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Hans C. Ahrendsen
22 February 1866 |
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With the passing away of Hans C. Ahrendsen Hale township lost one of its progressive and representative agriculturists, who for a number of years was closely identified with farming interests here. Born across the waters, he is a native of Holstein Germany, his birth having there occurred on the 22d of February, 1866. His parents were Lawrence and Christine (Peterson) Ahrendsen, both natives of Germany, who came to United States when their son was a young man of twenty years. The father followed farming here for some many years and now resides in Olin, Jones county, while his wife has already passed to her final rest. Six members of their family, three sons and three daughters, are residents of this county, while one daughter still makes her home in the fatherland.
Hans C. Ahrendsen spent the period of his boyhood and youth in his native land, there acquiring his education in the common schools, and after his arrival in Jones county, Iowa, he began working as a farm hand by the month, being this engaged for six years. At the expiration of that period, desiring that his efforts should more directly benefit himself, he took up agricultural pursuits on his own account, operating a farm in the capacity of a renter until three years ago. In the meantime he had carefully saved his money with the hope that some time he would own a farm of his own. The invariable law of destiny accords success to untiring industry, energy and perseverance, and through the manifestation of those qualities Mr. Ahrendsen was eventually able to satisfy his ambition. He became the owner of two hundred acres of fine farming land located on section 21, Hale township, and to its further development he directed his energies. He brought the fields under a high state of cultivation and erected new and substantial buildings, making all of the improvements upon the place which today make it one of the valuable farming properties of the township. Everything about the place indicates that he was in touch with the modern spirit of progress which is manifest in agricultural lines, while his interests were so wisely and carefully conducted that he won substantial success and was numbered among the representative and progressive farmers of the locality.
It was on the 1st of January, 1892, that Mr. Ahrendsen was united in marriage to Miss. Dora Rohwedder, a native of Bryant, Clinton county, Iowa, born on the 30th of January, 1871. Most of her life, however, was passed in Jones county. Her parents were Hans and Margaret (Gobel) Rohwedder, natives of Germany, who came to the United States, the latter passing away in Clinton county, Iowa, while the former now makes his home in Hale township, this county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ahrendsen were born seven children, namely: Margaret, Leonard, Hilda, Carl, Hans, Arthur and Anita.
In politics Mr. Ahrendsen gave his allegiance to the democracy, doing all in his power to further the influence of that party in the community although he neither sought nor desired public office for himself, preferring to concentrate his energies upon the conduct of his business affairs. He was not remiss, however in the duties of citizenship, for his influence was ever upon the side of progress, improvement, reform and advancement. He passed away on the 14th day of September, and his death was the occasion of deep regret among the many warm friends whom he had gained during his residence in Jones county, and who entertained for him high regard because of his many sterling qualities.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 359. |
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