Peter Wirth (1857-1931)

WIRTH, BALDUS, NELSON, JORDAN, CORBIN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/1/2024 at 19:55:22

From Story City Herald April 9, 1931 (page 8)

PETER WIRTH DIED SATURDAY

Funeral services for Mr. Peter Wirth, pioneer resident of Lafayette township, were held on Tuesday morning at 9:30 in SS. Peter and Paul's Catholic church, with Father Gorman saying the Requiem High Mass. Burial was made in the Catholic cemetery nearby.

Mr. Wirth had been in poor health about a year, but was only bedfast about three weeks. Heart trouble was the cause of his death, which occurred Saturday morning at 10:30 o'clock April 4, 1931, surrounded by his wife, ten children and two brothers.

Peter Wirth, son of Joseph and Odella Wirth, was born in Bundentahl, Bavaria, Germany, January 31, 1857, and came to America with his parents in 1865, and remained in New York four weeks then came to Chicago, Ill., Nov. 1st, 1865. The father, Joseph Wirth, passed away the same day in Chicago, and was buried there. The family then stayed with relatives in Geneseo, two uncles of Peter Wirth. His brothers, John and Fred Wirth, started to work in 1866, and Peter remained and cared for his sick mother until her death June 27, 1869.

In the spring of 1870 Peter Wirth came to Story county, where worked for Mr. Blunk for three years. He then started farming in Story county, and resided in Lafayette township until his death, which came peacefully at his home at the age of 74 years.

He was united in marriage Feb. 3rd, 1895, to Amelia Baldus. To this union were born 11 children, one daughter dying in infancy. Those who survive him are his wife, ten children, Mrs. Della Nelson and Mrs. Charles Jordan of Boone county, Mrs. Hugh Corbin of Nevada, Sister M. Cleopha, who teaches school at Bettendorf, Clara of Nevada, Geneva, Joseph, Cleo, Ollie and Edward at home, and ten grandchildren and two brothers, John and Fred Wirth of Lafayette township, besides numerous other sorrowing relatives and friends who filled the church to capacity at the funeral.

Pall bearers were intimate friends of the deceased: Frank Mesha, A. S. Reilly, John McCoy, Denis Healy, F. G. Nelson and Antone Uthe.

The death of Peter Wirth brings to this locality the loss of a good neighbor and kind friend. He was beloved for his kind and amiable disposition.