Henry Kiepe
Henry Kiepe, who lives on a highly cultivated farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Hanover township, was born in Germany on the 14th of March, 1861, and is a son of William and Sophia (Boenieng) Kiepe.
His parents spent their entire lives in the land of their nativity, the father dying at the age of thirty five years and the mother at fifty-four. Of the three children born to them the son Henry was the only one to become a citizen of the United States, the other two, Herman and Charley, having remained in the fatherland.
The first twenty-two years of Henry Kiepe's life were spent in Germany, but at the end of that period he decided that better opportunities were afforded ambitious young men in America, so he took passage for the United States and in 1883 began his life in the new world. During the first two and one-half years of his residence here he worked by the month as a farm hand in Clinton county, this state. At the expiration of that time he removed to Monona county, where he was similarly employed for a time, and then rented land which he farmed for three years. By means of careful management, perseverance and economy he saved the capital necessary to buy eighty acres of land, which he cultivated for twelve years, but during that period he added another one hundred and sixty acres to his original tract.
He sold this property in 1901 and bought a quarter section of land in Crawford county, upon which he now resides. Mr. Kiepe is a capable man of progressive ideas, as is attested by the general appearance of his homestead. The improvements are good and are kept in repair, the pastures contain good grades of stock and the well tilled fields yield abundant harvests, all of which are due to the careful supervision which he personally gives to every detail about his farm.
On the 14th of November, 1886, Mr. Kiepe was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Quitmeier, who is also a native of Germany, her birth occurring in that country on the rath of September, 1865. Her father died in the fatherland and her mother was married again and emigrated to the United States with her husband and family in 1888. They located on a farm in Monona county, this state, which they cultivated until 1908, in which year the mother died. The stepfather, however, is still living at the age of sixty-six years.
By her first marriage Mrs. Quitmeier had two children: Henry, who died in Germany, and Mrs. Kiepe. Three children were born of the second marriage, as follows: Frederick, who lives in Monona county; Mary, the wife of Jorgen Cook, of Charter Oak township, this county; and Charley, who lives on the old homestead near Charter Oak.
Mr. and Mrs, Kiepe have become the parents of six children: Herman, who was born on the 30th of April, 1887, and who is married and living in Hanover township; Mary, who was born on the 25th of October, 1888, and is the wife of Henry Fredricks; Charley, who was born on the 6th of April, 1890; Fred, born on the 3d of October, 1891; Annie, who was born on the 11th of January, 1896; and Arthur, born on the 30th of August, 1902. All but the first two are still at home.
The family attend the services of the Lutheran church, with which they are identified by membership. Mr. Kiepe gives his political support to the republican party but does not actively participate in public affairs as he does not aspire to office. He has always given his time and energy to the development of his personal interests rather than public, however, he is ever ready to assist in the promotion of any measure the adoption of which would be for the general welfare of the community.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.