Jacob Bayer (1933)
BAYER, CLARK, HIRCOCK, IMES, SCHULER
Posted By: Treva Patterson
Date: 2/5/2007 at 12:25:30
The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, April 13, 1933Jacob Bayer
Jacob Bayer was born October 29, 1838 at Gengen, Wuertemberg, Germany and died at Western Old People's Home, April 6, 1933, at the ripe age of 94 years, 5 months and 7 days.
His parents were members of the Lutheran church in which faith he was baptized and carefully reared. This early religious training and the fine Christian influence of his parents laid the foundation for his splendid Christian character and godly life.
In 1855 when a lad of a little more than 16 years of age he came to America, living for 12 years in the state of Pennsylvania. In 1859 he was married to Emmaline Schuler. This happy union was blessed with five children, 2 sons and three daughters. The two sons Henry and Charles preceded the father in death.
During the early days in Pennsylvania, he was engaged in farming and then a little later in tanning, the trade he had learned in Germany after leaving the public school. In 1866 he moved to Sterling, Illinois; and six years later to Winterset, Iowa, having been informed by a friend who lived near Winterset that there was abundant oak timber in that part of Iowa for the tanning business.
From a copy of the Winterset paper we quote the following: "Early in the year of 1872 there arrived in Winterset with his family a stalwart German who was destined to leave his impress not only upon the industrial life of this community but on the civil and religious life as well. We have reference to Jacob Bayer, who spent more than a quarter century of his life among us and became one of the best known men in the county." We quote again from this article. Brother Bayer says: "We were the first family that ever came to Winterset on a train. We had to ride in a box car as the passenger service had not yet been established."
The tannery business which he established at Winterset was very successful, tanning hundreds and thousands of hides for the manufacture of harnesses, gloves, mittens and lap robes. The expansion of the business suggested moving to Des Moines. Here too the business prospered until in 1906 he sold it to other parties.
Sometime after retiring from business he moved with his son Charles and his daughter Elizabeth to New Mexico, his wife having died a short time before. The son died there and the father and daughter returned to Winterset. In the fall of 1918 he came to Western Old People's Home.
Brother Bayer was converted to God and admitted to membership in the Evangelical church in Pennsylvania in 1855. He remained faithful and loyal to his Lord and the church of his choice. He was a generous supporter of the cause of Christ. Recognizing his fine Christian character and his splendid talents, the church elected him to positions of trust and responsibility. He possessed a cheerful, optimistic, peace-loving and appreciative disposition which endeared him to all. His mind was clear to the last. Up to just recently he attended every service in the home. How he enjoyed these services. He was an inspiring listener. He never allowed an opportunity to pass by to confess his Lord and Master without making use of it.
He is survived by his three daughters, Mary, Mrs. Clark of Winterset, Iowa; Emma, Mrs. Imes of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Elizabeth of Winnebago, Nebraska; twelve grandchildren; and eighteen great-grandchildren
Services were conducted by Rev. H. L. Olmstead of the Church of Christ at Ramsey-Richards funeral home at 2:30 Monday.
________________________The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, April 13, 1933
Page 1, Column 6JACOB BAYER DIES – FORMER RESIDENT
Established Tannery here in 1872. Came When The Railroad Was Built
Jacob Bayer, 94, who established a tannery in 1872 south of Munger and White’s woolen mills west of Winterset south of the stone house where Glenn Newton now lives, died April 6 at the Western Old People’s Home in Cedar Falls. He and his family were the first passengers over the Winterset branch, coming from Des Moines to Winterset in a box car the day after the last spike was driven and before passenger service had been established.
Services were held at Cedar Falls Sunday afternoon and Monday at 2:30 in Winterset at the Ramsey-Richards funeral home conducted by Rev. H. L. Olmstead, pastor of the Church of Christ; burial was in the Winterset cemetery. Pall bearers were his grandsons, the Rev. Earl Clark and Lannie Hircock, a great grandson, Raymond Clark, and Ross Rogers, Everett Clark and Crossley Gilliland.
Mr. Bayer was born October 29, 1838 at Glengen, Wuertemberg, Germany. His parents were members of the Lutheran church in which he was baptized and reared. He came to America when about 16, living twelve years in Pennsylvania. In 1859 he was married to Emmaline Schuler. Five Children were born to them, three daughters and two sons, Henry and Charles; both sons are deceased.
He farmed in Pennsylvania and later went into the tanning business which he had learned in Germany. In 1866 he moved to Sterling, Illinois and six years after came to Winterset. He moved to Des Moines after many years in Winterset and sold his tannery there in 1908, going with his daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Charles, to New Mexico where the son died. Mrs. Bayer died shortly after he retired from the business. He entered the home at Cedar Falls in 1918.
His three daughters survive, Mrs. F. C. Clark of Winterset; Mrs. J. W. Imes of Milwaukee; and Miss Elizabeth Bayer of Winnebago, Nebraska; twelve grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren.
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