Iowa Old Press
The Upper Des Moines, Algona, Iowa - Nov. 27, 1895
Crowding The 100 Mark Kossuth Maintains Her Record for Odd Things - Has 39 People Over 80 Years of Age
The List is Large of Those Who are Running Them a Close Second - The Records for It
The Upper Des Moines had a curiosity, which it hopes its readers will share, to see how many "old people" so young a county as Kossuth could boast, and tackled the census returns in a leisurely way, expecting to record a hundred or so who had passed 65 years, setting that as a dividing line beyond which no one would feel modest about telling his or her age.
It soon ceased to be a leisurely job and when the shades of evening were falling fast 16 pages of foolscap were filled with the 65 years list, enough to swamp the paper. We are now prepared to announce that Kossuth is in the race for longevity. We have almost as old as the oldest, and lots of people who have passed their three score and ten in hale, hearty and vigorous old age. And the best of it is the old are all early settlers. They have gone through thirty and forty years of pioneering it here in the county and still have bright eyes, healthy complexions and can get about nearly as well as ever.
Mrs. Roxana Hudson of Bancroft heads the list. She will be 99 at her next birthday, which comes July 4. She is our popular cigar man's grandmother and came to Kossuth nearly 30 years ago, living in Algona and south of Bancroft. Of late years she has been in the central part of the state, but a year ago returned to Bancroft. She lives a half a mile away from the business center and last fall walked in regularly, did her shopping and walked back. She is in vigorous health, and excepting failing eye sight, is good for many years.
Next in line comes John Heckart at 89. He also is an old settler, one of Algona's first, and is still seen daily upon the streets.
Michael Riebhoff, Betsy Norton and M. Bahr follow at 88. The two former belong to the first settlers. Mr. Reibhoff is still living on his original claim on the Black Cat in Union township, in excellent health. Mrs. Norton making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Robt. Henderson, in Riverdale, also vigorous and good for many years.
The county has 39 people who have reached the 80 year line. Of these the oldest is a woman, and of these 20 are women to 19 men, a favorable showing for longevity in the weaker sex. Among the 39 there are three families. Mr. and Mrs. John Heckart lead, he 89 and she 82. Mr. and Mrs. Bahr of Plum Creek township are second, he 88 and she 80. In Whittemore Chas. Able is 83 and Eliza Able 81. The list of the 39 is as follows:
Roxanna Hudson, Bancroft, 98 years
John Heckart, Algona, 89 years
M. Riebhoff, Union, 88 years
Betsy Norton, Riverdale, 88 years
M. Bahr, Plum Creek, 88 years
Phoebe Foster, Bancroft, 87 years
J.W. Wilson, Irvington, 87 years
Jane Patterson, Irvington, 85 years
Magdelene Ernzen, Ramsay, 84 years
S. Goodrich, Hebron, 84 years
John Bahling, Burt, 84 years
Mrs. Lucy Wallace, Cresco, 83 years
Monroe Swank, LuVerne, 83 years
D. Schriber, Riverdale, 83 years
Carolina Smith, Irvington, 83 years
Jane Roan, Algona, 83 years
Samuel Reed, Algona, 83 years
Mary M. Warner, Plum Creek, 83 years
Laura Fitch, Plum Creek, 83 years
Chas. Able, Whittemore, 83 years
M. Heiderscheit, Riverdale, 82 years
David Frank, Buffalo, 82 years
Christine Ostrum, Algona, 82 years
Elizabeth Heckart, Algona, 82 years
Mathew Riley, Algona, 82 years
John T. Davis, Algona, 82 years
Alonzo Franklin, Algona, 82 years
Sophia Hawker, Whittemore, 82 years
John Langholtz, Germania, 81 years
Frederica H. Rooks, Prairie, 81 years
Eliza Nebergall, Algona, 81 years
Eliza Able, Whittemore, 81 years
Amelia Nicholis, Grant, 80 years
Michael Gorman, Prairie, 80 years
Nels Hansen, Ramsay, 80 years
Augusta Bahr, Plum Creek, 80 years
Catherine Kappen, Algona, 80 years
Wm. Furgeson, Harrison, 80 years
The 79 Year List Dropping into the ranks of those who have passed the bible limit but are short of four score, it increases rapidly. Those reported at 79 years are:
A. Bush, Cresco
Rosanna Carolan, Fenton
J.H. Jenson, Seneca
Amandus Studer, Prairie
M. Faber, Prairie
Eva Speiser, Riverdale
Maria Monson, Harrison
Israel Morton, Irvington
Sarah McAdams, Ramsay
Catherine Slade, Burt
Erick G. Person, Swea
Nehemia Young, Algona
The 78 Year List:
David Wambler, Sherman
Joanna Jestus, Bancroft
Wm. Bailey, Union
Aug. Zahlten, Union
D. Lynch, Fenton
Mary Lichteig, Prairie
James Farley, Ramsay
Tilden S. Foster, Algona
Ignatz Wernert, Algona
H.F. Sifert, Algona
Laura M. Stow, Burt
Martha Lentke, Lotts Creek
Belinda Whitehorn, Whittemore
The 77 Year List
Albert Matycha, Eagle
Esther Goodrich, Hebron
John Kleist, Germania
Frank Hilbert, Riverdale
Andrew Anderson, Harrison
Sarah B. Lounisbury, Algona
Dwight Hine, Algona
Betsy Waterhouse, Algona
Orange Minkler, Algona
O. Caulkins, Plum Creek
The 76 Year List
Christ Veum, Lincoln
Lavina C. Taylor, Cresco
S.W. Millen, Cresco
R. Johnson, Germania
Fred Genrich, Sherman
Louisa Ahling, Burt
Susan Stickler, Burt
Jane Gallion, Bancroft
John Meinburg, Bancroft
Maggie Bollingser, Fenton
Jacob Weisbrod, Fenton
Isaac Deems, LuVerne
D. Park, LuVerne
Elizabeth Shalomon, Wesley
Wm. Bolwark, Prairie
M.H. Hudson, Algona
S. Reed, Algona
I. Grove, Algona
H. Peterson, Garfield
W.B. Carey, Plum Creek
Mason Leach, Whittemore
John E. Martin, Whittemore
Annie Bailey, Union
The 75 List
Alvira Bush, Cresco
Peter Kramar, Burt
Caroline Whitford, Burt
Wm. Duffee, Bancroft
Mary Jenson, Seneca
Cush Carter, Seneca
Pete Roskopf, Prairie
Addison Fisher, Riverdale
Olof Malin, Harrison
Sarah Morton, Algona
Electa S. Henderson, Algona
Jacob Patterson, Algona
Emily C. Young, Algona
Brita Peterson, Garfield
Thos. Ray, Burt [surname possibly is Bay] J.C. Nelson, Swea
One of the pleasantest features of the showing of the old people is the number of families in the county still unbroken although advanced in years. Above the 75 year limit, excepting those mentioned before, are:
Mr. & Mars. Bush of Cresco
John and Louis Bahling of Burt
Wm. and Annie Bailey of Union
Stephen and Esther Goodrich of Hebron
J.H. and Mary Jenson of Seneca
Wm. & Adelhide Bolwerk of Prairie
Peter and Maria Monson of Harrison
Nehemiah and Emily C. Young of Algona
Hans and Brita Peterson of Garfield
Among those both of whom are past 70 years are:
Mason and Hanna Leach of Whittemore
John and Alberdina Sleper of German
John and Jane Murray of Burt
F. and Caroline Benke of Fenton
D. and Mary Lynch of Fenton
Cash and Renda Carter of Seneca
Isaac and Rebecca Deems of LuVerne
G. and Anna Nicholson of Wesley
Amadus and Francis Studer of Prairie
Elhannon and Susan C. Clark of Riverdale
Peter and Maria Monson of Harrison
C.W. and Mandana Betes of Irvington
E. and Catherine Kappen of Algona
Thos. and Mary Robison of Algona
Geo and Jane R. Smith of Algona
Henry and Elizabeth Groh of Burt
Erick G. and Ereka Person of Swea
Fred and Levina Dammann of Sherman
Among those both of whom are past 65 years are:
Wm. and Elizabeth Waburton of Lincoln
Christ and Dora Veum of Lincoln
David and Freelove Miller of Cresco
John B. and Elizabeth Cook of Cresco
J.E. and Mary M. Blackford of Cresco
R. and Christina Johnson of German
John and Martha Bergman of German
Gerd and Gertie Albers of German
A. and Cynthia Brooks of Irvington
D. and Eva Banke of Irvington
N. and Elizabeth Brass of Irvington
D. and Hannah McElwain of Burt
Geo. D. and Sarah E. Fuller of Bancroft
S. and Chrisena Stinson of Bancroft
Alance and Emaline D. Jones of Ledyard
Civilian and Ellen Lewis of Ledyard
H.M. and Julia N. Taft of Union
M. and Amelia Riebhoff of Union
John and Johanna Langholtz of Germania
D. and Susan A. Park of LuVerne
A. and Hulda Tryon of Wesley
M. and Barbara Faber of Prairie
Frand and Anna Andorfer of Prairie
Valentine and Jennie Dieter of Riverdale
Abel and Harriet Wooster of Riverdale
D. and Airres Heath of Irvington
Jas. G. and Sarah H. Green of Irvington
James and Jane Archibald of Irvington
Edward and Sarah M. Sammers of Irvington
Seber and Anna Erickson of Irvington
D.H. and Helen M. Hutchins of Algona
Dr. and Esther P. Hudson, of Algona
F.C. and Julia A. Willson, of Algona
G.C. and Frances A. Walker, of Algona
Iguatz and Carolina Wernert, of Algona
Alonzo and Minerva Franklin, of Algona
Elijah and Anna Roberts, of Algona
Geo. J. and Ellen M. Adams, of Algona
John and Julia McDermott, of Algona
S.H. and Corintha Pettibone, of Algona
Thayer and Eliza Lumber, of Algona
D.H. and M.A. Setchell, of Algona
S. and Amy Benjamin, of Algona
J. and Susan A. Grove, of Algona
A.M. and Betsy E. Johnson of Algona
John and Charity Riley of LuVerne
Geo. N. and Mary J. Davis of Swea
J.D. and Hanna Foster of Whittemore
Wm. and Sessigambry Campbell of Whittemore.
May many long years of healthy and vigorous life still await the pioneers in this list. May the youngest reach the limit set by the oldest. May the rising generations of Kossuth inhabitants equal their ancestors in vigor and disprove the theory that with increasing wealth and comfort the race tends to degenerate. And lastly may the rising generations emulate the thrift, sobriety and good character which stands associated with the names above.
[transcribed by S.F. Dec 2022]