Iowa Old Press
Alton Democrat
Friday, February 2, 1940
P. WILERT WAS NATIVE OF GERMANY
Died January 24 At Daughter’s Home In Alton
Philip Wilwert, long a respected resident of Alton, died at the home of his
daughter, Mrs. Chas. W. Hentges (Mary), Wednesday night at the age of 81
years. He was confined to his bed about three weeks with a heart affliction
which proved fatal. He lived an active and useful life and was a favorite
both with “old-timers” and younger people for his friendly smile and manner
and sterling character.
He was born November 22, 1859, at Glusserath, Germany, a village situated at
the River M______dam. While he was very young his parents both passed on,
leaving four small sons. At the age of 18, to escape military service with
the German army, he emigrated to the United States and was employed in
Dubuque county, eastern Iowa, until his marriage on Sept. 19, 1882, to Miss
Lena Disburg at Holy Cross Church. They bought a farm at White Lake, S.D.,
where they pioneered for eight years. After continued drought they sold
everything but a wagon and team of horses and drove east across country with
their three small children to Granville where they had relatives.
While still in Dubuque, Mr. Wilwert applied for American citizenship in
1880, 50 years ago, and was granted his final papers at the Aurora county
courthouse, South Dakota. After two years, they bought a farm near Hospers
where they lived for about ten years, then sold their property and moved to
Minnesota. In 1904, they purchased from Henry Pins a small farm in the
north addition of Alton and lived there until 1929 when they sold the place
to Jim Bloemendaal and moved to town. Mrs. Wilwert died Dec. 27th, 1929.
Since then Mr. Wilwert had lived with his children, for seven years with
Mrs. John Frank of Caledonia, Minn. About two years ago, he came to Alton to
live with Mr. and Mrs. Hentges.
Eight children survive their father: Peter Wilwert, Taconite, Minn.; Mrs.
Hentges (Mary) of Alton; Mrs. J. Frank (Lizzie), Caledonia, Minn.; Mrs. John
Kaschmitter (Anna), Alton; Mrs. Harry Kennedy (Laura), Elysium, Minn.; Nick,
Laurens; Mrs. George Hansen (Lena), Alton; Mrs. Leo Gengler (Christine),
Caledonia, Minn. Two daughters died in infancy.
Funeral services were held Saturday morning at St. Mary’s Catholic Church,
in charge of the Very Rev. J. M. Neppel. Pallbearers were Peter Eulberg,
Mike Zenk, J. P. Wiltgen, John Reeff, J. H. Homan, and Mat. Perlot.
All the children and their families were here for the services except the
oldest son, Peter, who visited here with his father in December. Others here
from out-of-town included a granddaughter, Miss Anna Frank of Austin, Minn.;
several nephews and nieces of Farley, Iowa; Nick Wilwert, Mr. and Mrs. Joe
Wilwert and Mrs. Tiesen, all of Farley, and old-time friends from
neighboring towns.