George Sheeder

As printed in 1907

GEORGE SHEEDER.

George Sheeder has devoted his entire life to farming and stock-raising and is today one of the heaviest stock-feeders of the county, while his landed possessions aggregate ten hundred and fourteen and a half acres in Seely, Baker and Union townships, to which he gives his personal supervision. He is both practical and progressive in his methods and his labors are attended with that measure of success which always crowns close application guided by sound judgment.

Mr. Sheeder is one of Guthrie county's native sons, his birth having occurred in Guthrie Center. His parents were William and Mary ( Keeley) Sheeder, who became residents of this part of the state in pioneer times. The father was born in Chester county, I'pennsylvania, September 12, 1825, while the mother's birth occurred in Penn- Avlvania, August 28, 1830. The Sheeder family comes of Prussian ancestry and was founded in America by Frederick Sheeder, Sr.. who when seventeen years of age accompanied his parents from Prussia, his native land, to the new world. He became a soldier in the war of 1812, and, returning home upon a furlough, his son. Frederick Sheeder. Jr.. went to the front in his place and carried a musket, although at that time only fifteen years of age. frederick Sheeder. Sr.. was a tailor by trade, but in his later years engaged in farming. He married Anna Holtman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of six sons and four daughters: Frederick, Henry. Mary. Samuel, Phillip, Caroline, Catherine, Sarah, Joseph and Benjamin. The mother of this family died in 1863. while the father pas.sed away at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a self-made man. whose well directed labors and strong determination enabled him to gain a handsome competence. although he started out in life empty-handed. His religious faith was that of the Lutheran church.

His eldest son, l-ederick Sheeder, Jr., was born in Lebanon county. Pennsylvania. March 22, 1799, and, as stated, took his father's place for service in the second war with England. He was reared upon a Pennsylvania farm and was educated in the Chester county schools. He married Miss Elizabeth Shuler, whose birth occurred in Chester county, March 2. 1797, her parents being" William and Sarah Shuler. Frederick and Elizabeth Sheeder had Imt two children: Sarah.Ann. who died at the age of twenty months, and William. The mother died April 14, 1830. at the age of thirty-three years, while the father passed away December 30. 1834. at the age of thirty-five years.

William Sheeder, the father of our subject, was left an orphan at the early age of ten years and made his home with his grandfather for four and a half years. In his early youth he was a district school student, and when about thirteen years of age he began working as a teamster, driving a six-horse team and hauling stone to the limestone kiln, while in the winter season he hauled forty cords of wood. He was in his seventeenth year when he entered upon an apprenticeship to the blacksmith's trade under Jesse Orr. of Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the 31st of March. 1842. For four years he continued in that employ and received only his board and clothing until the last six months of the period, when he was paid a monthly wage. Subsequently he opened and conducted a shop of his own for a year. On the 23d of March, 1848, he wedded Miss Mary Keeley, who was born August 28, 1830, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Miller) Keeley, who were natives of Chester county. Pennsylvania.

On the 17th of April, 1855. William Sheeder. with his wife and four children, started for Ljwa, traveling by rail to Rock Island. Illinois, thence by steamer to Muscatine. Iowa, and on by team to Guthrie county. He entered four hundred acres of government land, securing three hundred and twenty acres on section 5. Baker township, and forty acres elsewhere. The family lived in a tent for about three months, at the end of which time Mr. Sheeder had built a log cabin, twelve by sixteen feet, with a clapboard roof. He afterward made an addition to this and in this pioneer home six of the children were born. In 1869 he replaced that dwelling with a more commodious residence of brick. He also built large barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock, and as the years passed he added to his property until he became owner of two thousand two hundred and one acres of land in Baker township, twelve hundred and forty acres in Seely township, eight hundred and fifty acres in Bear Grove township, and two hundred and eighty-one acres in Union township, making a total of four thousand five hundred and seventy-two acres in Guthrie county. He followed general farming and stock-raising, always keeping high-grade cattle, horses and hogs. William Sheeder died January 19, 1900, and his wife October 5, 1897.

George Sheeder was educated in the country schools of Guthrie county, and with the splendid example of his father to encourage and inspire him he has carefully conducted farming interests throughout his entire life. Almost two centuries ago George Washington said that agriculture is the most useful as well as the most honorable occupation of man. It is to this line of life that George Sheeder has directed his interests and activities, and he is today one of the most prominent farmers and stock-raisers of this part of the state. His landed possessions comprise ten hundred and fourteen and a half acres, situated in Seely, Baker and Union townships, and his business in stock-feeding is hardly surpassed in extent by that of any other stockman of the county.

On the ist of April, 1886, in Guthrie Center, Mr. Sheeder was married to Miss Orah Annette Rose, who was born in this county, near Guthrie Center, and is a daughter of G. W. and Margaret A. (Porter) Rose, the former born in Guernsey county, Ohio, and the latter in Xoble county of the same state. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Sheeder has been blessed with three sons and two daughters: Blanche, twenty years of age; Walter, eighteen years of age; 'ills, a youth of sixteen; Ralph, twelve years old; and Verna, who at the age of ten years complete the family. All are still under the parental roof.

Mr. Sheeder gives his political support to the democracy, but while he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, as every true American citizen should do, he has never sought or desired office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs, which make him one of the substantial citizens of central Iowa. He and his wife have a large circle of friends and are greatly esteemed in the community where their entire lives have been passed.

As printed in Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.