Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcribed by Sharon Elijah June 26, 2020

Joseph M. Dunck, a well known and respected resident of Carroll, is prominently identified with journalistic interests as the editor and manager of “Der Carroll Demokrat,” a weekly newspaper. His birth occurred in Lyons, Iowa, on the 25th of January, 1874, his parents being Henry and Frances (Rehmann) Dunck, natives of Germany. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Dunck, who was also born in the fatherland, came to America with his wife, Mrs. Mary (Caspary) Dunck, and took up his abode in Lyons, Iowa, where his demise occurred when he had attained the age of about seventy-six years. His wife passed away while on a visit in Carroll county, being seventy-four years of age of the time of her demise. They were the parents of the following children: Josephine, Henry, Jacob, Leo, Julianna and Octavia. N. The maternal grandfather of our subject was a farmer by occupation and died in middle life. He was the father of three daughters and one son, as follows: Mary, Frances, Elizabeth and Henry. The mother of these children was again married, her second husband being a Mr. Frische, by whom she had a daughter, Margaret.

Henry Dunck, the father of Joseph M. Dunck, was educated in the common schools of his native land and participated in the German war of 1865-6. He learned the carpenter’s trade in early manhood and followed that occupation for many years. About 1867 he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, locating in Lyons, Iowa, where he worked at his trade. In 1873 he was married to Miss Frances Rehmann. In 1876 he took up his abode in Carroll, residing there for two years, on the expiration of which period he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Maple river township, which he has brought under a high state of cultivation and improvement and on which he still makes his home. He has held various minor township offices and is widely recognized as one of the substantial and esteemed citizens of the community. Both he and his wife are Catholics in religious faith. Their children were twelve in number, namely: Joseph M., of this review; Conrad, an agriculturist of Maple River township; Theresa, the wife of C. J. Montag, of Oregon; Julia, the wife of B. B. Lemker, of Maple River township; Mary, the wife of Joseph Goecke, of Kniest township; Catherine; Agatha, the wife of P. D. Neu of Templeton, Iowa; Anna, the wife of John Schaefers, of Breda, Iowa; Frances; Josephine; and two who died in infancy.

Joseph M. Dunck, whose name introduces this review, was reared on his father’s farm in Maple River township and obtained his early education in the district schools and the parochial school at Mount Carmel. In 1887 he went to Illinois and attended St. Joseph’s College at Teutopolis in Effingham county for two years. The next two years were spent on his father’s farm and during that period he took private lessons of Rev. Ignatius Roettler of Mount Carmel. Subsequently he attended St. Joseph’s College at Dubuque for three years, winning the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1894. Five years later the degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon him by the same institution. During the next ten years he followed the profession of teaching, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. He was then made editor and manager of a weekly German newspaper published in Carroll under the name of “Der Carroll Demokrat” and under his able direction the sheet has secured a large advertising patronage as well as many subscribers. In connection with his duties as editor of the paper Mr. Dunck also does general job printing. He gives his political allegiance to the democracy and is a devoted communicant of the Catholic church. His life is exemplary in all respects and he has ever supported those interests which are calculated to uplift and benefit humanity, while his own high moral worth is deserving of great commendation.

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