J. H. Schmadeke
One of the extensive landowners and progressive citizens of Crawford county is J. H. Schmadeke, who for a period of more than twenty-five years has been one of the active factors in the agricultural development of this county.
He is a native son of Iowa, having been born in Jackson county on the 29th of July, 1859, and is a son of Frederick and Sophia (Storm) Schmadeke. The father was a native of Hanover, Germany, and the mother of Mecklenburg. They emigrated to the United States with their respective parents in childhood and met and were married in Iowa. Shortly after that event they purchased eighty acres of land in Jackson county, this state, for which they paid two and onehalf dollars per acre, and followed farming during the remainder of their lives. Upon them devolved all of the hardships of pioneer life, but they were strong and industrious and by means of careful management and economy had acquired an estate of two hundred and eighty acres at the time of Mr. Schmadeke's death, all of which was well improved and under a high state of cultivation.
They were the parents of the following children: Mary, who died at the age of two years; J. H., our subject; Annie, the wife of Edward Hachmeister, of Du Page, Illinois; Henry and William, who are twins, the former residing in Crawford county and the latter in Jackson county, this state; and the sixth who died in infancy. The father passed away in March, 1893, and the mother in August of the following year.
J. H. Schmadeke obtained his preliminary education in the common schools and after completing the course there he attended a commercial school. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age and then engaged in farming on his own account on two hundred and forty acres which he had bought and which forms part of his present homestead. He is a man of more than average capabilities and has made a gratifying success of his various enterprises, which has enabled him to add to his original tract at different times until at the present he owns five hundred and sixty acres in Hanover township. It is well improved and under a high state of cultivation, although when he bought the land it was unbroken prairie, and is today regarded as one of the valuable farming properties of the county. He has always engaged in general farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of thoroughbred shorthorn cattle and Belgium horses, and he has also been an extensive feeder of cattle for the market. In addition to his large home farm, Mr. Schmadeke owns three hundred and twenty acres of improved land in Boyd county, Nebraska, a section in Dakota, and one hundred and sixty acres near Havre, Montana.
Mr. Schmadeke was united in marriage on the 13th of March, 1885, to Miss Ida Kukkuck, who was born in Jackson county, Iowa, on the 28th of June, 1867. By this union were born seven children: Annie, who was born on the 20th of January, 1886, and is now the wife of Ever Nielsen, of Montana; Dora, born on the 13th of September, 1887, the wife of Andrew Lorenzen, of Olive, California; Freda, born on the 19th of December, 1890, still at home; Frederick, born on the 26th of January, 1893, attending college at Denison; Ida, born on the 9th of April, 1895, at home; Laura, born on the 8th of May, 1898; and August, born on the 11th of October, 1900.
The wife and mother passed away on the 1st of February, 1901, and on the 8th of June, 1904, Mr. Schmadeke married Miss Wilhelmina Lange, who was born in Clinton county, Iowa, on the 8th of October, 1866. She is a daughter of Gahart and Marie (Voss) Lange, who were born in Germany but emigrated to the United States and settled on a farm in Clinton county, Iowa, which they operated until 1906, when they retired and are now living with a daughter near the old homestead. The father is seventy-seven years of age and the mother seventy-five. They are the parents of the following children: Henry, deceased; John, a resident of Sac county, Iowa; Mary, the wife of Louis Schmidt, of Crawford county; Wilhelmina, the wife of J. W.[sic] Schmadeke; William, living in Sac county; Annie, who married John Moore, of Clinton county; and Otto, also of Clinton county.
Three children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Schmadeke: Edna, whose birth occurred on the 11th of August, 1905; Leona, who was born on the 21st of March, 1907; and Arma, born on the 18th of February, 1910.
The family attend the German Lutheran church, of which the parents are members. Ever since attaining his majority Mr. Schmadeke has given his political support to the democratic party. He takes an active interest in all local issues and for twenty-four years has served as a trustee of his township, which fact most conclusively proves that he has capably discharged the duties of the office. He is one of the highly respected men of Hanover township and during his long residence has won the friendship of many citizens whose regard he continues to retain.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.