Aaron Bucher ^{1 2}

   FamilySearch ID: KFRR-TRG.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Book: Genealogical And Biographical History Of Keokuk County, Iowa, 1903. ¹
Aaron Bucher

There are some compensations to the man who in early life is deprived of parental care and nature. It is indeed hard for a child to work out his own destiny, to choose a vocation in life and quality himself for it, but in the end of the rigorous experiences undergone serve but to strengthen and make self-reliant the developing man and leave an imprint which all time cannot eradicate in the character subjected to such influences. Such a man, hewing his own way, unaided by the strong arm of a helping father or the tender love and sympathy of a mother, was Aaron Bucher.

He was born January 27, 1835, in Sandusky county, Ohio, the state which has furnished so many of the strong energetic sons who have helped to make the west what it now is. His father, Frederick Bucher, was a native of Pennsylvania and died when our subject was only twelve years of age. His mother, Susanna Wimer, also died when he was only seven years old. Thus he was deprived, while very young, of the example and support of both parents and from that time on was thrown solely upon his own resources. He made his home with George Wimer from the death of his father until he was twenty-two years of age; on November 20, 1844, he located in Keokuk county, where during the long winter months he went to the old log schoolhouse, and by his diligence and earnest effort acquired a good education, which was of great assistance to him in his later years. As soon as he was large enough he went to work at farming and with his accustomed zeal and ability soon became familiar with all its varied duties and responsibilities. At the age of twenty-three years he had become fully qualified to assume the maintenance and responsibilities of a home, and November 1, 1857, was united in marriage to Martha J. Chastain, who also came to the county in the early days when it was still undeveloped; she was a native of Illinois and came to Jefferson county, Iowa, in 1843, and to Keokuk county in the spring of 1844. She proved to be a helpmeet not in name alone, but in the working out of the future of all the family. Three children were born to Mr. Bucher: Iowa Keaster; Janette, wife of Jacob Conner, a prosperous and well-known farmer of Lancaster township; and Fannie, wife of Charles Conner, likewise an able and well established farmer of the same county.

He owns three hundred and forty acres of fine farm land and also some valuable properties in Hayesville. In 1874 Mr. Bucher located on the farm where he now lives. This he cleared and improved, putting up the houses and barns now there, and constructing fences, tilling the soil and developing the farm in every way until it has become one of the most fertile and inviting in the country. He has carried on all branches and departments of farming most successfully, and has been noted for the fine character and abundance of the stock which he has raised and sold from the farm.

He has been a life-long Democrat, at all times espousing the interests and being true to the principles of the Democratic party, to which he has rendered invaluable services as occasion gave opportunity. He was treasurer of his school district for some nine years, during which time he advocated and carried out many reforms and improvements in the schools. He is one of the oldest settlers of Lancaster township and has left the stamp of his influence and ability upon many of its institutions. He is now reaping the rewards of his early efforts and trials. He has reared his family in plenty, giving all the advantages the country affords, and has lived to see his untilled and uncultivated farm "blossom as the rose." He has seen it constantly improving and his fortunes increasing, and it cannot but afford him great satisfaction to look back, amid the respect and admiration of all, through his long line of successes.

Aaron married Martha Jane Chastain on 1 Nov 1857 in , Keokuk, IA.¹ (Martha Jane Chastain was born on 16 Jun 1835 in , , IL,^{1 2} died on 21 May 1914 in , Keokuk, IA ² and was buried in East Lancaster Twp.: Pennington Cemetery, Keokuk, IA ².)