Tiarks, John J.

TIARKS

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 7/29/2008 at 16:23:41

John J. Tiarks

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.98, Garner Twp.)
John J Tiarks, farmer, P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in Germany in 1848; son of Henry and Mary Tiarks, both of whom died when subject was young. He is the only child; was educated in Germany, and also went to school in America. He came to this country when eighteen years of age, and has no relatives here. When first coming to America, he settled in Jones County, Iowa, where he farmed in summer and went to school in winter. In 1870, he returned to Germany, was married to Lizzie Oltmanns, and then came to this country and settled on his present farm. When he first took his farm, it was raw prairie; he bought at that time eighty acres, but has since added to it till he now has 560 acres, all enclosed by fence, 200 acres being in pasture, with good improvements, buildings, orchard and small fruits. He pays most of his attention to stock-raising, feeding all his grain. In county elections, he always selects what he thinks the best men, but votes the Republican ticket in national elections. He has four children, all boys. His wife's parents are both in the old country. Mr. Tiarks inherited enough money from his parents to give him a good start in life. He has crossed the ocean five times, taking his family over to Germany for a visit in the winter of 1880-81.