IAGenWeb Project - Allamakee co.

George Wuennecke

 

Among the residents of Allamakee county who have attained an honorable place in the community through their acknowledged ability and personal worth is George Wuennecke, who since 1892 has owned and cultivated a fine farm of two hundred acres in Union City township. Germany numbers him among her native sons, his birth having there occurred in 1855, his parents being Peter and Dora Wuennecke. They came to America in 1866 and settled in Minnesota, where the father engaged in general farming, an occupation which he followed until his death in 1883. The mother survived him many years, passing away in 1908. To their union were born six children, two of whom survive: George, the subject of this review: and Dora, the widow of Christ Bunge.

George Wuennecke began his independent career at the age of fourteen years, and being thus early thrown upon his own resources, developed qualities of industry, self- reliance and independence which form the basis of his success today. For ten years after laying aside his books he worked as a farm laborer, saving his money and eventually accumulating enough to enable him to purchase land of his own. He farmed for thirteen years thereafter upon his own property in Minnesota, at the end of that time disposing of his interests and coming to Iowa, in which state he bought two hundred acres of land in Union City, township, Allamakee county, upon which he still resides. He has not confined his attention to the raising of live stock and in this as in all departments of the farm he has shown a judgment and skill that have steadily increased the annual income from the place and added to its value. He is a director and stockholder of The Merchant Savings Bank of New Albin and a stockholder in the Crystal Creamery of Eitzen, Minnesota.

In 1879 Mr. Wuennecke married Miss Margaret Gade, who was born in Germany in 1860. She came to America with her parents in 1872 and they settled in Iowa, later moving to Minnesota, where the father and mother passed away. Of the children bore to their union three are still living, as follows: Mrs. Katherine Hyndman, of Union City township; George, a resident of Dakota; and Margaret, the wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Wuennecke became the parents of fourteen children, ten of whom survive: Bertha, who married Charles Deters, a farmer in Minnesota; Emma, the wife of Richard Pottratz, also of Minnesota; August and Gustave, twins, the former of whom resides in Minnesota and the latter in Iowa; George, who is engaged in farming in South Dakota; and Annie, Margaret, Dora, John and Hulda, all of whom are at home.
The family are devout members of the Evangelical church.

Mr. Wuennecke gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is intelligently interested in the growth of the community, although he never seeks public office. He is one of the well informed and progressive men of Union City township, active and enterprising in business, and his intelligently directed efforts are making the property of which he is the owner a valuable and productive one.

-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich

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