William Horst

HORST, PLOEN, STRUVE

Posted By: Barbara Gehlsen Nugent (email)
Date: 8/24/2011 at 14:33:44

History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 2, by James Whitcomb Ellis,1910
Biographical Sketches

WILLIAM HORST.

That William Horst is enabled to live practically retired, enjoying many of the comforts of life without further recourse to that hard labor which characterized his earlier years, is due to the industry, diligence and perseverance which proved the salient characteristics of his business career. Born in Davenport, Scott county, Iowa, on the 2d of July, 1858, he is a son of Henry and Katherine (Ploen) Horst, natives of Schleswig, Germany. The parents came to America in 1858, taking up their abode in Davenport, where they remained for one year. They then came to Jackson county and here the father purchased forty acres of the farm upon which our subject now resides. Upon that farm he made his home for several years, devoting his efforts to agricultural pursuits until his retirement from active life, when he went to live with his eldest son, Claus, in Iowa township. He and his wife both still survive, the former at the age of eighty-one years and the latter at the remarkable age of ninety-two years.

William Horst spent the period of his boyhood and youth upon the farm which has since remained his home, and in the district schools acquired his education. Amid the activities of rural life he early learned lessons concerning the value of industry and energy-lessons which stood him in good stead when later he entered upon an independent business venture of his own. He remained under the parental roof, assisting his father in the cultivation of the fields, until 1895, when, upon the retirement of the latter, he purchased the old homestead and has since continued to make it his place of residence. For a number of years he devoted his attention to tilling the soil, bringing his fields under a high state of cultivation and annually harvesting rich crops as the result of his care and labor. As he prospered he was able to add to the farm until it today consists of one hundred acres of valuable land. With prosperity has come independence, and he is now living practically retired from active labor, renting the greater portion of his farm, while upon the small tract which he reserves for his own use he has erected a new home which is one of the attractive residences of the community.

It was on the 19th of June, 1907, that Mr. Horst was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Struve, who was born in Jackson county, Iowa, and is a daughter of Carl Struve. a native of Schleswig. Germany, who came to this county in the early '50s. Mr. Horst's political views are in accord with the principles of the republican party, and although lie has no desire for preferment along political lines he yet keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, so that he is able to support his position by intelligent argument. He has ever been a worker for the best interests of the county within whose borders almost his entire life has been spent, and he is well known and highly esteemed by reason of his many excellent traits of character, having a circle of warm friends which is almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintance.