Kreber, August 1875-1935 & Clara Gukeisoen

KREBER, GUKEISOEN, GERKEIESEN, SCHINDELE, HEITGEN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/12/2026 at 16:30:39

Kreber, August 1875 – 1935 and Clara Girkeisen family.

This biography of the August Kreber family was taken from a family story in the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church book of Granville Iowa page135. It was further researched and composed by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

The full narrative including additions to the church book story were made from various sources including records from the web site www.iagenweb.org/sioux; family reports and vitals collected from ancestry.com records and ancestry’s public member trees, Find A Grave index, internet searches and various local archives.

Disclaimer: Names, dates and places may vary from one source to another, but have been stated in this biography as presented in the source. Family data taken from ancestry.com public member trees is subject to the submitter of data to ancestry.com and was not fully verified by this submitter.

The story of the August Kreber family from the St. Joseph’s church book page 135.

August Kreber was born in Roppenheim, Alsace Lorraine on August 28, 1875 the son of John and Magdelena Kreber. Alsace Lorraine, a rich province, was at the time under the rule of Germany. John and Magdalena, not wanting their seven sons conscripted into the powerful German Army under Kaiser Wilhelm, migrated to America in 1878, settling at Garwin, Tama County Iowa. August became a citizen of the United States on October 17, 1896.
After the death of this father, John Kreber, August came with his mother, Magdalena, and his two sisters, Louise and Mary to a farm north of Remsen which they purchased in 1886. August came to the Granville area when he bought a 160 acre farm in Plymouth County. He farmed the land and on June 20 1906, August married Clara Gukeisoen at Tyndall, South Dakota. They lived in Plymouth County until February of 1919 when they purchased land from Lawrence Spieler, just northeast of Granville. They farmed here and also started a dairy, delivering milk and farm produce to the residents of Granville for many years. At first the milk was delivered using a team of horses and ‘milkwagon’ which August had made. Later the milk was delivered with a Model A car The price of a quart of milk in the early 20’s was 8 cents a quart and 4 cents a pint.
August and Clara had nine children, three sons and six daughters, Clarence, Arnold and Francis of Granville. Mrs. Ed Schlichte (Irene) of Alton, Mrs. Henry J. Klein (Evelyn) now at Millie’s Rest Home in Sutherland, Mrs. Urban Holles (Helen) of Granville, Mrs. Eleanore Britton of Madison, Wisconsin, Mrs. Elmer Nelson (Viola) of Cherokee and Mrs. Richard Meis (Mary Jane) of Granville, New deceased.
August died June 17. 1935 at almost 60 years of age from a heart condition. Clara stayed on the farm until 1944 when she moved into Granville. Clara is in good health and celebrated her 100th birthday on September 30th. The first resident of St. Joseph Parish Granville to reach the centennial age. She is now a resident of Heritage Nursing home in Orange City.
(End of the story in the church book.)

August Kreber was born August 28, 1875 Alsace Lorraine. His parents were John Kreber born 17 Aug 1827 Dettwiler Departerment du Bas – Rhin, Alsace, France died 12 Aug 1881 Garvin, Tama County, Iowa; and Magdelena Schindele born 28 Feb 1838 Alsace, France died 6 Feb 1920 Sioux City, Iowa. August married Clara Kathryn Gukeisoen at Tyndall, Bon Homme County South Dakota.

Clara Kathryn Gukeisen was born 30 Sep 1886 Tyndall, South Dakota died 2 Jan 1989 Sioux City IA. Her parents were John Gukeisen born 28 Aug 1850 Lankreis Merzig-Wadern, Saarland, Germany died 19 Apr 1933 Parkston, Hutchinson Co. South Dakota, and Kathryn Heitgen. August and Clara had the following children.

CHILDREN from Find a Grave and Local obits on this web page.

1. Helen Kathryn Kreber born 16 Feb 1915 Granville IA died 29 Dec 1990 Granville IA. She married Urban Holles. Her obit listed children as: James A. of Granville; two daughters, Mrs. Arnold (Clara) Croatt of Aitkin, Minnesota, and Mrs. Mary Colwell of Hanover Park, Illinois. See her obit on this web page.

2. Clarence Louis Kreber born 6 Mar 1910 Granville, IA died 27 Aug 2007 Sioux City IA. He married Hilda Anna Harens, one child listed as Marlanne C. Jochum. Clarence’s obituary named children as four daughters, Marianne and Bill Jochum of Sioux City, Marge Jarnell of Sioux City, Kathy and Bruce Grimberg of Sioux City and Eileen and Jim Snodgrass of Des Moines; three sons Don and Marci Kreber of Paullina, Ken and Barb Kreber of Sioux City and Alan and Donna Kreber of Granville

3. Mary Jane Kreber born 1 Aug 1926 Granville IA died 17 Mar 1980 She married Richard Joseph Meis. One child listed as Mancy C Brandon. Mary’s obit lists children as two sons, Roger of Paullina and Steven of Orange City; five daughters, Mrs. Richard (Carol) Ellington of Charleston, South Dakota, Mrs. Paul (Joyce) Wray of Ames, Mrs. David (Nancy) Brandon of Sioux City, Mrs. Fredrick (Mary) Cerwick of Rock Rapids and Mrs. Timothy (Karen) Pottebaum of Alton; 

4. Evelyn Lucille Kreber born 29 Jul 1908 Granville IA died 25 Oct 1988 Sutherland IA She married Henry J. Klein, one child listed as James August Klein Evelyn’s obit lists children James A. of Granville; two daughters, Mrs. Arnold (Clara) Croatt of Aitkin, Minnesota, and Mrs. Mary Colwell of Hanover Park, Illinois. See her obit on this web page.

5. Irene Martha Kreber born 2 May 1907 Plymouth County IA died 13 Aug 2006 Orange City IA buried St. Mary’s Alton. She married Edward John Schichte. See her obit on this web page.

6. Francis Robert Kreber born 9 Nov 1924 Granville IA died 26 Jul 2008 Granville IA. He married Janet Frances Anderson, three children listed as Brian Scott Kreber, Kevin Mark Kreber and Michael Joseph Kreber. Francis’s obituary named the children as: a daughter and her husband, DeAnna and Steve Dykstra of Horton, Michigan; a son and his wife, Dave and Brenda Kreber of Omaha; a daughter and her husband, Deb and Greg Pederson of Hershey, Nebraska; a daughter, Sandra Kreber of Omaha; a daughter and her husband, Susan and Steve Buskevicius of Las Vegas, Nevada; a daughter and her husband, Ruth and Dwight Lang of Sergeant Bluff. See the obit of Francis on this web page.

7. Eleanore Catherine Kreber born 5 Sep 2008 Granville IA, died 5 Sep 2008 Laguna Hills, Orange Co. CA She married William Daniel Britton. Her obit listed a daughter Catherine and her husband Jai Bailey of Costa Mesa, CA

8. Arnold John Kreber born 10 Mar 1918 Granville, IA died 27 Dec 2016 Remsen, Plymouth, IA buried St. Joseph’s cemetery Granville IA He married Loraine Sylvia Pottebaum One child listed as Ronald Lee Kreber. Arnold’s obit listed children as Sister Janet Kreber O.S.F. of Sioux City, IA, Chuck Kreber of Granville, Iowa, Shirley (Jim) Thompson of Lincoln, NE, Rosemary (Garry) Eichorn of Davenport, IA, Glenn Kreber of Greeley, CO. daughter-in-law, Bonita Kreber of Wauke, IA.  See his obit on this web page.  

OBITUARY of August Kreber 1874-1935
Source: Alton Democrat (6-28-1935) Born: August 28, 1874 Died: August 17, 1935. August Kreber passed way at his home Monday morning June 17, at 11:30 o'clock after and illness of two weeks. He was 60 years 9 months and 20 days of age at the time of his death.
Deceased was born in Poppenheim, Alsasee Lorraine, France August 28, 1874. In April 1878 he came to America with his parents and settled on a farm near Garvin, Iowa. The family resided there four years and after the death of his father they moved to Remsen. There they farmed four years, after which they moved to Granville where they occupied a farm for ten years. In 1900 Mr. Kreber purchased a 160 acre farm 5 1/2 miles south of Granville where he engaged in farming. On June 20, 1906 he married Miss Clara Gukiesen of Tydell, South Dakota. To this union six daughters and three sons were born who all beside the widow survive. They are Mrs. Ed Schlichte, Mrs. Henry Klein, Helen, Eleanor, Viola, Mary Jane, Clarnence, Arnold and Francis. He is also survived by one brother Eugene Kreber of Alvord, two sisters, Mrs. J.E. Hansen of Sioux City and Mrs. John Wilhelmi of Remsen.
In 1919 Mr. Kreber purchased a farm on the north edge of town where he engaged in farming until about five years ago. He also proved a worthy servant to Granville as the dairyman. In his passing the bereaved family loses a loving husband and father, and the community on of its most loyal citizens.Do to a heart ailment Mr. Kreber was forced to abandon his activities and two week prior to his death he suffered a serious attack which proved fatal.
Mr. Kreber died at 11:30 Monday, Monday June 17, fortified the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church of which he was a devoted life long member of the Catholic Order of Foresters court No. 996, Remsen, for 31 years.
Funeral services were held Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock at St. Joseph's Church in charge of Reverend Francis Illg. Interment took place at St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Relatives and friends attending the funeral were: Eugene Kreber and children, Mrs. Lou Madur, Mrs. J. Kroger, Ed Kreber and Harry Kreber of Alvord. Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Hansen, Fred Kreger of Sioux City, Mrs. John Wilhelmi, daughters Mary Louise and Sylvia, sons Gerald and Arnold of Remsen; Mrs. Lou Kriege, daughter Florence, son Lloyd, Mrs. William Weins, Nick Gukeisen, Mrs. G. Brewster and son George of Platte, South Dakota, Mrs. William Scheider, Mr. and Mrs. P. Kreber, Mrs. G. Bartlett, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kreber of Tyndell, South Dakota, Leo, John and George Gukeisen, Mrs. Carrie McCarthy, and daughter Marie of Parkston, South Dakota, Mrs. H. Schallau, daughter Alice and Cora Mathern of Sutherland.

OBITUARY of Clara Mrs. August Kreber 1886-1989
Source: Sioux Center News (1-11-1989) Born: September 30, 1886 Died: January 2, 1989
Mrs. August (Clara) Kreber, 102, of Granville died Monday, January 2, in a Sioux City Hospital after a brief illness. Services will be at 10:30 A.M. Thursday in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Granville with the Reverend Robert W. Gralapp officiating. Burial will be in the parish cemetery under the direction of the Fisch Funeral Home of Remsen.
Mrs. Kreber, the former Clara Gukeisen, was born September 30, 1886 at Tyndall, South Dakota, the daughter of John and Catherine (Hentges) Gukeisen. She was raised and educated in the Tyndall area. On June 20, 1906 she married August Kreber at Tyndall. The couple moved to Granville area where they farmed. He died June 17, 1935, and she continued to farm until 1944 when she retired and moved into Granville. She had been living at the Heritage House Nursing Home in Orange City since December 1985. Mrs. Kreber was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and Christian Mothers. She was an honorary member of St. Joseph’s Guild.
Survivors include three sons, Clarence, Arnold and Francis all of Granville; four daughters, Mrs. Ed (Irene) Schlichte of Alton, Mrs. Urban (Helen) Holles of Granville, Mrs. Eleanore Britton of Madison, Wisconsin, and Mrs. William (Viola) Toel of LeMars; 38 grandchildren; 61 great-grandchildren; and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two daughters, Mrs. Henry (Evelyn) Klein and Mrs. Richard (Mary Jane) Meis; eight brothers, Nick, John, Albert, Peter, George, Leo, Edward, and Herman; six sisters, Mrs. George (Susan) Brewster, Mrs. William (Louise) Weins, Mrs. John (Anne) Kolosar, Mrs. Henry (Gertrude) Martens, Mrs. John (Mamie) Schneider, and Mrs. Dennis (Caroline) McCarthy; and five grandchildren.