Franklin Arthur Krueger

KRUEGER MARTIN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/21/2010 at 17:07:42

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Franklin Arthur Krueger
By Bonnie Bottolfson

As told to his grandchildren, Bonnie Hahn, when she was in grade school.

‘Years ago, a sail ship started from Germany across the Atlantic Ocean to America. On this boat were several families, including the Krueger family consisting of my parents, Carl and Henrietta (Hintz) and my older brothers and sisters: Amelia Herman, August, Gustave and a girl whose name is unknown. The Krueger family had all been born in Prussia. They were searching for new homes and lives in this new country.

‘The crossing took eight weeks. During that time the youngest daughter became very ill. She was nursed for days, but finally died and was buried at sea. The ship was then fumigated and a large barrel of tar caught fire threatening destruction of the entire ship, crew and passengers. The brave captain managed to throw the hot barrel of burning tar overboard, but he lost his life in saving the ship.

‘The boat finally landed at New York, where the family settled for a time. During this short stay, Gustave became separated from the family, and has never been located. After a futile search for him, the family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While living there, two more children were born: Lucy on August 21, 1861, and Franklin Arthur on July 5, 1863.

‘When Frank was about one year old, the family moved to Monona, Iowa, near McGregor, where they started farming. They had three more children: William, born June 5, 1866; Lydia, born about 1869; and Lena, born about 1871, all born in Allamakee County, Iowa.’

Frank spent his boyhood hunting, fishing, and roaming through the beautiful hilly country near the Mississippi River. Snakes, wild deer and large timber wolves inhabited this country, and often groups of Indians passed through on their way to Minnesota. Pigeons were so thick they had to be shot off the wheat fields to save the grain. Pigeon pie was a favorite food of Frank’s in those days. His favorite sports were coon hunting, fox hunting and fishing. Often he shot as many as four or five coons in one tree. A forty pound catfish was the largest fish he ever caught.

His team was not spent entirely in play, however, as he also worked on different farms. One night, as he was returning home from a neighboring farm, his horse stumbled and three him over its head. The horse lost his balance again and fell across Frank, crushing his sides and legs. Frank, as a result, was in bed for over a year. That was the last farm work that he ever did.

At seventeen, he started working part time in a general store in a creamery. One of his most pleasant memories was when his employer took him on an overnight camping and fishing trip. The memory of sizzling, fresh fried fish over an open fire lingered for years.

A little later, Frank again started working in the store. There he learned to speak and understand high German, low German, Bohemian, low and high Dutch. He learned to read German in church and Sunday School. He was a sincere Christian.

Frank was then appointed Postmaster at Watson, Iowa. During this time, my grandfather took a short vacation to Monona, and as he stood waiting in the depot there to return home, the engineer of his train came in to wash for dinner. The county recorded then walked in, raised his revolver, and shot right past Frank’s shoulder and killed the engineer. Frank helped to pick the dead man up and learned that the murder had been committed because of jealousy over a woman.

The owner of the store that Frank worked in decided to sell his establishment, so Frank found a buyer for him. Then, at a request from his employer, Frank accompanied him to Danbury, Iowa, where he took charge of a grain elevator.

When about twenty, he went to Oto, where he became a successful clerk in Martin’s Hardware & Gen. Mdse. Store. There he met Lelia Martin, and on March 1, 1893, they were married.

When Frank was about twenty-five, he and his brother, William, bought a grocery store form Lelia’s father, and started business for themselves in Oto.

On February 8, 1894, a daughter, Fern, was born to Frank and Lelia.; On May 8, 1897, another girl, Macil Henrietta, my mother was born. Myrna, the next daughter died November 13, 1902, only sixteen months after her birth. Lillian Irene was next, born June 20, 1904. Then, an added joy was given to the family when finally a son, Carl, was born in 1906. As well as a joy, he also brought sorrow to the Krueger family, when he died of pneumonia, while attending Morningside College in Sioux City, on November 17, 1927.

In 1930, my grandparents moved from Oto to Cherokee, Iowa, where they lived with their daughter, Lillian. They spent a very happy time there until in 1934, when Frank again experienced deep grief. Lelia, his beloved wife, died of heart trouble.

Frank, who was about six feet tall, became just a little more stooped, but he still had many friends who again helped him through another very sorrowful time.

He then made his home with his three daughters, and particularly enjoyed his grandchildren. He played ball with them, and gave them extra nickels for ice cream cones and candy.

Grandfather often sat by the hour, while I mussed up and recombed his hair. He applauded the small shows given for his benefit. He had a remarkable talent with children.

As I remember him, he was a well-built man. His face, although wrinkled and drawn, was still a perfect picture of kindness and gentleness. His blue eyes twinkled and smiled, showed his good nature and mischievous disposition. He had a big, full, grey mustache on his upper lip, hiding his slightly crooked nose. His jaw was square, denoting a rather determined disposition. His hair, growing thinner, was grey, and usually neatly arranged. His clothes were usually neat, and his shoes were always shined.

Grandfather’s personal appearance, in itself, practically showed his friendliness, his sincere religious nature, his courteous attitude, his kind and gentle manner, and his extreme generosity. In fact, all my friends, as soon as they met him, declared, ‘Mr Krueger is a perfect example of a wonderful grandfather’.

Frank died August 8, 1948, at the age of 85. His oldest sister, Amelia Timmerman Henderson, died March 9, 1941, aged 87. Another sister, Lucy, died January 22, 1962, at age 100. Still another of his sisters, Lena Fett, lived to be 101 years of age. His brother, Herman, died at Brookings, South Dakota, on November 27, 1927. His brother, William, died January 2, 1960, at the age of 93. Lydia Muth’s death date is unknown at this time. She lived in South Dakota.

Frank, Lelia, Carl, Myrna, Lucy and Amelia are all buried in Oto Cemetery.

I’ll take the blame for the paragraph with all the death dates – Muriel C Meyer.