Individual Details

Census (family)

Living with his parents:
1486, 1456, George Balster, 58 M, Carpenter, 500, 50, Hanover
Mary 60 F "
Arend 25 M, Carpenter, "
Mary 29 F, "
Anna 21 F, "
George 4 M, Michigan
Mary 1 F, Michigan

Census (family)

pg. 8 Scotch Grove Township, P.O. Langworthy, 196

18,18 Balsted, A 33 M W Farmer 3,500, 900 Hanover
Mary 36 F W Keeping house Hanover
George 14 M W works on farm Michigan
Mary 12 F W Michigan
Annie 10 F W Michigan
Louisa 6 F W Michigan
John 6/12 M W Iowa Dec.

George, Mary, and Annie attended school within the year.

Census (family)

Arend BALSTER Self M Male W 45 HANOVER GER Farmer HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Mary BALSTER Wife M Female W 49 MI Keeping House HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Mary BALSTER Dau S Female W 20 MI HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Louiza BALSTER Dau Female W 17 MI HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Christofer BALSTER Son S Male W 11 MI At Home HANOVER GER HANOVER GER
Henry BONER Other S Male W 21 IA Laborer HANOVER GER HANOVER GER

Census (family)

28 139 139 Arend Balster 62 M M Germany F F mechanic Lutherian
29 Mary Balster 65 F M " F F keeping house "
30 Christ Balster 26 M M Jones Iowa F F farmer "
31 Zena Balster 28 F M Germany F F keeping house "
Page #775
1 Arend Balster 0 M Jones Iowa N F
2 Gerd Harms 20 M Germany F F laborer Lutherian

Census

Living with son Christopher

104, 105 Balster, Chris Head, WM, Dec 1869, 30, Married 8 yrs, Iowa, Ger, Ger, Farmer, renting farm
Gesine, Wife, WF, Apr 1869, 31, M8, 3 child. born & living, Ger, Ger, Ger imm: 1890, 10 yrs., yes all to English
Arend, Son, WM, Dec, 1893, 6, Iowa, Iowa, Germany
Mary, Dau, WF, Oct, 1895, 4, Iowa, Iowa, Germany
Annie, Dau, WF, Oct 1897, 2, Iowa, Iowa, Germany
Arend, Father, WM, Dec, 1834, 65, Wd., Ger, Ger, Ger, 1854, 46, Na, Capitalist., yes all to English
Keaster, John, Servant, WM, May 1879, 21, Single, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895 5 yrs, Pa Farm labor. yes all to English

Death

Arend Balster Sr. Is Dead.

Arend Balster Sr. died at the home if his daughter, Mrs. J. C. Balster, yesterday noon, at the age of 87 years, 7 months and 23 days. Mr. Balster had been rather feeble for several years, but failed rapidly during the last month of his life.
He was the son of Juergen Herman Balster, and Etta Maria Balster (nee Conrads), and was born at Marx East Friesia, Germany, December 23, 1835, and confirmed in the Lutheran church in 1851.
He left the old country for America, August 20, 1854, and landed in New York, October 6, being, as it will be observed, a period of a month and a half in crossing the ocean. For two years he lived at Marine City, Michigan, and for twelve years at St. Clair, Michigan, where he followed the trade of a ship carpenter. He saved his money during those days, and having an accumulation that he desired to invest in land likely to rise in value, he journeyed into Iowa, where a number of his wife's relatives lived, and invested in Jones county land in Scotch Grove township about the year, 1868.
Mr. Balster was married to Gesche Maria Jacobs, November 12, 1854. She died July 26, 1895, after forty years of married life. Of the children born unto them, the following are dead: George Balster, Mary Balster, Mrs. Henry Hanken, and J. C. Balster. Those living are Mrs. Mary Poppe of Langworthy, and Mrs. Louise Pleuger of Scotch Grove. He is also survived by 23 grandchildren, and 27 great grand children.
After making his investments in real state in Scotch Grove township in 1868, Mr. Balster took up his residence there, and changed his business pursuits to that of farming. He was successful, not only in a pecuniary way, due to good farming and the rise in real estate values, but he had always the esteem of all his neighbors and acquaintances. He was a fine old gentleman, and no one ever suggested anything but highest regard for him. The funeral services will be conducted Friday afternoon, at 1 o'clock, at the house, and 1:30 o'clock at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church. They will be in charge of his long-time pastor, Rev. W. H. L. Schuetz.

Burial

Jones County Gravestone Records
Page: 8
Name: Arden Balster
Birth Date: 23 Dec 1834
Death Date: 16 Aug 1923
Cemetery: St. John's
Town: Wayne