Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 379
ACHILLE CHEVALIER

Achille CHEVALIER, one of the representative farmers of Harrison Township, was born in the town of Mowtier Ge Vail, Canton of Berne, Switzerland, June 7, 1843. He is the son of Chancy H. and Susanna (WERTHMULLER) CHEVALIER, both of whom died in the old country. The father was a farmer and they were the parents of eight children, four of whom are living -- Charley H., a resident of Waterloo, Iowa; Julia, deceased; Florian, deceased; Caroline, a resident of Switzerland; Alfred, died in Tacoma, Wash.; Zeline, a resident of Switzerland; Constant; deceased; Achille, our subject.

Achille, the youngest child was reared midst the romantic scenes of rural life, in that most beautiful of all lands, Switzerland. He was educated at the public schools, and remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age when his father died, after which he came to America and located in Waterloo, Iowa, where he engaged with the Illinois Central railroad company, as machinist, and remained with them about twelve years, after which he came to Harrison County, and on account of his health, located on a farm. He arrived in this county in 1878, and he located on land he had purchased in 1873, time same being on sections 24 and 25, of Harrison Township, and comprises two hundred and forty acres, which at the time he purchased was wild prairie land, with no improvements whatever, upon it, but under the touch of his good management has come to be among, the finest farms in that locality. He devotes himself exclusively to general farming and stock raising. It may be said in the true sense of the word, that our subject is a self-made man, beginning alone, and unaided by wealthy relatives, he has worked his way high up the scale, and his success is beautifully demonstrated by his charming home, with all of its pretty surroundings. His life is indeed a befitting example of what a man coming from a foreign shore may accomplish in this country, providing he is possessed of push and good business qualifications.

Mr. CHEVALIER was united in marriage August 21, 1870, to Miss Sarah HEYER, who was born in Du Page County, Ill., November 14, 1854, She is the daughter of Jacob and Caroline (ARMBRUSTER) HEYER, natives of Germany, but now residents of Waterloo, Iowa. They reared a family of five children -- Sarah, the wife of our subject, being the oldest; Henry, a resident of Waterloo, Iowa; Susan, wife of Fred DAHL, of Waterloo, Iowa; John, of the same place; Mary, wife of Lall VAN VLECK, a conductor on the Illinois Central railroad.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of four children -- Joseph, Oscar, Susie, and Albert, all living at home.

Politically, Mr. CHEVALIER is non-partisan, casting his ballot for the man he thinks best qualified for the position. He has served his school district as member of the School Board, but does not aspire to office.

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