Bachelder, Earl and Hattie (Brandt)

(Bernice Koenig)

Earl Chester Leslie Bachelder was born 25 Aug 1899 at Castalia, IA, the son of John and Bertha (Osmundson) Bachelder. He had one brother, George.

Earl married Hattie Lizzie Marie Brandt of Castalia 10 Jul 1923. Hattie was bom 26 Apr 1901 at Castalia to John and Emma (Schroeder) Brandt. She had a sister Irene and 2 brothers, Walter and Oran.

When Earl finished high school in 1916 he began working for the Rock Island Railroad as station agent at Castalia. In 1937 he began work on the “extra board” of the Railroad, filling in wherever he was needed. During these years he worked at 40 different stations in Iowa. In 1937 Hattie became the station agent in Castalia until that station closed 4 Dec 1953. Earl was station agent at Ossian about 10 years until it closed and spent the last 12 years before his retirement as dispatcher at the West Union station. He ended a 48 year career with the Rock Island Railroad when he retired 25 Aug 1964 at age 65.

Earl was active in the community, an avid baseball fan and was actively involved in the Castalia Town Team in the 1940’s. He belonged to the Bloomfield Twp. Historical Society and spent much of his time in retirement working on historical research. Earl died 13 Mar 1971. Hattie died 16 Aug 1967. They are buried in Pleasant View Cemetery at Castalia.

Earl and Hattie had 3 children: Bernice, Irene and George.

(Bernice Koenig)

George Washington Bachelder was born 1 Jan 1809 at Fayette, ME. When 19 years of age he married Isabel! Huse 20 Oct 1830, came west and settled near Rockton, IL. He built a blacksmith shop there and later moved across the Mississippi River and settled near Lamotte, IA in Jackson Co. Isabell died there 15 Jun 1852. They had no children. On 7 Aug 1853 George married Cynthia Barto, the daughter of Horace and Humility (Evans) Barto. Her maternal grandfather was of Revolutionary War fame and was involved in the Boston Tea Party. In the spring of 1855 they moved to a farm about a mile south of Castalia, IA, in Bloomfield Twp. They lived a short time in a log house on the Robert McKernan farm. James McKernan, his wife and child lived there too. A short time later George built a log house on his farm. Straight trees were cut and hewed and stood on end. He also hewed the joists. Rough native lumber as it came from the mill was used for the floor and roof and oak shingles were put on the roof. He set his corner stakes at midnight, lining them with the north star to get his house square with the world.

George farmed and also ran a blacksmith shop in Castalia. George died 15 Sep 1889. Cynthia died 14 May 1896. They are buried in Pleasant View Cemetery at Castalia.

George and Cynthia had 11 children. Only 3 grew to maturity - Mary, William and John.

Mary was born 15 Oct 1857. She married James Thornton 30 Jul 1889 at Castalia and moved to Des Moines in 1890. They had 2 children, Bessie and James. Mary died 13 Nov 1944 and James died 17 Apr 1906. Both are buried on Oak Grove Cemetery, Des Moines, IA.

William was born 4 Jan 1862 and married Mira Smith 13 Dec 1883. Their 10 children were born on their farm south of Castalia. In 1911 they moved away and settled near Empress, Alberta, Canada. Their children were: Roy, Ward, Floy, Mabel, Glenn, Gladys, Clarence, Russell, Wilma and Valder. William and Mira are buried near Empress, Alberta, Canada.

John was born 22 Oct 1871 and married Bertha Osmundson 22 Dec 1892. They farmed south of Castalia. Later they moved to Castalia and operated a restaurant and meat market. In later years John did carpenter work. They had 2 children - George and Earl. John died 27 Apr 1937 and Bertha died 21 Oct 1952. Both are buried in Pleasant View Cemetery at Castalia.

Bachelder, Harry and Arlette (Svendsen)

(Sherry Bachelder)

Harry and Arlette Bachelder