IMBODEN FAMILY OF WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA
The Ancestors and Descendants Of
Friedrich and Katherina Schlunegger Imboden
By Great Grandson F. Richard Imboden
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On the anniversary of his death, September 16, 2010, the family of Richard "Dick" Imboden honors and celebrates his life. The youngest of five children, Dick was born on May 11, 1924 on the homesteaded family farm in Earlham, Iowa. He graduated from Winterset High School in 1941 and Iowa State University in 1947 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. He met Lois, his bride of 66 years, at Iowa State and they were married in 1944 in Hondo, Texas. He served in World War II as a navigator in the Army Air Corps flying 35 missions in Europe, serving as lead navigator for over 1,000 planes on several of those missions. He was a loyal employee of Hormel for 38-1/2 years and retired as Plant Manager of the Atlanta plant. He was instrumental in the development of microwave bacon. He was always active in his community and church, serving in many leadership roles, wherever he and Lois lived: Austin, MN, Fremont, NE, Whittier, CA, Atlanta, GA and Sun City West, where they lived for 23 years. He was an avid golfer and runner, enjoyed card games, and travelled extensively. Through his interest in genealogy, he traced his ancestry back to the 1500's. He is remembered as a loving and patient husband, father and grandfather by his wife Lois; children: Jeannie (Bob) Vraciu, Barb (Jim) Doi, and Dave (Cathy) Imboden; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Daily News-Sun -- Sun City, Arizona -- September 16, 2011
This book is the culmination of Richard Imboden's family history research. It includes many family lines but does contain extensive information on the John Imboden Family of Eagle Grove, Wright County, Iowa.
John Imboden of Eagle Grove, Wright county, Iowa, was bom on December 27, 1839, and is the son of Frederick and Anna Imboden, both natives of Switzerland. It was in Switzerland that John Imboden was born. The natural birth right of every native of Switzerland is innate integrity, and industry, and with such attributes of character they become the competent, efficient arbiters of their own destinies. That John Imboden has fully developed these native tendencies of character is shown by the results of his many years of labor and service, to his own interests and those of his community.
Frederick Imboden was a dairyman and cheese
manufacturing Switzerland and also followed farming. In 1852, with his family,
he immigrated to America and located in Holmes county, Ohio, where he purchased
land and continued in the agricultural line until his death. To the union of
Frederick and Anna Imboden six children were born, two of who are now living:
Margaret and John. John Imboden received his education in Switzerland and in
America. After completing his schooling in Ohio, he labored as a farm hand for
the salary of twelve dollars per month, until 1863, when he moved to Henry
county, Illinois, continuing as a farm hand until 1875. At that time he again
changed locations, moving to Madison county, Iowa, where he rented a farm that
he cultivated for five years. During these years, close economy became his daily
companion and he was enabled to purchase a place for himself with the money he
had saved. This first independent agricultural venture was begun in Polk county,
Iowa, and lasted until 1885, at which time he came to Wright county, and
perfectly satisfied with this location for a permanent home, invested in one
hundred and sixty acres of land, in Troy township. The small price of eighteen
dollars per acre was paid for the land. Through thrift and well-directed effort,
his holdings were steadily increased until at the present time, he has three
hundred and twenty acres of well-improved land. This land is located in sections
19 and 20 of Troy township. Of the original one hundred and sixty acres, only
forty acres were under cultivation at the time of John Imboden's purchase, and
the buildings were very poor, there being only a small house upon it. each year
he has made improvements, enlarging the house, building new modem bams, tiling
the place and, that the beauty of the home would correspond with the practical
improvements, a grove was set out.
In 1867, John Imboden was united in marriage to Margaret Ringgenburg, daughter of Peter and Anna Ringgenburg, and they are the parents of six children: Katherine, Henry, John, Mabel, Lucy Elnora, and Charles. Katherine became the wife of Louis Wilcox and they are the parents of eight children. Henry married Ann Huibsch and they became the parents of three children: Margaret, James, and David. John married Iva Wilcox and the had one child, Noma. His first wife died and he married Bessie Wickwire and from this union two children were bom. Mabel became the wife of Charles Wood and they are the parents of four children. Nora became the wife of Frank Laurent and they have one child, Mildred Charles married Daisy Wickwire and they have one child, Erma The first wife of John Imboden died and he chose for his second helpmate Mrs. Elenora (Mc Farland) Jones, daughter of W.K. and Martha (Sheldon) Mc Farland. Mrs. Elenora Imboden is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. John Imboden is a member of the Modern Woodmen of the World and a Democrat politically. He has been road supervisor and in all duties assigned him he has fulfilled the confidence of those whose faith in his ability prompted the honor. Among the other realty holdings, John Imboden is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land in North Dakota. In 1900, he retired from active farming and moved to the town of Eagle Grove, where the memories of past efforts make happy his declining years.
Source: History of Wright County, Iowa, by B. P. Birdsall, 1915, pages 635 - 637.
October 2018 --- Wright County, IAGenWeb Page