MUNDORF HISTORY

The Mundorf Family originated in Germany. The first to come to this country were Johann and Margaret Mundorff. They came in 1752 from the village of Mundorf near Troisdorf in the Seig Kreis [near Cologne]. They settled at Conestoga, PA. Their children were John, Peter, George, Catherine.

George Logan Mundorf was born Feb. 18, 1818 in York Co., Pa. He was married there to Caroline Jane Kelly on Aug. 13, 1839. They moved to Henderson Co., Ill. about 1845, then to Pottawattamie County, Ia. in 1877, then to Nebraska until the death of his wife in 1894. Then he made his home with his son G. L., Jr. in Waveland Twp. Both he and his wife are buried in Craig, Nebr. His children who survived him were: Peter W. H., Eli C., Zachary T. Isaiah F., Caroline F., George Logan, Jr., Quincy H. and Rufus R.

George Logan Mundorf, Jr. born Oct. 20, 1853; died Mar. 31, 1925. He was married to Anna Isabel Bagby at Aledo, Ill. on April 1, 1871. Their children were: Isabel Emma, who married Jesse I. Cocklin; Viola, who married Andy C. Hansen; Ogden Sherwood and George Walker.

O.S. Mundorf married Olive Wyman. Their children: Clayton S. and Logan A. A later marriage to Ella Peterson. Their children: George Edwin, Henry Everett, Dorothy Mae, Calvin Charles, Eloise Maxine, Neal, Shirley, Hazel Edith, Ella Lucille, Mary Ann, and Larry Allen.

G.W. Mundorf, born Nov. 3, 1884 and died July 8, 1969. He was married to Cora Blanch Van Buskirk on Dec. 24, 1904 at Red Oak. She was born Nov. 21, 1882 and died Jan. 29, 1958. Their children were: Glen Roy and George Byron.

George and Blanch Mundorf lived on the farm now occupied by Byron Mundorf, the house being built for them in 1905. In the spring of 1934 they moved to the homestead farm. During the time he farmed George and his brother bred purebred Duroc hogs, selling one male hog for $18,000 during W W I boom years. At this time they bred toward a hog that was much like today's market hog. Other breeders of the time believed in the lard-type hog and the acceptance of meatier hogs came much later. George later bred purebred Hereford cattle for a number of years. About 1918 he became the proud owner of one of the first farm tractors, a Mogul built by the old International Harvester Company. Also, about this time he bought 160 A. on Sec. 20 across the road from his house. During the depression years of the early thirties he also acquired ownership of the homestead farm and moved there in 1934.

During this time he and a number of neighboring farmers formed a company to operate a threshing machine for the area. He ran the engine and Francis J. Lembke ran the separator until the middle of the forties when the use of combines became widespread.

Before the livestock was hauled by truck, George, his brother and father hauled hogs to market in Griswold by team and wagon. Neighbors brought wagons and helped haul as it took a day to make the round trip. During these years, when cattle were ready to market they were driven by men on foot or horseback to the railroad in Griswold. They were then shipped to Chicago to be sold.

In the 1940's George and his sons Glen and Byron formed a partnership. G.W. Mundorf and Sons, to operate the three farms, the total acreage being 560 A. This partnership lasted until his death in 1969.

On Aug 13, 1947 Glen Roy Mundorf [born Nov. 7, 1905, died Jan. 22, 1977] married Pansy Elvina [Anderson] Mather. They had no children.

On Nov. 23, 1940 George Byron Mundorf [born Oct. 4, 1914] married Edith May DeKay [born Oct. 17, 1921] also of Waveland Twp. Their children: Mervyn Elton, born July 4, 1942, married Bonnie Irene Rose Sept. 13, 1964; Ronald Wayne, born Aug. 16, 1943; married Martha Marie McGee, July 18, 1964; Charles Byron, born Jan 13, 1947; married Jacqueline D. Marsh Dec. 21, 1967; Gary Duane. born June 29, 1948; married Nancy Louise Barr, Sept. 30, 1967; Martin George, born Sept. 10, 1952; married Anita Marie Porter Oct. 8, 1976, Carol Blanch, born Feb. 18, 1955.

In 1970 Byron and Ronald formed a new partnership, Mundorf Farms, to operate the farms, renting Glen's land as he had retired from active farming after having surgery for Parkinson's disease in 1964. A new house was built on the corner of the southwest quarter of Sec. 17 for Ronald and his family in 1973. Many of the old buildings have been taken down and new metal buildings and grain bins have replaced them on the Byron Mundorf farm. The family operation has been converted to corn, soybeans and cattle feeding much different from the diversified farming of former years.

There is further information about G. L. Mundorf, Jr. in the Pottawattamie County History of 1907 in the Oakland, Iowa Library.