USA > Iowa > Fayette County > Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 56
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Mr. Freiburghaus is a Republican and always takes an interest in local politics. For fifteen years he has been a member of the school board and dur- ing that time has been able to do much for the cause of education. He also
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takes much interest in religious affairs as a member of the Baptist church. For thirty years he has taught the infant class in Sunday school, has been treasurer of the church since 1884, and one of the trustees for five or six years.
WILLIAM ALVA SCHNEIDER.
An enumeration of those men who have won honor and public recogni- tion for themselves, and at the same time have honored the locality where they belong, would be incomplete were there failure to make specific mention of the one whose name forms the caption to this sketch. A life of earnest and persistent endeavor has placed Mr. Schneider in fairly comfortable circum- stances, and his life has been so ordered as to win the earnest esteem of all who know him. He has on at least one occasion demonstrated personal bravery of the highest order-an incident which will be referred to in a later paragraph.
William A. Schneider is a native of the township in which he now resides, his birth occurring on November 2, 1867. He is the son of Michael and Elizabeth (Burch) Schneider, the latter having been a daughter of Elder Burch, the first settler at Oelwein. The subject's father was born in Alsace- Lorraine, which now belongs to Germany, though at that time it was a part of France. He came to the United States and here followed the pursuit of farming. The subject was reared on the paternal farmstead and was early inured to hard work. The family sometime later moved to Harlan town- ship, this county, where the father had bought a farm. The subject attended the common schools, which in his early days were in session but about three months each year. After completing his education he was variously em- ployed for some years, but at the age of twenty-three years he engaged in the livery business on his own account at Oelwein, but did not long continue in that line. After his marriage, which occurred in 1899, he located on a farm which he had bought and which was located near Oelwein, and during the following four years he was engaged in its operation. At the end of the period noted he sold his farm and moved into Oelwein, where he was engaged in the dairy business for two and a half years. He and his family then went to California on an extended trip, and remained there about six months, at the end of which time he returned to Oelwein and entered the employ of the Chicago Great Western railroad, being employed in the shops for about four- teen months. In March, 1908, Mr. Schneider entered a homestead of one
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hundred and sixty acres in Stanley county, South Dakota, to which he now has a clear title. In June, 1909, Mr. and Mrs. Schneider returned from their resi- dence on this homestead and now make their home in Oelwein. Mr. Schneider owns a total of five hundred and sixty acres of land in South Dakota, and is extensively engaged in the business of buying and selling land, in which he has met with splendid success. He is a good judge of land values and is a shrewd and successful trader. He is also the owner of some valuable real estate in Oelwein.
On January 4, 1899, Mr. Schneider married Hattie May Powers, the daughter of Henry and Livonia (McDougall) Powers. The latter was born in New York state, but in her young girlhood she accompanied her parents on their removal to Canada, where she was reared. Henry Powers is numbered among the honored pioneers of Fayette county, having located in Scott town- ship in the spring of 1856. He was postmaster of Scott Center for twelve consecutive years, or from the founding of the office until its abolishment. His descendants are numerous in Scott township. He was the eldest of eleven children born to John L. and Melissa Ann (Farr) Powers, and John L. was the eldest of seven sons born to David and Hannah Powers, who lived near Meadville, Crawford county, Pennsylvania, about the beginning of the last century. The Farr family were also numbered among the pioneer settlers in Fayette county. To the subject and his wife has been born one son, Paul A.
Fraternally, Mr. Schneider is a member of that great fraternal insurance order, the Modern Woodmen of America, and Mrs. Schneider is a member of the auxiliary order, the Royal Neighbors. They are both active in their respective orders and are popular among their acquaintances.
Mr. Schneider is the holder of a bronze medal given to him by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission as a reward for an act of the greatest bravery and calling for personal courage and presence of mind of a high order. The inscription on the medal reads as follows: "Awarded to William A. Schneider, who saved Marian Sturgis from drowning, Hazleton, Iowa, July 24, 1906." The young lady referred to is the daughter of Hon. Lew I. Sturgis, postmaster at Oelwein, and the incident, as related in the report of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, award No. 177, was that Miss Sturgis was bathing in Otter creek, twenty feet from the bank, and in water ten feet deep, when she became panic stricken and helpless. She was struggling and about to sink for the third time when Mr. Schneider went to her rescue. In her excitement and semi-consciousness she grabbed him around the neck and head and pulled him under the water, but by presence of mind and herculean efforts he succeeded in getting her to shallow water. In addition to the award
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of the medal, Mr. Schneider was also given eleven hundred dollars in cash from the hero fund in further recognition of his courage and character, and in this connection it may be noted that an award of money is only made after the most rigid investigation by special agents as to the personal character and worth of the recipient. While modest in his reference to this event, Mr. Schneider is deservedly proud of his membership in this list of publicly-recog- nized heroes.
HANS JACOBSEN.
Although Denmark is a small kingdom and far remote from Fayette county, Iowa, she has sent a fair representative of her best citizenship to this and other localities of our great republic, and wherever the Danes have settled they have become integral parts of our great body politic, being law-abiding, progressive, honest, as a rule, and in every respect welcomed to the protection of the stars and stripes to which they have ever been loyal. One of the most conspicuous representatives of this class in Fayette county is Hans Jacobsen, one of the leading farmers and stock raisers of the county, his highly im- proved and valuable landed estate lying near the city of West Union.
Mr. Jacobsen was born in Denmark in 1845, and he is the son of Lewis and Mary (McGrater) Jacobsen, both natives of Denmark and each represent- ing excellent old families there. The parents of the subject spent their lives in their home country on a farm and died there. Their son, Hans, assisted with the farm duties on the home place when a boy and received his educa- tion in the common schools. His imagination had been fired by the wonder- ful stories of opportunities in the western republic and he early in life began to plan to come here, believing that he would be enabled to carve out a fortune for himself if given a fair opportunity, and, judging from the eminent suc- cess that has attended his efforts, one would conclude that he was wise in reaching and carrying out this early decision. It was in 1879 that he set sail for our shores. He remained in the state of New York, settling near Utica for a period of eight years, working on different farms until he got a start. He was economical, saved his money and, believing that the West offered ad- vantages for securing land that were superior to any thing the East had to offer, he came to Windsor township, Fayette county, Iowa, and purchased eighty acres and lived on it for a period of four years, making a good living and adding to his competence. He then purchased one hundred and forty acres in Union township, where he now lives, engaged in diversified farming
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in a most successful manner. He has a cozy and substantial dwelling and good outbuildings.
Mr. Jacobsen was married in 1887, while living at Utica, New York, to Elena Marie Jensen, the daughter of an industrious and highly honored fam- ily, and this union resulted in the birth of the following children: Laura, Jensena, James, Alie and Lena. Laura married George Alcorn, and Jensena married Charley Bartels, who is living in South Dakota on a farm of four hundred and eighty acres. Mrs. Jacobsen died September 4, 1894, and about a year later Mr. Jacobsen married her sister, Jensine Jensen, at Cedar Falls, Black Hawk county.
Politically, Mr. Jacobsen is a Republican and while he has not found time to take much interest in political matters he has served as school director. He is a Presbyterian in religious matters.
WILLIAM SARGENT.
The subject of this biographical review is one of the surviving early set- tlers of Illyria township, without whose history the annals of the township, and particularly the town of Wadena, would be very incomplete. There are few people in Fayette county who do not personally know "Billie" Sargent. He was one of the writer's earliest friends in the west, and it is a pleasure to him to record these few details in the life history of one of Fayette county's most worthy citizens. William Sargent is an Englishman by birth. He was born in Dorsetshire, February 13, 1843. His parents were William and Emma (Young) Sargent, natives of the same locality as himself. His father was superintendent of Lord Bigby's estate at Dorsetshire for thirty-five years.
The first eleven years of the subject's life were spent in his native country, and he there began his educational career in the common schools of England. In the fall of 1854 the family emigrated to America and came at once to Illyria township, Fayette county, Iowa, and selected a home near the southwest cor- ner of the township. The parental home was continued here during the re- mainder of the lives of his parents, and is still referred to as one of the pioneer landmarks in the township. The father, William Sargent, Sr., was a quiet, unassuming man, at peace with himself and all the world. He never aspired to public honors nor mingled greatly with the people outside of his own family. And this reticence seems to be a family characteristic, in that none of the children were ever loudly outspoken, even on subjects that deeply interested
WILLIAM SARGENT.
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them. The subject of this sketch is noted for his quiet, unobtrusive manner and carefully guarded and well-controlled temper. No one ever saw "Billie" Sargent in great anger, except, possibly, the family of five grown men and boys who once undertook to "pick his bones," as he facetiously termed a "neighborly bout" when he was young. But on that occasion the father and his four sons, though all of "fighting stock," had to take to the woods!
On arriving at Illyria, Mr. Sargent entered the pioneer school in the neighborhood and pursued his studies for about three years, when he was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade and completed the full course of instruc- tion in that department, as was customary in early days. No one was con- sidered either a carpenter or a blacksmith who did not serve an apprenticeship of at least three years, and it may not be amiss to mention the shop in which Mr. Sargent learned his trade. It was located in the extreme northwest cor- ner of Illyria township, in the country, and on the well known Gilson farm, and was operated by Gilson & Johnson. Their specialty was plow making, for all the plows then in use were made by hand, and the fame of the Gilson plow reached far and wide over Fayette county. But they were also general blacksmiths, and while the subject was specially qualified to make or repair plows, he was also a good general mechanic in iron or steel work. But after completing his apprenticeship, "Billie" decided to re-enter school for a while, and was enrolled as a student at the Upper Iowa University, where he pursued his general studies for about three years. He has always been successful as a business man, and any endeavor in a business way invariably brought him good results.
The nucleus to a nice little income, which was always well invested, re- sulted from horse breeding in early days, before the country was out of the "ox team" stage. But soon after leaving school, Mr. Sargent engaged in busi- ness at Taylorsville, which was then one of the most prosperous towns of the county. He operated a shop there for two years, when he sold out, and when he again opened a shop he chose the village of Wadena, a most profitable venture, for his was the only blacksmith's shop in the place for several years. His old shop there is now worked over into a residence, and the telephone ex- change is located there. After about ten years in the hardest labor of any of the mechanical trades, Mr. Sargent retired, and, barring a few years that he served as justice of the peace, he has been retired for about twenty-five years. But this is really not a retirement at all, in that Mr. Sargent owns two good farms, aggregating two hundred and fifty acres of good Fayette county soil, and the superintendence of these requires considerable of his time. Just out- side of the corporation of Wadena is his home farm of ninety acres, where he
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and his wife have a pleasant residence. The other farm, of one hundred and sixty acres, is located in Scott township, some fifteen miles distant.
William Sargent and Miriam M. Mitchell were married December 31. 1873. Miss Mitchell, daughter of Joseph and Ida L. Mitchell, was born in Clayton county, Iowa, August 9, 1853. Her parents were very early settlers in Fayette county, and her father was one of the first blacksmiths in Wadena and was also a very early postmaster there.
Mr. Sargent has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years, having been initiated into York lodge, No. 202, at Taylorsville, before its re- moval to "Brush Creek," now Arlington. On the organization of a lodge of Odd Fellows at Wadena, he was one of the early initiates, in order to help a worthy cause along. Himself and wife are members of the Order of the East- ern Star at Arlington.
Though a moral and upright man, and a ready contributor to churches, Sunday schools, etc., Mr. Sargent has never connected himself with any re- ligious organization. His views are liberal, inclining towards Universalism. And the doctrines of this sect, if properly observed and followed through life, will not lead its adherents far astray.
ADOLPH GARNIER.
As the name implies, the Garnier family is of French origin, but Adolph Garnier, of this sketch, was born in Bavaria, Germany, his birth occurring there December 14, 1854, but the greater part of his useful and honorable life has been spent in America. He is the son of William and Johanna (Suess) Garnier, the former born in France, of fine old Huguenot stock; the mother was born in Germany. William Garnier was educated in France, from which country he moved with his parents to Germany when a young man, where he farmed ; he belonged to the Dutch Reformed church and was an honest and honored citizen of the fatherland. He and his wife were the parents of six children named as follows: Louis, a gardner at Bloomfield, New Jersey, came to America when young and served as a Union soldier in the Army of the Potomac; John is farming in Germany; Annie, who remained in the old country, died there ; William is interested in a soap factory at Dubuque, Iowa ; Adolph, of this review, was the youngest child.
Adolph Garnier attended the public schools and later the Latin schools of his home country and he spent three years learning the confectioner's trade,
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for which he paid the sum of two hundred dollars. Believing that greater opportunities existed for him in free America, he set sail for our shores in 1872 and penetrated to the interior, locating at Dubuque, Iowa, where his brother had settled in 1868. After remaining with his brother there for a time, he went to New Jersey with another brother, with whom he remained one year, working at his trade, then he came back to Dubuque and took up farming in order to improve his health which at that time was not particularly robust. After one year he went to Maynard, Fayette county, this state, in 1878.
On June 4, 1879, Mr. Garnier married Lina Meyer, of Dubuque, daugh- ter of Henry and Mary Meyer, of Germany, who came to America in 1862 and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 32, Harlan town- ship, Fayette county. He was thrifty and added considerably more land to his original purchase. He was a farmer, which vocation he followed until his death in 1893, his wife dying in 1903. They were the parents of four children, namely: Johanna married George Struthof, of Maynard, Iowa; John H., of Oelwein, Iowa; Lina, wife of Adolph Garnier, of this review; Charles is deceased.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Garnier : Henry John married Anna Suess and he is farming on his father's old place in Harlan township and he and his wife are the parents of one child, Etta; Amelia mar- ried Fred Schroeder, of Harlan township, and they have one son, Elmer ; Walter, single, is farming in Harlan township; Julia married Otto Wilson, of Oelwein, Iowa, and they have one daughter, Virginia; Johanna is living on the home farm with her brother, Walter.
Mr. Garnier owns a half section of high grade land in section 29, Harlan township. When he first came to this county he worked for J. H. Meyer for one year, then bought one hundred and sixty acres. It was new land and he made all the improvements on the same, being a hard worker and a good man- ager. He added to his original purchase from time to time and farmed suc- cessfully until 1905, when he moved to Maynard, Iowa, where he has since lived retired. He not only carried on general farming in a most successful manner, but also stock raising, handling Durham cattle, draft horses and Chester White hogs. He always found a ready market for his stock owing to their high quality.
Mr. Garnier has long taken considerable interest in local politics; he was trustee of Harlan township for a period of twelve years, also was school director and has held many other local offices, always discharging his duties in a faithful and conscientious manner. He is an uncompromising Republi-
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can. Mrs. Garnier is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Garnier is a Mason, being a member of Sunny Side Lodge No. 510 at Maynard. He is a director of the Fayette County Mutual Fire Insurance Company of this county. He is a director and stockholder in the Maynard Bank. For his deep inter- est in the affairs of his locality, his honesty and industry, Mr. Garnier is one of the best known and most highly esteemed man of the southern part of Fayette county.
JAMES J. KIERON.
Standing out distinctly as one of the central figures in the business his- tory of Waucoma, the subject of this review stamped his individuality upon the minds of all with whom he came into contact for a number of years, took a leading part in directing the commercial interests of the town along lines greatly to the profit of those who have imitated his example. Successful in all of his undertakings and above the suspicion of dishonor in his dealings, his life was filled with good to his fellow men and, though dead, he still speaks in the timely counsel and beneficial influence which he left behind.
James J. Kieron, whose birth occurred in New York City, May 28, 1859, was a son of Patrick and Mary (Dolan) Kieron. When he was five years old his parents moved to Iowa and settled on a farm in Fayette county, where they lived for a number of years, finally retiring to Waucoma, where their respective deaths subsequently occurred. Mrs. Kieron survived her husband about eighteen years. James J. Kieron was reared to agricultural pursuits, receiving his educational discipline in the district schools and after the death of his father remained on the farm, which he cultivated jointly with a younger brother until his twenty-fifth year. This brother, Edward Kieron, is still on the place and his two sisters, Anna, wife of Fred McKay, and Mary, who mar- ried James McDonald, live at Waucoma and Dubuque, respectively.
About the year 1884 the subject accepted a clerkship in a mercantile house at Waucoma and later, with his cousin. Ed Kieron, now of St. Paul, Minnesota, started a general store in the town, which they conducted jointly for one year, when Fred Mckay purchased his partner's interest, forming the firm of Kieron & McKay, under which name the business was continued until 1894. In that year Ed Kieron, the subject's brother, succeeded Mckay and the firm of Kieron Brothers, as thus constituted, lasted until the senior mem- bers's death, some time after which the stock was sold to another party.
The Kieron Brothers built up a large and lucrative trade and in due time
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forged to the front among the leading commercial firms in Waucoma. Their fine store building, the third floor of which was used for a hotel, was destroyed by fire in January, 1906, entailing a heavy loss, including their entire stock of goods, but, with characteristic energy, they immediately rebuilt and started business upon a much larger scale than formerly. The firm became widely known and as long as it lasted stood in the front rank of Fayette county's successful commercial establishments, both members earning creditable repu- tations as sagacious, far-sighted and eminently honorable business men. Since the younger brother disposed of the stock sometime after the death of the subject, C. Webster, the purchaser, has carried on the business, and under his management and care the high reputation of the house has been maintained.
In connection with merchandising, James J. Kieron was also largely in- terested in the breeding and raising of fine livestock, making a specialty of the Polled Angus cattle, of which he had a large number, including some of the most valuable animals of the kind ever seen in that part of the state. He called his farm the "Riverside farm" under which name it became widely known among stock men, and the sales which he held at regular intervals were largely attended. He manifested great pride in his livestock and at the time of his death was planning to enlarge the business upon quite an extensive scale.
Mr. Kieron was a politician of much more than local repute and for years was not only the recognized Democratic leader of Fayette county, but became quite widely known throughout the state as an energetic and successful cam- paigner. He stood high in the councils of his party and had few equals on the hustings, where his abilities as a public speaker shone with a peculiar luster. A natural orator and a master of assemblages, he became very popular in campaign years and could respond to but comparatively few of the many de- mands for his services. For a number of years he was known as "The Mer- chant Stump Orator," and right well did he sustain the reputation before the public, for where he once appeared efforts were invariably put forth to induce him to repeat the visit. Mr. Kieron was a gentleman of pleasing address, easily accessible and a general favorite in the social circles. He was a natural leader and as a politician he exercised a strong influence in directing the policies of his party, as well as in moulding public opinion on matters of gen- eral interest. His popularity was by no means confined to his party, as he made friends wherever he went and those who knew him best were loudest in their praise. Religiously, he was born and reared a Catholic, and always remained loyal and devoted to the mother church, contributing liberally of his means to its various interests and taking active part in the affairs of the
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local parish to which he belonged. He was largely instrumental in securing the erection of St. Mary's church at Waucoma, and while the building was in progress he gave it much of his attention, besides subscribing liberally to meet the expenses of the enterprise.
On December 4, 1906, Mr. Kieron was married to Mrs. Allada Schanck, of Sumner, Iowa, but who at the time referred to was living in Waucoma, where for three years she had been proprietress of the Palace Hotel, which popular hostlery she conducted very successfully until its destruction by fire at the expiration of that period. Mr. and Mrs. Kieron had no children of their own, but by a previous marriage she is the mother of three daughters, viz : Maud, wife of Lloyd Farnum, of Mason City ; Hazel, unmarried and at home, and Maida, widow of De Witt Schanck, of Fredericksburg, this state.
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