Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 338
CHARLES ALTENEDER, a representative farmer of Montpelier Township, residing on section 18, is a native of Kempton, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, and was born June 18, 1826. His parents, John and Mary (Haggenmiller) Alteneder, were also natives of that country, and of their five children four are yet living: Theodore, who is the inventor of one of the best field glassas in the world, is one of the successful merchants of Philadelphia, Pa.; Louisa is the wife of Ferdinand A. Wurm, a resident of Atlanta, Ga., who is a professor of music and a teacher of seven different languages; Caroline, who is now deceased, was the wife of Christian Brehm; Charles, who is the subject of this sketch; and Josephine, who was living in Germany when last heard from. The death of the father occurred in Germany in 1855, and the mother departed this life in 1874.

Our subject spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his native land, where he received his education. When a young man he resolved to cast his lot in the New World, and in 1848, accompanied by a brother and sister, he bade good-by to his home and friends and started for America. There were no steamers in those days, the voyage having to be made in a sailing-vessel, which was seventy-seven days in crossing the Atlantic. Landing in New York in June, he remained there but two days, and then went to Philadelphia on foot, and there worked for three months in a shipsmith's shop, for which he received no wages. He remained in Philadelphia until the 1st of November, and then went to Lebanon, County, Pa., and there worked for a farmer for his board during the winter. He remained on that farm until May, 1851, when he came West, locating in Muscatine County, where he entered 160 acres of land, having previously purchased a land warrant in Philadelphia. He subsequently added to the original tract until he became the owner of 275 acres. He has since given eighty acres each to two of his sons, and is now the owner of 116 acres where he resides, and which pay tribute to his care and cultivation.

On the 14th day of December, 1852, Mr. Alteneder was united in marriage with Miss Barbara Hahn, who was one of a family of ten children, the following-named now living; Mathias, John, Margaret, Paul, Barbara, Catherine and John of Muscatine. Three children grace the union of Mr. and Mrs. Alteneder: George, a resident of Sweetland Township, who married Anna Schmidt, daughter of George Schmidt, whose sketch appears on another page of this work; Charles, husband of Pauline Wurm, now residing in Atlanta, Ga.; and Willie, who wedded Louisa Kleinshmith, and lives in Montpelier Township. In 1873 Mr. Alteneder returned to Germany to visit his mother, whose death occurred the following year. He is truly one of the self-made men of Muscatine County. Coming to this country in limited circumstances, he began working at the ship-builder's trade, but for three months received no compensation for his labor. His early disadvantages seemed but to strengthen his resolve to make his life a success, and with renewed energy he continued his labors, until he has now become one of the well-to-do farmers of this community. He was formerly a Republican, but is now a supporter of the Democrat party.

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