Ricklefs, Herman 1875-1955 & Catherine Claassen Family

RICKLEFS, CLAASSEN, REENTS, AHLFS

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 9/22/2023 at 22:29:20

Ricklefs, Herman A. 1875-1955 and Catherine Claassen Family

This story was taken from pages 451-453 of the Ireton Centennial Book (1882-1982). Family Author unknown. The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg .

Herman A. Ricklefs was born Apr. 20, 1875 in Hanover, Germany. He was brought to the U.S. as an infant, when his parents migrated here, and was a longtime resident of Ireton and community. Catherine M. Claassen Ricklefs, wife of Herman, was born Feb. 3, 1880 in Oldenberg, Germany and came to the U.S. when she was seven years old. Herman and Catherine were married at Ireton, Ia. on Feb. 20, 1900. They lived in and near the town of Ireton all of their lives except for four years when they lived on a farm near Deepwater, Mo., from 1906 until 1910.

Herman and Catherine had seven children, namely as follows:
Dates and places were added per Births, Marriage, and Deaths, under Find A Grave on Ancestry.com by Wilma J. Vande Berg

One son
1. Garret J. Ricklefs, born 30 Dec 1900 Ireton IA, died 24 Jan 1975 Sheldon IA buried St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery Ireton IA.
Six daughters-
2. Amanda T. Dittmer, born 1902 died 1976 buried Pleasant Hill Cemetery Ireton IA. Husband Milton Dittmer.
3. Rosine M. O’Meara born 21 Oct 1904 Ireton IA died 20 Nov 1995 Sioux City IA. Husband Francis R. O’Meara.
4. Sophia C. Dittmer of Littleton, Co. was born 1907 Ireton IA died 1986 buried Ireton IA. Her husband was Delbert J. Dittmer.
5. Florence J. Kephart of Arleta, Ca. Born abt 1910 married Jerome Kephart
Nora G. Vlotho, of Hartley, Ia. Born 3 Mar 1912 Ireton IA, died 6 mar 1998 Hawarden IA, buried Ireton IA. Husband Orville C. Vlotho.
6. Dolores H. Hartsock of Harrisonville, Mo. Born abt 1914 Ireton IA. She married Glenn Hartsock.

Gerd Ricklefs, father of Herman, homesteaded in Iowa about the year of 1870. By his first marriage he had one daughter, Margaret Onken and two sons, John and Henry and by his second marriage he had two sons-Herman A. and George. When George was born, his mother died of childbirth. And, so, with a motherless infant son and in his dire need, he wrote a friend in Germany, who persuaded another friend, Mrs. Trinke Claassen, a widow with four children to come to America to help take care of his family or whatever. Gerd then sent Trinke the overseas fare for her and her family to come to Iowa.

Grandmother Trinke Claassen Ricklefs often related to the grandchildren how they drove across the prairie to his farm, three and one half miles from Ireton, in a lumber wagon from LeMars, Ia. Ironic as it may sound—the next day, Gerd and Trinke met the minister and were married. It always seemed a little confusing to us kids when we would tell others that-“Our mother’s mother married our father’s father.”

Herman was twelve years old when his father remarried and at the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter trade. When Catherine Margaret was fourteen, she was sent to LeMars, Ia. to attend a sewing school and she became a professional seamstress. Hence, back in 1880 and 1894, two young people were prepared to have a profession—a rarity! Herman became a carpenter and builder and built many farm houses and buildings in and around the vicinity of Ireton, including a house for his parents when they retired and also one for his bride, which is the house just two doors south of “Grandma Ricklefs’ old home, and known as the “Taylor Residence” for many years.

Herman and family moved to Deepwater, Mo., when Rosina was sixteen months old and they lived on this farm for five years. Farming in Missouri was much different than it was in Iowa as the soil was rocky and there is a lot of grazing land. Sophia and Florence were born in Missouri and the rest of the family often referred to them as the “Missourians”-in fun of course.

Herman and family returned to Iowa to live in 1910 and lived on the family farm until they built a dairy farm on an acreage just at the edge of Ireton, Ia. He built this place in 1913 and they operated the dairy and truck farm until 1921, when Herman sold it and moved the family back to the farm as Garrett was old enough to do most of the farm work then and Garrett did not want to finish high school. The children had the advantage of attending the Ireton Public Grade School and High School at the time their parents owned and operated the dairy farm.

Herman and Catherine moved into Ireton from the farm in 1936 and took up residence in Grandmother’s old home-which, incidentally Herman had built for his parents back in 1900 when they retired from the farm. it is interesting to know, too, that Grandma and Grandpa Gerd Ricklefs made a trip abroad in 1903 to visit with old friends and relatives in Germany. One of Catherine’s brothers remained in Germany when the Claassen family came to the U.S. It was sad to know that the boy in Germany died the year before his mother, Trinke, made the trip back to Germany.

Herman and Catherine celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary Feb. 20, 1950 at their home in Ireton. The picture of the family shown here was taken at the anniversary celebration at their home in Ireton. The six daughters and son, wives and husbands and a number of the grandchildren were present at the momentous occasion. They also were blessed with the honor of celebrating their 55th anniversary!

Herman was killed in an auto accident Dec. 4, 1955. Catherine lived in Ireton and spent the eleven winters after Herman died with her youngest daughter, Dolores Hartsock and husband Glenn in Harrisonville, Mo. and died there in 1967, after suffering a severe stroke on her 87th birthday Feb. 3, 1967 and died a week later.

Five daughters graduated from Ireton High School-Rosina, Sophia, Florence, Nora, and Dolores. Rosina, Nora, and Sophia attended Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, Ia., and became teachers in the Sioux Co. Rural Schools, Ireton Grade School, Rock Valley Grade School, and the Eldora Elementary Public School. They all received their teaching degrees. However, Dolores chose to enter the business field and attended the American Institute of Business, of Des Moines, Ia. and became a legal secretary.

Amanda Ricklefs Dittmer was required to leave school when she was in the 10th grade on account of her mother’s illness. She did not return to finish high school and later, after her mother’s recovery through several major surgeries, she worked as a clerk in an Ireton mercantile store - “The Farmer’s Store” for several years. She married Milton Dittmer at the age of twenty-three and they farmed near Ireton for many years until the year 1964 when they retired and moved to the town of Ireton. She and Milton purchased Grandma Ricklef’s house and Milton is still a resident, at the age of 79 years. Milton was an excellent farmer and a most stalworth citizen with his most helpful and loving wife, Amanda, always at his side. Amanda died in Nov. 1976.

Rosina Ricklefs O’Meara, second eldest daughter of Herman and Catherine, taught school in Ireton for six years 7th and 8th grades. In 1929 when she received her teaching certificate of two years from Iowa State Teachers’ College and after taking Supervisory courses at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, she was elected as the Principal of the departmental division of the Eldora Public Schools, Eldora, Iowa, in 1930 and taught History for four years until she resigned and married Francis O’Meara in 1934 and has lived in Sioux City, Iowa, ever since. Rosina attended the National Business Training School in Sioux City after her marriage and became a secretary and bookkeeper. She worked for several Livestock Commission Firms – Feeders and Ranchers, Wagner, - Garrison and Abbott, Long and Hansen and in 1950 was hired by the Johnson-Hempstead Commission Co. as a bookkeeper. She was promoted to Office Manager of that firm in 1961 and remained in that position until she retired in 1976.

Sophia Ricklefs Dittmer received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Northwestern College, Orange City, Ia. in 1966. She was a rural school teacher the first part of her career and later in the Rock Valley Public Schools for a number of years until the year 1969 when she was injured in an auto accident, was permanently crippled and consigned to the wheelchair. They then retired from farming and moved to Chicago to make their home. Then moving to Littleton, Co. to be near their children. She is married to Delbert Dittmer.

Nora Ricklefs Vlotho married Orville Vlotho, son of Henry and Anna Vlotho. She taught in the Sioux Co. Rural Schools, Struble Grade School, and the Rock Valley, Ia. Grade School until 1974 when she retired and operated a pre-school in her home for a couple of years. She and Orville then sold their farm just two and one half miles from Ireton, bought a home in Hartley, Ia., just thirty miles from Triboji Beach on West Okoboji Lake, where they have a cottage and spend many summers there relaxing, fishing, and various outings.

Florence Kephart entered nurses’ training after she finished high school and graduated as a registered nurse from the Lutheran School of Nursing in Sioux City, Ia. She practiced in Sioux City, Ia. for a number of years and was married quite young to Edward Kephart. They moved to Calif. about 1941, and have lived there ever since. Her husband, Edward (Jerry) died in 1975.

Dolores, the youngest of the five daughters, attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines, after she graduated from high school and became a legal secretary. She was employed by a leading law firm-Reade, Gamble and Howland of Des Moines and worked as the secretary for the attorney for the Rock Island Railroad for eight years until she was married to Glenn Hartsock 1948 and moved to Missouri. She worked in law ever since and at present is a clerk in the Probate Court of Cass Co., Harrisonville, Mo. Her husband died in 1975.

Garrett John, the only son of Herman and Catherine, remained a farmer and custom worker in and around the vicinity of Ireton until he became too ill to work and spent much of the last years of his life in a nursing home and died in the Hull, Ia. Nursing Home in 1975. His wife, Grace, died in 1980.

ANCESTRAL RESEARCH NOTES: From a report on Ancestry.com public member trees submitted to Ancestry by other than this submitter.

Hermann Arendt Ricklefs was born 20 Apr 1875 Mons, Leerhafe, Germany and died 3 Dec 1955 Sioux County IA. His parents were Garrett Ricklefs 1835- died 31 Mar 1911 Ireton IA and Garrett’s 2nd wife maria Reents 1842 – died 6 Aug 1883 Ireton IA. See the obituary of Herman’s father Gerd Ricklefs 1835-1911 and that of Marie Reents Mrs. Gerd Ricklefs 1842-1883 under Obits on this page.

Hermann married Catherine Margarethe Claasen born Feb 3, 1880 Mons Sandel, Oldenburg, lower Saxony, Germany and died Feb 7, 1967 Harrisonville, Cass, MO. They were married 20 Feb 1900 Sioux County IA. Catherine was the daughter of Heinrich Ahrens Claassen 1841-1884 Germany and Trienke Margarethe Katharina Ahlfs 1842- 12 Jan 1930 Ireton, IA. Herman and Catherine had one son and six daughters as described in the above narrative.

OBITUARY OF HERMAN RICKLEFS
Hawarden Independent, Hawarden, Sioux, Iowa, USA Thursday, December 8, 1955
Ireton Man, 80, Dies Following Auto Accident
Herman Ricklefs, 80, of Ireton, died early Saturday in a Sioux City hospital from injuries suffered when the car in which he was riding went out of control on a slippery Highway 75 north of Hinton a few hours earlier. Also taken to St. Joseph hospital were Mrs. Ricklefs and Mr. and Mrs. Milton Dittmer. Mrs. Ricklefs, 75, suffered from shock and chest, back, shoulder and arm injuries. Her condition was termed "serious." Mrs. Dittmer, 53, suffered multiple bruises and chest, rib and severe back injuries and was in a critical condition. Her husband, 55, suffered cuts on the right leg and bruises, but was listed as in "fairly good" condition.
Funeral services for Mr. Ricklefs were held at 1:30 Tuesday at the Ricklefs home and at 2 o'clock at St. Paul's Lutheran church in Ireton, Rev. Paul Friedrich officiating.
Mr. Ricklefs was born April 20, 1875, at Hanover, Germany. He came to the United States at an early age and had been a longtime resident of Ireton. He was married February 20, 1900, and he and his wife celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this year.
Survivors in addition to the widow are a son, Gerritt; six daughters, Mrs. Amanda Dittmer, Mrs. Sophia Dittmer and Mrs. Nora Vlotho, all of Ireton. Mrs. Florence Kephart. of Sun Valley, Calif., Mrs. Rosena O'Meara of Sioux City, and Mrs. Dolores Hartsock of Deepwater, Mo., and 15 grandchildren.

OBITUARY OF CATHERINE RICKLEFS
Le Mars Daily Sentinel, Le Mars, Plymouth, Iowa, USA Thursday Feb. 9. 1967 Page 2
MRS. HERMAN RICKLEFS RITES SET AT IRETON
Funeral services for Mrs. Herman Ricklefs, 87, Ireton, will be at 2 p. m. Friday at the St. Paul Lutheran church. Ireton. Rev. Arthur Anacher will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery southeast of Ireton.
Mrs. Ricklefs died Tuesday at a Harrisonville, Mo. Hospital. She was born Feb. 3, 1880 in Germany and came to this country with her family as a child. She was married to Mr. Ricklefs Feb. 20, 1900 and they farmed near Ireton and in Missouri. He died in 1963.
Survivors are a son, Gerrit of Sheldon; six daughters, Mrs. Milton (Amanda) Dittmer, Mrs. Delbert (Sophie) Dittmer and Mrs. Orville (Nora) Vlotho, all of Ireton; Mrs. Robert (Rosena) O'Meara of Sioux City, Mrs. Florence Kephart of Sylman, Calif., and Mrs. Delores Hartstock of Harrisonville; 16 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
CATHERINE M. (MRS. HERMAN) RICKLEFS
St. John's Lutheran (Ireton) Cemetery
Sioux County, Iowa 1880-1967

This picture was found on page 452 of the Ireton Centennial Book 1882-1982

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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