LYON COUNTY GENEALOGY

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.

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