GEORGE S. KOPPENHAVER

Few residents of Cedar county more richly deserve the proud American title of a self-made man than does George S. Koppenhaver, who being placed out to work at a very early age, has through the intervening years steadily made his way upward until today he is the owner of a valuable farm and is ranked among the substantial and successful business men of his section. Born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of October, 1865, he is a son of George and Katharine (Wolf) Koppenhaver, natives of Pennsylvania, where the father died when the subject was but a year old. The following year the widowed mother came west to Iowa, now making her home in Mechanicsville. Unable to keep the family together, soon after her arrival in this state she was obliged to put them out to work, placing them in good homes. The children, six in number, are all yet living and are as follows: Charles, residing near Mechanicsville; Alice, the wife of William Sosbe; Emma, who wedded John Onstatt, of Nebraska; Fred, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Eugene, a resident of Buchanan, Cedar county; and George S. of this review.

The last named was but two years old when brought to Iowa by his mother who, by dint of hard work and strict economy, was able to send him to the schools of Mechanicsville, where he acquired a good education. At the early age of ten years, however, he began working for various farmers in the locality during the periods of vacation, thus assisting in the support of the family, and when fifteen years old he laid aside his text-books altogether, eager to provide entirely for his own support. He began working by the month as a farm hand and continued in that capacity until his marriage, when, in 1894, he purchased his present farm, thus beginning an independent business career. His independence, however, has been won only at the cost of many years of earnest toil and the strictest economy—years, however, which not only gave him a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the field of labor which he had chosen as his life work, but which also taught him many lessons concerning the value of industry, energy and perseverance, qualities which continued to be salient elements in his subsequent career. His farm, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres located on section19, Cass township, and known as the Maple Grove Stock Farm, is a well improved property, its excellent condition being due largely to the well directed efforts of Mr. Koppenhaver. Most of his attention is given to his stock interests, making a specialty of breeding shorthorn cattle, and he has at present in his pastures fifty-six high grade animals of that breed, with a fine bull, Golden Chief, at the head of the herd. He also raises Norman horses, and has been so successful in the management of his business interests that he is today ranked among the prominent and prosperous stock-raisers of his section of the country.

On the 1st of February, 1894, Mr. Koppenhaver was united in marriage to Miss Ella Herring, who was born in Red Oak township in 1870, a daughter of Albert and Rachel (Boon) Herring. The father is now deceased, while the mother, who still survives, makes her home in Stanwood. To Mr. and Mrs. Koppenhaver have been born three children: Gladys, Leone and Eva.

Mr. Koppenhaver gives his political support to the republican party, but although he has ever been most public spirited in his citizenship, desiring always the best interests of the community, his business affairs have left him little time for participation in public matters, and the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him. Starting out in life empty-handed, being thrown upon his own resources when yet a mere lad, he early developed the qualities of enterprise and self-reliance which have ever characterized his efforts in business life, and the creditable degree of prosperity which he today enjoys is due entirely to his well directed effort and intelligently applied labor.