Stecher, William Elmer

STECHER, SHERMAN-PECK, SCHMIDT, FRANKENHAUSEN, MATZEN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 4/30/2009 at 15:04:07

History of Poweshiek Co. Iowa (1911)

WILLIAM ELMER STECHER

One of the enterprising and highly successful agriculturists of Sheridan township is William Elmer Stecher, who owns an excellent farm of two hundred and forty acres on section 30.

He is a native of Poweshiek county, his birth having occurred on a farm one and a half miles north of Grinnell on the 20th of May, 1872, and is a son of Otto and Helen (Sherman-Peck) Stecher. The father was born in Germany, from which country he emigrated to the United States in 1855, locating in Bureau county, Illinois, in the vicinity of Princeton. In 1860 he removed to Poweshiek county, where he farmed as a renter for sixteen years, during which time he saved sufficient capital to enable him to purchase forty acres of land in Sheridan township. Later he bought another eighty acres but subsequently sold both farms, following which he again rented land for several years, then bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 28, where he has ever since continued to reside. The mother passed away at the family homestead in Sheridan township on the 28th of September, 1895.

Reared at home William Elmer Stecher acquired his education in the district schools of his native county, which he continued to attend until he felt qualified to assume the heavier responsibilities of life. His vacations and such times as he was not engaged with his studies was always devoted to assisting his father in the cultivation of the farm, and he had thus acquired a very thorough knowledge of agricultural methods when he left school. He remained a member of the paternal household until he was twenty-three years of age, at the expiration of which period he had accumulated the necessary means to enable him to begin his career, so he rented two hundred and forty acres of land on section 30, Sheridan township. After cultivating his property four years he purchased it, and has ever since continued to make it his home. The land is all well drained and in a high state of cultivation, while the improvements are in good condition. Mr. Stecher engages in general farming and stock-raising, feeding annually a carload of cattle and hogs for the Chicago market. He is an indefatigable worker and judicious manger, giving his fields the careful supervision that brings full and abundant harvests and which always command a good price.

On the 14th of February, 1900, Mr. Stecher was united in marriage to Miss Ida Schmidt, a daughter of Adam and Laura (Frankenhausen) Schmidt, her natal day being the 27th of November, 1881. Mr. Schmidt, who was born in Germany, December 27, 1838, emigrated to the United States with his parents when a youth of sixteen years, locating in the vicinity of Sheffield, Illinois. He migrated from Illinois to Poweshiek county, settling in Sheridan township, where he worked as a farm hand for two years. Subsequently he bought a good farm, in the cultivation of which he was engaged during the remainder of his active career. He passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Zella Matzen, of Chester township, on the 15th of August, 1905. Mrs. Schmidt was born in Ottawa, Illinois, in 1860, and in 1881 she was married to Mr. Schmidt. She only lived to be thirty-eight years of age, her demise occurring on the 28th of January, 1898. One child has been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Stecher: Hazel, whose birth occurred on the 15th of August, 1901, and who is a pupil of district No. 9 school, Sheridan township.

Mrs. Stecher and daughter are members of the German Lutheran church of Malcom township, and politically Mr. Stecher is affiliated with the republican party. He takes an active and helpful interest in local affairs and for the past six years has been serving as treasurer of school board district No. 9, Sheridan township. Mr. Stecher is recognized as one of the representative and substantial farmers of the township in which he has resided for so many years, and where both he and his wife are highly regarded.