KIRSCHMAN, Frederick A.

KIRSCHMAN, MEADER, MARKLE

Posted By: Steve Kirschman (email)
Date: 2/9/2002 at 11:20:56

HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY

Page 408 --- vol. 2

Biography

FREDERICK A. KIRSCHMAN

When it is stated that the subject of this review is at present time (1910) incumbent of the office of mayor of Mason City, Iowa it will at once be understood that he maintains a strong hold upon public confidence and esteem in his thriving and attractive home city. Here he is engaged in the practice of law and he holds precedence as one of the most able and successful members of the bar of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. In later years he has also devoted special attention to the real estate business, in which his operations are now of important order and wide scope.

Mr. Kirschman finds a due mode of satisfaction in reverting to the fine old Hawkeye state as the place of his nativity and he is a member of a family whose name has long been identified with the annals of this commonwealth. He was born on his father's farm near New Hampton, Chickasaw County, Iowa, on the 21st day of September, 1863, and is a son of Andrew and Christina (Markle) Kirschman, both of whom were born in Germany, whence they came to America when young folk. Their marriage was solemnized in the state of New York. The father had served an apprenticeship to the shoemaker's trade in his native land, but after coming to America he identified himself with the great basic industry of agriculture. Through his association with which he achieved independence and definite prosperity. He first came to Iowa in 1856, and his marriage was celebrated some time later, so that his wife did not arrive in this state until 1858. He became one of the representative farmers of Chickasaw County, where he developed a valuable farm and where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1880. His widow, who is now seventy-four years of age (1910), now maintains her home in the village of New Hampton and is one of the highly esteemed pioneer women of that section of the state. She is a devout member of the German Evangelical church, as was also her husband, and the tatter was a Democrat in his political proclivities. Of the six children all are living except one, and the subject of this review was the oldest in order of birth.

Frederick A. Kirschman was reared to the sturdy discipline of the old homestead farm, which was the place of his birth, and after completing the curriculum of the common schools he continued his studies in the Upper Iowa University of Fayed. After leaving this institution he was a student for some time in the Valder Business College at Decorah, in this state, and in preparing himself for the work of his chosen profession he attended for two years the law department of the celebrated University of Wisconsin, at Madison, in which he graduated as a member of the class of 1891 and from which he received his well earned degree of Bachelor of Laws. There he was admitted to practice in the United States circuit and district courts in June 1891, at the time of his graduation. He then returned to Iowa and located in Mason City where he has since maintained his home. Here he was admitted to practice in the United States circuit and district courts in this state. He gave virtually his undivided attention to the work of his profession for a period of fifteen years, within which he gained marked success and high reputation as versatile trial lawyer and admirably fortified counselor. He served as city attorney for Mason City from 1901 to 1905, and since his retirement from this office he devoted himself more especially to his real estate business, though he still gives more or less attention to the work of his profession. He is one of the interested principals in the F.A. Kirschman Land Company, in which his associates are Frank Nelson and Thomas C. Pierce. This company, of which he is president, has attained a position of distinctive priority in the handling of farming land in Cerro Gordo County. Mr. Kirschman has been the architect of his own fortunes and thus his distinctive success is the more gratifying to contemplate.

His genial personality and sterling character have gained to him the high regard of the community in which he has elected to make his home, and as a citizen he has always shown the highest order of public spirit and progressive loyalty; in politics he was formerly aligned with the Democratic party but he now gives his allegiance to the Republican party. In the spring of 1909 Mr. Kirschman was elected mayor of Mason City, on the People's ticket, and he is giving a most able and satisfactory administration of municipal government. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodsman of America, the Modern Brotherhood of America and the Tribe of Ben Hur.

On the 21st of September, 1892, Mr. Kirschman was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Meader, who was born and reared in Winneshiek County where her paternal grandfather took up his residence prior to 1850, thus founding one of the old and influential families of that section of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Kirschman became the parents of five children all of whom are living except one son who died in infancy. All the children were born in Mason City and here the four surviving children are attending school -- Cecil F., Orton A., Esther L. and Roy M.

A copy of this document can be found in the Sutro Library, San Francisco, CA.