* LOCAL/FAMILY HISTORY DEPT. *  DONNELLSON PUBLIC LIBRARY *  500 PARK AVE. *  DONNELLSON, IA *  52625

History: Hentzel Family Part One

 
Research Work Unveils Hentzel Family Ties to Donnellson

Recent donated items have spurred the research of another Donnellson family. Diane Kruse with the help of the
Donnellson Library Genealogy Dept brings us this story.


The Story Behind the Photo of the Hentzel Family



Back Row: Aaron Hentzel, Mattie Hentzel Wallingford,
Irwin Hentzel. Front Row: Mary Hentzel Wardlow,
Mrs. Martha (Miller/Mueller) Hentzel, Henry L. Hentzel,
and Edward Hentzel. Photo courtesy of the Donnellson
Genealogy Department.

The photo above is of the Henry Hentzel family dated 1920. Henry L. Hentzel was a well-respected and prominent resident of Donnellson. His obituary states that "in all his life Mr. Hentzel made a practice of the Golden Rule and continued the same until death removed him from our midst." He was a family man; a farmer for many years; a business entrepreneur; and a civic leader and church elder.

He was born near Bledeln, Hanover Germany on March 31, 1845 and came to America with his parents, Christian and Christina (Eike) Hentzel, and one sister (Sophie) and one brother (August).

 

S.S. Hansa - From Ships Our Ancestors,
Donnellson Genealogy Department

The family sailed from the port of Bremen in 1854 on the ship "Hansa" to the port of New York and eventually settled in Lee County, four miles west of Donnellson, Iowa. According to the passenger list from the ship on file, Henry was nine years of age, his sister Sophie was 14, and his brother August was two. Many who arrived in New York traveled the Erie Channel and the Great Lakes to the Midwest or overland across Pennsylvania then down the Ohio River to St. Louis and then made their way up the Mississippi to Keokuk. There is no documentation on file, so both routes were a possibility.

The 1856 Lee County Census lists Henry's father as a farmer by trade and his mother as a housewife. His sisters Sophie born May 9, 1841 and Amanda (also known as Nina or Minna) born January 15, 1855, are also listed; August, who accompanied the family from Germany, is missing. According to a family group sheet and church records, he passed away at the age of three years on May 13, 1855. The files lists a notation that the 1856 census is the only one that tells how many years someone has been in Iowa.

Since homeownership was valued highly among German immigrants, they either purchased or built homes as soon as possible and preferred homes made of brick. No date was given as to when the house was built, but records state that the Hentzel house was built with brick from the clay several miles west of the farm and that the bricks were carried to the house site by wagon. The 1874 plat map shows the farm site was located in Section 35 of Harrison Township near Warren. Today, according to plat maps, the Hentzel property was located on what is now 213th St. Information on file also shows that the Hentzel family traveled with a small group of Germans who also settled in the Warren area and that they were neighbors. Based on that information, it is believed that Christian and Dorothea Hennies and sons Henry and August, who migrated to the United States in 1854, were the other members of the small German group.



~ Taken from the Donnellson Genealogy 1874 plat map
of Harrison Twp. Section 35 shows the land owned by C. Hentzel

According to the family album, Henry was confirmed in the St. Peters Church at Franklin, Iowa in 1859; in 1870 he joined the Prairie Evangelical Church, one and on-half miles north of Donnellson where he was superintendent of the Sunday School and a teacher for a number of years. St. Peter's church records list his older sister Sophia as being confirmed in 1855; his younger sister Amanda (listed as "Minna") as being baptized February 18, 1855.

On September 8, 1870 Henry was united in marriage to Miss Martha Elizabeth Miller (Muller) of Burlington, Iowa. She was the daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Schmitt Muller. On that occasion, Mrs. Minnie Neuman, sister of the groom, acted as bridesmaid
and Mr. William Miller, brother of the bride, acted as groomsman. To this union six children were born: Henry Adam Christian Hentzel, Edward Conrad Hentzel, Mary Minnie Hentzel, Irwin Harry Hentzel, Aaron Jonathan Henry Hentzel, and (Mattie) Martha Hannah Hentzel.

The 1880 Census Household Record lists Henry as a farmer and living with his wife, Martha and three children, Henry, Edward and Mary as well as John Kilmer, listed as a farm laborer from Bavaria. In an interview with Inez Wardlow Koch, she mentioned that her grandpa Henry was handy as a carpenter; she has two walnut tables built by him. Perhaps the wood he used came from the Hentzel timber acreage located one mile north of the farmstead. Today, 120 acres of timber remain in the Hentzel family, owned by the Roy Hentzel descendants.

In 1887, Henry's parents passed away and were buried in Primrose Cemetery, Harrison Twp., Lee County, Section 22 (today the gravel road is listed as 140th Ave). Christian died January 4, 1881 and was buried in Lot #32. Christina Eike Hentzel died December 3, 1887 and was buried in Lot #27. A statement in the file noted that "It looks like they buried them in rows as they died in that cemetery - this did happen often." Christian's stone has been replaced and appears to be resting on the base of the old stone; Christiana's old stone remains with the inscription written in German.
 

Christian Hentzel Primrose Community Cemetery Christina Eike Hentzel
1814-1881 1816-1887

In 1897, the Hentzels moved to Donnellson, Iowa and Henry Louie (H.L.), with two of his sons, Irwin and Aaron, opened a General Merchandising Store. Information taken from notes provided by Angeline Hentzel Powell and Dewayne Hentzel note that "Grandpa Aaron's brother Ed lived on the farm and tilled the land after his dad H.L. and brother Irwin built a business in Donnellson. Ed sold the house/farm to the Otto Krebill family in 1915." The Hentzel farmstead at that time consisted of 200 acres.


~ Taken from the Donnellson Genealogy 1897 Plat Map of Harrison Twp.
Section 35 shows the Hentzel farmstead of 200 acres.

The story will resume in the May issue telling about the Hentzel Family move to Donnellson, Henry's business and civic adventures, a very memorable family occasion, and the sad departure from this life of Henry and Martha one week apart.