Oyens Iowa Histories Highlight Early Settlement and Growth
Neighboring Oyens, west of Remsen, claims an earlier origin with homesteaders arriving in the 1860s. The town incorporated in 1909 amid liquor law changes, hosted its first depot in 1874, and saw leaders like Steve Ellingsworth and John Kaiser shape its shops, lumber yards, and municipal beginnings.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
State
Iowa
Basy
John Kaiser
Paul Wanderscheid
John Meis
J. P. Kieffer
Remsen
First Town Council
Nick Freyman
Paul Petersen
Mike Beard
Jacob Fiedler
Henry Masuen
Nick Feller
John Galles
Oyens
Life of Oyens Pastor, History of St Catherine's Parish
In 1893 the first resident Catholic priest Henry Rolfes was ordained in Dubuque and soon founded St Catherine's parish in Oyens. Funded by James Tiernay’s land donation, the church rectory and school were built, later expanding as the community grew. Rolfes, a German-born priest, served Oyens for decades, with a 1938-39 school of 50 pupils and Sisters Mary Adelbert and Mary Gervaise teaching eight grades. The town endured a costly 1986 fire but rebuilt, and local institutions like the Ovens Co-operative Co. remain central along with listed businesses and officials.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dubuque
Sioux City
Ovens
Steve Ellingsworth
New Hampshire
Steve
Ovens Co-operative Co
Ellings
Oyens
John J. Hennessy
Henry Rolfes
SS. Peter and Paul
Petersburg
Sacred Heart Church
Steinfeld
Oldenburg
Germany
United States
Frank
Iowa
St. Francis Seminary
Milwaukee
St. Catherine’s School
Mary Adelbert
Mary Gervaise
St. Catherine’s
First Mayor of Oyens Nicholas Freymann Pioneer Life
Nicholas Freymann born February 22 1864 in St Donatus Ia became Plymouth County pioneer. He worked at Gehlen mill LeMars bought farm south of LeMars in 1878 and farmed until 1892 later ran grain business with Gehlens and for Plymouth Milling until 1915 retirement. He helped form Ovens and served as its first mayor and was a charter member of Trinity council Knights of Columbus LeMars. Survived by wife Susan Colling and five children.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paul Petersen
Paul
Kloster
Hubert Nothem
Remsen
Oyens
Moore Company of
le Mars
Charles Kuster
Nothem
Kuster
Nicholas Freymann
St. Donatus
Plymouth County
Gehlen
LeMars
Ovens
Gehlens
Susan Colling
Charles
John
Omaha
Neb
Vincent
Albert
J. J. Reisch
Early town memory mentions Altmann lumber yard and local families
Oldtimers recall the Altmann lumber yard managed by Towns and Z Gilman starting in 1882. They name the Fred Hermann, William Ellsworth, Andrew Juhl, and Dick inson families as early neighbors. The Dubuque and Sioux City railway is noted as the region’s early line, with federal government involvement hinted.
Mayor's Note Extends Remsen Jubilee Greetings
The mayor of Oyens extends congratulations to Remsen on the Golden Jubilee. He praises longtime good relations between the towns and the friendliness and enterprise fostering progress and welfare. Peter Fisch signs the message.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Remsen
Oyens
Peter . Fisch
Local officials named in city administration roster
Jack Arens, J. A. Kloster and John Cronin serve as treasurer and public officers with Mike Weber as clerk. J. J. Kemp and assessor Geo Lanzendorf are listed among the city administration lineup.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jack Arens
J. A. Kloster
John Cronin
Postmaster unfurls flag as Santiago surrender reached Remsen
Remsen rejoiced Monday when news arrived of the formal surrender of Santiago. The postmaster unfurled the stars and stripes to mark the event in the town in July 1898.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Remsen Bell
Santiago
Remsen
Remsen Bell Reflects On Maine Explosion Anniversary
In February 1899 Remsen Bell recalls the one year anniversary of the battleship Maine disaster in Havana harbor, noting the explosion occurred on the 15th and marking a pivotal moment in U.S. history.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Remsen Bell
Maine
Havana
Redfire
Iown
Harp Orchestra Member to Wed Miss Elizabeth Treinen
Dan Collins of the Collins Bros harp orchestra will soon marry Elizabeth Treinen. The announcement notes a forthcoming wedding but gives no date or location.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Remsen Bell
Dan Collins
Collins Bros. Harp Orchestra
Elizabeth Treinen
Bentz And Mother Families Come Early
Mr and Mrs Nick Bentz longtime Remsen residents tracing pioneer roots from Luxemburg and Bellevue Iowa. Their lineage includes Peter Monner and Catherine Schmidt who settled near Remsen in 1874, with Monner later helping build the town and hosting church services after the 1880s storm. The Bentzs mark fifty three years of marriage in Remsen, with surviving children listed in detail. Alton Bell Enterprise offers extra copies of the Golden Jubilee edition.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ovens
Oyens
David Baldwin
Fredonia Township
E. P. Towns
Town
Henry Wisser
Laux & Lucke
LeMars
Remsen
Nick Bentz
United States
Dubuque
Tows
Monner
Hubert Nothem
Ferdinand
Anne) Strohbeen
Santa Cruz
Calif
Nick
Susan) Bentz
Bentz
John
Irvin
Kate) Singer
Mae Vanderwall
Charlie
Lizzie) Klosterman
Alton
Iowa
Also Mentioned on This Page
Ouens
Goyens
Abraham Lincoln
Life of Oyens
St. Catherine's
H. Rolfes
Gallon
Father Rolfes
Baumann
St. Mary’s Church
Rem
Sister Mary Camilla
Mary Michaelina
Holy Name Society
Christian Mothers Society
Young Ladies’ Sodality
Society of the Holy Infancy
Catherine Rolfes
The
Plymouth
Theusiness
J. L. Doud
Kuster Lumber Co
Della
Illinois Central Station
Mike Weber
Doud
Ralph Doud
Roy Kelly
Jens Kloster
Herry Kemp
Charles Peebles
Frank Kunkel
Cornelius Ludwig
George Lanzendorf
Bob Lundgren
John Arens
J. M. Hentges
Ben Harvey
J M. Hentges
Mike Fisch
Lawrence Masuen
Nick Freyman Oyens
Duroc
Springfield
Ill
Grand Master Jr
Lauxmont Farms
Wrightsville
John N. Hoffman
Main Street
Kellen
Verne Kellen
Prop
Marvin Mai
Michael Clark
John Bentz
Luxemburg
Mary Rubie
Bellevue
Worthington
Jake
Emory
Henry
Granville
Clara) Reichling
Susan Monner
Peter Monner
Catherine Schmidt
Bell Enterprise Office
Farmers Union Co-operative Brokerage Co
Minneapolis-Moline Farm Implements
Jim Kelliher
Math Feller
Western Union College
LE Mars, Iowa
Conservatory of Music Athletics
Happy
George V. Pavlik
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!