Johannes Thede Biography >From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. Surnames: Thede, Sierk, Pahl, Klink, Frey, Lensch, Ohde. A prosperous farmer of Liberty township, who is contemplating retiring from the active pursuit of his calling, and intends to take up his residence in the village of Dixon, is Johannes Thede, who was born in Liberty township, June 28, 1860, about one and a half miles north of the farm on which he is now living. His parents were Peter and Marie (Sierk) Thede, both natives of Schleswig, Germany, where the former was born April 27, 1832, and the latter February 15, 1828. In 1857, singly and alone, they came to America, locating in Kempton, Illinois, where they were married. Three years later, in the spring of 1860, they came to Liberty township, this county, where Mr. Thede engaged in farming. He was successful beyond the ordinary and as he saw opportunity invested in land so that at his death he held five hundred and sixty acres in that township. Toward the close of his life he relinquished the heavier cares and his death occurred January 4, 1909. His wife had died some years! previously, for she passed away in Dixon, May 8, 1903. They were the parents of six children: Peter, of St. Louis, Missouri; Johannes, the subject of this sketch; Henry, who died in 1893 at the age of twenty-one; Mary Lenora, who became the wife of George Pahl, both now deceased; William, a resident of Liberty township; and Erna, the wife of Charles Frey, of Davenport. Johannes Thede was less than one year old when his parents removed from his birthplace to the farm on which he now lives and which has since been his home. He attended the public schools of the district, in which he obtained a fair education, but his practical preparation for life was received during the time he assisted his father in the cultivation of his land. A tiller of the soil from choice as well as from inheritance, he has been one of those who have won a conspicuous success form his vocation. Besides the homestead in Liberty township, consisting of two hundred and sixty acres on sections 35, 36, and 25, he owns an equal amount of arable land in Springfield township, Cedar county, and five hundred and sixty acres in Oldham county, Texas. The place which he makes his home is well improved and its fields excellently adapted to general farming which he has pursued. For the past fifteen years, however, he has made a specialty of stock feeding, feeding about one hundred ! head annually. He was one of the prime promoters of the Dixon Savings Bank, in which he is a large stockholder. On the 8th of April, 1884, Mr. Thede was married to Miss Katharine Petersen, who was born in the same house that was the birthplace of her husband, January 23, 1864. Her parents, Henry and Wiepke (Klink) Petersen, were both natives of Schleswig, Germany. They were married in the old country and came to America about 1856, locating first in Illinois. About five years later they came to America about 1856, locating first in Illinois. About five years later they came to Scott county, which remained their home for the rest of their lives. Mr. Petersen was actively engaged in farming but, having obtained a gratifying income, retired to Dixon, where his death and that of his wife occurred. He owned at one time seven hundred acres of land in Liberty township. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Petersen: Mrs. May Ohde, a widow living in Seattle, Washington; George, of Liberty township; Charles, a resident of Dixon; Mary, who is unmarried and makes her home in Dixon; and Kathar! ine, the wife of our subject. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann Assist. CC: Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm. for: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES