Herman August Mueller

ANDERSON, IRWIN, MUELLER, SCHOTT, STEEL

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 6/28/2006 at 11:37:12

The life activity of Herman A. Mueller has connected him closely with the history of Madison county. He was born in a log cabin which stood on the site of the residence of the late William Schoen, near the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section 35, Jefferson township, Madison county, August 29, 1866. His parents, George and Catharine (Schott) Mueller, were natives of Germany. The former was born September 11, 1842, in the principality of Waldeck. His father was a forester for the prince, as his father had in turn been before him, and the family of Mullers lived for many years in the town of Bad Wildungen, a noted watering place and health resort. There George Mueller attended the public schools to the age of fifteen and afterward worked upon the farm for a year or two but in the summer of 1859 came to America, making the voyage in a sailing vessel which after six weeks reached New York harbor. He at once made his way to Keokuk, Iowa, to join a sister who had come to the new world a few years before. In the spring of 1860 he went to Winterset, living with a cousin with whom he moved to section 25, Jefferson township, in the fall of that year. After working on the farm for a year he again went to live with his sister at Keokuk in December, 1861, remaining there and at Warsaw, Illinois, until August 8, 1864, on which day he wedded Catharine Schott, of Warsaw. She was born in Baden, Germany, August 22, 1845, was left an orphan when very young and at eight years of age accompanied her uncle to America. Their home was at Warsaw, on the bank of the Mississippi, which at that time was the great thoroughfare of the middle west.

Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. George Mueller came to Madison county and the first year both worked for his cousin, Louis Stracke, of Jefferson township. In the fall of 1865 they rented a farm of William Schoen on section 35 and thereon the landlord and tenant built a log cabin which became the birthplace of H. A. Mueller. In December 1866, the parents removed with their family to section 2, Union township, the father purchasing what was known as the Benjamin Duckett farm. There he and his wife have continued to reside and are now owners of three hundred and thirty-three acres of well improved land. On the 8th of August, 1914, they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, which year was also the fiftieth anniversary of their settlement in Madison county. All of their children except two were present, together with a host of old friends and neighbors, and the occasion was a most enjoyable and memorable one.

Like all country boys, Herman Mueller learned to do the chores while attending school. He was a pupil in the Farris school in Union township, with George Turbett as teacher in 1873, James M. Guye in 1874, Penina Moore in 1875, Wesley Lehman in 1876, George Turbett again, Frances Fletcher in 1877, Nan Davis in 1878, Joseph W. Forney, the fall of 1878 and the winter following, Wesley Lehman in the winter of 1879 and 1880 and R. J. Spragg during the winters of 1881-2-3. During the winter of 1880-1 he attended a term of school at Winterset, did eighth grade work during a term at the Irving school in Des Moines in the fall of 1883 and afterward spent a term in Drake University. In the winter of 1886-7 he attended a term at Jefferson No. 7 under the instruction of R. J. Spragg. Every fall from 1885 until 1893 he attended the teachers' institute or normal held in Winterset.

In the meantime he was learning the lessons of life upon the farm, becoming familiar with every phase of farm work. He taught his first school at Douglas Center in the winter of 1887-8 under Superintendent E. R. Zeiler, who had given him a first-grade certificate. The next winter he taught at the Doak school in Jefferson township and in the succeeding fall attended a term at the Dexter Normal College at Dexter, Iowa. In the succeeding winter he was again a teacher at Jefferson No. 7 and the following winter was again at Doak. In the spring of 1891 and through the following fall and winter he taught the Jefferson school and during all these years made his home with his parents, working on the farm through the summer. In the fall of 1892, with his friend, Sam C. Smith, now an attorney of Winterset, he entered the State Normal School, now called the State Teachers' College, meeting the expenses of the course with money which he had previously earned on the farm and as a teacher. He was graduated with the degree of B. Di. in 1894 and M. Di. in 1895. He was then elected principal of the Arcadia schools, remaining in charge for two years, and in the fall of 1897 became a junior in the State University of Iowa, admitted to that class because of his standing at the State Normal. He was graduated in 1899 with the Bachelor of Philosophy degree and in the fall of that year became a teacher of the high school at Webster City but resigned to become the candidate for auditor of Madison county on the republican ticket.

Mr. Mueller has held various public offices. In 1890 he was chosen clerk of Jefferson township; in 1892 became assessor of Jefferson township and was reelected in 1894, serving three years, resigning the position when he became teacher at Arcadia. He made a record for doing the assessor's work in the shortest time. In 1900 he was United States census enumerator of Jefferson township and in the summer of 1900 he received the nomination for auditor of Madison county on the republican ticket and was elected that fall, while in 1902 he was reelected, leading the ticket. He retired from the office in January, 1905, and for a few months assisted J. W. Smith, county treasurer. On the1ist of May of that year he went to St. Charles, where he became bookkeeper in J. F. Johnston's bank and following the death of Henry Hayden succeeded him as cashier in the fall of 1905, continuing in that position until April, 1912. He has served as school treasurer of the independent district of St. Charles from September, 1905, until July, 1912, was a member of the town council from April, 1910, until April, 1914, became school director of the St. Charles independent district in March, 1914, and in March, 1915, was chosen president of the board. In the spring of 1914 he was a candidate for the nomination for representative on the republican ticket, which he easily won over his competitor, but was defeated in the election by his democratic opponent.

While at the State Normal he had three years' training in the military department, so upon the organization of Company G, Fifty-first Regiment National Guard at Winterset he enlisted for three years and attended encampments at Atlantic, Iowa, Fort Riley, Kansas, and Des Moines. He is a member of Lotus Lodge, No. 48, K. P., of Winterset, was vice chancellor in 1903 and keeper of the records and seal in 1904. He belongs to Model Lodge, No. 315, A. F. & A. M., of St. Charles, Iowa; and Model Chapter, No. 174, Eastern Star of St. Charles, of which he was worthy patron in 1912. He is also a member of Lebanon Chapter, No. 11, R. A. M., of Winterset, belongs to Backbone Tent, No. 54, K. 0. T. M., of Winterset, and to the Rathbone Sisters. He organized the Madison County Farmers' Institute in 1903, first serving as treasurer and then as secretary until 1905. He also organized the Madison County Good Roads Association in May, 1903, and was its secretary until 1905. He became one of the organizers of the Madison County Historical Society in 1904 and has since served as its president.

Mr. Mueller has always taken an active interest in public affairs of his town and county. He has been active in promoting 4th of July celebrations and in the Old Settlers Association has served on various committees, being now a member of the executive committee having the management of the society. For the past two years he has served as secretary of the Farmers' Day Association, which holds annual fairs at St. Charles, and he is president of the St. Charles Chautauqua Association, thus serving from its organization in the spring of 1913. He was one of the organizers of the St. Charles Park and Improvement Association in 1905 and has been its secretary since September of that year. He is became a junior in the State University of Iowa, admitted to that class because of his standing at the State Normal. He was graduated in 1899 with the Bachelor of Philosophy degree and in the fall of that year became a teacher of the high school at Webster City but resigned to become the candidate for auditor of Madison county on the republican ticket.

Mr. Mueller has held various public offices. In 1890 he was chosen clerk of Jefferson township; in 1892 became assessor of Jefferson township and was reelected in 1894, serving three years, resigning the position when he became teacher at Arcadia. He made a record for doing the assessor's work in the shortest time. In 1900 he was United States census enumerator of Jefferson township and in the summer of 1900 he received the nomination for auditor of Madison county on the republican ticket and was elected that fall, while in 1902 he was reelected, leading the ticket. He retired from the office in January, 1905, and for a few months assisted J. W. Smith, county treasurer. On the1st of May of that year he went to St. Charles, where he became bookkeeper in J. F. Johnston's bank and following the death of Henry Hayden succeeded him as cashier in the fall of 1905, continuing in that position until April, 1912. He has served as school treasurer of the independent district of St. Charles from September, 1905, until July, 1912, was a member of the town council from April, 1910, until April, 1914, became school director of the St. Charles independent district in March, 1914, and in March, 1915, was chosen president of the board. In the spring of 1914 he was a candidate for the nomination for representative on the republican ticket, which he easily won over his competitor, but was defeated in the election by his democratic opponent.

While at the State Normal he had three years' training in the military department, so upon the organization of Company G, Fifty-first Regiment National Guard at Winterset he enlisted for three years and attended encampments at Atlantic, Iowa, Fort Riley, Kansas, and Des Moines. He is a member of Lotus Lodge, No. 48, K. P., of Winterset, was vice chancellor in 1903 and keeper of the records and seal in 1904. He belongs to Model Lodge, No. 315, A. F. & A. M., of St. Charles, Iowa; and Model Chapter, No. 174, Eastern Star of St. Charles, of which he was worthy patron in 1912. He is also a member of Lebanon Chapter, No. n, R. A. M., of Winterset, belongs to Backbone Tent, No. 54, K. 0. T. M., of Winterset, and to the Rathbone Sisters. He organized the Madison County Farmers' Institute in 1903, first serving as treasurer and then as secretary until 1905. He also organized the Madison County Good Roads Association in May, 1903, and was its secretary until 1905. He became one of the organizers of the Madison County Historical Society in 1904 and has since served as its president.

Mr. Mueller has always taken an active interest in public affairs of his town and county. He has been active in promoting 4th of July celebrations and in the Old Settlers Association has served on various committees, being now a member of the executive committee having the management of the society. For the past two years he has served as secretary of the Farmers' Day Association, which holds annual fairs at St. Charles, and he is president of the St. Charles Chautauqua Association, thus serving from its organization in the spring of 1913. He was one of the organizers of the St. Charles Park and Improvement Association in 1905 and has been its secretary since September of that year. He is a Methodist, active in church work, and has been a trustee of his church in St. Charles since 1910 and from 1912 to 1915 was steward, while since 1914 he has been recording steward. He has also been superintendent of the Sunday school since January, 1912, and has been secretary of the South Township Sunday School Association since that year. His interests are not confined alone to the county in which he lives, for he is associated with the Iowa Academy of Sciences, for which he has written three articles: "Shrubs and Trees of Hamilton County" in 1899; "Shrubs and Trees of Madison County" in 1901; and a preliminary list of flowering plants of Madison county, in 1904. He is a life member of the Iowa Horticultural Society and of the State Park and Forestry Association and is a member of both the State and Mississippi Valley Historical Societies. His activities have been somewhat varied. Reared on a farm, he still clings to the farm and owns eighty acres near St. Charles; he taught school for a while, then was in public office and later was for eight years in the bank, learning all phases of the business necessary to the conduct of a country bank. He has also solicited insurance and sold real estate and is serving as director for South township on the board of the Madison County Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, while at the present he is assistant cashier in J. F. Johnston's bank.

On the 30th of June, 1909, at St. Charles, Mr. Mueller was married to Cora Irwin, who was born near New Virginia, Iowa, July 28, 1875, and lived upon the farm until coming to St. Charles with her mother in 1889. Her father, Hon. Samuel Irwin, was born in the north of Ireland, in June, 1834, and when eight years of age was taken by his parents to Ohio. In 1853, when a youth of nineteen years, he went overland to California but in 1855 returned to the middle west, settling in Virginia township, Warren county, Iowa. Responding to the call of his country for troops to aid in the preservation of the Union, he enlisted in May, 1861, as a member of the Third Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted from private to second and then first sergeant and then to first lieutenant. In July, 1863, he was taken prisoner and sent to Libby and through the succeeding twenty months was held in various prisons until exchanged in March, 1865. At one time he and two companions escaped and traveled two hundred and forty miles through brush and swamps, but when within twelve miles of, the Union lines were recaptured and returned to Libby.

When the war was over Mr. Irwin began farming near New Virginia and on the 28th of September, 1865, was married to Isabell Steel, who was born February 20, 1848, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. She accompanied her parents to Missouri when nine years of age and to Clarke county, Iowa, in 1861 and at the time of her marriage was living with a married sister in Winterset, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Irwin became parents of seven children: Alexander J., of New Virginia; Mary, the wife of Ed Reed, of Virginia township; William, also of Virginia township; Anna, the wife of Hugh P. Anderson, of St. Charles; Cora, the wife of H. A. Mueller; James, who met death in 1903 while employed as a brakeman on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad; Samuel, who was born November 5, 1879, after his father's death, which occurred in August, and who is now living in Virginia township. Mr. Irwin held several township offices of trust, was a member of the board of supervisors of Warren county for seven years and represented his county in the state legislature from 1874 until 1876. His family continued to live upon the farm until 1889, when they moved to St. Charles that the children might attend school. After graduating from the high school there in 1894, Cora Irwin engaged in teaching for four years, being for three years a teacher in St. Charles. She was afterward employed as bookkeeper in the Citizens Rank there from 1901 until 1904 and made her home with her mother until her marriage, after which she and her husband continued to live with the mother. Mrs. Mueller is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of St. Charles and of tlic Eastern Star, in which she has held several offices.

Mr. and Mrs. Mueller own a farm, their home and a business house in St. Charles. They have three children: Byron Irwin, born April 8, 1910; Catharine Isabell, who was born February 7, 1913, and was named for her two grandmothers; and Herman A., who was born February 28, 1975.

Information taken from the book, "The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915," by Herman A. Mueller.