Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 251

JOHN G. WALTS, a leading farmer and stock-raiser living on section 34, Lake Township, and an early settler of this county, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, on the 21st of January, 1827. He is a son of John and Elizabeth ( Hetzel ) Walts, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Pennsylvania. Both parents emigrated to Ohio in early life, there became acquainted and were married in Montgomery County about the year 1818. Mr. Walts followed the occupation of farming throughout his life, and in connection with that line of work engaged quite extensively in building public works and turnpikes. Seven children were born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Walts, six of whom are yet living: Sarah E., the eldest, who became the wife of Henry Lesher, died Oct.16, 1888, at the age of sixty-eight years and eleven months; Margaret was twice married, first becoming the wife of John Bobo; her present husband is Daniel Swadner, a resident of Darke County, Ohio; Mary A., widow of William Bailey, is living in Darke County, Ohio; Barbara A. wedded John Geiger, a farmer of Montgomery County, Ohio; Christina M. is the wife of George Pretz, a carpenter residing in Carrollton, Ohio; Elizabeth I., wife of Jacob Null, also of Montgomery, Ohio. The mother of these children died in 1840, when about forty years of age, and the father departed this life about 1850. They were both members of the Lutheran Church for many years, in which he served as Deacon, and both took an active part in church work, aiding greatly in the promotion of the cause.

In the common schools of his native county our subject received his education, and was reared to manhood upon his father's farm. In 1855 he left the parental roof, and accompanied by John W. Rice, who is now an honored citizen of Bloomington Township, emigrated to Muscatine County, where, in connection with J. W. Rice, he rented a farm for two years. At the expiration of that time, by mutual consent, the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Walts bought forty acres of wild land located in Goshen Township. Immediately beginning its cultivation and improvement, he soon had one of the best cultivated farms in the community, and to the original tract, by subsequent purchase, he added eighty acres making an aggregate of 120 acres, on which he made his home until 1865. Selling his original farm, he then became the owner of 200 acres on section 34, Lake Township, but subsequently sold eighty acres. To this he has again added, until now his farm comprises 185 acres of highly cultivated land, upon which he has made many improvements. The farm is stocked with a good grade of horses, cattle and hogs, and is one of the best in the county.

In 1856 Mr. Walts led to the marriage altar Miss Louisa A. Rice, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of James Rice, whose sketch is given elsewhere in this work. By their union five children have been born, three of whom are now living: Ida K. is yet at home; Olive V. is the wife of William Addleman, a farmer of Louisa County, Iowa, and Milton is also at home. Elmer, the eldest child, and Ellen R. have both departed this life.

The Waltz family has been one of prominence in the history of this country. Prior to the Revolutionary War it was founded in America by ancestors who came from Switzerland, and in the struggle of the Colonies for independence some members of the family were regularly enlisted soldiers, and heroically fought in defense of their adopted land. In promotion of the cause of temperance they have borne a prominent part, not one among the number as far as it is known having been addicted to the use of spirituous liquors.Our subject has sustained the noble record made by his ancestors, and identified himself on the side of right on every question which comes up before the people. He has been enlisted in the temperance work from earliest youth, is a devoted earnest Christian, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and an untiring laborer in the Master's vineyard. In the loving wife, who has shared with him the joys and sorrows of life for thirty-two years, he finds a true help-mate, and no citizens in the community are held in higher regard than they. Politically, Mr. Walts affiliates with the Democratic party. He is numbered among the early settlers of Muscatine County, has witnessed almost its entire growth, has aided in its development and prosperity, and surely his sketch deserves an honored place among the pioneers and leading citizens of the community.


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