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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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Carl
Lenz Among
the thrifty German citizens who have taken up their abode in Jasper County and
have thereby benefited alike themselves and the community is Carl Lenz, farmer
of Kellogg Township, who was born at Kroganke, West Prussia, Germany, October
13, 1864, the son of Ferdinand and Caroline Lenz, both born in Germany, the
father on February 4, 1837, and the mother on January 11, 1842.
Not being satisfied in the fatherland and most of his children being in
the United States, Ferdinand Lenz came to our shores in 1894, he and his wife
coming to live with their oldest son, Carl, of this review, who was farming the
old Shuman place, three miles south of Laurel. After living on the farm six
years they moved to Kellogg. The
father's death occurred on February 5, 1904, and the mother is living with her
two youngest sons, Gustav and Arthur, keeping house for them. Carl
Lenz grew to maturity in his native land and went through all the branches of
the public schools there, attending school from the time he was seven until he
was fourteen years of age. After leaving school he began learning the mason's
trade, and in 1879 he immigrated to America with relatives. Locating in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he worked for some time in Plankington's packinghouse,
later worked in some of the famous Milwaukee breweries, but the work being too
hard he was compelled to give it up. Money
was then scarce and jobs few and hundreds of idle men were besieging the
employment bureaus about the court house, looking for work, Mr. Lenz being one
of the number. That was the latter
part of December 1882. The subject
decided to leave there and, taking the tracks of the Milwaukee & St. Paul
Railroad, he followed them south to Freeport, Illinois, being compelled to ask
for food several times on the way, and at night slept in straw-stacks.
He found employment on a farm' near Freeport and worked there six years,
most of the time in the neighborhood of Eleroy.
He saved his money in order to get a start, and in 1887 moved to Iowa and
rented a farm three miles south of Laurel, Jasper County, for five years.
Here he found hard work and often trying conditions to meet, but he
persevered, refusing to be downed by obstacles. He moved to the E. P. Shuman farm, which he operated
for eleven years, then purchased the place and is still living three miles north
of Kellogg, having a good farm and a very comfortable home.
He is carrying on general farming and stock raising successfully, keeping
his place well tilled and well improved. Mr.
Lenz has been twice married, first on May 10, 1889, to Minnie Bloom, daughter of
Gottlieb and Christina Bloom, of Laurel, Marshall County, Iowa. To this union
one son and two daughters were born, who are living and one son, the oldest,
died when six months old; John, Emma and Marie being the others.
The mother of these children died on March 25, 1895 and on May 29, 1900,
Mr. Lenz was married to Lena Exter, daughter of Anton and Friederike (Saak)
Luff, of Stemmen, Lippe-Detmold, Germany. The
following children were born of the second union: Adolf, Clara, Ernst, Louis and
Eleanora. Politically,
Mr. Lenz is a Republican and he has always been interested in the development of
his community along all lines and has proven to be a good citizen. The Past and Present of Jasper County,
Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p.
1069. |
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