My Genealogy Hound

HON. HENRY FIELDGROVE, a prominent citizen and old settler of Buffalo county, is a native of Hanover, Germany, and was born December 17, 1831. He comes of German ancestry from time immemorial, his parents, Julius and Wilhemina (Sherman) Fieldgrove, being natives also of Hanover, where they always lived, and where they died, both dying in 1886 — the father at the age of eighty-five and the mother at the age of seventy. These were the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest, the others being Gottleib, Charles, Louis, Frederick and Dora. The only one of these who ever became a resident of the United States is Henry, our subject. He came to America in 1854, stopping in Clarion county, Penn. Remaining there only about a year, he went to Lawrence county the same state, where, in 1857, he married a Lawrence county lady. Miss Maggie A. Myers, a native of Pennsylvania, of German extraction. Mr. Fieldgrove then began the real duties of life. He set about to solve the bread and butter problem in earnest. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might,” became a living principle with him, and he carried it out to the letter, possibly more in things material than spiritual. He worked at farming, mining, saw-milling, engineering, and, in fact, anything else that came to him in which there was an honest dollar. He saved some means from his earnings, and being desirous of securing for himself a home, and settling his growing family down in life, where he could do more for them than he could hope to do in the more thickly settled communities of the East, he came West in 1871, and settled in Buffalo county, this state, where he now lives. He took a homestead at that date, filing on a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, lying on Wood river, about a mile north of the town of Shelton. There he located, and has since lived. He has been steadily engaged in farming and stock-raising, and it is doing no violence to truth nor speaking flatterly of him to say that he has succeeded far beyond the average of Buffalo county farmers. He has added to his original homestead by purchase until he now owns a tract of four hundred acres in one body, lying in the famous Wood River valley, near the corporate limits of the town of Shelton, all of which he has in a splendid state of cultivation, and which, under his judicious management, yield him a handsome revenue in some shape. Besides this he also owns two hundred and forty acres in Snider township, nine miles north of his home-place. He has extensive stock interests and is a good all-round farmer. His chief pursuits have been agricultural, he never having allowed anything of a conflicting nature to interfere with these. He has, however, been called on to fill a number of local offices, and has probably done more gratuitous work of an official and a semi-official nature than any other man in the eastern part of Buffalo county. In 1871, shortly after locating in the county, he was elected road supervisor of his district, and discharged the onerous and unremunerative duties of that position for nine years. Following that and during part of that time, he was deputy sheriff for the eastern part of the county. He has been a member of the school board of his district for several years. He was chairman of the county board of supervisors for two years, and is now serving his precinct as justice of the peace and his county as representative, having been elected to the latter position in November, 1888, and to the former in November, 1889. During the last term of the legislature, in addition to the part he took in the general legislation before the house, he was a member of the following committees, and did special duty in connection therewith: Public lands and buildings, county boundaries, county-seats and township organization, privileges and elections and fees and salaries. While not conspicuous he was nevertheless active and useful, discharging his duties with zeal and fidelity, winning the favor of his co-workers and approval of his constituents. Mr. Fieldgrove is a public-spirited man, progressive in his views, a man of sound intelligence and discriminating judgment. He is more than a good farmer; he is a clear, level-headed business man. His opinion is sought by his friends and neighbors on many matters outside of those with which he is daily engrossed, and his influence and favor are courted by many who prize his good will. In politics he is a republican and votes the straight republican ticket. He is a zealous member of the Masonic fraternity, and his feelings of fellowship towards his race and his good will towards his kind take largely the practical turn inculcated by this oldest and most benevolent of all the beneficial orders. He and his excellent wife, who has borne him for more than a third of a century the cherished companionship which he sought with her hand, are both active and efficient members of the Presbyterian church. They have reared to maturity a family of eight children, some of whom are now married, and are themselves heads of families. Their children’s names in the order of their ages are as follows — Dora, Rachel, Mary, William H., Charles, Maggie, John, and Jennie.

In personal appearance Mr. Fieldgrove is large of frame and hearty in manner. He has a kindly face and a warm, generous nature. He is genial and companionable, a steadfast friend, a pleasant acquaintance and an affable gentleman.