Crawford County, Iowa, IAGenWeb

Biographies

B. H. Foderberg

B. H. Foderberg is numbered among the successful and well-to-do farmers of Denison township and also has the honor of being a veteran of the Spanish - American war, in which he served with distinguished credit.

He was born in Davenport, Iowa, August 5, 1872, his parents being G. E. and C. C. (Kuehner) Foderberg. His father was of German extraction and was, presumably, born in Davenport, where he grew to manhood and there married Miss Kuehner in 1870. He followed the trade of a carriage painter and decorator in both Davenport and Boone until after his marriage, when he came to Denison and engaged in the liquor business for a short time, later returning to his trade. In 1878 he went to California, where his death occurred in 1882.

His wife was born in Germany, coming to the United States with her parents when she was three years old. They located in Davenport, where they both died, within a year. Mrs. Foderberg spent her childhood in Davenport and after her marriage moved with her husband to Denison, coming into possession of land on section 25, Denison township, where she has since continued to reside. She is the mother of four children, namely: B. H., the subject of this sketch; Minnie A., who is the wife of Henry Krauel and lives near Denison; George E., who is farming in Denison township; and Hattie, who is the wife of F. W. Shreader and resides in Washington township.

B. H. Foderberg has had the advantages of a liberal education, attending the rural schools in his youth from which he was graduated to the college in Denison, remaining at that institution for two years, then spending one year at Cornell college, Mount Vernon, Iowa, and finally finishing his course of study at the Iowa State University, where for a year and a half he made a specialty of pharmacy.

Returning home he remained there until the outbreak of the Spanish-American war in 1898 and on May 12th of that year enlisted in Company K, Fifty- First Iowa Volunteers at Des Moines. He left there June 5 for San Francisco, arriving in the latter city June 10. He remained in camp at the Presidio until November and then embarked for the Philippines on the United States transport Pennsylvania, arriving at Honolulu, November 12. Here his company remained three days and then departed for Manila, reaching there December 2 but staying on board the boat until December 26, when they sailed for Iloilo. Here they were delayed until January 29, 1909, and then returned to Manila Bay, arriving there January 31.

They laid off Cavite until February 3, on which date, at 11 P. M., the active hostilities began. In the days of fighting that followed Mr. Foderberg always showed that valor and courage that is born in the heart of every American citizen and his loyaty was in part acknowledged by his country by his promotion to the rank of corporal. Among the fiercely contested battles in which he participated are the following: Occupation of San Roque, February 9; Guadalupe Church, March 5; Qungua, April 23; East and West Pulilian, April 24; Columpit, April 25; Santo Tomas, May 4; San Fernande, May 5-25-26-31, June 16-22, July 4; Calulut, August 9; Angeles, August 9 and 17.

On September 16, 1899, the regiment was ordered back to Manila preparatory to leaving for the United States and sailed on the Transport Senator, September 22, 1899, arriving at San Francisco October 22, having touched at Yokohama and Nagasaki, Japan.

After returning home Mr. Foderberg engaged in farming for one year and then located in Denison, where he was in the feed business until 1903 and in November of that year removed to Clayton county, Iowa, where he again took up farming until 1909. He then returned to the home farm, which has not yet been divided among the heirs, and has since given his entire attention to its operation.

Mr. Foderberg was married February 18, 1903, to Miss Maude Pilot, who was born in Crawford county near Dow City, a daughter of Thomas and Laura (Peterson) Pilot. The father was born in Kentucky and the mother was a native of Denmark. They were the parents of four children, as follows: Minnie, who is the wife of A. G. Grant and resides at Charter Oak, Iowa; Maude; Henry, who lives in Salem, South Dakota; and Charles, who resides in Charter Oak.

Mr. and Mrs. Foderberg have two children, namely: Vivian May, born May 5, 1907; and Benjamin Arthur, born May 4, 1908. Although Mr. Foderberg supports the republican party in politics he is inclined to socialism in some of his views. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World, all of these lodges being located in Denison. Mrs. Foderberg is a member of the Woodman Circle, and both she and her husband attend the Methodist church. Mr. Foderberg has demonstrated his genuine worth both as a reliable and trustworthy man and as a loyal citizen who gave assistance to his country in time of need.


Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.