Karl C Kastberg

KASTBERG

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/1/2010 at 18:55:39

Karl C Kastberg who sine 1903 has filled the position of city engineer and superintendent of the city waterworks at Boone, is well qualified by experience and careful training for the position which he now so acceptably fills. He was born at Des Moines, November 28, 1874, and is a son of Mads and Wilhelmina (Groneman) Kastberg, the former a native of Schleswig-Holstein, then a part of Denmark, and the latter a native of Hanover, Germany. The father was born on February 15, 1846, and after spending the first twenty years of his life n the European continent, crossed the Atlantic to the new world about 1866. He did not tarry on the eastern coast, but made his way at once into the interior of the country, settling first at Muscatine, Iowa. He afterward removed to Des Moines where he was engaged in merchandising along various lines. Later he took up the business of contracting and at one time was assessor of Des Moines, in which city he still makes his home. His wife who was born in Hanover on February 14,1851, came to this country about the same time as Mr Kastberg, who later sought and won her hand in marriage. They became the parents of three children: Karl C, Johannah, the wife of H P Hansen of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Martha the wife of the Rev. Horace Marti of Atchison, Kansas.
Spending his youthful days in his native city, Karl C Kastberg attended the public schools and passed through consecutive grades until graduated from the high school of East Des Moines with the class of 1891. He afterward entered the State Agricultural College at Ames, where he pursued an engineering course, studying there form 1891 until 1893. He afterward secured a position in connection with the engineering department at Des Moines, where he remained until 1895. Subsequently he spent about a year with the Iowa Central Railroad at Marshalltown as assistant civil engineer and later took up the study of engineering at Drake University in Des Moines, where he remained until 1897. He then reentered the engineering department in that city, spending a year or more in that connection. In 1898 he entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, his duties taking him to various points in Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana during the years 1899, 1900, and 1901, during which time he acted as civil engineer on construction. In 1902 he accepted the position of assistant engineer in the city engineering department of Des Moines and in 1903 he came to Boone as city engineer and superintendent of the city waterworks, in which position he has now served eleven years. The record which he has made in this office is one most acceptable to the public, for he is prompt, reliable and efficient.
On October 26, 1904, Mr Kastberg was united in marriage to Miss Nell Palmer of Boone, a daughter of William and Jane (Scott) Palmer, who were early settlers of this city. Mr and Mrs Kastberg have one child, Mathew Palmer, born September 1, 1905. Mr Kastberg is well known in fraternal circles, holding membership with the Independent Order of Elks and the Masonic fraternity, in which he has taken the degrees of lodge, chapter and commandery. He is independent in politics, voting as his judgment dictates, and he has never sought office outside the strict path of his experience, thorough training and devotion to his duty have gained him positions of responsibility.

1914 Boone County History Book