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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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Dallas Hanke The
true western spirit of progress and enterprise is strikingly exemplified in the
lives of such men as Dallas Hanke, one of Jasper County's honored native sons,
whose energetic nature and laudable ambition have enabled him to conquer many
adverse circumstances and advance steadily.
He has met and overcome obstacles that would have discouraged many men of
less determination and won for himself not only a comfortable competency,
together with one of the very choice farms of this favored locality, but also a
prominent place among the enterprising men of this section of the great Hawkeye
commonwealth. Such a man is a credit to any community and his life forcibly
illustrates what energy and consecutive effort can accomplish when directed and
controlled by correct principles and high moral resolves, and no man is worthier
of conspicuous mention in a volume of the province of the one at hand. Mr.
Hanke was born in Jasper County on November 25, 1870, the son of Edward and
Margaret (Armour) Hanke, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they grew to
maturity, were educated and married, and the father worked as a candy-maker in
Philadelphia for some time. About
forty-five years ago he came to Jasper County, Iowa, and bought one hundred and
sixty acres of land in Kellogg Township, which he developed and on which he made
his home for twenty-five years, when he rented his farm, moved to Kellogg, and
there engaged in the hotel business for two years, and from there he moved to
Stewart for about three years and then he came to Newton, where he lived about
three or four years and then returned to his farm for two years and then went to
Philadelphia, where he engaged in the grocery and oil business.
There his death occurred about fifteen years ago at the age of sixty
years. He was familiar with the oil
business, having been engaged in that for some time in Pennsylvania.
After his death his widow remarried, her last husband being John Ashley,
and they are living in Newton, Iowa. Dallas
Hanke was the youngest child in a family of four children, namely: John is
engaged in farming east of Newton; George died in Pennsylvania in very early
life; Dena married James Hunter, a machinist, and they are living in Des Moines.
By her second marriage Mrs. Hanke has no children. Dallas
Hanke received his schooling in the district school in Kellogg Township and also
attended school some in Newton. He started in life for himself when twelve years
of age and when twenty years old he began farming for himself.
He purchased eighty acres of land in Newton Township when he was
twenty-one years old and this he farmed for sixteen years, when he sold it
together with another eighty, which he had added to it. This was in 1907.
He then bought the place he now owns and put up a fine, modern residence.
His splendid farm here consists of two hundred and five acres, well improved and
under a high state of cultivation, in fact, there is no more valuable or
desirable farm in the County, and, considering the fact that he has made this
fine property by his own efforts, he has a just cause to be proud of it.
He has never depended upon anyone to do either his work or planning, and,
having managed well and closely applied himself, his large success is the
legitimate reward of energy well spent a life honorably lived. In 1892 Mr. Hanke was united in marriage with Mary Vincent, who was born at Metz, Iowa, the daughter of Platt and Alla (Hitchler) Vincent. Her parents were very early settlers at Metz. Mr. Vincent, who is now seventy years of age, has been a teacher in the public schools for a period of fifty years and is still engaged in the work, being one of the best known and popular educators of the County, his services having been in great demand, both his ability and character having been fully tested and found of the highest order. His wife died when the daughter, Mrs. Hanke, was three years of age. Mr. Vincent has remained faithful to his wife's memory and has never married again. His only other child, besides Mrs. Hanke, was a son, who died in infancy. To
Mr. and Mrs. Hanke five children have been born, as follows: Raymond, who is
attending high school in Newton; Floy has just completed the graded schools;
Alva attends school in Newton, as does also Merlo; Earl is a year old at this
writing. Mr.
Hanke is a stanch Republican, and while he takes the interest of a good citizen
in the affairs of his town and County, he is not a seeker after public honors.
He is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Newton, as is
also Mrs. Hanke, who is a cultured and affable lady, who, like her husband, has
made a host of friends since moving here. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 1006. |
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