Peter T. Bruhn
Coming to America at the age of sixteen, Peter T. Bruhn has taken advantage of the opportunities presented in this great republic and is the owner of one of the valuable farms of Crawford county, which insures for himself and his family a liberal annual income.
He is a native of Germany, born November 4, 1866, a son of Peter C. D. and Anna M. (Jacobs) Bruhn, both of whom passed their entire lives in the old country. The mother died in 1888 and the father was called away nine years later. They were the parents of six children: William, who is still living in Germany; Katrina, who married Ivor Neilsen, of Crawford county, and died in 1892; Herman, who died in Germany; Frederica, the wife of H. P. Jensen, of Crawford county; Peter T., of this review; and August, also deceased.
Peter T. Bruhn arrived in America in 1883, coming direct to Crawford county, Iowa, where he began his quest of fortune by working as a farm laborer. He continued in this occupation for five years and then secured employment iu a feed bam at Denison. After two years he engaged in the liquor business in this city and four years later became proprietor of a billiard hall, which he conducted for one year. Having acquired sufficient capital, he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 32, Soldier township, and applied himself so industriously to his work that he is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres. He raises enough stock to consume all the crops yielded on his farm and each year witnesses an increase in his prosperity.
On the 21st of November, 1891, Mr. Bruhn was united in marriage to Miss Mary Fick, who was born in Germany, August 20, 1871, a daughter of Carl and Louisa (Borchard) Fick, the former of whom died in Germany in 1892.
There were twelve children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Fick, seven of whom survive, namely: Herman, now living in Germany; Otto, of Monona county. Iowa; Mary, now Mrs. Peter T. Bruhn; Adelina, the wife of Emil Schmidt, of Monona county; Carl, of South Dakota; Annie, now Mrs. John Nemitz, of South Dakota; and Frederick, of Crawford county. The mother of these children came to America in 1895, three years after the death of her husband, and has since made her home with her children.
Ten children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Bruhn: Minnie M., who was born May 30, 1892; Bertha L., born July 23, 1894; Rudolph H., born September 19, 1895; Herbert 0., born July 30, 1897; Leo A., born November 3, 1899; Walter A., born February 2, 1902; Louis H., born October 9, 1904; Hilda C, born March 3, 1907; Erwin H., born May 16, 1909; and Raymond J., born February 2, 1911. All of the children are living at home. Mr. and Mrs. Bruhn have a remarkably interesting family and are rearing their children under kindly influences which are so important in the development of a worthy character.
The life of Mr. Bruhn is a striking illustration of the advantages available in the United States to ambitious young men who are actuated by honorable motives, thus representing the best citizenship of the republic. He and his estimable wife are members of the German Lutheran church and are rearing their children as believers in Christianity and as earnest members of the church.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.