STIER, H. - 1914

STIER, TIGGES, STABELFELDT, GATEKA, LYMAN

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/7/2009 at 02:55:07

HISTORY OF
Cherokee County
IOWA
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1914
by Thomas McCulla

H. STIER.

H. Stier, a prominent and prosperous agriculturist of Cherokee county, who for the past twentynine years has lived upon his present farm in Spring township, was born in Michigan, January 24, 1861. He is a son of John and Dora Stier, natives of Germany, who came to America in 1847. The father worked in sawmills in Michigan and Indiana for a number of years, later turning his attention to farming. He moved to Illinois and settled in Shelby county, that state, where he cultivated the soil until the later 6os, after which he came to Iowa. In this state he made his home in Marshall county, farming in that vicinity until he retired from active life. He afterward made his home with the subject of this review until his death, which occurred October 12, 1897. He had survived his wife since 1885. To their union were born eight children, three of whom still survive: H., of this review; Mary, the wife of Ernest Tigges, of Marshall county; and Herman, also of Marshall county.

H. Stier acquired his education in the public schools of Marshall county and when he was twentyone years of age began his independent career, working as a farm laborer for a short time. In 1884 he came to Cherokee county and bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in Spring township, a property upon which he has resided continuously since that time. In the course of years he has made substantial additions to his holdings and now has two hundred and eighty acres, two hundred of which are in a high state of cultivation. In connection with general farming Mr. Stier raises and feeds stock and he has made this branch of his activities an important source of income.

On March 1, 1894, Mr. Stier was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Stabel- feldt, who was born in Benton county, Iowa, a daughter of John and Minnie (Gateka) Stabelfeldt, natives of Germany. Their marriage occurred in Will county, Illinois, November 28, 1863, whence in 1866 they moved to Iowa, settling in Poweshiek county. At the end of four years they moved to Benton county and there the father engaged in farming for twelve years, after which he moved to the vicinity of Le Mars, where he operated a farm for ten years. At the end of that time he moved to OBrien county and after engaging in agricultural pursuits there for five years retired from active life, making his home in Hartley. Eventually he moved to Los Angeles, California, but in 1906 returned to Iowa, settling in Cherokee county, where he has since made his home with the subject of this review. Mr. and Mrs. Stabelfeldt became the parents of seven children besides the wife of the subject of this review, namely: John, who has passed away; Fred, of Los Angeles, California; Louis, who makes his home in White Rock, South Dakota; a child who died in infancy; Frank, who has also passed away; George, a resident of Los Angeles, California; and Elta, the wife of Bert Lyman, of South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Stier became the parents of five children: Myrtle H., who was born June 29, 1895; Iya E., whose birth occurred January 13, 1899; Clara A., born September 18, 1901; Glenn, who died at the age of nine years; and Florence M., born February 21, 1910.

Mr. Stier is a member of the Evangelical church and is a democrat in his political beliefs. His many years of residence in Spring township have made him widely and favorably known here and he bears an excellent reputation for enterprise and honesty.