Pike Township Family Stories
HARRY AND FELICITAS MILLS BRAUN
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 273-274.
By Shirley Braun PlumbThe farm on which Harry Braun and Felicitas Braun reside [ 1984] has been in the Braun family for well over one hundred years. It was first purchased by Harry’s grandfather, Conrad Braun, in 1868 for $4 an acre. Conrad arrived in New York City from Grossachen, Baden, Germany with his parents, Conrad Braun and Margaretha Strobel Braun on 19 November 1845 at the age of three years. He served in the Civil War as a fifer and drummer with Company C 35th Regiment Iowa Infantry from 22 August 1862 to 10 August 1865.
Conrad Braun was married to Margaret Schmidt, daughter of Solomon Schmidt and Maria Gettner Schmidt of Germanville, Jefferson county, Iowa. The farm passed to their son, Henry Solomon Braun, who became the second generation of Brauns to farm the land.
Henry S. Braun and his wife, Henrietta Schlarbaum, daughter of John Schlarbaum and Catherine Sinn Schlarbaum of Germanville, Jefferson county, Iowa, were blessed with four children: Roy Conrad Braun, farmer in Nichols; Elsie Katherine Braun Knetsch of Muscatine; Archie Alexander Braun, farmer near Durant, Iowa, who is now deceased; and Harry Lee Braun, farmer in Nichols, who is now deceased.
Henry farmed the land for many years and was one of the local farmers to raise cabbage for the cabbage processing plant in Nichols. He sold feed to farmers, farmed his land and every year had a large beautiful garden full of vegetables for his family and neighbors. Henry was one of the first farmers to raise Hereford cattle in the neighborhood, which his three sons showed at the fair and won many ribbons in the different shows.
Henry died in December 1965 at the age of 94. Henrietta died in 1946 at the age of 73.
Henry S. Braun and Henrietta Schlarbaum Braun passed the farm to their son, Harry Braun, who was born 14 May 1905 and died 23 March 1968. Harry was a graduate of Nichols High school and Brown Business college. He was quite active in his church and community. Many friends and neighbors will remember him as Pike township assessor, a post he held for many years. He was a country school director for Buffalo Bluff school and a 4-H leader for Pike Plucky Pikers for several years. He was also instrumental in getting electric power out to the farming community in his area in 1939. He spent many hours of time and much energy on this project. He served on the A.S.C.S. committee in Muscatine county. Harry was a member of the Masons and Odd Fellows.
Harry Lee Braun married Felicitas Theresa Mills on 20 May 1931 at the Presbyterian church in Muscatine. Felicitas was born 17 April 1906, the daughter of John L. Mills and Mary Ellen Spratford Mills. Harry and Felicitas were parents of three children: Shirley Mae Braun, Marilyn Jean Braun and Virgil Lee Braun.
Shirley Mae Braun was born on the family farm. She graduated from Nichols High school and from Iowa State Teachers college. She graduated with a masters degree from Western Illinois university. She studied one summer at Oriel college in Oxford, England. Shirley teaches upper elementary students in the Davenport schools. She has taught there since graduation, except for one year when she taught United States military dependent children in Izmir, Turkey. Shirley married Kenneth Roy Plumb. They have two sons, Kevin David Plumb and Alan Joseph Plumb.
A second daughter, Marilyn Jean Braun, was born at the home of her grandparents, John Mills and Mary Mills. She graduated from Nichols High school and married Ronald Baxter. Ron is the son of Kenneth Baxter and Mildred Blivens Baxter Porter Geertz. Marilyn and Ronald live in DeWitt, Iowa, and they have four sons. Kerry William Baxter married Patricia Hovey; they have two sons, Eric Baxter and Brent Baxter, and one daughter, Lee Ann Baxter.
The other sons are Tommy Lee Baxter; Jody Brian Baxter, who married Kelly Morrow; and Scott Matthew Baxter.
Virgil Lee Braun, the only son of Harry Braun and Felicitas Mills Braun, was born in Muscatine. He graduated from Nichols High school and served eight years in the Army Reserves while helping his father with the farming. Virgil married Donna Kay Owen. Donna is the daughter of Warren Walter Owen and Roberta Alice Todd Owen.
Virgil and Donna have four children: Teresa Kay Braun married John Kessler; Douglas Lee Braun married Cindy Kurth; Victor Warren Braun married Marie Huiser, and their son is Joshua Braun; and Rita Renae Braun married Duane Gerot.
Felicitas Theresa Mills Braun, widow of Harry Lee Braun, still resides on the family farm [1984]. She is a graduate of West Liberty High school and was a country school teacher for several years in the Nichols area, with six years teaching at Adams school. She is a member of the Rebekah lodge, the Eastern Star and the United Methodist church of Nichols. She farms the land with her son, Virgil Braun, who represents the fourth generation of Brauns to farm the land.
Return to Family Stories Index Return to Muscatine Co. IAGenWeb, Index Page
Page created December 5, 2010 by Lynn McCleary