Henry Walljasper

As printed in 1914

HENRY WALLJASPER.

Henry Walljasper is a retired carpenter and builder, owning and occupying a farm of fifty acres situated on the western border of West Point. He was formerly the owner of a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres adjoining the city on the west, but has recently sold this property to his son Anton, who is now cultivating the land. His farm extended altogether a mile east and west.

Mr. Walljasper is one of the early settlers of Lee county, having come here in 1851 with his two brothers and their parents. He was born in the province of Westphalen, Prussia, Germany, December 6, 1837, and is, therefore, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. He is a son of Otto and Katherine (Hackenkamp) Walljasper, both of whom were also natives of Westphalen, where they were reared and married. It was in the year 1846 that they bade adieu to that country and sailed for the new world, settling first in St. Louis, where they arrived in January, 1847. They resided in that city for five years, the father there working at the painter's trade, and in the fall of 1 85 1 they came to West Point. The father engaged in painting signs, in lettering and doing other similar work. He died about twenty-eight years ago, having reached the age of seventy-four years and eight months. His wife passed away forty-eight years ago and was then fifty-six years of age. In their family were three children: Henry and Stephen, both of whom were born in Germany; and John, a native of West Point.

From the age of fourteen years Henry Walljasper has resided at West Point. He can well remember incidents of the voyage to the new world and of their residence in St. Louis. He worked with his father at the painter's trade and later took up carpentering, which he mastered. Subsequently he formed a partnership with his brother Stephen for carpenter and contract work, and they erected the schoolhouse and many other buildings at West Point, becoming recognized leaders in their line, a position which they maintained for many years in this vicinity and in nearby towns. Henry Walljasper was thus actively engaged in business for half a century and many of the substantial structures of West Point and the surrounding country stand as monuments to his skill and ability.

In the fall of 1865, at West Point, Mr. Walljasper was united in marriage to Miss Mary Roterick, who was born in Westphalen, Germany, in 1840, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Helleford) Roterick, who came to Lee county about 1847 and took up their above near St. Paul, which is located on a part of the old home farm. Both the father and mother passed away upon that place. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Walljasper have been born five children, two of whom died in infancy. Katie is the wife of Frank Ussenbrink, a carpenter and builder, and they have two children, Henry and Albert. Mary is the wife of Frank Friedel, a farmer of Pleasant Ridge township, and they have one son, Leonard. Anton married Miss Katie Dingman, a daughter of Barney and Margaret Dingman, and they have five children, Margaret, Alvin, Mary Agnes, Karl and Katie.

Mr. Walljasper built a new set of buildings upon his farm. He still lives at the old home and finds that in the management of his small place he has all that he cares to do. His has been an active and useful life, crowned with a substantial measure of success, and he always displayed good qualities, which have won for him high regard. Politically he is a democrat, and, while he has not sought or held political office, he has served for several years at various times as school director. He is a member of St. Mary's Catholic church and his life has been guided by his religious faith.

As printed in Story of Lee County, Iowa; (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.