August Wiegers

AUGUST WIEGERS. - A man of brains and energy, talented and cultured, with a mind broadened by extensive travel and wide business experience, August Wiegers is now actively associated with the advancement of the industrial and manufacturing interests of Wyandotte county, being secretary of the Western Terra Cotta Company, of Kansas City, a concern which he helped organize. He is still in the prime of life, with many chapters yet to be added to his record of achievements in the business world. A son of Jared and Helen (Hermes) Wiegers, he was born August 28, 1876, in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was primarily educated, attending private and public schools, including the St. Louis High School, and completing his early studies in a commercial college.

For several years Mr. Wiegers was bookkeeper for the John F. Meyer & Sons Milling Company, in St. Louis, and on retiring from the position started for Mexico. Arriving in New Orleans, he changed his mind and sailed for Africa, where for a time he was in the employ of a private business concern. He later became assistant transport conductor for the British government, and proved himself so competent in that capacity that he was promoted to the position of head conductor, and for eighteen months was with Gorenges's Flying Columns, doing in that time much speedy traveling, indiscriminately breaking records. Practically Mr. Weigers was all through the Boer war, having charge of one of the supply camps, and continued an employe of the British government for a year after the close of the war. Going then to Johannesburg, he spent six months in that place, and then returned to the United States, arriving at St. Louis, Missouri, in time to visit the exposition held in that city in 1904.

Mr. Wiegers subsequently purchased a flour mill in Illinois, but not doing as well financially in operating it as he had anticipated, he sold out his milling interests in that state and returned to Africa. After spending six months in the southern part of that country, he came northward up the eastern coast to Egypt, stopping at every port along the way, and subsequently made a complete tour of the world, spending a number of months in sightseeing. Upon returning once more to his native land, Mr. Wiegers, located in Kansas City, Kansas, and helped organize the Western Terra Cotta Company, of which he has since been secretary.

Mr. Wiegers married, in June, 1906, Louisa Schmitz, and into their pleasant household two children have made their advent, namely: Mildred Mary and Richard Augustus.