REHKOPF, Magdalena: 1821-1905

VAN BUREN, REHKOPF, WILLIS, SNEATHEN

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 5/11/2013 at 14:06:31

Magdalena Van Buren, born July 20, 1821, died March 2, 1905, aged 84 years, 7 months and ?? days, born in Canton Berne, Switzerland. She came to this country with her parents and a younger brother in 1834, at the age of 13, and for a while made her home in New York City.

From there the family removed to Utica, New York, and two years later to a farm on the Red river, near Shreveport, Louisana(sp). Three years later and after the death of her father, they removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where at the age of 22 she was married to Henry Augustus Rehkopf Sept. 6, 1843. After living for three years in St. Louis, they went to Galveston, Texas, for three years, then returned to St. Louis for three years and in the spring of 1852 came to Bentonsport, Van Buren county, Iowa, where the family remained until broken up by death or removal of the husband and children.

To this family three sons and five daughters were born, of whom two daughters, Mrs. W.A. Willis of Iowa City, and Mrs. J.F. Sneathen of Baraboo, Wisconsin, and one son, the writer, remain to mourn the loss of their mother. Brother Henry died in St. Louis, brother Augustus was killed at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, in defense of his country. Father, and sister Emma, and Mary, died in Bentonsport, and sister Louise in Warren county, near Des Moines. This is a brief sketch of the life of this sainted mother, as far as it relates to her physical career, but does not tell the story of her life to me.

The second child, I came into the family when buoyant with youth the future opened out to my parents with all the radiance and splendor of a successful and happy life. Early in her married life this blessed mother of mine became burdened with the care and responsibility of my existence. Early in life she was called upon to watch over me in my hours of sickness and suffering, as well as to have a care over me in my dark days of healthfulness when with impetuosity and exuberance of youth I so often approached so near the danger line, so that no evil, no harm, would befall me, and early in her life did she begin to sacrifice for me.

As I passed from childhood to youth, and then to young manhood her anxiety for my preparation and equipment for the battle of life engaged her thoughts by day and by night, and in the secret of her chambers she daily petitioned a throne of grace that the impulsive boy, the headstrong boy of the family, might be kept from the snares of the world. When I went out of this sacred family circle to a home, and a family of my own, my mother's prayers followed me, and after long years of separation, when my hair had become silvered o'er, I was still upon that mother's heart, as when in infancy she held me, and my name was still upon those sacred lips as she reverently approached the throne of grace.

As I comtemplate the beautiful character of my departed mother I am fully persuaded that whatever of good there may be in me, whatever of benefit I may have been to any one, whatever of usefulness to my fellowmen, whatever of loyalty to principle and to God, is attributable to the mother in me, and on account of her unceasing devotion to me. We have laid her away in the old cemetery on the hill at Bentonsport, March 6, Rev. Perkin officiating, beside father and sisters, where her body will await the resurrection morn, when as we promised her, we will join her over there. To the friends who were so kind to us in this our hour of sad bereavement, we return heartfelt thanks.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 52, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA