Conrad and Josephine (Wente) Pape

Conrad Pape was born at Siddinghausen, Westphalia, Germany, on January 13 [11?], 1838, to William and Margaret (Happe) Meis Pape. Siddinghausen was described as a very beautiful village by his cousin, William Gerken, who travelled to Germany in 1914. He further wrote that Siddinghausen lies in a hilly region, and the farmers live together in the village and have their fields in the surrounding area. That farm was eventually owned by Anton Happe, called Schöler, presumably a relation of his mother.

At the age of thirteen, in 1851, Conrad came to America with his parents William and Margaret Meis Pape; four half-brothers, Bernhard, Frank, Ferdinand, and Aloysius Meis; and three brothers, Henry, Herman, and Frederick William Pape. (Family Photograph.) His father William Pape's declaration of intent to become a citizen stated the family landed in the United States in November 1851, presumably at New Orleans, and after stopping briefly in St. Louis, the family continued north to New Vienna, Iowa, where they purchased a half section of land near the village on December 4, 1851. Earlier that same year, their relatives, Herman and M. Catherine (Schulte) Gerken and their baby daughter Mary had settled at the same place. Mrs. Gerken was a half-sister to William Pape.

Conrad received a common-school education, but being a thoughtful reader, he added to the fund of information gained in the district school.

Marriage of Conrad Pape and Josephine Wente.
Conrad Pape married Josephine "Phena" Wente at the old St. Boniface Church in New Vienna, Iowa. (Secondhand sources list varying dates for their marriage: an 1894 volume has 1863 for the year of marriage; Josephine's 1905 obituary has a marriage date of February 10, 1860; an online family history has February 10, 1863; and a family group record online has February 2, 1862.) Conrad and Phena began housekeeping on the Pape homestead near New Vienna.

Josephine Wente was born in in Bakum, Oldenburg, Germany, on July 4, 1841, and when about fifteen years of age, came to America. She was a daughter of the late William Wente, an old settler of New Wine Township, Iowa, who located there in 1856 and became one of its wealthy agriculturists. William Wente was born on August 12, 1805, in Lohne, Oldenburg, Germany. William Wente married Elizabeth Siemer in 1827 at Bakum, Germany. She was born on January 12, 1804, at Lohne. They came to America and settled at New Vienna, Iowa, with their children, Clemens, Elisabeth, Bernadine, Josephine, and Bernard. His son, Bernard Wente, who later resided upon the old farm home, was regarded as one of the most enterprising and intelligent farmers and was one of the wealthy farmers of Dubuque County.

Fire on the Pape farm!
On April 14, 1863, the community of New Vienna was celebrating the wedding of Bernard Henry Forkenbrock and Anna Fangmann when the merry-making was suddenly interrupted by a cry of "Fire!" The wedding guests rushed toward the cloud of smoke, rising from a neighboring farm a mile away, in an attempt to wage a useless battle against the fiercest enemy of the pioneer, fire. With no water supply, hose, or fire fighting equipment, another farmer was left destitute. The farmer whose property was swept away was Conrad Pape. One of the wedding guests took his hat, went among the crowd gathered at the scene, and took up a collection for the strickened farmer and his family. This marked the inception for the New Vienna Mutual Insurance Association. Herman Gerken, Conrad Pape's uncle, was among the first officers elected as directors of the association.

The children of Conrad and Josephine (Wente) Pape:

• Elizabeth Pape, born November 29, 1863, at New Vienna, Iowa. She married Herman Schaefer, whose father Henry came from Hegensdorf, Westphalia, Prussia, and settled at New Vienna and then Dyersville, Iowa, and whose mother Bernadine Henkenius came from Schmechten, Westphalia, Prussia. Herman Schaefer was born at New Vienna on May 28, 1860. Herman and Elizabeth farmed in Nebraska before moving to Stillwater, Oklahoma. Their first two children were born in 1885 and 1887 at West Point, Nebraska, their next seven children were born from 1890 to 1901 at Raeville, Nebraska, and the last two were born in 1903 and 1904 at Stillwater, Oklahoma. Born to them were Conrad, Henry, William, Theresia (Sister Leonissa), Bernadina (Sister Hermina), Joseph, Rev. Herman Joseph, Bernard, Aloysius, Cecelia, and Mary (Sister Scholastica). Herman Schaefer died on April 23, 1860, at Stillwater, Oklahoma. Elizabeth (Pape) Schaefer died on October 19, 1930, and is buried at Stillwater, Oklahoma.
• William A. Pape, born October 17, 1865, at New Vienna, Iowa. His early days were spent on the Pape homestead and vicinity, where he received his initial education. When twenty-one years of age, he entered the law office of Longueville & Lenahan, it being his intention to follow the legal profession, but the studies not being congenial, he abandoned the work and began to prepare himself for the priesthood. In September 1887 he entered the Salesianum near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at St. Francis College, and after studying for two years and six months in that institution, finished his course in St. Joseph's College in Dubuque, Iowa. In 1891 he was sent to the Sulpician Seminary in Montreal, Canada, but on account of ill health was obliged to seek a milder climate, and completed his theological studies at St. Meinrad, Indiana. Bishop Chatard ordained him to the priesthood at Indianapolis on March 26, 1894, and from there he went to New Vienna, where he celebrated his first holy Mass in St. Boniface Church on April 4, 1894. He served as assistant priest at Gilbertville, Iowa, for four months, after which he was assigned to Sacred Heart Church at Pocahontas, Iowa, where he labored for 22 years and was instrumental in building up one of the finest parishes in the state. He spent a short interval at Templeton, Iowa, from 1916 to 1917, before going to St. Joseph's Church at LeMars, Iowa, on January 26, 1917. On July 18, 1917, Father Pape received the title of monsignor in recognition of his zealous, untiring work in the priesthood. The Right Reverend Monignor William A. Pape died on September 8, 1940, while serving as chaplain of Sacred Heart Hospital, Le Mars, Iowa.
• Louise M. Pape, born March 17, 1870, at New Vienna, Iowa. On June 30, 1891, Louise married Clemens "Clem" Schwers, a farmer of New Wine Township. He was a widower, his first wife Agnes Mescher, born 1856 in Oldenburg, Germany, having died on September 23, 1886. Clem and Agnes had the following children: Elizabeth (Sr. Mary Alfrieda); Josephine (Mrs. Louis Pape) of New Vienna, Iowa; and Joseph of New Vienna. Born to Clem and Louise (Pape) Schwers were Veronica (Mrs. Leo Hellman) of Bancroft, Iowa; Clotilda (1893-1905), Agatha (Sr. Mary Clemeta, O.S.F.), Clara (Mrs. Joseph Budde) of Melrose, Minnesota; Hedwig (Sr. Mary Aloise, O.S.F.); Agnes (Mrs. Albin Vonerhaar and Mrs. Paul Kremer); Herman of New Vienna; Alois of New Vienna; William of Ryan, Iowa; Clemens (1907-1908); and Louise H. (Mrs. Wilfred Schuster), born March 2, 1912, died July 2000, of Monticello, Iowa. Louis (Pape) Schwers died on December 2, 1931. Clemens Schwers died on March 7, 1950. They were buried at New Vienna.
• Mary B. Pape, born August 23, 1871, at New Vienna, Iowa. She joined St. Francis Convent of Dubuque, Iowa, and took the name Sister Mary Hedwig (Sister Hedwig).
• Bernard Pape, born February 12, 1875, at New Vienna, Iowa. He married Mary Neuhaus on January 2, 1897, at St. Boniface Church in New Vienna, Iowa. She was born February 6, 1878, in New Vienna, Iowa, to Henry and Christina (Klaus) Neuhaus. The Neuhaus family farmed southeast of New Vienna. Bernard and Mary Pape moved to Petersburg, Nebraska. Born to them were Regina Pape, Lucy Pape, and Cecilia Pape. Mary (Neuhaus) Pape died on February 26, 1902, and was buried at Petersburg, Nebraska. Bernard Pape then married Rose Neuhaus on August 20, 1902, in Petersburg, Nebraska. She was born August 28, 1881 in New Vienna, Iowa. Born to them were Albin Pape, Gregory Pape, Julius Pape, Edward Pape, Alvina Pape, Frederick Pape, Henrietta Pape, Clara Pape, and Charlotte Pape. Bernard Pape died on March 13, 1916, and was buried at Petersburg, Nebraska. Rose (Neuhaus) Pape died on August 16, 1930, and was buried at Petersburg, Nebraska.
• Conrad Pape, born July 21, 1879, at New Vienna, Iowa. On January 4, 1900, he married Frances Schaefer at Raeville, Nebraska. She was born on November 13, 1875, at Dyersville, Iowa, to Henry and Bernadine (Henkenius) Schaefer. Conrad's older sister Elizabeth married Herman Schaefer, a brother to Conrad's wife Frances (see information above). Born to Conrad and Frances Pape were Edwin Pape, born at Omaha, Nebraska, and Josephine (Sister Nathaniel), born at Petersburg, Nebraska. Frances (Schaefer) Pape died on February 8, 1908, and was buried in Emmet, Idaho.
• Frank J. Pape, born December 12, 1881, at New Vienna, Iowa. At the time of his mother's death in 1905, Frank was residing at Omaha, Nebraska.
• Louis H. Pape, born February 16, 1884, at New Vienna, Iowa. He married Josephine Schwers, daughter of Clem and Agens Schwers. Louis's older sister Louise married Clem Schwers after Agnes died (see information above). In 1905 Louis Pape was living at New Vienna, and Louis and Josephine Pape took possession of the Pape family homestead at New Vienna on March 31, 1906. Born to them were Paula; William; Josephine Graf; Rose Graff of Dyersville, Iowa; Louis, later Lewis; Bernard; Herbert; Richard of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Marie Robinson of Kansas City; Arthur; and Rita Rosacker of Guttenberg, Iowa.
• Celia Pape, born February 7, 1886, at New Vienna, Iowa. She married Herman Schwers, and in 1905 they were living at Arcadia, Iowa. This Herman Schwers was probably a nephew of Clem Schwers, who married Louise Pape, Celia's older sister, and cousin to Josephine Schwers, who married Celia's older brother (see information above). Herman Schwers, if it is the same, was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Mescher) Schwers. They also moved from New Vienna to Arcadia.
• Alois Pape, born November 11, 1888, at New Vienna, Iowa. In 1905 he was living at New Vienna.

Unity in Community: St. Boniface Parish, 150 Years - New Vienna, 100 Years, a 1995 history of New Vienna, has a biography of the Papes that names two more children, Fred and Joseph, born to Conrad and Phena. They are listed between Bernard and Conrad.

The 1894 volume Portrait and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones, and Clayton Counties, Iowa tells more about Conrad and Phena Pape:
CONRAD PAPE, a prominent and influential farmer of New Wine Township, Dubuque County, is the possessor of an estate comprising two hundred and forty acres, and also owns a fine herd of Holstein cattle.

Mr. Pape is regarded as one of the best informed men in his locality. Like his honored father, he is a careful, competent business man, and is looked upon as a leader in all movements in his community. For thirty years he was a member of the Board of Education, and has filled most of the offices within the gift of his fellow-townsmen.

The landed possessions of Mr. Pape are valuable. He is the owner of the old homestead, comprising two hundred and forty acres of well-tilled land, upon which his father located in 1851. He is also the possessor of farming land in Boone County, Nebraska, all under the best cultivation, and from its rental he receives a good income. In politics he is a staunch Democrat, always loyal to the interests of that party. As the reader will doubtless conclude, having two brothers and a son who are priests, he is a Catholic in religious belief.

Conrad Pape dies.
Conrad Pape was in failing health before he died, and family came to visit him before he died on March 19 [16?], 1895. He was buried at New Vienna, Iowa.

Death of Mrs. C. Pape.
Esteemed Pioneer Lady of near New Vienna Answers the Final Summons
Mrs. Conrad Pape, a pioneeer lady, of near New Vienna, passed away at the family home Tuesday afternoon, October 3, 1905, after a lingering illness, at the age of sixty-four years. Her life partner preceded her to the grave by ten years.

Mrs. Pape was survived by one brother, Barney Wente of New Vienna, and one sister, Mrs. Jos. Schemmel of Bancroft. One brother, Clemens Wente, died at New Vienna in 1862, and a sister, Mrs. Vaske, died three years ago. She was survived by ten children: six boys, Rev. Father Pape of Pocahontas; Bernard and Conrad of Petersburg, Neb.; Frank at Omaha, Neb.; and Louis and Alois at New Vienna, and four daughters, Elizabeth, Mrs. Herman Schaefers, of Oklahoma; Louisa, Mrs. Clem Schwers, New Vienna; Mary, Sister Hedwig of Waterloo; and Celia, Mrs. Herman Schwers of Arcadia, Iowa.

The death of Mrs. Pape removed from the midst of family and neighbors a devoted pioneer lady. She was quiet and unassuming and her zeal for the education, training and comforts of her family was splendidly exemplified in the lives of the respected sons and daughters who survived her.

The funeral was held Friday morning, October 6, at St. Boniface Church, New Vienna, where requiem services were held, after which her earthly remains were laid to rest beside those of her husband in the Catholic cemetery of that place.

Sources include, primarily, the Portrait and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones, and Clayton Counties, Iowa (Chicago: Chapman Publishing Co., 1894); Unity in Community: St. Boniface Parish, 150 Years - New Vienna, 100 Years, an excellent volume chronicling the history of New Vienna, Iowa, published in conjunction with the parish and town's celebration in 1995 (edited by Bob Mescher and Laverne "Toby" Bockenstedt); the obituary for Josephine (Wente) Pape from the Dyersville Commercial; LDS Ancestral Files available online at http://www.familysearch.org/; The William Pape Family History, placed online by Andy J. Mack at http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/m/a/c/Andy-J-Mack/index.html; and The House of Schafers, online at http://members.aa.net/~bwik/shafer.html.

© 2000-2001 Tom Larson P.O. Box 141 Peosta, IA 52068-0141 http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tdlarson/schulte/pape/conrad.htm Last revised January 6, 2001.