CONRAD W. PAULUS

Conrad W. Paulus, the efficient agent at Graf ton for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, was born in Melsungen, Hessen, Germany, on the l0th of November, 1861, a son of Lorenz and Elizabeth (Roes) Paulus, both of whom were natives of Germany and never came to the United States. The father was an architect by profession.

Conrad W. Paulus spent his boyhood days in his native country, acquiring his education there, and in 1880, when a youth of nineteen years, crossed the Atlantic to the United States. He made Mendota, Illinois, his destination and there attended school for two years in preparation for the ministry but never actively took up the work of preaching. He afterward taught school for a year and subsequently he learned telegraphy at Carpenter, Iowa. He also taught music, having developed his native talents through study along that line, and later he removed to Mason City, where he entered the employ of the Iowa Central Railroad Company, serving as baggage master for a short time. His next removal took him to Mason City Junction, where he was employed as night operator for a number of years, while subsequently he filled the position of station agent. He continued at Mason City for eighteen years and on the 15th of September, 1903, arrived in Graf ton to take his present position as agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. He has done splendid service since locating here and his work has been highly satisfactory to the corporation which he represents and to the general public as well.

On the 3d of January, 1891, Mr. Paulus was married to Miss Elizabeth Bracher, a daughter of Carl and Lena (Wegeman) Bracher. Mrs. Paulus was born at Strawberry Point, Iowa, and by her marriage has become the mother of three children: Conrad W., Irene and Karl.

Mr. and Mrs. Paulus are members of the German Lutheran church and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He has been called upon to serve in a number of local offices, filling the positions of mayor, of town clerk and secretary of the school board, and he is now a member of the city council. He plays the pipe organ in his church, having acted as its organist for the past five years, and he is also a talented pianist. He has contributed much to musical advancement in his community, his teaching and musical performances doing much to establish a high standard of taste in the art in Grafton.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 537 & 538

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, October 15, 2006