Benton County ArArchives Biographies.....Giger, Julius 1865 - 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 May 30, 2009, 11:53 pm

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

JULIUS GIGER.
    Julius Giger, who dates his arrival in Benton county from 1896, has been
well known in business circles of Bentonville as the owner of a first-class
garage and in association with his brother, Henry Giger, he has become the owner
of a fine fruit farm of two hundred and sixty-five acres, constituting one of
the best improved and most valuable agricultural properties in the county. He
has recently exchanged the garage for a large stock farm in the northwest corner
of the county. He is an enterprising and progressive business man whose plans
are carefully formulated and in their execution he is prompt and determined. Mr.
Giger is a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Madison county on
the 31st of March, 1865. His parents were Daniel and Marietta (Todd) Giger, who
were also natives of that county. In 1884 they removed to Kansas, where the
father purchased a farm, which he continued to cultivate until 1901, when he
made his way to Arkansas, but subsequently returned to the Sunflower state,
where he spent his remaining years, departing this life in Lyon county, where
the mother's demise also occurred. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal
church and in his political views Mr. Giger was a republican, while fraternally
he was connected with the Masons. In their family were six children: Julius, the
subject of this review; Mildred Alberta, the wife of John Boosinger, who follows
farming in Lyon county, Kansas; Emma, who married C. L. Saffer, a farmer
residing at Bentonville; James, who is operating a farm in the state of Kansas;
Clem, a farmer in Allen, Kansas; and Henry, who resides in Bentonville and is
associated in business with the subject of this review.

    In the schools of Illinois Julius Giger acquired his education and on
starting out in life, independently took up the occupation of farming, which he
followed in Lyon county, Kansas, until 1896, when he came to Arkansas,
purchasing eighty acres of unimproved land in Benton county, and in order to
gain a start he was obliged to borrow money, having a capital of less than three
hundred dollars when he arrived in this locality. He devoted every energy to the
cultivation of his land, utilizing the most modern and progressive methods and
gradually converting it into a rich and productive property. He was at length
able to discharge all of his indebtedness and as his resources increased he
gradually enlarged his holdings, until he now has in all six hundred and eighty
acres, of which sixty-five acres is devoted to the raising of fine apples. He is
interested in all modern developments along agricultural lines and has equipped
his farm with the most labor saving machinery. He formerly had the best horses
in the county but now utilizes three trucks and two tractors and has also
installed a waterworks system on the place, keeping abreast of the times in
every way. He has wrought a remarkable transformation in the appearance of the
property, which at the time it came into his possession was the poorest piece of
land in the county but is now classed with the most highly developed and
valuable farms of this section. His brother, Henry Giger. is part owner of the
property and is also associated with him in his other business interests. In
1920 he took up his residence in Bentonville, where he at first became connected
with the feed business, later opening a garage and also engaging in the lumber
business. He now devotes all of his attention to the management of his farms and
his his efforts have been crowned with a substantial measure of success.

    In 1889 occurred the marriage of Julius Giger and Miss Alice H. Curt, a
native of Vermilion county, Illinois, and a daughter of Thomas H. Curt, who
served as a captain in the Civil war, receiving two severe wounds. Mr. and Mrs.
Giger have had no children of their own but reared an adopted daughter, Cora
Hatcher, who is now residing in Benton county. They are members of the Methodist
Episcopal church, South, and his political allegiance is given to the republican
party. The cause of education has ever found in him a strong advocate and he is
deeply interested in the schools of the county. For a number of years he was a
director of the country schools and is now serving as school director of
Bentonville, in which connection he is doing effective work. Energy,
perseverance and thrift are recognized the world over as the foundation of
material prosperity and these three qualities are possessed by Mr. Giger. He
enjoys the esteem of many friends and fully deserves the honor that is accorded
the fortunate individual who has fought and won in the great battle of life.


Additional Comments:

Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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