For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 16
FRANK W. KASPER. Frank W. Kasper, who for about four years has filled the position of night watchman of the water-works, was born in Austria, August 5, 1838. The first sixteen years of his life were spent in his native land in the home of his parents, Winsel and Anna ( Schneider ) Kasper. The mother died two years after her son Frank came to the new world. The father was a millwright of Austria and on selling out there went to Crimea, Russia, where he also followed milling. Later, however, he returned to his native country, where he died at the age of eighty-three years. In their family were four children, three sons and a daughter, two of whom came to the new world, Prokop Kasper, the brother of our subject,having crossed the Atlantic about five years ago, his home being now in North Dakota.Frank W. Kasper was a lad of fourteen years when he came alone to the United States, making his way to Iowa City, Iowa. He worked in a boarding house at that place until April, 1855. At that time Iowa City was the state capital. He received only his board in compensation for his services and the following year he left Iowa City for Muscatine, where he has since made his home with the exception of a period of four years spent in the army. He had a hard time to secure a position here as he had no guardian in this country. After two months spent at any labor that he could secure he began learning the trade of a machinist, but at the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting on the 24th of April, 1861, as a member of Company C, Second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, joining the command at Davenport in response to President Lincoln's first call. He served for three years until July, 1864, and then returned to Muscatine, where he resumed work at his trade, but on the 11th of October, 1864, he again enlisted in the same company and regiment and continued at the front until the war was ended and victory crowned the Union. He participated in Sherman's march to the sea and also took part in the grand review, where the Union troops marched through the streets of Washington amid cheering thousands---the most celebrated military pageant ever seen on the western hemisphere. At his last enlistment he went to the front as a substitute, receiving one thousand dollars for his services. At Davenport, he was honorably discharged on the 12th of July, 1865. During the term of his first enlistment he was wounded in the left shoulder at Fort Donelson on the 16th of February, 1862, and on the 4th of October of the same year, he was wounded in the left leg by a minie ball at Corinth, Mississippi. Now because of old age he is granted a pension of fifteen dollars a month.
Mr. Kasper followed his trade in Muscatine in the employ of the Hershey Lumber Company for twenty-one years and also worked at the United States arsenal at Rock Island for three years. His wife died seven years ago and Mr. Kasper then gave up his position at Rock Island and returned to Muscatine, where the family had remained all the time. He is now night watchman at the water-works, having filled the position for three and a half years. Since 1866 he has resided at his present home at No. 511 East Third street, having erected a brick house which he now occupies.
Mr. Kasper was married in Galena, Illinois, in October, 1866, to Miss Sophia Reinhart, who was born in Illinois in 1842 and died in Muscatine, October 11, 1903. They became the parents of eight children: Anna, the wife of Michael Hess, of Davenport; Lizzie, the wife of George Meyer, of the same city; Frank, of Muscatine; Minnie, the wife of Charles Harper, of Bayfield, Iowa; Joseph, at home; Catharine, the wife of Ben Shull, of Davenport; Mary and Nettie, both at home.
Mr. Kasper is a member of the Mechanics Aid Society and also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workman and the Grand Army of the Republic. He was likewise a member of the Hershey volunteer fire department for twenty-two years. In politics he is independent and his religious faith is that which has its seat at the vatican, for he belongs to St. Mary's Catholic church and is also a member of St. Joseph's Society. He is well known in Muscatine, where he has long made his home. Whatever success he has achieved or enjoyed is attributable to his own efforts, for when he first came to Iowa City, he had but one dollar and sixty-five cents. He has ever been an honorable and upright man, and his well spent life has commanded for him the confidence and high regard of all who know him.
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