Ludwig Henry Biklen
Born: October 6th, 1837
Died: October 8th, 1887
Obituary
About ten days ago Mr. LH Biklen, the well-known blacksmith of Division street, sustained a severe fall from a moving train, from which he was attempting to alight in the dark. He stepped off in the wrong direction, fell backward, and received injuries to his head and spine which produced unconsciousness at first, then paralysis, and finally, at three o’clock yesterday, caused his death.
Ludwig Henry Biklen was born in Unter-Duerkheim, Wuerttemberg, Germany October 6, 1837, and was fifty years old last Thursday. He was apprenticed as a blacksmith and learned his trade thoroughly. He came to this country and place in 1856 and at once opened a blacksmith shop, working away quietly at his trade until the war broke out. He was the third man at this place to sign the enlistment roll when the call came for volunteers and entered the service as a private in Co. D, First Iowa Infantry, Capt. CL Matties. When mustered out at the end of his month’s term of service he at once re-enlisted in Company F, Fifth Iowa cavalry, the company commanded by Captain WH Hall of this city, and in which Charles Ende, August Schlapp, JB Ritzmann, and a number of other well-known citizens served. In 1864 he was taken prisoner and lay for nine months in the horrible southern pens, seven of them in Andersonville. While in this stockaded purgatory he suffered terribly and when exchanged he was helpless with frozen feet. His boots were cut off and he was carried to Fortress Monroe where he lay for a long time in the hospital until he was in a measure healed and could come home. He never fully recovered from the effects of this hard experience but was never known to complain. He returned to his forge upon his arrival here and remained at it, earning his bread in honest toil and humble but conscientious and upright citizen, a man whose word needed no bond to make it good, whose compassion was ever open to the suffering and needy, who lived as more men should and who died, lamented by all who bore his acquaintance.
Mr. Biklen, and one sister, Mrs. Lousa Englert. The funeral will be held from his late home, 312 South Seventh street, at two o’clock today, and from the German Evangelical church on Fifth street at half past two.