HENRY DOEBEL

Henry Doebel, who follows general farming on section 10, Lincoln township, Worth county, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, on the 20th of August, 1852, a son of John and Margaret (Schmidt) Doebel, who were also natives of the same locality, where they were reared and married There the father followed the occupation of farming in order to provide for his family until 1858, when he made arrangements to come to the new world. He took passage on a sailing vessel that was four months in making the voyage to American shores. During the trip the ship encountered some very severe weather and one of the larger masts was carried away. The boat was driven far out of its course but eventually reached the harbor of New York and John Doebel landed on American soil in 1858. He then proceeded to Davenport, Iowa, where he was employed at farm labor. He afterward removed to Benton county, Iowa, and there invested what he had been able to save from his earnings in forty acres of land, which he purchased from his brother Christ, also giving labor in part payment for the property. He later added forty acres to his original purchase and spent his remaining days upon that farm, his energy and activity converting it into a valuable tract of land. Both he and his wife died upon the old homestead. They were members of the German Lutheran church and Mr. Doebel voted with the democratic party.

Henry Doebel largely passed his boyhood days in Benton county, Iowa, and to its public school system is indebted for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. He there continued until he had attained his majority and later he removed to the vicinity of Northwood, where he was employed on the old Acquitters farm of one hundred and sixty acres for a year. On the expiration of that period he and his brother William purchased two hundred acres of land in Lincoln township, Worth county, in 1874. It was then a tract of wild prairie and they had to perform the arduous task of breaking the sod and preparing the soil for cultivation. They carried on the farm together for two years, after which Henry Doebel was married and their interests were divided. He took eighty acres where he now resides and through the intervening years his farm has been most carefully and successfully cultivated, his efforts and attention being concentrated upon its further development since 1875. He has since added to his original holdings until the place comprises two hundred and eighty acres of valuable land and he also owns a farm of three hundred acres in Dakota county, Minnesota. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers Bank, in the Farmers Creamery Company and in the Manly elevator. Of the Manly creamery he is not only a director but is also the president and he was a member of its board of directors at the time when the creamery was built.

In 1876 Mr. Doebel was united in marriage to Miss Mary Bauch, a native of Germany, and they have become parents of eight children: Jericka, Minnie, Julia, Mary, Grover, Chester, Arthur and Henry. The son Arthur is now serving as a member of the Three Hundred and Twelfth Engineers of the National Army and is in training at Camp Pike.

Mr. and Mrs. Doebel are members of the German Lutheran church and fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he has served as township trustee. He was but six years of age when the family home was founded on American soil and he has ever been a loyal and consistent supporter of the interests of his adopted land, seeking always to advance the welfare of county, commonwealth and country, and now he is represented in its military organizations by one of his sons, who has responded to the call of the colors and is preparing to do active work in defense of world democracy.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 564 & 565

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, October 15, 2006