CHRISTIAN KROGER

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Christian Kroger and Mrs. Christian Kroger

Christian Kroger, a prominent and progressive farmer of Center township, Cedar county, is one of those who claim Germany as the place of their nativity and in the new world have met with success and prosperity as the result of the wise utilization of the opportunities here offered. Born in Holstein, Germany, on the 8th of May, 1856, he is a son of Paul and Margaret (Grell) Kroger, also natives of that country, where the mother passed away. The father, with his children, crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1871, making his way direct to Iowa, and he took up his abode in Scott county, remaining there for some time. He then joined his son Christian in Wisconsin, where the latter had gone in 1876, and there his death occurred January 17, 1890.

Of a family of three children Christian Kroger was the second in the order of birth and is now the only surviving member, his elder brother, Henry, passing away in Scott county, while a sister died in infancy. He acquired his education in the schools of his native land and as a youth of fifteen years accompanied his father on his removal to the new world. Making his home in Scott county, Iowa, for five years, in 1876 he went to Wisconsin, and was identified with agricultural interests there for a number of years. He became owner of a farm of two hundred and forty acres in Trempealeau county, that state, which he sold however, before his return to Iowa in 1894. The summer and fall months were spent in Scott county, and then, in the latter part of that year, he purchased his present farm, comprising one hundred and sixty acres on section 32, Center township, Cedar county. He is also the owner of ten acres of timber land. During the sixteen years of his connection with agricultural interests in this county he has acquired a degree of prosperity that is the logical result of well directed efforts and intelligently applied labors, and his farm, under his wise management, has been brought to a high state of cultivation, indicating in its attractive and well kept appearance the practical and progressive methods of its owner. He has placed many improvements upon the place, and it is now one of the valuable properties of the locality.

It was on May 29, 1879, that Mr. Kroger was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Schmidt, a daughter of Joachim and Sophia Schmidt, both of whom passed away in Wisconsin. The father was a farmer in that state. Mrs. Kroger was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, on the 13th of October, 1859, and as a little maid came with her parents to the United States in 1866. By her marriage to Mr. Kroger she became the mother of seven children, all natives of Wisconsin with the exception of the youngest, whose birth occurred in Iowa. They are as follows: Emma, the wife of George Wehde, of Cass township; Minnie, who passed away at the age of three years; Fritz, at home; Ella, who became the wife of Hans Wehde, of Center township; Sophia, also at home; Louise, who died at the age of two years; and Chris, still under the parental roof.

Possessed of those sturdy elements which are the salient qualities of the German race, Mr. Kroger has also, during his many years’ residence in this country, become imbued with that spirit of progress so characteristic of the American people, and these qualities he has ever manifested in the conduct of his business affairs, becoming one of the substantial and prosperous farmers of Center township and one of the representative citizens of the community. Both he and his wife were reared in the Lutheran faith and still cling to the belief though they are not members of any church. In politics he is a democrat and has served as school director here for two terms and for nine years during his residence in Wisconsin.