Minnie Clark, my maternal great-grandmother, was born on July 29, 1881 in Monroe County, Iowa. Her parents were George William Clark and Harriet “Sarah” Roush. Minnie was one of 14 children of George Clark. George had seven children by his first wife, Rachel, and seven with his second wife, Sarah.
Minnie’s family consisted of two step-sisters (Lucinda and Lora), five step-brothers (Fieldon, John, George, Uriah, and Thomas), four brothers (William, Jonas, Jasper and Robert) and two sisters (Jane and Rachael “Josephine”). There was quite a difference in age between Minnie and her older step-siblings. Fieldon and Lucinda had already reached adulthood and left the household by the time Minnie was 4-years of age.
Minnie was just shy of 6-years old, when tragedy struck. Her mother, age 38, died. As it would have been difficult for a widowed man to raise such a large brood of children, several of the younger children, including Minnie, were “let out” to other families. Gurnsey and Martha “Harriet” Andrews, a couple who lived in the area, took Minnie into their family and raised her to adulthood. Even though Minnie was no longer living with her siblings, they maintained contact throughout their lives and visited each other regularly and held family reunions.
Minnie Clark, age 7
On January 3, 1901, at the age of 20, Minnie married Fred Klos, age 27, in Jasper County, Iowa. Soon after, the couple moved to Red Lake County, Minnesota and started a family when Minnie gave birth to twins in October 1901, Pauline born on the 23rd and Josephine on the 24th. Two years later,on August 3, 1903, Florence was born.
L>R: Pauline, Minnie, Josephine and Fred Klos
L>R: Pauline, Florence and Josephine Klos
Having endured a couple of winters in Minnesota and finding the winters to be too harsh, the family moved back to Iowa, taking up farming on 120 acres in Fairview Township, Jasper County. While in Jasper County, their family grew as Minnie gave birth to 8 more children: Viola in 1904, Zelda, in 1905, Floyd in 1908, Velma in 1910, Dorothy in 1913, Inez in 1915, an unnamed baby girl that was born and died in 1917, and Clarice in 1919. As with most farm wives, Minnie spent her time caring for the children and the house, seeing that meals were on the table, sewing clothing and quilts, raising chickens, maintaining a vegetable garden, canning vegetables and fruit and curing meat.
L>R: Pauline, Josephine, Zelda, Viola, Florence and Floyd with Minnie in the back. ~~ photo taken in about 1910
Fred dutifully registered for the WWI draft but was not called to duty. I can imagine the prospect of being drafted weighed upon their minds.
By 1920, the family had relocated to Grandriver Township, in Madison County, Iowa where they continued farming. By this time the children were young adults and getting married. Minnie was involved in a Needlework Club that met regularly to work on needle crafts, including quilting, and, I am sure, keeping up on the local happenings. Travel was by horse and buggy or train. But in 1927 Fred purchased their first car, a Ford, which would have made travel much easier. However, the Great Depression began in 1929 when gasoline was rationed so traveling by car was limited.
In January 1939 Fred decided to retire from farming and the couple moved to Orient, Adair County, Iowa. They likely chose to retire to Orient to be close to three of Minnie’s brothers who also lived there. Fred became a door-to-door salesman for McConnon Products Co.* until his health failed, while Minnie continued with her household responsibilities. They often hosted Sunday dinners for various family members or went visiting. In the 1940s to early 1950s, their daughter Viola, who also lived in Orient, drove them wherever they needed to go.
Minnie became a member of the Kensington club, which seems to be a women’s social group. The club held fun activities like a surprise “Galloping Brunch”, which was a come as you are brunch. Meaning that, without forewarning, two of the women drove around and picked up all the other members who had leave what they were doing and come along, no matter how they were dressed. Seventeen members attended the brunch and had a great time, as per at newspaper article describing the affair.
Minnie lost her husband of 55 years in October of 1956 and soon after moved to Monroe, Iowa to be close to her daughter, Florence (Klos) Walker. Florence and her husband, Clarence, often took Minnie to visit relatives or entertained Minnie and relatives in their home.
Minnie standing on the porch of her house in Monroe.
In April 1959 Minnie suffered a heart attacked. She was hospitalized for two weeks and released to the care of Florence in the Walker home. On May 14, 1959, at the age of 78, Minnie passed away. Minnie was buried between her husband and infant daughter in the Monroe, Iowa cemetery.
The final resting place of Minnie and Fred Klos along with a monument for the baby girl they lost in 1917.
Further information on Minnie and Fred Klos and their families, please click here.
Photos of the Klos family and Minnie and her siblings can be found by clicking here.
*McConnon Products: “Pure extracts, spices, remedies and farm and home products.”
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