Eugene Niemeyer Retires From Fayette County Farm Bureau

Eugene Niemeyer has just retired as Director of the Farm Bureau after over 25 years of faithful service.

For many of those years, Eugene served in both the President and Director roles.

Eugene was born in 1941 to Fritz and Mary Niemeyer and grew up on a farm four miles west of La Grange, Texas. His birth was followed by a sister, Annette, eighteen months later; a brother, Fred, five years later; and a baby sister, Betty, twelve years later.

If you know Eugene, you may have heard many stories about his youth—stories he loves to share whenever given the opportunity. These stories include the hardships endured during his early years on the family farm: a distantly located, daddy-long-leg-infested outhouse as the only bathroom facility; transportation provided by a one-seat Model A Ford; laundry done on a washboard; heat from a wood stove fueled by firewood that Eugene and his family spent backbreaking days cutting with axes and crosscut saws; and early mornings spent milking cows and gathering eggs.

The family farm supported cattle, pigs, chickens, cotton, corn, milo, hay, and other vegetables. Eugene spent many hot summers picking cotton by hand. As soon as his legs could reach the pedals, he began driving the tractor. The Niemeyer farm sold surplus beef, pork, eggs, milk, cotton, hay, feed, and vegetables to local merchants.

When Eugene was in the eighth grade, his father died after suffering a head injury on the farm. At the time, his younger brother Fred was in the fourth grade, and his baby sister Betty was only two years old. Eugene was immediately thrust into the role of “man of the house,” which required him and his sister Annette to miss multiple school days to keep the farm running. Despite these hardships, Eugene continued playing baseball. He also played trumpet for the high school band, The Lone Star Brass Band, and Baca’s Orchestra. He served as class president his senior year.

Shortly after graduating high school, Eugene married Barbara Elias. Together, they had two daughters, Christi and Suzanne. Eugene and his family traveled throughout Texas for several years while he worked in bridge construction for his uncle’s company. When his eldest daughter became school-aged, the family returned to La Grange.

Eugene was employed by Bohot and Todd Dealership as a mechanic and eventually became the head mechanic for the International Harvester (IH) tractor division. Later, he purchased the IH dealership from Bohot and Todd, which became Niemeyer International. As the IH dealer, Eugene provided many concessions during lean years for farmers, including discounted services and delayed payment options so they could afford seed and other necessities to maintain their operations.

In addition to his demanding work schedule, Eugene farmed twenty-five acres at his family’s homestead, raising corn, maize, and potatoes. He also played baseball for the Plum League, coached the Junior Boys Baseball Team— ”The Braves”—and was an active member of the local Jaycees chapter.

Early in his return to La Grange, Eugene became active in the Farm Bureau, driven by his passion for farming and his concern for the farming community. As a Farm Bureau representative, Eugene attended numerous meetings advocating for issues that benefited local farmers. Many of these meetings took place at statewide Farm Bureau Conventions, and some at national conventions, giving Eugene the opportunity to meet with and negotiate with politicians and their representatives in pursuit of positive results for farmers.

Eugene continues to stay informed about current issues affecting farmers and remains dedicated to defending their interests. He is still an active member of the Farm Bureau family. Though now serving more as a consultant, he continues to diagnose, locate parts for, and repair tractors, thanks to his deep knowledge of older tractor mechanics.

Eugene and his wife, Barbara, still live in La Grange, where Eugene enjoys feeding the “street” and “designer” chickens that roam their yard—although most of the chickens choose to lay their eggs in the neighbors’ yards.