Bauer, Frederick

BAUER, BYER, SCHWEPPE, STURKE, MEIER

Posted By: Janelle Martin (email)
Date: 5/20/2009 at 21:40:27

History of Hamilton County Iowa,1912 Vol. II, p.66

FREDERICK BAUER.

Frederick Bauer, a well known and highly respected resident of Webster City, has here lived retired since 1910. He was successfully engaged in the shoe business at Eagle Grove for twenty nine years and prior to his connection with commercial interests devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits, still owning about two hundred and forty acres of land on section 21, Independence township, Hamilton County. He is the oldest surviving original owner of land in that township. His birth occurred in Wurtemberg, Germany, in July, 1840, his parents being Carl and Christina (Byer) Bauer. The father emigrated to the United States in 1852, settling in Sauk County, Wisconsin, where he followed farming throughout the remainder of his life. The demise of his wife had occurred in 1848.

Frederick Bauer received only a limited education in his youthful years, attending the country schools in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Reading, experience and observation, however, have constantly augmented his knowledge and broadened his mind. He followed farming in Sauk County until the outbreak of the Civil war and on the 3d of September, 1861, enlisted in the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry at Portage City. In the following November he was mustered into the service at Madison, Wisconsin, under Captain Alexander Chrystie and Colonel Charles L. Harris. On the 19th of November, 1861, the troops left the state of Wisconsin for St. Louis, arriving there two days later. They were then sent to Sulphur Springs, Missouri, twenty-three miles below St. Louis, where they remained during the winter or until March 12, 1862, when they moved to Pilot Knob, Missouri, and were assigned to the Army of the Frontier. With his regiment Mr. Bauer participated in the following engagements: Bayou Cache, Arkansas, July 6, 1862; Port Gibson, Mississippi, May 1, 1863; Champion Hill, Mississippi, May 16, 1863; Black River Bridge, Mississippi, May 17, 1863; and the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, beginning May 18,1863. Mr. Bauer was wounded on the 22d of May, 1863, during the siege of Vicksburg; losing the thumb on his left hand. After three weeks spent in the Jefferson Hospital of Memphis, Tennessee, and the Harvey Hospital at Madison, Wisconsin, he was detailed as recruiting officer for his regiment at Madison, Wisconsin, serving as such until honorably discharged in November,1864, when his term of enlistment expired.

After the cessation of hostilities between the north and the south Mr. Bauer returned to his home in Sauk County, Wisconsin, and in 1866 came to Iowa, settling in Independence township, Hamilton County. Here he purchased a tract of two hundred and forty acres of land on section 21, all of which he still owns with the exception of about four acres used by the railroad. When this property first came into his possession it was raw prairie, but as time passed he brought it under a high state of cultivation, erected fences and buildings and in fact made all of the improvements found on a model farm. He resided thereon until the fall of 1880, when he suffered the loss of four children by diphtheria, all dying within ten days. This great bereavement caused him to rent his farm, and with his wife and remaining child he returned to Wisconsin on a visit. In 1881 he came to Webster City, Iowa, but after a few months took up his abode in Eagle Grove, this state, where he was successfully engaged in the shoe business for twenty-nine years. In 1910 he returned to Webster City and has here lived in honorable retirement for the past two years, his home being at No. 925 Division street.

On the 3d of July, 1865, at Merrimack, Wisconsin, Mr. Bauer was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Schweppe, her parents being Herman and Mary (Sturke) Schweppe, the former a farmer of Dane County, Wisconsin. Mrs. Katherine Bauer was born on the 1st of April, 1846. By her marriage she became the mother of five children, as follows: Minnie Mary, whose birth occurred on the 17th of July, 1866, and who passed away on the l0th of August, 1880; Herman Carl, born April 21, 1868, who is engaged in the lumber business at Larchwood, Iowa, and who wedded Miss Kate Meier, by whom he has a son and daughter; Frederick John, whose natal day was April 25, 1870, and who died on the 17th of August, 1880; Katie E., born September 5, 1872, who passed away August 15, 1880; Albert, who was born January 30, 1879, and died August 20, 1880. As above stated, four of these children died of diphtheria within ten days.

Mr. Bauer still maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his membership in Winfield Scott Post, No. 66, G. A. R. He is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Golden Link Lodge, No. 68, at Eagle Grove. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Congregational church. His life has been a busy and useful one, and his well spent years have brought him the success which he now enjoys and have gained him the respect and confidence which are so uniformly extended to him.