John Elbling, manufacturer of and dealer in imported and native tobacco and cigars McGregor, was the first cigar manufacturer in Iowa north of Dubuque, having established a factory here in 1859, and has been identified with McGregor in the same business since. Hestarted with a small capital, and now has a good trade in Northern Iowa, Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, with a salesman on the road all the time, and Mr. Elbling travels some also. He carries a fine stock of tobacco, pipes and cigars, and fancy smoking tobaccoes. He was born in Wittenberg, Germany, Aug. 18, 1833, a son of Mathew and Gertrude (Mauch) Elbling. He graduated from the High School in Weilderstadt, Wittenberg, Germany, when sixteen, and then came alone to America, and landed in New York with about $60.00 He went to Pennsylvania, and worked on the canal and railroad a short time, and then went to Philadelphia and learned the cigar manufacturers' trade. In 1857 he came to Chicago and worked here and at Milwaukee, Wis., until 1859, when he came to McGregor and opened his present factory. He married Mary Kapinos at Milwaukee, Wis., April, 1860. She was born in Bohemia, Austria, and was a daughter of John and Theresa Kapinos, of Kencereakan, Bavaria. Mr. and Mrs. Elbling attend the Catholic church. They have had two sons, one living, viz.: John H., working with his father in the factory. Mr. Elbling is a member of the Commercial Travelers' Association, and in politics is a Republican. He is one of the old settlers and enterprising representative men of McGregor, always taking an active interst in anything that promises progression to his adopted home. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 978 |