USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > History of Muscatine County, Iowa, from the earliest settlements to the present time, Volume I > Part 32
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field, Peoria and Chicago, and who have maintained hunting clubs, some of them to the present day, in these bottoms.
The events of the recent years of the early twentieth century must be left to others, as our guns and hunting outfits have long been laid away, although we fondly take them out to oil once in a while and feel again the old inspira- tion and remember with pleasure and regret combined the dear old associations. "The call of the wild" will no longer come from the Illinois bottoms opposite Muscatine. That famous and delightful hunting ground will henceforth know the farmer, the plow, the harrow and the reaper far better than the hunter, his boat, his dog and gun, and this is the better, for the richest of soil capable of supporting immense communities of people lies just beyond the river.
CHAPTER XIII.
GERMANY'S CONTRIBUTION.
FROM "DER FADERLAND" CAME MANY TO MUSCATINE COUNTY-THEIR IMPRESS UPON SOCIAL AND COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS-FOUNDER OF THE BUTTON INDUSTRY A GERMAN-CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, SOCIETIES OF THEIR FOUNDING-PATRIOTIC, A HOST OF BRAVE SONS FOUGHT FOR THE UNION-THE GERMAN PRESS-BANDS AND BREWERIES.
It appears that most of the early German settlers from the old "fatherland" came to Muscatine county by way of New Orleans and up the Mississippi river by steamboat. Later on, they came by way of Baltimore and New York city. While from 1838 to 1850 quite a number of German pioneers arrived in this county, a much greater number came from 1850 to 1870. But undoubtedly the greatest part of Muscatine's large German population came here in the years following the French-Prussian war. Most of the Germans locating here, hail from Hessen and Hanover. Our citizens of German descent in Muscatine county, as well as elsewhere, are known to be, as a rule, industrious, honest, sociable, and their love of freedom is proverbial. They have done their full share in the upbuilding of thrifty cities and towns, and were largely instrumental in transforming the prairies into beautiful farms and orchards. In common with all other citizens, originally coming here from various countries of the old world, they have shown up true to the land of their adoption, and when the call to arms for the preservation of the Union resounded, they responded in large numbers and gave additional proof of their worth and patriotism on many bloody fields of battle. Muscatine county was no exception, as the reader will find on perusal of the long list of German names of warriors, appearing in this sketch hereafter. In times of peace, too, our citizens of German descent take rank with the best. They are fond of home life and champions of athletics, music and song. This fact will be more clearly revealed in the historical state- ments regarding the German Turner societies, bands and choirs in Muscatine, appearing in connection with this article.
On account of the limited period of time allotted to the writer for this pur- pose, it is simply impossible to give a complete and correct statement of the ar- rival of all the German settlers in Muscatine county prior to 1870, but we have endeavored to secure the names of as many of them as possible, circumstances considered, and trust that the reader may thereby readily notice, in a measure, that our citizens of German descent were and still continue to be a great factor in shaping and maintaining the progressive affairs of Muscatine county.
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The first German settlers in Bloomington (now Muscatine) came here in 1837. They were David Kiefer, Jacob Kiser, John Kindler, Daniel Mauck, Israel Mauck, J. Berg, Thomas J. Starke. These pioneers presumably hailed from the state of Pennsylvania.
The first settlers from Germany came in 1838. They were J. Adam Reul- ing, who was a baker and opened the first bakery here. He died in 1898. Dur- ing the same year came John Isler. Christian Kegel also came in 1838. He was a cabinet maker, opened the first furniture store and was later connected with the first furniture factory here. He died in 1890. Henry Funck came here in the spring of 1839. He was a baker. He started and operated the first distillery at this place and later conducted a boat store. He died in 1886. His son, Adam Funck, came here at the same time. The latter was and still is engaged in various important business enterprises. Other German settlers of 1839 were E. T. S. Schenck, J. Ziegler, G. A. Springer, P. Fryberger.
In 1840 John Hirschmann came to Bloomington township. In 1855 he re- moved to Moscow (the Indians still erected their tepees in that vicinity) and started a bakery there, which he conducted until 1865, when he again returned to the farm. He is now living with relatives in the south. George and John G. Will came to Moscow township with their parents in 1840; Henry Molis came in 1841. He was a gunsmith and died in 1884; Theodore Becke came in 1842, and died in 1880; John Kuechmann, teamster, in 1843, and died in 1893; Henry Kiefner, cooper, also came in 1843 and is still living.
In 1845 came Barney Biel, gunsmith, who is still living at the age of eighty- three; Fred Miller, a farmer of Moscow township, who died in 1890; also his son Barney, who is still living; and Charles Richard, a butcher, who died in 1855.
Henry F. and Robert D. Bodmann came here with their parents in 1847; also Vincent Maurath, blacksmith; Peter Leysen, who opened and operated the first dairy here; and John Erhardt Frenzel, a farmer in Moscow township.
George Wilmering, a grocer, came here in 1848, and died in 1873. In this year also came Henry Lang, a farmer, who died in 1872; and George Ayer, who is now living in Chicago.
In 1849 came Frank Maurath, a farmer; and John J. Schmidt, who con- ducted a bakery.
In 1850 came the following: John Hocke, a farmer, who is still living at the age of seventy-two; M. Fell; John Knapp, a stone mason, who died in 1891; Charles L. Mull, a soap manufacturer and grocer, who died in 1894; and Frank Wienker, a furniture manufacturer, who died in 1875.
In 1852 the following came: Ferdinand Barnhardt, who conducted the first dray and express here. He established the first transfer line in the city and later engaged in the coal, lime and cement business. He died in 1894. Others were: John J. Bosten, who died in 1859; Conrad "Asthalter, a teamster, who is yet living at the age of seventy-nine; Aaron Romig, who conducted a shoe store and died in 1898; Conrad Romig, a brother of Aaron, who was a shoe- maker and died in 1900; John G. Hoehl, a tailor, who died in 1895; John Ful- ler, a brickmaker, who died in 1881; Joseph Fuller, a cabinet maker, who died in 1910; Barney Fuller, a grocer, who died in 1894; Henry Fuller, a brick
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maker, who died in 1896. The descendants of these four brothers are very numerous, as may be seen from the fact that at the golden wedding celebration of Mr. and Mrs. James Fuller in 1905, at Electric Park, Muscatine, there were one hundred and fifty Fullers present. John Van Lent also came in 1852, and died in 1909, at the age of eighty-five.
In 1853 came Henry Gettert, a farmer, who is still living in Muscatine; John, Henry and Jacob Schomberg, farmers, the former dying in 1907, and the two latter still living; Henry Detthof, who died in 1910; John Nester, a blacksmith, who died in 1903; Andrew Nester, a cooper, who died in 1902; and Benjamin Hershey, who was an extensive lumber dealer, owned a sawmill, and died in 1893.
In 1854 came William Zeidler, a building contractor, who is still living at the age of seventy-seven; John Graebner, who died in 1900; John Butz, a car- penter, who is also deceased; William F. Eichoff, a contractor and musician, who died in 1908; August Eichoff, a contractor, who is still living; Fred Eichoff, an organ builder, who died in 1894, at the age of ninety-three; Bernhardt Eversmeyer, an insurance and real-estate dealer, who died in 1891; Louis Um- schied, a farmer of Pike township, who died in 1897; Christian Schmidt and sons, Gustav, Herman, Ernst and Victor. The latter died in 1858 and Gustav, who owned a book bindery and was at one time mayor of Muscatine, died in 1910. Herman is still at the head of H. Schmidt & Sons' music store, while Ernst, a saddler, lives at Tempee, Arizona. Fred Mittmann, a farmer and dairyman, who died in 1908; and John Pilgrim, a farmer, who died in 1885 also came in 1854.
In 1855 came Richard Musser, a member of the firm of the Musser Lumber Company, who was twice elected mayor of Muscatine; Peter Musser, also a member of the Musser Lumber Company, who died in 1910; Ed Hoch, who is in the lumber business; John Kuebler, a shoemaker of Moscow, who died in 1910, at the age of ninety-six; Jacob Lorenz, a building contractor, who is still living at the age of eighty-four; Dr. Charles H. Riemcke, who died in 1855; Louis Schwab, who died in 1856; Werner Wittich, a cabinet maker, who died in 1894; Joseph Fessler, a shoemaker, who died in 1907; Daniel Sterneman, who conducted a transfer business and died in 1873; and John Hahn, Jr., who for fifty years has conducted a hardware business and is still living at the age of seventy-seven.
In 1856 came Charles Graefe, a tailor, who still lives in Muscatine at the age of seventy-seven; Mathias Nester, a cooper, who died in 1900; Martin Nester, who died in 1856; Henry C. Schmelzer, a wagon manufacturer, who died in 1898; John Scheetz, a farmer, who is still living here; John F. Walter, a soap manufacturer, who died in 1895; Henry S. Giessler, who built the first house in Wilton, had a grocery and kept the postoffice, and died in 1861; Henry F. Giessler, son of Henry S. Giessler, now president of the German-American Savings Bank of Muscatine; James L. Giessler, another son, who is president of the Commercial Club; Martin Havercamp, a grocer, who died in 1878; John Meyer, a butcher, who died in 1868; Fred Mottschall, a shoemaker, who is still living at the age of eighty-three.
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In 1857 came Charles Schulte, a farmer of Goshen township, who is now deceased; (his father, who came in 1859, is also deceased) ; and Dietrich Vogel, who died in 1905.
In 1858 came Joseph Giemon, who is living at the age of seventy-nine; Adolph Gottbrecht, a cigar manufacturer, who is still living; and Peter Schmidt, a farmer, who came to Bloomington township in 1873.
In 1859 William J. Lohr, a cabinet maker arrived in the county and is still living.
In 1860 came William Schaefer, who is still living at the age of eighty- seven; Frederick Kern, a stone mason, who now makes his home in Kansas City; Carl Wiese, a farmer of Moscow township, who came in the early '6os; and Samuel and Louis Cohn, clothing merchants, both of whom died in 1910.
In 1861 arrived Michael Schaab, a farmer, who makes his home in Musca- tine.
In 1864 came Frederick Jahncke, a farmer of Wapsinonoc township, now living in Iowa City; and Thomas Nietzel, who for forty-one years was in the employ of the Hershey Lumber Company, and died in 1903.
In 1865 Barney Schmidt arrived in the county. He worked on a farm for a time and later conducted a shoe store for many years. He died in 1909, while serving as mayor of Muscatine.
In 1866 John Dietrich, a tailor, arrived. He died in 1885.
In 1867 J. G. Gunzenhauser, proprietor of an iron foundry, arrived. He died in 1908.
In 1868 came George Laepp, a brewer, who is still living; and Herman Huchendorf, a miller of Pine Creek, who is still living here.
In 1869 came Herman Hoffmann, a shoemaker, who is still here; Louis Schwartz, a shoemaker, who is also still here; and Franz J. Walz, who con- ducts a boarding house but formerly conducted a saloon, being for many years well known as "Der Schwabenkoenig." He is still living at the age of eighty- six.
Among other early settlers were: George George, 1849, had a cooper shop and died in 1908; Nicholas Koehler, stone mason, 1850, also later had a brewery and died in 1867; Panbus Hahn, a farmer of Moscow township, 1851; Henry C. T. Lange, Moscow township, 1852, who was a veteran of the Mexican and Civil wars and for many years ran a ferry over Cedar river; G. F. Shafnit, a farmer of Bloomington township, 1852; Louis Gansmann, who came to the city in 1853 and died in 1869; John Heerd, a painter, 1852, and died in 1901; Melchior Sauer, a farmer, who came in 1850, and in January, 1911, celebrated his golden wedding anniversary, he and his wife being the second oldest living couple in the county, the former eighty-five and the latter eighty-two years of age; Adolf F. E. J. W. Von Dresky, who came in 1865, was known as the "Baron," could speak four different languages, and died in 1903; J. T. Krehe, a pioneer druggist, who came in 1854 and died in 1907; Rev. Carl F. Obermann, who after taking part in the revolution of 1848, came to this city in 1854. He was a delegate to the national convention at Baltimore, in which Lincoln was nominated for a second term and for many years taught a German school with good success. Part of the time he engaged in farming. He died several years
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ago. Henry Geiss, another pioneer druggist, came in 1853. In the early days he was the leading spirit among the citizens of German descent. He is still engaged in business at the old stand, having reached the age of seventy-nine. P. M. Musser came here in 1862 and for a long time was engaged in the lumber business on an extensive scale. He has always been a leading factor in the banking business.
Other German settlers were: Henry Becker, a cigar and tobacco dealer, 1852; John Daiber, manufacturer of boots and shoes, 1854, and still living here; Frank Estmann, a grocer, 1855, and still living here; Julius Gerndt, butcher, 1866, still living here; Theodore Grossheim, barber and taxidermist, 1860, now living in New York; Jacob Hess, harness manufacturer, 1851, still here; Christian Hetzel, proprietor of a meat market, 1855; William Hoffmann, lawyer, came to Louisa county, Iowa, with his parents in 1852, and has prac- ticed law in Muscatine since 1872; Bernhard Kemper, farmer and gardener, 1854; C. F. Kessler, grocer, 1858; Henry Martin, cooper, 1855, who several years ago celebrated his golden wedding anniversary and is still living; J. Rubel- mann, leather dealer, 1861; George A. Schaefer, grocer and proprietor of a brick yard, 1852; George Schneider, boat shop, 1855; Frederick Geiffert, tailor, 1866; Simon G. Stein, one of the oldest and most successful business men of this city, came in the fall of 1849, and who in 1870 and 1871 was elected mayor of Muscatine; John Weltz, proprietor of a wagon and blacksmith shop, 1854; August Wittemann, proprietor Western Brewery, 1862; Professor F. M. Wit- ter, geologist and school superintendent, 1864, who died in the south several years ago; Amos Schott, lumber dealer, 1856, who died in 1908; Jeremiah Greiner, farmer, 1854; Charles Liendecker, farmer and dairyman, 1857; Fred- erick Mittmann, farmer, 1854; John Aldinger, Sr., farmer, 1851; D. M. Funk, farmer, 1850; Peter Gettert, farmer, 1854; William Halling, farmer, 1852, who died several years ago; Joseph Heinly, farmer, 1855; W. H. Raub, farmer, 1855; John Schallhorn, manufacturer of pottery, Fairport, 1873; Mathias Kief, farmer, 1855; Louis Miller, farmer, 1853; William Noll, farmer, who came with his parents in 1866; Charles Spangler, farmer, 1856; John A. Wickey, farmer, 1856; Rudolf Altekruse, farmer, 1841; Nicholas Eis, farmer, 1847; August Fricke, farmer, 1851; Henry Kemper, farmer, 1855; George Metz, farmer, 1849; H. C. Wagner, farmer, 1854; A. M. Bunker, farmer, 1858; W. C. Kleppinger, farmer, 1867; J. E. Meyers, farmer, 1869; Jacob Pentzer, min- ister and school teacher, came to Wilton, 1869; Samuel Wildasin, farmer, 1850; Samuel Brand, farmer, 1854; Andrew Heberling, farmer, 1856; Henry Felker, farmer, 1868. In 1849 Christian Marolf erected the first log cabin in Wilton.
BREWERIES.
It is a noteworthy fact that in the '50s there were five breweries in operation in Muscatine. These were Bing's, Dold's, Schaefer's, Dorn's and Koehler's. It is also remarkable that at this time there is not even one here, although a
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large quantity of the "amber fluid" is still consumed here. The same is now brewed in other cities.
BANDS.
The German musician was also a pioneer here, showing up at a very early date. Professor Matzinger introduced the first German band in 1854. Then came Ungar's band. This was followed by Huettig's band in 1856, of which Christian Huettig was the leader. It was composed of eight men, and when they marched out on parade there appeared two with violins, one with a tuba, one with a big drum, one with a small drum, one with a clarionet, one with a cornet and one with a triangle. They rendered great service at the picnics, etc., in the old days. Later on came William F. Eichoff's excellent band, also a number of other bands, whose names we do not now recall, and still later Pro- fessor Julius Paudiet's fine band, which, together with Starck's Military Band, is still among us, rendering good music for all present-day occasions.
GERMAN LODGES.
The Germania Lodge of Knights of Honor was organized May 9, 1878. The first officers were: William Huettig, dictator; George Schneider, vice dictator ; Charles Tappe, assistant dictator ; G. Aumiller, past dictator; Ferdinand Grade, reporter; Frederick Huettig, financial reporter; Charles Graefe, treasurer ; John Schmidt, chaplain; L. Lang, guide; J. Nietzel, guardian; J. Hoffmann, sentinel. This lodge does not exist at the present time.
A German grove of the Ancient Order of Druids was organized here in 1873, and was continued for a period of four years. It was reorganized in the '8os and again flourished for several years. No lodge of this order exists at the present time. The names of the respective officers are not now obtainable.
In the '8os a lodge of the German Brotherhood of Iowa also existed here for a number of years. The list of its officers is likewise not obtainable.
J. F. BOEPPLE, FOUNDER OF THE PEARL BUTTON INDUSTRY.
J. F. Boepple, a button cutter, came from his old home in Wurttemberg, Germany, to Muscatine, about 1884. There being no work in his trade here at that time, he worked for a while on a farm in this vicinity. Later, on a fine day, he sat at the river front of Muscatine. There he observed a government dredge boat in operation. Piles of mud were being thrown out upon the shore and he happened to notice some mussel shells. Becoming interested, he picked up a few of the shells and took them to his home. After a thorough test he found, to his great delight, that these Mississippi river shells were a most ex- cellent material for the manufacture of pearl buttons. This was a great dis- covery, for prior to this time only sea shells had been generally used for the manufacture of these buttons. This happened in 1886, about twenty-five years ago. He immediately began the manufacture of pearl buttons in a small way, and in a few years a great number of button factories were established in this city and also in other towns throughout the country. This industry grew to such an enormous extent that, at the present time, over two thousand men and eight hundred girls are employed in the manufacture of pearl buttons in Mus-
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catine. Mr. Boepple, the original founder of this great industry, is now in the employ of the United States government as a "shell expert," with headquarters at the new government clam hatchery at Fairport, Muscatine county. The in- habitants of Muscatine and vicinity certainly owe a great debt of gratitude to J. F. Boepple, original founder of the pearl button industry. "Honor to whom honor is due !"
THE GERMAN PRESS OF MUSCATINE COUNTY.
The first German newspaper published in Muscatine county, the "Zeitung," was established at Muscatine in 1857 by Carl Rotteck. His father was the au- thor of "Rotteck's History of the World." Editor Rotteck had been a lawyer in the grand duchy of Baden, Germany. He took an active part in the revolution for freedom in 1848 and was finally-like so many other heroes of that time- forced to flee to the United States for safety. He came to Muscatine in the early '50s, and tried farming in this vicinity for several years. He failed to make a success of this vocation, and then opened a shoe store in town. This venture also proving unsuccessful, he started the first German newspaper. He published the "Zeitung," a small German weekly, for a period of over a year. It was a republican paper. However, he did not succeed in this new enterprise, and in 1858 he removed with his family and printing office to Keokuk, Iowa.
It seems rather strange, that from that time up to 1874, covering a period of about sixteen years, with so many German settlers in this community, no German newspaper should have been published here. But this was a fact, nev- ertheless.
In 1874 a new German weekly, the "Deutsche Zeitung," a four-page nine- column paper, was established at Muscatine by J. W. Weippiert, an able jour- nalist from Wurttemberg, Germany, and was continued by him with success until the spring of 1879, when his son, G. W. Weippiert, a graduate of the State University of Madison, Wisconsin, succeeded his father in the proprietor- ship of the paper, which favored democratic principles.
In the fall of 1881 G. W. Weippiert sold the "Deutsche Zeitung" to Rev. Gass (a German Lutheran minister) and Herman S. Stoltzenan. They changed the name of the paper to "Die Wacht am Mississippi." The former was a na- tive of Switzerland, the latter of Hanover, Germany. Prior to forming this partnership, they had become acquainted with each other while engaged in dig- ging up Indian mounds at Cook's Point near Davenport, Iowa, in search of ancient relics. In one of these mounds they discovered the famous "elephant tablets," which were presented to the Academy of Science and which, during several years, were the objects of intense discussion in scientific circles of the country. The firm of Gass & Stoltzenan was one of short duration, however, as Mr. Stoltzenan, after a few months had elapsed, bought Rev. Gass' interests in the "Wacht am Mississippi" and conducted the paper successfully on his own account. It was a democratic weekly.
August 1, 1889, another German paper, "Der Correspondent," was estab- lished by Henry Heinz, a native of Davenport, Iowa, who has had an almost continuous experience in German newspaper work since 1870, at which time he entered the printing office of the "Daily Der Demokrat" as an apprentice at
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that place. Although two German papers were now published at Muscatine, by close attention to business Mr. Heinz made a success of his venture, con- ducting the enterprise for a period of about eighteen years. The "Correspond- ent" pursued an independent democratic policy.
In December, 1896, Frank Koeckeritz, a native of Berlin, Germany, who had conducted a jewelry store here, bought and took control of the "Wacht am Mississippi." He changed the name of the paper to "Deutscher Anzeiger," and continued the publication for six months, to June 4, 1897, when he sold the paper to Gustav Weis. Mr. Weis was born in Freiburg, Baden, Germany, but came to Muscatine in early youth with his parents and mastered the "art pre- servative of all arts" in the office of the "Wacht am Mississippi." He made a success of the "Anzeiger," which was also a democratic paper, and conducted the same for a period of ten years.
May I, 1907, the two German papers, the "Anzeiger," published by Gustav Weis, and the "Correspondent," published by Henry Heinz, were consolidated, the former names of both papers being eliminated and the name of "Muscatine Herold" being substituted for the new and enlarged German weekly publica- tion, now managed by The Muscatine Herold Association, Messrs. Heinz & Weis. The consolidation proved to be a good move, but at the end of the first year, on May 1, 1908, Mr. Weis, on account of illness and other business matters, sold his interest in the "Muscatine Herold," which has always been a democratic paper, to his partner, Mr. Heinz, who continued the publication on his own account in a successful manner and is still publishing the "Herold" at this time, May 1, 1911, to the satisfaction of his steadily increasing list of sub- scribers and enterprising advertisers. The "Muscatine Herold" is a neatly printed six-column, twelve-page paper, and now the only German publication in Muscatine county.
In conclusion, it might be proper to state in this connection, that the Ger- man press of the United States has had an important mission to perform in times gone by, and its days of usefulness are not over yet. The sturdy German emigrant, as he entered this "land of the free and home of the brave," had but little knowledge of the English language, and in the German paper here he found a true friend, adviser and instructor, not only at the time of his arrival, but also in after years, when he could read English, but not readily. The German press of the country has, in the main, ever been fair-minded, conservative, loyal and a great and benevolent factor in the upbuilding of this grand republic. For the good cause of suffering humanity, it has always labored in a quiet, but de- cisive manner. It has been instrumental in promulgating the spirit of true lib- erty as enunciated in the United States constitution. The German-American press will continue to champion the just cause of a liberal Americanism.
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