Individual Details
Harm Arens Harms
(21 Dec 1828 - 12 Sep 1908)
Harm Harms Born December 21, 1828
H. HARMES, farmer, Wayne Twp., Secs. 16 and 17; P.O. Langworthy; born in Germany in 1828; came to America in 1857, to Illinois; lived there nine years; came to Jones Co. in 1866; owns 170 acres-eighty in Sec. 16, eighty in Sec. 17, and ten in Scotch Grove Township. Wife's maiden name was Maria Johnson, a native of the old country also; they were married in 1858; have had eight children; six are living—Annie Maria, Harmann, Gerd, Tena, Maria and Johanna. Mr. and Mrs. Harmes are members of the Lutheran Church. In politics, he is independent.
SOURCE: From Dubuque, Jones, and Clayton Counties History, 1894, pgs. 301-302, and submitted by Becky Teubner.
HARM HARMS.
Among the worthy German-American citizens of Jones County to whose efforts can be traced much of the progress of this thriving portion of the state, is this gentleman, who is President of the Clover Leaf Creamery Company; he has long been an active agriculturist of Wayne Township. Mr. Harms was born in Hanover, Germany, December 21, 1828, being the son of John H. and Anna Maria (Reanker) Harms. The father was a farmer and continued to reside in the Old Country until his death.
In the excellent schools of the Fatherland our subject received a good education and remained a student until he was fourteen years of age. He worked on his father's farm until 1857, when he made up his mind that he would try his fortunes in the United States, believing that the New World afforded better opportunities for a young man of energetic and industrious disposition. Taking passage in the sailing-vessel "Orpheus," he landed in New York City after forty days passed upon the briny deep. From the metropolis he proceeded direct to Madison County, Ill., where he went to work on a farm, and while there met and married Miss Maria Johnston. After this event the young couple settled upon a farm in the same county, which was rented by Mr. Harms until 1866. That year he removed with his family to Jones County and bought eighty acres of land. He engaged in general farming and stock-raising and of late years has been particularly interested in the dairy business, in which he has met with good success. As the years have passed he has extended the boundaries of his farm little by little as he could afford it, until he now owns two hundred and forty acres of the choicest land to be found in the county. Besides carrying on strictly legitimate farming in a very practical method, Mr. Harms has made a goodly sum from buying, selling and shipping live stock. On his place are substantial and well fitted barns and outbuildings, and a deep, never failing well, wind pump and suitable tanks afford a sufficient water supply for his stock.
One of the principal organizers of the Clover Leaf Creamery Company, and having long been an advocate of the system, Mr. Harms was eminently fitted to become President of the enterprise, to which position he was unanimously elected by the stockholders. This creamery, which has only recently been formed, bids fair to be one of the substantial industries of Jones County, and long experience has demonstrated the fact that creameries are of great benefit to agriculturists and the community at large, for they can more easily reach the consumer, and as they handle milk, butter and cheese in large quantities, are better enabled to supply the public with standard articles. Mr. Harms is a member of the Mutual Insurance Company and is now officiating as its secretary. This company insures only farm property and numbers among its patrons the most progressive and careful farmers of this region. In his political faith Mr. Harms is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and in every way endeavors to fulfill the obligations of citizenship. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Harms, the eldest of whom, Anna M., is the wife of C. Schatz. Herman is a practical farmer. Tena became the wife of Adam Scheer, and the two younger sons, Gerd and John, are also living under the parental roof and assisting their father in the cultivation of the farm, while Maria is at home assisting her mother.
Events
Families
Spouse | Hilke Maria Janssen (1832 - 1906) |
Child | Anna Marie Harms (1861 - 1918) |
Child | Herman Harms (1865 - ) |
Child | Gerhard "Gerd" Harms (1867 - 1943) |
Child | Hilke Katherine Harms (1870 - 1937) |
Child | Hilke Maria "Mary" Harms (1872 - 1956) |
Child | Johann Heinrich "John H" Harms (1875 - 1939) |
Spouse | Frauke Catharina Harms (1827 - 1860) |
Father | John Harms ( - ) |
Mother | Anna M. ( - ) |
Notes
Census (family)
28 34 37 Harms Harms 41 M Farmer 3000 1300 Hanover29 Harms Hillie M. 38 F Keeping House Hanover
30 Harms Anna M. 9 F Illinois
31 Harms Herimann 5 M Illinois
32 Harms Gerd 2 M Iowa
33 Harms Catharine 4/12 F Iowa
NOTE: Catharine was born in December.
Harms, Hasm. Acres - 80 improved, 10 woodland. % cash value - 3000 of farm, 350 farm machinery. Total wages paid incl. board - 600. Livestock - 6 horses, 3 milch cows, 4 other cattle, 8 swine. Livestock value - $1000. Wheat - Spring bsh. 450. Indian Corn bsh. - 1000. Oats bsh - 400. Buckweat bsh. 9. Potatoes-Irish bsh 50. Butter 150 lbs. Hay - 12 tons. Molasses - 29 Gal. Value of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter - $90. True value - estimated value of all farm produce, crops: $700.
Census (family)
126, 129, Harms, Harm, WM, 51, Farmer, HanoverMariah, WF, 48, Wife, Keeping house, Hanover
Anna M, WF, 19, Dau, at home , Illiniois
Herman, WM, 15, Working on farm, Illinois
Gerd, WM, 13, Working on farm, Iowa
Tena, WF, 11, Dau, at school, Iowa
Mariah, WF, 7, Dau, Iowa
John, WM, 5, Son, Iowa
Census (family)
28 34 37 Harms Harms 41 M Farmer 3000 1300 Hanover29 Harms Hillie M. 38 F Keeping House Hanover
30 Harms Anna M. 9 F Illinois
31 Harms Herimann 5 M Illinois
32 Harms Gerd 2 M Iowa
33 Harms Catharine 4/12 F Iowa
NOTE: Catharine was born in December.
Census (family)
Head John H Harms M 25 Iowa, married 2 yrsWife Helena Harms F 23 Iowa, M-2, 1 child born & living
Son Herman F Harms M 1 Iowa
Father Harm Harms M 72 Germany, married 41 yrs
Mother Hille M Harms F 68 Germany, 8 children born 6 living
Death
Mr. Harm Harms Passes Away.Mr. Harm Harms, one of the best and most widely known of the German citizens of Jones county, died at his home in Wayne township last Saturday, the 12th inst., of old age after a long illness. Mr. Harms would have been eighty years of age on the 21st of the coming December.
The deceased was born in Hanover, Germany, December 21, 1828. He was the son of John Harms and Anna M. Harms. His father was a farmer and he received good educational advantages during his youth. He worked on his father's farm until 1857, when he left for the United States to try his fortunes in the new world. He was accompanied on that journey by his wife and two children. One of the children died during the forty days passage and was buried at sea. Shortly after he arrived in the United States his wife and the other child both died at Buffalo, New York. Mr. Harms then made his way to Illinois. He lived at Dixon and also in Madison county, where he worked as a farm hand. While living in Madison county he married Miss Maria Johnston, with whom he lived in happy wedlock until the time of her death, which occurred October 19, 1906.
The fruits of this union were eight children, two of whom died in infancy. The six survivors are Anna M., the wife of Mr. C. Schatz, of Lovell township, Herman Harms, of Lovell township, Tena, the wife of Mr. Adam Scheer who lives near Ryan, Gerd and John Harms, both residents of Wayne township and Maria, the wife of Ibo Iben , who resides near Ryan.
During the year of 1866, Mr. and Mrs. Harms removed with their family to Jones county, and he bought eighty acres of land in Wayne township. He was industrious and added to this farm from time to time, until he became the owner of 240 acres of choice land.
Mr. Harms has been a recognized leader among his countrymen, and for years he rendered them valuable se vices in assisting new-comers in the making of contracts and the selection of farms, and his wise counsel was frequently sought in the settling of disputes. He was one of the organizers and a charter member of tho German Lutheran church, of Wayne township, of which Rev. C. Mardorf has been the pastor during the past thirty years. He was attentive and regular in his attendance at the church. The last services that he was able to attend were those connected with the re-dedication of the church about two months ago. He was much interested in those services, and attended each one of them, but there- after he was too weak to make the journey to the Sunday services.
Mr. Harms was always prominent in public affairs, and took more than a passing interest in those things that help to enrich and build up a community. He was one of the principal organizers of the Clover Loaf Creamery Company, which flourished in his neighborhood for many years. He was also one of the organizers of the German Mutual Insurance Company, of Wayne township, which has had an unprecedented record of success for more than twenty years, and he was its secretary during all that time up to last July, when he was obliged to voluntarily relinquish the cares of the office because of failing health, and to him more than any other man is due the success of the company.
Mr. Harms was an honest man whose word was never questioned either socially or in a business transaction. He had the absolute and trusting confidence of all the people in his community. His life was not lived in vain, for it was a life of unselfishness and filled with good works. The funeral services were conducted at the late home of the deceased in Wayne township, last Tuesday forenoon at 11 o'clock,and were attended by a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends, who met to pay their respects to the memory of the deceased. Interment was had in the Lutheran cemetery in Wayne township. The funeral was conducted by Rev. Carl Mardorf , who spoke in both English and German.
Burial
Harms Harm 1828-1908 #37-4Endnotes
1. Janssen, Ludwig, Erhard Schlte and Hans Rudolph Manger, compiler, Die Familien der Kirchengemeinde Reepsholt (Aurich: Ostfriesische Landschaft, 1982), p 491 #2647.
2. Janssen, Ludwig, Erhard Schlte and Hans Rudolph Manger, compiler, Die Familien der Kirchengemeinde Reepsholt (Aurich: Ostfriesische Landschaft, 1982), p 491 #2647.
3. "Correspondence, Rural Route No. 2," Monticello (Iowa) Express, 25 October 1906; Ross & Elizabeth Baty Public Library (http://batypl.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 23 May 2011), Newspaper Digital Archives.
4. Jones Co., Iowa Agriculture - Census Agricultural Schedules , Rootsweb.com online [http://www.rootsweb.com/~iajones/agri/agri.htm], accessed Sept 2007, Wayne 1870.
5. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1880 > IOWA > JONES > WAYNE Series: T9 Roll: 348 Page: 361.
6. 1895 Iowa State Census. Castle Grove Township PAGES 44-67 + 931 Monticello Township PAGES 463-490 Monticello City PAGES 494-515, PAGES 516-537 Scotch Grove PAGES 753-776 (transcribed by Joanne Wilken http://www.rootsweb.com/~iajones/census/census.htm 2002).
7. Janssen, Ludwig, Erhard Schlte and Hans Rudolph Manger, compiler, Die Familien der Kirchengemeinde Reepsholt (Aurich: Ostfriesische Landschaft, 1982), p 491 #2647.
8. "Mr. Harm Harms Passes Away," Monticello (Iowa) Express, 17 September 1908; Ross & Elizabeth Baty Public Library (http://batypl.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 23 May 2011), Newspaper Digital Archives.