Joseph Dvorak, the period of whose residence in Delaware county covers about a half century, is widely known as one of its representative and successful agriculturists,  owning and operating a well improved farm of one hundred and forty seven and one half acres of sections 17 and 18, Richland township. He was born in Austria on the 16th of March, 1844, and spent the first seventeen years of his life in that country.

     In 1861 Mr. Dvorak crossed the Atlantic to the United States and the following year enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of Company K, Twenty second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, remaining with that command for three years. He participated in numerous hard fought battles, including that of Vicksburg, and also went with Sherman on the march to the sea. Although often in the thickest of the fight and never flinching in the performance of any task assigned him, he fortunately escaped injury and when the country no longer needed his services was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa. He then came to Delaware county, settling in Richland township, where he now owns one hundred and forty seven and one  half acres of land on sections 17 and 18 and where he has devoted his attentions to agriculture pursuits with excellent results. All of the buildings on the property stand as monuments to his enterprise and energy, and he has long been numbered among the substantial farmers and respected citizens of the community.

     In 1866 Mr. Dvorak was united in marriage to Miss Alice Hueska, who passed away in 1902 and by whom he had ten children, nine of whom are yet living. He enjoys and extensive and favorable acquaintance throughout the community in which he has so long resided and has never had occasion to regret his determination to establish his home in the new world, for here his labors have met a merited and gratifying reward.