Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
MICHEL, Jacob
Family History: http://hartgen.renderplus.com/htm/michel.htm
MICHEL, Jacob. (Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, Oct. 1, 1824--Dubuque, IA, Aug. 7, 1904). Michel attended school until the age of fourteen. Upon the death of his parents, he learned the shoemakers' trade and served a three year apprenticeship. Traveling through southern Germany, France and Switzerland, he could find no place at which he wanted to settle so he left for the United States in 1847. (1)
He arrived in New York and immediately left for St. Louis where he practiced his trade for two years before coming to Dubuque. (2) His business increased until he was employing a force of twenty workmen. All shoe manufacturing in his establishment was done by hand until 1859. In that year, he added a line of ready-made shoes and boots. He retired in 1893 while continuing to own two buildings he rented and other property in the city. (3)
He married Miss Louisa Krakow; they had six children.
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Source:
1. Portrait and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties, Iowa. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1894, p. 150
2. "Mr. Jacob Michel Passes Away Sunday," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, August 8, 1908, p. 2
3. Portrait and Biographical...