Kling, William G.

KLING, GERMAN, PEERY, SCHNUG, STREGLE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 9/6/2009 at 16:25:47

Kling, William G.

Among the substantial men whose labor and influence has given impetus to the general material improvements of Jasper County in years gone by and who today occupies no insignificant place in the esteem of the community in which he resides is the worthy gentleman whose name forms the introduction to this sketch. He has been content to spend his life right in his home locality, wisely deciding that this favored section of the great Hawkeye State was as well if not better suited for the pursuit of agriculture than any other. Then, too, he has the home atmosphere always about him and the advantages of the prestige established by his honored progenitors whose lives redounded in a general way to the production of much good to the people embraced in the scope of this biographical compendium.

Mr. Kling was born on the farm where he now resides in Elk Creek Township, Jasper County, Iowa, on September 5, 1873, and, as already intimated, he grew to manhood here, assisted with the general work on the home place and spent his winters in the schools of his district, when he became of proper age. He is the son of Henry, Sr., and Marguerete (German) Kling, both natives of the town of Donstadt, Germany, the father born on September 16, 1816, and the mother on January 24, 1828. They grew up and were married in the fatherland and there began life on a farm. In 1853 they immigrated to the United States in an old-fashioned sailing vessel, the voyage requiring forty-two days. They located in Jasper County, Iowa, bought a farm of forty acres from the government and established a home. Prospering through hard work, Mr. Kling later purchased one hundred and twenty acres more where the subject of this sketch now resides, and he subsequently added forty-eight acres, owning two hundred and eight acres at the time of his death, on December 19, 1883. His wife died on March 20, 1874. They were both members of the Lutheran Church. Their family consisted of six children, namely: Henry, Adam (lives in Monroe, Iowa), Mrs. Eliza Peery, Mary, Mrs. Margaret Schnug and William G. (of this review), he being the youngest of the family.

The subject attended school at Galesburg and when ten years of age he was driving a team on the farm for his father and has ever since been engaged in farming the home place. In connection with general farming he raises Hereford cattle. He inherited thirty-five acres of the home place and farms it now for his brother Henry, who bought out the other heirs. He feeds a large number of hogs annually. Henry Kling, Jr., who makes his home with the subject, was born March 25, 1847, in Darmstadt, Germany. As stated, Henry bought out all the heirs of the home place except William G., of this sketch. He has added to his original purchase until he is now the owner of six hundred and thirty-seven acres in Elk Creek and Fairview Townships. He is supposed to be retired from active work, but it seems hard for him to keep out of the harness and he still does a great deal of work, though the subject has the principal working of his land. Henry has remained unmarried. He knew Jasper County in its pioneer days and experienced the privations of that period. He has been very successful in a business way and is well known and well liked.

William G. Kling was married on December 10, 1902, to Mamie Stregle, who was born in Iowa on November 20, 1880, the daughter of John and Mena Stregle, early settlers of Jasper County. Two children have been born to the subject and wife, namely: Freeman, born September 20, 1903, and Hazel, born November 16,1905. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1250