Adolph Eich, 1899 Biography

EICH, HAUSMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 10/28/2006 at 16:54:32

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:

Adolph Eich

This man is likewise an early settler, as he has lived since 1873 in Washington Township, when it still belonged to Roselle Township. He was born on 1 February 1841 in Hummerich, County of Sieg, District of Köln [Cologne]. He received his early upbringing there, and when he completed school, he became a farmer. He was inducted as a soldier in 1862, and he served in the 8th Artillery Regiment, which was then garrisoned in Luxembourg. While still in the ranks, he took part in the 1864 campaign against Denmark. And just two years later, the war with Austria broke out, and he again followed the call of his king and took part in the war. Before peace was declared, the regiment in which Mr. Eich was serving had marched to Vienna. As had occurred following the war of 1864, he was honorably discharged after the war of 1866. But apparently Mr. Eich had smelled enough gunpowder, because in February 1867 he sailed on the ocean in order to settle in the free states of America. He settled initially in La Salle County, Illinois, where he worked at farming on his own. In 1873, he moved to Washington Township, Carroll County, Iowa, where he purchased a 120–acre farm. On 16 October 1873, Mr. Eich married Miss Elisabeth Hausmann, a very respectable young lady. The couple later increased their real estate by 80 acres, so that the farm now consists of 240 acres of the finest land. The Adolph Eich family is highly respected and enjoys an excellent reputation. This happy marriage has produced nine children, and their names are: Katharina, Christina, Franz, Anna, Joseph, Elisabeth, Helena, Johann, and Wilhelm.