John A Anholt Sr (1838-1922)

ANHOLT

Posted By: Tina Keister (email)
Date: 2/22/2012 at 13:28:26

One of the very early settlers of Grant Township was Mr John Anholt, Sr. John Adolph Anholt was born in Nybygget, Askryd socken, Smaland, Sweden on May 28, 1838. He was the youngest of six children, all boys born to Isac Jonsson (b 1794) and his wife Maja Stina (Danielsdotter) Jonsson (b 1795). The parents were natives of Sweden and passed their entire lives there. Mr Anholt (who changed his name upon immigration) came to this country on Oct 12, 1868, settling in Jamestown, New York. In the spring of 1869 he came west to Grant Township, Boone County, Iowa, where he worked as a farm hand for five years. In the early years, Mr Anholt spelled his name Arnhold, but later changed to the present spelling.
On Sept 21, 1874 he purchased 40 acres of land in Section 24 (NW1/4 of SW1/4) in partnership with his brother, A Jacob Isacson. On Jan 31, 1877 they purchased 40 more acres in Section 23 (NE1/4 of SE1/4). The first purchase became Mr Isacson’s home place and the second purchase became Mr Anholt’s home place. Mr Isacson’s land cost $350, but Mr Anholt’s only cost $220. On Feb 23, 1887 Mr Anholt purchased 160 acres (NW1/4) in Section 28 and moved there, but returned to his home place in Section 23, in 1896, which was then 80 acres.
Mr Anholt was married here in Boone County on June 26, 1875 to Miss Sophia Carlson. She was also born in Askryd socken, Smaland, Sweden on April 1, 1848, one of three children born to Carl Gustav Gustavson and his wife Maja Stina (Johansdotter) Gustavson (b. 1806). The parents were natives of Sweden and passed their entire lives there. Sophia came to this country in 1875, coming directly to Grant Township. Her brother and sister also came to this area at a later date. They were Mrs Bill (Christina) Johnson and Charles Carlson, a miner who was killed in Angus, Iowa in an explosion in 1886.
To Mr and Mrs Anholt were born 13 children: Charles Isaac (1876-1939), Mrs Otto (Mary) Stark (1877-1936), Simon Peter (died in 1879, aged nine months), Gustaf E (1880-1897), Mrs John A (Hannah) Anderson (1881-1976), Augusta A (1883-1894), Mrs Arthur (Hulda) Dodd (1885-1975), Mrs Loyd (Anna) Good (1886-1970), Hilda C (1888-1977), P Oscar (1889-1963), Joseph E (1891-1919), Elmer L (1893-1958), and John W (1895-1982). Mr and Mrs Anholt were at first members of the Dayton Methodist Church, but joined the Boxholm Methodist Church shortly after it started up in 1885. Mr Anholt was a steward in this church for many years.
Mr Anholt died on Sept 23, 1922, aged 84 years and Mrs Anholt died on Nov 28, 1928, aged 80 years. Both are buried in the Prairie Lawn Cemetery east of Boxholm. The home place in Section 23 was then later owned by F Joseph Dunkelberger (and is currently owned by Frances Stark). Descendants of Mr and Mrs Anholt’s still residing within Grant Township include three grandchildren, Mrs Ralph(Belva) Reutter, Rollin Anderson and Mrs Melvin (Vera) Peterson, and several great grandchildren.

History of Boxholm and Grant Township in Boone County, Iowa 1986 by David C Peterson