Wille, Ferdinand 1842 - 1910

WILLE, FRITZ, BEEH, MEENAN, BAAL, WATERMAN

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 4/12/2020 at 11:18:48

Elkader Register & Argus, Thur., 24 Nov. 1910. Elkport and Vicinity column.

Grandpa Wille, as he was lovingly called, was born Oct. 17th, 1842, in Province Posen, Germany.

In the faith of the Lutheran church, of which he was a faithful and worthy member, he was brought up, at first being received into said faith as a child of the blessed Redeemer, when christened, and later in boyhood days being confirmed. He then reached those years when he longed to own and establish a home of his own, and consequently, in March, 1863, he was wed. The one upon who his choice fell, was Miss Ernestine Fritz. In April, 1868, they came to America across the ocean blue, to seek a home of their own. They settled at St. Louis, Mo. The next year in the month of February, he bought a farm in Volga Township. His son, Henry, lives on the old homestead, and it was here that his latter days were spent. Six of the children that were born to this union are now left to mourn the death of a loving mother and a kind father, for on July 5, 1900, the Almighty Father called the wife to the Great Beyond.

Those left to mourn his death are Mrs. C. Beeh, of Volga Township; Mrs. John Meenan, of Motor; Mrs. Chas. Baal, of Jefferson Township; Mrs. Henry Waterman, Mrs. C. C. Waterman and Henry, all of Volga Township. Also 29 grandchildren, who will sorely miss the glad smile and also the cheery word of the grandfather who loved them dearly. On Tuesday, Nov. 1st, as his daughter went to his room to see whether there was anything she might do for him, imagine the shock when they found that as a tired wanderer he left this vale of trouble and sorrow. On Friday, Nov. 4, he was once more in the edifice of the church, where he loved to be, but not by means of his own footsteps for the pall bearers, Messrs. Fred Lundt, Louis Menge, Henry Boehm, Fred Krieg, Wm. Boehm and Aug. Jaster carried the casket, which bore the body of deceased to the church. A large concourse of people assembled to pay their last respects to the memory of Grandpa. Rev. Linnenburger, the pastor, preached a very able sermon, and the voices of the singers blended harmoniously in appropriate songs, sung by the trio, Miss Anna Bals, Rev. Linnenburger and Mr. R. Bushkofsky. The floral offerings were many. Thence the procession climbed the hill to the Lutheran cemetery, where his remains were laid in the grave beside that of his wife.

(Note: There followed a very lengthy poem.)