| Notes |
- On Feb. 23, 1989 the name of Carl Henry Kutschinski was sent in to be inscribed on the American Immigrant Wall of Honor at Ellis Island, New York. The contribution of 100.00 was given by his five children and their families and a certificate of acknowledgement was received. He became a citizen of the United States on Oct.16, 1900. We have a copy of his Certificate of Naturalization.
Carl H. Kutschinski, a native of West Prussia, Germany, was born on April 25, 1870. He was the son of Joseph and Augusta (Baumgard) Kutschinski. When Carl was seven years old, his father passed away. This left Carl's mother with four small children. Carl attended school for several years. He then went to learn the trade of shoemaker to help his family. He did this for 16 years. He thought the United States would be a better place to live. At the age of 23, he came directly to Hanover Township, Crawford County, where he worked as a hired hand for the Schroeder and Schoenfeld families. During these years, he had his mother and two sisters come to the United States. On February 15, 1900, Carl married Louise Jahn at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Louise was the daughter of Carl and Bertha (Krause) Jahn. Louise was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 26, 1877. Carl and Louise had seven children: four sons, Ernest (died as an infant), Arthur (deceased), Elmer, and Alvin; and three daughters, Erna, Olinda, and Irene. On October 16, 1900, Carl became a citizen, of which he was always proud. Carl and Louise farmed in Hanover Township, Section 21, for three years. A son, Ernest, was born there and died at the age of three months. He is buried in the Jahn family plot by the Hanover Lutheran Church. Later they bought a farm in Charter Oak Township, Section 15. The house was small, so rooms were added and other buildings were built. Later an adjoining farm was purchased. A farm in Willow Township, Section 22, was also purchased. Several acres made up the Willow Township Cemetery, which on June 11, 1989, was dedicated as native prairie. In the spring of 1940, Carl and Louise moved into Charter Oak leaving their son, Elmer, to farm. For some years, Carl continued to walk out to help with the work. In 1950, they observed their golden wedding with a gathering at home. Their 60th anniversary was held with an open house at St. John's church parlors. On February 15, 1964, they observed their last anniversary together. They were the longest married couple at the Old Settlers Picnic in Denison, Iowa, for several years. Louise passed away on April 19, 1964, at the age of 87. Louise, also known as Lizzie, was one who enjoyed family, home, and flowers. Carl and Louise were constant readers of the Sioux City Journal and Denison Newspapers. Arthur, the oldest son, came to reside with them in later years. He had been a farm laborer working for many farmers in the area. During 1942 to 1945, he served his country in the United States Army in six different states. In Georgia, he was an M. P. working with German prisoners. Later he was sent overseas. Arthur died on March 8, 1969, at age 61. Carl went to live at Eventide in April, 1968. On December 8, 1968, he passed away suddenly at the age of98 years and eight months. His life was spared much illness. Once he received a cracked ankle when stepped on by a cow. When he was 93 years old, he fell in the garden and broke his hip from which he recovered only to need a walker at times. At the time of his death, he was Crawford County's oldest citizen. Carl, Louise, and Art were members of St. John's Lutheran Church and are buried in the family plot in the St. John's Cemetery. Grandson, Gail Kutschinski, passed away suddenly in June of 1962 at the age of 14. He is buried at Crawford Heights Cemetery in Denison, Iowa. Great Grandson, Scot Christensen, who had the same birth date as Carl, died in a motorcycle accident in April, 1988, at the age of 22. He is buried in the Manilla Cemetery. The farms and house still remain in the family. In February 1989, Carl's name was sent to the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation to be inscribed on the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. This is to be the largest restoration in the history of man. The names of 100,000, paid for by family members, will be engraved alphabetically on a $670,000 wall. Some of the things remembered about the farm are: Many days of threshing when you had about a dozen men for dinner, lunch, and supper for several days. On a Sunday morning in the summer of 1930, when getting ready for church we found the car had been stolen. It was found near Sioux City the next day out of gas. This happened when Highway 141 through Charter Oak was being paved. The summer kitchen was the place next to the house where we moved to each May until fall. We cooked in this kitchen to help keep the house a little cooler. At this time, the stove pipes were taken down and both cleaned and polished. This kitchen was also used to do laundry with a wood machine and gas engine. The cream separator, bathtub, cobs and wood to cook with were there. We got our exercise pumping water for the house and chickens, gathering cobs and wood for cooking, and going down and up 12 steps in the cave to try to keep food cool. The cave also held homemade beer and wine. Once when returning from church, we found some missing. At the present time, family members are: Erna Friedrichs, (husband, William, deceased 1982); and her children: (1) Lavaughn Schultz and her husband, Irvin, of Kiron; and their children, Rhonda Jackson and her husband, Paul, of Metairie, Louisiana; Denise Glass and her children, Gina and Alana Hansen of Omaha, Nebraska; Glenda Jansen and her husband, John, and their children, Benjamin, twins Andrea and Andrew, of Omaha, Nebraska; and Beth Johnson and her husband, Tony, of Omaha, Nebraska; (2) Delores Suhr, and her husband, Raymond, of Luverne, Minnesota, and their daughter, Kristin Suhr of Storm Lake, Iowa; (3) Donald Friedrichs and his wife, Nadine, of Charter Oak, and their sons, Craig and his wife, Rebecca, and their children, T. Chris and Laurie, of Westside, Iowa; and Brent Friedrichs of Gabon, W. Africa; (4) Rita Lafrentz and her husband, Delbert, of Mapleton, Iowa, and their children, Todd Lafrentz of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Troy Lafrentz of Denison, Iowa; and Tricia and Trent living at home in Mapleton, Iowa. Olinda Schultz and her husband, William, and their children: (1) Earl Schultz and his wife, Jolene, of Charter Oak, and their children, Kim Plough and her husband, Rory, of Charter Oak; Kreg and Kyle Schultz living at home in Charter Oak; and (2) Marlene Groth and her husband, Milroy, of Denison, Iowa. Elmer Kutschinski and his wife, Thelma, of Charter Oak, and their children: (1) Frances Mills of Omaha, Nebraska, and her son, Robbie Gail, of Chicago, Illi- nois; (2) Sandra Kelley and her husband, Michael, and their children Christine and Kevin of Omaha, Nebras- ka; and (3) Roxann Cleaver and her husband, John, of Fort Collins, Colorado. Alvin Kutschinski and his wife, Dorothy, of Charter Oak, and their children: (1) Karen Christensen and her husband, Norman, of Denison, Iowa, and their son, Greg Christensen and his wife, Diane, of Coralville, Iowa; and (2) Linda Nepper and her husband, Allen, and their children, Allison and Megan, of Charter Oak. Irene Lee and her husband, Francis, of Charter Oak and their son, Bruce Karlton Lee, and his wife, Cherri, and their children, Brandi, Brooke, and Brady of Charter Oak. (Taken from "The History of Charter Oak, Iowa").
CARL KUTSCHINSKI A birthday was held far Carl Kutschinski. Sunday at Eventide in Denison, (IA) honoring him on his 98th birthday of April 25. A social time was spent in visiting and in conclusion a birthday cake was served with the lunch. Guests present were Mrs Emil Hopp, Mrs Bernhard Marten, Mr and Mrs Norman Christensen and sons, Mr and Mrs Delbert Lafrentz and sons, Mr and Mrs Irvin Schultz and daughters, Mr and Mrs Francis Lee and son Bruce, Mr and Mrs Alvin Kutschinski, Mr and Mrs Elmer Kutschinski, Mr and Mrs W. E. Schultz, Mr and Mrs Earl Schultz .and Kim, Mr and Mrs Milroy Groth, Mr and Mrs W R Friedrichs, Mr and Mrs Donald Friedrichs and sons, Arthur Kutschinski. (taken from a newspaper clipping of Carl Kutschinski)
OLDEST COUNTY RESIDENT Carl Kutschinski of Charter Oak, Crawford County's oldest resident marks his 98th birthday on Thursday, April 25. A native of Germany, he has made his home in Charter Oak township and Charter Oak for 75 years.
BY RUTH BURNSIDE; Residents in and around Charter Oak and Charter Oak township have known for years that Carl Kutschinski was nearing the century mark for his birthdate for on Thursday, April 25, he will observe his 98th birthday.
Crawford County has been his hone for 75 years. At the age of 23 he came directly from Germany to the Charter Oak vicinity where he rented a farm for three years before he purchased a farm of his own in Charter Oak township. He resided on this farm for 47 years, retiring then, he came to Charter Oak where he made his home until this month when he became a resident of Eventide.
Carl Kutschinski's birthplace was the Province of West Prussing, Germany on April 25, 1870. Attending the state schools in his fatherland and his confirmation were the source of his early education. After that he chose the shoemaker's trade for his vocation, working at that for five years before coming to the United States.
On Feb. 15, 1900 he was married to Louise Jahn, their children numbering six. They are Mrs. William Fredricks, Mrs. William Schultz, Art, Elmer, Alvin and Mrs. Francis Lee, all of Charter Oak. Besides the children there are 12 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Mrs. Kutschinski died in 1964.
Nobody loves a birthday party more than does Mr. Kutschinski. He should know for he has experienced 98 of them. Sunday evening, the family gathered at Eventide as they have done for years to wish "Dad" and "Grandpa" a happy birthday, through the years. (taken from a newspaper clipping and saved by Erna Friedrichs)
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1870 - 1968 (98 years)
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