ANTHONY MEURER.
It is sometimes considered that the history of great men only is worthy of preservation and little merit exists among the masses to call forth the praises of the historian or the appreciation of the public. However, a careful study of the lives of the early settlers of the state of Iowa will teach lessons of patience and perseverance, thrift and industry, that will be helpful to many and are worthy of permanent record.
Among the earlier pioneer citizens of Audubon county, is Anthony Meurer, a retired farmer of Greeley township, now living in Exira.
Anthony Meurer was born in Germany, December 6, 1837, the son of Stephen and Barbara Meurer, both natives of Germany. The former was a carpenter by trade and followed that trade in Germany until he came to America in 1841 and located at Utica, New York, where he followed his trade for four years. At the end of this time, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, and after remaining there for four years, moved to Freeport, Illinois. He died there in 1893 and his wife died in 1891. He was born in 1810 and she in 1821. He served three years in the German army.
Stephen and Barbara Meurer were the parents of six children, as follow: Anthony, the subject of this sketch; Mary, who is deceased, married Joseph Gozell; Emma married Joseph Diggon; Kate married Joseph Kirver; Gertrude married William Hamilton; John married Anna Broady.
Anthony Meurer attended school in Chicago, Illinois, until his parents moved to Freeport, Illinois, where he worked in a brick-yard for six years. He then secured a position as a farm hand and worked in that capacity until he was married. After his marriage, Mr. Meurer rented a farm for a few years. In 1873 he worked on a cattle ranch as a stock feeder. In 1878 he came to Audubon county and located in Greeley township. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres in 1875 for which he paid twelve dollars an acre for eighty acres and twenty-two and one-half dollars for the other eighty. At one time he had two hundred and forty acres of land. He was engaged in general farming and raised about one hundred and twenty-five head of hogs and fifty head of cattle each year.
Anthony Meurer was married on December 7, 1863, to Mary Kriebs, the daughter of Joseph Kriebs. Six children were born to this marriage, as follow: John married Delilah Lee and has four children, Lola, Thomas, Danell and Lula; Frank married Jennie May and has three children, John, Bernard and Albert; Joseph is single; Mary married Frank Beers and has six children, Bert, George, Orville, Joseph, Margaret and Mary; Anna married Frank Duvall and has five children, Nellie, Olive, Clark, Mildred and Martha; Emma married Bert May and has six children, Gerald, Elwein, Franklin, Chester, Arnold and Arlene. Mrs. Anthony Meurer was born in Germany and came to America with her parents when three years old. They located at Galena, Illinois, where they spent the remainder of their lives. They had six children. Mrs. Meurer died on November 22, 1914.
Mr. Meurer and family are devout members of the Catholic church. Mr. Meurer has served as school director and road commissioner. He is a Republican. During the Civil War, he enlisted in the Seventh Illinois Cavalry and served nine months. Anthony Meurer is a good citizen and has been an enterprising farmer. By hard labor he acquired a competence for his declining years and now is able to live upon the fruits of his toil.
|
Transcribed from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 661-662.
|
|
