Herman Klinkenberg Herman Klickenberg is essentially one of the representative factors in connection with the promotion of the agricultural and live-stock interests of his native county and in addition to his ownership of a most fertile and productive landed estate of four hundred acres in Wagner township he owns also a well improved tract of two hundred and seventy-five acres near New Hampton, Chickasaw county. He is a scion of one of the well known and infuential pioneer families of Clayton county, and concerning his father more specific mention will be found on other pages of this work. Mr. Klinkenberg was born at Farmersburg, this county, on 25th of December, 1864, and is a son of Charles and Dora (Maulks) Klinkenberg, both of whom were born in Germany. Charles Klinkenberg was reared to manhood in his fatherland, where he received good educational advantages in his youth, and as a young man of twenty-five years he manifested the courage of his conviction by immigrating to America, with assurance that in the United States he would find better opportunities for the achieving independence and advancement through individual effort. He became one of the early settlers of Clayton county, where he labored with characteristic energy and zeal in the reclaiming of a farm from the untrammeled prairie and where he became one of the substantial agriculturists and influential and honored citizens of Farmersburg township, where he still resides, his wife having been summoned to the life eternal in June, 1915. Of their nine children, the eldest is August, who resides at Elkader, this county; Minnie the wife of Charles Radlif, of Farmersburg; Herman, of this review was the third child; William is a prosperous farmer in Farmersburg township; Lena is deceased; Mary is the wife of John Maddens, of Grand Meadow township; Henry B. is a substantial exponent of agricultural industry in Farmersburg township; and two sons died in infancy. To the public schools of his native county Herman Klinkenberg is indebted for his early educational discipline, and he continued his active association with the operations of the home farm until he had attained to the age of twenty-five years, when he instituted his independent career as a farmer and stock-grower on his present home place. Energy, circumspection, thrift and wise policies have characterized his activities in this important domain of industrial enterprise, of which he has become one of the prominent and influential representatives in this part of the State, his homestead place, of four hundred acres, being eligibly situated in Section 36, Wagner township, and the supplemental area of two hundred and seventy-five acres being represented in his farm near New Hampton, Chickasaw county, as previously noted in this context. He has proved himself an ambitious, progressive and far-sighted agriculturist, always ready to avail himself of improved machinery, scientific methods and approved modern facilities of every sort, the while he has regarded his chosen vocation as well worthy of his undivided time and attention, his progressiveness has extended also into his relations to community affairs, and he has given his influence and co-operation in the furtherance of measures, projected for the general good, along both civic and material lines. His political convictions are indicated by the unwavering allegiance which he accords to the Democratic party, and while he has had no ambition for public office his civic loyalty has caused him to give most effective service in the position of school director, of which office he is still the valued incumbent, in 1916. Both he and his wife are communicants of the Lutheran church at St. Olaf, which village is their postoffice address. On the 19th of June, 1890, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Klinkenberg to Miss Minnie Mueller, who was born and reared in this county and who is a daughter of John and Minna (Meyer) Mueller, both natives of Germany. Mr. Mueller established his residence in Clayton county in the pioneer days, became a successful farmer and honored citizen and there continued to reside until his death, which occurred April 27, 1906, his widow now maintaining her home at Farmersburg. They became the parents of twelve children, of whom the eldest is Henry, of Farmersburg township; Lena is the widow of Henry Harnish; Mrs. Dora Frederick and her husband reside at Emmettsburg, Palo Alto county, this State, as does also John; Mrs. Klinkenberg was the next in order of birth; Frederick is a resident of Farmersburg township; Mary is the wife of William Klinkenberg, of that township, where also resides Louisa, the wife of Charles Schmidt; William lives in the village of Farmersburg; Annie is the wife of August Kahle, and they maintain their home m Minnesota; Bertha is the wife of Mine Dickinson, of Emmettsburg, Iowa; and Martha is the wife of Charles Faber, of Ionia, Chickasaw county. Mr. and Mrs. Klinkenberg became parents of four children: Lucy is the wife of Arthur Schmidt, of Wagner township; Bertha and Frederick died in childhood; and Mathilda Marguerite remains at the parental home. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to
the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; page
213-215 |