LYON COUNTY GENEALOGY

 

The Carl Feucht Family

Carl Feucht was born April 10, 1881 in Wurttenberg, Germany. At the age of 14, he and his sister came to America because of better living conditions and no military service for young men.

Carl worked as a hired man in the Elgin, Illinois area. On September 22, 1904, he married Emma Marie Knobloch. Later that year, he moved to Stark, Illinois. He farmed for about a year and a half and on August 4, 1905, their first son, Ernst, was born.

In the spring of 1906, they moved to Iowa and rented a farm 3 miles south and a ½ mile west of Lester. Ben was born February 8, 1907, and due to complications from his childbirth, Emma passed away on February 15, 1907.

Carl remarried February 18, 1908, to Emma’s sister Pauline. A third son, Emil, was born on November 4, 1908. At this time he decided to homestead here and purchased 160 acres of prairie land 1 mile west and 1 3/4 miles south of Lester. He hired Theodore Goldsmith to build their home and farm buildings. Mr. Goldsmith lived with Carl and Pauline during the week and was a skilled carpenter as the barn frame was built with wooden pegs. The barn was destroyed by a fire on September 16, 1988. Carl hauled some of the lumber with team and wagon from Lou Chamberlain Lumber of Lester.

By 1937 Carl owned and farmed a section of land. Over the years, they had horses, a few dairy cows, hogs, cattle, ducks, geese and chickens. Many times the chickens were dressed and sold in Sioux Falls to various eating places and sold to meat markets. The family butchered all of their own meat and this tradition is still carried on by some of the Feucht family. Carl enjoyed buying and selling horses to neighbors and horse buyers for use in the infantry during World War I.

Some of the things they did in the area were custom corn shelling, threshing, witching for water and doing errands for others when Carl went to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Pauline enjoyed gardening, flowers and baking. Her favorites were breads and apple kuchen. For relaxation she did crocheting and other handwork.

Carl and Pauline were members of the Apostolic Christian Church which was then located south of Lester. Only some of the family were able to attend each Sunday as there was not room in the buggy for all.

As a family they spent hours entertaining. When people came to the homestead they were always welcome for lunch. From their orchard they made many gallons of apple cider.

Carl passed away July 11, 1949 after a lingering illness and on February 6, 1963, Pauline passed away at her home.