FRED WALTER

Fred Walter, a successful and prosperous farmer residing on section 33, Sugar Creek township, was born on the 25th of March, 1854, in Berne, Switzerland, in which country his parents, Jacob and Barbara (Egley) Walter, spent their entire lives. Surrounded by the beautiful Alps he grew to manhood and was given good educational advantages. At the age of eighteen years he emigrated to the United States and came direct to Cedar county, Iowa, with his uncle, Ludwig Egley, who lived in Sugar Creek township. The latter had returned to his native land on a visit and on again coming to America had brought our subject with him, and he has since made his home in Sugar Creek township. For fourteen years he was in the employ of his uncle and on Mr. Egley’s death was willed eighty acres of land where he now resides. He has since purchased another eighty-acre tract on section 34 in the same township and to the improvement and cultivation of his property he now devotes his entire time and attention with most excellent results, for he is a progressive farmer and thoroughly understands the occupation in which he is engaged.

In 1887 Mr. Walter was united in marriage to Miss Maria Louisa Kirchhofer, a native of Cedar county, who died in 1889 leaving one child, Lulu, now the wife of Henry Grunder, living on a farm belonging to our subject. Mr. Walter was again married in 1890, his second union being with Mary Maurer, who was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, and by her marriage has become the mother of two children, Lilly M. and Fred Edward.

Mr. Walter is the second in order of birth in a family of six children but is the only one of the number to come to the United States. He has never regretted his emigration to this country, however, for he has found excellent opportunities for advancement and is today one of the well-to-do citizens of his community. He is the owner of a well improved and valuable farm and stands high in the community as one of its representative and prominent citizens. He holds membership in the Lutheran church at Wilton, to which his wife also belongs, and she is connected with the Royal Neighbors, while he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.