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 November 1, 2020

John Frank Macke, for many years successfully engaged in farming and now living retired at Carroll, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, February 4, 1848. He is a son of Bernard and Elizabeth (Albis) Macke, both of whom were natives of Oldenburg, Germany. The father served for three years in the German army after arriving at maturity and in 1843 emigrated to America, making his home for a short time at Cincinnati. Later he removed to Franklin county, Indiana, and engaged in farming. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years and passed away in 1907. His wife died forty-eight years previously, in 1859. They were both devout members of the Catholic church. The grandparents on the paternal side were Bernard and Agnes Macke. He was a carpenter and there were three children in their family—Bernard, Agnes and Mary. The maternal grandfather was Fred Albis, a farmer of Germany. Of his children three came to America—Fred, Mary and Bernardina. Five children were born to Bernard and Elizabeth Macke, namely: John Frank, of this review; Mary, wife of Herman Harmeier of Hayman, Indiana; Bernardina, wife of Bernard Harmeier of Cincinnati, Ohio; Elizabeth, who became the wife of John Grundemeier and is now deceased; and Bernard, also deceased.

John Frank Macke removed with his parents when he was a lad of seven years to Franklin county, Indiana. He began working for himself at the age of eleven, thus becoming early acquainted with hard labor. After reaching manhood he went to Stearns county, Minnesota, and worked at Melrose two years, coming to Carroll county, Iowa, a year later, where he rented land. Subsequently he purchased eighty acres in Eden township, which he improved and after a few years acquired eighty acres adjoining, thus making a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which under his management became highly productive. He lived for several years at Templeton but since 1907 has made his home at Carroll.

January 27, 1871, in Minnesota, Mr. Macke was united in marriage to Miss Julia Ann Boos, daughter of John and Mary (Kreier) Boos, and to this union fifteen children were born, eight of whom are now living, namely: Elizabeth of Templeton, who married John Vollmer and they have five children—Ellen, Mabel, Etta, Leola and Julia; Michael, a farmer of Eden township, who married Anna Stein and they have four children—Chloris, Julia, Edwin and Lawrence; Anna of Sioux City, Iowa, who married John Foster and they have seven children—Arthur, Joseph, Herbert, Hazel, Marie, Harold and Anna; Mary of Templeton, who married Frank Vollmer and they have eleven children—Bertha, Florence, Maggie, Joseph, Michael, Loretta, Marie, Clara, Isabel, Leo and Charles; Joseph, a farmer near Templeton, who married Maggie Trecker and they have four children—Frank, Joseph, Michael and Leo; John, who married Rose Broderick and is now managing a store in Templeton for his father; William, who assists his brother in the store; and Charles, who is connected with a furniture store in Carroll. The mother of these children passed away May 28, 1893, having then arrived at the age of forty years. She was a native of Utica, New York, and her parents were natives of Germany. They came to Carroll county in 1876 and located in Eden township. The father is deceased but the mother in now living in Carroll and has arrived at the age of eighty-seven years. On the 22d day of February, 1897, Mr. Macke was married to Mrs. Margaret Deitring, who was born at Dubuque, Iowa, widow of Bernhard Deitring and daughter of Joseph and Johanna (Hanisch) Buchheit. The father of Mrs. Macke was a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and the mother of Westphalia, Germany. They came to this country and settled at Dubuque, where the mother died November, 4, 1904, being then sixty-two years of age. The father is now living in Sioux City, Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. Macke are members of the Catholic church and sincere believers in its teachings. He is identified with the Roman Catholic Mutual Protective Society, and politically, gives his support to the democratic party. He has not sought public office, but served most acceptably for six years as township trustee and for fourteen years as roadmaster. He has led an active and useful life and now enjoys in a large degree the regard of his associates and of all with whom he comes into contact.

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