Marcus Kuhl LAMP-LAMAACK-KUHL CENTURY FARM
Marcus Kuhl, born August 2, 1845, came to this country from Siederau bei Krempe, Holstein, Germany. He first arrived in Davenport and worked as a farm hand for three years. Later he moved westward and obtained 160 acres in Iowa Township, Crawford County, on March 23, 1875. At this time the township only contained two or three families. His wife to be, Anna Kuhl, later joined him. Their first home was a dugout in the side of a hill. In later years he started building what is now the original home place.

Marcus and Anna were the parents of seven children, Edmund, Ida, Emma (Mrs. J.W. Anthony), Carl, and three sons who died in infancy. Marcus purchased farms for each of his children, with Carl retaining the home place. Marcus died August 19, 1920, and Anna June 1, 1908.

Carl and his sister Ida lived on the farm until February, 1942, when they retired and moved into Manning. Their niece and husband, Henry and Norma (Anthony) Lamaack, moved onto the place. They lived there for 27 years with their three children, Allan, Marla (Mrs. Allen Nissen), and Valda (Mrs. Gordell Lamp).

After Norma and Henry retired and moved to Manning in 1969, Gordell and Valda and their children, Julie, Jill, Scott and Steven, have lived there.

This farm was recognized as a Century Farm in 1977.

Gordell and Valda Lamp and their four children now live on the farm purchased by Marcus Kuhl in 1875.

ODDS AND ENDS
I remember shocking oats by moonlight out at Uncle Alfred Ehrichs' farm. Before the shocking, the sea of grain shimmered in the sunlight, waiting for the reaper's scythe. I helped Uncle Alfred, Aunt Clara and Cousin Johnny tie the bundles into shocks and soon they dotted the fields ready for threshing. When it was time, and of course when the threshing rig was ready, the neighbors came to help load the bundles, haul them to the machine, toss them in and help with the grain. I can still see the grain pouring from the spouts; there was also a spout from which came the chaff and straw which billowed into huge mounds ... so yellow and clean and so "scratchy." Of course, horses pulled the grain wagons and I always marveled the horses would stand so still in the midst of all the noise - especially when the whistle would blow.
I remember all the good food during threshing time and how hungry everyone was -- even me! In addition to the food preparation, my aunt had extra chores during harvest time as well as garden produce to gather, etc. (I especially remember the cream gravy served with ham). At noon, the men arrived for dinner, washing their hot faces in the granite basin near the back door of the house or around the pump in the yard. After dinner they would rest for about half an hour in the shade.
Dorothy (Ehrichs) Kusel

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LOHRMANN-ANTHONY-KUHL CENTURY FARM

This shows the original William Anthony house before it was extensively remodeled in 1922.

Marcus Kuhl and his wife Anna Kuhl, emigrants from Germany, purchased the southwest quarter, or 160 acres, in Section 3 of Iowa Township, Crawford County, in January, 1882. This was not a homestead, but one of several parcels of land bought for each of his children. Later on, another 90 acres was added to the farm.

The land was farmed by Marcus until his daughter Emma married J.W. (William) Anthony in 1907. After farming for 38 years, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony moved to Manning in 1945.

Their son Wilbur and his wife Fern Frank, who were married in January, 1941, then rented the farm. They lived there until 1967, with Wilber living on the farm for a total of 57 years.

Colene Anthony, daughter of Wilber and Fern, was married to Gene Lohrmann in December, 1966, and they started farming the land the following spring. Their children, Andrea and Kyle, are the fourth generation to live on the farm.

The big barn was built in 1906, and the original home, still in use, was extensively remodeled in 1922. A new corn crib was added in 1948, a new farrowing house was built in 1969, a silo and cattle shed built in 1973, and a machine shed in 1979.

Children Wilbur and Norma Anthony are shown with their parents, Bill and Emma, and their grandfather, Marcus Kuhl. Marcus, far left, was the original owner of the Lamp and Lohrmann century farms, which in later years were farmed by Wilbur and Norma.

The farm, located 1 1/2 miles north and 1/2 mile west of Aspinwall, is shown in this picture taken about 1950. It is now the home of Gene and Colene Lohrmann and their two children.

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PHILLIPS-WUNDER-SIEVERS
The farm five miles north and one mile east of Aspinwall which is now the residence of the Robert Phillips family will be a Century Farm in 1993. The 160 acre farm in Hayes Township was purchased in 1883 by Henry and Margarite Hoffmann Sievers. Sievers held many public offices in Crawford County and Hayes Township, and for 41 years was secretary of the Home Mutual Insurance Association of Carroll County.

Their daughter Louise Sievers, who was born in Scott County in 1876, was married to William Wunder in 1900. William, son of Dethlef and Bertha Wiese Wunder, was born in Scott County in 1874. William and Louise Wunder had three children. Edwin married Ida Koester and they had a son Willys; Edwin died in 1925 at the age of 23. Edna married Harlan Phillips and they had two children, Doris (Mrs. Larry Witt) and Robert. Erna married Herbert Sander and they had three children, Bill, Carol (Mrs. Merlene Thompson) and Burton; Herbert died in 1959.

Robert Phillips was married to Audrey Leinen May 28, 1956, and they live on the farm which is now owned by Robert's mother. Robert and Audrey had four children, Rebecca (Mrs. Steven Zinke), Lynn, Lisa, and a son Todd who died in infancy; the children are the fifth generation to live on the farm. Robert is also an agent for the Home Mutual Insurance Association.

This farm is owned by Edna Phillips and is now the home of her son Robert. The picture was taken after a tornado struck on Easter Sunday afternoon in 1913. It destroyed all the buildings with the exception of the house.

JURGEN SCHROEDER CENTURY FARM
It was the year of 1859. Early settlers were receiving land grants from the government. A gentleman by the name of Albert Mowry received a 240 acre tract of land in Iowa Township, Crawford County, Iowa. In future years this land would be known as the town of Aspinwall and the family farm of Jurgen Schroeder. From 1859 until 1887 this land changed ownership several times.

Jurgen Schroeder was born in Germany in 1847 and came to America as a youth. Katrina Lorenzen was born in Germany September 4, 1858, and came to America to Clinton County, Iowa, with her grandfather. He returned to Germany but she decided to remain in America.

Jurgen and Katrina were married in 1879 and homesteaded in Iowa. In May, 1887, Jurgen Schroeder purchased the farm directly north of Aspinwall. They were the parents of six children, Lillie, Alfred, Hermuth, Elmer, August and Ella. All attended the Aspinwall schools. All are now deceased except Ella, Mrs. Robert Boettger, who lives in San Diego, California.

Jurgen was active in community affairs and served as school board director and president in the years 1899 and 1900. Jurgen and his wife retired to Manning and later moved to Long Beach, California, in 1920.

Hermuth Schroeder married Hilda Sievertsen of Manilla December 3, 1913. They purchased the home place from his father in 1921. They were the parents of three children, Harold, Orren and Elaine. They all attended the Aspinwall school. Hermuth was also active in community affairs and served on the Aspinwall school board, being president of the board in 1924.

Hermuth and Hilda were actively engaged in farming. Basic crops were corn, oats, hay and pasture ground. Many cattle and hogs were raised. Chicken, duck and goose flocks were hatched to provide food and a large garden was also planted to provide vegetables for canning for the winter months.

Hermuth passed away in 1941. His wife Hilda remained on the farm with her son Orren and his wife, the former Geraldine Lamaack. Hilda

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Jurgen and Katrina Schroeder were the original owners of the farm.

moved to Manning in 1950. She died November 10, 1973, and the farm land passed on to her children.

Orren remained on the home place and he and Geraldine were engaged in farming until Geraldine died suddenly August 13, 1979. They lost a daughter, Karen, in 1950 at the age of seven years.

Orren was active in community affairs and also served on the Aspinwall school board. Orren retired and remained living on the home place until he died September 17, 1981.

Orren's sister Elaine and her husband Alvan Hansen now own and farm the land. This farm has been in the Schroeder family for 95 years.

Elaine and Alvan Hansen live on a farm north of Manning. They are the parents of four children, Roger, twins James and Joy, and Vernon.

Roger is married to Mary Morton of Des Moines, and they live at Cedar Falls with their daughters Cindy and Amy. Roger is district supervisor for Phillips Petroleum Co.

James lives at Chicago, Illinois, and is presently vice-president of American Invesco Coop. of Chicago.

Joy, of Denver, Colorado, is married to Dr. William Cox. She is a lawyer affiliated with Holland and Hart Law Firm of Denver, and her husband is head Pathologist at the Denver Lutheran Medical Center.

Vernon married Julie Cota of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and they reside in Aurora, Colorado with their son Danny. Vernon is vice-president in the finance department at the United Bank of Denver.

Hermuth and Hilda Schroeder, married in 1913, were the second generation to own the farm. Their daughter Elaine and son-in-law Alvan Hansen have owned the farm since the death of Elaine's brother Orren in 1981.

The Schroeder farm, located directly north of Aspinwall, will be a century farm in 1987. Owners have been Jurgen Schroeder, Hermuth Schroeder, Orren Schroeder, and Elaine Schroeder Hansen.

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Clarence Stammer, shown with his horses in about 1933, was the third generation of Stammers to live on the Century Farm. The house was built in 1921.

C.F. STAMMER CENTURY FARM
Claus Frederich Stammer was born in 1849 in Erfde, Germany, and at the age of 20 he sought a new life in America. He first settled in Lyons, Iowa (which is now Clinton) and worked in the sawmills. Catharina Schroeder was born in 1854 in Thielen Province, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, came to America, and married Claus in 1872. Seven years later, in 1879, they and their three children, John, Claus Frederich and Albert, moved to Crawford County. They had asked Marcus Kuhl, who had come to this area earlier, to find a farm for them. The land he located in Iowa Township didn't have a house on it, so until the buildings were done, the Stammers lived a half mile to the east on a farm later known as the Meves Wiese place and now owned by Elmer Langel; the buildings are now all gone. The Stammer family later moved onto the 160 acre farm 1 1/2 miles north of what was to become the town of Aspinwall, and five more children were born there, Ed, Alvina, Louis, Emma, and Frank.

The first owner of the farm was George R. Folsom, who bought the land in 1872. The 160 acres was later divided into two parts, with Claus Stammer purchasing 120 acres October 20, 1881, from Solomon Arney and 40 acres December 13, 1881, from Frank H. Long. The Stammer family lived in a house which was northwest of the present home; another house had been located about 1/4 mile to the west and was the home of Claus' in-laws, the Schroeders.

After farming more than 25 years, the elder Stammers, in 1906, retired to a house on east Third Street in Manning, and son Claus took over the farm. Alvina died as a child; Ed moved to South Dakota; Albert, Louie, John and Emma (Mrs. Henry Anthony) all married and they and Frank moved to other farms in the area. Claus died in Manning July 21, 1931. Catharina lived to the age of 83; she passed away in 1937 while staying at Spirit Lake.

The second Claus Frederich, better known as C. Fred, was married to Emma Dockweiler in 1906 and they lived at the home place for 34 years. They had two children, Goldie Catherine Marie and Clarence Frederick.

During their years on the farm, C. Fred and Emma were general crop farmers, raising corn, oats, and alfalfa, had Chester White hogs and Shorthorn cattle, and grew quite a few potatoes, ducks, geese and chickens for sale. In the late 1930s, they had one of the first rubber-tired

The Claus F. Stammer family. Claus and Catharine Stammer, seated, are shown with their children in about 1895. From left are Louie, Ed, Albert, C. Fred, John, Emma, and, in front, Frank.

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tractors in the neighborhood, and a neighbor who had only a steel-wheeled tractor borrowed just the rubber wheels, put them on his tractor, and hauled a load to town! C. Fred and Emma built the present home in 1921, and installed a 32 volt electrical plant; this was 16 years before the Rural Electric Administration "electrified" the farms of the area.

C. Fred and Emma moved to Manning in the fall of 1940.

Clarence and Iola Mae Taylor were married August 23, 1939, and moved onto the farm. They bought the land in 1944 and continued to live there the next 33 years. Two sons were born in the farm home, Clifford Frederick and Calvin Fletcher.

The family continued to have Chester White hogs and purebred Shorthorn cattle. They also added several buildings, including the hog house (before C. Fred moved), a corncrib, chicken house, barn, machine shed, scale house, garage, and a poultry house for 2,000 caged layers.

Following his discharge from the Air Force, Clifford and his wife Nancy Dobson moved to various towns while he worked on highline construction; they and their four children now live on a farm to the north of the home place. Calvin began farming with his father after returning from service in the Army; he first lived at the farms, then moved into Aspinwall in 1975 after his marriage to Nancy Stoberl.

Clarence and Iola moved to an acreage 2 1/2 miles east of Aspinwall on Highway 141 in May, 1977, and Calvin and Nancy then moved onto the family farm. They now have two sons, Clinton Forrest and Chad Franklin, who are the fifth generation of C.F. Stammers living on the same farm in the 100 year period.

The farm's crops now include corn, oats, and soybeans, and Calvin raises cattle and sheep.

ODDS AND ENDS
William Gottsch, born in Germany in 1868, came to Iowa with his parents in 1880. They came to Arcadia by train and then to the home of Henry Ewoldt. After staying with the Ewoldt family a year, they rented farms for the next 10 years. In 1891, the family purchased a farm west of Westside for $26 an acre.

William remembers that much of the land they worked was virgin prairie and had to be plowed twice before it was ready for cultivation. The piece of machinery used for this carried a rolling beam that brought the soil to the cutter bar.
Hybrid seeds were unheard of, and the best of their own crop was used for seed. Often they would haul a load of wheat to town, received $1 a bushel for it, and then returned home with a wagon load of lumber.
Interview in August 24, 1956, Denison Bulletin

LaVerne Boyens, who now lives at Kiron, was in the goat business in 1936 when his family lived in Aspinwall.

ODDS AND ENDS
Was butchering fun? No, it was hard work. The process started when water was heated in the soap kettle. At least three or four hogs were butchered at a time, and a lot of water was needed as the animals were dunked into the boiling water to scald. Scrapers were used to scrape off the hair, while the hog was hanging on a pulley.
This was the men's job. The blood was saved, which either had salt or vinegar mixed in. This was stirred until cool to prevent clotting. Blood was used to make blood wurst, blood sausage and zwat suah. Meat was ground with mettwurst; it was mixed with beef and spices and put into casings for sausage.
The smoke house was a building on the farm where the meat was smoked. Wood from apple trees was often used because it made a good flavor of smoke for the meat. Smoking for the sausage, hams and bacon continued for several days, and they were then stored in this building. Pork chops were fried and covered in crocks with the fresh lard. Some meat was cold-packed, making it convenient for preparation later. It was our job to stir the blood and render the lard.
When refrigeration came into the picture, people thought to the past of the greasy messes that had been.
Louise Koester and Minnie Jensen