John W. Ulrich

ULRICH, CHRISTINA

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 1/6/2022 at 09:42:55

In nearly every community are men who because of their unusual ability and force of character are able to succeed and command the respect of their fellow men. By intelligent living and perseverance in their efforts they have been given a high place in the locality and one that is an indication of a life well lived. Of this class is John W. Ulrich, the subject of this sketch.

John W. Ulrich was born in Clayton county, Iowa, on January 22, 1859, the son of John and Catherine Ulrich, both of whom were born in Germany.

When ten years of age, John Ulrich, Sr., with his parents, left their home in Germany and came to America. After landing at New York they went to the state of Indiana and located in Dearborn county, in which county John, Sr., received his education and afterwards moved to Clayton county, Iowa, where he farmed with his parents until his marriage, a few years after which he went to Hancock county, Iowa.

During the year 1895 John Ulrich, Sr., moved to the town of Garner, Iowa, where he retired from active life, giving his attention only to the care of his land holdings throughout the county.

Following his retirement Mr. Ulrich lived but ten years, his death occurring during the year of 1905. John Ulrich, Sr., is survived by his wife, Catherine, who now lives in Hancock county. To John and Catherine Ulrich were born five children, four of whom are now living.

John W. Ulrich, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the schools of Clayton county, Iowa, and after completing his studies went to the state of Nebraska, where he took up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which he lived for two years and then he returned to Clayton county, Iowa, where he was married to Mary Christina, daughter of Peter and Julia Christina. To John and Mary Ulrich no children were born.

Following his marriage, John W. Ulrich moved to the state of Kansas, where he lived for two years and then went back to Clayton county, Iowa, and farmed in that county for three years and in 1889 came to Wright county, Iowa, where he purchased two hundred acres of farm land, in Wall Lake township, for which he paid the sum of twenty-two dollars per acre.

John Ulrich, on taking possession his Wright county farm, immediately entered into a course of improvement for his place, repairing and rebuilding such structures as were necessary and adding modern conveniences, which has resulted in his farm today being among the most productive of the community.

As a farmer, Mr. Ulrich directed his energies along the line of general agricultural pursuits, together with the feeding of considerable live stock, including one hundred to one hundred and fifty head of hogs marketed each year. John W. Ulrich planted the greater pat of his land to corn and small grain, from which he gained excellent crops, his corn averaging fifty bushels to the acre and his small grain yielding about forty-five bushels to the acre.

During the year of 1911 John W. Ulrich retired from active life and moved to Clarion, Iowa, where he now lives, as one of the valued and esteemed citizens of the town and county. Mr. Ulrich can look upon a good life well used in the unselfish interests of others, as well as a life in which he has been able to accomplish much for his own material welfare.

John W. Ulrich, though retired from the more active duties of life, is yet most active in his duties as a good citizen and as a worker for progress and advancement of the local interests. As a public man he has served his county and his township as a trustee and also as justice of the peace, offices which he filled and which he served with honor and with dignity. In politics, John W. Ulrich is a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Ulrich are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Clarion, a congregation in which they take an important and appreciated part.

~Transcribed by S. Ferrall from images of the book:
"History of Wright County Iowa, Its People, Industries and Institutions. With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families"; Hon. B.P. Birdsall, editor; 1915, B.F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. pgs 469-471 (familysearch.org)