Mrs. Dorothy Woeltje 1821-1912

WOELTJE, KUKAK, KILAC, KILNE, BUCHOLZ, VON SEGGEN, REISNER

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 10/23/2002 at 13:15:50

Mrs. Dorothy Woeltje.

Mrs. Dorothy Woeltje, one of the oldest women in Van Buren county and a long time resident, died at the home of her son in the German neighborhood about three and one half miles west of Farmington on last Sunday, March 31.

She was born near Prymont, Germany, November 16, 1821 and was the third child of Louis Kukak and wife, nee Kilac (or Kilne ?). She came to America in the year 1849 and was married the same year to Christian Woeltje and settled on a farm west of Farmington, where they have lived ever since. She was a charter member of the German Lutheran church in Farmington to which organization she was ever faithful.

Mrs. Woeltje was a woman of kind and pleasant disposition always seeking to make people happy by those many little acts of kindness which do so much to smooth the rough places in life. She was a great favorite with children to whom she was fond of relating her experiences of the pioneer days. She was always ready to do good where help was needed, in which she was always a friend indeed. She reached the ripe old age of 90 years, 4 months and 15 days.

She leaves to mourn her death, one son, Wm. Woeltje and five daughters, viz: Mrs. Elizabeth I. Bucholz, Mrs. Wilhelmina Henrietta Von Seggen, Mrs. Caroline Reisner, and Misses Mary Ellen and Sarah Anne Woeltje, all of whom live in the community near their mother. The last two named above together with their brother William H. are still at home. There also remains three sons-in-law, eight grand-children and fie great-grand children.

The funeral was held from the German Methodist church west of town at 1 o’clock Tuesday, April 2, in charge of her pastor, Rev. F. Perl assisted by Rev. J. H. Taylor and the body laid to repose in the Steinmyer cemetery.

The large concourse of friends and neighbors who gathered for the last sad rites testified to the high esteem in which this aged woman was held in the community.

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for they rest from their labors and their works do follow them.

[handwritten on article was “1912”]

[please report any correction in her mother's maiden name of Kilac or Kilne or ? to richlowe@web-iowa.com making reference to this posting.]

Source: Entler Scrapbooks, vol. 5, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA