Biographies - Adam Kennedy, Alfred Krusenstjerna, Caspar Luft, Andrew Lundell

Adam Kennedy

(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977, 
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p.44)

Adam Kennedy born 1847 in Scotland, came to America and located first in Pittsburg, came to Iowa in 1878 and purchased land in Wheeler Township from Iowa Railroad and Land Company. In 1879 he married Katherine Connelly, daughter of Sam and Ellen (West) Connelly, born at Belturbet, County Caran, Ireland, in 1860. At an early age she came to America with her parents and located at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Kennedy were parents of Martha and Florence (Mrs. C. Dennis Ballard). Two died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Kennedy were charter members of Presbyterian Church. After the death of Adam in 1895, the mother moved into Odebolt in the house now (1977) occupied by her daughter Florence Ballard.

 

Alfred G. Krusenstjerna

(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977, 
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p.46)

Alfred Krusenstjerna, born 1856 in Sweden, son of Marritz Von and Marie (Biller) Krusenstjerna.

Marritz was a well-to-do land owner and had large estates in Sweden and Norway.

In 1880 Alfred came to America and located at Odebolt, Iowa. He worked for Henry Hanson first, then for the St. Paul and Kansas Grain Company for ten years. In 1893 he went into business for himself. His grain business was probably the largest in Sac County. He bought and shipped grain including corn, popcorn and oats. It was computed he bought and shipped over one hundred seventy-five carloads of grain annually.

Alfred crossed the ocean five times to visit his mother in the old country.

Alfred married Ida Hokanson, a native of Sweden, in 1889. They were parents of George, married Jennie McLean; Hazel (Mrs. Boyd E. Spencer); Fred married Mary Reynolds; Mabel (Mrs. Alvin G. Olsson); Russell married Bertha Clampitt-Edith Stehr; Ruth (Mrs. Frank Neighbors); Florence (Mrs. Henry Varner); Arthur married Velma Johnson; Maurice married Adele Swanson; Helen (Mrs. P.E. Treman); and Richard married Carolyn Hartsell.

 

Caspar Luft

(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977, 
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p.49)

Caspar Luft came from Germany in 1860. He married Anna Barbara Sittner in Germany, where their first son was born in 1858.

The family settled in Mendota, Illinois, for a while. In 1879 they came to Clinton Township, Sac County, Iowa, and were pioneer farmers. Indians were roaming the country. One day when the mother was helping out in the field and Peter was minding his younger sister he saw a band of Indians coming, so he shoved a barrel under the attic entrance, stood on it to get into the attic, pulled his sister up and closed the opening. The Indians took whatever they wanted and left.

Children born to Caspar and Anna were Gertrude (Mrs. John Mehlbrech); Henry, married Mary Hoefling; Katherine (Mrs. Ludwig Schramm); George, married Wilhelmina Schramm; Peter, married Anna Reutzel; Eva Elizabeth (Mrs. Gustav Freese).

Mr. and Mrs. John Mehlbrech were parents of Henry; Katherine (Mrs. Henry Frey); W. Louis, married Lucellia Fuchs; John; Elizabeth (Mrs. M.J. Foft); Anna (Mrs. Harry Elstrom); Mae (Mrs. Frank Baker); George; August; and Wilhelm.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Luft are parents of Anna (Mrs. Roscoe Budd); Peter, married Lucille Buettner; Louie, married Lena Lenz; Katherine; Gustav; and John.

Katherine's history under Ludwig Schramm.

Mr. and Mrs. George Luft are parents of Anna (Mrs. Charles Hix); John; William, married Mabel Campbell-Lela Bartrom; and Charles.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Luft are parents of Elizabeth (Mrs. Gus Stephan); Anna (Mrs. Ancle Stephan); John, married Edna Peper; Gustav, married Olive Lange; Iva (Mrs. Austin Keiser); Peter, married Cory Amer; Amelia; Arthur, married Nedra Rhodes; Milton, married Ernestine Baichtal; Lloyd, married Viola Sorensen; and Lucille (Mrs. Vincent Determann).

Eva Luft under Freese history.

Andrew Lundell

(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977, 
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p.50)

Andrew and his wife Anna Lundell emigrated to America in 1869 arriving at the port of New York in December of that year. Two daughters were ill in New York harbor as the family was waiting for admittance to the country. One died in the harbor and the other in Princeton, Illinois, where the parents came after the New Year. They farmed near Princeton until 1878 when they came to Sac County, Iowa.

Other children born to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Lundell were August; John; Anna (Mrs. Lindskoog); and Peter G.

August Lundell, born 1848 in Sweden, married Mary Walter in 1873. In 1874 August purchased land in Wheeler Township for five dollars and sixty cents an acre. August Lundell was getting things well under way when the grasshopper pests first came in 1876 and returned in 1877 doing considerable damage. Mr. Lundell has served as trustee and clerk of Wheeler Township, also on Sac County board of supervisors. He was one of the organizers of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church, which society was formed in 1875 and the church built about three years later.

Mr. and Mrs. August Lundell were parents of eight children; Albert; Richard; Anna (Mrs. C.W. Nilson); Emil, Minnie; Lydia; Alvin; and Ernest.

Peter G. Lundell, born in 1859 in Sweden, married Amanda Berg, daughter of Carl and Caroline Berg, in 1882. Amanda was born in Sweden in 1865 and was a child of four years when her parents came to America.

Peter Lundell taught school in Wheeler Township for a number of years during the winter season and engaged in farming in spring and summer.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lundell were parents of twelve children; Mabel; Edna; Abbie; Edith; George; Edward; Elizabeth; Edmund; Mildred; Harold; Costance; and Bayard.

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