Martin Friedrichsen
Martin Friedrichsen, the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of excellent farming land in Otter Creek township, is a native of Germany, his birth occurring in that country on the 24th of May, 1863.
He is the eldest child of K. M. and Elizabeth (Petersen) Friedrichsen, who emigrated to the United States with their family in 1881 and located in Crawford county, Iowa. After residing here one year they bought an eighty acre farm in Otter Creek township, which they continued to cultivate until 1889, when they retired to Schleswig, where they are now living. They were the parents of nine children, those beside the son Martin being: Agnes, the wife of Henry Bendixen, of Schleswig; Fred, who lives in Otter Creek township; Magdelina, who married Ed Kestner; Knud, also a resident of Otter Creek township; Catharina, the wife of Henry Ricketts, of Nebraska; Julia, who married Emil Elser, of Ida county; Freda, the wife of John Jurgensen, of Morgan township; and Carl, living in Otter Creek township.
Martin Friedrichsen acquired his education in the schools of his native land, following which he apprenticed himself to the carpenter's trade, following that occupation during the first seven years of his residence in America. In 1888, however, he bought eighty acres of land and engaged in general farming and stock-raising but is now making a specialty of feeding cattle and hogs for the market. He has met with most gratifying success in his various ventures and as a result now owns one-half section of land in Crawford county, all of which is well improved and under a high state of cultivation. His is one of the valuable properties of Otter Creek township and the improvements are substantial and kept in good condition. He keeps a fine grade of stock and his fields are given the capable supervision which produces abundant harvests.
On the 27th of March, 1888, the union between Mr. Friedrichsen and Miss Anna Guttburg was solemnized. Mrs. Friedrichsen is a native of Germany, in which country her parents, Johann and Marguerita (Botham) Guttburg, still live, the father at the venerable age of ninety-two years and the mother at eighty-one. Nine children were born unto them but only eight attained maturity, the youngest dying in infancy. The others are as follows: Laurence, Elsaba and Johann, all of whom are living in Germany; Marguerita, deceased; Franz, of Germany; Claus, residing in Schleswig; Anna, the wife of Martin Friedlichsen; and Katherina, who married Christian Kruse, of Minnesota.
Mr. and Mrs. Friedrichsen have also had nine children. Ella, Carl, Johannes, Marvine, Anna, Fred, Alfred and Violet, are still at home, while Marguerita, the fourth in the order of birth, died in infancy.
The family attend the services of the Lutheran church with which denomination they are identified by membership. Mr. Friedrichsen is a public-spirited man and always takes an active interest in all local issues, at all times giving his support to the democratic party. He stands high in the regard of his fellow citizens who have elected him to various minor offices in his township, the duties of which he discharged in a manner satisfactory to the community. He has many friends in Otter Creek township whose regard is accorded him most justly as he is a man worthy of esteem.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.