EDWIN REITER
Sally Joan, daughter of Marcellus E. and Evelyn Frahm Grundmeier, was born
September 20, 1931, at the Carroll Hospital. She attended the country schools
and graduated from Manning High School in 1949. After graduation, Joan, as she
came to be called, worked as a nurse's aide at the Manning
General Hospital. She went on to attend the Broadlawns
School of Nursing in Des Moines, and in 1954 she earned her R.N. degree. She
returned to Manning to work and was Supervisor of Nurses until 1959.
May 30, 1959, she was united in marriage to Edwin Reiter, son of Norman and Margaret Aden Reiter of rural Vail.
Edwin Reiter was born November 20, 1929, in Carroll County. He attended the rural schools and graduated from Wall Lake High School in 1947. Ed attended Morningside College in Sioux City for one year, and in 1950 he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Ed served overseas in Korea for 11 months and was discharged in December of 1953. Ed has worked at the Reiter Feed Company in Wall Lake for the last 22 years.
After their marriage, Joan continued with her nursing profession at the Lake City Hospital. Later she worked at the Twilight Acres nursing home in Wall Lake, first in the nursing department and then as Activity Director. In 1977, Joan and Ed purchased a business in Wall Lake that they called the Towne House. Joan operates the business and Ed still works at Reiter Feed.
Joan and Ed are the parents of four children, Amy, Mrs. Chris Morley of Sioux City; Curtis, a junior at Maryville in Missouri; Kathleen, a sophomore at Maryville; and Russell, a freshman at Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. They have one grandson, Aaron Christopher Morley.
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EMIL RESS FAMILY
Walter Emil Ress was born March 28, 1909 in Lincoln Township, Audubon County,
to Gus A. and Anna (Fischer) Ress. He has two brothers and seven sisters.
Emil married Lucille Reimers February 21, 1946, at Schleswig. Lucille was born September 1, 1925, at Schleswig. She has three sisters and one brother.
They have one daughter, Janice L. Ress, born June 2, 1946, at Schleswig.
The family moved to a farm southwest of Aspinwall and Janice attended the Aspinwall School for two years. They then moved to a farm place north of Manning.
Janice attended and graduated from the Manning High School with the class of 1964. She was employed at the Uptown Market for many years and is now employed at Thrifty Food Inc. at Manning.
The family are members of the Zion Lutheran Church where Janice is a Sunday School teacher.
ODDS AND ENDS
I have always looked back upon that first winter, after my attack of
homesickness, more with a kind of pleasure, for we had some fun. There were some
10 or 15 young men there with me, for there were no old men, excepting a few
35-year old men, and 35 years is very old in a new country. We used to have
dances (stag dances) as there were but few women. There was one, a Miss Seagrave, who would not dance, and
another, Ellen Bassett, 14 years old, and she, poor girl, had never seen a dance. But dancing with our
music, which was very often crude, became monotonous at times.
A.S. Wright, who spent the winter of 1957-58 in Denison
MERTON ROSS FAMILY
Merton Ross was born at Mt. Vernon, South Dakota, and Helen Mews at
Bridgewater, South Dakota. They were married January 10, 1938, at Mitchell, South Dakota.
Merton and Helen are parents of five children. Donald and his wife Janice, of Mt. Vernon, have two children, Bryan and Kelly Ross Toupal. Wayne and his wife Mary of Mt. Vernon, have two daughters, Donna and Barbara. Marian and her husband Larry Durfey of Farragut, have two children, Shawna Durfey Dreyer, and Douglas. Linda and her husband Robert Gutmann of Puyallup, Washington, have two sons, Michael and Timothy. Their youngest daughter, Lorrie, lives in Gray. They also have three great-grandchildren, Jamie Toupal and Brian and Gregory Dreyer.
Merton and Helen moved to Dickens, Iowa in 1942. After living there for 10 years, they moved to Farragut where Merton became manager of his first Co-op, a job he held for 12 years. In 1964, Merton became manager of the Farm Service Center in Algona and in 1968, he managed the Dow City Elevator.
In 1970 Merton was made manager of the Aspinwall Co-op. The family moved to Manning where they lived for five years. In 1974 Merton and Helen purchased the former home of Emma Ehrichs, and with the help of the community of Aspinwall, they remodeled the home and moved to town in 1975.
Merton retired May 1, 1980, and they continue to make their home here. The Aspinwall Cooperative presented Merton and Helen with a handmade grandmother's clock as a retirement gift, of which they are very proud and will always treasure.
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GLENN ROWEDDER FAMILY
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Rowedder, now residing in Manning, lived on the same farm
northwest of Aspinwall for 25 years, beginning in 1944. This was the old
Sievertsen farm, about one mile north and 2 1/2 miles west of Aspinwall. Glenn
now is in construction work. They are members of the Methodist Church and they have four children.
Karen is owner-operator of Karen's Beauty Shop on north Main Street, Manning.
Dr. Larry Rowedder is superintendent of schools. He is married to the former Nancy Loftus and they are parents of three children; Tammy is employed in an insurance office in Des Moines, Michael graduated from Denison in 1982, and Jackie is in elementary school. The family moved to Wyoming in 1982.
Myra is married to Jim Lisk of Greenfield and they are the parents of a little daughter, Kristen. Myra is a former physical education teacher and is now employed at P.C.A. in Greenfield. Jim is a contractor.
Allen and his family are at Jefferson. He is in real estate and insurance and his wife, the former Gretchen Tank, is employed by an optometrist. They have two children, Tracy, who is in 7th grade, and Heather, in elementary school.
HERBERT ROWEDDER FAMILY
Herb and Edna Rowedder moved to Aspinwall in 1940 to the Rath
house at the northwest corner of town. Herb was working on the construction of
the bridges on 141 when the highway was built.
Later they lived in Alma Schade's house across from Hans and Amanda Clausen. This was their home the longest while living in Aspinwall. They were living here when Gary was born. Their oldest son, Daryle, started to school here. Myrene, their daughter, was almost two years younger, but also attended the Aspinwall School later.
Herb's occupations included: tank wagon man for Wilmer Ehrichs; working at Dultmeier Mfg. (now MJM); working on the Milwaukee Railroad as a section hand; paper hanging and painting with George Peters and Juel Domayer.
When Alma Schade's house was sold they moved to Marvin Lamp's farm house; then to Raphael Sailer's little house on his farm. They lived here until Edna started substitute teaching in Iowa No. 6 on Highway 141 east of Aspinwall. She finished the school year for Mrs. Alvin (Clariss) Jansen. At that time they moved to the George Beck home in Aspinwall, living there until they sold the home. Then they moved to William Dammann's house east of the Dammann home at that time. In 1951 they moved to Manning. For a short time Herb worked with Edward Hinz, and until his retirement, for Struve Motor Co. Edna also worked for the Manning Gas Department until retiring in 1977. She passed away February 2, 1982.
Daryle is co-owner of Manning Oil Co., Inc. He and his wife, Beverly, son Tim and daughter Julie live at 428 Eleventh in Manning. Bev is employed as cook in the Manning Community School.
Myrene, Mrs. Don Vaudt, is a beautician working part-time in the Avenue Beauty Salon in Sioux City. Her husband Don is a vice president in Toy National Bank and is in charge of loans. They and their daughters, Shari, a senior at Morningside College, Sharla, a freshman at Wayne State, and Shelley, a sophomore at East High in Sioux City, live at 3225 So. Clinton.
Gary and his wife Pam, son Brian and daughter Janell, live in Olathe, Kansas. After returning home from 13 months in Viet Nam he was employed at Rix Bros. in Manning, before going to Olathe to become an air traffic controller. Pam is employed at an office supply store.
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KATIE AND HERMAN ROWEDDER
Katie Karstens was born June 23, 1882, in Brünsbuttel, Germany, daughter of Wilkem
and Magdelena (Miller) Karstens.
Katie was 11 months old when the family came to the United States and rented a
farm in Hayes Township, Crawford County. Later they moved to a farm near
Manning and then to a farm near Aspinwall, where Wilkem passed away.
Katie attended the rural schools in Crawford and Carroll Counties, walking a mile to school regardless of weather. She didn't get to complete the eighth grade for she had to help with the work at home. "While walking to school, I can remember watching the men digging ditches, using oxen," she recalled.
After her schooling she remained at home until her marriage February 24, 1903, to Herman Rowedder at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Rowedder in Hayes Township. Rev. Martens was the officiating minister.
Herman was born August 19, 1879 in Clinton. They began farming on a farm five miles northeast of Aspinwall and then moved to the William Rowedder home place. Later they occupied the John Kruse farm, then moved to Denison to the Steensen farm in East Boyer Township.
In 1942 they retired from farming due to Mr. Rowedder's ill health, and moved to Aspinwall to make their home. They celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1953.
Herman passed away December 12, 1957, and Katie passed away June 20, 1973, at the age of 90.
They had four children, Emma, Herbert, Elsie and Ivan. There are 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren (one is deceased) and three great-great-grandchildren.
Emma and her parents lived 33 years in the house taken down to make room for the Aspinwall Community Building, and Emma moved to Manning in 1975. Herbert married Edna Meggers and they have three children, Daryle, Myrene and Gary. Elsie married Lewis Anthony and they live in Denison; they have three children, Marlene, Joleen and Royce. Ivan and his wife Norma Roecker live in Denison; they have four children, Rickie, Dennis, Marc and Michael.
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RAFAEL SAILER SR.
Rafael Sailer Sr. was born at Beetshofen, Germany
February 3, 1884. He attended rural schools, walking about three miles daily
one way. September 6, 1909 he married Theresa Mayer, daughter of Jacob and
Theresa Mayer of Neufahrn, Germany. They left their
homeland September 9, 1909 and sailed to America, arriving at Ross, Iowa, about
two weeks later. Both were employed on the Ed Wiederstein farm, as hired man and maid of the home.
In 1910 Rafael rented 80 acres owned by Albert Kemper near Templeton. A few years later he had a chance to rent 160 acres owned by Phil Neu of Templeton, which was located five miles south and two east of Templeton, or five miles east of Gray, closest town in which to do business. Everything from the farm, such as hogs and grain, at that time had to be hauled with team and wagon. They lived there until 1928, when he rented the Stang farm 2 1/2 miles from Halbur.
In 1941 he purchased the 320 acre farm of William Wegner, which was one mile west and 3/4 mile south of Aspinwall. While living on the Phil Neu farm near Gray, he had been neighbor to Harry Lacy and Joe Brandt Sr., and they became neighbors again as both also bought farms near Aspinwall.
In 1960 he sold the farm to Louis Vennink and bought the Ed Hinners home in Aspinwall, intending to retire with his son Ralph. Instead he suffered a stroke and passed away October 24, 1960. His wife Theresa had died at Halbur July 5, 1930.
Their family included five children. Ralph, Aspinwall, was born November 11, 1910 near Templeton. Frank, Kiron, was born January 10, 1912 near Templeton. Martin, Charter Oak, was born September 26, 1913 near Gray. Teresa (Mrs. William Wanninger Sr.), Aspinwall, was born October 5, 1916 near Gray. Ann, Fairfax, Minnesota, was born July 8, 1918 near Gray.
Ralph bought the estate home in 1960 where he lives now.
JOHN RICHARD SCHACHT
J.R. Schacht was born November 9, 1885 in Aspinwall. He attended the local
school and graduated from Manning High School. He also attended the State
University of Iowa at Iowa City. Following that he was engaged in the lumber
business in Missouri. After returning to Aspinwall, he was married to Miss Anna
Kai, who was born January 23, 1893, in Iowa Township to Henry Kai and his wife Seina
Jensen. She had attended country school near her
home. After their marriage in 1912, J.R. and Anna Schacht made their home in Aspinwall.
Mr. Schacht passed away June 8, 1942 and Anna passed away January 28, 1964.
They were the parents of four daughters. Irene (now deceased) married Ivyl Armentrout and they were the parents of three children. All three live in the Denver area, where Lois is a teacher and Milo and Gene are with road construction.
Alva married Emil Fuss and they reside in Manning. They have no children.
Virgene is married to Jack Kuns and has five children. James Eich is a barber in Fort Dodge and has two children, Bobby and Julie. M/Sgt. Michael Eich is with the U.S. Air Force stationed at Offutt Air Force Base; he is married and has three children, Mickey, Marty and Monty. Mark Eich is director of operations for Cox Cable in Omaha; he is married and has three children, Allicia, Lynn and Lara. Monica Johnson of Knoxville, a teacher for the Head Start Program, is married and has one child, Bradley. Connie Mitchell of Council Bluffs is Director of X-ray at the University of Nebraska Hospital; she is married and has one child, Andrew.
Donna married Karl Mahnke and lives on a farm near Manilla. They have a daughter, Shiree, a junior in high school.
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GEORGE D. SCHADE FAMILY
George was born at Manilla in 1889, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schade. His early
childhood was spent in Manilla. He then came to Aspinwall where he lived for
the rest of his life, except for the time he served in World War I in France.
After the war he went to work at the Ehrichs Garage in Aspinwall. He was Mayor of the town for a number of years, holding that office at the time of his death in 1939.
George was married to Anna Ehrichs, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ehrichs, in 1919. They lived in the old John Ehrichs home in Aspinwall, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. George Mackey. George and Anna had one child, Ellen, born in 1920. Anna died in childbirth. As an infant Ellen went to live with her grandparents. When they passed away she lived with her aunt and uncle, Hugo and Margaret Ehrichs Brus.
In 1926 George married Alma Bahls and Ellen then came to Aspinwall to live with her dad and step-mother. She was six years old at that time and "spent 14 wonderful years in the little town."
Ellen left Aspinwall in 1940 to attend cosmetology school in Davenport. After graduation she went to work in Logan, where she met Ralph Trout. They were married in 1945. They have three children and are both now retired.
Michael is in Cedar Rapids, where he works for Century Engineering; he has two children by a former marriage and has remarried. Pam and her husband have two adopted children and live in Beatrice, Nebraska, where Dave works for Mid-America Pipe Line Corp.
Steve and his wife have three daughters and live in Centerville, where Steve is employed at Union Carbide.
ODDS AND ENDS
I remember that my mother, Clara Ehrichs, could handle the butchering chores as well as any man.
Dorothy (Ehrichs) Kusel
ALVIN SCHILLING
Alvin John Schilling was the first of five sons born to John and Emma Schroeder
Schilling. He was born in Iowa Township August 4, 1924. In 1929, the Schilling
family moved into Aspinwall, and Alvin attended the Aspinwall School. After
graduating from the eighth grade Alvin worked as a farmhand on various farms.
In 1945 Alvin went to work on the Milwaukee Railroad as a section hand. He worked at this job for three years, and then returned to being a farm hand. In 1953, Alvin purchased a portable feed grinder and operated it in the Aspinwall area for several years. I n 1959 he began working for Frank Ehrichs at the stockyards in Aspinwall.
In 1962, Alvin began farming his brother Robert's farm 2 1/2 miles south of Aspinwall. He still farms there today, and makes his home with his mother in Aspinwall.
DEWEY SCHILLING
Dewey Dean Schilling was born April 17, 1935, to John and Emma Schroeder
Schilling at the family home in Aspinwall. He attended the Aspinwall School,
and graduated from the eighth grade.
Dewey entered the Army in January of 1958 and was discharged in January of 1960. After his military duty, he drove truck for various individuals in the Aspinwall and Manning area. In 1961, Dewey bought a corn sheller and operated this until April of 1967. In the spring of 1967, Dewey went back to trucking and moved to Nebraska.
At the present time Dewey lives in Norfolk, Nebraska and drives a gas transport for Conoco.
JOHN AND EMMA SCHILLING
John Schilling was born in Mosalem Township,
Dubuque County, December 10, 1892, the tenth of 14 children born to Nicholas
and Elizabeth (Girst) Schilling. He attended school
in the Dubuque area, and came to Crawford County as a young man.
In 1914 he and two other area men journeyed to Montana; John filed his claim to homestead 240 acres of land between Symatra and Myers, Montana. In 1915, he settled there to make improvements on the land and to start his claim. John lived on his homestead until 1918 when he obtained his Deed and Abstract. From Montana, John was drafted into the Army July 4, 1918, and he was inducted at Camp Lewis, Washington. He was discharged on September 17, 1919, and after his military service, John sold his homestead in Montana and arrived in Lake City to work. A few years later, he came to the Westside and Aspinwall area to work as a hired man.
It was here that John met Emma Schroeder, daughter of Louis and Mary (Lemster) Schroeder. Emma was born August 27, 1905 in Iowa
Continued from page 277
Township, on the farm that is presently owned by Mr. and Mrs. Louis Vennink. John and Emma were married November 21, 1923. The couple farmed a few years around Aspinwall and later moved into town.
John worked at various jobs, such as well digging, custom butchering and carpenter work. He was on the town council for a number of years and also served on the school board.
John and Emma are the parents of five sons, Alvin of Aspinwall, Robert of Kimberling City, Missouri, Roy of Aspinwall, Dewey of Norfolk, Nebraska, and Ronald of Aspinwall.
John passed away November 7, 1968. Emma, who came with her parents to Aspinwall at the age of three, has lived in town all her life, except for a few years when she was first married. She still maintains her home in Aspinwall today.
ROBERT SCHILLING
Robert Louis Schilling was born August 18, 1929, in Aspinwall, to John and Emma Schroeder Schilling. He attended the Aspinwall school and from there went to work as a carpenter with his father and Carl Otto. He was drafted into the Army in December, 1950, serving most of his two years with the military police in Fort Custer, Michigan.
He was discharged in December of 1952. After returning home, he purchased a trucking business from Roy Soll and operated that for a few years. He began working for the Aspinwall Co-op in 1956, and became manager in 1957.
Robert was married to Helen Starner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Starner of Shelby, September 19, 1953. During the first years of marriage, Helen worked for the Manning Hospital as a bookkeeper and then at The Manning Monitor. After Robert became manager of the Co-op, Helen joined him there, keeping books for the company.
When they were first married, Robert and Helen lived in the Ida Ewoldt home, which has since been torn down. In 1958, they purchased an old school house near Astor, and Jack Boeck moved it into Aspinwall. They rebuilt it into a home, which is now occupied by Mrs. John Lorenzen. In 1962, they purchased an 80 acre farm south of Aspinwall, and they lived there until Robert resigned his position at the Co-op and the family left Aspinwall and moved to Nebraska.
Robert joined the staff of the Farmer's Union State Exchange in Omaha, and worked out of York, Nebraska. He was with that company when it merged with Felco of Fort Dodge and later Land O' Lakes of Minneapolis, and served as a sales representative. The family moved from York to Fairfield in 1970, when Robert accepted a position as General Manager of the Farmer's Union Co-op Association.
During the years they lived in Nebraska, Robert spent 11 years playing with a very popular country western band, playing steel guitar and accordion.
In 1969 they purchased a vacation home in the Ozarks of Missouri; after many happy vacations there, they decided to move to this country they loved so much. In 1976, they sold their home in Fairfield and purchased a Coast to Coast store in Kimberling City, Missouri, a business they still run today.
Helen and Robert are the parents of two children. Jeffrey, who they adopted as an infant, is now 20 years old and is in his second year of college. He is six feet five inches tall, weighs 210 pounds, and plays basketball for Park College in Kansas City. Dianna is 11 years old and is in the fifth grade at Reeds Springs School. Her favorite pastime is band and singing in the Honor Choir.
Helen is an avid bowler with a 170 to 180 average. Robert keeps busy with wood carving, along with Lions and Elks Clubs, and as a member of the American Legion.
The Schilling family are members of the United Methodist Church of Kimberling City.