Herwehe, Henry

HERWEHE, VANCE, WALKER, BRUNER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/30/2009 at 18:26:27

Herwehe, Henry

An illustration of high-grade skill as a farmer as well as the ability to concentrate efforts along some special line until success is achieved in that undertaking is found in the case of Henry Herwehe, of Fairview Township, a man who takes a general interest in the affairs of his community, but who has never sought to be a leader in public affairs, being satisfied to discharge his obligations as a citizen by lending his support at the ballot box to such men as, in his opinion, will discharge their official duties with the utmost conscientiousness and integrity.

Mr. Herwehe was born in Des Moines Township, this County, March 10, 1858, of German parentage, being the son of Philip and Mary (Vance) Herwehe, both born in Mannheim, Germany, the father in 1829 and the mother in 1831, and they grew up and married in their native country and there began life on the farm. They immigrated to America in 1855, locating in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the father worked as a laborer one summer. In the fall of that year they came to Jasper County, Iowa, and rented land near Vandalia. He soon had a good start and in the year 1859 he bought thirty-six acres in Fairview Township, and at his death in 1879 he owned a farm of seventy-five acres and another of one hundred acres and one of sixty-eight acres. Politically, he was a Democrat and a member of the German Methodist Church. His widow survived over twenty years, dying in 1902. They were the parents of three sons and five daughters, of whom Henry, of this sketch, was the seventh in order of birth.

Henry Herwehe was reared on the home farm and when but a boy assisted with the general work about the place. He received his education in the district schools and he remained at home. After his father's death, he began renting the home place, later buying out the other heirs. He has been most successful as a general farmer and stock raiser, and as he prospered he has added to his original holdings until he is now the owner of as valuable land as this part of the County affords, aggregating four hundred and forty acres, all in Fairview Township. He has kept the place under modern improvements and has a good home and convenient outbuildings, and has set out a splendid grove.

Politically, Mr. Herwehe is a Democrat and in religious matters he belongs to the Methodist Church. He was married on April 24, 1884, to Anna K. Whitmer, a native of Jasper County and the daughter of George Whitmer, one of the early settlers of the County. The subject's living children are, Hannah, George, Mrs. Ella Walker, Nettie, Grover, Murl, Anna May, Pearl and Viola.

Mr. Herwehe has a cane, which he values highly, it having been carved out of one of the logs in the house in which he was born. The log was cut in 1846 by J. Bruner, uncle of the subject. Everything was open prairie here during the boyhood of Mr. Herwehe and there were few settlers. He has watched the County develop into one of the richest agricultural sections in Iowa. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 943.