GEORGE WILLER

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George Willer and Mrs. George Willer

For thirty-two years George Willer was a resident of Cedar county and throughout that period was connected with agricultural pursuits. Diligently devoting his time to the development of his farm, he won success that placed him among the substantial residents of the community and in time gained for him a competence that enabled him to spend the evening of his life in well earned retirement from labor.

A native of Bavaria, he was born in Frankenthal, near the city of Edigheim, Germany, February 23, 1827, a son of Michael and Mary (Kaiser) Willer, who in 1839 sailed from Germany for the new world and established their home near Pomeroy, Ohio. At a later date they became residents of Cedar county, Iowa, where the remainder of their lives was passed. Their children were George, Katharine, Mary, Wendell, Peter, John and Minnie, all of whom have now passed away with the exception of John, a resident of Moville, Iowa, and Mary Sauvage, of Colorado.

George Willer spent the first twelve years of his life in his native land and in 1839 accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new world. His youthful days were spent in the Buckeye state, where he continued to reside until his removal to Cedar county, Iowa, in 1865. Believing that better opportunities were furnished in this section of the country, he traveled westward until he had crossed the Mississippi and, locating upon a farm south of Tipton, he devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits throughout the remainder of his active business life. In early manhood he was employed as a laborer for several years and for four years worked in a rolling mill, but the greater part of his time was devoted to farming, and the practical experience which he gained in early manhood enabled him to so direct his labors in later years that prosperity attended his undertakings. As his financial resources increased he added to his property from time to time and became the owner of four hundred and eighty-five acres of well improved land in this county.

Before leaving Ohio Mr. Willer was married, on the 3d of January, 1852, to Miss Julia Thress, who was born in Manndel, in the city of Kreutznacht, Prussia, Germany, June 21, 1826, a daughter of Jacob and Katharine (Thress) Thress. Mrs. Willer was one of a family of five children, the others being: John, who lives near Cincinnati, Ohio; Mrs. Margaret Ohlinger, of Pomeroy, Ohio; Philip, deceased; and Mrs. Katharine Rider, who has also passed away. It was in 1849 that the Thress family came to the new world, settling in Ohio, where the parents continued to reside until death, their home being near Pomeroy.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. George Willer were born eleven children, namely: Mary, now the wife of Jacob Marquart, of Lawton, Woodbury county, Iowa; Julia, who is with her mother in Tipton; Wendell, of Center township, Cedar county; John, a resident of Tipton; Minnie, the wife of Jacob Pfarr, of Center township; Peter, whose home is in the same township, near Tipton; Emma, who died September 27, 1876, at the age of eight years, five months and twenty-seven days; and four who died in infancy. The mother still makes her home in Tipton, but the father died in that city September 24, 1897.

After retiring from the active work of the farm Mr. Willer took up his abode in Tipton, where he spent his remaining days with leisure to indulge in those pursuits which were a matter of interest and pleasure to him. Earnest labor had relieved him of the necessity of further toil in order to provide for the wants of the body and, in fact, had brought to him a desirable competence that enabled him to surround himself with all of the comforts and some of the luxuries of life. His record proved the force of industry and determination as factors in success, for he started out empty-handed and, depending upon his own resources, ultimately gained the goal of prosperity.