of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 265-269
FROM "DER FADERLAND" CAME MANY TO MUSCATINE COUNTY. It appears that most of the early German settlers from the old "fatherland" came to Muscatine county by way of New Orleans and up the Mississippi river by steamboat. Later on, they came by way of Baltimore and New York city. While from 1838 to 1850 quite a number of German pioneers arrived in this county, a much greater number came from 1850 to 1870. But undoubtedly the greatest part of Muscatine's large German population came here in the years following the French-Prussian war. Most of the Germans locating here, hail from Hessen and Hanover. Our citizens of German descent in Muscatine county, as well as elsewhere, are known to be, as a rule, industrious, honest, sociable, and their love of freedom is proverbial. They have done their full share in the upbuilding of thrifty cities and towns, and were largely instrumental in transforming the prairies into beautiful farms and orchards. In common with all other citizens, originally coming here from various countries of the old world, they have shown up true to the land of their adoption, and when the call to arms for the preservation of the Union resounded, they responded in large numbers and gave additional proof of their worth and patriotism on many bloody fields of battle. Muscatine county was no exception, as the reader will find on perusal of the long list of German names of warriors, appearing in this sketch hereafter. In times of peace, too, our citizens of German descent take rank with the best. They are fond of home life and champions of athletics, music and song. This fact will be more clearly revealed in the historical statements regarding the German Turner societies, bands and choirs in Muscatine, appearing in connection with this article.
On account of the limited period of time allotted to the writer for this purpose, it is simply impossible to give a complete and correct statement of the arrival of all the German settlers in Muscatine county prior to 1870, but we have endeavored to secure the names of as many of them as possible, circumstances considered, and trust that the reader may thereby readily notice, in a measure, that our citizens of German descent were and still continue to be a great factor in shaping and maintaining the progressive affairs of Muscatine county.
The first German settlers in Bloomington ( now Muscatine) came here in 1837. They were David Kiefer, Jacob Kiser, John Kindler, Daniel Mauck, Israel Mauck, J. Berg, Thomas J. Starke. These pioneers presumably hailed from the state of Pennsylvania.
The first settlers from Germany came in 1838. They were J. Adam Reuling, who was a baker and opened the first bakery here. He died in 1898. During the same year came John Isler. Christian Kegel also came in 1838. He was a cabinet maker, opened the first furniture store and was later connected with the first furniture factory here. He died in 1890. Henry Funck came here in the spring of 1839. He was a baker. He started and operated the first distillery at this place and later conducted a boat store. He died in 1886. His son, Adam Funck, came here at the same time. The latter was and still is engaged in various important business enterprises. Other German settlers of 1839 were E. T. S. Schenck, J. Ziegler, G. A. Springer, P. Fryberger.
In 1840 John Hirschmann came to Bloomington township. In 1855 he removed to Moscow (the Indians still erected their tepees in that vicinity) and started a bakery there, which he conducted until 1865, when he again returned to the farm. He is now living with relatives in the south. George and John G. Will came to Moscow township with their parents in 1840; Henry Molis came in 1841. He was a gunsmith and died in 1884; Theodore Becke came in 1842, and died in 1880; John Kuechmann, teamster, in 1843, and died in 1893; Henry Kiefner, cooper, also came in 1843 and is still living.
In 1845 came Barney Biel, gunsmith, who is still living at the age of eighty-three; Fred Miller, a farmer of Moscow township, who died in 1890; also his son Barney, who is still living; and Charles Richard, a butcher, who died in 1855.
Henry F. and Robert D. Bodmann came here with their parents in 1847; also Vincent Maurath, blacksmith; Peter Leysen, who opened and operated the first dairy here; and John Erhardt Frenzel, a farmer in Moscow township.
George Wilmering, a grocer, came here in 1848, and died in 1873. In this year also came Henry Lang, a farmer, who died in 1872; and George Ayer, who is now living in Chicago.
In 1849 came Frank Maurath, a farmer; and John J. Schmidt, who conducted a bakery.
In 1850 came the following: John Hocke, a farmer, who is still living at the age of seventy-two; M. Fell; John Knapp, a stone mason, who died in 1891; Charles L. Mull, a soap manufacturer and grocer, who died in 1894; and Frank Wienker, a furniture manufacturer, who died in 1875.
In 1852 the following came: Ferdinand Barnhardt, who conducted the first dray and express here. He established the first transfer line in the city and later engaged in the coal, lime and cement business. He died in 1894. Others were: John J. Bosten, who died in 1859; Conrad Asthalter, a teamster, who is yet living at the age of seventy-nine; Aaron Romig, who conducted a shoe store and died in 1898; Conrad Romig, a brother of Aaron, who was a shoemaker and died in 1900; John G. Hoehl, a tailor, who died in 1895; John Fuller, a brickmaker, who died in 1881; Joseph Fuller, a cabinet maker, who died in 1910; Barney Fuller, a grocer, who died in 1894; Henry Fuller, a brickmaker, who died in 1896. The descendants of these four brothers are very numerous, as may be seen from the fact that at the golden wedding celebration of Mr. and Mrs. James Fuller in 1905, at Electric Park, MuscatIne, there were one hundred and fifty Fullers present. John Van Lent also came in 1852, and died in 1909, at the age of eighty-five.
In 1853 came Henry Gettert, a farmer, who is still living in Muscatine; John, Henry and Jacob Schomberg, farmers, the former dying in 1907, and the two latter still living; Henry Detthof, who died in 1910; John Nester, a blacksmith, who died in 1903; Andrew Nester, a cooper, who died in 1902; and Benjamin Hershey, who was an extensive lumber dealer, owned a sawmill, and died in 1893.
In 1854 came William Zeidler, a building contractor, who is still living at age of seventy-seven; John Graebner, who died in 1900; John Butz, a carpenter, who is also deceased; William F. Eichoff, a contractor and musician, who died in 1908; August Eichoff, a contractor, who is still living; Fred Eichoff, an organ builder, who died in 1894, at the age of ninety-three; Bernhardt Eversmeyer, an insurance and real-estate dealer, who died in 1891; Louis Umschied, a farmer of Pike township, who died in 1897; Christian Schmidt and sons, Gustav, Herman, Ernst and Victor. The latter died in 1858 and Gustav, who owned a book bindery and was at one time mayor of Muscatine, died in 1910. Herman is still at the head of H. Schmidt & Sons' music store, while Ernst, a saddler, lives at Tempee, Arizona. Fred Mittmann, a farmer and dairyman, who died in 1908; and John Pilgrim, a farmer, who died in 1885 also came in 1854.
In 1855 came Richard Musser, a member of the firm of the Musser Lumber Company, who was twice elected mayor of Muscatine; Peter Musser, also a member of the Musser Lumber Company, who died in 1910; Ed Hoch, who is in the lumber business; John Kuebler, a shoemaker of Moscow, who died in 1910, at the age of ninety-six; Jacob Lorenz, a building contractor, who is still living at the age of eighty-four; Dr. Charles H. Riemcke, who died in 1855; Louis Schwab, who died in 1856; Werner Wittich, a cabinet maker, who died in 1894; Joseph Fessler, a shoemaker, who died in 1907; Daniel Sterneman, who conducted a transfer business and died in 1873; and John Hahn, Jr., who for fifty years has conducted a hardware business and is still living at of seventy-seven.
In 1856 came Charles Graefe, a tailor, who still lives in Muscatine at the age of seventy-seven; Mathias Nester, a cooper, who died m 1900; Martin Nester, who died in 1856; Henry C. Schmelzer, a wagon manufacturer, who died in 1898; John Scheetz, a farmer, who is still living here; John F. Walter, a soap manufacturer, who died in 1895; Henry S. Giessler, who built the first house in Wilton, had a grocery and kept the postoffice, and died in 1861; Henry F. Giessler, son of Henry S. Giessler, now president of the German-American Savings Bank of Muscatine; James L. Giessler, another son,. who is president of the Commercial Club; Martin Havercamp, a grocer, who died m 1878; John Meyer, a butcher, who died in 1868; Fred Mottschall, a shoemaker, who is still living at the age of eighty-three.
In 1857 came Charles Schulte, a farmer of Goshen township, who is now deceased; (his father, who came in 1859, is also deceased); and Dietrich Vogel, who died in 1905.
In 1858 came Joseph Giemon, who is living at the age of seventy-nine; Adolph Gottbrecht, a cigar manufacturer, who is still living; and Peter Schmidt, a farmer, who came to Bloomington township in 1873.
In 1859 William J. Lohr, a cabinet maker arrived in the county and is still living.
In 1860 came William Schaefer, who is still living at the age of eighty-seven; Frederick Kern, a stone mason, who now makes his home in Kansas City; Carl Wiese, a farmer of Moscow township, who came in the early '60s; and Samuel and Louis Cohn, clothing merchants, both of whom died in 1910.
In 1861 arrived Michael Schaab, a farmer, who makes his home in Muscatine.
In 1864 came Frederick Jahncke, a farmer of Wapsinonoc township, now living in Iowa City; and Thomas Nietzel, who for forty-one years was in the employ of the Hershey Lumber Company, and died in 1903.
In 1865 Barney Schmidt arrived in the county. He worked on a farm for a time and later conducted a shoe store for many years. He died in 1909, while serving as mayor of Muscatine.
In 1866 John Dietrich, a tailor, arrived. He died in 1885.
In 1867 J. G. Gunzenhauser, proprietor of an iron foundry, arrived. He died in 1908.
In 1868 came George Laepp, a brewer, who is still living; and Herman Huchendorf, a miller of Pine Creek, who is still living here.
In 1869 came Herman Hoffmann, a shoemaker, who is still here; Louis Schwartz, a shoemaker, who is also still here; and Franz J. Walz, who conducts a boarding house but formerly conducted a saloon, being for many years well known as "Der Schwabenkoenig." He is still living at the age of eighty-six.
Among other early settlers were: George George, 1849, had a cooper shop and died in 1908; Nicholas Koehler, stone mason, 1850, also later had a brewery and died in 1867; Panbus Hahn, a farmer of Moscow township, 1851; Henry C. T. Lange, Moscow township, 1852, who was a veteran of the Mexican and Civil wars and for many years ran a ferry over Cedar river; G. F. Shafnit, a farmer of Bloomington township, 1852; Louis Gansmann, who came to the city in 1853 and died in 1869; John Heerd, a painter, 1852, and died in 1901 ; Melchior Sauer, a farmer, who came in 1850, and in January, 1911, celebrated his golden wedding anniversary, he and his wife being the second oldest living couple in the county, the former eighty-five and the latter eighty-two years of age; Adolf F. E. J. W. Von Dresky, who came in 1865, was known as the "Baron," could speak four different languages, and died in 1903; J. T. Krehe, a pioneer druggist, who came in 1854 and died in 1907; Rev. Carl F. Obermann, who after taking part in the revolution of 1848, came to this city in 1854. He was a delegate to the national convention at Baltimore, in which Lincoln was nominated for a second term and for many years taught a German school with good success. Part of the time he engaged in farming. He died several years ago. Henry Geiss, another pioneer druggist, came in 1853. In the early days he was the leading spirit among the citizens of German descent. He is still engaged in business at the old stand, having reached the age of seventy-nine. P. M. Musser came here in 1862 and for a long time was engaged in the lumber business on an extensive scale. He has always been a leading factor in the banking business.
Other German settlers were: Henry Becker, a cigar and tobacco dealer, 1852; John Daiber, manufacturer of boots and shoes, 1854, and still living here; Frank Estmann, a grocer, 1855, and still living here; Julius Gerndt, butcher, 1866, still living here; Theodore Grossheim, barber and taxidermist, 1860, now living in New York; Jacob Hess, harness manufacturer, 1851, still here; Christian Hetzel, proprietor of a meat market, 1855; William Hoffmann, lawyer, came to Louisa county, Iowa, with his parents in 1852, and has practiced law in Muscatine since 1872; Bernhard Kemper, farmer and gardener, 1854; C. F. Kessler, grocer, 1858; Henry Martin, cooper, 1855, who several years ago celebrated his golden wedding anniversary and is still living; J. Rubelmann, leather dealer, 1861; George A. Schaefer, grocer and proprietor of a brick yard, 1852; George Schneider, boat shop, 1855; Frederick Geiffert, tailor, 1866; Simon G. Stein, one of the oldest and most successful business men of this city, came in the fall of 1849, and who in 1870 and 1871 was elected mayor of Muscatine; John Weltz, proprietor of a wagon and blacksmith shop, 1854; August Wittemann, proprietor Western Brewery, 1862; Professor F. M. Witter, geologist and school superintendent, 1864, who died in the south several years ago; Amos Schott, lumber dealer, 1856, who died in 1908; Jeremiah Greiner, farmer, 1854; Charles Liendecker, farmer and dairyman, 1857; Frederick Mittmann, farmer, 1854; John Aldinger, Sr., farmer, 1851; D. M. Funk, farmer, 1850; Peter Gettert, farmer, 1854; William Halling, farmer, 1852, who died several years ago; Joseph Heinly, farmer, 1855; W. H. Raub, farmer, 1855; John Schallhorn, manufacturer of pottery, Fairport, 1873; Mathias Kief, farmer, 1855; Louis Miller, farmer, 1853; William No11, farmer, who came with his parents in 1866 ; Charles Spangler, farmer, 1856; John A. Wickey, farmer, 1856; Rudolf Altekruse, farmer, 1841; Nicholas Eis, farmer, 1847; August Fricke, farmer, 1851; Henry Kemper, farmer, 1855; George Metz, farmer, 1849; H. C. Wagner, farmer, 1854; A. M. Bunker, farmer, 1858; W. C. Kleppinger, farmer, 1867; J. E. Meyers, farmer, 1869; Jacob Pentzer, minister and school teacher, came to Wilton, 1869; Samuel Wildasin, farmer, 1850; Samuel Brand, farmer, 1854; Andrew Heberling, farmer, 1856; Henry Felker, farmer, 1868. In 1849 Christian Marolf erected the first log cabin in Wilton.
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