Carl William Meier

Carl William Meier is one of the enterprising merchants of Postville, where he is conducting a large dry-goods store, and this and his other business interests combine to make him a leading and enterprising citizen of the community, his alert and progressive spirit enabling him to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. He was born in Clayton county, May 14, 1850, and is a son of Christian J. and Elizabeth (Runger) Meier, natives of Germany, the former born in Prussia, May 13, 1825, and the latter in the province of Hanover, January 7, 1827. In early life the father turned his attention to farming. On coming to America he located in Ohio, near Portsmouth, in 1845 and engaged in digging iron ore until he came to Iowa. He met with an accident while chopping wood, injuring his ankle and becoming incapacitated for heavy physical labor. He was therefore compelled to learn a trade and engaged in shoemaking for a time. It was in 1849 that he came to Clayton county, Iowa, and purchased land, but he lived upon the farm only a short time, returning then to Ohio. In April, 1850, he again took up his residence in this state and continued to reside on his first farm until January, 1866, when he bought another place, living thereon until he retired from active life in 1884. He spent his last days in Postville, where his death occurred in September, 1911. He had survived his wife since 1906. They were parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this review is the oldest.

Carl W. Meier attended school in Farmersburg township, Clayton county, and supplemented this by one term at National. He remained at home until 1873 and then purchased a farm, engaging in agricultural pursuits upon that property until 1883, when he removed to Allamakee county, locating on an excellent tract of land in Post township. In 1892 he rented his farm and removed to Postville, where he engaged in the furniture business for two years, selling out in the fall of 1895 and conducting a similar establishment in Farmersburg for about one year. Turning his business over to his son at the end of that time, he returned to his farm in Post township but in 1902 again located in Farmersburg, where he conducted a large and important general merchandise store until 1908, when he disposed of his interests and came again to Postville. Here he purchased the remnants of a general stock of merchandise and he has since added to his store and enlarged his stock, carrying now a full and complete line of goods, his enterprise being one of the largest and best managed in the city.

Mr. Meier was married, September 8, 1871, to Miss Louisa Hedeman, a native of southern Illinois, born February 29, 1852. She is a daughter of Frederick and Helena (Breuner) Hedeman, natives of Oldenburg, Germany. The father crossed the Atlantic in the elate '30s but after a few years returned to Germany, making his second crossing with his wife about 1843. For ten years thereafter they lived upon a farm in southern Illinois but in 1853 came to Garnavillo township, Clayton county, Iowa, where the father became an extensive landowner and a prosperous farmer, giving all his attention to agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred about 1893 or 1984. His wife survived him two years, her death also occurring upon the homestead. They had six children, of whom the wife of the subject of this review is the fourth in the order of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Meier became the parents of six children: Louisa, the wife of F. L. Eaton, proprietor of a restaurant and cafe in Spencer; Christian, ex-county treasurer of Clayton county and now a prosperous farmer in Montana; Amanda, the wife of Alonzo Phillips, clerking in the store of our subject; George J. and Irene M., who reside at home; and Wilbur, deceased.

Mr. Meier gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has held various important local offices, serving as trustee of Post township for three terms and for a number of years as constable. He belongs to the Masonic order at Farmersburg and is connected also with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. All of his life has been spent in Iowa and although his career offers no spectacular chapters, he yet belongs to that class of substantial and representative citizens who constitute the real strength of any community by reason of their business activity, their loyalty in citizenship and the honor and integrity of their private lives.

-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Jan Miller

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