August Frederick Burger (1926)

BROWN, BURGER, FOSHER, MUELLER, WIGGINS

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 8/8/2009 at 17:19:23

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, August 5, 1926
Pg 1

August Burger died suddenly this morning at 3:30 o’clock at the age of 83 years. He has been in good health but yesterday afternoon took sick with heart trouble and this caused his death.

Mr. Burger is one of the very old settlers of Madison county. He was born in Keokuk and came to this county with his parents in 1859. In 1861, when he was eighteen years of age, he enlisted in the Union army and stayed there until the close of the war. He returned to Madison county and operated the Weller mill on Middle River for several years. He began farming in 1897, and from then on, with a few months exception, lived on his farm. In 1912 he moved to Winterset, and has since resided on East Washington street.

His first wife was Miss Ellen Foshier, and she died in 1894. In 1896 he married Miss Laura May Mueller, who also preceded him in death. He is survived by three sons, August Jr., of Alta, and George and Louis at home.

Funeral services will be held at the United Presbyterian church Friday afternoon at 2:30, conducted by Rev. W. Z. Allen. Burial will be made in the Jefferson cemetery.
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Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
August 12, 1926

AUGUST FREDERICK BURGER

August F. Burger, the third child and eldest son of Gottlob A. and Franciska Burger, was born in the Town of Esslingen, in the Province of Wurtemburg, Germany, on the 3rd day of August, 1843, and died at his home in Winterset on the 5th day of August, 1926, aged eighty-three years and two days.

In the year of 1848 he came to the United States with his parents, who located on a farm near Cleveland, Ohio, later moving to Cleveland where his father entered the bakery and hotel business. In a few years his father died, leaving a widow with five small children. His mother subsequently remarried, and with her family moved to Keokuk, Iowa, and in 1859 came to Madison county, settling on a farm in Jefferson township in what is still known as the Burger neighborhood. Here Mr. Burger worked on the farm and helped to freight goods from Keokuk to Winterset.

When only a lad of eighteen years he answered the call of his country, enlisting on the 18th day of September, 1861, in Company B. 15th Iowa Infantry, serving until discharged August 3rd, 1865, at Davenport, Iowa. His first baptism of fire was at Pittsburg Landing after which he participated in all the principal battles through Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia, being with Sherman on his march to the sea, and was in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C.

In December, following his return from the army, he formed a partnership with his brother, Frederick, and brother-in-law, Van Buren Wiggins, purchasing and operating the Weller Mill on Middle River. A few years later he sold his interest in the mill and took up farming purchasing a 40 acre farm near his parents in Jefferson township, which became the nucleus of his present farm which was operated with success for many years.

In 1894 he moved to Des Moines where he lived until 1899, again returning to the farm where he lived until his coming to Winterset in 1912, which since that time has been his home. For several years while on the farm he conducted a country store and kept the post office known as McBride P.O.

On the 7th day of April 1867, he was married to Miss Ellen Fosher of South township, who died in Des Moines on the 10th day of August, 1894, and lies buried in the Rock City cemetery.

His second marriage occurred on the 31st day of December, 1896, to Miss Laura May Mueller, a daughter of Mr. And Mrs. George Mueller, of Jefferson township. She died at Winterset on the 7th day of January, 1922, and is buried in the Jefferson cemetery. To this union six children were born, three dying in infancy and three are living: August F. Burger, who is a veterinary and lives at Alta, Iowa; George Mueller Burger, and Louis Herman Burger, who are still at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Burger united with the United Brethren church of Jefferson township, and upon their coming to Winterset affiliated with the United Presbyterian Church of Winterset, remaining faithful and loyal members until death.

For many years Mr. Burger has been a member of Pitzer Post No. 55 G.A.R. Of Winterset, where he found much pleasure in the association with his comrades.

He leaves to mourn his departure, three sons: August F., George M. and Louis H.; two grandchildren, Ardis Jean and August F. Jr.; one brother, William H. Burger of Van Meter; one sister, Mrs. Paulina Brown of Los Angeles, California; many nephews and nieces and other relatives living in Iowa and the west, also many friends living in Madison County and elsewhere.

Mr. Burger was a man of energy, industry and frugality. He was a loyal and patriotic citizen, a good neighbor, a faithful husband, and a kind and loving father.

His death removed another Civil war veteran who has answered the last roll call; another pioneer who knew the trials and tribulations of the early settler; another of those stalwart men who contributed materially to make the community and the country better for his living in it. May his life and his example be an inspiration to his sons and others to live better lives and become a valuable asset to the community in which they live.

For many years Mr. Burger has been a sufferer from rheumatism, which kept him from moving about freely, and his deafness kept him from mingling with men, otherwise he was in reasonably fair health.
The day preceding his death he had an attack of heart trouble. A physician was called who administered to him, but thought nothing alarming. He passed away quietly at his home about 3:30 a.m. August 5th, 1926, having lived four score and three years.

Funeral services were conducted by his pastor, Rev. W. Z. Allen, at the United Presbyterian church. August 6th at 2:30 p.m., and interment was made in the Jefferson cemetery by the side of his wife.

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