The Magel Family of Des Moines County, Iowa

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

William Magel is living retired in Burlington, but for a long period was connected with general agricultural pursuits and thereby won the competence that now enables him to rest from further labor. His birth occurred at Rock Springs, in Union township, this county, on the 4th of March, 1842, his parents being Seibert and Mary (Licht) Magel, both of whom were natives of Germany, the former born in 181 2 and the latter in 1821. They came to Iowa at the same time — in the year 1835 — Mrs. Magel making the trip in company with her parents. It was in Des Moines county that she gave her hand in marriage to Seibert Magel and here they spent their remaining days, their home being on a farm on Avery Road, west of Burlington. A life of intelligently directed industry enabled Mr. Magel to convert a tract of wild land into a highly improved farm. His place comprised one hundred and ninety acres and from it he derived a substantial annual income. His death occurred when he was eighty-five years old, while his wife passed away at the age of seventy-five. They were consistent Christian people, holding membership in the Evangelical church. In their family were ten children who reached maturity: Elizabeth, the deceased wife of William Hillgartner; William; Henry, who is living in Burlington; Charles, a resident of Sidney, Iowa; Conrad, of Twin Falls, Idaho; Mary, the widow of Julius Schafer, of Central avenue, Burlington; Theodore, who was killed by a horse in Fremont county, Iowa; Peter, of Burlington; Maggie, the wife of Henry Steyh, living on Central avenue, Burlington; and Benjamin, also of this city.

William Alagel was reared upon the old homestead farm with the usual experiences that fall to the lot of the farm boy. In 1861, however, he left home and crossed the plains with ox teams to Idaho, remaining in the west until the fall of 1864, when he returned. He had devoted his time to gold mining, but only met with fair success. After his return he engaged in farming with his father for a year and then carried on agricultural pursuits on his own account for another year.

On the 23d of March, 1866, Mr. Magel was united in marriage to Miss Isabelle Hilleary, who was born in Union township near Rock Springs in 1846, a daughter of Jackson Hilleary, a pioneer farmer of Des Moines county who came to this state from Virginia. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Magel removed to Flint River township, where he carried on farming until 1901, when he purchased his present home at No. 501 Gunnison street in Burlington and here still resides. His farm comprised ninety-four acres of land, which he sold to his son-in-law.

To Mr. and Mrs. Magel were born six children: Ollie, the wife of Allen Barnette, who is living upon the old homestead; L. B., a resident of Union township; William H., who is located on Garfield avenue in Burlington; Iva, the wife of Louis Schultz, of St. Louis; Albert E., whose home is a mile north of Burlington; and Nellie, the wife of Arthur Wolhwend, also of Burlington.

Mr. Magel gives his political allegiance to the democratic party, but has never sought nor desired office. His entire life up to the time of his retirement was devoted to farming and the careful management which he displayed in his business affairs brought him a substantial measure of success. Year by year he carefully tilled his fields and as time passed he gained a substantial competence from the sale of his harvests. There have been no spectacular phases in his life, but the record has always been an honorable one and thus he enjoys the high regard of those with whom he has been associated.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Peter Magel has since 1905 been a 'resident of Burlington, previous to which time he made his home upon a farm in this county. While he is now in a considerable measure living retired, he still gives supervision to his agricultural interests, and in addition to his Des Moines county property has extensive landed interests in Kansas. He has likewise been president of the Continental Brick Company, of Aledo, Illinois, for five years. He was born in Union township, near Rock Springs, this county, February 15, 1849, a son of Seibert and Mary (Licht) Magel, who were natives of Germany, the former born January 5, 1812, and the latter April 24, 1821. They came to Des Moines county in the fall of 1835, making the voyage to America on the same ship. The mother was a daughter of Conrad and Catharine Licht, who brought their family to the new world and established their home in Des Moines county, where they remained until called to their final rest.

Mr. and Mrs. Magel were married in this county about a year after their arrival, and their remaining days were spent upon a farm southwest of Burlington. The mother's death occurred December 6, 1896, and the father passed away August 9, 1897. He had been blind for a quarter of a century before his demise. When he arrived in this country he was the possessor of a capital of two hundred dollars. He immediately sought employment, and his first work was on a dam at Augusta. After being employed as a day laborer for a few months he began farming with Conrad Pheifif, and later they together purchased a cow. They farmer together as neighbors, but after a time that property was disposed of and Mr. Magel bought a farm southwest of Burlington, upon which he continued to make his home until called to his final rest. As opportunity offered, however, he added to his property holdings until at one time he was the owner of three farms, but prior to his demise he divided his property among his children. As the years passed he

ii'J won a substantial measure of prosperity and he was always a generous contributor to movements and measures for the public good. He assisted in building two churches and gave liberally to the Burlington Hospital, and at his death he left to that institution the sum of one thousand dollars. He held membership in the German Lutheran church and the organization found in him a generous supporter, who was also ever ready to give freely to all benevolent and other worthy causes. His political allegiance was given to the democratic party. To him and his wife were born eighteen children, of whom ten reached adult age, namely: Elizabeth, now deceased, the wife of William Hillgartner; William, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Henry, of Burlington; Charles, who is living in Fremont county; Conrad, whose home is in Idaho; Peter; Mary, the widow of Julius Schafer, of this city; Margaret, who married Henry Steyh, of Burlington; Theodore, who died in Fremont county; and Benjamin, also of Burlington.

Peter Magel remained with his parents up to the time of his marriage, and in his youth acquired a public-school education. When twenty-one years of age he began farming on his own account, renting land from his father, and subsequently he purchased a part of the old home place, upon which he erected a comfortable dwelling, and from time to time he made further improvements until he had one of the best farms of the county, which he occupied until his removal to the city in 1905. He still owns his old home place and his father's old homestead, one comprising one hundred and forty-eight acres of land and the other one hundred and forty-four acres. The entire amount is improved, save twenty-five acres, which is in timber. Mr. Magel goes back and forth to the farm to a large extent and gives to the place his personal supervision. When actively engaged in farming he employed the most progressive methods; brought his fields to a high state of cultivation and made his farm a very productive one, so that the annual sale of his crops brought to him a most substantial revenue. In addition to his Iowa property he owned five hundred and sixty acres in Kansas. He also has other business interests, having for five years been president of the Continental Brick Company, of Aledo, Illinois, which is one of the profitable enterprises of that place.

On the T(;th of January, 1879, Mr. Magel was married to Miss Alice E. Blakeway, who was born in Augusta township, Des Moines county, July 30, 1859, a daughter of John C. and Priscilla F. (Bashore) Blakeway, who were natives of Wheeling, West Virginia, and accompanied their parents to the middle west in childhood. The father was seventeen years of age at the time of the removal. The mother lived for a time in Missouri. In 1849 Mr. Blakevvay went to California, spending two years, and with that exception has continuously resided in this county since his marriage. Both he and his wife passed away in Union township, the former February 19, 1904, at the age of seventy-six years, and the latter on the 22d of January, 1902. They had twelve children, of whom three died in infancy. Those, besides Mrs. Magel, who reached adult age were: William D., of California; Elizabeth, the wife of George Vaughn, of Burlington; Margaret, the deceased wife of Stephen Courtwright; Edward, a farmer of Fairfield; Thomas U., living in Kansas; Carson J., of Augusta township; Frank B., of Burlington; and Mrs. Hattie J. Boland, of Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Magel have two sons. George Seibert, the elder, occupies his grandfather's homestead. He married Miss Emma Grothe, who died leaving one child, Kenneth Howard, and since losing his first wife he has married Mamie Lyman. John Clarence, the younger son, resides upon his father's farm. He married Miss Rosa Ihrer and they have a daughter, Frances Louise.

Mr. Magel is a democrat, but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him, as he has always preferred to devote his attention to his business affairs. He served, however, as school treasurer for fifteen years, occupying that position until his removal to the city. He and his wife are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church and have guided their lives by its teachings. He has a wide acquaintance in this county, where he has always lived, and the number of his friends indicates that his life has been at all times an honorable and upright one.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

PETER MAGEL.

Peter Magel, a retired farmer now living on Garfield Avenue, in Burlington, is well and favorably known to the people of Des Moines county, where he has for over half a century been a witness of its expansion, growth, and substantial progress. He is a son of Seiliert and Marie (Lee) Magle, and was born near Rock Springs, Union township, Feb. 15, 1849. His education was ac(tired in the IJuena Vista school and the German school in Burlington, after which he returned to his home, and remained till lie was about twenty-two years of age in the employ of his father. In 1871 he rented a part of his father's farm, which he farmer till 1876, when he purchased ninety-one acres of land of his father and built a nice home, where he lived till he retired from farming. From time to time Mr. Magel added to his farm as follows: During the '80's he bought thirty-one acres from F. J. Warth; in 1898 he purchased the old homestead, consisting of one hundred and twenty-eight acres, and in 1900 bought forty acres from the Stei)lions heirs. He has put good and substantial buildings on the home place, and has also tiled the land, which fact makes it better for general use. Besides being engaged as a general farmer and stock-raiser, Mr. Magel was engaged in the cultivation of small fruit, and in 1903 set out six hundred fruit trees of various kinds. He also owns five hundred and thirty-three acres.

uf which three hundred and sixty acres are improved, in Graham county, Kansas, which he bought in 1884.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected.

Benjamin M.\gel, numbered among Des Moines county's most prosperous agriculturists, and now residing on his large farm in Section 6, Union township, was born at the old family home in Section 11 of the same township, on Dec. 29, 1862. His father was Seibert Magle, well known in Des Moines county as a successful farmer. Seibert Magle was born about six miles from Giessen, in the province of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, on Jan. 5, 1812, and in his native place received a fair education in the common schools; but his parents were poor, so that at a very early age he was obliged to begin earning a living by his own efforts, and also to aid in the support of the family. According to the meager data obtainable, he seems to have been the only son of his parents, but there were at least two sisters. Being of an enterprising disposition, he decided while yet a young man to emigrate to a new country, where opportunities were more abundant, and in 1835 came to America with a party of homeseekers. When they landed at Baltimore, he had not a cent of money, but he possessed a watch and a ffun, and these articles he sold for about $25, which was all the capital he had on which to begin life in a strange land. He at once started westward-with the party, traveling by way of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, although part of the journey was made overland. horses were hired to haul the chests of household goods and ])revisions, while the men walked, and the women cither walked or rode as they pleased. The intention of llie party was to reach what is now the city of Burlington, then called I'lint Mills, but by some mistake they went to a point about eight or nine miles farther up the river, on the Illinois side, near the present site of Oquawka. The error was soon corrected, however, and the young German ])pioneer found himself at Burlington without money or other resources except his own strength, determination, and practical ability. He at once secured employment in iielpiiig to build the first dam across the Skunk River, wliicli was erected to secure power for a grist-mill. For this work lie w;is paid at the rate of twenty-five cents a day, out of which sum he paid for his board and lodging. With the party of immigrants, of which the father of our subject was a niemlKT. also came Miss Mary Lecht, accompanied by her brother Conrad, and on April 1, 1837, she was united in marriage to Mr. Magel. Subsequently he and Conrad I'feitT associated themselves together and entered a “homestead” of public land, building on it one log house for the use of the two families. When the national government became ready to put the land on the market they were without money, but rather than lose their homestead, they borrowed money of a Mr. Kasscl, paying fifty per cent a year for it, and thus saved their possessions.

On his homestead the elder Magel resided until about 1848 or 1850, when he removed to a farm which he had bought nearer Burlington. In 1855 the family suffered an almost overwhelming misfortune from a visitation of fire, which destroyed their home. It was at midnight on a night in January of that year, with the snow covering the ground a foot deep, and they suffered great hardship, besides losing almost everything they possessed, for insurance was by no means usual in those days. The house, however, they soon rebuilt, and there Seibert Magic passed the remainder of his life, by strenuous exertion and great care recouping his loss and becoming comparatively wealthy. There also his death occurred on Aug. 9, 1897. Twenty-two years prior to his death he became totally blind, but this did not incapacitate him for business transactions and the general supervision of his affairs, in which he always retained an active and intelligent interest. The death of his wife preceded his own by six months, the date of her demise being Dec. 6. 1896. They were the parents of eighteen children, of whom eight died in infancy, while of those who attained years of maturity eight still survive.

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In 1892 Mr. Magel purchased his present large farm of two hundred and thirteen acres in Union township, removing to the new home on March 1, 1893, and here he has surrounded his family with the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He has brought the farm to a high state of improvement, remodeling a number of the buildings, erecting bams and other necessary structures, and introducing a general atmosphere of neatness and order. Mr. Magel is a man deeply interested in the progressive movements of the times, and is a careful student of public questions. In his political attitude he maintains individual independence, and while his first ballot at a presidential contest was cast for Grover Cleveland, he supported the candidacy of President Roosevelt in 1904. Public spirited in every way, he also takes an interest in church work and religious affairs. He was reared in the faith of the German Evangelical denomination, and he and Mrs. jNIagel attend the services of the church near their home.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE SEIBERT MAGEL.

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He is a son of Peter and Alice (Blakeway) Magel, his birth occurring on his father's adjoining farm, Oct. i6, 1879. His father was one of the most successful agriculturists of the county, where he owned a very large tract of land, and where he lived and farmer till he retired in 1905, when he moved to Burlington, where he has a pleasant home. The sketch of his father and brother, Clarence J., may be found elsewhere in this review.

Our subject as a lad was bright and ever ready to attend the district school, where he made rapid progress; and later spent some months at Elliott's Business College, where he gained a fair knowledge of mercantile life. During his boyhood days he had always helped his father with the farm work, and had become quite familiar with the care and feeding of stock: and so when his school life was ended, he still preferred to remain on his grandfather's farm. In 1905 he began to farm independently, and occupies and operates about one hundred acres of his father's farm, which is about three miles from Burlington. March 15, 1905, Mr. JMagel was married to Miss Emma Grothe, a daughter of Fred C. Grothe, who now lives retired on South Adams.Street. Mrs. Magel was born and educated in the city of Burlington, Iowa, and is a great help to her husband and an agreeable acquisition to the neighborhood. Mr. Magel generally cases his vote independently, preferring to assist those whom he thinks best qualified to hold offices of trust, and at the same time bring credit to the community. Mr. Magel has largely inherited those characteristics of his father and grandfather that are calculated to make a thrifty and enterprising farmer, and these, together with strong will and firm determination, will bring success to any man.

Through his straightforward and strict adherence to the principles of right, he has made many friends in the county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CLARENCE J. MAGEL.

Clarence J. Magel, of Union township, belongs to a prominent family which is well known through the county, his father being a life-long resident of the township, and his paternal grandfather was one of the early pioneers. Clarence J. Magel is a son of Peter and Alice (Blakeway) Magel, and was born on the old homestead he now occupies, June 16, 1883. His father was born on an adjoining farm in 1849, and is a son of Seibert Magle, a fine old gentleman whom it was a pleasure to know and count as a friend. The father of our subject always lived in the neighborhood where he was born, and started out in life a poor man, but has now by great industry, rigid economy, and honest principles accumulated two hundred and twenty-three acres of the best land in the township, and is able to retire from the activities of life, and is spending his time in a pleasant home in Burlington. A more complete sketch of him will appear in this volume.

Our subject received his early education in the district school, and then later was a student at Elliott's Business College in the city of Burlington for six months. He then returned to the home farm and assisted his father till he retired in 1905. After this Mr. Magel assumed entire charge of the farm, and devotes all of his time to general farming and the raising of full-blooded stock.

Jan. 18, 1905, Mr. Magel was married to Miss Rosa Ihrer, of Union township. She is a daughter of William and Rosa (Warth) Ihrer, and was born and educated in Burlington, Iowa, but later moved with her parents to Union township. She is a consistent member of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Magel is a good Democrat, and always rallies to the hearty support of the party, but does not care to be an active politician in the holding of any office. If he continues as he has begun — active, energetic and exhibiting good-will toward all — we bespeak that in a short time he, too, will, like his father, be able to retire and enjoy the fruits of his early labor.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.