Benjamin Magel

As printed in 1905

BENJAMIN MAGEL.

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.

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

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 Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.