Capt. William Austin Wier (1831-1917)

WIER, WELLINGTON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/16/2024 at 22:10:01

From Story City Herald February 1, 1917 (page 1)

CAPT. W. A. WIER HAS PASSED AWAY

Third of the Local Veterans to Die in Last Three Weeks

The people of this community were greatly surprised Monday morning when the news spread over town that Capt. W. A. Wier had passed away the evening before, as nobody knew that he had been ill.

And he had not been ill.

Death came to him with scarcely a moment's warning. Of course, he had been gradually become more and more feeble of late years but on the whole he was in his usual good health as he prepared to retire.

About eight o'clock Sunday evening, as he was going to bed, he asked for clean underwear, so that he might make his customary change. Suddenly he felt of his heart, saying that he did not feel right, and in another moment he fell back in the bed and his heart had ceased to function.

So the old veteran and prominent pioneer of Story City has passed to his reward. He was nearly 86 years old. He had been getting ready for the last summons for some time and the suddenness of his death was as he had wished.

William Austin Wier was born at Pittston, Rensselaer County, New York, May 2nd, 1831, and died at Story City, Iowa, on January 28th, 1917.

In 1850, at the age of 20, he shipped as a seaman on the the whaling ship "Franklin" and was gone on a cruise of about three years, mostly in the waters of the northern Pacific ocean.

Returning to New York state he again took up school teaching.

He was married to Charlotte Wellington on February 21, 1854. To this union 5 children (all boys) were born, only 2 of whom survive him, namely Charles F. Wier of Story City and William H. Wier of Swan; 9 grandchildren and 3 great grand children live after him.

Captain and Mrs. Wier moved to Story county in the year 1856, living the first winter in Iowa with his uncle, Franklin Wier, about 2 miles northeast of this place, in Howard township. In the spring of 1857 he moved to the site of old Story City, which was then known as Fairview.

In 1859 be bought his first piece of land in Iowa, being the 40 acre tract where he lived at the time of his death.

Soon after the civil war commenced he enlisted as a private with others of this community, serving over 3 years and returning a Captain in rank. We think he is the last of the company in which he originally enlisted, Eric Larson and John Ritland preceding him a short time ago.

At one time he was acting county Superintendent. He was the first Mayor of Story City, and was a Justice of the Peace for many years.

If he had lived until May 2nd next he would have been 86 years old. If he had lived until February 21st next he would have been married 63 years. At the time of his death, we believe he was the oldest of the pioneer inhabitants of Story City and LaFayette Township.

Capt. Wier was one of the first organizers of E. L. Sheldahl Post G. A. R. and was its first commander, and he had been a member of the Masonic Lodge for about...