Old Settlers' Stories
by J. H. Kout
J. H. Kout was born April 1, 1860, in Fowler,
Iowa. On April 22, 1897, he married Edith Margaret Hesebeck
(August 1874-August 1937) at Sibley, Iowa. Mr. Kout died
September 18, 1919. Both are buried in Ocheyedan cemetery.
According to the Standard Atlas of Osceola County, Iowa,
published in 1911, J. H. Kout owned farms and farmland in Allison
township (320 acres), Ocheyedan township (320 acres) and Horton
township (320 acres). While many thought of J. H. Kout as a
farmer, in reality, he and his brother, Dominick, were more known
for being in the contracting business. In the same year that the
town of Ocheyedan came into existence in 1884, the Kout brothers,
Joseph and Dominick, put up a store building and filled it with a
general stock of goods. This general store, along with three
other general stores and a hardware store constituted the
mercantile business of Ocheyedan in 1884-85. Around 1891, the
Kout Bros. Sold the building and stock to R. J. O. McGowen, who
continued to operate it as a general store. The Kout Bros. Were
instrumental in the gradual growth of Ocheyedan. In 1892, they
erected a very fine business house, which was a drug store,
occupied by A. E. Smith. In the upper story of another finely
furnished building built by Joseph and Dominick Kout, a Masonic
lodge "a secret society" was organized.
Joseph Kout and Edith Hesebeck had two children: J. Hubert and
Irene.
Hubert married Pearl Graves. He ran several businesses in
Ocheyedan. At the time of his death in 1966, he was Ocheyedan's
postmaster. Pearl was active in community affairs and spent
several years as a library board member and librarian. She was an
assistant post mistress.
Irene married Martin Kallsen. To this union were born four
children. They are retired and live in Worthington, Minnesota.
-Transcribed by Roseanna Zehner