VOELKER, Christian Anton

VOELKER, Christian Anton. (Baden, Germany, Aug. 16, 1850--Dubuque, IA, Aug. 12,1925). When an infant, Voelker was brought by his parents to Dubuque. He attended the Trinity parochial school until a little over eleven years of age, when he was forced to leave school to work.

He was first employed in a chair factory, where he learned the trade and made himself very useful to the proprietors. At the age of eighteen he became foreman in the chair department, in which position he continued for the five succeeding years. In 1864 he attempted to join the army, but the quota at the time being full he was not accepted. He continued in his position as foreman until August 1, 1873, when he began CHRISTIAN A. VOELKER, a dry goods and clothing company, in a rented store at No. 1330 Clay Street which he operated for seven years. (1)

In 1884 he served as alternate-at-large to the Democratic National Convention that nominated Grover Cleveland for president of the United States. Voelker served as MAYOR of Dubuque in 1886 and 1887. The year 1887 was very prosperous. The following made important improvements: (1) Northwestern Railway; (2) high bridge; (3) new sewerage system ; (4) Southwestern Railway ; (5) Fourth street elevator; (6) Eleventh street elevator; (7) street car to Eagle Point; (8) filling sloughs with land; (9) filling freight yards; (10) filling by lumber yards; (11) ice harbor; (12) new Illinois Central passenger station; (13) waterworks on the bluff; (14) police patrol; (15) electric fire alarm; (16) new warehouses; (17) new wholesale houses; (18) new manufactures; (19) hundreds of new dwellings; (20) proposed electric street railway. (2)

His election as mayor as a candidate on the Labor Reform Party platform was a high point politically for the KNIGHTS OF LABOR in Dubuque. Their entire slate of candidates for local office was elected including John STAFFORD to the position of city treasurer. In his inaugural speech, Voelker promised to correct abuses and initiate reforms. One of the first actions was to dismiss the entire police force which was charged with harassing workers. Half of the force was reinstated with the other half all being members of the KNIGHTS OF LABOR. City street work subcontracts were halted in favor of day work. The daily pay for city work rose 40% from $1.25 to $1.75, an amount higher than was being paid to private sector labor. (3) A 20% increase in city tax assessments ended Dubuque's position of being the city in Iowa with the highest indebtedness. This freed up money for projects which had been halted because the money had been needed to pay interest on the debt. (4)

In 1896 Voelker was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives.

Voelker prospered in the field of real estate with his firm VOELKER REALTY COMPANY. Beginning in 1890, he began erecting buildings throughout the city. "Voelker stone," a form of concrete, was one of his chosen building materials. In 1879 Voelker built a brick block at the corner of Thirteenth and Clay Streets and operated his business from that site for two years. He later built an adjoining store as he needed additional room. Voelker owned Woodlawn Park, an addition to Dubuque, which he laid out with two partners and later bought their interest. He was also involved with the development of Melrose Terrace, south Alta Vista, and Voelker Highlands. (5)

In 1906 he entered into his higher volume house building career as when he offered several new cottages on Seminary Hill. At that time he rated that location “the best hill in town.” His design was geared to efficiency. Voelker noted “I am especially proud of their interior arrangement. They are planned for comfort, and are so compact that none could plan them better; they require the least possible amount of coal or wood for heating. There is no wasted space in them. (6)

Seen in many parts of Dubuque, "VOELKER STONE" was a new building material in Dubuque.

Voelker was given credit for establishing the 'monthly payment plan' for purchasers of his homes. At the time of his death, he was thought to have built between 760 and 800 residences.

Advertising calendar (1901). Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

Voelker was vice-president and director in the DUBUQUE FIRE AND MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY, which he helped to organize. He was one of the original members of the board of the Julien Dubuque Hotel company and a member of the board of directors of the Dubuque Industrial Corporation. In 1890 he founded the Iowa Mutual Building & Loan Association and served as the company president. Voelker organized the Key City Fire Insurance Company with a capital stock of $200,000. He also had interests in the Citizens' State Bank, the GERMAN TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK, and the DUBUQUE STREET RAILWAY COMPANY. In the field of real estate, Voelker was one of the organizers of the National Association of Real Estate Boards and of the Iowa Association of Realtors. (7)

Advertisement. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

Voelker was also a leader in fraternal circles. He was the state chief ranger of the Independent Order of Foresters and a past Grand Knight of the Dubuque Council of Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Elks, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and an organizer of the ROMAN CATHOLIC MUTUAL PROTECTIVE SOCIETY OF IOWA. (8)

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Source:

1. Portrait and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties, Iowa. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1894, p. 134 Online: http://books.google.com/books?id=3n4_AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

2. Oldt,Franklin T. History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, 1911, p. 189. Online: http://archive.org/stream/cu31924028913965/cu31924028913965_djvu.txt

3. Scharnau, Ralph. "Workers and Politics--The Knights of Labor in Dubuque, Iowa 1885-1890, Annals of Iowa. Des Moines: State Historical Society of Iowa, Volume 48, Number 7 (Winter of 1987), p. 369

4. Ibid., p. 373

5. Jacobsen, James E. "Phase V Dubuque Historical and Architectural Survey of the Fenelon Place, North Main and Broadway Neighborhoods," p. 72

6. Portrait and Biographical Record...

7. The Iowa Legislature, "Christian A. Voelker," Online: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=3830

8. Ibid.

"Dubuque Board of Realtors Turns 100," Telegraph Herald, June 2, 2013,