Jonathan Buechler

BUECHLER

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/10/2010 at 10:50:38

Jonathan Buechler is living practically retired, his home being at Ridgeport, in Dodge township, where he has remained since 1858, in which year he built the house that he now occupies. He arrived in Boone county two years before ad has live at or near the village continuously since, covering almost sixty years. In the early days he engaged in in merchandising for about a year and then traded his store for his farm. At one time between the years 1870 and 1875 he as the owner of about 100 acres of land, but lost heavily through going security for friends and being forced to pay security debts. However, he has never lost the respect of his fellow townsmen, and the high regard in which he is uniformly held is a testimonial of the integrity and honor of his life. He was born in Pine Grove township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania in 1831, a son of Henry and Abigail (Dollinger) Buechler. The maternal grandfather, John Dollinger, was a Revolutionary soldier, serving for seven years in that long conflict with brought independence to the American people. Henry Buechler was but three days the senior of his wife. The latter was born on shipboard and the former in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 10, 1791. Mr Buechler spent his last day sin Wayne county, Iowa, where he departed this life March 14, 1872, at the age of almost eight-one years. His wife, whose natal day was June 13, 1791, passed away at the age of sixty-five years. He as a Lutheran in religious faith, while Mr Buechler was a believer in the Presbyterian doctrines.
In their family were ten children, of whom Jonathan Buechler was the ninth in order of birth and is the only one now living. In 1844 the family removed to Tippecanoe county, Indiana and the father purchased a farm on Sugar Creek, tow mils from Americus. He was a man of considerable wealth for those days and Jonathan Buechler had some opportunities, therefore, which were denied other lads of the period. He attended school in Germantown after beginning his education and the schools of Preble county, Ohio. Subsequently he engaged in teaching in Indiana, having charge of a subscription school, his remuneration being sixty dollars per quarter, and he boarded himself. He taught for two terms and for tow yeas he engaged in farming in Indiana along the Wabash river, raising one hundred and ten bushels of corn to the care. The soil was comparatively new to cultivation and responded readily to the care and labor bestowed upon it.
In September 1853, Mr Buechler was united in marriage to Miss Martha Ann Miller, a daughter of Rev. David Miller, who in 1854 came to Boone county and purchased 500 acres of land, largely covered with timber, at two and half to three and a half dollars per acre. Mrs Buechler departed this life August 11, 1889, when fifty-five years of age, and was survived by ten children. Those still living are: Mary, now the wife of James Martin a lawyer of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Emma the wife of Henry Gerguson of Boone, Eva the wife of Clell Jennings of Dodge township, Lizzie the wife of Frank Peterson, a farmer of Dodge township, George a prominent and successful farmer living near Ridgeport, and Charles who for forty-eight terms engaged in teaching school and is now a painter and paper hanger of Boone. He is married and has two living Stotts, nee Vernon, on Thanksgiving day on November 26, 1891. She was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, a daughter of Allen and Elizabeth (Hague) Vernon, the latter of Quaker parentage, while the former was of English birth. Both died when Mr Buechler was a young child. She was married in Ohio to Chistal Stotts, and they removed to Boone county about 1856, since which time she has made her home within its borders. Mr Stotts was a farmer and owned a good tract of landing Dodge township, where he made his home until his death in 1884. Unto him and his wife were born six children, of whom four sons and one daughter are yet living, namely: Frank, Eddie, Oscar, Mrs Anetta Garrett and John.
It was in 1853 that Jonathan Buechler came to Iowa. He settled at Bennington, on the Iowa river, and there engaged in selling goods for a year or two. In 1854 he came to Boone county, where he entered government land, which he improved, making his home thereon for a few year. He afterward traded for improved, making his home thereon for a few yeas. He afterward traded for another tract and a farm in Indiana and ultimately traded that property for a store at Ridgeprot, where he carried on commercial pursuits for several years. At different times he has made many deals for various properties and in places his investments has displayed sound judgment. He has dealt quire extensively in farm, town and city property and has also given supervision to the cultivation and improvement of his land. He is by trade a fine stone and brick mason and has assisted in the erection of many business blocks and other buildings at Boone and elsewhere in the county. He has aided in the erection of eighteen different churches and also the country farm buildings. His life has been one of intense and well directed activity, and the years have brought hi a success which is very gratifying . Politically Mr Buechler was reared in the democratic faith, but has voted the republican ticket since the Civil war. He was in hearty sympathy with the Union causes and the governmental policy and three times he volunteered his services, but did not get to enlist, twice on account of the company being filled and once because of an injury which he had sustained in his foot in his youth. Socially Mr Buechler is a Mason, belonging to Boone Lodge No 79, A F & A M, which he joined in 1867. He and his wife are members of the Freewill Baptist church at Ridgeprot. He has served as notary public and as justice of the peace, and he was deputy postmaster under Allen T Silver and other for several years at Ridgeprot, but the post office there was discontinued July 1, 1913. He has also been deputy sheriff. Mr Buechler recalled the Indian days and many thrilling adventures during his travels over many parts of Iowa and other states. While returning form Indiana to Iowa with a large amount of gold, he and a companion were held up near Marengo, Iowa by four robbers, but at the reconverted signal they fought their way out, mounted their horses and made their escape. They had managed to retain their arms, his companion having a revolver, while Mr Buechler had a bowie knife. Other incidents almost as exciting featured in his life in the early days, but he has lived to see many changes, as law and order have been established and as the work of civilization and development has been carried forward, and as one of the pioneer settlers of the county he well deserves mention in this volume.

1914 Boone County History Book