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history of Baden is intimately entwined in the early adventures of
pioneer days. The eastern half of Keokuk County was sparsely settled
but its growth became apparent between the years 1840 and 1860, when
various groups of German immigrants arrived to plan, prepare and
purchase per- manent homes in the County. The early 19th century brought many hardships to the thickly populated Rhine Provine, Germany. Along with the crowded conditions, land was expensive, crops failed and there were many religious and political strifes which made it almost impossible for a man to earn a livelihood for his family. In addition, there was the military law which required every young man at the age of 18 to enter military training for three years, followed by reserve duty in which they could be recalled at any time. Men heard of America with its rich land, boundless acres and above all, liberty and freedom, so they planned flight and sought America’s shores. In the early part of 1844, Mr. Peter Besser decided to take his wife and six children, the eldest, Nick 11, and the youngest, a babe of six weeks, to America. On May 4th, they left Pearl, Germany, floating down the river to Trier, and then to Amsterdam where they boarded the American vessel, "Harry Shelton", for New York. This was a sail boat and required three months on fairly smooth waters to reach America’s shores. From New York, they traveled to Quincy, Ill. where Mr. Besser left his family to seek a permanent settlement and decided to try Iowa, finding his way to Burlington, then on to the small settlement of Dublin. Here he was told of a promising new territory recently purchased by the government from the Indians. The land was still guarded by soldiers, so no man could settle in it. Mr. Besser made efforts to purchase a tract of land, (forty acres for fifty dollars), west of the present Clear Creek area. He then sought to bring his family, traveling by way of the "Prairie Schooner” up the Mississippi to Burlington, then by a hired wagon, arriving in Sept. 1844. Work was immediately begun on a log cabin. Mr. Besser had to travel to Iowa City to purchase corn at 25 cents per bushel and flour at $2.00 per hundred. The weather was chilly and wet and he took sick with malaria. He died October 11, 1844. His widow married Joe Kramer, of Dublin and their son, Joseph, was the first white child born in Lafayette Twp. Mrs. Kramer often wrote letters to her friends in Germany and in this way, people became familiar with this part of the country. By 1847, other families were arriving and bought land at $1.50 per acre. This was open prairie and at that time was considered a very risky undertaking as the horrors of prairie fires and shelterless positions during storms and blizzards had heretofore kept all early pioneers from settling here. Anna Maria Besser Kramer purchased land in German Twp. from Mr. Rosia Clements. This tract was located six or seven miles west of Clear Creek and north. The Besser family made it their home and soon made friends with the Indians, whose chief, Keokuk, often visited them. During the years 1853-1854, large immigrant families arrived, settling in German Twp. as near to each other as possible, creating a boom in the price of land and stock. They called their new settlement, "New Baden" but for brevity the name was quickly changed to Baden. Baden Baden is located on the S. E. 1/4 of the S. E. 1/4 of Section No. 36 in Township No. 76 North of Range No. 11 West Keokuk Co. Iowa. Lot No. 8 in Block No. 11 is appropriated to School purposes. The courses of the streets and alleys are N. & S., E. & W. Width of the streets are 1 Ch. = 66 ft. Alleys are 25 links = 16 ft.  Stones are placed at each corner of the public square A B C D also at the N. E. corners of every Block. Also at E. & W. being the S. E. corners of said section. The lots are 1 ch. by 2 ch. or 66 ft. by 132 ft. There are 12 Blocks 11 by 8 = 88 lots.
Names of the
proprietors of the Town property warrant the title of the same property
against all persons whomsoever in witness where of they have hereunto
subscribed their names this (14) day of November A. D. 1855. Sebastian Striegel State of Iowa,Keokuk County Sabastian
Striegle A.
C. Romig The
early town of Baden was laid out in 1865 by Sebastian Striegel,
original owner of the 40 acre tract and one of the early settlers.
Roads bounded the south and east boundaries. The south road has become
Highway 92 and the east road is a county gravel road. One block was
designated as the public square and streets were named, one bearing the
name Striegel. Houses stood on both sides of long village streets,
running north and south. Blocks were smaller than in towns today. As
the first town in German twp. (now Plank Twp.), Baden thrived and
prospered, from a Post Office Station, established November 7, 1862, it
soon grew into a hamlet, a trading center for miles around. It had
several fine merchandise stores, where one could buy in a limited way,
almost everything from a needle to a farm implement. Baden was never
incorporated. Baden Directory from the 1874 Atlas - R. L. Jay, Physician & SurgeonP. Turk, Physician & Surgeon S. Striegel, Jr., Prop, of Boarding House and Dealer in Notions M. Leuck, Prop, of Boarding House and Saloon also, Dealer in Groceries Land or Property Owners at Baden - Franklin, Bartholomew Gear, John H. Kohlhass, Jes Hemens, Charles W. Choata, G. & Co. McIntosh, C. C. Hockenberg, Jas. Bowen, James John, Henry B. Hamman, Frederick Landreth Streigel, Christian Hamman, J. Y. Seaba, Herman Aldred, W. W. Striegel, Sebastian Jr. Fachs, John Winegardner, Susan D. Dold, Lucas Allen, Nicholas Valerius, Peter Beck, Martin Striegel, J. D. Buckley, H. S. Butcher, Conrad Seged, Peter Steivers, Mathias In 1872, the Rock Island Railroad was being built from Washington to Oskaloosa. The Company promised to pass through Baden provided the people would vote a 5% tax to aid the proposition. The tax was paid, but alas, the railroad was run one and one-half miles northeast of Baden. At this point, the town of Harper was founded. During the construction, many of the people living at Baden left their homes to settle at Harper. The rise of the new town was fatal to Baden. BOOK N Town Lots P. 366N Vacation J. H. B. Striegel & wf. to The Public Filed for the record May 28, 1886 at 3 o'clock p. m. and recorded in Book _____ page _____ Hi Gillifoy, Recorder Know all men by these presents that Sebastian Striegel, the owner of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 36, Township 76 Range 11 West Keokuk County Iowa did cause to be surveyed and platted in Lots Streets Alleys and Public square on said land the town of Baden. Said plat was on the 14th day of November 1855 duly acknowledged by said Sabastian Striegel and his wife Lugarda and on the 5" day of January 1856 duly recorded in the office of the Recorder of Keokuk County in Book A page 99. Now whereas we J. H. B. Striegel and his wife Catherine Striegel have since the platting and recording of said Town plat of Baden became the sole and absolute owners in fee simple of all that part of said Town of Baden described on said plat as follows towit: Commencing at the N. E. Corner of Lot No. one Block No. 11 at the West line of Chestnut Street thence south on said West line to Main Street thence West on Main street to West street thence north to North street thence East to place of beginning. Except Lots 6, 7, & 8 Block 2 said boundry includes all the blocks Nos. 9, 10, 11, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 & 12 as shown on said Town plat also including the public square 12 and said Territory having long ceased to be owned, used or occupied by any adverse claim or title and being desirous of enclosing said plat of said town plat for agricultural purpose. Now by virtue and in such cases made and provided, We J. H. B. Striegel and his wife Catherine Striegel do declare and make known that part of plat of the Town of Baden to wit: Commencing at the North East corner of Lot No. 1 Block No. 11 on the West line of Chestnut Street thence South on said West line to Main Street thence west on said street to West Street thence North to North Street thence east to the place of beginning. Except Lots Nos. 6, 7, & 8 Block 2 including the Public Square (Block 12) is hereby declared to be vacated, annulled and set aside. Said vacation does not include Lots 6, 7, & 8 in Block No. 2. Witness our hand this 27 day of May 1886. Witness William Keeley J. H. B. Striegel Catherine X Striegel her mark State of Iowa> Keokuk County On the 27 day of May 1886 before me William Striegel, the owner of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Keeley a Notary Public in and for said County Section 36, Township 76 Range 11 West Keokuk personally appeared J. H. B. Striegel and his wife County Iowa did cause to be surveyed and platted Catherine Striegel personally known to me to be in Lots Streets Alleys and Public square on said the identical persons whose names are affixed to land the town of Baden. Said plat was on the the foregoing instrument and acknowledged the 14" day of November 1855 duly acknowledged by same to be their voluntary act and deed for the purpose therein contained.> Witness my hand and Seal Notorial this day and date above written. William Keeley Notary Public Keokuk County Iowa Only one family remained through the years. John Seiwert, a cobbler, kept his shop and acreage along the east road. His widow and daughters continued to live in the home until their deaths. The land owner at that time, Mrs. Joseph (Ethel) Linnenkamp, a great-granddaughter of Sebastian Striegel, purchased the thirteen acre tract from the estate, hence the entire area of Baden village was returned to the farm of its origin. All that remains of Baden is a cemetery and a home that was the parish rectory.box The Public Filed for record May 28, 1886 at 3 o'clock p. m. and recorded in Book _____ page _____ H. Gillifoy, Recorder Know all men by these presents that Sebastian Striegel, the owner of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 36, Township 76 Range 11 West Keokuk County Iowa did cause to be surveyed and platted in Lots Streets Alleys and Public square on said land the town of Baden. Said plat was on the 14th day of November 1855 duly acknowledged by said Sabastian Striegel and his wife Lugarda and on the 5" day of January 1856 duly recorded in the office of the Recorder of Keokuk County in Book A page 99. Now whereas we J. H. B. Striegel and his wife Catherine Striegel have since the platting and recording of said Town plat of Baden became the sole and absolute owners in fee simple of all that part of said Town of Baden described on said plat as follows towit: Commencing at the N. E. Corner of Lot No. one Block No. 11 at the West line of Chestnut Street thence south on said West line to Main Street thence West on Main street to West street thence north to North street thence East to place of beginning. Except Lots 6, 7, & 8 Block 2 said boundry includes all the blocks Nos. 9, 10, 11, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 & 12 as shown on said Town plat also including the public square 12 and said Territory having long ceased to be owned, used or occupied by any adverse claim or title and being desirous of enclosing said plat of said town plat for agricultural purpose. Now by virtue and in such cases made and provided, We J. H. B. Striegel and his wife Catherine Striegel do declare and make known that part of plat of the Town of Baden to wit: Commencing at the North East corner of Lot No. 1 Block No. 11 on the West line of Chestnut Street thence South on said West line to Main Street thence west on said street to West Street thence North to North Street thence east to the place of beginning. Except Lots Nos. 6, 7, & 8 Block 2 including the Public Square (Block 12) is hereby declared to be vacated, annulled and set aside. Said vacation does not include Lots 6, 7, & 8 in Block No. 2. Witness our hand this 27 day of May 1886. Witness William Keeley J. H. B. Striegel Catherine X Striegel her mark State of Iowa Keokuk County On the 27 day of May 1886 before me William Striegel, the owner of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Keeley a Notary Public in and for said County Section 36, Township 76 Range 11 West Keokuk personally appeared J. H. B. Striegel and his wife County Iowa did cause to be surveyed and platted Catherine Striegel personally known to me to be in Lots Streets Alleys and Public square on said the identical persons whose names are affixed to land the town of Baden. Said plat was on the the foregoing instrument and acknowledged the 14" day of November 1855 duly acknowledged by same to be their voluntary act and deed for the purpose therein contained. Witness my hand and Seal Notorial this day and date above written. William Keeley Notary Public Keokuk County Iowa Only one family remained through the years. John Seiwert, a cobbler, kept his shop and acreage along the east road. His widow and daughters continued to live in the home until their deaths. The land owner at that time, Mrs. Joseph (Ethel) Linnenkamp, a great-granddaughter of Sebastian Striegel, purchased the thirteen acre tract from the estate, hence the entire area of Baden village was returned to the farm of its origin. All that remains of Baden is a cemetery and a home that was the parish rectory. 
The house is a well
preserved two story brick
home located on Highway 92, on a farm
owned by F. Wm. Gretter. Across the front are numerals 1870 laid in the brick.
Striegel - Linnenkamp farm, now owned by J. R. Gretter.
The
post office, discontinued September 16, 1872. two general stores, two
doctor's offices, hotel, church and school, wagon and blacksmith shop
were soon relocated at Harper. The original road from Baden to Harper,
county road number 19. will be vacated this year, following a decision
by the Board of Supervisors. |
