Franklin County IA Archives Biographies.....Possehl, H C May 24, 1871 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Don Hansen mushroom-1@sbcglobal.net July 13, 2006, 12:51 am

Author: A HISTORY OF CLAY AND NORMAN COUNTIES, MN, VOL. 2, B. F. Bowen and Company, 1918

H. C. POSSEHL
 

      H. C. Possehl, farmer and potato dealer of near Baker, in the southern
part of Clay county, and former postmaster at Baker, was born in Cook county,
Illinois, May 24, 1871. He is a son of Fred and Minnie (Schlede) Possehl, both
natives of Germany, where they spent their earlier years. The father immigrated
to America about 1861, locating in Dupage county, Illinois, where he worked out
the first few years, then rented a farm. He continued farming in that state,
mostly in Cook county, until 1892, when he moved to Franklin county, Iowa, where
he farmed seven or eight years, then retired from active life, locating in the
town of Latimer, Iowa. In 1911 he moved to Minnesota, locating at Baker, where
he has since lived retired. His wife died some years ago. Fred Possehl started
out with little capital, but by perseverance he became very comfortably
established through his own efforts. His family consisted of the following
children: Sophia, Emma (deceased), Herman, H. C., Fred, Martha, Louis and Minnie.

      H. C. Possehl grew to manhood in Illinois and there he attended the public
schools, in Dupage county. He worked with his father on the farm when a boy and
when a young man he began farming for himself in Franklin county, Iowa, and
became the owner of eighty acres there, where he remained until 1902, when he
moved to Minnesota and bought the L. H. Baker farm of two hundred and fifty
acres adjoining the townsite of Baker, and in the following year he bought the
general store from Mr. Baker and conducted the same with ever-growing success
from 1903 until 1915, enjoying a large trade with the people of the surrounding
country, and carrying an extensive and well-selected stock. He also served as
postmaster at the town of Baker during that period, giving entire satisfaction
to the people and the department. While postmaster he was one of the principal
promoters of the rural mail route out of Baker. He subsequently bought the Evans
farm of four hundred and eighty acres in section 10 of Alliance township, and
now operates both farms, carrying on general farming and stock raising on an
extensive scale; also deals extensively in potatoes, maintaining a large modern
warehouse on the Great Northern tracks at Baker. Mr. Possehl is also interested
in the automobile business at Barnesville. His land is well improved and he has
an attractive, modern and well-appointed home and large, convenient
outbuildings, everything about his place denoting good management, thrift and
prosperity. He has been very successful as a business man and is one of the
substantial citizens of Clay county, also one of her most public-spirited
citizens, always doing his part in furthering movements having for their object
the general welfare of his town and county. Mr. Possehl raises a good trade of
live stock, preparing large numbers for the markets annually, and is regarded as
an excellent judge of stock. He keeps well abreast of the times in all that
pertains to modern agriculture.

      On January 15, 1911, Mr. Possehl was married to Rosa Butenhoff, who was
born in Franklin, Iowa, September18, 1880, a daughter of August Butenhoff and
wife, natives of Germany. To Mr. and Mrs.Possehl the following children have
been born: Edward, Arthur, Rudolph, Florence, Clara and Adaline.

      Mr. Possehl is a Republican and has served as township supervisor. For a
period of fourteen years he also was a member of the local school board. He
belongs to the German Lutheran church, to which his parents also belonged. He is
a man of unquestioned honesty and his helpful, genial and neighborly
characteristics have made him popular with all whom he has come in contact.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ia/franklin/bios/possehl84nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/iafiles/

File size: 4.3 Kb