7.  THE FUSTS IN IOWA

Soon after their processing ordeal at Castle Garden in New York City, the Fusts probably took a train west  into Iowa, even though their initial destination on the ship list was Wisconsin.  They first settled on a farm in Oneida Township in Tama County near Dysart, Iowa.  This change was probably decided upon because Iowa lies in a more direct route from New York than Wisconsin.  They might have liked the flat land they noticed out the train windows, reminding them of Mecklenburg's flat land.

The Fred Fust family was listed in the 1885 Iowa State Census, which showed that Marie Bunger Fust's father was living nearby.  In fact, according to the land descriptions on the census, their farms touched at the inner corners of the same section. 

Jochim Andreas Bunger, his second wife, Sophia Huenemoerder Bunger, and their two small sons, Heinrich and Hermann, arrived in America in May 1884, one and a half years after his daughter Maria's family.  When the Fusts left Germany, Heinrich was three, and Hermann was a one-month-old baby.  We can imagine how happy Marie was to be reunited with her father, step-mother, and little half-brothers!

In January 1888, twin girls, Erna and Mary, were born to Fritz and Marie Fust.  Mary died in infancy, but two years later in May 1890, Emma Rosine Fust was born. We all remember our Great-Aunt Erna who lived with our grandparents Fust for some months of each year after her father's death in 1927. 

In October 1888, Fritz Fust took out his first papers, or Declaration of Intention, to start the process to American citizenship.  He became a full citizen of his adopted country within 10 years of his immigration in November 1892.  Then his wife Marie and all their minor children, William, Frieda, Erna, and Emma, automatically became American citizens too.

It was in Iowa where William H. Fust and his sister, Frieda, completed their schooling.