Adelbert W. Streeter

STREETER, DOBSON, SMITH, GOODYKOONTZ, PACKARD, SAUL, LANE, WESCOTT, THOMAS, BURDICK, PLATTS, ANDERSON, KOBBERBIG

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 12/31/2009 at 06:57:10

ADELBERT W. STREETER

Adelbert W. Streeter, a well known retired farmer and business man living in Lake Mills, was born in a log house near Cedar Falls, Iowa, on the 17th of June, 1856, and is a son of Edward P. and Elizabeth (Dobson) Streeter, pioneer settlers of that locality, having located there in 1852. The father engaged in farming for a long period but is now living retired in Cedar Falls. He and his wife are both enjoying good health at the advanced ages of eighty-four and eighty years respectively, and on the 5th of September, 1916, celebrated the sixty-first anniversary of their marriage. To them were born eight children, of whom six survive. Our subject and his brother, Thomas W., are residents of Winnebago county. Another brother, Fred H., lives in Aberdeen, South Dakota. A sister, Mrs. B. F. Smith, makes her home in Chelan, Washington; Mrs. W. W. Goodykoontz lives in Boone, Iowa, and Mrs. J. G. Packard resides in Cedar Falls.

Adelbert W. Streeter attended the district schools until he was fifteen years old, when the family removed to Cedar Falls, where he completed a high school course. When twenty-one years of age he began operating the home farm on his own account and continued there for four years. He came to Winnebago county in 1884 and after renting a farm in Bristol township for two years bought three hundred and twenty acres there, which he cultivated until 1898, and which he still owns and rents. He then took up his residence in Lake Mills, where he purchased a livery barn and for fifteen years devoted his time and attention to the conduct of that business. He proved very successful in that connection, as lie had in his agricultural work, and in 1913, feeling that his financial circumstances warranted his enjoying a period of leisure, lie disposed of his livery business and retired.

In 1878 Mr. Streeter was united in marriage to Miss Emma Saul, of Cedar Falls, who passed away March 27,1881, and was buried at Cedar Falls. She was the mother of a son, Clark H., now city engineer of Cedar Falls. On the 28th of February, 1884, Mr. Streeter wedded Miss Nettie Lane, of Cedar Falls, by whom he had two children : Jennie, now the wife of H. M. Wescott, of Winnebago, Minnesota; and Clifford W., a banker living at Baldwin, North Dakota. Mrs. Streeter died September 20, 1911, and was buried in the North cemetery at Lake Mills. On the 7th of October, 1913, Mr. Streeter was again married, Mrs. June Thomas, of Lake Mills, becoming his wife. She was the widow of Charles D. Thomas, a son of George and Hattie Thomas, early settlers of Winnebago county. He engaged in farming on quite an extensive scale in Center township and in addition to growing the usual crops of grain gave much attention to raising full blooded stock. He passed away on the 4th of March, 1905, and was buried in the South cemetery at Lake Mills. He was married June 29, 1887, to Miss June Burdick, who was born in Worth county, Iowa, and is a daughter of Alfred and Sarah (Platts) Burdick, early settlers of Winnebago county. Her father died September 5, 1904, and her mother passed away January 17, 1914. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas were born the following children: George, who is farming in Center township: Mayme, the wife of Olaf Anderson, of Madison, Wisconsin; Rush, a civil engineer in the employ of the Illinois state highway commission; Bessie, now the wife of Arthur Kobberbig, who is farming in Bristol township; Frank, who is attending college in Minneapolis; and Nellie and Clara, high school students. Following the death of her husband Mrs. Thomas removed to Lake Mills, and, as previously stated, in 1913 became the wife of Adelbert W. Streeter. She holds title to four hundred and twenty acres of fine land in Center township.

Mr. Streeter is a republican and for ten years served as a member of the town council, during which time he constantly favored measures calculated to promote the general welfare. His well spent life has gained him a high place in the regard of his fellow citizens and his personal friends are many. He owns a fine residence and is numbered among the substantial citizens of Lake Mills.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 269-270.