JOHN NEMMERS, b 17 Sep 1853

NEMMERS, EWEN, SCHULTZ

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 7/14/2004 at 09:07:15

John Nemmers is considered one of the best and most successful farmers and stock-raisers of Jackson County. He has been closely identified with its business interets, and by shrewd and energetic management has acquired a good deal of property in a comparatively short time, and although he is still a young man, he is classed among the solid, substantial men of this section of the county. He owns a valuable farm of 244 acres (202 acres on section 4, 42 acres on section 16) which is complete in all its appointments. It is beautifully located on the head waters of Farmers' Creek, adjoining the town, his residence being a half mile from La Motte, and the grounds are adorned by evergreens, groves and orchard.

Our subject is the second child of the eight children born to Michael and Annie (Ewen) Nemmers. He is a native of Jackson County, born in St. Donatus, Prairie Spring Township, in a log house on the old homestead, Sept. 17, 1853. He was bred to the life of a farmer in the place of his birth, and as soon as old enough assisted in clearing and cultivating the land. He attended the local schools till the age of twenty years, gleaning a good, practical education. He remained at home until he was twenty-three years old, affording valuable assistance in carrying on the farm. At that age he adopted the profession of teacher, and was thus engaged one year. At the age of twenty-four he was married, taking unto himself as a wife, Miss Mary A. Schultz, the ceremony that made the twain one being performed in La Motte, June 11, 1879.

Five children have been born to them, Peter, Michael E. (dead), Mary, Maggie and Martha. Mrs. Nemmers was born in Bellevue, this State, and is a daughter of Peter and Mary Schultz. Her parents were natives of Germany, and on coming to this country they located in Bellevue. Later they moved to La Motte, where the father was engaged in farming until the fall of 1887, when they returned to Bellevue, and are still living there in retirement.

After marriage, Mr. Nemmers and his bride moved to Buncombe in Dubuque County, and he bought ten acres of land, a store and other buildings, and established himself in the general mercantile business. He did not confine his energies to that line, but branched out into other enterprises, and was also engaged at hotel and livery keeping, and was likewise postmaster of the place. His removal to Buncombe was made June 19, 1879, and he immediately entered upon his prosperous career and did a flourishing business in the several branches indicated, and in 1884 still further extended his interests by buying a half interest in the Zwingle Creamery; and continued his connection with that, and at the same time attended his other business, till April, 1887, when he sold his stock of merchandise to his brother, and moved to Zwingle, and carried on the creamery until September of the same year. In that month he bought his present place of 244 acres of as fine farming land as is to be found in all the county, from his father-in-law, paying him $10,000 for the property. He immediately moved onto it, although he still retained his connection with the creamery He has a fine residence and a substantial set of farm buildings, including a barn 42x40, granary and corn cribs sixty feet long, milkhouse, windmill, tank, etc. Mr. Nemmers is much interested in stock-raising, and has a fine herd of fifty red-polled cattle, several Clyde horses, and also some fast trotters, uses two teams in working the farm, and has Poland China hogs of high grades.

In his honorable career as a man of business and a practical agriculturist, he has displayed good financial talent and all the characteristics that insure success in any walk in life, and can look back with satisfaction to what he has accomplished in the past and forward to a future that is bright and promising. The part that he has borne in public affairs has been an honor to himself and useful to his community. He was Constable from 1874 till 1879. He was Assessor one year, and School Director three years, and he has served on the petit jury three years, and on the grand jury two terms. In his political views, he is a Democrat; and in his religion a good Catholic.

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