John George Mergele, Sr. Born in 1849, George came to America at the age of 19 from Freiburg, Grossherzogtum, Germany, and settled at Beaver Falls, Minnesota, where, on September 22, 1883, he married Dorothea Heesch. They moved to Missouri in 1890 then to a farm 7 miles north of Manning, Iowa, in 1899.

Six children were born to this couple: Marie, John George, Jr., Anna Christina, August, Anton, and William George.

John passed away on May 23, 1905, and is buried in the Manning Cemetery.