Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

Adam T. Troeger, a prosperous and well known farmer and stockman residing on section 18, Hayes township, was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, on the 20^th of May, 1851.  His father, George A. Troeger, who was a native of Germany, emigrated to the United States when a young man, first taking up his abode near Aurora in Kendall county, Illinois.  He was twice married. After losing his first wife he wedded Miss Anna Dietel, also a native of the fatherland.  When he had carried on agricultural pursuits in Illinois for several years, Mr. Troeger removed to Missouri, while the year 1852 witnessed his arrival in Clayton county, Iowa, where he opened up a farm and reared his family.  He now makes his home in Charles City, Iowa, and is a hale and hearty old gentleman of eighty-five years.

Adam T. Troeger was reared on the old homestead farm in Clayton county and supplemented his preliminary education by two years' attendance at a college in Naperville, Illinois.  After completing his own education he taught for two years in the schools of Clayton county, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired.  He was married in Indiana, on the 2d of August, 1877, to Miss Mary S. Fleisher, who was born, reared and educated in Wisconsin, and also followed the profession of school teaching.  Subsequent to his marriage Mr. Troeger operated his father's farm for three years, and in 1882 bought and located on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Hayes township, Buena Vista county.  He at once began to cultivate and further improve the property, erected a substantial two-story residence, a large barn, granary and other outbuildings and also planted a grove and orchard.  He likewise tiled the land and enclosed his fields with woven-wire and hog-tight fencing, and the neat and thrifty appearance of the place indicates the supervision of a practical and progressive owner.  A well kept lawn also adds to the attractiveness of the surroundings. In addition to his home farm, Mr. Troeger also operates a tract of eighty acres which he rents, and is likewise engaged in raising and feeding cattle and hogs, fattening about two carloads of hogs annually.  He also keeps a number of Shropshire sheep, and in connection with his other business interests conducts a dairy, meeting with a gratifying and well merited measure of success in all of his undertakings.  He was one of the organizers of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company, was chosen its first vice president and thus served for two years, later acting as president for fourteen or fifteen years.  He is well known and highly esteemed throughout the community and is numbered among the substantial, public-spirited and progressive citizens of Buena Vista county.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Troeger have been born five sons and one daughter, namely:  Leslie E., a graduate of Ames Agricultural College and now assistant editor of the Iowa Homestead at Des Moines; Paul, a graduate of the Storm Lake high school and now a student in Ames Agricultural College; Philip, Cecil P. and Edward I., all of whom are attending school; and Ruth N., a graduate of the Storm Lake high school and of Buena Vista College of Music and now engaged in teaching music.

Politically a republican, Mr. Troeger has taken an active and helpful interest in the local work of the organization and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have called him to various positions of trust and responsibility.  He served as justice of the peace for several years, was secretary of the school board for fifteen years, has also acted as township trustee and has been a delegate to state and county conventions.  He is now serving as trustee and steward of the Methodist Episcopal church at Storm Lake and the members of his family take an active part in the church work, doing all in their power to promote its growth and extend its influence.  Having resided in this county for more than a quarter of a century, Mr. and Mrs. Troeger are widely and favorably known here and have an extensive and growing circle of friends.