Home < 1907 Bios

Greene County IAGenWeb

1907 Past and Present Biographies

Henry Tourte

Henry Tourte, a farmer residing on section 15, Paton township, was born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, on the 22d of August, 1860. His parents were Henry and Catherine (Schaub) Tourte. The father died about three years ago, when seventy-nine years of age, and the mother is still living in Germany, having reached the age of seventy-nine years in March, 1907. In their family were six children, namely: Francisca, the deceased wife of Christ Batchold, who is living in New York city; Catherine, who is now Mrs. Cole, a widow, living in Newark, New Jersey; John H., a blacksmith, whose home is in Brooklyn, New York; Anna K., the wife of John Henry Darbecker, whose home is in Germany; William, living in California; and Henry, of this review.

Mr. Tourte attended the common schools until fourteen years of age, in accordance with the laws of his native country. He then worked at the blacksmith’s trade with his father until he had attained his majority. Coming to America he spent one year in Missouri and afterward removed to LaSalle county, Illinois, where he worked at farm labor by the month until he determined that his efforts should more directly benefit himself. He then began farming on his own account on rented land and in 1889 he removed from Illinois to Iowa, settling in Boone county, where he again rented land for two years. He next purchased eighty acres in Greene county and two years afterward bought the farm on which he now lives. Here he has one hundred and sixty acres of good land. When it came into his possession there was an old frame house upon it and the sod had been partly broken, but the improvements were very meager and he performed much of the arduous task of developing new land. The old frame dwelling has been torn down and a fine, large modern residence erected. He has also built good barns and sheds for the shelter of grain and stock, and everything about his farm indicates his careful supervision, practical methods and progressive spirit.

In 1888, in La Salle county, Mr. Tourte was married to Regina Mylenbusch, a native of that county and a daughter of Daniel and Wilhelmina Mylenbusch. The father is now deceased, but the mother still makes her home in La Salle county. Mr. and Mrs. Tourte have become the parents of eight children who are yet living, and they lost a daughter, Minnie, at the age of one year. The surviving children are Bertha, Emma, William, Esther, Ethel, Herbert, Albert and Mildred.

Mr. and Mrs. Tourte are members of the Evangelical church and are interested in its work and liberal in its support. Mr. Tourte is a republican in politics, having supported the party since he became an American citizen, but he has never sought nor desired office, preferring to give his undivided time and attention to his business affairs. He has worked diligently and persistently to achieve success, and as the years have gone by his labors have brought him a goodly measure of prosperity, making him one of the substantial farmers of Paton township.

Transcribed from "Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa Together With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead,"
by E. B. Stillman assisted by an Advisory Board consisting of Paul E. Stillman, Gillum S. Toliver,
Benjamin F. Osborn, Mahlon Head, P. A. Smith and Lee B. Kinsey, Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907.

Site Terms, Conditions & Disclaimer