Diedrich
Kregel, a prominent citizen and successful
agriculturist located on section 14, Garnavillo Township,
is a native of the Buckeye State. He was born September
17, 1832, in Chillicothe, Ohio, and came to Iowa in 1846
with his parents, settling in Garnavillo Township.
He is the son of Gerard and Margaret ( Bruns ) Kregel,
both natives of Hanover, Germany. The father was born in
1790, and the mother in 1797. Our subject’s father
was a farmer in the Old country, and in 1812 went to the
Russian war, in which he served for three years, driving
a team, hauling provisions and ammunition the first year,
and for the remaining two years carried a musket. He
emigrated to the United States in 1832 and landed in New
York August 3 of the same year, where he remained in a
short time. From there he went to Chillicothe, Ohio,
where he remained about eight months. Leaving there, he,
in company with a man by the name of Hill, went to
Mobile, Alabama. He spent two years in that state and
while there helped dig a new canal. Returning to Ohio, he
made Cincinnati his home for a short time and worked in
the rolling mills. From there he moved to New Bremen,
Ohio, and engaged in farming and work on the canal at
that place for ten years. In 1846 he came to this
country, when it was a wild uncultivated territory, and
lived in an old log cabin about ten years; he then built
the residence in which his son lives. He lived there
until the time of his death, which sad event took place
in 1886, his wife having passed away four years before.
Gehard Kregel was the father of six children two girls
and four boys: Margaret, the wife of D. H. Meyer, of
Garnavillo, both deceased; Henry who married Mary
Petering in 1851, and now lives in Nebraska city, Neb.;
John, who married Lena Kaiser and is a prosperous farmer
on section 14, this township; Diedrich, our subject;
William, who has been twice married; and Annie who
married Henry Wilker in 1857, and died in 1860. Her
husband is living in read Township, this county. William
was first married to Catherine Kregel, and after her
death he married Maggie Meyer; he is now living in
Garnavillo, and has two children, one boy and one girl.
Our subject was fourteen years of age when his parents
came to Iowa and settled on the farm where he now
resides. July 16, 1856, Mr. Kregel was united in marriage
with Miss Helena Arntjen. She was a native of Germany,
and was born in Oldenburg, February 18, 1833. Her father,
Diedrich Arntjen, was married twice, she being the only
child by the first marriage. His first wife’s maiden
name was Helena Bruns. He had two children by his second
wife and they are both living in Grant county, Wisconsin.
Mrs. Kregel’s father and stepmother both died in
Clayton County in 1855 of black cholera. Her own Mother
died in the Old Country.
Our subject and wife became the parents of nine children.
George, the husband of Clara Anna Petering, lives in
Nebraska City, Neb.; Henry died of consumption in the
winter of 1891; Alvin is living at home; Louisa, who
married August Tangeman, died at the age of twenty-four
years, leaving one child; Emma married Christian Schmidt,
who is the proprietor of a large flouring mill at Elkader;
Annie is living at home; Matilda died but three years of
age; Amanda died when one and one-half years old; and
Cornelia is at home.
After his father’s death our subject took charge of
the present farm, which consists of one hundred and sixty
acres of highly cultivated land on section 14, Garnavillo
township. He also owns eighty acres of fine timber land
just south of the farm on which he lives. Mr. Kregel’s
educational advantages were very poor, not having the
opportunity of attending school but one and one half
years, the rest of his time being spent on the farm. He
is well posted however in the issues of the day and takes
a deep interest in the welfare of the Township and is one
of the representative citizens. He and his excellent wife
are both members of the Lutheran Church. Our subject
politically is a believer in and a supporter of the
Republican Party.
~source: Portrait and Biographical Record
of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties; Chicago: Chapman
Pub. Co., 1894; pg 446-447
~transcribed by Suzanne Terrell
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