IAGenWeb Project - Clayton co.

Theodore J. Krasinsky

Theodore J. Krasinsky came from Germany to America when a youth of eighteen years and established his residence in Iowa, where it has been his to achieve distinctive success and prosperity through his own energy and well directed efforts and where may consistently be termed one of the pioneer citizens of Clayton county, for here he has maintained his home during the greater part of the period since he came from his native land, nearly half a century ago.

He owns and conducts a well stocked and modern general merchandise establishment in the village of Garnavillo, and in connection therewith he has a specially well appointed jewelry department, with excellent facilities for the repairing of watches, clocks and general lines of jewelry. Mr. Krasinsky is essentially one of the influential business men and representative citizens of Garnavillo, where he has served in various public offices, including that of postmaster of the village. He has impressed upon the community that has long been his home the strength and steadfastness of his sterling character and he commands in violable place in popular confidence and esteem, so that in all respects he is specially worthy of recognition in this history of Clayton county and its people.

Mr. Krasinsky was born in Germany, on the 24th of July, 1850, and is a son of John and Dorothy (Brunern) Krasinsky, both of whom there passed their entire lives; they became the parents of three children, of whom two are living. He whose name introduces this article was reared and educated in his Fatherland, and in 1868 he followed the course of his youthful ambition by severing the home ties and setting forth to seek his fortunes in the United States. Soon after his arrival in America he came to Iowa and found employment at farm work in Clayton county, this occupation having been followed by him for the first three years, at the expiration of which he assumed a position as clerk in a mercantile establishment at Garnavillo. Several years later he engaged independently in the general merchandise business at McGregor, but after conducting the enterprise about two years he disposed of his stock of goods and removed to the city of Dubuque, where he was employed as clerk in a mercantile establishment for a period of six years, this being the only interval of his not maintaining his home in Clayton county during the entire time that he has been in America.

Upon returning to this county from Dubuque he again established his residence at Garnavillo, and soon afterward, in 1884, he was appointed postmaster, under the Cleveland administration. He continued the efficient incumbent of this office for a period of one term, and in the meanwhile he again engaged in the general merchandise business, with which he has continued to be successfully identified during the long intervening years. He has built up a large and substantial business and the high reputation he has won for himself and his establishment constitutes a most valuable business asset, besides being a matter of just pride and satisfaction to him. Mr. Krasinsky has been prominent and influential in the Clayton county councils of the Democratic party and in addition to his service as postmaster he held for thirteen years the office of township clerk and was for several years a member of the board of education of Garnavillo.

In addition to his substantial and modern store building and an attractive residence property Mr. Krasinsky is the owner of two village lots that have not been improved with buildings. He is affiliated with the blue-lodge, chapter and council bodies of the York Rite of the Masonic fraternity and both he and his wife are communicants and liberal supporters of the Lutheran church in their home village.

In the year 1872 Mr. Krasinsky wedded Miss Elizabeth Walleser, who was born in Pennsylvania but who has passed the greater part of her life in Clayton county, where her parents established their home when she was a child. Mrs. Krasinsky is a daughter of Matthew and Rosina (Ruester) Walleser, both natives of the Kingdom of Baden, Germany, whence they came to America when young folks, their first place of residence having been in Pennsylvania, whence they came to Clayton county, Iowa, in the early pioneer era of its history, their home having been established on an embryonic farm, which they developed into one of the valuable landed estates o f the county and upon which they passed the remainder of their lives.

Mr. and Mrs. Krasinsky have four children: Amelia is the wife of Frank Barnhouse and they reside in the city of Chicago; Hugo is now in the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, in which state also reside the two younger sons, Waldemar and Baldwin, the latter maintaining his home at St. Paul.

source: History of Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; pg. 224-226

-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall

 

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