Embert Bergemeyer, the
present efficient and popular sheriff of Clayton
county is a Norwegian by birth but a thorough
American at heart. He was born in the city of
Christiania, Norway, June 8th, 1877, the son of Elias
Bergemeyer. He came to America with his parents,
landing in New York July 14, 1888, and the family
came at once to McGregor, where they had relatives
among the early Norwegian pioneers. As a lad he
worked on the farm and attended the rural schools of
Clayton and Mendon townships. His has been a life of
hard work and his younger days he spent farming and
threshing in the northern part of the county.
He was married in 1899 to
Miss Anna Allen of McGregor and to them one son,
Clinton Bergemeyer was born. The death of his wife
ended this happy union. On November 24th, 1903, he
was married to Miss Sarah Margaret Bertsinger of
McGregor and they have a charming daughter, Marjorie
Regina.
For a number of years Mr.
Bergemeyer was in the drayage and ice business at
McGregor which business he sold in 1908. For five
years he was city marshal of McGregor and also a
constable for Mendon township. It was his efficiency
as peace officer and his genial good-heartedness
which makes him highly popular with all the men, that
led to his nomination for sheriff on the Democratic
ticket in 1910. There were three candidates in the
primary election, Mr. Bergemeyer winning by a
plurality of thirty-six votes. At the election,
however, in November, 1910, he defeated his opponent,
Doug. Brown, by a majority of 1,078. In the primary
of 1912 he had no opposition and in the election of
that year he received one of the largest majorities
ever given a candidate for sheriff, being elected
over Frank Wood, Republican, by a majority of 1,764.
Again, in 1914, he had no opposition in his own party
at the primary and he was elected by a majority
almost as large, he receiving 1,689 more votes than
his opponent, J. P. Hurley, the Republican candidate.
In the primary of 1916 there was a four-cornered
fight in which Mr. Bergemeyer was the winner by 125
over his nearest opponent, and he is at present the
Democratic nominee for sheriff. There is no question
but that he has been a faithful, efficient and
capable officer and a worthy successor to such men as
James Davis, W. A. Benton, E. E. Benton, Martin
Dittmer, and others who have made Clayton county
noted for its excellent sheriffs.
During the year of 1915 from
some unknown cause a fire broke out in the roof of
the county jail which is also the sheriff's
residence, and at this time he lost a large portion
of his household goods. As an officer, Mr. Bergemeyer
has been eminently successful. There have been no
jail deliveries during his term and all the work of
his office has been attended to promptly and with
courtesy, but with due firmness and proper regard for
law. While, fortunately, there have been no serious
crimes committed in the county during the past few
years where the criminals were unknown, nevertheless
Mr. Bergemeyer is entitled to much credit for his
clever detective work in a number of instances. One
clever capture, due largely to his detective ability
was the breaking up of an arson gang which set fire
to a new residence in the eastern part of the county
in 1913. Mr. Bergemeyer followed the clews in the
case and succeeded not only in capturing those guilty
of this crime but in unearthing the burning of the
Haggen barn in which horses and live stock were
ruthlessly burned to death. Mr. Bergemeyer is one of
the best liked men in Clayton county. He is capable,
both physically and mentally, for the exacting office
which he holds, and while he is inexorable in the
performance of his duty, he has a kindness of heart
and a sympathy for his fellows which makes him an
ideal officer. He has taken an active part in all
civic movements at McGregor and Elkader and
throughout the county, and his friends predict that
he will be triumphantly elected this fall.
source: History of
Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical
Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price,
Vol. II; pg. 43-44
-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall
