Adolph Heinrich Fiegenbaum
1855-1930

Biographical Information

FIEGENBAUM A. H. - Farmer, section 14, P. O. Ankeny. Was born March 7, 1855, and is a native of Lake county, Indiana. His father being a Methodist minister his residence in various places was necessarily of short duration. He received his education at the Iowa Wesleyan University, where he attended school for three years. Since 1875 he has been engaged In teaching in this county, having been a resident here since 1869. He is at present (1880) living on his father's farm, near Ankeny, and besides teaching the schools of that village, superintends the work on the farm. In 1879 he was elected justice of the peace for Crocker township, being perhaps the youngest official occupying that position in the county.

Source: The History of Polk County, Iowa, Containing a History of The County, Its Cities, Towns, &c., Biographical Sketches of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers In The Late Rebellion, General And Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers And Prominent Men, History of The Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Polk County, Constitution of Iowa, Miscellaneous Matters, &c., &c. (Des Moines, Iowa: Union Historical Company, 1880) page 989.

DIED.

FIEGENBAUM - On Wednesday, June 18, 1930, at 9:50 a. m., at the residence of his daughter, 3810 Jenifer street northwest, ADOLPH H., beloved husband of Margaret Fiegenbaum.

Notice of funeral hereafter.

Source: Washington Post, Thursday, 19 June 1930; p. 3, column 1.

Adolph Heinrich Fiegenbaum and his wife, Margaret (McKee) Fiegenbaum, were buried in the Van Ness Section, Lot 260 East, of Oak Hill Cemetery (3001 R Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.).

 

Chronology

7 March 1855
Adolph was born at Cedar Lake, Lake County, Indiana.
1855-1857
His father was a pastor at Sherrill Mount (now called simply Sherrill), Dubuque County, Iowa.
6 September 1856
A brother, Louis, was born. He died six days later and was buried at Sherrill, Iowa.1 
1857-1859
His father was a pastor at the Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois circuit.
11 October 1857
A sister, Lydia Maria, was born at Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois.
1859-1860
His father was a pastor at Salem, Dakota County, Minnesota, a large circuit with five appointments. On 22 October 1859 a brother, Louis Theodore Stephan, was born at Salem, Minnesota.
1860-1862
His father was pastor at First Congregation, St. Paul, Minnesota. On 9 November 1861, a brother, Theodore Johann, was born at St. Paul, Minnesota.
1862-1864
His father was a pastor at Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota, a circuit of six appointments, which probably included several congregations in Wisconsin. On 16 December 1864 a sister, Emma Maria, was born at Woodbury, Minnesota.
1864-1866
His father was Presiding Elder of the Burlington, Iowa District, of Southwest German Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The family lived at Wapello, Louisa County, Iowa. On 7 January 1866 a brother, Benjamin Friedrich, was born at Wapello.
1866-1868
His father was a pastor of the Wapello, Iowa circuit. On 10 January 1868 a brother, Heinrich F., was born at Wapello.
1869- about 1880
The biographical sketch, above, reports that Adolph moved to Polk County, Iowa in 1869. It would appear that he lived in the county until at least 1880, except for the three years while attending Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa.
    According to the 1880 U.S. census, Adolph, age 25, was the head of a household in Crocker Township, Polk County, Iowa. Living in the household with him was Lydia, a sister (age 21), and Benjamin, a brother (age 14); also, P. Howrick (age 41) and Christina Howrick (age 31), both born in Denmark, and their daughter (age 3), Kate, born in Iowa.
11 July 1880
Adolph married Margaret McKee in Story County, Iowa.
17 June 1883
A daughter, Grace Gertrude Fiegenbaum, was born in Washington, D.C. to Adolph and Maggie.
1889-1930
Adolph lived in Washington, D.C., where he was an employee in the War Department.
    An article in the Washington Post on 14 January 1889 mentioned that "A gold bar breastpin has been stolen from the residence of Adolph H. Fiegenbaum, No. 408 East Capitol street."
    According to the 1900 U.S. census, Adolph Fiegenbaum (age 45), Maggie Fiegenbaum (age 38) and Grace G. Fiegenbaum (age 16) lived at 30 7th Street.
    He was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church (3rd. and A Streets SE) (elected a vestryman in 1916).
19 November 1913
George Wood Merwin Vinal (son of Washington Irving Vinal and Emily Merwin Wood) and Grace Gertrude Fiegenbaum were married at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, at Washington, D.C.
18 June 1930
Adolph died at 9:50 a.m. at 3810 Jenifer Street, Northwest, the home of his daughter. He was buried in the Van Ness Section, Lot 260 East, of Oak Hill Cemetery (3001 R Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.).
1948
Margaret (McKee) Fiegenbaum died. She was buried beside her husband in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Notes (Click on a note number to return to that footnote, above.)

 1.  See "Sherrill Methodist Cemetery." This is a transcription of gravestones in this cemetery by Vicki Schlarman and Tom Schlarman, 7 October 2001. Web site accessed 20 March 2005. Their work lists a Louis Fiegenbaum; son of Rev. F. and L. Fiegenbaum; died 12 September 1856, age 6 days. Buried in the Sherrill, Dubuque County, Iowa Methodist Church cemetery - section A, row 5, stone 7.

 

Brief Genealogy

Adolph Heinrich Fiegenbaum's family

Margaret McKee's family

Fiegenbaum - McKee family

 

More Resources

 

For more detailed genealogical information, search our Database.