Ernest G. Kaiser is enlisted
as one of the vigorous and resourceful young
representatives of mercantile enterprise in his
native county and is senior member of the progressive
firm of Kaiser & Wiethorn, which bases operations
on the ample capital of fifteen thousand dollars and
which conducts one of the most attractive and
prosperous general merchandise establishments in the
village of Monona. Of the junior member of the firm,
William B. Wiethorn, individual mention is made
elsewhere in this publication.
Mr. Kaiser was born in Farmersburg township, Clayton
county, on the 4th of December, 1889, and is a son of
William and Augusta (Groth) Kaiser, the former of
whom was likewise born and reared in this county, a
scion of one of its sterling German pioneer families,
and the latter of whom was born in Germany, whence
her parents came to America when she was a child,
they likewise being early settlers of Clayton county.
William Kaiser was reared and educated in this county
and during his entire active career never severed his
allegiance to the basic industry of agriculture, of
which he was for many years a prominent and
successful exponent in Farmersburg township. A well
known and sterling citizen, he is now living retired
in the village of Monona. He has been influential in
community affairs and is a stalwart in the local camp
of the Democratic party, though he has never been
troubled by aspiration for political office. Both he
and his wife are earnest communicants of the German
Lutheran church. Of their children the first-born was
William, who died in childhood; Amelia is the wife of
Frederick Drahn, a farmer in Giard township; Julius
is now a resident of Topeka, Kansas; Arthur is a
progressive farmer in Monona township; Elizabeth died
young; Emil is a resident of Lamed, Kansas; Arno
maintains his home at Monona, as does also Freda, who
is the wife of Charles G. Schultz; Ernest G., of this
review, was the next in order of birth; Hildegarde
and Elsie remain at the parental home; Helmuth is
deceased; and Edmund, Irene and Raymond are the
younger members of the family circle at the parental
home.
Ernest G. Kaiser continued his studies in the public
schools of Clayton county until he had completed a
course in the high school at McGregor, and he further
fortified himself for the active duties and
responsibilities of life by availing himself of the
advantages of a business college in the city of Cedar
Rapids. He continued to be associated with his father
in the work and management of the home farm until he
had attained to his legal majority and thereafter
devoted two years to work at the carpenter's trade.
His initial mercantile experience was gained by a
service of one year as clerk in the store of the firm
of English & Kaiser, at Monona, and for three
months thereafter he was similarly retained in the
mercantile establishment of C. J. Orr, of this
village.
On the 1st of April, 1913, he formed the present
partnership alliance with William B. Wiethorn, and
under the firm name of Kaiser & Wiethorn they
have built up a most substantial and prosperous
business at Monona, with a store that is distinctly
modern in all appointments and facilities, with
departments devoted to dry goods, groceries, men's
furnishings, and boots and shoes. Mr. Kaiser is loyal
and progressive in his civic attitude as he is as a
sterling business man, and he is found aligned as a
staunch supporter of the cause of the Democratic
party. His circle of friends is limited only by that
of his acquaintances.
On the 17th of January, 1912, was solemnized the
marriage of Mr. Kaiser to Miss Sidnie Hupfer,
daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Barnhardt) Hupfer,
of Giard township, and the two children of this union
are: Virgil, who was born April 19, 1913, and Delpha,
who was born July 4, 1915.
source: History of Clayton County, Iowa; From The
Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present; by
Realto E. Price, Vol. II; page 201-202
-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall
