Ricklet Lunschen, who now makes his home in Tipton, is well known throughout Cedar county as one of its most successful and prosperous agriculturists and stock-breeders. His early home was on the other side of the Atlantic, for he was born in Oldenburg, Germany, on the 7th of February, 1840, and his parents, Fritz and Johanna (Woge) Lunschen, spent their entire lives in that country, the father being a farmer by occupation. In the family were three children, but the two sisters of our subject remained in Germany until their death.
In the land of his birth Ricklef Lunschen passed the days of his boyhood and youth, acquiring a liberal education usually furnished to the sons of the fatherland. It was in 1868 that he came to America and on reaching New York proceeded at once to Scott county, Iowa. He was accompanied by his wife, for he had married on the 17th of April, of that year, Miss Sophia Volkmann, who was also born in Oldenburg, February 13, 1843. They started for the new world one month after their marriage. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lunschen, six of whom are now deceased, those living being: Charles, who is living in Brookings county, South Dakota; Pauline, the wife of William Lee, of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Frieda, at home.
On starting out in life for himself Mr. Lunschen chose the occupation of farming, to which he devoted his time prior to his emigration to the new world, and after locating in Scott county, Iowa, he engaged in the same pursuit in New Liberty township for twenty-one years, owning a half section of land there. On disposing of that property in 1888 he removed to Tipton, buying a farm a mile and a half west of the town, consisting of four hundred and forty-six acres. Upon that place he lived for fifteen years and then took up his residence in the city which is now his home. Here he has purchased a nice brick residence and today has a well improved place. Besides his city property he now owns fourteen farms, including five in Brookings county, South Dakota, one in Davison county and one in McCook county, that state, making over a thousand acres there. He also has six farms in Minnesota, four in Lincoln county, one in Pipestone county and one in Bigstone county. These, together with his property in this state and South Dakota, aggregate twenty-seven hundred acres of land, most of which is under a high state of cultivation and well improved.
In connection with farming Mr. Lunschen has always devoted considerable attention to the stock business and is today an extensive buyer and shipper of cattle and horses. From 1895 until 1903 he exported a large number of work horses to Germany and imported coach horses from that country, principally stallions. In the interest of this business he crossed the ocean twenty-seven times and no man in Cedar county has handled more horses than he. At different times he imported sixty-three stallions, all of the German coach breed, and he has sent about four hundred of the best work horses he could find in this country to Germany. He has also made large shipments of cattle and hogs to the Chicago markets and is regarded as one of the best judges of stock in this part of the state.
In business his fidelity has never been questioned and the success that he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own well directed efforts, for he started out in life with no capital and has made his own way in the business world, unaided by influence. Industrious and progressive, prosperity has crowned his efforts and he is today one of the wealthiest and most influential business men of Tipton. He is recognized as a man of honor, faithful to every trust, and his success is certainly well merited. He and his family hold membership in the Lutheran church.
