LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
December 10, 1940
JAMES W. PRATT EARLY RESIDENT PASSES AWAY
Was Well Known and Influential Farmer and Citizen
Death claimed, J. W. Pratt, 82, retired farmer and stockman and resident of
Plymouth County for more than half a century, at his home in Kingsley
Saturday morning, December 7, after two days illness caused by old age and
pneumonia.
Mr. Pratt was widely known in the community and enjoyed the friendship and
esteem of numberless acquaintances during his fifty-one years of residence
in Plymouth County. He was actively engaged in farming in Elkhorn township
and a leader in local affairs until retiring to make his home in Kingsley.
James W. Pratt was born near Benson, Lafayette County, Wis., February 7,
1858, a son of Mr. and Mrs. George Pratt, natives of England.
WELL KNOWN STOCKMAN
J. W. Pratt received his early education in the public schools of Lafayette
County, Wisconsin, and there grew to manhood and engaged in farming. He and
a brother owned and operated a farm of 160 acres in partnership.
Mr. Pratt later came to Plymouth County where he bought land in Elkhorn
township.
Mr. Pratt was successful as a general farmer and stockman and by dint of
industry and good management increased his land holdings in Plymouth County
and later bought land in Woodbury County and in South Dakota.
Mr. Pratt placed substantial buildings on his farms and kept his land in a
high state of cultivation and his farm home was regarded as one of the most
attractive places in the township.
PROMINENT IN COMMUNITY
Both he and his wife were prominent in the church and social life of the
community and substantial supporters of the church and strong advocates of
the best possible schools.
Mr. Pratt was married December 1, 1881, at Hazel Green, Wis., to Jane
Bainbridge, member of another well known Plymouth County family. She died
in October, 1936.
Mr. Pratt is survived by four sons, G.A. Pratt, J.O. Pratt, Jas. H. Pratt,
Walter E. Pratt and two daughters, Mrs. Keith Atkinson and Mrs. James Cliff,
of Kingsley. There are twenty-nine grandchildren and four great
grandchildren. He also leaves a half sister, Mrs. John Lee, of Cuba City,
Wis.
FUNERAL ON TUESDAY
The funeral services will be held this Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the
Methodist church in Kingsley with Rev. M.L. Metcalf officiating and
interment made in the Kingsley cemetery.
BEN BOHLKEN WEDS MISS IRENE ROHLFS
POPULAR YOUNG COUPLE MARRIED
Miss Irene Rohlfs, daughter of John Rohlfs of Ireton, and Ben Bohlken, son
of Mr. and Mrs. John Bohlken, also of Ireton, were united in holy wedlock at
high noon Thursday, December 5, at St. John’s Lutheran parsonage at Craig.
Rev. F.H. Voelker performed the ceremony.
Miss Unithe Rohlfs, sister of the bride, and George Noonan, friend of the
groom, attended the couple.
The bride chose for her wedding costume a becoming street length dress of
soldier blue velvet with harmonizing accessories. Her flowers were a corsage
of talisman roses and baby chrysanthemums.
The bridesmaid was attired in a street length dress of burgundy velvet. She
also wore a corsage of talisman roses and baby chrysanthemums.
Following the ceremony the wedding party went to the home of the groom’s
parents where a reception was held. The home was prettily decorated in wine,
blue and white, the bride’s chosen colors.
Mrs. Bohlken is a graduate of the Ireton high school and has been a
successful teacher in the rural schools of Plymouth County.
Mr. Bohlken has been engaged in the farming occupation on his father’s farm
in Preston township where the couple will reside after returning from a
short wedding trip.
Akron Register Tribune
12-12-1940
FORTY YEARS AGO NEWS
There are few persons here who are familiar with the facts of the following
paragraph, but the greater majority have never heard of the remarkable and
interesting episode in which Hanson Barr, an Akron veteran of the Civil War,
was the prominent figure. In that favorite soldiers' paper, the National
Tribune, there is being published a history of the Sixty
eighth Ohio regiment, of which Mr. Barr was a member. Such incidents remind
us that there were men in our regiment who were first and foremost in
putting into practice any scheme to molest the enemy. Of Hanson Barr a
member, of Co. C, I will make a Special mention. Comrade Barr served on
detached duty with the Third Division Engineers, and to him was given the
credit of devising and constructing two mortars, made from sweet-gum log.
These wooden guns were placed in convenient locations in the trenches and
proved to be of service in tossing shells over the enemy's breastworks at
short range which must have created consternation in the enemy's ranks. I am
credibly informed that one of these wooden guns is still on exhibition at
the Smithsonian Institute in the city of Washington, D.C.
~NOTE: This news item is from 40 Years Ago, which calculates to the year
1900.
LeMars Sentinel
Friday, December 27, 1940
~Keith Bartels of Chicago arrived Christmas Day to visit his father, R. C.
Bartels.
~Clark Bolser of Cedar Falls spent Christmas Day with his mother, Mrs. W. G.
Bolser.
~J. Frank Jewett of Western Union college, left Saturday for Denver, Colo.,
where he will visit relatives.
~Mr. and Mrs. James Clark of Cherokee were dinner guests in the home of Mrs.
Iona Clark Sunday evening.
~Robert Neubrand of Washington D.C., is spending the holidays in the home of
his mother, Mrs. R. M. Neubrand.
~Mr. and Mrs. Don Hansen of Norfolk, Neb., are visiting at the S. Hansen and
J. A. Hoffman homes during the holidays.
~Miss Betty Myers, who attends school at Mankato, Minn., is spending the
week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Myers.
~Mr. and Mrs. Rome Hentges and children, Gloria and David, of Des Moines are
spending a few days in the Frank Hentges home.
~Will Arendt, who is attending North Western University, is spending the
holidays in the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Arendt.
~Mr. and Mrs. Egbert Whitman of Galesburg, Ill., arrived Tuesday for a
holiday visit in the home of Mrs. John Whitman, mother of Mr. Whitman.
~Art Jahn of Hinton paid a fine of $10 and costs in Justice J. G. Koenig’s
court Monday for operating a motor vehicle without a license.
~Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Shepherd, former LeMars residents of Eagle Grove, Iowa,
are visiting their brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Shepherd.
~Merritt Miller of San Fernando, Calif., left Wednesday evening for Des
Moines enroute to his home after a visit in the home of his sister, Mrs. Jay
McAninch.
~Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Adams of Clear Lake, Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Adams of Sioux
City and Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Adams were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Art Hansen on
Christmas Day.
~The Women’s Relief Corps will hold its regular meeting in the home of Mrs.
W. F. Pattison Saturday, December 28. There will be an election of officers
and all members are urged to attend.
~Mr. and Mrs. Edward Peterson and children, Marilyn and Walter, of Elk
Point, S.D., spent Christmas in the home of Mrs. John Dobbert. Mrs.
Peterson and children will remain for a week’s visit.
~Mr. and Mrs. Charles Houston of Plainview, Neb., spent Monday in the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Miller. They came to see their daughter, Miss Betty
Houston of Rochester, Minn., was visiting in the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Miller.
~Guests on Christmas Day in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cannon were Dr.
and Mrs. R. M. Stubbs and Mrs. Nora Rhynsberger of Holstein, Miss Leila
Huebsch of Mount Vernon, Miss Rosa Held, Donald Bogen, Fred Luss, and Will
Huebsch.
~A group of young people gathered at the Frank Glaser home Christmas night
for a party in honor of Eleanor Telning and Chester Glaser both of St. Paul.
The evening was spent playing games after which refreshments were served.
The group then went to the depot to see their guests leave for St. Paul.
~A family reunion was held at the Charles Ewin home Christmas Day. Those
present for the occasion were Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ewin, Des Moines; W. A.
Ewin, Austin, Minn.; Miss Ethel Ewin, Seney; Mr. and Mrs. August Witt, Mrs.
Iona Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Witt and Clarence Stevenson, all of LeMars.
This was the first time in twenty-five years that Arthur Ewin has seen any
of the family.
~Miss Alta Werth of Sioux City spent Sunday with her mother, Mrs. Herman
Werth.
~E. W. Willging, Sr., left Friday to spend the holidays with his son at Los
Angeles, Calif.
~Mr. and Mrs. L. C. LaFleur spent the weekend in the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Fred Lurch of Sioux City.
~Bob Koenig, who attends the Millard school in Washington D.C., is visiting
in the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Koenig.
~Joyce Bowers, who teaches at Grant, Iowa, is spending her vacation with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Bowers.
~Ed Tolsma, who is employed with a road construction crew in Benton county,
came to spend Christmas with his family.
~Frederick Pew of East Lansing, Mich., is spending his vacation in the home
of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George V. Pew.
~Mr. and Mrs. Joe Staebell left Sunday for Madison, Minn., to attend the
funeral of an uncle of Mrs. Staebell held Tuesday.
~Mr. and Mrs. Donald Ladenberger of Des Moines are visiting in the home of
Mr. and Mrs. John Hanno, parents of Mrs. Ladenberger.
~Mrs. William E. Harvey, of Fulton, Ill., and Miss Helen Harvey of Ottumwa,
Iowa, arrived Tuesday to visit Mr. and Mrs. John Moore.
~Mr. and Mrs. Cloyde Woodke and son, Wade, spent Christmas with Mrs. Chas.
Woodke and Dr. and Mrs. Wade Humphrey at Stillwater, Minn.
~The senior M.M.M. club of the First Methodist church will meet Friday
evening in the home of Ruth Meek with Virginia Boyd assistant hostess.
~Mr. and Mrs. R. Remer of Sioux City were visiting relatives in LeMars
Tuesday. Mrs. Remer before her marriage was Miss Margaret St. John of
LeMars.
~Mr. and Mrs. James Clark of Cherokee, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ewin of Des
Moines, and W. A. Ewin of Austin, Minn., were dinner guests Sunday in the
Charles Ewin home.
~Rev. Russell Brown and Mrs. Brown visited this week with Albert and Miss
Agnes Wynia in LeMars. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are traveling evangelists and are
on their way to Oklahoma.
~Mr. and Mrs. Charles Noble of Winnebago, Neb., who spent Christmas in the
home of Mrs. Orpha Noble of Struble were guests on Thursday in the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Garr.
~Marriage licenses were issued at the office of the clerk of courts Tuesday
to Ray C. Holm and Izetta Burke of Akron; Peter Theobold of Heron Lake,
Minn., and Elizabeth Goetzinger of Oyens, Iowa.
~Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Danne and son, Terry, of Meriden arrived Tuesday to
spend several days in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Danne. Additional
guests Christmas Day were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Grimjes, Eleanor and Gladys.
~Rev. and Mrs. Lewis MesKimen and Cynthia returned home Monday night from
Mason City where Mr. MesKimen and Cynthia had gone to get Mrs. MesKimen, who
went to Tucson, Arizona, to attend the funeral of her niece, Kathryn
Chehock. The body was taken to Mason City for burial.
~Miss Beulah Wolfe of Iowa City is spending the holidays in LeMars.
~Miss Myra Schueller of Sioux City spent Christmas in the M. J. Schueller
home.
~James Koenig of Kansas City is spending the week in the home of his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Koenig.
~Miss Celesta Featherston of Union township is spending a few days in the
home of her grandfather, John Featherston.
~A marriage license was issued in Sioux City Monday to G. Richard Burr of
Sioux Rapids and Carol B. Held of Hinton.
~Mrs. E. F. Sturges of Sioux City spent Christmas in the home of her son and
daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. George Sturges.
~Miss Gladys Watson of New York City arrived Sunday morning called here by
the serious illness of her father, James A. Watson.
~Mrs. George Coe Van de Carr of New York City arrived Sunday morning for a
two weeks visit with her mother, Mrs. Anna Bellaire.
~Dr. and Mrs. Wm. Cunningham and children, Katherine and Tommy, spent
Christmas Day in the home of Dr. and Mrs. G. W. Cunningham.
~Dr. and Mrs. Harold Stark and son, Philip, of Iowa City are spending the
holidays with Mr. and Mrs. John Ogilvie, parents of Mrs. Stark.
~Lieut. And Mrs. W. G. Eyres of Mt. Clemens, Mich., are spending the
holidays in the home of Mrs. Zack Eyres, grandmother of Lieut. Eyers.
~Miss Beatrice Frolkey, who is taking nurses training at the Methodist
hospital in Sioux City, spent Sunday with her mother, Mrs. Clara Frolkey.
~Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gronemeyer and family and Mrs. Gene Gabel and Gene Arthur
were dinner guests in the George Gronemeyer home Christmas Day.
~Misses Helen Brucher, Patty Joynt, Doris Bourne, Betty Koenig and Arlene
Bamberg of Des Moines arrived Tuesday to spend the holidays at their homes.
~Mr. and Mrs. John Herzberg and family, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Wendt, Mrs.
Albert Wendt were guests on Christmas Day in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd
Huebsch of Akron.
~Mrs. Vern Keough and daughter, Kathleen, returned Monday from a two weeks
visit with Miss Evelyn Nicholson, sister of Mrs. Keough, and Miss Leona
Coffey of Los Angeles, Calif.
~Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Thompson of Roland, Iowa, spent Christmas in the home of
their son, Rev. G. O. Thompson, and Mr. and Mrs. Noel Thompson, of Roland,
were present for the holiday season.
~Mayor and Mrs. Wm. Lemke entertained their children and families, Mr. and
Mrs. Fred Fountain and children, Billy and Patricia, of Atlantic, Iowa, and
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Justi and daughter, Elizabeth, of Sioux City.
HOSPITAL NOTES
News of the Sick at Sacred Heart Hospital, LeMars
Adrian Kale of LeMars is improved following a recent accident.
Lawrence Reiter, of LeMars, is improved following a fractured leg.
George Kessler, of Ames, had his tonsils removed Saturday.
James Hymans, of Rock Valley, received fractured ribs and chest injuries in
an accident Saturday.
Bonita Maxwell of Paullina was operated on Saturday for appendicitis.
Mrs. S. A. Smorawska of Marcus was a medical patient this week.
Mrs. Silas Means of LeMars underwent a major operation Monday.
Philip Stark of Iowa City is a medical patient.
Mrs. Stewart Seymour of Beresford is a medical patient.
Mrs. Henry Pleuger of LeMars is a medical patient.
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Ted Henrich of Remsen, a boy, December 22; to Mr. and
Mrs. Arthur Wilkins of Akron, a boy, December 22; to Mr. and Mrs. Fay
Terpenning of LeMars, a boy, December 21; to Mr. and Mrs. Martin Arens of
LeMars, a boy, December 20; to Mr. and Mrs. Herman Kruid of Sioux Center, a
boy, December 22.
LeMars Globe-Post
December 30, 1940
MRS. A. MUECKE LAID TO REST
Funeral Services Were Held On Sunday Afternoon
Mrs. Albert Muecke, well known resident of Lincoln township, passed away at her home on Thursday evening, Dec. 26, following a sickness of four weeks.
Emma Muecke, nee Reimers, was born at Cherry County, Nebraska, on July 17, 1884. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and was a lifelong member of the Lutheran church. She was an active member of the ladies’ aid of Trinity Lutheran Church. She was united in marriage with Albert Muecke on March 7, 1910. She reached the age of 56 years, 5 months and 9 days.
She leaves to mourn beside her husband, three daughters, Mrs. Walter Schoenrock of LeMars, Mrs. Lawrence Luksan of Hinton, and Mrs. Lloyd Kounkel of LeMars; two sons, Bernard and Kenneth of Hinton; five grandchildren, Alice, Lois and Norma Schoenrock, Linda Luksan and Lawrence Kounkel. Her mother-in-law, Mrs. August Muecke; three sisters, Mrs. Paul Dahlmann of Hinton; Mrs. Gust Giese and Mrs. Katherine Beckdorf of Holloway, Minn.; and five brothers, Math Reimers, Morris, Minn.; Herman Reimers, Peter Reimers and Adolph Reimers of Holloway; and many other relatives and friends. One son, Raymond, preceded her in death in infancy.
The funeral was held on Sunday at 1:30 at the home and at 2 o’clock at Trinity Lutheran Church. Rev. H. D. Stahmer conducted the services. The following were pall bearers: Albert Binneboese, George Casper, Herbert Greenwaldt, Frank Speckmann, Charles Schoenrock and William Kounkel.
IN MEMORIAM
Softly at night the stars are gleaming
Above a lonely grave.
Where there sleepeth without dreaming
The one we loved but could not save.
Softly into death she faded
Like a star when morn appears
As we stood in silence round her
Gazing at her thru our tears.
Thou art gone but not forgotten
And there dawns another year
In the lovely hours of thinking
Thoughts of you are ever here.
Gone dear mother, gone forever,
How we’ll miss your loving face
But left us to remember
None on earth can take your place.
God has given, God has taken
Let these words our comfort be
And remember that in Heaven
You are waiting us to greet.
AKRON WOMAN CALLED BY DEATH MONDAY EVENING
Akron Register-Tribune: Mrs. Evah Sylvester, daughter of Mrs. Sadie Stinton, of this city passed away Monday evening, Dec. 23, in a Sioux City hospital, of peritonitis.
Mrs. Sylvester was employed in a Hawarden cafe during the past several months. She was 33 years of age and had resided in Akron vicinity most of her life.
The community tenders its sympathy to the bereaved relatives.
Funeral services were held in the Baptist Church here Thursday afternoon. Rev. Williams officiating.
JOHN S. LAUX RITES TUESDAY
Well Known Resident Died Sunday Evening At His Home
John S. Laux, a well known pioneer resident of Plymouth county, passed away at his home Sunday night following a long sickness. He was 84 years old.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at two o’clock from Mauer’s funeral home and interment will be in the city cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be C. A. Mauer, C. E. Haas, Carson Herron, John Featherston. Active pallbearers will be Cloyd Woodke, Charles Steele, R. J. Joynt, Carl Marcue, Herbert Haas, and Arthur Honnold.
John Stephen Laux was born November 1, 1856, at Cedar Lake, Indiana, the son of Stephen Laux and Anna Marie Musbach, who came to the U.S. from Wurtemburg, Germany. He moved to LeMars in 1877, where he was engaged in the grocery business for many years with his brothers, Emil and Will Laux.
In September, 1886, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth M. Nahrung at Osceola, Kansas, and in 1891 sold his interest in the store and moved to a farm south of LeMars.
Twelve children, all still living, were born to this union and in 1912, the family moved to a small farm near town. Mrs. Laux died in 1922.
Mr. Laux is survived by his 12 children: Wilbur Laux, Irene Laux, Mrs. W. F. Bogen, and Leonard Laux, LeMars; Vernon Laux and Mrs. Charles Eyres, Merrill; Mrs. John Rees, Spencer; Mrs. Armand Schuler, Swea City; Mrs. Lee Steele, Sioux City; Mrs. Walter M. Manning and Miss Edith Laux, Des Moines; and Kenneth Laux, Wilmington, Delaware. Eleven of his children were present at the time of his peaceful passing.
He is also survived by a sister, Miss Mary Laux, of LeMars, and two brothers, Will Laux, LeMars and Emil Laux, Baldwin, Long Island, and 17 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Pearl Nitzschke, Andrew Brown Wed
Remsen Girl Bride of Akron Man in Home Ceremony Sunday Afternoon
Remsen Bell-Enterprise: The marriage of Miss Pearl Nitzschke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nitzschke, to Andrew Brown of Akron, took place at 3:30 Sunday, Dec. 22, at the home of the bride’s parents in Remsen. Rev. A. Noack of Christ Lutheran Church performed the ceremony before a small group of friends and relatives.
The attendants were Miss Bernice Ross of Akron and Allen Brown of Missouri.
The bride wore a tailleur of teal blue sheer wool and her bridesmaid wore a tailored gold crepe dress. The men wore dark suits.
A buffet supper was served after an informal hour. Serving honors were given to Miss Neva Neil of Akron and to Miss Kathleen McCarthy. Mrs. Lydia McCarthy had charge of the kitchen.
Guests from out of town were: Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kenny and family, Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Hultgren, Adam jr. and Allan Tindall, Mrs. Anna Klemme, and Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Klemme, all of Akron.
After a trip to Missouri where they will visit relatives of the groom, Mr. and Mrs. Brown will reside on a farm near Akron.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Brown are well known in this and the Akron community, and their host of friends join in sincere good wishes for a bright and happy future.
YARNELL IS ORDERED TO WASHINGTON
LeMars friends of Harry E. Yarnell, the former Plymouth County farm boy who became a rear admiral in the U. S. Navy, have been informed that he has been ordered to active duty at Washington, D.C. beginning January 1. Yarnell, who was in command of the U.S. Asiatic fleet with headquarters at Shanghai, reached retirement age in October, 1930, and has been living at Newport, R. I. His recall to active duty is assumed to be connected with the rearmament program.
BRUNSVILLE: (By Special Correspondent)
Mrs. Louie Bruns and her little grandson, Kent Knox, left on Sunday for Morrison, Ill., where they will visit in the Bob Knox home several weeks.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Reese are the owners of a new Chevrolet coach.
Miss Theresa Harms of Des Moines, spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Harms.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Oltmanns, of Brunsville, are the proud parents of a baby boy, born Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the Sacred Heart Hospital in LeMars.
William Ritterbusk of Chambers, Neb., visited in the Gert Seibens and Ben Eilks homes several days last week.
Mrs. Bennie Borchers and children of Onawa, spent several weeks with Mrs. Emma Borchers.