Romback, Gerson

ROMBACK

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 17:31:08

GERSON ROMBACK
born Jan 5, 1832, Germany

Gerson Romback, an early pioneer of Lincoln township, Warren county, was born in Baden, Germany, January 5, 1832, the only child of John and Christina Romback. The father left his native country in 1835 in search of a new and better home for his family in the United States, but he died quite suddenly, on the Ohio river, soon after his arrival here, - far from home and loved ones. In 1849, when Gerson Romback, our subject, was seventeen years of age, he came with his mother to the United States, and settled in Clinton county, Ohio, where he remained seven years, working by the month at hotel and farm labor. In 1854 Mr. Romback started on a western trip in search of a location, and becoming impressed with the appearance of Warren county, Iowa, he entered a tract of Government land in White Oak township, on the line of what is now Lincoln township. The tract consisted of 250 acres. Two years afterward, in company with his mother, he located on that property, building a small shanty, which was afterward replaced by a more commodious and comfortable home. Mr. Romback was one of the earliest settlers of the locality, and his property consisted of only wild prairie land. He started in with hope and courage to subdue it, but the hard times which soon came on and the lack of a market for their products told heavily on the early settlers. But with indomitable courage he kept at work, and soon came through those trying times successfully, and laid the foundation of the greater success which came to him later in life. Mr. Romback has added to his original purchase from time to time until he now owns a fine farm of 495 acres, where, in addition to general farming, he is engaged in stock raising, owning from sixteen to twenty horses, from fifty to sixty head of cattle and about fifty hogs.
In 1856 our subject was united in marriage with Agatha Held, who died in 1890, leaving three children: Frank, of Jackson township, Iowa; Mary L., wife of William McClure, of Lincoln township; and Charles at home. Mr. Romback was again married, March 17, 1892, to Rachel Ann Dillard, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Marks) Dillard, natives respectively of Indiana and Virginia. They came to this State as early as 1853, where Mr. Dillard is still living, aged seventy-seven years. His wife died in February, 1894, at the age of seventy- five years. Mr. Romback is independent in political matters, always supporting the men who in his judgment will represent the best interests of the people, regardless of party affiliations. For the past twenty-five years he has been a strong adherent of the Masonic order, being a member of Warren Lodge, No 53, of Indianola. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.153