DORWEILER, HENRY

DORWEILER, SEILER, MARNACH

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 4/29/2004 at 12:01:10

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

Henry Dorweiler, youngest son of J. J. and Margaret (Seiler) Dorweiler, was born in Rhenish Prussia, Nov. 22, 1846. When six years of age he came with his parents to this country, settling on a farm five miles west of Guttenberg, Clayton Co., Iowa. Henry worked on the farm for fourteen years, receiving a good education in the country schools. When twenty years of age he came to Kossuth county and settled on the northwest quarter of section 4, township 94, range 30, Cresco township. He now owns 240 acres of college lands in addition to his original farm, two and a half acres of which is in a fine grove. He has 100 acres under cultivation, and is engaged in general farm and stock business. He has fifty head of stock. Mr. Dorweiler was married Oct. 31, 1876, to Mary Marnach, a native of Dubuque county. Her parents are now living in St. Joseph, Cresco township. They have two children—Margaret S. and Philip H. Mr. Dorweiler’s mother, now eighty years of age, resides with him. She is still quite active and is beloved by the children. He is a republican, and has been assessor three terms and township trustee two terms. The family are members of the Catholic Church.
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Biography reproduced from page 550 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed published in 1913:

One of the foremost agriculturists and stockmen of Garfield township is Henry Dorweiler, who owns and operates an excellent farm of three hundred and twenty acres, which his father acquired from the government during the pioneer days in Kossuth county. He was born in Prussia, November 22, 1846, and is a son of J. J. and Margaret (Seiler) Dorweiler, likewise natives of that country. The parents emigrated to the United States with their family in 1852, coming direct to Iowa, and on July 5, 1866, the entire family removed to Kossuth county and here the father and the two oldest sons, Philip and Paul, filed on homesteads in what is now known as Garfield township. In addition to the land they thus acquired they each bought two hundred and forty acres of school land, making their individual holdings aggregate three hundred and twenty acres. As the father was too old to engage in the cultivation of his tract he subsequently turned it over to his son Henry, but he and the mother resided on the farm until they passed away.

Henry Dorweiler was only a child of five years when his parents located in Clayton county, where he was reared to manhood. He acquired his education in the district schools and when he had mastered the common branches he laid aside his text-books and assisted his father in cultivating the farm. He has always devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, and as he is energetic and practical in his methods has prospered in his undertakings. After the death of his father he came into the title of the homestead, and during the intervening years he has wrought many and extensive improvements in the place and it is now one of the most valuable farms in the locality. The first house ever erected in the township was built on this farm and is still standing and in an excellent state of preservation. There were born the three eldest children of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dorweiler, but he subsequently erected a more modern house and the old one is now used for an engine house. That it was well and substantially constructed originally is evidenced by the fact that it was never even re-shingled until recently, although it was erected forty-six years ago. Mr. Dorweiler largely devotes his fields to the raising of such cereals as can be used in the feeding of stock, as he keeps sixty head of cattle and twenty horses and annually markets a hundred hogs. That he is progressive and systematic in his methods is evidenced by the well kept appearance of his farm and the excellent condition of his stock and fields, everything about the place manifesting competent supervision and sound judgment in the direction of its operation.

On the 31st of October, 1876, Mr. Dorweiler was united in marriage to Miss Mary Marnach, a daughter of Michael and Susanna Marnach, natives of Luxemburg. The father emigrated to the United States in 1847, and located in Dubuque county, Iowa, where he entered government land, which he cultivated for twenty-five years. It was on this farm on the 27th of July, 1860, that Mrs. Dorweiler was born. In 1872, Mr. Marnach disposed of his farm in Dubuque county and removed with his family to Kossuth county, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land and devoted himself to its further improvement until his death in 1891. The mother passed away in April, 1888. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dorweiler, as follows: Margaret F., who was born June 8, 1879, the wife of John Dorweiler, a carpenter at West Bend; Philip Henry, whose birth occurred May 5, 1881, living at home; Henry William A., who was born on the 8th of June, 1884; Paulina M., born on May 22, 1888, the first child baptised in the church at West Bend; Helen M., whose natal day was February 19, 1891; Marie L., born on the 31st of August, 1894; and Joanna S., whose birth occurred on the 4th of July, 1898. All of the children are living at home with the exception of the eldest daughter.

The family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church, and in his political views, Mr. Dorweiler is independent. He is president of the board of school directors in his district and for seventeen years was assessor and also served for several terms as township trustee. His fraternal relations are confined to membership in the Knights of Columbus. Mr. Dorweiler has prospered in his undertakings and is a stockholder in the West Bend Cooperative Creamery Company and he is also a stockholder and director in the West Bend Savings Bank. He is a man of marked energy and enterprise, and exercises foresight and sagacity in the development of his interests, his efforts being concentrated on the achievement of a definite purpose.