Biographical History of Pottawattmie Co., IA

acob ZAHNER, a prosperous farmer of Rockford Township, was born in Switzerland, October 2, 1819, the son of Jacob and Mary Ann (Kane) Zahner, natives also of that country. The father was a lumber merchant, and died in 1828. His wife, also a native of Switzerland, was the daughter of a blacksmith who died shortly after Napoleon passed with his army through that country. In their family were six children: Casper Joseph, Josephine and Hersence, born in Switzerland; Jacob, our subject, besides a son and a daughter deceased. Jacob, the eldest, was brought up to the trade of his father. At the age of twenty-nine years he sailed from the port of Havre de Grace for America, landing in New York in 1847, and visited or resided for a short time at the following points: Sandusky, Ohio, until the next spring; in Michigan, in the pineries, one year; New Orleans a short time; Vicksburg, Mississippi, until March; Sandusky again a short time; Michigan again, working for the same lumber company as before, for five years; and while there, September, 1849, he married Catharine Mondinger, a daughter of Jacob and Catharine Mondinger, natives of Wirtemburg, Germany. She was but a child when her parents died. She was born October 29, 1820, and came to America in 1948, -- residing in New York for a time, and then in Sandusky, and then in Michigan until she was married. A year afterward Mr. Zahner moved to Dubuque, Iowa, bought a tract of land and resided upon it three years; selling out he came to Pottawattamie County, crossing the State by ox teams, and, after remaining in Council Bluffs a few weeks in order to look around, on both sides of the Missouri, he finally selected his present locality on section 1, Rockford Township, buying eighty acres of wild prairie, covered in a great part with plum brush. Here he passed through the almost uniform experiences of pioneer life, -- dwelling in a log house, cutting off the brush, breaking the prairie with oxen and suffering all the privations and tedious monotonies of the frontiersman in establishing a comfortable home for himself and family, and he has been thus led to witness all the changes in which, he has been an actor, and in which his neighbors have also participated in developing the county to its present high standing. He now has a fine residence, barns and out-buildings, orchards and shade trees, etc. But in order to produce these grand results he has had to exercise his pluck and energy, with at least fair health.

He is a Republican on national issues, but of course in the local elections he votes independently. He has been School Director for a number of years. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church of Honey Creek, being zealous in the cause of religion, morality and education. His children are: Josephine, wife of Thomas Wilson, of Rockford Township; Frances, residing in Harrison County; Catharine, wife of Thomas Kinyon, and residing in Harrison County; Elizabeth, at home; Mary, Mrs. Ed Ryne, residing in Boomer Township, and John, a resident of Rockford County.

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This page last updated: Friday, 01-Jan-1999 09:03:00 MST.