Dresselhaus, William 1865 - 1948

DRESSELHAUS, ALBERS, BUCHOLTZ, DETERS, FRANZEN, GERLING

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 4/19/2014 at 20:14:06

William Dresselhaus needs no introduction to the readers of a history of Winneshiek County, for he is a representative of one of the oldest families in this section of the state and his name has been well known and honored here since pioneer times. He himself is well worthy of the honor and esteem in which it is held, for his record has only added to its luster, he standing today among the most representative and able agriculturists and most progressive and public-spirited citizens of his native township. He owns a fine farm of two hundred and thirteen acres on section 35 and in its cultivation has met with that success which always rewards earnest and persistent labor.

William Dresselhaus was born in Pleasant Township, Winneshiek County, August 26, 1865, and is a son of Bernhard and Diedrike (Albers) Dresselhaus, natives of Germany. The father was born at Schale, province of Westphalia, on the 6th of January, 1837, and spent his early childhood in his native country. When he was sixteen years of age he came to America and lived for a number of years in the vicinity of Chicago, Illinois. In the year 1859 he moved to Pleasant Township and turned his attention to farming, developing from a raw tract of land which he acquired in pioneer times a fine homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, which he continued to improve and operate until his death. He owned also another tract of eighty acres. In 1873 he joined the German Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a faithful member until his death. He was one of the first members of the congregation in Canoe Township and took an active part in its organization, serving for many years as a faithful trustee. He gave stanch allegiance to the Republican Party, taking an active part in public affairs and becoming a loyal and public-spirited citizen. He died at the home of his son in Canoe Township, November 12, 1910, at the age of seventy-three, having survived his wife since 1904. In their family were three children. Amelia is the wife of Louis Bender, of Decorah. Emma was born April 21, 1863, and became the wife of Henry Graham. She died October 18, 1903, leaving two daughters. The third and youngest member of this family is the subject of this review.

William Dresselhaus grew to manhood upon his father's farm in Pleasant Township, becoming at an early age a prosperous and progressive agriculturist. He continued to reside in Pleasant Township until 1904, when he moved to his present farm on section 35, Canoe Township, whereon he has since resided. He owns two hundred and thirteen acres of fine land and upon it engages in general farming and stock-raising, both branches of his activities proving under his able management profitable and important. The homestead is well improved, Mr. Dresselhaus having erected a fine modern home, good barns and outbuildings, and having installed the necessary labor-saving machinery. It is one of the finest properties in this part of the state and reflects everywhere the constant and careful supervision of its owner.

In 1888 Mr. Dresselhaus was united in marriage to Miss Emma Ida Deters, who was born in Allamakee County, on the 26th of January, 1867, a daughter of Bernard Henry and Anna Maria (Bucholtz) Deters, the former a native of Germany, born in Schale, February 2, 1830. At the age of twenty-one he came to America, landing after several weeks' voyage at New Orleans, whence he boarded a steamboat and sailed up the Mississippi to St. Louis and from there up the Illinois River to La Salle, where he was transferred to a canal boat and landed in Chicago on June 9, 1851. At the time of his arrival his earthly possessions amounted to just seven dollars, but he soon procured work with his brother-in-law, Henry Franzen, at Addison, Illinois, where he labored for the greater part of the time in an oil mill until the fall of 1855. Two years previously he had purchased some government land in Union City township, Allamakee county, Iowa, and in 1855 he established a home on this farm, marrying in that year Miss Anna Maria Bucholtz, who was born in Chicago, October 5, 1836. The journey into Iowa was made under hard conditions. As far as Dubuque they traveled by rail but from there they were obliged-to make their way to their new home in a wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen. On the 20th of October they reached the farm, which was entirely unimproved, and the father set to work felling trees and erecting a log cabin. During the first six weeks he and his wife made their home in an old forsaken log hut without floor, windows or doors, and cut hazel brush served as their bed. In the beginning of December they moved into the log cabin which Mr. Deters and Mr. Gerling had erected on Mr. Gerling's premises and here the two families lived for one and a half years, cooking upon one stove, which had to serve for this and for heating purposes. Deer and other wild game furnished their principal rations for the first winter. In the spring of 1856 they set about breaking the virgin soil and it was soon evident that it was rich in productiveness. The two families remained together until the following year, when Mr. Deters erected a log cabin upon his own premises and upon that property-continued to reside until their deaths. Success steadily rewarded their well-directed labors, Mr. Deters becoming finally one of the most prosperous and successful farmers in the section to which he came as a pioneer. He acquired extensive landed holdings and continued active in the management of his property until 1897, when he turned over the homestead to his son Louis and retired, living thus until his death, which occurred in 1911. He and his wife were imbued with a religious zeal and this manifested itself in active cooperation with religious work in Winneshiek County. In the early days, when a few other German families had settled in the community, religious services were held alternately in the various homes until i860, when Mr. Deters was instrumental in organizing the German Evangelical congregation at Eitzen. He was a stanch supporter of the Republican Party and he took an active interest in everything relating to community growth and up building, although he never sought public office for himself.

Mr. and Mrs. Dresselhaus became the parents of five children: Lilly, who was born September 20, 1889; Luella, born March 23, 1891; Eddie, whose birth occurred January 26, 1893; Willard, born November 11, 1899; and Elmer, born October 31, 1902. Mr. Dresselhaus is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and guides his honorable and upright life by its doctrines. A stanch republican, he has supported the principles of this party since casting his first vote and has been always more or less active in public life in his native section, being now in the third term of his able service as township trustee. He is a man loyal in citizenship, reliable in business, at all times public-spirited and progressive and his life measures up to the full standard of honorable manhood, his record being a credit to a name that has been known and honored in this part of Iowa since pioneer times.

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

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