USA > Iowa > Clayton County > History of Clayton County, Iowa : from the earliest historical times down to the present : including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families, prepared from data obtained from original sources of information, Volume I > Part 79
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recorded the marriage of Mr. Jones to Miss Emma Holmes, and their only child is Leon A., who was born February 28, 1894, and who remains at the parental home; he received a high school edu- cation and his childish precocity was shown by his learning the multiplication table when he was but four years old.
Ernest G. Kaiser is enlisted as one of the vigorous and re- sourceful young representatives of mercantile enterprise in his native county and is senior member of the progressive firm of Kaiser & Wiethorn, which bases operations on the ample capital of fifteen thousand dollars and which conducts one of the most attractive and prosperous general merchandise establishments in the village of Monona. Of the junior member of the firm, Wil- liam B. Wiethorn, individual mention is made elsewhere in this publication. Mr. Kaiser was born in Farmersburg township, Clay- ton county, on the 4th of December, 1889, and is a son of William and Augusta (Groth) Kaiser, the former of whom was likewise born and reared in this county, a scion of one of its sterling Ger- man pioneer families, and the latter of whom was born in Germany, whence her parents came to America when she was a child, they likewise being early settlers of Clayton county. William Kaiser was reared and educated in this county and during his entire active career never severed his allegiance to the basic industry of agricul- ture, of which he was for many years a prominent and successful exponent in Farmersburg township. A well known and sterling citizen, he is now living retired in the village of Monona. He has been influential in community affairs and is a stalwart in the local camp of the Democratic party, though he has never been troubled by aspiration for political office. Both he and his wife are earnest communicants of the German Lutheran church. Of their children the first-born was William, who died in childhood; Amelia is the wife of Frederick Drahn, a farmer in Giard township; Julius is now a resident of Topeka, Kansas; Arthur is a progressive farmer in Monona township; Elizabeth died young; Emil is a resident of Larned, Kansas; Arno maintains his home at Monona, as does also Freda, who is the wife of Charles G. Schultz; Ernest G., of this review, was the next in order of birth; Hildegarde and Elsie re- main at the parental home; Helmuth is deceased; and Edmund, Irene and Raymond are the younger members of the family circle at the parental home. Ernest G. Kaiser continued his studies in the public schools of Clayton county until he had completed a course in the high school at McGregor, and he further fortified himself for the active duties and responsibilities of life by availing himself of the advantages of a business college in the city of Cedar Rapids. He continued to be associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm until he had attained to his legal majority and thereafter devoted two years to work at the carpenter's trade. His initial mercantile experience was gained by a service of one year as clerk in the store of the firm of English & Kaiser, at Monona, and for three months thereafter he was sim- ilarly retained in the mercantile establishment of C. J. Orr, of this village. On the 1st of April, 1913, he formed the present partner-
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Herbert J., who was born August 10, 1907; and Gertrude E., who was born August 20, 1910.
William E. Kaiser is one of the extensive agriculturists and stock-growers of his native county and is the owner of a fine landed estate of four hundred and forty-four acres, situated in Sec- tion 14, Farmersburg township, about 10 miles distant from the village of McGregor, which is his postoffice address. Mr. Kaiser was born on the old homestead of his father, in Garnavillo town- ship, this county, on the 10th of December, 1880, and was one in a family of seven children, all of whom are living except one. The parents, John G. and Mary (Wiegmann) Kaiser, were both born in Germany and were children at the time of the immigration of the respective families to America. John G. Kaiser became one of the extensive landowners and representative farmers of Clayton county, where he was an honored and influential citizen and where both he and his wife continued to reside until their death. He whose name initiates this review is indebted to the public schools of Clayton county for his early educational discipline, which was effectively supplemented by a course in Dixon College, in the city of Dixon, Illinois, an institution which he attended during two successive winters. He thereafter continued to be associated with his father in the latter's extensive farming operations until he had attained to his legal majority, when he rented of his father the farm which he now occupies and which he later purchased, the same comprising four hundred and forty-four acres and being one of the splendid landed domains of Farmersburg township. With the most progressive methods and policies, Mr. Kaiser has taken an advanced stand in connection with agricultural and live-stock industry in his native county and his enterprising spirit has been shown in the excellent improvements that he has made upon his rural estate, including the erection of a commodious and attractive modern house, which was completed in 1916, and which is one of the ideal country homes of this favored section of the state. In connection with wisely diversified agriculture Mr. Kaiser gives special attention to the breeding and raising of the best types of Jersey and Hereford cattle, and his herds attract much attention by reason of their extent and their manifest superiority. Liberal and public-spirited in his civic attitude, Mr. Kaiser is always ready to lend his influence and practical co-operation in the furtherance of measures projected for the general good of the community, and the year 1916 finds him serving loyally and efficiently not only as township trustee but also as secretary of the school board of his district. He is alert in his association with the varied affairs of general importance in the community and is vice-president of the Clayton County Fair Association, his political allegiance being given to the Democratic party and both he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Lutheran church, the while their unqualified popu- larity indicates the high estimate placed upon them in their native county, their attractive home being a center of refined and gracious hospitality. Mr. Kaiser has achieved unqualified success in his independent career as a representative of the great basic industries
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born in Jefferson township, this county, on the 12th of September, 1849, and is a son of William and Mary Kann, both natives of Germany-the father having been born in Prussia and the mother in the Kingdom of Hanover, and their marriage having been solemnized in Clayton county. William Kann came with his parents to America in the early '403, and his father, Gottfried Kann, became one of the very early settlers in Jefferson township, Clay- ton county, where he reclaimed a farm and where he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives. William was reared and educated in his native land and was a young man at the time of the immigration to America. After coming to Clayton county he entered claim to one hundred and sixty acres of government land, in what is now Jefferson township, and he rose to prominence and influence as one of the substantial farmers and sterling citizens of this county, where he died about 1908 at a venerable age, his devoted wife having been summoned to eternal rest on the 16th of May, 1898, and both having been life-long communicants of the Catholic church. Of their children, the subject of this review is the eldest; Henry, Catherine, Mary and Mary (second of the name) are deceased; Joseph is a resident of Minot, North Dakota ; Annie is the wife of William Uriell, of Read township, Clayton county ; and Huburt maintains his home in the state of Oklahoma. Frederick W. Kann gained his early education in the pioneer school of district No. 6, Jefferson township, and continued to assist in the work of his father's farm until he had attained to the age of twenty- eight years. For two years thereafter he farmed on rented land, and he then purchased a farm of his own, but he later sold this property. From that time forward he continued operations on a rented farm until he purchased his present fine landed estate, which comprises three hundred and thirty acres, and which constitutes one of the model farms of Jefferson township. The place is equipped with permanent improvements of the best order, and a number of the buildings have been erected by the present energetic and progressive owner, the farm being given over to wisely ordered operations in the line of diversified agriculture and the raising of excellent grades of horses, cattle and swine. Like his honored father, Mr. Kann is found aligned as a loyal supporter of the cause of the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are earnest com- municants of the Catholic church. May 16, 1878, recorded the marriage of Mr. Kann to Miss Dina Berns, who was born in Jeffer- son township, this county, on the 16th of December, 1853, and whose early education was acquired in the Catholic parochial schools at Guttenberg. She is a daughter of Henry and Annie (Knueber) Berns, who were sterling pioneers of Jefferson town- ship. The father was born at Hoghlar, Bezirf, Münster, Germany, on the 20th of September, 1817, and the mother at Hillen Regier- ungsbezirk, Münster, in Westphalen, on the 17th of January, 1819. The parents of Mrs. Kann were married in their native land and immigrated to the United States in 1847. Shortly after their ar- rival in America they came to Iowa and became pioneer settlers of Jefferson township, Clayton county, where they passed the residue
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prehensive knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of the recorder's office. At the insistent request of her friends in the court house as well as of influential friends throughout the county, she was induced to allow her name to be placed on the Democratic ticket as a candidate for county recorder in the election of Novem- ber, 1914, being elected by a large majority. That she has given entire satisfaction to the public is evidenced by the unanimous desire for her re-election. Miss Katschkowsky is a young lady of charming personality. She is deservedly popular on account of her bright vivacity and her cheerful and friendly disposition, and she has a very wide acquaintance throughout the county. While giving full time to the work of her office, Miss Katschkowsky's interests are not all confined to her official duties and she takes an active part in all the social events which transpire among the young people of Elkader. Her life record certainly shows what can be accomplished by a young woman of intellect and integrity and proves that a woman can be safely entrusted in the most responsible positions.
Frederick Keeling is another of the native sons of Clayton county who has won definite success and precedence in connection with agricultural and live-stock enterprise, and though he still owns his splendidly improved farm he now rents the property and is living practically retired in the attractive home which he has pro- vided in the village of Volga. He is a stockholder in the creamery company at Volga, a stockholder in the Volga Savings Bank, and is a member also of the Farmers' Live Stock Commission Company at this place. Mr. Keeling was born in Highland township, this county, on the 30th of August, 1863, and is a son of John and Mary (Fletcher) Keeling, who were born and reared in England, where their marriage was solemnized. About 1850 the parents came to the United States and after having resided for the first decade in the state of New York they came to Clayton county, Iowa, and established their home on a pioneer farm. John Keeling developed one of the splendidly productive farms and continued to reside on his old homestead, situated in Highland and Sperry townships, until his death, his wife also having died on the old home place. Of their five children two are now living. Frederick Keeling made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools of his native county, and after initiating his independent career he con- ducted operations on a rented farm for several years. He then pur- chased the property, in Section 5, Sperry township, and on this splendidly improved farm of two hundred and forty acres he con- tinued to reside until 1914, when he retired from the active labors that had long engrossed his attention and given him substantial prosperity, and he has since maintained his home in the pleasant village of Volga. He is now serving as township trustee, is a stal- wart advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and he and his wife became zealous members of the Volga Presbyterian church, of which he is an elder. In 1884 Mr. Keeling wedded Miss Mar- garet Robinson, who was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, whence her parents, William and Margaret (Galier) Robinson came
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over into the United States in 1865; they finally established their home in Clayton county, and here they passed the residue of their lives. No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Keeling, and the supreme loss and bereavement of his life came when his devoted wife was summoned to eternal rest, her death having occurred on the 1st of December, 1914, and her remains being laid to rest in the cemetery at Volga. She was a woman of most gentle and gracious personality and held the high regard of all who came within the compass of her influence.
William Keleher is another of the native sons of Clayton town- ship who can legitimately claim to be a representative of a pioneer family of this section of the Hawkeye State and who has proved himself possessed of those elements of character that conserve in- dividual success as well as prompt objective confidence and good will. In his native county he has found scope and opportunity for the achieving of a secure vantage-ground as an exponent of the all-important industries of agriculture and stock-raising, his present attractive homestead comprising one hundred and sixty acres in Section 28, Boardman township, and the same giving patent evidence of the owner's policies of thrift and progressiveness. On the old pioneer homestead farm of his father, in Section 34, Board- man township, Mr. Keleher was born on the 5th of March, 1861, and the high estimation in which he is held in the community sets at naught in his case any application of the scriptural aphorism that "a prophet is not without honor save in his own country." He is a son of Thomas and Mary (Dureen) Keleher, both natives of the fair Emerald Isle and representatives of staunch old families of Erin. Thomas Keleher was a lad of nine years at the time when he accompanied his parents on their immigration from Ireland to the United States, and he was reared to maturity in the State of New York. About the time of attaining to his legal majority he came to Iowa and constituted himself one of the pioneers of Clayton county. Here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in the present township of Boardman, and not only did he reclaim this tract to effective cultivation but he also evinced his cumulative prosperity by adding to his original purchase until he became the owner of a valuable landed estate of three hundred and twenty acres. He continued to hold this property until his death, which occurred in June, 1906, and his name shall be long honored as that of a sterling pioneer who did well his part in furthering the social and industrial development and upbuilding of Clayton county. He was influential in public affairs of a local nature and was called upon to serve in various township offices. His first wife, mother of the subject of this review, was summoned to eternal rest in 1878, and of their seven children William, to whom this article is dedi- cated, was the first born; Jerry owns and resides upon the old homestead farm of the father; James is a resident of Clermont, Fayette county ; Catherine died when young; Anna remains with her brother Jerry on the old homestead; Frank is another of the prosperous farmers of Boardman township; and Edward is a resi- dent of Marcus, Cherokee county. For his second wife the father
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wedded Miss Hannah Roach, and she too is now deceased, as is also John, the eldest of their children ; May and Stell maintain their home in the city of Chicago; and Chloe remains at the old home- stead farm. Availing himself duly of the advantages afforded in the common schools of the locality and period, William Keleher was reared to manhood under the conditions and influences of the pio- neer farm, in the work and management of which he continued to be associated with his father until he had attained to the age of twenty-five years. For three years thereafter he was engaged in farming on a tract of two hundred and twenty acres which he rented, on Turkey river, and he then removed to the Hyde farm, in Boardman township, which he later purchased. To this place of fifty acres he subsequently added by the purchase of an adjoining tract of one hundred and ten acres. He brought his farm up to a high state of productiveness, made excellent improvements of a permanent order, and there continued to reside for the long period of twenty-two years, at the expiration of which he sold the property to his brother Frank and purchased his present fine homestead, in Section 28 of his native township, upon which he established himself in the spring of 1913 and upon which he has since continued his successful enterprise as a general farmer and stock-grower. Mr. Keleher has taken a lively interest in community affairs and has never wavered in his loyalty to and appreciation of his native county. He has served as township trustee and road supervisor, as well as a director of the school board of his district, and he accords a stalwart allegience to the cause of the Democratic party. His home is known for its generous hospitality and good cheer, is modern in its equipment and appointments, and receives mail service on rural route No. 2 from Elkader. Both he and his wife are communicants of the Catholic church. On the 24th of Novem- ber, 1891, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Keleher to Miss Mary Hoover, who was born and reared in Clayton county and who is a daughter of Julius and Margaret (Stence) Hoover, now resi- dents of San Angelo, Texas. Her father was born in Pennsylvania and her mother is a native of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Keleher have three children-Florence M., who is a successful and popular teacher in the public schools of her native county ; and Grace M. and Thomas Leo, who remain at the parental home.
John R. King, who conducts a prosperous business as a dealer in coal, feed and implements at Strawberry Point, was born in Fayette county, this state, on the 28th of June, 1876, but was a boy of 13 years at the time of his parents' removal to Clayton county, where he was reared and educated and where his energy and enterprise have gained to him substantial success as one of the sterling and popular business men of Strawberry Point. He is a son of James and Phoebe (Wright) King, both of whom were born in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The father was a carpenter by trade but during the last thirty years of his life he was engaged in the lumber business at Strawberry Point, where his death oc- curred on the 5th of October, 1910, and where his widow still main- tains her home. Thomas, the first-born of their children, is de-
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ceased ; Mary is the wife of H. H. Oppermann, of Strawberry Point; Albert W. is engaged in the lumber business at Minneapolis, Minne- sota, and the subject of this review is the youngest of the number. John R. King gained his early education in the public schools and at the age of fifteen years he began his apprenticeship at the car- penter's trade. Later he learned the trade of telegraphist, and for two years he was employed as an operator in the service of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company. At the age of twenty-five years he took unto himself a wife, and for two years thereafter he and his wife conducted a hotel at Strawberry Point. He then removed to a farm owned by his father in Cass township, and there he continued his successful activities as an agriculturist and stock grower for ten years, at the expiration of which he re- turned to Strawberry Point and established his present thriving business enterprise, the same being based upon effective service, fair and honorable dealings and the personal popularity of the pro- prietor. Mr. King gives his support to the cause of the Democratic party, has received the three degrees of the ancient craft Masonry, being affiliated with the lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons in Strawberry Point, where he also holds membership in the Mod- ern Brotherhood of America. On the 4th of April, 1900, was sol- emnized the marriage of Mr. King to Miss Mary E. Moine, who was born and reared in this county, and they have three children, Myrtle, Harold M. and Don L.
Rufus G. Kinsley is a native son of Clayton county, a member of one of the honored pioneer families of this favored section of the Hawkeye state, and has achieved prominence and influence as one of the progressive farmers and business men of the county to which he pays unfaltering allegiance and of whose splendid resources and attractions he is deeply appreciative. Mr. Kinsley is a scion of a staunch old family that was founded in New England in the colonial days and that in later generations sent forth its sturdy sons to follow the star of empire in its western course. He was born in Giard township, Clayton county, on the 15th of September, 1871, and is a son of Guy and Lucinda (Ellsworth) Kinsley, both natives of the state of Vermont, where they were reared and educated and where their marriage was solemnized on the 15th of March, 1853. Guy Kinsley was born at Fletcher, Franklin county, Vermont, on the 12th of February, 1825, a son of Benjamin A. and Katherine (Montague) Kinsley. He was reared to the sturdy discipline of a New England farm, received a good common school education in the old Green Mountain state and as a young man of twenty-five years, in 1850, he came to the west and numbered himself among the pioneers of Clayton county, Iowa. Here he bent his energies to the reclaiming and development of a farm and he eventually became one of the prosperous and influential agriculturists and representative citizens of Giard township. He celebrated in the spring of 1916 his ninety-first birthday anniversary, and since his retirement from the active labors and responsibilities that long marked his energetic and useful career he has lived retired in the city of McGregor, where he and his wife, are enjoying the comfort
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and gracious prosperity that is justly their due. Both are earnest members of the Baptist church .and they have the respect and veneration of the people of the county in which they have main- tained their home for more than sixty years. Mrs. Kinsley is a daughter of Aaron Ellsworth, who was a substantial farmer of Vermont. On coming to Clayton county Guy Kinsley obtained a tract of government land, and this he developed into one of the fine farms of this section of the state, the while he contributed also to the social, educational and religious upbuilding of the com- munity. Of the eleven children the subject of this sketch was the ninth in order of birth; Lucy, the firstborn, is now a resident of Wheaton, Minnesota; Frank maintains his home at McGregor; Amanda is wife of Dr. Renshaw, of Monona, this county; Fannie is the wife of George Hill, of Springfield, Missouri; Cora is the wife of Eustace Renshaw, of Estherville, Emmett county, Iowa; Ben- jamin resides at McGregor ; Alice maintains her home at Marshall- town, this state; Margaret is the wife of Louis Kramer, of McGregor; J. D. resides at Lisbon, Linn county ; and Prudence is deceased. Rufus G. Kinsley is indebted to the public schools of Clayton county for his early educational discipline, which was sup- plemented by higher courses in the Breckenridge school, and the Valparaiso University, at Valparaiso, Indiana. As a youth he taught two terms in the district schools of Clayton county, and thereafter he was for a time engaged in the buying of grain for the firm of Gilchrist & Moore. He then engaged in the farm-implement business at Monona, where he continued his association with this line of enterprise for a period of eight years. For the ensuing eight years he was there engaged in the hardware business, and he then retired from mercantile life and removed to his present fine home- stead farm, which he had purchased some time prior to retiring from the mercantile business at Monona. His farm comprises three hundred and sixty acres, is equipped with the best of perma- nent improvements and is one of the model places of the county. In connection with well ordered agricultural enterprise of a diver- sified order, Mr. Kinsley has developed a specially prosperous dairy business on his farm, where he maintains a fine herd of eighty head of thoroughbred Jersey cattle. He is a director of the Citizens' State Bank of Monona, and in that village he is associated with his brother Benjamin in the ownership and operation of a successful handle factory, he having been one of the founders of this important industrial enterprise of Clayton county. In politics Mr. Kinsley designates himself a Progressive Republican, and he has been called upon to serve in various township offices. While a resident of Monona he served as a member of the board of education and also as township clerk. His postoffice address is McGregor, and from that village he receives service on one of the rural mail routes. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and is one of the progressive, wideawake and popular citizens of the county that has ever represented his home and in which he has achieved dis- tinctive success through his well ordered activities. On the 4th of April, 1906, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Kinsley to Miss
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