For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 588
NICHOLAS LANG....Among the large landholders of Muscatine county is Nicholas Lang. He has been a resident of this county since his boyhood and began acquiring land many years ago, being now the owner of one thousand, five hundred and sixty-five acres in Muscatine and adjoining counties. He was born in Germany, July 22, 1836, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth ( Byrider ) Lang, also natives of Germany. They came to America after their marriage and the father began his career as a farmer by buying eighty acres of land and later entering forty acres in Muscatine county, Iowa, in the autumn of 1848. He was a man of great energy and perseverance and was very successful in his work, becoming the owner of a farm of four hundred and eighty acres in this county. He died in January, 1875, at the age of sixty-nine years. Mrs. Lang survived her husband thirty-one years and passed away in 1906, having reached the venerable age of ninety-eight years. She was in good health all her life until within a short time of her demise. There were eight children in the family, six of whom are now living.Nicholas Lang was educated in the schools of Germany and applied himself very early to agriculture and stock-raising, so that he became quite expert in those lines even before he reached manhood. He continued upon the home farm until he was twenty-six years of age and then rented part of the farm. Two years later he began purchasing land where he now lives. He has been remarkably successful and is now the owner of seven hundred and twenty-five acres in Wilton and Moscow townships, and two hundred and forty acres in Cedar county, and two farms of two hundred and fifty and three hundred and fifty acres, respectively in Louisa county. All of this valuable property he has acquired through his own efforts. That he is a man of unusual foresight and ability is fully demonstrated, and in all his dealings he has been governed by principles of the strictest integrity. For a number of years he has made a specialty of feeding cattle and hogs, which he delivers in large numbers to the markets.
In 1862 Mr. Lang was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Lieberknecht, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1842, a daughter of Nicholas and Kathrine Lieberknecht. Her parents were both natives of Germany. From Pennsylvania the removed to Louisa county, Iowa, where they continued during the remainder of their lives. Eight children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lang : Benjamin, of Wilton township ; Henry, of Louisa county, Iowa ; George, also of Louisa county ; William, of Wilton Junction ; Lewis, at home ; Albert, deceased ; Nellie, the wife of Dr, William Miller, of Wilton ; and Bertha, now Mrs. R. Herr, of Cedar county, Iowa.
Mr. Lang was called upon to mourn the loss of his beloved wife May 2, 1908, the separation from one who had been to him for nearly forty-five years a faithful companion, being the severest affliction he has ever known. She was a woman of many noble qualities who greatly endeared herself to all with whom she was associated. Mr. Lang is a member of the Evangelical church, as was his wife, and is a liberal contributor toward its support. Politically he is in sympathy with the republican party. As a patriotic citizen he assists when opportunity offers in advancing public interests and he has served acceptably as member of the school board.
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