In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From Wolfe's history of Clinton County, Iowa (1911)
HENRY FORTH.
It would indeed be hard to find a man in Olive township who understands better how to get the best results in manipulating the soil of Clinton county, for he has spent his life here and has devoted his time, for the most part, in studying the relation of soil, climate and seeds, with the result that he never has to ask the advice of anyone when he wants to rotate his crops or plant any new kind of grain, for he has experimented until he now knows definitely what to do in every instance,
Mr. Forth was born on the old Forth homestead in Olive township, this county, on December 23. 1869. He is the.'on of Karl and Thresa (Beuman) Forth, the former born in Germany and the latter in Pennsylvania. The father is further mentioned in the sketch of Charles Porth.
The subject was educated in the public schools of this township, which he attended when not working; in the crops on the home place. He operates in a very successful manner two hundred and thirty acres of land, on which he has placed modern and substantial improvements. This is the old homestead, and under his skillful management the richness of the soil has been retained and he has a very well kept home and carries on general farming and stock raising in a manner that stamps him as one of the leading agriculturists of this township. He has begun the breeding and raising of Polled-Angus cattle. He also feeds extensively and is a good judge of live stock. He has been very successful both as a farmer along general lines and as a stock man.
Mr. Porth was married in 1893 to Emma Mueller, who was born in Olive township, this county, where she was reared and educated. She is the daughter of Henry and Margaret fGearnert) Mueller, both natives of Germany, from which country they came to America and were early settlers in Clinton county, Iowa. This family became well known and well established here. To Mr. and Mrs. Porth the following children have been born: Francis, Minnie, Carl and Esther.
Mr. Porth is a member and liberal supporter of the Catholic church and in political matters he is a Democrat, but he is not a public man. preferring to lead a quiet life on his farm.
As printed in Wolfe's history of Clinton County, Iowa (1911). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1911. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.