Lowell & Franziska Washburn

WASHBURN MUELLER MCKNIGHT

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 22:08:37

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Lowell & Franziska (Mueller) Washburn
By Loraine E Washburn

Lowell Wayne Washburn was born 15 May 1932 on the Parkhill farm in Grange Township, Woodbury County, near Hornick, Iowa, the son of Jesse and Elsie (McKnight) Washburn. He was raised on farms near Hornick and Anthon, Iowa. He attended rural schools and Climbing Hill High School. He helped his father on the farm until is marriage, 6 May 1951, at Rock Branch, Woodbury County, Iowa. He then worked as a farm hand on farms near Kingsley, and in O’Brien County, Iowa. In the mid 1950s the family moved to Hospers, Iowa, and purchased a home there. During the next few years, Lowell drove a truck on a bread route, worked in an ice cream plant in Sheldon, and a packing house in Hospers. In about 1967 they purchased an acreage on ‘Old Highway 20’ near Sioux City, and built a home there. Lowell worked in packing houses in Sioux City for a few years, then formed a construction company with his son, Mike. The construction business came to a virtual halt due to the recession in 1980 and Lowell took a job at a hide company in Sioux City in 1982. In 1980 the family purchased an acreage form A L Johndreau in Section One, Woodbury County, and here they built a large new home.

Franziska Waltraud ‘Franzi’ Mueller was born 22 October 1930, near Stuttgart, Germany. She came to America as a Farm Bureau Exchange student in 1950 and lived with Mrs Susie Countryman in Section nine of Rutland Township. At this time Lowell’s brother, Jesse, was employed on the Countryman farm, and Lowell med Franzi while visiting there. After the birth of her children, Franzi went on with her education and became a beautician. She is currently employed by Woodbury County Extension Service as a counselor for underprivileged families in Sioux City. She has visited her homeland twice since her marriage. She became a United States citizen in October 1974.

Lowell and Franzi are parents of four children. Fredrich Eugene, known as ‘Fred’ or ‘Stumpy’, born 17 January 1952, Kingsley, Iowa, attended schools at Hospers and Lawton, Iowa. He graduated from Lawton-Bronson in 1970, having participated in football, wrestling and vocal music. He attended Wayne State College for one year, then enlisted in the Air Force, training as a dental technician. He served at Weisbaden, Germany. His first marriage was in 1974 at Bazel, Switzerland. His daughter, Heather, was born 11 July 1975 at Sioux City, Iowa. She died suddenly 25 October 1975 at Sioux City, and is buried in Banner Township Cemetery, Lawton, Iowa. Fred married second, on 2 July 1982 in South Sioux City to Carol Diana White, who was born 18 May 1948 in Sioux City, the daughter of John White and Clara Knudsen. Carol has two children by a former marriage, Michael and Courtney. Fred and Carol are both employed at Iowa Beef, Dakota City, Nebraska. Residents of Jackson, Nebraska, they recently purchased a home by Crystal Lake, near South Sioux City, Nebraska.

Barbara Annaliese ‘Barbie’ Washburn was born 10 August 1953 at Primghar, Iowa. She attended schools at Hospers, Iowa and at Lawton-Bronson in Woodbury County. She enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Kentucky, and remained there for a time after her enlistment was over. She was married 10 June 1977 to David Carpenter. He is an Army career person, working as a dietician. He was born in South Carolina. David and Barbie spent three years in Germany, and following this he was stationed in Georgia. Barbie returned to Woodbury County from Georgia in the summer of 1983, and is employed as a waitress.

Michael Wayne Washburn was born 17 July 1955 at Primghar, O’Brien County, Iowa and attended schools at Hospers, Iowa, and at Lawton-Bronson, graduating in 1973. He participated in football, wrestling and vocal music. He also competed in Little Britches Rodeo at Littleton, Colorado, one year. After graduation he worked as a partner in his father’s construction firm, and at present is self-employed in that field. He was married 27 September 1973 at Salix, Iowa, to Janine Joy Barto. Janine was born 27 December 1954 at Sioux City, the daughter of Gene and Pauline (Green) Barto. She was raised on a farm near Moville. She is a descendant of Charles G Washburn, early settler of Sloan, Iowa, and a distant cousin of her husband. She is employed at Aalf’s Mfg of Sioux City. Mike and Janine purchased an acreage in Section 35, Concord Township, and built a new house there.

Kathleen Franziska Elise ‘Kathy’ Washburn was born 13 January 1963 at Primghar, O’Brien County, Iowa, and moved as a small child with her parents to Woodbury Country. She attended Lawton-Bronson Schools, and participated in vocal music, art and German classes. She was married 27 February 1981 at Elk Point, South Dakota to Steven Lane Crystal of Moville, Iowa. They are parents of one son, Christopher Lane, born 19 January 1982 at Sioux City, Iowa. Kathy, a resident of Sioux City, is employed at Aalf’s Mfg there. Kathy graduated from Lawton-Bronson in 1981, following her marriage.