USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 126
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NICHOLAS KONS, farmer, Sec. 19 ; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; he was born Nov. 9, 1849, in Germany ; in 1867, he came with his family to Dubuque Co .; they own 160 acres of land. He married Miss Anna Mary Smitz in 1879 ; she was born in Germany ; his father was born in 1811, and died Jan. 1, 1877, aged 66 years ; his mother was born in 1817, and lives here with sons.
JOHN LEIBRAND, farmer, Sec. 21; P. O. Sageville; born May 10, 1820, in Wurtemberg, Germany; in 1852, he came to New Orleans, the following year he removed to Dubuque Co .; he owns 100 acres of land, which he has transformed from a rugged wilderness to a well-improved farm. Married Henrietta Leibrand in 1843; she was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1821 ; they had eight children, seven
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PERU TOWNSHIP.
living-John, Hannah, George, Mary, Lizzie, August and Augustine are twins ; lost Paulina in 1878, aged 17 years. Attend the Presbyterian Church ; Republican in politics.
CONRAD LEIK, firm of Leik & Banwarth, millers, Durango ; he was born July 30, 1845, in Germany ; when about 9 years old, he came with his parents to Penn- sylvania ; in 1865, he came to Dubuque Co .; he is now running the Durango Mills, owned by Mr. Gandelfo. He married Emeline Shafer, in March, 1871 ; they had five children, three living-Charles H., Anna E. and Emma P. They attend the Lutheran Church.
THOMAS MCKNIGHT (deceased); was born in Augusta Co., Va., March 10, 1787 ; his parents removed to that county in 1774; at 16 years of age, his father said to him that he must carve his own fortune; in 1803, he invested his few hard- earned dollars in a stock of goods, which he carried from door to door ; a few years later, he extended his trade and travels to Nashville, Tenn., and, in 1809, to St. Louis, Mo .; he formed a partnership with his brothers James and Robert, and Thomas Brady, with branches at St. Genevieve and St. Charles; St. Louis then had but 700 inhab- itants. In 1822, he was elected to the City Council, and subsequently was Director of the first " Bank of Missouri." He had married, in 1844, Miss Fannie Scott ; they had five children, three of whom and their mother died in 1824-25. Business changes caused him to accept a responsible position under the Government, collecting the rental of land claims in the Galena District, and filled the position to the entire satisfaction of miners and the Administration. After being ten years a widower, he married, in 1835, Miss Cornelia Hempstead, of St. Louis, Mo .; by this marriage he has five children. In 1846, he was candidate for Governor of Iowa; in 1838, he was appointed by Pres- ident Van Buren, Receiver of the Land Office at Dubuque, and continued through the next Administration, and was removed by President Polk in 1845. Upon his admin- istration coming into power, President Taylor appointed him Register of the same office, which he held until 1853. The life of Thomas McKnight was a remarkable one; he was a merchant in St. Louis in 1809, two years before a steamboat was built on the Western river, eight years before steamboat trade reached St. Louis, and over twenty years before a railroad was built on the continent, and thirty years before the telegraph was invented ; he was an extensive merchant; was Assistant Superintendent of the Government of the great lead mining district of Galena, and, with his partners, he con- structed and operated the first hot-air smelting furnace in the Dubuque mines. He died Dec. 1, 1865. The Old Settlers' Society held a meeting which was largely attended, and, although the weather was very inclement, the association and a large number of citizens accompanied the remains to their burial place in Linwood Cemetery.
JOHN McKNIGHT, farmer, Sec. 36 ; P. O. Dubuque; he was born Feb. 27, 1840, in Dubuque; he now owns and occupies the farm formerly owned by his- father, consisting of over four hundred acres of land, and probably the oldest settled farm in the county. Married Miss Eliza Looney in 1872 ; she was born in Minnesota ; they have three children-Jessie, Belle and Grace.
EDWIN MATTOX, school teacher, Sec. 22; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; he was born Aug. 13, 1839, in Dubuque Co .; in 1861, he went to Wisconsin, and attended Prof. Parson's Academy at Tafton, thence to Plattville, and there attended the normal institute, and, preparing himself as a teacher, in 1862 he went to Jamestown, Wis., and taught school during that winter ; he then went to Fairplay, Wis., and taught five years ; in 1867, he came to Zwingle, Jackson Co., Iowa, and taught three years ; in 1870, he removed to Mill Rock; taught here six months ; he has taught at Sageville and Washington Mills two years ; previous to his preparing himself as a teacher, he had been employed as book-keeper for Randolph and Chaplin, of Dubuque. He enlisted in 1864, in the 3d Kansas Heavy Artillery ; was discharged in February, 1865, on account of a wound received falling from a horse. Married Miss Leah Long April 15, 1865 ; she was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., in 1845; they have four children, three sons and one daughter. Attends German Reformed Church ; Republican in politics.
CH. MUELLER, farmer ; Sec. 17; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; born Feb. 17, 1822, in Germany ; in 1843, he came to Ohio, and followed the cooper's trade, having
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :
learned it in Germany; in 1853, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns 210 acres of land ; soon after coming here he carried on the brewery business for several years ; it was located ncar Sherrill's Mount. He has been President of the School Board and Director. Married Mary Schmidt in August, 1847 ; she was born in Germany Nov. 16, 1876; they have four children-Rosena, Mary, Anna and John. Lutheran- in religion.
LAWRENCE OERTEL, farmer, Sec. 32; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; born June 30, 1815, in Bavaria ; in 1853 he came to New York, thence to Washington, D. C .; worked in the United States navy yard five years ; in 1861, he enlisted in Co. B, Washington National Guards ; served three months ; he then continued to work for the Government till 1866, when he came to Chicago; in 1867, he came to his present farm, consisting of 100 acres. Married Margaret Hahn in 1842 ; she was in born Jan- uary, 1810, in Bavaria ; they have two children-Christ, now living in Jackson Co., and John M., who manages the farm ; he was born Nov. 26, 1843, and was married to Henrietta Wetter July 18, 1878; she was born in Dubuque Co. in August, 1858 ; they have one child, George L.
NICHOLAS SCHAEFER, farmer, Sec. 17; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; born Dec. 10, 1828, in Hanover, Germany ; in 1851, he came to Ohio ; in 1853, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns 80 acres of land. Married Mrs. Labar June 23, 1853 ; she was born in Wurtemberg, Germany ; have six children-Emma, Mary A., Caroline, Rosena, Sophia and Anna; lost Charles in 1870, aged 2 years and 3 months. He has been President of the School Board and Director for the past three years. Presby- terian in religion ; Republican in politics.
JOSEPH SCHULLER, farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; born Jan. 17, 1840, in Prussia; in 1855, he came to Chicago, and the following year, he come to Dubuque Co. with his parents, where he has since lived ; he owns 107 acres of land. He has been three years Township Treasurer, is Township Clerk and Clerk of the School Board. Married Catharine Eppendorf in 1862; she was born in Prussia ; they have ten children-John, Joseph, Henry, Anna, Mary, Nicholas, Catbarinc, Mar- lin, Hubert, Theressa and Magdalena. Catholic in religion ; Democrat in politics.
EDWARD SPECHT, Sec. 8; P. O. Sherrill's Mount; born Dec. 26, 1836, in Dubuque; he owns 120 acres of land, and is engaged in running the ferry in connection with his brother Werner. Their father bought these premises and ferry in about 1850, and it has since been known as Specht's Ferry; he also owned about 1,300 acres of land, which has been divided since his death among his family ; Mrs. Specht retains the ferry and stand; he died Oct. 24, 1866, in his 58th year. The buildings on these premises are valued at about $5,000, and the steam ferry is valued at about $3,000. He married Louisa Felthouse in March, 1864; she was born at Sherrill's Mount ; they have three children-Emma, Frank and Albert. Attends the Presbyterian Church ; Republican in politics.
WERNER SPECHT, farmer and ferryman, Sec. 8; P. O. Sherrill's Mount; born April 19, 1843, in Peru Township ; his parents came to Dubuque Co. in 1835, and soon after entered about 1,300 acres of land, and established Specht's Ferry ; he holds a license as engineer or pilot, and acts in either capacity ; he has been running on the river since 1852, at first on a flat-boat, afterward on a horse-boat, and now on the steam ferry. He enlisted in 1864 in Co. E, 5th I. V. C., and served to the end of the war; participated in the battle of Nashville under Gen. Thomas, lasting four days, also battles of Pulaski, Tenn., Spring Hill, Ala., Selma, Ala., Columbus, Ga., and others; was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., and received an honorable dis- charge at Clinton, Iowa. He married Miss J. Albright Dec. 31, 1873 ; she was born in Peru Township ; they have two children-Hiram and Hattie. Methodist ; Republican.
P. J. THEVIOT, farmer, Sec. 18; P. O. Sherrill's Mount; he was born Feb. 26, 1811, in Prussia; in 1842, came to New Orleans; in 1843, he came to Dubuque Co., where he has since lived. For a number of years after coming here he had usually been called upon to draw up legal documents and other clerical work, he then being the most competent to perform this work. He entered 160 acres of land ;
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PERU TOWNSHIP.
now owns 80 acres. He has held all the township and school offices. Married Rosa Kestler Feb. 13, 1850 ; she was born Oct. 16, 1829, in Switzerland ; they have had eight children, four living-Oliver, Louis, Albert and William. Catholic in religion.
MRS. HENRIETTA THOMPSON, Sec. 34; P. O. Sageville ; her husband, H. Thompson, was born Sept. 26, 1873, in Kentucky ; at the age of about 10 years, he came with his parents to Missouri; in 1841, he came to Dubuque Co., where he lived till the time of his death, which occurred in December, 1859; he built his mill in 1852, which is known as the Thompson Flouring Mill; this mill is of stone and has a capacity of grinding about 125 bushels per day. He married Miss Henrietta Challes in August, 1851 ; she was born in Baltimore, Md .; when a child, she came with her par- ents to Ohio ; in 1848, they came to Dubuque Co .; she owns an individual half-interest in 170 acres of land, with her homestead; she has five children-John, Samuel, Gilbert, Harvey and Allen. Attend the M. E. Church.
BERNARD TIGGES, farmer, Sec. 31; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; he was born in February, 1797, in Germany ; in 1852, he came to Dubuque ; they own 118 acres of land. He married Agnes Linemann in 1839; she was born in 1813 in Germany ; have five children-Fred, Catharine, Frank, Bernard and John ; Frank was married to Anna Klein Feb. 28, 1878; she was born in Peru Township; they have one child- Mary ; he has been Constable, President of the School Board, is Township Treasurer ; he manages this farm ; his brother Bernard married Catharine Utzig Nov. 25, 1879; she was born in Peru Township.
HENRY TRILLER, firm of Triller & Co., proprietors of Thompson's Mill, Sec. 34; P. O. Sageville ; born Feb. 1, 1846, in Hesse, Germany ; in 1866, came to Galena; in 1873, to Dubuque Co., and ran the Sherrill's Mount Mill about four years ; in 1879, he bought the Thompson Mill; this mill has three run of stone, and has a: capacity of grinding about 125 bushels per day ; Mr. Triller learned the milling business in Germany and has followed it since a boy. Married Dorothea Loetscher July 7, 1873; she was born in Dubuque Co .; have four children-Henry A., A. A., Matilda M. and John O. Presbyterian in religion.
JOHN VYVERBERG, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; born Dec. 24, 1841, in Holland ; in 1847, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns 170 acres of land. He married Miss . Caroline Siber May 29, 1873; she was born Nov. 4, 1848, in Germany ; she came to Dubuque Co. in 1873; they have four children-William, Emma, Kryn and Alfred ; his father, Kryn Vyverberg, was born Jan. 4, 1807, in Holland. He married Jennie Freaze in 1835; she was born Sept. 10, 1815, in Holland ; they have six children-Hannah, Jennie, William, John, Carrie and Mena. Presbyterian in religion ; Republican in politics.
WILLIAM VYVERBERG, farmer, Sec. 8; P. O. Sherrill's Mount ; born Sept. 30, 1838, in Holland ; in 1847, he came with his parents to Dubuque Co .; his parents are now living with his brother John ; he owns 170 acres of land. Married Anna Leother in October, 1866; she was born in Switzerland in 1845 ; they have eight children-William, Anna, Mena, Dora, John, Mary, Henry and Lydia; he has been President of the School Board, and Director and Treasurer; has also been Constable. Presbyterian in religion ; Republican in politics.
STEPHEN WAGNER, farmer, Sec. 15; P. O. Sherrill's Mount; born Aug. 15, 1811, in Luxemburg, Germany ; in 1843, he came to New York City, thence to Buffalo, N. Y .; in 1844, he came to Stark Co., Ohio ; in 1846, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns 270 acres of land, also 80 acres in Wisconsin ; has been School Director and Township Treasurer. Married Elizabeth Fitler in 1844; she was born Oct. 18, 1818, in Luxemburg, Germany, and died May 2, 1872; have eight children-Mary, Catharine, John, Frank, Lena, Bernhard, Lambert and Anna. Catholic in religion.
JACOB ZOLLICOFFER, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Dubuque; born in March, 1839, in Dubuque Co .; in 1836, his parents settled on this land, which he owns, now consisting of about four hundred and sixty acres. He married Miss Lizzie Friend in 1864; she was born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa; they have five children- George E., Franklin S., William G., Lizzie and John. Attends the Evangelical Church ; Republican in politics.
PASSENGERS BOUND FOR CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, NEBRASKA,
DAKOTA, WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA,
And the Territories, should, if they would consult their interest, buy their tickets via the
Chicago & North - Western Railway.
This is the LEADING RAILWAY of the WEST AND NORTHWEST.
This important system of Railway Lines is one of the Largest Corporations in the World, owning and operating, under one management, nearly
3,00 MILES OF ROAD.
Its Lines run from Chicago in so many directions that it is necessary to designate its Lines by certain specific names, which will give a correct idea to the passenger of the part of country each line traverses. These Lines, numbering nine, are as follows:
Chicago, Council Bluffs & California Line. Chicago, La Crosse & Winona Line.
Chicago, Sioux City & Yankton Line, Chicago, Minnesota & Dakota Line,
Chicago, Clinton, Dubuque & La Crosse Line.
Chicago, Freeport & Dubuque Line,
Chicago, St. Paul & Minneapolis Line, Chicago, Milwaukee & Lake Superior Line,
Chicago, Green Bay & Marquette Live.
These Lines enable the "CHICAGO & NORTH-WESTERN" to reach all principal points in the WEST, NORTH- WEST and, through its connections, the FAR WEST.
It offers every facility for Quick, Safe and Comfortable Transit to the traveler who selects this as his route.
It stands second to no road in the West, and offers inducements and advantages that are not and cannot be offered by any of its competitors.
Its management adopts every improvement known to the modern Railway System, and is determined that the CHICAGO & NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY shall remain the LEADING Railway of the GREAT WEST.
Passengers should ask for and be certain their Tickets have a Coupon which reads, over the
"CHICAGO & NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY." All Ticket Agents will be glad to sell them via this Line.
REMEMBER !- PULLMAN HOTEL CARS Are now running regularly between CHICAGO and COUNCIL
BLUFFS on the California Express Trains of the CHICAGO & NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. AGBEAR IN MIND, no other road runs Pullman Hotel Cars, or any form of Hotel Cars, THROUGH between Chicago and the Missouri River. This is the only Line that has THROUGH EATING CARS of any sort.
No Transfer at St. Paul via the Chicago & North-Western Railway.
Passengers procuring tickets to points beyond ST. PAUL should use GREAT CARE to see that they read over the
CHICAGO & NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY, OR THE CHICAGO, ST. PAUL & MINNEAPOLIS LINE.
And not over a route having a SIMILAR NAME, as this is
The Only Route You Can Take to Avoid a Change of Depot at St. Paul.
NEW YORK OFFICE-No. 415 Broadway. BOSTON OFFICE-No. 5 State Street.
CHICAGO TICKET OFFICES-62 Clark Street, under Sherman House, 75 Canal Street: Kinzie Street Depot, Palmer House, Grand Pacific Hotel, Wells Street Depot.
MILWAUKEE CITY TICKET OFFICE-102 Wiscon- sin Street.
ST. PAUL TICKET OFFICE-Cor. Third and Jackson Streets.
MINNEAPOLIS TICKET OFFICES-13 Nicollet House, and St. Paul & Pacific Depot.
COUNCIL BLUFFS TICKET OFFICES-Corner Broad- way and Pearl Street, Union Pacific Depot; and Chicago & North-Western Railway Depot.
OMAHA TICKET OFFICES-Union Pacific Depot, and 1324 Farnam Street.
SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE-2 New Montgomery Street. LONDON, ENGLAND, OFFICES-449 Strand, and 3 Adelaide Street.
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY 3 1197 21303 9248
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