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Carl Meisgeier

(Photo included in Source Book)

The agricultural interests of Fayette county are well represented by Carl Meisgeier, who is one of the most practical and enterprising farmers of Fairfield township. Like many other successful self-made men in this county, he is an American by adoption only, being a native of Germany, whence come so many who form the bone and sinew of this great western republic. Wherever known, the German type is noted for its thrift and enterprise, and the gentleman whose life record is briefly reviewed here is no exception to this rule.

Carl Meisgeier was born in Germany on November 7, 1841. His parents, Andrew and Johanna Meisgeier, emigrated from Germany in 1852. A great calamity overtook the family almost immediately, for the father died shortly after their arrival in this country, at the age of fifty-two years. The mother survived her husband, however, and lived to be eighty years of age before she passed away. Mrs. Meisgeier took her three children to the home of her sister, who lived at Cleveland, Ohio, and remained there for two years. Her indomitable courage led her, however, at the expiration of that period, in the year 1855, to make a home for herself and her family, and she took her children to Iowa, purchasing eighty acres of land in Fayette county, and on this farm she passed the remainder of her life. Her children were Herman, Mrs. Hugo Nus, and the subject of this sketch.

Carl Meisgeier was reared to days of industry on the farm where he lived with his mother, and alternated work on the farm with schooling in the common school. On November 10, 1864, he was united in marriage with Catherine Huepsch, of Clayton county, Iowa, who was also German born, having come to America in 1854, her parents coming to America from Germany and locating in Clayton county in that year. Mr. and Mrs. Meisgeier began their married life on the farm on which Mr. Meisgeier lived continuously for fifty-four years. On December 19, 1908, Mrs. Meisgeier departed this life, and was buried in the cemetery at Taylorsville. On April 23, 1910, Mr. Meisgeier married Mrs. Louise Hetzel.

When Mr. Meisgeier began farming he had twenty acres of land to cultivate. He added to this, however, with astonishing ability and thrift until he possessed five hundred acres of land, with excellent improvements, the entire acreage being in fine condition and highly cultivated and with every modern equipment. This valuable farm he recently sold his youngest daughter, Mrs. Krumpel, who now occupies the homestead. Mr. Meisgeier has built a tasteful and substantial residence, with a splendid barn adjacent, on an eighty-acres farm in section 15, near his farm home, and on this new place he expects to live for the remainder of his days. He handles quite a great deal of stock of various kinds and no small amount of his income is derived from this source. He has been especially successful in breeding Hereford cattle, and has kept the best of stock.

The following children were born to Mr. Meisgeier: John H., born December 22, 1865; Mary C., now Mrs. G. Martin, born October 13, 1867; Fred L., born December 5, 1869; Emma M., now Mrs. George Eckhart, born October 15, 1871; Caroline M., now Mrs. C. Andrea, born July 25, 1873; Alma M., now Mrs. Fred Robbins, born April 17, 1877; Johanna G., now Mrs. H. Kreumpel, born in 1886. His grandchildren are: Dora, Paul, Herbert, Freda, Carl, Rupert, Donald and Ameldo Meisgeier; Laura, Elnove, Florentine and Emma Martin; Carole, Gertrude and Harvey Eckhart; Oscar, Walter and Emma Andrea; Roland, Beatrice, Johanna and Morris Robbins.

In spite of the energy and time that has been necessary to make a success such as Mr. Meisgeier’s, he has found opportunity to look to public duties and has served as school trustee for his township for several years. He is also interested in commercial life and is a director and stockholder in the German-American Bank, recently organized in Arlington, Iowa. He is a member of the Lutheran church. In politics he is a Republican, although he has never desired any political offices or honors.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Ann Borden