Joseph Schäfer [Schaefer], 1899 Biography

SCHAEFER, SCHULTE

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 5/1/2006 at 19:52:18

I translated the following biography from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published in a special 25th Anniversary Edition of the paper on Friday, 20 September 1899. Information in brackets and notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Jos. Schäfer [Joseph Schaefer]

One may quite rightly point to this man as an example of how, through hard work and persistence coupled with expert knowledge, one finally achieves a comfortable and independent condition. He came, almost completely broke, from New Vienna in March of 1869 as one of the first pioneers to Kniest Township. He worked for a year as a farm-hand, and then he purchased a 120-acre farm in Sheridan Township. But then he moved back again to New Vienna, where he worked another two years as a farm-hand. Then he moved at first to his previously purchased farm in Sheridan Township and married the respected Miss Elisabeth Schulte. After eight years of untiring hard work, he sold the farm and then acquired 160 acres in Wheatland Township, where he then moved with his wife. He subsequently increased his real estate by about 200 acres. The Schäfer family has lived here for 18 years. In 1893, he purchased the entire section (640 acres) that had earlier belonged to Mr. Clemens Brüning [Bruening] and sold the previously occupied 360 acres. Mr. Schäfer lives on this enormous farm with his family and operates it with his sons.

Mr. Joseph Schäfer was born on 6 March 1843 in Haaren, Westphalia, and immigrated to America at the age of 23. After two and a half years working near New Vienna, he moved to Carroll County. The names of the children produced by this happy marriage are: Anna M., Anna E., Gertrude, Conrad, Johann, Joseph, Katharina, Elisabeth, and Heinrich.