Krebill, Harry John

Other Events:

• Residence: 1966, 1004 West Salem Street, Indianola, Iowa 50125

Notes:

Birth:
near Donnellson

Buried:
Mennonite Cemetary

Harry married Krebill, Edna Lillian on 10 Jun 1914 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA. Edna (daughter of Krebill, William H. and Weber, Klara Eliza) was born on 3 Jun 1896 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA; died on 1 May 1963 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA; was buried in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
near Donnellson

1. Krebill, Irma Eileen was born on 15 Aug 1916 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA; died on 1 Jan 2004 in Belmond, Wright, Iowa, USA; was buried on 6 Jan 2004 in Belmond, Wright, Iowa, USA.
2. Living

Notes:

Birth:
near Franklin

Died:
near Donnellson

Henry married Lowenberg, Elise Mary on 2 Mar 1887 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA. Elise (daughter of Lowenberg, Johannes and Strom, Katherine R) was born on 17 Dec 1864 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA; died on 29 Aug 1940 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA; was buried on 31 Aug 1940 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Mennonite Cemetary

Notes:

Married:
near Donnellson

Notes:

______________________________________________________

Krebill, Peter, farmer, Section 19; P.O. Franklin Center; owns 190 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre; born Nov 7, 1827, in Bavaria, Germany; parents, Frederick and Anna Krebill, emigrated to what was then Richland Co., Ohio, in 1832, where the father died in March, 1849, and the mother Jan 17, 1856. Mr. Krebill married Magdalena Fox Feb 15, 1856; she was born April 6, 1833, in Bavaria, Germany. In the spring of 1857, they emigrated to Lee Co., Iowa, and located on his present farm. They have eleven children - Anna F., born Jan 15, 1857; David J., born May 11, 1858; Henry F., Nov 10, 1859; Margaret, April 29, 1862; Magdalena, Feb 15, 1864; Samuel, Jan 20, 1866; Peter, Dec 28, 1868; John, May 23, 1870; Edward, Feb 5, 1873; Laura, July 7, 1875; Frederick, March 9, 1878. Mr. Krebill is a member of the Mennonite Church; Democrat.

Source:

The History of Lee County, Iowa
Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879
Franklin Township, Page 780
_______________________________________________________

Peter was just a boy about six years of age when the Friedrich Krebills arrived at Hayesville, Ohio early in 1834. The fact that Peter was so much younger than his brothers was to his advantage for he had the opportunity to attend English schools fork a longer period of time.

In addition to growing up on a farm with its many chores for the young, he also learned about operating a farmer's saw-mill.

Early in 1856, about seven years after the father, Friedrich, had died, and about a year before the mother Anna's demise, Peter Krebill and Magdalena Fox (Fuchs) were married. During this summer, Peter and his brother Jacob and their brother-in-law Christian Eymann, decided to move to the Franklin Prairie vicinity near Franklin in Lee County, Iowa.

In the fall of 1856 the brothers Jacob and Peter bought 120 acres of land about three miles due west from the Village of Franklin Center. However, Peter did not move to Iowa until the following spring after their first child, a daughter Anna, had been born. They left Hayesville in April of 1857 and like his brother Jacob and Christian Eymann did on the previous fall, Peter traveled by covered wagon and team. They arrived on the 13th of June and moved into a log cabin which stood on a forty- acre tract, a part of the 120 acres which the brothers had acquired the fall before. About a half mile north from the new Zion Mennonite church, a lane extended eastward to the Peter Krebill's cabin.

The wives of Jacob and Peter were non-mennonites. There seemed to have been some conversation among the church dignitaries to the effect that the wives should be required to be baptised before being accepted as members. However, in view of the fact that both of them had been baptised in protestant faiths, Peter warned the Mennonites that they would prefer to join another church if they insisted that this was mandatory. Fortunately the Mennonites accepted the wives as members without any reservations.

Peter Krebills lived in their log-cabin until they moved into another one when in 1865 Peter purchased about 50 acres of land in the south-west quarter of the adjacent section 19. His home on this newly acquired place stood just one mile west from his brother Jacob's place. In 1867 and 1869 Peter added two more tracts of land next to his first 50 acres. In 1883 he purchased still another piece of .farm-land which gave him title to the entire south-west quarter of section 19.

He also owned two wooded tracts across the road from his farm in Harrison Township which brought his holding up to about 200 acres. Peter followed a diversified type of farming, specialized in horse and cattle breeding and operated a grain threshing rig for many years. At first he used a horse-power and later a steam engine to run the grain separator.

The following pages contain excerpts from letters which Peter Krebill wrote from Lee County, Iowa to his brother John Grabill at Hayesville, Ohio.

These letters were written over a period of years from the time when Peter first arrived in Iowa in 1857 to the time of his brother John's demise in Ohio
in 1887.

The full text of these letters may be found at the Musselman historical library at the Bluffton College in Bluffton, Ohio.

John S. Grabill, Hayesville, 0. July 5, 1857, Franklin Center, Iowa.

The Jacob Krebill and Agnes Eymann families are all well. We arrived here on June 13th. We moved Agnes into one of Mrs. Strohm's
houses west from the church. I left brother Henry at brother Abraham's place. He said he would be traveling towards Peoria, and would write me when he found
a job. I have not heard yet. I went with Fred Fuchs to Montrose on the sixth. Goodbye
Peter Krebill.
___________________________________________________
John S. Grabill, Hayesville. September 23, 1857, Franklin Center.

David Risser offered to sell his eighty acre farm to sister Agnes Eymann and take her house at Franklin in trade. He asked $27/00 an acre and offered $672/00 for her house. Agnes bought the land. It is described as the west half of the northeast quarter of section 29 in Franklin township.

I sold my iron gray horse for $170/00 to John Rupp, a brother-in-law of Reinrich Hirschler. Brother Jacob bought the roan mare for $150/00 without an argument. Today was the first day of the three day fair at West Point.

Tell Fred Fox (Fuchs) I will write him before long.

Your brother Peter Kreebill.
____________________________________________________
John S. Grabill, Hayesville. January 18, 1868, Franklin Center.

The last one of two letters from you came from Philadelphia.

I got first premium on the large horse and second on the colt. Pork is worth $3/50 to $3/75, corn 15$, or 20# at Keokuk. I often think of the time when you took your first trip to the west, when we were all gathered around the table. Mother would say in german, "I wish John would come and eat some now."

Now you are there and the rest of us are scattered from here to Pikes Peak! We had hoped to see Henry last fall but have not seen anything of him yet.

Your brother Peter Krebill.
____________________________________________________________

John S. Grabill, Hayesville. June 1, 1868, Franklin, Iowa.

John Hertzler and wife have been here. After they got back to Burlington he found the garden plow and he took it to their shop. He will send it to us as soon as possible. I still keep their plows here for sale. I sold my stallion to John Haffner, a son of Fred Haffner, for $300/00.

I have 50 acres of small grain and 50 acres of corn. Our Anna had a letter from brother Abraham's little girl.

Peter Krebill.
____________________________________________________________

John S. Grabill, Hayesville. October 2, 1881, Primrose, Iowa.

We did not hear from Henry all summer, if we do hear from him we will let you know right away.

Our Peter was baptized with six others last sunday September the 25th.

John, Edward and Laura are still in school. Little Freddie is only three years old.

Peter Krebill.

________________________________________________________________________
John S. Grabill, Hayesville. November 17, 1886, Primrose, Iowa.

I would like to hear that you are feeling better. Perhaps next summer you may feel like visiting us again.

I am feeding 23 steers. Our son Henry will start out for himself next summer. He rented a farm about a mile north from the Dover crossroads. So
by next year there will be four out of our eleven children out on their own. We haven't heard from brother Henry yet.

Peter Krebill.
___________________________________________________________________________

John S. Grabill, Hayesville. January 1, 1887, Primrose, Iowa.

Happy New Year! As I wrote the date I thought of the time fifty years ago on a new years day how you taught me to write the new date. It was on that big old chest by the old cook-stove.

Henry will marry a daughter of John Lowenberg who lives close to the church, and are preparing for their home by spring-time.

"Nephew Samuel'; Looking at the picture of your four children, that little girl standing by the tree reminds me so much of the little boy I used to see riding the dog around the house!

Tell them to be kind to their grand-pa when he is sick.
Peter Krebill.
_____________________________________________________________________________

John S. Grabill, Hayesville. January 17, 1887, Primrose, Iowa.

I miss your letters so much since you are not able to write.

For the past thirty years we have exchanged letters every year. On the 23rd of this month brother Jacob's daughter Charlotte and Elias Weber are to be married. Then on the 30th our Lena and Emil Leisy are to be married.

"Dear nephew Samuel"; Our Freddie wants to tell your boys Howard and John the little speach he gave in school:

"If older boys can make a speach
we.little boys can too
And though we may not say so much
Yet here's a word for you.
This world's large and full of room
There is a place for all
The rich, the poor, the wise, the good
The large as well as small
So give the little ones a chance
To show off what they know
And shun us not because we're small
For little boys will grow
Your uncle Peter Krebill.
______________________________________________________________________________________

Samuel H. Grabill, Hayesville, 0. March 13, 1887, Primrose, Iowa.

Dear Nephew;

I did not get around to answering your last letter before we received the sad news af your father's death. At the time Laura and Freddie were down with the measles and I could not leave at such a time to attend the funeral. At such a time one wonders "Why didn't I go and see him while he was still alive?" "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, even so saith the spirit, for they rest from their labor."

Emil and Lena Leisy live in Kansas now. Henry and Elise moved on to their farm last Tuesday. Katharine Latschar and Henry Sander are to be married next Sunday the 20th.

Well, Howard; Freddie was delighted to receive your nice letter. Freddie's English school will be out this week and then he will go to German school again. If you were here you could learn to talk and write german letters. Last wednesday was Freddie's birthday and his mother baked a big cake for him.

Does your mother bake one for you on your birthday? When I saw her she was a little girl, I think about two years old.

I wish I could see you all for I like children when they are good and mind their mothers.

Peter Krebill.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Source:
Olga A. Krebill Hirschler, The Altleiningen Krebills 1730-1966 (Paul and Olga Hirschler, 020 Lassen Street, Richmond, CA: 1966), Newberry Library, Chicago, also personal collection of Michael Hervey

Buried:
Mennonite Cemetary

Died:
near Donnellson

Peter married Fuchs, Magdalena on 15 Feb 1856 in Hayesville, Ashland, Ohio, USA. Magdalena (daughter of Fuchs, Casper and Kraupner, Margaret) was born on 6 Apr 1833 in Neiferheim, Germany; died on 8 Mar 1908 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA; was buried in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Mennonite Cemetary

Died:
near Donnellson

Notes:

Married:
near Hayesville

Johannes married Strom, Katherine R on 24 May 1863. Katherine (daughter of Strom, Peter and Schowalter, Barbara) was born on 15 Sep 1845 in Schwaig, Germany; died on 30 Aug 1918 in Donnellson, Lee, Iowa, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Altleiningen, near Grunstadt, Germany

Friedrich married Risser, Anna on 16 Dec 1816 in Friedelsheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Anna (daughter of Risser, Sr Johannes and Strohm, Maria) was born on 15 Nov 1794 in Friedelsheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany; died on 17 Jan 1857 in Hayesville, Ashland, Ohio, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Residence: 1885

Notes:

Friedelsheim, near Durkheim, Germany

Casper married Kraupner, Margaret. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Peter married Schowalter, Barbara. Barbara (daughter of Schowalter, Jacob and Kaegy, Elizabeth) was born on 14 Mar 1823 in Weierhof, Donnersbergkreis, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany; died on 11 May 1900 in Halstead, Harvey County, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Letter from Barbara Strohm née Schowalter from the Weierhof after crossing on the ship Mercury from the USA in 1953 [sic]
Cleveland, Ohio, 9 June 1853
(Letter arrived on July 11, 1853)
Dear brother, brother-in-law, and sisters-in-law,

The great grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the comforting fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and evermore. Amen.
Now, dear loved ones, you probably know from Leisie's and Risser's letters how our trip to Le Havre went. But then our misery began. Our Eliese suddenly took sick in the evening. She began to vomit and had a burning fever, so we sent for the doctor first thing in the morning. But he didn't arrive until almost noon, because he had ridden into the city, and Madam Bauer couldn't refer us to anyone else; she said he was the first one in the city. When the doctor saw Eliese, he shook his head. He couldn't speak German. Madam Bauer acted as interpreter. She made every effort for the child's sake, and she wouldn't take anything from me in payment. She took care of everything herself. The child received a medication for vomiting, saltwater compresses on her head, had to drink raspberry juice mixed with saltwater, then she was given a powder. The vomiting should have stopped several hours earlier, but she kept on vomiting nothing but gall. She could no longer keep juice and water down - everything came right back up.

We had just told the doctor that he should come back the next morning, which he did, and he found her somewhat better then. But again he prescribed something for vomiting and a mustard plaster to lay on her stomach, and we were to continue with the compresses on her head. The doctor's visits and the drugs cost us 11 francs. Now, dears, you can imagine how I felt the next day, the 28th, when we were supposed to board the ship, which we did, with such a sick child. Eliese's illness had affected me so that I also took sick in Le Havre, and then we boarded the ship. We had hardly been on the ship a half hour - it was still long before departure time - when I had to throw up. About two hours later, the ship departed, and by evening many people were seasick.

Our father, Bawett, and Anna weren't the least bit seasick. Katherine and Marie were fine again after one good vomit. But then Eliese got seasick on top of everything and was very sick for 8 to 10 days. Then she got better, thank God. Unfortunately I was so sick when we were at sea and was so weak the first 14 days that it took two people to lead me to the sundeck, where I stayed all day, because I could enjoy the healthy air there. Then in the last 14 days, I caught what I am firmly convinced was brain fever, because I had already had this twice, so I recognized it. The pain usually began at about 6 o'clock in the morning and kept building until about 1 in the afternoon, then it would gradually subside again. The pain increased for 6 or 7 days and got almost unbearable. I could no longer feel anything on my head, and then the pain gradually diminished over the same number of days. Now I want to tell you what my meals were as long as we were on the ship. On the 8th day, David Risser brought me a little wine soup. That was the first thing I was able to enjoy. I was always thirsty but had no appetite for food and couldn't eat anything on the whole voyage but 5 or 6 spoonfuls of soup at the most and a little hard bread with cheese, but that was dark bread-that was the nicest.

Rissers gave me something, and then we also had bakers near us who helped us out. They still had a lot left when we arrived in New York and it wasn't the least bit moldy. Zwieback I couldn't try, meat I couldn't even look at, and so forth.

Now I want to tell you more about our sea life. We and Vochtens had merged our households. The three men-Vogt, Dettweiler, and Nicolaus-and Vogt's girl cooked, and everyone complained vehemently. The cooking was the only thing that everyone complained about. The kitchen was much too small for so many people, and there was no cooking hearth, so the smoke was almost suffocating. There was often fighting as well, but it was insignificant. We were very satisfied with our ship's crew, the captain, the two helmsmen, and especially the ship's carpenter were very reasonable, once they got to know their people. The sailors also gave us nothing to complain about. They were all very friendly and not coarse. From what I heard, there were 535 people on our ship, and none of them died except an 89-year-old woman. Other than seasickness, there were no illnesses, and no one gave birth. If anyone misbehaved, the captain had them tied up with cords on the sun deck until they were good again, but that happened only twice.
We had no storms. Our crew and also several passengers who had made the trip several times-especially a family from Saarbrücken who was making the trip now for the third time-they could tell of storms where the good Lord kept his distance, and of all kinds of other misfortunes, so we owe the Lord a great debt of gratitude.

We had very strong wind once with a thunderstorm, but in a few hours everything was over, and then there was one time at midnight. These two times were enough storm for us. The tied-down crates flew out of place just as if they had not been tied down, and the waves crashed in so that the whole ship trembled. So there were many scares, and also the upper piece of the center spar, about 10 to 12 feet, broke off and made such a racket that everyone was startled. But this too was soon put back in order. We also had several days of fog, and bells began to ring, so that everyone put their heads together and the word went around in the steerage: Fire! Fire! But this ringing was only a signal, so that if another ship came close, they would not collide. So there was a lot to be endured on such a lamentable trip, and there were many occasions for prayer. On such a trip, you certainly get to know the Lord if you don't know him well enough already. He certainly won't abandon us, if we don't abandon him.

My dears, as you can well imagine, among so many people, you get to know the views of many of them. I often thought, How can the good Lord look on this way? Well, maybe he heard my prayer as well as those of many others. On the first day of Pentecost we also had a worship service on our ship. There was a certain Madame Sauerchuhl from Karlsruhe with us who had organized events in addition. She had brought all the chairs from the first-class staterooms up onto the sun deck, where very few passengers other than stateroom passengers were allowed - and never us. First, several verses were sung, and then my dear husband had to read the Pentecost prayer from our Sollenkofer prayer book. Then a few more verses were sung, and then someone else read a sermon. It was cold most of the time, so cold that you could hardly stand it on the sun dick, but just two days before Pentecost it was very warm.

Our ship's carpenter told us that he had been making this trip for 5 years, but never without stormy weather and without fighting and quarreling, like this time. We too are heartily satisfied with our sea voyage, and we have much to thank the Lord for. And so, with God's help, we arrived in the harbor on the 32nd day at 10 o'clock in the morning.

It was only 32 days, but the longing, the yearning, and the sight I cannot begin to describe to you. It was on May 30, and on June 1 we departed from New York. From there we had booked a trip to Cleveland, which cost 4 dollars and 75 cents per person, plus one dollar and 75 cents for each 100 pounds of excess baggage.

We traveled the first three nights by railroad and the fourth, from Buffalo to here, on a steamer; thus we arrived safely in Cleveland on Sunday, June 5. Brother Daniel was not at home. He had gone to Buffalo Friday on business and then at the same time he was visiting the Pfrimmerhöfers, and he didn't return home until Tuesday. On Friday, June 10, we wanted to leave here again, but our plans were thwarted. On Thursday our Anna took very sick. She developed a terrible fever, head and body aches, and vomiting, so that today, Sunday, we still don't know what is going to happen.

My brother's brother-in-law, Jacob Leisy, treated Anna. He is a general practitioner here in the city and takes his meals at my brother's home. He hasn't said yet what kind of illness it is.

A lot of friends and acquaintances live here, but I haven't gone anywhere yet except to Burger Leisy's, where I liked it very much. If they can sell for a good price, they are also moving to Iowa. Their Anna was married a few weeks ago to a nice young man from Prussia who was already in Iowa. He liked it there very much. Also my brother and his family are thinking of moving to Iowa soon. So far, I like America very much, especially the beautiful wood houses. You don't have to build a stone one.

We also had a German doctor on the ship who treated me and Eliese. I also like it very much here at our brother's house. They have three healthy, dear girls. We'll be sorry to leave. But they will soon follow us.

Give my regards to the people of Weierhof and all my friends-I can't name them all. To any who asks about us, again, my regards.
Today, on the 13th of this month, we departed by steamer at seven o'clock. Our Anna is somewhat better, if only it will last. I hope the good Lord will soon restore her to health. Now, farewell, and fond regards from all of us. Greetings to you and your sister from
Bawett Strohm.