USA > Iowa > Lee County > Story of Lee County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 23
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In the year 1850 George Robers came to Iowa, settling at Fort Madison, where he established a harness shop. In 1854 he erected a building at No. 609 Front street, in which he continued his business, and in 1857 he built a three-story frame building at No. 616 Second street, where he continued in harness-making until his shop and build- ing were destroyed by fire on the 8th of November, 1874. He then rebuilt, erecting a brick structure. As his section of the state became more thickly settled his business grew along substantial lines, and he became recognized as one of the foremost representatives of trade interests in Fort Madison. He was a man of unfaltering energy and determination and diligence was ever numbered among his strong
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characteristics. He displayed marked thoroughness and efficiency in his work and the product turned out from his harness factory was of such quality as to insure a continuance of its liberal patronage. He had three sons, who learned the saddlery and harness-making busi- ness, the boys being: Edward G., who is now conducting the busi- ness; Henry M., deceased; and Louis G., who is a resident of St. Louis.
In 1857 Mr. Robers was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Shields, who was born in Philadelphia and was an early settler of Fort Madison. Her stepfather, Patrick Gilligan, held various city offices here in pioneer times and was mayor of the city when Mr. and Mrs. Robers were married. For thirty-six years they traveled life's journey happily together and were then separated by death, Mrs. Robers being called from this life in 1893. Their living chil- dren are: Gertrude A .; Edward G .; Emma, the wife of Frank Yotter, of Hannibal, Missouri; Louis G., of St. Louis ; and Perpetua, the wife of Edward A. Miller, of Peoria, Illinois.
For sixty-four years Mr. Robers was a well known, highly esteemed and valued resident of Fort Madison, where he passed away on the 8th of January, 1914, the funeral services being held at St. Joseph's church and conducted by Father A. J. Zaiser. Of that church Mr. Robers was long a valued and faithful member and was a liberal and generous contributor thereto. His political allegiance was given to the democratic party and that he was active and helpful in public affairs is indicated in the fact that he was retained in the office of alderman from the second ward for twelve years or more. He had been longer in the harness-making business than any other man west of the Mississippi, being continuously connected with the trade at Fort Madison for sixty-two and one-half years. He was a man of noble qualities and kindly spirit and everyone was his friend.
Edward G. Robers, son of George Robers and his successor in business, was born in Fort Madison, June 3, 1873, and attended St. Joseph's parochial school until he reached the age of eleven years, after which he became a public-school pupil. Subsequently he attended Bryant & Stratton's Business College and thus had a com- mercial training that qualified him for later business activities. He received practical instruction in harness making under the direction of his father and has always continued in this line. One of the secrets of his success is the fact that he has always remained in the business in which he embarked as a young tradesman and that through- out all the years he has never deviated from the strictest standards of commercial honor and integrity.
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In his religious faith Mr. Robers is a Catholic, belonging to St. Joseph's church. Fraternally he is an Elk and in politics is a demo- crat. Like his father before him he has many friends here and the name of Robers has ever been a synonym for business energy and progressiveness.
W. A. SCHERFE.
W. A. Scherfe, a prominent representative of activity in insurance circles in Fort Madison, is a native of the city, born July 14, 1867, and is a son of August and Amelia (Springer) Scherfe. The father was born in Germany and arrived in Lee county in 1848. He was a son of August and Leah Scherfe, who brought their family of two children, a son and daughter, to the new world, and, crossing the eastern section of the continent, made their way to Iowa. August Scherfe, Sr., was one of the first butchers in the city and conducted a successful business in pioneer times.
His son, August Scherfe, Jr., was reared in Fort Madison and at the age of seventeen years enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil war. He remained at the front for four years and four months and during the latter part of his term was corporal of Company F of the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. He participated in a num- ber of hotly contested engagements and never faltered in the perform- ance of any duty whether upon the firing line or the lonely picket line. His valor and loyalty made his a most creditable military record, of which he has every reason to be proud. Following the war he returned home and in Des Moines county was married to Miss Amelia Springer, a daughter of Michael and Magdeline (Fouel) Springer, who in the year 1851 came to Iowa, settling at Burlington. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Scherfe began their domestic life in Fort Madison and he became a guard at the state penitentiary, acting in that capacity for a year. He afterward removed to Bur- lington and for six years he engaged in selling groceries on the road as traveling representative for the firm of Hunt & Kendall. On the expiration of that period he entered the employ of another firm, with which he remained as traveling salesman for seven years. He next removed to Nebraska, where he spent two years, and for one year he was in Lincoln. In 1876 he once more became a resident of Burlington, Iowa, and the following year returned to Fort Madison, where he again accepted the position of guard at the state peni-
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tentiary, acting in that capacity for twenty-four consecutive years, when he retired and is now enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves. In 1908 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife.
W. A. Scherfe acquired a public-school education, yet his advan- tages were somewhat limited, for at the early age of eleven and one- half years he started to earn his living by working in a hardware store at Fort Madison. When seventeen years of age he began learning the machinist's trade and in 1888 he became a fireman on the Fort Madison & Des Moines Railroad, continuing in that posi- tion until 1892. In 1894 he opened an insurance office and today handles all kinds of insurance, being recognized as one of the best informed men on all features of insurance in this section of the state. In 1905 he was made special agent for the German-American Insurance Company, with Iowa as his territory. He continued with that company until 1908, when he resigned to become special agent for the British-American & Western Insurance Company of Toronto, Canada. This is a fire insurance company and he has secured for the corporation a large business. Through carefully directed busi- ness interests he has gained a position among the men of affluence in this section of the state.
In 1894 Mr. Scherfe was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Young, of Milton, Iowa, and theirs is an attractive and hospitable home. Mr. Scherfe belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Benevo- lent Protective Order of Elks and the Presbyterian church, and these associations indicate much of the nature of his interests and the high principles which govern his conduct. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire office.
JOHN W. STEWART.
John W. Stewart, who carries on farming and stock-raising on section 5, Pleasant Ridge township, was born August 5, 1867, in a log cabin on the same section. His father, E. M. Stewart, was born in Ohio county, Indiana, in 1824, and when a young man of twenty- three went to the California gold fields by way of the Isthmus. He was one of the earlier gold seekers. He returned to Iowa not much richer than when he went except in experience. He encountered
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many hardships upon the way and would probably have perished had it not been for the assistance of his brother, Augustus Stewart, who was a physician. Upon his return he settled in Lee county, Iowa, where he purchased land upon which there was a log cabin. This rude structure remained his home for many years and there his family was reared. The cabin was one of the oldest in the county and also one of the last to be torn down. E. M. Stewart met his death in an accident near Fort Madison. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Elizabeth Woods, of Indiana. Their marriage occurred in Muscatine county, Iowa, and to them were born five children, of whom three are yet living, as follows: William, who is a farmer and stock-raiser in Oregon; C. E., a farmer at Whitney, Nebraska ; and Mary E., the wife of George A. Childs, of Sunderland, Massa- chusetts. The two other children died in childhood. His second marriage was with Miss Julia A. Snook, a native of Pennsylvania, by whom he had five children, as follows: John W., the subject of this review; Julia A., the wife of L. C. Woollen, a farmer residing in Missouri; A. J., who passed away at the age of thirty-seven years; A. G., who is married and resides in Fresno county, California; and Hattie E., a resident of Los Angeles, California.
John W. Stewart was reared under the parental roof and acquired his education in the common schools of the neighborhood. He assisted his father in the farm work and thus became acquainted with practical methods of agriculture. He found farm work con- genial and has continued the cultivation of the fields since coming to years of maturity. He is now the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres and the neat appearance of the place and the fine condition of the fields testify to his energy and ability as a farmer. He not only raises a variety of crops, but in the last ten years has engaged in the breeding of blooded Duroc Jersey hogs, selling most of his animals at public sale. He understands stock- raising thoroughly and his hogs are fine specimens of the Duroc Jersey breed. He is an excellent judge of real-estate values and his opinion as to stock is almost infallible. His activities are guided by sound business judgment and his farm returns to him a good annual income.
Mr. Stewart was married June 20, 1890, to Miss Ola Archibold, a native of Henry county, Iowa. Two children have been born to this union. Beatrice Bell, whose natal day was September 11, 1891, married Wilber P. Francy, a banker of Glendale, California. Erastus M., named for his grandfather, was born September 19, 1893, and is at home assisting his father.
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Mr. Stewart is a democrat in politics and has served as township clerk and assessor, giving complete satisfaction to his constituents. However, he is not an office seeker and prefers to devote the greater part of his time to his private interests. He is a man of keen intelli- gence and is well informed upon all public questions as he believes it to be the duty of every citizen to familiarize himself with public affairs.
WILLIAM F. KIEL.
William F. Kiel has been engaged in the real-estate business in Fort Madison since 1908. He also has served as a public official, having for thirteen years filled the office of county treasurer, in which connection his record has been most commendable. He was born March 13, 1857, in the city where he still resides, his parents being Ferdinand and Mary (Erbrodt) Kiel, both natives of Hanover, Germany, whence they came to the new world in 1840, settling at Fort Madison. Ferdinand Kiel and his brother, George F., operated a wharf boat for many years and later the father embarked in the wholesale liquor business, in which he continued until the time of his death, in 1894. To him and his wife were born eight children two of whom died during the cholera epidemic, while one other passed away in childhood. Five of the number reached adult age and two of the sons were soldiers in the Civil war, Ferdinand and Lewis, both wearing the blue uniform, which indicated them to be stanch defenders of the Union during the darkest hours in the history of this country.
William F. Kiel obtained a public-school education and made his initial step in the business world as a bill clerk in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. On leaving that position he embarked in the grocery business in partnership with his brother, George Kiel, and afterward engaged in the wholesale liquor business with his father. He was later elected to the office of county treasurer and made so creditable a record in that position that he was again and again reelected to the office, in which he served for thirteen years. His duties were discharged most methodically, systematic- ally and capably and his ability won him high encomiums from those who knew aught of his official service. In 1908 he retired from that office as he had entered it-with the confidence and good- will of all concerned-and turned his attention to the real-estate business, in which he has since engaged.
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On the 27th of April, 1882, Mr. Kiel was united in marriage to Miss Emma E. Davis, of Fort Madison, and unto them have been born three children, Lewis G., Walter William and Caroline L., the last named being the wife of Guy M. Bean, of Los Angeles, California.
Mr. Kiel and his family are well known in Fort Madison, being representatives of one of the old pioneer families that has been con- nected with the history of the city and its business development for more than three score years and ten. Mr. and Mrs. Kiel hold membership in the German Lutheran Evangelical church, and he also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His political indorsement is given to the democratic party and for four years he filled the office of alderman from the third ward, exercising his official prerogatives in support of what he believed to be for the best interests of the community along lines of municipal progress and development.
RICHARD PETER MILLER.
In a history of the legal profession in Lee county it is imperative that mention be made of Richard Peter Miller, now deceased, who was one of the well known criminal lawyers of his section of the state. As a practitioner he ranked among the most able and resource- ful and enjoyed the respect and confidence of all the members of the local bar by reason of his close conformity to the highest standard of professional ethics. He was born at Fort Madison, Iowa, on the 27th of May, 1855, and was one of a family of eight children whose parents were Daniel F. and Rebecca ( Phillips) Miller. The father, also an attorney, specialized in the practice of criminal law and spent many years of his life in Keokuk, where he was uniformly regarded as an able member of the profession.
Richard P. Miller studied law in Mount Pleasant and was grad- uated from a college in that city in the spring of 1874, when but nineteen years of age. Upon attaining his majority he was admitted to the bar, entering upon active practice in 1876. He removed to Keokuk and was actively identified with the practice of his profession in this city throughout his remaining days. He possessed notable oratorical powers which enabled him to strongly present his argu- ment, while the logical trend of his mind was seen in his deductions. In 1899 he was elected district judge of the superior court and served
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for two years upon the bench, his course being in harmony with his previous record as a man and lawyer, distinguished by unswerving integrity and by a masterful grasp of every problem presented for solution.
On the 28th of February, 1888, Mr. Miller was united in mar- riage to Miss Bertha Elizabeth Leary, a daughter of John P. and Mary ( Kenney) Leary, of Hamilton, and they have one daughter, Ruth, now at home. Mr. Miller was a Catholic in his religious faith, holding membership in St. Peter's church. He was a democrat in his political views and was interested in all public affairs. He was a great lover of children and was generous in his support of all worthy charitable and benevolent enterprises and projects. His tastes were scholarly and in addition to writing poetry he was the author of various interesting magazine articles and was well informed upon a broad variety of subjects. He traveled for five years in the west for the benefit of his health before his death, which occurred on the roth of May, 1901, when he was at the comparatively early age of forty-six years. He left behind him the record of a well spent life, a life that may well serve as a source of inspiration and encourage- ment to others, showing to what possibilities and heights one may attain when laudable and honorable ambition lead the way.
EDWARD E. COURTRIGHT, D. D. S.
Dr. Edward E. Courtright is engaged in the practice of dentistry in Fort Madison and has won gratifying recognition and a liberal practice. He was born in Lee county, December 6, 1872, a son of John C. and Virginia C. (Jarrett) Courtright. The former was a son of Ira Lee Courtright, a native of Franklin county, Ohio, who on his removal westward in 1847 made his way to Lee county, Iowa, where he secured a tract of land and followed the occupation of farm- ing. His son, John C. Courtright, was but three years of age at the time the family left the Buckeye state and made their way across the Mississippi into Iowa. Reared to the occupation of farming, he made it his life work and became known as one of the representative agriculturists of this part of the state. Having arrived at years of maturity, he wedded Virginia C. Jarrett, a daughter of Elias Jarrett, a native of North Carolina, who was also one of the early settlers here and made farming his life occupation.
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Dr. Edward E. Courtright was reared upon the old homestead. At the usual age he became a public-school pupil and after mastering the branches of learning that constitute the public-school curriculum he entered Whittier College. He was also a student in Howe's Academy at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and he received his professional training in the dental department of the Keokuk Medical College, where he completed his course in 1903. He afterward practiced at Ashland, Illinois, for fourteen months and then returned to his native county, establishing an office in Fort Madison, where he has since remained. His practice has steadily grown and is now one of gratify- ing and substantial proportions. He belongs to various dental societies, including the local organizations and those of broader scope.
Dr. Courtright belongs to the Iowa National Guard, being a member of Company A, Fifty-fourth Regiment, of which he is now first lieutenant. Fraternally he is connected with the Elks, the Eagles, the Moose and the Woodmen, and his political allegiance is given to the democratic party. Practically his entire life has been spent in Lee county, where he is widely known and popular because of his good traits of character and his social qualities as well as by reason of his ability in the line of his chosen profession.
EDWARD KREBILL.
Prominent among the energetic, farseeing and successful business men of Fort Madison is Edward Krebill, of the firm of Krebill Brothers, proprietors of a flour mill, in which connection they are conducting an extensive business. No history of commercial activity in Lee county would be complete without mention of him whose name introduces this review. He was born in Lee county in 1873, a son of Peter and Madeline Krebill, who were early settlers of the county. Coming from Germany, they made their way across the country to Iowa, settling in this state in 1838. This was not only long before the admission of the state into the Union but also before its organization as a territory. The father followed farming and thus provided for his family. He was a democrat in his political views and gave active and earnest support to the principles of the party, doing much to further the cause which he espoused.
Reared under the parental roof Edward Krebill had the usual experiences of the lads of the locality and period. A public-school education, the pleasures of the playground and the duties assigned
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by parental authority constituted the features of his early life, bring- ing him to the time when he felt that he should enter upon business activity. In 1892, when a youth of nineteen years, he and his brother, P. R. Krebill, embarked in the flour-milling business at Primrose, Iowa, and there remained for five years, at the end of which time they sold out and purchased a mill at Donnellson, Iowa, where they remained until they came to Fort Madison, where they have since been closely associated with business interests.
In 1909 Mr. Krebill was married to Miss Elsie Delabar, of Franklin, Iowa, and unto them has been born a daughter, Evelyn. The parents are members of the German Lutheran church, and Mr. Krebill gives his political allegiance to the democratic party. He stands for all that is progressive in public affairs and co-operates in many movements that have resulted beneficially to the community. As is the law of life for man, his attention naturally is concentrated mostly upon his business affairs and the interests of Krebill Brothers are a factor in the commercial development of the city. The flour mill of which they are now the proprietors was built by B. Kent in 1896 and was sold to the present firm of Krebill Brothers in Novem- ber, 1904, since which time new machinery has been installed and all modern accessories and equipment added. They put in electric power with individual motors and also installed a new grinding machine in 1914. The same year they secured a new flouring machine at a cost of over three thousand dollars. The business is capably conducted and they employ from three to five men. The mill has a capacity of seventy-five barrels per day of wheat flour and twenty- five barrels per day of rye flour, together with one thousand bushels of chopped feed per day. They also manufacture graham flour and corn meal and use mostly native grain. This furnishes an excellent market for the producers of this section of the country and the busi- ness is one which adds to the material development of the com- munity as well as to the success of the owners.
P. R. Krebill, the partner of Edward Krebill in the ownership of the flour mill, was born in December, 1867, and his business rec- ord is naturally coincident with that of his brother. He married Ida Leisy, of Lee county, and they have seven children all of whom are yet living. They are members of the Lutheran church and, like his brother, P. R. Krebill gives his political allegiance to the demo- cratic party. Both are well-known business men, resourceful, pro- gressive and enterprising, and what they undertake they carry forward to successful completion. At all times they have kept up with modern ideas and standards and their work is productive of excellent results.
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There is no esoteric phase in all their business career, their success coming as the legitimate, logical and merited reward of persistent and honorable effort.
FRED C. WIESEMANN.
Whatever success has come to Fred C. Wiesemann is attributable entirely to his own efforts, for he started out in life empty-handed and by diligence and determination has gained the measure of pros- perity which is today his. He is now living in Keokuk, occupying a pleasant and attractive home, which he owns. He was born in Warsaw, Hancock county, Illinois, March 22, 1873. His father, Charles Wiesemann, also a native of the same county, died in 1899 at the age of forty-nine years. He had been educated in the common schools of Hancock county and was a representative of one of the old families of that section, his people having come from Germany. After living in Pennsylvania for a time they removed westward to St. Louis and Charles Wiesemann, the grandfather of our subject, who was a carpenter by trade, finally settled in Warsaw, Illinois. There he lived retired for a few years, after which he was called to his final rest.
His son, Charles Wiesemann, after arriving at years of maturity, married Anna Beck, who was born in Missouri and was a daughter of John Beck, but at the time of her marriage was living in Hancock county, Illinois. Charles Wiesemann died in September following his retirement from the office of sheriff. He was always active in public affairs in Hancock county and was a highly esteemed and loved citizen. He was a life-long democrat, and he held member- ship in the Lutheran church and in several fraternal orders. His widow, who was born in 1851, still survives and makes her home with a daughter, Mrs. Margaret Leisy, at the age of sixty-three years. Their children were: Henry, who is now living in Keokuk; Fred C .; Frank M., also a resident of Keokuk; and Mrs. Leisy.
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