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George Wallentin is the owner of a valuable and highly productive farm on Section 34, Franklin township, constituting the northwest quarter. He has resided in the county for a comparatively brief period, but has become well known here as an enterprising agriculturist and stock-raiser. His birth occurred in Bavaria, Germany, July 31, 1851, his parents being Zachariah and Eve (Weiss) Wallentin. In the year 1871 he crossed the Atlantic from the Fatherland to Baltimore, Md., and made his way into die interior of the country, settling first at Delavan, Ill. He had at that time less than ten dollars. He then secured employment on a farm six miles east of Delavan, in Boyington township, Tazewell county, and two years later he began farming on his own account, investing his savings in eighty acres of land in that locality. There he resided until February, 1891, when he came to Des Moines county, Iowa, having disposed of his property in Illinois. Here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on Section 34, of which twenty-five acres was covered with timber, but he has since cleared fifteen acres of that tract. He has also erected a good hay barn, and other necessary outbuildings, and has continued the active work of the farm until he has a splendidly developed property. His is one of the fine residences of the township, and everything about his place is neat, thrifty, and attractive in appearance. In addition to the tilling of the soil he has engaged quite extensively and successfully in stock-raising, having a good herd of Shorthorn and Hereford cattle, and is a heavy raiser of Poland China hogs. In his methods he is practical and enterprising, while his labors prove profitable.
May 11, 1875, Mr. Wallentin was married to Miss Mary Hendricker, who was born in Mason county, Illinois, and pursued her education in the schools of Beardstown, that State. Her parents are Frederick and Elizabeth (Kuhl) Hendricker, both of whom were natives of Germany, the former born in Hanover and the latter in Saxony. Mr. and Mrs. Wallentin have become the parents of four daughters and three sons: Carrie, now the wife of Jacob Fix, a farmer living in Cramer, Nebr.; Bertha, the wife of Brick M. Moore, a farmer of Shelby county, Iowa; Philip, who is living in Des Moines county; Christian, Lydia, Hulda, and Frederick, all at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallentin are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in his political views he is a Republican. He has served as district supervisor and as school director for several years; but is not a politician in the sense of office-seeking, for he feels that his business affairs are worthy his best efforts, and to his farming interests he gives his time and attention, with the result that he is prospering in his undertakings.
In 1900 Mr. Wallentin took a trip back to Germany, and there visited his former home, where still reside some of his brothers and sisters, as well as other relatives.
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