Henry Kratz

HENRY KRATZ, one of the enterprising farmers of Franklin Township, having his home on section 19, was born in Germany, September 8,1846. His parents, John Philip and Mary Catharine Kratz, were both natives of the German Empire, who left the vine-clad hills of the land of their birth and came to the New World in search of a home in 1851. They settled in Pottawattamie County, this State, where they remained until 1856, at which date they came to Monona County, being among its earliest pioneers, and located on the south half of the southeast quarter of section 20. Here the father died in January, 1866. The mother is still living, and resides at Randolph, Cedar County, Neb.

Henry Kratz was the third child in a family of six born to his parents, and crossed the stormy Atlantic with the family in 1851. The days of his youth were passed in Pottawattamie and this county, receiving his education in the pioneer schools of the period. These rude cradles of learning were erected of unhewn logs and covered in with a dirt roof. Later on he attended school at Onawa.

During the trying times of the late Civil War, Henry Kratz's heart beat in response to the calls of his adopted country, and in September, 1864,he enlisted in Company I, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, and joined his regiment at Atlanta, Ga. He participated with that heroic body of men in their march through the heart of the Confederacy to the sea, under their matchless leader, General Sherman, and in all the battles and skirmishes of that famous campaign. After taking part in the Grand Review at Washington in the summer of 1865, he was mustered out of service, receiving his discharge at Davenport, Iowa, September 5, 1865. He immediately returned to his home in this county and resumed his agricultural labors. He has but a small farm, but devoting the bulk of his attention to the raising of small fruit for the market, derives considerable revenue from it.

Mr. Kratz was married June 3, 1872, to Miss Martha A. Brown. The lady was born in Ohio, January 30, 1856, and is a daughter of James and Priscilla (Robinet) Brown, the father a native of Kentucky and the mother of Virginia, who were married in Ohio, and settled in Iowa County, this State, in 1857. The family came to Monona County in 1869, and located in West Fork Township, but a short time after removed to Franklin Township, and engaged in farming. Her father died here March 5, 1885, having attained the age of eighty years; her mother still resides here in the township. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Kratz have been the parents of seven children — Ida J., born September 16, 1872, who died October 3, 1873; Elizabeth, born July 5, 1874, who died February 5, 1875; Eva, born August 3, 1875; Frank A., August 3, 1876; Sarah J., September 5, 1878, who died February 5, 1880; Willie, born February 16, 1882, who died in July, 1882; and John E., born July 28, 1883. Mr. Kratz was one of the charter members of Hanscom Post, No. 97, G. A. R., at Onawa, with which he still holds connection.

SOURCE: History of Monona County, Iowa, National Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1890, p. 614-5