of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 270-271
J. F. BOEPPLE, FOUNDER OF THE PEARL BUTTON INDUSTRY. J. F. Boepple, a button cutter, came from his old home in Wurttemberg, Germany, to Muscatine, about 1884. There being no work in his trade here at that time, he worked for a while on a farm in this vicinity. Later, on a fine day, he sat at the river front of Muscatine. There he observed a government dredge boat in operation. Piles of mud were being thrown out upon the shore and he happened to notice some mussel shells. Becoming interested, he picked up a few of the shells and took them to his home. After a thorough test he found, to his great delight, that these Mississippi river shells were a most excellent material for the manufacture of pearl buttons. This was a great discovery, for prior to this time only sea shells had been generally used for the manufacture of these buttons. This happened in 1886, about twenty-five years ago. He immediately began the manufacture of pearl buttons in a small way, and in a few years a great number of button factories were established in this city and also in other towns throughout the country. This industry grew to such an enormous extent that, at the present time, over two thousand men and eight hundred girls are employed in the manufacture of pearl buttons in Muscatine. Mr. Boepple, the original founder of this great industry, is now in the employ of the United States government as a "shell expert," with headquarters at the new government clam hatchery at Fairport, Muscatine county. The inhabitants of Muscatine and vicinity owe a great debt of gratitude to J. F. Boepple, original founder of the pearl button industry. "Honor to whom honor is due!"
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