More than sixty years ago, as a lad of about five
years, Gerhardt Henry William Niemann accompanied his
parents on their immigration to America from
Germany and virtually his entire life since that time
has been passed on his fine homestead farm, in
Jefferson township, where his parents established
their home soon after their arrival in America.
The sterling citizen to whom this sketch is dedicated
has long been known as one of the representative
agriculturists and stock-growers of Jefferson
township, has been influential in community affairs
of a public order and has so ordered his course as to
make his example well worthy of emulation and as to
gain and retain the high regard of those with
whom he has come in contact in the varied relations
of life. Though he is nearing the psalmist's
span of three score years and ten, he is still
vigorous of mind and physical powers and finds
satisfaction in giving a general supervision to the
work and management of his valuable and extensive
farm.
Mr. Niemann was born in the Kingdom of Hanover,
Germany, on the 16th of November, 1848, and is a son
of Herman and Maria (Enger) Niemann, who were born
and reared in Hanover, where they continued their
residence until 1853, when they came to America and
established their residence on the pioneer farm from
which has been developed the fine landed estate now
owned and occupied by their son Gerhardt H. W., of
this review, he being the elder of their two
surviving children, and his sister, Mary, being the
wife of Henry Brandt, a well known citizen of
Garnavillo. The father reclaimed his land to
cultivation and was one of the sturdy and progressive
pioneers who did effective service in connection with
the civic and industrial development and upbuilding
of Clayton county. When well advanced in years
he and his wife removed to the village of Garnavillo,
where they passed the remainder of their lives in the
repose and prosperity that properly crowned their
earnest and industrious labors of preceding years,
both having been zealous communicants of the Lutheran
church, in which he served a number of years as
trustee.
Under the conditions and influences of the pioneer
farm Gerhardt H. W. Niemann was reared to maturity,
and in the meanwhile he attended the schools of the
locality and laid the foundation for the broad and
practical education which he was later to gain under
that wise headmaster--experience. He continued
his association with the work and management of the
home farm until he was thirty years of age, when he
purchased eighty acres of the same, to which he later
added two hundred and thirty acres, so that he now
has a splendid landed estate of three hundred and ten
acres, upon which he erected the substantial and
modern buildings that now mark the farm, and on which
he gives his active attention to properly diversified
agriculture and to the raising of horses, cattle and
swine of excellent grades. Through his own
ability and efforts he has achieved large and worthy
prosperity, and the owner of so fine a farm as his is
to be considered fortunate indeed. Taking a
loyal interest in all things pertaining to the
communal welfare, Mr. Niemann served thirteen years
as township trustee and several years as a member of
the school board. His political allegiance is
given to the Democratic party and in the Lutheran
church, of which both he and his wife have long been
active and valued communicants he held for a number
of years the office of trustee.
On the 19th of January, 1883, was solemnized the
marriage of Mr. Niemann to Miss Augusta Schutte, who
was born in Jefferson township, this county, on the
8th of January, 1865, and whose parents, Henry and
Enga Schutte, there established their home on a
pioneer farm upon their immigration to America from
Prussia, Germany, in the early '50s, both having here
passed the reminder of their lives on the old
homestead and both having been lifelong members of
the Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Niemann have
six children, Alma, Louis H., Edward and Alvina, who
remain at the parental home, and the two older
children are Mary and William H., the former being
the wife of William Hernish, of Bremer county, and
the latter being engaged in farming in Butler county.
source: History of
Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical
Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price,
Vol. II; pg. 301-302
~transcribed by Keith Schrader
