Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 871
GEORGE NIECE

George NIECE ranks among the pioneers of Harrison County, coming as he did to these parts in 1857, and locating on section 17, of Calhoun Township, where he erected a log cabin 12x14 feet, in which he lived for about seven years, then erected a larger log house, the same being 26x28 feet. At first he bought forty-nine acres of land, of which one fourth had been broken. To this small tract he kept adding until he possessed four hundred and fifty-three acres, all under a good state of cultivation. In March 1870, he removed to another part of his farm (section 21) where he had built a house the autumn before. Upon coming to the county, Mr. NIECE had about $750 in money, which was more than most of the early settlers brought to the county with them, but was not a large amount, considering the state of finances in our county at that time, and he has seen much of the hardships of an early pioneer. Council Bluffs was their general market place. The Civil War soon came on and prices advanced, and our subject was enabled to make some money, and is now among the properous men of the county.

Mr. NIECE was born in Wallern Hausen, Germany, March 28, 1827, and is a son of Conrad and Catherine (BAUTAI) NIECE. The father was a farmer of the good old German stripe, and was accidently killed in 1842, while quarrying stone; the mother dying after she came to America. George attended school, in his native country, summer and winter for eight years, and remained at home until the spring of 1847, when with several others, he sailed for the American shores, landing at Baltimore, in the vicinty of which city he worked for about six months. Then moved to Lancaster County PA, and there worked aobut ten years receiving from $6.50 to $13 per month.

Catherine HANNEMAN became his wife in the month of October, 1853, in Lancaster County, PA. She was a native of Hessitt, Germany, and was born October 17, 1835, the daughter of Henry and Catherine (GEITH) HANNEMAN, and was the youngest of a family of five children. In March 1852, she waith two sisters and one brother came to America and landed at New York, but now lives in Harrison County, Iowa. Her mother died in the Fatherland when she was but six months old, and her father, when she was thirteen years old.

Mr. And Mrs. NIECE are the parents of seven children, born as follows�Eliza, July 33, 1855; John, April 9, 1859; Henry August 2, 1862, died April 5, 1868; Georgia april 6, 1865; died January 1, 1869; Mary July 18, 1867; Katie, January 22, 1870; and Charlie April 28, 1873.

Politically, Mr. NIECE is in sympathy with the Democratic party, and in religious matters he and his estimable wife are members of the Evangelical church.

None but those who have been bereft of their parents at an early age, can began to appreciate the kind and tender watch-care of a father and mother. As will be seen by the above sketch, our subject and his wife were left fatherless, at an very early age in their old German home, where it was harder for poor people to rise in the scale, but upon coming to this country, they determine to achieve something for themselves, and make the most of life. Hard work with good constitutions and a good degree of native intelligence have brought them from childhood, on down through their married life, until today they may well count the days of their pilgrimage more of a success than that of ordinary mortals.

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