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Henry George

It is by no means an easy task to describe within the limits of this review a man who has led an active and eminently useful life and by his own exertions reached a position of honor and trust in the line of industries with which his interests are allied, but as the public claims a certain property interest in the career of every individual, especially one who is recognized in the front rank of citizenship, as is Henry George, one of the best known agriculturists and stock men of Fayette county, the biographer finds justification in tracing and recording his life history. He was born in Dover township, this county, in August, 1861, the son of Michael and Katherine (Bomus) Ungerer, both natives of Germany, who come to America when young and settled at an early date in Fayette county, Iowa. Henry George was adopted in 1862 by James and Rachel George. His father, Michael Ungerer, was a soldier in the Federal army, enlisting in Company C, Sixth Iowa Cavalry. He safely passed through the conflict and is now living at Independence, Iowa. After the war he was a restaurant keeper in Buchanan county, Iowa. He and his wife were the parents of two children, J. F. and Henry.

James George was born in Buckinghamshire, England. Upon arriving in America he went first to Wisconsin, later drove an ox team to Iowa, when this state was wild and sparsely settled, the Indians having left only a year previously. He at once located upon the place where Henry George, of this review, now resides, and he continued to reside here, developing an excellent farm, until a few years ago, when be moved to West Union. He erected splendid buildings on the place, including the present house and barn. Upon his arrival here he erected log buildings, but these in time gave way to comfortable frame ones, he having built the first frame house in the township. It still stands and is in good condition, and in the early days the Methodists held many meetings here. Mr. George assisted in organizing the Methodist church at Eldorado. He became quite well-to-do and was an extensive land owner, later in life selling off different tracts. He made a success of general farming and stock raising, doing his marketing in the early days at McGregor, Iowa. He was a hard worker and cleared the farm on which Henry George now lives. He was always active in township affairs and was influential here. He and his wife reared a large family, all daughters but one, and this son was killed during the Civil war.

Henry George was educated in the district schools and at West Union, also attended Ainsworth's Academy. He received a very good education, and when a mere lad began farming and he has continued the same line of endeavor on the old George homestead, taking charge of the place in 1888. A little later he gave the place the Indian name of "Shetucket," meaning "land between the rivers." Although he raises a variety of stock, he favors Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs. He raises some of the best corn in the country and for many years he has been exhibiting his fine specimens of corn at the annual corn show at Omaha, Nebraska. He has won first prize at the State College during the past five years and he has taken prizes at Chicago, St. Louis and Omaha international exhibits. He exhibited at Des Moines and Ames, winning on wheat in 1909. He showed the best sample that had ever been shown in Iowa. Also took first place in the state on oats. He operates two hundred and ten acres in a manner that stamps him fully abreast of the times in modern scientific farming.

Mr. George was married in September, 1888, to Laura Phelps, a native of Connecticut and the daughter of an excellent old New England family. This union has resulted in the birth of the following children: Mildred A., Marion L. and Russell.

Fraternally, Mr. George belongs to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically, he is a Republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He and his family are held in high esteem throughout the county, and their pleasant and attractive home is known to be a place of hospitality and good cheer where the many friends of the family frequently gather.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Evie Lamb