Meier George Hilpert

HILPERT, RABER, MEIER, ENGLEBRIGHT, ROTH, WIRE, HALLOWAY, BOLER, BROWN, LAZENBY, WILLIAMS, STROMATEN, JANNEY, MAGOHAN, FICHTENMUELLER

Posted By: Connie Waddell (email)
Date: 6/6/2011 at 17:11:44

Transcribed from Chronological Biography of M.G. Hilpert (son of Charles W. F. Hilpert) Sept 12, 1949:

Father C.W.F. Hilpert, Born Feb 15, 1850, Died Dec 14, 1879 at age 29 yrs, 9 mo., 29 days; a Bavarian blacksmith
Mother Mary (Roth) Hilpert-Raber, Born May 23, 1854, died June 5, 1886, at age 32 yrs, 0 mo., 10 days, maid to J. Wyers (Meyers?) family
Foster Father John D. Meier, born ?? 1832 (about), died Aug 2, 1890, at age 58 yrs, expert German painter.
Foster Mother Aleza (Englebright) Meier-Wire, born June 24, 1839, died Apr 28, 1914, at age 74 yrs., 10 mos., 3 days
M.G. Hilpert born July 20, 1876, at Farmington, Van Buren Co, Iowa, in J.D. Meier’s front room Lost father at age 3 yrs, 4 mo, 24 days; mother at 9 yrs., 10 mos.,13 days, foster father at 14 yrs.,12 days, foster mother at 37 yrs, 10 mos.,8 days.
Carried names of Charley G. Hilpert to age 4, Charley G Raber to age 10, Charley G Meier to age 21, Meier George Hilpert as legal name

Charles W. F. Hilpert, a blacksmith, and his apprentice J Charles Raber, son of F. W. Raber and C.W.F. Hilpert’s oldest sister (Elizabeth Hilpert), both courted Mary Roth, a maid of fine old Meyers family of Keokuk, Iowa (Hilpert’s, Raber’s, and Roth’s all Lutherans).

The eldest, Fred Hilpert—cooperage factory—having been responsible for bringing three sisters and 2 brothers Christian and Charles W.F. to Keokuk, Iowa; CWFH at age 13 years. Two elder Hilpert sisters remained in Bavaria—Unter and Ober Rodach bie Kronach. Mary Roth, an American citizen; parents(?) of Donnelson, Iowa and Buffalo, NY

Upon CWFH marrying Mary Roth, his sister Mrs. F.W. Raber, started a frightful feud against Mary R., which carried on after her son married Mary R. Hilpert and to myself her Hilpert son. J.C. Raber having no say, the old Raber’s constantly threatening my mother Mary R.H. Raber with terrible scenes during her continuous illness (consumption same as C. E. F. H.), so that one month before her death she fled to Farmington, Iowa, and had J.D. Meyer adopt her son-myself-then Charles G. Raber. Adoption papers dated May 17, 1886 the name to be Charles G Hilpert and mother died June 3, 1886, 16 days later, the trip from Keokuk to Farmington, 30 miles plus delay at washout on the Rock Island R.R. having hastened her death

To J.C. Raber and MRHR were born Benedict F Raber, born 1882 and Willie Raber, born in 1886, a month or so before mother’s death and living but two months after mother’s death. J.C. Raber learned his trade from his uncle, i.e. my father C.W.F. Hilpert

Meier George Hilpert’s early education frightfully slow, as a child just liked to do things—no memory, just dumb—second reader too hard when arriving at Farmington at age 9 years, 10 months, 13 days. Foster mother could not read or write, signed her X, had no children of her own, a wonderful pioneer woman; midwife for M.G. Hilpert (parents were roomers in J.D. Meier home) and for B.F. Raber (his parents then renters on half block lot of J.D. Meier in Farmington), also mid-wife for many Farmington mothers and known as Aunty Meier until death. J.D. Meier age 54 when adopting M.G.H. and almost completely deaf except for M.G.H.’s screech and his wife’s lip speech Wife age 47 at adoption.

Aleza Meier married Fred Wire (about 3 years after J.D. Meier’s death) on whose farm M.G.H. spent several vacations while at S. Univ. of Iowa, 1895-’98. Life at the Meier home so new and wonderful but continuous work at so many different things, so much to learn—hence M.G.H.’s life interest was to please and work, and his best loved was his foster father J. D. Meier. Who was paralyzed July 15, and starved to death August 2, 1890.

J. D. Meier never advised anyone of his age, birthplace, or religion, but seems to have had a wonderful education, sold a trunk-full of paintings in New York City; bought the finest gun outfit obtainable and trekked west, living with different Indian tribes for four years west of Chicago, then with other tribes down the Mississippi River to Louisiana, thence with knowledge of tribes took Schooner Trains across to California. Due to exposure, he gradually lost all hearing, so that during the Civil War he had to hide away in California mining towns, leaving his bride Aleza on a farm in Missouri. J. D. spoke and read German, English, and Latin. He had no use for religion, said work, study of nature and of honesty to fellow men would keep him busy until death. He had the most beautiful yard and garden in Farmington, and was a most esteemed citizen.

Aleza suggested Charlie go to Methodist Sunday school to learn German. This seemed OK to J.D. until he found out about his dumbness in school, then insisted on “school” first. After J.D.’s death, Aleza suggested we go to the Christian (Carmelite) Church whose minister passed our house daily and about 1891 or ’92 Aleza and Charlie were baptized by Pastor Hallowey in the Des Moines River at Farmington to the ridicule of older Lutheran, Methodist, especially German church goers. Farmington, with a population of 2000 plus, then had 15 sects and 11 churches, each in competition such that Methodists would pass on the other side of the street to see who attended i.e. a Baptist ice cream social, etc. Charles attended Sunday school, church, helped build the new church, and taught Sunday school class during his senior year in high school. then served as Superintendent of Sunday School and deacon 1994-96 while teaching school. (Two terms school, 2 months W.J. “Spring” at Selubria, 3 mi south of Farmington on the Des Moines River and Sept to March “Winter” at Harmony 4 mi N.E. of Farmington. Selubria was the name of a Theist settlement of English (called atheists – to deride- by Farmington’s later settlers) who being better penitents than farmers drifted away. Sr. Boler, a most respected citizen, being the last.

Charles was elated with Halloway’s sermon “Proof of God”-“The number of god’s elements identical with the number of the Bibles books.” (Later checking up found both in bad error) Up to this point was pleased with the church, since it protected, taught, socialized, married, and buried its members, but also learned it would stretch the truth (did for me), lie (got my school certificate a year or two before law allowed), and that it was good business (for all members in business- our Contractor made good money on the Church then dropped out). C.H.M then learned the dictum “Give me the child until he is seven, etc”.

On entering the State University of Iowa Sept ’95, I phoned the minister of the Christian Church for an appointment (largest congregation in Iowa City), a Mr. Brown, then advised I was on borrowed money from a maiden seamstress; was eating two meals a day, was there on a $825 State scholarship and would have to work Sundays (State University of Iowa signs and programs and later county geology maps for Professor Samuel Calvin, Volumes VI and VII). Successful Mr. Brown would listen to no arguments, advising I must join his young people’s activities, come to church regularly one or two evenings a week plus all day Sunday or I would never be successful in anything I undertook and he bid me out, since he had an appointment. (I was sad and frightened. It was my first telephone, my first inside a parish parlor like that, so in my dumb way I decided to forget it all)

That fall I won a $100 dollar Spaulding bicycle by counting water power revolutions per minute every time I passed Bloom’s –in front of Campus- then averaging, so decided my God approved.

Incidentally, my wife E.E. Hilpert was never a member of her mother’s German Lutheran Church nor of the Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school for years. We were married by a Justice of the Peace, D.M. Lazenby. All of my children were named by their parents and not christened, although the Bethlehem Globe-Times of Bethlehem PA printed christened for Conrad, when I asked “why the change?”, was advised they would print only “christened” also children were allowed to go to Sunday school until they wished to quit. I did once wish to enter then in the South Side Episcopal Church, but E.E. Hilpert demurred.

To perpetuate your kind is biological, done even better by the birds and beasts then by the human, and so it is the only the dumb who persist in doing it. To bring too many children into the world is a curse on them and all other humans. The church says not, and preaches “beget” to satisfy their young and dumb, and to increase their kind. So given a brain ‘tis better to show some other child, that is here, how to live and especially to preach continued and much temperance in having children, then to have a child of your own. If you are of the garden variety, these words have not been spoken for you.

Until age sixteen or so had been too busy and too dumb to think much but had thought I would like to be a minister (Aunty thought a grocer much better). So asked (had no close friends) our then Christian minister, one Williams (Halloway left the year after my baptism) and he warmed right up to my idea.
He went to great lengths to tell me why he had become a preacher. Having a very poor education – grammar grade- he became a Wabash RR brakie- then long hours, in the weather, too much away from his wife, etc, etc. He wanted something easier (he was then my Iowa idea of a royal lazy-fatty) so hit on religion. It was just the ticket. Two years in a divinity school, with everybody helping (even I, a kid, pitied the poor wife and three children) he made it! Ever after get up when you pleased except on Sunday, no work, read some sermon books and crib, asked out by parishioners with a chicken dinner most every time, the LIFE. The clincher that proved he had really been a RR man was that he told me my first adult dirty joke.

I had always thought well of RR work especially engineers (as do boys of 5 now) I at 16 decided the minister had decided for me that I’d be an engineer. Then in US history learned the George Washington was an engineer, but a different kind. If it was good enough for him, it sure was for me. Thus, with the encouragement of Aunty and Mary E, I left Farmington for Iowa City and found after entering that Engineering embraced other things besides surveying. Thus started a prime dummy (at least till age 12) and always slow to “catch on”, your father.

At State University of Iowa I was quite a dynamo, had found that work and more work not only made up for lack of friends and ability to ever “catch on” but gave one every satisfaction he wants in life, provided he wills to be honest and does at all times what he believes to be right. I soon found that State University of Iowa had little to offer in engineering, poor old Professor Magohan, who taught it, had consumption and I was afraid to handle even his pencil because all my Keokuk relatives thought I’d be dead before age 21 and I was nearing that age.

So, life at University of Iowa was not pleasant, but I had one thing in my favor, I could draw and paint anything anyone asked me to think up (due to his training with J.D. Meier) English Profs fool English charts, geology professor- maps and sketches for books, literary activities- programs, Junior Annual, of course all for small money so by working night and day plus thank god my Sundays, I had enough money, just, to graduate in three years vs. four. Had gone sour on State University of Iowa’s engineering course in freshman year so I decided to pile on credits to see if I could earn my living drafting which when I found I could seemed too easy, i.e. I guess I could not work hard enough at it!

Thus State University was anything but a happy life. I had Frank A. Stromsten as a roommate for two years. Then since my alarm clock going off at any time of night bothered him, had me a cheap room where I could spread work all around and crash in between. At Cornell, with work in five different years to balance out in two years life was even more severe but I seemed to thrive on it, no close friends except possibly W.T. Janey, no social life whatsoever and none missed and now at 74 I would not change a day, just why waste time idling when there will be eons “after”.
July 17, 1909 married Miss Emma E. Fichtenmueller, public school teacher of Farmington Iowa a ---girl who as a child I had always pitied because of her very nervous and ill tempered mother.

--- ---- frightful young deaths, Uncle George, Father, Mother, and others –10 cousins, I decided to not marry until 30.