KOCH, GEORGE A.
KOCH, FIEDLER, STEIL, FOGEL
Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 2/1/2004 at 15:45:44
Biography reproduced from page 418 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:
George A. Koch, who has had a varied business experience and has been particularly successful as a farmer, is now the efficient steward of the county farm of Kossuth county. He has born in Geneseo, Illinois, March 16, 1877, a son of Simon and Anna M. (Fiedler) Koch, both natives of Germany. The father emigrated to the new world with his mother in 1857, when a lad of about sixteen years, his father having died in Germany in 1853. The family settled in Hampton, Illinois, and in 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil war, Simon Koch enlisted in Company K, One hundred and twenty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and served for two years and nine months under the flag of his adopted country. At the end of his period of enlistment he returned to Hampton, Illinois, and for a few years was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He then removed to Geneseo and entered the employ of the Rock Island Railroad Company as baggageman, a position which he held for three years. He was then promoted to the position of ticket and freight agent at that point and for nine years satisfactorily discharged the duties of that office. At the end of that period he resigned and returned to Hampton, where he bought a farm of forty acres, seven miles east of the town. He later purchased additional land until his holdings aggregated one hundred and fifty acres. That land he improved and operated until 1911, when he sold his Illinois property to his son and retired. He is now in his seventieth year, while the mother has attained the age of sixty-one years.
George A. Koch was reared and educated at Hampton, Illinois, and remained with his parents until he attained his majority, when he removed to Moline and was for a year employed in the brickyard. He then returned home and worked for his father for a year, after which he removed to Boone, Iowa. He was employed in that state for a year and then went to Chicago, where for a time he worked at the grocery and meat business afterward entering the employ of the Book Lovers’ Library Company. He then returned home and worked for his father for two years, subsequently coming to Kossuth county, Iowa, where for two years he was employed as a farm hand. He then returned to Illinois and for five years successfully operated the home farm. At the end of the period named he returned to Kossuth county and purchased seven and one-half acres of land south of Algona, upon which he made his home for a year, when he was appointed steward of the county farm, which he has since operated. This farm consists of two hundred and forty acres of well improved land, some of the improvements having been placed thereon by Mr. Koch. There are at present eleven inmates in the institution, six males and five females. Mr. Koch still owns his tract of seven and one-half acres south of Algona.
On November 24, 1904, Mr. Koch was united in marriage to Miss Rose Steil, who was born in Irvington township, Kossuth county, January 11, 1884, a daughter of Joseph and Theresa (Fogel) Steil, the former a native of Germany and the latter of the state of New York. At the age of eleven years the father emigrated to this country with his parents, the family taking up their abode upon a farm near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Upon attaining his majority he took possession of the home farm which he operated for six years, his parents having retired to the city of Beaver Dam. Later he came to Kossuth county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Irvington township, which he has since operated. Subsequently he purchased one hundred and sixty acres additional which he recently sold. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Steil are living at the ages of sixty-six and sixty years, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Koch are the parents of two children, Joseph and John, aged six and two years.
Politically Mr. Koch is a republican and he has been active in the local affairs of that party. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church and are active in its support. Mr. Koch, who is serving efficiently in the position of steward of the county farm, is winning deserved popularity among the people of his community and his circle of friends is extensive. He gives the strictest attention to his duties and is succeeding admirably in gaining and holding the confidence of all with whom he comes in contact.
Kossuth Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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