Individual Details
John Henrich Dirks
(18 Dec 1850 - 9 Dec 1923)
(History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 206. p 206-7)
JOHN HENRY DIRKS.
John Henry Dirks, whose agricultural success has added to the fair name of Jones county and of Scotch Grove township in particular as one of the prosperous sections of the state, was born in Hanover. Germany, December 18, 1850, a son of Dirk and Maria (Jacobs) Dirks. They followed their son to this country in 1880 but after about four years sojourn here returned to their native land. There in 1887 the mother died and in the summer of the same year the father came again to the United States, making his home with his children. His death occurred June 15, 1898.
At home, under the wise guidance of his parents, John Henry Dirks received the practical education which supplemented the training he obtained in the public schools of his native land. In 1870, when he was about twenty years of age, he decided to come to the United States to make his fortune. After landing upon our shores he came to Jones county, Iowa, where he worked for four years in the employ of Peter Schwartz. At the end of that time, as the latter wished to take a trip to Germany, Mr. Dirks rented his place and began farming on his own account. For sixteen years he prosecuted his labors as a tenant in different sections of the township and then, in 1888, bought at the sheriff's sale the place which had belonged to Hugh McCain. It embraced one hundred and twenty acres, lying on section 31, Scotch Grove township. For the first two years of his possession, however, Mr. Dirks rented it to the son of Mr. McClain, not taking up his own residence upon it until 1890. Since that time it has been his home continuously.
In 1891 he purchased forty acres adjoining his place, so that his present farm has a total area of one hundred and sixty acres. In 1902 he purchased another tract of land of eighty acres in Wayne township, which he operates in conjunction with that on which he lives. This large acreage may well be contrasted with the three dollars which was the extent of his possessions when Mr. Dirks entered this country. His land holdings and the success he has won from his cultivation of the soil make him now one of the substantial farmers of this county.
On the 25th of June, 1886, Mr. Dirks was united in marriage to Miss Mary Otten, of Scotch Grove township. She is a native of Hanover, Germany, and came to this country in 1885. Nine children have been born to the couple: Mary, Anna, Dirk, Grace, Otto, Henry, Frederick, Herman and William. They are all at home. The family are members of the German Lutheran church, in harmony with whose teachings they order their lives, while politically Mr. Dirks has given his support to the republican party, for he feels that he has seen repeated demonstration of the value of its principles of government.
JOHN HENRY DIRKS.
John Henry Dirks, whose agricultural success has added to the fair name of Jones county and of Scotch Grove township in particular as one of the prosperous sections of the state, was born in Hanover. Germany, December 18, 1850, a son of Dirk and Maria (Jacobs) Dirks. They followed their son to this country in 1880 but after about four years sojourn here returned to their native land. There in 1887 the mother died and in the summer of the same year the father came again to the United States, making his home with his children. His death occurred June 15, 1898.
At home, under the wise guidance of his parents, John Henry Dirks received the practical education which supplemented the training he obtained in the public schools of his native land. In 1870, when he was about twenty years of age, he decided to come to the United States to make his fortune. After landing upon our shores he came to Jones county, Iowa, where he worked for four years in the employ of Peter Schwartz. At the end of that time, as the latter wished to take a trip to Germany, Mr. Dirks rented his place and began farming on his own account. For sixteen years he prosecuted his labors as a tenant in different sections of the township and then, in 1888, bought at the sheriff's sale the place which had belonged to Hugh McCain. It embraced one hundred and twenty acres, lying on section 31, Scotch Grove township. For the first two years of his possession, however, Mr. Dirks rented it to the son of Mr. McClain, not taking up his own residence upon it until 1890. Since that time it has been his home continuously.
In 1891 he purchased forty acres adjoining his place, so that his present farm has a total area of one hundred and sixty acres. In 1902 he purchased another tract of land of eighty acres in Wayne township, which he operates in conjunction with that on which he lives. This large acreage may well be contrasted with the three dollars which was the extent of his possessions when Mr. Dirks entered this country. His land holdings and the success he has won from his cultivation of the soil make him now one of the substantial farmers of this county.
On the 25th of June, 1886, Mr. Dirks was united in marriage to Miss Mary Otten, of Scotch Grove township. She is a native of Hanover, Germany, and came to this country in 1885. Nine children have been born to the couple: Mary, Anna, Dirk, Grace, Otto, Henry, Frederick, Herman and William. They are all at home. The family are members of the German Lutheran church, in harmony with whose teachings they order their lives, while politically Mr. Dirks has given his support to the republican party, for he feels that he has seen repeated demonstration of the value of its principles of government.
Events
| Birth | 18 Dec 1850 | Friedeburg, Wittmund, Weser-Ems, Niedersachsen, Germany |  | ||
| Census | 21 Jun 1880 | Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States |  | | |
| Marriage | 25 Jun 1886 | Wayne Township, Jones, Iowa, United States - Maria "Mary" Otten | | | |
| Census (family) | 19 Jun 1900 | Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States - Maria "Mary" Otten | | | |
| Census (family) | 1910 | Highland, Weld, Colorado, United States - Maria "Mary" Otten | | ||
| Death | 9 Dec 1923 | Longmont, Boulder, Colorado, United States | |
Families
| Spouse | Maria "Mary" Otten (1866 - 1953) |
| Child | Anna Marie "Mary" Dirks (1887 - 1945) |
| Child | Anna Catherina Dirks (1889 - 1939) |
| Child | Dirk Johann Dirks (1891 - 1958) |
| Child | Margaret Grace Dirks (1894 - 1955) |
| Child | Otto B Dirks (1897 - 1969) |
| Child | Henry Edward Dirks (1899 - 1968) |
| Child | Frederick Harm Dirks (1902 - 1975) |
| Child | Herman J Dirks (1904 - 1969) |
| Child | William C Dirks (1908 - 1982) |
| Father | Dirk Dirks (1821 - 1898) |
| Mother | Wübke Maria "Mary" Jacobs (1823 - 1887) |
| Sibling | Maria Catharina Amalia Dirks (1854 - 1914) |
| Sibling | Living |
| Sibling | Ette Catharina Dirks (1862 - 1923) |
| Sibling | Living |
Notes
Census
129, 135, Henry DIRCKS Self S Male W 29 HANOVER GER Farmer HANOVER GER HANOVER GERHarman DIRCKS Brother S Male W 21 HANOVER GER Laborer HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Satche DIRCKS Aunt W Female W 59 HANOVER GER Keeping House HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Inke SMITH Cousin W Female W 21 HANOVER GER HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Marriage
2112 188 Dirks John Henry, Otten Mary, 06/25/1886 Wayne Twp, D Dirks, Mary Jacobs, Ger, Otto Otten, Anna Bruman, GerCensus (family)
110, 111, Dirks, John H. Head, WM, Dec 1850, 49, Married 14 yrs, Germany 3x, Imm 1873 27 yrs in US, Farmer, Own Mortgage FarmMary, Wife, WF, Aug 1866, 33, M-14, 6 children born & living, Germany 3x, 1886 14 yrs in US
Mary, Daughter, WF, Apr 1887, 13, single, IA, at school
Annie, Daughter, WF, Mar 1889, 11, single, IA, at school
Dirk, Son, WM, June 1891, 8, single, IA
Margaret, Daughter, WF, July 1894, 5, single, IA
Otto, Son, WM, Apr 1897, 3, single, IA
Henry, Son, WM, Sept 1899, 0, single, IA
Benkin, John, Servant, WM, Apr 1860, 40, single, Germany 3x, Imm 1900 0 yrs in US, Al, Farm laborer
Census (family)
J H Dirks Head M 59 GermanyMaria Dirks Wife F 43 Germany
Anna Dirks Daughter F 21 Iowa
John Dirks Son M 18 Iowa
Grace Dirks Daughter F 15 Iowa
Otto Dirks Son M 13 Iowa
Henery Dirks Son M 11 Iowa
Fred Dirks Son M 8 Iowa
Herman Dirks Son M 5 Iowa
William Dirks Son M 1 Iowa
Death
John Henry DirksBorn December 18, 1850 John Henry Dirks, whose agricultural success has added to the fair name of Jones county and of Scotch Grove township in particular as one of the prosperous sections of the state, was born in Hanover, Germany, December 18, 1850, a son of Dirk and Maria (Jacobs) Dirks. They followed their son to this country in 1880 but after about four years sojourn here returned to their native land. There in 1887 the mother died and in the summer of the same year the father came again to the United States, making his home with his children. His death occurred June 15, 1898.
At home. under the wise guidance of his parents, John Henry Dirks received the practical education which supplemented the training he obtained in the public schools of his native land. In 1870, when be was about twenty years of age, he decided to come to the United States to make his fortune. After landing upon our shores he came to. Jones county, Iowa where worked for four years in the employ of Peter Schwartz. At the end of that time, as the latter wished to take a trip to Germany, Mr. Dirks rented his place and began farming on his own account. For sixteen years be prosecuted his labors as a tenant in different sections of the township and then, in 1888, bought at the. sheriff's sale the place which had belonged to Hugh McClain. It embraced one hundred and twenty acres, lying on section 31, Scotch Grove township. For the first two years of his possession, however, Mr. Dirks rented it to the son of Mr. McClain, not taking up his own residence upon it until 1890. Since that time it has been his home continuously.
In 1891 he purchased forty acres adjoining his place, so that his present farm has a total area of one hundred and sixty acres. In 1902 he purchased another tract of land of eighty acres in Wayne township, which he operates in conjunction with that on which he lives, This large acreage may well be contrasted with the three dollars which was the extent of his possessions when Mr. Dirks entered this country. His land holdings and the success he has won from his cultivation of the soil make him now one of the substantial farmers of this county.
On the 25th of June, 1886, Mr. Dirks was united in marriage to Miss Mary Otten, of Scotch Grove township. She is a native of Hanover, Germany, and came to this country in 1885. Nine children have been born to the couple: Mary, Anna, Dirk, Grace, Otto, Henry, Frederick, Herman and William. They are all at home. The family are members of the German Lutheran church, in harmony with whose teachings they order their lives, while politically Mr. Dirks has given his support to the republican party, for he feels that he has seen repeated demonstration of the value of its principles of government.
Endnotes
1. Janssen, Ludwig, Erhard Schlte and Hans Rudolph Manger, compiler, Die Familien der Kirchengemeinde Reepsholt (Aurich: Ostfriesische Landschaft, 1982), p 304 #1168.
2. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1880 > IOWA > JONES > SCOTCH GROVE Series: T9 Roll: 348 Page: 373.
3. Jones Co. Iowa marriage books, online.
BOOK D 1877-1884 :: BOOK E 1884-1891 :: BOOK F 1891-1898 (USGenWeb
4. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1900 > IOWA > JONES > SCOTCH GROVE TWP Series: T623 Roll: 440 Page: 217.