|
Calvin P. Luther has the distinction of being
postmaster of his native village of Guttenberg, a position to
which he was appointed in February, 1916, and prior to assuming
this incumbency he had made an excellent record of service in
other public positions of responsibility. He was born at
Guttenberg, Clayton county, on the 11th of April, 1865, and is a
son of John and Julia (Goodrich) Luther, the former of whom was
born and reared in Switzerland and the latter of whom was born in
the state of New York. John Luther immigrated to the United
States in 1848 and soon afterward came to Iowa and established
his residence at Dubuque: Within a short time thereafter he came
to Clayton county and became one of the pioneer settlers of the
fine German colony formed at Guttenberg. Here he established a
blacksmith shop, and as a skilled artisan he continued in the
work of his trade for many years, a sturdy, upright and sagacious
citizen who made for himself a place of prominence and influence
in community affairs. He is now venerable in years and is living
retired in the village that has long been his home and in the
development and upbuilding of which he has aided in generous
measure. He is a Democrat in his political faith and adherences,
has served as a member of the board of supervisors, as a member
of the village council and as mayor of Guttenberg. He is
affiliated with the local lodge of the Ancient Free & Accepted
Masons and he is still a vital and influential figure in the
community life, with secure place in the confidence and good will
of his fellow men. His cherished and devoted wife passed to the
life eternal a number of years ago, and of their children the
subject of this sketch, Calvin P., is the eldest; Mary is the
wife of George Kreglow, of Foley, Minnesota; Ella is the wife of
John Stoeffler, of Seattle, Washington; John E. is a resident of
the city of Spokane, Washington; Bertha E. is the wife of William
Wilson, of St. Louis, Missouri; William, the youngest of the
children, likewise resides in St. Louis. After profiting fully by
the advantages afforded in the public schools of Guttenberg,
Calvin P. Luther entered upon a practical apprenticeship to the
blacksmith trade, under the able and punctilious direction of his
father, and he continued his active association with the
operations of his father's shop for a period of about fifteen
years. In the meanwhile he had so ordered his course as to retain
the unequivocal confidence and good will of the people of his
native place, and thus he was distinctly eligible when he was
chosen the incumbent of the office of city marshal, in which
position he continued his effective administration during the
protracted period of ten years. Thereafter he served three years
as deputy state game warden, and in February, 1916, there came to
him still higher official preferment, in his appointment to the
position of postmaster, in which he is giving a most efficient
and satisfactory administration. Mr. Luther has further honored
his native city by former service as a member of its municipal
council and by equally effective work during his incumbency of
the office of justice of the peace and county constable. He has
been vigorous and influential in the local councils of the
Democratic party, in behalf of whose cause he has given yeoman
service. He is affiliated with the time-honored Masonic
fraternity and also with the local organization of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. When a young man of twenty-one
years Mr. Luther wedded Miss Ruth Morlend, daughter of the late
Jacob Morlend, of Colesburg, Delaware county, and she passed to
the life eternal after but three years of wedded life, her only
child, Getsie, having been accidentally burned to death at the
age of eighteen years. In 1886 was solemnized the marriage of Mr.
Luther to Miss Annie Stoeffler, who was born and reared at
Guttenberg, where she was afforded the excellent advantages of
the Catholic parochial schools. She is a daughter of Frank and
Annie Marie (Gerner) Stoeffler, who still reside at Guttenberg
and both of whom are earnest communicants of the Catholic church.
Mr. Stoeffler was born in Germany and was a youth when he came
with his parents to America and settled at Guttenberg, where he
became associated with his father in the operation of a lime
kiln. Several years later he engaged in farming, to which line of
enterprise he gave his active attention for many years. He is now
living practically retired and is one of the highly esteemed
citizens of the county, his political support being given to the
Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Luther have a fine family of
twelve children, whose names are here entered in the respective
order of birth: Frank, Bertha, Harold, Jodina, Leroy, Lillian,
Reuben, Evelyn, Raymond, Margaret, Bernice, and Anthony. Frank is
engaged as a barber at Guttenberg; Bertha is the wife of Veral
Smith of Cook, Minnesota; and all of the other children remain at
the parental home.
|
