John Stammer and Anna Heicksen were married in 1904
JOHN STAMMER FAMILY
John Stammer was born in Clinton County, then moved to a farm north of
Aspinwall with his parents, Claus and Catharina
Stammer, and two brothers. He attended the rural school, completed his
education in Denison, and graduated from Denison College in business
administration. When he returned to Aspinwall he and Adam Wiese became partners
in the general store. After several years they dissolved partnership, and John
became manager of Denniston-Partridge Lumber Co.
Anna Heicksen moved to Aspinwall from Vail at the age of 10 with her grandparents, the C.J. Hollings. She attended grade school in Aspinwall and graduated from Manilla High School in 1900. She then returned to Aspinwall and taught school, also teaching in the rural area at the "Brus School."
In 1904 Anna and John married and continued to make their home in Aspinwall, where their daughter Caroline was born. In 1908 they started farming on a farm two miles west and 1 3/4 miles north of Aspinwall in Iowa Township, which is now owned by Tom and Dorothy Sharp. Their daughter Eunice was born there in 1912.
Following John's death at age 42 in 1918, Anna and the girls moved to Manning. The girls attended school and Anna kept roomers and boarders for many years. Quite a few people called 317 Elm Street their home. It was one big happy family.
After high school graduation, Caroline worked for the Manning Telephone Co. She also taught school in Hayes Township District No. 7. In 1927 she married George Keane and they have a son John, born in Newton. After their separation, Caroline and her son returned to Manning and made their home with her mother. She worked for the Rober-Wehrmann Department Store and the J.M. McDonald Co.
John attended Manning School, graduated from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, where he met his future wife, Mary Colbert, a graduate nurse. They live in Moline, Illinois, and John works for the I.B.M. Their boys are Jim, who is married and lives in Minneapolis where he is employed as a commercial artist, and Mark, who is attending Black Hawk College in Moline.
In 1955 Caroline married Lester Clark. They built their home on West Street near Clark's Service Station. She says she learned a few things about service station work and enjoyed every bit of it. They retired in 1976. Lester died in July, 1978, and Caroline continues to make her home in Manning.
Eunice graduated in 1928 and attended Simpson College in Indianola. After graduation she taught school in Schleswig, Ayrshire and Atlantic, as well as Manning. She married Bill Templeton from Nunda, New York. He was a teacher and athletic director in Schleswig at that time.
They have a daughter Patricia, a graduate nurse, who is married to a dentist, Dr. R. Harms. They make their home in Laurens where he has a dental practice and she is city librarian. Their two children are Shelly and Craig. Shelly is a graduate of Carlton College in 1979, and last year she traveled to Europe. In September she entered Columbia University, New York City, and is a law student. Craig is a third year student at Harvard.
Eunice and her husband Sam Levine live in Atlantic, where Levine has a car agency.
REUBEN AND EDITH STOBERL
Reuben and Edith Stoberl have been residents of the Aspinwall area since 1948,
when they rented the Ed Georgius farm 3/4 mile west of Aspinwall. The farm,
which was located back in the field on the south side of the road, is now owned
by Melvin Renze and most of the buildings are no longer there. Two years later
they moved to the Karl Rohr farm 3/4 mile south of Aspinwall on the Botna road,
now also owned by Melvin Renze. Next, the Stoberls rented the Oliver Bacon farm north of Botna,
Continued from page 297
where Bill Taggart lives now. They lived there four years.
In December, 1955, Reuben and Edith moved to the Loren Hockett farm two miles southeast of Aspinwall. They purchased 80 acres of the farm April 18, 1956, and bought another 80 acres March 30, 1959. In 1965, the Stoberls bought the 60 acres to the south of the farmstead. The original 160 acres of the farm had been in the Hockett family since 1876 with the south 120 acres purchased by the Hocketts in 1885; about two acres of this ground has never been plowed. The original house, built in 1878, is still being used by the Stoberl family.
Reuben, who was born east of Manning November 26, 1924, is a son of Anton and Clara Mersman Stoberl. He attended the rural school near his home and Manning High School. Edith, daughter of Samuel and Hazel Anderson Lawson, was born southeast of Gray October 27, 1925. She graduated from Gray High School in 1943. After their marriage May 12, 1946, they lived in Gray one year, where Reuben trucked and worked for a farmer, and Edith continued to work as secretary to the school superintendent. They then rented a farm 1 1/2 miles southeast of Ross for one year before moving to the Aspinwall area.
Reuben and Edith have five children. Nancy, born June 19, 1951, graduated from the University of Iowa and did newspaper work for several newspapers before marrying Calvin Stammer September 20, 1975; they live north of Aspinwall with their sons Clinton, born June 26, 1977, and Chad, born January 16, 1979. Karen, born March 29, 1955, went to Commercial Extension in Omaha and worked in various accounting jobs; she married Eugene Stoelk August 16, 1975, and they live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Eugene is a doctor. Judy, born July 13, 1957, worked in First National Bank in Manning before marrying Duane Reinke August 27, 1977; they live in Des Moines, where Duane works for Iowa Power and Light and Judy is with the lowa-Des Moines National Bank. Richard, born May 23, 1959, lives in Aspinwall; he farms with his father, buys livestock, and is in the trucking business. Debra, born July 15, 1962, lives in Des Moines, and works for lowa-Des Moines National Bank. She married Dave Howell May 1, 1982. The children all graduated from Manning High School; Nancy started school at the rural school one mile east of Aspinwall taught by Edna Rowedder.
In addition to farming, Reuben is a livestock buyer and operates a truck, and Edith has worked at L.R. Nelson Corporation in Manning since 1970. They are members of the Methodist Church in Manning.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Reuben bought "killer" horses for mink farmers, such as Felix (Dotty) Greteman, Templeton, and Joe Uckelman, Carroll, and shipped many to Estherville.
CLAUS THOMSSEN SR.
Claus Thomssen and Antje Urbeh were living in Germany when they each lost their spouses; Claus had been
married to Catherine Clausen and they had five children, and Antje had been married to Hans Wiebers, and they
had three children. Claus and Antje were married in 1873 and they became the parents of four children, one dying
in infancy.
In 1889 the parents and younger children moved to America, and settled in Aspinwall. They lived here 20 years, then Claus and Antje moved to the home of a daughter, Mrs. Fred Fredricksen, near Manning. Antje passed away in 1916 at the age of 81, and Claus followed her in death in 1917 at the age of 86. Both are buried in the Manning Cemetery.
Children who survived the couple included Elsie Wiebers Roach, Henry Wiebers and William Wiebers, all of whom remained in Germany; Anna Thomssen Schmidt, Marie Thomssen Kollmetz, George Thomssen, Christina Thomssen Clausen, Ferdinand Thomssen, Augusta Thomssen Fredricksen, and Claus Thomssen. Those who settled in this area were Claus, George, Marie and Augusta.
George and his wife Mary had four children, Lena, Anna, Louis and Herman. Lena married Alfred Vehrs, Anna married William Martens, Louis married Alma Gruhn, and Herman married Anna Kroger. All are now deceased except Alma, who lives in Harlan.
Claus worked as a clerk in the Aspinwall store in the early 1900s, and he married Emma Kai. They had four children, Merle, Henry, Verna and Estella. Merle lives on the family farm south of Aspinwall. Henry, who married Florence Thomssen, is deceased; Estella married Lester Schrum and they live in Manilla; Verna married Pete Jurgensen and is now deceased.
Mary married John Kollmetz and they had five children; one son died as a child. Fred lived at Windom, Minnesota; Amanda married Fred Urban and also lived in Minnesota before returning to Manning; Anna married Herman Hagedorn; Clara married Henry Hagedorn, Jr. All are now deceased.
Augusta married Fred Fredricksen and they had 12 children. Emma married Fred Beese; Laura married Edward Lamp; Bertha married John Jones; Ella married Fred Stewart; Selma married Henry Hacker; Effie married Nelson Christensen; Edward lived with his parents; Ferdinand married Malinda Brandenberg; Henry lived with his parents; Grant married Inez Grundmeier; Harry married Ruth Marcus; Raymond married Eunice Ranniger. The parents and sons Edward, Ferdinand, Henry, Grant and Harry are deceased; Emma lives in Ames, Laura in Coon Rapids, Bertha in Council Bluffs, Ella in Audubon, Selma in Templeton, Effie in Gray, and Raymond in Denison.
Page 299
HENRY THOMSSEN FAMILY
Henry Thomssen was born November 8, 1909, in Shelby County. His parents were
Claus and Emma (Kai) Thomssen. Henry married Florence Schroeder, daughter of
Louis and Mary Schroeder, who was born April 20, 1911, in Aspinwall. Henry and
Florence had four children, Darlyne, Larry, and twins, Judy and Jean.
Darlyne was born November 14, 1933, in Aspinwall, at the home of her grandparents, the Louis Schroeders. She is married to Edward (Eddy) Dahleen and they live in Denison. They have four children, Janine, Bruce, Brenda and Troy. Janine is married to Dale Keim and lives in Denison. Bruce is married to Lisha Meyer and they also live in Denison. Darlyne is employed at Albertsen's Flower Boutique in Denison. Eddy was assistant manager of the Aspinwall Co-op from September 1956 to May 1963.
Larry was also born in his grandparents' home in Aspinwall, April 17, 1937. He and his wife, Rose Ann Stegemann, live in Manilla. They have three children, Brent, Yvonne and Lisa. Larry now owns and operates the Standard Station in Manilla.
Judy, born August 2, 1943, is married to LeRoy Lingle, a Manilla farmer. They have seven children, Cindy, Steven, Susan, Scott, Sylvia, Curtis and Brian.
Jean, born August 2, 1943, is married to Jim Christensen and they live in Denison. They have four children, Joleen, Jeffrey, Janelle and Julie. Jim is employed at the Denison Hide Plant and Jean is State Clerk for the Crawford County Soil Conservation District.
Henry and Florence lived on various farms in the Aspinwall area throughout their married life. When they retired in July, 1970, they moved to Aspinwall. Henry died December 7, 1978.
PETER VEHRS
Peter Vehrs was another prominent Aspinwall citizen who brought a German
heritage to the community. Although he had two wives and fathered four sons,
there is no descendant to carry on the Vehrs family name.
Peter was born May 6, 1856, at Pahlen, northern Dithmarschen, Holstein, Germany. He came to America in 1881, spending his first year in the vicinity of Denison and Westside.
In 1883 he was united in holy matrimony to Miss Anna Joens. They had three sons, one of whom passed away in infancy and the second one at the age of nine years. In 1887 the loving wife and mother was taken away by death. A third son, Alfred, later became the father of two daughters, Berniece Grage (deceased), and Irene Weinbrandt.
In 1892 Peter was married to Miss Elizabeth Behrens, a native of Schleswig, Germany. This union was blessed with one son, who died in infancy, and four daughters; they lived happily together until 1913 when the mother died.
Following his wife's death Mr. Vehrs lived in Aspinwall. He died November 25, 1925, at the age of 69 years, 6 months, and 19 days. Reverend Johann M. Ansorge of Manning conducted the funeral service and interment was made at Hayes Township Cemetery.
His daughters were Margaret (Mrs. Willard Dillingham) of Manning, deceased; Elsie (Mrs. William Hansen) of Manilla; Alvina (Mrs. Theodore Vollstedt) of Manning, deceased; and Malinda (Mrs. Dean Ellison) of Logan.
ODDS AND ENDS
We had a Delco plant to provide our home with power and
lights long before we had electricity.
Claus and Rika Grage, married in September, 1895 and longtime residents of Nishnabotna
Township, as interviewed in the August 24, 1956, Denison Bulletin
Page 300
DUANE VETTER FAMILY
Duane and LuCille Vetter and four children, Alan 18, Brian 16, Cathy 13, and Russell 11, live on the old John
Hansen farm two miles west and 4 1/4 miles north of Aspinwall. They were married May 27, 1962, and
have lived there since that time.
Duane was born south of Westside and LuCille Comstock was born northwest of Denison.
LuCille's grandparents, John and Christina Hinricksen Segebart, lived on the Collins farm 1 1/2 miles west and 1 1/2 miles north of Aspinwall when John was killed by the train near Aspinwall in 1906. This farm is three miles south of where she lives today.
Duane's parents are Mr. and Mrs. Walter Vetter, now of Carroll, and LuCille's parents were Mr. and Mrs. Geary Comstock of Denison. They are now deceased.
DETLEF VINKE
Detlef and Meta Joachimsen Vinke were married
February 28, 1908 and lived on the old Joachimsen farm, one mile west and four
miles north of Aspinwall. They were parents of five children, Delbert of
Manning, Ralph (deceased in 1950), Averill of Westside, LuVern
(Mrs. Pete Petersen) of Clear Lake, and Lois (Mrs. Floyd Drake) of Audubon.
Eighty acres of the original farm is still in the family, owned by son Averill.
Detlef was born in Hayes Township, Crawford County, November 21, 1881. Meta was born in Clinton County September 23, 1879.
Detlef died March 20, 1963. Meta died November 21, 1955.
GARY VINKE
Gary and Joyce Otto Vinke were married April 27, 1963. They moved to Aspinwall
in June, 1966, moving to the former Aspinwall school house, which had been
remodeled to a residence.
Gary is presently employed by the Aspinwall Co-op. Gary has been town Mayor and also served on the town council previous to becoming Mayor.
They are parents of four boys, Brian 18, Craig 16, Todd 15, and Lynn 10. They are members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla.
ODDS AND ENDS
The Lutheran Church was established in Aspinwall with services held in the
school. Christmas Programs were in the town hall, where many children tasted
their first orange. Pastor Wendt from Manilla gave the services.
Florence Wegner and Mabel Ohde
ODDS AND ENDS
I taught Sunday School along with Berniece
Miller Williams and Pastor Johann M. Ansorge in the Aspinwall school.
Elsie (Kuhl) Wilhelm
Page 301
HAROLD VOEGE FAMILY
Harold Voege was born July 27, 1923, on a farm north of Westside. He was the
son of Otto and Alfrieda Weller Voege and has one
sister, Arlene. Harold attended rural school in Jackson Township and helped
with the farm work. The Voege family purchased and moved onto the Albert
Stammer farm two miles northeast of Aspinwall in 1942. Harold entered the Army
in 1946 and spent 18 months serving his country. Part of this time was spent as
a medic in an Army hospital in Munich, Germany.
December 30, 1948, Harold was married to Phyllis Mueller at Walnut, Iowa. Phyllis was born November 5, 1928, and is the daughter of Earl and Lela Blair Mueller. She is a graduate of Walnut High School and worked as a rural school teacher for two years before her marriage.
Harold and Phyllis spent their first two years farming the Emil Klint farm one mile east and two miles north, where Gary Schroeder now lives. In January, 1951, they moved into a new home on his parents' farm and Harold helped his father farm the 240 acres until Otto's death in 1961. Since that time Harold has continued to farm the land and raise cattle and hogs.
Jean, the couple's only child, was born August 14, 1960. Jean was the 1977 winner of the South Crawford Rural Electric Essay Contest, enabling her to spend five days in Washington D.C., visiting many of the historical sites. Jean graduated from Manning High School in 1978 and entered Bishop Clarkson School of Nursing in Omaha in September of that year. She was graduated as a registered nurse in June, 1981, and is now employed in the Intensive Care Unit at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha. She has assisted in the research for the Aspinwall History Book.
Harold is a lifetime member of the Manning V.F.W. Post 3517. Phyllis taught Sunday School for 11 years at the United Church of Christ in Westside. She recently served a three year term on the Aspinwall Community Club Board of Directors. Two of these years were spent serving as the secretary/treasurer of the organization.
OTTO VOEGE FAMILY
Otto Voege was born April 2, 1893 near Westside. He was one of the 10 children
of Peter and Margaret Bunker Voege. Otto served in World War I from April 13,
1917 to July 1, 1919. Otto lost his brother Bill in France during the war.
March 17, 1920, Otto was married to Alfrieda Weller
of Buck Grove. They farmed north of Westside for 25 years before purchasing the
Albert Stammer farm north of Aspinwall in 1942. Otto and Alfrieda's
children, Arlene and Harold, were educated in the country school near their home.
Alfrieda, one of the 11 children of John and Emma Thies Weller, was born July 20, 1900 in Washington Township near Buck Grove. She attended the rural schools near her home and as a teenager worked as a hired girl for neighbors and friends, helping with new babies and cleaning the house. Both of Alfrieda's parents were born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and came to the United States as young children. After their marriage they settled in Mills County. They built their own log cabin, cleared the land and farmed between the tree stumps. Later they bought the farm south of Buck Grove. Alfrieda's grandparents (Thies) were also born in Germany and settled on a farm 1 1/2 miles west of the Five Mile House before moving to a farm north of Westside. Grandfather Thies lost his life when his team of horses were spooked and ran wild while he was on the way to town with his produce. Alfrieda's Uncle Joe Thies was working as a farm hand in Osceola County in 1888 when a blizzard struck while he was out feeding the cattle. Although he was only 40 rods from home, he became lost and blinded by the snow and lost his life in the blizzard.
Otto passed away February 16, 1961, and Alfrieda and Arlene remained on the farm. Harold took over the farming operation and resides on the farm with his wife Phyllis.
Their daughter Jean lives in Omaha.
ODDS AND ENDS
I'll never forget the night the store burned down in Aspinwall. It was in the
winter of 1947, and we were all sitting around the radio at home, listening to
the "Riders of the Purple Sage." All at once the fire bell began to
ring! Dad jumped up and took off in a flash. Later, he came running home to
tell us the store was burning. LaVerne Schroeder had always told me one of his greatest wishes was to ring that
fire bell. He got his wish that night!
Ronald Schilling
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DALE AND DARLENE VOLLSTEDT
Dale Lee Vollstedt, son of Virtus and Kathryn
Kuhl Vollstedt, was born October 22, 1937 in the Manning General Hospital. Dale
lived north of Manning and graduated from Manning High School in 1955.
March 16, 1958 Dale married Darlene Florence Genzen, daughter of Virgil and Florence Hinz Genzen. Darlene was born September 8, 1939 on a farm one mile north and one east of Manning. She attended Manning High School and graduated in 1957. They have four children, Keith, Karen, Kathy and Kent, all born at Manning General Hospital.
Keith Alan was born October 21, 1960 and graduated from Manning High School in 1979. Keith is a senior at Morningside College at Sioux City, majoring in Pre-Med.
Karen Jean was born January 4, 1962 and graduated from Manning in 1980. She graduated from American Institute of Business in Des Moines in 1982, majoring in accounting.
Kathy Linn was born December 22, 1962 and graduated from Manning in 1982. Kathy is working as a nurse's aide at the Manning Plaza.
Kent Lee was born August 10, 1968 and is a freshman at Manning High School.
The family attends Zion Lutheran Church at Manning.
The Vollstedts have operated a grade A dairy farm 1/4 mile east of Aspinwall since 1963.
ODDS AND ENDS
My father, William Musfeldt, told us stories about walking to school from their farm east of Aspinwall (now called
the Walt Miller farm). They would walk along the railroad tracks, sometimes finding dead quail.
If the quail was still warm, the kids would take the game home to be cleaned and eaten.
Elsie Puck
VIRTUS AND KATHRYN
VOLLSTEDT
Virtus Vollstedt, son of William and Cecelia Kuhl Vollstedt, was born January 27, 1913 in Carroll County,
Washington Township, 5 1/2 miles northeast of Manning. He attended rural school in Carroll County.
Kathryn Kuhl, daughter of H.E. and Lena Jahn Kuhl, was born November 11, 1915 in Crawford County, Iowa Township, 2 1/2 miles northwest of Aspinwall. She attended rural school in Crawford County and Manning High School.
Virtus and Kathryn were married at the Zion Lutheran Church in Manning February 14, 1936. They farmed 5 1/2 miles northeast of Manning for 22 years, then in 1958 moved to a farm one mile south of Aspinwall where they lived until Virtus' death August 13, 1966. Karl Rohr owned the farm at that time.
They have two children, Dale and Sylvia. Dale was born October 22, 1937, and graduated from Manning High School in 1955. He married Darlene Genzen, daughter of Virgil and Florence Genzen, March 16, 1958 and they have four children, Keith, Karen, Kathy and Kent.
Sylvia was born October 23, 1941, and graduated from Manning High School in 1959. She was married to Joseph R. Engel September 2, 1962 and they have three children, Joe Jr., Jennifer and Jeffery. They are living in Tomah, Wisconsin.
ODDS AND ENDS
When I was teaching in Aspinwall, it seemed like our community was the
gathering place for all the Halloween pranksters of the area. One morning after
Halloween, John Schwiesow went to his barn and found John Worst's cows all harnessed with harness for
Schwiesow's dray team; the horses were found in John Worst's barn.
Elsie (Kuhl) Wilhelm