Mr. and Mrs. Frank Meggers on their wedding day in 1912.
FRANK MEGGERS FAMILY
Frank Meggers was born January 11, 1884, 41/2 miles north of Manning, to Franz
and Anna (Tolck) Meggers. Later he moved with his
parents to a farm 71/2 miles northwest of Manning in Iowa Township, Crawford
County. This farm was later bought by Emil Meggers, and occupied by Eddie Meggers.
Frank was married to Agnes Soll, daughter of Hans Soll and Elisa Naeve, February 7, 1912. They were married in the Manilla Lutheran Church by Pastor Wendt.
Frank and Agnes began farming 1/2 mile north of Westside and also farmed several farms in the Manning area. They then purchased a farm 1/2 mile north of Aspinwall from William Ranniger in 1924 for $225 per acre. In 1951 they retired to their home in Denison. Agnes passed away September 26, 1960. Frank passed away September 7, 1971.
Their family members are: Irene (Mrs. Lester Genzen), Manilla; Berniece (Mrs. Don Travis), Fullerton, California; Eldora (Mrs. Walter Ketelsen), Charter Oak; Donald (married to June Bargenquast), Lincoln, Nebraska; Milo, who passed away at five months April 20, 1925; and Norma (Mrs. Ray Bowden), Ankeny.
Grandchildren are: Phyllis (Mrs. Virgil Denker), Denison; Daryl Genzen, Manning; Joycelyn (Mrs. Roger Koepke), St. Louis, Missouri; Beverly (Mrs. Larry Beckman), Odebolt; Royce Genzen, Montclair, California; Brian and Terry Travis, Aurora, Colorado; Ann (Mrs. Jim Barnett), Des Moines; Phillip Ketelsen, Mapleton; Donna (Mrs. Leo Jacobsen), Walnut; Larry Ketelsen, Charter Oak; Janice (Mrs. Gene Miller), Deloit; Ricky Ketelsen, Denison; David Meggers, Amarillo, Texas; Raymond, Jr.; Wanda (Mrs. J.C. Hamilton); Randy, Ronnie and Rodney Bowden, Ankeny.
They also have 16 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren as of 1981.
FRANZ MEGGERS
Franz Meggers was born January 18, 1836, in Königsbach, Holm, Germany. He was married in 1863, in Germany,
to Anna Wilhelmine Tolck, who was born January 1, 1841.
They came to America in 1868, settling in Clinton County. In 1879, they moved to a farm in Carroll County. In 1889, they purchased land in Iowa Township, Crawford County. This tract of land was purchased by two of their sons, Emil and Gus Meggers, in 1909.
Eleven children were born to them; seven died before their parents. Mrs. Meggers died November 3, 1894. At the time of his death July 22, 1909, Mr. Meggers had a brother, Peter, living at Denison, two brothers and a sister in Germany.
Sons settling in the Manning and Aspinwall area were Johannes, who married Lena Rostermundt; Emil, who married Sophia Nulle; Gus, who married Minna Jahn; and Frank, who married Agnes Soll.
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GUSTAV MEGGERS
Franz and Anna (Tolck) Meggers were parents of Gustav, born December 24, 1877, at Clinton. They and their
children, Hannas, Emil, Gustav and Frank, came to Crawford County, Iowa Township, Section 5, in 1890.
Gustav married Minna Jahn May 18, 1904, at which time they moved to another portion of the farm, which they purchased in 1909.
To this union, four children were born. A daughter died in infancy.
Johnnie married Edna Lamaack December 14, 1927. They had twins: a daughter who died at birth, and a boy, Wayne, who passed away September 10, 1981. He had three children, Bonnie Chase of Cedar Rapids, Debbie and John of Council Bluffs.
Malinda married Edward Erps January 4, 1928. They had one son, George, who married Leona Klocke December 29, 1954. Their children are Linda (Mrs. Craig Custer), Leroy, Lyle and Georgia. Two children died in infancy. The Custers have a daughter, Brandi Ann.
Lester married Eunice Wiese September 25, 1940. They bought the home place in 1956. They have a son Gene, who married Margie Dziedzic of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 31, 1974; they have three daughters, Stephanie, and twins Amy and Ivy, who are the fourth generation to live in the house Gustav settled in when he was married.
JOHN G. MOHR
John G. Mohr was born in Clinton County in 1874. He came to this vicinity at
the age of 16 and with his brother Pete, farmed 2 1/2 miles north of Manning
for three years. Then he went with his brother Chris, and they farmed one mile west and 1/2 mile north of Aspinwall.
In 1898 he married Ida Lage. They moved to a farm 1 mile east and 2 1/2 miles north of Aspinwall. They spent their entire lives on this farm. This union was blessed with five children, Emma, John, Fred, Lena and Raymond.
JULIUS MOLTER FAMILY
Julius Molter, son of Charles and Amelia Kuhl Molter, was married to Amanda Joens, daughter of John and
Anna Lemster Joens, January 29, 1908. March 1, 1916, they moved from the Herman
Sinow farm into Aspinwall, where he worked on the railroad. Amanda was a
seamstress, sewing late into the night, especially around the Children's Day
Festivities that were held in Aspinwall, Manning, and the Five Mile House.
In 1921, they moved to the Five Mile House and lived there four years, when they bought the Schrum Dairy in south Manning where the Lutheran Church is now. They owned and operated the Manning Hotel from 1936 to 1940. They lived in California for a short time while their daughter was living there, and returned to Arcadia, where he worked as a farm helper. In August of 1944, they purchased their home at 1114 N. Adams Street in Carroll, where he worked for Heider Manufacturing Co., and Amanda continued on in the alterations department for Burns Dress Shop and J.C. Penney Store.
They were the parents of two daughters. Goldie and her husband, Daniel Booth, live in Arcadia: their three children are Roland, who lives in Guthrie Center, Marlene Pell lives in California, and Francis Rodman is in Sioux City. Eunice (Mrs. R.M. Fiscus) lives in Carroll; her children are Faye (Mrs. Larry Bluml) of Carroll, and Charles Butler of Napa, California. There are 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Julius died in 1955 and Amanda in 1952.
ODDS AND ENDS
Will Roberson is building a new barn on his farm north of town.
Aspinwall News of Manning Monitor July 1, 1904
Page 262
CARL AND LUELLA MUSFELDT
Carl (Kelly) Musfeldt and Luella (Schultz) were married at the Lutheran
Parsonage in Denison by Pastor Carl Schmidt September 14, 1940. The first year
of their marriage they lived with Hans and Louie Musfeldt on the old Musfeldt
farm, Luella as a hired girl and Kelly working on a neighboring farm.
In October of 1941 they moved to the old Mrs. Otto house in Aspinwall where Diane was born. Kelly was then tank truck driver for Standard Oil Co. They moved to Manning in 1943, where Kelly was drafted into the Army in 1944.
After his return from the service they moved to Aspinwall in 1947, buying the Anna Will property. Kelly worked for the Aspinwall Co-op, and in 1954; he started Musfeldt Rendering Service.
They are the parents of five children, Diane Campbell, Patricia Branning, Kathleen Huston, Carla Darby and Keith. They have 14 grandchildren.
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FRED AND EMMA MUSFELDT
Fred and Emma (Ruge) Musfeldt were born in Germany, Schleswig-Holstein area.
Fred came to the United States when he was three years old with his parents
John and Anna Musfeldt. Emma came to the United States when she was 18 years
old; she intended to go back to Germany but did not have enough money to
return. Fred and Emma were married February 17, 1915. They farmed all their
life and came to the farm one mile east of Aspinwall shortly after their
marriage. They had four children: Harry, deceased; Carl of Aspinwall; Donald of
Bridgewater, New Jersey; and Alice, Mrs. Harold Beck, of Clovis, California.
Emma made a visit to her homeland in 1957. The children and their spouses, together with their Uncle Rudolph Ruge and Aunt Hazel Ruge made a trip, sponsored by Rudolph, to Germany and surrounding countries in 1976.
Harry Musfeldt and Dorothea Schrum are the parents of six children: Charlene (Mrs. Joe McGuire) of Pella, Iowa; Mary (Mrs. Jim Schleis) of Texas; Steve married Cindy Kroeker of Kansas City, Missouri; Doug married Carol Struve of Kansas City, Missouri; Stan, Manning; and Carol Ann of Iowa City. There are 11 grandchildren.
Kelly (Carl) Musfeldt and Luella Schultz are the parents of five children: Diane Campbell of Bonifay, Florida; Pat (Mrs. Fred Branning), Carroll; Kathy (Mrs. Don Huston) of LaMesa, California; Carla Darby of Morgantown, West Virginia; and Keith of Audubon. There are 14 grandchildren.
Don Musfeldt and his wife Trudi of Bridgewater, New Jersey have four sons; Ron and wife Susan of Lemoore, California; Greg and wife Diane of Grand Island, Nebraska; Dwight and wife Cruz of Idaho; Brian and wife Annette of Kansas City, Missouri. There are five grandchildren.
The Becks are a family of nurses as Judy, Paula and Chris are R.N.s and Alice is a L.P.N.; son-in-law Jim is a pharmacist in St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids.
ODDS AND ENDS
I treasure the memory of many friends I had through my school years, the
two-room school house with its pot-belly stoves, and sleigh riding down the
long hill by the school, sneaking in one last ride after the bell would ring.
Three of my teachers were the Lally sisters and Alice Guth.
Ellen (Schade) Trout
ODDS AND ENDS
What is this story about Wilmer Ehrichs, Florence
Schroeder, and the outhouse? Whenever one used the building, the other would
comment, "How long are you going to be gone, Tom?" The response would
always be, "Oh, about an hourrrrr."
The comment is still being used to this day between the two.
Darlyne Dahleen
ODDS AND ENDS
Township directors elected at the 1902 Old Settlers Picnic at Denison included
Charles Miller of Iowa, F.E. Macumber of Nishnabotny (Nishnabotna is correct spelling), and Henry
Hagge of Hayes.
History of Crawford County, published in 1911
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HARRY MUSFELDT
Fred and Emma Musfeldt purchased 160 acres one mile east and 1/4 mile north of
Aspinwall in Iowa Township in 1914. Harry was born May 17, 1915, on this farm.
He attended country school and graduated from Manning High School in 1932.
In 1944 Harry and Dorothea Schrum were married. They were the parents of six children, Charlene (Mrs. Joe McGuire) of Pella; Mary (Mrs. Jim Schleis) of Lyons, Texas; Steven of Kansas City (his wife Cynthia Kroeker of Kansas City); Douglas of Kansas City (his wife is Carol Struve of Manning); Stanley of Manning; and Carol Ann of Iowa City. There are 11 grandchildren.
Harry lived his entire life on the same farm where he passed away September 19, 1977. His widow, Dorothea, and son Stanley have continued to reside on the farm.
JOHN AND ANNA MUSFELDT
John and Anna (Nuttleman) Musfeldt were born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and married in 1870.
John was born July 27, 1850. At the age of 19 years he was inducted into the Army in the Marines. He served from 1869 to 1873 at a time when the difficulties between Germany and France were settled by war. After his discharge from the Marines he accepted a job as shipwright and beacon tower guard at sea. He served well for five years, when the craving for a change of location and country took him and he made preparations for going to America.
Mrs. Anna Musfeldt was born February 7, 1852. She was educated in her birthplace, confirmed, and grew to womanhood. In September, 1875, she met the man of her choice and was married to John Musfeldt. The marriage took place in the city of Dithmarschen where the young couple resided until June, 1882, when they and their three children, John, Fred and Katie, came to America. They came directly to Westside, where they lived for about six months. They then moved to Aspinwall, where they resided for nine years, living in the present Dean Hupp house. Here William, Julius, Hans, Henry, Frank, and Louie were born.
Mr. Musfeldt followed the carpentry trade. Many a house, barn, granary and other buildings were constructed by the hands of John Musfeldt. One noted building was the Three Mile House, three miles north of Manning on the Swimming Pool Road. He also built the barn still standing on the Melroy Carstens farm west of Aspinwall, then known as the Pepper farm.
From Aspinwall the family moved to two other farms in the area. The first was on Highway 141 (the old Walt Miller farm) where the children attended the Aspinwall School, walking along the old railroad tracks. Frank and Lonie later joined the clan; Henry died at the age of 13 in 1903.
Mr. Musfeldt was a man of robust health and figure; a man more than six feet tall. He adhered strictly to his seaman fashion, wearing his earrings as of old, in the old sailor tradition. But it seemed the inland continental climate, in exchange for the healthy sea breeze to which he was accustomed, was too much for him. The intense summer heat affected him in particular and his health began to fail soon after he came here. He passed away January 8, 1904, at the age of 53.
After his death Mrs. Musfeldt and her sons farmed the land for 16 years, and she retired to Manning in 1920. The old home place now is owned by Leland Kienast.
ODDS AND ENDS
The following parties shipped hogs from Aspinwall Tuesday: Pat McCaffery, John Carstens and
M.J. McMahon.
Manning Monitor, July 1, 1904
Page 265
CARL OTTO FAMILY
Carl Reinhold Otto, son of William Otto Sr. and Carlena
Claussen, was born September 5, 1882 in Iowa Township, Crawford County.
Catharine Wilhelmine Hass, better known as Tena, daughter of Claus Henry Hass and Anna Marie Meeves, was born January 3, 1886, in Denison Township, Crawford County.
They were married January 22, 1913. They lived the first three years in Aspinwall, where he was a carpenter and a bartender.
Later they moved one mile north of Aspinwall, where he started to farm and continued carpentry work part-time. In 1921 they moved to a farm northwest of Aspinwall, which they purchased in 1937. They farmed here until they retired and moved to Manning in 1950.
Seven children were born to them, Heinie, Willie, Louie, Bennie, Elmer, Malinda and Milda.
Tena passed away October 2, 1969, at the age of 83 years. Carl passed away January 30, 1953, at the age of 70 years.
DUANE OTTO FAMILY
Duane Otto, son of Elmer and Myrtle (Hagedorn) Otto, was born in Crawford County
in 1945. He attended country school and later went to Manilla High School,
graduating in 1963. He then attended Iowa Barber College in Des Moines, graduating in 1964.
In October, 1964, he married Kay Dalgety, daughter of Dave and Selma Dalgety. Kay was born in Carroll County and attended Manning Community School, graduating in 1962.
After graduating from barber college Duane barbered in Manilla until he was drafted in 1968. After he was discharged in 1970, he bought Frank Wegner's Barber Shop in Manning, where he is barbering now.
Duane and Kay live one mile east of Aspinwall with their children, Brad, born in 1970, and Corey, born in 1975.
ELMER OTTO
Elmer Charley Otto, son of Carl and Catharine Hass Otto, was born September 24,
1920, in Iowa Township. Myrtle Louise Hagedorn, daughter of Louis and Bertha
Joachimsen Hagedorn, was born April 26, 1922 in Ewoldt Township. Elmer and Myrtle were married March 17, 1943.
They had two children, Joyce and Duane. Joyce married Gary Vinke and they have four sons, Brian, Craig, Todd and Lynn.
Duane married Kay Dalgety and their two sons are Bradley and Corey.
WILLIAM OTTO FAMILY
William Otto, son of Carl and Catherine Hass Otto, was married to Irene Jahn,
daughter of C. Louie and Estella (Mordhorst) Jahn.
William and Irene farmed 4 miles north and 1/2 mile west of Aspinwall on the Willie and Elise Schroeder place.
They were parents of two children, Arlene and Allan.
Arlene, her husband Leo Anderson, and their children Barbara and Bloise live in Wasilla, Alaska.
Allan, his wife Rosemary Cadwell, and their children, Eric, John and Alison, live at Everly.
William and Irene Otto moved to Spencer February 28, 1967.