Marion County >> 1915 Index

The History of Marion County, Iowa
John W. Wright and W. A. Young, supervising eds. 2 vols. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1915.

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Samuel Teter - page 287

One of the successful native sons of the county is Samuel Teter, who owns and operates two hundred and forty-four acres of fine land on section 12, Union Township. He does mixed farming, raising both grain and stock, and is one of the representative and progressive agriculturists of the county. He was born upon the farm where he still lives on the 15th of October, 1855, a son of Samuel E. and Eliza Jane (Leuty) Teter. The father was born in Ross county, Ohio, in 1817 and the mother in the same county five years later. They were married in Ohio and there the father farmed until 1844, when he came with his family to this state and in March, 1845, settled upon the farm which is now in the possession of his son Samuel. Mr. Teter, Sr., entered the land from the government and also other tracts, becoming the owner in all of about five hundred acres. The family made the trip from Ohio to Iowa with a horse team and shipped their household goods by a boat which was sunk in the Mississippi river, occasioning the total loss of their furniture. Mrs. Teter's brother George and his wife were on the boat and barely escaped with their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel E. Teter were the parents of eight children, four boys and four girls, two of whom died in infancy. The subject of this review is the next to the youngest. The father died in 1906, having survived his wife since 1899.

Samuel Teter of this review was educated in the Blaine school near his home and remained upon the homestead until his marriage. After that event he began farming on his own account in this county but after three years, or in 1876, went to Kansas, where he remained for twenty-three years. He owned about six hundred and forty acres of land there, which he sold at the end of that time and removed to Oklahoma, where he lived for about seven years. He homesteaded a quarter section in that state which he still owns. Upon leaving Oklahoma he returned to this county and has since engaged in farming the homestead. He raises stock extensively, breeding Poland China hogs and Polled Angus cattle. He sells about three carloads of stock a year and this branch of his activities is proving an especially profitable one. He also cultivates the fields and in all that he does is energetic and capable.

Mr. Teter was married in 1874 to Miss Mary Harriett, a daughter of John and Rebecca Harriett. She was born in Ohio in 1855 and when a child accompanied her parents to Iowa, receiving the greater part of her education in Mahaska and Marion counties. To Mr. and Mrs. Teter were born eight children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are: Nellie May, who married H. H. Elwood, of Colorado; Wanda, the wife of J. W. Norris, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Azel E., who married Robert Mitchell and resides in Nebraska; Tressie, the wife of J. B. Wilbur, of Polk township; William, who is married and resides in Nebraska; and Cora M., who married Burt Carr and resides in this county.

Mr. Teter is a republican in politics and fraternally is identified with Oriental Lodge, No. 61, A. F. & A. M., at Knoxville. His life has been well spent and has gained him not only a competence but also the regard of many friends.

George J. Thomassen, a well known lawyer of Pella and president of the city school board, is a native son of the city, born March 18, 1870. His parents were Geurt and Nellie (Rysdam) Thomassen, both natives of Holland, who in 1847 came to the United States making their way direct to Pella. The paternal grandfather, John Thomassen, purchased a farm in Marion county in 1847 and also established one of the first stores in Pella, continuing to engage in merchandising until his death. Geurt Thomassen was in business with his father and after the latter's death continued alone in business until he too was called to his final rest in 1899. The mother of subject died in 1874.

George J. Thomassen was given excellent education advantages, as, after being graduated from the public schools, he attended the Central University of Iowa, which is located in Pella, and still later entered the law department of Drake University at Des Moines, from which he was graduated in 1902. He immediately began practice in his native city and has continued here until the present time.

In 1894 Mr. Thomassen married Miss Sarah Van Stigt, a daughter of K. and Josephine Van Stigt, who left Holland in 1847 and emigrated to the United States with Pella as their objective point. Her father was for a time in the saddlery business but later turned his attention to boots and shoes. He died in May, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Thomassen have two children, Junella and Ruth, both at home.

Mr. Thomassen is a member of the First Reformed church and takes great interest in its work. Politically he is a democrat and is most active in the support of movements and institutions that make for the general good. He is president of the school board and trustee of the public library and in these capacities has been able to do much for the cause of general education.