Borchers, Eilert

BORCHERS, POPKEN

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Plym. CC (email)
Date: 2/21/2005 at 17:16:36

Eilert Borchers

Eilert Borchers, a well-to-do retired farmer of Grant township and who for years was trustee of that township, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of Plymouth county since 1873 and is thus accounted among the pioneers of this county. He was born in the kingdom of Hanover, March 18, 1843, son of Henry and Margaret Borchers, also Hanoverians, who followed their son to this country in 1873 and located in Jones county this state, later moving to Sioux county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The father died soon after he came here and the mother stayed with a son until he got married; after that she stayed with subject for about twelve years, when she died. Henry Borchers was a blacksmith in his native country, but upon coming to this country became a farmer. He bought a farm of two hundred acres in Sioux county and there established his home. He and his wife were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Diederich.

Brought up to the blacksmith trade by his father, Eilert Borchers worked at that trade in his native land until 1870, in which year he came to the United States, remaining for a short time in Pennsylvania, where he was engaged working on a railroad, but presently went to the vicinity of Chicago, where for a short time he was engaged in farm labor. He then came to Iowa and located in Jones county, where he married and where he remained until 1873, when he came to Plymouth county and bought a quarter of a section of land in Grant township, paying for the same six dollars an acre, and there he established his home and has ever since resided on that place, one of the best-established farmers in that part of the county. Upon taking possession of his raw prairie farm, Mr. Borchers put up a small shanty which served as a home until he could erect a more commodious residence. he also set out a grove and lost little time in bringing his place under cultivation. As he prospered he added to his land holdings and is now the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres, which he rents out, having practically retired from active labors of the farm some time ago. Mr. Borchers is a Republican and from the very beginning of his residence in Grant township has given his close attention to local civic affairs. For years he served as trustee of the township and in other ways has done his part in public affairs. he helped to organize the German Lutheran church in the neighborhood of his home and is a charter member of that organization, of which he was trustee for many years. Mr. Borchers' wife, who was Catherine Popken, daughter of Gerd and Gretke Popken, and whom he married in Jones county before coming to Plymouth county, died in 1901. There were no children born to that union.

BOOK SOURCE:
History of Plymouth County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen, 1917