Louis C. Keiner

KEINER, ARP, KRUSE, BOOTHBY, SCHROEDER, SULLIVAN, MARTONS, JAMES

Posted By: Barbara Gehlsen Nugent (email)
Date: 7/24/2011 at 22:14:18

Wolfe's History of Clinton County, Iowa, Excerpt, pages 942, 943 and 944

LOUIS C. KEINER.

Success has been worthily attained by Louis C. Keiner, who is prominently identified with the business life and upbuilding and development of the town of Goose Lake, Deep Creek township, Clinton county, a man who has the confidence and good will of all who know him, for his life has been exemplary.

Mr. Keiner was born at Davenport, Iowa, February 13, 1865. He was reared there and attended school, later went to a German private school and received a good elementary education. He is the son of John E. and Catherine (Arp) Keiner, the former born in Schwartzau, Saxony, the latter a native of America. They were married at Davenport, Iowa. He was by trade a nailsmith in the old country. He came to America in 1858, landed at New York and soon after came to Davenport, Iowa, when that city had just started. Later he was employed in a sawmill and was the head sawyer for twenty-five years. The firm name was French & Davis and later French & Son. During this period he married and later visited his native country one year, then returned to Davenport, and engaged in the saloon business two years. He was successful and then he settled on a farm in western Iowa and lived there six years. His wife died in 1880; then he returned to Davenport and lived there four years, then came to Goose Lake in January, 1893, and bought a hotel, including nine acres of land, and the subject took the business and has since conducted it successfully. He was formerly a Republican and later a Democrat, but never aspired to office. He was reared in the Lutheran church, from which faith he never departed. He was enterprising and public spirited and well posted in business. He bought bank stock and also brewery stock. He came to America with no money, but by good financial methods and honest dealing, he created a good estate. For many years he made his home with the subject, his son, after coming to Goose Lake, where he died August 23, 1910, and was buried at the Engwesen cemetery. He was kindly cared for by his son and family and his declining years were spent in contentment and were the happy days of his life. The earliest days of his business life after coming to America, were spent like those of many Germans coming to this country- they had nothing to lose and all to make; he fought out the battle of life and won. He was a broad-minded, intelligent man and a good financier, by hard work and honest dealing he created a competency for his old age. He was social and enjoyed friends around him. He was charitable to the afflicted and needy, a good neighbor and friend. He became widely known and highly respected, his integrity and honesty being above reproach. He reared two sons and one daughter, all influential and highly respected, the subject being the second youngest child. The father died at a ripe old age, being in his eighty-third year.

Louis C. Keiner, of this review, remained under the parental roof, until 1889, when he married at Omaha, where he was clerking, and there he remained as a clerk for four years, then came to Goose Lake, Iowa, where he has since remained. He has remodeled his house and added to it and built machine sheds and increased the property and engaged in selling machinery, coal, flour, feed and all kinds of machinery, buggies, carriages and wagons. He erected an electric light plant and lights the town. He has caused the streets to be macadamized and gutters put in, and has done more than any other man in making and building up Goose Lake. He promoted the Goose Lake Savings Bank, and got it organized in January, 1908, with a capital of twenty thousand dollars, with Henry Kruse, president ; George B. Boothby, vice-president; and W. F. Schroeder, cashier. Directors: H. Kruse, George B. Boothby, Louis C. Keiner, W. F. Schroeder, L. E. Keiner, Christopher F. Schroeder, J. Sullivan and C. F. Schroeder. It was organized under the laws of the state as a bank of deposit and discount. A recent statement makes the following showing: Resources-loans, time and demand. $84,757.07; realty and fixtures, $15,569.50; surplus, undivided cash and due from banks, $15,569.50; liabilities-capital, $20,000; undivided profits, $1,734.55; sight deposits, $24,689.08; savings deposits, $61,706.61. Four per cent on savings. The subject is a director and active in the interests of the bank and one of the live men of Goose Lake. He, with two other men, bought land and platted an addition to Goose Lake, known as Kruse's addition. The subject has invested some surplus in Texas lands, large tracts of valuable real estate. He is enterprising and public spirited and ready to take hold of any enterprise to boost Goose Lake and is among Clinton county's sturdy men financially.

Mr. Keiner married Mary Martons. who was born in the province of Holstein, Germany, and came with her parents to America. She is the daughter of Hans and Margareta (James) Martons, both of Holstein, Germany, who left the old country and came to America in 1880, and were successful farmers and have now retired from all active business. They are Lutherans and reside at Persia, Iowa. He has been successful and is well known and highly respected, a good citizen. They reared four sons and four daughters, the sons being successful farmers; one has died.

Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Keiner: Johnny, born in 1892; Edward, born in 1893; Malinda, born in 1895; Helma, born in 1897; Janett, born in 1899; Louis, born in 1901 ; and Mona. born in 1903. Both Mr. and Mrs. Keiner were reared in the Lutheran church, from which faith they have never departed. They are popular in the social life of the community and are pleasant people to know.