HAUGER, William E.

HAUGER, LINT, GEIER, COTTON

Posted By: P. Bergmeier (email)
Date: 5/15/2005 at 17:30:08

Hon. William E. Hauger, A.M., whose honorable career as a statesman, lawyer, and businessman, has made him one of the prominent citizens of Black Hawk County, Iowa, has been a resident of La Porte City since 1881. He was born in Washington, Tazell County, Illinois, March 9, 1866 and is a son of Rev. John S. and Harriet(Lint)Hauger.

The subject of this sketch comes of Revolutionary stock that originated in Germany. His father, Rev. John S. Hauger, a minister, in the Evangelical Chuch, was born December 25, 1814, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and removed with his family to Illinois, in 1866. In the summer of 1866, he moved to Iowa, and died at La Porte City, January 17, 1902, crowned with the accumulated good works of 88 useful years. His life was mainly an agricultural one, apart from his native State and after coming to Iowa held four charges. His first vote was cast for William Henry Harrison, and he took pleasure in having the opportunity of assisting in the election, also, of the late President Benjamin Harrison. Harriet(Lint)Hauger was born in 1825 in Pennsylvania and became the mother of 12 children, three of whom died in Pennsylvania. Eight of them came to Iowa, and seven still survive, six being residents of Black Hawk County.

William E. Hauger, the youngest of his parents' family, was only six weeks old when he was brought to the State of Iowa. The family resided at Waterloo for two years, and then settled on a farm near La Porte City. Mr. Hauger's education was secured in the schools of this city, and he graduated from the High School in 1883, when 17 years of age, being one of the youngest members of his class. After one year spent in teaching a country school, he went to Cornell College, at Mount Vernon, Iowa, where he graduated in 1888, with the degree of A.B., and in 1891 was accorded the degree of A.M. For two years he filled the responsible position of superintendent of the La Porte City schools and for two years was superintendent of the Waterloo Commercial College.

In the meantime Mr. Hauger had been paying some attention to the study of law and had been active in politics. He had served as chairman of the Republican County Central Committee and in other responsible positions, prior to his election by the Republican party as a candidate for the Iowa House of Representatives. He was elected in 1896, and served most acceptably through two consecutive terms, making so favorable an impression on that body, that he was made temporary Speaker of the Lower House of the 27th General Assembly. After completing his term of public office, with an admirable record as to ability, usefulness and devotion to the best interests of his constituents, he returned to La Porte City, and was admitted to the bar in October, 1899. His unqualifiied success in his profession has but added to his previous prominence.

In 1902, Mr. Hauger was married to Jennie E. Geier, who is a daughter of the late Martin and Katherin(Cotton)Geier, the former of whom served in a cavalry regiment during the Civil War. Mrs. Hauger was a pupil of her husband and was graduated under his tuition. She later became a teacher, and followed the profession for 10 years prior to her marriage.

Mr. Hauger is well known in the lecture field, and has dipped into authorship; his book "Signal Thoughts," was issued in 1894. His two most popular lectures, "To and Fro, Across the Soul" and "The Greatest Thing On Earth or The Way to Look at Things," have been heard all over the country. Fraternally, he is a Knight of Pythias. He is an active member of the Methodist Church.

History of Black Hawk County and It's People
1915