Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 502
HENRY FUNCK, a prominent citizen and well known pioneer of Muscatine of 1839, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, near Frankfort-on-the-Main, Nov. 9, 1817. He was one of a family of eighteen children, and his parents were Nicholas and Margaret ( Temple ) Funck, both natives of the same country. He received a liberal education in his native land, and learned the baker's trade with his father, who carried on that business. On the 7th of January, 1837, he was united in marriage with Miss Anna C. Funck, the daughter of Adam and Margaret ( Brenner ) Funck, and a native of Hesse-Darmstadt. They emigrated from Germany to America the same year as their marriage, and spent a short time at St. Louis. From there they removed to Burlington, Iowa, where Mr. Funck was employed at his trade until 1839, at which time he came to Muscatine and engaged in the grocery and bakery business. In 1844 he also kept a wharf-boat and boat-store, furnishing boat supplies. This line of business was carried on until 1850, when he discontinued it, and the following year built a distillery at Muscatine, which he operated until 1856, when he sold out and again started in business with a boat-store. He continued in that line until 1861, when once more he sold out, having previously built his elegant residence at the southwest corner of Pine and Third streets. He was one of the founders of the banking-house of Silverman, Cook & Co., which sold out, the firm being succeeded by the present firm of Cook, Musser & Co., he maintaining his connection with that institution until his death, which occurred on the 6th of June, 1886.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Funck was blessed with eight children: George Adam, the eldest, married Mrs. Julia A. Lacy, daughter of Nathan Stafford; Ada Cornelia is the wife of Frederick Daut, a wholesale grocer of Muscatine; Amelia Laura, who wedded Henry Prengler, of Burlington, Iowa, died March 12, 1875; Kate is the wife of S. E. Jacobson, an eminent professor of music, while Mrs. Jacobson also possesses rare musical talent, having wide reputation as a skilled violinist; Lizzie died July 6, 1876, aged seventeen years; Clara, wife of Newton W. Hine, departed this life March 26, 1887; Henry S. died Dec. 12, 1846, and Henrietta died Oct 13, 1850.

Our subject was one of the oldest Masons in Muscatine, having become a member of the fraternity in 1846, as a member of Iowa Lodge No. 2, of that city. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church, and was a leading business man of this city for many years. Enterprising and sagacious in his undertakings, he was eminently successful, and the elegant residence, now a home of his widow and son, Adam, situated on West Third street, is a monument to his enterprise and good taste.

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