Maggie Ahrens Possehl

Margaretha Louisa E. (Maggie) Ahrens was born to William H. Ahrens and Anna M. Steinwart on July 14, 1887 in Batesville, Indiana. Written on the back of her picture as a small child is "Maggie with her big blue eyes and dark brown hair Born July 14 - 1887" Saddly we don't know much about her early years. Bill must have moved the family to Latimer, Iowa sometime in the 1890's or Early 1900's.

There she met Louis F. (Lou) Possehl whose first wife had died soon after childbirth. They were married December 16, 1906, and lived in the Latimer area until about 1910. Lou followed his brothers and other relatives to Clay County, Minnesota and settled near the small town of Baker. He helped on farms in the area, and worked in the Genral store in Baker until the family moved to farm adjoining the town of Felton, Clay Co, MN.

Lou had two children from his first marriage. Luella died just shortly before her third birthday. Edgar was baptized as an infant beside his mother's casket. (Many tears were shed.)

Lou and Maggie had five children together, Esther and Lester (no they were not twins) were born in Latimer. Oscar, Ruth, and Floyd my father were born near Baker.

Maggie entered a "sanitorium" in Lake Park, MN in the fall of 1917 for the treatment of TB. She died of the disease July 25, 1918, leaveing a husband, and six children. My mother recalls that Aunt Esther once said that were it not for the caring neighbors, the children would have been in dire trouble without their mother.

Iver Possehl <>< (submitted 10-24-06)