2. Frank Pink
Frank Pink, SR., DEAD.
This morning at 8 o'clock, at his home about six miles west of this city, occurred the death of Frank Pink, Sr. The funeral will be held Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at the Sugar Grove Church, and the interment will be in the Metz cemetery. ~ Newton Daily News, May 13, 1905.
==========================================================Death of Father Pink
Frank Pink, an old and esteemed citizen of Sherman township, died last Saturday morning, aged 76 years, 12 months and 23 days. Mr. Pink was born in Belgium, July 21, 1828, where he grew to manhood.
He was married to Paris, in September, 1855, to Miss Susan Riffer, a native of Luxemburg, Germany, and then came to America in 1858, first settling in Chicago. He followed railroading for a while, and when the Rock Island road was being build through Jasper county, he helped lay the rails between Grinnell and Des Moines, and was so pleased with the country that he came to Newton with his family and was the first section foreman on the Rock Island here.
He afterward moved to Metz, but for the many years he has lived on the farm where his death occurred. and where his aged companion passed away three years ago. Of a family of ten children, seven survive the parents: William, Peter and Andrew Pink, Mrs. John Selbher, Mrs. Chas. Rumbaugh, Mrs. James Fogarty and Mrs. James Cordray. William and Mrs. Selbher were born in Paris. Father Pink enjoyed the confidence and respect of everybody who knew him. By strict attention to work, sterling integrity and conscientious dealings he became one of the highly esteemed and substantial citizens of Jasper county, and his death will be mourned by a large circle of friends.
Owing to the storm on Monday afternoon the funeral was conducted by Rev. E. F. Leake at the home instead of at Sugar Grove as intended. The interment was in the Metz cemetery. ~ unknown paper
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Biographical Sketch by Josephine Pink BenedictFrancis Pinck - born in Belgium July 21 1828 of French parents and grew to manhood there. He was married to Susan rifer of Luxemburg, Germany, who was born September 27, 1829 of Holland parents. With his brother, Esteinne [sic-Etienne] he came to America in 1858, leaving behind two brothers and two sisters, one in France, the other in Germany; also his wife and two children who followed him months later, as did his brothers.
He first settled in Aurora, Illinois. He later moved to other parts of Illinois: Via, Chicago, Mokena and Joliet. In Chicago he worked as a cook and cooked the first meal that Lincoln ate there when he visited there as a candidate for the presidency. He later worked on the railroad and when the Rock Island Rail Road was being built thru Jasper Co., Iowa he helped lay the rails from Grinnell, Iowa to Des Moines, Iowa.
He was so pleased with the country that he moved his family to Newton, Iowa and became the first section foreman on the Rock Island there. He later moved to Metz, Iowa, A Rock Island Rail Road way station and while there he whittled from a piece of hickory, the first switch block used on the Rock Island R. R. (now made of steel). In 1866 he bought a farm, paying 40 cents per acre, later adding two adjoining farms where in later years his grand children gathered arrow heads.
The Indian mound is still an attraction to many. Of a family of nine children, seven grew to adult hood and were married from this home, where Frank Pinck lived until his death in 1904. His wife passed away in 1902.
When the family came to this country the name was spelled P-I-N-C-K but later, about 1875 the C was dropped; the name being spelled P-I-N-K which most of the family adopted, including those who settled in Illinois. ~ Compiled by Josephine M. (Pink) Benedict in 1964.
Dropped Dead in Her Dooryard
Mrs. Frank Pink, aged seventy-five years, died suddenly of heart disease, at her home in Sherman township, last Saturday. She had been in unusual good health for several days before her death. Saturday about noon she was busy assisting her husband in getting ready to start to Newton, and after he had got into his buggy, she turned to go into the house, but dropped to the ground before she reached the door, and was dead almost before her husband could reach her.
Mother Pink was a native of Luxemburg, Germany, but came to the United States about forty-six years ago, and for the past thirty-six years has lived on a farm in Sherman township this county. She was married to her now bereaved husband in Paris, France, forty-eight years ago. She was raised a Catholic and remained true to the faith until the close of her life.
She leaves seven children, all married and in homes of their own, William, Peter and Andrew Pink, Mrs. Louisa Selbher, Mrs. Anna Rumbaugh, Mrs. Mary Cordray, and Mrs. Julia Fogarty all residing in the County but Mrs. Fogarty whose home is in Shelby Co.
The funeral was held in the Sugar Grove Baptist church at 10 o'clock on Tuesday, May 27th; a large concourse of old neighbors and friends being present. Rev. J. C. Willits of the First M. E. church delivered the funeral discourse. ~ The Newton Record, May 29, 1902. Page: of Frank Pinck, page 256 in Portraits & Bio Record of Jasper, Marshall & Grundy Co., IA
3. Etienne Pink
Census Data Shows (Listed as Edward Pink)
1870 U.S. Census, Frankfort, Will Co., Illinois
1880 U.S. Census, Mendota, LaSalle Co., illinoisEtienne Pink
After a short illness of kidney trouble, Etienne Pink, an old and respected citizen of Mendota, died on Monday, Nov. 6, 1911, at four in the morning, in the seventy-seventh year of his age.
Deceased was born in Bonnere, Belgium, March 5, 1835, and at the age of 23 years came with his brother Frank to America, the later going to Aurora, while Etienne remained in Chicago until 1861 when he came to Mendoat which has been his permanent home. He worked for a time for Mr. Peter Faber in Clarion and then settled in this city.
In the year 1865 he was married to Elizabeth Konnen. Fifteen children were born to them, of whom but two survive to cherish the memory, of a good father with their mother: Mary, wife of Mr. Bernard Pink, of Joliet, Ill., and Margaret, wife of Mr. S. Rhea, of Flagler, Col. There are also eight grandchildren and two sisters, one in France and one in Germany, whom Mr. Pink visited two years ago on his first and only visit to his old home across the sea.
The deceased was a good husband, father and citizen, the embodiment of honesty and uprightness. Despite his advanced age he worked faithfully up to the time of his last illness, being in the employ of the city, generally on work connected with the water and sewer mains and system with which he was thoroughly familiar.
His was a life well lived that bears as its reward the love of those near and the respect of the community.
The funeral service, in which Rev. D. Konen, of Chicago, a cousin by marriage, read requieum mass, was held at Holy Cross church Wednesday morning at nine o’clock and many friends and citizens attended, among them Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rhea and two daughters, of Flagler, col., Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Pink, daughter Elizabeth and son Aloysius, of Joliet, Ill., Mrs. Josie Feltes, Mrs. Lizzie Jacoby, and Mr. Kelly, of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Weis of Earlville. ~ Unknown paper, but in possession the descendents of Frank Pink, Newton, Jasper Co., Iowa.