Mathias Louis Weber, 1899 Biography

WEBER, GUETZ

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 1/13/2006 at 00:37:19

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:

Mathias Louis Weber

The bearer of the above name is among the earliest residents of Kniest Township, and during the time that he has been settled here, he has witnessed first hand the growth and strengthening of the German culture in that township, and his name will be mentioned with honor in the history of this beautiful little spot of earth. Mr. Mathias Louis Weber was born on 11 February 1844 in Consdorf, Canton Echternach, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. After he left school, he learned the trade of miller. In accordance with the old customs, he laced up his knapsack and traveled through beautiful France, where he found employment for two years at Notre Dame College in Rethel, in the Ardennes District, on the Aisne River. He also worked a year in a large hotel in the medieval city of Rheims [Reims], on the Vesle River, the coronation city of the French kings, where he had ample opportunity to sample a few glasses of their famous champagne. In 1866 he emigrated to the United States of North America, where he initially settled in Black Hawk County, Iowa and found employment on a farm. After two years, he made his way to Kniest Township, Carroll County, where he took up the plow on a farm. On 15 October 1874, Mr. Weber married Miss Elisabeth Gütz [Guetz] and then moved to Mt. Carmel, where he opened a tavern which, however, he sold after only about half a year. He also ran a tavern for about half a year in the town of Carroll, and afterwards, he moved to his 80-acre farm in Kniest Township, which he had purchased a few years before. He later purchased an additional 81 acres of land. This happy marriage produced 15 children, two of which, however have died. The names of the children are: Maria, Wilhelm, Frank, Nickolaus, Theodor, Joseph, Magdalena, Agnes, Paulus, Emilie, Eleonora, Cecilia, and Edward.