William Rudolph & Mary Parks Utesch

UTESCH PARKS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 23:29:08

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

William Rudolph and Mary Cleao Parks Utesch
By William and Mary Utesch

William Rudolph Utesch, now deceased, was born May 3, 1889, at Midway near Anthon, Iowa, and died May 7, 1960. He was the son of Rudolph Henry Utesch and Louise Wehman Ossenschmidt Utesch.

William ‘Bill’ lived on a farm as a youth near Midway. As a young man he was carpenter working with Charlie Huss of Correctionville, and resided in this town. In the early years of manhood, Bill was the proud owner of a Reo, one of the first cars in the Correctionville area.

William Rudolph and Mary Cleao Parks were united in marriage on February 4, 1914, in Sioux City, Iowa.

Mary Cleao Parks Utesch, now deceased, was born January 12, 1892, at Danbury, iowa, and died July 28,1960. She was the daughter of Isaac James Parks and Mary Catherine Ottman Parks. Cleao lived in Danbury until she was twelve years old and after the death of her father. She then moved along with her mother, an older brother, and two younger sisters, to a farm northwest of Washta, Iowa. They lived there for approximately three years. Brother Arthur married, and as he was the one who cared for the farm it was time again to move with her mother and sisters. This time they settled in Correctionville where they attended school. Cleao finished three years in High School, then due to the poor health of her mother, Cleao left school to become employed in the local bakery. That way she could better assist with providing for herself and the family. Cleao enjoyed working for Daddy Thomas, even though the hours were long and the pay minimal. Mr Thomas, or Daddy as Cleao called him, loved music and Cleao learned many folk songs, with which she in turn entertained both her children and grandchildren. She worked for four years in the bakery before her marriage.

After their marriage, Bill and Cleao started farming on a farm at Midway near Anthon, and lived there two years. The Utesch family moved from this farm to a farm four and one-half miles north of Correctionville, on the Ridge road in Union Township. They moved with horse and wagons on a bitterly cold day with their one-year-old daughter, Faye, who was snugly wrapped in bed comforters. They purchased this farm and lived there until they retired in March of 1946 and moved to the town of Correctionville.

They were the parents of seven children:

Clara Faye, Mrs Gerald Goodwin of Correctionville, born January 29, 1915;

Violet Lucille, Mrs Frank Altemus, of Correctionville, born December 11, 1918;
Marjorie Ellen, Mrs Melvin Hoppe, of Correctionville, born April 2, 1921;
Alice Louise, Mrs Marvin volkert, of Washta, born October 29, 1924;
William Rudolph, wife Mary Fey, of Washta, born February 2, 1928;
Phyllis Marie, Mrs Leonard Todd, of Correctionville, born May 25, 1931; and
Wanda Joyce, Mrs Verlyn Friedricksen, of Alton, Iowa, born March 16, 1935.

Bill was a farmer and feeder, and always enjoyed having his feed yards filled to capacity. He built several buildings on his farm, and was owner of one of the first tractors in the neighborhood. This was a Fordson and used only for plowing, purchased sometime in the early 1920s. He also enjoyed the challenge of breaking horses for work that were too high spirited for many farmers less adventurous.

Cleao was always a partner in the farm operation and raised many chickens, milked cows, raised large gardens, canned hundreds of quarts of food yearly and assisted with harvest in the fields when needed. She was a devout Christian woman, being of the Methodist faith, and as a young woman made a generous contribution to the building fund of the Methodist Church of Correctionville in 1912, from her meager salary of $4.00 weekly. She was a member of the Woman’s Society of Christian Service, the Good Hope Club and enjoyed gardening, sewing and singing.

Bill and Cleao held deep affection for family and their home was open to many family reunions through the years. This is a tradition that still finds favor among the family. The Utesch family, direct descendants (and spouses) of Bill and Cleao, have reached the number of one hundred. These descendants still gather annually each Christmas to exchanged gifts and share fellowship.