Obit: Pietenpol, Henry John #2 (1860 - 1940)
Contact:  Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Pietenpol, Allen, Hendren, Longenecker, Thompson, Love, Salzer, Schwarz, Berg, Schofield, Hallock

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thurs., 5 Sept. 1940

Pietenpol, Henry John (8 March 1860 - 30 Aug. 1940)

Henry John Pietenpol, the third of a family of eight children, was born on March 8, 1860, in Gibbsville, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. There were four girls and four boys in the family, Henry being the eldest of the boys.

He came to Clark Count y in 1883 and worked at the carpenter trade. Many barns and other buildings in this vicinity were built with his help.

On November 17, 1886, he was married to Rebecca Allen of Clark County. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. W. C. Hendren of Neillsville, Wis. After a wedding trip to Sheboygan County, Mr. Pietenpol took his bride to the 80-acre farm which has always been their home. This land was nothing but timer at that time. Henry, himself, cleared the land and built the house, barn and other buildings.

To this union were born six children - Floyd, Vera, Harriet, twins which died in infancy, and Beatrice.

Mr. Pietenpol was an active member of the town board of the town of York, served on the school board, and played an important part in the building of the village of Granton. Up to eleven years ago, Mr. Pietenpol worked on the farm, but at that time his son, Floyd, bought the home place and he retired from active work. He still lived on the home place and felt free to help Floyd with the work whenever he wished to do so.

Mr. Pietenpol was baptized and confirmed in the Dutch Reformed church. In his later years he was not a member of any church denomination, but he was a good Christian, a loving father, kind neighbor and faithful friend.

Mrs. Pietenpol preceded her husband in death just a few short weeks, having passed away on July 10, 1940. Since that time he had made his home with his son, Floyd, in Granton.

On Wednesday last week, his daughter, Beatrice, and family visited him and when they left on Thursday, he went with them to visit his daughter, Harriet, in Schofield, Wis. They arrived there around five o’clock in the afternoon, and they all ate supper together. Everyone was in excellent spirits and when Mr. Pietenpol retired for bed that night, he was in seemingly good health. But when his daughter, Harriet, went to his room at seven thirty in the morning, she found he had quietly passed away in the early hours of the morning.

Henry Pietenpol, therefore, quietly slipped away from this earth on Friday morning the 30th of August. He leaves to mourn his death the four children, Floyd in Granton, Verna (Mrs. Kidd) of Granton, Harriet (Mrs. Arthur Berg) of Schofield, and Beatrice (Mrs. John Salzer) of Wausau, and eleven grandchildren. His four sisters, preceded him in death, and of the four brothers, Henry was preceded in death by Ben, who passed away on August 5, 1940. John who resides in Granton, and Will, who resides in Sheboygan County, are left to mourn his death. He also leaves behind a host of relatives and friends who are going to sadly miss his sound advice and friendly chats.

The funeral was held on Monday, September 2, from the Gilbertson Funeral Home and The Adventist Church, with the Rev. G. W. Longenecker of Neillsville officiating. Interment was in the Windfall Cemetery.

Those in attendance at the funeral who came a distance included; Mr. and Mrs. William Love, and Mr. and Mrs. William Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Love, and Mr. and Mrs. John Salzer, Edward and Judy, Wausau; Dr. and Mrs. Schwarz, of Humbird; Letha Pietenpol, New Lisbon; Mrs. Hattie Berg, Robert and Marise, Schofield; Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Hallock, Chili.