USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 25
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Fraternally, Mr. Deming is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and, politically, he is a Republican. Mrs. Deming and her daugh- ters take much interest not only in beautifying the home, but in poultry rais- ing and the general success of the farm. The two daughters are Pearl, born December 20, 1890, and Emogene, born November 29, 1894; they both have a good common school education.
D. GEORGE ECKHEART.
A man who has not only been thrifty, but who has been able to do the community where he lives much good by giving of his time and influence to its advancement is D. G. Eckheart, farmer and stock man, of Fairfield town- ship, Fayette county. Starting as he did with small capital and having never received aid from anyone, the splendid property which he has acquired shows that he has been a man of excellent business ability and exercised good judg- ment throughout his career. He was born August 4, 1867, in this county, . and he is the son of Michael and Fredericka (Heiden) Eckheart, both natives of Germany, the father having come to the United States with his parents when a boy, in about 1850. The family settled in Fayette county, Iowa, and pur- chased the present Eckheart farm, and engaged successfully in general ag- ricultural pursuits, becoming well established here, also in Clayton county where they purchased land many years ago and on which they located. Both of the paternal grandparents of D. G. Eckheart are deceased, the grandfather dying at the age of seventy-seven years and his wife in 1867, and they are buried at Taylorsville, this county. Michael Eckheart, father of D. G., received a common school education, and in 1866 he married and moved on his father's farm, now the home of the subject. The father carried on general farming and in 1897 moved to Arlington; his death occurred in 1903, at the age of sixty-one years, his wife surviving until 1909, dying at the age of sixty-six years, and they are both buried at Taylorsville cemetery. They had many friends in this community. They were the parents of six children, of whom four are living, namely: Emma, now Mrs. Stout; Ella, Charles and D. G. Fred and Philip are deceased.
D. G. Eckheart received a common school education and grew to man- hood on the home farm. On May 8, 1895, he married Emma M. Meisgeier, who was born October 15, 1871, the daughter of Carl and Catherine (Huepsch) Meisgeier. Her father was a native of Germany who came to
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this country in 1852 and located in Fayette county, Iowa, in 1855, and he is a well known and respected farmer in Fairfield township, where he owns a good farm.
Mr. Eckheart began his married life on a rented farm. In 1903 he purchased his father's homestead and has since that time devoted his atten- tion to improving the place, which he has made yield abundantly. His farm contains one hundred and ninety-five acres and is located in one of the best sections of the county. He gives special attention to raising Poland-China hogs, keeping some excellent breeds,-in fact. he keeps a good grade of all kinds of stock. He has a good home and his farm is one of the desirable places in this township. He belongs to the fraternal order of Yeomen and is a Democrat in politics. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Eckheart, Carrol, born in 1901; Gertrude, born in 1903, and Harry, born in 1910. Mrs. Eckheart belongs to the German Evangelical Lutheran church of St. Sebold.
ERNEST L. NUS.
A man who has made a success of farming and stock raising because he has worked consistently and along proper lines and relied upon his own judg- ment rather than seeking the opinions of others and waiting for someone else to do his work, is Ernest L. Nus, a well established farmer in Fairfield town- ship, Fayette county, who was born September 12, 1869, in this county. He is the son of Hugo and Henreicka Nus, a well known and highly respected family of this county, the elder Nus being a wealthy farmer who came to the United States from Germany, locating in Fayette county, in 1853, without a dollar, but who, by characteristic German energy and thrift, has accumu- lated one of the most valuable and best improved farms in the county. He and his wife perhaps have the largest family of children, there being seven- teen in number, of any family in the county.
Ernest Nus remained on the home farm, assisting with the general work about the place until he was of age. He received a good common school education, and began life for himself as a laborer; he saved his earnings and when he had a sufficient capital purchased a Percheron-Norman horse for breeding purposes. This investment proved very successful and in a few years he had other valuable imported horses. The Percheron-Norman's have always been his favorites, although he has kept various grades of the equine family, and, being by nature an exceptionally good judge of a horse,
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he has been unusually successful in this respect, those he desired to place on the market finding ready sales, and his stock has long been greatly admired throughout this locality. He has favored Belgian horses and at the present time he has a number of excellent stallions of different ages, also a number of thoroughbred mares, all of which are valued at several thousand dollars. He also has a fine herd of Aberdeen-Angus cattle, and is a breeder of Duroc- Jersey hogs. In fact, no man is better known as a stock breeder in Fayette county. He is the owner of one of the county's choice farms, well improved and carefully tilled, and he has a very pleasant home and has built large and convenient barns for the care of his different lines of livestock.
Mr. Nus has never assumed the responsibilities of the married state. His brother, Richard Nus and wife, keeping house for him in his residence and assisting him with the general farm work and handling the livestock. In view of the fact that he started in life empty handed, he is certainly deserv- ing of the large success that has attended his efforts. Religiously, he belongs to the German Evangelical Lutheran church, to which he contributes liberally, while in politics he votes for the best man irrespective of party.
JOHN CONRAD WILKEN.
For a number of years John Conrad Wilken, well known merchant of Arlington, Fairfield township, Fayette county, Iowa, had been a potent factor in promoting the progress of this community along social, business, intellectual and civic lines, being an up to date business man and public-spirited citizen. progressive in all that the term implies, consequently his name well deserves a place in the record of Fayette county's representative citizens. He was born November 3. 1868, in Hanover, Germany, and there grew to maturity and was educated in the schools of his vicinity. Believing that America offered special inducements for one of his temperament, he emigrated to our shores in June, 1883, when but fourteen years of age, and located at Monticello, Iowa. there finding employment on a farm on which he remained four years,
Because of ill health, he quit farm work and started to learn the harness- maker's trade at Monticello. Upon completing his trade he went to Straw- berry Point, Clayton county, and worked at it for a time. In 1892 he came to Fayette county and located at Arlington, then known as Brush Creek, and here engaged in the harness and saddlery business, opening a shop on July 22d of that year, and he has remained here continuously to the present time, having
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built up a very extensive business from an humble beginning, starting with a capital of but a few hundred dollars, now carrying a complete line of harness, saddles, hardware, farming implements, robes, gloves, rain coats, and numer- ous other similar articles, a large and carefully selected stock, that would in- voice several thousand dollars. He has long enjoyed a very liberal patronage, his customers coming from all over this part of the county, and they have always received such honest and courteous treatment that they have not only remained his patrons but his friends also. He owns the neat and substan- tial room in which he carries on his business, also an attractive and comforta- ble residence property. He was one of the principal organizers of the German- American National Bank, recently launched successfully at Arlington, a sound and popular institution which bids fair to be one of the leading banks of the county. Mr. Wilken is vice-president of the same, and one of the principal stockholders. and his name as such gives this institution great prestige, he being regarded as a man of scrupulously honest principles in all his relations with his fellow men and a business man of rare foresight and acumen, keen discern- ment and a man who makes few mistakes in his calculations, consequently he has established a good credit and has the confidence of all classes. He carries the largest and most complete line of any store in Arlington,-in fact, his stock would do credit to a much larger town.
Mr. Wilken is an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, having passed all the chairs in the local lodge ; he is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He very ably served as a member of the town council for three years, during which time he did much for the perma- nent good of Arlington,-in fact he has never lost an opportunity to do what he could in the upbuilding of the place.
Mr. Wilken was married on October 6, 1892, to Emma E. Schoeppe, daughter of Ernest and Augusta Schoeppe, both natives of Germany, from which country they came to America about 1860, and located in Clayton county, Iowa, where Mr. Schoeppe engaged in the retail meat business, being a butcher by trade, for many years carrying on a good business at Strawberry Point, where Mr. and Mrs. Wilken were married, which union has resulted in the birth of four children, two of whom are deceased; they are, Louise. born January 27, 1894, and Lola B., born December 19, 1904, are both living at home ; Ernest, born July 10. 1895, died May 14, 1905 ; the other child died in infancy, unnamed.
Personally, Mr. Wilken is a pleasant man to meet, genial, kind, straight- forward, unassuming, and considering the fact that he has attained to a very
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substantial and comfortable station in life, notwithstanding the fact that he started out under unfavorable environment, would indicate that he is the possessor of sterling qualities and is deserving of the high esteem in which he is universally held.
PETER WOODRING.
One of the most conspicuous characters in the Hawkeye state who is laboring for the uplift of the boys and who has done a noble and commendable work in fostering the basic principles whereby the American youth may be- come useful and leading citizens of the future generation is Peter Woodring, of Oelwein, Fayette county, who has also won the plaudits of his fellow men as a temperance worker, often laboring with disregard to his own interests if he could thereby aid ever so little in eradicating that dangerous traffic in souls, the blackest gangrene in our body politic. He has prosecuted many cases against violations of liquor laws and done much toward law enforce- ment at his own expense, and in this work he has had an able ally in his wife, who is president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in Oelwein and a very active temperance worker.
Peter Woodring was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, in 1844, the son of Peter and Elizabeth (Heil) Woodring, both natives of Penn- sylvania and both of German descent. When Peter Woodring, Sr., was five and one-half years old the family moved to Stevenson county. Illinois, locat- ing near Freeport. The father was a local preacher in the German Evan- gelical church, and he followed the trade of cabinetmaker in Cedarville, near Freeport. He was a good and useful man and he took a delight in assisting worthy causes. His death occurred in 1859, having been preceded to the grave in 1855 by his wife.
One of the interesting chapters in the life of Peter Woodring is that bear- ing on his military career, which began the Ist of September, 1861, when he enlisted in Company H, Thirty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, General Black's regiment, in the Army of the Frontier. He was in the battle of Pea Ridge. Arkansas, an Prairie Grove, both hotly contested engagements: he was slightly wounded at the siege of Fort Blakely, one of the defenses of Mobile. After that Mr. Woodring was sent to Texas, where he remained until a year after the war closed. He saw active service through the siege of Vicksburg and at the capture of Mobile. He was mustered out at Spring- field, Illinois, May 30, 1866. Mr. Woodring then came directly to Waverly,
PETER WOODRING.
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Iowa, and learned the cabinetmaker's trade with his brothers, who had lo- cated there, under the firm name of Woodring Brothers, who then con- ducted an extensive furniture business there, with whom he remained until 1876, becoming proficient in this line of work. In the winter of 1868 and 1869 he maintained a shop at Plainfield for a few months. Owing to an explosion in the engine of the saw-mill where he obtained his lumber, he moved to Clarksville, Butler county, Iowa, and remained there one year, then sold out his shop and returned to his brothers' establishment at Waverly. In the spring of 1876 he started in business at Sumner, in the furniture and undertaking business. Ten years later he sold out and came to Oelwein. He was then an ordained minister in the United Brethren church and he trav- eled for several years, doing a great deal of good wherever he went, for he was always an earnest and forceful speaker. He has recently been follow- ing the carpenter's trade, but is now devoting a great deal of his time in his work as state organizer for Boys Trimmer Clubs, an organization having for its object the "trimming off" of bad habits, encouraging boys to earn and save money-an entirely benevolent association which costs the boys nothing. He is arousing a great deal of interest in the work and, being a man whom the young people naturally like, he is undoubtedly the right man in this work.
Mr. Woodring was married in 1868 to Mary Jane Fague, who at that time lived near Waverly, Iowa, her people being well established in Bremer county. She is the daughter of Daniel and Delilah (Murphy) Fague. Her maternal grandfather, Rev. James Murphy, was one of the oldest United Brethren ministers in Iowa. He traveled over the state when it was a wild prairie, he being one of the best known of the pioneer ministers.
To Mr. and Mrs. Peter Woodring ten children were born, eight of whom are living, namely: Clara E. married Christopher B. Biggle, resid- ing in Oelwein, and they are the parents of six children, Norma, Lloyd, Myrtle, Glen, Lola and Paul; Alberto I. married Martha Wismer, superin- tendent of the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern railway, with headquarters at Waterloo, and they are the parents of three children, Galie, Alberta and Ruth; Nora lives in Oelwein with her parents; Lila married Joseph L. Blunt and has two children, Clara and Zella, and they live in Oelwein; Ada lives at home with her parents; Pearl married D. B. Miller, living in Lamar, Missouri, and they are the parents of three daughters, Naomi, Leta and Maxine; Mr. Miller is a piano tuner; Henry Edward Woodring married Byril Muckler and lives in San Jose, California, and this union has resulted in the birth of one daughter, Allene; he graduated from the Oelwein Busi-
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ness University, and is in the office of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company ; Laura Ethel Woodring married W. D. Rohrback, an engineer on the Chicago Great Western railroad; they live at Clarion, Wright county, Iowa, and are the parents of one son, Duane. The ninth child born to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Woodring died in infancy, and Etta, the youngest child, died when about eighteen months old.
Since 1881 Mr. Woodring has been a Prohibitionist, and has attended many conventions, having been a delegate to the national convention at Columbus, Ohio, in 1908, a most memorable political gathering. Mr. Woodring is an elder in the Christian church; he teaches a class of boys there and takes a great deal of interest in the same. He is also manager and president of the local Boys Trimmer Club, consisting of about seventy members. He has won hosts of friends wherever his lot has been cast, owing to his genuine worth, his readiness to assist his fellow men, his kind- ness, generosity, and the good he has done. The seeds of help he has sown and the sunshine he has scattered broadcast over the land cannot be ade- quately measured, yet he is unassuming and meek in the performance of the Master's business.
FRANKLIN S. FORTNEY.
Among the citizens of Fayette county who have built up a highly credit- able reputation and have distinguished themselves by right and honorable liv- ing is the subject of this brief review. His success has been achieved by close, persistent and well directed effort. The parents of Franklin S. Fortney, Adam . and Emily (Dewey) Fortney, were both natives of the state of Pennsylvania, where they were married on May 19, 1842, and it was in that state that Frank- lin S. Fortney was born on June 30, 1852. In 1853 they removed to Ohio and after making their home in that state for four years, they removed, in 1857, to Iowa, locating in Clayton county. They decided, however, to make their permanent home in Fayette county and took up their residence in Fay- ette. They were lifelong members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they took an active interest. Mr. Fortney was a Republican in politics, but never aspired to office. During the period of Indian warfare he served with the Sixth Iowa Cavalry. Their children, other than Franklin S., the subject of this sketch, were Mariamney, who married J. Carnine ; Samuel ; Lydia, who became the wife of William June: Cornelia, who is now Mrs. Augustua Allen ; Bradley, Lester and Everett.
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Mr. Fortney's domestic life began on October 2, 1876, when he was united in marriage with Emily Rice, daughter of George D. and Lucy J. Rice. Both parents were natives of Carroll county, in New York state, and were married there July 6, 1852. One daughter was born to them while they were still living in the East, and the other in Iowa, the first being Mrs. Fortney, the second now Mrs. Nancy H. Norton. Mr. and Mrs. Rice, in 1863, left their home in New York, and, coming to Iowa, decided to make their home in Fayette county, and purchased a farm in Fairfield township, which is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Fortney. It was at this place that Mr. Rice passed away on January 31, 1893, the interment taking place at Taylors- ville.
Mr. and Mrs. Fortney began their married life in Taylorsville, where Mr. Fortney followed the carpenter trade, but after a few years he decided to give up this calling and devote his brains and energy to farming. By hard, intelligent work and good management he was able, in 1898, to purchase the homestead of Mrs. Fortney's father, where they still live. Due to their well directed efforts this farm is now one of the choicest places in the town- ship. It has been well improved, is furnished with all modern equipments and is kept in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Fortney devotes his attention exclusively to general farming and stock raising, and the results show the work of a careful, up to date farmer. Politically, Mr. Fortney is a Republican. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Fortney have two children : Polly, who is married to Fred Hetzel, and they have four children, Emma H., Helen Fern, Henrietta May and Lulu Ruth. Their second child, a son named George, is married to Nettie Potter, and their children are Franklin A. and Harry C. The farms of both children adjoin the home place and are similarly well kept and highly cultivated. Mr. and Mrs. Fortney are both well and pleasantly known throughout their community and their example is one to be emulated.
FREDERICK L. ERNST.
When passing through a neighborhood whose outward appearances in- dicate particular thrift, one is tempted to ask if it be not a German community, for no other people are more thrifty, more careful managers, nor put all their affairs on a more solid foundation, in farming as well as other business, than do Americans of German descent. Here is a man who is a type of such a class.
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Frederick L. Ernst was born in Laks county, Ohio, July 26, 1854. His father, Freidrich D. Ernst, was born in Wittenbar, Germany, March 21, 1833, and came to this country as an infant the same year. Fred Ernst, his father, located first in Ohio, then moved to Iowa. Freidrich D. was married in Lake county, Ohio, October 13, 1853, to Lozetta Klingman, born in Baden, Germany, August 14, 1833, who had come to America with her parents in 1850. Her parents died in Ohio. In 1857 Freidrich came to Highland township, Clayton county, Iowa, took up wild land and improved it. After- wards he moved to Elgin, and then to Elkader, where he died May 1, 1908. His wife died at Elgin, March 20, 1906. He was a farmer, a member of the Universalist church, and a strong Republican. No man in the county had a better reputation for honesty and uprightness in all his dealings.
Freidrich and Lozetta Ernst were the parents of eight children; Fred- erick L., the subject of this sketch; Louisa R., born May 17, 1856, married C. M. Fritz, died in 1883; Lozetta A., born October 14, 1858, married Fred Reicher, died October 9, 1888; Albert E., born July 22, 1860, died March 28, 1863; Ella, born February 25, 1862, married Albert Rawson, and died in March, 1900; Mary, born October 20, 1872, died October, 1875; Annie V., born June 2, 1869, married John Layton, of Elkader; Cora May, born April 28, 1876, married Burt Doty, died May 22, 1898.
Frederick L. Ernst had only a common school education. He lived with his father until December 6, 1882, when he married Elizabeth J. Peters, of Pleasant Valley township, daughter of Alex W. Peters, formerly of Virginia, and Margaret Jane Mattox, formerly of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Peters now live on his farm in Illyria township and are the parents of seven children : Elizabeth J., wife of the subject of this sketch; Robert, of Clayton county ; Mary H., living at home ; Margaret R., of Oklahoma: Malvina A. married M. L. Klingman, of Wadena; William, a farmer near Volga City; Wallace, living at home. Mr. and Mrs. Ernst have two sons, Walter W., born Sep- tember 30, 1883, and Robert H., born April 7, 1887. These sons are farming on the old home place.
After marriage Mr. Ernst lived in Illyria township for four years, then in 1886 purchased the farm of one hundred and ninety-six acres on which he has since resided. One hundred acres of this are in a high state of cultiva- tion. He has devoted his time mostly to general farming, raising corn, oats. hay, and barley, but has made something of a specialty of graded stock, of Poland-China hogs and Norman horses. All of the improvements on his farm have been made since his occupation, and most of the buildings have been
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built by his own hands. He is a Republican. Mrs. Ernst is a member of the United Brethren church.
Mr. Ernst's success has been largely due to his hard work, but he has been exceptionally fortunate in his splendid helpmate who has been a good manager and the kindest of mothers. He has many firm friends in the county.
CHRIS WENGER.
Of those who lived in Illyria township, Fayette county, during a past generation, winning the high esteem of their neighbors, laboring successfully for the good of themselves and family and also for the general upbuilding of the community, thereby making the world better because they lived in it and left behind them the example of worthy imitation, was the late Chris Wenger, a kind, whole-souled, generous man who will long be well remembered here. He was born in Ohio on October 27, 1855, and he was the son of John and Magdalena Wenger, both natives of Bern, Switzerland, where they grew to maturity and married, coming to America and locating in Ohio. In 1859 they came to Clayton county, Iowa, and settled in Marion township and there the parents both spent the remainder of their lives, being now deceased. The father devoted his life to farming and became very comfortably situated in this country.
Chris Wenger received a common school education, and on February 19. 1879, he married Caroline Kohler, who was born in Bern, Switzerland, the daughter of Fred and Mary Ann (Kreps) Kohler, both natives of Switzer- land. They came to America in 1858 and located in Fayette, Iowa. Mr. Kohler was a butcher by trade and also had a farm; his death occurred on July 26, 1906, and his wife is making her home with Mrs. Chris Wenger, wife of the subject. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kohler, Mrs. Wenger and Rose, the wife of Fred Reitz.
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