Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 843
FRED EHLERT, JR.

The life of the farmer of today is the most independent existence which can be enjoyed, and with all the modern inventions to facilitate farming, it is rapidly losing those objections which have always seemed so ominous to the average farmer lad. The public school has taken cognizance of farming and today that science is being taught in the schools of Iowa. Our colleges and universities are conferring degrees in agriculture in many of the states of the Union, while the department of agriculture of the United States government is doing an immense amount of work for the farmer's welfare. Harrison county, Iowa, contains many excellent farms and hundreds of skilled farmers. One of the enterprising young agriculturists of Magnolia township is Fred EHLERT, who has lived his entire life in this township.

Fred EHLERT Jr., the son of Fred and Caroline (BANDLOW) EHLERT, was born on February 17, 1879 in Harrison County, Iowa. His parents reared a family of seven children, all of whom are still living, namely: Frank, Mrs. Augusta Schnuchel, Mrs. Bertha Podendorf, Mrs. Amelia Bracken, Mrs. Anna Maaske, Fred Jr., and Mrs. Nellie Holben. All of these children are still living in Harrison county, with the exception of Amelia, who lives in Montana.

Fred EHLERT Sr., was born on March 21, 1839 in Germany and farmed in his native land until he came to America in 1863. He located in Buffalo, New York, and within a short time enlisted for service in the Union Army in Company C, 116th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry. He served with distinction until the close of the war and rendered is adopted country faithful service, although he had been in this country such a short time that he was hardly able to understand the commands which were given him by his officers. In 1866, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, to see his sister, Fredericka, and while visiting her, he decided to locate in Cleveland where he found a position as a blacksmith helper in the railroad shops of that city. He remained there five years, during which time he married. In 1871 he came to Harrison county, Iowa, and rented a farm with his cousin, Fred Bandlow. A year later, he bought 80 acres of land, only 20 acres of which had been broken by the plow. He built a small shack for a house and had a rude dugout for a barn, using straw for a roof. He paid ten dollars an acre for his land and, as he prospered from year to year, he improved his farm, built a good home, convenient and commodious barns, and when he retired in 1902, had a well-improved and highly productive farm. He was married in 1867 to Caroline Bandlow, who was born in Germany in 1843 and died in this county in 1912.

Fred EHLERT Jr., has always lived on the farm. After receiving a good education in the common schools of his township, he remained at home until he was 23 years of age. He then married and rented a farm of 60 acres, but was not satisfied to remain a renter and bought 120 acres of his present farm, on which he has made many improvements. He gives particular attention to the raising of stock and now feeds about 100 head of cattle each year on his farm. He has met with unusual success in the cattle industry and derives a handsome income from the sale of his stock.

Mr. EHLERT was married in 1903 to Lillie CHRISTIANS, who was born in Harrison county in 1883, and died in 1906, leaving no children. Later, Mr. EHLERT married Jennie A. BEEBEE, who was born at Beebeetown in this county February 11, 1884. She is a daughter of Fred and Lois (Hudson) Beebee, early settlers of Harrison county, Iowa, and now living at Beebeetown. To this union have been born three children: Frederick, Leslie and Hudson.

The Democratic party receives the support of Mr. EHLERT, but although he takes an intelligent interest in the current issues of the day, he has never aspired to political leadership. He is an earnest member of the German Lutheran Church and his wife is a member of the Methodist Church, to both of which societies they are generous contributors. Mr. EHLERT is a man who can always be depended upon to give his support to all public-spirited measures, and thus he merits the hearty esteem in which he is held by his neighbors.

Return to 1915 Biographical E Surnames Index

Back to 1915 Biographies Index