Shollenberger, Peter

SHOLLENBERGER, BROBST, HAYNES, MEINHART, THOMAS, MATHEWS, OLMSTED, POTTER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 2/14/2003 at 15:41:51

PETER SHOLLENBERGER. 

Peter Shollenberger, whose farm in Bloomfield township indicates the careful supervision of a progressive owner, is a native of the Keystone state, his birth having occurred March 11, 1868. His father, Francis Sollenberger, was also a native of Pennsylvania, and wedded Mary Brobst, who was also born there. In 1870 they removed westward, locating in Bloomfield township, Clinton county, where the father purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty-six acres, upon which he resided for a number of years. His wife died upon the home farm, in the summer of 1884, and for his second wife he married Mrs. Christine Haynes, with whom he resided on the home farm until her death, and in 1893 the father removed to Maquoketa, Iowa, where he has since lived retired. In the fall of that year he wedded Mary Meinhart, a native of Switzerland. He purchased a good home in the town and is now enjoying the fruits of a well-spent, active and honorable life. The subject of this review was the third in order of birth in the father’s family by his first marriage, the other children being: Daniel, who died at the age of one year; Sarah, who died in her first year; Ella, a resident of Maquoketa; Nora, who is living in that place; Mary, who died at the age of six months; and Anna, who is living in Maquoketa.

Our subject was only two years of age when brought by his parents to Iowa, and in the districts schools of Clinton county he pursued his education until fifteen years of age, after which he entered the high school at Maquoketa and was graduated with the class of 1887. To his father he then gave the benefit of his services until he was twenty-three years of age, when he leased half of the homestead farm, and, in partnership with his father, engaged in agricultural pursuits, until 1895, when he purchased the farm, which is pleasantly located on section seventeen, Bloomfield township. He also bought forty acres of section twenty, and has made extensive improvements upon the land. He buys, fattens and sells cattle and hogs for market, and is successfully carrying on general farming. His fields are well tilled and everything about the place is in excellent condition, owing to the industry, perseverance and close application to business of the owner. In connection with his sisters, Ella, Nora, and Anna, he owns landing Guthrie and Jackson counties, of Iowa, and in Kansas.

On the 16th of January, 1894, in Maquoketa, Mr. Shollenberger was united in marriage to Miss Florence Thomas, who was born in Truro, Cornwall, England, in 1869, a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Mathews) Thomas, both of whom were also natives of England, in which country they were married. In 1872 they crossed the Atlantic, landing in New York, whence they made their way westward to Iowa, taking up their abode in Maquoketa, where they are now living. They have five children: Lilly, who is the wife of Charles Olmsted, of Maquoketa, by whom she has four children; Rosie, who married N. Potter, of Maquoketa, and has four children; Florence May, the wife of our subject; Archibald and Burt, who are living in Maquoketa. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shollenberger have been born three children: Harry R., born in August, 1895; Francis J., born in April, 1897; and Peter, born in June, 1901. Mr. Shollenberger is a well-known and highly respected citizen of his community, and has been honored with the office of trustee of his township. In politics he is a stalwart Republican, and socially is a prominent Mason, belonging to Monitor Lodge, No. 330, Free and Accepted Masons, of Delmar, Iowa; Bath Kol Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Maquoketa; and Tancred Commandery, also of that place. In his life is simplified the beneficent support of the fraternity, and at all time he enjoys the confidence and regard of those with whom he is associated.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.