Individual Details
Johann Gerdes "John" Behrends
(9 Aug 1854 - 1 Feb 1940)
Mr. and Mrs. John Behrends Married For Fifty Years Sunday
They Are The Parents Of Nine Children All Of Whom Were Present To Help Them Celebrate This Unusual Event.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. John G. Behrends was the scene of a celebration of their fiftieth wedding anniversary last Sunday, August 15. Due to the Illness of their youngest son, Elwill, who returned a week ago from the McDonald hospital, and who is still bedridden with a fractured right leg, no especial observance of the day was had. In the afternoon on Sunday all of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Behrends were present and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon at which time refreshments were served. Both Mr. and Mrs. Behrends are enjoying excellent health, and the latter is able to do her housework and is at present caring for her son in his convalescence.
Married August 16. 1881.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Behrends occurred near Monticello, August 16, 1881. For two years they lived on the Heeren farm, now occupied by George Heeren. Thereafter they purchased from the late A. R. Doxsee, the father of the senior editor of The Express, a farm in Bowen's Prairie, on which farm they lived for five years. Mr. Behrends then sold the farm to his brother, Henry Behrends, and removed to what was known as the Palmer farm on Bowen's Prairie, where they lived for five years. In addition to farming during his residence in Bowen's Prairie, Mr. Beh rends acted as a helper in a cheese factory conducted by A. R. Doxsee.
Lived Near Poroeroy.
Mrs. Behrends decided to move to the vicinity of Pomeroy. They conducted a farm near that town for ten years. During this time Mr. Behrends was also secretary of a farmers' cooperative creamery located in Pomeroy. He later moved into the city of Pomeroy, where the family home was made for three years, and during which time Mr. Behrends acted as an agent selling cream separators.
In 1907, the Behrends family returned to Jones county and settled on what is known as the Grover place on primary 161, which farm Mr. Behrends still owns. He and his good wife retired from active farm work in 1918, and are comfortably settled in a home on South Main street.
Fine Family of Children.
Mr. and Mrs. Behrends became the parents of nine children, all of whom are living. All but three of them are living in the immediate vicinity of Monticello. The children are, Mrs. Arend Poppe, Scotch Grove; Mrs. Tjebbo Tjebben, Pocahontas Center; Edward H. Behrends. Onslow; Mrs. Henry Jacobs. Mrs John Jacobs. Wilhelm R., Mrs. Raymond Kromminga and Elwill Johann, of Monticello, and Miss Alma Elizabeth Behrends of Cedar Rapids.
Mrs. Behrends Native of Illinois.
Mrs. Behrends was born at Dixon. Illinois. March 7. 1859. Her maiden name was Anke Margaret Heeren. She was a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Grumm) Heeren. When she was two years of age her father Henry Heeren removed with his family from Illinois to Iowa and settled on the Arend Zimmerman farm located near the new school house on land now owned by the Barney Magee estate. The home was made in Richland township for three years, and thereafter was transferred to the old home place now occupied by Mrs. Behrend brother, George Heeren. During her youth. Mrs. Behrends attended the Union school in Wayne township. and completed the eight grades.
When a young woman, Mrs. Behrends was confirmed in the Lutheran church, and has always been an active member of St. John s congregation. There were twelve children her father's family. Those living are herself; George Heeren, Monticello; William R. Heeren. Platte, South Dakota; Edward Heeren. Monticello, and Mrs. Will Oltmans, who was an adopted daughter in her father's family.
Mr. Behrends Native of Germany.
John Gerdes Behrends is a native of Qstfriesland, Hanover. Germany. He was born August 9. 1854. near the town of Leerhafe. His parents were Wilke Margarete (Edzards) Behrends, who came to the United States many years after their son emigrated to this country.
Mr Behrends was eighteen years of age when he first felt the urge to leave the homeland and seek his fortune in America, land of opportunities. He came to Jones county, April 1, 1872. and was first employed upon a farm now operated by Henry Eden. Previous to coming to the United Statea he was baptized in the Lutheran church, and later confirmed in 1869 in the church at Leerhafe. After reaching America he worked on the farms during the summer and attended the rural schools in the winter. After three years of such procedure he returned to Germany and visited in his old home, with his family, all of whom had remained in that country. Upon his return to America he brought with him his sister, Mrs. Maria Heiken. and his two brothers. Henry and Garrett Behrends. He continued in farming operations until his marriage, when he started to work for himself.
Mr. Behrends is the oldest of a family of eight, four of whom are now living, viz: Mrs. Maria Heiken, Mrs. Fred Reuter and Mrs. Henry Null.
Two More 80 Year Olds Join Our Columns
We continue our octogenarian series this week with accounts of the lives of Fred Matthiessen and John Behrends. Please remember that we will be glad to have word of any eighty year old whom we may not have reached.
JOHN BEHRENDS
We salute another 82-year-old young man this week. He is John Gerdes Behrends, a native of Ostfriesland, Hanover, Germany, who has lived in Jones county since 1872.
Mr. Behrends was born August 9, 1854, the son of Wilke and Margarete (Edzards) Behrends.
Although his parents remained in the old country, the boy, John first felt the call of adventure and opportunity when he was eighteen years old. Before coming to the United States, however, he was baptized and later confirmed in 1869 in the Lutheran church at Leerhafe.
Comes to County
He came to Jones county on April 1, 1872, and was first employed on a farm now operated by Henry Eden. He continued to work on farms in the summer and then during the winter when the farm work slackened up, he attended rural school. This sort of routine went on for three years, then Mr. Behrends returned to Germany for a visit with his family, all of whom had remained in that country.
When Mr. Behrends came to the land of opportunity for the second time, he brought with him his sister. Mrs. Maria Heiken, and his two brothers, Henry and Garrett Behrends.
He continued his farming operations until 1881, when he was married on August 16, to Anke Margareta Heeren, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Grumm) Heeren.
Purchase Farm
Following his marriage he and Mrs. Behrends lived for two years on the Heeren farm, before they purchased a farm on Bowen's Prairie from the late A. R. Doxsee, father of the present senior editor of The Express.
After farming here five years the farm was sold to his brother and Mr. Behrends removed to what was known as the Palmer farm. Mr. Behrends' farm activities did not keep him from working in the once thriving cheese factory that was conducted by A. R. Doxsee in the earlier days.
At this time Mr. and Mrs. Behrends moved to Pomeroy where they operated a farm in the vicinity of the town for ten years. Here Mr. Behrends served as secretary of the Farmers' Cooperative creamery located in Pomeroy. He later moved into the city of Pomeroy where he had an agency for selling cream separators.
Return in 1907
The Behrends family returned to Jones county in 1907 and settled on what is known as the Grover place In 1918 Mr. Behrends and his wife retired from active farm work and now live in Monticello. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1931.
Mr. and Mrs. Behrends are the parents of nine children, all of whom are living. They are: Mrs. Arend Poppe of Scotch Grove; Mrs. Tjebbo Tjebben, Pocahontas; Edward H Behrends of Onslow; Mrs. Henry Jacobs, Mrs. John Jacobs, Wilhelm R., Mrs. Raymond Kromminga, and Elwill Johann, of Monticello, and Alma Elizabeth Behrends of Cedar Rapids.
They Are The Parents Of Nine Children All Of Whom Were Present To Help Them Celebrate This Unusual Event.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. John G. Behrends was the scene of a celebration of their fiftieth wedding anniversary last Sunday, August 15. Due to the Illness of their youngest son, Elwill, who returned a week ago from the McDonald hospital, and who is still bedridden with a fractured right leg, no especial observance of the day was had. In the afternoon on Sunday all of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Behrends were present and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon at which time refreshments were served. Both Mr. and Mrs. Behrends are enjoying excellent health, and the latter is able to do her housework and is at present caring for her son in his convalescence.
Married August 16. 1881.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Behrends occurred near Monticello, August 16, 1881. For two years they lived on the Heeren farm, now occupied by George Heeren. Thereafter they purchased from the late A. R. Doxsee, the father of the senior editor of The Express, a farm in Bowen's Prairie, on which farm they lived for five years. Mr. Behrends then sold the farm to his brother, Henry Behrends, and removed to what was known as the Palmer farm on Bowen's Prairie, where they lived for five years. In addition to farming during his residence in Bowen's Prairie, Mr. Beh rends acted as a helper in a cheese factory conducted by A. R. Doxsee.
Lived Near Poroeroy.
Mrs. Behrends decided to move to the vicinity of Pomeroy. They conducted a farm near that town for ten years. During this time Mr. Behrends was also secretary of a farmers' cooperative creamery located in Pomeroy. He later moved into the city of Pomeroy, where the family home was made for three years, and during which time Mr. Behrends acted as an agent selling cream separators.
In 1907, the Behrends family returned to Jones county and settled on what is known as the Grover place on primary 161, which farm Mr. Behrends still owns. He and his good wife retired from active farm work in 1918, and are comfortably settled in a home on South Main street.
Fine Family of Children.
Mr. and Mrs. Behrends became the parents of nine children, all of whom are living. All but three of them are living in the immediate vicinity of Monticello. The children are, Mrs. Arend Poppe, Scotch Grove; Mrs. Tjebbo Tjebben, Pocahontas Center; Edward H. Behrends. Onslow; Mrs. Henry Jacobs. Mrs John Jacobs. Wilhelm R., Mrs. Raymond Kromminga and Elwill Johann, of Monticello, and Miss Alma Elizabeth Behrends of Cedar Rapids.
Mrs. Behrends Native of Illinois.
Mrs. Behrends was born at Dixon. Illinois. March 7. 1859. Her maiden name was Anke Margaret Heeren. She was a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Grumm) Heeren. When she was two years of age her father Henry Heeren removed with his family from Illinois to Iowa and settled on the Arend Zimmerman farm located near the new school house on land now owned by the Barney Magee estate. The home was made in Richland township for three years, and thereafter was transferred to the old home place now occupied by Mrs. Behrend brother, George Heeren. During her youth. Mrs. Behrends attended the Union school in Wayne township. and completed the eight grades.
When a young woman, Mrs. Behrends was confirmed in the Lutheran church, and has always been an active member of St. John s congregation. There were twelve children her father's family. Those living are herself; George Heeren, Monticello; William R. Heeren. Platte, South Dakota; Edward Heeren. Monticello, and Mrs. Will Oltmans, who was an adopted daughter in her father's family.
Mr. Behrends Native of Germany.
John Gerdes Behrends is a native of Qstfriesland, Hanover. Germany. He was born August 9. 1854. near the town of Leerhafe. His parents were Wilke Margarete (Edzards) Behrends, who came to the United States many years after their son emigrated to this country.
Mr Behrends was eighteen years of age when he first felt the urge to leave the homeland and seek his fortune in America, land of opportunities. He came to Jones county, April 1, 1872. and was first employed upon a farm now operated by Henry Eden. Previous to coming to the United Statea he was baptized in the Lutheran church, and later confirmed in 1869 in the church at Leerhafe. After reaching America he worked on the farms during the summer and attended the rural schools in the winter. After three years of such procedure he returned to Germany and visited in his old home, with his family, all of whom had remained in that country. Upon his return to America he brought with him his sister, Mrs. Maria Heiken. and his two brothers. Henry and Garrett Behrends. He continued in farming operations until his marriage, when he started to work for himself.
Mr. Behrends is the oldest of a family of eight, four of whom are now living, viz: Mrs. Maria Heiken, Mrs. Fred Reuter and Mrs. Henry Null.
Two More 80 Year Olds Join Our Columns
We continue our octogenarian series this week with accounts of the lives of Fred Matthiessen and John Behrends. Please remember that we will be glad to have word of any eighty year old whom we may not have reached.
JOHN BEHRENDS
We salute another 82-year-old young man this week. He is John Gerdes Behrends, a native of Ostfriesland, Hanover, Germany, who has lived in Jones county since 1872.
Mr. Behrends was born August 9, 1854, the son of Wilke and Margarete (Edzards) Behrends.
Although his parents remained in the old country, the boy, John first felt the call of adventure and opportunity when he was eighteen years old. Before coming to the United States, however, he was baptized and later confirmed in 1869 in the Lutheran church at Leerhafe.
Comes to County
He came to Jones county on April 1, 1872, and was first employed on a farm now operated by Henry Eden. He continued to work on farms in the summer and then during the winter when the farm work slackened up, he attended rural school. This sort of routine went on for three years, then Mr. Behrends returned to Germany for a visit with his family, all of whom had remained in that country.
When Mr. Behrends came to the land of opportunity for the second time, he brought with him his sister. Mrs. Maria Heiken, and his two brothers, Henry and Garrett Behrends.
He continued his farming operations until 1881, when he was married on August 16, to Anke Margareta Heeren, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Grumm) Heeren.
Purchase Farm
Following his marriage he and Mrs. Behrends lived for two years on the Heeren farm, before they purchased a farm on Bowen's Prairie from the late A. R. Doxsee, father of the present senior editor of The Express.
After farming here five years the farm was sold to his brother and Mr. Behrends removed to what was known as the Palmer farm. Mr. Behrends' farm activities did not keep him from working in the once thriving cheese factory that was conducted by A. R. Doxsee in the earlier days.
At this time Mr. and Mrs. Behrends moved to Pomeroy where they operated a farm in the vicinity of the town for ten years. Here Mr. Behrends served as secretary of the Farmers' Cooperative creamery located in Pomeroy. He later moved into the city of Pomeroy where he had an agency for selling cream separators.
Return in 1907
The Behrends family returned to Jones county in 1907 and settled on what is known as the Grover place In 1918 Mr. Behrends and his wife retired from active farm work and now live in Monticello. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1931.
Mr. and Mrs. Behrends are the parents of nine children, all of whom are living. They are: Mrs. Arend Poppe of Scotch Grove; Mrs. Tjebbo Tjebben, Pocahontas; Edward H Behrends of Onslow; Mrs. Henry Jacobs, Mrs. John Jacobs, Wilhelm R., Mrs. Raymond Kromminga, and Elwill Johann, of Monticello, and Alma Elizabeth Behrends of Cedar Rapids.
Events
| Birth | 9 Aug 1854 | Germany, Ostfriesland, Leerhafe |  | ||
| Marriage | 16 Aug 1881 | St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wayne Township, Jones, Iowa, United States - Anke Margarete "Meta" Heeren |  | | |
| Census (family) | 1900 | Butler Township, Calhoun, Iowa, United States - Anke Margarete "Meta" Heeren | | ||
| Census (family) | 1910 | Lovell Township, Jones, Iowa, United States - Anke Margarete "Meta" Heeren | | ||
| Census (family) | 1920 | Jones, Iowa, United States - Anke Margarete "Meta" Heeren | | ||
| Census (family) | 1925 | Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States - Anke Margarete "Meta" Heeren | | ||
| Census (family) | 14 Apr 1930 | Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States - Anke Margarete "Meta" Heeren | | | |
| Death | 1 Feb 1940 | Jones, Iowa, United States | | |
Families
| Spouse | Anke Margarete "Meta" Heeren (1859 - 1939) |
| Child | Elizabeth Margaretha "Lizzie" Behrends (1882 - 1970) |
| Child | Wilhelmina Henrietta "Minnie" Behrends (1884 - 1966) |
| Child | Edward H Behrends (1886 - ) |
| Child | Sophia Maria Behrends (1890 - 1990) |
| Child | Emma Pauline Behrends (1893 - 1971) |
| Child | Wilhelm R "William" Behrends (1895 - ) |
| Child | Elsie M Behrends (1899 - ) |
| Child | Alma Elizabeth Behrends (1902 - ) |
| Child | Elwill Johann Behrends (1904 - ) |
| Father | Wilke Gerdes "Wilks" Behrends (1829 - 1905) |
| Mother | Hilke Margaretha Edzards (1829 - 1911) |
| Sibling | Talke Maria "Mary" Behrends (1856 - 1943) |
| Sibling | Henrich F "Henry" Behrends (1858 - 1922) |
| Sibling | V J Behrends (1861 - ) |
| Sibling | Gerhard Jansen "Garret" Behrends (1861 - 1927) |
| Sibling | Benhardt H "Benjamin" Behrends (1863 - 1921) |
| Sibling | Anna Margaretha "Meta" Behrends (1866 - 1952) |
| Sibling | Wilhelm Eilers "William" Behrends (1868 - 1928) |
| Sibling | Hilken Gesina Behrends (1871 - 1944) |
Notes
Marriage
1137 347 Heeron Ancke M Behrends Joharm 08/16/1881 Wayen Twp.Wilke Gerdes Behrends Hilke Margretha Edzards Germany
Henry Heeron Elizabeth Grumm Dixon, ILL
Census (family)
head John Behrends M 47 Germanywife Enke M Behrends F 42 Illinois
daughter Elizabeth M Behrends F 18 Iowa
son Edward H Behrends M 14 Iowa
daughter Sophia M Behrends F 10 Iowa
daughter Emma P Behrends F 7 Iowa
son Wm R Behrends M 5 Iowa
daughter Elsie M Behrends F 1 Iowa
Census (family)
self John G Behrends M 56y Germanywife Anrok M Behrends F 51y Illinois
son Edward H Behrends M 23y Iowa
dau Sophia M Behrends F 19y Iowa
dau Emma C Behrends F 17y Iowa
son William R Behrends M 14y Iowa
dau Elsia M Behrends F 11y Iowa
dau Alma E Behrends F 8y Iowa
son Alvil J Behrends M 6y Iowa
Census (family)
self John G Behrends M 65y Germanywife Anke M Behrends F 60y Illinois
son William R Behrends M 23y Iowa
dau Elsie M Behrends F 20y Iowa
dau Alma E Behrends F 18y Iowa
son Elwil J Behrends M 15y Iowa
Census (family)
John G Behrends 70 Germany, Father: Wilke Behrends, Germany, Mother: Hilke M Ezards, Germany GermanyAnke M Behrends 66 Illinois, Father: Heeren Henry, Germany, Mother: Grumm Elizabeth, Germany Illinois
William R Behrends 29, Iowa
Alma E Behrends 23, iowa
Census (family)
Behrends, John Own $4000, MW 75 Married at 26 Germany Germany GermanyAncke M, FW 71 M-22, IL Germany Germany
Death
Hold John Behrends Rites Saturday In Lutheran ChurchLast rites for John G. Behrends, 85, who died a week ago today at the home of his daughter, Mrs Henry W. Jacobs, were conducted at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church Saturday afternoon. Rev. Paul T. Gutknecht was in charge, and burial was made at St. John's cemetery. Death terminated a few weeks of illness The son of Wilke Behrends and Hilke Margarete Edzards Behrends, John Gerdes Behrends was born August 9 1854 at Kloster, Ostfriesland, in the kingdom of Hannover, Germany.
To America
Employed several years in his home village, he emigrated to America with a Zimmerman family and arrived in Monticello in 1872. He was employed here, attending public school also, but three years later he moved to Illinois for three years. During this period he visited his home in Germany. Two brothers and a sister returned with him to Monticello.
Mr. Behrends married Anke Margarete Heeren August 16, 1881, and lived several years on the farm of his wife's parents before moving to Bowen's Prairie. They bought a farm in Pomeroy but returned to Monticello in 1906 to live on a farm north of Monticello for six years.
Because of advanced age they left the farm 24 years ago and have since lived in Monticello, for a while in their own home and later with their son-in-law, Mr. Jacobs. Mrs. Behrends died February 18, 1939.
Nine Children
All of his nine children, six daughters and three sons, survive him. They are Mrs. Arend Poppe, E. H. Behrends, Mrs. H. W. Jacobs, Mrs. John Jacobs, William R. Behrends, Mrs. Raymond Kromminga, and Elwill J. Behrends, all of Monticello; Mrs. T. J. Tjebben of Pocahontaa, and Alma Behrends of Cedar Rapids. Mr. Behrends had 14 living grandchildren, the 15th, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kromminga, having died the same day of Mr. Behrends' death. He had eight great grandchildren.
Three sisters of Mr. Behrends are living: Mrs. Marie Heiken Anamosa, and Mrs. Meta Reuter and Mrs. Gesine Null, both of Monticello.
Endnotes
1. Jones Co. Iowa Census, Jones Co. Iowa GenWeb online [http://iowajones.org/census/census.htm], accessed.
2. "Mr. and Mrs. John Behrends Married For Fifty Years Sunday," Monticello (Iowa) Express, 20 August 1931; Ross & Elizabeth Baty Public Library (http://batypl.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 21 April 2011), Newspaper Digital Archives.
3. Jones Co. Iowa Census, Jones Co. Iowa GenWeb online [http://iowajones.org/census/census.htm], accessed.
4. "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, Family Search, (https://familysearch.org: accessed 29 June 2013), Johann Behrends and Aucki Huren, 1881..
5. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1930 > IOWA > JONES > MONTICELLO CITY TWP 3rd Ward Series: T626 Roll: 662 Page: 182 .
6. "Hold John Behrends Rites Saturday In Lutheran Church," Monticello (Iowa) Express, 8 February 1940; Ross & Elizabeth Baty Public Library (http://batypl.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 21 February 2011), Newspaper Digital Archives.