Odebolt Biographies - Fertig Century Farm

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

Fertig Century Farm

The Fertig farm is located southeast of Odebolt and was purchased by Andrew Fertig on October 16, 1876 on contract from Iowa Railroad Land Company for five dollars per acre. He received clear title on November 20, 1877.

Andrew Fertig was born Sept. 2, 1845 in Berne, Germany, and his wife Amelia was born June 17, 1851 in Schleswig, Holstein, Germany. When they first came to America they settled in Illinois. They came to Sac County, Iowa in 1870 and first rented their homestead. They hauled the lumber for their first home from Vail, Iowa with team of horses and wagon, going down one day and loading and returning the next day. The well which was dug close to the house has always furnished them with water. The original house is still there.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Fertig were parents of William C., John C., Henry, Kate (Mrs. Louie Zirkel), and five who died as children, Louie, Bennie, George, Anna and Catherine.

Andrew and Amelia moved into Odebolt in 1904 and William took over the farming.

William married Anna Bonnickson in 1907. Nine children were born to William and Anna. The oldest son Louis died as an infant but the remainder of the family lived on the farm until they married. They were: Edna (Mrs. Walter Stover), Howard, Gladys (Mrs. Hubert Hummel), Harold, Everett, Lesslie, Helen, (Mrs. Earland Hoaglund) and Marvin married to Marlene Albrecht.

Mrs. William Fertig died in 1956 and William lived on the farm with his son Everett. When William died in 1964 Everett bought the farm. Everett married Carolyn Miller and they now [1977] own the land his grandfather bought over one hundred years ago.

fertig_pics.jpg (66294 bytes)
(click for enlargement)

(Transcribed by Kim Tholl, Dec.2002. Photos scanned by B. Horak)


Click photo to enlarge it.
Amelia Schlesinger Fertig and her home in Odebolt.
My guess is this was taken between 1920 and 1925.
Her husband, Andrew Fertig (retired farmer, father of
locals William and John Fertig) died in Odebolt in 1907.
 - submitted in 2010 by Allen Hoaglund

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