For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 661
WILHELM GROSSKLAUS....Wilhelm Grossklaus, has been for twenty-eight years been a resident of Muscatine and for twenty years one of its active business men. Through perseverance and wisely applied industry he has won an enviable position among his fellowmen, as is indicated by his appointment a year ago by the city council as mayor of the city. He is a native of Brandenburg, Germany, his birth having occurred October 2, 1860, and is a son of Wilhelm and Wilhelmina ( Schultz ) Grossklaus, also natives of Germany. The father, who was a contractor, died in his native land in 1881, at the age of fifty-three years. The mother departed this life in 1891at the age of sixty-two years. They were both members of the Lutheran church, the head of the family being a man of influence in the community and one who took a great interest in education, serving in various school offices. The grandparents of our subject on the paternal side reared a family of six children, Wilhelm, Carl, Fred, August, Wilhelmina and Minnie, while the children of the maternal grandparents were, Fred, August, Wilhelm and Wilhelmina. Unto Wilhelm and Wilhelmina Grossklaus, the parents of our subject, seven children were born, five of whom are now living : Paul, of Muscatine ; Fred, of Berlin, Germany ; Helen, now Mrs. Adolph Schultz, of Templin, Germany ; Frederica, the wife of Adolph Lipke, of Darrgesdorf, Germany ; and Wilhelm.Wilhelm Grossklaus Jr., was reared under the parental roof and received a good common-school education in his native city. In 1882, being then twenty-two years of age and ambitious to advance in life, he came to Muscatine, where he worked at brick-laying and attended school in the evening in order to learn the English language. In 1890 he began doing contract work and has ever since engaged as a mason contractor. He has built some of the largest and finest structures in the city, among which may be named the high school building, the public library and the Young Men's Christian Association building, and has also erected many handsome private residences, gaining a reputation as son of the responsible contractors in this part of the state. He is the owner of a farm of four hundred and forty acres in Rock Island county, Illinois, and of two hundred and twenty acres in Lyman county, South Dakota, and recently sold a farm of two hundred and ten acres in Muscatine county. He owns the handsome house in which he lives, at No. 1115 Iowa avenue, and other city property, and is president of the Model Pearl Button Factory, which gives employment to more than fifty persons.
On the 26th of November, 1883, at Muscatine, Mr. Grossklaus was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Blazing, a daughter of August Blazing. Mrs. Grossklaus was born in Germany and came to America with her mother and two brothers, John and Wilhelm, after the death of her father. The other members of the family were, Frank, August and Wilhelmina. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Grossklaus six children have been born : Frank, who is a brick-layer and lives in Muscatine ; Ima, who died at the age of ten months ; Helen, now the wife of George Ebling, of Moline, Illinois ; and Elsie, Wilhelm and Mildred, who are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Grossklaus are firm believers in the authority of the Bible and are valued members of the Lutheran church, contributing liberally toward the support of that organization. Fraternally he is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a supporter of the democratic party and for one year served as alderman of the second ward, making a highly creditable record. In 1909 he was appointed by the city council as mayor of the city for a period of one year. He has always made it a principle of his life to do well whatever he undertakes. Consequently he became a first class workman at the very beginning of his business career and his success as a contractor has been due in a large measure to his thorough knowledge in all the details of construction. As a citizen he is progressive and public-spirited and believes in applying the same ideas in public affairs that accomplish success in business. He is a lover of his family and his home and is never happier than when he is at his own fireside or entertaining friends at his hospitable board. Beginning as a poor boy, he has won his way to the front and earned a position as one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Muscatine.
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