Joseph Laub, 1899 Biography

LAUB, WEIER, LEFFLER, IRLMEIER, HOFFMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/19/2007 at 00:23:43

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

Joseph Laub

Mr. Joseph Laub was born on 6 December 1840 in Ruhmannsfelden, Lower Bavaria. After he had attended elementary school, he worked a short time in the countryside where he learned the trade of mason, at which he worked for 18 years. During the last eight years of this time, however, he also operated a small farm. On 5 October 1864, Mr. Laub married Miss Anna Weier, and he and his wife and children immigrated to America in the spring of 1874. He quickly settled in Roselle Township, where he initially purchased 40 acres of land. He quickly sold this, however, and then he purchased a small 80-acre farm. He later purchased another 40 acres, then another 120 acres, so that his real estate now consists of 240 acres of the finest land.

Mr. Laub and his wife and children are known throughout the county as early settlers, and they are respected and esteemed by all their acquaintances. This happy marriage has produced eight children, three of whom died at a young age. The names of the children still living are: Agnes, Mrs. Joseph Leffler; Joseph, married to Kath. Irlmeier; Theresia, Mrs. Peter Hoffmann; Anna; and Andreas.