The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.
HERMAN THIE.
Hek.man Thie came to America nearly forty years ago, and has resided in Des .Moines county all the time, during which ])eriod he has seen many changes and valuable improvements. He was born in Westphalia, Germany, Nov. 18, 1845, where he attended school and re- mained till he was nearly twenty-one years of age. On May i, 1866, he started to cross the ocean, and after arriving in the New World he continued his journey westward, lea\ing Xcw York and all other Eastern cities behind him. He
came direct to Ilurlinpton, Iowa, where lie found himself nearly ten dollars in debt and without knowledge of the lan- guage. Mere he remained for some five and one-half years as a teamster, and then, having saved his earnings, turned his attention to farming. He felt quite ])r«)ud to be able at this time to purchase a small place of forty acres in Section 31. P»enton township, to which, a few years afterward, he added twenty acres more; and by economy and good judgment has embraced o])portunitics till to-day he owns and operates one hundred and thir- ty-nine and one-half acres of rich and fer- tile land, where he carries on general farming and stock-raising. Although this farm was ])artially improved when .Mr. Thie first obtained it. still he has made many changes, erecting a large and modern barn, substantial outbuildings, and is now erecting a beautiful new dwelling, wbicli, wlun coin])kte(l will add much to the appearance of his farm.
Dec. 23. 1871. Mr. Thie and Miss Eliza Kampmier were married. Mrs. Thie is a daughter of l-".rnest and Carrie (Koch) Kampmier. and was born in St. Louis, Mo. Iler jjarents came to Iowa at a very early day. and in i<^53. when Mrs. Thie was about nine years old, they settled in P>enton township, where he owned prop- erty adjoining the farm of Mr. Thie, and where he resided till some eighteen years ago. when he retired, and is now living in a pleasant home on Sunnyside .\venue, in I'lurlington. and although in the eighty-eighth year of his age is still hale and hearty. -Mr. and Mrs. Kani|)mier have had five children, all of whom are living.
Of the six children that have blessed
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thie, four are living: Herman, married .Miss Mary lUunnn. daughter of William Mlumm, of .\ugusta township, resides one and one- half miles south of Mediapolis, and has two boys. .Arnold and .\lbert ; William, a rural mail carrier on Latty Route No. i, and resides at home: Carrie, aged fifteen years; and Amelia, aged eleven years, both at home; Julia and Lewis, both died in infancy. .Mr. and Mrs. Thie are ear- nest members of the Evangelical church, in Iknton township. He is a Republican, and has been the honored and efficient treasurer of the school district for the past twenty yeacs. He is truly a self- made man; coming to the township with but little of material things, day by day he has labored and toiled with a firm will and the greatest of activity, until to-day he has many comforts which this life af- fords. His record is one of many that proves that honest methods and moral living will bring ])ros])erity to the jjoorest of men, as well as making friends among all.
Source: Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.
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