Individual Details

J. C. Balster Born December 2, 1869
J. C. Balster is one of the representative farmers of Scotch Grove township, his home place comprising one hundred and sixty acres, which is the old family homestead. He was born on this farm December 2, 1869, a son of Arend and Mary (Jacobs) Balster, who were natives of Hanover, Germany, whence they emigrated to the new world in 1854. After arriving in the new world they made their way to Michigan, where they lived for thirteen years, and in July, 1867, removed to Jones county and located on the farm on which our subject now makes his home. The father is a shipbuilder by trade and throughout much of his life has engaged in that work. Unto him and his wife were born five children, namely: George H., deceased; Mary, the wife of Johnson Poppey, of Jones county; Anna, who has also departed this life; Louise, the wife of Fred Plueger, of Jones county; and J. C. of this review. The mother passed away in 1895, but the father is still living and makes his home on the farm with his son J. C. He is highly respected in the community and has ever taken a deep interest in his adopted country and in this section of the state where he has so long made his home.
J. C. Balster, the immediate subject of this review, was educated in the common schools near his father's home and he assisted in the work of the farm during the periods of vacation. In early life he learned the blacksmith's trade and followed that pursuit for several years. He is now giving his attention to farming, making a specialty of stock raising, feeding horses, cattle and hogs, For the past sixteen years he has operated a threshing machine and in this connection has become widely known in various sections of the county. In all branches of his business he is meeting with success and is numbered among Jones county's most representative citizens.
Mr. Balster was married in January, 1892, to Miss Gecena Heyen, who was born in Germany and accompanied a brother to the new world in 1888. The family numbers three sons and four daughters, Arend, Mary, Anna, Robert, Louisa, Louis and Johanna. The parents are members of the Lutheran church, in the work of which they take an active part. Having spent his entire life in Jones county, Mr. Balster is not unknown to many of our readers and his worth as a citizen is widely acknowledged.
From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 517.

Ramona (Heiken) Mayer remembers that her Grandfather Chris sold cars which arrived in separate parts and were assembled in the building immediately north of the George Plueger farmstead. Her dad said that George Moenk helped assemble them. She has two pictures of the Balster family seated in these cars.

Birth	2 Dec 1869	Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States
Marriage	8 Jan 1893	St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States - Gesine Hinrika Heyen
Census	1895	Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States
Census	18 Jun 1900	Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States
Death	23 Apr 1914	in a solo automobile accident - Jones, Iowa, United States
Burial		Saint Johns Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Wayne Township, Jones, Iowa, United States

Spouse	Gesine Hinrika Heyen (1863 - 1954)
Child	Arend Balster (1894 - 1976)
Child	Mary Katherine Balster (1895 - 1964)
Child	Anna Margaret Balster (1897 - 1936)
Child	Robert Heike Balster (1900 - 1983)
Child	Louise Gesina Balster (1902 - 1940)
Child	Ludwig (Louis) Christopher Balster (1904 - 1920)
Child	Johanna Helen Balster (1907 - 1937)

Father	Arend Balster (1834 - 1922)
Mother	Gesche Marie Jacobs (1830 - 1895)
Sibling	George Henry Balster (1855 - 1908)
Sibling	Etta Marie "Mary" Balster (1858 - 1937)
Sibling	Helen Louise Balster (1863 - 1938)
Sibling	Mary Balster (1866 - )
Sibling	Anna Margaret Balster (1861 - 1891)

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