Bio of August WIEGREFE (b.1850), Houston Co., MN 

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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Marge Galus Sandlier
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August and Dorothea CORDES WIEGREFE are my sons' paternal Gr Gr Grandparents. 
Additional information on this family is on my web site at 
http://members.home.net/sandlier/wiegrefe-intro.htm. 
--Marge Galus Sandlier, m-sandlier@home.com

From the History of Houston County -- 1919
Pages 550-551

August Wiegrefe, one of the leading farmers of Winnebago township, 
was born in Hanover, Germany, Oct. 6, 1850, son of Henry and Elizabeth 
(Bonate) Wiegrefe.  The parents both died in Germany, the mother when 
her son August was only six years old, and the father when he was 16.  
August acquired his education chiefly in a parochial school in Germany, 
residing in his native land until 1869, when, at the age of 19 years, 
he came to the United States, landing at New York after a rough voyage.  
Thence he proceeded west to Chicago, and from the latter city by way of 
La Crosse to Brownsville, Houston county, Minn., where he hired a man 
with a team to take him to Portland Prairie, Winnebago township, not 
being able to find the way alone.  He had but little money, and for the 
first five years in this county worked as a farm hand, practicing economy 
and saving his earnings.  In 1874 he bought 360 acres in sections 22 
and 27, Winnebago township, the land being little improved, as but a 
few acres had been broken, and there were no buildings.  Mr. Wiegrefe 
grubbed a site for a house on section 27 and erected a small log building, 
in which he subsequently lived for 17 years, during which time he cleared 
a good deal of his land and put it under tillage.  In 1891 he built a 
substantial frame house one and a half stories in height and containing 
seven rooms--a very comfortable home, in which he is still residing.  
He has now a good set of frame buildings, including a barn, granary, 
hog house, machine shed, poultry house and corn cribs, and his farm is 
well fenced.  One hundred and ninety-five acres are under the plow, the 
balance of his land being in timber and pasture.  His stock consists 
chiefly of Shorthorn cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs and Shropshire sheep, of 
all of which he raises a considerable quantity, his principal market 
being New Albin, Iowa, which lies six miles to the southeast, though 
sometimes he makes use of Caledonia, eleven miles to the north.  
Though never rugged, Mr. Wiegrefe has always been a hardworking man, 
but during recent years he has taken life more easily, contenting himself 
with managing the farm, which is now actively operated by his sons Albert 
and Herman.  He is a stockholder in the New Albin Stock and Grain Co., of 
which he has also been a director for some years, and also owns stock in 
the Eitzen Creamery.  A Republican in politics, he served for a number of 
years as a member of the town board, frequently as chairman, and for the 
last few years has held the office of town assessor.  He and his family 
are members of the German Evangelical congregation at Eitzen, which he 
has served for years as trustee and president.  Few citizens of Winebago 
(sic) township, if any, are more highly respected, or stand higher socially.  
Mr. Wiegrefe was married March 3, 1874, to Dorothy Cordes, daughter of 
William and Marguerite (Benhoefer) Cordes, of Winnebago township.  She 
was born in Germany, April 5, 1853, coming to America with her parents 
when nine years old.  Mrs. and Mrs. Wiegrefe have had nine children:  
William, born March 5, 1875, a prosperous farmer of Wilmington township; 
Maria, born April 4, 1879, now deceased; Louisa, born April 4, 1881, 
who is deceased; Albert, born March 1, 1883, who is helping to operate 
the home farm; Alvina, born July 8, 1885, now Mrs. August Fruechte of 
Winnebago township; Anna, born Dec. 20, 1886, who is keeping house for 
her parents; Herman, born May 4, 1890, who is assisting his brother 
Albert on the farm; and Emma, born Jan. 27, 1893, now Mrs. Louis Fruechte 
of Wilmington township.