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

A spirit of enterprise and progress actuates Charles Rettenmaier in all that he does. He has worked diligently and persistenly to develop and improve his farm and his well directed efforts along agricultural and stock-raising lines are meeting with gratifying success. He was born in Blackhawk county, Iowa, on the 13th of September, 1862, a son of Joseph and Mary (Berge) Rettenmaier, both natives of Germany, the former of Wurtemburg and the latter of Rhinefeldt.

The father came to America in 1854 and was numbered among those sons of the fatherland whose efforts were potent forces in furthering the development and improvement of the great commonwealth of Iowa. He located first in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he worked on the canal for a time, and later went to Freeport, Illinois. In that city he was married, after which he took up his home in Blackhawk county, Iowa, in 1869, where he purchased a farm and was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1874. In the latter year he came to Carroll county, locating on what continues to be the old Rettenmaier homestead. At that time Kniest township was largely raw prairie land, with practically no buildings within its borders, and Joseph Rettenmaier found himself confronted with the arduous task of converting the unimproved ground into productive fields. His industry and perseverance, however, never faltered until he had accomplished this task, and at the time of his death he was the owner of three hundred and sixty acres of rich and finely cultivated land. He was one of the earliest settlers in this portion of the county and was closely identified with its growth and development for a number of years. He served as county supervisor for two terms and was also township trustee. He gave his political allegiance to the democratic party and held membership in the Catholic church of Mount Carmel. His death occurred in 1887, his remains being laid to rest in the cemetery at Mount Carmel. He is yet survived by his wife, who makes her home in Carroll, Iowa. In their family were eight children, as follows: Lena, the wife of Joseph Rhinehardt, of Wagner, South Dakota; Charles, of this review; David, residing in Carroll, Iowa; Lizzie, the widow of John Gising, also of Carroll; Kate, residing with her mother in Carroll; Frank, engaged in the drug business at Carroll; Mary, the deceased wife of Edward Thurliman; and Joseph, also a druggist of Carroll.

Charles Rettenmaier was reared to manhood on the home farm in Blackhawk county, and in the district schools of that locality he received his education. His training for farm labor was not meager, for he remained at home, assisting his father in the work of the fields, until twenty-five years of age. Lessons of industry, thrift and integrity were early impressed upon his mind and have constituted factors in his success since that time. Upon entering the business world on his own account he located on a farm across the road from his father’s home and there engaged in agricultural pursuits as a renter until the capital which he had been able to save made it possible for him to invest in farm land of his own. In 1900 he purchased his present place, which he has brought under a high state of cultivation, and now owns four hundred acres, all in Kniest township, which in their well kept and neat appearance denote a life of industry, enterprise and thrift on the part of Mr. Rettenmaier. He gives considerable attention to his live-stock interests and has gained a reputation throughout the township as a raiser of high grade stock.

Mr. Rettenmaier laid the foundation for a happy home life of his own through his marriage, November 24, 1887, to Miss Katie Maus, and unto them have been born twelve children: Mary, the wife of Frank Snyder, of Kniest township; and Anna, Rose, Albert, Edward, Martin, William, Walter, Leona and Marcus, all yet at home; and two who are now deceased.

The religious belief of Mr. Rettenmaier is indicated by his membership in the Roman Catholic church of Mount Carmel, and he also belongs to the Roman Catholic Protective Association. He gives his support politically to the democratic party, but has never sought nor desired office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs, in which he has met with well merited success. He is well insured in the Bankers Life Insurance Company of Des Moines, Iowa, and is one of the most enterprising men in the past of the county. His transactions being conducted on the basis of honesty, and being a man of high morals, he is known throughout the community as an excellent farmer and worthy citizen.

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