USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 47
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At the end of that time, in 1898, Mr. Ballou again returned to Waterloo, here acting as secretary of the Cascaden Manufacturing Company until that concern discontinued business in 1910. Since that time he has associated himself with F. R. Smart and has built up an extensive enterprise in the buying and selling of engines, threshing machines and attachments. He is likewise the secretary and a stockholder in the Home Improvement Company of Waterloo, a director of the People's Building & Loan Association of Waterloo and owns a number of prop- erties in the city. His business career has been characterized by intense and well
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directed activity, resulting in success, and he has long been numbered among the prosperous and representative citizens of the community.
In 1883 Mr. Ballou was united in marriage to Miss Ellen F. Hubbard, who was born in Ohio, came to Iowa at the time of her mariage and passed away in 1904, leaving two children. Frederick H., who was born in 1885 and is a graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology of Hoboken, New Jersey, is now a mechanical engineer in the service of the Great Western Sugar Company of Denver, Colorado. Lois K., whose birth occurred in 1888, is a graduate of the department of domestic science in the Iowa State Teachers' College of Cedar Falls. Mr. Ballou gives his political allegiance to the republican party and fraternally is identified with the Masons, belonging to the Mystic Shrine. His religious faith is that of the Epis- copal church. In his business affairs he is always found reliable and he stands for the progressive element in citizenship and for trustworthiness in every relation.
ANDREW P. JOHNSON.
Andrew P. Johnson is a retired market gardener and old settler of Black Hawk county, well known in Waterloo and throughout this part of the state. He is a native of Denmark, where his father conducted farming on a small scale and there Andrew P. Johnson attended school until fourteen years of age. When old enough he went out to work, receiving fifteen dollars and a suit of clothes for his first year's labor. He aided in plowing, wielded the flail and mowed with the scythe and did other farm work according to the primitive manner of the times, when farm machinery was very crude compared to that in use at present.
When he was twenty-two years of age or in 1870 a neighbor, who was leaving for the United States, told Mr. Johnson that if he would go he would pay his passage. Mr. Johnson prepared for the trip. When he told his mother that he was intending to leave she cried and begged him not to go, but he felt that this was his opportunity. They made the voyage on a steamship called the Ocean Queen. When half way over they were struck by an awful gale and barely reached New York, having spent sixteen days in making the crossing. They landed in New York and thence made their way to Cedar Falls, Iowa, and began farming at Hudson at fifteen dollars per month. Mr. Johnson worked in that way for four years, at the end of which time he was taken ill and returned to Denmark in order to regain his health. The sea voyage proved the needed cure and he remained for six months ere again coming to the new world. It was during that period, on the 8th of March, 1876, that he was united in marriage to Miss Wil- helmina Anderson, who was born on Christmas day, 1846, in the same town in which his birth occurred. She had attended the country schools and was con- firmed at the age of fourteen years in the same church as her husband.
Mr. Johnson brought his wife back on the vessel Cimbria from Hamburg to New York and the next year the ship went down with all on board. Mr. Johnson established his home at Cedar Falls and both he and his wife were employed upon a farm. The following year they began housekeeping in Waterloo but had to go in debt in order to buy their household furnishings. They were resolute, deter- mined and courageous, however, and gradually advanced toward success. For
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a year Mr. Johnson operated the Kingsley farm and afterward was employed in, connection with the J. A. Fowler greenhouse for eight years. Later he purchased of Mr. Fowler five acres east of the town and did gardening for thirty years. He then disposed of the property after having improved and beautified the land. He won substantial success in the capable management of his business affairs through his untiring industry and perseverance. For the past three years he has lived retired, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves.
During their later years Mrs. Johnson's parents, Anders and Catherine (Lar- son) Petersen, made their home with her and here both passed away. They had a family of six children and also reared an adopted child. Mr. Petersen was a farmer by occupation. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born two children : Gustave C., of Waterloo, who married Marie Bruce and has three children, Emil, Holger and Arthur; Marie, the wife of J. C. Miller, of Waterloo, by whom she has two children, Marguerita Katrina and Edna.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are devout members of the Lutheran church and assisted in building the church of that denomination in Cedar Falls, of which A. S. Nelson was the pastor and in fact the first Danish minister of this denomina- tion in this section of the state. Mr. Johnson has held office in the church and has ever been a generous contributor to its support. He also helped to purchase the church building on the corner of Fifth and South streets, Waterloo. When he and his wife were first married they assisted many young Danish people to get a start, entertained them at their home, kept them in the church and helped them to take out citizens' papers. Their influence and aid have ever been on the side of progress, improvement, justice, truth and right. They now have an attractive home in Waterloo which Mr. Johnson owns and he also has another residence property and vacant lots in the town. His has been a well spent life that has brought to him not only success but the respect and goodwill of his fellow towns- men. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for here he has found the opportunities which he sought and, working his way steadily upward, is now numbered among the good citizens of Black Hawk county.
LEONARD WEILAND.
Leonard Weiland, conducting a prosperous and growing butchering business at Gilbertville, was born in Luxemburg in 1859, a son of John and Katrina (Faber) Weiland. The father was also a native of Luxemburg, born in the year 1834, and his death occurred in 1902. His widow survives at the advanced age of eighty-four years. John Weiland was always a farmer and owned lands in his native district. He was progressive in his work and won a substantial measure of success as the years passed. His religious faith was that of the Catholic church. Of his children four yet survive and all are residents of America, two of the number being in Black Hawk county.
Leonard Weiland spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the fatherland and when a young man came to the new world. It was in 1881 that he crossed the Atlantic and made his way to Black Hawk county, where he secured employ-
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inent as a farm hand. He carefully saved his earnings and in 1886 purchased property. He has witnessed the growth and development of this section and land which was worth twenty dollars per acre in 1886 is today worth from one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars per acre. The township was but sparsely settled at the time of his arrival and many changes have since occurred. Mr. Weiland still owns a farm in Poyner township and is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land in South Dakota. He is likewise a stockholder in the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern Railway Company and in 1901 he embarked in the butchering business in Gilbertville, to which he now devotes practically all of his attention. In this connection he has built up a good trade and his success has come to him as the merited reward of close application, unfaltering industry and determination.
Mr. Weiland has been married twice. He first wedded Miss Lena Beck, a native of Luxemburg and a daughter of John Gregor and Katherine Beck, the former a farmer of Luxemburg. Having lost his first wife, Mr. Weiland was married in 1891 to Miss Anna Sickenberger, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, a daughter of George and Katherine Sickenberger, who were also natives of Luxemburg. When a young man the father came to the United States and has since lived near Cincinnati, where for many years he worked at the stonemason's trade. By both marriages Mr. Weiland became the father of sixteen children, as follows : Michael, who died in infancy ; John F., an agriculturist of South Dakota ; Barbara, who is the widow of Frank Bernard and has one child ; Mary, who gave her hand in marriage to Frank Steubenrauch, a farmer of Black Hawk county, by whom she has one child; Nicholas, who died in infancy ; Katherine; Peter ; John, who passed away in infancy: Edward: Lawrence; Lauretta : Madeline; Anna ; Joseph : Bernadine; and Rosa.
Mr. Weiland is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and he gives his political allegiance to the democratic party. He does not seek nor desire office but concentrates his efforts upon his business affairs, and the capable management of his interests brings to him a measure of success that is most gratifying.
E. R. SHOEMAKER.
E. R. Shoemaker is treasurer of the Fred L. Kimball Company and also of the Shoemaker-Van Pelt-Mayne Company. A native of Pennsylvania, he was brought to the west by his parents in his childhood days, the family home being established in New Hartford, Iowa. He was educated in the public schools and also at the Upper Iowa University at Fayette. In early life he began learning the printer's trade and for three years was with E. E. Taylor, of the Tran Star- Clipper. On severing that connection he came to Waterloo and became associated in business with Fred L. Kimball. Since the death of Mr. Kimball Mr. Shoe- maker has had charge of the plant and with the official title of treasurer has largely superintended the business and directed its activities. He was president of the Iowa State Dairy Association for one year and was chairman of its legis- lative committee at the time the association succeeded in getting the legislature to make an appropriation for furthering the dairy interests of the state.
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In 1901 Mr. Shoemaker was united in marriage to Miss Abbie May Laird, of Jesup, Iowa, and to them has been born a son, Roy Laird. The parents are mem- bers of the First Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Shoemaker is serving on its official board. He also has membership with the Knights of Pythias and he cooperates heartily in plans to upbuild the city and extend its trade relations, to which end he is an active worker in the Commercial Club and Board of Trade, in the Chamber of Commerce and in the Town Criers Club. He likewise belongs to the Waterloo Club and in those different organizations is popular. He is now widely known and has gained for himself a creditable position among the leading business men of the city.
REV. JOHN N. NEMMERS.
Rev. John N. Nemmers, the zealous and popular pastor of the Gilbertville Roman Catholic church, was born in Jackson county, Iowa, in 1847, a son of Nicholas and Mary (Freiman) Nemmers, both of whom were born in the grand duchy of Luxemburg. The father was a carpenter by trade and in his young manhood emigrated to the United States. In 1846 he came overland by ox team from Chicago to Jackson county, this state, which was then raw prairie which had never been touched by the plow. With the coming of a few settlers rude log cabins were built which served as homes, roads were laid out, schools and churches were erected, and in all of this work Nicholas Nemmers did his part. He purchased government land at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre and became eventually the owner of two hundred acres. He also practiced his trade and was one of the useful and prosperous citizens of his county, as well as one of the most influential men of his community, being appealed to for instruction and advice on many questions. He became quite prominent in the early history of Jackson county and remained there until 1880, when he removed to Le Mars. In 1890 he came to Gilbertville and passed the remaining years of his life with his son, John N. There were twelve children in the family, but our subject, the fourth in order of birth, was the first born in the United States.
Rev. Nemmers early learned the carpenter's trade from his father and also attended the district schools, thus laying the foundation for his wide general knowledge. The first schoolhouse was but a log cabin and the curriculum and methods of teaching were in harmony with the outward conditions. He sub- sequently attended parochial school, after which he was a student in St. Francis College at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for eight years. In 1875 he was ordained priest and on the 22d of December of that year came to Gilbertville, where he has remained ever since. For almost four decades he has watched over those whose spiritual well-being is committed to his care and his congregation has grown in numbers and in faith under his guidance. He has also proved a busi- ness man of ability, has erected four church buildings and has managed wisely the financial affairs of the church. His sincerity and earnestness commend him to the respect of the community as a whole as well as to his parishioners. When he first came to Gilbertville he numbered among his flock all of the Catholics between and including Raymond and Barclay, and at the latter place he erected
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a church costing three thousand dollars. The Raymond and Barclay congre- gations were under his care for nineteen years. While his first care has ever been the upbuilding of the church of which he is pastor he has also taken an active part in various movements that have concerned the welfare of the whole town. He is a man of progressive ideas and his plans and efforts have been broadly constructive, seeking advancement along lines that will result in the permanent betterment of conditions. He finds a great deal of pleasure as well as profit in reading and his library is one of the best in Gilbertville. He has local financial interests, owning bank and interurban railway stock.
C. D. CASS.
C. D. Cass, general manager of the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern Rail- road, with offices at Waterloo, was born in Sumner, Iowa, in 1880, a son of S. F. Cass, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. He was edu- cated in the State Normal School and was graduated from the law department of Drake University with the class of 1901. He had previously been employed by the railroad company, having begun work in that connection during the periods of school vacation. Following his graduation he resumed active con- nection with the business, and has been general manager of the road since 1905. having in the meantime gradually worked his way upward, his ability increas- ing through the exercise of effort.
In 1901 Mr. Cass was united in marriage to Miss Leila Bentley, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Bentley, of Waterloo, and they have become the parents of two children, Robert B. and Richard S. Mr. Cass is a member of the Com- mercial Club and Board of Trade and is interested in all the projects put forth for the benefit and upbuilding of the city, the extension of its trade relations and development of its advantages. He is a typical young business man of the age, alert, enterprising and progressive, and he occupies a most creditable posi- tion in the business circles of this section of the state and in the regard of his associates.
FRANK H. FINCH.
Frank H. Finch is one of the best known and most efficient butter makers in Black Hawk county and this section of the state. He makes his home in Fairbank, where he is now engaged in the conduct of a flour and feed mill. He is a man of determination and energy and carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. He was born in Lester township, this county, June 30, 1866, and is a representative of one of the prominent old pioneer families of whom extended mention is made in connection with the sketch of Ira Finch on another page in this work.
Frank H. Finch was reared to manhood on the old homestead, meeting with the usual experiences of the farm lad. He attended the common schools and
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for a number of years devoted his energies to general agricultural pursuits. Later he conducted creameries in this vicinity and became an expert butter maker, the output of the creameries always winning for him a well merited reputation by reason of the excellence of the product. After leaving the creamery business he engaged in painting and followed that trade until the spring of 1914, when he became connected with a flour and feed mill at Fairbank which is one of the oldest in this part of the state.
In Lester township, on the 15th of January, 1895, Mr. Finch was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Buehner, who was born in Lester township, a daughter of John and Caroline Isabelle (Holdiman) Buehner, of Lester township. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Finch has been blessed with six children: Esther E., born March 4, 1896, who was graduated from the Waverly high school with the class of 1914 and is now at home and teaching school; John B., born March 27, 1899; Edith C., born July 14, 1901 ; Leola H., September 16, 1903; Edna E., April 13, 1906; and Ivan A., April 29, 1911. The oldest and the youngest were born in Black Hawk county and the others in Bremer county and all have been reared in this part of the state.
Mr. Finch exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party but has never been a politician in the sense of office seek- ing. He is a member of Black Hawk County Camp, No. 2935, M. W. A., of Dunkerton. His business interests have brought him a wide acquaintance and his social qualities have gained him popularity among all with whom he has been brought in contact.
JOHN P. NEMMERS.
John P. Nemmers, engaged in merchandising at Gilbertville and well known as a representative citizen through other business connections, was born in Black Hawk county in 1883, a son of John P. Nemmers. He attended the parochial school at Gilbertville and afterward spent four years as a pupil in St. Joseph's College at Dubuque, Iowa. When twenty-one years of age he went upon the road as a traveling salesman, representing the firm of Scott & Dillon of Sioux City, Iowa. He was with them, however, for only a short period before going to St. Paul with the Luse Land Company. Subsequently he returned to Gilbertville and for two years was associated with his stepfather, Peter Wester, in a general mercantile store. On the expiration of that period he joined F. J. Franta in pur- chasing the store, which was conducted under that partnership relation until 1913, when Martin N. Bernardy became a partner. They carry a large and well selected line of general merchandise and enjoy a gratifying and growing patronage.
In addition to his mercantile interests Mr. Nemmers is connected with other business affairs. He is now a stockholder in the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & North- ern Railway & Light Company, holds bank stock and is the owner of considerable real estate in Gilbertville, having made judicious investment in property, from which he derives a gratifying annual income.
As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Nemmers chose Miss Matilda Schares, a native of Black Hawk county and a daughter of Adam
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and Mary (Kascht) Schares, both of whom were born in Germany. The father is one of the well known agriculturists of Poyner township, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Nemmers have three children, namely: Celestine, who was born April 6, 1909; Vincent, whose birth occurred on the 26th of September, 1912; and Con- soline, whose natal day was December 4, 1913.
Mr. Nemmers holds membership with the Knights of Columbus and the Cath- olic Order of Foresters and his religious faith is that of the Catholic church. His political allegiance is given the democratic party and he is now serving as post- master of Gilbertville. He has likewise been justice of the peace. He is a very active man in the affairs of the town and cooperates heartily in all plans and projects for the upbuilding and improvement of the village. In his business affairs he has so directed his interests that success has attended his efforts and Gilbertville has benefited largely by his operations in commercial and financial lines.
E. WILLARD SPURR.
It is a trite saying that there is always room at the top and if the general public only comprehended this it might be a stimulus for more thorough, conscientious and able effort. A recognition of this truth, together with a love for his art, has brought E. Willard Spurr not only to a position of leadership among the photog- raphers of Waterloo and of Black Hawk county, but of the state of Iowa, and made him the peer of the ablest who occupy the front ranks in photographic art circles in the country. For nine years he has maintained a studio in Waterloo and the city has reason to be proud to number him among her residents, as his life has been actuated by high ideals leading to notable achievement. As expressed by Mr. Spurr: "The artist's pursuit is unselfish. His reward is the delight in the beauty he creates. Nature and feeling are the artist's standard-truth and refined pleasure his chief end." This finds exemplification in his efforts, and his studio in Waterloo is one of the show places of the city.
He was born in the state of New York, near Westfield, and in his childhood days accompanied his parents on their removal to the west, at which time the family home was established in Vinton, Iowa, where they spent the remainder of their lives. He acquired his education in the schools of this state. He has been interested in art from his childhood and was an art student under Eckert, a noted artist of those days, from whom he received his first lessons when but ten years of age. He not only learned the actual work of the artist, but also was instructed by Mr. Eckert in the study of human character and in connection therewith he took up the study of phrenology, in which he became most proficient. He practiced phrenology with great success for about seven years and throughout the period also did art work, traveling through the summer and spending the winters in his studio. Nature splendidly endowed Mr. Spurr with talent of that character and the development of his native powers has made him an artist of rare ability. For a time he was located in Des Moines and came from that city to Waterloo, but previous to establishing his home here he spent two years upon the road, demon- strating art photography in different studios.
E. WILLARD SPURR
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Coming to Waterloo in 1905, Mr. Spurr established his studio here in the Syndicate building, on the fourth floor, and called it the "One Man" studio, doing all of his own work. His rare ability, however, was soon recognized and the business grew rapidly, requiring a number of employes. In 1910 he removed to his present quarters on East Fourth street, where he has one of the finest studios in the state. His photographic work has taken awards and prizes throughout the entire country. In 1899 he won the Iowa bronze medal; in 1900, the Iowa bronze miniature medal, the Iowa gold medal, the special per cent diploma, "Grand Portrait Class," of the North Western Photographic Association of America, and the special A class diploma at the convention held at Milwaukee, Wisconsin ; in 1901, the Iowa silver loving cup, "Sweepstakes," the Iowa gold medal, "Prize Winners' Class," the Iowa gold medal, "Draped Fine Art Miniatures," a silver loving cup (open to world's competition) at St. Paul, Minnesota, the Iowa first prize, "Trophy," Traveling Cobbler, Descriptive Class, the first prize, "Trophy," Traveling Cobbler, Descriptive Class, at St. Paul, Minnesota, and the first prize, "Trophy," Traveling Art Miniatures, of the North Western Photographers' Association of America; in 1902, Honorable Mention, picture selected for Fine Art exhibit, New England, and the Minnesota Inter-State Picture Study, "Study Alone"; in 1903, the Iowa Inter-State Picture Study, "Rose Bud" ; in 1905, Honor- able Mention, open to the world (Fine Art Photographic Exhibit, New York city ), two pictures selected for Fine Art Palace, World's Fair, St. Louis, and first prize, Iowa State Fair, Picture selected by American Federation of Art, passed on by the jury, and which hung in the North American Salon in 1912. He is now pre- paring a special exhibit for the Panama-Pacific Exhibition.
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