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ADOLPH GARNIER

As the name implies, the Garnier family is of French origin, but Adolph Garnier, of this sketch, was born in Bavaria, Germany, his birth occurring there December 14, 1854, but the greater part of his useful and honorable life has been spent in America. He is the son of William and Johanna (Suess) Garnier, the former born in France, of fine old Huguenot stock; the mother was born in Germany. William Garnier was educated in France, from which country he moved with his parents to Germany when a young man, where he farmed; he belonged to the Dutch Reformed church and as an honest and honored citizen of the fatherland. He and his wife were the parents of six children named as follows: Louis, a gardner at Bloomfield, New Jersey, came to America when young and served as a Union soldier in the Army of the Potomac; John is farming in Germany; Annie, who remained in the old country, died there; William is interested in a soap factory at Dubuque, Iowa; Adolph, of this review, was the youngest child.

Adolph Garnier attended the public schools and later the Latin schools of his home country and he spent three years learning the confectioner's trade, for which he paid the sum of two hundred dollars. Believing that greater opportunities existed for him in free America, he set sail for our shores in 1872 and penetrated to the interior, locating at Dubuque, Iowa, where his brother had settled in 1868. After remaining with his brother there for a time, he went to New Jersey with another brother, with whom he remained one year, working at his trade, then he came back to Dubuque and took up farming in order to improve his health which at that time was not particularly robust. After one year he went to Maynard, Fayette county this state, in 1878.

On June 4, 1879. Mr. Garnier married Lina Meyer, of Dubuque, daughter of Henry and Mary Meyer, of Germany, who came to America in 1862 and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 32, Harlan township, Fayette county. He was thrifty and added considerable more land to his original purchase. He was a farmer, which vocation he followed until his death in 1893, his wife dying in 1903. They were the parents of four children, namely: Johanna married George Struthof, of Maynard, Iowa, John H. of Oelwein Iowa; Lina, wife of Adolph Garnier of this review; Charles is deceased.

The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Garnier: Henry John married Anna Suess and he is farming on his father's old place in Harlan township and he and his wife are the parents of one child. Etta; Amelia married Fred Schroeder, of Harlan township, and they have one son, Elmer; Walter, single, is farming in Harlan township; Julia marred Otto Wilson, of Oelwein, Iowa, and they have one daughter, Virginia: Johanna is living on the home farm with her brother, Walter.

Mr. Garnier owns a half section of high grade land in section 29, Harlan township. When he first came to this county he worked for J. H. Meyer for one year, then bought one hundred and sixty acres. It was new land and he made all the improvements on the same, being a hard worker and a good manager. He added to his original purchase from time to time and farmed successfully until 1905, when he moved to Maynard, Iowa, where he has since lived, retired. He not only carried on general farming in a most successful manner, but also stock raising, handling Durham cattle, draft horses and Chester White hogs. He always found a ready market for his stock owing to their high quality,

Mr. Garnier has long taken considerable interest in local politics; he was trustee of Harlan township for a period of twelve years, also was school director and has held many other local offices, always discharging his duties in a faithful and conscientious manner. He is all uncompromising Republican. Mrs. Garnier is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Gamier is a Mason, being a member of Sunny Side Lodge No. 510 at Maynard. He is a director of the Fayette County Mutual Fire Insurance Company of this county. He is a director and stockholder in the Maynard Bank. For his deep interest in the affairs of his locality, his honesty and industry, Mr. Garnier is one of the best known and most highly esteemed man of the southern part of Fayette county.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Cheryl Walker