RHEINHART HERZOG

For long years Rheinhart Herzog has been a prominent and enterprising farmer of Flint River township and a citizen whose honorable life and upright career has gained for him the good-will and respect of all the community in which he moves. He is a son of George and Anna (Statler) Herzog, and was born in Baden, Germany, July 2, 1844. After taking a course in the graded schools where he was born, he at once entered a large brewery, and learned the business, which he followed for a number of years. Thinking there might be a broader field of opportunities in America for him, he came to Hamilton, Ohio, in 1868, where he remained two years, after which he came to Peoria, Ill., making his home there for three years, and later was in Pekin, Ill., till 1893. In each of these cities he was employed in large breweries and malt houses. Coming to Des Moines county in 1893 our subject decided to purchase land and try his fortune as an agriculturist. He bought one hundred and sixty acres of farm land in Flint River township on Sections 16 and 21. This venture proved to be a good one, for during this time he has carried on general farming and stock-raising with gratifying success. Mr. Herzog married Miss Grace Francis Sherf, June 3, 1876, the year of the great Centennial in Philadelphia. Mrs. Herzog is a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Bach) Sherf, and was born Aug. 14, 1849, in or near Louderback, Germany. She came to America with her parents when a mere child of three and a half years. They settled in Beloit, Wis., later moving to Peoria, Ill., where they both passed away, the father in 1864, and the mother in 1900. They were the parents of the following seven children, who are all living: Charles; Andrew; Josephine; Marcus; Francis, wife of our subject; Ella; and Sebastian. Mr. and Mrs. Herzog have been blessed with nine children: Rudolph, of Centralia, Ill., born April 29, 1877, engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad; Hattie, born Dec. 19, 1881, learning to be a Sister of Mercy in a convent at Leavenworth, Kans.; Anna, born Oct. 25, 1883, a resident of Burlington, Iowa; Ella, born Nov. 10, 1885, employed in a bakery at Leadville, Colo.; Victoria, born July 3, 1887, at home; Wilhelmina, born June 22, 1892, with her parents; Richard, born June 11, 1896, on the farm; John, born Nov. 18, 1880, died Dec. 31, 1880; Rheinhart, Jr., died at the age of five months. These seven living children all received good common-school educations, the younger ones attending the Prairie Grove school in their own district. Politically, Mr. Herzog is a strong Republican. He has ever been active in the support of the principles in which he believes, but has no aspirations in the direction of office-holding. By reason of his large success, his unblemished character, his just and liberal life, and the universal esteem which he here enjoys. Mr. Herzog might, without invidious distinction, be called one of the foremost men of his township.