Jacob Glaser, b. 6 Jul 1838

ACKERMAN, TEUFEL, WENCHEK, MERRILL, ROBERTS, POTTS, CARPENTER, CREAVLIN, BRIGGS

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 4/7/2004 at 07:41:57

Jacob Glaser, a veteran of the late war who honorably served his adopted country in the time of her greatest trial, is prosperously engaged in business in Maquoketa as a cabinet-maker and furniture dealer, and also carried on undertaking. He is a practical embalmer, having attended a course of lectures given by Prof. Sullivan in Sterling, Ill. He has a well-appointed establishment, with a large supply of furniture, and has an extensive trade.

Our subject is a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, born July 6, 1838. His father, Ludwig Glaser, was a native of the same place, which is supposed to have been the home of his ancestry for many generations. Jacob Glaser, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a farmer, and spent his entire life in Wurtemburg, and there his son Jacob, grandfather of our subject, was bred to the life of a farmer. He subsequently became a soldier, and served under Napoleon in the Russian campaign, and suffered all the horrors of the terrible retreat from Moscow, he being one of the sixteen survivors. He died in his native land.

The father of our subject was reared on a farm, and continued to live in the land of his nativity until 1866. In that year he came to America, and settled near Maquoketa, buying a farm in South Fork Township. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits a few years, and then, removing to Jones County, his remaining years were passed there. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Ackerman, and she was also a native of Wurtemburg, being a daughter of Jacob Ackerman, likewise a native of that ancient German city. He was presumably a zealous Lutheran, and, not liking the significance of his family name, Teufel, had it changed to Ackerman. The mother of our subject died in her native land in 1844, leaving four children, all of whom came to America: Jacob, Ludwig, George, and John. Ludwig lives in Butler County, George and John in Maquoketa. The father married a second time, and had four children by his second marriage, all of whom came to this country - Frederic, Johan C., Mary, and Barbara. Barbara lives in Clinton County, and the others in Maquoketa.

The subject of this sketch attended the public schools of his native land quite steadily until fourteen years of age, when he commenced to learn the trade of a cabinet-maker, serving an apprenticeship of one and one-half years. In 1854 he came to the United States, setting sail from Havre and landing in New York thirty days later. He found himself a poor boy in a strangle land, but he had a stout, courageous heart, was ambitious to better his condition, and was willing to do anything honorable to further his aim. He proceeded immediately to Galena, Ill., where he served another year and a half at his trade, becoming very skillful at it, and after that he did journeyman work for a while. In 1858 he came to Iowa, and in Bellevue worked at the carpenter's trade two years. Thence he came to Maquoketa, and resumed his old trade of a cabinet-maker, finding employment in the shop of Northrup & Schellenbarger, remaining with them until 1862. In August of that year he put aside all personal considerations, and, with true patriotism went to the front to help fight the battles of his adopted country. His name was enrolled as a member of Company F., 31st Iowa Infantry, and he marched to the scene of action with his regiment. He nearly lost his life at the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, being very severely wounded, and had to spend some time in the hospital. He was honorably discharged from the army in May, 1863, and returned home, but still carries a memento of his faithful service in the ball that was lodged in his limb in the desperately-fought battle of Chickasaw Bayou. After his return to the North, Mr. Glaser resumed work for the same old firm that had employed him before he entered the army, and in 1866, after the death of Mr. Schellengarger, he bought his interest, and became Mr. Northrup's partner. They continued the business together until February, 1889, when our subject bought his partner's interest, and has since conducted it alone very successfully, and derives therefrom a good annual income.

Mr. Glaser has been twice married. He was first married, in 1860, to Frances Wenchek, a native of Bohemia, and a daughter of Frank and Frances Wenchek. She came to America with her parents, and her death occurred March 18, 1869. Three children had been born of her brief and happy wedded life, as follows: Frank, Mary, and George. Frankie married Charles Merrill, and they have one child, Bessie. Mary married Al Roberts.

Mr. Glaser was married to his present wife, formerly Mrs. Frances Iowa (Potts) Wenchek, in 1869, and to them have been born six children, namely: Edna, Edward, J. Erwin, Dorchester, Bessie and Carl. Mrs. Glazer is a native of this State, born in Deep Creek Township, Clinton Co., June 7, 1842. Her father, William L. Potts, was born in Pottsville, Pa., and was reared and educated in Philadelphia, Pa. He was married in Trenton, N.J., and in 1820 started westward in company with his wife's parents. They touched at Chicago, then a trading-post and fort, and from there proceeded to Green Bay, Wis. There were no white settlers in that State at that time, and Mr. Potts was engaged in trading with the Indians for awhile, but later he removed to Galena, and coast in his lot with its early settlers. He kept books there some years for a mining company, and in 1838 emigrated across the Mississippi River into the Territory of Iowa. He located at Sabula, where but few settlers were then living, and he managed a horse ferry and established the Iowa Exchange, the only hotel in the place at that time. From there he removed to Clinton County three years later, and tried farming a short time. We next hear of him in Andrew, this county, and in the spring of 1851 he set out from there to make an overland journey across the plains to California, he having command of a train of fifty wagons. He did not return to Jackson County until 1879, and in the meantime traveled extensively throughout the Pacific States and Territories, and in Mexico. In the year mentioned he visited his relatives and friends in Jackson County for a few months, and then returned to California, and in 1885 his life closed in Eureka, that State. The maiden name of Mrs. Glaser's mother was Margaret Carpenter, and she was a native of Trenton, N.J. Her father, Samuel Carpenter, who is supposed to have been a native of the same State, was a man of great push and enterprise, and in 1827 he sought the Great West in the interests of the Hudson Bay Fur Company, and located at Green Bary, Wis., being an early settler there. He afterward became a pioneer of Galena, Ill., and, opening the Mansion House to the traveling public, kept a hotel for a long time, it being considered the leading hotel in the Northwest. He managed it until it was burned down, and during the time was also engaged in smelting. In 1838 he came to the Territory of Iowa and settled in Deep Creek Township, Clinton County, and was one of its first settlers. He entered quite a large tract of Government land, and resided there until his death, in 1845. The maiden name of his wife was Fanny Creavlin. She was married a second time after his death, becoming the wife of Gov. Ansil Briggs, and died in 1860. Mrs. Glaser's mother resides at Alta, Cal., and is now seventy-three years old. She has six children - Margaret, Elizabeth, William, Francis, Nene, and Samuel. Mrs. Glaser has been twice married, her first husband having been John Wenchek.

Mr. Glaser is connected with the following social organizations: The A.W. Dripps Post, G.A.R; Timber City Lodge, A.O.U.W.; and Crescent Assembly, K. of L. His course since coming to this country, whether in times of war or in peace, has always been that of a loyal, law-abiding citizen, one who does credit to the citizenship of his community, and he is regarded with esteem wherever known. His practical business qualities, combined with thrift and a tenacious will, have made him successful thus far in life, and he is classed among the solid men of the city.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)