Rudolph A.T. Meyer

MEYER, GROTH, WARD, BANDER, MAROUDE, JOHNSON, PARADIS

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall (email)
Date: 2/3/2006 at 20:20:04

Rudolph A.T. Meyer (1901) is the owner of one of the best farms in Vallers township. It is improved with a good set of buildings and it tiled and fenced. The farm consists of 240 acres and is described as the southeast quarter of section 20 and the north half of the southerwest quarter of section 21. Mr. Meyer engages in general farming and raises Durham cattle and chester White hogs.

Mr. Meyer's early life was spent in other occupations than farming, many years having been devoted to a mercantile career. He is a German by birth, having been born in the province of Mecklenburg June 2, 1852. When he was one year old he was brought by his parents, Ludvig F. and Caroline (Groth) Meyer, to America. The family home was made in Clayton county, Iowa, and there our subject grew to manhood. He received a good education, completing it with a course in a commercial college at Dubuque.

At the age of nineteen young Meyer started out in life for himself. He taught school in Clayton county four years and in 1875 he and J.W. Ward opened a general store at Postville, Iowa. For the next eleven years they carried on the business under the firm name of Ward & Meyer. At the end of that time the stock was divided and Mr. Meyer, who had erected a store building, engaged in business alone. Two years later a fire destroyed his building and all except a small part of his stock. He closed out the business and turned farmer. After renting land for several years in Iowa, he came to Lyon county in 1901, bought his Vallers farm, and has since been engaged in its management.

Mr. Meyer served on the township board five years, was justice of the peace eight years, and has been treasurer of school district No. 48. He is a German Lutheran.

Bertha Bander and Rudolph Meyer became man and wife at Lansing, Iowa, on October 16, 1876. She is also a native of Germany and was born November 12, 1853. To them have been born seven children, named as follows: Amanda, the wife of H.F. Maroude; Rudolph, of Vallers township; Albert, deceased; Elsa, the wife of J.H. Johnson; Paul, of Roseau county, Minnesota; Malinda, the wife of Peter Paradis; and Ulrich, who lives with his parents.

-source: An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota; by Arthur P. Rose; 1912, page 541-542

-transcribed for Clayton co. IAGenWeb by S. Ferrall