Thies Nagel Biography >From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. Surnames: Nagel, Kingsley, Sergent, Cosgrove, Jensen, Wessel, Jepsen, Junge, Russell, Gilmore, McDowell, Pringle. Labor is the law of life and the world has little respect for the idler. Not until old age is reached does it seem fitting that man should put aside the cares and responsibilities of business, thus relegating to others the burdens that he should bear. A very busy and useful life has been that of Thies Nagel and now, at the age of ninety-one years, he is enjoying a well earned and well merited rest. He was for many years associated with industrial interests in Davenport as a carpenter and cabinetmaker. He was born in Dithmarschen, Holstein, Germany, January 16, 1819, a son of Henry and Margaret Nagel, who spent their entire lives in Germany, where the father was employed as a farm hand. Thies Nagel had but limited opportunities in his youth but learned well the lessons of industry and frugality. After attending the schools of the neighborhood to some extent he took up the trade of carpentering and cabinetmaking. When he was asked by an educated man why he was coming to America he answered that in a new country they would need houses and there would be chances for the builder. He therefore boxed up his tools and work bench and started for the new world in 1852, accompanied by his wife and four children. After nine weeks spent upon the briny deep they landed at New Orleans and thence made their way up the Mississippi river by steamboat to St. Louis, where they arrived after at rip of eleven days. By that time there was so much ice in the river that they could not get a boat to Davenport, which was their destination. They, therefore, spent the winter in S. Louis and the following spring came tot his city. After arriving in Davenport Mr. Nagel was first employ! ed by Mr. Kingsley, an English carpenter boss. His shop was on the alley between Fifth and Sixth streets and Brady and Main. He not only worked at his trade but also began to learn the English language under the direction of his employer. He was very eager to master the language and to this end had studied all the way over from Germany. Among his fellow workers in that early day was George McClellan, who later became one of the most prominent men of Davenport. Mr. Nagel was in the employ of Mr. Kingsley for two years, his first labor being in connection with the construction of a building for Mr. Sergent at the head of Brady street. Mr. Sergent was the first banker of Davenport and Mr. Nagel made the doors and window frames of his house by hand, as there was no machinery for such purposes at that time. He afterward worked on the North Putnam building, which was known then as the LeClaire row. For a time he was engaged on the construction of that row, which when completed was the finest in the town. He was also employed on the building of a residence for Antoine LeClaire, which later became the home of Bishop Cosgrove. About 1853 he also worked on the St. Joseph's Catholic church at the corner of Fourth and Main streets, this being the oldest Catholic church in Davenport, and it was the first building on that block, the entire block being given by Antoine LeClaire for the purpose for which it was used. Carpenters in those times re! ceived a wage of a dollar per day. Mr. Nagel's employer had three prices--a dollar, a dollar and a bit and a dollar and two bits-according to the efficiency of the workman and the importance of the class of work which he did. Mr. Nagel was recognized as a fine mechanic but, as he was a new man, was placed in the middle class, as his labor was somewhat hampered by the fact that he could not be sent out alone on a job, as he did not them sufficiently understand the English language. In 1857 the country became involved in a financial panic and work became very scarce. Mr. Nagel was then compelled to go to Rock Island, where he worked for a year and his services were paid for only in merchandise. Times improving, however, he returned to Davenport and obtained employment in the furniture factory of Collins & Skeel, there continuing until the time of the war, when he turned his attention to bee culture and has since devoted his energies largely to the management of an apiary. During the war he purchased a small tract of land in the suburbs of Davenport, erected thereon a comfortable residence and lived there until 1893, when he went to live with his son, J. J., at his present home at No. 906 West Locust street. Mr. Nagel was married in 1843 to Ingeborg Jensen, who died in 1857, leaving four children: Margaret, the wife of Hartwig Wessel, of California; Jen J.; Christina, the wife of Hans Jepsen of Davenport; and Catharine, the wife of Ferdinand Junge, of Nebraska. Of this family Jens J. Nagel was born in Germany, June 26, 1846, and was brought to America by his parents when six years old. The first school he attended was at the corner of Fifth and Scott streets in Davenport and he passed through consecutive grades until he was graduated from the high school and also from the training school. Following his graduation he became a teacher in the country school in Liberty township, eighteen miles from Davenport there remaining for a year. This was during the period of the Civil war. He afterward returned to Davenport and entered the training school. Subsequently he spent two years as general delivery clerk under Edward Russell in the Davenport postoffice and then resumed teaching, since which time he has devoted his attention to the to the profession. He taught in Davenport until 1866 and then went to Minneapolis, where he became principal of a school, so continuing until 1869, when he returned to this city and was continuously numbered ! among its public-school instructors until 1909. He taught in the Madison school for thirty-nine years and at present is connected with Duncan's Business College. He is one of the best known representatives of educational interests in this part of the state and his labors have been a most forceful and beneficial factor in promoting the interests of public education. Professor Nagel was married July 2, 1872, to Miss Sadie Gilmore, a daughter of George and Maria Gilmore, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have become parents of six children. Walter, who enlisted for service in Company B, Fiftieth Iowa Regiment, in the Spanish-American war, contracted fever from which he died while in camp at Jacksonville, Florida, when twenty-six years of age. He was a graduate of Stanford University. Laura is a teacher of the high school in California. Alice is the wife of John E. McDowell, who is assistant registrar in the employ of the state government at St. Paul, Minnesota, married Ruby Pringle. Helen is now a member of the junior class in Stanford University. Margaret is a pupil in the grammar school of Davenport. Thies Nagel was a prominent member of the Lutheran church and in politics is a stalwart republican, having continuously supported the party since Fremont was its first presidential candidate. Professor Nagel and his family are member of the congregational church and he is an advocate of prohibition principles, casting his ballot in support of the men and measures that promote the temperance cause. Both father and son have led honorable, upright lives and their history is closely interwoven with the industrial and educational records of this city. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann Assist. CC: Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm. for: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES