For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 742
DAVID B. NAFTZGER....Having acquired a competence through his own efforts in legitimate industry, David B. Naftzger has been retired at ease in West Liberty for the past eleven years. He comes of German and Swiss parentage, and in his career of persistent and wisely directed application, displayed many admirable characteristics of his ancestors. Born in Wayne county, Ohio, January 3, 1844, he is the son of Peter and Catherine ( Schrock ) Naftzger, the father being a native of Prussia and the mother of Switzerland. Peter Naftzger came to the United States at the age of nineteen years, making the trip in a sailing vessel which required six weeks to cross the ocean. After spending some time in Ohio, he removed in 1868 to Albamy, Whiteside county, Illinois, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1882. He was by trade a wagon-maker, but after becoming well established in this country was attracted to a religious life and served most acceptably as a minister of the United Brethren church. His wife passed away in 1905. There were nine children in the family, three of whom are now living : David B., the subject of this review ; Noah, of Whiteside county, Illinois ; and L. S., of Wichita, Kansas.David B. Naftzger was educated in the public schools of Ohio, and continued under the parental roof until twenty-seven years of age. He removed with the family to Illinois, where he engaged for four years in farming on his own account. In 1875 he located in Wapsinononc township, Muscatine county, where he continued until 1900, when he removed to West Liberty. As a farmer and stock-feeder, he attained a gratifying measure of success, having always been industrious and exercising good judgment in the course of his work. He owns a comfortable residence in which he lives.
In 1871 Mr. Naftzger was united in marriage to Miss Anna Myers, a daughter of John and Katharine ( Hoover ) Myers. The father was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1799, and removed to Ohio in 1838, where he was married three years later. He was a school teacher in early manhood and in later years devoted his attention to politics, occupying several different county offices and being one of the leaders in the councils of the republican party. He was a faithful member of the United Brethern church and a singer of marked ability. Of three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Myers, the eldest, J. W., died in the army ; Leo, the youngest is also deceased ; and Anna, now Mrs. Naftzger, is the only one living.
To Mr. and Mrs. Naftzger six children have been born, three of whom are living, namely : Catherine, the wife of B. D. Clark, a Christian minister of Houston, Texas, and the mother of four children, Sidney, Lois, Lynn and Miles ; Mildred, at home ; and Jess B., now a practicing physician of Hot Springs, South Dakota. He graduated from the West Liberty high school and the Iowa State Medical College and took a post-graduate course at Vienna, Austria, being now highly successful as an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist. He is married and has two children : Jack and Robinelle.
Mr. Naftzger gives his support to the republican party, and in religious belief he and his wife are adherents of the Christian church. In the course of a long and active career he has been diligent and conscientious in the discharge of his obligations, and he, therefore, is greatly respected by all with whom he has come in contact.
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