Charles H. Krumm
Charles and Minnie (Schierholz) Krumm
No citizen in Allamakee county has achieved greater success as
a general agriculturist and stock-raiser than Charles H. Krumm,
whose attractive homestead lies in Post township and comprises
one hundred and eight acres of land. He was born in Mechlenberg,
Germany, September 6, 1860, and is a son of John and Caroline
(Freil) Krumm, native of the same locality, where the mother died
in 1870. Eight years later the father crossed the Atlantic to
America, joining his son who had located in Iowa some years
before. He settled on a farm south of Garnavillo, where he
remained for seven years, retiring from active life at the end of
that time and making his home with his sons until his death in
1885. In Germany he had served in the regular army, having begun
his term of enlistment in 1848. He never neglected any of the
duties which fell to his lot as a man and as a citizen, and his
death was widely and deeply regretted in the community where his
many sterling traits of character had become well known.
Charles H. Krumm acquired his education in the public schools of
Germany and when he was eighteen years of age accompanied his
father to America, settling in Clayton county, Iowa, where for a
number of years he engaged in farming in the employ of others. He
was ambitious, industrious and energetic and by the time he was
twenty-two had accumulated enough money to rent land, following
farming as a renter until he purchased his present property of
one hundred and thirteen acres in Allamakee county. Upon this he
has since made substantial improvements, erecting modern
buildings, installing the necessary equipment and steadily
carrying forward the work of development along practical and
progressive lines. In addition to this property he owns a five
acre timber tract two miles north of his farm and a large amount
of stock in the Postville Clay Products Company and in the
Cooperative Creamery. Most of his attention is, however, given to
his stock-raising interests, which have continually increased in
volume and importance and which now form one of the most
profitable sources of his income. He makes a specialty of
breeding and raising full blooded Poland China hogs and his
shipping business has expanded rapidly, his markets last year
covering fourteen different states. For a number of years he bred
cattle on an extensive scale but he has since discontinued this
branch of his business and now raises only milch cows for dairy
purposes. His business interest are always carefully and capably
conducted, gaining him a gratifying measure of success and a
place among the representative farmers and stock raisers in this
vicinity.
On the 16th of January, 1882, Mr. Krumm married Miss Minnie
Schierholz, who was born in Garnavillo township, Clayton county,
November 11, 1856, a daughter of Herman and Anna (Taugeman)
Schierholz, natives of Germany, the father born in Oldenburg in
1805 and the mother in the province of Hanover in 1816. Mr.
Schierholz came to America when he was twenty-eight years of age,
spending three months on the Atlantic. Landing in New Orleans, he
walked from that city to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and there
secured employment as a cabinet-maker and carpenter, trades which
he had learned in the fatherland. Later he removed to Ohio,
settling on a farm near New Bremen, whereon he resided until
1845, when he came as a pioneer into Iowa, taking up a grant of
government land in Garnavillo township, Clayton county. He
steadily carried forward its improvement and cultivation until
1890, when he retired from active life and moved into Garnavillo
where he passed away in 1897, at the remarkable age of ninety-one
years, nine months and thirteen days. His wife had died in 1891.
He was one of the first settlers in Garnavillo township and no
man was more familiar with pioneer conditions in that section of
the state than he, for he made his first settlement there it was
a mere frontier district and when the Indians were yet numerous
on the prairies. He witnessed the great government round-up of
three thousand Indians at Garnavillo and he bought the first
reaper ever used in this part of Iowa. In his death, Clayton
county lost one of her honored pioneer citizens and his passing
was sincerely regretted by all who were fortunate enough to come
within the close circle of his friendship.
Mr. and Mrs. Krumm became the parents of six children, three of
whom are decreased. Those living are: Alice, who was born March
13, 1887, and who married H. F. Schmidt, superintendent for the
Johnson Brothers Manufacturing Company at Madison, Wisconsin;
Minnie Elizabeth, who was born August 27, 1888, and resides at
home; and Effie Roselia, whose birth occurred on the 5th of
November, 1894.
Fraternally Mr. Krumm is affiliated with the Masonic order,
holding membership in Brotherly Love Lodge at Postville, the
chapter at Elgin, the commandery at West Union and the Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine at Cedar Rapids. He is identified also with the
Modern Brotherhood, the Yeoman and the Turner Society. His
religious views are in accord with the doctrines of the German
Lutheran church and politically he is independent, voting
according to his personal conviction without regard to party
lines. Although he has never sought nor desired public office he
was for a number of years treasurer of the school board and
during that time did a great deal of important work in school
affairs. He is a progressive, enterprising and loyal citizen and,
having thoroughly identified his interest with those of this part
of Iowa, has made substantial and lasting contributions to its
agricultural growth and progress.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
Return to 1913 biographies index