DORWEILER, PAUL

DORWEILER, SEILER, BARTH, ECKERT, MERSCH

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 4/29/2004 at 11:59:22

Biography reproduced from page 451 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

Paul Dorweiler, second son of J. J. and Margaret Dorweiler, was born in Lommersum, Rhenish Prussia, Oct. 28, 1838. When twelve years of age he came with his parents to this country, settling in Clayton Co., Iowa, where he resided until 1861. In October of that year he enlisted in company K, 17th Missouri Infantry Volunteers. He was in the battles of Pea Ridge, Vicksburg, second attack on Jackson, Lookout Mountain, Ringgold, where his brother, Christian, was killed, and Sherman’s march to the sea. He was sent back and mustered out at St. Louis, Dec. 16, 1864. He returned to Clayton county and worked on his father’s farm one year, then removed to the southwest quarter of section 4, township 94, range 30, Kossuth Co., Iowa, where he now resides. He has two and a half acres planted in grove, a half acre in orchard, and the rest is devoted to general farming. He has good buildings on his place. Mr. Dorweiler was married Sept. 25, 1873, to Mary Justine Barth, of Guttenberg, Iowa. Her parents are living in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Dorweiler have five children—Margaret J., Catharine L., Louis, Paul and Henry J. Mr. Dorweiler is independent in politics, and has been township trustee for three terms. He has taught school eighteen terms in America.
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Biography reproduced from page 376 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Paul Dorweiler, an honored veteran of the Civil war who is living retired in West Bend, is one of the well known agriculturists of Kossuth county, having been actively engaged in general farming in Garfield township for forty-six years. He is a native of Germany, having been born in Lammersum, Prussia, on the 28th of October, 1838, and a son of J. J. and Margaret (Seiler) Dorweiler. The parents were born, reared and married in Prussia, whence they emigrated to the United States in 1852, locating in Clayton county, Iowa. They resided there for fourteen years, but at the end of that time disposed of their interests and came to Kossuth county, accompanied by their children and their families. Here the father and two of the sons, Philip and Paul, filed on homesteads in what is now known as Garfield township, in addition to which they also purchased some school land. The father was then too old to engage in active work, so his tract was cultivated by his son Henry, but he and the mother continued to reside on their farm until they passed away.

Paul Dorweiler, who as a youth of thirteen years when he came to the United States with his parents, completed his education commenced in the schools of his native land in those of Clayton county, Iowa, where he was reared to manhood. After laying aside his schoolbooks he assisted his father in the cultivation of the home farm until the 1st of October, 1861, when he enlisted as a private in Company K, Seventeenth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and went to the front in defense of the Union. He remained in the service for more than three years, being mustered out at St. Louis, Missouri, on the 19th of December, 1864. He returned to Clayton county immediately after receiving his discharge and resumed the duties of civil life by again engaging in the cultivation of the home farm. In 1866, a little more than a year after his return, the entire family came to Kossuth county and settled in Garfield township. Here Paul Dorweiler filed on a homestead of eighty acres on section 4 and began farming his holdings until he had acquired three hundred and twenty acres of land, to which he still holds the title. As he was enterprising and ambitious, he applied himself intelligently and energetically to anything he undertook and met with a corresponding degree of success. Systematic and practical in his methods as well as progressive, he adopted many of the ideas of the modern agriculturist and brought his fields up to a high state of productivity. He expended four thousand dollars in tiling and at various times he introduced modern machinery to lessen the labor and expedite the work about his farm, which was equipped with everything essential to its successful cultivation. Mr. Dorweiler always took a great deal of pride in his homestead, and erected thereon a comfortable dwelling, commodious barns and substantial outbuildings, while his fields were well fenced and everything about the place suggested the thrift and prosperity that invariably accompany competent supervision and direction in any line of business. He was actively engaged in the cultivation of his place until 1908, when he withdrew from work and coming to West Bend, bought a fine residence, where he has ever since lived retired, but he still owns his farm.

On the 23rd of September, 1873, Mr. Dorweiler was married to Miss Justina Barth, a daughter of Ludwig and Katherine (Eckert) Barth, and a native of Germany. The father, who was a blacksmith, followed his trade during his active life, he and the mother making their home in Germany until they passed away. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dorweiler, as follows: Margaret, who is the principal of the Fenton schools; Katie, the wife of Peter Mersch, who engages in the mercantile business in Ottosen, Iowa; Louis C., who is cashier in the Chokio bank, Stevens county, Minnesota; Paul, a teacher in mathematics in Carnegie Institute at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Harry J., who is living on his father’s farm; Otto, a student in the Chicago Veterinary College; and Louisa S. and Hermina C., who are attending high school at West Bend.

In religious faith the family are Catholics, and in his political views Mr. Dorweiler is independent. He is public-spirited in matters of citizenship and served as trustee of Garfield township for several years and also as clerk and as secretary of the school board. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, and also belongs to Henry Ellsworth Post, No. 336, G. A. R. He was formerly affiliated with the Grange, but this organization has disbanded. Mr. Dorweiler began his career with a definite purpose and despite obstacles and difficulties followed his course with the earnest determination to succeed and achieved his ambition by persistent effort.