William F. Steigerwalt, county surveyor and an active and enterprising citizen of Carroll County, engaged in farming on section 31 of Grant Township, was born in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in 1843. He was reared to the avocation of a farmer, and in his youth received good educational advantages. He was engaged in teaching school the greater part of the time from 1863 until 1866, when he went to Philadelphia and completed a course in what was then known as the Quaker City Business College, and here he laid the foundation of a business life and obtained a knowledge of the principles of penmanship, which result in his becoming an excellent scribe. He completed his commercial course in June, 1866, when he assisted his father on the home farm till the following September. He then entered the Pennsylvania State Normal School at Mansfield, Pennsylvania, where he remained three years, taking a regular normal course, and partly scientific course, and at the same time was also instructed in penmanship and bookkeeping. He graduated in 1868, remaining there one year after his graduation. During his last year spent at the normal school he paid special attention to the theory of surveying. He then resumed teaching, and for a time was principal of the school at Donaldson, in the coal regions. After leaving his school at Donaldson he entered the Agricultural College in Center County, Pennsylvania, where he paid special attention to practical surveying, intending to adopt surveying as a business. In the fall of 1870 he came West, and since October of that year has been a resident of Carroll County, and has been prominently identified with the educational interests of the county longer perhaps than any other man. The winter following his arrival in Carroll County he taught school at Carroll, closing his school about the middle of February, when he was prevailed upon to open a select school, which he conducted about four weeks, when he discontinued it, the enterprise proving a failure. He then rented fifty acres of land near Arcadia, intending to locate here, and the next day he rode to Coon Rapids and bought a team and wagon, returning to his farm with a load of seed wheat. He rented this farm with others and together they put up stables, and here kept bachelors’ hall. There had been no permanent settlement made in Arcadia Township at that time. He raised a fine crop the first season. In the spring of 1871, soon after seeding his land, he purchased a half of section 23, Washington Township, paying for the same $5 per acre, and at once located on this land, which he began to improve. Not being accustomed to breaking prairie, he had a hard time of it at first, but after a few weeks he got along better, and that season broke ninety-five acres. In the fall of that year he went back to Pennsylvania, where he taught the following winter, returning to Carroll County in the spring. He then erected a house on his land, which was occupied by his cousin and family for a short time. The place was then occupied by a man named Jason Keys, who came from Indiana, with whom our subject made his home. In the fall of 1873 he was elected county superintendent of the schools of Carroll County, and served in that capacity two years, and at the same time assisted in improving his farm. After his term as superintendent had expired he taught the following winter at Arcadia, when he returned to his farm. In the fall of 1875 he made a trip to Kansas, where he bought property in the town of Larned, and also took up a timber claim. In June, 1876, he went to the Centenial at Philadelphia, as correspondent for the Carroll Herald, remaining there two months. His farm had been rented up to this time, but he had assisted in making improvements, building several houses on the place. In December, 1876, his sister came West with her husband, S. B. Alspach, and settled on his farm. In January, 1878, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Colclo, her father, J. H. Colclo, being one of Carroll County’s pioneers. Four children have been born to this union — Mabel, their eldest child, died aged six years; Garfield was born four days after the election of General Garfield to the Presidency, and was called in honor of him; Blanche and Samuel. In August, 1877, the father of our subject died at his home in Pennsylvania, and the following September he went East to care for his mother and look after his father’s estate. After his marriage he resided for a time in the Carroll House, but since the fall of 1878 he has made his home on section 31 of Grant Township, and now devotes most of his time to agricultural pursuits, although, as before stated, he holds the office of county surveyor. Besides his home farm Mr. Steigerwalt still owns his farm in Washington Township. He takes an active interest in all enterprises for the good of his township or county, and is much respected by a large circle of friends throughout the county.

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