Edwin Meder Edwin Meder was born at Communia, Clayton county, Iowa, on a farm consisting of eighty acres. When he was ten years old he and his parents moved to Clayton township on a farm which he now owns and successfully operates, and the same comprises two hundred and ten acres of most fertile land of that enduring integrity that is so pronounced a constituent of the soil of this favored section of the Hawkeye state. This farm, or the most of it, has been in the possession of the Meder family since the early pioneer era in the history of Clayton county. Edwin Meder was born on the 9th of March, 1856. He is the only child of Frederick and Albertina (Gade) Meder, who were born and reared in Germany. In 1853, they immigrated to the United States, and became pioneer settlers of Clayton county, Iowa. They were married in Garnavillo, Iowa. Here the father gave his attention zealously to the achieving of worthy independence and prosperity through association with the basic industry of agriculture, and in 1866 he purchased the farm now owned by his only son, the immediate subject of this review, this having continued as the abiding place of both him and his wife until the close of their long and upright lives, and the names of both meriting high places on the enduring roll of the sterling pioneers of Clayton county. Experience in connection with the work of the home farm was gained by Edwin Meder in his boyhood and youth, and he acquired his early education in the pioneer schools of a county and state that have always maintained a high standard of literacy. Upon attaining to adult age he began to relieve his father more and more of the work and responsibilities involved in the operations of the farm, of which he eventually assumed the active management and of which he became the owner after the death of his parents. He has kept the old homestead up to the highest standard of productiveness, employs scientific methods in all departments of his farm enterprise and gives special attention to the breeding and feeding of live stock of the best grades. He is known and honored as one of the loyal citizens and progressive farmers and men of affairs of his native county, is a Democrat in his political proclivities, and has served continuously since 1900 in the office of township assessor, his fine landed estate being situated in Section 11, Clayton township. He has served fourteen years as school director and eighteen years as school secretary, and is now treasurer of his school district, the while he manifests a lively interest in all things pertaining to the civic and material welfare of his home township and county. At Clayton he is affiliated with Oakleaf Camp, No. 2875, Modern Woodmen of America, and both he and his wife are earnest communicants of the Catholic church in the same village. In 1882 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Meder to Miss Mary Grouney, who was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, one of the five survivors of the nine children born to James and Ellen (Gilson) Grouney. Her parents were born and reared in Ireland and upon coming to the United States they established their residence in Pennsylvania, where they remained until they came to Clayton county, Iowa, and became pioneer settlers on a farm, both having continued their residence in this county until their death, and Mrs. Meder having been a child at the time of the family removal from the old Keystone state to Iowa. In conclusion is given brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Meder: Estella A. is the wife of Richard F. Meehan, a farmer of this county, and prior to her marriage was a successful teacher; Fannie E. is the wife of Jas. J. Meehan, likewise of this county, and prior to her marriage she also had been a popular and successful teacher in the public schools; May M. is now numbered among the efficient and popular representatives of the pedagogic profession and is a teacher in the schools of her native county; Anna L. is the wife of Elmer Mueller, a farmer of Clayton county, and she likewise made before her marriage a record as a successful teacher; Clement J. is associated in the work of the home farm; Fredr. J., who likewise remains at the parental home, was graduated in the high school at Garnavillo; and Walter J. is, in 1916, a student in the high school at Guttenberg, this county. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to
the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; page
269-270 |