Photos memorialize old and new for family with early area roots
Pictured are (front from left) Charles Oscar Melcher, Lewis Melcher, Caroline Melcher, Flora (Mrs. Will) Schwieger and John Strate; (back row) Amelia (Mrs. Charles) Melcher, Will Schwieger, Clarence Melcher, Ruth (Mrs. Clarence) Melcher, Lou Schneider, Eve Strate, and Mable (Mrs. Lou) Schneider. Submitted photo
By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com
Descendants of one of Floyd County’s and Charles City’s earliest settling families gathered for a family reunion and photo reenactment recently in Charles City.
Lewis Melcher served in the Union Army during the Civil War. By the time the war ended, his family was living in Iowa, in Chickasaw County. In 1868 his father, George, purchased a farm southwest of Charles City that is listed as an Iowa Heritage Farm – 150 years in the same family.
Lewis married Carolyn Stoeber in 1868 and they purchased 40 acres from his father. The rest of the farm was purchased in 1892.
They later sold the farm and bought the brick home at 305 N. Grand Ave. In about 1925-1926, Lewis and Carolyn and other family members posed for a photo outside the home.
Recently, one of Lewis and Carolyn’s great-grandsons, Gayle Melcher of Osage, gathered the current Melcher clan for a photo reenactment of sorts.
With permission of the current homeowner, Marsha Crowell, an assortment of the current Melcher clan recently gathered as part of a family reunion on the lawn of the old brick building.
Lewis Melcher’s name is listed among the Veterans Memorial pillars at the Floyd County courthouse.
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