Charles J. Lembke Charles J. Lembke has special reason to take satisfaction in the precedence that is his as one of the representative agriculturists and stock-raisers of his native county, for he is the owner of the well improved farm, in Monona township, which figures as the old homestead of his parents and as the place of his nativity. He was here , ushered into the world on the 18th of October, 1874, and is the second in order of birth of the three children of Henry and Minnie (Rice) Lembke, both natives of Germany and both well known and honored citizens of Clayton county, their home being now in the village of Monona, where, after having won independence and prosperity through well ordered endeavor, the father is now living virtually retired. At the parental home remains Henry, Jr., the eldest of the three children, and the youngest is Emma, who is the wife of Charles Klingermann, of Monona. Henry Lembke, Sr., was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, on the 3rd of February, 1840, and was reared and educated in that section of the Fatherland, where he remained until about the year 1868, when, as an ambitious young, man dependent upon his own resources, he came to the United States and established his home in Clayton county, Iowa. After devoting about two years to service for others, as a farm workman in Farmersburg township, he purchased land in Monona township and initiated what proved a specially successful career as an independent agriculturist. He continued his active association with the management of his farm until he was nearly seventy years of age, and since 1907 he has lived in well earned retirement in the village of Monona, where he owns an attractive residence property and where he and his wife are surrounded by friends who are tried and true. Mr. Lembke has given his support to the Democratic party from the time he became a naturalized citizen of his adopted land and both he and his wife are zealous communicants of the German Lutheran church at Monona. Charles J. Lembke is indebted to the public schools of Monona township for his early educational discipline and he continued to be associated with his father in the work of the home farm until he finally rented the same and assumed entire supervision of its operations. In 1907 he purchased this fine old homestead, which comprises one hundred and twenty acres, and here he stands forth as an exemplar of scientific and progressive enterprise in connection with the fundamental industries of agriculture and stock-raising. He gives special attention to the raising of high-grade cattle and the Chester White type of swine. Though loyal to all civic duties and responsibilities, Mr. Lembke has manifested no ambition for public office and his political activities have been represented in his loyal support of the cause of the Democratic party. He is affiliated with political activities have been represented in his loyal support with the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and both he and his wife are communicants of the Lutheran church at Monona. On the 1st of June, 1903, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Lembke to Miss Minnie Schroeder, who was born at Guttenberg, this county, on the 11th of June, 1874, and who is a daughter of John and Mary (Tuecke) Schroeder, who now reside in the village of Monona. Mr. Schroeder, who is now retired from active life, was born in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, and he came with his parents from the old Buckeye state to gain incidental prestige as a pioneer of Clayton county, Iowa, the family home having been established in the Guttenberg community. He became one of the prosperous farmers of Monona township and since his retirement he has maintained his home at Monona, as previously noted. He is a Republican in politics and both he and his wife hold membership in the Lutheran church. Mrs. Schroeder was born at Guttenberg, this county, and is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of this section of the State. Mr. and Mrs. Lembke have three children, and their names and respective dates of birth are here given: Erwin, April 20, 1904; Lorena, November 28, 1906; and Verni, August 10, 1909. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to
the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; page 244-246 |