CRAPSER, Walter V.

CRAPSER, UPDIKE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/2/2014 at 13:36:20

HISTORY of CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IOWA
WHEELER, J.H. Vol. II. Pp. 689-90. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1910

BIOGRAPHY ~ WALTER V. CRAPSER

One of Cerro Gordo county's substantial and well known farmers is Walter V. Crapser, whose fertile acres are located in Pleasant Valley township. He was born in Franklin county, Iowa, December 4, 1863, and is the son of Albert and Adaline Crapser. The former, a native of New York, died in 1905, at the age of seventy-three years, and the mother is now living in Thornton. They cam to Iowa from the east and located in Franklin county in 1874, later removing to Grimes township, Cerro Gordo county.

Walter V. Crapser was reared upon his father's farm and learned in the school of practical experience those many lessons which have made of him a most successful agriculturist. He attended the common school and when nineteen years of age began to teach school, acting for seven terms as a pedagogue in Pleasant Valley township. After his marriage in 1886 he began farming on rented land. Two years later he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of his present farm. This had only a shack of a house upon it and only fifteen acres of it was broken ground. He now owns and operates three hundred and sixty acres, all finely improved.

Mr. Crapser subscribes to the men and measures of the Republican party and has played a prominent part in the affairs of the county. He has served as road superintendent and was assessor for six years. He was eight years a member of the school board and seven years a member of the county board of supervisors. He was appointed to the latter capacity in April, 1910, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Superintendent J. H. Brown. He assisted in the organization and was a director of the first Farmers' Co-operative Society in the state of Iowa, located at Swaledale. He is now, and has been for four years, president of the Farmers' Co-operative Society of Thornton. The social side of Mr. Crapser's nature is not undeveloped, and he has several fraternal affiliations, being a member of the Elks at Mason City; of the I. O. O. F. at Thornton and of the M. W. A. at Swaledale. This is one means by which he has become widely known in the county.

Mr. Crapser was married, March 23, 1886, to Miss Kate I. Updike, born in Fayette county July 8, 1868. They are the parents of three children, Guy, Gladys and Grace, all of whom are at home.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014