USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 61
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The son, Louis, received his schooling in the city schools, and at the age of eighteen he also entered the employ of the wholesale shoe firm, remaining in the house for four years and at the expiration of this period, still follow- ing in the footsteps of his father, obtained a position as traveling shoe sales- man, and for eleven years was engaged in this work.
In the year 1906 was solemnized Mr. Schaefer's marriage to Minnie Wernli, of Le Mars. Iowa, she being a native of that place, born in 1883. Five years later the desire for home life and the companionship of his family induced him to resign his position and seek new interests, and accordingly he brought his family to O'Brien county, Iowa, locating in the town of Paul- lina. He purchased the general store of Meltvedt & Weichner and here he has found ample scope for his energies. He carries annually about seven thousand dollars worth of stock, and the thoroughly up-to-date character of the store has won increasing patronage. In the upbuilding of this business, as in his previous labors, Mr. Schaefer has spared no effort, and his sound business policies and aggressive methods have continually added to the suc- cess of the business and the esteem in which he is held by his fellow business men.
Three sons have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer. Armand, Frank and Louis, all of whom are still at home with their parents.
Politically, Mr. Schaefer is a strong adherent of the Republican party, while, religiously, he and his family are attendants of the Presbyterian church, where he and Mrs. Schaefer have their membership. He is affiliated also with the order of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, at Paullina. Still in his youth, he has achieved success in business and won the respect and confidence of his fellow men. Genial in manner, warm hearted and charitable in disposition. he and his family are never lacking in hospitality and the numerous friends who surround them attest the charm of their home life.
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EDWARD E. ROLAND.
The life of the newspaper man is always full of interesting incidents, and although the chief business of the newspaper man is to secure news about other people, yet they themselves are among the most modest of men. The brief history of Edward E. Roland, the publisher and editor of the Ocheyedan Press, is a simple statement avoiding any extravagant praise of any sort. He has been a plain, honest printer, a man who has learned the trade from every angle and accordingly a man who can handle every phase of the newspaper business.
Edward E. Roland was born in Keokuk county, lowa. November 21, 1878. His father, John J. Roland, was a native of lowa and his mother was born in Indiana. John J. was a farmer in Keokuk county, lowa, until his death in 1889, and his wife is still living in that county.
Mr. Roland was educated in the high school of Keswick, lowa, and after leaving school went to Ft. Morgan, Colorado, where he learned the printing trade. He returned from Colorado to lowa in 1903 and located for a short time in this state; he then returned to Golden, Colorado, where he worked for a year and a half. The next two years were spent in Denver and from there he went to Ft. Morgan, where he published the Times for one year. He again returned to Denver and stayed one year, after which he came to lowa and farmed for two years. In 1907 he quit farming in Keokuk county and went to Wyoming and homesteaded. In 1910 he returned to lowa and worked in a newspaper office at Grundy Center and North English until he purchased the Ocheyedan Press in February, 1912. He still owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Golden Prairie district in eastern Wyoming.
The Ocheyedan Press was established in 1890 and has had a successful and prosperous career down to the 'present time. Mr. Roland succeeded Manford Evans as proprietor in February, 1912, and since taking hold of the paper Mr. Roland has made it one of the best papers for a town of its size in the state. The paper is published as a ten-page, six-column sheet and has a weekly circulation of seven hundred. The merchants are liberal ad- vertisers in the paper, while the news columns are well written. The print- ing shop is well equipped for job work and does a large amount of this line of business. Mr. Roland is known as a writer of unusual felicity of ex- pression and he is always found fighting the battles in behalf of common people. Politically, he is Progressive and, as might be expected, his political views find expression in his paper.
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Mr. Roland was married in 1901 to Melissa E. Finley and to this mar- riage has been born one daughter. Gladys E., who is now ten years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Roland are pleasant people to meet and have built up a wide circle of friends and acquaintances since coming to Ocheyedan.
HENRY STRAMPE.
An honorable retirement from labor in which to enjoy the fruits of former years of toil and the enjoyment which life can offer in the serene autumn of one's years, is the fitting reward of a useful and active career in which one, through keen discernment, indefatigable labor and honorable methods, advanced steadily towards the goal of prosperity. Thus briefly stated is the record of Henry Strampe, a native of Germany and a resident of O'Brien county for more than thirty years. As a farmer and as the ,pro- prietor of a retail meat market in Paullina, he has acquired a competence sufficient to support him in comfort during his declining years. Realizing the fact that thrift and industry constitute the basis of success, he sought no royal road to the goal of which he dreamed when a youth. but began to work earnestly and diligently in order to advance himself.
Henry Strampe, the son of Joseph and Dorothy ( Burmeister ) Strampe, was born in 1861 in Germany. His father was born in Germany in 1835, and his mother in 1837. their marriage occurring in 1851. To Joseph Strampe and wife were born four children, all of whom are now living in O'Brien county, lowa : Henry, a prosperous farmer of Union township : Mrs. Sophia Meyer, of Paullina: Frederick, a farmer, and William, also a. farmer.
Henry Strampe was educated in his native land and lived there until he was twenty-two years of age. In that year his father decided to give his children the advantage of broader opportunities and, with that object in view, brought his family to this country. Henry Strampe as a young man had learned the mason's trade, and had followed it before accompanying his parents to this country. Upon arriving here the family immediately went westward and settled in O'Brien county, Iowa, where the father purchased land in Caledonia township, and continued to work on the farm until 1906, when he and his faithful wife retired from active work and removed to Paullina, where they are now living, surrounded by all the comforts" and - - conveniences of modern life.
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Henry Strampe worked at the mason's trade in Paullina for several . years and in 1896 opened a retail meat market in the town and followed that business for the next twenty-two years. He was very successful in this line and was recognized as a man of more than ordinary business ability. He invested some of his profits in land and a few years ago sold his meat business and engaged in farming. He has a fine farm of ninety-three acres adjoining the city of Paullina on the east, where he makes a specialty of the breeding of Hereford cattle and Poland China hogs. He makes an annual sale of Herefords and sells from fifty to sixty head each year from his farm. In addition to his land holdings in this county, he owns one hundred and sixty acres in North Dakota and a share in one hundred and fifty acres of land in Minnesota. He also has three residences in Paullina, which are well improved and yield him a handsome return in rentals.
Mr. Strampe was married in 1889. at Germantown, Iowa, to Anna Meyer, who was born in 1863 in Germany, and to this union have been born three children : Otto, a salesman in Paullina and a graduate of the Des Moines Business College; Dora, who is still at home with her parents, and Henry, who is now attending St. Paul's College.
Politically, Mr. Strampe is a stanch Democrat, but his business interests have been such as to keep him from taking an active part in political affairs. He and the members of his family are loyal adherents of the German Lutheran church and subscribe liberally to its support. Mr. Strampe has won a place at the top of the ladder for himself and holds marked prestige among the self-made men of the county. By the exercise of the talents and qualities he has cultivated from his youth he has reached an honorable posi- tion among his fellow citizens and earned their respect and high esteem.
DAVID ALGYER.
For nearly a score of years David Algyer has been a member of the O'Brien county bar and during that time has been connected with many of the most important cases in the county. He has taken an active part in the various phases of his county's development and has been of very material assistance in the preparation of part of the history of his county for this volume. He has collected and written the history of his town and township, as well as given valuable suggestions on other parts of the historical section of the volume.
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David Algyer, the son of David and Elizabeth (Selmser) Algyer, was born at Amsterdam, New York, April 5, 1849. His father was the son of David and Margaret Algyer, and his mother was the daughter of Martin and Susan Selmser. His grandparents on both sides were natives of Fulton county, New York.
David Algyer, Jr., was educated in the public schools of Amsterdam, New York, and later took a law course. He began the active practice of his profession at Primghar. Iowa, in October, 1895, and continued in the prac- tice there for several years, after which he moved to Paullina, where he is now residing. He has been a continuous resident of O'Brien county since February, 1872, and has been interested in every phase of this county's development since that time.
Mr. Algyer was married to Marie S. Gowan, November 17, 1874. His wife was born at Sanford, Maine, October 30, 1848, the daughter of Orin L. and Martha (Mills) Gowan. To Mr. and Mrs. Algyer have been born five children: D. Ray, of Decorah, Iowa; Mrs. Helen Raak, who lives in Paullina ; Mrs. Edith Epperson, of Sioux City, Iowa ; Harold M., living at Tracy, Minnesota, and Malcolm D., who is now in Calgary, Canada.
The family of Mr. Algyer are all faithful and consistent members of the Presbyterian church and are interested in its various activities. Mr. Algyer is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He was county superintendent of schools of O'Brien county three terms, from Janu- ary 1, 1882, to January 1, 1888; was coroner of O'Brien county for ten years : was justice of the peace for ten years and has been connected with the public schools of O'Brien county, as director or secretary of school boards, nearly all his life. In the early days of the county he was trustee of Grant township, and taught school several years in various parts of the county.
BENJAMIN F. WEBSTER.
It is no small honor to be the only original homesteader of his town- ship and this is the honor which falls to Benjamin F. Webster, of Fairview township, Osceola county, Iowa. Considerable interest attaches to his career because of the face that he was in the Civil War and served for nearly five years in that memorable struggle. His Civil War record is remarkable be- cause of the fact that he was incarcerated in Andersonville prison for two months and yet he is living today to tell the story. His life in this county
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measures the full period of its history and for this reason his career is doubly interesting. He has always had the interest of his home township at heart and every movement which he thought would benefit it in any way has found in him a hearty and enthusiastic supporter. He is a man who has the entire confidence of the people of his township and county and now, in his declining years, has the satisfaction of feeling that he has not lived in vain.
Benjamin F. Webster, the son of Samuel and Nancy ( Pate) Webster. was born in Ripley county, Indiana, November 25. 1837. His parents were both natives of Indiana, where his father followed the occupation of a farmer until his death in 1843, when Benjamin F. was only six years of age. His mother was left with three children and subsequently married Harmon Runion Thomas. The second husband of Mrs. Thomas was a soldier in the Union army and died during the service. Twice widowed, she married for her third husband DeWitt Smith, of Ripley county, Indiana, and to this union three children were born, two of whom died in infancy: the third child, David, married a Miss Wood and is now living in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Benjamin F. Webster was reared upon the farm in Ripley county, Indi- ana, and was given a meager education, such as was afforded by the subscrip- tion schools of this period. When he was seventeen years of age his mother and his stepfather moved to lowa, where they homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in Fairview township. Osceola county, on which Benjamin F. Webster, whose history is here given, is now living. Later his stepfather bought forty-five additional acres. . At the opening of the Civil War Ben- jamin F. Webster enlisted in Company H, Sixteenth Regiment lowa Volun- teer Infantry, and served as a private, four years and seven months. He was enlisted January 1, 1861, and served in twenty-seven of the hardest fought battles of the war, under Generals Grant and Sherman. He was in all of the battles with Grant and Sherman from Shiloh in April. 1862, until he was captured at the battle of Atlanta, Georgia, on July 22, 1864. The Confederates immediately sent him to Andersonville prison in Georgia. where he remained until he was exchanged two months later. He then went back to his regiment under General Sherman and was with the army when they took Savannah in December, 1864. He was finally discharged in the summer of 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky. His stepfather also served in the Union army, but died in the service before the close of the war.
Immediately after the close of the war, Benjamin F. Webster returned to his home and farmed the farm for three years, after which he began farming for himself. He was married as soon as he came home and has been living upon the farm which was entered in 1854 down to the present
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time. He is now the only original homesteader in the township, and is still hale and hearty despite his seventy-seven years.
Benjamin F. Webster was married in October. 1865, to Laura. Sherman. the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Sherman. Mrs. Webster was a native of Canada. To this union were born six children: Rodeil, who married Sherman DeWitt and has three children, Benjamin, Daisy and Glen : Sarah who was twice married: the first husband, Lee Hurd, died, leaving her with one child, Lloyd, while to her second marriage to Henry Cruse there were no children: Pearl, who married Mary Winstrum and has one son, Herbert ; Ada and Ida, twins; Ada married Ray Grady and has one son. Willard, while Ida married Carl Wintler and has one son, Clarence : Francis, another son of Mr. and Mrs. Webster, was the first born and died in infancy.
Mr. Webster is a charter member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Frankville, Winneshiek county, Iowa. In politics he has been a life-long Republican and has never seen any reason why he should change his political faith for that of any other. Mr. Webster has been a resident of lowa for the past sixty years and during these three score years he has been the same straightforward and reliable citizen which he is today. His citizen- ship has always been truly patriotic and his social relations ever wholesome. He is highly esteemed for these commendable traits of character, and the citizens of his county delight to honor him, because of his long career in this county as well as his distinguished war record.
GEORGE W. PROTEXTOR.
A prosperous farmer who is now living a retired life in Sibley, Iowa, is George W. Protextor, who is of German parentage, and was born in Free- port, Illinois, December 1, 1868, the son of John George and Charlotte (Ehrke) Protextor.
John George Protextor was born in Gleiburg, Prussia, Germany, in the province of Cobrinz, while his wife was born in Mecklinburg, Germany. He was the son of Adam and Catharine ( Ehler ) Protextor, who migrated to America via Quebec, landing at Buffalo, New York, in 1847. They im- mediately went to Milwaukee by water, locating on a homestead three miles from that city. Two years later they sold it and moved to Racine, Wis- consin, and here they lived from 1849 to 1861, after which they moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Adam Protextor died. His widow later made her home with her son, John G., until her death in Sheldon in 1894.
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John George Protextor enlisted for service in the Union army in Sep- tember, 1864, joining Company D, Twelfth Regiment Illinois Infantry, and served until July 15, 1865. He saw all of the fighting around Chattanooga, Tennessee, and other points in that state, after which he was transferred to a dispatch cruiser, but was later taken ill at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was confined for a time in a hospital. In 1865 he was ordered to Columbus, Ohio, and was placed with new recruits and sent to Virginia, and was finally discharged at Washington, D. C. In the summer of 1866 he moved from Illinois, where he was living in Bremer county, Iowa, where he purchased a farm and lived until 1871. He then went to Grundy county, Iowa, and purchased a farm and lived on this place for the next ten years, after which he went to O'Brien county, moving onto a farm five miles northwest of Sanborn, where he lived for two years. He then moved to Sheldon, where he remained until 1894. since which time he has lived in Sibley. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post at Sibley and is a man of much influence in his community.
John George Protextor was married in Racine, Wisconsin, in June. 1857, to Charlotte Ehrke, and to this union have been born eight children : George W., whose history is here presented; Mrs. Ellen Julian, who is a resident of Rock Rapids, Iowa: John, living in O'Brien county, this state ; William, who is a resident of Murray county, Minnesota; Henry, living in Little Rock, lowa; Mrs. Flora Johnson, of Rushport, Minnesota; Walter, of Little Rock, Iowa, and Daniel, who lives in Adrian, Minnesota.
George W. Protextor was educated in the schools of Grundy and Bremer counties, lowa, and when he was twenty-three years of age he began farming in Osceola county, near the O'Brien county line. After renting land for six years he purchased one hundred and sixty acres near Little Rock, Lyon county, in 1887, on which he lived until 1892. He then rented his farm and moved to Sibley, where he is still residing. He has bought and sold considerable land in Osceola county, and has sold his farm in Lyon county. He is now the owner of three hundred acres of land in Osceola county and four hundred and eighty acres in Murray county, Minnesota. He gives personal attention to his land holdings and finds that it keeps him busy to keep in touch with his farms all the time.
Mr. Protextor was married December 25, 1881, to Matilda Hindt, who was a native of Freeport. Illinois, and the daughter of William and Sophia Hindt, both of whom were natives of Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Protex- tor have been born three children: Charles, who is a railroad man in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company; Esther and Rosella, the two daughters, are still living with their parents.
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Politically, Mr. Protextor is an adherent of the Republican party and has been actively interested in the civic affairs of his party since moving here. He has served as justice of the peace for nine years and was assessor in Grundy county for nine years before moving to this county. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, while, religiously, he and his family are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have contributed freely of their substance to its support. He is a man of many sterling qualities of character which have won for him a wide circle of friends since casting his lot with the people of this county.
JOSEPH HOKE.
The gentleman whose name appears at the head of this article is truly a "son of the soil." whose entire life, from early childhood, has been spent in the wholesome atmosphere of God's out of doors, learning the secrets of Mother Earth and using them for the benefit of himself and those dependent upon him for sustenance. The result has been a successful, well rounded life, and success in the end.
Joseph Hoke was born in the state of Pennsylvania in the year 1862. His father. William Hoke, a native of the county of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was born in 1817 and spent his early life in that state, employed in various occupations, working for a time as shoemaker, mason, carpenter and eventu- ally engaging in the pursuit of agriculture. In this latter occupation he found his best opportunities, and after moving to Benton county, Iowa, he was thus engaged until, in the autumn of his life, he retired from active labor and lived with his children. Early in life he was married to Mollie Mease, who was born in 1828. Seven children were born to this couple, two of whom are now deceased. In the year 1868 the call of death came to the mother, and two years later the father retired from active life. Death came to him in 1899.
The son. Joseph Hoke, at the early age of fifteen years entered upon his own business career, taking employment as a farm laborer. For four years he worked in this way, toiling diligently and living thriftily, and when but nineteen years of age was enabled to purchase for himself a tract of eighty acres of land which he cultivated assiduously. This was in Cherokee county, Iowa. Later this tract was disposed of at a profit and a quarter section of land in O'Brien county was purchased. Two years later he was
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united in marriage to Mae F. Catlin, whose birth occurred in 1868 in Benton county, Iowa, and together they have since labored and planned. The young couple moved immediately to the farm in O'Brien county and at once set about to improve their future homestead. The land was cultivated, neces- sary buildings erected and improvements of all kinds added to the place, and as time passed more land was purchased and the place enlarged to its present size of three hundred and twenty acres. Mr. Hoke is also a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company of Paullina.
Eight children have come to bless their home, five of whom are living and enjoying the protection of the parental roof. A daughter, Hazel. was called from the family circle by the Grim Reaper, and two little ones were taken in like manner in infancy. Cora Belle is her mother's able assistant in the household : Edna M. and Maud are attending high school at Paullina, while Laura M. and Marion .\. are in the elementary grades.
Politically, Mr. Hoke is a consistent advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and conscientiously votes that ticket. He and Mrs. Hoke are members of the Christian church at Paullina, where they are well known and held in high esteem by their fellow members. He is also affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, and is now a member of the board of school directors, which position he holds with credit to himself and to his constituents.
CONRAD RICHTER.
One of the distinctive functions of this volume is to take recognition of those citizens of the commonwealth of Ireland who stand eminently representative in their chosen felds of endeavor, and in this connection there is absolute propriety in according consideration to Conrad Richter, a retired farmer of Germantown. O'Brien county, Iowa. His life has been devoted to the noble profession of agriculture and now in his later years he has the satisfaction of looking back over a career which has been marked by all the discouragements which every farmer meets along the pathway of life.
Conrad Richter was born in Cook county, Illinois, in 1852 and is the son of Henry and Anna ( Brownmiller) Richter. Henry Richter was born in Germany in 1821 and settled in Illinois where he engaged in farming until 1886. He was a remarkably successful farmer and at his death in 1888 he owned nine hundred and sixty acres of land in Illinois. His wife, Anna
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