Rudloff, John Christoph

RUDLOFF, NECKEL, KOOP, REZELTS

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner
Date: 7/25/2006 at 12:41:52

John Christoph Rudloff

John Christoph Rudloff, the grandfather of the George Rudloffs, was a soldier in the old Napoleonic wars, and served in the army from 1806 to 1815, and did duty before Paris in the last year of his service. He rose to the rank of corporal, and died in 1865 at the age of seventy-two years.

Jacob Rudloff had the following family: George W., a farmer in South Dakota; Anna and Caroline, deceased; Elizabeth, widow of Henry Kramer, has her home in Cherokee; Ferdinand and John C., of whom mention is made later; Casper A., and Martha are dead.

Ferdinand Rudloff was born in Germany, September 29, 1854, and at the age of fourteen years came to this country in company with his parents and other members of the family. For eight years he worked at the lumber business in Chicago, and in 1876 he came to Iowa where he bought land and for eight years was engaged in farming. In 1885 he located on a farm in Lyon county, where he remained until 1899, when he helped form the firm of Rudloff & Meier, at Lester. The same years the firm became Rudloff Brothers & Meier, the last-named gentleman retiring in 1902.

Mr. Rudloff has been a Democrat, and has help various local offices, being town trustee, and town assessor for nine years, school director for ten years, and secretary of the school board eight years. He is now a member of the George Council, and has long been regarded as a man of character and weight.

Extensive landed interests give him a standing among the leading real estate owners of the county. He has a half section of land in Wheeler township, which he located in 1885, and on which he worked the starting of the coal and lumber business at Lester.

Mr. Rudloff was married December 28, 1880, to Miss Christina Neckel, the oldest daughter of Hans and Wilhelmina (Koop) Neckel, both of whom were born in Germany. Mrs. Rudloff was born in Germany, April 10, 1863, and accompanied her parents in their removal to this country in 1880. They settled in Crawford county, Iowa, where her father, who was a laborer in the old country, made his home for five years, and then settled in Wheeler township, Lyon county, where he is now leading a retired life. His wife died in 1899, at the age of sixty years.

To the union of Mr. Rudloff and Miss Neckel were born the following children: Anna, the wife of C. B. Rezelts, a farmer of Wheeler township, and now working the farm of his father-in-law; Clara, at home; William, deceased; the others are at home.- Hulda, Emily, Ida, Lydia, and Ella.

JOHN CHRISTOPH RUDLOFF, JR., the other member of this enterprising firm, was born in Germany, January 2, 1857, and was only twelve years of age when he came with his parents to this country. Until he became a member of the Rudloff Brothers & Meier firm he was always a farmer, remaining at home with his father on the family homestead until he bought a farm for himself. This he still owns and has it now in the hands of a trusty tenant.

Mr. John C. Rudloff was married to Miss Amalia Onnen in 1885. She was born in Germany, October, 30, 1865, a daughter of Henry and Elise (Harms) Onnen, and died in 1894. To this union were born the following children: Albrecht, Louise, Erwin, Arthur, deceased, and Walter. The Onnen family came to the United States in 1871, and for a time was located near Sterling, Illinois, where the husband and father worked as a laborer. He later removed to Ida county, and yet again to Lyon county, where he located on a farm in Cleveland township in 1885.

Mr. Rudloff contracted a second marriage, December 21, 1902, when Miss Etta Claassen became his wife. She was born in Germany, and is a daughter of John M. and Maria (Ubbringa) Claassen, both of whom were born in Germany. Mr. Claassen is a farmer, and sought a home in this country in 1893, settling first in Illinois, not far from Peoria, and in 1898 coming to Lyon county where he still lives in Wheeler township. To Mr. and Mrs. Rudloff have come two children: Clarence and Laurine.

Mr. Rudloff, like his brother, is a life-long Democrat, and has been called by his community to fill various local positions of trust and honor. He was assessor of the township for one term, and filled a vacancy for the constable one year. For nine years he was town trustee. The brothers both belong to the German Lutheran church. In the matter of fraternal insurance they carry membership in the Modern Woodmen of America and the Modern Brotherhood of America.

Source: Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Lyon County, Iowa. Published under the Auspices of the Pioneer Association of Lyon County. Geo. Monlun, Pres.; Hon. E. C. Roach Sec’y; and Col. F. M. Thompson, Historian. Geo. A. Ogle & CO., Published, Engravers and Book Manufacturers. Chicago, 1904-1905

Transcribed by Roseanna Zehner, Darlene Jacoby and Diane Johnson