Bruening, John J. 1874 -

BRUENING, WELLER, HEMMER, ZENDER, VOTOVA, WAHNFURTER

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 4/18/2014 at 16:56:52

JOHN J. BRUENING

Winneshiek county numbers among its valued and worthy native sons John J. Bruening, who since 1899 has devoted practically all of his attention to the development and improvement of his farm of ninety-eight acres in Washington Township. He was born on the 2d of June, 1874, and is a son of John Charles and Christina Bruening, of whom further mention is made on another page of this work. He began his independent career at the early age of thirteen, engaging in farming in the employ of others for some years thereafter, Washington Township upon which he now resides. His land is highly improved with the necessary buildings and equipment and is in an excellent state of cultivation, Mr. Bruening dividing his attention between the cultivation of his fields and the conduct of his extensive stock-raising interests. He is very careful in the operation of his property and has everything on hand with which to pursue farming by modern methods.

Mr. Bruening married, on the 19th of October, 1897, Miss Anna Hemmer, a daughter of John and Mary Ann (Weller) Hemmer, natives of Germany, the former of whom came to America as a young man, locating in Winneshiek County, where he engaged in merchandising, dying when his daughter was only five years of age. He and his wife became the parents of five children: Mary and Henry, both deceased; Anna, the wife of the subject of this review; Catherine, who married Henry Zender, of Austin, Minnesota; and Barbara, who has passed away. The father had been previously married to Miss Louisa Votova, and to this union were born two children: Margaret, who married Victor Zender, of Cresco; and John, who resides in Austin, Iowa. After the death of John Hemmer his widow married George Wahnfurter, and they became the parents of two daughters: Barbara, the wife of Peter Zender, of Austin, Iowa; and Elizabeth, who has passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Bruening became the parents of five children: Albert, who was born May 28, 1900, and who died October 25th of the same year; Edward Joseph, born May 18, 1902; Frances, who was born on the 29th of June, 1906, and who died on the 8th of December, 1907; Marion, who was born April 23, 1909, passing away on the same day, and Margaret Regina, born on the 25th of February, 1913.

Mr. Bruening gives his political allegiance to the Democratic Party and his religious views are in accord with the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. A man of excellent qualities of character, of strong and resolute purpose, industrious and enterprising, he is well known throughout the community for his uprightness and honesty and he merits and enjoys the respect and confidence of his neighbors and friends.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark publishing Company 1913