He attended School in the Sigourney school but left school at the age of 12 years to work in his father's wagon and blacksmith shop. At the age of 14 years he was confirmed in the Evangelical Brick Church east of Sigourney, Iowa, and he became a member of that congregation.
His oldest brother, August, worked in St Louis some time and entered the Union army in the Civil war. Gottlieb was very much interested in the war and had made arrangements to meet with a number of young men older than he and go with them when they enlisted. His mother was afraid her son, Gottlieb, was beginning to dream of service at the war front. She had told him he was not old enough for service, as he was not yet 16 years old. Still all plans were made - he was to slip out as soon as his folks retired - and join his friends. Things moved along as planned. Gottlieb had gone to bed fully dressed, waiting for lights out and all asleep but himself. All at once his mother appeared at his bedside, put her arms around him, kissed him, and told him how dear he was to her. Needless to say, Gottlieb never stole away to enlist. His mother never once reminded him that he had gone to bed fully dressed.
All his life Gottlieb Loved cats. As a boy he had a beautiful gray Maltese cat. He begged to take the cat to bed with him, but his mother would not let him have the cat upstairs. Gottlieb taught the cat to climb up to his bedroom window and then he let him in. Many a cold night the cat kept his feet warm and each morning it went down the outside of the house and straight to the kitchen door to be let in the warm kitchen.
He worked in his father's shop. He was very much interested in the town growing larger and had great interest in the community and its welfare. He became interested in the order of Odd Fellows and became a member of that order, Sigourney Lodge No. 98, I.O.O.F., at the age of 20. Later he and his wife joined the Rebecca Lodge, and all five daughters were at one time members of that Lodge. He became a Master Mason. He belonged to the Woodmen's Lodge from the time it was organized and finally closed up. In each organization he held all offices of importance. He served as a member of the school board for a good many years as well as many terms on the city council.
His only sister, whom he loved almost as dearly as his mother, left home and married a man Gottlieb did not know very well. This left a lonely mark, which, until he married and established his own home, was never filled.
On January 1, 1875 he married Sophia Bakehouse. They lived at West Pleasant Valley Street in the south part of town. At that time he was teaming, hauling freight between Burlington, Ottumwa, Fairfield, Oskaloosa and What Cheer, Iowa. His father had sold his shop and had retired northeast of Sigourney with his sons, Will and Louie. In the fall of 1881 his father came back to Sigourney and opened a carriage and wagon shop at the corner of North Jefferson and East Elm Street, where the Sigourney Library is now. Gottlieb and his father conducted the wagon and carriage trade with great success. In 1883 Gottlieb assumed the full management of the business and his father retired.
In the fall of 1884 Gottlieb and Sophia bought a new home at what is now 800 South Main Street, and that remained their home for the rest of their lives. Shortly after the purchase of the new home, Gottlieb formed a partnership with Bob Adams and opened a blacksmith shop, wagon and carriage factory on North Main Street. They conducted this partnership for some time; Mr. Adams in charge of the blacksmith shop and Gottlieb as maker of wagons and carriages.
After a time Gottlieb bought out Adams and the whole establishment was his own; then, after a while, he took in Gottlieb Klett as a partner. The business was known for a long time as Kleinschmidt and Klett - dealers in fine buggys, carriages, and makers of wagons. They operated a blacksmith shop. George Gehrig was the blacksmith for years. Lloyd Page worked as a blacksmith after George Gehrig left on his own. Fred Arnold was the main worker in the wood department. Gottlieb's son George and daughter Clara worked many years in the finishing department. There were usually two or three painters also in the paint shop.
Gottlieb, who had obtained a common school education, worked hard at his trade and in 1884, he took an active interest in the organizing of the Keokuk County State Bank. He was made a director at that time and continued in that position. He was vice-president for ten years, but in 1899 he was made president of the bank. In 1900 he placed the management of the shop into the hands of his son, George, and he became assistant cashier of the bank. The Kleinschmidt and Son carriage shop was sold in the fall of 1905 to Kracht Bros. Carriage Shop. All of Mr. G. E. Kleinschmidt Sr.'s time was expended for the Keokuk County State bank.
In the Spring of 1909, Mr. And Mrs. G. E. Kleinschmidt, Sr. planned to buy a farm and by the end of the year they had bought the Albert Sheridan farm 6 miles south of Sigourney, Iowa. This he owned from that time until his death.
The family of Gottlieb and Sophia Bakehouse Kleinschmidt consisted of six sons and six daughters, ten of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. The oldest son, Charles died at 3 years with menus-croop. George Ernest married Cathryn White at age 21. He built the small square one story house at 209 North Jefferson Street - the first house north of the Sigourney Library building. George and Kate became the parents of four children - three living - Gertrude, Cathryn, and Frank. They were divorced in 1915. George went to Los Angeles in 1913. There he worked as a motorman on Los Angeles streetcars and later married Laura Jenny in 1916.
Clara worked in her father's carriage factory from 1896 to 1903, when she accepted a position to teach school. She taught in the Sigourney schools and in the rural schools of Keokuk and Iowa counties until she retired at age 72 after 47 years of teaching. Marie clerked in different stores in Sigourney and was always her mother's right hand helper. She worked in the millinery shop and at the telephone exchange for many years. After she was 72 years of age, she worked in Cedar Rapids for several years.
Tillie suffered from a nervous disease from which she did not recover, but died when 10 years old.
Ella Alice taught school for 6 years - then kept house and helped on the farm her parents had purchased in 1909. She married Bert Linder. They went to farming north east of Sigourney, but in 1918 they and their baby son, Dean, moved on Bert's father's farm. By and by daughter Margaret joined the family circle in 1928. Bert and Ella bought the Linder farm.
Charley first helped survey in Wyoming; then helped Sam Utterback at the cement works. He helped lay lots of sidewalks in Sigourney. He married Edna Beasley 1911. They had one child, Keith. From 1916 - 1929 Charley operated his father's farm, then opened a garage and filling station south of Sigourney on highway 149. He sold his business to Stroble Bros. In 1948, and retired to an acreage with son Keith and daughter-in-law Arlene.
Rosa Gertrude taught rural schools for 10 years and helped on her father's farm for 8 years in summer. She married Fred Duensing and they farmed east of Sigourney, going to housekeeping in a new house built for them by Fred's father. Ruth, Genevieve and Homer are their children. Homer died of a heart spell January 27, 1964.
Harry went to work for Sid Mahan, Produce dealer, and worked with his brothers, Charley and Albert, for a number of years on his parent's farm. In 1913 he went to California with George but did not like Los Angeles, so came back to Sigourney early in 1914. He worked on the farm until 1915, when he went back to work for Sid Mahan. He took part in World War I, being one of the first 10 men to leave Sigourney in the fall of 1917 for army service. He married Jenevieve Shaw after the war. Again he worked for Sid Mahan for a while. He was city Marshall of Sigourney for years. They had three children, Jack, Bud, and Peggy Ann. He was custodian of the Keokuk County Hospital for a number of years.
Albert helped on his father's farm for a number of years. He served in World War I and was in the armed forces when they went into Germany at the close of the war. He was a soldier during the occupation after November 11, in 1918-1919 and was stationed at Coblings. On his return he worked for a time on construction work, then he did carpenter work for a while and the last year he did a little farming. After age 74, he didn't do much work of any kind, but lived by himself in the home at 800 main St.
Arthur worked for a short time at his father's farm, but in 1916 went to California with his sister Clara and nephew, Frank Kleinschmidt (who was going to live with his father George and his step-mother Laura). Arthur became a conductor on an inter-urban railroad, and in the spring of 1917 he came home but did not leave for the armed forces until February 1918. He and Harry were in the same Division, but worked with different units of the ambulance division. He saw service in France. After the war he became an oil and gas dealer for several years out of Hedrick, then operated a service station at the edge of Hedrick on highway 149. He married Elsie Stroud and they have two daughters, Louise and Virginia.
Lura Margaret became a business secretary but married Fred Merck after he was wounded in action in France on his return home. They went to farming south and west of Millersburg, and were the parents of three children - Maurice, Evelyn, and Ralph. Later they moved into Millersburg - Lura worked in Cedar Rapids for many years.
In 1814 Gottlieb sold all his bank shares and he retired. He and his wife, along with his daughters Rosa and Lura, visited California the winter of 1914 and again in the summer of 1915. They visited from June 1 to Sept 1 and came home by way of San Francisco and the World Fair at that city, and through Colorado, with stops at Littleton and Denver.
Gottlieb's wife died March 18, 1918, and for 9 years he put in his time at his farm, working in his garden and enjoying his grandchildren. In 1919 he contracted influenza, which left him with a weak heart from which he never recovered. He was a quiet, unassuming man, universally liked and respected. He loved his home and his happiest hours were those when all his children were with him in that home. He died October 31, 1926 at age 79.
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The Gotlieb and Sophia Bakehouse Kleinschmidt Home at 800 South Main Street, Sigourney, Iowa.
The bay window w as added to the sitting room about 1898, but in 1901 the addition to the west of the house was added. That summer Phil Rhodes stayed with us even though we were building. How greatly we appreciated all the extra room. In 1905 the parlor and old bedroom were remodeled into the parlor and library with double doors and big windows and the upstairs was re-plastered, except mother's room, which was re-plastered when the addition was made in 1901. After mother and father's death, Clara, Marie and Albert lived in the home, and Albert after Clara's and Marie's death.
SOPHIA BAKEHOUSE KLEINSCHMIDT
Sophia was the second daughter of Sophia Voltmer Magus Humpka Bakehouse, but was the first daughter of Sophia and Charles Bakehouse, born March 4, 1856. As a child she had few pleasures and early in life knew the hardships of a pioneer. She attended the log school southeast of her home - just south-west of Stony Point school. She was allowed to attend only a few months of school. One of her teachers and the one she loved best - Mrs. Kate Shanafelt Beaty was her friend as long as she lived. Mr. and Mrs. Beatty owned and operated the photograph gallery at Sigourney. Mrs. Beatty was the mother of four children, Will (who married Lizzie Dot), Rose (who married Mr. Morgan), Dave (who married Patience Lynn), and Lottie (who married Mr. Renfro). Dave and George each played in the Sigourney Band at one time.
Sophia was confirmed and united with the German Evangelical congregation a the Brick church east of Sigourney (once located at Sunny Ridge cemetery east of Sigourney ). As a young girl she worked very hard - cooking for the men at the saw mill on White Oak Ridge - (they were hauling the rocks for the new barn just north west of the old Bakehouse home. This became a part of Will Bakehouse's farm.
She was united in marriage on January 1, 1875, to Gotlieb Ernest Kleinschmidt. They had a large wedding, and that lasted 3 days. They established their home in a small cottage just west of the Lynn Hotel, which was a the corner of S. Main Street and W. Pleasant Valley (an apartment house has replaced it), at 119 W. Pleasant Valley Street. This was their home until August when they moved to 800 S. Main Street.
Ella was born there the following March, 1885. This place was their home for the rest of her life. They were the parents of 12 children, ten of whom grew to adulthood. Charles, the first child, died at the age of 3 years with membrainous croup. Tillie, the fifth child, died at the age of 10 with a nervous disease. The others are:
2. George Ernest of Los Angeles, married Laura Jenny of Cincinnati, Ohio, after his divorce from Cathryn White Kleinschmidt, who was the mother of his four children, (Vance, who died at birth, Gertrude, Cathryn and Frank.)
3. Clara
4. Marie
6. Ella Alice, married Bert Linder. Their children - Dean and Margaret.
7. Charley E., married Edna Beasley. Their son - Keith.
8. Rosa G., married Fred Duensing. Their children - Ruth, Genevieve and Homer.
9. Harry W., married Jenevieve Shaw. Their children, Harry Jr., (Jack), James (Bud), and Margaret(Peggy Ann).
10. Albert
11. Arthur F. of Hedrick, married Elsie Stroud. Their children Louise and Virginia.
12. Lura M., married Fred Merck of Millersburg. Their children - Maurice, Evelyn and Ralph.
Mrs. Sophia Kleinschmidt was one of those mothers whose whole life was her family A wonderful neighbor and friend. She was a great nurse, a careful mother. She considered no sacrifice too great if it would help advance herchildren's welfare. She always had something to give no matter who came visiting. How proud she was when the bay window was built onto the sitting room. What beautiful flowers she had. Then when the new addition with big kitchen and bedrooms was added, there was always room for an extra child on the bench behind the table at meal time.
How good her bread, cakes and pies were. There are lots of boys and girls who still remember how good. She died after 2 weeks of illness - very suddenly March 18, 1918.
