USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 86
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JOHN PAUL BUECHELE, for the past fifteen years engaged in the jewelry business in Dubuque, is a native of this city, born June 19, 1874, and a son of Theodore E., Sr., and Francis (Dozark) Bue- chele. The father was born in Waldkirch, Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, on October 28, 1846, and was there educated and learned the cabinet maker's trade. In 1868 he immigrated to America and came immediately to Dubuque, Iowa, where he secured employment with the old Harincourt Burial Case Company. This concern later
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operated under the firm name of Key City Furniture Company, and of this Mr. Buechele became superintendent and a stockholder. He remained thus connected practically until his death, which occurred October 18, 1901, his interment being in Mt. Calvary. His widow yet survives him and resides in Dubuque. She is a native of Prague, Bohemia, and came to the United States and Delaware County, Iowa, with her parents in 1862. To Mr. and Mrs. Buechele these children were born: Theodore E. J., of the Kaep & Buechele cloth- ing house ; John Paul, subject ; Emma, a clerk in the patent office at Washington, D. C. ; Victor, with the H. Trenkle sausage manufac- turing concern; Anthony J., with his brother John in the jewelry business; and Josephine, at home. Until fourteen years old John Paul Buechele attended the local parochial and public schools, then served a three-year apprenticeship to the jeweler's trade under F. A. Nesler. In January, 1896, with C. H. Fiegenbaum he embarked in the jewelry business under the firm name of J. P. Buechele & Co. at 1042 Main street, and five years later bought out his partner's interest. Mr. Buechele has since successfully conducted the busi- ness alone. In religious views he is a member of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic church, and socially is identified with the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Order of Foresters, Independent Order of Foresters, Modern Woodmen of America, Modern Brotherhood of America and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. On September 28, 1904, he was united in marriage with Miss Clementine Kessler, daughter of Stephen and Catherine (Baumhover) Kessler, and to their union have been born the following named children: John, Edward, Carolus, Paul and Arnold. The family residence is located at 417 Windsor avenue.
HON. OLIVER PERRY SHIRAS, recently retired and now residing at the Wales Hotel, Dubuque, is of Scotch-Irish extraction. The Shiras family have resided in America for the past hundred and fifty years and were prominent in the early history of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. George and Eliza Shiras, the parents of our sub- ject, have long since passed away, the father in 1894, aged eighty- nine years, and the mother in 1873, aged sixty-one years. Their son, Oliver, was born in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania. October 22, 1833, and there received his early education in the public schools. He further pursued his studies in the original Ohio University, from which institution he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1853 and the degree of Master of Arts. Mr. Shiras then entered the legal department of Yale University and was duly graduated therefrom with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and later received also the degree of Doctor of Laws. He then came West to Dubuque, was admitted to practice before the Iowa State Bar and immediately embarked in the practice of his profession. When the memorable struggle between the North and the Southi became im-
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minent he enlisted for the preservation of the Union and until 1864 served as aide de camp on the staff of general F. J. Herron through- out the campaigns of Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. After an honorable discharge by the War Department, Mr. Shiras returned to his home in Dubuque and resumed the practice of his profession. He is a Republican in politics and as such served as delegate to many state and congressional conventions before he began his judicial career. During President Arthur's administra- tion, August 2, 1882, he was appointed United States Judge of the Northern District of Iowa and held that position until 1903, wheni he retired.
During his twenty-one years of service on the bench he not only served as the Judge for the Northern District of Iowa, but also held circuit court in various states of the Eighth National Judicial Circuit, and for five years was likewise a member of the Circuit Court of Appeals. The Eighth Judicial Circuit is one of the largest of the nine circuits and is composed of the following named states : Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. From time to time Judge Shiras held court in seven of the thirteen states.
His brother, George Shiras, was Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1892 to 1903.
February 15, 1857, at Springfield, Ohio, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Elizabeth R. Mitchell, who died in 1885, and on October 11, 1888, at St. Paul, Minnesota, Mr. Shiras remarried, taking as his partner in life Mrs. Hetty Cornwell, daughter of Luther Spalding. deceased, of Warren, Ohio. Four children, two dying in infancy, have been born to Mr. Shiras. The two growing to maturity were Isabella, the wife of Irving Van Vliet, of Duluth, Minnesota, and Frederick, born July, 1865, and died in the Philip- pines, June, 1908. He was a first lieutenant of the Thirty-sixth Regiment, United States Volunteers, and served during the Spanish- American war.
Many years before the Public Library was established Judge Shiras helped to organize the Young Men's Library Association and for ten years served as its president. He always manifested interest in the library and educational work of the city. Since his retirement from the judicial bench he has taken marked interest in the internal improvement of the city by means of an enlarged and more perfected system of public parks. It was largely through his efforts and sup- port that the large Eagle Point Park along the Mississippi was secured recently and improved.
He is vice-president of the Public Library Board, for many years a trustee of Finley Hospital, and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
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PAUL TRAUT, prominently identified with the civic and commer- cial prosperity of Dubuque during his lifetime, was a son of Joseph Traut, an old pioneer of this city. Joseph Traut was a native of Prussia. He immigrated to the United States in 1846 and took up his residence in Dubuque, Iowa, where he married Anna Hilken, a native of Luxemburg. He died in 1895 at the age of seventy- three years, and his wife the same year, aged sixty-nine. Paul Traut spent his early life at home, supplementing the education he received in the city schools by a commercial course in Bayless Business Col- lege. He began his business career as clerk in a store, succeeding which for five years he was bookkeeper in the wholesale drug house of E. H. Moore. In 1874 he embarked in the wholesale liquor busi- ness on his own account, but this he disposed of by sale in 1880. During his business career he had become active as a Democrat in political affairs and, possessing marked executive ability, he became the nominee of his party in 1880 for the office of city treasurer. At the election following he was the successful candidate and so satis- factorily did he fill the requirements of the office that he was chosen his own successor three times. In 1889 he was the successful can- didate of his party for the office of county treasurer, and upon the expiration of his term two years later was re-elected to the position. In 1884 he was one of the organizers of the German Trust & Sav- ings Bank, of which he was elected treasurer, and of which in 1894 he became president. Many other important commercial enterprises received his cooperation and aid. He assisted in the consolidation of the four breweries allied with the Dubuque Malting Company and became the vice-president of the reorganized corporation. He was also a stockholder and vice-president of the Dubuque Stamping & Enameling Works : was one of the organizers and a director of the Dubuque Woodenware & Lumber Company, and at the time of his death was president of the Iowa Coffin Company. He was a warm friend of the educational cause and served two terms as president of the Board of Education with credit to himself and satisfaction to all concerned. Mr. Traut was married in 1873 to Miss Louisa Jaeger, a native of Dubuque and daughter of the old settler, Adam Jaeger. Seven children were born to this marriage, as follows: Eleanora, who married Paul Kerz, became the mother of five children and died at Galena, Illinois, January 31, 1908; Frank, who was a bookkeeper in the German Trust & Savings Bank at the time of his death in 1897, aged twenty-two years; Louisa M., who mar- ried Charles Saunders, Jr., who is now engaged in the retail meat market business in Dubuque and is the mother of six children; Mamie, the mother of three children and the wife of Clarence Trex- ler, who is engaged in the grocery business in Dubuque with his father; Edward, who married Pauline Hartmann and resides in Dubuque : Verena, the wife of William Toepel, is the mother of one child and has her home in Galena; and Adam H., who married
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Maud Canavan and is the agent of the Singer Sewing Machine Com- pany in Dubuque. The family are of the Roman Catholic faith in religion. Paul Traut was one of the whole souled, enterprising, gen- erous, broad-minded men of Dubuque. He commanded the respect of his fellowmen because of his sterling honesty and business ability, and the love of all who knew him by reason of his generosity, sympathy and benevolence. He died May 23. 1898, and is buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery.
B. J. HORCHEM, the son of John and Henrietta Horchem, was born in Dubuque, December 4, 1866. Both parents were German and came to Dubuque in 1860. The father was a painter by trade, but when the call was issued for men to suppress the rebellion in 1861 he enlisted in Company F, Fifth Iowa Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, when he was mustered out at Pulaski, Tennessee. At the close of the war he located at Dyersville, where he died in 1867 at the age of thirty-five. The mother married again and con- tinned her residence at Dyersville till her death, April 1, 1900. Very early in life, then, the subject of this sketch was compelled to endure hardships at the hands of his stepfather, which had a marked in- fluence in molding his thoughts and actions in subsequent life. Until sixteen years of age he worked on the farm from early spring until late in the fall. He then attended Dyersville high school and the Cedar Rapids Business College. He taught a country school two years and was principal of the Dyersville school for two years. He was then elected county superintendent of schools and filled that office from 1894 to 1898. He was re-elected for a third term, but resigned the position in January, 1899. to accept the principalship of the Audubon School in the city of Dubuque, which position he still holds. After assuming the duties of the last named position he took several courses in psychology and sociology in Chicago and Columbia universities.
He is a member of the Knights of Columbus. St. Vincent de Paul Society and the National Education Association. In his religious views he is a Roman Catholic and holds membership in St. Raphael's church in Dubuque. When asked as to his politics he said : "I vote for the best man in local affairs. I was first elected county superin- tendent on the Citizens' ticket and at the second election was en- dorsed by both parties.
He hopes to reform the school system and to this end has started what he has been pleased to call the "Park Life," the general plan of which is to have an "all-the-year school," but only half the time in school to be spent indoors. He is devoting much of his energy to this cause and says he hopes soon to publish a work on "Park Life and the Playground Movement." Dr. A. E. Winship in an editorial says: "Personally we earnestly hope that Mr. Horchem will have
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all needed financial aid, and that 'Park Life' will become a term to conjure with the county over."
LOUIS C. LUBCK, of Dubuque, was born in this city on October 2, 1860, and is a son of Charles and Mary (Zannck) Lubck, who were natives of Germany and Switzerland, respectively. Both par- ents came to America in 1847 and in that year settled at Dubuque, then little more than a frontier village, the father first landing at New Orleans, thence coming to Dubuque by boat, the mother coming here overland from Milwaukee. Charles Lubck was an architect in the old country, but engaged in the grocery business in Dubuque, at which he continued until his death in 1861 when forty-seven years of age. Mrs. Lubck is yet living in Dubuque at the age of seventy- nine years. They were the parents of four children : Christina, who died, unmarried, March 17, 1910; Mary married Jacob Jorrimann and lives at Owatonna, Minnesota, the mother of eight children; Caroline, who became the wife of Charles Norman, by whom she is the mother of seven children and resides in Chicago; and Louis C., the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Lubck was remarried in 1865, James Thompson becoming her second husband, and to this mar- riage four children were born: Charles R., James W., Marion and Alice. Mr. Thompson was a miner during his latter years and died April 13, 1910. Louis C. Lubck was educated in the public and high schools of Dubuque and when yet a boy was apprenticed to the printer's trade. After completing his indenture he traveled over the country as a journeyman printer for about ten years, but in 1891 was employed by the Smith Printing Company, of Dubuque. In 1892, associated with John Smith and M. M. Walker, he bought the Evening Ledger, subsequently organizing the Globe Printing Company and publishing the Evening Globe. This was continued until the company was reorganized on a larger and more extensive scale as the Smith-Morgan Printing Company and the Times- Journal was published and eventually became the present Times- Journal. Shortly after this Mr. Lubck disposed of his holdings and on May 25, 1895. in company with William Steuck, purchased the Union Printing Company, which they have ever since con- ducted. At the time they originally purchased the plant it was but a small concern employing four or five persons. Modern methods, equipment, workmanship and aggressive business methods have since made this concern one of the best of its kind in the city. Mr. Lubck is a Republican and has served three terms as chairman of the County Central Committee of his party and in other ways has figured prominently in the political affairs of the community. He is unmarried ; is a member of the Westminster Presbyterian church. He belongs to Dubuque Lodge No. 3. A. F. & A. M .; Dubuque Chapter No. 3, R. A. M., and Siloam Commandery No. 3, K. T., and also the Modern Woodmen of America, the Benevolent and
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Protective Order of Elks, the Dubuque Traveling Men's Business Association and the Dubuque Motor Boat Club.
ALBERT WALLACE AITCHISON, one of the extensive farmers and stock raisers of Cascade Township, was born April 1, 1863, at Chi- cago, Illinois, a son of William Aitchison, Jr., of whom appropriate mention appears elsewhere in this work. In early youth he attended the public schools, then entered Lenox College, from which, owing to failing health, he was compelled to retire before graduation. For the most part his life has been passed in agricultural pursuits. To the 60 acres left him by his father he has added at different times until he now owns 470 acres in Cascade Township and also 160 acres in South Dakota. Mr. Aitchison is one of the foremost, progressive farmers of Dubuque County. His home, modern in its appointments, is heated by hot water ; his outbuildings have been erected to meet the requirements of the scientific care of stock ; his shade trees and lawns indicate a progressiveness in the farm life of the county well worthy of emulation. While devoting much of his attention to diversified farming, he specializes in the raising of shorthorn cattle, Shropshire sheep and Poland-China hogs. Mr. Aitchison is a Democrat in politics, has served as township treas- urer twenty years and is a member of the Modern Woodmen Lodge at Cascade. April 8, 1885, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Kearney, daughter of A. J. Kearney, of whom mention is made elsewhere herein, and to this marriage there have been born the following children: Albert E., born May 3, 1886, a graduate of Lenox College: Adrian Fletcher, born May 12, 1889, now in college ; Eleanor Grace, born December 25, 1890, now in college; William K., born June 8, 1893 ; and Ruth, born July 2, 1896, died July 14, same year.
THOMAS A. HAMIL, deceased, was born August 24, 1855, a son of Andrew Preston Hamil, an early settler of Cascade, extended notice of whom appears elsewhere in this work. After attending the public schools in boyhood Thomas A. Hamil started out in life for himself as a monthly farm laborer and later worked at well drilling several years. March 10, 1880, he wedded Abby Asenath Hamilton and about this time began farming on the old homestead of his wife's father, Deacon James S. Hamilton. He was of that robust temperament that required all that he had to do with being done well. He prospered as a farmer and also as a raiser of good stock, and for a long time was secretary and was one of the originators of Cascade Creamery. Although a staunch Republican in politics he never aspired to office, being content to fill local posi- tions where he believed it would benefit the public. He belonged to the Modern Woodmen, the Mystic Workers, and was a consistent member of the Baptist church. Above all he was proud of his home
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and family and the honorable name it always bore. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hamil, as follows: James S., born April 20, 1882; Charles A., born April 10, 1884, and married Blanche Gordon; Gerald T., born February 21, 1887, and married Margaret Morton ; and Mary Bess, born November 21, 1889, and graduated in music from Epworth Seminary in 1909. Mr. Hamil died November 17, 1900. His family still resides on the old home- stead.
HENRY BROUILLARD, farmer and stock raiser, residing on Sec- tion 26, Washington Township, a mile and one-quarter northwest of Zwingle, was born in the eastern portion of France, November. 13, 1854, a son of George and Susan (Pillard) Brouillard, both of whom were natives of that country and there married. The father was a farmer and in March, 1868, with his three sons, Eugene, Henry and Charles, immigrated to the United States and joined George Salot, who conducted a store at Buncombe, Dubuque County, Iowa, and who now resides in Dubuque. Mr. Brouillard bought a farm in Washington Township of a Mr. Foster, 160 acres of which was improved and 30 acres timber land. He later added 270 acres in Jackson County to his property and successfully fol- lowed general farming and stock raising until about fourteen years ago, when because of ill health he went West to Oklahoma and made his home with his youngest son, Charles, a farmer. From there they moved on a farm near Moran. Allen County, Kansas, where George Brouillard yet resides, aged eighty years. His wife died October 4, 1897, at the age of sixty-seven years. She was one of four children born in France to Frederick and Margaret Pillard, Frederick, Petre and George being the other three. Henry Brouil- lard, the immediate subject of this review, received his scholastic training in France and still is proficient in writing and reading that language. He followed farming with his father and after the latter left for Oklahoma undertook the management of all property in Washington Township. He carries on general and diversified farming and also raises stock. In politics he is a Democrat, but has never aspired to office, and in religious views is identified with the German Reformed church. In February, 1895, he was united in marriage with Miss Alice Kifer, daughter of John Kifer, and to them three daughters have been born, named Neva, Iva and Blanche. The Brouillard family is one of the comparatively few of French extraction to be found in Dubuque County and they bear the respect and esteem of all who know them.
JOHN NEYENS, one of Dubuque County's well-known farmers and stock raisers, was born in Luxemburg, Germany, September 26, 1853, a son of John and Johanna ( Miller) Neyens, and grand- son of Nicholas and Mary (Dekobon) Neyens, the latter being
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natives of Austria and Spain, respectively. The Dekobon family were wealthy land owners and had a fine estate in Germany. Nicholas Neyens was a sculptor by occupation and was employed by the Dekobons to carve the ivory and marble work in their resi- dential chapel. While thus engaged Mr. Neyens met Mary De- kobon, whom he later married. One of the children born to this union was John Neyens, the father of the subject of this sketch. He married Johanna Miller in Luxemburg. Germany, and to them were born the following children : Mary Kate, who married John Sheke and died in the old country, the mother of twelve children; Anna, wife of Jolin Orban, and died at Le Mars, Iowa; Kate, married Jacob Ressler and resides at Worthington, Iowa; Michael, who married Mary Waistman and lives in Dyersville: Henry Neyens, married in 1876 Lizzie Keppler, lived in Nebraska and died there in 1909: John, subject of this sketch ; and Mary Anna, now Mrs. Nicholas Mertes, of Le Mars. In 1868 the parents and children, with the exception of the oldest, Mary, came to the United States, and on March 15 of that year located on 240 acres of land in White Water Township, Dubuque County, Iowa. But fifty acres of this was improved and the father, who had been a stone mason in Ger- many, assisted by his family, began to clear and improve the land and to establish a home. Mr. Neyens was blind when he located here and his neighbors used to wonder how he could grub out stumps without being able to see. He was a devout Catholic in religious faith and in 1874, aged sixty-four years, passed away, honored and respected by his fellowmen. His wife, whose maiden name was Johanna Miller, was a daughter of Jacob and Mary ( Musel) Miller, both of whom lived and died in Luxemburg, Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller these children were born: John Henry, who came to America previous to the Neyens family and settled and died at Cascade : Mathias, who came later and died in Carroll County, Iowa; Angelius, who came with Mathias and died at Dyersville ; Kate; Susan; and Johanna, who became Mrs. John Neyens. The latter survived her husband until 1896 and then passed away at the advanced age of eighty-three years. John Neyens, the immediate subject of this memoir, came with his parents to America in 1868 and remained at home, assisting his father until his marriage. In those early days Indians and deer were to be found frequently in the county and Mr. Neyens remembers chasing deer with a club, as he had no gun at that time. He married Anna Becker, a daughter of Peter and Margarey (Lemner) Becker, both parents now de- ceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Becker these children were born: Kate. deceased, married Peter Weber, of Cascade; Anna, now Mrs. John Neyens ; and Mary, who married John Goos and resides near Cas- cade. In 1881 Anna of the above children came to America and married Mr. Neyens, and two years later her father, mother and sisters came also to Dubuque County, Iowa, and made their home
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with the subject of this sketch. Mr. Becker died in 1892, aged seventy-two years, preceded by his wife in 1890, at the age of sixty- three years. Mr. Neyens now owns and operates the farm in White Water Township known as "Forest Farm." Shortly after his marriage he began farming on his own account, first purchasing 120 acres, then 80, then 40 and later 20 more, and now has a fine tract of 260 acres. He erected a modern home, doing the work him- self, as he is also a carpenter and mason, and built spacious barns and outhouses. In politics he espouses the politics of the Democratic party and in religious views is of the Roman Catholic faith. To him and wife were born the following named children : Mary, born Oc- tober. 1882, married G. Saddler, of White Water Township; Peter, born in March, 1884, married Lizzie Bockes and resides in Cascade ; Anna, born in 1887: John, born in 1892; Margaret, born in 1895; three who died in infancy ; and Jacob and Michael.
DANIEL SCHULTZ, deceased, came to Dubuque County in 1840 and became one of the foremost and most deserving farmers and stock raisers in the community. He was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1821, descended from German parents, and was married in Pennsylvania to Eve Leffert. In the early forties they and their one daughter, Anna, came West to Dubuque County, Iowa, and settled in Washington Township on the south- east quarter on the border line between Dubuque and Jackson counties. Here Mr. Schultz purchased an 80-acre farm and erected a frame house, the first in this section of the country. This was burned shortly afterwards and as money was rather scarce, he built a log house for temporary use. He improved this property and later rented it and moved north into Washington Township to a place known as Buncombe. Here he bought 100 acres, which he improved and resided on ten or twelve years, and then disposed of same, purchasing 240 acres in Sections 25 and 26 of Washington Township. This was later called and is now known as "Walnut Grove." Mr. Schultz improved this land by erecting a fine home, barns and various outhouses, and as his means permitted added thereto until he owned a section of as fine farm land as could be desired. On February 27, 1907, surrounded by a family of loving children and friends and after a long and honorable career, Mr. Schultz was summoned to the great beyond, aged eighty-seven years, three months and ten days. He was a Democrat in politics, but never aspired to office, preferring to confine his attention to pri- vate affairs, and during early times in the county was an active member of the German Reformed church. Mrs. Schultz died December 14, 1892. To them these children were born: Anna, born May 8. 1849: Elizabeth, born April 10, 1851, widow of Ebenezer McKitrick: Daniel, born December 15, 1858, married Wilma Wigreffee on July 17, 1908; David, born September 15,
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