The Riser Family of Allamakee County, Iowa

Upon the list of Allamakee county's honored pioneers appears the name of Fred Riser, whose residence in this section dates from 185 1 and whose active career has been closely identified with its growth and development. He has borne an honorable and worthy part in the work which has transformed the region from a wilderness into a populous and wealthy community and he is today one of the most prominent and popular men of Lansing township, where he is living retired. He was born in Berne, Switzerland, June 14, 1834, and is a son of John and Barbara (Orli) Riser, natives of that country, who emigrated to America about 1843 nd settled on one hundred and sixty acres of government land in Madison county, Illinois. In 185 1 they sold the farm and moved to Allamakee county, Iowa, after the father and his son John had made two trips to this state and to Minnesota looking for a suitable location. Having finally determined upon Lansing township John Riser purchased three hundred and twenty acres of school land, unimproved, and while he was engaged in building a stable upon i:iO PAST AND PRESENT Of ALLAMAKEE COUNTY this property he and his family lived in a rude shanty on the Andrew T. Sandry property. They made their home in the stable for some time after it was completed and then moved into a frame and log dwelling which they had erected and which still stands with the additions that have since been made. Both parents have passed away. the mother dying in Madison county. Illinois, and the father in Lansing township when he was seventy-nine years of age. lie was a member of the Reformed church in Switzerland and in America a devout adherent of the German Methodist Episcopal religion. In his family were five children besides the subject of this review:.Anna and Elizabeth, who passed away in Illinois; Christ, a retired farmer living in Lansing township; John, who passed away in 1907; and Peter, who died in 1902.

Fred Riser was nine years of age when he was brought to the Lnited States, his ninth birthday having been spent on the Atlantic ocean. The family landed in New York, July 4. 1843, after fifty-two dawson a sailing vessel, and from there they pushed onward to Madison county, Illinois, where the subject of this review remained until he was seventeen years of age and where he acquired such education as could be gained during a few months attendance at a country school. He came to Allamakee county with his father and assisted with the work of the homestead until after the latter's death, when the land was divided, Mr. Riser receiving as his share one hundred and sixty acres, including the buildings upon the farm. He made further improvements, erecting one of the largest barns in the township, and he steadily carried forward the work of development through the years, becoming one of the ]prosperous and substantial agriculturists of this vicinity and winning a competence sufficient to enable him to retire from active life. He sold his farm to his son Otto, with whom he continues to reside. Mr. Riser has been twice married. His first union occurred July 10, 1854, when he wedded Miss Barbara Marti, a native of Switzerland, who passed away in 1862, leaving five children; John, deceased, who was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church; Kate, the wife of John Sharff, of St. Paul, Minnesota; Fred, a practicing physician residing near Denver, Colorado; Henry William, who formerly engaged in the practice of dentistry and who resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Jacob, a dentist of Spokane, Washington. On the loth of March, 1864, Mr. Riser was again married, his second wife being Miss Eva Margaret Swartz, who has also passed away. She became the mother of thirteen children: (george, deceased; Wesley, who resides in California; Matilda, also deceased, who was married and had two children, Fred and Theodore Fisher, the latter of whom makes his home with his grandfather, the subject of this review; Edward, who has passed away; Lidia, the wife of.Albert Ross, of Washington; Julia, who married Fred Sharff and makes her home with her father; Otto, who recently jjurchased his father's farm; Ida, who married John Long, of Montana; Benjamin; Selma, the widow of John " (]; Gertrude, who married Philip Rogcnsack, of North La Crosse; Manda, who married Ben Feuerhelm. of Lansing township; and Adeline, who makes her home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Mr. Riser is a member of the German Methodist Episcopal church and helped in the erection of the church building. He was for many years in his early life a democrat in his political beliefs but of late has affiliated with the republican party. He was for some time a member of the board of school directors and served ably and efficiently for one term as township assessor. At the age of seventy-nine he enjoys remarkable health considering his life of hard and unremitting work and in spirit and interests seems yet in his prime — a straightforward, honorable and progressive citizen, thoroughly alive to the best interests of the community he has aided so greatly in upbuilding.

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

Upon the role of Allamakee county's honored dead appears the name of Peter Riser, who at the time of his death in 1902 was one of the substantial agriculturists and large landowners of Lansing township. Although born across the water, practically his entire life was spent in Iowa among whose pioneers he is numbered and to whose development and progress he made important contributions through the years.

Mr. Riser was born in Switzerland, May 31, 1838, and when he was four years of age was brought to the United States by his parents who established Iheir home in Illinois. They there remained until their son was fourteen years of age when they came to Iowa settling in Allamakee county in pioneer times. Here Peter Riser grew to manhood, aiding in the clearing, opening and developing of the homestead and becoming a practical and able agriculturist. At the age of twenty-one he began his independent career, turning his attention to the occupation to which he had been raised and winning success as a general farmer. Upon the death of his father he inherited a farm of one hundred and twenty acres and upon this property continued to reside until his death, each year adding to his prosperity and to the high regard in which he was held by his neighbors and friends. As circumstances justified he added to his holdings, finally acquiring three hundred and sixty acres of land upon which he made substantial improvements, erecting a large barn and all the necessary outbuildings and installing the needed farm equipment. The old log cabin in which the family made their home in the early days still stands upon the homestead, but the present residence is a fine, modern brick structure erected some years ago.

In Allamakee county Mr. Riser was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Marti, who was born in Switzerland, February 4, 1844, a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Blumer) Marti, who came to the United States in 1853. They settled in Allamakee county and here made their home until their death, the father passing away in 1871 as a result of a stroke of paralysis suffered seventeen years before. Mr. and Mrs. Riser became the parents of the following children: Marie Anna, who died October 17, 1871, when she was seven years of age; John Henry, who is engaged in farming near New Albin, Iowa; George William, a farmer of Lansing township; Julius Edward, who passed away on January 10, 1900, at the age of twenty-eight; Emma, the wife of John Babler; and Philip and Barbara Catherine, both of whom live at home.

Mr, Riser was ever stanch in his support of the republican party and although he never sought nor desired office took an intelligent interest in community affairs and could always be relied upon to further progressive public movements. He was public-spirited and loyal in all matters of citizenship, cooperating heartily in those measures and projects which had for their object the upbuilding and development of the county wherein he had so long resided. Thus it was that at his death which occurred November 11, 1902, Allamakee county lost one of its representative and valued citizens. Mrs. Riser survives her husband and makes her home on the farm, which is now conducted by her son Philip. She is a member of the Methodjst church to which her husband also belonged and is a lady whose many excellent traits of heart and mind have won her the affection and esteem of all who know her.

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

CHARLES J. RISER.

Ciiarles J. Riser, a worthy native son of Allamakee county and a prosperous and esteemed resident of the village of Church, is now serving for the second year as secretary of the Calhoun Creamery. He was born on the home farm in Lansing township, this county, his parents being John and Eva (Kaam) Riser. The former, whose birth occurred in Berne, Switzerland, on the 21st of February, 1829, accompanied his parents on their emigration to the United States in 1843, the family home being established in Madison county, Illinois, where he learned the carpenter's trade. In 1852 he came to Allamakee county, Iowa, and helped erect the first home on the Riser place in Lansing township. Going back to Madison county, Illinois, he purchased eighty acres of land and there resided for two years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Allamakee county and purchased a tract of one hundred and twenty-four acres in Lansing township, continuing to reside thereon and being busily engaged in its cultivation throughout the remainder of his active business career. His last years were spent in the home of his son, Charles J., his demise occurring at Church in January, 1907. He passed away in the faith of the German Congregational church and his death was the occasion of deep and widespread regret, for he had been a resident of this county for more than a half century and had become well known and highly esteemed within its borders. He was first married in Illinois to a Miss Anderson, who died in that state, leaving one son, John, a resident of Illinois. For his second wife Mr. Riser those Miss Eva Kaam, a native of Berne, Switzerland. who passed away on the old home farm in Lansing township in 1893. By this union there are eleven children, as follows: Mrs. John Schupbach, who is a resident of Madison county, Illinois; Caroline, of Allamakee county; Fred, living in Woodbury county, Iowa; Henry, of Idaho; George, who makes his home in

Colorado; Amelia, who is the wife of L. W. Wendel, of Belmond, Iowa; Rosa; Charles J., of this review: Theodore; Pauline, and Elizabeth.

Charles J. Riser attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education and when not busy with his text-books assisted his father in the work of the home farm. In 1900 he purchased the property from his father and continued its operation until 1905, when he sold the place. During the following six years he was engaged in business as a member of the firm of Decker & Riser, general merchants at Church. For the past two years, however, he has devoted his attention to his duties as secretary of the Calhoun Creamery and in this connection has won a creditable and gratifying measure of success.

As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Riser those Miss Clara Martinson, by whom he has five children, Hazel, Edgar, Carl, Leigh and Harold. The family home is the most attractive and pleasing in Church. In the community where his entire life has been spent he has gained a large circle of friends who esteem him as a man of genuine personal worth and many sterling traits of character.

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