SOURCE: From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 569
H. A. Toenjes Born March 11, 1856 H. A. Toenjes, a farmer and dairyman of Wayne township, was born in Oldenburg, Germany, March 11, 1856, and is a son of John Christopher and Anna (Guelfs) Toenjes. The parents were both natives of Germany, where until his death John Toenjes followed farming. In 1869 his son John came to the United States and five years later Mrs. Toenjes, who was then a widow, H. A., Dietrich and a daughter, Elizabeth, came here, settling in Jones county. Accompanied by his mother, brother and sister, H. A. Toenjes came to the United States in 1874, settling in Jones county where he has since resided. He had learned the carpenter's trade in the land of his birth, and after coming to this country he followed it for about two years. He then took up farm work by the month, and four years later engaged in farming for himself. He selected Wayne township as the scene for his labors and bought here eighty acres. After he had proved to his satisfaction that he could make a success of this vocation he bought one hundred and twenty acres more, so, that he now has a farm of two hundred acres on section 28. Mr. Toenjes wedded, January 28, 1877, Miss Margaret Zimmerman, who was born near Dixon, Illinois, May 13, 1859, but was only four weeks old when brought to Jones county by her parents, A. G. and Anna (Grumm) Zimmerman, who were born, reared and married in Hanover, Germany.
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SOURCE: THE ANAMOSA JOURNAL, ANAMOSA, IOWA, JUNE 30, 1938, PAGE 1
H.A. TOENJES SERVICES HELD THIS MORNING.
Prominent Wayne Township Man Died Monday
Herman August Toenjes, 82, one of Wayne township's most prominent and successful pioneers and always a leader in community affairs died Monday in the Anamosa hospital after an operation.
Funeral services were held this morning at the Wayne Lutheran church with the Rev. Frederick Kehren in charge. Burial was made in Wayne cemetery. Born March 11, 1856 at Buckhorn, Great Duchy Oldenburg, Germany, he came to the United States on May 19, 1874 with his mother, brother and sisters. On January 28, 1877 he was married to Miss Margaret Zimmerman by the Rev. J. J. Oetjen and they immediately settled on a farm in Wayne township. They retired in 1913 and since had made their home in Amber. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1927.
To this union thirteen children were born, eight of whom survive. There are also twenty-eight grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. Mrs. Toenjes survives and the names of the children are: John C. Toenjes of Ireton; Mrs. Ann a Heiken of Anamosa, Mrs. Augusta Folker of Anamosa, Miss Julia Toenjes of Cedar Rapids, George Toenjes at home, Mrs. Eliza Herren of Anamosa; Mrs. Clara Meister of Denver, Colo., and Mrs. Laura Siebel of Amber.