O. W. SCHIELE

View Portrait of O. W. Schiele

O. W. Schiele is one of the extensive landowners of Cedar county, his holdings embracing eight hundred and eighty acres, a fact which is indicative of an active and well spent life, for at the time of his arrival in this county in 1880 he had but eighty acres. He is therefore justly classed with the men of discriminating intelligence and of unfaltering energy, and his life indicates what may be accomplished when ambition and energy constitute the keynote of character.

Mr. Schiele was born in Prussia, Germany, March 19, 1853. His father, Carl Schiele, was also a native of that country and on coming to America in 1854 settled in Montpelier township, Muscatine county, Iowa. He had wedded Wilhelmina Wattenburg, also a native of Germany, and two years later the family came to the new world. He settled upon a tract of eighty acres of timber land which he converted into a fine farm, at once undertaking the difficult task of clearing away the trees and preparing the soil for cultivation. That he succeeded is evidence by the fact that at the time of his death he was the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of valuable farm land in this state. He continued to reside upon the farm in Muscatine county until called to his final rest. His widow afterward made her home with her son, O. W. Schiele, and for over twenty-four years she lived with him. The family of Carl and Wilhelmina Schiele numbered four sons and a daughter who reached mature years: Charles, formerly of Cedar county but now a resident of Davenport, who for years served as county supervisor; Fred W., deceased, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; Minnie, the deceased wife of Frank Thoene, also deceased; Julius, residing in Muscatine county; and O. W., of this review.

Upon his father’s farm in Muscatine county O. W. Schiele spent the days of his boyhood. His education was limited to that afforded by the district schools. He was twenty-seven years of age when, in 1880, he came to Cedar county, where he owned eighty acres of land. He resolutely set to work to cultivate and improve this property, and the good crops which he gathered enabled him in time to purchase other land. He carried on farming and also continued to invest in property until he is now the owner of eight hundred and eighty acres, including what is known as the Prairie Bovine Stock Farm. He operates four hundred and eighty acres of his land himself and rents the remainder. He is successfully as well as extensively engaged in general farming and cattle-raising and feeding, and in all departments of farm work his knowledge is practical and his labors remunerative. He lives in a home adjoining the corporation limits of Durant, which he erected in 1901 and which could not be replaced for ten thousand dollars. In addition to his farming interests he is a stockholder and director of the Durant Savings Bank.

On April 22, 1880, Mr. Schiele was married to Miss Clara Paul, and unto them was born a daughter, Ida, a young lady now at home. For his second wife Mr. Schiele chose Miss Anna E. Hartz, a daughter of Marx H. Hartz, and they were married January 19, 1892. As previously stated theirs is one of the beautiful homes of this section of the county. Large and commodious, it is built in modern style of architecture, has a complete water system, supplying both hard and soft water to the house which is piped hot and cold to the different rooms. The home is heated by furnace and is most tastefully furnished, while the grounds are a fitting environment for so attractive a residence.

In his political views Mr. Schiele has always been a stalwart republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He has served as school director but otherwise has filled no public office. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Durant and enjoys the warm regard of his brethren of the fraternity, and this is not to be marveled at as he wins friends wherever he goes, owing to his genial, jovial nature, his kindly disposition and his respect for the opinions of others. In business affairs he has manifested keen discrimination, clear insight and unfaltering sagacity, has not been afraid of industry and by the intelligent direction of his labors has reached a position among the most prosperous agriculturists of Cedar county.