Meyer, George H.

MEYER, HEITMAN, BRINKER, SLENGEL

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 1/18/2024 at 12:41:40

George H. Meyer, proprietor of one of the best farms on Portland Prairie, located in section 25, Wilmington township, was born in Hanover, Germany, Oct. 25, 1864, son of Jeorgen and Elizabeth (Heitman) Meyer.

He was but a year and a half old when he accompanied his parents to America, they reaching this country in April, 1866, after an ocean voyage of three weeks. Coming directly west, they settled in Lansing, Allamakee county, Iowa, where during the first year the father worked as a farm hand for Henry Deters.

In 1867 they took a farm in that county, on which the subject of this sketch was reared to manhood, residing at home until the age of 22 years.

In the meanwhile he had learned the carpenter's trade. In 1886 he went to Nebraska on a prospecting tour, remaining there two years. Then, not caring to settle in that state, he returned home, and for about six years followed the carpenter's business, building many houses and barns in the immediate vicinity of his present farm.

While thus engaged he rented twenty acres of this farm, together with a house which stood on the land, and in 1894 he bought the farm, containing 120 acres in sections 24 and 25, Wilmington township. A granary and an old frame house stood on the land, and the house he occupied until 1903, in which year he built the modern two-story, ten-room frame residence that he now occupies.

He has in addition built a frame barn, 32 by 70 by 18 feet, with a nine foot stone basement, for horses and cattle; a garage and machine shed combined, 20 by 30 by 10; a granary, 18 by 28; a double corn crib, 24 by 30, with a ten-foot driveway; a hog house, 16 by 32, with a poultry house above, with a cement feeding floor, 16 by 32 (the first one built in the community), and a second machine shed, 12 by 30 feet.

The entire farm is under cultivation and is very productive. The stock consists of Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China swine, Mr. Meyer keeping pure-bred sires. Hog-tight wire fencing-some 600 rods-extends over the entire farm where needed, and s supported by cement posts, which Mr. Meyer manufactures both for his own use and for sale. He also occasionally does carpenter work when not busy on his farm. His equipment is of the best and includes an underground cream and water-cooler through which water runs to all his buildings.

In addition to the interests already mentioned, he is a stockholder in the Wilmington Creamery and the People's Co-operative Stock & Grain Company, of Caledonia. In politics he is a Republican.

Mr. Meyer was married, Feb. 11, 1890, to Minnie Brinker, who was born March 29, 1867, daughter of Barney and Mary (Slengel) Meyer, of Allamakee county, Iowa.

He and his wife have six children: Emma Elizabeth, born Dec. 18, 1891, who is residing at home; Paul Otto C., born Nov. 24, 1893, who is an auto salesman and garage proprietor at Caledonia; Elsie Louisa Dora, born June 22, 1897; Louis August, Feb. 25, 1901; Henry Frederick, March 8, 1903; and Albert August William, June 2, 1908.

Mr. Meyer and his family are members of the Eitzen congregation of the German Evangelical Lutheran church, and are people of high social standing with a wide circle of friends.

~~The History of Houston County, Minnesota, 1919, pgs 590-591 (transcribed by S. Ferrall from the book digitalized by Google)