Erlemeier

ERLEMEIER SOHM WELTE DESSELL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 8/26/2010 at 21:10:05

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Erlemeier
By Donna Wimmer

Albertina Sohm was born February 14, 1863, at Guttenburg, Iowa, the only daughter of John Sohm and Catherine Welte. Her father drowns in the Mississippi River somewhere between 1880 and 1884. After the death of her father, her mother and two brothers, she moved to Woodbury County.

Frank Erlemeier, Sr, was born March 27, 1885, at Hoppeoke, Germany, to Anthony Erlemeier and Thersa Dessell . He came to America at the age of 14 and first made his home in Winneshiek County. He later moved to Ida County for a couple of years, and then moved to the Danbury Community. Albertinea Sohm and Frank Erlemeier met when Albertina stayed at the Dessels and Frank came on the weekend, as they were cousins.

Albertina and Frank were married, May 5, 1885, in Ida Grove, Iowa. They had eleven children: three died, one at birth and two of diptheria. The other children were: Catherine, Frank, Joe, Mary, John, Charles and Theresa.

Catherine married Henery Schimmer at Danbury. Henery worked for the county.

Frank married Margaret Reimer, January 30, 1919. Frank farmed until he retired in 1947. He then bought into the Reimer Feed Store that later was Erlemeier Feed Store.

Joe married Marie Smoke and farmed in the Hinton community until they retired in Leeds, Iowa.

Mary married Steve Venner and farmed in the Breda area until they retired in Breda.

John married Olilia Schleimer, farmed in the Danbury area, and later ran a truck until moving to Sioux City.

Charles married Cornelia Seuntjens and farmed in the Danbury area until retiring to Mapleton.

Theresa stayed with her parents until they died and since has been a housekeeper for Father Linus Eisenbacher.

For their Christmas they received homemade gifts. They used a black hawk tree for their Christmas tree and they decorated it with strings of cranberries and popcorn.

Great-grandpa Erlemeier died November 22, 1940, of old age. Great-grandma Erlemeier died November 13, 1941; after Great-grandpa Erlemeier died she didn’t want to live without him. Her health started to fail and she didn’t want to live anymore.