Fred
Pahlas for the past five years has been retired
from active cares, his residence being at Elkader. The
competence which he has acquired for old age was made by
years of hard and earnest labor, for he was long numbered
among the enterprising and industrous farmers of Clayton
County, and now he is enjoying the fruits of his former
toil surrounded by comforts nad many of the luxuries of
life. His success is well merited as he commenced life as
a poor man and persistently and bravely has fought its
battles, becoming victorious. He has money invested in
various enterprises and is the owner of considerable land
in this vicinity. In all local affairs he has been
interested and active, being especially identified in
securing good roads and educational facilities.
A native of Germany, the birth of Mr. Pahlas occurred in
1822, and his father, whose Christian name was Peter,
passed his entire life in the Fatherland. The boyhood of
our subject was passed in his native land, and in his
mother tongue he secured a good education. He continued
to reside in Germany until he was thirty years of age,
when he decided to try his fortunes in the New World;
accordingly in 1852 he bade adieu to the scenes and
friends of his youth and after many weeks on the briny
deep landed at his destination, New York City. Going to
the coal regions of Pennsylvania he settled at Mauch
Chunk, Carbon County, where he was employed i the coal
industry for five years. Learning of the opportunities
afforded in the west to an ambitious and industrious
young man he started for Iowa in 1857, becoming the owner
of land in Clayton County. He improved and operated a
large farm successfully until 1889, when he found that he
had acquired a sufficient fortune to last him during the
remainder of his years, and he then retired, making his
home in Elkader, where he has a pleasant residence.
In 1852 occurred the marriage of Mr. Pahlas and Amelia
Scholse, a native of Germany, and to them were born seven
children, three of whom are living: Henry; Amelia, who is
the wife of William Schulte; and Sarah, who is the wife
of John Miller. The children have all recieved good
school advantages and have been reared in the faith of
the Lutheran Church, of which their parents are members.
In regard to politics Mr. Pahlas uses his ballot and
influence in support of the Democratic party. For over
forty years Mrs. Pahlas has been a devoted and faithful
helpmate to her husband along the journey of life, and
has ably seconded his efforts for aquiring a competence,
and in every other way has endeavored to cheer and aid
him. They are both much respected early settlers of
Clayton County, in whose welfare they have always taken
great interest and have been important factors in its
growth and progress. Mr. Pahlas has endeavored in his
life to follow the teaching of the Golden Rule and has
been strictly exact and just in all his business dealings
with his fellows. He possesses the characteristics which
are so often found in the sturdy Germans, uprightness of
purpose, thrift and industry in business affairs. He is
truly a self-made man, as when he landed in America he
was almost entirely without capital and has only arrived
at his present condition of prosperity through years of
hard and unwearied toil.
~source: Portrait
and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton
Counties; Chicago: Chapman Pub. Co., 1894; pg 183-184
-transcribed by Sharyl Ferrall
|
