LYON COUNTY GENEALOGY
(Two articles)
AUGUST MAURER
August Maurer was the son of Martin and Christine Schreiweiss Maurer. He was born in 1876 in Roighiem, Germany. He came to America as a boy of 14 years and worked for a year as an engine tender in Philadelphia.
When he was 15 years of age he came alone to Lyon County and went to work for his sister’s husband Louis Messner, near Lester.
During his working years he farmed in West Bend, Iowa, and Elgin, Illinois, before finally settling in Lyon County.
In 1903 he was united in marriage to Bertha Schoelerman and they lived in the Lester community until her death in 1912. Four children were born of this union: Wilma, Mrs. Harry Garf, Herman Maurer, Martin Maurer, all deceased, and Rose Maurer who lives in Lester.
In 1914 he was united in marriage to Lena Werner of Silverton, Oregon. To this union was born one child: Emma Lou Maurer Tolvstad.
August Maurer was one of Lyon County’s prominent cattle feeders and farmers. Coming to the county almost penniless, he had acquired eight pieces of land averaging just under 300 acres each.
He was one of the organizers of the Lester State Bank. Later he sold these holdings and became a stockholder and director in the Lyon County State Bank.
He was mayor of Lester for some years and served on the selective service board during World War II.
In 1954 he met sudden death from a heart attack while driving a tractor to a hayfield at Lakewood Farm, his last and most recent acquisition.
Lena Maurer passed away in 1976 nearing her 90th birthday.
(Reprinted from the Lyon County Reporter)
AUGUST MAURER FAMILY
August Maurer was born in 1876 in Wurttenburg, Germany. In 1903 he married Bertha Schoeleman who died in 1912. They lived near Lester. In 1914 he married Lena Werner who died in 1976. She was a native of Silverton, Oregon. Children born were Wilma (Mrs. Harry Garf) Maurer, died in 1961, Martin Maurer, died in 1986, Emma Lou (Mrs. Robert Tolvstad), Rose Maurer and Herman Maurer (deceased) whom married Eleanor Berg.
The Maurer family first settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as one older son had already emmigrated from Germany to settle there. August Maurer was employed in a railroad yard where as a slight youth he removed clinkers from out of fireboxes on railroad engines. He was advised by interested persons to “Go west”. He came to Lyon County in 1891 to work for his sister, Mrs. Lou Messner (Annie).
Mr. Maurer had always been in farming from the time he first came to Lyon County. He did try dairying in Elgin, Illinois and farmed in West Bend, Iowa but eventually returned to Lyon County where he became a land holder. He served on the bank board of the Lyon County Bank in Rock Rapids, and helped found the bank in Lester. He became the owner of Lakewood Farm which passed on to his son Martin, who had part interest in it originally. Mr. Maurer was well known as a cattle feeder in Lyon County. In 1954 he suffered a heart attack while driving a tractor during haying season at Lakewood Farm.