Christian Hausmann, 1899 Biography

HAUSMANN, WALTERSCHEID

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/13/2007 at 13:21:35

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. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Christ. Hausmann

In another spot, our readers will find a good picture of Mr. Christ. [Christian] Hausmann, and indeed since this man has now lived in Carroll County since 1873, he deserves to be counted among the old, honorable, and esteemed pioneers of Carroll County who transplanted the culture of Germany and the eastern states out here and furrowed the prairie with their plows. It is a special pleasure, therefore, for us to present a biography of this man because during the course of his life in Carroll County, his name has been mentioned on many occasions in the German press, and he has assumed a position among the Germans which indicates that he enjoys the greatest trust among his countrymen as well as among the Americans in the county. By 1888, he was already elected a member of the highest county administrative body [county board of supervisors], and after his first term, Mr. Hausmann was chosen a second time with a large majority by the people of the county for the important office. He thus began his second term on 1 January 1892, and soon thereafter he was chosen by the other members as president of the highest body [chairman of the county board of supervisors]. He also served in many respected elected offices in his home township during this time. For example, he was township treasurer, trustee, and road master, and he periodically served on the school board.

It is easy to understand that this man is known in the entire county, but he is also very popular among his friends and acquaintances because in all the offices which he now holds he has demonstrated not only that he is a man with a great feeling for justice, but that he is also thoroughly qualified.

Mr. Hausmann was born to good and honest people on 14 June 1851 in Söven [Soeven], near Geistingen, County of Siegburg, Province of Rhine Prussia. He spent the wonderful years of his youth here, and we see him tumbling about in boyish high spirits with his knapsack on his back, or attending school with his spelling-book under his arm. When he had reached an appropriate age and had received First Holy Communion in the local parish church, he was faced with his first important question—what to do with his future. But like his father, he also loved working in God’s free nature, and so he became a farmer.

In 1867, the entire Hausmann family immigrated to America, and upon arriving in this country, they settled first on a farm near Mendota, La Salle County, Illinois. Here, the old “Vater Hausmann” and his son worked at farming, but after the family had lived there for six years, they also began to feel the longing to move westward and to achieve prosperity by clearing the prairie.

In September 1873, the family came to Roselle Township, Carroll County, Iowa, and the father purchased 120 acres of land here. But with the help of God’s blessings, from year to year they increased their real estate to 355 acres. Mr. Christ. Hausmann worked loyally and industriously for his parents until 17 October 1876, when he married the well-brought-up Miss Maria Walterscheid. But even then he remained with his parents and worked on his parents’ farm, and five years later he rented 160 acres of land from his father.

This man’s good mother had already passed away on 20 May 1873, and his father closed his weary eyes on 30 June 1895.

Through hard work and inheritance, through purchases and transactions, Mr. Hausmann is now the owner of 415 acres of the most valuable land in Roselle [Township], which, however, is divided into various farms, each equipped with fine and solid buildings.

Ten children were the fruits of this happy and very Christian marriage, one of whom died at a tender age and resides at God’s throne. The names of the remaining children are: Elisabeth, Wilhelm, Joseph, Gertrude, Peter, Christian, Heinrich, Johann, and Heinrich.