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Carsten H. Pape

No people that go to make up our cosmopolitan civilization have better habits of life than those who came originally from the great German empire. These people are distinguished for their qualities of thrift and honesty, and these two qualities in the inhabitants of any country will in the end alone make that country great. When with these two qualities is coupled the other quality of sound sense, there are afforded such elements as will enrich any land and place it at the top of the countries of the world in the scale of elevated humanity. Of this excellent people came the subject of this sketch. He was born in Germany on April 30, 1871, and is a son of Henry and Anna (Hinch) Pape, both of whom also were natives of Germany. They came to the United States in 1876 and came at once to Fayette county, Iowa, locating about two miles north of where the subject of this sketch now lives, buying a farm of ninety-five acres.

Subsequently they moved to another and smaller farm, where the father spent his last days. He made many good improvements on the place, erecting a comfortable residence and commodious barn. He was the father of thirteen children, eight of which number are now living. He was a Lutheran in his religious belief. C. H. Pape was educated in the public schools and remained with his parents until his marriage, in 1893, when he rented the Neumann homestead, where he now resides. After five years he purchased the place, which comprises eighty-six acres, and on which he has successfully carried on general farming operations. He is methodical and up-to-date in his business affairs, giving careful attention to every detail of his work, and the general appearance of his place indicates him to be a man of good judgment and excellent taste, while the results attained by him testify to his industry and good management. He has given considerable attention to the raising of livestock, in which also success has attended his efforts. In 1893, Mr. Pape was united in marriage with Bertha Neumann, a daughter of August and Lisette (Fiebelkorn) Neumann, who are mentioned personally in the sketch of H. W. Neumann, elsewhere in this work. To them have been born two children, Walter and Anna. Politically, the subject of this sketch is a Republican and he takes an active interest in the success of his party. His religious membership is with the Lutheran church, to which he renders a liberal support. Mr. Pape is a man of splendid personal qualities and his life here has been such as to win the earnest commendation and esteem of the entire community. He is a supporter of all worthy movements for the benefit of the community and at all times is found on the right side of every moral question. Martha Pape, a sister of the subject's father, came from Germany to America in 1869, seven years prior to the emigration of her brother, of whom she was a twin sister. She was very small in stature, but was very active physically and was employed at various places as a seamstress, in which work she was unusually proficient. She was a woman of gracious personality, who enjoyed the friendship and high regard of all who knew her.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Chuck Taylor