Ernst Meisner, son of Fred and Dorothea (Liebskind) Meisner, was born in Aldenburg, Saxony, Germany, on May 10, 1828. His father was a wagon-maker by trade, and after Ernst had received a good common-school education, he also learned that business, and in 1852 came alone to the United States. He followed his trade in Detroit, Mich., six weeks; in Barnesburg, O., two years, and in Chicago, Ill., three months. He was married there to Christina Schmidt, on Sept. 11, 1854. She was born in Trabnitz, Saxony, Germany, and was a daughter of George F. and Dorothea (Schuman) Schmidt. Their union has been blessed with ten children, six living--Louis, Charles, Rynhold, Frank, Clara and William. After Mr. and Mrs. Meisner were married they moved to Batavia, Ill., and in the fall of 1855 came to Elkader, Ia. He worked at his trade there six years, and in October, 1860, settled on the farm he now owns on section 18, Boardman Township. He owns 100 acres in this township and 120 in Highland Township, all under good cultivation, except twenty acres of timber. In politics Mr. Meisner is a Republican. source: History of Clayton County, Iowa, 1882, p. 663 |