H. H. Derner
One of the most attractive farms of Iowa township is the homestead of H. H. Derner, who owns two hundred and forty acres of land on section 36, in the cultivation of which he has been engaged since 1898.
Mr. Derner is a native of Schleswig-Holstein, his birth having occurred on the 18th of October, 1866. He knows little of his parentage, as he left home when a very small lad, emigrating to the United States when a youth of about fifteen years.
In his early manhood Mr. Derner migrated to Iowa, first locating in Carroll county, farming as a renter near Manning until about 1898, at which time he removed to Crawford county. Upon his arrival here he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land on section 36, Iowa township, upon which he has ever since continued to reside. He has wrought marvelous improvements in. the property during his residence, having erected a large, commodious residence of ten rooms and substantial barns and outbuildings. The buildings upon the place are all painted white, the grounds well cared for and the entire farm has an appearance of neatness and thrift which makes it most attractive.
Although he engages in general farming and stock-raising Mr. Derner makes a specialty of feeding stock. He possesses the qualities essential to success in any vocation, (energy, perseverance and system) and the result is that his various ventures have all rewarded him with lucrative returns. His buildings are kept in repair, his stock well housed and his fields given the careful supervision which results in abundant harvests, which command good prices in the market.
Mr. Derner established a home for himself in 1887, at which time he was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Stein. Nine children have been born of this union: Lillie, who is the wife of George Boock, of South Dakota; Laura, who is a resident of Clinton, Iowa; and Herman, Louisa, John, Selma, Malinda, Nettie and Hazel, all of whom are at home.
The religious faith of the family is manifested through their affiliation with the Lutheran denomination, while fraternally Mr. Derner is identified with the Modern Woodmen of Amerca, his membership being in the Manilla Camp, and he also holds life insurance in two of the old line companies. Politically his views coincide with those of the democratic party, for whose candidates he always casts his ballot. He takes an active and helpful interest in civic affairs and is now serving as school treasurer of the township, while for the past three years he has been township trustee. In addition to his extensive realty holdings Mr. Derner is a stockholder of the Mutual Insurance Company of Crawford and Carroll counties, of which organization he has been treasurer for eight years. He is one of Crawford county's self-made men, having been thrown upon his own resources when a very small lad and by means of his own well directed and capably executed plans has achieved the success which has rewarded his efforts.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.