John Daniel Kuns

KUNS, HOOBLER, BROOKER, WILBER, CONNER, HOTCHKISS, MCBRIDE, WITTER, PATTEN, STUDER, NELSON, WALSH

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 5/5/2006 at 04:02:47

John Daniel Kuns is now living retired in Forest City but was long actively identified with farming and stock raising interests and is still the owner of valuable farm property in Winnebago county. He was born near Pierceville, Indiana, August 22, 1850, a son of Jacob and Jemima (Hoobler) Kuns, who were natives of Pennsylvania, whence they removed to Indiana and there remained for three years. They afterward became residents of Livingston county, Illinois, where the father passed away. The mother still resides there at the very advanced age of ninety- three years. In their family were eight children, four of whom survive.

John Daniel Kuns was reared and educated in Livingston county, Illinois, his early experiences being those of the farm bred boy who divides his time between the duties of the schoolroom, the pleasures of the playground and the work of the fields. After reaching man's estate he began farming on his own account in Illinois and in 1889 he removed to Winnebago county, Iowa, where he purchased a farm, residing thereon until 1906. In that year he retired from active business life and removed to Forest City. In the meantime he had brought his fields to a high state of cultivation and had added many modern improvements to his place, converting it into one of the valuable farm properties of the district. He was practical and progressive in all that he did and as the result of his untiring industry and sound judgment he annually gathered good harvests. He is still the owner of six hundred and forty acres of land in this county, all of which is improved. While upon the farm he also fed stock of various kinds and this branch of his business contributed much to his income.

On September 2, 1871, Mr. Kuns was married to Miss Phoebe M. Brooker, who was born in La Salle county, Illinois, a daughter of Thomas and Lucinda (Wilber) Brooker, the former a native of England, while the latter was born in Ohio. They were married in the Buckeye state and thence removed to Illinois, while in 1887 they became residents of Winnebago county, Iowa, where their remaining days were passed, the father dying September 9, 1891, and the mother January 7, 1917. In their family were ten children, nine of whom are yet living. To Mr. and Mrs. Kuns were born ten children: Della May, who became the wife of John Conner and died in 1903; Bertha L., the wife of R. V. Hotchkiss, living in Fairmont, Minnesota; Mabel F., the wife of Raymond McBride, of Mount Valley, Iowa; Erastus E., a resident of Montana; Ammond R., who married Esther Witter and is living in Hancock county; Grace Belle, who is the wife of Earl Patten, and is living in Rowan, Iowa; Edward A., who married Flora Studer of Luverne, Iowa; Lula Pearl, the wife of Henry Nelson, of Forest City; John J., who married Gladys Walsh and lives at Clear Lake, Iowa; and George Dewey, at home.

The family attend the Baptist church and they are numbered among the valued and respected citizens of this part of the state. In politics Mr. Kuns has long has long been a stalwart republican and he has served for several years as school director and as justice of the peace. He owes his success to his own efforts and the assistance of his estimable wife. Through their labors they have won a handsome fortune and are now reaping the benefits of their former toil. Moreover, their success has been so honorably won and so worthily used that the most envious could not grudge them their prosperity.

Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock Counties, Iowa, 1917,Vol II, page 276