Nicholas William Topf

TOPF ULLRICH

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/10/2010 at 23:43:24

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Nicholas William Topf
By Lucy Lenz Topf

Nicholas William Topf was born June 10, 1896, in Crawford County, Iowa, near Charter Oak. He was the son of Ernest A and Elizabeth Ullrich Topf, both born in Clinton County, Iowa, in March 19, 1868 and April 28, 1871, respectively. They married February 23, 1892, at Charter Oak and farmed near Charter Oak until 1908 when they moved of the Heisler farm he purchased, one (1) mile east of Mapleton, Monona County, Iowa. There they raised their family of nine (9) children: Ben, Sioux City; Cecilia, ‘Mrs Nick Theobald’, Anthon; Nicholas W, Salix; Gertrude ‘Mrs Roger Kerns, deceased; Roland, deceased; Omer, LeMars; Boniface, Seal Beach, California; Vincent, deceased; and Ernest A Jr, deceased. They retired and moved to LeMars, January 1, 1920. Elizabeth died August 16, 1947, in LeMars and Ernest died July 21, 1962, in Sioux City.

Nicholas was a veteran of World War I. He married lucy M Lenz, November 27, 1919, Thanksgiving Day, in Danbury, Iowa – St Patrick’s Academy chapel, Rev Timothy Meagher officiated. They started farming March 1, 1920, near Sergeant Bluff, Liberty township, Woodbury County, Iowa, and lived there six (6) years, then moved to a farm he purchased one-half mile south and one mile east of Salix, Lakeport township, Woodbury County, Iowa. He raised purebred Durocs for forty (40) years.

Nick has been a member of the American Legion for sixty-four (64) years, Past Commander of Sloan and Salix Posts. He helped organize Woodbury County REC and was one of the first directors. A member of Woodbury County Farm Bureau sixty-four years, he was honored at the 1976 annual meeting and given a plaque for service to Agriculture. A director of Farmers Mutual Insurance, Moville, for forty (40) years, he also served on the Woodbury County Fair Board for forty (40) years, as President for seven (7) years. A lay director of St Joseph’s Church, Salix, thirty-one (31) years, he was a District fieldman for Pfister Associated Corn Growers for twenty-six (26) years before his retirement. He is a member of World War I Barracks, 1019, Sioux City.

Lucy was born June 14, 1899, to Philip G and Mary Craig Lenz, Danbury, Woodbury County, Iowa. She graduated from St Patrick’s Academy, Danbury, and attended teacher’s summer school in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Lucy taught in the Hoyt School, McAleer School, Riverside School, and the Brenner School, before her marriage. A member of St Joseph’s Tabernacle Society for sixty-three (63) years, she is also a past president. Lucy is also a member of Salix Birthday Club, Salix Study Club and American Legion Auxiliary. She is past president of Salix Unit of American Legion Auxiliary and Historian; also past vice president of Woodbury County American Legion Auxiliary, a member of Sioux Valley Auxiliary to Barracks 1019, Sioux City.

This union was blessed with ten (10) children:
Lawarence, Salix, married Eileen Ordway, six (6) children, twelve (12) grandchildren;
Mary, Salix, married Hubert Trudeau, four (4) children, six (6) grandchildren; Bernard,deceased;
Nicholas Joseph, Carroll, Iowa, married Ann Geeron, three (3) children, two (2) grandchildren;
Donald, Wayne, New Jersey, married Elizabeth Bergsmith, five (5) children, four (4) grandchildren;
James, deceased;
Maurice, Sergeant Bluff, three (3) children;
Patricia, Overland Park, Kansas, married LeRoy Hanssen;
David, South Sioux City, Nebraska;
Dennis, Fort Collins, Colorado, married Catherine Shugreu, four (4) children.
There are twenty-five (25) grandchildren, twenty-four (24) great grandchildren. All the children were in 4H, twins David and Dennis were in Boy Scouts.

Nicholas’ grandparents, William and Cecilia Topf, and John and Gertrude Nancy Ullrich, came from Germany, the men were nineteen (19) years of age. After marriage they lived in Clinton County, Iowa, then moved to Crawford County, Iowa farms near Charter Oak. They died and are buried in Charter Oak cemetery. Lucy’s paternal grandparents, Nicholas and Margaretha Becker Lenz were born in Germany, lived in Morgan Township, Woodbury County, Iowa – died Danbury, burial in St Mary’s Cemetery. Maternal grandparents, Owen and Bridget Spelman Craig were born in Ireland – 1830 and 1838, lived in Morgan township, died Danbury, burial St Mary’s cemetery.

Since Nick retired he plays golf, and winters in Texas. Everyone calls him Nick. He and Lucy still live on the same farm, in a modern home with every convenience. 1983. Lawrence and son, Larry, farm the land.