie (12), John (10), and Lourence [Lawrence] (7). Immediately below is a one-person household, Anna Sucor (75), mother in law.
(Family history sources on Ancestry.com spell her birth name as Schwer.)