Born 12 February 1870 in Cass Township, Marrison County, Iowa, the sixth child and third son of Xaver and Christiane Geiger Aleck. An abcess developed on his chest and died of old age 22 July 1962 in Concord, California. Buried in Omaha, Nebraska.

Married 6 February 1896 in Persia, Iowa to Ida Margaret Martens, born 12 December 1877 in Bunsco, Sieder Dittmarsen, Holstein, Germany, the daughter of Hans and Margaret Jebens Martens. In later years she had glaucoma causing blindness. Died of old age 6 September 1962 in Concord, California. Buried in Omaha, Nebraska.

At 4 or 5 years of age he was a victim of poliomyelitis which caused one leg to be shorter. Also, he fell out of a wagon crushing the bones of this affected foot. As a result of this combination he walked with a limp the rest of his life. He couldn't run fast enough to keep up with the other kids, he always was behind - like the squirrel's tail. They began calling him "Squirrel's tail" then shortened this to "Earl Tail" and finally to the nickname he was known by, "Earl."

His father, realizing that because of his physical handicap, he wouldn't be able to do much physical labor, sent him to the Woodbine Normal School. He had a lot of mechanical ability - could fix anything.

Joseph and Ida's first home was a farm west of Persia, at Crisp, Harrison County, Iowa. In 1906 they bought 240 acres southeast of Logan where they lived until 1908. They rented the farm and moved to Logan where he joined his brother, John, in the operation of a feed, seed, and produce store. They then moved to Avoca, Iowa where he had a Raleigh Route. After a time they moved back to their farm where they lived until 1926 when they sold the farm and moved to Omaha, Nebraska, first, to the Benson area, then on Cuming Street, finally to North Omaha. Joseph raised big gardens and sold vegetables and was a general handyman. In 1955they moved to Concord, California.

Joe and Ida loved to play cards -- I remember their visits to Logan and the frequent and long sessions of card games that they enjoyed so very much. They were members of the Lutheran church. Joseph and Ida were the parents of seven children, three sons and four daughters: Xaver Hans, Maleta Margaret, Gustave Joseph, Vivetta Magdalene, Mildred Marie, Margaret Fredericka, and Joseph Adolphus, Jr.

Source: The Smart Aleck by Vivetta Aleck Emmer and Eileen Aleck Albert, Pub. by the authors, 1986.