Article originally published on 24 April 1896.

Breda
SILVER ANNIVERSARY
MR. & MRS. HENRY BENNER

On 18 April 1871, Henry Benner and his spouse were joined for life in Holland. Last Saturday, relatives and friends were invited to the silver anniversary celebration. It was a very good time, and the guests were welcomed to everything that kitchen and cellar had to offer. Their marriage was blessed with nine children, of which, however, four are deceased. Among all the presents, the biggest impression was made by a lovely doll, which was discovered in the bedroom. May they also be permitted to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

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Originally published on Friday, 19 January 1900 in the “Templeton” news section.

Templeton
MARRIAGE
GEO. H. BIERL & MISS IRLMEIER

Last Tuesday, in our neighbor-town of Hillsdale, the charming couple of Geo. H. Bierl and Miss Irlmeier was married by the Rev. Father Frey, with Mr. Theo. Meyer and Miss Mary Bierl serving as best man and bridesmaid. After the ceremony, the happy wedding party retired to the residence of Mr. John Irlmeier, where a fine banquet was laid out and rich beer flowed in plentiful quantities. The guests were entertained in the most cheerful manner, the young people took part in lively dancing, while the older people amused themselves at card playing, and the customary evening serenade was not forgotten. Even our friend Frank Kerkhoff joined in the dancing again. And Mrs. Irlmeier must be given credit, because nothing was lacking in food and drink. The young couple will move onto the property of Geo. Bierl, Sr., who likely will move to his residence in Templeton.

NOTES: The bride’s first name was “Mary.” The town of Hillsdale is now known as “Roselle.” According to the Carroll County Register of Marriages, the wedding occurred on January 9, 1900. According to a 1906 map of Roselle Township, the John Irlmeier farm was about three miles straight south of Roselle.

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Originally published on Friday, 20 February 1903.

MARRIAGE
JOS. W. BRINCKS & AMELIA JOSEPHINE REINEKE

The wedding of Mr. Jos. W. Brincks and Amalia [Amelia] Josephine Reineke took place on Monday at the local Saints Peter and Paul Church. The groom is the son of Joseph Brincks of Pleasant Valley Township, and the bride is the daughter of John Reineke who lives a few miles southeast of Carroll. Both the bride and groom are highly respected by all who know them. The wedding celebration took place at the home of the bride’s father, John Reineke. Many guests made their appearance in order to celebrate the important event with the couple. We wish the newlyweds much happiness.

NOTES: The wedding date was 16 February 1903. Joseph William Brincks died in the Arcadia tornado of 21 May 1918. The family had four children: Anna, Julitta, Louis and Norbert. Norbert was also killed in the tornado.

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Originally published on 7 February 1902.

Eltgroth-Reineke Wedding

The wedding of Mr. Nickolaus Eltgroth and Miss Maria Reineke took place on Wednesday at the local Saints Peter and Paul Church. Afterwards, the young newlyweds and their relatives went to the home of John Eltgroth in the Third Ward and had breakfast. After breakfast, they all went to the residence of John Reineke on the farm southeast of Carroll where the small circle of relatives enjoyed a wedding celebration in a very comfortable and pleasant fashion. Until now, the bridegroom had lived with his brother, John Eltgroth, who is a foreman in our office. The bride is a daughter of John Reineke. The young couple will make their home on the Ringer farm, south of Carroll. We wish them much happiness.

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Originally published on 31 May 1895.

WEDDING
John Pietig & Maria Meyer

On next Tuesday, the wedding of Mr. John Pietig to widow Maria Meyer will take place in the Catholic Saints Peter and Paul Church in Carroll. The Rev. Father Nacke will perform the sacrament of marriage. Both persons are well known here. Mr. Pietig, who lives on a farm about two miles south of Carroll, is not only highly respected by acquaintances and friends, but is well liked by everyone. Mrs. Meyer is known here and in the vicinity as an upright and virtuous woman, and all her acquaintances are delighted that she has won such a worthy man. We also heartily congratulate Mr. Pietig on the excellent choice that he has made, and we hope that the couple may enjoy a long, happy, and cheerful married life. The wedding will take place among a small group of friends and family at Mr. Pietig’s farm.

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Originally published on 24 December 1897.

Edward Peters & Maria Rath

The wedding of Mr. Edward Peters and Miss Maria Rath took place on Wednesday last week. The solemn wedding ceremony was performed in the new Lutheran Church in Grant Township by the Pastor Aug. Mathias. The wedding celebration was at Mr. Christ. Rath’s place, the bride’s parental home, and proceeded in the most splendid fashion. About 100 persons were present, and all the guests had a good time and enjoyed themselves very much. And “Mutter Rath” did not neglect to offer everything that her cooking skills were capable of providing, and one can also imagine that some fine drink circulated on this occasion. And so the guests remained happily together until the late hours and then parted with the experience of having celebrated a genuine and cheerful German wedding. The young bridegroom is the son of Mr. Edward Peters and is a very industrious young man. The bride is a very estimable young lady, honored and respected by all. And so the young couple has the expectation of a happy and peaceful married life, which we heartily wish the young pair.

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Originally published on 14 April 1893.

Reicks-Spieker Wedding

On Tuesday morning, Bernh. Reicks and Miss Mary Spieker were married at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church by Rev. Father Nacke. Both persons, the groom as well as the bride, enjoy great popularity among their many friends, who join us in the wish that the young couple may enjoy a long and happy marriage.

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Originally published on 11 February 1898.

Reimann-Schöppner Wedding

On Tuesday morning, Mr. Jos. Reimann and Miss Anna Schöppner were married at the Catholic Church in Templeton. The Rev. Father Schulte performed the solemn ceremony. The wedding celebration took place at the home of the bride’s family, John Schöppner’s residence in Eden Township, and as our readers can well imagine, the happy family event was celebrated in the grandest fashion. Everything the kitchen and cellar had to offer was on hand for the many guests, and it must be said that both Mutter and Papa Schöppner offered everything for the guests’ comfort and to make them feel at home and relaxed. It was indeed a truly pleasant party, and the guests will long cherish its memory. Mr. Jos. Reimann, whose parents also live in Eden Township, is a respected and first-rate young man. The bride, Miss Anna Schöppner is an estimable young lady who possesses all the good qualities to make her young husband happy, which is what we heartily wish for the young couple.

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25th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Wm. Rupiper

There was a pretty lively time on Saturday at the home of Mr. Wm. Rupiper in Roselle Township. An observer might have thought that a young couple was being joined in the bonds of matrimony and that the celebration was intended for the young newlyweds. Not only were arrangements made to entertain a group of guests, but our friend Wilhelm and his dear wife looked quite youthful and matrimonial, as if they had just come from the wedding altar. And indeed it was 25 years ago since the ceremony was performed at Saint Bonafacius Church in New Vienna [Iowa] by the Rev. Father Schulte, and Wm. Rupiper and Miss Maria Riesberg were joined for life. And these preparations were intended as the 25th anniversary celebration of this holiday. The wedding couple did not want this day to pass without entertaining relatives, friends, and acquaintances as dear guests, and it is easy to imagine that the guests were present in great numbers to wish the silver-anniversary couple happiness and blessings because they are among the most popular citizens of Roselle Township. The le anniversary celebration. Among the guests present, we noticed the families of Louis Schenking, Christ Hausmann, Herm. Bekehermes, Nick. Götzinger, Jos. Friedmann, H. Eickmann, Geo. Rolfes, Anton Hölker, Matt. Reinhart, [no first name given] Truhe, Jr., Henry Drees, John Schlichte, Clemens Schlichte, Wm. Schwaller, Wm. Riesberg, Wm. Witte, Herm. Witte, Anton Hugeback, Henry Schwaller, Jos. Roth, Peter Comes, Theod. Schmitz, John Schmitz, and several others. The Demokrat also extends its belated best wishes, consisting mainly of the hope that, in another 25 years, the anniversary couple may be permitted to celebrate their golden anniversary in the circle of their children, grandchildren, and friends.

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Originally published on Friday, 24 May 1895. I have kept the name spellings as they were in the article.

Carroll and Vicinity
JOS. SCHMITT & LIZZIE REINECKE

As we reported last week, the wedding of Jos. Schmitt and Miss Lizzie Reinecke took place on Tuesday of this week. The celebration was held at the home of Mr. Reinecke, the bride’s father. It was a splendid farm wedding of the type that very few people indeed have ever experienced. The farm lies about three miles south of Carroll. We drove out towards evening and indeed, as we caught sight of the house, we were vividly reminded of the public festivals and farm fairs as they are celebrated in Germany. We immediately noticed the innumerable buggies, and the throng of people on the place. In front on the left, as we entered the yard, a large dance floor with railings and benches was laid out, and musicians on a raised platform were playing a lively “Hopsa” waltz. Before we allowed ourselves to be distracted by the sweet sound of the music or the pretty, shapely girls, we first looked for a place to park the horse and buggy, which didn’t take long. Then, among the many familiar faces, we found the bride and groom and offered them our best wishes. The happy couple welcomed us heartily and, while they thanked us for visiting, we were made to feel quite at home. We saw old Mr. Reinecke standing not far away at the family celebration, and we gave him a hearty handshake. We must admit that the party was a true family celebration, and dear acquaintances and everyone were having fun and enjoying themselves all around. The young people naturally could not be bothered much, and they kept the musicians constantly busy, who for their part gratefully took an occasional intermission and glanced over at the hill where a jolly group was paying homage to Gambrinus [the mythical god of beer], while singing various folksongs such as “Du, Du, liegt mir im Herzen,” “Unter’m Dach, juchhe, Unter’m Dach, juchhe,” “Als der Grossvater die Grossmutter nahm,” CKomm mit nach Lindenau,” and so forth. The men, for the most part, were engaged in a gallant attack by keeping several bartenders completely busy. During a stroll around the back of the house, we found several long tables where the older children and the easy-going older folks were playing games like “Zwick,” “Jucker,” or “Solo.” There was certainly no lack of good humor, and everyone was cheerful and in a merry mood. The fact that there was no shortage of anything that body or soul could desire naturally contributed to the overall good mood. The arrangements for serving the food were excellent. The service was fast and the dishes were first-rate. Around nine o’clock, the Carroll Turn Verein [gymnastics club] arrived, and the celebration pulsed with renewed life. Our readers can get some idea of the festivities when we mention that a bus service ran back and forth from Carroll to the party until late at night.

NOTES: The article misspelled the name Reineke as Reinecke. The wedding took place on May 21, 1895, at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Carroll. The article mentions the games Zwick, Jucker and Solo. I believe these are the card games whist, euchre and solo.

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Spieker-Brincks Wedding

The wedding of Mr. Anton Spieker, son of Anton Spieker, Sr., and Miss Anna Brinks, daughter of Henry Brinks in Pleasant Valley Township, took place in Willey on Tuesday. The wedding took place at the home of the bride’s father. A large number of people were present and gave their best wishes to the young couple. Everyone enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ content. We congratulate the young newlyweds.

NOTES: The bride’s family name should be spelled “Brincks.”

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Originally published on 20 October 1893.

Mr. Pastor G. Theiss and Miss Maria Hermann

The daughter of Mr. Pastor Chr. F. Hermann of Arcadia will celebrate their marriage on the 24th of October. The wedding will take place at 10:30 a.m., in the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the father of the bride will perform the solemn ceremony of marriage. The Demokrat also wishes the couple happiness and blessings in their marriage.

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Originally published on 11 February 1898.

HENRY TIMP

Mr. Henry Timp, father-in-law of Mr. Hermann Gehling, has been staying with his daughter and son-in-law for the last week on a visit. Mr. Timp is an old settler who came to America as a youth in the 1840’s and settled in Iowa in 1853. For many years, he has been accustomed to a Westphalian dialect, but we noted a few Lower Rhine expressions, and so we learned that he is a Weselaner. Mr. Timp has experienced a lot, and he appears to be an honest German farmer whose heart is in the right place.

NOTES: I think the term “Weselaner” means he came from Wesel, a town and county on the Lower Rhine, in the western part of Germany east of Essen and close to the Dutch border.

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Originally published on 9 June 1893.

Silver Anniversary
John Underberg

Eight days ago yesterday, on 1 June, there was a good time at John Underberg’s in Sheridan Township, because he and his wife were celebrating the beautiful occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary. All their children and grandchildren, other relatives, and friends were present to extend their best wishes to the silver-anniversary couple. Twenty-five years ago in Browns Station, Clinton County, Iowa, the universally respected anniversary husband married Maria Kries, who, during this happy time, has bestowed 13 children on him, 10 sons and 3 daughters, all of whom took part in this celebration, and those of them who married were present with their own children. Mr. Underberg’s house is quite spacious, but on this day it was still too small. The company enjoyed itself throughout the day, and everything that the kitchen, cellar, and culinary skill of dear “Mutter Underberg” was able to offer was served up in great quantities, and the happy guests did not depart until 12 o’clock at night. Naturally, the Demokrat also wishes to add its heartiest best wishes. May the anniversary couple yet be blessed with long, happy years living together, so that they may enjoy the well-earned fruits of their untiring hard work and during their later years bind their golden wreath [of their 50th anniversary]. The Underberg family has many acquaintances throughout the county, so we will only briefly mention here how rich the silver-anniversary couple’s gifts were.

From Grandfather Kries, an engraved gold coin; from grandmother Kries, a silver fruit bowl; from Mr. and Mrs. John Kries, a silver cucumber container; from Mr. and Mrs. Nic. Kries, a silver tray; from Sus. [possibly should be Gus.] and Maria Kries, a silver cake platter; from Val. Underberg, a chair cover; from Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reider, a fine tablecloth; from Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Reif, a parlor lamp; from Mr. and Mrs. Frank Abel, a silver cake [the rest of the article is missing].

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Originally published on Friday, 17 September 1909.

Zitzlsperger-Pietig Wedding

On Tuesday morning, Mr. Eduard Zitzlsperger and Miss Theresia Pietig were married in the local Saints Peter and Paul Church by Rev. Father Jos. Kuemper. A brother of the groom and a sister of the bride acted as witnesses. The wedding [celebration] took place in the home of the bride’s mother, the widow of Wilhelm Pietig. The groom is a son of the widow of Mike Zitzlsperger. We wish much happiness to the union.