For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 533
FREDERICK N. BOCKWOLDT....Frederick N. Bockwoldt, the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Fulton township, is widely recognized as one of the substantial agriculturists and worthy native sons of Muscatine county. His birth occurred on the 31st of October, 1866, his parents being Peter M. and Christiana ( Schnare ) Bockwoldt, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father emigrated to the United States in the ' 60s, while the mother crossed the Atlantic a few years prior to that time. They were married in Scott county, Iowa, and following that important event in their lives purchased forty acres of land and began farming. Peter M. Bockwoldt devoted his attention to the further cultivation and improvement of that property throughout the remainder of his active business career, adding to his holdings by pruchase from time to time until he owned three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land in Fulton township, Muscatine county. The last years of his life were spent in honorable retirement at Durant, Cedar county, where he passed away in Deccmber, 1905. His wife was called to her final rest in December, 1889. They were the parents of ten children, namely : Dora, the wife of Charles Fritz, of O'Brien county, Iowa ; Frederick N., of this review ; Bernhard, who is a resident of South Dakota ; Minnie, the wife of Fritz Hermann, of Minnesota ; Elizabeth, who gave her hand in marriage to Jacob Ohlsen and makes her home in O'Brien county, Iowa ; Amanda, the deceased wife of Henry Biercamp, of Cedar county ; Charles, who lives on a part of the homestead farm ; William, of Cedar county, Iowa ; Tillie, the wife of Albert Ohlsen, of Scott county, Iowa, and one who died in infancy.Frederick N. Bockwoldt attended the district schools in the acquirement of an education and when not busy with his text-books assisted his father in the operation of the home farm, thus early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. When twenty-six years of age he undertook the entire management of the old homestead and has since operated the farm, coming into possession thereof in 1904. He now owns one hundred and sixty acres of highly improved and valuable land in Fulton township, which annually yields rich crops and thus provides him with a gratifying annual income.
On the 8th of March, 1893, Mr. Bockwoldt was united in marriage to Miss Lena Ruhser, a native of Scott county, Iowa, and a daughter of Hans and Margaret ( Stahl ) Ruhser, who were born in Germany. They crossed the Atlantic about 1870 and were married one year after their arrival in the new world. They made their home in Davenport, Iowa, for seven years, Hans Ruhser there working in a sawmill. On the expiration of that period he rented a tract of land and during the remainder of his active business career was identified with farming interests in Scott and other counties. Since the 1st of March, 1910, he has lived retired in Durant, cedar county, enjoying the fruits of his former toil in well earned ease. Unto him and his wife were born eight children, as follows : Mrs. Bockwoldt ; Peter, who is a resident of Cedar county, Iowa ; Emma, who died at the age of one and a half years ; Bertha, the wife of Ferdinand Blochs, of Cedar county, this state ; John, who died when but nine months old ; Henry, living in Cedar county, Iowa ; Albert, who makes his home near Round Lake, Minnesota ; and Alma, the wife of Jacob Grage, of Cedar county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Bockwoldt had six children, namely : Alfred, whose birth occurred April 18, 1894, and who is attending high school ; Linda, born in November, 1896, also a high school student ; Wilma, who was born in June, 1897 ; Emma, who first opened her eyes to the light of day in July, 1899 ; and two who died in infancy.
In politics Mr. Bockwoldt is a democrat, supporting the men and measures of that party by his ballot. For a period of eleven years he has served as a member of the school board. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, belonging to Lodge No. 265 at Durant. His entire life has been spent in Muscatine county and that his career has ever been upright and honorable is indicated by the fact that his stanchest friends are numbered among those who have known him from his boyhood to the present time.
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