This is a Message Board Post. Reply to the message or author by clicking on the link below. *************************************************************************** MESSAGE: (#102045) Martha Henkes <http://iagenweb.org/boards/clayton/obituaries/index.cgi?rev=102045> AUTHOR: Gary Sheffert DATE: 3/9/2006 at 20:24:07 Surnames: HENKES,KOTH,SEBASTIAN,BAUGHMAN OBITUARY OF MARTHA ELIZABETH DEITZ HENKES Monona Leader-June 27, 1912 (opening charred by fire) ill for several year peacefully Sunday morning, June 16, 1912 slight stoke of paralysis, which she had during the past winter and from which she had never fully recovered, resulting in later complications, causing her death. Martha Elizabeth Deitz was born in province Hesse, Germany, July 24, 1830. She came to America in 1854 and located in Ohio, where she first became intimately acquainted with John M. Henkes, who later with his parents and other friends, together with the deceased, came to Clayton Co., in 1855. This friendship resulted in her marriage to John M. Henkes March 25, 1855. They located at once on the old well-known homestead in Wagner township. This home of 320 acres is still occupied by members of their family. Seven children were born to this union--three sons and four daughters--vis. Henry, of Wagner, Iowa; Charles, of Canora, Canada; Helen (Mrs H. Koth, of Monona, Iowa; Martha (Mrs Len Sebastion), of Cresco, Iowa; Mina (Mrs S. G. Bauthman), of Los Angeles, Cal.; Catharine (Mrs F. Koth) of Monona, Iowa; and Melvin, of Monona, Iowa. Her generation passes with her, for she was the last surviving member of a large family, and she is also the first in her own immediate family to answer the final summons. Mrs Henkes was reared under the influence of the German Reformed Church, of which she early became a member. She was a noble-minded woman in the broadest sense of the word, a loving wife and mother, kind neighbor, hospitable and generous hearted, and to know her was to love her. She was a constant reader of her Bible and was never happier than when engaged in some kind ministration for others. She was always much concerned about the spiritual welfare of her children. She was humble and unassuming. One of her favorite quotations was "Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me."-Proverbs, 30:8. These qualities made her a very congenial helpmeet during the fifty-seven years of their companionship in overcoming the trials and hardships incident to the early pioneer life. In June 1897, she with her husband retired and moved to Monona to spend their declining days in receiving and entertaining old friends, their own children, grand-children and great grand-children, of which they had forty grand-children and nine great grand-children. Beside her immediate family and large relationship there are left to mourn her loss many friends, pioneers and old neighbors. The funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at two o'clock in the Congregational church at Monona, Rev. James B. Bird, of the M.E. church, officiating in the English language and Rev. E.G. Glaeser, of the Evangelical church spoke in German. Both were very fitting and impressive. The floral offerings and designs were magnificent. Kind hands bore the remains to their final resting place in the beautiful Monona cemetery.