Fiegenbaum, Louis

Notes:

Birth:

     Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts has generously provided me with a transcription of an autobiographical letter Louis' father wrote to his children, perhaps about 1896, near the end of his active service in the German Methodist Episcopal Church. A portion of this document briefly recounts the family's sojourn in the neighborhood of Sherrill's Mount (now simply Sherrill), Iowa, where Rev. Fiegenbaum served a circuit of congregations and where a baby son was born, died and was buried.

"Well, from here we again crossed the state of Illinois in the fall of 1855 with a horse and buggy. The baby Adolph [born 7 March 1855] had the chills every day on his mother's lap. We started Monday morning and the next Friday we got to Galena, Illinois where my brother Henry lived. I left my wife and children and proceded [sic] to Dubuque, Iowa where I found my appointment ten miles west Charles Mount Circuit. Preached Sunday, then on Monday I went back to Galena and got my family. We found a log church and a log parsonage with two rooms. Glad to find that. There was another preaching place thirty miles west of this place I feared, because there were some members that protest sanctification.... But to my surprise, they were very kind and friendly.... Here too we had a blessed meeting and many were saved. I built two churches and had them paid for -- bless the Lord, O, my soul and forget not what he has done for thou. Here again a son was born to us, but died when but a few days old. We buried him at Cincolo Mount, Iowa. He was layed, his little body, and had an iron fence around his grave to protect it, and the infant spirit gone above where we will find him again. At this time Mother suffered very much. We had a bad house to live in. While I was out collecting one morning for a new church, which I was building, a big shower came up. O, how it did rain. I was away from home about four miles, but hurried home as fast as my horse would take me. I found Mama crying in bed. I took my umbrella, held it over her to keep her dry, for it was raining on her. Then I kindled a big fire. The whole house was swimming with water. God only saved her life, but she never recovered her usual health. It was a hard time. God only knows. After our time, two years were up, we had to move again."


Buried:
Louis was buried in the Methodist Church cemetery (5501 South Mound Rd., Sherrill, IA 52073).

Died:

     According to a transcription of records of the Methodist Church in Sherrill, Dubuque County, Iowa, Louis died on 12 September 1865 at the age of 6 days. This source did not provide a place of death. Other family researchers report the place was Cineola, Iowa or Dubuque, Iowa.