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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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Peter Depenning Mr. Depenning was born in Marion County, Iowa, on July 11, 1852. He is
the son of Lane and Nellie (Schut) Depenning, both natives of Holland, the
father's birth having occurred on September 17, 1820, and they grew up and were
married in their native land, and there the father conducted a saloon, which at
that period in the old country's history was quite as respectable as any other
business, especially in view of the fact that he ran the same in a strictly
honorable manner and was known as a man of splendid principle.
Having heard so much of our thriving western republic. Lane Depenning and
family immigrated in an old-fashioned sailing vessel to our shores in 1851, and
they located at Pella, Marion County, Iowa, living in the country near that city
and engaged in agricultural work. In
1865 the father decided to try his fortune in the far West, favoring the idea of
establishing a home in the new country of Oregon, at that time sparsely settled,
so he took his family on a circuitous route thither, by way of New York City and
the isthmus of Panama. After a
long, weary trip they finally reached the new land on the Pacific, and there
they found hard times, for there had been little development and money was
scarce and hardships were constantly encountered.
Under this unusual strain the thread of life snapped for the mother in
1867 and she was buried there. The
rest of the family returned to Marion County, Iowa, in 1868.
Soon after his return here the father bought ninety acres near Otley,
Marion County, and there he finally became very well established and made that
his home until his death. Politically, he was a Democrat, and in religious matters was a
member of the Holland Reform Church. His
family consisted of four sons and two daughters, who lived beyond infancy; they
were named as follows: Jacob, who
lives east of Galesburg, Iowa; Mrs. Gertie Burgraf; Walter is living south of
Galesburg; Peter, of this sketch; Andrew lives south of the town of Galesburg;
and Mrs. Kate Voss, who is a resident of the state of Minnesota. Peter Depenning had little
opportunity to obtain an education, but notwithstanding his lack of textbook
training he is a man of keen perceptive faculty and good common sense, so that
his sound judgment and close observations have brought an average measure of
success in his chosen life work. He
has met and overcome many obstacles and won a larger material reward than many
another who, although perchance highly educated, but lacking the nerve, courage
and fortitude, has been thwarted and failed.
He made the trip to Oregon when a lad with the rest of the family, and he
tells many interesting reminiscences of that eventful, long journey, the vivid
impression he then received remaining fresh in his memory; but the hardships
endured, in the great West seem to have been lightly passed over by him, thus
proving his grit. When he reached
the age of twenty-one years he purchased forty acres of land in Elk Creek
Township, Jasper County, Iowa, and later sold that and purchased eighty acres on
the south boundary line of Jasper County, and there he resided ten years,
becoming well established the meanwhile. Selling that farm, he later purchased two hundred and twenty
acres in the northwest corner of Elk Creek Township, this County.
Here he prospered from the first and he has since added two hundred and
twenty-seven acres, just west of the former purchase, the latter lying in Palo
Alto Township. He owns
altogether seven hundred and eighty acres in this County. His dwelling is on the
boundary line between Palo Alto and Elk Creek Townships. He has as valuable land as the County can boast and it yields
abundant harvests annually under his skillful management.
He farms on an extensive scale and raised a large amount of livestock,
generally feeding several carloads of cattle annually.
He keeps his land well improved and employs modern implements and methods
in his agricultural pursuits. He is
also the owner of four hundred acres of valuable land in Mead County, South
Dakota. Mr. Depenning was married in 1878 to Josena McDunnink, who was born in Marion County, Iowa, on April 11, 1860, and there she grew to womanhood. She is the daughter of Ed McDunnink, who was born in Holland, where he spent his early days, immigrating to Marion County, Iowa, when that country was comparatively new. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Depenning: Lane, Mrs. Maggie Cooper, Nellie, Ed, Ira, Fred and Harry. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa,
Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, B.F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis,
IN, 1912, page 1056. |
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