Fred Gienapp, who has been identified with agricultural pursuits in Delaware county for more than a quarter of a century, is now the owner of four hundred and twenty eight acres of productive land on section 10, Richland township. His birth occurred in Germany on the 20th of November, 1863, his parents being Michael and Fredericka Gienapp, who spent their entire lives in that country.
    Fred Gienapp spent the first twenty-five years of his life in the land of his nativity and attended the common schools in pursuit of an education. In 1888, desiring to test the truth of the many favorable reports which had reached him concerning the advantages of the new world, he crossed the Atlantic to the United States and made his way direct to Delaware county, Iowa. Here he was employed by the month by Ben Sheldon for three years and subsequently cultivated a rented farm for nine years. On the expiration of that period he purchased a tract of land west of Forestville, residing thereon for thirteen years before he disposed of the property. He then bought his present farm of four hundred and twenty-eight acres on section 10, Richland township, and has since been busily engaged in its operation. He carries on general farming and also devotes considerable attention to stock-raising and dairying, meeting with gratifying success in his various undertakings. His prosperity has come as the direct reward of his efforts and industry, and he is justly entitled to the proud American title of a self made man, having accumulated a handsome fortune since coming to this country.
     While still a resident of Germany, Mr. Gienapp was united in marriage to Miss Ida Mussehl, a native of the fatherland, by whom he had eleven children, as follows: Bertha, who is the wife of A. R. Schroeder, of Richland township; Charles F., who assists his father in the operation of the home farm; Mary, the wife of Fred Theel of Richland township; Martha, at home; Otto A.; Elsie, at home; Rudolph; Walter; and three who are deceased.
      Mr. Gienapp gives his political allegiance to the republican party, while his religious faith is that of the German Lutheran church, to which his wife and children also belong. During the years of his residence here he has gained a high place in both business and social circles and well deserves mention as one of Delaware county's representative agriculturists and useful citizens.