J. A. Brechwald was born near Mayence, in the German Rhineland, on June 21, 1858 and he passed away May 22, 1919. He came to Ida County with his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Brechwald in the winter of 1881 and grew to manhood in this locality. He and his brother Ferd established and incorporated the cigar making firm of Brechwald Bros. in Ida Grove. He and his family went to Florida in 1907 and were engaged in the nursery business, doing carpentry work, and selling real estate. He was buried in the Ida Grove Catholic Cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. Brechwald had one daughter, Virginia. He was survived by his aged mother, Mrs. Andrew Brechwald, and 7 brothers and sisters: Ferd A. Brechwald, Jacob P. Brechwald, Mrs. Theo. Rohwer, Mrs. Wm. Murphy, Mrs. Robert Mein, Mrs. Agnes Schmidt, and Mrs. Frank Hart.