Henry Wiese

As printed in 1910

HENRY WIESE.

Henry Wiese, who has lived retired in his pleasant home at No. 835 Harrison street in Davenport since 1900, won his prosperity as an agriculturist and is still the owner of five hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive farming land in Benton county, Iowa. His birth occurred in Holstein, Germany, on the 16th of October, 1840, his parents being Marx and Lucy Wiese. The father, who was born in 1800, learned the blacksmith's trade and in early manhood served as a soldier of the German army. In 1853, in company with his wife and children, he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, landing at New York. Thence he made his way direct to Moline, Rock Island county, Illinois, where the family home was maintained for about twenty years. They first took up their above in a log cabin which stood on a tract of eighty acres of land which the father had purchased, about twenty acres of which were improved. As his financial resources increased, owing to his well directed industry and capable management, Marx Wiese added to his landed holdings in Rock Island county and brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and improvement. He passed away in 1886, having for four years survived his wife who was called to her final rest in 1882, when seventy-two years of age. Unto them were born three sons and one daughter, namely: Fred, who is deceased; Henry, of this review; John, who is a resident of Geneseo, Illinois; and Anna, the wife of Henry Operdicke, of Port Byron, IlHnois.

Henry Wiese pursued his education in the schools of his native land until thirteen years of age and then came to the new world with his parents. He continued his studies to some extent in Rock Island county, Illinois, but owing to the sparsely settled condition of the country, schools were few and far between and he did not find much opportunity to attend. He assisted his father in the work of the home farm until twenty-five years of age, when he was married and started out in life on his own account, purchasing and locating upon a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of prairie land in Coe township, Rock Island county. It was raw land upon which no improvements had been made, but with characteristic energy he began its development and cultivation and soon converted it into a productive farm. He likewise erected a house and put up fences and later bought an additional tract of eighty acres adjoining. In 1874 he disposed of the property and removed to Benton county, Iowa, purchasing three hundred and twenty acres of land in Cedar township. The place had been improved to some extent and there were several small buildings upon it. There he carried on his agricultural interests energetically and successfully until 1900, since which time he has lived retired in Davenport, enjoying the fruits of his former toil in well earned ease. Prospering in his undertakings, he added to his holdings by additional purchase and is still the owner of five hundred and twenty acres of fine farming land in Benton county.

On the 4th of January, 1865, Mr. Wiese was united in marriage to Miss Kathryn Kahler, a native of Holstein, Germany, where her birth occurred on the 1 6th of June, 1846. In 1852, when six years of age, she was brought to. the United States by her parents, Mathias and Lena Kahler, who took up their above in Rock Island county, Illinois. They were farming people and both passed away in Benton county, Iowa. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wiese were born eight children, as follows: Anna, Charles and Elizabeth, all of whom are deceased; John, who is a resident of Davenport; Louisa and Albert, both at home; Augusta, the wife of Charles Stelk, of Virginia; and Dorothy, who is likewise still under the parental roof.

Mr. Wiese is a stanch democrat in his political views and has capable served in a number of township offices, including those of road supervisor and school director. He is a member of the German Pioneers Society of Scott county. In his business career he has displayed excellent ability and unfaltering diligence and as the years have passed his labor has been the measure of a gratifying success. He and his wife are people of the highest respectability, whose good qualities of heart and mind have won for them the confidence and friendly regard of all who know them.

As printed in History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa : Illustrated (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.