My Genealogy Hound

Herman Jaeger, grape grower and nurseryman at Neosho, was born in Switzerland, March 23, 1844, and is the son of Charles Jaeger, also a native of the same country, and who was a farmer and merchant by occupation. The mother, Mary (Custer) Jaeger, was born in Switzerland, and was the granddaughter of Pestalozzi, the noted pedagogue and founder of the public school system. Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger were the parents of seven children, Herman being the sixth child. He was reared in his native country, and attended school until sixteen years of age, when he served a three years’ apprenticeship in a dry goods house, and one year on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, in a wine house. The following year he came to the United States, and after prospecting he decided to locate where he now lives, in 1865; in 1866 he put out his first vines, and now he owns eighty acres of land. He was married in 1872 to Miss Eliza Wagenrieder, a native of St. Louis. She died in 1873, leaving one child, Bertha. Mr. Jaeger married in 1874 his second wife, Miss Eliza Grosse, also born in St. Louis. Three children were the result of this union: Herman, Lena and Emma. Mr. Jaeger is one of the largest exporters of grape cuttings, native vines and seeds. Prof. Perre Viala, professor of the National Viticultural School of France, who was sent over to this country to examine the native wines in 1887, in his report to the French Minister, speaks in very complimentary terms of Mr. Jaeger’s assistance, and also of his proficiency in vine culture. Mr. Jaeger is also a contributor to various journals devoted to vine culture in Europe and America. He is a good scholar, and speaks very fluently three languages. His specialty has been the study and improvement of our native grape-vines. Together with Prof. T. V. Munson, of Denison, Tex., and other prominent viticulturists, he is convinced of the necessity of evolving a still better and hardier race of American grapes. Since the grape root louse (Phylloxera Vastatrix) on its irresistible progress ruins all European vines, the whole viticultural world turns its attention to the American species of vitis, they being the only ones whose roots sufficiently resist the attacks of that pernicious insect. Thus American vines are the salvation of the world’s viticulture; and Messrs. Munson and Jaeger, owing to their intimate knowledge of these vines, are to-day recognized and often quoted authorities on the vast work of re-establishing the ruined vineyards of Europe and California on the basis of our native American vines, resistant to Phylloxera.