Henry M. Eicher

HENRY MARTIN EICHER.

Henrv Martin Eicher, to whom public opinion accords a foremost place at the Washington bar, is practicing as senior partner of the firm of Eicher & Livingston, with a clientage commensurate with the skill and ability which he displays in the solution of intricate legal problems. He was born in Marion township, Washington county, Iowa, May 29, 1858, and comes of an old German family. His grandfather, Joseph Eicher, lived and died in Alsace, where he followed the occupation of farming until his life's labors were ended by death. He married Elizabeth Conrad, who died when about sixty-five years of age. They were the parents of eight sons and two or three daughters, the family including Joseph. Peter, Christian, John, Daniel, Martin, Benjamin, Mrs. Witmer and Mrs. Sommer.

Benjamin Eicher, the father of Henry M. Eicher, was born in P'rance and came to America in 1848 when seventeen years of age. He established his home in foster. Ohio, where he was reared to manhood, lint the opportunities of the country west of the Mississippi attracted him and in 1852 he came to Washington county, Iowa, purchasing a farm of forty acres in Marion township, to which he added from time to time. Here he improved his farm and reared his family. He was married in Marion township to Miss Lydia Sommer, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Joseph Sommer, who was born in Pennsylvania and was of German descent. He married Elizabeth Miller and made farming his life work. In 1851 he arrived in Iowa, settling in Marion township, Washington county, where he purchased and improved land, bringing his farm under a high state of cultivation. Both he and his wife died in this county, Mrs. Sommer having passed middle life when called to her final rest, while Mr. Sommer reached the age of eighty-two years, his death occurring in 1888. Their children were as follows: Susanna, the wife of Samuel Hage; Catharine, the wife of Daniel Winter; Lydia, the wife of Benjamin Eicher; Eve, the wife of Peter Goldsmith; Barbara, the wife of Peter Miller; Henry; Lou, who wedded John A. Rumble; and Martha, the wife of G. W. Neff.

Following the marriage of Benjamin Eicher and Lydia Sommer, they established their home upon a farm in Marion township and year by year Mr. Eicher tilled the fields and cultivated his crops. His death occurred upon the place where he first settled, although in the meantime its boundaries had been greatly extended, the farm ctmiprising one hundred and sixty acres. He passed away in 1893 at the age of sixty-one years, while his widow survived him until 1905 and was sixty-six years of age at the time of her death. He held various township offices, the duties of which he discharged with promptness and fidelity, and with the moral interests of the community he was closely associated. He was greatly interested in building up the Mennonite church in his community and acted as its preacher for a number of years. Early in the development of this part of the state the Mennonites established a strong colony and for some years the people worshipped in private houses. This was the custom among the Amish brethren at that time. The first church building was erected near Noble in 1868 at an actual cost of six hundred dollars. All of the labor and a great part of the material was furnished by the members, for in those days time and wood were more plentiful mediums of exchange than silver and gold. In 1895 this old ciiurch was replaced by the present modern structure. Not long after the organization of the church Benjamin Eicher was ordained to the ministry. The congregation affiliated with the Amish conference until 1874 and in that year withdrew and remained an independent Mennonite congregation until 1892 when they joined the middle district Mennonite conference. By the year 1893 it had become strongly established with a membership of about one hundred and thirty and a large number of adherents. During this time Rev. Eicher had continued as pastor until his work was ended in death, December 7, 1893.

The home of Rev. Benjamin and Mrs. Eicher was blessed with thirteen children, nine sons and four daughters: EHzabeth, the wife of G. C. Noble, residing in Crete, Nebraska; Henry M., the subject of this review; Franklin P., deceased; Joseph D., of Packwood, Iowa; John H., of Springdale, Arkansas; Ezra J., residing in Wayland, Iowa; Noah J., whose home is in Winfield, Iowa; William B., residing in Peoria, Illinois; David E., of Johnson, Arkansas; Salina J., the wife of John Swartzendruber, of Pulaski, Iowa; Clara J., the wife of Harvey Allebach, residing in Wayland, Iowa; Cora, who died at the age of two and a half years; and Edward C, of Chicago.

In taking up the personal history of Henry Martin Eicher, we present the record of one who needs no introduction to the readers of this volume for he has lived all his life in Washington county and has so directed his energies and utilized his innate talents and powers as to win for himself a prominent place in professional circles, at the same time enjoying the respect and honor of all with whom he has come in contact. He was reared on the home farm and pursued his early education in the district schools, after which he entered the Eastern Iowa Normal School at Graridview. Subsequently he engaged in teaching for ten terms in the district schools but regarded this merely as an initial step to other professional labor, it being his desire to become a member of the bar. To this end he began reading law in March, 1880, in the office of Judge A. R. Dewey, and while teaching school his leisure hours were devoted to further law study until he was admitted to the bar in September, 1883, and entered upon the active practice of law. From the beginning his progress has been uniform and rapid.

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

On the 26th of June, 1888, Mr. Eicher was married to Miss Frances Celia McKee, who was born in Washington and who spent her entire life here. Her parents are Samuel E. and Hannah (Harris) McKee, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. They became early residents of Washington and her mother died in 1887, while the father now lives in.Allegheny, Pennsylvania. They were the parents of four children: Charles C, David H., Paul N. and Frances Celia. The last named became the wife of Mr. Eicher and unto them have been born two daughters and a son, Hannah Harris, Lydia Sommer and Heinrich Martin.

Mr. Eicher was a member of the Mennonite church until 1906 when he transferred his membership to the Second United Presbyterian church of which his wife was a member. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he has served as city attorney, while during his teaching days he was assessor of his township. He has always been interested in progressive public measures, giving stalwart support to every movement which is a matter of civic virtue and civic pride. Moreover he possesses' a courteous, genial manner which makes him popular with his many friends, while in his profession he has attained that success which is the logical sequence of close application, thorough and discriminating study and careful analysis.

As printed in History of Washington County, Iowa from the first white settlements to 1908. Also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.