Wapello County IA Archives Biographies.....Jager, John 1839 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 30, 2013, 3:54 pm

Source: See Below
Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher

JOHN JAGER.

John Jager has attained a substantial position in life entirely through his own
efforts. He is a native of France and at the age of nineteen came to this
country practically empty-handed. He now lives in Eddyville, Iowa, after many
years of successful farming, and although he has retired from business affairs
still holds the position of president of the Manning & Epperson State Bank.
There is also honor due him as a veteran of the Civil war. Mr. Jager was born in
Lorraine, France, October 22, 1839, and is a son of John and Mary Barbara
(Boulie) Jager, natives of France, who passed away in that country. The father
followed farming and was successful in that pursuit. In their family were five
children, of whom John, the oldest, and one sister are still living.

John Jager was reared and educated in his native land and at the age of nineteen
decided to seek the opportunities of the western hemisphere in order to improve
his position in life. He had learned the brewer's and cooper's trades in France
and after coming to America located at first in Lee county, where for two years
he worked on a farm at a wage of eight dollars per month. He then was employed
in a brewery in Lee county for two years and subsequently enlisted for service
in the Civil war, joining Company E, Nineteenth Iowa Volunteer Regiment, his
term of enlistment being three years. He participated in several of the
important battles, and while in Louisiana was taken prisoner and put into a
stockade at Taylor, Texas, where he was kept for ten months before he was
exchanged, the transfer taking place at the mouth of the Red river. He was
honorably discharged at Davenport, Iowa, in 1865 and then returned to Lee
county, where for about a year he was again engaged in brewery work. After his
marriage he built a brewery in Bridgeport, Wayne county, Iowa, operating same
until 1877, or for eleven years. He then purchased a farm in Mahaska county and
moving upon the property, gave his attention to its cultivation until 1901, when
he retired and moved into Eddyville. He still owns one hundred and sixty acres
of land in Jefferson county and sixty acres of the old homestead, while he also
holds title to three hundred and twenty acres in Greeley county, Kansas.

Mr. Jager was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Simon, a native of Lee county
and a daughter of Andrew and Mary (Papen) Simon, natives of Germany, who came to
America and after their arrival settled on a farm in Lee county, where both
passed away. In their family were three children, of whom Mrs. Jager is the only
one now living. Mr. and Mrs. Jager became the parents of ten children: John J.,
of Monroe county, Iowa; Philip and Gustave A., both deceased; William F., of
Mahaska county; Richard and Reinhardt, twins, the former a resident of Davis
county, and the latter deceased; George W., of Jefferson county; Mary E., the
wife of C. B. Barnett of Jonesboro, Arkansas; Simon, of Jefferson county; and
Louisa Anna, who married Frank Epperson. All of those who grew to maturity
attained substantial and honorable positions in life.

Mr. and Mrs. Jager reside in a handsome home in Eddyville, where they often
entertain the many friends of the family. Although he has practically retired
from business affairs he yet presides at the meetings of the board of directors
of the Manning & Epperson State Bank, of which he is president, having filled
that office for seven years. He is cautious and conservative in regard to the
management of the bank, vet he is progressive and is ever willing to give credit
to new enterprises if they can prove their worthiness to him. However, he takes
no risks in investing the funds of the depositors, considering their protection
the most sacred duty of any bank officer. He is a democrat, loyal to his party
and interested in its growth. He has always taken part in public affairs and has
served as school director, as township trustee and as justice of the peace,
discharging his various duties with faithfulness, conscientiousness and justice
toward all. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since
1861, having held all of the offices in the local lodge and having served for
two years as a delegate to the grand lodge. In fraternal, social and business
circles he is respected and esteemed, enjoying that confidence which is merited
by his character and his public-spirited citizenship.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY IOWA
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME II
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914

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