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August G. Wessling
August
G. Wessling, whose genial good nature makes him popular, while his
activity in business brings to him a goodly measure of success, now
follows farming on section 13, Paton township. He is a native of
Illinois, having been born in Cook county on the 20th of March, 1859.
Mention of his parents is made in connection with the sketch of Martin
Wessling on another page of this volume. He was reared to farm life,
early assisting in the task of plowing, planting and harvesting upon
the old homestead farm. In the winter months he attended public schools
and thus acquired a fair English education, while in the school of
experience he has also learned many valuable lessons. He continued at
home until twenty-one years of age, when he began learning the
carpenter’s trade, which he followed for two years, and on the
expiration of that period he turned his attention to general farming in
Cook county, where he cultivated a tract of rented land.
Thinking to find better opportunities to purchase land in western Iowa,
he made his way to Greene county in 1889, having in the meantime
‘bought one hundred and twenty acres here. He has since added to his
holdings until he now owns two hundred acres, which is well improved.
He has made all this himself and the splendid appearance of his farm is
indicative of his progressive methods. He has placed hundreds of rods
of tiling on the farm and through his practical system of drainage has
added much to the fertility of the place. For several years he has been
engaged in raising shorthorn cattle and now has thirty-eight head of
registered shorthorns upon his place, constituting a fine herd. In
fact, he is one of the best known cattlemen of this part of the county
and has done not a little to improve the grade of stock here found. In
all of his business his methods are such as to produce good results and
his prosperity has come as the reward of his diligence and perseverance.
In 1881 Mr. Wessling was united in marriage to Miss Emma Stryker, who
was born in Cook county, Illinois. They became the parents of eight
children: Herbert, who is pursuing a course in the law department of
Drake University at Des Moines, Iowa; Willard, Clara, Archie and
Myrtle, all at home; Bernice, who died June 12, 1907, at the age of ten
years; and Mabel and Ella, still with their parents. The parents are
members of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which their children
are also identified, and in its work they take a deep and helpful
interest. Mr. Wessling votes with the republican party and is in
thorough sympathy with its principles, but has no desire for oflice. He
is a genial man, good natured at all times, and his social qualities
have won for him many friends.
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