IAGenWeb Project - Clayton co.

E. Charles Ehrhardt

E. Charles Ehrhardt -- Nearly sixty years ago the parents of this well known and representative citizen of Boardman township numbered themselves among the pioneers of Clayton county, and the family name has been specially prominent and influential in connection with the development and progress of agricultural industry in the county, the while its representatives have invariably stood exponent of loyal and liberal citizenship. He whose name initiates this review is the owner of one of the fine landed estates of the county in which he has maintained his residence from infancy to the present time, and his well improved farm, comprising two hundred and seventeen acres, is most eligibly situated about two miles west of Elkader, the judicial center of the county, and in sections 21 and 22, Boardman township, with service on rural mail route No.2 from the county seat. Mr. Ehrhardt became the owner of this valuable farm in 1880 and during the long intervening years he has shown great circumspection and enterprise in carrying forward successful operations as one of the representative agriculturists and stock-growers of the county and with inviolable place in popular confidence and good will. He is serving with characteristic efficiency and loyalty in the office of township trustee and as a valued member of the executive committee on community insurance, besides which he has shown equal diligence and public spirit as incumbent of minor township offices in past years. He is one of the influential men of his township, is a Democrat in his political adherency, is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World and the Fraternal Union, and both he and his wife are earnest communicants of the Lutheran church.

Mr. Ehrhardt was born at Elmira, Chemung county, New York, on the 26th of February, 1857, and is a son of John and Henrietta (Kaiser) Ehrhardt, who came to Clayton county, Iowa, in the year following that of his birth, and who here passed the residue of their earnest and useful lives. John Ehrhardt was a native of Germany, as was also his wife, and he came to the United States in the early '50s. After his marriage, which was solemnized in the State of New York, he there continued his residence until 1858, when he came with his family to Clayton county, Iowa, and became a pioneer farmer in Boardman township, where he reclaimed and improved a good farm and became a substantial and honored citizen who was known for sterling integrity and for his industry and enterprise as a farmer. He was about 84 years of age at the time of his death and his wife passed away when 55 years of age, the names of both meriting enduring place on the roll of the worthy pioneers of this county. Both were zealous communicants of the Lutheran church, in the faith of which they carefully reared their children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest; Annie, the second child, died in childhood; Lena is the wife of L. Maville, a prosperous farmer of Cox Creek township; John is a resident of Elkader; Mary is the wife of J. J. Kuehl, of Boardman township, and her twin sister died in infancy;
and George lives at Elkader.

E. Charles Ehrhardt early began to assist in the work of his father's farm and his educational advantages in his youth were those afforded in the pioneer schools of Boardman township, where he has continued his active allegiance to the great basic industry of agriculture during the long intervening years and where he has achieved success of unequivocal order, a preceding paragraph having indicated the scope and importance of his operations as a farmer and stock-raiser.

On the 5th of June, 1884, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Ehrhardt to Miss Elizabeth Brockman, who was born and reared in this county and who is a daughter of Christ and Maria (Meyer) Brockman, both natives of Germany. Her father immigrated to the United States in 1852 and became a pioneer settler in Clayton county, his old homestead, in Farmersburg township, having continued as his place of residence to the present time and his devoted wife having passed to the life eternal on the 8th of March, 1908. She lived for three years in Ohio before coming to Clayton county. Of their children Mrs. Ehrhardt is the eldest; Annie is the wife of Edward Reardon, of Elkader; August, George and Bertha are deceased; and Frederick, Sarah and Christ remain at the paternal home, in Farmersburg township.

Mr. and Mrs. Ehrhardt became the parents of six children, concerning whom brief record is given in conclusion of this review: George C., a merchant at Communia, Volga township; Carl R. is associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm; Frederick J. is a successful and popular teacher in public schools; Edward H. remains at the parental home; the fifth child, a daughter, died in infancy; and the youngest member of the home circle is Elmer.

source: History of Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; pg. 104-105
-submitted by S. Ferrall

 

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