Asmus H. Lamp Biography >From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. Surnames: Lamp, Gutch, Stoltenberg, Klindt, Seaman, Frye, Fulner. To few of the European nations which have contributed to the citizenship of this country do we owe more than to the German. Successful in business, its sons have also achieved distinction in agriculture, for the stable qualities of industry and frugality, which are dominant in their makeup, prove to be the characteristics which win the largest returns from the cultivation of the soil. Among the Germans who have settled in this county and whose worth have contributed so large a share to the he general prosperity of this section of Iowa is Asmus H. Lamp, who retired from active life some years ago and now lives in Davenport. He was born January 18, 1836, a son of Claus and Celia (Gutch) Lamp. The father was a carpenter in Germany, but about 1847 decided to come to this country. The family landed at New Orleans on Christmas day, after having spent twelve weeks and four days in crossing the Atlantic. They traveled up the Mississippi river the day following their arrival and when they reached St. Louis spent the rest of the winter there. In the early spring they continued their journey to Davenport, where on Fourth street the father bought a lot and erected a house. That remained the home of the family for some years while he worked at his carpenter trade. Later he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Davenport township near the northwest corner, for which he paid one hundred and forty dollars as it was all raw land. After having erected a house Asmus Lamp and his brother lived there during the summer, but closed the place in the winter, bringing the cattle to town, where the sons attend! ed school. In this manner several years passed, during which time the father continued to do carpentering in the town, but finally, land having been well cultivated, the family moved to the farm, on which they resided until the death of the mother at the age of seventy. Thereafter the father lived with his children until his death at the age of ninety-four years. They had four children: Trena, the deceased wife of Henry Stoltenberg, also deceased; Asmus H., the subject of this sketch; Claus H., of Davenport; and Peter, of Port Arthur, Texas. Asmus H. Lamp had attended school in Germany before he came to this country and after he reached Davenport he spent a few winters in the schools. The most of his life has been devoted to farming. For more than thirty years he lived upon the first farm of one hundred and sixty acres his father had bought in Sheridan township. It had been procured form John Van Patten, who entered it form the government. The first year after it came into possession of the Lamp family Asmus broke it and the next year, that of 1858, he married and took up his permanent residence upon it. As he gained large returns from his labors he bought other land so that now he owns four farms in Scott county: one in Hickory Grove township; three in Sheridan township, one of one hundred and sixty acres, the other two contiguous comprising three hundred and sixty acres-two hundred and one hundred and sixty acres respectively-aggregating a total of six hundred and eighty acres. He also owns the valuable town ! property where he lives, having bought it about 1888, when he retired from active life. In that year he gave his homestead to one of his sons, and, moving to the town, bought stock in the Davenport Elevator Company, in which he worked for some time. Later when the buildings were torn down and a new company organized Mr. Lamp became its president. The concern ha about thirty elevators operated in several states. He is also a stockholder in the German Savings Bank, the Union Savings Bank and the Scott County Bank of Davenport, besides being interested in sawmills in Louisiana and cement works in Kansas. As these large interests and the income of which they are productive are the result of his own efforts they certainly bespeak a life record that is most gratifying. In April, 1858, Mr. Lamp married Miss Wipke Klindt, a daughter of Hans and Dora Klindt. At the age of twenty she came to the United States. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lamp. Minnie married Lon Seaman and passed away, leaving four children, Melinda, Nellie, Arthur and Frank. Anna became the wife of Charles Frye and they live in Seattle, Washington, where he is in the wholesale meat packing business. August married Miss Mary Fulner. They live near Eldridge, this county, and have four children, Henry, Hilda, Frank and Francis. Augusta is the wife of Frank Frye, of Seattle, Washington, who is engaged in the wholesale meat business, and they have one daughter, Marian. Mr. Lamp has consistently given his support to the republican party but has himself taken no part in local affairs. Indeed, aside from looking after his various interests he holds little intercourse with the world of business, for having passed the allotted age of three score years and ten he feels he is justified in enjoying the results of his previous labor. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES