Clifford and Helena Tank Family

Clifford Tank, the son of Louie Tank and Anna Schroeder, was born May 27, 1921. He has lived his entire life in the home where he still resides. He attended the rural school of Washington and assisted his father with farming until he was married to Helena Gerdes of Wall Lake September 12, 1945.

They have four daughters. Dian (Mrs. Edward Schons) of Ridgewood, New Jersey has two children, Melissa and Thomas; Gretchen (Mrs. Allen Rowedder) of Jefferson also has two children, Tracy and Heather; Gwen (Mrs. John Detlefsen) of Manning has three children: Phillip, Matthew and Sarah; Becky (Mrs. Jim Venner) of Manning has one son, Justin.

Clifford and Helena are actively engaged in farming raising hogs and feeding cattle. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church in Manning. Other activities include Manual A.F. and A.M. Lodge, Eastern Star, and Homemakers' Club. In addition, they have been active in 4-H, A.F.S. host family, Carroll County Beef and Pork Producers. The Tanks live on a Century Farm six miles north of Manning.

Mr. and Mrs. Christian F. Tank and son

Christian F. and Frauke (Luethje) Tank, Sr., and their children George, Magdoline, Chris, Jr., and Caroline came to Iowa from Rendsburg, Germany in 1868 when their youngest child was only two years old. After living in Davenport and Benton County they bought 80 acres of land six miles north of Manning in 1875.

After a brief period in the lumber business, Chris F. Tank, Jr., and his wife Margaretha (Hass) Tank took over his father's farm. Chris, Jr. was also a member of the German band which played at the Five Mile House, Three Mile House, and many surrounding communities. Chris, Jr. and Margaretha had one son, Louie.

Upon fulfilling his time in the Army, Louie returned home and married a neighbor girl, Anna Schroeder, in February 1920. They then took over the farm and his parents retired in Manning. Three children were born to this union. Clifford, the eldest, married Helena Gerdes and is presently living on the same farm that has been in the Tank family for 106 years. They have four daughters. Diane, Mrs. Edward J. Schons, has two children, Melissa and Thomas and lives in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Gretchen, Mrs. Allen Rowedder, has two children, Tracy and Heather, and lives in Jefferson. Gwen, Mrs. John Detlefsen, has three children, Phillip, Matthew and Sarah. She lives at 124 East Street, Manning. Becky, Mrs. James Venner, has a son, Justin, and resides on a farm south of Manning.

The second child to this union, Norma, married Gilbert Bourn and now lives in Woodland, California. They have three daughters. Cynthia, Mrs. Frederick Clark, has a son, Hans, and also lives in California. Elizabeth, Mrs. Daniel Darling, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Vicki, Mrs. Richard Harrison, lives in California.

The third child, Robert, married Hermanette Schiltz and lives on a 240 acre farm three and one-half miles northeast of Manning. Karen (Mrs. Dale "Ernie" Reinke). Karen works for Dr. P. L. Meyer, and Dale works for Puck Implement Company. They live at 1284 Washington Court, Manning. Robert, Jr., farms north of Manning; Steven farms with his father, and Wanda is still living at home.

Anna Tank died in 1932. Louie is now living in the same house on 119 1st Street in Manning that his parents built and retired to in 1922.

Lorenz and Margaretha Thomsen

Lorenz Thomsen (1848-1948) was a native of Enge, Schleswig-Holstein. He came to America in 1876 and settled in Clinton. He returned to Langenhorn, Germany, in 1879, and married Margaretha Hansen (1850-1938) there. They returned to America and settled on a farm in Crawford County. In 1900 they moved to Manning and operated a 15 acre dairy farm and farmed 160 acres besides. He had many sidelines including dealing in real estate, being executor of estates, and amateur veterinarian, training horses, etc. He remained active until his 99th year.

Five children died in infancy. One daughter, Alma, was married to Peter Lohmeier, son of Wiebke and Henry Lohmeier.

A granddaughter, Grace, Mrs. Albert Andresen, resides in Manning. She was a teacher in the rural schools and Manning Public School for 26 years.

The next generation, Norman Nick Andresen, married Sandra Peterson. They have two daughters, Tanya Lynn and Tara Anne.

Claus Thomssen and Antje (Urbah), while living in Germany, each lost their mates by death. Claus had been married to Catherine Clausen and Antje to Hans Wiebers. Claus was left with five children, Antje with three.

In 1873 Claus and Antje were married and became the parents of four children. One died in infancy. Sixteen years later, in 1889, they left their native homeland for a new life in America. One son, Wilhelm, remained in Germany.

The Thomssen family settled in Aspinwall where they lived for twenty years. They then moved to the home of their daughter, Mrs. Fred Freidrichsen, southeast of Manning.

Antje passed away in 1916 at the age of 81. Claus followed her in death in 1917 after having lived 86 years.

Claus and Antje celebrated 43 years of married life together. They are buried in the Manning cemetery.

Chilren who survived their deaths were Elsie (Wiebers) Roesch, Heinrich Wiebers, Wilhelm Wiebers, Anna (Thomssen) Schmidt, Marie (Thomssen) Kollmetz, George Thomssen, Christine (Thomssen) Clausen, Ferdinand Thomssen, Augusta (Thomssen) Friedrichsen, and Claus Thomssen.

Vernon, son of Anton and Elizabeth Drees Tiefenthaler, and Helen, the daughter of John and Emma Heesch Schrum, were married on March 26, 1941.

They have three children: Carol E. Beach of Omaha and her two daughters, Susan and Elizabeth; John Vernon, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and four children, Andrew, Martin, Laura and Lynn; and Anne Marie at home.

Vernon was a baseball pitcher and worked in his father's store for 40 years and then took over the postmaster job until November 16, 1979 when he retired.

Helen worked at the Manning Creamery Company for three years before her marriage. She also worked at the school lunch program for four and one-half years at Halbur.

Merle Stoelk Insurance

Mr. and Mrs. William Timmerman, Henry, Gertrude Sutherland and Fred

William Timmerman came to Manning in 1906 and opened the Central Meat Market, one of the finest and most up to date in southwest Iowa.

He was born July 5, 1863, in Dunkerswiech, Holstein, Germany, the son of Carl and Christina Trison Timmerman. He worked as a butcher in Hamburg for six years, then immigrated to Omaha in 1888; he worked for Swife & Co. for three months.

Dora Blocker, daughter of Henry and Maggie Stadter Blocker, was born Sept. 30, 1859, at Hanerau, Holstein, Germany. She worked in Hamburg for a mercantile firm before coming to America in the fall of 1888.

They were married Nov. 5, 1888, in Council Bluffs, moved to Persia and opened a meat market; they lived there 18 years, where their children were born.

In 1906 the family moved to Manning and started up the business mentioned above. Along with the family, Sophia Blocker, Mrs. Timmerman's sister, was affiliated with the business which was operated by the Timmerman family for 32 years.

William had several hobbies at which he was successful. He trained racing horses, raised purebred Poland China hogs, and later bred and trained greyhounds which won wide fame on some of the leading tracks in the nation.

William and Dora celebrated their Golden Wedding Nov. 5, 1938. Their children all resided in Manning. Henry (deceased) married Annette Hinz; their children are Max of Exira, Warren of Manning. Gertrude (deceased) married R. G. Sutherland; their children were Dorothy (Mrs. Lyle Arp), Manning, and Eleanor (Mrs. Lyle Schrum), Des Moines. Fred, of Manning, married Veronica Mackey; they have one son, Ronald of Omaha.

William's second wife was Emma Petersen of Avoca, where he resided at the time of his death July 28, 1964.

Mr. and Mrs. Linn Ullerich

Linn C. Ullerich was born March 17, 1906, in Lincoln Township, Audubon County. His wife, Selma Mary Witt Ullerich, was born in Lincoln Township, Audubon County, January 5, 1910.

Linn Ullerich completed eighth grade education and attended high school. Selma received a degree in nursing from St. Anthony School of Nursing, Carroll.

Married September 24, 1933, Selma and Linn Ullerich began their life together on a farm located in Audubon County, Section 26, Lincoln Township. At this location, they farmed for 41 years. Linn was a general farmer, feed salesman, and a committee member of the ASCS farm program. Selma practiced nursing for 14 years at Carroll, Audubon, and at Manning General Hospital.

They are members of the Trinity Lutheran Church, Lincoln Tpw., Audubon County.

To this union were born four children. Romanza Faith Ullerich Vroman, born December 10, 1934 (married Harold Vroman - children: Debra, Kenneth, Rodney); Philip Linn Ullerich, born August 9, 1938 (married Lynne Steele - children: Natalie and Brad); Dean Woodrow Ullerich, born August 5, 1943 (married Connie Malchow - children: Cara, Mark, Lora Lea); Marie Carolyn UIlerich Kucera, born December 29, 1945 (married Lyle Kucera - children: Jeff and Amber).

In May, 1974, the Ullerichs moved to 1013 Spruce Drive, Manning, where they currently reside.

Mr. and Mrs. Gus Vehrs

Gus Vehrs was born in Schleswig, Germany in 1870. At the age of 12, he came to this country with his folks, and settled in Carroll County, in the Manning area. Later he married Bertha Opperman in 1895. They farmed in this area until retiring in 1936, when they moved into Manning.

They had 13 children, five of whom still survive. Three are living in Manning. They are: Mrs. Margaret Wegner, Mrs. Helen Miller and Harold Vehrs. They have lived in and around the Manning area all their lives. Then there are Mrs. Henry Jensen (Viola), Audubon, and Mrs. Verna Olberts, Moline, III.

One of Harold's sons, Richard, has a son, Rex, who will be 14 years old in 1981. He is the only one to carry on the Vehrs name. They are residing in Texas. Richard Vehrs spent 22 years in the Air Force, and retired in June of 1980 as Senior Master Sgt. They intend to continue living in Texas.

Louis Vennink Family

Louis Vennink was born January 10, 1908, and his wife Selma (Miller) Vennink was born October 21, 1911. They were united in marriage December 31, 1932, at Manilla. They have farmed all their married life in the Manilla and Manning area, until their recent retirement on their acreage west of Manning.

Louis and Selma had eight children. One son Marlin died at the age of four months, and another, Wayne, died November 18, 1972.

Daughter Mildred and her husband, Russell Spies, farm near Gray. They have five children: Nancy of Aurora, Illinois, Lorri of Des Moines, and Randall, Rick and Rodney at home.

Son Allen and wife Pat (Larsen) farm near Manning. Allen has one son, Tom of Gray.

Son Wayne left three sons, Jeffrey, Jon and Jamie, all of Manilla, and one daughter Jodi of Washington. Jeffrey and wife Theresa (McMahon), have two children, Jessica and Jason. Jon and wife Debra (Reiff) have one son, Jeremy.

Daughter Lois and her husband Ronald Frahm farm north of Manning.

Daughter Anna Belle and her husband, Errol Wegner, reside in Manning. They have three children and one grandson, Michael. Children include Connie (Mrs. Jeffrey Seipker), Manning, and Corey and Craig at home.

Son Marvin and wife Sandy (Jorgensen) have two sons, Brandon and Byron, and farm near Manilla.

Daughter Marilyn and her husband, Keith Pfannkuch, reside in Manning. They have two sons, Kent and Kurt at home.

When Knights of the Road, bums, or tramps, as they were named, went from door to door in town asking for food. A farmer might find a sleeping guest in the hay barn when he went out for morning chores. A rural teacher might find a warm schoolroom with the long recitation bench drawn up in front of the coal-burning heater, a silent reminder of a visitor.

Other transients were the gypsies, traveling in a wagon train, and sometimes living off the land. At an acreage east of town when the only one home was the woman of the house, the gypsy men snared a few chickens and the women went into the house and picked up bread, butter, and other supplies. The children disported, naked, in the large stock watering tank.

---Grace Andresen

Carroll County Bar Association

Edward Venteicher Family

Edward Venteicher, son of Herman and Katherine (Kraus) Venteicher was born in Willey. His parents farmed near Willey for two years, then moved to Bonesteel, South Dakota; there they farmed for four years. I n 1914 they came back to farm near Willey where they lived until retiring to Willey in 1942. Edward has three brothers: Albert, Leonard and Louis; and five sisters: Mrs. George (Hilda) Bierl, Mrs. Leonard (Leona) Schmitz, Mrs. Felix (Lorene) Irlbeck, Mrs. Otmar (Colette) Fischer, and Mrs. Glenn (Mildred) Rohde.

Edward was married to Loretta Kasperbauer in 1938. They moved to a farm southeast of Manning, which was then owned by her parents, Paul Kasperbauer. They bought it in 1946. This is the same farm her parents lived on for ten years. It is believed the original part of the house is around 120 years old and has since had many improvements. Their eight children grew up here. They are: Leroy, electrical engineer of Huntington Beach, Cal.; Mrs. James (Shirley) Sjabakken, a registered nurse at Ames; James, in farming, Manning; Kenneth (deceased), Robert (Dr. of Chemistry in Vomona, J. J.); Dr. (D.D.S.) and Mrs. Clark (Diane) Scriven, a Masters in nursing at Sterling, Colo.; Rick, a certified public accountant for Massey-Ferguson at Des Moines; and Lynn, a wood technologist in Industrial Engineering Dept. of Rolscreen, Pella.

In 1960 he purchased an adjacent 200 acre farm in Audubon County, and in 1966 another 180 acre farm in Crawford County near Manilla. Edward and Loretta retired to Manning in 1971 where they built a new home at 1013 Maple Drive. In 1979 they built a new home at 353 Second Street.

Their son, Jim, moved on the farm in 1971 and he and his wife Donna (Wegner) bought it in 1976. Their children, Brenda, Kenneth and Joya, are the fourth family generation to live there in the original part of the house.

Otto Voege, one of the ten children of Peter and Margaret Bunker Voege of Westside, served in World War I. He was united in marriage to AIfrieda Weller March 17, 1920. Alfrieda's parents, John and Emma Thies Weller of Buck Grove, were both born in Germany.

Otto and Alfrieda operated a farm north of Westside after their marriage. Their children, Arlene Margaret and Harold Otto Peter, attended a country school near their farm. In 1942 the Voege family moved to a farm northwest of Manning.

During World War II, Harold served as a medic in the 98 General Hospital in Munich, Germany. He returned home from the service in January, 1947, and began to farm with his father. Otto passed away in 1961 and Harold took over the farm.

On December 30, 1948, Harold was united in marriage to Phyllis Mueller, daughter of Earl and Lela Blair Mueller of Walnut. Phyllis and Harold's daughter Jean was the winner of the South Crawford Rural Electric Cooperative Essay Contest in 1977, which enabled her to spend six days in Washingto D.C. Jean graduated from Manning High School in 1978 and now attends Bishop Clarkson School of Nursing in Omaha. She will graduate from there in June 1981.

Templeton Rye became well-known during the Prohibition Years of the 1920's and 1930's, and the bootleg whiskey is still talked about from coast to coast. Sugar was shipped in by the carload and distributed among the "cookers". This was BIG business and many people worked under the direction of the Head Men. The product was shipped to Chicago and other major cities.

Jack Mohr tells about the time in 1931 when he was asked to make whiskey with a still set up in his basement. He started 30 to 40 barrels at a time. The recipe called for three pounds of yeast, 100 pounds of sugar, and one bushel of rye in a barrel of water. This was mixed well and left to ferment. When the bubbles stopped and the mixture cleared, the solution was ready to cook. The process usually took from four to six hours per barrel for the liquid to run through the coils. The result was 90 to 120% proof whiskey, 30 gallons to a barrel.

Jack, one of many who made the brew to survive the Depression years, was caught by the police and paid a fine of $386.80. The agents poured kerosene into each barrel, which had to be carried out and dumped.

Bert Hoover claimed it was his recipe that was used for Templeton rye. The blacksmith, who worked in a shop on north Main Street, is also credited for furnishing the tubing, boilers, and other materials used in making the brew.

Henry William Voge came to America in 1888 at the age of 17. He farmed in Nebraska with his brother Claus for about 27 years. In 1916 he came to Manning and purchased 40 acres west of Manning on what is now Highway 141.

In 1917, he married Jessie Lamp, daughter of Joachim and Agnes Lamp. To this union, a son Gerhardt was born in 1922.

Gerhardt was raised on this farm. He attended and graduated from Manning schools in 1940. He started farming and purchased 110 acres southwest of Manning and 60 more acres from the Kuhl Estate. He later sold this to the town of Manning where the swimming pool and L. R. Nelson factory are located.

In 1954 Gerhardt married Billie DeBoth Switzer. Gerhardt and Billie and son, James Switzer, lived in the house south of Manning. To this union was born four children: in 1955 twins, Jerry and Terry; in 1956 a son, William; in 1958 a daughter, Ann Rene. All five children attended Manning schools.

Jim married Pam Williams of Denison. They have two children, Heather and Jimmy, and live in Sigourney.

In 1972, Terry was killed in a motorcycle accident at age 17.

Jerry married and has a son, Jamey. Jerry is in the trucking business in Manning.

Bill spent three years in the Army. He attended college in California and is planning on entering law college in California in 1980.

Ann attended Simpson College for four years and is working for the State of Iowa as a social worker.

William Vollstedt Sr. Family
Ted, Bill Jr., Elsie, Hugo, Mabel, Ray and Virtus

Wm. Vollstedt was born July 26, 1877 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. He came to America as a young man. March 6, 1899, he married Cecilia Kuhl who had been born in Scott County March 6, 1879. They lived on a farm southeast of Manning, then moved to the farm five miles north of Manning where they lived 38 years. They had seven children: Theodore, William, Jr., Hugo, Elsie, Mabel, Ray and Virtus. Cecelia died May 25, 1923, and Wm. died Feb. 5, 1943.

Theodore, 1900, married Alvina Vehrs. Their son Lyle married Vera Macomber. Their children are Becky, Steven, Ned, Ronald, Kathaleen and Timothy.

William, Jr., 1901-1979, married Edna Schroeder.

Hugo, 1902-1964, married Evelyn Schumann and they had four children: Dean, Roger, Carol and Barbara. Dean married Phyllis Eberle. Their children are Pam, David, Jay and Rhonda. Roger married Rosemary Spieker and their children are Kevin, Bradley, Danial, Steven, Douglas and Patrick. Carol married Robert Hagedorn. They are the parents of Jeffrey, Jon, Julie and Jackie. Barbara married Larry Horky and they are the parents of Todd, Eric and Heidi.

Elsie, 1904-1967, kept house for her father and helped raise the younger children after her other's death.

Mabel was married to Clarence Borkowski. Their children are Ruby, Jeanette, Shirley, Melvin and La Rae. Ruby married Don Eagen. Their children are Mary, Robert, Dickie, Jacllyn, David, Donita, Joseph and Rose Marie. Jeanette (Mrs. Dan Krewiorz) had Cynthia, Marlys, Rhonda, Ricky, Randall and Kenneth. Shirley married Gordon Lesto. Their children are Michael, Linda, Georgia and Kevin.

Melvin married Leota Ortner; they have a son David.

LaRae married John Walgenbach and are parents of Joni, Johnny, Ronnie and Mark.

Ray, 1911, married Melvina Kuhl. Their children are Paul and Darlys. Darlys married Gerry Bean and are the parents of Brian, Jody, Melissa Wendy and Jeremy.

Virtus 1913-1966, married Kathryn Kuhl. They are the parents of Dale and Sylvia. Dale married Darlene Genzen. Their children are Keith, Karen, Kathy and Kent. Sylvia married Joe Engel and their children are Joe, Jr., Jennifer and Jeffrey.

The Vollstedt family will be remembered as road maintainers for three generations. It started with Wm., Sr., and continued down to his sons Wm. Jr., Hugo, Ray and Virtus and through the third generation of Hugo's son Dean, who still works for the county. They have responded to many a call to keep the roads open for weddings, births, sickness, deaths, and other emergencies.

Manning's budget for 1925 will be $13,420, down from last year's budget of $17,000. The assessed valuation will be $7.91 per $1,000, instead of $9.25.

Matt Wagner Family

Mathew and Catherine Dalhoff Wagner and their family moved to Manning from Hartington, Nebraska in 1929. both were originally from Carroll County; Matt was born in Halbur and Catherine was raised in Carroll.

Matt worked as a plumber for H. C. Reinholdt for a number of years. Then in 1935, he started his own plumbing business, which he continued until his death in 1960. For several years, he was the only plumber in the town of Manning. He installed the heating and plumbing system in the high school gym -- now the Rec Center -- and also worked on the Legion Hall when it was being built.

Matt was an active member of the fire department for 25 years. He helped build the Fireman's Ball Field, where he enjoyed playing ball for many years.

In May, 1937, the Wagners bought a house at 227 Second Street, where Mrs. Wagner still resides.

Matt belonged to the Knights of Columbus and Catherine is active in the Catholic Daughters.

Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are parents of seven children: Delores (Mrs. Richard Longenecker) of David City, Nebraska; Alice (Mrs. Donald Stangl) of Manning; Eugene "Bud" Wagner, Carroll; Jack Wagner, Benson, Minnesota; Vernon Wagner, Audubon; Kathleen (Mrs. Larry Popp), Manning; and Donald Wagner, Audubon. There are 23 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.