John P. Arends

One of the active and progressive young business men of Aplington is John P. Arends, who since 1909 has conducted a
large hardware, heating, lighting and plumbing establishment in the town. His birth occurred here November 13, 1884, his parents being John P. and Grace (Iben) Arends, both bom in Germany in 1853. The father was the first hardware merchant in Aplington and was connected with that line of business here until his death in 1902. His wife survives him and still makes her home in Aplington. They became the parents of six children. The oldest, Arend P., is a salesman with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. He married Miss Minna Fink and they have  become the parents of a daughter, Maurine. Gertrude lives at home; John P. is the subject of this review; Robert is also at home; and Henry was taken in as a partner with his brother, John P., in the hardware business in Aplington, in February, 1913. The youngest member of the family, Florence, lives at home. John P. Arends was graduated from the Aplington high school in 1899 and took a course in the Waterloo business college, from 1900 to 1902. At the time of his father's death, in February, 1902, he was called upon to work in his father's hardware store, assisting his older brother, Arend P., in conducting the business until May, 1903, when the estate was settled. In December, 1903, he moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, but in 1909 returned to Aplington and established himself in business, opening a hardware, heating, lighting and plumbing concern. He has met with a gratifying degree of success and has now a large patronage accorded to him in recognition of his honorable and upright methods and his reasonable prices.

In Marshalltown, Iowa, on the 16th of May, 1905, Mr. Arends was united in marriage to Miss Bessie L. Hauser, a daughter of  David Hauser, a retired farmer living in Union. Mr. and Mrs. Arends have four children : David R., Roger, John P., Jr. ; and a son, born January 15, 1914, and not named at this writing.

Mr. Arends is independent in his political views. He is a young man of energy, resource and capability, and he will
undoubtedly be carried forward into still more important relations with business interests of the community.