My Genealogy Hound

John Freytag, for thirty-seven years car inspector for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, is justly accorded the full confidence given him by the corporation which he thus represents. He has been efficient, thorough, prompt and accurate in his work and has thus made a most creditable record as a business man. His birth occurred in Hanover, Germany, in 1843. His father, Hans H. Freytag, also a native of Hanover, was a shoemaker by trade and spent his entire life in the land of his birth. Both he and his wife hold membership in the German Lutheran church, and, like her husband, Mrs. Freytag is now deceased. She bore the maiden name of Christiana Rosenbrock, and unto them were born eight children, of whom only three are now living. There were also three who came to the United States.

John Freytag was reared in the fatherland to the age of twenty-one and acquired his education in the public schools. The favorable reports which he heard concerning America and its business opportunities led him to resolve to seek a home in the new world, and bidding adieu to friends and native land he sailed for this country in 1864. He at once made his way to Iowa, settling at Burlington. In his native land he had learned the trade of shoemaking and worked on the bench there for seven years. After arriving in this country he entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, being engaged at various duties around the car shops, where he was employed from 1865 until the fall of 1869, being car inspector at Burlington one year. On the 3d of January, 1870, he arrived in Creston to accept the position of car inspector for the same road at this place. He has been chief car inspector for the road for more than thirty-seven years and his ability is thus indicated, for the great corporations do not retain incompetent men in their employ.

Mr. Freytag was married in 1871, to Miss Sophia Heessel, who was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1851, and came to the United States in 1871. She was soon afterward married in Burlington and unto her marriage have been born three daughters: Sophia, now the wife of Henry Niemeyer, a traveling salesman living in Creston, by whom she has two children, Hazel and Helen; Mamie, the wife of R. E. Winkler, a farmer of Spaulding township, by whom she has one child; and Annie, the wife of William Elfman, a printer of Creston. Their family numbers three children.

The parents are faithful and consistent members of the German Evangelical church, Mr. Freytag having been one of its organizers and for some time he has served as one of its officers. His political allegiance is given to the democracy. He has accumulated some property, now owning a pleasant home in which he resides, together with another residence property in the city. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for he has here found good business opportunities and by faithful and meritorious performance of his duties has long been retained in the railroad service.