LAMUTH, JOHN

LAMUTH, STYER, BLUTE, PESHEL, SMOKE, RILEY

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 1/26/2004 at 09:00:30

Biography reproduced from page 421 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

John Lamuth, a well known business man and the promoter and sales manager of the Algona Manufacturing Company, as well as a stockholder and director of that concern, has been prominent in local business circles for many years. He is a son of John and Mary (Styer) Lamuth, both natives of Germany, where they were married. They came to America in the early ‘60s, settling soon after their arrival in the United States in Charlotte, Iowa, driving to that place with a yoke of oxen and a sled on the 4th of July. Many were the primitive appliances used at that early day and among them was a rather unique way of heating water for butchering hogs by the use of hot stones. Mr. Lamuth raised a large number of hogs, marketing them in Lyons, Iowa. A pioneer farmer in Iowa, he anticipated some of the great improvements which have been made in farm machinery within the recollection of the subject of this review, and when operating an old combination mower and reaper he predicted that some day he would be using a machine which did the binding as well as the cutting of the grain. The farm laborers to whom the father made this remark decried his prophecy, but not many years later he was operating one of the first McCormick self-binders ever brought to that neighborhood. His farm contained one hundred and twenty acres of heavy timber land and this he greatly improved, selling it later and removing to a two hundred-acre farm which he purchased, about a mile north of Ricks Station, where he put up a substantial house and farm buildings and after bringing his farm to a high state of cultivation, lived prosperously for many years. His death occurred on the 28th of August, 1891, and he was laid to rest in the cemetery at Sugar Creek, Iowa. He had been a farmer all his life, successful as success was accounted in those days, and was a consistent member of the Catholic church. He had been twice married. By his first union he had two children: Mary, now Mrs. Blute, of Pierson, Iowa; and Anna, deceased. His second marriage was with Mary Styer, by whom he had seven children, namely: two, who died in infancy; John, of this review; Joseph, deceased; Mary, the wife of Marcus Blute, of Grey Eagle, Minnesota; Mat, who is connected with the Priebe Poultry Company of Algona; and Anna, now Mrs. Joseph Peshel, of Grey Eagle, Minnesota. The mother, who was born and married in Germany, after the death of her first husband was again married, in 1895, to John Smoke. Selling the home farm, she moved to Gillette, Illinois, where she died in March, 1896.

When John Lamuth of this review was a boy of six years, residing with his parents near Charlotte, Iowa, he went one day with some of the farm hands to Riggs to buy supplies. The men for some reason were obliged to leave the team and wagon about a mile from the town, going on foot to complete their journey. They left the boy at a farmhouse and soon after their departure he decided to follow them but missed his way, and, passing Charlotte on his left, continued his journey in a very agitated state of mind until he reached the station beyond. After a series of most unpleasant experiences and having been lost a long time and passing one night with strangers, he was found by a searching party which had been scouring the country for him and returned to his parents, who had been much alarmed by his absence.

He was educated in the common schools and remained at home with his parents until he attained his majority, when he went to Woodbury county, Iowa, following the carpenter’s trade there for two years, after which he became a contractor and builder in the same place. He later settled in Algona, where he followed his trade of contracting and building until 1893, whereupon he engaged in the implement business here in association with his brother-in-law, W. H. Riley. This business was continued two years but, tiring of it, he obtained a traveling position for the Avery Threshing Machine Company, continuing in this connection until 1908, his territory being the state of Iowa. While engaged in this work he invented the stacker web for threshing machinery and in 1908 entered upon the manufacture of his invention in Algona, a business in which he has since continued. He is the sales manager and a director and large stockholder in the Algona Manufacturing Company. Some years ago he built a fine home in Algona, doing the work himself.

On October 12, 1891, Mr. Lamuth married Miss Johanna Riley, and to them four daughters have been born: Valerian Regina, who is a graduate of the Algona high school and is now engaged in teaching school; Marie, who is attending high school and is now in her senior year; and Irene and Anna Esther, both of whom are attending school.

Mr. Lamuth is a democrat in his political faith, and, although not an active politician, has served as alderman in Algona. He is an earnest member of the Catholic church of Algona, and fraternally is associated with the Knights of Columbus. He is one of those substantial, hard-working, progressive business men whose efforts are adding largely to the growth and progress of this great land. He has an extensive circle of intimate business and social friends whom he has gained by his sterling integrity and good-fellowship as well as by those qualities which go to make a progressive citizen.