OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 149 



HEADS OF A CATTLE HOUSE 

 56-57. The firm of Ingwersen Bros., founded their business 

 on a widespread acquaintance among the German settlers of 

 eastern and central Iowa, gained in the pre-Civil War days. 

 The two brothers were born at Hattstadt, Schleswig-Holstein, 

 Germany; Henry C. (57) on May 2, 1829, and Charles H. 

 (56) on July 19, 1836. The entire family came to America in 

 1852, settling in Clinton Co., Iowa, just west of the town of 

 Clinton. As they grew into manhood they started in the farm- 

 ing business together, feeding cattle and hogs, and buying live- 

 stock on the side. In 1870 and 1871, Mr. C. H. Ingwersen was 

 sheriff of Clinton Co., having previous to that time been a 

 county supervisor. 



In 1872, some bad buys of livestock made it expedient for 

 them to close out their Clinton interests, and they proceeded to 

 Chicago where they started a straight commission business. In 

 1873 a permanent partnership was formed, which business was 

 maintained until their retirement in 1901. During this time they 

 had built up a clientele of consignors that gave them a most 

 loyal annual support. In 1919 there still remained about a 

 dozen of the original customers who shipped to them in 1872. 

 An Iowa feeder by the name of Harrington not only has 

 shipped to them or their successors every year, but in addition, 

 has never shipped a carload of livestock elsewhere. About 7,000 

 carloads of livestock were handled annually by this firm at the 

 height of its career. 



In 1895 they became financially interested in the Iowa Pack- 

 ing Co., of Sabula, and later Clinton, Iowa. The earnings of 

 the commission business were completely absorbed in order to 

 maintain the packing interest and in 1900 they sold their stock 

 in this venture. The following year the two brothers decided 

 to retire, and their sons bought out their business and the busi- 



