From History of Barron County

John C. Harms, now deceased, was for many years a prominent figure in the life of Cedar Lake Township and vicinity. In Town, school district and church, he was an active and valued official; in his family , he was everything that a father should be; as a neighbor, he was generous and kindly; and as a citizen, he was upright and beyond reproach.

His untimely death will long be mourned by all who knew him, as the accident which cost him his life took from as a useful and valued man. He was born Dec. 23 1867, in Germany, the son of Harm and Marie (Fredricks) Harms. Reared in his native land, he attended the government schools and early learned farm work with his parents.

In 1888, he came to America and took up farming near Sterling, Ill. From there in 1902, he came to Wisconsin and bought 80 acres in Section 16, Cedar Lake Township, to the development of which he devoted the remainder of his life. When he purchased the tract, it was all wild cutover timber land. He erected a small frame house and barns and started grubbing out the stumps. From time to time, he erected buildings such as a silo, granary, machine sheds, and the like. In 1905, he built a fine modern barn. He carried on general mixed farming and had a good grade of Holstein cattle and a good breed of swine.

For many years, he did the town good service as a public official, one year as a supervisor, eight years as a clerk, and three as an assessor. For six years, he was clerk of the school board. He was interested in everything that pertained to the growth of the community, and held stock in the Mikana Cheese Co. and the Angus Cheese Co.

Fraternally, he was likewise prominent and for nineteen years was a trustee of the Loveland Lutheran Church. He was in the height of a successful career when he was killed in an automobile accident 15 September 1920. Mr. Harms was married 9 February 1897 at Geneseo Illinois to Adele Fellensick, daughter of Henry and Lucia (Taddenken) Fellensick, natives of Germany. She came to America in 1893 and located in Sterling Illinois.

Mr. and Mrs. Harms were parents of seven children: Herman H. Henry M. William J. Lucie M. Adolph H. and Julia A. Herman H. was born on 27 April 1898, and died on 4 July of the same year. Harm L was born on 17 July 1900. Henry M was born on March 3, 1902. In 1914, when he was eleven years of age, he met with a shooting accident which resulted in the loss of one of his eyes. William J was born on 11 September 1903. Lucie M. was born on 24 April 1905. Adolph H. was born on 2 November 1908. Julia A. was born on 28 September 1911. The family faith is that of the German Lutheran Church.
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John C. Harms

Rice Lake Chronotype 22 Sept 1920

John C. Harms, whose death occurred on Wednesday, Sept. 15, as a result of an automobile accident on the Long Lake Road, was born in Germany on Dec. 23, 1867, reaching the age of 52 years, 8 months, and 23 days.

Mr. Harms had resided on his farm in the town of Cedar Lake for the past nineteen years and had prospered in the business. He is survived by his widow and six children, four boys and two girls, also three sisters: Mrs. John Funk of Angus, Mrs. P. Ufkin of Porter, Minn. and Mrs. Reiners of Canby, Minnesota, besides more distant relatives in Illinois.

Funeral services were held Friday, Sept. 17, with interment at Cedar Lake Cemetery, Rev. G. Heldke, pastor of St. Pauls Lutheran Church in this city, officiating.