SCHWIETERT, WILLIAM H.

SCHWIETERT, KLAMP, AMES

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 8/2/2003 at 22:21:27

Biography reproduced from page 656 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

William H. Schwietert is cultivating two hundred and forty acres of land on section 30, Portland township, Kossuth county, Iowa, and is successful as a general farmer and stock-raiser. He is a native son of this state, having been born in Delaware county, February 11, 1873. His father, Bernhard Schwietert, was born in Prussia, Germany, and was reared in his native country. He came to the United States when he was a young man and located immediately in Delaware county, Iowa, where he worked upon a farm for about two years. He married Miss Augusta Klamp, a native of Germany, who came to America in her early childhood and was educated in Wisconsin. Mr. Schwietert rented a farm in Delaware county and operated and improved it until the time of his death.

William H. Schwietert went to school in Delaware county and learned the principles of agriculture upon his father’s farm. He remained at home until his marriage in 1892 and in that year removed to a tract of land comprising one hundred and sixty acres which he had purchased in 1890. Upon this farm Mr. Schwietert is now residing and is ranked among the progressive and successful agriculturists of the state. When he purchased his property it was in an undeveloped and unimproved condition but through constant labor and intelligently directed energy he has made it one of the model properties of Kossuth county. He built a comfortable house upon his land and added to the barns and outbuildings. He planted groves and orchards and now has a fine lot of pine and cedar trees fronting his home. He has added eighty acres to his original purchase and his farm now comprises two hundred and forty acres of land. He specializes in the raising of high-grade stock and is part owner of a fine English Shire horse kept for breeding purposes. Mr. Schwietert has always obtained good prices for his animals and is known throughout the county as an expert judge of stock. He does dairying and keeps a small herd of cows for this purpose. He sells his product to Burt Creamery Association in which he owns stock.

On February 24, 1892, Mr. Schwietert was married to Miss Sarah Ames, who was born in Delaware county. Her father, Donald Ames, came from New York, his native state, to Iowa in the early days of its settlement and is numbered among its pioneers. Mr. and Mrs. Schwietert are the parents of eight children, two of whom died in infancy. The others are: Dillman, who is assisting his father upon the farm; and Lorena, John, Clara, Myrtle and Helen.

Mr. Schwietert and his wife are members of the Burt Episcopal church and active in religious circles. He served for years on the board as steward and is widely known as a man of exemplary character. In politics he is a stanch republican and always votes the party ticket. He was elected to the office of township assessor and after serving one term with efficiency and ability was reelected to the same office and is now serving in this capacity. He has made six assessments of Portland township. Mr. Schwietert is intelligently interested in education and in school expansion. In an agricultural commuity he has won agricultural success. Judged by the standards of his time he is a prosperous and successful man, and since these standards are wide in their scope and extensive in their nature, he may be said to have won true and lasting success.