Wilhelm August Gottfried Hertrampf
Farming, stock-raising and dairy interest of Linton township
find a progressive and worthy representative in Wilhelm August
Gottfried Hertrampf, who owns and operated one hundred and sixty
acres of fine land. He was born in the grand duchy of Oldenburg,
Germany, September 16, 1865, and is a son of Gottfried and
Margaret (Koester) Hertrampf, both natives of the fatherland, the
former born in Silesia in 1825 and the latter in East Friesland,
August 8, 1845. The father engaged in general contracting and
built a great number of railroad canals in Germany, dying there
in 1879. His widow afterward married again, her husband being
Franz Hafke, with whom she came to America in 1888. They settled
in Farmersburg, Clayton county, Iowa, where both passed away, Mr.
Hafke dying in 1893 and his wife in 1903.
Wilhelm A. G. Hertrampf was reared in Germany and when still a
child at the age of thirteen, learned the trade of a woodturner
and cabinet-maker, and after following these for some time
learned the machinist’s trade. He secured employment in a
powder factory and there remained until 1888, when he crossed the
Atlantic to America, settling with his mother and stepfather in
Farmersburg, Clayton county, Iowa. For one year thereafter he
worked as a farm hand and then went to Boston, Massachusetts,
where he secured a position with the Harvard Company, piano
manufacturers. He remained with this concern for eighteen months
and then returned to Farmersburg, where for one summer he worked
at the carpenter’s trade. He then learned the brick and
stonemason’s trade, following it for four years, after which
he invented a grubbing machine, which, however, he did not have
patented on account of the expense attached to this operation.
For four years he went to various parts of this and neighboring
bought a forty-acre farm in Monona township, Clayton county,
which he improved and developed for eleven years, selling it in
order to purchase his present property. He owns one hundred and
sixty acres of valuable land and upon it carries on general
farming and stock-raising and also operates a large modern dairy,
selling its products to the Monona Creamery Company, in which he
is a stockholder. His interests are all carefully and
conservatively conducted and have been attended by a gratifying
measure of success, Mr. Hertrampf standing today among the
representative farmers and progressive business men of this
locality.
On the 15th of October, 1889, Mr. Hertrampf was united in
marriage to Miss Magdalena Bencke, who was born in Germany, April
7, 1867, a daughter of Hans H. and Sophia G. Bencke, also natives
of that country, where both passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Hertrampf
have become the parents of seven children. The eldest, Frank, was
born September 6, 1890, and married Miss Anna Mielke, a daughter
of Frank Mielke, of whom further mention is made else where in
this work. The other children in this family are as follows:
Edward, who was born June 9, 1893; Anton, born October 5, 1896;
William, born April 14, 1899; Freda, born October 11, 1901;
Minnie, born December 12, 1903; and Georgia who was born November
26, 1906.
Mr. Hertrampf gives his political allegiance to the democratic
party and is a member of the Lutheran church. A man of exemplary
character and unusual ability, he has become well known
throughout this township, commanding and holding the respect and
high regard of all who come I n contact with him.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
Return to 1913 biographies index