KOCH, Wilhelm F. 1839-1913

KOCH

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/6/2019 at 17:40:44

Another Old Resident Answers Last Call

Wm. Koch Died Monday After a Short Sickness

Wm. Koch died at his home three miles northeast of Wellsburg Monday morning. About two weeks ago he was taken sick with dysentery and it was this trouble that caused his death. Though Mr. Koch was well up in years he was in good health up to the time he was taken down with his last sickness.

Funeral services will be held at the Rev. Heinrichs Lutheran church Thursday.

Mr. Koch was one of Grundy county's early settlers. He came here thirty-nine years ago. He had barely enough to bring him and his wife to the county at that time. Mr. Koch told one of his friends a short time ago of his financial condition during his first year in Grundy county. The only property he had was a milk cow. He had to give a mortgage on the cow to secure a grocery bill. When the bill came due Mr. Koch didn't have the money to pay it and the mortgage was foreclosed and he lost the cow. When Mr. Koch died Monday he left a comfortable estate. The largest item among it is 985 acres of Grundy county land worth around $200 an acre. To build up a fortune from nothing to $200,000 in less than forty years requires good judgement, hard work and good management and these requisites were a part of Mr. Koch's business life.

The deceased was born in Westfallen, Germany seventy-four years ago the third of last July. Forty-two years ago he left the fatherland and came to New York where he remained two years. A year after he came to this country he was married and the year following Mr. and Mrs. Koch came to Grundy county where they have resided continuously.

Mr. Koch is survived by his wife and five children. Two children are dead. The living children are Henry, Mrs. John Harms, Will, Mrs. Henry Giesking and B. Fritz.

Relatives from outside of the county present at the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Giesking from Kossuth county, Fred Mayland of Titonka.

--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 9 October 1913, pg 1