Representative Ontje Andrew Ontjes View All Years

O. A. ONTJES

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the Honorable O. A. Ontjes, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

O. A. Ontjes was born May 30, 1877, on a farm in German township, Grundy county, Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Ontjes, early residents of Grundy county, where he spent his early childhood. Later his family moved to Butler county, Iowa, where he attended rural school and the school at Aplington, Iowa.

At the early age of 23, Mr. Ontjes became the manager of the Nye­Schneider Elevator at Parkersburg. From 1903 to 1906 he was engaged in the real estate business in northern Minnesota and during those years he also built the Aplington telephone exchange and rural lines.

In December, 1906, O. A. Ontjes was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Frerichs at Holland, Iowa, where he helped organize the Farmers Savings Bank, serving as cashier and manager for 37 years, which bank rendered helpful service to the people of Holland and is still in operation under its original title. Mr. Ontjes served as mayor of Holland for two terms.

O. A. Ontjes served as Representative from Grundy county, Iowa, in the Thirty-ninth, Fortieth, Fortieth Extra and Forty-second Sessions of the General Assembly of Iowa. He was Speaker Pro Tempore in the House of Representatives in the Fortieth and Fortieth Extra Sessions. He was a leader of the economy block and his primary aim in public service was to keep down public expenditures and, while he was often on the losing side, his vigilance helped to curb—if not cure—the evils which he worked and fought against. His published suggestions for legislative reforms from time to time brought his name and ideas before the people of his state.

Mr. Ontjes organized the first Federal Farm Loan Association in Grundy county and remained as its directing head until 1940. There was a need for such an association and it expanded and rendered valuable service to the farmers throughout the state and the organization still retains some of the officers which Mr. Ontjes brought to it during the years of his direction.

Mr. Ontjes took an active interest in good roads and was one of the promoters of Primary No. 14 Association and at the last meeting of this organization held in Grundy county he was chosen as its president.

The business career of Mr. Ontjes covered nearly half a century and there were few idle moments for him during all that time. He substituted work for play and seemed to enjoy it, as he took very little time out for recreation.

Mr. Ontjes passed away December 31, 1942. He is survived by his widow and son, Edward Ontjes, now serving his country in the Army Medical Corps. Other members of his family are his sister, Mrs. Peter DeBuhr, Aplington, Iowa; four brothers, Fred A. Ontjes, Mason City, Iowa; Andrew Ontjes, Aplington, Iowa; William Ontjes and John Ontjes, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Another sister, Mrs. Jennie Iblings died several years ago and her son, Herman Iblings, came into the Ontjes home during infancy and grew up there.

O. A. Ontjes has passed out of the shadow into Eternal Day;

Do not call this dying, this sweet going away,

For the memory of his deeds with us lingers still,

It was God’s will to call him home,

His holy will be done.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fiftieth General Assembly, That in the passing of Honorable O. A. Ontjes, the state has lost a valued and honored citizen and the family a loving husband, father and brother, and the House would tender, by this resolution, its sincere sympathy to the surviving relatives in their sorrow; and

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to send an enrolled copy to each member of the family of the deceased.

J. P. BRINDLE,

BREDE WAMSTAD,

ARCH W. MCFARLANE,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted,