Johann Fridrich Wilhelm Arndt was born on August 4, 1830 at Mertensdorf, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany. He was baptized on August 11, 1830 at Mertensdorf in the Lutheran church. He was the son of Johann Joachim

Hanna and Fred Arndt, Amelia (Arndt) Milhan holding her son, Arthur Milhan Taken in 1897 in Riceville after Arthur’s baptism at St. Peter’s Lutheran church south of Riceville.

Arndt and Maria Dorothea Elisabeth Berger.

Fred, as he was commonly known, married Hanna Dorothea Sofia Jungblut on August 16, 1857 at Mertensdorf. He was a beginning laborer at Gerdshagen, a village near Mertensdorf.

Fred and Hanna probably lived a couple of years in Gerdshagen, but had moved to Mertensdorf where Fred worked as a laborer. They became parents of

August and Amelia (Arndt) Milhan and their granddaughter, Amelia Brown (taken in 1904)

three children, namely: Amalie Dorothea Arndt, born 22 Oct 1857, probably in Gerdshagen; Auguste Friderike Arndt, born 9 Dec 1861 in Mertensdorf; and Adolph Fridrich Heinrich Arndt, born 20 Oct 1864 in Mertensdorf.

Fred and Hanna decided they needed to provide a better life for their children so they immigrated to America in 1869. They left from the port of Hamburg, Germany and arrived in the port of New York on November 19, 1869 on the ship called Hammonia. It appears that Auguste may have died prior to 1869 since she did not immigrate with the family to America.

Adolph and Mary (Hohn) Arndt wedding picture taken in Riceville

The family settled in Douglas township, Mitchell county, Iowa where they lived with the Jacob & Dorothea Stark family. In 1871, Fred and Hanna and

Adolph and Mary (Hohn) Arndt 1930s

children moved to a farm in Afton township, Howard county which they rented for four years. In 1874, Fred purchased a 160 acre farm located three miles south of Riceville on section 18 (NW1/4), Afton township, Howard county, Iowa where they lived the rest of their lives.

Fred Arndt and his family were original charter members of St. Peter's Lutheran church when it was built and established in 1871, 3 miles south of Riceville in Douglas township, Mitchell county, Iowa. They were life long members of the church. Fred had a good standing in the church because in 1908, he went against the wishes of the Lutheran minister and buried his granddaughter, Amelia Milhan – Mrs. Mathew H. DeFord, in the Arndt family plot in the St. Peter’s Lutheran church cemetery. The Lutheran minister refused to perform the ceremony because the deceased (Amelia) was married to

The Arndt children – (l to r) Heddy, Arthur, Eda, Walter, Gertie. This was taken around 1907 in Riceville

a Catholic. Amelia’s father, August Milhan, tried to convince the minister to perform the burial rites and allow her entry into the cemetery, but failed. Since that event, August Milhan refused to attend the Lutheran church for the rest of his life.

She died on August 29, 1901 on the farm in Afton township, Howard county, Iowa at the age of 87 years. Hanna was born on May 27, 1824 in Lubtheen,

Minnie (Arndt) Timmermann, Eda (Arndt) Rieken, Mary (Hohn) Arndt, Heddy (Arndt) Fouts, Gertie (Arndt) Rieken

Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany. She is buried at St. Peter’s Lutheran church cemetery, south of Riceville. Her grave stone lists her name as Hanna D. S. Arndt.

Fred died on January 18, 1911 on his farm in Afton township, Howard county, Iowa at the age of 81 years. He is buried next to his wife. His grave stone lists his name as Fred W. J. Arndt.

Children of Fred and Hanna Arndt

Amalie Dorothea Arndt, commonly known as Amelia Dorothy Arndt, married August Milhan on May 29, 1878 at the bride’s parent’s home by Rev. Christian Molhan, pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran church south of Riceville.

Amelia and August began their married life together on a rented farm on

Albert and Leona (Lauck) Arndt

section 24 in Afton township, Howard county, Iowa. In 1896, they purchased a 240 acre farm on section 29, same township from the Estate of Fredericka Reckner. They became the parents of thirteen children, namely: Augusta Anna (married John W. Brown); Caroline Luise (married August W. Patri); Wilhelmine (married Robert M. Weipert, Sr.); twins – Anna Louise Alfrieda (married August C. Kliem) and Amelia Marie Johanna (married Mathew H. DeFord); John Frederick; twins – Benjamin and Joseph; August C., Jr. (married Stella S. Weipert); Frederick; Leo; Noretta Alvina (married William F. Bohart); and Arthur Albert William Gottlieb (married Agnes F. Bunston). Benjamin, Joseph and Frederick, all died when very little.

August Milhan, Sr. died on December 18, 1916 and was buried at Riverside cemetery north of Riceville. The funeral was held at the farm home and at the Congregational church in Riceville.

Amelia continued to live on her farm with her sons – John, Gus, Leo and Arthur. She moved to Darlington, Wisconsin to live with her oldest daughter, Mrs. John (Augusta) Brown where she died of cancer on September 16, 1932. Funeral services were held at her home farm south of Riceville and burial was at Riverside cemetery next to her husband.

Adolph Frederick John Arndt married Marie Hohn on September 22, 1898 at St. Peter's Lutheran church located in Douglas township about 3 miles south of Riceville.

They began their married life together on a farm located two miles south and a mile or so east of Riceville. By terms of his father’s will, Adolph was given ownership of the farm located 3 miles south of town. Adolph and Mary and their children lived on this farm for a number of years. In the late 1930s or early 1940’s, Adolph sold the farm and he and Mary moved to their home west of Riceville. Adolph passed away at his home on February 10, 1947. He was buried at Riverside cemetery, north of Riceville.

Mary continued to live in this home with her son and daughter-in-law, Walter and Mary (Weipert) Arndt, until she passed away June 30, 1971. Marie Karoline Hohn was born on November 20, 1876 in the village of Muggenburg, Pommerania, Germany. Her parents were Christoff Ludwig Friederich Hohn and Caroline Wilhelmine Gretina Oppenburg. She had several brothers and sisters, namely: Ludwig “Louis”; Ida Caroline Marie – Mrs. August Lubbert, Sr.; Charles Friederich; Wilhelmine “Minnie”– Mrs. John Schulenburg; Bernhardt; and Friederich. She immigrated with her mother, sister, Ida and brother Carl on the ship called – Russia – departing from Hamburg, Germany 0n March 31, 1895, and arriving in New York. The ship passenger lists shows them as Caroline Hohn, 57, Marie Hohn, 18, Ida Hohn, 15, and Karl Hohn, 11 and their last residence was Butzow, Pommerania and that they were headed to New Hampton, Iowa. The family settled in Albion, Howard county, Iowa. Mary’s mother remarried to John August Ernst in 1895 in Cresco, Iowa.

Mary passed away on June 30, 1971 at the Mitchell County Memorial Hospital in Osage at the age of 94. She was buried next to her husband at Riverside cemetery.

Adolph and Mary were members of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Riceville. Both were baptized in the Lutheran faith in their native home in Germany. Mary was also confirmed in the Lutheran church in Germany. Both are buried at Riverside cemetery in Riceville.

Adolph and Mary were the parents of nine children, namely: Arthur John, Walter August (married Mary Weipert), Gertrude Caroline Elizabeth (married Edward Rieken); Hedwig (married William Brockney and later, Herbert Fouts); Eda (married George Rieken); Albert Frederick (married Leona Lauck); Martha Noretta (married Walter Timmermann); Edward Emil (married Leona Flugge and later, Martha Foote); and Minnie (married Howard Penney).