Frank L. Zishka

ZISHKA, DOELING

Posted By: Clay County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 1/15/2011 at 08:10:57

Frank L. Zishka, living on section 9, Summit township, has for twenty-eight years been well known in Clay county. He was but a little lad at the time of his arrival here and the fact that many of his staunchest friends are those who have known him from his boyhood days is an indication that his life has been honorable and upright. His birth occurred in Illinois, October 25, 1873, and in his early childhood his parents removed to Iowa, settling in Franklin county, where he remained until 1882. The family home was then established in Clay county and here he continued his education as a public-school pupil. His training at farm labor was not meager for as soon as old enough to handle the plow he began work in the fields and continued to assist in the cultivation of the crops from the time of early spring planting until the harvests were fathered in the late autumn. His thorough training thus well qualified him to carry on business on his own account when he was married and started out for himself.

It was in 1899, in Spencer, that Mr. Zishka was joined in wedlock to Miss Ida Doeling, a native of Germany, in which land her girlhood days were passed, coming to American in early womanhood. Following his marriage Mr. Zishka took his bride to the farm upon which they have since resided. He has purchased one hundred and sixty acres here and in addition to that tract he also cultivates another quarter section, so that his time is now busily occupied with the care and improvement of three hundred acres of rich and productive land. He gives much of his attention to the cultivation of corn but also raises other crops, and livestock interests claim a part of his attention. He raises and feeds hogs and this proves a profitable branch of his business. In all of his work he is energetic and determined, brooking no obstacles that can be overcome by persistent and honorable effort. Year after year he carefully tills his fields and raises hogs and there are few leisure moments in his life. Mr. Zishka and his brother, Carl, have owned and operated a steam thresher and corn sheller for seventeen years. Their first thresher was operated with horsepower but for fourteen years they have used a steam traction engine and have also employed steam in the operation of the corn sheller for about nine years.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Zishka has been born three children, Alma, Erna and Louis. The parents are both consistent and faithful members of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Zishka has been identified with the schools in an official capacity and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion. Well known in Clay and adjacent counties by reasons of his business affairs, Mr. Zishka is accounted one of the active workers and progressive farmers of Summit township and has the unqualified confidence and esteem of the entire community.

Contributed by: Susan Gregory. Source: History of Clay County Iowa – Steele – 1909, page 311.