Jacob Kerper

As printed in 1911

Jacob Kerper, general merchant at New Vienna, was born August 26, 1848, in Rheinish Prussia, Germany. When four years old he came with his parents, John and Anna Maria Kerper, to the United States and, locating at the then frontier settlement of New Vienna, Iowa, the father bought an eighty-acre tract of land and engaged in farming. By hard work and economy he gradually increased his real estate holdings until he at one time owned 240 acres. He was one of the thrifty, upright men of Dubuque county and died with the high esteem of all who knew him, in 1899, at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife died in 1896, aged seventy-eight years. Jacob Kerper received a liberal education in the public schools and the Epworth Seminary. He taught school for a time and clerked in the store of A. C. Walker Company, at Farley, until June, 1872, then came to New Vienna as salesman for George Meinhart. Eventually Mr. Kerper, by purchase, succeeded to the business of Mr. Meinhart, and rebuilding the premises, now conducts one of the best equipped mercantile establishments in the surrounding community. Mr. Kerper inherits the thrift and industry of his parents, and aside from his mercantile interests is the owner of valuable real estate in North Dakota, Washington, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. He is also president of the German State Bank at Dyersville, and as an independent Republican in politics has served as mayor of New Vienna six years, trustee many years and school treasurer for twenty-five years. He is a member of the Catholic church, of which, for sixteen years, he has been secretary. June 30, 1873, he married Miss Mary Ann Meyer, daughter of George and Magdalena Meyer, old pioneers of this locality, and to this union have been born twelve children: Mathias, who died in 1890, when eight years old; George L.; Bernard V.; Otto N.; Edmund M.; Alver H.; Eugene P.; Annie G. (Mrs. E. H. Willging); Agnes C. (Mrs. Dr. F. X. Lang); and three who died in infancy. Mr. Kerper and family are among the best known people of western Dubuque county.

As printed in History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest (1911). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.