Daniel J. Schnittjer resides upon a valuable and productive
farm of one hundred and ninety seven and one half acres, situated
on section 8, Delhi township, and follows general farming, giving
particular attention to the raising of full blooded cattle and
hogs. He was born in Bremen township, this county, June 19, 1878,
a son of Lammert and Albertina (Rafoth) Schnittjer. The father
was born in the kingdom of Hanover, Germany, May 12, 1850, a son
of Tonjes and Anyje (Folkers) Schnittjer, both of whom died in
Germany in 1866, the former in June of that year and the latter
in August. To their union were born five children, four of whom
are living. The brothers and sisters of Lammert Schnittjer were;
Johanna, the widow of J. R. Yelden, who passed away May 16, 1905;
Anna, who married Hije Specht, a resident of Germany; Recka, the
deceased wife of Peter MyBurg, who also lives in the fatherland;
and Rene, who married Henry Bruns, of Oldenburg, Germany.
Lammert Schnittjer came to the United States in 1869, landing in
Baltimore on the 25th of April of that year. He immediately made
his way westward and for four months lived ion Madison county,
Illinois, but at the end of that time came to Manchester, Iowa,
where he worked for John Schilling for a time. He and Jacob
Mangold were subsequently employed in a stave factory for one
year. At the end of that time Mr. Schnittjer rented a farm in
Prairie township, which he operated for about three years, but in
1873 he entered into partnership with Barney Wienstofer and they
purchased a brickyard at Manchester, which they conducted for one
season. The following year they sold out and Mr. Schnittjer
operated rented land in Delaware county for two years, living
with a brother in law. On the 3d of October, 1877 he was united
in marriage to Albertina Rafoth, a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Woodrick)
Rafoth, both natives of Germany, as was also their daughter
Albertina. The family emigrated to the United States in 1862 and
settled in Dubuque, Iowa, and the father died in Earlville, March
15, 1911. Mrs. Rafoth is living in Earlville, this county. To Mr.
and Mrs. Lammert Schnittjer were born five children: Daniel J.,
the subject of this review; Ida, who married Louis Bradke, of
Delhi township, and passed away at the age of twenty five; Tonjes
L. and William H., at home; and Etta J., who married Howard Reed,
of Bremen township, by whom she has one child, Verseilles, born
September 9, 1910. Mr. Reed is the manager of the Bear Grove
Creamery and is a prosperous young business man. Lammert
Schnittjer has resided upon his farm of two hundred and ninety
one acres in Delhi township for twenty two years and has made all
of the improvements upon the place. He erected a good house and
barn and has done many other things to enhance the value and
attractiveness of his property. He also owns one hundred and
sixty acres of land in Arkansas.
Daniel J. Schnittjer received his education in the public schools
of Earlville and after his marriage began the cultivation of land
on his own account. He has prospered as the years have passed and
now owns one hundred and ninety seven acres of fine land on
section 8, Delhi township, one mile north of the town of Delhi.
The place is the old Boomer farm on the county road and as it is
so close to Delhi the hauling of grain and stock to the market is
an easy task compared with the labor that it took in pioneer days
when the roads were poor and a railroad station twenty five or
more miles distance. Mr. Schnittjer feeds most of the grain
raised upon his place to his stock as he is an extensive breeder
of full blooded Holstein Friesian cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs.
He finds this method very efficient and profitable and as he is
judicious in his investments his resources are constantly
increasing.
On the 2d of October, 1901, Mr. Schnittjer was married to Miss
Rhoda B. Pulver, a daughter of Bradley and Eliza (Jackson)
Pulver, the former a native of Ohio. The mother was born in
England and accompanied her parents to this country when a child
of five years. To Mr. and Mrs. Schnittjer have been born five
children, namely: Howard D., Geneva M., Harry T., Maynard B. and
Ava.
From January 1, 1906, to January 1, 1910, Mr. Schnittjer was road
superintendent of his township and under his care the highways
were kept in excellent condition. He has been influenced in
raising the standard of stock bred in the county and at the same
time has won individual success. He has many friends who value
his regard and esteem highly, as they know him to be a man of
sincere devotion to what he believes to be just and right.
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