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HENRY WEHRMAN — Having by persevering industry, enterprise and thrift acquired a fair share of this world's goods, Henry Wehrman, for many years identified with the agricultural prosperity of Benton county, is now living retired from active pursuits in Luzerne, where he is held in high esteem as a man and a citizen. A son of the late Hans Wehrman, he was born, November 23, 1833, in Hanover, Germany, where the days of his youth and early manhood were spent.
Born in Germany in 1805, Hans Wehrman was brought up to habits of industry and economy. He married soon after attaining his majority, and remained in the Fatherland until 1851, when he decided to emigrate to the United States, a land full of promise to the poor and needy man. He embarked with his family on a sailing vessel, and after an ocean voyage of nine weeks and three days landed in New York city. From there he proceeded to Chicago, Illinois, going by way of the Erie canal and the Great Lakes, and being four weeks on the way. Locating in Kendall county, he rented land near Yorkville, and was there employed in general farming for nearly four years. In March, 1855, he migrated to the frontier, making the first part of the trip in the box car in which he had loaded his household goods. When near Peoria, Illinois, the car jumped the track, rolled down an embankment, and in the wreck his wife was so severely injured that she died soon after. From Rock Island, Illinois, he came with his family overland, being obliged to camp out the first and last nights of the journey, but securing shelter the other nights. Arriving in Benton county, Hans Wehrman entered one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 14, Iowa township, erected a log house, putting it together with wooden pins, and was there employed in agricultural pursuits the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1865. To him and his wife, whose maiden name was Emeline Kaster, twelve children were born, five of whom survive namely: Henry, the special subject of this brief sketch; Sophia, wife of William Kollermann, of Yorkville, Illinois; Mrs. Luiza Mohl, of Clay Center, Kansas; Mrs. Susanna Grummer, of Luzerne, Iowa; and August, of Iowa township.
Brought up on a farm in his native country, Henry Wehrman was there educated. Coming with his parents to the United States in 1851, he remained at home until his marriage, ably assisting his father in his pioneer labors of establishing a home both in Illinois and in Iowa, In 1859 he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government in section 14, Iowa township, and there, with the counsel and assistance of his young wife, set to work in earnest to build up a home. He was never satisfied with less than the highest possible results in his agricultural labors, and the three hundred and twenty acres of land that he now owns in that township are all under a good state of cultivation and finely improved, his estate comparing favorably with any in 'the neighborhood. In 1890 Mr. Wehrman retired from active labor, and has since been numbered among the valued and esteemed citizens of Luzerne.
Mr. Wehrman has been twice married. He married first, September 9, 1858, Sarah Elder, who was born, March 4, 1834, in Ohio. She died in 1865, leaving three children, namely: Matilda, wife of Fred Reike, of Iowa township; John W., of Minnesota; and Emma J., wife of Christian Reike, of Minnesota. Mr. Wehrman married for his second wife, February 9, 1866, Caroline Budde, who was born in Germany, March 4, 1834, and to them four children have been born, as follows: Elizabeth, wife of Hugo Pischke, of South Bend, Indiana; W. A., of Luzerne; Solomon, of Clark county, South Dakota; and Anna, wife of W. C. Fearer, of Dubuque, Iowa. Politically Mr. Wehrman is a sound Democrat, and has been active in local affairs, having served most acceptably as constable, school director, township trustee, and was elected a justice of the peace but never served. Religiously he and his good wife are consistent members of the German Lutheran church, and have reared their children in the same faith.
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