TUSLER, Leonard A. [1918]

TUSLER, UTTER, BLACK, CONNER

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 6/13/2010 at 15:49:33

Leonard A. Tusler resides on section 31, Osage township, and is one of the most prominent and representative farmers of Mitchell county. His entire life has been given to agricultural pursuits and stock raising and he has attained distinction in this connection, owing to his capable business management, which has brought most substantial results. He is a native of Dane county, Wisconsin, his birth having occurred near Stoughton in 1860. His father, Sheldon Tusler, is now living at Oregon, Wisconsin, and is one of the old-time residents of that state. He is descended from English ancestors who settled originally in Pennsyl­vania, and through successive generations representatives of the family have followed farming. To that occupation Sheldon Tusler devoted his attention for many years but is now living retired at the age of seventy-nine. He married Margaret Utter, a native of Pennsylvania and a representative of one of the old Pennsylvania Dutch families. She is now seventy-eight years of age. To them were born three children: Lucius, who is living in Wisconsin; Mrs. Hattie Black, a resident of California; and Leonard A., of this review. The father has been quite prominent in politics and much interested in the his majority, when he started out in life on his own account. He was married in 1880 to Miss Cornelia R. Conner, who was born in Wisconsin in March, 1863, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Conner, who were of Canadian birth and removed from Canada to Wisconsin, where the father followed the occupation of farming. He became very prominent and successful and was the owner of one-half of the township in which he lived. Both he and his wife, however, have now passed away. He died at the age of forty-years, while Mrs. Conner was called to her final rest in 1893. They were the parents of seven children who reached adult age. Mr. and Mrs. Tusler have become the parents of one son, Lloyd T., who was born in 1889 and is yet at home.

Following his marriage Mr. Tusler worked for his father upon the home farm for a year and then removed to Iowa, taking up his abode in Floyd county in 1882, at which time he purchased a quarter section of the best land of that county for eighteen dollars per acre. He remained upon that place for eleven years and then sold out, removing to Osage in 1893. His entire life, however, has been given to general agricultural pursuits and he has been cultivating his present place for nine years. It was in 1901 that he took up his abode on section 31, Osage town­ship, where he has since lived. Here he has engaged extensively and successfully in the raising of cattle, horses and hogs. He has registered shorthorn cattle, including thirty-four head of good blooded stock as well as fifteen head of registered stock. He makes a specialty of cattle raising but also carries on general farming. He is now cultivating one hundred and sixty acres of land in his home place and he rents his other three farms, two of which are located in Floyd county, one embracing eighty acres and the other two hundred acres. He has likewise engaged in buying and selling farm lands to a considerable extent and he now owns two farms in North Dakota and two in Minnesota. His sound judgment has enabled him readily to recognize the value of farm property and to make judicious investments.

Politically Mr. Tusler is a republican but has never been ambitious to hold office. Fraternally he is connected with the Woodmen and with the Odd Fellows of Osage and both he and his wife are consistent members of the Congregational church, shaping their lives according to its teachings. They have a wide acquain­tance and enjoy the friendship of those with whom they have come in contact by reason of their sterling worth. Mr. Tusler also occupies a very enviable posi­tion in business circles, for he has thoroughly mastered the work to which he has devoted his time and effort and he now ranks with the leading and representative farmers and stockmen of northern Iowa.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, pages 245 & 246.