John. Margaretha had a brother named George who came with Margaretha and the Kerns to Canada and then to Locust, IA. The Klontz and Vail families were the first to arrive in Locust with the John A. Kern and Phillip Pfister families coming next. True pioneer spirit must have been shown as the Kerns were given lodging, advice and work by the Klontz family. The Pfisters were accorded the same by the Vails. In 1854 the St. John’s Lutheran Church was founded by the above named and also the Hilleman, Dresselhaus, Feltz, Pahl, Ruffridge, Koppen and Michael families. In 1856 the families of Valentine Barth, John Barth, Diebold Stoskopf, Ludwig Bender and George Matter arrived from Alsace, France. George was born 2 Apr 1840 in Ingenheim. In 1866 he married Mary Michael (b. 23 Mar 1847) at Locust. To this union 8 children were born: Mary, Caroline, Amelia, George, Josephine, John, Edward and Julia. Mary Michael Matter died 10 Oct 1911. George died 20 Jun 1929. With his death one of the few remaining ties that bound today to the times of the county's rugged pioneers was severed.

On 31 Jan 1860 Margaretha Matter married John Barth. (See pages on John Barth for further information). The couple had 12 children: William, Frank Michael, John, Henry, Charles, Alvin, George, Amelia, Mary, Julia and a son dying in infancy. John, Margaretha’s husband, died 25 Sep 1904. Margaretha died 4 Dec 1919 due to pneumonia and both are buried at the Locust Cemetery. She left behind 87 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren, all remembering her stern nature, her delicious homemade buns, and the fact she only spoke German.

Barth, Valentin and Juliana (Baird)

(Helen Schmidt & Gilmer Seegmiller)

Valentin and Juliana (Baird) Barth

Valentin Barth was born 22 Apr 1817 in Quatzenheim, Alsace, France, the son of Michael and Anne (Scheer) Barth. He grew up in the town of Quatzenheim and learned the trade of tailoring, a profession that he practiced while living in France.

On 2 Jun 1841 Valentin married Marie Catherine Litt, the widow of Jacque Seegmiller, in Hurtigheim, Alsace, France. They lived in the town of Quatzenheim until early 1853 when they started the trip to America. They both had friends and relatives in Ontario, Canada which was to be their final destination.

The couple, with Marie’s 2 children, Jacque and Marie Catherine Seegmiller, arrived in New York 5 Apr 1853 aboard the Bark Waltham out of Havre, France and captained by Franklin Houdelette. They left New York immediately via the Hudson River and Erie Canal to Niagara, NY and then across the lake to Ontario. The family was met by the brothers and sisters of the mother but sorrow followed shortly as the mother died within a few days of their arrival.

In 1854 Valentin married his housekeeper Juliana Baird. She had 2 daughters: the elder, Louise, married to Francis Seeback; the younger was Catherine. In about 1855 the family of Francis Seeback, Valentin and Juliana Barth and Catherine came to the Locust, IA area. Both families acquired land and started farming. Juliana’s younger daughter Catherine married Samuel Wise. Valentin became a citizen of the United States 25 Jan 1859. In the 1870 census they were listed with 6 children; Margaret “Maggie", born 6 Feb 1856 and married Albert Ohme; Valentin, Jr., born 22 Jun 1858 and married Mary Louise Stoskopf 12 Dec 1882 - he died 17 Sep 1934; Mary, born 5 Jan 1861 and married Samuel Stoskopf; Michael, born 31 Jan 1863 and married a woman named Eva, last name unknown; George B., born 10 May 1865 and married Helena Ellingson 15 Sep 1892-he died 30 Nov 1938; and Julia (Grunil) born 19 May 1870, married Diabold “Dick” Stoskopf 28 Nov 1889-she died 27 Mar 1945.

Note of interest: Valentine, Jr., Mary and Julia married Mary Louise Stoskopf, Samuel Stoskopf and Diabold Stoskopf, (sister and brothers).

Valentin died in 1884 and Juliana in 1894. Their burial was in the Salem Methodist Cemetery located on the Locust Road south of Locust, IA.

Barth, William and Hattie (Van Pelt)

(Carol Shipe Volstad)

William Barth was born in Winneshiek Co., Pleasant Twp. 17 Apr 1869 to John and Margaretha (Matter) Barth (see their stories). William married Hattie Van Pelt who was born 11 Jan 1873 in Pleasant Twp. to James and Dorcus (McCullough) Van Pelt (see their stories). William and Hattie were married 10 Apr 1895 at her parent’s log-cabin home in Pleasant Twp.

William and Hattie had 12 children: James Myron, born 9 Feb 1896, married Genevieve Olson 28 Apr 1920 and died 27 Jul 1985; Clifford Jerome, born 27 Jan 1898, married Janet Brooks, divorced and died 1 Apr 1983; Chester William, born 23 Feb 1900, married Mildred Lyngass in 1933 and died 15 Mar 1978; Ralph Daniel, born 20 Dec 1901, married Ethel Grapp in 1932 and died Sep 1990; Alice Gertrude, born 20 Jan 1904, married William Nydigger in 1923 (died in a tractor accident in 1943) and then married Oscar Andrae in 1948 who died in 1981; William Henry, born in 1906, married and is still living; Emma Ruth, born 11 Jun 1908, married John A. Shipe and died 13 Sep 1987; Mary Eva, born 6 May 1910, married Harold Erickson in 1938 and died 18 Apr 1995;