For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 172
JOHN W. ALBERS. John W. Albers, now living retired at Muscatine in a beautiful residence at 713 Iowa avenue, was born in Prussia Germany, March 22, 1834. He is a son of Lucas George and Maria ( Manke ) Albers, also natives of Germany. There were eleven children in their family, five of whom grew to maturity: Elizabeth, George, Henry, John W. and August. The father was a cabinet-maker and lived to be eighty-five years old, departing this life in 1863. The mother lived to the age of eighty-one years and died in Muscatine in 1876. They were honest and hard working and brought up their children to habits of industry and frugality, which are of such importance in the attainment of any worthy ambition in life, and it is to the lessons he learned from his honored parents that the success of our subject has been largely due.John W. Albers was educated in the public schools of his native land and at sixteen years of age left home to seek his fortune in America. He early learned the wood-workers trade and became an expert in fine and intricate work. He made his home in St. Louis from 1850 to 1854, then coming to Muscatine, Iowa, where he was connected with the Musser Lumber Company and later with the Stein Lumber Company. Being attracted to agricultural pursuits, he purchased a farm in Keokuk county, Iowa, to which he removed in 1877. Here he lived for twenty-nine years and became one of the prosperous farmers of the county. Having acquired a competence, he returned to Muscatine in 1906 and has since made this city his home.
On the 8th of March, 1859, Mr. Albers was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Dietz, who was born in Ripley county, Indiana, July 6, 1837, and is a daughter of John C. and Hannah ( Millery ) Dietz. The parents were both natives of Wurtenberg, Germany, and came to Muscatine in 1839, removing to Shelby county, Missouri, in 1843. The father was called away in 1866, at the age of seventy-five years, his wife surviving him twelve years and departing this life at seventy-three years of age. Mr. Dieta served in the German army for seven years. He was a son of John C. Dietz, a wagon-maker, who had three sons, all of whom were wagon-makers. Mr. and Mrs. Dietz are the parents of thirteen children, five of whom are now living: John; Hannah, now Mrs. Albers; Elizabeth, the wife of Alexander Lieber; Joseph and Benjamin. The home of Mr. and Mrs Albers has been brightened by the arrival of five children: William C., who married Minnie setwell and is the father of two children, William A, and Milo; Elizabeth, who died at the age of eight months; Anna, now a practicing physician in Chicago; Henry, who married Marie M. Favereau and is the father of four children, William H., Louisa Hannah, Jeanette and Robert; and Fred, , who married Anna Osterman and is the father of five children, Ivan, Edward, Caroline, Leon and Mabel.
Mr. and Mrs Albers are valued members of St. Mathias church. Politically Mr. Albers is in sympathy with the democratic party. He is a stanch friend of education and has served as school director and township trustee. Coming to America as a poor boy, he bravely set to work and overcame every difficulty, gaining a position of financial independence which would have been practically impossible of attainment under conditions in his native land. He has been fearless, self reliant and competent in everything he has undertaken and which such a combination failure is impossible. He is a patriotic citizen of his adopted country and has trained his children in the same principles that have brought him success. He and his wife have many friends, who are attracted by their many excellent qualities.
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