Phillip & Minnie Onstot

ONSTOT RASMUSSEN MARQUART

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/13/2010 at 17:37:15

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Phillip and Minnie (Rasmussen) Onstot
By Herbert W Onstot

Phillip L Onstot was born July 26, 1876. He was the oldest sons of Jacob and Catharine (Marquart) Onstot. Phillip grew to manhood on the family farm in Floyd Township, northeast of Bronson. He lived with his parents and farmed his first 30 years in partnership with his father. In 1906 Jacob and Phillip held a farm auction and sold all but the 320 acre Onstot farm. Jacob and Catharine retired in Bronson and Phillip entered the hardware business in Bronson.
In 1910 Phillip married Minnie Rasmussen of Bronson and to this union five children were born: Everett, 1911; Donald, 1913; Lillian, 1915, died in infancy; Loretta, 1917, died in 1921; and Herbert, 1922. During this period of time Phillip sold the hardware business and worked as a rural mail carrier. His experiences during these years of Woodbury County mud roads plus Model-T Fords were too much, both physically and financially. A rural mail carrier in those days was underpaid for the conditions involved.
In 1920 Phillip moved back to the family farm in Floyd Township and started farming again, which he enjoyed most. He resided on the Onstot farm until 1932. The estate farm was sold and after living in Woodbury County for 56 years. Phillip and family moved to a Plymouth County farm. They lived there three years and during this time it was probably the hardest years this family would ever encounter. Depression and dry weather took its toll on the farm communities.
In 1943, Phillip held a farm auction and retired due to poor health. Phillip and Minnie moved to Omaha and established a home for the two sons that were residing there. Phillip lived in Omaha until he died in 1947 at the age of 71. The family move to Omaha instead of Sioux City had been a big decision for the Onstots because of their ties and many years of residing in Woodbury County.
Everett, the oldest son of Phillip and Minnie had farmed all his life so he moved back to Woodbury County in a short time and worked as a farm hand until he died in 1979 in Sioux City at the age of 68.
Donald, the second son of Phillip and Minnie continued to reside in Omaha. Donald married Alice Fichna of Omaha in 1946. One son, Mark, was born to this family. Donald worked as a salesman for many years in Omaha and died in 1970 at the age of 57. Alice and Mark continue to live in Omaha.
Herbert, the youngest son of Phillip and Minnie, left Omaha in 1944 to serve in the army until 1946. He returned to Lake View, Iowa, after the service where his formative years started. He married Darlene Lillie of Lake View in 1947 and has been engaged in operating Mid-States Equipment Company, a farm equipment business, to date. Three children were born to this family: Gregory, 1949; Scott, 1952; and Heidi, 1955.
Minnie (Rasmussen) Onstot died in August of 1970 at the age of 79. She was one of eight children of Samuel and Mina Rasmussen. She lived her first 18 years on a farm north of Bronson. Throughout her life she worked hard to rear her family and always maintained her Danish ancestors’ conservative way of life.
The deceased members of all the Phillip Onstot family were returned to Woodbury County and are buried in Graceland Cemetery, Sioux City.