Geise, Adolph

GEISE, WAGNER, SHIRK, DIEHL, HARRE, MIERKORT, KRACHT, KANNE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/23/2009 at 15:33:08

Geise, Adolph

Scientific methods of fanning disseminated through the medium of the agricultural schools throughout the country have come as a great blessing to those pursuing agricultural callings. Yet the farmers of a generation or two ago had no such advantages. They had to depend upon their own judgment, their own foresightedness, their own intuition, as it were, to overcome many a perplexing agricultural problem. Their success was more often than not almost phenomenal: and we can pardon them if they look askance upon our newer methods. One of the progressive farmers of Malaka Township, Jasper County, is Adolph Geise who never attended an agricultural school for the purpose of learning intense farming, but he has always farmed scientifically nevertheless, being a close observer, and his well cultivated land today shows that his efforts did not go unrewarded.

Mr. Geise was born in Malaka Township, this County, on the farm where he still resides on March 26, 1866, and here he grew to manhood, received his education in the public schools and has always been identified with agricultural pursuits. He is the son of Henry and Louisa (Wagner) Geise, both natives of Germany, the father born in 1832 and the mother in 1833; there they grew up, were married and from there emigrated to America and located in Jasper County in an early day, residing in Newton the first two years and here they became well established, owning a good farm in Malaka Township. The mother died in Baxter in 1903, at the age of seventy years, and there the father's death occurred in January 1907. Their family consisted of six children, namely: Mrs. Etta Shirk, who lives in Iowa City; Henry A., vice-president of the State Savings Bank of Baxter; Fred also lives in Baxter; Adolph, of this sketch; Mrs. Minnie Diehl lives in Baxter; Edward lives in Newton.

Adolph Geise as married on September 20, 1892, to Pearlina Harre, who was born in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, October 3, 1864. She is the daughter of Fred and Wilhelmina (Mierkort) Harre; the father, a pioneer of Jasper County, is now deceased, but the mother is living in Baxter. There were eight children in the Harre family, all living, namely: Mrs. Kracht, of Baxter; Fred lives near Kearney, Nebraska; Pearlina, wife of Mr. Geise Of this sketch; Otto lives in Marshall County; Albert is agent for the Chicago Great Western Railroad Company at Waverly, Iowa; Mrs. Mattie Kanne lives in Malaka Township; Clara, wife of Fred Hager, president of the State Savings Bank of Baxter; William lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

To Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Geise one daughter, has been born, Delia Martha, whose birth occurred on September 20, 1894; she has received a good education, having completed her work in the German parochial schools of Independence Township.

Mr. Geise is the owner of a well kept and well tilled farm of one hundred and twenty acres in sections 20 and 21, Malaka Township, and here he carries on general farming and stock raising in a most successful manner, and he has a modern home and good outbuildings. He has secured a competency through his close application and good management.

Politically, Mr. Geise is a Republican, and he has been a member of the school board of Malaka Township. The family are members of the German Reformed Church of Independence Township, and stand high in the congregation of the same. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1106.