NORTHWESTERN IOWA ITS HISTORY AND TRADITION VOLUME III 1804-1926 Cris Baur One of the well remembered and highly esteemed citizens of Ida county of a past generation who performed exceptionally well his allotted task and then fell serenely into the sleep that knows no waking was Cris Baur, than whom it would have been hard to find a more whole-souled, high-minded, public-spirited man in his community. Of honest motives, consistent conduct and kindliest feelings toward all, he won for himself a host of loyal friends, who today revere his memory. Mr. Baur was a native of Germany, born on the 16th of May, 1859, and his death occurred at his home here December 4, 1918, at the age of fifty-nine. In 1862, when about three years of age, he was brought to the United States, the family locating in Illinois, where they lived about five years. They then moved to Sac county, Iowa, where our subject completed his public school education and was reared to the life of a farmer. In 1881 he came to Ida county, Iowa, and bought a tract of land, to the improvement and cultivation of which he thereafter devoted himself. He was untiring in his efforts and indomitable in his purpose and in the course of time developed the place splendidly, the improvements including the erection of a fine set of farm buildings. At the time of his death he was the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of valuable farm land and was regarded as one of the most substantial farmers of his section of the county. He was a democrat in his political views and was a faithful communicant of the Roman Catholic church. On November 8, 1881, Mr. Baur was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Henkel, who is a native of Illinois and a daughter of Christopher and Mary Ann (Walter) Henkel. Her parents were natives of Germany, who came to the United States in 1843, locating first in Chicago, where they remained about five years, at the end of which time they came to Lee county, Iowa where both spent their remaining years. To this worthy couple were born the following children: Katharine, wife of the subject of this sketch; George and Elizabeth, both of whom are deceased; Julia and Andrew, twins, the latter of whom is deceased, while Julia is the wife of Jacob Anchsletter, of Lee county, Iowa, and Adam, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Baur were born ten children, as follows: Jacob, of Ida county; Adam, deceased; Frank, deceased; Otto, of Odebolt; Elizabeth, deceased; William, who is engaged in the operation of the home farm; Frances, the wife of Raymond Wentz, of Randolph, Nebraska; Burnett, at home; George, deceased; and Cecelia, who is married and lives in St. Louis, Missouri. Debbie Clough Gerischer