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Godber Carstensen
Godber
Carstensen, deceased, who for many years was successfully connected
with agricultural interests in Greene county, was a native of
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where his birth occurred on the 28th of
May, 1834. When eighteen years of age he accompanied his parents on
their emigration to the United States. They made their home in Ohio for
three years and on the expiration of that period removed to Clinton
county, Iowa, where both the father and mother passed away.
Mr. Carstensen of this review chose farming as a life work and in 1875,
with a team, cattle and a few household goods, he started for Woodbury
county, Iowa. When he reached Greene county, however, his cattle gave
out and he was obliged to remain here, squatting on eighty acres of
wild prairie. He built a board shanty and in the winter banked it with
sod to keep out the cold, for the country was still in its primitive
condition and the pioneers had to cope with hardships that can scarcely
be realized by those who have not experienced them. Mr. Carstensen was
a hard worker and careful manager and brought his farm under a high
state of cultivation, annually garnering rich harvests as the result of
his able management and enterprise. He added to his original purchase
until he owned one hundred and sixty acres on section 5, Dawson
township, constituting one of the well improved and valuable farm
properties of the county, and he also had eighty acres of land in
Webster county, Iowa. Just about the time that he had acquired a
competence sufficient to enable him to live retired he was called from
this life, passing away on the 15th of December, 1891. Pneumonia was
the direct cause of his death, and his loss was deeply deplored
throughout the community, for he was recognized as a man of high, manly
purposes and genuine personal worth, whose life in all its relations
had been above reproach.
In 1862, in Clinton county, Iowa, was celebrated the marriage of Mr.
Carstensen and Miss Dorothea Jochimsen, also born in
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, her natal day being March 23, 1843. When
eighteen years of age she accompanied her parents to the United States,
the family home being established in Clinton county, Iowa. By her
marriage to Mr. Carstensen she became the mother of eight children,
namely: one who died in infancy; Sanka, who carries on the home farm;
Anna E., the wife of Peter Hansen, a farmer of Dawson township; Lena
B., who became the wife of Robert Holm, of Dawson township, who is
mentioned on another page of this work; John, who carries on
agricultural pursuits in Webster county; Dorothea, the wife of William
Meyer, also of Webster county; John, who died when five months old; and
another who died in infancy. The oldest living son, who was born in
Clinton county, is now forty years of age, and helped to drive cattle
to the county in 1876. As stated, he carries on the home place and has
always made his home on this farm.
In his political views Mr. Carstensen was a democrat and took an active
part in local politices. At the time of his demise he was serving as
school director and had also been a township trustee. He was one of the
organizers of the Lutheran church and was deeply interested in its work
and upbuilding, acting as a trustee thereof until called beyond. His
was the third family to settle in Dawson township and he was therefore
numbered among the honored pioneers of Greene county, whose labors had
been an element in the substantial development and growth of this part
of the state.
After the death of her first husband Mrs. Carstensen became the wife of
Henry Bush, who had been an old friend of the family, and for seven
years Mr. and Mrs. Bush made their home in Jackson county, Iowa. Upon
the death of her second husband she returned to the old home farm,
where she has since lived, having been a resident of Dawson township
longer than any person now living therein. She is a lady of culture and
refinement and relates in interesting manner many reminiscences of
pioneer life - the hardships endured and the difficulties overcome. She
is now enabled to enjoy all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of
life, having been left a goodly competence by her second husband, and
is esteemed throughout the community by reason of her many good
qualities of heart and mind.
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