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Frederick Miehe

[Photo in Book]

In a history purporting to be a complete chronicle of the important events of Fayette county, and to contain a resume of the careers of her most worthy and influential citizens, the name of Frederick Miehe would necessarily have to be included, in view of the fact that he has long labored for his own and the county's advancement, as we shall see. He was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, June 2, 1837, and began his education in the home land; in fact, he spent only twenty-five days in school in this country, and that in Dubuque county, Iowa. He is the son of Conrad and Dorothea Miehe, both natives of the province of Hanover, Germany, and from which country they came to America in 1848, locating in Dubuque county, Iowa, having landed at the port of New Orleans, from which city they ascended the Mississippi river on a steamboat. They bought a farm of eighty acres and spent the remainder of their lives on the same, the father having been killed by a horse, in July, 1865, at the age of seventy-two years. His wife died about May, 1865, at the age of seventy years. They were the parents of three sons, namely: Harmon, who remained single, died in Harlan township, Fayette county, when sixty-seven years old; Frederick, of this review; William lives in Dubuque county, Iowa.

Frederick Miehe, being the business man of the family, lived with his parents until he was twenty years old, when he purchased a farm of his own, containing one hundred and twenty-acres, prairie land in Dubuque county, and he lived there until 1873, when he moved to Fayette county, purchasing three hundred and twenty acres in section 28, Harlan township, where he still lives. At that time he also owned a section of land in that township which he had purchased before moving to this county. At one time he owned over one thousand acres in Harlan township. He also owned a section of land in Kossuth county, Iowa. To each son, as he became of age, he gave eighty acres in Harlan township and a quarter section in Kossuth county.

In 1903 he made a final settlement, deeding all his possessions among his children. For some time he has been making his home on the original place with his son. He is an excellent business man and has had remarkable success in his operations, being a good manager and a keen observer, having made few mistakes in his calculations, and he has at the same time borne an unblemished reputation among his fellow men, and he is one of the well known and influential men of Harlan township. For a number of years he was a director of the Maynard Bank.

Politically, Mr. Miehe was a Democrat until the death of President Lincoln, when he became a Republican and has remained unswerving to its principles; however, he is no politician and has never aspired to public office. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church.

On February 20, 1857, Mr. Miehe married Sophia Kenniker, who was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, November 8, 1840. When seventeen years old she came to America with her grandparents, who located in Dubuque County, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Miehe fourteen children were born, of whom twelve are living at this writing, namely: Charles lives at Maynard, this county; Hannah is the wife of Henry Lembka, of Harlan township; William also lives in Harlan township; Julia is the wife of John Meyer, of Maynard, this county; Fred lives in Swea City, Iowa; August lives in Fayette county; Theodore, whose sketch appears elsewhere, lives in Smithfield township; Albert lives in Harlan township; Emma is the wife of Otto Smith, of Harlan township; John lives on the home farm; Etta is the wife of Vern Goodrich, of Austin, Minnesota; Caroline is the wife of Byron Odekirk, of Maynard, Iowa.

The mother of these children died on June 13, 1887, and on October 7, 1887, Mr. Miehe married Augusta Faber, who was born in Germany, about 1849; her death occurred about 1901; this union was without issue.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Mary Fobian