JOHN LANGMANN, SR.
John Langmann, one of the well known residents of Bennett, has retired from active labor upon his three hundred and twenty acre farm and now rents that property, while he occupies the residence property he has owned in Bennett for some time. He is a native of Germany, his birth having occurred in Mecklenburg, March 19, 1833, and is a son of John and Sophia (Tappendorf) Langmann, also natives of Mecklenburg. His parents emigrated to America with their family of children in 1851 and lived in New Orleans for three years, arriving in Davenport, Iowa, in 1854. Misfortune overtook the little family when first they came to this state as cholera was then raging throughout the west and the husband and father was stricken down. With her young children encumbering her, the brave German mother set about to make her way in the new and strange country which had claimed her natural protector. Her sons, fortunately, were grown to young manhood. Readily they undertook the task of supporting mother and sisters and secured work right away.
John Langmann of this review worked as common laborer that this mother and sisters might not want, and for nearly three years the family leaned upon him for support, which he did not fail to give. He had received a fair schooling in Germany, but it availed him little at that time for labor was the only commodity which he carried that had any price. With his mother he remained until he was twenty-seven years old. He was then married and made his home in Davenport until 1866. He engaged in farming in Scott county and finally came to Cedar county in 1874, buying one hundred and sixty acres of improved land in Inland township. Here he farmed and raised stock until 1903, when he retired and moved to Bennett, where he now resides. In addition to owning the farm he first purchased in Cedar county, Mr. Langmann owns another tract of similar size, making his estate three hundred and twenty acres in extent. All his land is highly improved and equipped with the most modern farm appliances.
In Davenport, Iowa, on the 16th of November, 1860, Mr. Langmann wedded Miss Mary Schmeto, native of Mecklenburg, Germany, and a daughter of Carl and Sophia (Hamp) Schmeto. Her father, having died in Germany before the mother and daughter came to America, the mother married a second time and lives in Davenport. Mrs. Langmann was born June 25, 1841, and had made her home in Davenport since her childhood.
Our subject and his wife have become the parents of eleven children, five of whom are deceased. Amelia, the wife of William Goettsch, of Rock county, Minnesota, is the eldest of those living; Charles is a resident of West Liberty, Iowa; Emma is the wife of Carl Hass, of Mason City, Iowa; Albert is engaged in farming in Inland township; John makes his home in Scott county, Iowa; Mattie is the wife of P. M. Kettelsen, of Inland township. Those dead are: Fred, who passed away at the age of twenty-four years; Otto, who was married and the head of a family when he died aged forty-five years; John, who died aged one year and seven months; Barnhardt, who was married and had reared a family in Inland township, where he died three years ago; and Herman, who was also married and living in Inland township, where he died three years ago.
Mr. Langmann was reared in the Lutheran faith, although not actively identified with the church in the United States. His political beliefs are of the democratic kind and he has held all the township offices within the gift of the electors. School director for twelve years, township trustee trustee and road supervisor, he has occupied all these positions and has filled the offices to the entire satisfaction of his constituents, as is proved conclusively by his constant reelection. He is among the older members of the Odd Fellows of the state, having joined the Davenport lodge in 1865. Thoroughly honest and entirely self-made, he has gained friends by the score and is esteemed by all with whom he has come in contact.
