Note: since this is a previous feature story that I posted in 2018, there will be some duplication with Marge Stribe's 2020 tribute on my main web page.


The Internet can spread around all kinds of information instantly.
Some is good and important but many times the whole story isn't written so the reader may not even know the topic is about someone who has a connection to Manning.
My cousin, Jon Ahrendsen, e-mailed me and wanted to confirm who Nolan Stribe was. His daughter, Harper, was featured in the Iowa Magazine and the last name Stribe is what caught Jon's eye...Keith Stribe was in Jon's class at Manning, graduating in 1974.


Harper Stribe - Iowa State "Kid Captain"

Before I provide the web link to a detailed story and video about Harper, here are some family pictures and background information.

Dean and Marjorie Stribe
From the 2006 Manning Quasquicentennial history book

Marjorie (Rowedder) Stribe, daughter of Ruvilla (1912-2003) and Verna (Stammer) Rowedder (1912-1996) was born August 16, 1932, in Crawford County, Iowa. She attended grade school in Manning and moved to a farm north of Manning in 1943. She graduated from Manning High School in 1950 and worked as a bookkeeper and clerk at Kuhl & Vogt Hardware in Manning for two years. Marjorie is a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Manning. Her three brothers are David (deceased), Dale and Danny Rowedder of Carroll.

On June 24, 1952, Marjorie married Dean Stribe, son of Herbert and Regilda (Stoffers) Stribe. They enjoyed farming the Stribe Century farm northeast of Manning for 38 years. It has been in the family since 1884. Dean passed on November 1, 1990, from cancer. Marjorie then moved to 62 Ann Street in Manning. She enjoys following sports and having the family cabin at Black Hawk Lake, Lake View, Iowa. Their sons are Curtis born October 8, 1953, and Keith born September 13, 1956, in Carroll.

November 27, 1976, Curt married Caryl Woebke, daughter of Albert and Marilyn Woebke. They have continued farming the family farm since 1990. They have three children born in Denison and graduated from Manning High School. Kelsey, married Jeremy Severson on September 6, 2003, Heather, and Kyle.

On May 28, 1977, Keith, married Mary Jane Rohe, daughter of Vernon and Martha Rohe. Keith is boy's head basketball Coach, Athletic Director and P.E. Instructor in Carroll. Their children are Nolan born at Sheldon, Iowa. He married Nicole Tunning on July 26, 2003. Sara was born at Sheldon, Iowa, and Landon was born at Fort Dodge, Iowa.

The first great-grandchild Kadyn Alexander Severson was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, son of Kelsey and Jeremy Severson.

Marjorie's ancestors immigrated from Germany. Her great-grandparents were William Rowedder (born in 1859) and his wife Anna (born in 1861) from Schleswig, Hamburg, Germany. Her great-grandparents were John Joachimsen (born in 1854) and his wife, Hanna Sievertsen (born in 1852) from Wersten Langhorn Schleswig, Germany. Her great-grandparents, Claus Stammer was born in 1849, in Erfde, Germany, and Catherine Schroeder was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Her great-grandparents Marx Schrum (born in 1852) and Christena (Vehrs) immigrated from Wrohm Norden Dithmarschen, Germany.


George Stribe - Harper's great-great-great-grandfather


Alvina (Ohrt) Stribe - Harper's great-great-great-grandmother


Alvina (Ohrt) Stribe's family


Back: Bert Stribe, Nick Konrady, Frank Stribe
Front: Jessie Nissen, Clara Konrady, Mae Schroeder, Pete Schroeder, Regilda Stribe, Alvenia Stribe


George Stribe on the binder



Stribe farm

Stribe Farm History as told by Earl Stribe November 2000
George Theodore Stribe born 1857 - 1941 purchased and farmed Bert, Dean, Curt's farm. In 1892 he purchased the Earl Stribe place for $2400-two payments for $1200 in May 1892 and $1200 in May 1893 with 6% interest according to the deed. That was $15 per acre, however the going rate to plow the prairie grass was $1.50 per acre. A single bottom plow with horses was used to plow the very tall grass with 1-2 hours at a time to rest the horses. The prairie grass was not burned first because they could not control the fire once started.

There were 7 children including Bert, Charles, Frank, Walter and three girls; Jessie Nissen, Clara Konrady, and May Schroeder. Frank was the oldest in the family therefore never really went out on his own and never married but helped George on the farm and moved to town with George when he retired in 1918 into the second house on the south side of Third Street, from East Street in Manning. His friend was a Parrott in Manning.

Walter was a family outcast. He stole $10,000 from George which was in the attic and was never heard from or seen again. George didn't trust the banks - 1929 or so and therefore had cash in the attic. It is believed he had gone to Seymour, Iowa which is in the southern part of Iowa and may very well have changed his name.

Bert was a bachelor for many years on his place until he married Regilda and had two children Dean born 1932-1991 & Lowell born 1936. A son, Lon was lost between Dean & Lowell. Lon was born in July of 1934 and died of pneumonia in January 1935. Charles, Earl's Dad, lived just over the line in Crawford County until probably March of 1921 when they started to build the home place after buying the land from George on contract. While the price isn't really known, other land in the area in 1918 sold for $400 and land values dropped sharply a short time later. At that time Charles and his 3 children Earl, Arlene, Vera (Phyllis not born yet) moved in with Bert, the bachelor, to be closer to the construction of the farmstead. The first wagon load of gravel was put on top of the hill just south of the building site, but was picked up again and moved to the building site, because he was told the top of the hill would be too far from a water source. In May of 1921 they began to build the house and barn and perhaps a wire corncrib the first year. Charlie's wife Rose cooked for those carpenters every day with as many as nine at a time. The following year most of the other buildings were constructed except the wooden corn crib which was some time later (not sure just when). The entire building site cost $16000. It wasn't long after that, most likely before the 1929 stock market crash that Charles realized he could not make it all work and forfeited the buildings and land back to George. Thankfully, there was no outside money for the mortgage and it reverted back to George.

The house was erected by a carpenter with only one eye, Charley Schmidt of Manning, however he was very particular. The original entrance from the east was an open porch area with three small stairs going south up into the kitchen or down into the basement. The enclosed porch was added in about 1940; Rose enclosed the porch, after Charles death. The kitchen had a small pantry area to the east wall. Two very small, wall attached, cupboards with glass doors were in the kitchen either side of the window above the sink. Rose had brought these cupboards from an old kitchen cabinet. Two white steel cupboards were purchased by Earl and were used for the rest of the storage. An open large white kitchen sink was on the south wall. The Stribes had a wooden ice box in the south west corner of the dining room, which was considered a luxury on farms those days. The ice box was about four feet tall, three feet wide and 15-18 inches deep. The wooden ice box had a tin liner inside with a drain hole in the bottom which drained through the floor into the basement. The hole still exists today under the carpet. Charles usually went to the Manning Creamery on Sunday morning to purchase a 100# block of ice, which lasted most of the week. Ice tongs, similar to a pair of scissors were used to handle the heavy blocks of ice. The block was about 10"x20"x24". This was a primitive refrigerator and was replaced by an electric refrigerator in the summer of 1942. It had a 6"x8" box freezer in the top of the refrigerator. Meat was brought from the Manning locker to the box freezer and would last most of a week. A large chest freezer was purchased in 1957. In the early years there was a very small white table in the kitchen with a high chair close by. When Russell and Richard were growing up all meals were served in the living room and a yellow cart was used to aid in carrying the food and dishes.

Electrical wire was installed when the house was built in 1921, even though REC electricity didn't come to the farm until 1941. Charles figured electricity would be coming to the rural areas since electric generators were being used in towns. Ironically, Charles never enjoyed electricity since he died in 1938. A carbide light system was installed in 1927 by Charles. It consisted of 3/8" black steel pipe run through the walls with valves, globes and convex mirrors behind the bracket, mounted on the walls in each room including the upstairs. The source of the gas was a sump between the garage and house where sacks of white carbide pellets were purchased and then made into a acetylene gas by adding water, to supply the house. It was a pressurized system and each bracket within a room (generally one) had its own sparker to get it lighted. Earl knows of no other house in the area to have ever had this system installed. This system was used 14 years or so before electricity was hooked up in 1941.

Earl put the stool, septic tank and pressurized water system in 1951. There was no cistern, and therefore depended on the wind from the windmill. Most of the time water was saved ahead for when the wind didn't blow. Water tanks were filled to supply water for livestock when the wind didn't blow. Reservoirs were on the stove and drinking water was in a water pail and the tea kettle were always filled when the mill was pumping. Everyone had water pails and a dipper because most carried water in from wells or cisterns. There also was a heavy wire, on a hand crank mounted on the northwest corner of the garage that ran from the windmill to the garage. This was used to turn off the wind vane on the windmill to stop it from pumping so much during windy days. The vain was in the back of the fan directing air through the fan. When turned on, the fan was perpendicular to the vane; when off the vane was more parallel to the fan. This would allow the fan to spin at a much slower rate and therefore actually pump very little.

Another unique feature of the Stribe farm, in 1938 or 39, was 5 foot diameter by 2.5 feet deep livestock water tank buried to ground level southwest of the house. This was Rose's idea where she had beautiful large water lilies, bleeding hearts and large gold fish. It had a fence around it, however, morning glory weeds grew within the fence. The fence was then taken out. Due to fear of young children falling into the tank, it was first filled with dirt and later the tank was removed in 1949 or 1950. This removal enabled lawn mowing of the house yard because this was about the time when Earl purchased his first lawn mower, a Simplicity 1.5 hp. self-propelled with a sickle attachment and a reel type lawn mower. The sickle attachment was used to cut weeds between the fence lines and the crops around the entire farm. The reel mower was used to mow the lawn. Prior to this a horse or tractor sickle mower was used occasionally around the house yard.

Charles, Rose and family lived on the farmstead during George's retirement years. Then suddenly and unexpectedly Charles died from a bleeding ulcer on Main Street in Manning on July 10, 1938. Earl was 26 years old, Arlene and Vera in college and Phyllis at home with Rose. Rose talked to D. Sutherland the local banker about the future of the farm. He then asked if Earl was going to stay home and farm with Rose and she said yes and so the bank would back the operation. Another big turning point in the farm history. Rose inherited 80 acres, Konrady owed the estate $6000 for a past unpaid business loan. Rose was then able to buy out Nissen and Schroeder with her own money and extra money from George's estate and she then owned the entire 160 acre farm. Earl and Rose famed till 1941 when George died. Earl married Garnet in August 1941 and Rose lived with them until February of 1942 when she went to the hospital and died in 1944. Upon her death, Earl inherited 40 of the 160 acres with each sister receiving 40 acres also. He made them an offer to buy out or sell his share. Earl bought out his sisters for $24000 or $200/ acre for their acres. 120 Acres @ $200 = $24000; 40 acres being inherited = 160 acres.

Upon beginning to farm on his own after his mothers death, 1944 Earl purchased the horses, livestock and horse equipment for $1325. This was 1/2 the total value because this was Rose's share. Earl had his 1/2 purchased at the time of Charles death. This included 6 horses @ $280, Cattle @ $570, Hogs @ $630, Corn @ $480, Horse Machinery @ $620 and Harnesses of $70. All these were the total value. From the time of Earl's marriage in 1941 until 1944 all corn was picked by hand. About three loads were picked a day and unloaded with an elevator operated by having horses on a "horse power" driving unit. During those years, 7 cows were milked twice a day in addition to the rest of the chores.

In 1945, he purchased his first tractor, a new one, a John Deere B on rubber tires. WW II was going on and Earl was excused to take care of the farm. Due to the war tires, gas, coffee and sugar were rationed in addition to cars and tractors. Ration stamps were distributed through the ASCS office with 3 gallons of gas per week. Sugar was the one thing missed most. Earl believes he and Bert Peterson went to Omaha for 100# of sugar on the black market. This is disputed by Garnet. The ASCS office wanted Earl to purchase a Ford tractor but he didn't want that and was able, in the end, to purchase the B. In 1948 he purchased a grass mower for the B. He didn't have the B too long and in 1949 purchased a new John Deere A, an elevator, a manure spreader, a two row cultivator, a two bottom plow, and disk. The first New Idea (Horn) manure loader was purchased for the Model A in 1953 A one row corn picker was used with the B and picked corn with Vic Hinners. A two row pull type was used with Vic also before picking with Bert. Hand picking corn ceased in 1944 when machine harvesting began. A mounted two row J.D. picker for the J.D. model A (-35 H.P.) was purchased with Dean in 1952. Other tractors Earl enjoyed were a used J.D. 630 (45 Horse Power) that was purchased in trade of the J.D. A for $2700 in 1963. In 1957 he purchased a barely used a J.D. 50 (27H.P.) for $1800.

Oats harvest was done with a thrashing machine, thrashing bundles of straw cut with a binder. Six bundles were erected, by hand, per shock, to allow the oats and straw to dry. The trashing machine was owned by Art Hinners who lived on the Vernon Rohe place. Tony and Bill Muhlbauer, Earl, Bert, Ed Venner, Lawrence Hoffman & later Wilmer Schele (on Hoffmann place) as well as Bert Peterson (lived 1 mile east and 1/2 south) all worked together in a "trashing Ring". Chas Muhlbauer had the thrashing machine in later years after Art moved and Vernon Rohe moved there who was also in the thrashing ring. This method was used to harvest oats when Charles had farmed also. Other than the Stribes, Bert was the only non-catholic in the neighborhood. Bert liked to be last to thresh to have a keg of beer to celebrate. Bert also liked steak to eat and would serve it on Friday (fish day) thinking the Catholics would not eat it but they invariably dived into it, which was against their religion. Kusels were hired to combine the oats in 1953 for the first time. Dean had soybeans in the late sixties but Earl never grew beans and Russell started growing beans in 1976 after the pasture either side of the creek was plowed.

Earl made many improvements during the years. An oil furnace was installed in 1949. The kitchen cupboards were done in 1964 for $1400. The living room colonnades were removed and gold carpet laid in 1968. The corncrib was replaced with a dryer bin in 1976 with the west storage bin was put up in 1978 and the round wire crib removed and replaced with a bin in 1981. The big barn was steel roofed in 1994 & 5. The house roof and pulse gas furnace and air conditioning were installed in 1996. The Morton machine shed was constructed in December 1997 replacing the second machine shed constructed in 1966. Many, many lines of tile were laid in 1975-76 when the pasture was plowed and farmed. Other tile was added in December 1998 on the eighty and the south east part of the south side of the creek.

An additional adjoining 80 acres was purchased in September of 1990 from the Wente estate for $2510 per acre in which cash was paid; i.e. No outside moneys.

Earl always enjoyed his cars which included: Black 1926 Model T truck; A dark tan 1929 Model A Ford: In 1935 or so Charles bought him a 1934 black Plymouth Coupe. Dickered on that for 6 months 1941 Dark green Chevy, 1951 light green Chevy; 1953 2 tone blue Chevy; 1957 2 tone blue Chevy; 1963 blue Chevy; 1967 gold Chevy; 1976 2 tone blue Chevy; 1978 blue Chevy; 1984 rose Chevy; 1988 dark blue Buick; 1992 white Buick; 1997 blue-gray Buick.

The 1953 Chevy was purchased from Carroll because he would not give in to the Manning dealer on a $15 difference. Earl ended up with power steering and an automatic transmission for the first time, which he was not dealing on in Manning. All other cars later were purchased from Manning Motor including the Buicks.

The Stribes have worked together for generations and thus became a close knit relationship. Earl's parents lived with Bert while building Charles's building site. Rose did Bert's washing, lots of cooking for him before he married. Earl worked with Bert; when Dean married, Earl worked with him. When Lowell married, Earl worked with Dean and Lowell from 1958 until renting it to Russell in 1985 for one year. Russell married and Earl retired 1974 and Russ worked with Lowell and Dean. Allen was also with Dean, Lowell and Russell from 1978-1986. Upon Dean's death 1991 farmed with Curtis. This makes 5 generations with never a serious argument. The men shared work like hay making, shocking & threshing, butchering, machine corn picking, and later soybean harvest as well. The women worked together on threshing day and canning of fruits and vegetables.

The above is true to the best of my knowledge and recollection. Earl Stribe



WWI Herbert Stribe March 29, 1918


Regilda Stoffers & Herbert Stribe wedding
Harper's great-great-grandparents


Sophie Bauer & Fred Stoffers - parents of Regilda
Harper's great-great-great-grandparents


1959 Fred and Sophie (Bauer) Stoffers with their great-grandchildren Curt & Keith Stribe left front and Allen Stribe seated


Regilda Stoffers


Herbert "Bert" Stribe


Regilda (Stoffers) Stribe 1954 American Legion Auxiliary president


Dean, Regilda, Herbert holding Lowell


Lowell & Lois (Anthony) Stribe wedding


Dean & Marge (Rowedder) Stribe
Harper's great-grandparents


Dan Peters & Dean Stribe on the Stribe farm


Dean Stribe MHS 1950


1973 Prom - Keith Stribe & Mary Jane Rohe
Harper's grandparents


Vernon and Viola Rohe family

Vernon, son of Walter and Elizabeth (Sibbel) Rohe, was born November 26, 1920 on the family farm near Templeton. His brothers are Norbert, Glen, Gene and Wayne. On February 8, 1944, he married Martha Halbur, daughter of Ben and Margaret (Steffes) Halbur. Her siblings are Helen, Edwin, Agnes, Leander, Louis and Rita. The couple farmed northeast of Manning. They raised a family of eight children: Duane, born January 12, 1946; Larry, born August 25, 1947; JoAnn, born September 24, 1951; Allen, born January 8, 1953, and died November 15, 1972; Linda, born October 2, 1954; Mary Jane, born May 6, 1956; Daryl, born May 6, 1958; Janet, born September 1, 1961. Martha passed away on September 12, 1981.

Vernon married Viola (Stephenson) Sheeder daughter of Emmett and Helen (Greif) Stephensen on February 18, 1984. She was born on July 9, 1929 at home near Beaver, Iowa. Her siblings are Lorene, Jean, Ruth and Marvin. Viola had been previously been married to Gay Sheeder. Gay passed away on April 27, 1979. Their children are Randy, Rick and Terri. Vi has seven grandchildren: Kimberly, Kristina, Jodi, Sarah, David, Jeremy and Jennifer and eleven great-grandchildren.

Vernon's grandchildren are Jason, Darrona, and Brandon (Duane); Jeff, Linsey and Katlin (Larry); Brandon and Jennifer Gilmore (JoAnn); Kyle, Jackie and Melissa Sporrer (Linda); Nolan, Sara and Landon Stribe (Mary Jane); Ryan, Rusty, Robbie and Ross (Daryl) and Jacob and Matthew Goecke (Janet). There are four great-grandchildren.

Vernon and Vi now reside in Manning where they keep active dancing, hunting, fishing, sewing and painting. The couple's greatest joy is being with their families. Vernon and Vi celebrated their 20th Anniversary, February 18, 2004.


Keith & Curt Stribe

Some action shots I scanned from Wayne Saunders (of Manilla) negatives.

Curt Stribe going for the ball - Keith Stribe nearside
MHS vs Irwin December 7, 1971


Curt Stribe #22
MHS vs Irwin December 7, 1971


Keith Stribe
MHS vs Manilla December 4, 1972


Keith Stribe
MHS vs Manilla November 19, 1971


Keith Stribe #25, Keith Vetter #41
MHS vs Manilla December 4, 1972


#46 Keith Stribe, #50 Mike Bilsten, #24 Scott Renze
1971 Homecoming

1972-73 varsity basketball team

Back: Keith Stribe, Kevin Pfannkuch, John Opperman, Jon Ahrendsen, Keith Vetter
Front: Joe Blum, Jeff Drees, Rick Lohrmann, Gary Graner


Dwight Thomas "T" Gore, Kent Wiese, Keith "Bud" Stribe, Rick Lohrmann 1973 Two-mile relay


As soon as I saw Nolan on the video, I could sure see the "Stribe" face.
Harper Stribe September 8, 2018

Harper is too young to understand her family heritage right now, but like everyone - she has an amazing ancestral background, it's just a matter of it being preserved now so when she gets older, she'll be able to enjoy her family background and fully appreciate it...

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