William J. Eisele

EISELE, JANTZEN, WENTZEL

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/7/2004 at 11:24:08

William J. Eisele, a farmer, stockman and landowner of Madison township, is a native of the neighboring state of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Bureau county on the l0th of May, 1866. His parents, Andrew and Philipina (Wentzel) Eisele, were both born in Germany and upon emigrating to America settled in Philadelphia. The father was for two years employed as a farm hand in that locality but at the end of that time removed with his family to Bureau county, Illinois, and purchased a tract of forty acres, which he improved. Upon selling that he bought eighty acres and until 1868 his time and energy were taken up by cultivating that farm. On disposing of his interests in Bureau county he removed to Iowa and located in Poweshiek county, where he purchased two hundred and ten acres of land. He followed farming on that tract until his demise, which occurred on the 30th of July, 1896. His widow passed away on the 23d of March, 1906. Mr. Eisele was drafted for service in the Union army but secured a substitute and had gone to town to get the money with which to pay him when the war came to a close.

William J. Eisele accompanied his parents on their removal to Poweshiek county, this state, and his boyhood days were occupied by attending the public schools and by assisting his father with the farm work. He remained under the parental roof until he reached the age of twenty-two years and then, desiring to begin his independent business career, he rented a farm, which he operated until 1890. In that year, in partnership with his brother, he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in Poweshiek county. The brother assumed charge of that place and our subject returned home and operated the homestead for nine years, or until 1899. He then rented land until 1912, when he traded his interest in the farm in Poweshiek county for his present place, which comprises three hundred and twenty acres on section 8, Madison township. He has since carried on general farming and stock-raising successfully and in addition to that farm owns in partnership with Thomas Cochran two hundred and ninety-two and a fourth acres on section 19, Madison township. The oldest son of our subject is operating that farm. In connection with Mr. Cochran Mr. Eisele buys and sells cattle and hogs the year round at Earlham, shipping every week. Mr. Eisele himself feeds about two hundred and fifty head of cattle per year and two hundred head of hogs annually. He has found his stock-raising interests particularly lucrative but also derives a good income from general farming. He is connected with the financial interests of the county as a stockholder in the Bank of Earlham.

Mr. Eisele married Miss Minnie Jantzen, who was born on the 25th of September, 1888, a daughter of John and Mary (Baustien) Jantzen, natives of Germany, who in 1865 left the fatherland and came to this country, locating at Watertown, Wisconsin. Mr. Jantzen was a teamster there for twenty-two years, hauling logs chiefly. At the end of that time he went to Poweshiek county, Iowa, purchased land and during the remainder of his life followed agricultural pursuits. He passed away on the 9th of May, 1911, having survived his wife since the 23d of May of the year previous. Mr. and Mrs. Eisele have three children: Walter J., twenty-five years of age, who is farming the land belonging to his father and Mr. Cochran; Fred H, twenty-three years old, at home; and Edna M., nineteen years of age.

Mr. Eisele is a democrat and is unwavering in his allegiance to that party and its principles. Much concerning the ideals that shape his conduct may be gathered from the fact that he has membership in the Presbyterian church and in the Masonic order, and he is recognized as a man of unswerving integrity and of high standards of conduct.

Taken from the book, "The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915"