Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1909-03-26

He was One Of codington
county's Earliest Pioneer
Settlers. Il
Cooling ton county lost another OF Its
staunchest citizens on March 21stg
when Ludwig Rau died at his home
sos Maple street, after a lingering ILL.,.
mess Of almost three months. He
had never before been seriously Ill
until the end of November, since which
time a compl ieation Of diseases devel-
oped, which in spite of all that medic
al assistance could do to check them,
finally caused his death. Consti tuition
ally Mr.. Rau was, until his final ill.
ness, "a veritable oak. a worthy type
Of the old German who toyed with.
the destinies OF nations in the days
of yore. separately connected with
this physical strength was a mind i'm
bued with will that aroused the adj
miration OF all with whom he CHANGED
to come in contact. To find diplo-
mat one had to seek one other than
Mr.. Rau. He belonged to the class
of the smithy swho looked the whole
world in the face and feared not any
man. 39l
Coming to Dakota in the days when
occasional prairie schooners' were
the only objects to disturb the monot-
ony on the horizon, he did not as SO
many had done. and have done since.
lose heart and turn on his heels for
regions more encouraging. To him,
rather these bound]ess plains furnish
ed Z field of activity for his indomit-
able spirit, and thus it is that the
|iigure of Ludwig Rau is one of the
pillars upon which the present sub
Estantia1 entablature Of Codington cot,ns
I y rests. f 3;s
3 Yet in spite of the good fortune that
ever attended his labors, at no time
did Mr.. Rau allow himself to become
unconscious to his duties towards his
fellow men. His apparent memorable
attitude was a barrier to the evils
minded, but to those upright of pnr-
pose only a. screen guarding the true
philanthropist underneath, who when
once discovered was all the more high
ly appreciated. I: No man in need, no
worthy enterprise, be it in church or
civil affairs ever appealed to him in
vain
While using unusual discretion in
casting his vote at the polls, Mr.. Rau
like true German never allowed him
self to be drawn into the treacherous
maelstrom of politics He was not a
man of the forum but of the home,
and to be correctly known he had to
be visited there, a kind and loving
husband and father, and well might
the pastor say: he leaves name UNI
furnished"
OBITUARY.. 5s
Carl Ludwig Rau was born in Gluick-
ava, Posen, Prussia, on April 25th
1888, q son of Carl and Dorothy Rau,
with whom he lived until he entered
the German army at the age of 21,
serving until 1862. In this year he
|emigrated to America, working as
farm laborer in Sank county, Wiscon-
sin until 1868, when he answered his
country's call and Joined Company X
of the Wisconsin volunteers In this
company he remained until the close
of the war, fighting with distinction
in the notable battle Of Chattanooga,
and participating in Sherman's march
to the sea. After receiving an honor
able discharge he returned to Sank
county where he purchased a small
farm and remained for the next thir-
teen years In 1866 he was united
| in marriage to Miss Augusta Fischer
In 1879 he took up a homestead in
iCodington county where thru thrift
and economy he soon became owner
of one Of the largest farms in the
county In 1894 after having his ma,
|ture children we'll established In life
he retired to Watertown where he
lived until his death last Sunday morn
ing, having attained an age Of "a
years. He leaves a widow and seven
children TO mourn his loss, Mrs. q
lGuenther Mrs. H adichaels, AS p. Ran
Mrs. O.. L.ebert, o. .Rau Augusta ana
Lena Rau the last Of whom, who wal
stud ying for a. professional nurse, Of
ffered her entire service to her fathel
untiI his death.