Priester, Mathias

PRIESTER, BACKUS, WILTROCK

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner
Date: 7/25/2006 at 11:40:13

PRIESTER, MATHIAS

Mathias Priester, at present one of the supervisors of Lyon county, and amuch respected resident of Rock Rapids, was born in Prussia, on the Rhine, and remained at home with his parents until he reached the age of fourteen years. At this time he became an apprentice at the trade of cabinet making, at which he spent three years. After this he was employed as a journeyman until February 22, 1866, when he started for the United States, crossing the ocean on the sailing vessel, "The City of London," sailing from Liverpool. It was then the largest vessel on the ocean, and required seven weeks to make the run to New York. The voyage was hardly begun before the cholera broke out, and in a week six hundred people were buried from the boat. Mr. Priester brought his own food, and so escaped an otherwise almost certain death.

On the way from New York to Cassville, where he had friends, Mr. Priester spent a few days in Chicago, where he worked as a laborer. In Wisconsin he was employed for a time on a farm, and then went west to Guttenberg, Iowa, where he was employed as a carpenter for four years and eight months under B.H. Overbeck. At the end of this time he married and set up in business for himself as a contractor and builder, being engaged in this manner for some two years, and for about the same time was foreman in a saw mill. His health failed on account of the malaria on the river, and he was obliged to go into the interior.

Mr. Priester settled in Lyon county in 1884, and here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Allison township, for which he paid ten dollars an acre. This land he held for seventeen years, greatly improving it, and then selling it for fifty-five dollars an acre. He had built a house, and barn, as well as other necessary improvements. He moved to Rock Rapids, where he had purchased a home for his family at the corner of Green and Third stress. Here has been his home to the present time.

Mr. Priester has always been a Democrat, and in 1899 was the candidate of his party for the position of supervisor. He was successful in the election, and again in 1902 made the race. The district was normally strongly Republican, and yet he received ninety-three majority at his first election, and forty-three at the second. In 1903 he was made chairman of the county board. For six years he has been a school director, and for four years secretary. He has served one term as township assessor, and another as town clerk of Allison township. Mr. Priester is a member of the Catholic church, and entertains liberal views regarding other communions.

The wedding ceremonies of Mr. Priester and Elizabeth Backus occurred May 12, 1870. She was a daughter of Peter and Anna Mary Backus. Her father was a prosperous farmer, who died in 1888 at the age of sixty-three; her mother died in 1899 at the age of seventy-one. Both were natives of Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Priester are still living three children: John, a farmeran , who married Miss Anna Wiltrock, a daughter of Henry Wiltrock, a successful farmer, who is still living; Edward H., engineer; and George C., who is at home with his parents

Source: Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Lyon County, Iowa. Published under the Auspices of the Pioneer Association of Lyon County. Geo. Monlun, Pres.; Hon. E. C. Roach Sec’y; and Col. F. M. Thompson, Historian. Geo. A. Ogle & CO., Published, Engravers and Book Manufacturers. Chicago, 1904-1905

Transcribed by Roseanna Zehner, Darlene Jacoby and Diane Johnson