Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcriptions by Mona Sarratt Knight placed on this site with her permission.

Among the sons of the fatherland whose industry and sturdy qualities have added much to the financial worth and civilization of Carroll county, and whose well directed efforts along agricultural lines in former years now make it possible for them to rest from further labor, is numbered George Kline. His birth occurred in Hamburg, Germany, on the 10th of August, 1848, his parents being Christian and Katharine (Everhard) Kline, both natives of Germany. The father was one of two sons born unto his parents, who were lifelong residents of the fatherland and whose record has now been lost. The maternal grandfather, Everhard, passed away in Germany, while his wife, who later came to the United States, died in Wisconsin. In their family were six daughters, as follows: Caroline, who married Adam Zimbeck; Christine, the wife of ? Everhard; Margaret, who married Peter Mater, of Wisconsin; Sophia, who married George Kline of Walworth county, Wisconsin; Magdalena, the wife of Adam Peters, of Sharon, Wisconsin; and Katharine, the mother of our subject. Christian Kline, who was reared and educated in his native country, was a cooper by trade and there followed that occupation for a time. He served in the French army at the time of the African war for seven years, and in 1852 sought a home in the new world, locating in Walworth county, Wisconsin. After his arrival in this country he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits and at one time owned two hundred acres of land in that state. Shortly before his death, however, he sold the one hundred and twenty acres, which remained of that property to his son, Philip. He passed away at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. His wife's death occurred on the 22d of February 1889, when she had reached the age of seventy-four years and six months. Both passed away in the faith of the German Evangelical church, of which they had been devoted and exemplary members. By a former marriage to a brother of Mr. Kline his wife had two children, Christian and Nicholas, while by her marriage with Christian Kline she became the mother of five children, namely: Christina, the deceased wife of Barney Huber; George, of this review; Leopold, of Glidden township; Caroline, who married Albert Barth, of Sharon township, Walworth county, Wisconsin; and Philip, of Sharon, Wisconsin.

George Kline was a little lad of four years when brought to America by his parents, and in Walworth County, Wisconsin, he grew to manhood, attending the district schools of that locality in the acquirement of his education. When not busy with his text-books he assisted in the work of the home farm and under his father's direction early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He remained at home until seventeen years of age when, in spite of his youth, he enlisted for service, in 1865, as a member of Company A, Thirty-seventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served throughout the remainder of the war, taking part in many important skirmishes, including the battle of Petersburg. After the close of hostilities he returned home and there remained until his marriage, after which he began farming independently, renting a tract of land in Walworth county for two or three years. On the 1st of April 1876, he came to Carroll County, Iowa, and for about three years operated rented land here. He then invested in a farm of his own, purchasing eighty acres in Glidden Township, which he yet owns and to which he added, as his financial resources increased, until it is now a fine property of two hundred and thirty acres. That farm remained his home for more than twenty years, and in the meantime he carefully cultivated his fields, from which he reaped abundant harvests from year to year that enabled him to place himself in comfortable circumstances. In 1902, the competency which he had accumulated made it possible for him to withdraw from active life and in that year he took up his abode in Glidden. Here he purchased two and five-eighths acres of land in the north part of the town, upon which he has erected an attractive dwelling and where he is now living in happy contentment, enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of his many years of earnest labor.

On the 4th of July, 1871, Mr. Kline was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann Rokanbrodt, who was born in Sharon, Walworth county, where she was reared and married. Her parents, Mathias and Margaret (Suggar) Rokanbrodt, were natives of Germany who came to America at an early day, locating first in Pennsylvania. Later they removed to Wisconsin and were numbered among the early settlers of Walworth county, that state, where both passed away, the father on the 24th of October, 1888, and the mother in 1881, when seventy years and nine months old. Mrs. Kline was the youngest in a family of six children, the others being Jacob, Katharine, Fannie, Joseph and Vilena. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kline have been born three children, Albert Arnett, Edward George and Nettie May, the latter living at home. The elder son, Albert A. Kline, is engaged in farming in Glidden Township. He married Bertha Stevens, by whom he has two children, Leata Leona and Opal. Edward G. Kline resides in Carroll, Iowa, and is also married, his wife in her maidenhood being Miss Minnie Horton. Unto them have been born two sons, Merle Manford and Lyle Edward.

Mr. and Mrs. Kline are members of the Church of God, in the work of which they take an active and helpful part, and of which Mr. Kline is serving as trustee. In politics he has never been governed by party ties nor machine rule, but has ever cast an independent ballot, voting for the best man and most desirable measures. His interests are thoroughly identified with those of Carroll County, within whose borders he has lived and labored for many years, and he now occupies a place among the representative, well-to-do and highly respected residents of the county.

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