In 1847 two families immigrated from Bavaria to Iowa. They were closely related – a sister and brother and their families. Both families had relatively high education levels, they both came with some skills and a moderate amount of money and both families settled in Dubuque County, Iowa. But they had very different lives in America. In 2009 I posted part 1 of this look at the life in America of the children of immigrants Anton Wieser and Veronica Wieser Lattner. To summarize – Veronica Wieser Lattner’s sons became quite successful in Iowa, founding the town of Lattnerville, owning several businesses and in general fulfilling the economic dreams that immigrants often carried with them across the Atlantic.
The family of Veronica’s brother Anton traveled to New York shortly after the Lattners. Arriving in New York in 1847, they had a different path to Iowa. According to the reminiscences of Frances Wieser Irmen (typewritten copy in my possession – location of original unknown), the family worked their way across the country, staying in empty houses and taking what jobs they could find in order to save money for the next stage of the journey. They were attempting to catch up with the Lattner family, who seemed to be constantly just ahead of them. At last they arrived in Dubuque County, Iowa where they found the Lattner family working for the railroad. Although the family’s socioeconomic status in Germany was that of town dwellers with connections to several trades such as blacksmith, midwife, clerk and others, in Iowa the family became farmers. They purchased a parcel of land in Dubuque County immediately adjacent to the 3 Lattner brothers. In 1860 the disparity in the family incomes was already apparent. The farm of the 27 year old Paul Lattner was valued at $2,500 while the farm of the older Anton Wieser was valued at under $400. Frances’ reminiscences make it clear that the family were not terribly successful as farmers. Vincent, the oldest Wieser son was a natural businessman, beginning by borrowing money to purchase a failing mill and then working very hard to successfully turn that business around. Vincent eventually moved his family to Hico Texas where he became a well known and well to do business man. The other 3 Wieser sons stayed close to their parents in Iowa. No one wrote biographies in the local brag books.
Vincent Farrar – oldest surviving son – born/baptized 31 March 1837; died/buried 13 January 1916, married Mary GATES/GOETZ, 26 November 1866; died 1956 age 90 in Dallas, TX buried Hico, Hamilton Co., TX.
Vincent moved his family to Hico, TX after several year running a mill in Otterville, Iowa. He “built the town” of Hico – developing a cotton gin/mill, a flour mill and an ice company in addition to other businesses. A few years before his death Vincent returned in triumph to Volkertshausen where he had been born. A huge crowd greeted him at the train station. The immigrant returned, a rich and important man.
Vincent and Mary had 10 children, at least one of whom died young. Sons and daughters appeared regularly in the Hico newspaper society pages. Daughter Frances became a nun but most of the others married and raised families in and around Hico.
Andreas/Andrew – born/baptized 23 November 1838; died/buried 3 March 1917, married Mary Ann GRAF – 26 November 1866; buried in Dubuque, Dubuque County, IA
Andrew was the only son to serve in the Civil War. He apparently snuck out of the house one night and enlisted as a substitute, thereby earning a fee from the local man whose place he took in the military. He sent that money home to the family for expenses. Andrew’s war seems to have been quiet, mostly guard duty and border patrols. He returned and married Mary Graf, the daughter of Swiss immigrants Christian Graf and Mary Prisi. They had a 10 children, but the family was dogged by tragedy. Mary and an unnamed infant son were killed by disease before Mary turned 40, their only other son Christian was killed by a “stray shot” at the age of two, a daughter Lucy was killed by a run away team, daughter Clara, and possibly daughter Minnie, predeceased their father and Andrew himself is remembered by family as being “morose and sad” working very hard but unable to make much headway in the world. When he died in 1917, Andrew was a milk delivery driver (family rumor insists he was killed by a train when his horse team stopped unexpectedly on the tracks, but I have been unable to verify this.) When Andrew died he left an estate consisting of a small brick veneer house and lot. The house was left to his daughter Minnie who either died shortly before Andrew or very shortly afterwards. Andrew left no personal property to his remaining heirs.
Martin – born/baptized 11 November 1842; died/buried 26 November 1926.
married Barbara IEKEL, date unknown, Independence; buried Independence, Buchanan Co., Iowa
Martin – Martin married young and was always considered hard worker as well as kind a generous. According to his niece Frances Ann Irmen “He had a sad life. ..I remember the family only after they lived in a small shack near the homestead, a small run down farm. He ran a milk route, finally gave up and came to Dubuque. His wife Barbara died many years before, I think about 1903 or around that time.’ Martin and Barbara had 5 children together.
Franciska/Francis – born/baptized 9 August 1847; died/buried 12 April 1939, married Mattias IRMEN, date unknown.
Frances married a German immigrant who struggled to keep the family cared for and feed. According to his daughter he was not cut out to be a farmer and was educated for “book work” but limited by his poor English. The family lived in Waterloo and then in Dubuque. Frances and Mattias had 7 children – their oldest daughter Matilda named for Frances’ oldest sister who died tragically at the age of 8 and who they “left behind” in Volkertshausen.
Theodore – born/baptized 5 November; died/buried 11 January 1936, married Clara GATES/GOETZ November 1879; buried Dubuque.
Theodore was an inventor and a natural mechanic. He preferred to tinker rather than work on his farm but never attempted to put any of his inventions into commercial production. At a young age he lost the use of the fingers of one hand in a farm accident but it never slowed him down. He was a well known local accordionist and he enjoyed life fully. When Theodore and Clara celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Dubuque in 1929 there was a photo and small write up in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald. They had 7 children together.
The Lattners and the Wiesers came from the same village, the socioeconomic background, the same family. They migrated to the same place at the same time (more or less.) And yet for some intangible reason – the Lattners became prominent citizens and most of the Wiesers struggled to succeed.