elcome
to the web site of Plumer Settlement. Plumer Settlement was established in 1851 in Oak
Township, Mills County, Iowa. Feel free to browse our site. We hope you find it to
be interesting, informative and useful.
In 1851, several German pioneer families migrated from near California, Missouri to Southwestern Iowa, settling in Oak Township, located in Mills County. The leader among these pioneers was Johann Heinrich Plumer (01 October 1795 - 02 April 1883, photo at right courtesy of Mary Plumer - click on the photo for a larger version), born in Tchobrink ( Aschen ), Kingdom of Hanover, Germany. Johann sent word to his former neighbors in Missouri of the rich land here. Many of them later followed, also building their log cabins. The area became known as "The Plumer Settlement." Until about 1850, the area had been mainly inhabited by Indians and by Mormons on their way westward.
These
pioneer families, and those who later followed, built "The
Salem German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession in
Plumer's Settlement in Mills and Pottawattamie County, Iowa" in 1867. Here they found strength and inspiration for their rugged
existence. The church, although no longer regularly used except for an annual
Memorial Day service, was recently restored in the Fall/Winter of 2001/2002.
First burials in the Plumer Settlement were made in "Saar's Field" on a farm owned by Henry Saar until the cemetery across the road from Salem Lutheran Church was established in 1872-1874. The "Plumer Settlement Cemetery" is well-maintained and is still being used for burials.
This web site was designed and is maintained by Keith Brandt, in honor of ancestors and the pioneers of the Plumer Settlement. Special thanks to "Mills County Iowa Cemeteries", by the Hastings Federated Woman's Club for much of the source material for burials at the Plumer Settlement Cemetery. And also to "The Familie Green of Slesvig", by Eloise Jepsen and Lowell Wiseman, who graciously granted permission to use their book in preparing this web site. And finally to Mary Plumer, and to many others for contributing photos, helping with dates, names, and verifying the information I've presented here.
Keith is a 4th great grandson of Johann Heinrich Plumer and Maria Plumer. One of Johann and Maria's granddaughters was Julia Anna Elizabeth Bauer (about 1843-1926). Julia's father, Christian Bauer , and her younger brother John, died of cholera during an epidemic in St. Louis in the 1840's. Her mother, Margaretha Caroline (Plumer) Bauer, remarried to a Mr. Eppenheimer, but she also died of cholera in about 1851. Following Margaretha Caroline's death, Johann went to St. Louis on horseback and brought Julia to Plumer Settlement, living with her grandparents in their log cabin, and with other Plumer's, until 1860, when she married Keith's great-great grandfather, Carl "Charles" Jürgen Green (1834-1925). (Photo of Charles Green and Julia Bauer Green ca. 1880's).
Another set of Keith's great-great grandparents, Jürgen Brandt (1817-1906) and Anna (Möller) Brandt (1822-1903) came to Plumer Settlement from Germany in 1868. (Photo of Jürgen Brandt and Anna Möller Brandt ca. 1880's).
Keith is married to Susanna "Susie" Beck. Susie's great-grandparents were Asmus Beck (1798-1875) and Elsabe Lucia (Kiekbusch) Beck (1808-1872), who were also early pioneers in the Plumer Settlement from Germany.
Johann Heinrich Plumer, Carl "Charles" Jürgen Green, Jürgen Brandt, and Asmus Beck were among the original signers of the Salem Lutheran Church Constitution in about 1873. A transcription of the German-language constitution, its English translation, and an image of their signatures, can be viewed by clicking here.
Updated April 1, 2008 (burial update)
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