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EDWARD EUGENE GEHRING

The farmers who are most successful are those who, not content with general farming merely, devote much of their time to some specialty by which they not only increase pecuniary profits in gaining for themselves and their products a reputation, but obtain a great deal more of satisfaction out of life. The subject of this sketch, who, by attention to stock breeding, has made his farm known for miles around, is doing far more for the benefit of the race than he himself thinks. Edward Eugene Gehring was born in Illyria township, December 23, 1864, the son of George Gehring, who was born in Germany, September 25, 1830, and Josephine Ruether Gehring, born in Germany, January 26, 1831. His mother’s first husband was Carl Sebastian Kniel, who died in Ohio, leaving her with one son. Carl Sebastian, now a merchant at Elgin, Iowa. She came to Iowa in 1849. George Gehring came to America as a young man, located in Ohio, and then moved to Elkader, Iowa, where he was married. In 1857 he came to this county and took up land in Illyria township. He erected a log house and stable, and made a home there, working and improving the farm, on which he lived until killed by lightning, July 24, 1869. His wife remained on the place until her death, May 6, 1895. They were loyal members of the Catholic church. Six children were the result of their marriage; Caroline, born January 31, 1858, died February 20, 1858; Franklin G., born March 1, 1859, now a farmer in Elgin, Iowa; William M., born February 25, 1861, now a blacksmith and wagonmaker in Jennings, Oklahoma; Albert J., born November 5, 1862, now a farmer in Elgin; Edward E.; and Frederick G., born March 25, 1867, now a merchant in Elgin. Edward E. was educated in the home schools and has always lived on the home place. On May 26, 1891, he married Louisa Beers, born in Clayton county, the daughter of Christian and Maria (Schori) Beers who were born in Bern, Switzerland, he in 1834 and she in 1839, and came with their parents to Clayton county where they were married. Mr. Beers farmed in Marion township and at Highland and now, having retired, lives at Elkader. He is the father of ten children, seven of whom reached maturity: Evelina, who married John Kohler, of Elgin; Wilbur, dead; Albert, dead; William, contractor of Brooklyn, New York; Louisa; Ella, who married Robert Schmidt, of Elkader; Anna, married William Ebendorf, of Waukon, Iowa; Amelia, married William Davidson, of Elkader; and Edward. Edward E. and Louisa Gehring are the parents of five children; Mabel, born May 23, 1892; Carl G., born September 26, 1897; Dorris M., born November 12, 1901; Lester E., born August 26, 1904, Florence, born November 4, 1908. Edward E. and his brother Albert bought out the heirs to his father’s farm in 1891 and in 1902 Albert sold his interest to Edward E., who has made the improvements on the place, including a fine house and good outbuildings. The farm consists of one hundred and thirty acres, one hundred and ten of which are in a high state of cultivation. For the past ten years Mr. Gehring has been a breeder of full-blooded Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs, and of Brown Leghorn and Buff Orpington chickens. He keeps good horses and is also engaged to some extent in dairy farming. The stock kept on the Gehring farm have won much commendation for themselves and their owner. Mr. Gehring is a Republican. He has been an excellent manager and a first-class all-round farmer as well as a first-class all-round man, as his many friends will testify.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Mary Aldrich