John Zimmermann, farmer, and one of the prominent stock-raisers of the county, was born in Erie County, Ohio, June 25, 1858, and is the third of four children born to Lorenz and Tracy (Brunner) Zimmermann, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Zimmermann left their native country when young and came with their parents to the United States. They were married in Milan, Ohio, in January, 1855. Lorenz Zimmermann bought 280 acres of land two and a half miles south of Brazito, and on this they settled and began making improvements. The grandfather, Joseph Brunner, died on this farm in 1874, at the age of seventy-five years, and the father and mother of our subject are still residing there. John Zimmermann attended school a short time in Ohio, and on their arrival in Missouri he was compelled to walk three miles in order to attend school, and as a consequence his education was rather limited. When he became of age he rented land and began farming for himself, and this he continued until twenty-five years of age, when he married Miss Henrietta K. Opel, a native of Cole County, Mo., and the daughter of Samuel Opel, one of the old settlers of Clark Township. After his marriage Mr. Zimmermann rented land in various places, but in 1884 he built a neat cottage on his father's place, and is residing there at the present time. He speculates in stock, and is engaged in trading and general farming. To his marriage have been born three children, two girls and a son: Tracy Antoinette, Lorenz Henry N. and Froeda-Lina Eva.

Transcribed from:
History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries, and Osage Counties, Missouri, Goodspeed Publishing Company (1889).