ARP, RUDOLPH
William Arp, who owns a fine farm of one hundred and seventy-nine acres in Sheridan township, is one of Scott county's native sons, who derives a comfortable income from tilling the soil. He was born in Walnut Grove, Butler township, April 11, 1863, his parents being Peter and Minnie (Fellener) Arp. The father was for a long period identified with the agricultural life of Sheridan township but is now living retired in Davenport. He was born in Holstein, Germany, February 5, 1830, and is a son of Peter and Wiepke Arp, who spent their entire lives in the fatherland, where Peter Arp, Sr., worked at the tailor's trade. Our subject's father was about twenty years of age when he decided to come to America and after crossing the Atlantic disembarked at New Orleans, where he took a river boat to come to Iowa. He was two months ascending the Mississippi, however, as quantities of ice impeded progress, and on the 9th of March, 1850, he landed at Davenport, where a sister was already living, she having come to this state in 1847. After his arrival Mr. Arp secured employment in a brickyard and later obtained work as a farm hand, but he was frugal and industrious and in the course of a few years had saved enough to buy one hundred and twenty acres of prairie land in Sheridan township. In 1853 he married and that he and his wife might have a home he bought an old dwelling which he moved to his land, making it serve for his residence until he was able to put up a better structure. The tract he had purchased proved to be rich and arable. He plowed the first furrow on that farm and during the five years it was his place of residence it gave him a gratifying return for his labors. After he had made a number of improvements upon the place he traded it for one hundred and sixty-five acres in Winfield township, about twelve miles from Davenport on the Dubuque road. That place has a small house upon it and some other improvements had been made, but Mr. Arp brought the land to a highter state of cultivation and after four years sold it, thereupon returning to Sheridan township, where he owned a tract of fity acres and also rented some land from Benjamin Barr, on which he lived for a year. At the end of that time he removed to the fifty acres he owned, bought another fifty acres, built thereon a house, and there made his home for the next twenty-six years, or during the remainder of the time he was actively engaged in farming. In the meantime, however, he bought land as he was able, owning more than half a section at one period in his life, the extent of his landholdings indicating the success which attended his labors and the good management conspicuous in his business dealings. In addition to being a prosperous agriculturist he was also a man well known in his township, and the record of his official service was one that brought him to respect of his fellow citizens, when in October, 1892, he decided to retire and removed to Davenport.
Mr. Arp was married September 2, 1853, to Miss Minnie Fellener, a daughter of Barnhardt and Fredrica Fellener. She was born in Germany, emigrated to this country when about nineteen years of age, and through her marriage became the mother of seven children. Charles, now deceased, married Kathryn Runfeldt, and they had two children, Minnie and Charles. Emma became the wife of Henry Jarchow, of Davenport, and they have two sons, William and Jacob. Henry married Louisa Petersen and lives in Minnesota, where he is rearing his two children, Mary and Paul. William is the subject of this review. John, now living in Sheridan township, wedded Bertha Weise, and has four children, Ella, Alfred, Aileen and Edward. Elizabeth became the wife of Henry Soll, of Davenport, and they have two children, Edna and Hugo. The other died in infancy. The parents are members of the Lutheran church, while Mr. Arp gives stanch allegiance to the democratic party, and on its ticket was elected to the office of trustee of Sheridan township.
William Arp, whose name introduces this review, was about one year of age when his parents removed from Butler to Sheridan township, and in the latter township has spent the greater part of his life. He was a pupil in the school of district No. 6, and after he put aside his text-books engaged in farming with the intention of making it his means of livelihood. He remained with his father until he was twenty-eight years of age, when he married and, desiring to establish a home of his own, he bought the farm on which he now lives. It is a fine tract of one hundred and seventy-nine acres situated upon the Long Grove road in Sheridan township, on which Mr. Arp raises the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and also has ample pasturage for the stock he raises and feeds in large quantities. He has ever been a man who is not only industrious and frugal but also ambitious and determined to make the best use of the opportunities that lie before him. That he has been successful beyond the average is indicated by the appearance of his property and the fact that he owns stock in the Eldridge Elevator Company.
On the 28th of January, 1891, Mr. Arp was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Soll, who was born in Davenport township, and is a daughter of Christian and Anna Soll. Her parents were natives of Holstein, Germany, and were numbered among the early German settlers of this section of Iowa, for her father came here when eighteen and her mother when a girl of nine years. They are now living in Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Arp have had four children but the first two died in infancy. The others are: Walter, who was born January 4, 1895; and Viola, born October 2, 1897. Both are at home.
Mr. Arp has always given stalwart support to the democratic party and upon its ticket was elected to several offices of public trust, for he served as trustee of Sheridan township for three years as road supervisor for thirteen years and as school director for another long period, in each capacity performing his duties carefully and honorably, so that he has the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends, many of whom have known him from boyhood. He is well known in Eldridge and belongs to the Turners Society there.
This bio was extracted from the History of Davenport and Scott County, Vol. I and II, by Harry E. Downer, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. It was transcribed by Debbie Clough Gerischer.