Wonder, F. W.

WONDER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann (email)
Date: 7/27/2005 at 10:42:57

NORTHWESTERN
IOWA
ITS HISTORY AND TRADITION
VOLUME III
1804-1926

F. W. WONDER

Frederick W. Wonder, editor of the Onawa Democrat since January, 1917, was
born at Mondamin, Iowa, October 9, 1882. He attended the public schools of
Onawa and took a business course in the commercial department of Drake
University at Des Moines. He then entered his father's newspaper office, where he
learned every phase of the business, and later started out on his own account,
establishing the Soldier Herald (now the Soldier Sentinel), which he
published for several years. He next became editor of the Blencoe Herald at Blencoe,
Iowa, retaining that position until the death of his father, in 1917, when
he came to Onawa and took charge of the Democrat, at the head of which he has
remained to the present time. For years this has been the most influential
paper in the county and Mr. Wonder has continued to conduct it along the same
sound and wisely conservative lines that characterized it under his father's
able direction. Mr. Wonder is a forceful writer and his editorial columns
have ever been devoted to the highest and best interests of the people
generally. He has the newspaper man's genuine instinct for news, which he presents
in an attractive and readable style, and as an advertising medium the Democrat
is not equaled in the county.

In 1907, in Onawa, Mr. Wonder was united in marriage to Miss Nettie M. Day,
daughter of Harry and Harriett (Naden) Day, the former of whom was for forty
years a resident of Iowa but is now living in Washington. Mr. and Mrs.
Wonder are the parents of a son, William Harry.
During the World war Mr. Wonder served as food administrator for Monona
county and also gave valuable assistance in the Liberty Loan and Red Cross
drives. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has
taken the degrees of the chapter, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
in which he has taken the work of the encampment. He is chairman of the
public amusements committee of the community and is leader of the Onawa band, a
fine organization of forty pieces. He is a member of the Onawa Golf and
Country Club, the Iowa Newspaper Editors Association, the Iowa Press Association
and the American Press Association. His religious connection is with the
Christian church. Travel and music are strong interests in his life, and he has
long been an active factor in the musical circles of his community. Every
movement calculated to advance the interests of Onawa or Monona county receives
his hearty endorsement and support, and he has a host of warm and loyal
friends, who appreciate his worth as a man and citizen.