Frederick W. Kann is a scion
of the third generation of the Kann family in Clayton
county, where his paternal grandfather established
his home about three-fourths of a century ago, and
the family name has been most effectively concerned
with the record of civic and industrial development
and progress in this section of the Hawkeye state,
with Frederick William Kann holding such status as a
loyal and honored citizen and representative farmer
as to well uphold the prestige of the name which he
bears.
He was born in Jefferson township, this county, on
the 12th of September, 1849, and is a son of William
and Mary Kann, both natives of Germany — the
father having been born in Prussia and the mother in
the Kingdom of Hanover, and their marriage having
been solemnized in Clayton county. William Kann came
with his parents to America in the early '40s, and
his father, Gottfried Kann, became one of the very
early settlers in Jefferson township, Clayton county,
where he reclaimed a farm and where he and his wife
passed the remainder of their lives. William was
reared and educated in his native land and was a
young man at the time of the immigration to America.
After coming to Clayton county he entered claim to
one hundred and sixty acres of government land, in
what is now Jefferson township, and he rose to
prominence and influence as one of the substantial
farmers and sterling citizens of this county, where
he died about 1908 at a venerable age, his devoted
wife having been summoned to eternal rest on the 16th
of May, 1898, and both having been life-long
communicants of the Catholic church.
Of their children, the subject of this review is the
eldest; Henry, Catherine, Mary and Mary (second of
the name) are deceased; Joseph is a resident of
Minot, North Dakota; Annie is the wife of William
Uriell, of Read township, Clayton county; and Huburt
maintains his home in the state of Oklahoma.
Frederick W. Kann gained his early education in the
pioneer school of district No. 6, Jefferson township,
and continued to assist in the work of his father's
farm until he had attained to the age of twenty-eight
years. For two years thereafter he farmed on rented
land, and he then purchased a farm of his own, but he
later sold this property. From that time forward he
continued operations on a rented farm until he
purchased his present fine landed estate, which
comprises three hundred and thirty acres, and which
constitutes one of the model farms of Jefferson
township. The place is equipped with permanent
improvements of the best order, and a number of the
buildings have been erected by the present energetic
and progressive owner, the farm being given over to
wisely ordered operations in the line of diversified
agriculture and the raising of excellent grades of
horses, cattle and swine.
Like his honored father, Mr. Kann is found aligned as
a loyal supporter of the cause of the Democratic
party, and both he and his wife are earnest
communicants of the Catholic church.
May 16, 1878, recorded the marriage of Mr. Kann to
Miss Dina Berns, who was born in Jefferson township,
this county, on the 16th of December, 1853, and whose
early education was acquired in the Catholic
parochial schools at Guttenberg. She is a daughter of
Henry and Annie (Knueber) Berns, who were sterling
pioneers of Jefferson township. The father was born
at Hoghlar, Bezirf, Miinster, Germany, on the 20th of
September, 1817, and the mother at Hillen
Regierungsbezirk, Miinster, in Westphalen, on the
17th of January, 1819. The parents of Mrs. Kann were
married in their native land and immigrated to the
United States in 1847. Shortly after their arrival in
America they came to Iowa and became pioneer settlers
of Jefferson township, Clayton county, where they
passed the residue of their long and worthy lives,
the father having passed to eternal rest on the 29th
of May, 1889, and the mother having been vener able
in years at the time of her death, which occurred
June 26, 1900. Both were devout communicants of the
Catholic church and in politics Mr. Berns was a
Democrat. Of their children, the eldest is Mary, who
resides in Garnavillo township and who is the widow
of Xavier Schaefers; Henrietta, Theodore and Herman
are deceased; Mathilda has consecrated her life to
service as a member of one of the gracious
sisterhoods of the Catholic church and is known as
Sister Constantine, her place of residence being the
city of Chicago; Henry is deceased; and Elizabeth,
the widow of John Wolter, resides in the city of
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In conclusion is entered brief record concerning the
children of Mr. and Mrs. Kann: Edward died in
childhood; Arthur H. remains at the parental home and
is associated in the work of the farm; Richard J. is
a representative of agricultural industry in
Jefferson township; Amanda is the wife of Edward
Griffin, of Freeport, Illinois, and they have two
children, Bernice and Stanley; Rose is the wife of
Edward C. Meier, of Osterdock, Clayton county, and
they have two children, Jerome and Dolores; Hubert H.
and Gregory X. are associated in the work of their
father's farm; and Stella is the wife of Andrew Matt,
of Vermillion, S. D., their one child being a son,
Wayland Paul.
source: History of Clayton County, Iowa; From The
Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present; by
Realto E. Price, Vol. II; page 204-206
-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall
