Herman Raasch, born 1844, in the Province Pommern, Germany, died 1926 at Odebolt, Iowa. Herman, when twenty years old, was drawn to enter military duty in his native country, which he faithfully performed for three years., after which in 1867 he came to America, settling first in Illinois. In 1874 he married Caroline Mandernach, born in 1853, daughter of John, Sr. and Albertina (Saak) Mandernach.
Herman and Caroline lived at Streaton, Illinois, for two years and then came to Sac County, Iowa, and lived on a farm owned by Mrs. Raasch's father. On this farm a house was erected with a stairway in the middle so as to accommodate two families. The Herman Raasch family occupied one side of the house and the John Mandernach, Jr. family the other side. At about the same time a town was being established two and a half miles south of this place. The town was given the name of Odebolt.
Herman later purchased land four miles north of Odebolt, where they farmed until their retirement, when they moved into a home they bought in Odebolt.
Children born to Mr. and Mrs. Herman Raasch were John; a daughter Emma, who died in childhood; Will, Married Bertha Maas; Henry, married Josephine Halboth; Irvin, married Elizabeth Konradi; Fred, married Jessie Snook; and Cora, the last living member of this family! (in 1977)
Mr. and Mrs. Will Raasch were parents of Emma and Clifford who married Nellie Olson. A twin to Emma died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Raasch are parents of Wayne, married Elizabeth Love; Elwin, married Elaine Dannenberg; and Caroline (Mrs. Howard Peterson).
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Raasch are parents of Willard, married Hazel Brucker; Dorothy (Mrs. Emmett Buehler); Raymond, married Betty Shirk; and Marjorie (Mrs. Raymond Timmerman)
(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977,
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p.59)
Henry Reinhart, a native of Prussia, German, and wife, Martha Hudzell, also of Prussia, came to America in 1876. They first settled in Lee County, Illinios and came to Clinton Township, Iowa in Sac County in 1877. They were parents of Catherine (Mrs. John Fuchs); Christina (Mrs. George Stephan); Elizabeth (Mrs. Beiser); John; Anna (Mrs. Smith); Charley; and Oscar.
See more on this family at Steph Reinhart's Family Tree.
(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977,
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p. 62
(click to enlarge)
John Schmitz, born 1843 in Germany, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Schmitz, who came to America in 1860 and settled in Dubuque County, Iowa. John enlisted in the Union Army in 1862 and served in the Civil War for three years. He was engaged in the great Battles of Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Memphis, Nashville and many others while in the Union Service. After the war he returned to his education and taught school in Dubuque for twelve years. In 1882, he came to Sac County and went into the retail merchandise business with his brother, Leonard Schmitz, in Odebolt. Later he was in the Insurance and Loan business and then opened the German Bank in Odebolt in 1901.
In 1873 John Schmitz married Mary Anna Weiland, who was born in 1852, in Germany and came to America with her parents in 1853. They settled in Dubuque, Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. John Schmitz were parents of Augustine, Aloysius, Mary (Mrs. Frank Roeder); Katharine; and Alphonse.
Augustine married Louisa Schmitz. They were parents of John; Louise (Mrs. Ray Naberhaus; Josephine (Mrs. Earle Zimmerman); Leo; William; Hugo; and four children who died in infancy.
Aloysius married Anna Wessling and they were parents of Marcella, Agnes (Mrs. Larry Gray), and Edmund.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Roeder are parents of Josephine (Mrs. Anselmn Naberhaus) and Herman Roeder.
Alphonse and Myrtle Schmitz had one son, Paul.
(See article on the Schmitz Building)
(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977,
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p.63)
S.D. Selby, born in 1862 in Wisconsin, son of John and Mary (DeWitt) Selby, came to Odebolt in 1892 and conducted a drug store for ten years. He retired from that business and went into the real estate business. He and J.R. Mattes conducted the Western Land Company for the purpose of handling farm lands in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. In 1885 Mr. Selby married Sadie Hanna of Adams County, Iowa. They were parents of Margery; Lenore; John; and Paul.
(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977,
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p.67)
Martin W. Smith was born of German-Scotch parentage at Mansville, Pennsylvania, November 17, 1849, and died February 27, 1939. He received most of his education from his brothers and sisters as he was the youngest in a family of 12.
In 1870 he married Deantha Work, born 1851, in Perry County, Pennsylvania, at Eschall, Penn. They resided in Pennsylvania two years after their marriage and in 1872 located on a farm near Searsboro in Poweshiek County (Iowa). In the spring of 1873 they moved to a farm near Tama City. In 1876 they came to Sac County and that fall they rented the west part of the late J.P. Goreham farm near Odebolt.
They continued to farm until 1882, when they moved to Odebolt and lived on the same lot ever since. He bought the lot with a small shack on it from Manuel Geist. Five years later he enlarged this home. He first worked for John F. Buehler's father and then for the Geist Lumber and Machinery Company for three years. Next, he worked in a restaurant where E.P. Potteiger was located in 1939. He worked in the restaurant for five years. He then went on the road as a salesman util 1907 when he bought the feed store (north of the telephone office) of John Nelson. He continued as flour and feed dealer until 1919. He served as a member of the town council for the last 10 years he was in this store.
His wife passed away February 25, 1936. They had six children, one of the children was Cloid H. Smith, who was founder and past president of the American Pop Corn Company.