Gustave A. Koester Biography >From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. Surnames: Koester, Schulenberg, Beckler, Leach, Shaeffer, Reise, Osterhouse, Steinburg, Smith, Eskie, Krider, Anderson. Perhaps no history in this volume better illustrates the power of industry and the force of character than does the record of Gustave A. Koester, who, thrown upon his own resources by the death of his parents when ten years of age, has since made his own way in the world and now, at the age of three score years and ten, is numbered among Davenport's men of affluence. His business methods, too, have never required nor sought disguise. There has been no esoteric phase in his career, for in the legitimate lines of trade and business activity he has won his success. He was born in Germany on the 13th of November, 1838, and was a son of Ernest and Mary Koester, the former a prominent attorney of the fatherland, whence he sailed for America with his family in 1841. Landing at New Orleans, he proceeded up the Mississippi river to St. Louis where he engaged in the practice of law until 1848, when his life's labors were ended in death. He was the owner of a coal mine near the arsenal at St. Louis, called the Grove mine, and during the period of his residence in that city was a prominent and influential man there. He brought with him to America Messrs. Schulenberg and Beckler, who were then studying law under him in Germany and who afterward became prominent lumbermen of St. Louis. His wife died in 1847. In their family were eight children. Otto, who was appointed burgomaster of Soest, Germany, and later received appointment as chief burghmaster over all others from Emperor William, died in his native land in 1908. Fritz died in St. Louis in! 1866. Julius is a practicing attorney of Carlinville, Illinois, now seventy-eight years of age. Mary died in 1907. Emily, of Cairo, Illinois, is the widow of Dr. Leach. Gustave A. is the next of the family. Mollie, who died in 1904, was the wife of George Schaeffer, a wholesale druggist of Fort Madison, Iowa. Elizabeth died in 1847. The educational opportunities of Gustave A. Koester were somewhat limited owing to the early death of his parents, whereby he was left an orphan when not yet ten years of age. For a brief period he attended the German Institute conducted by General Siegel at St. Louis, but was a student there for only about a year and then for only about four half days each week. After his parents' death he and three other children of the family went to live with an uncle, Conrad Reise, at Muscatine, Iowa. Soon afterward, however, Gustave A. Koester left his uncle's home and began selling papers, blacking boots and doing other such work as he could secure in order to provide a living. He came to Davenport in 1856 and was first employed as a bell boy in the hotels. He afterward worked in different restaurants and at different places, where he learned to cook, and when the civil war broke out he went to the front as cook for the Twelfth Missouri Infantry under Colonel Osterhouse. He also cooked for the Thirteenth Missouri Infantry. He had a brother-in-law, Captain Steinburg, with the Twelfth Missouri Infantry and Mr. Koester remained with that regiment until June, 1863, when he went south and witnessed eh battle of Helena, Arkansas. In the fall of 1863 Mr. Koester returned to Davenport, where in connection with Claus Houck he engaged in the grain business, which they carried on for four years. They then dissolved partnership and became agents f the Moline Flour Mills, buying all the wheat used in their plant and also acting as sales agents for their flour. In 1867 Mr. Koester engaged in business for himself in the same line, dealing in all kinds of grain, potatoes, onions and other farm products. In this undertaking he prospered and as the years passed by he extended the scope of the business by establishing branch houses at Eldridge, Long Grove, Donahue, Mount Joy an Durant, Iowa, where he had the largest elevator on the Rock Island Railroad. The yeas chronicled his growing success, resulting from his earnest purpose, his close application, his undaunted energy and his reliable business methods. At length Mr. Koester retired from that business in 1888 and was then employed by large real-estate companies to organize and conduct excursions, taking land seekers to new territory. He thus handled considerable land, selling as high as five thousand acres per day. In 1890 he purchased considerable land in Iowa and Minnesota from an English syndicate and became his own real-estate agent, handling his own property with headquarters and office in Davenport. He continued in business alone until 1896, when he admitted Charles Martin to a partnership. They were thus associated for four years, at the end of which time the business relation was dissolved, after which Mr. Koester sold out to his son Gustave, who conducted the business for about a year. Since then Mr. Koester has been selling lots in the Norwood addition to Davenport, which he owns, but has practically retired from active life to enjoy a rest which he truly earned and richly deserves. Mr. Koester was married twice. He first wedded Miss Mary Smith. They had three children: Gustave A., who is married and lives in Davenport; Katie, the wife of Alex Eskie, of Colorado, by whom she has one son, Adolph; and Toney, of Davenport, who married Miss Maude Krider, and has two children. For his second wife Mr. Koester chose Kathryn Anderson. Fraternally Mr. Koester is connected with the Elks lodge, No. 298, of Davenport, and is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Schuetzen Verein. He is one of the directors of the Union Savings Bank and his name is an honored one on commercial paper in this city. His business interests have been of an important character and, carefully managed, have brought to him substantial success, so that now in the evening of his life he is very comfortably situated financially. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES