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THEODORE MIEHE

Of a most excellent people came Theodore Miehe, a progressive young farmer of Smithfield township, Fayette county. He comes of a race that produced the famous "Iron Chancellor," the greatest statesman, all things considered, that ever walked this footstool. He comes of a race that is famous for its original investigations in the problems of civilized life such men as Goethe and Heckel. The Germanic blood is found in many of the greatest men and women of this and former epochs in the world’s history, and Mr. Miehe may well be proud of his descent from such a race, he being of German parents but American born. His birth occurred in Dubuque county, Iowa, December 6, 1872, but he grew to maturity principally in Fayette county and received his education here. He is the son of Frederick and Sophia (Gerieker) Miehe, both born in Germany, the father on June 2, 1836, and the mother in 1840. The father came to Dubuque county, Iowa, with his parents when eleven years old; the mother also accompanied her parents to that county when a young girl. In 1857 they were married and lived on a farm in Dubuque county until 1876, when they moved to Fayette county and located in Harlan township where Mr. Miehe bought a farm on which he has remained to the present time, having become very comfortably established here. The death of his wife occurred in 1887. They were the parents of fourteen children, of whom twelve are living. Theodore, of this review, being the eighth child in order of birth.

Theodore Miehe lived on the farm with his father until he was of age and attended the home schools. In 1894 he moved to Kossuth county, Iowa, where he bought a farm and lived until 1903, when he returned to Fayette county and located on a farm of four hundred and ninety acres in sections 8, 9 and 17, Smithfield township, having bought three hundred and twenty acres of this fine place the year previous. He has improved his land and brought it up to the standard of the excellent farms of Fayette county, and he has an attractive and substantial dwelling and good outbuildings in fact, everything about his place shows that a gentleman of good taste and thrift has its management in hand and that he is well fixed to enjoy life in the country, which, after all, is the most desirable.

Politically, Mr. Miehe is a Republican and he has held a number of the minor township offices. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church. On April 3, 1894, Mr. Miehe married Caroline Sundermeyer, who was born in Dubuque county, Iowa, December 29, 1870, she being also of excellent German parentage, the daughter of John and Johanna (Hemerant) Sundermeyer, the father born in Hanover and the mother in Byron. They accompanied their parents to America, he when about eleven years old, in 1848; he was born on September 8, 1837, and his death occurred on April 22, 1908; Mrs. Sundermeyer was born on August 19, 1838, and died March 28, 1908. They each located in Dubuque county, Iowa, where they were married and where they spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Miehe are the parents of four interesting children, named as follows: Roy A., born November 13, 1895; Johnnie F., born July 29, 1898; Vera C., born June 6, 1900; Walter E., born November 10, 1903; all are living at home. Mr. Miehe’s father gave him a one hundred and sixty-acre farm when he started out in life and he also received some from his wife’s parents. That he has been so successful in his business affairs would indicate that he is a man of strong will and not afraid of work, and also that he is a man who is deserving of a high rank in our citizenship. A full sketch of Frederick Miehe, father of Theodore, appears on another page of this work."

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Nancy Schroeder