AUGUST WACKER

August Wacker, the owner of two hundred and fifty acres of land in Cedar county, devotes his time and energies to the pursuits of farming and stock-raising with excellent results. His birth occurred in Holstein, Germany, on the 15th of December, 1857, his parents being Peter and Wilhelmina (Stender) Wacker, who were born, reared and married in that country. The father, who was a builder of gristmills in Holstein, emigrated to the United States in July, 1869, first residing in Davenport, Iowa, for a short time. In May, 1870, he took up his abode in Wilton, Iowa, there working at the wagonmaker’s trade until the time of his retirement from active business life. His demise occurred on the 23d of January, 1896. Unto him and his wife were born ten children, namely: August, of this review; John; Henry; George; Charles; Lena, who is deceased; William; Lottie, who is the wife of Albert Barwold, of Tipton, Iowa; Peter; and Louisa, who gave her hand in marriage to William Brammeier, of Farmington township.

August Wacker attended the German and district schools of Scott and Muscatine counties in pursuit of an education but his parents were in limited financial circumstances and he put aside his text-books at an early age in order that he might provide for his own support. He worked as a farm hand until he had attained the age of twenty-three years and then devoted his attention to the operation of a rented farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Muscatine county for two years. On the expiration of that period he bought eighty acres of his present home place in Farmington township, subsequently adding to his holdings from time to time until he now owns two hundred and fifty acres of fine farming land in Cedar county. A tract of one hundred and sixty acres lies in Farmington township, while the remaining ninety acres are in Sugar Creek township, ten acres thereof being timber land. His undertakings as an agriculturist have been attended with a gratifying measure of success and in connection with the tilling of the soil he also raises considerable stock, feeding a carload of cattle annually. He remodeled his residence, erected barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock and has made the property a most desirable and attractive one.

On the 26th of February, 1880, Mr. Wacker was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Brammeier, a daughter of Henry Brammeier, who is deceased. Our subject and his wife have nine children, as follows: Etta, who is the wife of Frank Marolf and resides in South Dakota; Henry, a twin brother of Etta, who is at home; Della, who is likewise under the parental roof; Eleanor, the wife of Clarence Carl, of Cedar county; Edith, who wedded George Stoll, of Mount Pulaski, Illinois; Emma and Albert, who are also still at home; Edwin, who resides with his sister, Mrs. Stoll, at Mount Pulaski, Illinois; and Richard, at home.

Mr. Wacker is a republican in politics and is now serving as road supervisor for the second term. He and his family belong to the German Lutheran church and are deeply interested in its work. From early life Mr. Wacker has depended upon his own resources for a living. He soon realized that there is no royal road to wealth and that there is no excellence without labor. He found, too, that honesty is the best policy and that success can be most quickly and surely secured through unfaltering perseverance and close application. These qualities have characterized him throughout his entire life and have made him one of the valued and representative farmers and successful business men of Farmington township.