JACOB ESCHER

Jacob Escher, a well known resident of Tipton, claims Germany as the land of his birth, for he was born in Wurtemberg, August 9, 1832. He is a son of George and Rosena (Stout) Escher, but lost his father when only nine years old and his mother when fourteen. He was the third in order of birth in a family of six children, the others being Christian, George, Johannes, Mark and Rosena, but he was the only one of the number to come to the United States. He was practically reared and educated in his native land and there served four years’ apprenticeship to the building stone-cutter’s trade.

Resolved to seek his fortune in the new world, he crossed the broad Atlantic in a sailing vessel, which was forty-seven days in making the passage from Havre to New York. Out of the four hundred passengers that went on board fifty-seven died of cholera before they reached this country and the remainder were nearly starved as the rations were so poor. At length, however, Mr. Escher landed in safety, reaching Philadelphia on the 17th of November, 1852. He resided there for some time, working at his trade, but in April, 1858, became a resident of Cedar county, Iowa, where for two years he continued to follow the same occupation, being the principal stone-cutter on the erection of the court-house in Tipton. In 1865 he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in Red Oak township and was then engaged in agricultural pursuits until his return to Tipton in 1891. Ten years ago he disposed of that farm to his son but still owned a half section of land when he left the farm. He now has a quarter section in Plymouth county, Iowa, but is living retired at present, enjoying the fruits of former toil.

On the 1st of January, 1856, Mr. Escher married Mrs. Fredericka (Grabb) Sheefer, the widow of John Sheefer, by whom she had a daughter, Rosa S., who took the name of our subject. She is now the wife of H. L. Grubb, of Kingsley, Iowa. The children born to our subject and his wife are: Louise, the wife of Lon Fraseur, living near Tipton; Julia, the widow of John E. Burkett, of Watsonville, California; George H., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; Sarah, the wife of W. F. Wirick, also represented on another page of this volume; and Emma, the wife of Francis F. Patterson, of San Jose, California. The wife and mother, who was born September 27, 1830, passed away on the 23d of March, 1900. For over half a century Mr. Escher has been a faithful member of the Lutheran church and for thirty years served as one of its elders. His life has ever been upright and honorable, and he well deserves the high esteem in which he is universally held.