Oscar Lehman
That Oscar Lehman understands his business as an agriculturist and stockraiser is shown by the orderly appearance of his farm in Charter Oak township, and he is regarded as one of the most industrious and efficient farmers of that section of the county.
A native of Leipsic, Germany, he was born in August, 1861, a son of Albert E. and Augusta (Borsdorf) Lehman. both of whom were also born in Germany. They passed their entire lives in their native land. the father dying in 1892 and the mother five years later. There were five children in their family, two of whom, Oscar and Hans Albert, came to America. The others are still making their homes in the old country.
Oscar Lehman possessed excellent advantages of education in the public schools of Leipsic, which are regarded as among the best in the world, and he is also a graduate of a gymnasium of Germany, which corresponds to many colleges in America. He was an ambitious young man and at the age of nineteen he decided to seek his fortune among strangers. Accordingly he crossed the ocean and spent the first three years in America working by the month in Missouri. He then went to Wyoming, where he devoted his attention to agriculture and stock-raising for seventeen years and became quite successful in a vocation to which he has devoted his best thought and energy. In 1900 he came to Crawford county, Iowa, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres in Charter Oak township, which under his management has been greatly improved. He devotes his attention especially to stock-feeding and is one of the successful stock-feeders of his township.
In 1891 Mr. Lehman was married. One child, Edward, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Lehman, his natal day being February 23, 1892. He received a good common-school education and is now an employe in the Farmers State Bank of Charter Oak.
Politically Mr. Lehman gives his allegiance to the republican party and has served as trustee of his township for two years. Fraternally he is well known in Crawford county, being a member of the Masonic order and the Modern Woodmen of America. In the management of his business affairs he has shown a discrimination and judgment that have produced very satisfactory results and each year witnesses increasing prosperity in his business. He is a public spirited man and, having possessed good advantages of education early in life, he is unusually intelligent and broad-minded. He has seen considerable of the world and has always exercised an influence for advancement in everything with which he has been connected. No man in Charter Oak township deserves more creditable mention in a history of Crawford county than the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this sketch.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.