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Permanent LinkSenator Henry Nielander View All Years
HENRY NIELANDER was born in Detmold, Germany, May 26, 1833; he died at Lansing, Iowa, June 14, 1905. He came to this country in 1851 and spent the first year in Waupun, Wis. He went to Galena, Ill., the following year where he served as a clerk in a mercantile establishment. He came to Iowa in 1854 and settled at Lansing, entering upon a successful career as a merchant and banker. He was a stockholder in the First National Bank during its entire career, and President of the Allamakee Savings Bank. His business transactions became very large. In 1879 he was elected to the State senate from the 41st district, serving the regular term of four years. He had previously served a term as Mayor of Lansing. It gave Mr. Nielander great pleasure to relate that in the early sixties, “Marshall Field, the dry goods prince, Philip Armour, the great packer, M. D. Wells, of boot and shoe fame, were all knights of the grip and called regularly at his store, using the same persuasive arguments to sell their respective wares that their less renowned successors continue to employ at this time.” In his prosperous days he became quite a traveler. He crossed the ocean no less than five times to visit his old home. The Allamakee Journal says that “he was a man of sterling character, upright, and the soul of honor. Beneath a sometimes rugged exterior there was always a liberal, generous, sympathetic soul. He enjoyed the high confidence of his fellow men, because he was governed by a strict regard to the dictates of conscience, and he never shaded the truth to please anybody. He was courageous, energetic, optimistic, uncomplaining and always cheerful. He was kind to children and enjoyed their prattle and loved their company.”