Christian Rohlf, one of the successful farmers of Inland township, makes a specialty of raising thoroughbred shorthorn cattle, in addition to engaging in general agricultural pursuits. His splendid farm of three hundred and twenty acres on section 7, came to him as a result of individual effort, coupled with sterling honesty in all his business transactions. He is rated among the representative citizens of Cedar county.
The son of Fritz and Elizabeth (Schults) Rohlf, Christian Rohlf first saw the light of day in the province of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, the date of his birth being July 13, 1860. With his parents he came to this country in 1869, and finally arrived in Davenport, Iowa, September 15 of that year. The children were all quite small, and for a year the family lived in a brick house which stood on Ripley street on the site at present occupied by a brick business block. The father and some of the elder children found work in the city. In February, 1870, Fritz Rohlf bought eighty acres of land lying five miles west of Davenport on the Buffalo road, where they lived for three years, then sold and bought two hundred and eighty acres in Butler township, Scott county. That place became their home and continued as such until 1889, when Mr. Rohlf retired to Davenport, where his death occurred a few months later. He was a man of strong individuality and proved an exceptionally good farmer and citizen, being held in high esteem by his many friends. He and his family were devoted members of the Lutheran church and he was actively interested in all the church work. His success in life—for he had made his way from a poor man to a very well-to-do farmer—was entirely to his perseverance and to honest methods of conducting his affairs. At the time of his death he was sixty-eight years old. His wife, Elizabeth (Schults) Rohlf, was also a native of Germany. Her death occurred at Eldridge, Iowa, when in the seventy-ninth year of her age.
Christian Rohlf is one of a family of six children, all of whom were born in Germany, and but three are now living. Louisa and John Rohlf both live in Davenport. The early education of Christian Rohlf was obtained in the schools of Scott county. He learned the carpenter’s trade and remained with his parents until he was twenty-five years old, working at his trade all the while.
On November 4, 1885, Christian Rohlf was united in marriage to Caroline Schmidt, a native of Springfield township, Cedar county, and a daughter of John and Sophia (Kruse) Schmidt, both of whom are now deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rohlf were born six children, one of whom died in infancy. The others are: Minnie, the wife of Peter Ruser, of Inland township; Edward, Walter, Hilda and Lucinda, all of whom make their homes with their parents.
For two years following their marriage Mr. Rohlf worked at his trade of carpentering and then engaged in farming, renting land for this purpose for a period of five years. He was remarkably successful in this venture and at the end of the five years bought eighty acres of land in Lincoln township, Scott county. That was in 1891 and until nine years ago, at which time he bought the present home of the family, they lived there, making a decided success of farming and improving the place in every manner possible. The present farm on one hundred and sixty acres in Inland township, Cedar county, was purchased in 1901. Just five years ago he purchased an eighty acre tract of land adjoining his farm, and in the spring of 1910 he added another eighty, making his total acreage three hundred and twenty. The entire place has been fenced with hog-tight wire fencing, and new tiling has been laid throughout the entire farm. Mr. Rohlf carries on general farming but pays special attention to registered shorthorn cattle, which he raises for breeding purposes. He has been remarkably successful in this line of work and is known throughout the entire country as one of the best informed stockmen of the district. The success which he has achieved is due entirely to his splendid energy, coupled with an exceptional ability.
Mr. Rohlf has found time to serve his township as trustee for six years. For a number of years he was school director in Scott county and at the present time is secretary of the school board. He is connected with a number of fraternal organizations, being a member of the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Pythian Sisters. A self-made man in every sense of the word, Christian Rohlf has made his way and has become a man of worth by honesty in business, coupled with a strong determination to succeed.
