Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcribed by Sharon Elijah November 1, 2020

A native son of Iowa and one of its successful business men and farmers, Henry Meyers is now living retired at Carroll in the enjoyment of a handsome competence which he acquired by many years of industry. He was born in Dubuque county, Iowa, February 28, 1849, a son of Christopher and Mary (Eslinger) Meyers, both born in Westphalia, Germany. The father was reared in the old country and after arriving at manhood came to America and worked in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. He was married in the Keystone state and subsequently settled in Dubuque county, Iowa, where he purchased two hundred acres of government land. He was a good farmer and by his well applied labor largely increased the value of his property. He passed away about thirty years ago, at the age of sixty-five, and Mrs. Meyers died a number of years later, being also about sixty-five years of age. The father was a consistent member of the Lutheran church, while the mother was a Catholic. There were fourteen children in their family, nine sons and five daughters, eight of whom are now living, namely: Henry, of this review; John and Christ, twins, both living in Carroll county; Albert, who lives on the family homestead; Peter and Benjamin, both of Dubuque county; Catharine, the wife of Peter Clemens, of Dubuque county; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Bernard Jordan, also of Dubuque county. The paternal grandfather passed his entire life in Germany and was twice married. The maternal grandfather came to America and was one of the pioneers of Dubuque county, Iowa. He had one son and several daughters.

Henry Meyers was reared on his father’s farm and attended the district schools. He continued at home until he had reached the age of manhood and his father then gave him one hundred acres of land in Chickasaw county, Iowa. After improving the land he sold it and in 1876 came to Carroll county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Roselle township. He was very successful as an agriculturist and stock-raiser and added one hundred and sixty acres to his farm, also acquiring eighty acres in Eden township, all of which he brought to a high state of cultivation. In 1906 he removed to Carroll, having purchased a handsome residence, and has since lived retired in that city. He has disposed of all his land except one hundred and sixty acres.

On the 26th of February, 1871, Mr. Meyers was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Rosauer, who was born in Cologne, Germany, October 2, 1850, a daughter of Joseph and Nellie (Demmer) Rosauer. Ten children came to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Meyers, three of whom died in infancy. Joseph, the eldest, is a graduate of the State Agricultural College at Ames and of the law department of the State University at Iowa City. He was admitted to the bar and practiced in Carroll several years, then moving to Spokane, Washington, and later taking up his residence in Texas. He married Celia Wolfe, of Carroll, and they have one daughter, Rita. Frank, the second in order of birth is a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago and is a successful practicing physician of Dubuque, Iowa. Louis passed away at the age of eighteen years. Harry graduated from the Carroll high school and the Denver Dental College and is now practicing dentistry in the city of Denver, Colorado. Caroline married Joseph Arts, vice president of the German-American Bank of Carroll and they have three children, Baldwin, Bernardette and Louisa. Adelaide became the wife of Maurice Wolfe, of Carroll, and they now reside in Jerome, Idaho, and have two daughters, Helen and Maxine. Olive lives at home and is a school-teacher of Carroll county.

The parents of Mrs. Meyers were born in Cologne, Germany, and in 1853 came to America and spent the first two years in New Orleans, Louisiana. They then moved to Mendota, Illinois, where they lived until 1864, when they took up their residence in Floyd county, Iowa. Mr. Rosauer passed away at the home of his son at Danbury, Iowa, in June, 1911, aged eighty-nine. His wife died in 1888, having arrived at the age of sixty-four. Seven of their children grew to maturity, namely: Kate, Mary and Carrie, all of whom are deceased; Nellie, now Mrs. Henry Meyers; Lizzie, who lives near Coon Rapids, Iowa; and Peter and Joseph, both of whom live at Danbury, Iowa. Henry Rosauer, the paternal grandfather, married Nellie Kiper in Germany, came to this country and established their home in Floyd county, Iowa. He died at the age of sixty-three, while the wife passed away in her eighty-ninth year. They had two sons, Joseph and Henry. Peter Demmer, the grandfather on the maternal side, married Christina Demmer and they had two daughters, Nellie and Mary.

Politically Mr. Meyers is in hearty accord with the democratic party whose principles appeal to him as being essential to the preservation of the republic. He is a genuine friend of education, as is shown by the rare advantages possessed by his children, and he served very acceptably as a member of the school board. In religious belief he and his wife adhere to the Catholic church and are earnest followers of its teachings. In business affairs Mr. Meyers has always been governed by upright principles and is greatly esteemed as an intelligent and progressive citizen of the commonwealth.

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