JOHN F. WALSER

The name of Walser has become a synonym for progressive farming in Worth county, as the representatives of the name, father and son, have demonstrated in their active lives the possibility for the development of Iowa's land into most productive fields. They have contributed to winning for Worth county its well earned reputation as a splendid agricultural district, and John F. Walser and his brother Andrew are today owners of one of the valuable farms of the county, lying within the corporation limits of Northwood.

John F. Walser is a native son of Wisconsin, his birth having occurred upon a farm in Dane county, about twenty miles west of the city of Madison, on the 21st of June, 1857. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Yagen) Walser, who were natives of Switzerland, coming from the vicinity of Savis, where they were reared and educated. They were married in the land of the Alps, and there Mr. Walser followed farming until the early '40s. This, however, was only a short time after their marriage and they then came to the United States. Mrs. Walser was a tailoress and worked at the trade in Switzerland until they came to the new world. They took passage on one of the old-time sailing ships, which was eighteen weeks in making the voyage across the Atlantic, for they had few favorable winds and at times encountered contrary winds which drove them back, so that they made no progress for days. At length, however, anchor was dropped in the harbor of New York city and by way of the Great Lakes they proceeded westward to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the father purchased horses and thence drove overland to Madison. He settled twenty miles west of the city, in Dane county, near the town of Barry, purchasing a farm in what was known as the English settlement. His brother, Martin Walser, who was also married in Switzerland, had come to the United States with his family at the same time and all settled in the same neighborhood. Both families had brought money with them from the old country, so that they had fewer hardships to endure than many who had no funds with which to make a start upon the western frontier. The brothers purchased about two hundred and forty acres of land, which they cultivated together until John Walser was ready to retire from active business, when his sons took up his farm duties, and his brother Martin purchased another farm, which he continued to operate and occupy until his demise. John Walser afterward sold his farm and lived in Madison, Wisconsin, until his death, which occurred at the age of seventy-four years. The old Martin Walser farm in Wisconsin is still in possession of his sons and also a part of the John Walser farm is owned and cultivated in connection with the Martin Walser farm, so that these two properties have been in possession of those of the name of Walser since the early '40s. Following the father's death the mother of John F. Walser came west to Iowa, settling in Muscatine, where she lived with her daughter, Elizabeth, making her home there until called to her final rest at the advanced age of eighty-five years. She was born November 12, 1826, and passed away July 3, 1911, after which her remains were taken back for interment by the side of her husband in Wisconsin. They attended the Evangelical church in Wisconsin, but Mrs. Walser was a member of the German Lutheran church at Muscatine, Iowa, at the time of her demise. In politics Mr. Walser was a very stanch democrat. Their family numbered eight children: Elizabeth, who was born in Switzerland and is married and resides at Muscatine, Iowa; Rose, who married James Seater and resides on section 8, Barton township, Worth county; John F., of this review; Andrew, who is associated with his brother in his farming operations; Agnes, a resident of Madison, Wisconsin; Leonard, who died in infancy; Peter, who follows farming in Barton township, Worth county; and George, who died when eight years of age.

John F. Walser spent his boyhood in his native state, where he acquired a public school education and assisted in the farm work. After his school days were over he continued upon the home farm with his father for a short time and later spent a year and a half in drilling wells. He then removed westward to Iowa, making the trip overland with a team, in company with five others, in 1876. They left Wisconsin on the 20th of February and arrived in Northwood on the 1st of March, completing the trip in eight days. Roads were good, so that they made fine time until reaching the Mississippi river, when, on account of the poor ice, they were compelled to unload all their belongings, consisting of personal effects and household goods, wagons, horses, etc., and ship them across the river by rail and then continued their march on the other side of the river, proceeding on their journey. The driving companion of Mr. Walser on this trip was Henry Paige, with whom he worked on a farm in Worth county after his arrival for one summer. Later he was employed by A. C. Walker, a farmer, for five years, and during that period he was saving every dollar that he earned in order to gain a start. At the end of his five years' work he felt that he was able to engage in farming on his own account, and in partnership with his brother Andrew rented a farm of two hundred, and forty acres from Duncan McKercher, which they cultivated together. John F. Walser had sent to Wisconsin for his brother Andrew and his sister Rose while he was working out and they were all employed on the farm of A. C. Walker. The first lease for their farm after they started out independently was for three years and when the lease had expired the brothers wished to renew it, but Mr. McKercher thought this unnecessary and told them to go along and farm as usual, that it would not be necessary to draw up a new lease. Shortly afterward Mr. McKercher made a trip twenty-two miles away to one of his other farms and while there became ill and died, so that the Walser brothers, having no lease, had to buy the farm from the heirs, but they never regretted this step as they became owners of one of the best farms in the district. It comprises two hundred and forty acres of land, all within the corporation limits of the town of Northwood, and they have one straight mile on the northern boundary of the city limits. In addition to cultivating their farm in the production of crops best adapted to soil and climatic conditions here, they also raise shorthorn cattle. They have a fine residence and substantial buildings upon the place for the shelter of grain and stock and they use tractors and modern farm machinery and implements. They also operated a dairy in connection with their other farm interests for four years and John F. Walser drove a milk wagon during that time. On the 15th of March, 1881, was celebrated the marriage of John F. Walser and Miss Jene Seater, a daughter of John and Isabel (Meil) Seater. Mrs. Walser was born in Scotland, where her mother died in 1859. Her father later married again and some time afterward came with his family to the United States, arriving on the 8th of May, 1869. He was born in Westra, Orkney islands, in 1823, his parents being Robert and Jane (Logic) Seater, who were natives of Westra, where they spent their entire lives, the mother passing away in 1877 and the father in 1879, having attained the notable old age of one hundred years. The father of Mrs. Walser received only limited educational opportunities and then began learning the shoemaker's trade. He lived a life of industry and made good use of his opportunities. In Scotland he largely followed the fishing trade. His second marriage was to Miss Mary Randall, a native of Scotland, and, as previously stated, he brought his family to the new world and took up his abode in Chicago, where he engaged in shoemaking. He resided there for two years and then removed to Northwood, where he purchased property and opened a shoe shop, which he sold in 1875. In that year, as the result of his earnings, he was able to purchase a farm and became the owner of a good tract of land in Kensett township. In 1880 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his second wife. He survived until 1897 and was seventy-four years of age when called to his final rest. They were consistent members of the Baptist church. In 1917 Mr. Walser was also called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away on the i8th of January of that year, her death being the occasion of deep sorrow to the many friends she had won during the long years of her residence in Worth county. They were the parents of three children. Isabelle is now the wife of George Huber, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and they have four children, Jene Annetta, Ruth, Marjorie and Everett Kemper. John, the second member of the family, is a dentist practicing in Marshalltown, Iowa. He married Lillian Martens and they have one child, Jeannette Josephine. The youngest member of the family, Jene, is acting as her father's housekeeper.

In his political views Mr. Walser is a republican, thoroughly informed concerning the questions and issues of the day but never ambitious for office. He belongs to the Baptist church and his life has been guided by its teachings. Wherever he is known he is spoken of in terms of high regard, for his has been an active and useful career marked by devotion to duty, whether in relation to private business affairs or to public interests. He has ever been most loyal to the ties of friendship and has found his greatest happiness in providing for his family. All who know him speak of him in terms of warm regard.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 538-543

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, October 16, 2006

John F. Walser and Family