Anton Meis, 1899 Biography

MEIS, SALMEN, FROMME, ERZ, SEILER

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 9/27/2004 at 21:34:58

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. I have not changed the place or name spellings. Information in brackets and notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Anton Meis

Unfortunately, the subject of this description is no longer among the living, although his works, his noble philanthropic character, as well as his honest disposition among his fellow citizens, live on. The deceased was born on 3 July 1833 in Sittinghausem [should probably be Siddinghausen], Büren County, Westphalia, Germany. He received his education in his hometown, and after he had taken his First Holy Communion and finished his schooling, he worked hard and honestly in a rock quarry until he was 38 years old. On 29 June 1859, Mr. Anton Mies married the respected Miss Maria Salmen, who likewise was born in Sittinghausen, on 12 February 1833, and attended elementary school there until her First Holy Communion. After being married four years, the couple immigrated with their four children to America in 1863, and the family settled in New Vienna, Dubuque County, Iowa, where Mr. Meis took up farming. After a period of five years, they moved to Kniest Township, Carroll County, onto a small 40-acre farm that they purchased. After three years, they sold the land and acquired 120 acres in the same township. Eight years later, in 1879, they sold the farm and moved to Maple River Junction, where Mr. Meis bought a store and opened a grocery business. On 22 October, 1891, he was torn from the side of his dear life’s companion, and still today, after eight years, the loss is deeply felt by his wife and children. After the death of Mr. Meis, his widow and children carried on the business, and they enjoy the goodwill of all their acquaintances. After having lost three children at a young age, Mrs. Meis was struck by two more blows from fate. On 12 April 1894, she lost her son Johann, who had always been greatly devoted to his dear mother and had been an honest and hard worker. And on 24 October 1898, she lost her son Anton, an upright young man who was married in Boone. The names of the children still living are: Conrad, married to Theresia Fromme; Theresia, wife of Mr. Jacob Erz; Fritz, married to Maggie [no last name given]; Ludwig; and Maria, wife of Mr. August Seiler.

NOTES: Büren is about 10 or 12 miles southwest of Paderborn. The town of Sittinghausen probably refers to “Siddinghausen,” a small town about 5 miles southwest of Büren.