| Sources |
- [S2] History of Des Moines County, Iowa, (Western Historical Company, Chicago, Ill., 1879), Page 715.
WUNNENBERG, H., farmer. Sec.18; P.0. Sperry; was born in Calvorde, Germany, in 1821; came to Des Moines Co. in 1853, and since been engaged in farming. Married Emilie Rehfeld in 1853; she was born in Lenzarsigle, Germany, in 1833; they have nine children — Henry, born in 1854; Herman in 1858; Otto in 1860; Fred in 1862; Mary in 1864; Alvenia in 1867; August in 1869; Emma in 1872; Clara in 1876. Mr. Wunnenberg owns 145 acres of land, valued at $6,000. Mr. and Mrs. W. are members of the Lutheran Church; Democrat.
- [S35] https://archive.org/details/biographicalrevi02hoba, (Chicago, Hobart Publishing Co., 1905), Pages 806-807.
Entry about Heinrich's and Emilie's son, Fred C. Wunnenberg
One of the most progressive farmers and influential citizens of Benton township is Fred C. Wunnenberg, who is a representative of a well-known pioneer family. Mr. Wunnenberg himself is a native of the township, but he is one of the many citizens of Des Moines county whose native thrift and sterling integrity bear indisputable testimony to the fact that they are of German descent, his father and mother both having come from that country. Mr. Wunnenberg is the son of Henry and Amelia (Raefeld) Wunnenberg.
The father, Henry Wunnenberg, was born in Berlin, and followed the occupation of a miller in the Fatherland. He and his wife came to America in 1852, and located in Benton township, where he made his home till the time of his death. Immediately upon his arrival in Benton township he bought a forty-acres farm located in the eastern part of the township. He was so successful, from a financial standpoint, in his cultivation of this place, that after a number of years he was able to sell this farm and buy another one consisting of one hundred and thirty-five acres, situated across the road west from the one on which our subject lives. Here he made his home, and carried on a stock-raising business in addition to his work of general farming. The farm was brought to a high state of cultivation and underwent many improvements under the ownership of Mr. Wunnenberg. Here he died at the ripe age of seventy-nine years, and was interred in the cemetery south of the village of Latty. He was always very much interested in the political questions of the day, and rendered valuable aid to the Democratic party, which seemed to him to best represent his ideas of what a popular government should be. He was also an active and efficient worker in the Evangelical church, of which he was a faithful member.
Mrs. Henry Wunnenberg, whose maiden name was Amelia Raefeld, died about four years before her husband, at the age of fifty-six years, and is buried at the same place as her husband. She was the mother of eleven children, of whom two died in infancy. Of the five boys and four girls remaining, one, Herman, is a teamster in Burlington. The rest have preferred the free life of farmers.
Fred C. Wunnenberg, the subject of this review, was born on the old homestead in Benton township, Feb. 17, 1862. He was given a common-school education, beyond which very few young people went at that time, and remained at home until he reached the age of thirty years, sometimes working out of neighboring places besides helping to carry on the work of the home place.
On March 30, 1893, he was married to Miss Anna Rieman, daughter of Fred Rieman, of this township. Her father, who is now deceased, came of a family whose names have been well know in the community for many years, as they were among the earliest settlers of this part of Iowa.
After his marriage, Mr. Wunnenberg was so prospered that in four or five years he was able to buy his present farm of one hundred and twenty acres, in Section 18, and has since resided there. This farm consists of rich, fertile land, and is in a good state of cultivation, thoroughly developed, and well adapted to general farming as Mr. Wunnenberg carries it on. Mr. Wunnenberg has been blessed with seven children, who are: Vernon William, born July 2, 1894; Herbert Otto, born Sept 16, 1895; Alice Adora, born Oct. 4, 1896; Minnie, Born Oct. 14, 1898; Ralph H., born Feb 6, 1901; Pearl Emma, born Aug.6, 1902; and a daughter [May], born Feb. 5, 1905.
Mr. Wunnenberg has taken much interest in political affairs since he was a young man, and has done much work in behalf of his friends. He has attended the county conventions as a delegate, representing his neighbors in the Democratic party. In religious matters he is connected with the Evangelical church, and well maintains his father’s faith. He is devoted to the cause of right and justice in all its aspects, and has always been a believer in the duty of the citizen to assist with whatever ability he may possess in the solution of questions affecting the public welfare. Accordingly he has at time acted as supervisor of highways for the township, and has also shown that he has the cause of public education at heart, by acting as school director for a number of years. He has a large circle of friends who respect him for his energy, loyalty, and uprightness, and admire him for his stanch character.
- [S35] https://archive.org/details/biographicalrevi02hoba, (Chicago, Hobart Publishing Co., 1905), pages 753-754.
Entry about Heinrich and Emilie's son, Henry Wunnenberg
That the life of Henry Wunnenberg, of Benton township, illustrates a high and noble ideal of American manhood is due, in part, to a rigid discipline in the school of experience and honest labor during his early years, as well as to those personal characteristics which are peculiarly his own. Mr. Wunnenberg was born Sept. 3, 1855, in Benton township, and has claimed Des Moines county for his home throughout his entire life, being one of her native sons to whom she can always point the finger of pride. He was the son of Henry and Amelia Wunnenberg.
Both parents of Mr. Wunnenberg were natives of Germany, and came to America in 1854. They located in Benton township, and on the third day after their arrival in the county bought a farm of forty acres. Under their skillful farming and careful management they prospered greatly, so that after a number of years, when the father sold this farm, he was able to buy a much larger farm, consisting of one hungred and twenty acres of rich farm land, and forty-five acres of timber, which is now the home farm.
Here Mr. Henry Wunnenberg, the father, lived, carrying on very successfully a general farming business, and stock-raising. He made this his home, and made all the improvements, until there were not many farms in the community better fitted with the comforts and conveniences to be found in modern farm homes. Mr. Wunnenberg was a devoted number of the German Lutheran church until the time of his death, which occurred on the home farm when he was seventy-nine years of age. He was a follower of the principles of the Democratic party, and was a faithful helper to the leaders of that part.
The mother, died some fourteen years before the father. She was an earnest Christian woman, and a faithful member of the Evangelical church. She was the mother of eleven children, nine of whom are still living.
The subject of our review obtained his education in the common schools of Benton township, and assisted upon the home farm, remaining there until he was twenty-one years of age. After this he worked by the month upon different neighboring farms til he was twenty-seven, when he went to farming for himself, renting for some years in Franklin township, then in Washington township, and finally coming to his present place twenty-two years ago. This is a fine, well-kept place of eighty-sic acres, nearly all of which is under cultivation, and showing everywhere the thorough knowledge of farming and care of its owner. Besides this farm, Mr. Wunnenberg owns sixty-two acres of good land elsewhere in Benton township, some of which has already been improved. Mr. Wunnenberg has recently erected a large substantial two-story dwelling upon the place.
Mr. Wunnenbert early allied himself with the Democracy, believing its principles to be more consistent with American ideas of liberty and popular government than those of any other party. In religious matters he has affiliated himself with the Evangelical church, of whose teachings he is follower.
In 1881 Mr. Wunnenberg was united in marriage to Miss Lydia A. Gieselman, daughter of Henry Gieselman, who was an early settler of Des Moines county. Mr. Gieselman formerly owned the place where our subject now resides. He was a man who was prominent in all local enterprises, and was respected by all who came in contact with him. He died at the age of seventy-seven years. His widow still resides on the old homestead of thirty acres in Benton township, one and a half miles west of Latty, with her son, Henry Gieselman.
Mrs. Wunnenberg, who was also a member of the Evangelical church, died in 1890, leaving behind her the five children who were born to this union. These children were as follows: Ida, wife of Peter Smith, a farmer of Benton township, to whom has been born one child; Otto, who is married to Miss Anna Steffener, and resides at home; Frederick and Arthur, who live a home; and one child who died in infancy.
Mrs. Wunnenberg is a member of the Evangelical church. She possesses those thrifty housewifely qualities which are so much needed to make a worthy help-meet for a man whose success must come from tilling the soil to the best advantage.
Mr. Wunnenberg is a well-known citizen of Benton township. The circle of his acquaintance is wide, and co-extensive therewith is the circle of those who honor him for what he is.
- [S1] Genealogical Records of Celia Crawford.
- [S2] History of Des Moines County, Iowa, (Western Historical Company, Chicago, Ill., 1879).
- [S35] https://archive.org/details/biographicalrevi02hoba, (Chicago, Hobart Publishing Co., 1905), page 753.
- [S3] Tombstone, Latty Church Cemetery.
- [S23] Times to remember: Benton Township Rural, Dan Dustman.
- [S31] census.
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1821 - 1900 (79 years)
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