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History: Hentzel Family Part Three

Henry Hentzel Family Played Many Important Roles in Donnellson Area

This is the conclusion of the Hentzel Family story and is about the children born to the union of Henry L. and Martha Miller Hentzel.  The first two articles tracked Henry Louis Hentzel and his family from Germany to his death in Donnellson, Iowa in 1923.  This article includes pertinent information about each of the six children as well as their spouses and the names of their children.  The six children, four sons and two daughters, were born between the years 1871-1888.    Henry Adam Christian was the oldest and born in 1871; Edward Conrad was born in 1873; Mary Minnie was born in 1877; Irwin Harry was born in 1883; Aaron Jonathan Henry was born in 1886; and the youngest, Mattie Martha Hannah was born in 1888.   

Henry Adam Christian Hentzel Family

~Photo courtesy of Henry Charles Hentzel, grandson of Henry and Dora and son
of Roy Hentzel

Henry Adam Christian Hentzel, born June 25, 1871 in Primrose, Iowa, was a farmer and mechanic by trade; a member of the Primrose Zion Evangelical where he was confirmed
at the age of thirteen.  Henry was described as a short, stocky, heavy set man with a jovial good nature.  He was talented musically, sang, and played the organ.   On March 4, 1894 Henry married Martha E. Behrens born December 12, 1868 and daughter of Henry Behrens and Hannah Burgdorf Behrens; they had one child, Ralph Henry born July 3, 1895 who died several months later on October 3, 1895.  Martha died the following year on September 18, 1896 and is buried in Primrose, Iowa In 1896 he left his Primrose neighborhood and moved
to Burlington, Iowa to work for his mother’s sister, Mrs. Mary Sophia Miller Schwarz, on her farm in Union Township, west of Burlington.  He joined the Shiloh Methodist Church, was Sunday school superintendent for a number of years; he taught Sunday school class and became director of Union School in Union Township, Des Moines County, Iowa; he held the office of Justice of the Peace for a period of time.   He was mechanically inclined and in the very early 1900s owned a gasoline engine, one of the first in Union Township.  Politically he was a Republican. On January 24, 1900 Henry married Emma Pauline Schwarz born August 21, 1872 and daughter of Friedrich Schwarz and Caroline Deubler Schwarz; they had two children Roy Henry, born  February 20, 1901 and Gladys Emma, born August 18, 1903.   Emma Pauline died shortly after Gladys was born on September 8, 1903 and is buried in Shiloh Cemetery, Burlington, Iowa.    Her obituary from the Hawk Eye Gazette, September 11, 1903,  states  “…a large congregation of friends gathered to pay their last tribute of respect to one who was beloved by all who knew her.  Though she was a wife and mother but a few short years, she filled her place well…..” 

On February 23, 1905, Henry married Lydia Elizabeth Schwartz, born December 10, 1886 and the daughter of Frederick Charles Schwartz and Mary Sophia Miller Schwartz.   The family moved to Burlington, Iowa from the farm in Union Township in the fall of 1910.  Just four weeks after the move, Henry died of what was due to apoplexy as written in his obituary.   His date of death is listed as December 12, 1910; he is buried Shiloh Cemetery, Burlington, Iowa.

 

Edward C. Hentzel Family

 ~ Photo of Edward C. and Dora Emma Becker Hentzel courtesy of the Becker Family Album in the Donnellson Genealogy Department 

Edward was born December 14, 1873 on the old Hentzel homestead in Harrison Township, Lee County, IA.  He attended Warren School in Harrison Township and at the age of 14 was confirmed in the Zion Evangelical Church in Primrose, IA in 1887 and remained a member of that church his entire life.   He served on the Church Board of Trustees a number of years and was on the board at the time the new parsonage was built in 1915 and helped plan and manage its construction.  He also served on the township board of trustees for several years until 1926.  He was a member of the Republican Party.

On February 18, 1897 he married Dora Emma Becker.  She was born December 21, 1878 in Van Buren Township and was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Rockelman Becker; she was a housewife and a member of the Primrose Evangelical Church.   Dora was the eighth child and youngest daughter.  Being a farmer’s wife Dora raised chickens and had a nice garden, including a beautiful flower garden with many peony bushes.    She was described as an excellent cook and seamstress; she hand-pieced beautiful quilts and made her clothes.  She also did tatting and crocheting.  She was always one of the best-dressed ladies at church and remembered for always wearing a hat.

Edward and Dora had three children:  Naomi Martha Elizabeth Hentzel, born April 29, 1898; Omar Henry Hentzel, born May 4, 1900; and Esta Clara Hentzel, born July 2, 1904.

Edward and his family lived on the old Hentzel homestead until 1915 when they sold it to Otto C. Krebill and purchased the Krieger farm at the edge of Primrose and lived there until 1919 when he sold it and bought the Carver homestead and built a new modern home.  On February 18, 1947 they celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary.    On this special occasion Mrs. Hentzel wore orange blossoms in her hair like she wore at her wedding and Mr. Hentzel’s white bow tie was displayed.  Ninety guests were present; the Rev. August Bergey, pastor of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church offered the appropriate prayer and remarks for the anniversary. 

Edward lived to be 80 years of age and died on December 22, 1953.   He was buried in Sharon Cemetery.  Dora lived to be 81 years of age and died on December 28, 1959 and is buried in Sharon Cemetery. 

 

Mary Minnie Hentzel Wardlow Family

~ Photo of John C. Wardlow and Mary Minnie Hentzel Wardlow courtesy of Inez Wardlow Koch

Mary Minnie Hentzel was the oldest daughter of Henry and Martha Hentzel and was born in Primrose, IA on January 18, 1877.  She was a housewife and a member of the St. Paul Evangelical Church in Donnellson, Iowa.   On February 20, 1896 she married Henry John Becker, born January 13, 1871, son of John and Elisabeth Rockelman Becker in Warren, Iowa.  He was a farmer by trade and a member of the St. Paul Evangelical Church in Donnellson, Iowa.    They had four children:  Aaron Henry Becker, born May 28, 1897; Ethel Mary Martha Becker, born August 26, 1898; Viola Elizabeth Becker, born July 10, 1900, and Leslie Edward Becker, born August 13, 1902.   According to information obtained from an interview with Inez Wardlow Koch and information from the Becker Story, Henry Becker was severely injured with a head injury after being thrown from a horse or falling off the roof of the family barn.  The family lived Dover Corner on their farm that surrounded the Dover schoolhouse yard which they bought in 1896.  Their home is still standing today and is located on what is now 180^th Ave. just east of the Apple Tree Antique Store.  Henry lived to be 32 years of age; Rev. Faeth officiated at the burial in the Evangelical Cemetery, Donnellson, Iowa, Lee County.

Mary and the children left the farm after Henry’s death and moved to Donnellson and lived in an apartment above the Hentzel Store.  After the store was sold, Mary’s parents built a home across from their home on University Street for her and their grandchildren.  She took in schoolteachers as boarders.  That is how she met John Wardlow.

On March 12, 1906 Mary Minnie Hentzel married John C. Wardlow, born in Montrose on November 17, 1876 and son of David and Elizabeth Wardlow.    John taught in Lee County public schools for seven years but after his marriage the family moved to Montrose, Iowa where he spent much of his life engaged in farming; he specialized in truck farming with emphasis on raising fine strawberries.  In addition to being a farmer he was postmaster in Montrose for four years and served as an elder in the Montrose Presbyterian church for 36 years.

John and Mary had three children:  Martha Elizabeth born December 9, 1907; Ellis Hentzel born October 20, 1912; and Inez Mary born August 24, 1914.  John lived to be 68 years of age and died March 10, 1945; he is buried in Montrose Cemetery; Mary lived to be 89 years of age and died in April 1966; she is buried in Montrose Cemetery.

 

Irwin Harry Hentzel Family

 

~ Photo of Irwin Harry and Clara Mathilda Fett Hentzel courtesy of Melody Powell Kragenbrink, granddaughter of Aaron and Ella Hentzel

 

Irwin Harry was born February 19, 1883 in Primrose, Iowa.  He was a faithful member of West Minister Presbyterian Church where he was treasurer, deacon and an elder.   Irwin helped his father Henry Louis establish the family general merchandising store in 1897 when the Hentzel family moved from Warren to the town of Donnellson, Iowa; he was associated with that business until 1912.   It was noted in a conversation with Henry Charles Hentzel, grandson of Edward C. Hentzel, that even though his Uncle Irwin’s name was spelled with a “w” everyone in the family called him Irvin with a “v”.

On September 16, 1906 he married Clara Mathilda Fett, born November 2, 1883 and daughter of Peter Fett and Elizabeth Wiegner Fett, in Franklin, Iowa.   In 1913 the family moved to Keokuk Iowa where he was a cashier of the S.M. Hamill & Co for 30 years.  To this union three children were born:  Dehlia Gertrude born September 17, 1908; Marvin Miller born January 1, 1910; Irvina Miriam born February 25, 1914.

Clara lived to be 62 years of age and died November 16, 1945; interment was in Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa.   Dr. Warren J. Conrad conducted the services at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Keokuk and her body was laid to rest in the Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk.   Irwin lived to be 64 years of age and died September 10, 1947.  At the time of his death he had been an elder in the church for 15 years and had both honorary and active pallbearers and Rev. Warren J. Conrad presided at this service.  Interment was in the family lot in the Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk.    

 

 

 

Aaron Jonathan Henry Hentzel Family

~Photo of Aaron Jonathan Henry and Ella Christina Weber Hentzel courtesy of Melody Powell Kragenbrink, granddaughter of  Aaron and Ella Hentzel

Aaron Jonathan Henry was born March 16, 1886 in Primrose, Iowa.  He attended Warren School and Donnellson Independent School.  He was confirmed in the St. Paul’s Evangelical Church in Donnellson in 1900; he joined the Presbyterian Church in Donnellson at the age of 16, taught in the Sunday school of that church and later held the office of trustee for 10 years.   He was associated with the H.L. Hentzel & Sons General Merchandise store for a number of years and then went to farming and dairying at Franklin Station, Iowa. 

On September 23, 1908 he married Ella Christina Weber, born January 1, 1886 and daughter of Martin and Mary Holdefer Weber in Franklin Station, Iowa.   To this union five children were born:   Ellarona born July 26, 1911; Violet Jean born December 7, 1915; Angeline born June 9, 1917; Aronell born November 15, 1919; and Aaron Dewayne born May 26, 1928.

In 1912 he and his family moved to New Boston, Iowa where he joined the New Boston Methodist Church and served as Sunday school teacher and superintendent for nine years.  He was a farmer and named his farm the Cozy Nook Farm; the house he built for his family was the only brick home in New Boston.   On this farm he grew grain, raised dairy and beef cattle and pigs, and had a small orchard.   He also was elected president of the Lee County Hampshire Breeders Association which became one of the largest pig clubs in the world with 230 members; he was a charter member of the Farm Bureau and took an active part in all county activities.

As noted in New Boston Past by Don Wagner, in addition to farming, he secured a Standard Oil right from the City of New Boston in 1926 and erected a filling station (Red Crown) with curb pump equipment.  Along with the filling station he sold groceries and had an area with three table/chair sets for serving ice cream and the best pressed chicken sandwiches.  He named it the Cozy Corner Grocery; he later added three cabins built to the north of the store for the purpose of renting to passing tourists.  After the Cozy Corner ceased to be a store in 1939, the cabins were rented out as dwellings into the early 1950s. 

While living in that small village Aaron and Ella were both very active in their community and church.  They boarded teachers who taught at the New Boston School, Mary Ball, Art Disney and William Suden to name a few;  More New Boston Past Sunday school records note the various organizations within the church where they served as leaders and teachers;  Ella was also a 4-H leader of the group known as the Busy Bells.

Aaron lived to be 75 years of age and died August 22, 1961 and is buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Keokuk, Iowa.  In October 1963, Ella moved from her farm home to Donnellson and died suddenly at her home on April 30, 1964 at 78 years of age.  While living in Donnellson she was a member of St. Paul Church of Christ and the Anna Thatcher Koch Circle of King’s Daughters.  Interment was in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Keokuk, Iowa.    

 

Mattie Martha Hannah Hentzel Wallingford Family  

~Mattie Martha Hannah and Ellis B. Wallingford, photo courtesy of Melody Powell Kragenbrink, granddaughter of Aaron & Ella Hentzel

Mattie Martha Hannah was born December 30, 1888 near Warren Station in Lee County and was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Donnellson.    She was an excellent cook, a seamstress, and a quilter.

On November 28, 1909, she was united in marriage to Ellis B. Wallingford born November 19, 1884 and the son of John and Mary Beard Wallingford.     Ellis was a farmer and an elder and Sunday school supervisor for the Donnellson Presbyterian Church in Donnellson.  Mattie and Ellis had no children but assisted in providing a home, for a short period of time, for the two children of Henry Adam Christian, who was Mary’s oldest brother, after Emma Pauline died in 1903 and he died in 1910.  Roy Henry was nine years of age and Gladys Emma was seven years of age.

Ellis and Mattie lived on the Wallingford family farm located three miles west of Donnellson off of Highway 2 until 1951.  That same year Ellis retired from farming and he and Mattie sold the farm and moved to Springfield, Missouri to be closer to Gladys Emma “the daughter they helped raise” and her husband.  The Wallingfords lived with Emma and Paul Anderson until their home was finished close by.   According to Inez Wardlow Koch, the old Wallingford house still stands today on Highway 2 in Section 36, Harrison Township.

Mattie lived to be 64 years of age and died March 13, 1953 in her home in Springfield, Missouri; interment was in Embury Cemetery.   Dr. F.A. Gageby presided over the services.   After Mattie died, Ellis returned to Missouri for a couple of years but decided Iowa was his home.  He sold their home in Springfield and moved back to Lee County.  Ellis lived to be 90 years of age and died November 11, 1975; interment was in Embury Cemetery.  Pastor Alvin Kleinsasser presided over the services.

 

Information for the Hentzel Story through three generations was taken from the Hentzel section of the Muller/Miller family album, obituaries from the Donnellson Library Genealogy Department, personal interviews, e-mails, and loaned photos of Hentzel descendants.   The first two articles brought tremendous response from Hentzel family members with telephone calls, regular mail and e-mails from as far away as California and within Iowa from Ankenny and Lee County.   All the information received will be placed in the Hentzel file.    The Genealogy Department of the Donnellson Library encourages Hentzel family members to continue to loan or donate information or photos to make the Hentzel file more complete.  If anyone has information, they can contact Diane P. Kruse at [email protected] or 319-470-8982.
 

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