Pfarrer, Gottfried F., 1850-1934

PFARRER, PFAHRER, STUDER, MERTIS, MARTI

Posted By: Lyda Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:37

From the Rock Valley Bee, May 25, 1934:

G. F. PFARRER PASSED AWAY WEDNESDAY P.M.

G. F. Pfarrer passed away at his home in Rock Valley Wednesday afternoon of this week. Mr. Pfarrer had not been well for some time past. He has lived in Rock Valley and vicinity for many years, and has many friends here. Funeral services will be held at the home Saturday afternoon at two o’clock. A further account will be given next week.

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From the Rock Valley Bee, June 1, 1934:

THE PASSING OF G. F. PFARRER

G. F. Pfarrer, whose death was briefly mentioned in last week’s Bee, was born in Switzerland, October 23, 1850, and died at his home in Rock Valley last week Wednesday, May 23, aged eighty-three years, seven months and eight days.

At the age of four years, Mr. Pfarrer came with his parents to this country. They located in Clayton county, Iowa, where his early life was spent and later they moved to Fayette county, Iowa.

Mr. Pfarrer was united in marriage with Anna Elizabeth Studer on August 13, 1877. Twelve years later they moved to Elgin, Iowa, where Mr. Pfarrer was employed in a saw and flour mill, owned by his father. The family resided successively at West Bend, Remsen and Larchwood, Iowa. In 1896, they moved to Sioux county and located near Hawarden. Two years later, they moved onto a farm ten miles southwest of Rock Valley where they resided for nine years, and from there moved to Rock Valley where they have resided for the past fifteen years.

Mr. Pfarrer was a man of a kind and unassuming disposition. He was one of the pioneers of northwestern Iowa and endured many of the inconveniences of early days. He was an honest, hard working man, and one who held the respect of all who knew him.

He leaves to mourn, his aged widow, one son, George Pfarrer of Worthington, Minn.; and three daughters, Mrs. John Bauder, of this vicinity; Mrs. Sam Hofer, Lansing, Iowa; and Clara Holmes of Rock Valley. One son died in France in the World war.

Funeral services were held at the home Saturday afternoon, Rev. G. A. Tyler officiating. The services were largely attended by relatives and friends, many coming from a considerable distance. Among the relatives and friends from a distance who attended the funeral services were: Ben Schneider, Joe Haberger, and Lewis and Sam Butikofer of Elgin, Iowa; Mrs. Mabel Schneider, Lewis Schneider, Sarah Imhof and Mrs. Sarah Telshaw of West Bend, Iowa; Dan Haberger, Algona, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Carstedt, Worthington, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Solum, Mr. and Mrs. George Solum, Mrs. Lester Lindsay and son Robert, and Maxine Neuman, Mason City, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Melbert Hofer, Lansing, Iowa; and Mr. and Mrs. George Pfarrer and daughter, Worthington, Minn. Friends from a distance who were present were Mrs. Fred Maurer and son John, Mrs. Edwards and son and Mr. Pierson of Forestburg, S.D.

The pall bearers were six grandchildren of the deceased: Walter, Roy and Arthur Bauder and Lawrence, Richard and Milbert [Melbert] Hofer.

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From the Hawarden Independent, May 31, 1934, Garfield Greetings

Gottfred Pfarrer passed away last Wednesday noon, May 23rd, at his home in Rock Valley. Funeral services were held at the home at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Tyler, pastor of the Methodist church. Interment was made in the Lutheran cemetery in Plato Township. The services were largely attended and many beautiful floral tributes were in evidence as a token of respect and love for the departed. The Methodist choir sang a few of the old comforting hymns. The pall bearers, six of his grandsons, were Walter, Roy and Arthur Bauder, Lawrence, Richard and Clifford Hofer.

Gottfred Pfarrer was born in Bern, Switzerland, Oct 15, 1850, and died at his home in Rock Valley May 23, 1934, at the advanced age of 83 years, 7 months and 9 days. He came to this county [country?] with his parents at the age of four years. In 1877 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Studer and to this union six children were born. One son, Fred, died in 1907 at the age of seven years and another son, Will, was killed in the World War and buried in France. The other four children, who together with his wife, survive him are, George of Worthington, MN; Mrs. John Bauder of Rock Valley; Mrs. Sam Hofer of Lansing, Iowa, and Clara at home, He also leaves seventeen grand children and three great grandchildren besides scores of friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Pfarrer resided on a farm in Garfield township for a number of years before moving to their home in Rock Valley 15 years ago, where they have since resided. Thus another pioneer has been laid gently and tenderly to rest. He was a man of the staunchest integrity, honest and upright and as good a neighbor and friend as ever lived.

Among those who came from a distance to attend the funeral were Mrs. Sam Hofer and sons, Lawrence, Clifford and Richard, Mr. and Mrs. Melbert Hofer of Lansing, Iowa; Ben Haberger, Elgin, Iowa; Louis Schneider, Louis and Sam Butekofer and Joe Telshaw, Mrs. Mollie Schneider and daughter Darlene and Sarah Imhof of West Bend, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. George Pfarrer and daughter Lucille, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Carstedt, Worthington, Minn; Mrs. Ursula Maurer and son John, Mrs. Andrew Edwards and son Maynard and Charles Pearson of Forestberg, S.D.; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Solon and daughter Mabel of Mason City.

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From the Alton Democrat, June 1, 1934, Rock Valley news:

G. F. Pfarrer passed away last Wednesday, May 23, at his home in Rock Valley. He had been a victim of rheumatism for many years and also suffered from deafness.

Born at Berne, Switzerland, on October 15, 1850, he came to America at an early age. In Clayton county, Iowa, the Pfarrer and Studer families were neighbors, and the subject of this sketch married Miss Studer. They moved to West Bend in 1896, and came to Sioux county in 1898, residing on a farm near Hawarden, later occupying a farm ten miles south of Rock Valley. Fifteen years ago they moved to their present Rock Valley home.

Mr. Pfarrer was the father of William Pfarrer who lost his life in the World War and for whom the local American Legion post, Pfarrer-Fox post, was named in part. He was the father of six children—three sons and three daughters.

Funeral services were conducted on Saturday at the home of Rev. G. A. Tyler, pastor of the Methodist church, and interment was made at the Peace Lutheran cemetery south of town. The family have the sincere sympathy of a host of friends in this community.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has him as Gottfried Pfarrer, as does FindaGrave.com, with a photo of his headstone; wife Anne E. Pfarrer (1859-1944).

His death certificate has him as Godfred Pfarrer, wife Anna Elizabeth Studer, resident of Rock Valley 14 years and of the United States 79 years, 6 months; retired farmer, 15 years in this occupation, last worked September 1920; born in Switzerland October 15, 1850; parents Nicolas Pfarrer and Mary Mertis, both born in Switzerland; informant Clara Pfarrer Holmes, Rock Valley; died at 2:30 p.m. May 23, 1934; cause, chronic nephritis & uremia, and “prostatis obstruction”; contributory cause, arthritis.

Switzerland, Select Baptisms on Ancestry.com has Gottfried Pfahrer, born 3 Oct 1850 in Wohlen, Bern, Switzerland, parents Niklaus Pfahrer and Maria Marti.

The 1900 U.S. census shows Gottfried and his family living in Garfield Township with A. Elizabeth’s brothers Alexander and Rudolph Studer. He immigrated in 1855, is naturalized, a day laborer; she and her brothers immigrated in 1866 and the brothers are naturalized. In 1910 Gotfried, Annie E., William and Clara are living in Plato Township; he is a carpenter. In 1920 G. F., Annie E., daughter Clara M., and Annie’s brother Rudolph Studer are living on a farm in Garfield Township.