Fred Weiss

WEISS, POCHART, LUSSENHOP

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/17/2011 at 22:43:20

FRED WEISS. The city of Reinbeck is the home of many energetic and prosperous business men who have won for themselves both fame and fortune, but none merit more praise or are more highly esteemed than he whose history here claims attention. He is one of the largest land owners in the county, being the possessor of fifteen hundred and eighty acres of valuable land. He is President of the State Bank of Reinbeck, and is now serving in the City Council as Alderman. Mr. Weiss was born across the water, in Prussia, January 8, 1834, where also his parents, Christian W. and Elizabeth (Pochart) Weiss, were born.

The father, who was born in 1793, served as a soldier in the German army in 1814-15. The parental family included four children, of whom Melissa still resides in the Old Country. Those making their home in the United States are Christina, Augusta and our subject. The father of our subject after the death of his wife left Germany, in 1851, and crossing the Atlantic, came to America and made his way to Illinois, where he purchased forty-eight acres of land near Chicago, in Cook County. On this he remained until 1869, when he came to Grundy County in company with our subject, and made this place his home until his decease in 1874. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church.

Fred Weiss received a good education in his native land, and remained under the parental roof until reaching his sixteenth year, when he went to live with a married sister. With her he came to the United States in 1850, and locating in Illinois, worked out as a farm hand, receiving during the harvest season $9 per month. After going to Illinois, our subject was married, February 28, 1855, to Miss Maria Lussenhop. Mrs. Weiss was born in Germany, which was also the home of her parents, Lewis and Sophia Lussenhop, with whom she came to the United States.

After this marriage our subject rented and operated his father’s farm in Cook County until 1869, when he went to Waterloo, and in 1870 moved his family to a farm in Black Hawk Township. His tract comprised four hundred and eighty acres and was in its primitive condition at the time of his location thereon. He improved the land, erected good buildings upon it and engaged successfully in tilling the soil until three years ago, when he came to Reinbeck, and is now living retired from any active work. Besides this fine estate he owns land in the surrounding counties and his landed possessions aggregate fifteen hundred and eighty acres. He has displayed an excellent capacity for managing affairs, and since residing in Reinbeck has become President of the State Bank. He has always been a Democrat in politics and has served as Township Trustee for several years, as a member of the County Board of Supervisors and is now filling the position of Alderman. He has many friends in this locality, and is interested in all worthy matters that will advance the public welfare of the community, to which he is also a willing contributor.

To Mr. and Mrs. Weiss has been born a family of twelve children, all of whom are living, namely: Sophia, Lewis, Henry, Louisa, William, Emma, Amelia, Mary, Carrie, Albert, Martha and Emil. With his wife he is a consistent member of the German Lutheran Church and holds the office of Trustee in its congregation.

Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record
of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, Iowa
1894