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BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD 

OR 

BOONE  COUNTY 

IOWA 


ILLUSTRATED 


7  !/■  -peoph   that  takt   m  pride  in  the  noble  achievements  of  remote  ancestors  will  never  achieve 
anything  worthy  /••  be  r,  membered  with  pride  by  remote  generations. — Macaulay, 


NEW  YORK  AND  CHICAGi  I 
i    Publishing  i 


300534  | 


Biography  is  the  only  true    History. — Emerson. 

A  people  that  take  no   pride    in   the  noble  achievements  of  remote  ancestor* 

will  nevei   achieve  anything  worthy  to  be  remembered  with 

pride  by  remote  generations. — Macaulay. 


-3gp- 


PREFACE. 


HE  greatest  of  English  historians,  Macaulav.  and  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  writers  of  the  present  century,  has  said  :  "The  history  of  a 
country  is  best  told  in  a  record  of  the  lives  of  its  people."  In  con- 
formity with  this  idea,  the  Biographical  Record  has  been  prepared. 
Instead  of  going  to  musty  records,  and  taking  therefrom  dry  statistical 
matter  that  can  be  appreciated  by  but  few,  our  corps  of  writers  have 
gone  to  the  people,  the  men  and  women  who  have,  by  their  enterprise 
and  industry,  brought  this  county  to  a  rank  second  to  none  among 
those  comprising  this  great  and  noble  State,  and  from  their  lips  have  the  story  of  their  life 
struggles.  No  more  interesting  or  instructive  matter  could  be  presented  to  an  intelligent 
public.  In  this  volume  will  be  found  a  record  of  many  whose  lives  are  worthy  the  imitation 
of  coming  generations.  It  tells  how  some,  commencing  life  in  poverty,  by  industry  ami 
economy,  have  accumulated  wealth.  It  tells  how  others,  with  limited  advantages  for  securing 
an  education,  have  become  learned  men  and  women,  with  an  influence  extending  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  It  tells  of  men  who  have  risen  from  the  lower  walks  of 
life  to  eminence  as  statesmen,  and  whose  names  have  become  famous.  It  tells  of  those  in 
every  walk  in  life  who  have  striven  to  succeed,  and  records  how  that  success  has  usu- 
ally crowned  their  efforts.  It  tells  also  of  those,  who,  not  seeking  the  applause  of  the 
world,  have  pursued  the  "  even  tenor  of  their  way,"  content  to  have  it  said  of  them,  as  Christ 
said  of  the  woman  performing  a  deed  of  mercy — "They  nave  done  what  they  could."  It 
tells  how  many,  in  the  pride  and  strength  of  young  manhood,  left  the  plow  and  the  anvil,  the 
lawyer's  office  and  the  counting-room,  left  every  trade  and  profession,  and  at  their  country's 
call  went  forth  valiantly  "  to  do  or  die,"  and  how  through  their  efforts  the  Union  was 
restored  and  peace  once  more  reigned  in  the  land.  In  the  life  of  every  man  and  of  every 
woman  is  a  lesson  that  should  not  be  lust  upon  those  who  follow  after. 

Coming  generations  will  appreciate  this  volume  and  preserve  it  as  a  sacred  treasure,  trom 
the  fact  that  it  contains  so  much  that  would  never  find  its  way  into  public  records,  and  which 
would  otherwise  be  inaccessible.  Great  care  has  been  taken  in  the  compilation  of  the  work 
and  every  opportunity  possible  given  to  those  represented  to  insure  correctness  in  what  has 
been  written  ;  and  the  publishers  flatter  themselves  that  they  give  to  their  readers  a  work  with 
few  errors  of  consequence.  In  addition  to  biographical  sketche-.  portraits  oi  a  number  of 
representative  citizens  are  given. 

The  faces  of  some,  and  biographical  sketches  of  many,  will  be  missed  in  this  volume. 
For  this  the  publishers  are  not  to  blame.  Not  having  a  proper  conception  of  the  work,  some 
retused  to  give  the  information  necessary  to  compile  a  sketch,  while  others  were  indifferent. 
Occasionally  some  member  of  the  family  would  oppose  the  enterprise,  and  on  account  of  such 
opposition  the  support  of  the  interested  one  would  be  withheld.  In  a  few  instances  men 
never  could  be  found,  though  repeated  calls  were  made  at   their  residence  or  place  of  business. 

November,   1902.  Tin-;  S.  J.  Ci.aiike  PUBLISHING  Co. 


e^£T 


<AZ'  as) 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


Table  of  Contents,    - 
Introductory,      - 


Compendium  of  National  Biography,    -      13 
Compendium  of  Local  Biography,       -        223 


INDEX  TO  FART  I. 

Compendium  of  National  Biography. 


Biographical   Sketches  of  National  Celebrities. 


PAGE 

Abbott,   Lyman     144 

Adams,  Charles  Kendall 143 

Adams,  John 25 

Adams,  John  Ouincy 61 

Agassiz,  Louis  J.  R 137 

Alger,  Russell  A 173 

Allison,  William  B 131 

Allston,  Washington 190 

Altgeld,  John  Peter 140 

Andrews,  Elisha  B 184 

Anthony,  Susan  B 62 

Armour,  Philip  D 62 

Arnold,  Benedict 84 

Arthur,  Chester  Allen 168 

Astor,  John  Jacob 139 

Audubon,  John  James 166 

Bailey,  James  Montgomery...  177 

Bancroft,  George 74 

Barnard,  Frederick  A.  P 179 

Barnum,   Phineas  T 41 

Barrett,  Lawrence 156 

Barton,  Clara 209 

Bayard,  Thomas  Francis 200 

Beard,  William  H 196 

Beauregard,  Pierre  G.  T 203 

Beecher,  Henry  Ward 26 

Bell,  Alexander  Graham 96 

Bennett,  James  Gordon 206 

Benton,  Thomas  Hart 53 

Bergh,  Henry 160 

Bierstadt,  Albert 197 

Billings,  Josh 166 

Blaine,  James  Gillespie 22 

Bland,  Richard  Parks 106 


page 

Boone,   Daniel 36 

Booth,  Edwin 51 

Booth,  Junius  Brutus 177 

Brice,  Calvin  S 181 

Brooks,  Phillips 130 

Brown,  John 51 

Brown,  Charles  Farrar 91 

Brush,  Charles  Francis 153 

Bryan,  William  Jennings 158 

Bryant,  William  Cullen. 44 

Buchanan,  Franklin 105 

Buchanan,  James 128 

Buckner,  Simon  Boliver 188 

Burdette,  Robert  J 103 

Burr,  Aaron. Ill 

Butler,  Benjamin  Franklin ....  24 

Calhoun,  John  Caldwell 23 

Cameron,  James  Donald 141 

Cameron,  Simon 141 

Cammack,  Addison 191 

Campbell,  Alexander 180 

Carlisle,  John  G 133 

Carnegie,  Andrew 73 

Carpenter,  Matthew  Hale 178 

Carson,  Christopher  (Kit).  .    ..  86 

Cass,  Lewis lid 

Chase,  Salmon   Portland 65 

Childs,  Georire  \V    83 

Choate,   Rut  us 201 

Chaflin,  Horace  Brigham 107 

Clay,  Henry 21 

( llemens,  Samuel  Langhorne, .  86 

Cleveland,   Grover 174 

Clews,  Henry 153 


PAGE. 

Clinton,  DeWitt 110 

Colfax,  Schuyler, 139 

Conklin,  Alfred 32 

Conklin,  Roscoe 32 

Cooley,  Thomas  Mclntyre.  ..  .   140 

Cooper,  James  Fenimore 58 

Cooper,  Peter 37 

Copely,  John  Singleton 191 

Corbin,  Austin 205 

Corcoran,  W.W 196 

Cornell,  Ezra 161 

Cramp,  William 189 

Crockett,  David 76 

Cullom,  Shelby  Moore   116 

Curtis,  George  William 144 

Cushman,  Charlotte 107 

Custer,  George  A 95 

Dana,  Charles  A 88 

"Danbury  News  Man" 1  77 

Davenport,  Fanny 106 

Davis,  Jefferson 24 

Debs,  Eugene  V 132 

Decatur,  Stephen 101 

Deering,  William 198 

Depew, Chauncey  Mitchell...  209 

Dickinson,  Anna 103 

Dickinson,  Don  M 139 

Dingley,  Nelson,  Jr 215 

Donnelly,  Ignatius 161 

I  >ouL'las,  Stephen  Arnold 53 

1  louglass,  Frederick 43 

Dow,  Neal 108 

Draper,  John  William 184 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS— PART  I 


PAGE 

Drexel,  Anthony  Joseph 124 

Dupont,  Henry 198 

Edison,  Thomas  Alva 55 

Edmunds,  George  F 201 

Ellsworth,  Oliver 168 

Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo 57 

Ericsson,  John 127 

E vans,  William  Maxwell 89 

Farragut,  David  Glascoe 80 

Field,  Cyrus  West 173 

Field,  David  Dudley 126 

Field,  Marshall 59 

Field,  Stephen  Johnson 216 

Fillmore,  Millard 113 

Foote,  Andrew  Hull 176 

Foraker,  Joseph  B 143 

Forrest,  Edwin 92 

Franklin,  Benjamin 18 

Fremont,  John  Charles 29 

Fuller,  Melville  Weston 168 

Fulton,  Robert 62 

Gage,  Lvman  J 71 

Gallatin;  Albert 112 

Garfield,  James  A 163 

Garrett,  John  Work 21 10 

Garrison,  William  Llovd 50 

Gates,  Horatio   ' 70 

Gatling,  Richard  Jordan 116 

George,  Henry 203 

Gibbons,  Cardinal  James 209 

Gilnmre,  Patrick  Sarsfield 77 

Girard,  Stephen 137 

Gough,  John  B 131 

Gould,  Jay 52 

Gordon,  John  B 215 

Grant,  Ulysses  S 155 

Gray,  Asa *S 

Grav,  Elisha 14;i 

Greeley,  Adolphus  W 142 

Greeley,  Horace 20 

Greene,  Nathaniel 6;t 

Gresham,  Walter  Quintin 183 

Hale,  Edward  Everett 79 

Hall,  Charles  Francis 167 

Hamilton,  Alexander 31 

Hamlin,  Hannibal 214 

Hampton,  Wade  192 

Hancock,  Winfield  Scott 146 

Hanna,  Marcus  Alonzo 169 

Harris,  Isham  G 214 

Harrison,  William  Henry ^7 

Harrison,  Benjamin 182 

Harvard,  John 129 

Havemeyer,  John  Craig 182 

Hawthorne,  Nathaniel. 135 

Hayes,  Rutherford  Birchard.. .  157 

Hendricks,  Thomas  Andrew.  .  212 

Henrv,  Joseph 105 

Henrv,  Patrick 83 

Hill, David  Bennett 90 

Hobart,  Garrett  A 213 

Holmes,  Oliver  Wendell 206 

Hooker,  Joseph 52 

Howe,  Elias 130 

Howells,  William  Dean 104 


PAGE 

Houston,  Sam 120 

Hughes,  Archbishop  John 157 

Hughitt,  Marvin 159 

Hull,  Isaac 169 

Huntington,  Collis  Potter 94 

Ingalls,  John  James 114 

Ingersoll,  Robert  G 85 

Irving,  Washington 33 

Jackson,  Andrew '. .     71 

Jackson,  "  Stonewall  " 67 

Jackson,  Thomas  Jonathan 67 

Jay,  John 39 

Jefferson,  Joseph 47 

Jefferson,  Thomas 34 

Johnson,  Andrew 145 

Johnson,  Eastman   202 

Johnston,  Joseph  Eccleston...  .     85 

Jones,  James  K 171 

Jones,  John  Paul 97 

Jones,  Samuel  Porter 115 

Kane,  Elisha  Kent 125 

Kearney,  Philip 210 

Kenton,  Simon 188 

Knox,'  John  Jay 134 

Lamar,  Lucius  Q.  C 201 

Landon,  Melville  D 109 

Lee,  Robert  Edward 38 

Lewis,  Charles  B 193 

Lincoln,  Abraham 135 

Livermore,  Mary  Ashton 131 

Locke,  David  Ross 172 

Logan,  John  A 26 

Longfellow,  Henry  Wadsworth     37 

Longstreet,  James 56 

Lowell,  James  Russell 104 

Mackay,  John  William 148 

Madison,  James 42 

Marshall,  John 156 

Mather,  Cotton 164 

Mather,  Increase 163 

Maxim,  Hiram  S 194 

McClellan,  George  Brinton..  .  .      47 

McCormick,  Cyrus  Hall 172 

McDonough,  Com.  Thomas.. .   167 

McKinley,  William 217 

Meade,  George  Gordon 75 

Medill,  Joseph 159 

Miles,  Nelson  A 176 

Miller,  Cincinnatus  Heine 218 

Miller,  loaquin 218 

Mills,  Roger  Quarles 211 

Monroe,  lames 54 

Moody,  Dwight  L 207 

Moran,  Thomas   98 

Morgan,  John  Pierpont 208 

Morgan,  John  T 216 

Morris,  Robert 165 

Morse,  Samuel  F.  B 124 

Morton,  Levi   P 142 

Morton,  Oliver  Perrv 215 

Motley,  John  Lathrop 130 

"Nye,  Bill" 59 

Nye,  Edgar  Wilson 59 


PAGE 

O'Conor,  Charles 187 

Olney,  Richard 133 

Paine,  Thomas 147 

Palmer,  John  M 195 

Parkhurst,  Charles  Henry 160 

"  Partington,  Mrs." ' 202 

Peabody,  George 170 

Peck,  George  W 187 

Peffer,  William  A 164 

Perkins,  Eli 109 

Perrv,  Oliver  Hazard 97 

Phillips,  Wendell 30 

Pierce,  Franklin 122 

Pingree,  Hazen  S 212 

Plant,  Henry  B 192 

Poe,  Edgar  Allen 69 

Polk,  James  Knox 102 

Porter,  David  Dixon 68 

Porter,  Noah 93 

Prentice,  George  Denison..  .  .     119 
Prescott,  William  Hicklinj.  96 

Pullman,  George  Mortimer..  ..  121 

Quad,  M 193 

Quay   MatthewS 171 

Randolph,  Edmund 136 

Read,  Thomas  Buchanan 132 

Reed,  Thomas  Bracken 208 

Reid,  Whitelaw 149 

Roach,  lohn 190 

Rockefeller,  John  Davison....  195 

Knot,  George  Frederick 218 

Rothermel,  Peter  F 113 

Rutledge,  John 

Sage,  Russell 211 

Schofield,  John  McAllister 199 

Schurz,  Carl 201 

Scott,  Thomas  Alexander 

Scott,  Winfield 79 

Seward,  William  Henry    ....        44 

Sharon,  William 

Shaw,  Henrv  W 166 

Sheridan,  Phillip  Henry '    40 

Sherman,  Charles  R -' 

Sherman,  John 86 

Shillaber,  Benjamin  Penhallow  202 
Sherman,  William  Tecumseh..     30 

Smith,  Edmund  Kirby 114 

Sousa,  John  Philip 60 

Spreckels,  Claus 159 

Stanford,  Leland 101 

Stanton,  Edwin  McMasters. .  .   179 

Stanton,  Elizabeth  Cady 126 

Stephens,  Alexander  Hamilton     32 

Stephenson,  Adlai  Ewing 141 

Stewart,  Alexander  T 58 

Stewart,  William  Morris 213 

Stowe,        Harriet       Elizabeth 

Beecher 66 

Stuart,  James  E.  B 122 

Sumner,  Charles 34 

i 
Talmage,  Thomas  DeWitt     . .     60 

Taney,'  Roger  Brook*        129 

Tavlor,  Zacharv ION 

Teiler,  Henrv  M 127 


TABLE   OF  COXTE NTS— PART  I 


PAGE 

Tesla,  Nikola 193 

Thomas,  George  H 73 

Thomas,  Theodore 172 

Thurman,  Allen  G 90 

Thurston,   John  M 166 

Tilden,  Samuel  J 4S 

Tillman,  Benjamin  Ryan Ill) 

Toombs,  Robert 205 

"Twain,  Mark" 86 

Tyler,  |ohn 93 

Van  Buren,  Martin 78 

Vanderbilt,  Cornelius  35 

Vail, Alfred 154 

Vest,  George  Graham 214 


PAGE 

Vilas,  William  Freeman 140 

Voorhees,  Daniel  Wolsey 95 

Wane,  Morrison  Remich 125 

Wallace,  Lewis 199 

Wallack,  Lester 121 

Wallack,  John  Lester 121 

Wanamaker,  John 89 

Ward,  "Artemus" 91 

Washburne,  Elihu  Benjamin. .  189 

Washington,  George 17 

Watson,  Thomas  E 178 

Watterson,  Henry 76 

Weaver,  James  B 123 

Webster,  Daniel 19 


PAGE 

Webster,  Noah 49 

Weed,  Thurlow 91 

West,  Benjamin 115 

Whipple,  Henry  Benjamin. .. .  161 

White,  Stephen  V 162 

Whiterield,  George 150 

Whitman,  Walt 197 

Whitney,  Eli 120 

Whitney,  William  Collins 92 

Whittier,  John  Greenleaf 67 

Willard,  Frances  E 133 

Wilson,  William  L 180 

Winchell,  Alexander 175 

Windom,  William 138 


PORTRAITS  OF  NATIONAL  CELEBRITIES. 


PAGE 

Alger,  Russell  A 16 

Allison,  William  B 99 

Anthony,  Susan  B 63 

Armour,  Philip  D 151 

Arthur,  Chester  A 81 

Barnum,  Phineas  T 117 

Beecher,  Henry  Ward 27 

Blaine,  James  G 151 

Booth,  Edwin 63 

Bryan,  Wm.  1 63 

Bryant,  William  Cullen 185 

Buchanan,  James 81 

Buckner,  Simon  B 16 

Butler  Benjamin  F I'd 

Carlisle,  John  G 151 

Chase,  Salmon  P 16 

Childs,  George  W 99 

Clay,  Henry 81 

Cleveland,  Grover 45 

Cooper,  Peter 99 

Dana,  Charles  A 151 

1 )(  pew,  Chauncey  M 117 

Douglass,  Fred 63 

Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo 27 

Evans,  William  M 99 

Farragut,  Com.  D.  G 185 

Field,  Cyrus  W 63 


PAGE 

Field,  Marshall 117 

Franklin,  Benjamin 63 

Fremont,  Gen.  John  C 16 

Gage,  Lyman  J 151 

Garfield,   lames  A 45 

Garrison,  William  Lloyd 63 

George,  Henry 117 

Gould,  Jay 99 

Grant,  Gen.  U.  S 185 

Greeley,  Horace 81 

Hampton,  Wade 16 

Hancock,  Gen.  Winfield  S 185 

Hanna,  Mark  A 117 

Harrison,  Benjamin 81 

Hayes,  R.  B 45 

Hendricks,  Thomas  A 81 

Holmes,  Oliver  W 151 

Hooker,  Gen.  Joseph 16 

Ingersoll,  Robert  G 117 

Irving,  Washington 27 

Jackson,  Andrew 45 

Jefferson,  Thomas 45 

Johnston,  Gen.  J.  E 16 

Lee,  Gen.  Robert  E 185 

Lincoln,  Abraham 81 

Logan,  Gen.  John  A 16 

Longfellow,   Henry  W 185 


PAGE 

Longstreet,  Gen.  James 16 

Lowell,  James  Russell 27 

McKinley,  William 45 

Morse,  S.  F.  B 1S5 

Phillips,  Wendell 27 

Porter,  Com.  D.  D 185 

Pullman,  George  M 117 

Quay,  M.  S.... 99 

Reed,  Thomas  B 151 

Sage,  Russell 117 

Scott,  Gen.  Winfield 185 

Seward,  William  H 45 

Sherman,  John *  99 

Sherman,  Gen.  W.  T 151 

Stanton,  Elizabeth  Cady 27 

Stowe,  Harriet  Beecher 27 

Sumner,  Charles 45 

Talmage,  T.  DeWitt 63 

Teller,  Henry  M 99 

Thurman,  Allen  G 81 

Tilden,  Samuel  J 117 

Van  Buren,  Martin 81 

Vanderbilt,  Commodore 99 

Webster,  Daniel 27 

Whittier,  John  G 2"! 

Washington,  George 45 

Watterson,  Henry 63 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Aldrich,    Charles    47- 

Anderson,  Charles  F  318 

Anderson,  John  311 

Anderson.  Rev.  J.  A 226 

Arie.   B    392 

Armstrong.   A.   F 302 

Baker.  Moses  354 

Bakley.  D.  E  625 

Barclay.  James 547 

Barkley,  A.   J    244 

liirklev.   Mrs.   A.  J 251 

Barnett,  J.  B   358 

Bass,   D.   M   464 

Bass,  John   368 

Beiter.    Adam    300 

Bengston.  S.  A  645 

Benson.    William    , 237 

Bergman,  Henrv 517 

Bicket,  Mrs.  Ellen  396 

Bilsland.  John   371 

Bolle,   William    589 

Bollenbaugh,  A.  J    518 

Boone,    William   M 381 

Bouton,    Burr    359 

Bovd.  George  J    387 

.        I     H    265 

Brainard,  John  M  256 

Brigham.  L.   E   44.8 

Burk,  Thomas  229 

Burnside,  A.   M    296 

Buttolph,  John   R    293 

Campbell,    C.   S    604 

Capron,    Benjamin    582 

Carlson,    Carl    485 

Charles  R 486 

Carter.  CO  660 

Cassel.  C.  J   418 

Clark  &  Clark,  Drs 372 

1   I  irl  ,  Arthur 212 

Clark.  L.  W   V'.; 

Clark.    R.   D    295 

Chile.    Jacob    J     623 

Cook,  Carsten   506 

lohn    528 


Crim.  John  3-* 

Crook,.  G.   W    552 

Crowe,   William    440 

Culver.    Charles   T    234 

Cutler.  F.  E  365 

Dalander,   E.    P    643 

Dale.    R.    F    533 

Dana,  J.  J    35-' 

Davis.   C.   M    611 

De  Fore.  H.   C 536 

DeTar,  Dr.   D.   N    41.2 

Dickinson,  Dr.  J.  W 507 

Dolloff,    Franklin    488 

Doran,  J.  R 434 

Dyer,   Sidney  R    316 

Elliott.    S.    J 390 

Elwell.   J.   K   566 

Enfield.  G.  L 

Engler.    John    254 

Ericson,   C.   J.   A 2.3 

Farr,   Dr.    H.    S 462 

Freie.  George   F 285 

Frey,  John  F 

Friedley,   Henry    240 

Ganoe,   H.   L 550 

Gay,    F.    D 325 

Gever.    T.    1 4S0 

Gildea,   J.    N 467 

Gceppinger.   Henry    339 

Gceppinger,   John    L    350 

Gceppinger,  Louis  349 

Goetzinann.   Charles    6;o 

Goldthwaite,  S    G 270 

Good.  Hon.  John  L 544 

Goodrich.  W.   W    233 

Graves,    H.    M 496 

Hagge,   Ciaus 4,-0 

Hagge.    Hans     579 

Halliday.  J.  F   (.41 

Halliday,    lohn   W   640 

Hall. day.  O.  J    044 


PAGE 

Hamilton,  H.  M   471 

Heidi.  Hans 

Heldt.    Peter    

Hennings,    Herman    301 

Herman.  J.   H    

Herman,    John    F    

Herman.   Otto   C    

Herring.   John   

Herron.   ].    R    264 

1 1'    -     racob  =17 

Hindman,  D.  R   285 

Holmes,   A.  J   

Holmes.  T.  B   10s 

Hoist.   B.   P...., -11 

Hopkins.  Hon.    John   F.  .  .  .        =40 

Horn-.  J.  D.  W 

Houghton,  H.   A    

Houghton.  Orvil 

Hull.  H.  W  120 

Hull.   Jackson    ',33 

Hurlburt,   J.    B 

Irving,   E.  R    

Irwin.  George  L  410 

1 .1-'.  John   

Jennings.  Hon.  J.   H    ... 

Johnsi  hi.    Andrew    555 

Johnst  'ii.   Andrew    590 

Johnson,   A.   J 642 

Johnson.  Fred   1 

Johnson,  William   

Johnson.   W.    D    

Joice.  Austin   

Jones,    Richard    cm 

Jones,  T.   L   

Ionian.    Edward    C     U7 

Jordan     R.    F    

Judge,   M.   E   

Keigley,  W.  J 537 

Kelly,    Mike    

Kendall.   F.   S 

Kennison.  J.   S   

Kirkendall,  J.  X   

Krtise,    Hans    


PAGE 

Kruse,  John   241 

Kuhl,   George    321 

Larson,   Charles    578 

Lehman,    Daniel    398 

Lind,    John   E    ''4  = 

Loomis,   W    \\    206 

1  w.  w 

Lucas,   C.   L    

Lund,   Howard    

Luther,  Milden  

McCall.   William    --1 

McCaskey,    H.    A.    K 

McGrath,  Thomas  D  624 

>.  A.   H    431 

McGregor.  John   

McLaughlin.    Mike    

Malmquist,  John  N  -  . . .  I 

Martenson,  J.  G  335 

Mason.  George    

Mayer,    1.  H    228 

Melott.   Dr.   E.   H    .... 

Menton,  W.  F  263 

Mertz,    A.    H    494 

Meyers.  Harrison   597 

Miller.    James    -'7-? 

Miller,    John    F    534 

Montgomery,  W.   B    . 

Alfred    

Moyers    H.  L  

Munn,  Wesley  232 

Myers,  H.  C   636 

Myers,    lay    406 

Myers,  West   379 

Nelson,  Oscar  A  4'  > 

Noyes,    Dr.   James  H    59* 

Ntitt,  1.  E 417 

Nylander,   John    603 

Orr.  Hon.  Jackson  438 

Otis,  H.  H  428 


PAGE 

Fage,   J.    W    347 

Parker,  H.  J  401 

417 

Payne.  Thomas  382 

. .    .   652 

Pendarvis,    I.   P   444 

Pettv.    W.    M     4  ■: 

Pilcher,  Charles  F  .  .. . 

W  illiam  L   374 

Pollock,  Dr.   W.   L 

Price.  C.  J   

Pugsley.  Smith   

I  ihn    

VI  45'' 

Rice.   C.   E   291 

1  mies  !■   450 

erg,  J    H   402 

Rinehart,  Jerry   23] 

Rinker,  George  J   658 

Rinker,   I.   H   282 

v  C   55" 

on,    I.    E 255 

r  p 

433 

S    608 

Rundberg,  John    4-1 

Sellard,   E.   B    

Shadle,  A.  T  3.V> 

Shadle,  George   

Sherman.  Charles  A   445 

Sherman.  Chirk-   B    4-17 

W.    H    403 

Slater.    John    572 

Smalley,  T.  J   143 

Smith.   Ira      227 

Smvth,  John  558 

Sne'll,  J.  J    45* 

Soderland,   Eric    271 

Sparks    C.  I  . .  ■•■  322 


PAGE 

\\      11 

-       I  ...     2t>2 

\!  ...    314 

Dr.  S.  O 

I     U 
Swisher,  George  500 

Temple,  John  J    

n,  J.  W 
CD 

':     I'     27* 

Tingwald,   John    

Todd.  W.    I    

Tonsfeldt,   Jacob 
Turner.  Orsamus   

Upton,   C.   A    553 

\  .in  Zandt,  John  W  . 
Veneman,  R   V  

Walter.    Phillip    54') 

-    R   ',11 

Webb,  1    E    410 

'  Inlander    .... 
Wentz,  F.  E 

g,   A.   P   I' 

Morris    . 
Whitaker,  Charles  543 

F     W    455 

William..  J.  C 

i  ,hn    I     - 

William-.  Squire  R  405 

;  imuel  |0 

WoM,'  Fred    

Wolf,   Henry 

Wolf,  William  051 

1  •■-   54^ 

!  red   A 


'^U^ 


COMPENDIUM  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Celebrated  Americans 


EORGE  WASHINGTON, 
the  first  president  of  the  Unit- 
ed States,  called  the  "Father 
of  his  Country,"  was  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  characters 
in  history.  He  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1732,  in  Washing- 
ton Parish,  Westmoreland  county,  Virginia. 
His  father,  Augustine  Washington,  first 
married  Jane  Butler,  who  bore  him  four 
children,  and  March  6,  1730,  he  .married 
Mary  Ball.  Of  six  children  by  his  second 
marriage,  George  was  the  eldest. 

Little  is  known  of  the  early  years  of 
Washington,  beyond  the  fact  that  the  house 
in  which  he  was  born  was  burned  during  his 
early  childhood,  and  that  his  father  there- 
upon moved  to  another  farm,  inherited  from 
his  paternal  ancestors,  situated  in  Stafford 
county,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Rappahan- 
nock, and  died  there  in  1743.  From  ea-liest 
childhood  George  developed  a  noble  charac- 
ter. His  education  was  somewhat  defective, 
being  confined  to  the  elementary  branches 
taught  him  by  his  mother  and  at  a  neighbor- 
ing school.  On  leaving  school  he  resided 
some  time  at   Mount   Vernon   with   his  half 


brother,  Lawrence,  who  acted  as  his  guar- 
dian. George's  inclinations  were  for  a  sea- 
faring career,  and  a  midshipman's  warrant 
was  procured  for  him;  but  through  the  oppo- 
sition of  his  mother  the  project  was  aban- 
doned, and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was 
appointed  surveyor  to  the  immense  estates 
of  the  eccentric  Lord  Fairfax.  Three  years 
were  passed  by  Washington  in  a  rough  fron- 
tier life,  gaining  experience  which  afterwards 
proved  very  esse-itial  to  him  ,In  1751, 
when  the  Virginia  militia  were  put  under 
training  with  a  view  to  active  service  against 
France,  Washington,  though  only  nineteen 
years  of  age,  was  appointed  adjutant,  with 
the  rank  of  major.  In  1752  Lawrence 
Washington  died,  leaving  his  large  property 
to  an  infant  daughter.  In  his  will  George 
was  named  one  of  the  executors  and  as  an 
eventual  heir  to  Mount  Vernon,  and  by  the 
death  of  the  infant  niece,  soon  succeeded  to 
that  estate.  In  1753  George  was  commis- 
sioned adjutant-general  of  the  Virginia 
militia,  and  performed  important  work  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  French  and  Indian 
war,  was  rapidly  promoted,  and  at  the  close  of 
that  war  we  find  him  commander-in-chier  of 


13 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


all  the  forces  raised  in  Virginia.  A  cessation 
of  Indian  hostilities  on  the  frontier  having 
followed  the  expulsion  of  the  French  from 
the  Ohio,  he  resigned  his  commission  as 
commander-in-chief  of  the  Virginia  forces, 
and  then  proceeded  to  Williamsburg  to  take 
his  seat  in  the  Virginia  Assembly,  of  which 
he  had  been  elected  a  member. 

January  17,  1759,  Washington  marred 
Mrs.  Martha  (Dandridge)  Curtis,  a  young 
and  beautiful  widow  of  great  wealth,  and 
devoted  himself  for  the  ensuing  fifteen  years 
to  the  quiet  pursuits  of  agriculture,  inter- 
rupted only  by  the  annual  attendance  in 
winter  upon  the  colonial  legislature  at 
Williamsburg,  until  summoned  by  his  coun- 
try to  enter  upon  that  other  arena  in  which 
his  fame  was  to  become  world-wide.  The 
war  for  independence  called  Washington 
into  service  again,  and  he  was  made  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  colonial  forces,  and 
was  the  most  gallant  and  conspicuous  figure 
in  that  bloody  struggle,  serving  until  Eng- 
land acknowledged  the  independence  of 
each  of  the  thirteen  States,  and  negotiated 
with  them  jointly,  as  separate  sovereignties. 
December  4,  1783,  the  great  commander 
took  leave  of  his  officers  in  most  affection- 
ate and  patriotic  terms,  and  went  to  An- 
napolis, Maryland,  where  the  congress  of 
the  States  was  in  session,  and  to  that  body, 
when  peace  and  order  prevailed  everywhere, 
resigned  his  commission  and  retired  to 
Mount  Vernon. 

It  was  in  1789  that  Washington  was 
called  to  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  na- 
tion. The  inauguration  took  place  April 
30,  in  the  presence  of  an  immense  multi- 
tude which  had  assembled  to  witness  the  new 
and  imposing  ceremony.  In  the  manifold  de- 
tails of  his  civil  administration  Washington 
proved  himself  fully  equal  to  the  requirements 
of  his  position.      In  1792,  at  the  second  presi- 


dential election,  Washington  was  desirous 
to  retire;  but  he  yielded  to  the  general  wish 
of  the  country,  and  was  again  chosen  presi- 
dent. At  the  third  election,  in  1796,  he 
was  again  most  urgently  entreated  to  con- 
sent to  remain  in  the  executive  chair.  This 
he  positively  refused,  and  after  March  4, 
1797,  he  again  retired  to  Mount  Vernon 
for  peace,  quiet,  and  repose. 

Of  the  call  again  made  on  this  illustrious 
chief  to  quit  his  repose  at  Mount  Ver- 
non and  take  command  of  all  the  United 
States  forces,  with  rank  of  lieutenant-gen- 
eral, when  war  was  threatened  with  France 
in  179S,  nothing  need  here  be  stated,  ex- 
cept to  note  the  fact  as  an  unmistakable 
testimonial  of  the  high  regard  in  which  he 
was  still  held  by  his  countrymen  of  all 
shades  of  political  opinion.  He  patriotic- 
ally accepted  this  trust,  but  a  treaty  of 
peace  put  a  stop  to  all  action  under  it.  He 
again  retired  to  Mount  Vernon,  where  he 
died  December  14,  1799,  in  the  sixty-eighth 
year  of  his  age.  His  remains  were  depos- 
ited in  a  family  vault  on  the  banks  of  the 
Potomac,  at  Mount  Vernon,  where  they  still 
lie  entombed. 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN,  an  eminent 
American  statesman  and  scientist,  was 
born  of  poor  parentage,  January  17,  1706, 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts.  He  was  appren- 
ticed to  his  brother  James  to  learn  the  print- 
er's trade  to  prevent  his  running  away  and 
going  to  sea,  and  also  because  of  the  numer- 
ous family  his  parents  had  to  support  (there 
being  seventeen  children,  Benjamin  being 
the  fifteenth).  He  was  a  great  reader,  and 
soon  developed  a  taste  for  writing,  and  pre- 
pared a  number  of  articles  and  had  them 
published  in  the  paper  without  his  brother's 
knowledge,  and  when  the  authorship  be- 
came known  it  resulted  in  difficulty  for  the 


C  OMPEXDIL  .1/   OF    Bit  >  G  RA  J  'H  T. 


young  apprentice,  although  his  articles  had 
been  received  with  favor  by  the  public. 
James  was  afterwards  thrown  into  prison  for 
political  reasons,  and  young  Benjamin  con- 
ducted the  paper  alone  during  the  time.  In 
1823,  however,  he  determined  to  endure  his 
bonds  no  longer,  and  ran  away,  going  to 
Philadelphia,  where  he  arrived  with  only 
three  pence  as  his  store  of  wealth.  With 
these  he  purchased  three  rolls,  and  ate  them 
as  he  walked  along  the  streets.  He  soon 
found  employment  as  a  journeyman  printer. 
Two  years  later  he  was  sent  to  England  by 
the  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
promised  the  public  printing,  but  did  not  get 
it.  On  his  return  to' Philadelphia  he  estab- 
lished the  "Pennsylvania  Gazette,"  and 
soon  found  himself  a  person  of  great  popu- 
larity in  the  province,  his  ability  as  a  writer, 
philosopher,  and  politician  having  reached 
the  neighboring  colonies.  He  rapidly  grew 
in  prominence,  founded  the  Philadelphia  Li- 
brary in  1842,  and  two  years  later  the 
American  Philosophical  Society  and  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  made 
Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  in  London  in 
1775.  His  world-famous  investigations  in 
electricity  and  lightning  began  in  1746.  He 
became  postmaster-general  of  the  colonies 
in  1753,  having  devised  an  inter-colonial 
postal  system.  He  advocated  the  rights  of 
the  colonies  at  all  times,  and  procured  the 
repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act  in  1766.  He  was 
elected  to  the  Continental  congress  of  1775, 
and  in  1776  was  a  signer  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  being  one  of  the  commit- 
tee appointed  to  draft  that  paper.  He  rep- 
resented the  new  nation  in  the  courts  of 
Europe,  especially  at  Paris,  where  his  simple 
dignity  and  homely  wisdom  won  him  the 
admiration  of  the  court  and  the  favor  of  the 
people.  He  was  governor  of  Pennsylvania 
lour  vears;  was  also  a  member  of   the  con- 


vention in  17S7  that  drafted  the  constitution 
of  the  United  States. 

His  writings  upon  political  topics,  anti- 
slavery,  finance,  and  economics,  stamp  him 
as  one  of  the  greatest  statesmen  of  his  time, 
while  his  "Autobiography"  and  "Poor 
Richard's  Almanac  "  give  him  precedence  in 
the  literary  field.  In  early  life  he  was  an 
avowed  skeptic  in  religious  matters,  but 
later  in  life  his  utterances  on  this  subject 
were  less  extreme,  though  he  never  ex- 
pressed approval  of  any  sect  or  creed.  He 
died  in  Philadelphia  April  17,   1790. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.— Of  world  wide 
reputation  for  statesmanship,  diplo- 
macy, and  oratory,  there  is  perhaps  no  more 
prominent  figure  in  the  history  of  our  coun- 
try in  the  interval  between  181  5  and  1S61, 
than  Daniel  Webster.  He  was  born  at 
Salisbury  (now  Franklin),  New  Hampshire, 
I  January  18,  1782,  and  was  the  second  son 
of  Ebenezer  and  Abigail  (Eastman)  Webster. 
He  enjoyed  but  limited  educational  advan- 
tages in  childhood,  but  spent  a  few  months 
in  1797,  at  Phillip  Exeter  Academy.  He 
completed  his  preparation  for  college  in  the 
family  of  Rev.  Samuel  Wood,  at  Boscawen, 
and  entered  Dartmouth  College  in  the  fall 
of  1797.  He  supported  himself  most  of  the 
time  during  these  years  by  teaching  school 
and  graduated  in  1801,  having  the  credit  of 
being  the  foremost  scholar  of  his  class.  He 
entered  the  law  office  of  Hon.  Thomas  W. 
Thompson,  at  Salisbury.  In  1S02  he  con- 
tinued his  legal  studies  at  Fryeburg,  Maine, 
where  he  was  principal  of  the  academy  and 
copyist  in  the  office  of  the  register  of 
deeds.  In  the  office  of  Christopher  Gore, 
at  Boston,  he  completed  his  studies  in 
1804-5,  an(l  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the 
latter  year,  and  at  Boscawen  and  at  Ports- 
mouth soon  rose  to  eminence  in    his  proles- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHi  . 


sion.  He  became  known  as  a  federalist 
but  did  not  court  political  honors;  but,  at- 
tracting attention  by  his  eloquence  in  oppos- 
ing the  war  with  England,  he  was  elected 
to  congress  in  1812.  During  the  special 
session  of  May,  1813,  he  was  appointed  on 
the  committee  on  foreign  affairs  and  made 
his  maiden  speech  June  10,  1S13.  Through- 
out this  session  (as  afterwards)  he  showed 
his  mastery  of  the  great  economic  questions 
of  the  day.  He  was  re-elected  in  18 14.  In 
1 8 16  he  removed  to  Boston  and  for  seven 
years  devoted  himself  to  his  profession, 
:arning  by  his  arguments  in  the  celebrated 
"Dartmouth  College  Case"  rank  among 
•he  most  distinguished  jurists  of  the  country. 
In  1S20  Mr.  Webster  was  chosen  a  member 
of  the  state  convention  of  Massachusetts,  to 
revise  the  constitution.  The  same  year  he 
delivered  the  famous  discourse  on  the  "  Pil- 
grim fathers,"  which  laid  the  foundation  for 
his  fame  as  an  orator.  Declining  a  nomi- 
nation for  United  States  senator,  in  1S22  he 
was  elected  to  the  lower  house  of  congress 
and  was  re-elected  in  1824  and  1826,  but  in 
1827  was  transferred  to  the  senate.  He 
retained  his  seat  in  the  latter  chamber  until 
1841.  During  this  time  his  voice  was  ever 
lifted  in  defence  of  the  national  life  and 
honor  and  although  politically  opposed  to 
him  he  gave  his  support  to  the  administra- 
tion of  President  Jackson  in  the  latter's  con- 
test with  nullification.  Through  all  these 
rears  he  was  ever  found  upon  the  side  of 
,'ight  and  justice  and  his  speeches  upon  all 
ihe  great  questions  of  the  day  have  be- 
come household  words  in  almost  every 
family.  In  1841  Mr.  Webster  was  appointed 
secretary  of  state  by  President  Harrison 
and  was  continued  in  the  same  office  by 
President  Tyler.  While  an  incumbent  of 
this  office  he  showed  consummate  ability  as 
a  diplomat  in   the  negotiation  of  the  "  Ash- 


burton  treaty  "  of  August  9,  1849,  which 
settled  many  points  of  dispute  between  the 
United  States  and  England.  In  May,  1843, 
he  resigned  his  post  and  resumed  his  pro- 
fession, and  in  December,  1845,  to°k  his 
place  again  in  the  senate.  He  contributed 
in  an  unofficial  way  to  the  solution  of  the 
Oregon  question  with  Great  Britain  in  1S47. 
He  was  disappointed  in  1S4S  in  not  receiv- 
ing the  nomination  for  the  presidency.  He 
became  secretary  of  state  under  President 
Fillmore  in  1850  and  in  dealing  with  all  the 
complicated  questions  of  the  day  showed  a 
wonderful  mastery  of  the  arts  of  diplomacy. 
Being  hurt  in  an  accident  he  retired  to  his 
home  at  Marshfieid,  where  he  died  Octo- 
ber 24,   1S52.     

HORACE  GREELEY— As  journalist, 
author,  statesman  and  political  leader, 
there  is  none  more  widely  known  than  the 
man  whose  name  heads  this  article.  He 
was  born  in  Amherst,  New  Hampshire,  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1S1 1,  and  was  reared  upon  a  farm. 
At  an  early  age  he  evinced  a  remarkable 
intelligence  and  love  of  learning,  and  at 
the  age  of  ten  had  read  every  book  he  could 
borrow  for  miles  around.  About  1821  the 
family  removed  to  Westhaven,  Vermont, 
and  for  some  years  young  Greeley  assisted 
in  carrying  on  the  farm.  In  1826  he  entered 
the  office  of  a  weekly  newspaper  at  East 
Poultney,  Vermont,  where  he  remained 
about  four  years.  On  the  discontinuance 
of  this  paper  he  followed  his  father's 
family  to  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania, 
whither  they  had  moved,  and  for  a  time 
worked  at  the  printer's  trade  in  that  neigh- 
borhood. In  1  S3 1  Horace  went  to  New 
York  City,  and  for  a  time  found  employ- 
ment as  journeyman  printer.  January, 
1833,  in  partnership  with  Francis  Story,  he 
published  the  Morning  Post,  the  first  penny 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY, 


21 


paper  ever  printed.  This  proved  a  failure 
and  was  discontinued  after  three  weeks. 
The  business  of  job  printing  was  carried  on, 
however,  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Story  in 
July  following.  In  company  with  Jonas 
Winchester,  March  22,  1834,  Mr.  Greeley 
commenced  the  publication  of  the  New 
Yorker,  a  weekly  paper  of  a  high  character. 
For  financial  reasons,  at  the  same  time, 
Greeley  wrote  leaders  for  other  papers,  and, 
in  1S38,  took  editorial  charge  of  the  Jeffer- 
sonian,  a  Whig  paper  published  at  Albany. 
In  1 S40,  on  the  discontinuance  of  that  sheet, 
he  devoted  his  energies  to  the  Log  Cabin,  a 
campaign  paper  in  the.  interests  of  the  Whig 
party.  In  the  fall  of  184 1  the  latter  paper 
was  consolidated  with  the  New  Yorker,  un- 
der the  name  of  the  Tribune,  the  first  num- 
ber of  which  was  issued  April  10,  1S41.  At 
the  head  of  this  paper  Mr.  Greeley  remained 
until  the  day  of  his  death. 

In  1848  Horace  Greeley  was  elected  to 
the  national  house  of  representatives  to 
fill  a  vacancy,  and  was  a  member  of  that 
body  until  March  4,  1S49.  In  185  1  he  went 
to  Europe  and  served  as  a  juror  at  the 
World's  Fair  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  Lon- 
don. In  1S55,  he  made  a  second  visit  to 
the  old  world.  In  1S59  he  crossed  the 
plains  and  received  a  public  reception  at 
San  Francisco  and  Sacramento.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Republican  national  con- 
vention, at  Chicago  in  i860,  and  assisted  in 
the  nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln  for 
President.  The  same  year  he  was  a  presi- 
dential elector  for  the  state  of  New  York, 
and  a  delegate  to  the  Loyalist  convention 
at  Philadelphia. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  in  1S65,  Mr. 
Greeley  became  a  strong  advocate  of  uni- 
versal amnesty  and  complete  pacification, 
and  in  pursuance  of  this  consented  to  be- 
come one    of  the    bondsmen   for    I 


Davis,  who  was  imprisoned  for  treason.  la 
1867  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  Now  York 
state  convention  for  the  revision  of  the 
constitution.  In  1S70  he  was  defeated  for 
congress  in  the  Sixth  New  York  district. 
At  the  Liberal  convention,  which  met  in 
Cincinnati,  in  May,  [872,  on  the  fifth  ballot 
Horace  Greeley  was  nominated  for  presi- 
dent and  July  following  was  nominated  for 
the  same  office  by  the  Democratic  conven- 
tion at  Baltimore.  He  was  defeated  by  a 
large  majority.  The  large  amount  of  work 
done  by  him  during  the  campaign,  together 
with  the  loss  of  his  wife  about  the  same 
time,  undermined  his  strong  constitution, 
and  he  was  seized  with  inflammation  of  the 
brain,  and  died  November  29,   1872. 

In  addition  to  his  journalistic  work,  Mr. 
Greeley  was  the  author  of  several  meritori- 
ous works,  among  which  were:  "Hints 
toward  reform,"  "Glances  at  Europe," 
"History  of  the  struggle  for  slavery  exten 
sion,"  "Overland  journey  to  San  Francis- 
co," "The  American  conflict,"  and  "  Rec- 
ollections of  a  busy  life." 


HENRY  CLAY.— In  writing  of  this  em- 
inent American,  Horace  Greeley  once 
said:  "He  was  a  matchless  party  chief,  an 
admirable  orator,  a  skillful  legislator,  wield- 
ing unequaled  influence,  not  only  over  his 
friends,  but  even  over  those  of  his  political 
antagonists  who  were  subjected  to  the  magic 
of  his  conversation  and  manners.  "  A  law- 
yer, legislator,  orator,  and  statesman,  few 
men  in  history  have  wielded  greater  influ- 
ence, or  occupied  so  prominent  a  place  in 
the  hearts  of  the  generation  in  which  they 
lived. 

Henry  Clay  was    bo  1  hmond, 

in  Hanover  county,  Virginia,  April  12, 
1777,  the  son  of  a  poor  Baptist  preacher 
who  died  when     Henry    was    but    lr 


22 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


old.  The  mother  married  again  about  ten 
years  later  and  removed  to  Kentucky  leav- 
ing Henry  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  Richmond. 
Soon  afterward  Henry  Clay  secured  a  posi- 
tion as  copyist  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the 
high  court  of  chancery,  and  four  years  later 
entered  the  law  office  of  Robert  Brooke, 
then  attorney  general  and  later  governor  of 
his  native  state.  In  1797  Henry  Clay  was 
licensed  as  a  lawyer  and  followed  his  mother 
to  Kentucky,  opening  an  office  at  Lexington 
and  soon  built  up  a  profitable  practice. 
Soon  afterward  Kentucky,  in  separating  from 
Virginia,  called  a  state  convention  for  the 
purpose  of  framing  a  constitution,  and  Clay 
at  that  time  took  a  prominent  part,  publicly 
urging  the  adoption  of  a  clause  providing 
for  the  abolition  of  slavery,  but  in  this  he 
was  overruled,  as  he  was  fifty  years  later, 
when  in  the  height  of  his  fame  he  again  ad- 
vised the  same  course  when  the  state  con- 
stitution was  revised  in  1850.  Young  Clay 
took  a  very  active  and  conspicuous  part  in 
the  presidential  campaign  in  1S00,  favoring 
the  election  of  Jefferson;  and  in  1S03  was 
choson  to  represent  Fayette  county  in  the 
state  'egislature.  In  1806  General  John 
Adair,  then  United  States  senator  from 
Kentucky,  resigned  and  Henry  Clay  was 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  by  the  legislature 
and  served  through  one  session  in  which  he 
at  once  assumed  a  prominent  place.  In 
1807  he  was  again  a  representative  in  the 
legislature  and  was  elected  speaker  of  the 
house.  At  this  time  originated  his  trouble 
with  Humphrey  Marshall.  Clay  proposed 
that  each  member  clothe  himself  and  family 
wholly  in  American  fabrics,  which  Marshall 
characterized  as  the  "  language  of  a  dema- 
gogue." This  led  to  a  duel  in  which  both 
parties  were  slightly  injured.  In  1S09 
Henry  Clay  was  again  elected  to  fill  a  va- 
cancy in  the  United  States   senate,  and  two 


years  later  elected  representative  in  tne  low- 
er house  of  congress,  being  chosen  speaker 
of  the  house.  About  this  time  warwas  de- 
clared against  Great  Britain,  and  Clay  took 
a  prominent  public  place  during  this  strug- 
gle and  was  later  one  of  the  commissioners 
sent  to  Europe  by  President  Madison  to  ne- 
gotiate peace,  returning  in  September.  181  5. 
having  been  re-elected  speaker  of  the 
house  during  his  absence,  and  was  re-elect- 
ed unanimously.  He  was  afterward  re- 
elected to  congress  and  then  became  secre- 
tary of  state  und^r  John  Quincy  Adams. 
In  1 83 1  he  was  again  elected  senator  from 
Kentucky  and  remained  in  the  senate  most 
of  the  time  until  his  death. 

Henry  Clay  was  three  times  a  candidate 
for  the  presidency,  and  once  very  nearly 
elected.  He  was  the  unanimous  choice,  of 
the  Whig  party  in  1844  for  the  presidency, 
and  a  great  effort  was  made  to  elect  him 
but  without  success,  his  opponent,  James  K. 
Polk,  carrying  both  Pennsylvania  and  New 
York  by  a  very  slender  margin,  while  either 
of  them  alone  would  have  elected  Clay. 
Henry  Clay  died  at  Washington  June  29, 
1852.  

JAMES  GILLESPIE  BLAINE  was  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  of  American 
statesmen  and  legislators.  He  was  born 
January  31,  1830,  in  Washington  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  received  a  thorough  edu- 
cation, graduating  at  Washington  College  in 
1S47.  In  early  life  he  removed  to  Maine 
and  engaged  in  newspaper  work,  becoming 
editor  of  the  Portland  "Advertiser."  While 
yet  a  young  man  he  gained  distinction  as  a 
debater  and  became  a  conspicuous  figure  in 
political  and  public  affairs.  In  1862  he  was 
elected  to  congress  on  the  Republican  ticket 
in  Maine  and  was  re-elected  five  times.  In 
March,   1S69,  he  was  chosen  speaker  of  the 


COMrEXDU'M   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


23 


house  of  representatives  and  was  re-elected 
in  1871  and  again  in  1873.  In  iS/6he  was 
a  representative  in  the  lower  house  of  con- 
gress and  during  that  year  was  appointed 
United  States  senator  by  the  Governor  to 
fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of 
Senator  Morrill,  who  had  been  appointed 
secretary  of  the  treasury.  Mr.  Blaine 
served  in  the  senate  until  March  5,  1S81, 
when  President  Garfield  appointed  him  sec- 
retary of  state,  which  position  he  resigned 
in  December,  1881.  Mr.  Blaine  was  nom- 
inated for  the  presidency  by  the  Republic- 
ans, at  Chicago  in  June,  1SS4,  but  was  de- 
feated by  Grover  Cleveland  after  an  exciting 
and  spirited  campaign.  During  the  later 
years  of  his  life  Mr.  Blaine  devoted  most  of 
his  time  to  the '  completion  of  his  work 
"Twenty  Years  in  Congress,"  which  had  a 
remarkably  large  sale  throughout  the  United 
States.  Blaine  was  a  man  of  great  mental 
ability  and  force  of  character  and  during  the 
latter  part  of  his  life  was  one  of  the  most 
noted  men  of  his  time.  He  was  the  origina- 
tor of  what  is  termed  the  "  reciprocity  idea" 
in  tariff  matters,  and  outlined  the  plan  of 
carrying  it  into  practical  effect.  In  1S76 
Robert  G.  Ingersoll  in  making  a  nominating 
speech  placing  Blaine's  name  as  a  candidate 
for  president  before  the  national  Republican 
convention  at  Cincinnati,  referred  to  Blaine 
as  the  "Plumed  Knight"  and  this  title  clung 
to  him  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His 
death  occurred  at  Washington,  January  27, 
1893-  

JOHN  CALDWELL  CALHOUN,  a  dis- 
tinguished American  statesman,  was  a 
native  of  South  Carolina,  born  in  Abbeville 
district,  March  iS,  1782.  He  was  given 
the  advantages  of  a  thorough  education, 
graduating  at  Yale  College  in  1804,  and 
adopted  the  caiiing  of  a  lawyer.     A  Demo- 


crat politically,  at  that  time,  he  took  a  fore- 
most part  in  the  councils  of  his  party  and 
was  elected  to  congress  in  1S1 1,  supp  irting 
the  tariff  of  18 16  and  the  establishing  of 
the  United  States  Bank.  In  18 17  he  be- 
came secretary  of  war  in  President  Monroe's 
cabinet,  and  in  1S24  was  elected  vice-president 
of  the  United  States,  on  the  ticket  with  John 
Ouincy  Adams,  and  re-elected  in  1 82S,  on  the 
ticket  with  General  Jackson.  Shortly  after 
this  Mr.  Calhoun  became  one  of  the  strongest 
advocates  of  free  trade  and  the  principle  of 
sovereignty  of  the  states  and  was  one  of 
the  originators  of  the  doctrine  that  "any 
state  could  nullify  unconstitutional  laws  of 
congress."  Meanwhile  Calhoun  had  be- 
come an  aspirant  for  the  presidency,  and 
the  fact  that  General  Jackson  advanced  the 
interests  of  his  opponent,  Van  Buren,  led 
to  a  quarrel,  and  Calhoun  resigned  the  vice- 
presidency  in  1S32  and  was  elected  United 
States  senator  from  South  Carolina.  It  was 
during  the  same  year  that  a  convention  was 
held  in  South  Carolina  at  which  the  "  Nul- 
lification ordinance  "  was  adopted,  the  ob- 
ject of  which  was  to  test  the  constitution- 
ality of  the  protective  tariff  measures,  and 
to  prevent  if  possible  the  collection  of  im- 
port duties  in  that  state  which  had  been 
levied  more  for  the  purpose  of  "protection'' 
than  revenue.  This  ordinance  was  to  go 
into  effect  in  February,  1833,  and  created  a 
great  deal  of  uneasiness  throughout  the 
country  as  it  was  feared  there  would  be  a 
clash  between  the  state  and  federal  authori- 
ties. It  was  in  this  serious  condition  oi 
public  affairs  that  Henr\  Claj  came  forward 
with  the  the  famous  "tariff  compromise" 
of  1853,  to  which  measure  Calhoun  and 
most  of  his  followers  gave  their  support  and 
the  crisis  was  averted.  In  1843  Mr.  Cal- 
houn was  appointed  secretary  ol 
President  Tyier's  cabinet,  and    it  was  under 


24 


COMPENDIUM   Of?    BIOGRAPHY. 


his  administration  that  the  treaty  concern- 
ing the  annexation  of  Texas  was  negotiated. 
In  1845  he  was  re-elected  to  the  United 
States  senate  and  continued  in  the  senate 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  March, 
1850.  He  occupied  a  high  rank  as  a  scholar, 
student  and  orator,  and  it  is  conceded  that 
he  was  one  of  the  greatest  debaters  America 
has  produced.  The  famous  debate  between 
Calhoun  and  Webster,  in  1833,  is  regarded 
as  the  most  noted  for  ability  and  eloquence 
in  the  history  of  the  country. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  BUTLER,  one 
of  America's  most  brilliant  and  pro- 
found lawyers  and  noted  public  men,  was 
a  native  of  New  England,  born  at  Deer- 
field,  New  Hampshire,  November  5,  1S18. 
His  father,  Captain  John  Butler,  was  a 
prominent  man  in  his  day,  commanded  a 
company  during  the  war  of  18 12,  and 
served  under  Jackson  at  New  Orleans. 
Benjamin  F.  Butler  was  given  an  excellent 
education,  graduated  at  Waterville  College, 
Maine,  studied  law,  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1840,  at  Lowell,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession  and  gained  a  wide  reputation  for 
his  ability  at  the  bar,  acquiring  an  extensive 
practice  and  a  fortune.  Early  in  life  he 
began  taking  an  active  interest  in  military 
affairs  and  served  in  the  state  militia  through 
all  grades  from  private  to  brigadier-general. 
In  1853  he  was  elected  to  the  state  legisla- 
ture on  the  Democratic  ticket  in  Lowell, 
and  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  passage  of 
legislation  in  the  interests  of  labor.  Dur- 
ing the  same  year  he  was  a  member  of  the 
constitutional  convention,  and  in  1S59  rep- 
resented his  district  in  the  Massachusetts 
senate.  When  the  Civil  war  broke  out 
General  Butler  took  the  field  and  remained 
at   the   front   most  of  the  time  during  that 


bloody  struggle.  Part  of  the  time  he  had 
charge  of  Fortress  Monroe,  and  in  Febru- 
ary, 1S62,  took  command  of  troops  forming 
part  of  the  expedition  against  New  Orleans, 
and  later  had  charge  of  the  department  of 
the  Gulf.  He  was  a  conspicuous  figure  dur- 
ing the  continuance  of  the  war.  After  the 
close  of  hostilities  General  Butler  resumed 
his  law  practice  in  Massachusetts  and  in 
1866  was  elected  to  congress  from  the  Es- 
sex district.  In  1S82  he  was  elected  gov- 
ernor of  Massachusetts,  and  in  1S84  was  the 
nominee  of  the  "Greenback"  party  for 
president  of  the  United  States.  He  con- 
tinued his  legal  practice,  and  maintained  his 
place  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  in 
New  England  until  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  January  10,  1893. 


JEFFERSON  DAVIS,  an  officer,  states- 
man and  legislator  of  prominence  in 
America,  gained  the  greater  part  of  his  fame 
from  the  fact  that  he  was  president  of  the 
southern  confederacy.  Mr.  Davis  was  born 
in  Christian  county,  Kentucky,  June  3, 
1808,  and  his  early  education  and  surround- 
ings were  such  that  his  sympathies  and  in- 
clinations were  wholly  with  the  southern 
people.  He  received  a  thorough  education, 
graduated  at  West  Point  in  iS2S:  and  for  a 
number  of  years  served  in  the  army  at  west- 
ern posts  and  in  frontier  service,  first  as 
lieutenant  and  later  as  adjutant.  In  1835 
he  resigned  and  became  a  cotton  planter  in 
Warren  county,  Mississippi,  where  he  took 
an  active  interest  in  public-  affairs  and  be- 
came a  conspicuous  figure  in  politics.  In 
1844  he  was  a  presidential  elector  from 
Mississippi  and  during  the  two  following 
years  served  as  congressman  from  his  d'S- 
trict.  He  then  became  colonel  of  a  Missis- 
sippi regiment  in  the  war  with  Mexico  ano 
participated  in  some  of  the  most  severe  cat- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT 


S, 


ties,  being  seriously  wounded  at  Buena 
Vista.  Upon  his  return  to  private  life  he 
again  took  a  prominent  part  in  political  af- 
fairs and  represented  his  state  in  the  United 
States  senate  from  1847  to  185 1.  He  then 
entered  President  Pierce's  cabinet  as  secre- 
tary of  war,  after  which  he  again  entered 
the  United  States  senate,  remaining  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war.  He  then  be- 
came president  of  the  southern  confederacy 
and  served  as  such  until  captured  in  May, 
1865,  at  Irwinville,  Georgia.  He  was  held 
as  prisoner  of  war  at  Fortress  Monroe,  until 
1867,  when  he  was  released  on  bail  and 
finally  set  free  in  1868.  His  death  occurred 
December  6,  1889. 

Jefferson  Davis  was  a  man  of  excellent 
abilities  and  was  recognized  as  one  of  the 
best  organizers  of  his  day.  He  was  a 
forceful  and  fluent  speaker  and  a  ready 
writer.  He  wrote  and  published  the  "  Rise 
and  Fall  of  the  Southern  Confederacy."  a 
work  which  is  considered  as  authority  by 
the  southern  people 


JOHN  ADAMS,  the  second  president  of 
the  United  States,  and  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  figures  in  the  early  struggles  of 
his  country  for  independence,  was  born  in 
the  present  town  of  Quincy,  then  a  portion 
of  Braintree,  Massachusetts,  October  30, 
1735.  He  received  a  thorough  education, 
graduating  at  Harvard  College  in  1755, 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1758.  He  was  well  adapted  for  this  profes- 
sion and  after  opening  an  office  in  his  native 
town  rapidly  grew  in  prominence  and  public 
favor  and  soon  was  regarded  as  one  of  the 
leading  lawyers  of  the  country.  His  atten- 
tion was  called  to  political  affairs  by  the 
passage  of  the  Stamp  Act,  in  1765,  and  he 
drew  up  a  set  of  resolutions  on  the  subject 
which  were  very  popular.     In    1768   he  re- 


moved  to  Boston  and  became  one  of  the 
most  courageous  and  prominent  advocates 
of  the  popular  cause  and  was  chosen  a 
member  of  the  Colonial  legislature  from 
Boston.  He  was  one  of  the  delegates  that 
represented  Massachusetts  in  the  first  Con- 
tinental congress,  which  met  in  September, 
1774.  In  a  letter  written  at  this  crisis  he 
uttered  the  famous  words:  "The  die  is  now 
cast;  I  have  passed  the  Rubicon.  Sink  or 
swim,  live  or  die,  survive  or  perish  with  my 
country,  is  my  unalterable  determination." 
He  was  a  prominent  figure- in  congress  and 
advocated  the  movement  for  independence 
when  a  majority  of  the  members  were  in- 
clined to  temporize  and  to  petition  the  King. 
In  May,  1776,  he  presented  a  resolution  in 
congress  that  the  colonies  should  assume 
the  duty  of  self-government,  which  was 
passed.  In  June,  of  the  same  year,  a  reso- 
lution that  the  United  States  "are,  and  ol 
right  ought  to  be,  free  and  independent," 
was  moved  by  Richard  H.  Lee,  seconded  by 
Mr.  Adams  and  adopted  by  a  small  majority. 
Mr.  Adams  was  a  member  of  the  committee 
of  five  appointed  June  1 1  to  prepare  a 
declaration  of  independence,  in  support  of 
which  he  made  an  eloquent  speech.  He  was 
chairman  of  the  Board  of  War  in  1776  and 
in  1 778  was  sent  as  commissioner  to  France, 
but  returned  the  following  year.  In  1780 
he  went  to  Europe,  having  been  appointed 
as  minister  to  negotiate  a  treaty  of  peace 
and  commerce  with  Great  Britain.  Con- 
jointly with  Franklin  and  Jay  he  negotiated 
a  treaty  in  17S2.  He  was  employed  as  a 
minister  to  the  Court  of  St.  James  from 
1785  to  1788,  and  during  that  period  wrote 
his  famous  "  Defence  of  the  American  Con- 
stitutions. "  In  1789  he  became  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  and  was  re-elected 
in  1792. 

In  1 796   Mr.    Adams  was  chosen   presi- 


26 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


dent  of  the  United  States,  his  competitor 
being  Thomas  Jefferson,  who  became  vice- 
president.  In  1800  he  was  the  Federal 
candidate  for  president,  but  he  was  not 
cordially  supported  by  Gen.  Hamilton,  the 
favorite  leader  of  his  party,  and  was  de- 
feated by  Thomas  Jefferson. 

Mr.  Adams  then  retired  from  public  life 
to  his  large  estate  at  Quincy,  Mass.,  where 
he  died  July  4,  1826,  on  the  same  day  that 
witnessed  the  death  of  Thomas  Jefferson. 
Though  his  physical  frame  began  to  give  way 
many  years  before  his  death,  his  mental 
powers  retained  their  strength  and  vigor  to 
the  last.  In  his  ninetieth  year  he  was  glad- 
dened by  .the  elevation  of  his  son,  John 
Quincy  Adams,  to  the  presidential  office. 


HENRY  WARD  BEECHER,  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  American  preachers 
and  authors,  was  born  at  Litchfield,  Connec- 
ticut, June  24, 1 8 1 3.  His  father  was  Dr.  Ly- 
man Beecher,  also  an  eminent  divine.  At 
an  early  age  Henry  Ward  Beecher  had  a 
strong  predilection  for  a  sea-faring  life,  and 
it  was  practically  decided  that  he  would  fol- 
low this  inclination,  but  about  this  time,  in 
consequence  of  deep  religious  impressions 
which  he  experienced  during  a  revival,  he 
renounced  his  former  intention  and  decided 
to  enter  the  ministry.  After  having  grad- 
uated at  Amherst  College,  in  1834,  he  stud- 
ied theology  at  Lane  Seminary  under  the 
tuition  of  his  father,  who  was  then  president 
of  that  institution.  In  1847  he  became  pas- 
tor of  the  Plymouth  Congregational  church 
in  Brooklyn,  where  his  oratorical  ability  and 
original  eloquence  attracted  one  of  the  larg- 
est congregations  in  the  country.  He  con- 
tinued to  served  this  church  until  the  time 
of  his  death,  March  8,  1887.  Mr.  Beecher 
also  found  time  for  a  great  amount  of  liter- 
ary work       For  a   number  of   years  he  was 


editor  of  the  "Independent"  and  also  the 
"  Christian  Union.  "  He  also  produced  many 
works  which  are  widely  known.  Among  his 
principal  productions  are  '  'Lectures  to  Young 
Men,"  "  Star  Papers, "  "Life  of  Christ," 
"Life  Thoughts,"  "Royal  Truths"  (a 
novel),  "Norwood,"  "  Evolution  and  Rev- 
olution," and  "Sermons  on  Evolution  and 
Religion."  Mr.  Beecher  was  also  long  a 
prominent  advocate  of  anti-slavery  princi- 
ples and  temperance  reform,  and,  at  a  later 
period,  of  the  rights  of  women. 


J 


OHN  A.  LOGAN,  the  illustrious  states- 
man and  general,  was  born  in  Jackson 
county,  Illinois,  February  9,  1824.  In  his 
boyhood  days  he  received  but  a  limited  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  his  native  county. 
On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  with  Mexico 
he  enlisted  in  the  First  Illinois  Volunteers 
and  became  its  quartermaster.  At  the  close 
of  hostilities  he  returned  home  and  was 
elected  clerk  of  the  courts  of  Jackson  county 
in  1849.  Determining  to  supplement  his 
education  Logan  entered  the  Louisville  Uni- 
versity, from  which  he  graduated  in  1852 
and  taking  up  the  study  of  law  was  admitted 
to  the  bar.  He  attained  popularity  and  suc- 
cess in  his  chosen  profession  and  was  elected 
to  the  legislature  in  1852,  1S53,  1856  and 
1857.  He  was  prosecuting  attorney  from 
1853  to  1857.  He  was  elected  to  congress 
in  [858  to  fill  a  vacancy  and  again  in  i860. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  Logan  re- 
signed his  office  and  entered  the  army,  and 
in  September,  1  S61 ,  was  appointed  colonel 
of  the  Thirty-first  Illinois  Infantry,  which  he 
led  in  the  battles  of  Belmont  and  Fort  Don- 
elson.  In  the  latter  engagement  he  was 
wounded.  In  March,  1862,  he  was  pro- 
moted to  be  brigadier-general  and  in  the 
following  month  participated  in  the  battles 
of  pittsburg  Landing.      In  November,  1862, 


CVMPEXD1CM    OF    BIOGRAPHY, 


29 


for  gallant  conduct  he  was  made  major-gen- 
eral. Throughout  the  Yicksburg  campaign 
he  was  in  command  of  a  division  of  the  Sev- 
enteenth Corps  and  was  distinguished  at 
Port  Gibson,  Champion  Kills  and  in  the 
siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg.  In  October, 
1863,  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
Fifteenth  Corps,  which  he  led  with  great 
credit.  During  the  terrible  conflict  before 
Atlanta,  July  22,  1864,  on  the  death  of 
General  McPherson,  Logan,  assuming  com- 
mand of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  led  it 
on  to  victory,  saving  the  day  by  his  energy 
and  ability.  He  was  shortly  after  succeeded 
by  General  O.  O.  Howard  and  returned  to 
the  command  of  his  corps.  He  remained 
in  command  until  the  presidential  election, 
when,  feeling  that  his  influence  was  needed 
at  home  he  returned  thither  and  there  re- 
mained until  the  arrival  of  Sherman  at  Sa- 
vannah, when  General  Logan  rejoined  his 
command.  In  May,  1865,  he  succeeded 
General  Howard  at  the  head  of  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee.  He  resigned  from  the  army 
in  August,  the  same  year,  and  in  November 
was  appointed  minister  to  Mexico,  but  de- 
clined the  honor.  He  served  in  the  lower 
house  of  the  fortieth  and  forty-first  con- 
gresses, and  was  elected  United  States  sena- 
tor from  his  native  state  in  1S70,  1878  and 
1S85.  He  was  nominated  for  the  vice-presi- 
dency in  1 884  on  the  ticket  with  Blaine,  but 
was  defeated.  General  Logan  was  the 
author  of  "The  Great  Conspiracy,  its  origin 
and  history,"  published  in  1885.  He  died 
at  Washington,  December  26,  1886. 


JOHN  CHARLES  FREMONT,  the  first 
<J  Republican  candidate  for  president,  was 
born  in  Savannah,  Georgia,  January  21, 
1S13.  He  graduated  from  Charleston  Col- 
lege (South  Carolina)  in  1S30,  and  turned  his 
attention  to  civil  engineering.  He  was  shortly 


afterward  employed  in  the  department  of 
government  surveys  on  the  Mississippi,  and 
constructing  maps  of  that  region.  He  was 
made  lieutenant  of  engineers,  and  laid  be- 
fore the  war  department  a  plan  for  \>  ne- 
trating  the  Rocky  Mountain  regions,  which 
was  accepted,  and  in  1842  he  set  out  upon 
his  first  famous  exploring  expedition  and  ex- 
plored the  South  Pass.  He  also  planned  an 
expedition  to  Oregon  by  a  new  route  further 
south,  but  afterward  joined  his  expedition 
with  that  of  Wilkes  in  the  region  of  the 
Great  Salt  Lake.  He  made  a  later  expedi- 
tion which  penetrated  the  Sierra  Nevadas, 
and  the  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  river 
valleys,  making  maps  of  all  regions  explored. 
In  1845  he  conducted  the  great  expedi- 
tion which  resulted  in  the  acquisition  of 
California,  which  it  was  believed  the  Mexi- 
can government  was  about  to  dispose  of  to 
England.  Learning  that  the  Mexican  gov- 
ernor was  preparing  to  attack  the  American 
settlements  in  his  dominion,  Fremont  deter- 
mined to  forestall  him.  The  settlers  rallied 
to  his  camp,  and  in  June,  1846,  he  defeated 
the  Mexican  forces  at  Sonoma  Pass,  and  a 
month  later  completely  routed  the  governor 
and  his  entire  army.  The  Americans  at 
once  declared  their  independence  of  Mexico, 
and  Fremont  was  elected  governor  of  Cali- 
fornia. By  this  time  Commodore  Stockton 
had  reached  the  coast  with  instructions  from 
Washington  to  conquer  California.  Fre- 
mont at  once  joined  him  in  that  effort,  which 
resulted  in  the  annexation  of  California  with 
its  untold  mineral  wealth.  Later  Fremont 
became  involved  in  a  difficulty  with  fellow 
officers  which  resulted  in>.a  court  martial, 
and  the  surrender  of  his  commission.  He 
declined  to  accept  reinstatement.  He  af- 
terward laid  out  a  great  road  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  to  San  Francisco,  and  became 
the  first  United  States  senator  from  Califor- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHV. 


nia,  in  1S49.  In  1S56  he  was  nominated 
by  the  new  Republican  party  as  its  first  can- 
didate for  president  against  Buchanan,  and 
received  114  electoral  votes,  out  of  296. 

In  1S61  he  was  made  major-general  and 
placed  in  charge  of  the  western  department. 
He  planned  the  reclaiming  of  the  entire 
Mississippi  valley,  and  gathered  an  army  of 
thirty  thousand  men,  with  plenty  of  artil- 
lery, and  was  ready  to  move  upon  the  con- 
federate General  Price,  when  he  was  de- 
prived of  his  command.  He  was  nominated 
for  the  presidency  at  Cincinnati  in  1864,  but 
withdrew.  He  was  governor  of  Arizona  in 
1878,  holding  the  position  four  years.  He 
was  interested  in  an  engineering  enterprise 
looking  toward  a  great  southern  trans-con- 
tinental railroad,  and  in  his  later  years  also 
practiced  law  in  New  York.  He  died  July  1 3, 
1S90. 

WENDELL  PHILLIPS,  the  orator  and 
abolitionist,  and  a  conspicuous  figure 
in  American  history,  was  born  November 
29,  181 1,  at  Boston,  Massachusetts.  He 
received  a  good  education  at  Harvard 
College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1831, 
and  then  entered  the  Cambridge  Law  School. 
After  completing  his  course  in  that  institu- 
tion, in  1833,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar, 
in  1834,  at  Suffolk.  He  entered  the  arena 
of  life  at  the  time  when  the  forces  of  lib- 
erty and  slavery  had  already  begun  their 
struggle  that  was  to  culminate  in  the  Civil 
war.  William  Lloyd  Garrison,  by  his  clear- 
headed, courageous  declarations  of  the  anti- 
slavery  principles,  had  done  much  to  bring 
about  this  struggle.  Mr.  Phillips  was  not  a 
man  that  could  stand  aside  and  see  a  great 
struggle  being  carried  on  in  the  interest  of 
humanity  and  look  passively  on.  He  first 
attracted  attention  as  an  orator  in  1837,  at 
a  meeting  that  was  called  to  protest  against 


the  murder  of  the  Rev.  Elijah  P.  Lovejoy. 
The  meeting  would  have  ended  in  a  few 
perfunctory  resolutions  had  not  Mr.  Phillip? 
by  his  manly  eloquence  taken  the  meeting 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  few  that  were  in- 
clined to  temporize  and  avoid  radical  utter- 
ances. Having  once  started  out  in  this  ca- 
reer as  an  abolitionist  Phillips  never  swerved 
from  what  he  deemed  his  duty,  and  never 
turned  back.  He  gave  up  his  legal  practice 
and  launched  himself  heart  and  soul  in  the 
movement  for  the  liberation  of  the  slaves. 
He  was  an  orator  of  very  great  ability  and 
by  his  earnest  efforts  and  eloquence  he  did 
much  in  arousing  public  sentiment  in  behalt 
of  the  anti-slavery  cause — possibly  more 
than  any  one  man  of  his  time.  After  the 
abolition  of  slavery  Mr.  Phillips  was,  if  pos- 
|  sible,  even  busier  than  before  in  the  literary 
and  lecture  field.  Besides  temperance  and 
women's  rights,  he  lectured  often  and  wrote 
much  on  finance,  and  the  relations  of  labor 
and  capital,  and  his  utterances  on  whatever 
subject  always  bore  the  stamp  of  having 
emanated  from  a  master  mind.  Eminent 
clitics  have  stated  that  it  might  fairly  be 
questioned  whether  there  has  ever  spoken 
in  America  an  orator  superior  to  Phillips. 
The  death  of  this  great  man  occurred  Feb- 
ruary 4,   1884. 


WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  SHERMAN 
was  one  of  the  greatest  generals  that 
the  world  has  ever  produced  and  won  im- 
mortal fame  by  that  strategic  and  famous 
"  march  to  the  sea,"  in  the  war  of  the  Re- 
bellion. He  was  born  February  8,  1S20,  at 
Lancaster,  Ohio,  and  was  reared  in  the 
family  of  the  Hon.  Thomas  Ewing,  as  his 
father  died  when  he  was  but  nine  years  of 
age.  He  entered  West  Point  in  1S36,  was 
graduated  from  the  same  in  1840,  and  ap- 
pointed   a   second   lieutenant    in    the    Third 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


81 


Artillery.  He  passed  through  the  various 
grades  of  the  service  and  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war  was  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Thirteenth  Regular  Infantry.  A  full  history 
of  General  Sherman's  conspicuous  services 
would  be  to  repeat  a  history  ol  the  army. 
He  commanded  a  division  at  Shiloh,  and 
was  instrumental  in  the  winning  of  that  bat- 
tle, and  was  also  present  at  the  siege  of  Vicks- 
burg.  On  July  4,  1S63,  he  was  appointed 
brigadier-general  of  the  regular  army,  and 
shared  with  Hooker  the  victory  of  Mission- 
ary Ridge.  He  was  commander  of  the  De- 
partment of  the  Tennessee  from  October 
27th  until  the  appointment  of  General 
Grant  as  lieutenant-general,  by  whom  he 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  De- 
partment of  the  Mississippi,  which  he  as- 
sumed in  March,  1864.  He  at  once  began 
organizing  the  army  and  enlarging  his  com- 
munications preparatory  to  his  march  upon 
Atlanta,  which  he  started  the  same  time  of 
;he  beginning  of  the  Richmond  campaign  by 
Grant.  He  started  on  May  6,  and  was  op- 
posed by  Johnston,  who  had  fifty  thousand 
men,  but  by  consummate  generalship,  he 
captured  Atlanta,  on  September  2,  after 
several  months  of  hard  fighting  and  a  severe 
loss  of  men.  General  Sherman  started  on 
his  famous  march  to  the  sea  November  15, 
1864,  and  by  December  10  he  was  before 
Savannah,  which  he  took  on  December  23. 
This  campaign  is  a  monument  to  the  genius 
of  General  Sherman  as  he  only  lost  567 
men  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea.  After  rest- 
ing his  army  he  moved  northward  and  occu- 
pied the  following  places:  Columbia, 
Cheraw,  Fayetteville,  Ayersboro,  Benton- 
ville,  Goldsboro,  Raleigh,  and  April  iS,  he 
accepted  the  surrender  of  Johnston's  army 
on  a  basis  of  agreement  that  was  not  re- 
ceived by  the  Government  with  favor,  but 
finally  accorded  Johnston  the  same  terms  as 


Lee  was  given  by  General  Grant.  He  was 
present  at  the  grand  review  at  Washington, 
and  after  the  close  of  the  war  was  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  military  division  of 
the  Mississippi;  later  was  appointed  lieu- 
tenant-general, and  assigned  to  the  military 
division  of  the  Missouri.  When'  General 
Grant  was  elected  president  Sherman  became 
general,  March  4,  1869,  and  succeeded  to 
the  command  of  the  army.  His  ileal h  1  c- 
curred   February    14,   1891,  at   Washington. 


ALEXANDER  HAMILTON,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  of  the  early  American 
statesmen  and  financiers,  was  born  in  Nevis, 
an  island  of  the  West  Indies,  January  11, 
1757,  his  father  being  a  Scotchman  and  his 
mother  of  Huguenot  descent.  Owing  to  the 
death  of  his  mother  and  business  reverses 
which  came  to  his  father,  young  Hamilton 
was  sent  to  his  mother's  relatives  in  Santa 
Cruz;  a  few  years  later  was  sent  to  a  gram- 
mar school  at  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey, 
and  in  1773  entered  what  is  now  known  as 
Columbia  College.  Even  at  that  time  he 
began  taking  an  active  part  in  public  affairs 
and  his  speeches,  pamphlets,  and  newspaper 
articles  on  political  affairs  of  the  day  at- 
tracted considerable  attention.  In  1776  he 
received  a  captain's  commission  and  served 
in  Washington's  army  with  credit,  becoming 
aide-de-camp  to  Washington  with  rank  of 
lieutenant-colonel.  In  1  781  he  resigned  his 
commission  because  of  a  rebuke  from  Gen- 
eral Washington.  He  next  received  com- 
mand of  a  New  York  battalion  and  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Yorktown.  After 
this  Hamilton  studied  law,  served  several 
terms  in  congress  and  was  a  member  of  the 
convention  at  which  the  Federal  Constitu- 
tion was  drawn  up.  His  work  connected 
with  "  The  Federalist  "  at  about  this  time 
attracted    much    attention.      Mr.    Hamilton 


32 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHV. 


was  chosen  as  the  first  secretary  of  the 
United  States  treasury  and  as  such  was  the 
author  of  the  funding  system  and  founder  of 
the  United  States  Bank.  In  1798  he  was 
made  inspector-general  of  the  army  with  the 
rank  of  major-general  and  was  also  for  a 
short  time  commander-in-chief.  In  1804 
Aaron  Burr,  then  candidate  for  governor  of 
New  York,  challenged  Alexander  Hamilton 
to  fight  a  duel,  Burr  attributing  his  defeat 
to  Hamilton's  opposition,  and  Hamilton, 
though  declaring  the  code  as  a  relic  of  bar- 
barism, accepted  the  challenge.  They  met 
at  Weehawken,  New  Jersey,  July  11,  1S04. 
Hamilton  declined  to  fire  at  his  adversary, 
but  at  Burr's  first  fire  was  fatally  wounded 
and  died  July  12,   1804. 

ALEXANDER  HAMILTON  STEPH- 
ENS, vice-president  of  the  southern 
confederacy,  a  former  United  States  senator 
and  governor  of  Georgia,  ranks  among  the 
great  men  of  American  history.  He  was  born 
February  11,  1812,  near  Crawfordsville, 
Georgia.  He  was  a  graduate  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Georgia,  and  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1834.  In  1837  he  made  his  debut  in 
political  life  as  a  member  of  the  state  house 
of  representatives,  and  in  1 841  declined  the 
nomination  for  the  same  office;  but  in  1842 
he  was  chosen  by  the  same  constituency  as 
state  senator.  Mr.  Stephens  was  one  of 
the  promoters  of  the  Western  and  Atlantic 
Railroad.  In  1843  he  was  sent  by  his  dis- 
trict to  the  national  house  of  representatives, 
which  office  he  held  for  sixteen  consec- 
utive years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
house  during  the  passing  of  the  Compromise 
Bill,  and  was  one  of  its  ablest  and  most 
active  supporters.  The  same  year  (1S50) 
Mr.  Stephens  was  a  delegate  to  the  state 
convention  that  framed  the  celebrated 
"  Georgia  Platform."  and  was  also   a   dele- 


gate to  the  convention  that  passed  the  ordi- 
nance of  secession,  though  he  bitterly  op- 
posed that  bill  by  voice  and  vote,  yet  he 
readily  acquiesced  in  their  decision  after 
it  received  the  votes  of  the  majority  of  the 
convention.  He  was  chosen  vice-president 
of  the  confederacy  without  opposition,  and 
in  1S65  he  was  the  head  of  the  commis- 
sion sent  by  the  south  to  the  Hampton 
Roads  conference.  He  was  arrested  after 
the  fall  of  the  confederacy  and  was  con- 
fined in  Fort  Warren  as  a  prisoner  of  state 
but  was  released  on  his  own  parole.  Mr. 
Stephens  was  elected  to  the  forty-third, 
forty-fourth,  forty-fifth,  forty-sixth  and  for- 
ty-seventh congresses,  with  hardly  more  than 
nominal  opposition.  He  was  one  of  the 
Jeffersonian  school  of  American  politics. 
He  wrote  a  number  of  works,  principal 
among  which  are:  "Constitutional  View 
of  the  War  between  the  States,"  and  a 
"  Compendium  of  the  History  of  the  United 
States."  He  was  inaugurated  as  governor 
of  Georgia  November  4th,  1S82,  but  died 
March  4,  18S3,  before  the  completion  of 
his  term. 

ROSCOE  CONKLIXG  was  one  of  the 
most  noted  and  famous  of  American 
statesmen.  He  was  among  the  most  fin- 
ished, fluent  and  eloquent  orators  that  have 
ever  graced  the  halls  of  the  American  con- 
gress; ever  ready,  witty  and  bitter  in  de- 
bate he  was  at  once  admired  and  feared  by 
his  political  opponents  and  revered  by  his 
followers.  True  to  his  friends,  loyal  to  the 
last  degree  to  those  with  whom  his  inter- 
ests were  associated,  he  was  unsparing  to  his 
foes  and  it  is  said  "never  forgot  an  injury." 
Roscoe  Conkling  was  born  at  Albany, 
New  York,  on  the  30th  of  October,  1S29, 
being  a  son  of  Alfred  Conkling.  Alfred 
Conkling  was  also   a   native   of  New  York, 


COMPEXDILM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


born  at  East  Hampton,  October  12,  1789, 
and  became  one  of  the  most  eminent  law- 
yers in  the  Empire  state;  published  several 
legal  works;  served  a  term  in  congress;  aft- 
erward as  United  States  district  judge  for 
Northern  New  York,  and  in  1S52  was  min- 
ister to  Mexico.  Alfred  Conkling  died  in 
1874. 

Roscoe  Conkling,  whose  name  heads 
this  article,  at  an  early  age  took  up  the 
study  of  law  and  soon  became  successful  and 
prominent  at  the  bar.  About  1846  he  re- 
moved to  Utica  and  in  1S58  was  elected 
mayor  of  that  city.  He  was  elected  repre- 
sentative in  congress  from  this  district  and 
was  re-elected  three  times.  In  1867  he  was 
elected  United  States  senator  from  the  state 
of  New  York  and  was  re-elected  in  1S73 
and  1S79.  In  May,  1SS1,  he  resigned  on 
account  of  differences  with  the  president. 
In  March,  1882,  he  was  appointed  and  con- 
firmed as  associate  justice  of  the  United 
States  supreme  court  but  declined  to  serve. 
His  death  occurred  April  18,   18S8. 


WASHINGTON  IRVING,  one  of  the 
most  eminent,  talented  and  popu- 
lar of  American  authors,  was  born  in  New 
York  City,  April  3,  1783.  His  father  was 
William  Irving,  a  merchant  and  a  native  of 
Scotland,  who  had  married  an  English  lady 
and  emigrated  to  America  some  twenty- 
years  prior  to  the  birth  of  Washington. 
Two  of  the  older  sons,  William  and  Peter, 
were  partially  occupied  with  newspaper 
work  and  literary  pursuits,  and  this  fact 
naturally  inclined  Washington  to  follow 
their  example.  Washington  Irving  wasgiven 
the  advantages  afforded  by  the  common 
schools  until  about  sixteen  years  of  age 
when  he  began  studying  law,  but  continued 
to  acquire  his  literary  training  by  diligent 
perusal  at  home  of  the  older  English  writers. 


When  nineteen  he  made  his  first  literary 
venture  by  printing  in  the  ' '  Morning  Chroni- 
cle," then  edited  by  his  brother,  Dr.  Peter 
Irving,  a  series  of  local  sketches  under  the 
nom-de- plume  of  "Jonathan  Oldstyle."  In 
1804  he  began  an  extensive  trip  through 
Europe,  returned  in  1806,  quickly  com- 
pleted his  legal  studies  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  but  never  practiced  the  profession. 
In  1 S07  he  began  the  amusing  serial  "Sal- 
magundi," which  had  an  immediate  suc- 
cess, and  not  only  decided  his  future 
career  but  long  determined  the  charac- 
ter of  his  writings.  In  1808,  assisted  by 
his  brother  Peter,  he  wrote  "  Knickerbock- 
er's History  of  New  York,"  and  in  18 10  an 
excellent  biography  of  Campbell,  the  poet, 
After  this,  for  some  time,  Irving's  attention 
was  occupied  by  mercantile  interests,  but 
the  commercial  house  in  which  he  was  a 
partner  failed  in  1817.  In  1814  he  was 
editor  of  the  Philadelphia  "  Analectic  Maga- 
zine." About  181 8  appeared  his  "Sketch- 
Book,  "  over  the  nom-de-plume  of  '  'Geoffrey 
Crayon,"  which  laid  the  foundation  of  Ir- 
ving's fortune  and  permanent  fame.  This 
was  soon  followed  by  the  legends  of 
"Sleepy  Hollow,"  and  "  Rip  Van  Winkle," 
which  at  once  took  high  rank  as  literary 
productions,  and  Irving's  reputation  was 
firmly  established  in  both  the  old  and  new 
worlds.  After  this  the  path  of  Irving  was 
smooth,  and  his  subsequent  writings  ap- 
peared with  rapidity,  including  "Brace- 
bridge  Hall,"  "The  Tales  of  a  Traveler," 
"  History  of  the  Life  and  Voyages  of  Chris- 
topher Columbus,"  "The  Conquest  of 
Granada,"  "The  Alhambra,"  "  Tour  on 
the  Prairies,"  "Astoria,"  "  Adventure  ol 
Captain  Bonneville,"  "Wolfert's  Roost," 
"  Mahomet  and  his  Successors,"  and  "Life 
of  Washington,"  besides  other  works. 

Washington  Irving  was  never  married. 


34 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


He  resided  during  the  closing  years  of  his 
life  at  Sunnyside  (Tarrytown)  on  the  Hud- 
son, where  he  died  November  28,  1859. 


CHARLES  SUMNER.— Boldly  outlined 
on  the  pages  of  our  history  stands  out 
the  rugged  figure  of  Charles  Sumner,  states- 
man, lawyer  and  writer.  A  man  of  unim- 
peachable integrity,  indomitable  will  and 
with  the  power  of  tireless  toil,  he  was  a  fit 
leader  in  troublous  times.  First  in  rank  as 
an  anti-slavery  leader  in  the  halls  of  con- 
gress, he  has  stamped  his  image  upon  the 
annals  of  his  time.  As  an  orator  he  took 
front  rank  and,  .in  wealth  of  illustration, 
rhetoric  and  lofty  tone  his  eloquence  equals 
anything  to  be  found  in  history. 

Charles  Sumner  was  born  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  January  6,  181 1,  and  was 
the  son  of  Charles  P.  and  Relief  J.  Sumner. 
The  family  had  long  been  prominent  in  that 
state.  Charles  was  educated  at  the  Boston 
Public  Latin  School;  entered  Harvard  Col- 
lege in  1826,  and  graduated  therefrom  in 
1830.  In  1 83 1  he  joined  the  Harvard  Law 
School,  then  under  charge  of  Judge  Story, 
and  gave  himself  up  to  the  study  of  law 
with  enthusiasm.  His  leisure  was  devoted 
to  contributing  to  the  American  Jurist.  Ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1834  he  was  appointed 
reporter  to  the  circuit  court  by  Judge  Story. 
He  published  several  works  about  this  time, 
and  from  1835  to  1837  and  again  in  1843 
was  lecturer  in  the  law  school.  He  had 
planned  a  lawyer's  life,  but  in  1845  he  gave 
his  attention  to  politics,  speakingand  working 
against  the  admission  of  Texas  to  the  Union 
and  subsequently  against  the  Mexican  war. 
In  1848  he  was  defeated  for  congress  on  the 
Free  Soil  ticket.  His  stand  on  the  anti- 
slavery  question  at  that  time  alienated  both 
friends  and  clients,  but  he  never  swerved 
from  his  convictions.    In  1851  he  was  elected 


to  the  United  States  senate  and  took  his 
seat  therein  December  1  of  that  year.  From 
this  time  his  life  became  the  history  of  the 
anti-slavery  cause  in  congress.  In  August, 
1852,  he  began  his  attacks  on  slavery  by  a 
masterly  argument  for  the  repeal  of  the 
fugitive  slave  law.  On  May  22,  1S56,  Pres- 
ton Brooks,  nephew  of  Senator  Butler,  of 
South  Carolina,  made  an  attack  upon  Mr. 
Sumner,  at  his  desk  in  the  senate,  striking 
him  over  the  head  with  a  heavy  cane.  The 
attack  was  quite  serious  in  its  effects  and 
kept  Mr.  Sumner  absent  from  his  seat  in  the 
senate  for  about  four  years.  In  1857,  1863 
and  1869  he  was  re-elected  to  the  office  of 
senator,  passing  some  twenty-three  years  in 
that  position,  always  advocating  the  rights 
of  freedom  and  equity.  He  died  March  II, 
1874-  

THOMAS  JEFFERSON,  the  third  pres- 
ident of  the  United  States,  was  born 
near  Charlottesville,  Albemarle  county.  Vir- 
ginia, April  13,  1743,  and  was  the  son  of 
Peter  and  Jane  (Randolph)  Jefferson.  He 
received  the  elements  of  a  good  education, 
and  in  1760  entered  William  and  Mary  Col- 
lege. After  remaining  in  that  institution  for 
two  years  he  took  up  the  study  of  law  with 
George  Wythe,  of  Williamsburg,  Virginia, 
one  of  the  foremost  lawyers  of  his  day,  and 
was  admitted  to  practice  in  1767.  He  ob- 
tained a  large  and  profitable  practice,  which 
he  held  for  eight  years.  The  conflict  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  the  Colonies  then 
drew  him  into  public  life,  he  having  for 
some  time  given  his  attention  to  the  study 
of  the  sources  of  law,  the  origin  of  liberty 
and  equal  rights. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  elected  to  the  Virginia 
house  of  burgesses  in  1769,  and  served  in 
that  body  several  years,  a  firm  supporter  of 
liberal    measures,    and,    although    a    slave- 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


85 


holder  himself,  an  opponent  of  slaver}'. 
With  others,  he  was  a  leader  among  the  op- 
position to  the  king.  He  took  his  place  as 
a  member  of  the  Continental  congress  June 
21,  1775,  and  after  serving  on  several  com- 
mittees was  appointed  to  draught  a  Declara- 
tion of  Independence,  which  he  did,  some 
corrections  being  suggested  by  Dr.  Franklin 
and  John  Adams.  This  document  was  pre- 
sented to  congress  June  28,  1776,  and  after 
six  days'  debate  was  passed  and  was  signed. 
In  the  following  September  Mr.  Jefferson 
resumed  his  seat  in  the  Virginia  legislature, 
and  gave  much  time  to  the  adapting  of  laws 
of  that  state  to  the  new  condition  of  things. 
He  drew  up  the  law,  the  first  ever  passed  by 
a  legislature  or  adopted  by  a  government, 
which  secured  perfect  religious  freedom. 
June  1,  1779,  he  succeeded  Patrick  Henry 
as  governor  of  Virginia,  an  office  which, 
after  co-operating  with  Washington  in  de- 
fending the  country,  he  resigned  two  years 
later.  One  of  his  own  estates  was  ravaged 
by  the  British,  and  his  house  at  Monticello 
was  held  by  Tarleton  for  several  days,  and 
Jefferson  narrowly  escaped  capture.  After 
the  death  of  his  wife,  in  17S2,  he  accepted 
the  position  of  plenipotentiary  to  France, 
which  he  had  declined  in  1776.  Before 
leaving  he  served  a  short  time  in  congress 
at  Annapolis,  and  succeeded  in  carrying  a 
bill  for  establishing  our  present  decimal  sys- 
tem of  currency,  one  of  his  most  useful  pub- 
lic services.  He  remained  in  an  official  ca- 
pacity until  October,  1789,  and  was  a  most 
active  and  vigilant  minister.  Besides  the 
onerous  duties  of  his  office,  during  this  time, 
he  published  "Notes  on  Virginia,"  sent  to 
the  United  States  seeds,  shrubs  and  plants, 
forwarded  literary  and  scientific  news  and 
gave  useful  advice  to  some  of  the  leaders  of 
the  French  Revolution. 

Mr.  Jefferson  landed  in  Virginia  Novem- 


ber 18.  1789,  having  obtained  a  leave  of 
absence  from  his  post,  and  shortly  after  ac- 
cepted Washington's  offer  of  the  portfolio 
of  the  department  of  state  in  his  cabinet. 
He  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  in 
March,  1 791 ,  and  held  it  until  January  1, 
1794,  when  he  tendered  his  resignation. 
About  this  time  he  and  Alexander  Hamilton 
became  decided  and  aggressive  political  op- 
ponents, Jefferson  being  in  warm  sympathy 
with  the  people  in  the  French  revolution 
and  strongly  democratic  in  his  feelings, 
while  Hamilton  took  the  opposite  side.  In 
1796  Jefferson  was  elected  vice-president  of 
the  United  States.  In  1S00  he  was  elected 
to  the  presidency  and  was  inaugurated 
March  4,  1801.  During  his  administration, 
which  lasted  for  eight  years,  he  having  been 
re-elected  in  1804,  he  waged  a  successful 
war  against  the  Tripolitan  pirates;  purchased 
Louisiana  of  Napoleon;  reduced  the  public 
debt,  and  was  the  originator  of  many  wise 
measures.  Declining  a  nomination  for  a 
third  term  he  returned  to  Monticello,  where 
he  died  July  4,  1S26,  but  a  few  hours  before 
the  death  of  his  friend,  John  Adams. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  married  January  1, 
1772,  to  Mrs.  Martha  Skelton,  a  young, 
beautiful,  and  wealthy  widow,  who  died 
September  6,  1782,  leaving  three  children, 
three  more  having  died  previous  to  her 
demise. 

CORNELIUS  VANDERBILT, known  as 
"Commodore"  Vanderbilt,  was  the 
founder  of  what  constitutes  the  present  im- 
mense fortune  of  the  Vanderbilt  family.  He 
was  born  May  27,  1794.  at  Port  Richmond, 
Staten  Island,  Richmond  county,  New 
York,  and  we  find  him  at  sixteen  years  run- 
ning a  small  vessel  between  his  home  and 
New  York  City.  The  fortifications  of  Sta- 
ten and  Long  Islands  were  just  in  course  of 


36 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


construction,  and  he  carried  the  laborers 
from  New  York  to  the  fortifications  in  his 
"  perianger,  "  as  it  was  called,  in  the  day, 
and  at  night  carried  supplies  to  the  fort  on 
the  Hudson.  Later  he  removed  to  New 
York,  where  he  added  to  his  little  fleet.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-three  he  was  free  from 
debt  and  was  worth  $9,000,  and  in  1S17, 
with  a  partner  he  built  the  first  steamboat 
that  was  run  between  New  York  and  New 
Brunswick,  New  Jersey,  and  became  her 
captain  at  a  salary  of  $1,000  a  year.  The 
next  year  he  took  command  of  a  larger  and 
better  boat  and  by  1S24  he  was  in  complete 
control  of  the  Gibbon's  Line,  as  it  was 
called,  which  he  had  brought  up  to  a  point 
where  it  paid  $40,000  a  year.  Commodore 
Vanderbilt  acquired  the  ferry  between  New 
York  and  Elizabethport,  New  Jersey,  on  a 
fourteen  years'  lease  and  conducted  this  on 
a  paying  basis.  He  severed  his  connections 
with  Gibbons  in  1829  and  engaged  in 
business  alone  and  for  twenty  years  he  was 
the  leading  steamboat  man  in  the  country, 
building  and  operating  steamboats  on  the 
Hudson  River,  Long  Island  Sound,  on  the 
Delaware  River  and  the  route  to  Boston, 
and  he  had  the  monopoly  of  trade  on  these 
routes.  In  1S50  he  determined  to  broaden 
his  field  of  operation  and  accordingly  built 
the  steamship  Prometheus  and  sailed  for 
the  Isthmus  of  Darien,  where  he  desired  to 
make  a  personal  investigation  of  the  pros- 
pects of  the  American  Atlantic  and  Pacific 
Ship  Canal  Company,  in  which  he  had  pur- 
chased a  controlling  interest.  Commodore 
Vanderbilt  planned,  as  a  result  of  this  visit, 
a  transit  route  from  Greytown  on  the  At- 
lantic coast  to  San  Juan  del  Sud  on  the  Pa- 
cific coast,  which  was  a  saving  of  700  miles 
over  the  old  route.  In  185 1  he  placed  three 
steamers  on  the  Atlantic  side  and  four  on 
the  Pacific  side  to  accommodate  the  enor- 


mous traffic  occasioned  by  the  discovery  of 
gold  in  California.  The  following  year 
three  more  vessels  were  added  to  his  fleet 
and  a  branch  line  established  from  New 
Orleans  to  Greytown.  In  1853  the  Com- 
modore sold  out  hisNicarauguaTransit  Com- 
pany, which  had  netted  him  $1,000,000 
and  built  the  renowned  steam  yacht,  the 
"North  Star."  He  continued  in  the  ship- 
ping business  nine  years  longer  and  accu- 
mulated some  $10,000,000.  In  1861  he 
presented  to  the  government  his  magnifi- 
cent steamer  "Vanderbilt,  "  which  had  cost 
him  $800,000  and  for  which  he  received  the 
thanks  of  congress.  In  1S44  he  became 
interested  in  the  railroad  business  which  he 
"followed  in  later  years  and  became  one  of 
the  greatest  railroad  magnates  of  his  time. 
He  founded  the  Vanderbilt  University  at  a 
cost  of  $1,000,000.  He  died  January  4, 
1877,  leaving  a  fortune  estimated  at  over 
$100,000,000  to  his  children. 


DANIEL  BOONE  was  one  of  the  most 
famous  of  the  many  American  scouts, 
pioneers  and  hunters  which  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  western  states  brought  into 
prominence.  Daniel  Boone  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 11,  1735,  in  Bucks  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  while  yet  a  young  man  removed 
to  North  Carolina,  where  he  was  married. 
In  1769,  with  five  companions,  he  pene- 
trated into  the  forests  and  wilds  of  Kentucky 
— then  uninhabited  by  white  men.  He  had 
frequent  conflicts  with  the  Indians  and  was 
captured  by  them  but  escaped  and  continued 
to  hunt  in  and  explore  that  region  for  over 
a  year,  when,  in  1 771,  he  returned  to  his 
home.  In  the  summer  of  1773,  he  removed 
with  his  own  and  five  other  families  into 
what  was  then  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky, 
and  to  defend  his  colony  against  the  savages, 
he  built,  in  1775,  a  fort  at   Boonesborough, 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


87 


on  the  Kentucky  river.  This  fort  was  at- 
tacked by  the  Indians  several  times  in  1777, 
but  they  were  repulsed.  The  following 
year,  however,  Boone  was  surprised  and 
captured  by  them.  They  took  him  to  De- 
troit and  treated  him  with  leniency,  but  he 
soon  escaped  and  returned  to  his  fort  which 
he  defended  with  success  against  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  Indians  in  August,  177S.  His 
son,  Enoch  Boone,  was  the  first  white  male 
child  born  in  the  state  of  Kentucky.  In 
1 795  Daniel  Boone  removed  with  his  family 
to  Missouri,  locating  about  forty-five  miles 
west  of  the  present  site  of  St.  Louis,  where 
he  found  fresh  fields  for  his  favorite  pursuits 
■ — adventure,  hunting,  and  pioneer  life.  His 
death  occurred  September  20,    1820. 


HENRY  WADSWORTH  LONGFEL- 
LOW, said  to  have  been  America's 
greatest  "poet  of  the  people,"  was  born  at 
Portland,  Maine,  February  27,  1807.  He 
entered  Bowdoin  College  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen, and  graduated  in  1S25.  During  his 
college  days  he  distinguished  himself  in  mod- 
ern languages,  and  wrote  several  short 
poems,  one  of  the  best  known  of  which  was 
the  "  Hymn  of  the  Moravian  Nuns."  After 
his  graduation  he  entered  the  law  office  of 
his  father,  but  the  following  year  was  offered 
the  professorship  of  modern  languages  at 
Bowdoin,  with  the  privilege  of  three  years 
study  in  Europe  to  perfect  himself  in  French, 
Spanish,  Italian  and  German.  After  the 
three  years  were  passed  he  returned  to  the 
United  States  and  entered  upon  his  profes- 
sorship in  1829.  His  first  volume  was  a 
small  essay  on  the  "Moral  and  Devotional 
Poetry  of  Spain"  in  1S33.  In  1S35  he  pub- 
lished some  prose  sketches  of  travel  under 
the  title  of  "  Outre  Mer,  a  Pilgrimage  be- 
yond the  Sea."  In  1835  he  was  elected  to 
the  chair  of  modern  languages  and  literature 


at  Harvard  University  and  spent  a  year  in 
Denmark,  Sweden  and  Switzerland,  culti- 
vating a  knowledge  of  early  Scandinavian 
literature  and  entered  upon  his  professor- 
ship in  1S36.  Mr.  Longfellow  published  in 
1839  "  Hyperion,  a  Romance,"  and  "Voices 
of  the  Night, "  and  his  first  volume  of  original 
verse  comprising  the  selected  poems  of 
twenty  years  work,  procured  him  immediate 
recognition  as  a  poet.  "  Ballads  and  other 
poems"  appeared  in  1S42,  the  "Spanish 
Student  "  a  drama  in  three  acts,  in  1843, 
"The  Belfry  of  Bruges  "  in  1846,  "Evan- 
geline, a  Tale  of  Acadia,"  in  1847,  which 
was  considered  his  master  piece.  In  1845 
he  published  a  large  volume  of  the  "Poets 
and  Poetry  of  Europe,"  1849  "  Kavanagh, 
a  Tale,"  "The  Seaside  and  Fireside"  in 
1850,  "The  Golden  Legend  "  in  1S51,  "The 
Song  of  Hiawatha  "  in  1855,  "The  Court- 
ship of  Miles  Standish  "  in  1858,  "  Tales  of 
a  Wayside  Inn  "  in  1863;  "  Flower  de  Luce" 
in  1866;"  "New  England  Tragedies"  in 
1869;  "The  Divine  Tragedy"  in  1871; 
"Three  Books  of  Song"  in  1872;  "The 
Hanging  of  the  Crane  "  in  1874.  He  also 
published  a  masterly  translation  of  Dante 
in  1S67-70  and  the  "  Morituri  Salutamus," 
a  poem  read  at  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
his  class  at  Bowdoin  College.  Prof.  Long- 
fellow resigned  his  chair  at  Harvard  Univer- 
sity in  1854,  but  continued  to  reside  at  Cam- 
bridge. Some  of  his  poetical  works  have 
been  translated  into  many  languages,  and 
their  popularity  rivals  that  of  the  best  mod- 
ern English  poetry.  He  died  March  24, 
1S82,  but  has  left  an  imperishable  fame  as 
one  of  the  foremost  of  American  poets. 


PETER  COOPER  was  in  three  partic- 
ulars— as  a  capitalist  and  manufacturer, 
as  an  inventor,  and  as  a  philanthropist — 
connected  intimately  with  some  of  the  most 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


JmDortant  and  useful  accessions  to  the  in- 
dustrial arts  of  America,  its  progress  in  in- 
vention and  the  promotion  of  educational 
and  benevolent  institutions  intended  for  the 
benefit  of  people  at  large.  He  was  born 
in  New  York  city,  February  12,  1 79 1 .  His 
life  was  one  of  labor  and  struggle,  as  it  was 
with  most  of  America's  successful  men.  In 
early  boyhood  he  commenced  to  help  his 
father  as  a  manufacturer  of  hats.  He  at- 
tended school  only  for  half  of  each  day  for 
a  single  year,  and  beyond  this  his  acquisi- 
tions were  all  his  own.  When  seventeen 
vears  old  he  was  placed  with  John  Wood- 
ward to  learn  the  trade  of  coach-making  and 
served  his  apprenticeship  so  satisfactorily 
chat  his  master  oPered  to  set  him  up  in  busi- 
ness, but  this  he  declined  because  of  the 
debt  and  obligation  it  would  involve. 

The  foundation  of  Mr.  Cooper's  fortune 
was  laid  in  the  invention  of  an  improvement 
in  machines  for  shearing  cloth.  This  was 
largely  called  into  use  during  the  war  of 
1812  with  England  when  all  importations 
of  cloth  from  that  country  were  stopped. 
The  machines  lost  their  value,  however,  on 
the  declaration  of  peace.  Mr.  Cooper  then 
turned  his  shop  into  the  manufacture  of 
cabinet  ware.  He  afterwards  went  into  the 
grocery  business  in  New  York  and  finally  he 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  glue  and  isin- 
glass which  he  carried  en  for  more  than 
fifty  years.  In  1830  he  erected  iron  works 
in  Canton,  near  Baltimore.  Subsequenily 
he  erected  a  rolling  and  a  wire  mill  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  in  which  he  first  success- 
fully applied  anthracite  to  the  puddling  of 
iron.  In  these  works,  he  was  the  first  to 
roll  wrought-iron  beams  for  fire-proof  build- 
ings. These  works  grew  to  be  very  exten- 
sive, including  mines,  blast  furnaces,  etc. 
Wmle  in  Baltimore  Mr.  Cooper  built  in 
1830.  after  his  own    designs,  the   first  loco- 


motive engine  ever  constructed  on  this  con- 
tinent and  it  was  successfully  operated  on 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad.  He  also 
took  a  great  interest  and  invested  large  cap- 
ital in  the  extension  of  the  electric  telegraph, 
also  in  the  laying  of  the  first  Atlantic  cable; 
besides  interesting  himself  largely  in  the 
New  York  state  canals.  But  the  most 
cherished  object  of  Mr.  Cooper's  life  was 
the  establishment  of  an  institution  for  the 
instruction  of  the  industrial  classes,  which 
he  carried  out  on  a  magnificent  scale  in  New 
York  city,  where  the  "Cooper  Union" 
ranks  among  the  most  important  institu- 
tions. 

In  May,  1876,  the  Independent  party 
nominated  Mr.  Cooper  for  president  of  the 
United  States,  and  at  the  election  following 
he  received  nearly  100,000  votes.  His 
death  occurred  April  4,   1883. 


GENERAL  ROBERT  EDWARD  LEE, 
one  of  the  most  conspicuous  Confeder- 
ate generals  during  the  Civil  war,  and  one 
of  the  ablest  military  commanders  of  mod- 
ern times,  was  born  at  Stratford  House, 
Westmoreland  county,  Virginia,  January  19, 
1807.  In  1S25  he  entered  the  West  Point 
academy  and  was  graduated  second  in  his 
class  in  1829,  and  attached  to  the  army  as 
second  lieutenant  of  engineers.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  was  thus  engaged  in  en- 
gineering work,  aiding  in  establishing  the 
boundary  line  between  Ohio  and  Michigan, 
and  superintended  various  river  and  harbor 
improvements,  becoming  captain  of  engi- 
neers in  1838.  He  first  saw  field  service  in 
the  Mexican  war,  and  under  General  Scott 
performed  valuable  and  efficient  service. 
In  that  brilliant  campaign  he  was  conspicu- 
ous for  professional  ability  as  well  as  gallant 
and  meritorious  conduct,  winning  in  quick 
succession  the  brevets  of  major,  lieutenant- 


COMPEXDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPIIV. 


colonel,  and  colonel  for  his  part  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Cerro  Gordo,  Contreras,  Cherubusco, 
Chapultepec,  and  in  the  capture  of  the  city 
Mexico.  At  the  close  of  that  war  he  re- 
sumed his  engineering  work  in  connection 
with  defences  along  the  Atlantic  coast,  and 
from  1S52  to  1855  was  superintendent  of 
the  Military  Academy,  a  position  which  he 
gave  up  to  become  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Second  Cavalry.  For  several  years  there- 
after he  served  on  the  Texas  border,  but 
happening  to  be  near  Washington  at  the 
time  of  John  Brown's  raid,  October  17  to 
25,  1 8 59,  Colonel  Lee  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  Federal  forces  employed  in  its 
repression.  He  soon  returned  to  his  regi- 
ment in  Texas  where  he  remained  the 
greater  part  of  i860,  and  March  16,  1861, 
became  colonel  of  his  regiment  by  regular 
promotion.  Three  weeks  later,  April  25,  he 
resigned  upon  the  secession  of  Virginia, 
went  at  once  to  Richmond  and  tendered  his 
services  to  the  governor  of  that  state,  being 
by  acclamation  appointed  commander-in- 
chief  of  its  military  and  naval  forces,  with 
the  rank  of  major-general. 

He  at  once  set  to  work  to  organize  and 
develop  the  defensive  resources  of  his  state 
and  within  a  month  directed  the  occupation 
in  force  of  Manassas  Junction.  Meanwhile 
Virginia  having  entered  the  confederacy  and 
Richmond  become  the  capitol,  Lee  became 
one  of  the  foremost  of  its  military  officers 
and  was  closely  connected  with  Jefferson 
Davis  in  planning  the  moves  of  that  tragic 
time.  Lee  participated  in  many  of  the 
hardest  fought  battles  of  the  war  among 
which  were  Fair  Oaks,  White  Lake  Swamps, 
Cold  Harbor,  and  the  Chjckahominy,  Ma- 
nassas, Cedar  Run,  Antietam,  Fredericks- 
burg, Chancellorsville,  Malvern  Hill,  Get- 
tysburg, the  battles  of  the  Wilderness  cam- 
paign, all  the  campaigns  about  Richmond, 


Petersburg,  Five  Forks,  and  others.  Lee's 
surrender  at  Appomatox  brought  the-  war  to 
a  close.  It  is  said  of  General  Lee  that  but 
few  commanders  in  history  have  been  so 
quick  to  detect  the  purposes  of  an  opponent 
or  so  quick  to  act  upon  it.  Never  surpassed, 
if  ever  equaled,  in  the  art  of  winning  the 
passionate,  personal  love  and  admiration  of 
•his  troops,  he  acquired  and  held  an  influ- 
ence over  his  army  to  the  very  last,  founded 
upon  a  supreme  trust  in  his  judgment,  pre- 
science and  skill,  coupled  with  his  cool, 
stable,  equable  courage.  A  great  writer  has 
said  of  him:  "As  regards  the  proper  meas- 
ure of  General  Lee's  rank  among  the  sol- 
diers of  history,  seeing  what  he  wrought 
with  such  resources  as  he  had,  under  all  the 
disadvantages  that  ever  attended  his  oper- 
ations, it  is  impossible  to  measure  what  he 
might  have  achieved  in  campaigns  and  bat- 
tles with  resources  at  his  own  disposition 
equal  to  those  against  which  he  invariably 
contended." 

Left  at  the  close  of  the  war  without  es- 
tate or  profession,  he  accepted  the  presi- 
dency of  Washington  College  at  Lexington, 
Virginia,  where  he  died  October   12,  1870. 


JOHN  JAY,  first  chief-justice  of  the 
United  States,  was  born  in  New  York, 
December  12,  1745.  He  took  up  the  study 
of  law,  graduated  from  King's  College 
(^Columbia  College),  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  176S.  He  was  chosen  a  member 
of  the  committee  of  New  York  citizens  to 
protest  against  the  enforcement  by  the 
British  government  of  the  Boston  Port  Bill, 
was  elected  to  the  Continental  congress 
which  met  in  1774,  and  was  author  of  the 
addresses  to  the  people  of  Great  Britian  and 
of  Canada  adopted  by  that  and  the  suc- 
ceeding congress.  He  was  chosen  to  the 
provincial  assembly  of    his    own  state,  and 


10 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


resigned  from  the  Continental  congress  to 
serve  in  that  body,  wrote  most  of  its  public 
papers,  including  the  constitution  of  the  new 
state,  and  was  then  made  chief-justice.  He 
was  again  chosen  as  a  member  of  the  Con- 
tinental congress  in  1778,  and  became  presi- 
dent of  that  body.  He  was  sent  to  Spain 
as  minister  in  1780,  and  his  services  there 
resulted  in  substantial  and  moral  aid  for  the 
struggling  colonists.  Jay,  Franklin,  and 
Adams  negotiated  the  treaty  of  peace  with 
Great  Britain  in.  1782,  and  Jay  was  ap- 
pointed secretary  of  foreign  affairs  in  1784, 
and  held  the  position  until  the  adoption  of 
the  Federal  constitution.  During  this  time 
he  had  contributed  strong  articles  to  the 
"Federalist"  in  favor  of  the  adoption  of 
the  constitution,  and  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  securing  the  ratification  of  that 
instrument  by  his  state.  He  was  appointed 
by  Washington  as  first  chief-justice  of  the 
United  States  in  1789.  In  this  high  capac- 
ity the  great  interstate  and  international 
questions  that  arose  for  immediate  settle- 
ment came  before  him  for  treatment. 

In  1794,  at  a  time  when  the  people  in 
gratitude  for  the  aid  that  France  had  ex- 
tended to  us,  were  clamoring  for  the  privilege 
of  going  to  the  aid  of  that  nation  in  her 
struggle  with  Great  Britain  and  her  own  op- 
pressors, John  Jay  was  sent  to  England  as 
special  envoy  to  negotiate  a  treaty  with 
that  power.  The  instrument  known  as 
"Jay's  Treaty  "  was  the  result,  and  while 
in  many  of  its  features  it  favored  our  nation, 
yet  the  neutrality  clause  in  it  so  angered  the 
masses  that  it  was  denounced  throughout 
the  entire  country,  and  John  Jay  was  burned 
in  effigy  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The 
treaty  was  finally  ratified  by  Washington, 
and  approved,  in  August,  1795.  Having 
been  elected  governor  of  his  state  for  three 
consecutive    terms,    he    then    retired    from 


active  life,  declining  an  appointment  as 
chief-justice  of  the  supreme  court,  made  by- 
John  Adams  and  confirmed  by  the  senate. 
He  died  in  New  York  in  1S29. 


PHILLIP  HENRY  SHERIDAN  was 
one  of  the  greatest  American  cavalry 
generals.  He  was  born  March  6,  1S31,  at 
Somerset,  Perry  county,  Ohio,  and  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  United  States  Military  Acad- 
emy at  WTest  Point,  from  which  he  graduat- 
ed and  was  assigned  to  the  First  Infantry  as 
brevet  second  lieutenant  July  1,  1S53. 
After  serving  in  Texas,  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
in  Washington  ar.d  Oregon  territories  until  ■ 
the  fall  of  1 86 1,  he  was  recalled  to  the 
states  and  assigned  to  the  army  of  south- 
west Missouri  as  chief  quartermaster  from 
the  duties  of  which  he  was  soon  relieved. 
After  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  he  was  quar- 
termaster in  the  Corinth  campaign,  and  on 
May  25  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Second  Michigan  Cavalry.  On  July  1,  in 
command  of  a  cavalry  brigade,  he  defeated 
a  superior  force  of  the  enemy  and  was  com- 
missioned brigadier-general  of  volunteers. 
General  Sheridan  was  then  transferred  to 
the  army  of  the  Ohio,  and  commanded  a 
division  in  the  battle  of  Perrysville  and  also 
did  good  service  at  the  battle  of  Murfrees- 
boro,  where  he  was  commissioned  major- 
general  of  volunteers.  He  fought  with 
great  gallantry  at  Chickamauga,  after  which 
Rosecrans  was  succeeded  by  General  Grant, 
under  whom  Sheridan  fought  the  battle  of 
Chattanooga  and  won  additional  renown. 
Upon  the  promotion  of  Grant  to  lieutenant- 
general,  he  applied  for  the  transfer  of  Gen- 
eral Sheridan  to  the  east,  and  appointed 
him  chief  of  cavalry  in  the  army  of  the 
Potomac.  During  the  campaign  of  [864 
the  cavalry  covered  the  front  and  flanks  ol 
the  infantry  until  May  8,  when  it  was  wit,. 


COMPEXDIL'M   OF    BIOGRAl'IFV 


drawn  and  General  Sheridan  started  on  a 
raid  against  the  Confederate  lines  of  com- 
munication with  Richmond  and  on  May  25 
he  rejoined  the  army,  having  destroyed  con- 
siderable of  the  confederate  stores  and  de- 
feated their  cavalry  under  General  Stuart  at 
Yellow  Tavern.  The  outer  line  of  defences 
around  Richmond  were  taken,  but  the  sec- 
ond line  was  too  strong  to  be  taken  by  as- 
sault, and  accordingly  Sheridan  crossed  the 
Chickahominy  at  Meadow  Bridge,  reaching 
James  River  May  14,  and  thence  by  White 
House  and  Hanover  Court  House  back  to 
the  army.  The  cavalry  occupied  Cold 
Harbor  May  31,  which  they  held  until  the 
arrival  of  the  infantry.  On  General  Sheri- 
dan's next  raid  he  routed  Wade  Hampton's 
cavalry,  and  August  7  was  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  Middle  Military  division, 
and  during  the  campaign  of  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley  he  performed  the  unheard  of 
feat  of  "  destroying  an  entire  army."  He 
was  appointed  brigadier-general  of  the  reg- 
ular army  and  for  his  victory  at  Cedar  Creek 
he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-gen- 
eral. General  Sheridan  started  out  Febru- 
ary 27,  1865,  with  ten  thousand  cavalry 
and  destroyed  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad 
and  the  James  River  Canal  and  joined  the 
army  again  at  Petersburg  March  27.  He 
commanded  at  the  battle  of  Five  Forks,  the 
decisive  victory  which  compelled  Lee  to 
evacuate  Petersburg.  On  April  9,  Lee  tried 
to  break  through  Sheridan's  dismounted 
command  but  when  the  General  drew  aside 
his  cavalry  and  disclosed  the  deep  lines  of 
infantry  the  attempt  was  abandoned.  Gen- 
eral Sheridan  mounted  his  men  and  was  about 
to  charge  when  a  white  Hag  was  flown  at  the 
head  of  Lee's  column  which  betokened  the 
surrender  of  the  army.  After  the  war  Gen- 
eral Sheridan  had  command  of  the  army  of 
•  the  southwest,  of  the  gulf  and   the  depart- 


ment of  Missouri  until  he  was  appointed 
lieutenant-general  and  assigned  to  the  di- 
vision of  Missouri  with  headquarters  at  Chi- 
cago, and  assumed  supreme  command  of 
the  army  November  1,  18S3,  which  post  he 
held  until  his  death,  August  5,   1888. 

PHINEAS  T.  BARNUM,  the  greatest 
showman  the  world  has  ever  seen,  was 
born  at  Danbury,  Connecticut,  July  5,  18 10. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  began  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account.  -  He  opened  a  re- 
tail fruit  and  confectionery  house,  including 
a  barrel  of  ale,  in  one  part  of  an  old  car- 
riage house.  He  spent  fifty  dollars  in  fitting 
up  the  store  and  the  stock  cost  him  seventy 
dollars.  Three  years  later  he  put  in  a  full 
stock,  such  as  is  generally  carried  in  a 
country  store,  and  the  same  year  he  started 
a  Democratic  newspaper,  known  as  the 
"Herald  of  Freedom."  He  soon  found 
himself  in  jail  under  a  sixty  days'  sentence 
for  libel.  During  the  winter  of  1834-5  he 
went  to  New  York  and  began  soliciting  busi- 
ness for  several  Chatham  street  houses.  In 
1835  he  embarked  in  the  show  business  at 
Niblo's  Garden,  having  purchased  the  cele- 
brated "  Joice  Heth"  for  one  thousand  dol- 
lars. He  afterward  engaged  the  celebrated 
athlete,  Sig.  Yivalia,  and  Barnum  made  his 
"  first  appearance  on  any  stage,"  acting  as  a 
"super"  to  Sig.  Vivalia  on  his  opening 
night.  He  became  ticket  seller,  secretary 
and  treasurer  of  Aaron  Turner's  circus  in 
1S36  and  traveled  with  it  about  the  country. 
His  next  venture  was  the  purchase  of  a 
steamboat  on  the  Mississippi,  and  engaged 
a  theatrical  company  to  show  in  the  princi- 
pal towns  along  that  river.  In  1840  he 
opened  Vaux  Hall  Garden,  New  York,  with 
variety  performances,  and  introduced  the 
celebrated  jig  dancer,  John  Diamond,  to  the 
public.      The    next  year   he   quit    the  show 


42 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


business  and  settled  down  in  New  York  as 
agent  of  Sear's  Pictorial  Illustration  of  the 
Bible,  but  a  few  months  later  again  leased 
Vaux  Hall.  In  September  of  the  same  year 
he  again  left  the  business,  and  became 
' '  puff  "  writer  for  the  Bowery  Amphitheater. 
In  December  he  bought  the  Scudder  Museum, 
and  a  year  later  introduced  the  celebrated 
Tom  Thumb  to  the  world,  taking  him  to 
England  in  1S44,  and  remaining  there  three 
years.  He  then  returned  to  New  York,  and 
in  1849,  through  James  Hall  Wilson,  he  en- 
gaged the  "Swedish  Nightingale,"  Jenny 
Lind,  to  come  to  this  country  and  make  a 
tour  under  his  management.  He  also  had 
sent  the  Swiss  Bell  Ringers  to  America  in 
1S44.  He  became  owner  of  the  Baltimore 
Museum  and  the  Lyceum  and  Museum  at 
Philadelphia.  In  1850  he  brought  a  dozen 
elephants  from  Ceylon  to  make  a  tour  of  this 
country,  and  in  1S51  sent  the  "  Bateman 
Children "  to  London.  During  1S51  and 
1852  he  traveled  as  a  temperance  lecturer, 
and  became  president  of  a  bank  at  Pequon- 
nock,  Connecticut.  In  1S52  he  started  a 
weekly  pictorial  paper  known  as  the  "  Illus- 
trated News."  In  1865  his  Museum  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  he  immediately  leased 
the  Winter  Garden  Theatre,  where  he  played 
his  company  until  he  opened  his  own 
Museum.  This  was  destroyed  by  fire  in 
1868,  and  he  then  purchased  an  interest  in 
the  George  Wood  Museum. 

After  dipping  into  politics  to  some  ex- 
tent, he  began  his  career  as  a  really  great 
showman  in  187 1.  Three  years  later  he 
erected  an  immense  circular  building  in  New 
York,  in  which  he  produced  his  panoramas. 
He  has  frequently  appeared  as  a  lecturer, 
some  times  on  temperance,  and  some  times 
on  other  topics,  among  which  were  ' '  Hum- 
bugs of  the  World,"  "Struggles  and 
Triumphs,"  etc.      He  was  owner  of  the  im- 


mense menagerie  and  circus  known  as  the 
"Greatest  Show  on  Earth,"  and  his  fame 
extended  throughout  Europe  and  America. 
He  died  in  1891. 


JAMES  MADISON,  the  fourth  president 
of  the  United  States,  1809-17,  was 
born  at  Port  Conway,  Prince  George  coun- 
ty, Virginia,  March  16,  1 75  1 .  He  was  the 
son  of  a  wealthy  planter,  who  lived  on  a  fine 
estate  called  "  Montpelier, "  which  was  but 
twenty-five  miles  from  Monticello,  the  home 
of  Thomas  Jefferson.  Mr.  Madison  was  the 
eldest  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  all  of 
whom  attained  maturity.  He  received  his 
early  education  at  home  under  a  private 
tutor,  and  consecrated  himself  with  unusual 
vigor  to  study.  At  a  very  early  age  he  was 
a  proficient  scholar  in  Latin,  Greek,  French 
and  Spanish,  and  in  1769  he  entered  Prince- 
ton College,  New  Jersey.  He  graduated  in 
1 77 1,  but  remained  for  several  months  after 
his  graduation  to  pursue  a  course  of  study 
under  the  guidance  of  Dr.  Witherspoon. 
He  permanently  injured  his  health  at  this 
time  and  returned  to  Virginia  in  1772,  and 
for  two  years  he  was  immersed  in  the  study 
of  law,  and  at  the  same  time  made  extend- 
ed researches  in  theology,  general  literature, 
and  philosophical  studies.  He  then  directed 
his  full  attention  to  the  impending  struggle 
of  the  colonies  for  independence,  and  also 
took  a  prominent  part  in  the  religious  con- 
troversy at  that  time  regarding  so  called 
persecution  of  other  religious  denominations 
by  the  Church  of  England.  Mr.  Madison 
was  elected  to  the  Virginia  assembly  in  1776 
and  in  November,  1777,  he  was  chosen 
a  member  of  the  council  of  state.  He  took 
his  seat  in  the  continental  congrt-ss  in 
March,  1780.  He  was  made  chairman  of 
the  committee  on  foreign  relations,  and 
drafted  an   able    memoranda   for  the  use  of 


COMPEXDILM   OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


43 


the  American  ministers  to  the  French  and 
Spanish  governments,  that  established  the 
claims  of  the  republic  to  the  territories  be- 
tween the  Alleghany  Mountains  and  the 
Mississippi  River.  He  acted  as  chairman  of 
the  ways  and  means  committee  in  1783  and 
as  a  member  of  the  Virginia  legislature  in 
1784-S6  he  rendered  important  services  to 
the  state.  Mr.  Madison  represented  Yir- 
giana  in  the  national  constitutional  conven- 
tion at  Philadelphia  in  17S7,  and  was  one  of 
the  chief  framers  of  the  constitution.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  first  four  congresses, 
1789-97,  and  gradually  became  identified 
with  the  anti-federalist  or  republican  party 
of  which  he  eventually  became  the  leader. 
He  remained  in  private  life  during  the  ad- 
ministration of  John  Adams,  and  was  secre- 
tary of  state  under  President  Jefferson.  Mr. 
Madison  administered  the  affairs  of  that 
post  with  such  great  ability  that  he  was  the 
natural  successor  of  the  chief  magistrate 
and  was  chosen  president  by  an  electoral 
vote  of  122  to  53.  He  was  inaugurated 
March  4,  1809,  at  that  critical  period  in  our 
history  when  the  feelings  of  the  people  were 
embittered  with  those  of  England,  and  his 
first  term  was  passed  in  diplomatic  quarrels, 
which  finally  resulted  in  the  declaration  of 
war,  June  18,  1812.  In  the  autumn  of  that 
year  President  Madison  was  re-elected  by  a 
vote  of  128  to  89,  and  conducted  the  war 
for  three  years  with  varying  success  and 
defeat  in  Canada,  by  glorious  victories  at 
sea,  and  by  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  that 
was  fought  after  the  treaty  of  peace  fn.d 
been  signed  at  Ghent,  December  24,  1S14. 
During  this  war  the  national  capitol  at 
Washington  was  burned,  and  many  valuable 
papers  were  destroyed,  but  the  declaration 
of  independence  was  saved  to  the  country 
by  the  bravery  and  courage  of  Mr.  Madi- 
son's illustrious  wife.      A  commercial  treat} 


was  negotiated  with  Great  Britain  in  1S15, 
and  in  April,  1S16,  a  national  bank  was  in- 
corporated by  congress.  Mr.  Madison  was 
succeeded.  March  4,  1  S  1  7,  by  James  Monroe, 
and  retired  into  private  life  on  his  estate  at 
Montpelier,    where  he  died  June  28,   1836. 

FREDERICK  DOUGLASS,  a  noted 
American  character,  was  a  protege  of 
the  great  abolitionist,  William  Lloyd  Garri- 
son, by  whom  he  was  aided  in  gaining  his 
education.  Mr.  Douglass  was  born  in  Tuck- 
ahoe  county,  Maryland,  in  February,  1817, 
his  mother  being  a  negro  woman  and  his 
father  a  white  man.  He  was  born  in  slav- 
ery and  belonged  to  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Lloyd,  under  which  name  he  went  until  he 
ran  away  from  his  master  and  changed  it  to 
Douglass.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he  was 
sent  to  Baltimore  where  he  learned  to  read 
and  write,  and  later  his  owner  allowed  him 
to  hire  out  his  own  time  for  three  dollars  a 
week  in  a  shipyard.  In  September,  1838, 
he  fled  from  Baltimore  and  made  his  way  to 
New  York,  and  from  thence  went  to  New 
Bedford,  Massachusetts.  Here  he  was  mar- 
ried and  supported  himself  and  family  by 
working  at  the  wharves  and  in  various  work- 
shops. In  the  summer  of  1S41  he  attended 
an  anti-slavery  convention  at  Nantucket, 
and  made  a  speech  which  was  so  well  re- 
ceived that  he  was  offered  the  agency  of  the 
Massachusetts  Anti-slavery  Society.  In  this 
capacity  he  traveled  through  the  New  En- 
gland states,  and  about  the  same  time  he 
published  his  first  book  called  "  Narrative 
of  my  Experience  in  Slavery."  Mr.  Doug- 
lass went  to  England  in  1845  and  lectured 
on  slavery  to  large  and  enthusiastic  audi- 
ences in  all  the  large  towns  of  the  country, 
and  his  friends  made  up  a  purse  of  seven 
1  nd  fifty  dollars  and  purchased  his 
freedom  in  due  form  of  law. 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Mr.  Douglass  applied  himself  to  the  de- 
livery of  lyceum  lectures  after  the  abolition 
of  slavery,  and  in  iSjohe  became  the  editor 
of  the  "  New  National  Era  "  in  Washington. 
In  1S71  he  was  appointed  assistant  secretary 
of  the  commission  to  San  Domingo  and  on 
his  return  he  was.  appointed  one  of  the  ter- 
ritorial council  for  the  District  of  Colorado 
by  President  Grant.  He  was  elected  presi- 
dential elector-at-large  for  the  state  of  New 
York  and  was  appointed  to  carry  the  elect- 
oral vote  to  Washington.  He  was  also 
United  States  marshal  for  the  District  of 
Columbia  in  1876,  and  later  was  recorder 
of  deeds  for  the  same,  from  which  position 
he  was  removed  by  President  Cleveland  in 
1S86.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  visited 
England  to  inform  the  friends  that  he  had 
made  while  there,  of  the  progress  of  the 
colored  race  in  America,  and  on  his  return 
he  was  appointed  minister  to  Hayti,  by 
President  Harrison  in  1S89.  His  career  as 
a  benefactor  of  his  race  was  closed  by  his 
death  in  February,   1895,  near  Washington. 

WILLIAM  CULLEN  BRYANT.— The 
ear  for  rhythm  and  the  talent  for 
graceful  expression  are  the  gifts  of  nature, 
and  they  were  plentifully  endowed  on  the 
above  named  poet.  The  principal  charac- 
teristic of  his  poetry  is  the  thoughtfulness 
and  intellectual  process  by  which  his  ideas 
ripened  in  his  mind,  as  all  his  poems  are 
bright,  clear  and  sweet.  Mr.  Bryant  was 
born  November  3,  1794,  at  Cummington, 
Hampshire  county,  Massachusetts,  and  was 
educated  at  Williams  College,  from  which 
he  graduated,  having  entered  it  in  1810. 
He  took  up  the  study  of  law,  and  in  1S15 
was  admitted  to  the  bar,  but  after  practicing 
successfully  for  ten  years  at  Plainfield  and 
Great  Barrington,  he  removed  to  New  York 
in    1825.      The    following  year   he  became 


the  editor  of  the  "Evening  Post,"  which 
he  edited  until  his  death,  and  under  his  di- 
rection this  paper  maintained,  through  a 
long  series  of  years,  a  high  standing  by  the 
boldness  of  its  protests  against  slavery  be- 
fore the  war,  by  its  vigorous  support  of  the 
government  during  the  war,  and  by  the 
fidelity  and  ability  of  its  advocacy  of  the 
Democratic  freedom  in  trade.  Mr.  Bry- 
ant visited  Europe  in  1S34,  1845,  1849  and 
1857,  and  presented  to  the  literary  world 
the  fruit  of  his  travels  in  the  series  of  "Let- 
ters of  a  Traveler,"  and  "Letters  from 
Spain  and  Other  Countries."  In  the  world 
of  literature  he  is  known  chiefly  as  a  poet, 
and  here  Mr.  Bryant's  name  is  illustrious, 
both  at  home  and  abroad.  He  contributed 
verses  to  the  "Country  Gazette  "  before  he 
was  ten  years  of  age,  and  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen he  wrote  "  Thanatopsis, "  the  most  im- 
pressive and  widely  known  of  his  poems. 
The  later  outgrowth  of  his  genius  was  his 
translation  of  Homer's  "Iliad"  in  1870 
and  the  "  Odyssey "  in  1871.  He  also 
made  several  speeches  and  addresses  which 
have  been  collected  in  a  comprehensive  vol- 
ume called  "Orations  and  Addresses."  He 
was  honored  in  many  ways  by  his  fellow 
citizens,  who  delighted  to  pay  tributes  of 
respect  to  his  literary  eminence,  the  breadth 
of  his  public  spirit,  the  faithfulness  of  his 
service,  and  the  worth  of  his  private  char- 
acter. Mr.  Bryant  died  in  New  York  City 
June  12,   1878. 


WILLIAM  HENRY  SEWARD,  the 
secretary  of  state  during  one  of  the 
most  critical  times  in  the  history  of  our 
country,  and  the  right  hand  man  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln,  ranks  among  the  greatest 
statesmen  America  has  produced.  Mr. 
Seward  was  born  May  16,  1801,  at  Florida, 
Orange  county,    New    York,    and   with  such 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


facilities  as  the  place  afforded  he  fitted  him- 
self for  a  college  course.  He  attended 
Union  College  at  Schenectady,  New  York, 
at  the  age  of  fifteen,  and  took  his  degree  in 
the  regular  course,  with  signs  of  promise  in 
1820,  after  which  he  diligently  addressed 
himself  to  the  study  of  law  under  competent 
instructors,  and  started  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  1823. 

Mr.  Seward  entered  the  political  arena 
and  in  1828  we  find  him  presiding  over  a 
convention  in  New  York,  its  purpose  being 
the  nomination  of  John  Quincy  Adams  for  a 
second  term.  He  was  married  in  1824  and 
in  1830  was  elected  to  the  state  senate. 
From  1838  to  1842  he  was  governor  of  the 
state  of  New  York.  Mr.  Seward's  next  im- 
portant position  was  that  of  United  States 
senator  from  New  York. 

W.  H.  Seward  was  chosen  by  President 
Lincoln  to  fill  the  important  office  of  the 
secretary  of  state,  and  by  his  firmness  and 
diplomacy  in  the  face  of  difficulties,  he  aided 
in  piloting  the  Union  through  that  period  of 
strife,  and  won  an  everlasting  fame.  This 
great  statesman  died  at  Auburn,  New  York, 
October  10,  1872,  in  the  seventy-second 
year  of  his  eventful  life. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON,  a  name  as  dear 
as  it  is  familiar  to  the  theater-going 
world  in  America,  suggests  first  of  all  a  fun- 
loving,  drink-ioving,  mellow  voiced,  good- 
natured  Dutchman,  and  the  name  of  "Rip 
Van  Winkle  "  suggests  the  pleasant  features 
of  Joe  Jefferson,  so  intimately  are  play  ard 
player  associated  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
have  had  the  good  fortune  to  shed  tears  of 
laughter  and  sympathy  as  a  tribute  to  the 
greatness  of  his  art.  Joseph  Jefferson  was 
born  in  Philadelphia,  February  20,  1829. 
His  genius  was  an  inheritance,  if  there  be 
such,     as    his    great-grandfather,     Thomas 


Jefferson,  was  a  manager  and  actor  in  Eng 
land.  His  grandfather,  Joseph  Jefferson, 
was  the  most  popular  comedian  of  the  New 
York  stage  ia  his  time,  and  his  father,  Jos- 
eph Jefferson,  the  second,  was  a  good  actor 
also,  but  the  third  Joseph  Jefferson  out- 
shone them  all. 

At  the  age  of  three  years  Joseph  Jeffer- 
son came  on  the  stage  as  the  child  in  "Pi- 
zarro,"  and  his  training  was  upon  the  stage 
from  childhood.  Later  on  he  lived  and 
acted  in  Chicago,  Mobile,  and  Texas.  After 
repeated  misfortunes  he  returned  to  New 
Orleans  from  Texas,  and  his  brother-in-law, 
Charles  Burke,  gave  him  money  to  reach 
Philadelphia,  where  he  joined  the  Burton 
theater  company.  Here  his  genius  soon  as- 
serted itself,  and  his  future  became  promis- 
ing and  brilliant.  His  engagements  through- 
out the  United  States  and  Australia  were 
generally  successful,  and  when  he  went  to 
England  in  1865  Mr.  Boucicault  consented 
to  make  some  important  changes  in  his 
dramatization  of  Irving's  story  of  Rip  Van 
Winkle,  and'  Mr.  Jefferson  at  once  placed 
it  in  the  front  rank  as  a  comedy.  He  made 
a  fortune  out  of  it,  and  played  nothing  else 
for  many  years.  In  later  years,  however, 
Mr.  Jefferson  acquitted  himself  of  the  charge 
of  being  a  one-part  actor,  and  the  parts  of 
"Bob  Acres,"  "Caleb  Plummer"  and 
"Golightly  "  all  testify  to  the  versatility  of 
his  genius. 

GEORGE  BRINTON  McCLELLAN, 
a  noted  American  general,  was  born 
in  Philadelphia,  December  3,  1826.  He 
graduated  from  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  in  1S46  from  West  Point,  and 
was  breveted  second  lieutenant  of  engineers. 
He  was  with  Scott  in  the  Mexican  war, 
taking  part  in  all  the  engagements  from 
Vera  Cruz  to  the  final  capture  of  the  Mexi- 


48 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


can  capital,  and  was  breveted  first  lieuten- 
ant and  captain  for  gallantry  displayed  on 
various  occasions.  In  1857  he  resigned  his 
commission  and  accepted  the  position  of 
chief  engineer  in  the  construction  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  became  presi- 
dent of  the  St.  Louis  &  Cincinnati  Railroad 
Company.  He  was  commissioned  major- 
general  by  the  state  of  Ohio  in  1861, 
placed  in  command  of  the  department  of 
the  Ohio,  and  organized  the  first  volunteers 
called  for  from  that  state.  In  May  he  was 
appointed  major-general  in  the  United 
States  army,  and  ordered  to  disperse  the 
confederates  overrunning  West  Virginia. 
He  accomplished  this  task  promptly,  and 
received  the  thanks  of  congress.  After  the 
first  disaster  at  Bull  Run  he  was  placed 
in  command  of  the  department  of  Wash- 
ington, and  a  few  weeks  later  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  Upon  retirement 
of  General  Scott  the  command  of  the  en- 
tire United  States  army  devolved  upon  Mc- 
Clellan,  but  he  was  relieved  of  it  within  a 
few  months.  In  March,  1S62,  after  elabor- 
ate preparation,  he  moved  upon  Manassas, 
only  to  find  it  deserted  by  the  Confederate 
army,  which  had  been  withdrawn  to  im- 
pregnable defenses  prepared  nearer  Rich- 
mond. He  then  embarked  his  armies  for 
Fortress  Monroe  and  after  a  long  delay  at 
Yorktown,  began  the  disastrous  Peninsular 
campaign,  which  resulted  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  being  cooped  up  on  the  James 
River  below  Richmond.  His  forces  were 
then  called  to  the  support  of  General  Pope, 
near  Washington,  and  he  was  left  without  an 
army.  After  Pope's  defeat  McClellan  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  troops  for  the  de- 
fense of  the  capital,  and  after  a  thorough  or- 
ganization he  followed  Lee  into  Maryland 
and  the  battles  of  Antietam  and  South  Moun- 
tain   ensued.      The    delay    which    followed 


caused  general  dissatisfaction,  and  he  was  re- 
lieved of  his  command, and  retired  from  active 
service. 

In  1864  McClellan  was  nominated  for 
the  presidency  by  the  Democrats,  and  over- 
whelmingly defeated  by  Lincoln,  three 
states  only  casting  their  electoral  votes  for 
McClellan.  On  election  day  he  resigned 
his  commission  and  a  few  months  later  went 
to  Europe  where  he  spent  several  years. 
He  wrote  a  number  of  military  text- books 
and  reports.  His  death  occurred  October 
29,  1885.  

SAMUEL  J.  TILDEN.—  Among  the  great 
statesmen  whose  names  adorn  the  pages 
of  American  history  may  be  found  that  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Known  as  a 
lawyer  of  highest  ability,  his  greatest  claim 
to  immortality  will  ever  lie  in  his  successful 
battle  against  the  corrupt  rings  of  his  native 
state  and  the  elevation  of  the  standard  of 
official  life. 

Samuel  J.  Tilden  was  born  in  New  Leb- 
anon, New  York,  February  9,  1S14.  He 
pursued  his  academic  studies  at  Yale  Col- 
lege and  the  University  of  New  York,  tak- 
ing the  course  of  law  at  the  latter.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1841.  His  rare 
ability  as  a  thinker  and  writer  upon  public 
topics  attracted  the  attention  of  President 
Van  Buren,  of  whose  policy  and  adminis- 
tration he  became  an  active  and  efficient 
champion.  He  made  for  himself  a  high 
place  in  his  profession  and  amassed  quite  a 
fortune  as  the  result  of  his  industry  and 
judgment.  During  the  days  of  his  greatest 
professional  labor  he  was  ever  o:;e  of  the 
leaders  and  trusted  counsellors  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
conventions  to  revise  the  state  constitution, 
both  in  1846  and  1867,  and  served  two 
terms  in  the  lower  branch  of  the  state  leg- 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHT, 


49 


islature.  Ke  was  one  of  the  controlling 
spirits  in  the  overthrow  of  the  notorious 
"  Tweed  ring  "  and  the  reformation  of  the 
government  of  the  city  of  New  York.  In 
1874  he  was  elected  governor  of  the  state 
of  New  York.  While  in  this  position  he 
assailed  corruption  in  high  places,  success- 
fully battling  with  the  iniquitous  "canal 
ring  "  and  crushed  its  sway  over  all  depart- 
ments of  the  government.  Recognizing  his 
character  and  executive  ability  Mr.  Tilden 
was  nominated  for  president  by  the  na- 
tional Democratic  convention  in  1876.  At 
the  election  he  received  a  much  larger  popu- 
lar vote  than  his  opponent,  and  184  uncon- 
tested electoral  votes.  There  being  some 
electoral  votes  contested,  a  commission  ap- 
pointed by  congress  decided  in  favor  of  the 
Republican  electors  and  Mr.  Hayes,  the  can- 
didate of  that  party  was  declared  elected. 
In  1S80,  the  Democratic  party,  feeling  that 
Mr.  Tilden  had  been  lawfully  elected  to  the 
presidency  tendered  the  nomination  for  the 
same  office  to  Mr.  Tilden,  but  he  declined, 
retiring  from  all  public  functions,  owing  to 
failing  health.  He  died  August  4,  1S86. 
By  will  he  bequeathed  several  millions  of 
dollars  toward  the  founding  of  public  libra- 
ries in  New  York  City,  Yonkers,  etc. 

NOAH  WEBSTER.— As  a  scholar,  law- 
yer, author  and  journalist,  there  is  no 
one  who  stands  on  a  higher  plane,  or  whose 
reputation  is  better  established  than  the 
honored  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch.  He  was  a  native  of  West  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  and  was  born  October  17, 
1758.  He  came  of  an  old  New  England 
family,  his  mother  being  a  descendant  of 
Governor  William  Bradford,  of  the  Ply- 
mouth colony.  After  acquiring  a  solid  edu- 
cation in  early  life  Dr.  Webster  entered 
Yale  College,  from  which   he  graduated  in 


1778.  For  a  while  he  taught  school  in 
Hartford,  at  the  same  time  studying  law. 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1781.  He 
taught  a  classical  school  at  Goshen,  Orange 
county,  New  York,  in  1782-S3,  and  while 
there  prepared  his  spelling  book,  grammar 
and  reader,  which  was  issued  under  the  title 
of  "A  Grammatical  Institute  of  the  English 
Language,"  in  three  parts, — so  successful  a 
work  that  up  to  1S76  something  like  forty 
million  of  the  spelling  books  had  been 
sold.  In  1786  he  delivered  a  course  of  lec- 
tures on  the  English  language  in  the  seaboard 
cities  and  the  following  year  taught  an 
academy  at  Philadelphia.  From  December 
[7,  [787,  until  November,  17S8,  he  edited 
the  "American  Magazine,  "a  periodical  that 
proved  unsuccessful.  In  1789-93  he  prac- 
ticed law  in  Hartford  having  in  the  former 
year  married  the  daughter  of  William  Green- 
leaf,  of  Boston.  He  returned  to  New  York 
and  November,  1793,  founded  a  daily  paper, 
the  "Minerva,"  to  which  was  soon  added  a 
semi-weekly  edition  under  the  name  of  the 
"  Herald."  The  former  is  still  in  existence 
under  the  name  of  the  "Commercial  Adver- 
tiser." In  this  paper,  over  the  signature  of 
"Curtius,"  he  published  a  lengthy  and  schol- 
arly defense  of   "John  Jay's  treaty." 

In  1798,  Dr.  Webster  moved  to  New 
Haven  and  in  1807  commenced  the  prepar- 
ation of  his  great  work,  the  "American  Dic- 
tionary of  the  English  Language,"  which 
was  not  completed  and  published  until  1828. 
He  made  his  home  in  Amherst,  Massachu- 
setts, for  the  ten  years  succeeding  1S12,  and 
was  instrumental  in  the  establishment  cf 
Amherst  College,  of  which  institution  he  was 
the  first  president  of  the  board  of  trustees. 
During  1824-5  he  resided  in  Europe,  pursu- 
ing his  philological  studies  in  Paris.  He 
completed  his  dictionary  from  the  libraries 
of  Cambridge  University  in   1S25,  and  de- 


50 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT, 


voted  his  leisure  for  the  remainder  of  his 
life  to  the  revision  of  that  and  his  school 
books. 

Dr.  Webster  was  a  member  of  the  legis- 
latures of  both  Connecticut  and  Massachu- 
setts, was  judge  of  one  of  the  courts  of  the 
former  state  and  was  identified  with  nearly 
all  the  literary  and  scientific  societies  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Amherst  College.  He  died 
in  New  Haven,  May  28,   1843. 

Among  the  more  prominent  works  ema- 
nating from  the  fecund  pen  of  Dr.  Noah 
Webster  besides  those  mentioned  above  are 
the  following:  "Sketches  of  American 
Policy,"  "  Winthrop's  Journal,"  "  A  Brief 
History  of  Epidemics,"  "  Rights  of  Neutral 
Nations  in  time  of  War,"  "A  Philosophical 
and  Practical  Grammar  of  the  English  Lan- 
guage," "Dissertations  on  the  English 
Language,"  "A  Collection  of  Essays," 
"The  Revolution  in  France,"  "Political 
Progress  of  Britain,"  "Origin,  History,  and 
Connection  of  the  Languages  of  Western 
Asia  and  of  Europe  ,"  and  many  others. 


WILLIAM  LLOYD  GARRISON,  the 
great  anti-slavery  pioneer  and  leader, 
was  born  in  Newburyport,  Massachusetts, 
December  12,  1804.  He  was  apprenticed 
to  the  printing  business,  and  in  1828  was  in- 
duced to  take  charge  of  the  "Journal  of  the 
Times"  at  Bennington,  Vermont.  While 
supporting  John  Quincy  Adams  for  the  presi- 
dency he  took  occasion  in  that  paper  to  give 
expression  of  his  views  on  slavery.  These 
articles  attracted  notice,  and  a  Quaker 
named  Lundy,  editor  of  the  "Genius  of 
Emancipation,"  published  in  Baltimore,  in- 
duced him  to  enter  a  partnership  with  him 
for  the  conduct  of  his  paper.  It  soon 
transpired  that  the  views  of  the  partners 
were  not  in  harmony,  Lundy  favoring  grad- 
ual  emancipation,    while    Garrison   favored 


immediate  freedom.  In  1850  Mr.  Garrison 
was  thrown  into  prison  for  libel,  not  being 
able  to  pay  a  fine  of  fifty  dollars  and  costs. 
In  his  cell  he  wrote  a  number  of  poems 
which  stirred  the  entire  north,  and  a  mer- 
chant, Mr.  Tappan,  of  New  York,  paid  his 
fine  and  liberated  him,  after  seven  weeks  of 
confinement.  He  at  once  began  a  lecture 
tour  of  the  northern  cities,  denouncing 
slavery  as  a  sin  before  God,  and  demanding 
its  immediate  abolition  in  the  name  of  re- 
ligion and  humanity.  He  opposed  the  col- 
onization scheme  of  President  Monroe  and 
other  leaders,  and  declared  the  right  of 
every  slave  to  immediate  freedom. 

In  1 83 1  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Isaac  Knapp,  and  began  the  publication  of 
the  "  Liberator  "  at  Boston.  The  "  imme- 
diate abolition  "  idea  began  to  gather  power 
in  the  north,  while  the  south  became 
alarmed  at  the  bold  utterance  of  this  jour- 
nal. The  mayor  of  Boston  was  besought 
by  southern  influence  to  interfere,  and  upon 
investigation,  reported  upon  the  insignifi- 
cance, obscurity,  and  poverty  of  the  editor 
and  his  staff,  which  report  was  widely 
published  throughout  the  country.  Re- 
wards were  offered  by  the  southern  states 
for  his  arrest  and  conviction.  Later  Garri- 
son brought  from  England,  where  an  eman- 
cipation measure  had  just  been  passed, 
some  of  the  great  advocates  to  work  for  the 
cause  in  this  country.  In  1835  a  mob 
broke  into  his  office,  broke  up  a  meeting  of 
women,  dragged  Garrison  through  the  street 
with  a  rope  around  his  body,  and  his  life 
was  saved  only  by  the  interference  of  the 
police,  who  lodged  him  in  jail.  Garrison 
declined  to  sit  in  the  World's  Anti-Slaverv 
convention  at  London  in  1840,  because 
that  body  had  refused  women  representa- 
tion. He  opposed  the  formation  of  a  po- 
litical party  with  emancipation  as  its  basis. 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


51 


He  favored  a  dissolution  of  the  union,  and 
declared  the  constitution  which  bound  the 
free  states  to  the  slave  states  "  A  covenant 
with  death  and  an  agreement  with  hell." 
In  I S43  he  became  president  of  the  Amer- 
ican Anti-Slavery  society,  which  position  he 
held  until  1S65,  when  slavery  was  no  more. 
During  all  this  time  the  "  Liberator  "  had 
continued  to  promulgate  anti-slavery  doc- 
trines, but  in  1865  Garrison  resigned  his 
position,  and  declared  his  work  was  com- 
pleted.     He  died  May  24,    1879. 


JOHN  BROWN  ;"Brown  of  Ossawato- 
mie"),  .a  noted  character  in  American 
history,  wasbornatTorrington,  Connecticut, 
May  9,  1800.  In  his  childhood  he  removed 
to  Ohio,  where  he  learned  the  tanner's 
trade.  He  married  there,  and  in  1S55  set- 
tled in  Kansas.  He  lived  at  the  village  of 
Ossawatomie  in  that  state,  and  there  began 
his  fight  against  slavery.  He  advocated  im- 
mediate emancipation,  and  held  that  the 
negroes  of  the  slave  states  merely  waited 
for  a  leader  in  an  insurrection  that  would  re- 
sult in  their  freedom.  He  attended  the 
convention  called  at  Chatham,  Canada,  in 
1859,  and  was  the  leading  spirit  in  organiz- 
ing a  raid  upon  the  United  States  arsenal  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  Virginia.  His  plans  were 
well  laid,  and  carried  out  in  great  secrecy. 
He  rented  a  farm  house  near  Harper's  Ferry 
in  the  summer  of  1859,  and  on  October 
1 6th  of  that  year,  with  about  twenty  follow- 
ers, he  surprised  and  captured  the  United 
States  arsenal,  with  all  its  supplies  and 
arms.  To  his  surprise,  the  negroes  did  not 
come  to  his  support,  and  the  next  day  he 
was  attacked  by  the  Virginia  state  militia, 
wounded  and  captured.  He  was  tried  in 
the  courts  of  the  state,  convicted,  and  was 
hanged  at  Charlestown,  December  2,  1S59. 
The  raid  and  its   results   had  a  tremendous 


effect,  and  hastened  the  culmination  of  the 
troubles  between  the  north  and  south.  The 
south  had  the  advantage  in  discussing  this 
event,  claiming  that  the  sentiment  which 
inspired  this  act  of  violence  was  shared  by 
the  anti-slavery  element  of  the  country. 


EDWIN  BOOTH  had  no  peer  upon  the 
American  stage  during  his  long  career 
as  a  star  actor.  He  was  the  son  of  a  famous 
actor,  Junius  Brutus  Booth,  and  was  born 
in  1833  at  his  father's  home  at  Belair,  near 
Baltimore.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  made  his 
first  appearance  on  the  stage,  at  the  Boston 
Museum,  in  a  minor  part  in  "Richard  III." 
It  was  while  playing  in  California  in  1 851 
that  an  eminent  critic  called  general  atten- 
tion to  the  young  actor's  unusual  talent. 
However,  it  was  not  until  1S63,  at  the  great 
Shakspearian  revival  at  the  Winter  Garden 
Theatre,  New  York,  that  the  brilliancy  of 
his  career  began.  His  Hamlet  held  the 
boards  for  100  nights  in  succession,  and 
from  that  time  forth  Booth's  reputation  was 
established.  In  1868  he  opened  his  own 
theatre  (Booth's  Theater)  in  New  York. 
Mr.  Booth  never  succeeded  as  a  manager, 
however,  but  as  an  actor  he  was  undoubted- 
ly the  most  popular  man  on  the  American 
stage,  and  perhaps  the  most  eminent  one  in 
the  world.  In  England  he  also  won  the 
greatest  applause. 

Mr.  Booth's  work  was  confined  mostly 
to  Shakspearean  roles,  and  his  art  was 
characterized  by  intellectual  acuteness, 
fervor,  and  poetic  feeling.  His  Hamlet, 
Richard  II,  Richard  III,  and  Richelieu  gave 
play  to  his  greatest  powers.  In  1865, 
when  his  brother,  John  Wilkes  Booth, 
enacted  his  great  crime,  Edwin  Booth  re- 
solved to  retire  from  the  stage,  but  waspur- 
suaded  to  reconsider  that  decision.  The 
odium   did    not  in    any  way  attach   to    the 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


great  actor,  and  his  popularity  was  not 
affected.  In  all  his  work  Mr.  Booth  clung 
closely  to  the  legitimate  and  the  traditional 
in  drama,  making  no  experiments,  and  offer- 
ing little  encouragement  to  new  dramatic 
authors.  His  death  occurred  in  New  York, 
June  7,   1894. 


JOSEPH  HOOKER,  a  noted  American 
officer,  was  born  at  Hadley,  Massachu- 
setts, November  13,  18 14.  He  graduated 
from  West  Point  Military  Academy  in  1S37, 
and  was  appointed  lieutenant  of  artillery. 
He  served  in  Florida  in  the  Seminole  war, 
and  in  garrison  until  the  outbreak  of  the 
Mexican  war.  During  the  latter  he  saw 
service  as  a  staff  officer  and  was  breveted 
captain,  major  and  lieutenant-colonel  for 
gallantry  at  Monterey,  National  Bridge  and 
Chapultepec.  Resigning  his  commission  in 
1833  he  took  up  farming  in  California,  which 
he  followed  until  1861.  During  this  time 
he  acted  as  superintendent  of  military  roads 
in  Oreeon.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebel- 
lion Hooker  tendered  his  services  to  the 
government,  and,  May  17,  1S61,  was  ap- 
pointed brigadier-general  of  volunteers.  He 
served  in  the  defence  of  Washington  and  on 
the  lower  Potomac  until  his  appointment  to 
the  command  of  a  division  in  the  Third 
Corps,  in  March,  1862.  For  gallant  con- 
duct at  the  siege  of  Yorktown  and  in  the 
battles  of  Williamsburg,  Fair  Oaks,  Fra- 
zier's  Farm  and  Malvern  Hill  he  was  made 
major-general.  At  the  head  of  his  division 
he  participated  in  the  battles  of  Manassas 
and  Chantillv.  September  6.  1S62,  he  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  First  Corps,  and 
in  the  battles  of  South  Mountain  and  An- 
tietam  acted  with  his  usual  gallantry,  being 
wounded  in  the  latter  engagement.  On  re- 
joining the  army  in  November  he  was  made 
brigadier-general   in  the  regular  army.      On 


General  Burnside  attaining  the  command  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  General  Hooker 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  center  grand 
division,  consisting  of  the  Second  and  Fifth 
Corps.  At  the  head  of  these  gallant  men 
he  participated  in  the  battle  of  Fred- 
ericksburg, December  13,  1862.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1863,  General  Hooker  assumed  com- 
mand of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  in 
May  following  fought  the  battle  of  Chan- 
cellorsville.  At  the  time  of  the  invasion  of 
Pennsylvania,  owing  to  a  dispute  with  Gen- 
eral Halleck,  Hooker  requested  to  be  re- 
lieved of  his  command,  and  June  28  was 
succeeded  by  George  G.  Meade.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1863,  General  Hooker  was  given 
command  of  the  Twentieth  Corps  and  trans- 
ferred to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  and 
distinguished  himself  at  the  battles  of  Look- 
out Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge,  and  Ring- 
gold. In  the  Atlanta  campaign  he  saw 
almost  daily  service  and  merited  his  well- 
known  nickname  of  "Fighting  Joe."  July 
30,  1 S64,  at  his  own  request,  he  was  re- 
lieved of  his  command.  He  subsequently 
was  in  command  of  several  military  depart- 
ments in  the  north,  and  in  October,  1868, 
was  retired  with  the  full  rank  of  major-gen- 
eral.     He  died  October  31,  1879. 


JAY  GOULD,  one  of  the  greatest  finan- 
ciers that  the  world  has  ever  produced, 
was  born  May  27,  1S36,  at  Roxbury,  Dela- 
ware county,  New  York.  He  spent  his  early 
years  on  his  father's  farm  and  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  entered  Hobart  Academy,  New 
York,  and  kept  books  for  the  village  black- 
smith. He  acquired  a  taste  for  mathematics 
and  surveying  and  on  leaving  school  found 
employment  in  making  the  surveyor's  map 
of  Ulster  county.  He  surveyed  very  exten- 
sively in  the  state  and  accumulated  five  thou- 
sand dollars  as  the  fruits  of  his  !s.bor.      He 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


was  then  stricken  with  typhoid  fever  but  re- 
covered and  m^ae  the  acquaintance  of  one 
Zadock  Pratt,  who  sent  him  into  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  state  to  locate  a  site  for  a 
tannery.  He  chose  a  fine  hemlock  grove, 
built  a  sawmill  and  blacksmith  shop  and 
was  soon  doing  a  large  lumber  business  with 
Mr.  Pratt.  Mr.  Gould  soon  secured  control 
of  the  entire  plant,  which  he  sold  out  just 
before  the  panic  of  1S57  and  in  this  year  he 
became  the  largest  stock  holder  in  the  Strouds- 
burg,  Pennsylvania,  bank.  Shortly  after  the 
crisis  he  bought  the  bonds  of  the  Rutland 
&  Washington  Railroad  at  ten  cents  on  the 
dollar,  and  put  all  his  money  into  railroad 
securities.  For  a  long  time  he  conducted 
this  road  which  he  consolidated  with  the 
Rensselaer  &  Saratoga  Railroad.  In  1S59 
he  removed  to  New  York  and  became  a 
heavy  investor  in  Erie  Railroad  stocks,  en- 
tered that  company  and  was  president  until 
its  reorganization  in  1872.  In  December, 
1880,  Mr.  Gould  was  in  control  of  ten  thou- 
sand miles  of  railroad.  In  1887  he  pur- 
chased the  controlling  interest  in  the  St. 
Louis  &  San  Francisco  Railroad  Co.,  and 
was  a  joint  owner  with  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
&  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Co.  of  the  western 
portion  of  the  Southern  Pacific  line.  Other 
lines  soon  came  under  his  control,  aggregat- 
ing thousand  of  miles,  and  he  soon  was  rec- 
ognized as  one  of  the  world's  greatest  rail- 
road magnates.  He  continued  to  hold  his 
place  as  one  of  the  master  financiers  of  the 
century  until  the  time  of  his  death  which 
occurred  December  2,  1892. 


THOMAS  HART  BENTON,  a  very 
prominent  United  States  senator  and 
statesman,  was  born  at  Hillsborough,  North 
Carolina,  March  14,  1782.  He  removed  to 
Tennessee  in  early  life,  studied  law,  and  be- 
gan   to    practice   at   Nashville  about  1S10. 


During  the  war  of  1S12-1S15  he  served  as 
colonel  of  a  Tennessee  regiment  under  Gen- 
eral Andrew  Jackson.  In  1S15  he  removed 
to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  in  1820  was 
chosen  United  States  senator  for  that  state. 
Having  been  re-elected  in  1826,  he  sup- 
ported President  Jackson  in  his  opposition 
to  the  United  States  bank  and  advocated  a 
gold  and  silver  currency,  thus  gaining  the 
name  of  "  Old  Bullion,"  by  which  he  was 
familiarly  known.  For  many  years  he  was 
the  most  prominent  man  in  Missouri,  and 
took  rank  among  the  greatest  statesmen  of 
his  day.  He  was  a  member  of  the  senate 
for  thirty  years  and  opposed  the  extreme 
states'  rights  policy  of  John  C.  Calhoun. 
In  1S52  he  was  elected  to  the  house  of  rep- 
resentatives in  which  he  opposed  the  repeal 
of  the  Missouri  compromise.  He  was  op- 
p  ,sed  by  a  powerful  party  of  States'  Rights 
Democrats  in  Missouri,  who  defeated  him  as  a 
candidate  for  governor  of  that  state  in  1856. 
Colonel  Benton  published  a  considerable 
work  in  two  volumes  in  1854-56,  entitled 
"  Thirty  Years'  View,  or  a  History  of  the 
Working  of  the  American  Government  for 
Thirty  Years,  1S20-50."  He  died  April  10, 
1858. 

STEPHEN  ARNOLD  DOUGLAS.— One 
of  the  most  prominent  figures  in  politic- 
al circles  during  the  intensely  exciting  days 
that  preceded  the  war,  and  a  leader  of  the 
Union  branch  of  the  Democratic  party  was 
the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch. 

He  was  born  at  Brandon,  Rutland  coun- 
ty, Vermont,  April  23,  1S15,  of  poor  but 
respectable  parentage.  His  father,  a  prac- 
ticing physician,  died  while  our  subject  was 
but  an  infant,  and  his  mother,  with  two 
small  children  and  but  small  means,  could 
give  him  but  the  rudiments  of  an  education. 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHT 


At  the  age  of  fifteen  young  Douglas  engaged 
at  work  in  the  cabinei  making  business  to 
raise  fimds  to  carry  him  through  college. 
After  a  few  years  of  labor  he  was  enabled  to 
pursue  an  academical  course,  first  at  Bran- 
don, and  later  at  Canandaigua,  New  York. 
In  the  latter  place  he  remained  until  1S33, 
taking  up  the  study  of  law.  Before  he  was 
twenty,  however,  his  iunas  running  low,  he 
abandoned  all  further  attempts  at  educa- 
tion, determining  to  enter  at  once  the  battle 
of  life.  After  some  wanderings  tnrough  the 
western  states  he  tooK  up  his  residence  at 
Jacksonville,  Illinois,  where,  after  teaching 
school  for  three  months,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  and  opened  an  office  in  1S34. 
Within  a  year  from  that  time,  so  rapidly  had 
he  risen  in  his  profession,  he  was  chosen 
attorney  general  of  the  state,  and  warmly 
espoused  the  principles  of  the  Democratic 
party.  He  soon  became  one  of  the  most 
popular  orators  in  Illinois.  It  was  at  this 
time  he  gained  the  name  of  the  "Little 
Giant."  In  1835  he  resigned  the  position 
of  attorney  general  having  been  elected  to 
the  legislature.  In  1 841  he  was  chosen 
judge  of  the  supreme  'court  of  Illinois  which 
he  resigned  two  years  later  to  take  a  seat  in 
congress.  It  was  during  this  period  of  his 
life,  while  a  member  of  the  lower  house, 
that  he  established  his  reputation  and  took 
the  side  of  those  who  contended  that  con- 
gress had  no  constitutional  right  to  restrict 
the  extension  of  slavery  further  than  the 
agreement  between  the  states  made  in  1820. 
This,  in  spite  of  his  being  opposed  to  slav- 
ery, and  only  on  grounds  which  he  believed 
to  be  right,  favored  what  was  called  the 
Missouri  compromise.  In  1S47  ^r-  Doug- 
las was  chosen  United  States  senator  for 
six  years,  and  greatly  distinguished  himself. 
In  1852  he  was  re-eiected  to  the  same  office. 
During  this  latter   term,   under  his  leader- 


ship, the  "  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  "  was  car- 
ried in  the  senate.  In  1858,  nothwith- 
standing  the  fierce  contest  made  by  his  able 
competitor  for  the  position,  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, and  with  the  administration  of  Bu- 
chanan arrayed  against  him,  Mr.  Douglas 
was  re-elected  senator.  After  the  trouble 
in  the  Charleston  convention,  when  by  the 
withdrawal  of  several  state  delegates  with- 
out a  nomination,  the  Union  Democrats, 
in  convention  at  Baltimore,  in  1860,  nomi- 
nated Mr.  Douglas  as  their  candidate  for 
presidency.  The  results  of  this  election  are 
well' known  and  the  great  events  of  1861 
coming  on,  Mr.  Douglas  was  spared  their 
full  development,  dying  at  Chicago,  Illinois. 
June  3,  1 86 1,  after  a  short  illness.  His 
last  words  to  his  children  were,  "  to  obey 
the  laws  and  support  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States." 


JAMES  MONROE,  fifth  president  of  the 
United  States,  was  born  in  Westmore- 
land county,  Virginia,  April  28,  1758.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  William  and 
Mary  College,  but  two  years  later  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  having  been 
adopted,  he  left  college  and  hastened  to  New 
York  where  he  joined  Washington's  army  as 
a  military  cadet. 

At  the  battle  of  Trenton  Monroe  per- 
formed gallant  service  and  received  a  wound 
in  the  shoulder,  and  was  promoted  to  a 
captaincy.  He  acted  as  aide  to  Lord  Ster- 
ling at  the  battles  of  Brandy  wine,  German- 
town  and  Monmouth.  Washington  then 
sent  him  to  Virginia  to  raise  a  new  regimen: 
of  which  he  was  to  be  colonel.  The  ex- 
hausted condition  of  Virginia  made  this  im 
possible,  but  he  received  his  commission. 
He  next  entered  the  law  office  of  Thomas 
Jefferson  to  study  law,  as  there  was  no  open- 
ing  for  him   as  an  officer  in  the  army,      in 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


55 


1782  he  was  elected  to  the  Virginia  assem- 
bly, and  the  next  year  he  was  elected  to  the 
Continental  congress.  Realizing  the  inade- 
quacy of  the  old  articles  of  confederation, 
he  advocated  the  calling  of  a  convention  to 
consider  their  revision,  and  introduced  in 
congress  a  resolution  empowering  congress 
to  regulate  trade,  lay  import  duties,  etc. 
This  resolution  was  referred  to  a  committee, 
of  which  he  was  chairman,  and  the  report 
led  to  the  Annapolis  convention,  which 
called  a  general  convention  to  meet  at  Phila- 
delphia in  17S7,  when  the  constitution  was 
drafted.  Mr.  Monroe  began  the  practice  of 
law  at  Fredericksburg,  Virginia,  and  was 
soon  after  "'-cted  to  the  legislature,  and  ap- 
pointed as  one  of  the  committee  to  pass 
upon  the  adoption  of  the  constitution.  He 
opposed  it,  as  giving  too  much  power  to  the 
central  government.  He  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  senate  in  17S9,  where  he 
allied  himself  with  the  Anti-Federalists  or 
"Republicans,"  as  they  were  sometimes 
called.  Although  his  views  as  to  neutrality 
between  France  and  England  were  directly 
opposed  to  those  of  the  president,  yet  Wash- 
ington appointed  him  minister  to  France. 
His  popularity  in  France  was  so  great  that 
the  antagonism  of  England  and  her  friends 
in  this  country- brought  about  his  recall.  He 
then  became  governor  of  Virginia.  He  was 
sent  as  envoy  to  France  in  1S02;  minister 
to  England  in  1803;  and  envoy  to  Spain  in 
1805.  The  next  year  he  returned  to  his 
estate  in  Virginia,  and  with  an  ample  in- 
heritance enjoyed  a  few  years  of  repose.  He 
was  again  called  to  be  governor  of  Virginia, 
and  was  then  appointed  secretary  of  state 
by  President  Madison.  The  war  with  Eng- 
land soon  resulted,  and  when  the  capital 
was  burned  by  the  British,  Mr.  Monroe  be- 
came secretary  of  war  also,  and  planned  the 
measures   for  the  defense  of  New  Orleans. 


The  treasury  being  exhausted  and  credit 
gone,  he  pledged  his  own  estate,  and  thereby 
made  possible  the  victory  of  Jackson  at  New 
Orleans. 

In  1 S 1 7  Mr.  Monroe  became  president 
of  the  United  States,  having  been  a  candi- 
date of  the  "Republican"  party,  which  at 
that  time  had  begun  to  be  called  the  ' '  Demo- 
cratic" party.  In  1820  he  was  re-elected, 
having  two  hundred  and  thirty-one  electoral 
votes  out  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-two. 
His  administration  is  known  as  the  "Era of 
good-feeling, "  and  party  lines  were  almost 
wiped  out.  The  slavery  question  began  to 
assume  importance  at  this  time,  and  the 
Missouri  Compromise  was  passed.  The 
famous  "Monroe  Doctrine"  originated  in  a 
great  state  paper  of  President  Monroe  upon 
the  rumored  interference  of  the  Holy  Alli- 
ance to  prevent  the  formation  of  free  repub- 
lics in  South  America.  President  Monroe 
acknowledged  their  independence,  and  pro- 
mulgated his  great  "Doctrine,"  which  has 
been  held  in  reverence  since.  Mr.  Monroe's 
death  occurred  in  New  York  on  July  4,  1831. 

THOMAS  ALVA  EDISON,  the  master 
wizard  of  electrical  science  and  whose 
name  is  synonymous  with  the  subjugation 
of  electricity  to  the  service  of  man,  was 
born  in  1S47  at  Milan,  Ohio,  and  it  was  at 
Port  Huron,  Michigan,  whither  his  parents 
had  moved  in  1854,  that  his  self-education 
began — for  he  never  attended  school  for 
more  than  two  months.  He  eagerly  de- 
voured every  book  he  could  lay  his  hands  on 
and  is  said  to  have  read  through  an  encyclo- 
pedia without  missing  a  word.  At  thirteen  lie 
began  his  working  life  as  a  trainboy  upon  the 
Grand  Trunk  Railway  between  Port  Huron 
and  Detroit.  Much  of  his  time  was  now 
spent  in  Detroit,  where  he  found  increased 
facilities  for  reading  at  the    public  libraries. 


56 


COMPEXDICM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


He  was  not  content  to  be  a  newsboy,  so  he  . 
got  togetner  three  hundred  pounds  of  type 
and  started  the  issue  of  the  "  Grand  Trunk 
Herald."  It  was  only  a  small  amateur 
weekly,  printed  on  one  side,  the  impression 
being  made  from  the  type  by  hand.  Chemi- 
cal research  was  his  next  undertaking  and 
a  laboratory  was  added  to  his  movable  pub- 
lishing house,  which,  by  the  way,  was  an 
old  freight  car.  One  day,  however,  as  he 
was  experimenting  with  some  phosphorus, 
it  ignited  and  the  irate  conductor  threw  the 
young  seeker  after  the  truth,  chemicals  and 
all,  from  the  train.  His  office  and  laboratory 
were  then  removed  to  the  cellar  of  his  fa- 
ther's house.  As  he  grew  to  manhood  he 
decided  to  become  an  operator.  He  won 
his  opportunity  by  saving  the  life  of  a  child, 
whose  father  was  an  old  operator,  and  out  of 
gratitude  he  gave  Mr.  Edison  lessons  in  teleg- 
raphy. Five  months  later  he  was  compe- 
tent to  fill  a  position  in  the  railroad  office 
at  Port  Huron.  Hence  he  peregrinated  to 
Stratford,  Ontario,  and  thence  successively 
to  Adrian,  Fort  Wayne,  Indianapolis,  Cin- 
cinnati, Memphis,  Louisville  and  Boston, 
gradually  becoming  an  expert  operator  and 
gaining  experience  that  enabled  him  to 
evolve  many  ingenious  ideas  for  the  im- 
provement of  telegraphic  appliances.  At 
Memphis  he  constructed  an  automatic  re- 
peater, which  enabled  Louisville  and  New- 
Orleans  to  communicate  direct,  and  received 
nothing  more  than  the  thanks  of  his  em- 
ployers. Mr.  Edison  came  to  New  York  in 
1S70  in  search  of  an  opening  more  suitable 
to  his  capabilities  and  ambitions.  He  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  office  of  the  Law-  Gold 
Reporting  Company  when  one  of  the  in- 
struments got  out  of  order,  and  even  the 
inventor  of  the  system  could  not  make  it 
work.  Edison  requested  to  be  allowed  to 
attempt  the  task,  and   in   a    few  minutes  he 


had  overcome  the  difficulty  and  secured  an 
advantageous  engagement.  For  several 
)  ears  he  had  a  contract  with  the  Western 
Union  and  the  Gold  Stock  companies, 
whereby  he  received  a  large  salary,  besides 
a  special  price  for  all  telegraphic  improve- 
ments he  could  suggest.  Later,  as  the 
head  of  the  Edison  General  Electric  com- 
pany, with  its  numerous  subordinate  organ- 
izations and  connections  all  over  the  civil- 
ized world,  he  became  several  times  a 
millionaire.  Mr.  Edison  invented  the  pho- 
nograph and  kinetograph  which  bear  his 
name,  the  carbon  telephone,  the  tasimeter, 
and  the  duplex  and  quadruplex  systems  of 
telegraphy. 

JAMES  LONGSTREET,  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  of  the  Confederate  generals 
during  the  Civil  war,  was  born  in  1820,  in 
South  Carolina,  but  was  early  taken  by  his 
parents  to  Alabama  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood and  received  his  early  education.  He 
graduated  at  the  United  States  military 
academy  in  1S42,  entering  the  army  as 
lieutenant  and  spent  a  few  years  in  the  fron- 
tier service.  When  the  Mexican  war  broke 
out  he  was  called  to  the  front  and  partici- 
pated in  all  the  principal  battles  of  that  war 
up  to  the  storming  of  Chapultepec,  where 
he  received  severe  wounds.  For  gallant 
conduct  at  Contreras,  Cherubusco,  and  Mo- 
lino  del  Rey  he  received  the  brevets  of  cap- 
tain and  major.  After  the  close  of  the 
Mexican  war  Longstreet  served  as  adjutant 
and  captain  on  frontier  service  in  Texas  un- 
til iS;S  when  he  was  transferred  to  the  staff 
as  paymaster  with  rank  of  major.  In  June, 
1 86 1,  he  resigned  to  join  the  Confederacy 
and  immediately  went  to  the  front,  com- 
manding a  brigade  at  Bull  Run  the  follow- 
ing month.  Promoted  to  be  major-general 
in   1862   he   thereafter  bore   a  conspicuous 


COMPEXDIfM    OF    BIOGRAPHV 


part  and  rendered  valuable  service  to  the 
Confederate  cause.  He  participated  in 
many  of  the  most  severe  battles  of  the  Civil 
war  including  Bull  Run  (first  and  second), 
Seven  Pines,  Gained  Mill,  Fraziers  Farm, 
Malvern  Hill,  Antietam,  Frederickburg, 
Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Chickamauga, 
the  Wilderness,  Petersburg  and  most  of  the 
fighting  about  Richmond. 

When  the  war  closed  General  Long- 
street  accepted  the  result,  renewed  his  alle- 
giance to  the  government,  and  thereafter 
labored  earnestly  to  obliterate  all  traces  of 
war  and  promote  an  era  of  good  feeling  be- 
tween all  sections  of  the  country.  He  took 
up  his  residence  in  New  Orleans,  and  took 
an  active  interest  and  prominent  part  in 
public  affairs,  served  as  surveyor  of  that 
port  for  several  years;  was  commissioner  of 
engineers  for  Louisiana,  served  four  years 
as  school  commissioner,  etc.  In  1875  he 
was  appointed  supervisor  of  internal  revenue 
and  settled  in  Georgia.  After  that  time  he 
served  four  years  as  United  States  minister 
to  Turkey,  and  also  for  a  number  of  years 
was  United  States  marshal  of  Georgia,  be- 
sides having  held  other  important  official 
positions. 

JOHN  RUTLEDGE,  the  second  chief- 
justice  of  the  United  States,  was  born 
at  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  in  1739. 
He  was  a  son  of  John  Rutledge,  who  had 
left  Ireland  for  America  about  five  years 
prior  to  the  birth  of  our  subject,  and  a 
brother  of  Edward  Rutledge,  a  signer  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  John  Rut- 
ledge received  his  legal  education  at  the 
Temple,  London,  after  which  he  returned 
to  Charleston  and  soon  won  distinction  at 
the  bar.  He  was  elected  to  the  old  Colonial 
congress  in  1765  to  protest  against  the 
"  Stamp  Act,"  and  was  a    member  of   the 


South  Carolina  convention  of  1774,  am!  of 
the  Continental  congress  of  that  and  the 
succeeding  year.  In  1776  he  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  that  draughted  the  con- 
stitution of  his  state,  and  was  president  of 
the  congress  of  that  state.  He  was  not 
pleased  with  the  state  constitution,  how- 
ever, and  resigned.  In  1779  he  was  again 
chosen  governor  of  the  state,  and  granted 
extraordinary  powers,  and  he  at  once  took 
the  field  to  repel  the  British.  He  joined 
the  army  of  General  Gates  in  1782,  and  the 
same  year  was  elected  to  congress.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  con- 
vention which  framed  our  present  constitu- 
tion. In  1789  he  was  appointed  an  associate 
justice  of  the  first  supreme  court  of  the 
United  States.  He  resigned  to  accept  the 
position  of  chief- justice  of  his  own  state. 
Upon  the  resignation  of  Judge  Jay,  he  was 
appointed  chief-justice  of  the  United  States 
in  1795.  The  appointment  was  never  con- 
firmed, for,  after  presiding  at  one  session, 
his  mind  became  deranged,  and  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Judge  Ellsworth.  He  died  at 
Charleston,  July  23,   1800. 


RALPH  WALDO  EMERSON  was  one 
of  the  most  noted  literary  men  of  his 
time.  He  was  born  in  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, May  25,  1S03.  He  had  a  minister  for 
an  ancestor,  either  on  the  paternal  or  ma- 
ternal side,  in  every  generation  for  eight 
generations  back.  His  father,  Rev.  Will- 
iam Emerson,  was  a  native  of  Concord, 
Massachusetts,  born  May  6,  1769,  graduated 
at  Harvard,  in  17S9,  became  a  Unitarian 
minister;  was  a  fine  writer  and  one  of  the 
best  orators  of  his  day;  died  in  181 1. 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  was  fitted  for 
college  at  the  public  schools  of  Boston,  and 
graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1821,  win- 
ning about    this  time  several   prizes  for  es- 


58 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY 


says.  For  five  years  he  taught  school  in 
Boston;  in  1826  was  licensed  to  preach,  and 
in  1829  was  ordained  as  a  colleague  to  Rev. 
Henry  Ware  of  the  Second  Unitarian  church 
in  Boston.  In  1S32  he  resigned,  making 
the  announcement  in  a  sermon  of  his  un- 
willingness longer  to  administer  the  rite  of 
..he  Lord's  Supper,  after  which  he  spent 
about  a  year  in  Europe.  Upon  his  return 
he  began  his  career  as  a  lecturer  before  the 
Boston  Mechanics  Institute,  his  subject  be- 
ing "Water."  His  early  lectures  on  "  Italy" 
and  "Relation  of  Man  to  the  Globe  "  also 
attracted  considerable  attention;  as  did  also 
his  biographical  lectures  on  Michael  Angelo, 
Milton,  Luther,  George  Fox,  and  Edmund 
Burke.  After  that  time  he  gave  many 
courses  of  lectures  in  Boston  and  became 
one  of  the  best  known  lecturers  in  America. 
But  very  few  men  have  rendered  such  con- 
tinued service  in  this  field.  He  lectured  for 
forty  successive  seasons  before  the  Salem, 
Massachusetts,  Lyceum  and  also  made  re- 
peated lecturing  tours  in  this  country  and  in 
England.  In  1835  Mr.  Emerson  took  up 
his  residence  at  Concord,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  continued  to  make  his  home  until 
his  death  which  occurred  April  27,  1882. 

Mr.  Emerson's  literary  work  covered  a 
wide  scope.  He  wrote  and  published  many 
works,  essays  and  poems,  which  rank  high 
among  the  works  of  American  literary  men. 
A  few  of  the  many  which  he  produced  are 
the  following:  "Nature;"  "The  Method 
of  Nature;"  "  Man  Thinking;"  "The  Dial;" 
"Essays;"  "Poems;"  "English  Traits;" 
"The  Conduct  of  Life;"  "May-Day  and 
other  Poems  "  and  "  Society  and  Solitude;" 
besides  many  others.  He  was  a  prominent 
member  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts 
and  Sciences,  of  the  American  Philosophical 
Society,  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society 
and  other  kindred  associations. 


ALEXANDER  T.  STEWART,  one  of 
the  famous  merchant  princes  of  New- 
York,  was  born  near  the  c\iy  of  Belfast,  Ire- 
land, in  1803,  and  before  he  was  eight  years 
of  age  was  left  an  orphan  without  any  near 
relatives,  save  an  aged  grandfather.  The 
grandfather  being  a  pious  Methodist  wanted 
to  make  a  minister  of  young  Stewart,  and 
accordingly  put  him  in  a  school  with  that 
end  in  view  and  he  graduated  at  Trinity  Col- 
lege, in  Dublin.  When  scarcely  twenty- 
years  of  age  he  came  to  New  York.  His 
first  employment  was  that  of  a  teacher,  but 
accident  soon  made  him  a  merchant.  En- 
tering into  business  relations  with  an  ex- 
perienced man  of  his  acquaintance  he  soon 
found  himself  with  the  rent  of  a  store  on 
his  hands  and  alone  in  a  new  enterprise. 
Mr.  Stewart's  business  grew  rapidly  in  all 
directions,  but  its  founder  had  executive 
ability  sufficient  for  any  and  all  emergencies, 
and  in  time  his  house  became  one  of  the 
greatest  mercantile  establishments  of  mod- 
ern times,  and  the  name  of  Stewart  famous. 
Mr.  Stewart's  death  occurred  April  10, 
1876. 

JAMES  FENIMORE  COOPER.  —  In 
speaking  of  this  noted  American  nov- 
elist, William  Cullen  Bryant  said:  "  He 
wrote  for  mankind  at  large,  hence  it  is  that 
he  has  earned  a  fame  wider  than  any  Amer- 
ican author  of  modern  times.  The  crea- 
tions of  his  genius  shall  survive  through 
centuries  to  come,  and  only  perish  with  our 
language."  Another  eminent  writer  (Pres- 
cott)  said  of  Cooper:  "  In  his  productions 
every  American  must  take  an  honest  pride; 
for  surely  no  one  has  succeeded  like  Cooper 
in  the  portraiture  of  American  character,  or 
has  given  such  glowing  and  eminently  truth- 
ful pictures  of  American  scenery." 

James  Fenimore  Cooper  was  born  Sep- 


COMPEXDICM   OF    BIOGRArilV. 


tember  15,  1789,  at  Burlington,  New  Jer- 
sey, and  was  a  son  of  Judge  William  Cooper. 
About  a  year  after  the  birth  of  our  subject 
the  family  removed  to  Otsego  count)-,  New 
York,  and  founded  the  town  called  "  Coop- 
erstown."  James  Fenimore  Cooper  spent 
his  childhood  there  and  in  1802  entered 
Yale  College,  and  four  years  later  became  a 
midshipman  in  the  United  States  navy.  In 
1  Si  1  he  was  married,  quit  the  seafaring  life, 
and  began  devoting  more  or  less  time  to  lit- 
erary pursuits.  His  first  work  was  ' '  Pre- 
caution," a  novel  published  in  18 19,  and 
three  years  later  he  produced  ' '  The  Spy,  a 
Tale  of  Neutral  Ground,"  which  met  with 
great  favor  and  was  a  universal  success. 
This  was  followed  by  many  other  works, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  follow- 
ing: "  The  Pioneers,"  "The  Pilot,"  "  Last 
of  the  Mohicans,"  "The  Prairie,"  "The 
Red  Rover,"  "The  Manikins,"  "Home- 
ward Bound,"  "Home  as  Found,"  "History 
of  the  United  States  Navy,"  "The  Path- 
finder," "Wing  and  Wing,"  "Afloat  and 
Ashore,"  "The  Chain-Bearer,"  "Oak- 
Openings,"  etc.  J.  Fenimore  Cooper  died 
at  Cooperstown,  New  York,  September  14, 
1851. 


MARSHALL  FIELD,  one  of  the  mer- 
chant princes  of  America,  ranks  among 
the  most  successful  business  men  of  the  cen- 
tury. He  was  born  in  1S35  at  Conway, 
Massachusetts.  He  spent  his  early  life  on 
a  farm  and  secured  a  fair  education  in  the 
common  schools,  supplementing  this  with  a 
course  at  the  Conway  Academy.  His 
natural  bent  ran  in  the  channels  of  commer- 
cial life,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  was 
given  a  position  in  a  store  at  Pittsfield, 
Massachusetts.  Mr.  Field  remained  there 
four  years  and  removed  to  Chicago  in  1856. 
He  began  his  career  in  Chicago  as   a   clerk 


in  the  wholesale  dry  goods  house  of  Cooley, 
Wadsworth  iS:  Company,  which  later  be- 
came Cooley.  Farwell  cS:  Company,  and  still 
later  John  V.  Farwell  &  Company.  He 
remained  with  them  four  years  and  exhibit- 
ed marked  ability,  in  recognition  of  which 
he  was  given  a  partnership.  In  1865  Mr. 
Field  and  L.  Z.  Leiter,  who  was  also  a 
member  of  the  firm,  withdrew  and  formed 
the  firm  of  Field,  Palmer  &  Leiter,  the 
third  partner  being  Potter  Palmer,  and  they 
continued  in  business  until  1867,  when  Mr. 
Palmer  retired  and  the  firm  became  Field, 
Leiter  &  Company.  They  ran  under  the 
latter  name  until  1SS1,  when  Mr.  Leiter  re- 
tired and  the  house  has  since  continued  un- 
der the  name  of  Marshall  Field  &  Company. 
The  phenomenal  success  accredited  to  the 
house  is  largely  due  to  the  marked  ability 
of  Mr.  Field,  the  house  had  become  one  of 
the  foremost  in  the  west,  with  an  annua] 
sale  of  $S, 000, 000  in  1870.  The  total  loss 
of  the  firm  during  the  Chicago  fire  was 
$3,500,000  of  which  $2,500,000  was  re- 
covered through  the  insurance  companies. 
It  rapidly  recovered  from  the  effects  of  this 
and  to-day  the  annual  sales  amount  to  over 
$40,000,000.  Mr.  Field's  real  estate  hold- 
ings amounted  to  $10,000,000.  He  was 
one  of  the  heaviest  subscribers  to  the  Bap- 
tist University  fund  although  he  is  a  Presby- 
terian, and  gave  $1,000,000  for  the  endow- 
ment of  the  Field  Columbian  Museum — 
one  of  the  greatest  institutions  of  the  kind 
in  the  world. 

EDGAR  WILSON  NYE,  who  won  an  im- 
mense popularity  under  the  pen  name 
of  "  Bill  Nye,"  was  one  of  the  most  eccen- 
tric humorists  of  his  day.  He  was  born  Au- 
gust 25,  1 S 50,  at  Shirley,  Piscataqua  coun- 
tv,  Maine,  "at  a  very  early  age  "  as  he  ex- 


presses it.      He  took  an  academic  course  in 


BO 


COMPEXDICM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


River  Falls,  Wisconsin,  from  whence,  after 
his  graduation,  he  removed  to  Wyoming 
Territory.  He  studied  law  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1876.  He  began  when 
quite  young  to  contribute  humorous  sketches 
to  the  newspapers,  became  connected  with 
various  western  journals  and  achieved  a 
brilliant  success  as  a  humorist.  Mr.  Nye 
settled  later  in  New  York  City  where  he 
devoted  his  time  to  writing  funny  articles  for 
the  big  newspaper  syndicates.  He  wrote  for 
publication  in  book  form  the  following  : 
"Bill  Nye  and  the  Boomerang,"  "The 
Forty  Liars,"  "Baled  Hay,"  "  Bill  Nye's 
Blossom  Rock,"  "Remarks,"  etc.  His 
death  occurred  February  21,  1896,  at  Ashe- 
ville,  North  Carolina. 


THOMAS  DE  WITT  TALMAGE,  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  American  preach- 
ers, was  born  January  7,  1S32,  and  was  the 
youngest  of  twelve  children.  He  made  his 
preliminary  studies  at  the  grammar  school 
in  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  he  joined  the  church  and  entered 
the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and 
graduated  in  May,  1853.  The  exercises 
were  held  in  Niblo's  Garden  and  his  speech 
aroused  the  audience  to  a  high  pitch  of  en- 
thusiasm. At  the  close  of  his  college  duties 
he  imagined  himself  interested  in  the  law 
and  for  three  years  studied  law.  Dr.  Tal- 
mage  then  perceived  his  mistake  and  pre- 
pared himself  for  the  ministry  at  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  Theological  Semi- 
nary at  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey.  Just 
after  his  ordination  the  young  minister  re- 
ceived two  calls,  one  from  Piermont,  New 
York,  and  the  other  from  Belleville,  New 
Jersey.  Dr.  Talmage  accepted  the  latter 
and  for  three  years  filled  that  charge,  when 
he  was  called  to  Syracuse,  New  York.  Here 
it    was    that    his    sermons    first    drew  large 


crowds  of  people  to  his  church,  and  from 
thence  dates  his  popularity.  Afterward  he 
became  the  pastor  of  the  Second  Reformed 
Dutch  church,  of  Philadelphia,  remaining 
seven  years,  during  which  period  he  first 
entered  upon  the  lecture  platform  and  laid 
the  foundation  for  his  future  reputation.  At 
the  end  of  this  time  he  received  three  calls, 
one  from  Chicago,  one  from  San  Francisco, 
and  one  from  the  Central  Presbyterian 
church  of  Brooklyn,  which  latter  at  that 
time  consisted  of  only  nineteen  members 
with  a  congregation  of  about  thirty-five. 
This  church  offered  him  a  salary  of  seven 
thousand  dollars  and  he  accepted  the  call. 
He  soon  induced  the  trustees  to  sell  the  old 
church  and  build  a  new  one.  They  did  so 
and  erected  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle,  but 
it  burned  down  shortly  after  it  was  finished. 
By  prompt  sympathy  and  general  liberality 
a  new  church  was  built  and  formally  opened 
in  February,  1874.  It  contained  seats  for 
four  thousand,  six  hundred  and  fifty,  but  if 
necessary  seven  thousand  could  be  accom- 
modated. In  October,  1878,  his  salary  was 
raised  from  seven  thousand  dollars  to  twelve 
thousand  dollars,  and  in  the  autumn  of  18S9 
the  second  tabernacle  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
A  third  tabernacle  was  built  and  it  was  for- 
mally dedicated  on  Easter  Sunday,   1891. 


JOHN  PHILIP  SOUSA,  conceded  as 
vJ  being  one  of  the  greatest  band  leaders 
in  the  world,  won  his  fame  while  leader  of 
the  United  States  Marine  Band  at  Washing- 
ton, District  of  Columbia.  He  was  not 
originally  a  band  player  but  was  a  violinist, 
and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  was  conduc- 
tor of  an  opera  company,  a  profession  which 
he  followed  for  several  years,  until  he  was 
offered  the  leadership  of  the  Marine  Band 
at  Washington,  The  proposition  was  re- 
pugnant to  him  at  first   but  he  accepted  the 


COMPENDIUM   <>/■'    BIOGRAPHT 


61 


offer  and  then  ensued  ten  years  of  brilliant 
success  with  that  organization.  When  he 
first  took  the  Marine  Band  he  began  to 
gather  the  national  airs  of  all  the  nations 
that  have  representatives  in  Washington, 
and  compiled  a  comprehensive  volume  in- 
cluding nearly  all  the  national  songs  of  the 
different  nations.  He  composed  a  number 
of  marches,  waltzes  and  two-steps,  promi- 
nent among  which  are  the  "Washington 
Post,"  "Directorate,"  "King  Cotton," 
"High  School  Cadets,"  "Belle  of  Chica- 
go," "Liberty  Bell  March,"  "Manhattan 
Beach,"  "On  Parade  March,"  "  Thunderer 
March,"  "Gladiator  March,"  "  El  Capitan 
March,"  etc.  He  became  a  very  extensive 
composer  of  this  class  of  music. 


JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS,  sixth  president 
of  the  United  States,  was  born  in 
Braintree,  Massachusetts,  July  u,  1767, 
the  son  of  John  Adams.  At  the  age  of 
eleven  he  was  sent  to  school  at  Paris,  and 
two  years  later  to  Leyden,  where  he  entered 
that  great  university.  He  returned  to  the 
United  States  in  1785,  and  graduated  from 
Harvard  in  1788.  He  then  studied  law, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1 791 .  His 
practice  brought  no  income  the  first  two 
years,  but  he  won  distinction  in  literary 
fields,  and  was  appointed  minister  to  The 
Hague  in  1794.  He  married  in  1797,  and 
went  as  minister  to  Berlin  the  same  year, 
serving  until  1S01,  when  Jefferson  became 
president.  He  was  elected  to  the  senate  in 
1S03  by  the  Federalists,  but  was  condemned 
by  that  party  for  advocating  the  Embargo 
Act  and  other  Anti-Federalist  measures.  He 
was  appointed  as  professor  of  rhetoric  at 
Harvard  in  1S05,  and  in  1809  was  sent  as 
minister  to  Russia.  He  assisted  in  negotiat- 
ing the  treaty  of  peace  with  England  in 
1 8 14,  and  became   minister  to  that  power 


the  next  year.  He  served  during  Monroe's 
administration  two  terms  as  secretary  of 
state,  during  which  time  party  lines  were 
obliterated,  and  in  1S24  four  candidates  for 
president  appeared,  all  of.  whom  were  iden- 
tified to  some  extent  with  the  new  '«  Demo- 
cratic" party.  Mr.  Adams  received  84  elec- 
toral votes,  Jackson  99,  Crawford  41,  and 
Clay  37.  As  no  candidate  had  a  majority 
of  all  votes,  the  election  went  to  the  house 
of  representatives,  which  elected  Mr.  Adams. 
As  Clay  had  thrown  his  influence  to  Mr. 
Adams,  Clay  became  secretary  of  state,  and 
this  caused  bitter  feeling  on  the  part  of  the 
Jackson  Democrats,  who  were  joined  by 
Mr.  Crawford  and  his  following,  and  op- 
posed every  measure  of  the  administration. 
In  the  election  of  1828  Jackson  was  elected 
over  Mr.  Adams  by  a  great  majority. 

Mr.  Adams  entered  the  lower  house  of 
congress  in  1830,  elected  from  the  district 
in  which  he  was  born  and  continued  to  rep- 
resent it  for  seventeen  years.  He  was 
known  as  "  the  old  man  eloquent,"  and  his 
work  in  congress  was  independent  of  party. 
He  opposed  slavery  extension  and  insisted 
upon  presenting  to  congress,  one  at  a  time, 
the  hundreds  of  petitions  against  the  slave 
power.  One  of  these  petitions,  presented  in 
1842,  was  signed  by  forty-five  citizens  of 
Massachusetts,  and  prayed  congress  for  a 
peaceful  dissolution  of  the  Union.  His 
enemies  seized  upon  this  as  an  opportunity 
to  crush  their  powerful  foe,  and  in  a  caucus 
meeting  determined  upon  his  expulsion  from 
congress.  Finding  they  would  not  be  able 
to  command  enough  votes  for  this,  they  de- 
cided upon  a  course  that  would  bring  equal 
disgrace.  They  formulated  a  resolution  to 
i  that  while  he  merited  expulsion, 
the  house  would,  in  great  mercy,  substitute 
its  severest  censure.  When  it  was  read  in  the 
house  the  old  man,  then  in  his  seventy-fifth 


62 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


year,  arose  and  demanded  that  the  first  para- 
graph of  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
be  read  as  his  defense.  It  embraced  the 
famous  sentence,  "that  whenever  any  form 
of  government  becomes  destructive  to  those 
ends,  it  is  the  right  of  the  people  to  alter  or 
abolish  it,  and  to  institute  new  government, 
etc.,  etc."  After  eleven  days  of  hard  fight- 
ing his  opponents  were  defeated.  On  Febru- 
ary 21,  1S48,  he  rose  to  address  the  speaker 
on  the  Oregon  question,  when  he  suddenly 
fell  from  a  stroke  of  paralysis.  He  died 
soon  after  in  the  rotunda  of  the  capitol, 
where  he  had  been  conveyed  by  his  col- 
leagues. 

SUSAN  B.  ANTHONY  was  one  of  the 
most  famous  women  of  America.  She 
was  born  at  South  Adams,  Massachusetts, 
February  15,  1820,  the  daughter  of  a 
Quaker.  She  received  a  good  education 
and  became  a  school  teacher,  following  that 
profession  for  fifteen  years  in  New  York. 
Beginning  with  about  1852  she  became  the 
active  leader  of  the  woman's  rights  move- 
ment and  won  a  wide  reputation  for  her 
zeal  and  ability.  She  also  distinguished 
herself  for  her  zeal  and  eloquence  in  the 
temperance  and  anti-slavery  causes,  and 
became  a  conspicuous  figure  during  the  war. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  she  gave  most  of 
her  labors  to  the  cause  of  woman's 


PHILIP  D.  ARMOUR,  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  figures  in  the  mercantile 
history  of  America,  was  born  May  16,  1S32, 
on  a  farm  at  Stockbridge,  Madison  count}, 
New  York,  and  received  his  early  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  that  county.  He 
was  apprenticed  to  a  farmer  and  worked 
faithfully  and  well,  being  very  ambitious  and 
desiring  to  start  out  for  himself.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  he  secured  a  release  from  his 


indentures  and  set  out  overland  for  the 
gold  fields  of  California.  After  a  great 
deal  of  hard  work  he  accumulated  a  little 
money  and  then  came  east  and  settled 
in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin.  He  went  into 
the  grain  receiving  and  warehouse  busi- 
ness and  was  fairly  successful,  and  later  on 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  John  Plankin- 
ton  in  the  pork  packing  line,  the  style  of  the 
firm  being  Plankinton  &  Armour.  Mr.  Ar- 
mour made  his  first  great  "deal"  in  selling 
pork  "short  "  on  the  New  York  market  in 
the  anticipation  of  the  fall  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, and  Mr.  Armour  is  said  to  have  made 
through  this  deal  a  million  dollars.  He  then 
established  packing  houses  in  Chicago  and 
Kansas  City,  and  in  1S75  he  removed  to 
Chicago.  He  increased  his  business  by  add- 
ing to  it  the  shipment  of  dressed  beef  to 
the  European  markets,  and  many  other  lines 
of  trade  and  manufacturing,  and  it  rapidly 
assumed  vast  proportions,  employing  an 
arm}-  of  men  in  different  lines  of  the  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Armour  successfully  conducted  a 
great  many  speculative  deals  in  pork  and 
grain  of  immense  proportions  and  also  erected 
many  large  warehouses  for  the  storage  of 
grain.  He  became  one  of  the  representative 
business  men  of  Chicago,  where  he  became 
closely  identified  with  all  enterprises  of  a 
public  nature,  but  his  fame  as  a  great  busi- 
ness man  extended  to  all  parts  of  the  world. 
He  founded  the  "Armour  Institute  "  at  Chi- 
cago and  also  contributed  largely  to  benevo- 
lent and  charitable  institutions. 


ROBERT  FULTON.— Although  Fulton 
is  best  known  as  the  inventor  of  the 
first  successful  steamboat,  yet  his  claims  to 
distinction  do  not  rest  alone  upon  that,  for 
he  was  an  inventor  along  other  lines,  a 
painter  and  an  author.  He  was  born  at 
Liule   Britain,  Lancaster  county,  Pennsyl 


COMPENDIUM   or    BIOGRAPHY. 


>;:, 


vania,  in  1765,  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  removed  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  there  and  in  New  York  en- 
gaged in  miniature  painting  with  success 
both  from  a  pecuniar)-  and  artistic  point  of 
view.  With  the  results  of  his  labors  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  for  the  support  of  his  mother. 
He  went  to  London  and  studied  under  the 
great  painter,  Benjamin  West,  and  all 
through  life  retained  his  fondness  for  art 
and  gave  evidence  of  much  ability  in  that 
line.  While  in  England  he  was  brought  in 
contact  with  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater,  the 
father  of  the  English  canal  system;  Lord 
Stanhope,  an  eminent  mechanician,  and 
James  Watt,  the  inventor  of  the  steam  en- 
gine. Their  influence  turned  his  mind  to  its 
true  field  of  labor,  that  of  mechanical  in- 
vention. Machines  for  flax  spinning, 
marble  sawing,  rope  making,  and  for  remov- 
ing earth  from  excavations,  are  among  his 
earliest  ventures.  His  "Treatise  on  the 
Improvement  of  Canal  Navigation,"  issued 
in  1796,  and  a  series  of  essays  on  canals 
were  soon  followed  by  an  English  patent 
for  canal  improvements.  In  1797  he  went 
to  Paris,  where  he  resided  until  1S06,  and 
there  invented  a  submarine  torpedo  boat  for 
maritime  defense,  but  which  was  rejected 
by  the  governments  of  France,  England  and 
the  United  States.  In  1 S03  he  offered  to  con- 
struct for  the  Emperor  Napoleon  a  steam- 
boat that  would  assist  in  carrying  out  the 
plan  of  invading  Great  Britain  then  medi- 
tated by  that  great  captain.  In  pursuance 
he  constructed  his  first  steamboat  on  the 
Seine,  but  it  did  not  prove  a  full  success 
and  the  idea  was  abandoned  by  the  French 
government.  By  the  aid  of  Livingston, 
then  United  States  minister  to  France, 
Fulton  purchased,  in  1S06.  an  engine  which 
he  brought  to  this  country.  After  studying 
the  defects  of  his  own  and  other  attempts  in 


this  line  he  built  and  launched  in  1S07  the 
Clermont,  the  first  successful  steamboat. 
This  craft  only  attained  a  speed  of  five 
miles  an  hour  while  going  up  North  river. 
His  first  patent  not  fully  covering  his  in- 
vention, Fulton  was  engaged  in  many  law 
suits  for  infringement.  He  constructed 
many  steamboats,  ferryboats,  etc.,  among 
these  being  the  United  States  steamer 
"  Fulton  the  First,"  built  in  1S14,  the  first 
war  steamer  ever  built.  This  craft  never 
attained  any  great  speed  owing  to  some  de- 
fects in  construction  and  accidentally  blew 
up  in  1S29.  Fulton  died  in  New  York,  Feb- 
ruary 21,   1S15. 


SALMON  PORTLAND  CHASE,  sixth 
chief-justice  of  the  United  States,  and 
one  of  the  most  eminent  of  American  jurists, 
was  born  in  Cornish,  New  Hampshire,  Jan- 
uary 15,  1808.  At  the  age  of  nine  he  was 
left  in  poverty  by  the  death  of  his  father, 
but  means  were  found  to  educate  him.  He 
was  sent  to  his  uncle,  a  bishop,  who  con- 
ducted an  academy  near  Columbus,  Ohio, 
and  here  young  Chase  worked  on  the  farm 
and  attended  school.  At  the  age  of  fifteen 
he  returned  to  his  native  state  and  entered 
Dartmouth  College,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1  S26.  He  then  went  to  Washington, 
and  engaged  in  teaching  school,  and  study- 
ing law  under  the  instruction  of  William 
Wirt.  He  was  licensed  to  practice  in  1829, 
and  went  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  had  a 
hard  struggle  for  several  years  following 
He  had  in  the  meantime  prepared  notes  on 
the  statutes  of  Ohio,  which,  when  published, 
brought  him  into  prominence  locally.  He 
was  soon  after  appointed  solicitor  of  the 
United  States  Bank.  In  1837  he  appeared 
1  for  a  fugitive  slave  woman.  Ma- 
tilda, and  sought  by  all  the  powers  of  his 
learning  and  eloquence  to  prevent  her  owner 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAFHV 


from  reclaiming  her.  He  acted  in  many 
other  cases,  and  devolved  the  trite  expres- 
sion, "Slavery  is  sectional,  freedom  is  na- 
tional." He  was  employed  to  defend  Van 
Zandt  before  the  supreme  court  of  the  United 
States  in  1846,  which  was  one  of  the  most 
noted  cases  connected  with  the  great  strug- 
gle against  slavery.  By  this  time  Mr.  Chase 
had  become  the  recognized  leader  of  that 
element  known  as  "  free-soilers."  He  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  senate  in  1S49, 
and  was  chosen  governor  of  Ohio  in  1855 
and  re-elected  in  1857.  He  was  chosen  to 
the  United  States  senate  from  Ohio  in  1861, 
but  was  made  secretary  of  the  treasury  by 
Lincoln  and  accepted.  He  inaugurated  a 
financial  system  to  replenish  the  exhausted 
treasury  and  meet  the  demands  of  the  great- 
est war  in  history  and  at  the  same  time  to 
revive  the  industries  of  the  country.  One 
of  the  measures  which  afterward  called  for 
his  judicial  attention  was  the  issuance  of 
currency  notes  which  were  made  a  legal 
tender  in  payment  of  debts.  When  this 
question  came  before  him  as  chief-justice 
of  the  United  States  he  reversed  his  former 
action  and  declared  the  measure  unconstitu- 
tional. The  national  banking  system,  by 
which  all  notes  issued  were  to  be  based  on  . 
funded  government  bonds  of  equal  or  greater 
amounts,  had  its  direct  origin  with  Mr.  Chase. 
Mr.  Chase  resigned  the  treasury  port- 
folio in  1864,  and  was  appointed  the  same  j 
year  as  chief-justice  of  the  United  States  1 
supreme  court.  The  great  questions  that 
came  up  before  him  at  this  crisis  in  the  life 
of  the  nation  were  no  less  than  those  which 
confronted  the  first  chief-justice  at  the  for- 
mation of  our  government.  Reconstruction, 
private,  state  and  national  interests,  the 
constitutionality  ot  the  acts  of  congress 
nasspH  in  tinaes  of  great  excitement,  the 
construction  and  interpretation  to  be  placed  | 


upon  the  several  amendments  to  the  national 
constitution, — these  were  among  the  vital 
questions  requiring  prompt  decision.  He 
received  a  paralytic  stroke  in  1870,  which 
impaired  his  health,  though  his  mental 
powers  were  not  affected.  He  continued  to 
preside  at  the  opening  terms  for  two  years 
following  and  died  May  7,  1S73. 

HARRIET  ELIZABETH  BEECHER 
STOWE,  a  celebrated  American  writ- 
er, was  born  June  14,  1S12,  at  Litchfield, 
Connecticut.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Lyman 
Beecher  and  a  sister  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
two  noted  divines;  was  carefully  educated, 
and  taught  school  for  several  years  at  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut.  In  1832  Miss  Beecher 
married  Professor  Stowe,  then  of  Lane  Semi- 
nary, Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  afterwards  at 
Bowdoin  College  and  Andover  Seminary. 
Mrs.  Stowe  published  in  1S49  "The  May- 
flower, or  sketches  of  the  descendants  of  the 
Pilgrims,"  and  in  1851  commenced  in  the 
' '  National  Era  "  of  Washington,  a  serial  story 
which  was  published  separately  in  1852  under 
the  title  of  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin."  This 
book  attained  almost  unparalleled  success 
both  at  home  and  abroad,  and  within  ten  years 
it  had  been  translated  in  almost  every  lan- 
guage of  the  civilized  world.  Mrs.  Stowe  pub- 
lished in  1853  a  "Key  to  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin" 
in  which  the  data  that  she  used  was  published 
and  its  truthfulness  was  corroborated.  In 
1853  she  accompanied  her  husband  and 
brother  to  Europe,  and  on  ner  return  puo- 
|ished  "Sunny  .Memories  of  Foreign  Lands  " 
in  1354.  Mrs.  Stowe  was  for  some  time 
one  ot  the  editors  of  the  "  Atlantic  Monthly  " 
and  the  "  Hearth  and  Home,"  for  which 
she  had  written  a  number  of  articles. 
Among  these,  also  published  separately,  are 
• '  Dred,  a  tale  of  the  Great  Dismal  Swamp  " 
(later  published  under  the  title  of   "  Nina 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


67 


Gordon");  "The  Minister's  Wooing;"  "The 
Pearl  of  Orr's  Island;"  "Agnes  of  Sorrento;" 
"Oldtown  Folks;"  "My  Wife  and  I;"  "Bible 
Heroines,"  and  "A  Dog's  Mission."  Mrs. 
Stowe's  death  occurred  July  I,  1S96,  at 
Hartford,  Connecticut. 


THOMAS  JONATHAN  JACKSON,  bet- 
ter known  as  "Stonewall"  Jackson, 
was  one  of  the  most  noted  of  the  Confeder- 
ate generals  of  the  Civil  war.  He  was  a 
soldier  by  nature,  an  incomparable  lieuten- 
ant, sure  to  execute  any  operation  entrusted 
to  him  with  marvellous  precision,  judgment 
and  courage,  and  all  his  individual  cam- 
paigns and  combats  bore  the  stamp  of  a 
masterly  capacity  for  war.  He  was  born 
January  21,  1S24,  at  Clarksburg,  Harrison 
county,  West  Virginia.  He  was  early  in 
life  imbued  with  the  desire  to  be  a  soldier 
and  it  is  said  walked  from  the  mountains  of 
Virginia  to  Washington,  secured  the  aid  of 
his  congressman,  and  was  appointed  cadet 
at  the  United  States  Military  Academy  at 
West  Point  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 

1846.  Attached  to  the  army  as  brevet  sec- 
ond lieutenant  of  the  First  Artillery,  his  first 
service  was  as  a  subaltern  with  Magruder's 
battery  of  light  artillery  in  the  Mexican  war. 
He  participated  at  the  reduction  of  Vera 
Cruz,  and  was  noticed  for  gallantry  in  the 
battles  of  Cerro  Gordo,  Contreras,  Moline 
del  Rey,  Chapultepec,  and  the  capture  of 
the  city  of  Mexico,  receiving  the  brevets  of 
captain  for  conduct  at  Contreras  and  Cher- 
ubusco  and  of  major  at  Chapultepec.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  been  advanced  by 
regular  promotion    to  be   first  lieutenant  in 

1847.  In  1852,  the  war  having  closed,  he 
resigned  and  became  professor  of  natural 
and  experimental  philosophy  and  artillery 
instructor  at  the  Virginia  State  Military 
Institute  at  Lexington,  Virginia,  where  he 


remained  until  Virginia  declared  for  seces- 
sion, he  becoming  chiefly  noted  for  intense 
religious  sentiment  coupled  with  personal 
eccentricities.  Upon  the  breaking  out  nf 
the  war  he  was  made  colonel  and  placed  in 
command  of  a  force  sent  to  sieze  Harper's 
Ferry,  which  he  accomplished  May  3,  1S61. 
Relieved  by  General  J.  E.  Johnston,  May 
23,  he  took  command  of  the  brigade  of 
Valley  Virginians,  whom  he  moulded  into 
that  brave  corps,  baptized  at  the  first 
Manassas,  and  ever  after  famous  as  the 
"  Stonewall  Brigade."  After  this  "Stone- 
wall "  Jackson  was  made  a  major-general, 
in  1S61,  and  participated  until  his  death  in 
all  the  famous  campaigns  about  Richmond 
and  in  Virginia,  and  was  a  conspicuous  fig- 
ure in  the  memorable  battles  of  that  time. 
May  2,  1S63,  at  Chancellorsville,  he  was 
wounded  severely  by  his  own  troops,  two 
balls  shattering  his  left  arm  and  another 
passing  through  the  palm  of  his  right  hand. 
The  left  arm  was  amputated,  but  pneumonia 
intervened,  and,  weakened  by  the  great  loss 
of  blood,  he  died  May  10,  1863.  The  more 
his  operations  in  the  Shenandoah  valley  in 
1S62  are  studied  the  more  striking  must  the 
merits  of  this  great  soldier  appear. 


JOHN  GREENLEAF  WHITTIER.— 
Near  to  the  heart  of  the  people  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  will  ever  lie  the  verses  of 
this,  the  "Quaker  Poet."  The  author  of 
"Barclay  of  Ury,"  "Maud  Muller"  and 
"Barbara  Frietchie,"  always  pure,  fervid 
and  direct,  will  be  remembered  when  many 
a  more  ambitious  writer  has  been  forgotten. 
John  G.  Whittier  was  born  at  Haver- 
hill, Massachusetts,  December  7,  1807.  of 
Quaker  parentage.  He  had  but  a  common- 
school  education  and  passed  his  boyhood 
days  upon  a  farm.  In  early  life  he  learned 
the  trade    of    shoemaker.      At    the   age   of 


63 


COMPEXDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


eighteen  he  began  to  write  verses  for  the 
Haverhill  "  Gazette."  He  spent  two  years 
after  that  at  the  Haverhill  academy,  after 
which,  in  1829,  he  became  editor  of  the 
"American  Manufacturer,"  at  Boston.  In 
1830  he  succeeded  George  D.  Prentice  as 
editor  of  the  "New  England  Weekly  Re- 
view," but  the  following  year  returned  to 
Haverhill  and  engaged  in  farming.  In  1S32 
and  in  1836  he  edited  the  "Gazette."  In 
1835  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  legis- 
lature, serving  two  years.  In  1836  he  became 
secretary  of  the  Anti-slavery  Society  of  Phil- 
adelphia. In  1338  and  1S39  he  edited  the 
"  Pennsylvania  Freeman,"  but  in  the  latter 
year  the  office  was  sacked  and  burned  by  a 
mob.  In  1840  Whittier  settled  at  Ames- 
bury,  Massachusetts.  In  1847  he  became 
corresponding  editor  of  the  "National  Era," 
an  anti-slavery  paper  published  at  Washing- 
ton, and  contributed  to  its  columns  many  of 
his  anti-slavery  and  other  favorite  lyrics. 
Mr.  Whittier  lived  for  many  years  in  retire- 
ment of  Quaker  simplicity,  publishing  several 
volumes  of  poetry  which  have  raised  him  to 
a  high  place  among  American  authors  and 
brought  to  him  the  love  and  admiration  of 
his  countrymen.  In  the  electoral  colleges 
of  i860  and  1864  Whittier  was  a  member. 
Much  of  his  time  after  18/6  was  spent  at 
Oak  Knoll,  Danvers,  Massachusetts,  but 
still  retained  his  residence  at  Amesbury. 
He  never  married.  His  death  occurred  Sep- 
tember 7,  1892. 

The  more  prominent  prose  writings  of 
John  G.  Whittier  are  as  follows:  "Legends 
of  New  England,"  "  Justice  and  Expediency, 
or  Slavery  Considered  with  a  View  to  Its  Abo- 
lition,"  "  The  Stranger  in  Lowell,"  "Super- 
naturalism  in  New  England,"  "  Leaves  from 
Margaret  Smith's  Journal,"  "Old  Portraits 
and  Modern  Sketches"  and  "  Literary 
Sketches." 


DAVID  DIXON  PORTER,  illustrious  as 
admiral  of  the  United  States  navy,  and 
famous  as  one  of  the  most  able  naval  offi- 
cers of  America,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
June  S,  iS  14.  His  father  was  also  a  naval 
officer  of  distinction,  who  left  the  service  of 
the  United  States  to  become  commander  of 
the  naval  forces  of  Mexico  during  the  war 
between  that  country  and  Spain,  and 
through  this  fact  David  Dixon  Porter  was 
appointed  a  midshipman  in  the  Mexican 
navy.  Two  years  later  David  D.  Porter 
joined  the  United  States  navy  as  midship- 
man, rose  in  rank  and  eighteen  years  later 
as  a  lieutenant  he  is  found  actively  engaged 
in  all  the  operations  of  our  navy  along  the 
east  coast  of  Mexico.  When  the  Civil  war 
broke  out  Porter,  then  a  commander,  was 
dispatched  in  the  Powhattan  to  the  relief  of 
Fort  Pickens,  Florida.  This  duty  accom- 
plished, he  fitted  out  a  mortar  flotilla  for 
the  reduction  of  the  forts  guarding  the  ap- 
proaches to  New  Orleans,  which  it  was  con- 
sidered of  vital  importance  for  the  govern- 
ment to  get  possession  of.  After  the  fall  of 
New  Orleans  the  mortar  flotilla  was  actively 
engaged  at  Vicksburg,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1862  Porter  was  made  a  rear-admiral  and 
placed  in  command  of  all  the  naval  forces 
on  the  western  rivers  above  New  Orleans. 
The  ability  of  the  man  was  now  con- 
spicuously manifested,  not  only  in  the  bat- 
tles in  which  he  was  engaged,  but  also  in 
the  creation  of  a  formidable  fleet  out  of 
river  steamboats,  which  he  covered  with 
such  plating  as  they  would  bear.  In  1864 
he  was  transferred  to  the  Atlantic  coast  to 
command  the  naval  forces  destined  to  oper- 
ate against  the  defences  of  Wilmington, 
North  Carolina,  and  on  Jan.  15,  1865,  the 
fall  of  Fort  Fisher  was  hailed  by  the  country 
as  a  glorious  termination  of  his  arduous  war 
service.      In  1S66  he  was  made  vice-admiral 


C  OMPEJS  OIL  \U   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


>y- 


and  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Naval 
Academy.  On  the  death  of  Farragut,  in 
1870,  he  succeeded  that  able  man  as  ad- 
miral of  the  navy.  His  death  occurred  at 
Washington,  February  13,   1891. 


NATHANIEL  GREENE  was  one  of  the 
best  known  of  the  distinguished  gen- 
erals who  led  the  Continental  soldiery 
against  the  hosts  of  Great  Britain  during 
the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was  the  son 
of  Quaker  parents,  and  was  born  at  War- 
wick, Rhode  Island,  May  27,  1712.  In 
youth  he  acquired  a  good  education,  chiefly 
by  his  own  efforts,  as  he  was  a  tireless 
reader.  In  1770  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Assembly  of  his  native  state.  The 
news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  stirred 
his  blood,  'and  he  offered  his  services  to 
the  government  of  the  colonies,  receiving 
the  rank  of  brigadier-general  and  the  com- 
mand of  the  troops  from  Rhode  Island. 
He  led  them  to  the  camp  at  Cambridge, 
and  for  thus  violating  the  tenets  of  their 
faith,  he  was  cast  out  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  or  Quakers.  He  soon  won  the  es- 
teem of   General  Washington.      In  August, 

1776,  Congress  promoted  Greene  to  the 
rank  of  major-general,  and  in  the  battles  of 
Trenton  and  Princeton  he  led  a  division. 
At  the  battle  of  Brandy  wine,  September  11, 

1777,  he  greatly  distinguished  himself,  pro- 
tecting the  retreat  of  the  Continentals  by 
his  firm  stand.  At  the  battle  of  German- 
town,  October  4,  the  same  year,  he  com- 
manded the  left  wing  of  the  army  with 
credit.  In  March,  1778,  he  reluctantly  ac- 
cepted the  office  of  quartermaster-general, 
but  only  with  the  understanding  that  his 
rank  in  the  army  would  not  be  affected  and 
that  in  action  he  should  retain  his  command. 
On  the  bloody  field  of  Monmouth,  June  28, 

1778,  he  commanded  the  right  wing,  as  he 


did  at  the  battle  of  Tiverton  Heights.  He 
was  in  command  of  the  army  in  1780,  dur- 
ing the  absence  of  Washington,  and  was 
president  of  the  court-martial  that  tried  and 
condemned  Major  Andre.  After  General 
Gates'  defeat  at  Camden,  North  Carolina,  in 
the  summer  of  1780,  General  Greene  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  the  southernarmy. 
He  sent  out  a  force  under  General  Morgan 
who  defeated  General  Tarleton  at  Cowpens, 
January  17,  1781.  On  joining  his  lieuten- 
ant, in  February,  he  found  himself  out  num- 
bered by  the  British  and  retreated  in  good 
order  to  Virginia,  but  being  reinforced  re- 
turned to  North  Carolina  where  he  fought 
the  battle  of  Guilford,  and  a  few  days  later 
compelled  the  retreat  of  Lord  Cornwallis. 
The  British  were  followed  by  Greene  part 
of  the  way,  when  the  American  army 
marched  into  South  Carolina.  After  vary- 
ing success  he  fought  the  battle  of  Eutaw 
Springs,  September  8,  17S1.  For  the  latter 
battle  and  its  glorious  consequences,  which 
virtually  closed  the  war  in  the  Carolinas, 
Greene  received  a  medal  from  Congress  and 
many  valuable  grants  of  land  from  the 
colonies  of  North  and  South  Carolina  and 
Georgia.  On  the  return  of  peace,  after  a 
year  spent  in  Rhode  Island,  General  Greene 
took  up  his  residence  on  his  estate  near 
Savannah,  Georgia,  where  he  died  June  19, 
1786.  __ 

EDGAR  ALLEN  POE.— Among  the 
many  great  literary  men  whom  this 
country  has  produced,  there  is  perhaps  no 
name  more  widely  known  than  that  of  Ed- 
gar Allen  Poe.  He  was  born  at  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  February  19,  1809.  His 
parents  were  David  and  Elizabeth  (Arnold) 
Poe,  both  actors,  the  mother  said  to  have 
been  the  natural  daughter  of  Benedict  Ar- 
|  nold.      The  parents  died  while   Edgar  was 


COMPEXDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPH. 


still  a  child  and  he  was  adopted  by  John 
Allen,  a  wealthy  and  influential  resident  of 
Richmond,  Virginia.  Edgar  was  sent  to 
school  at  Stoke,  Newington,  England, 
where  he  remained  until  he  was  thirteen 
years  old;  was  prepared  for  college  by  pri- 
vate tutors,  and  in  1826  entered  the  Virginia 
University  at  Charlottesville.  He  made 
rapid  progress  in  his  studies,  and  was  dis- 
tinguished for  his  scholarship,  but  was  ex- 
pelled within  a  year  for  gambling,  after 
which  for  several  years  he  resided  with  his 
benefactor  at  Richmond.  He  then  went  to 
Baltimore,  and  in  1829  published  a  71 -page 
pamphlet  called  "  Al  Aaraaf,  Tamerlane 
and  Minor  Poems,"  which,  however,  at- 
tracted no  attention  and  contained  nothing 
of  particular  merit.  In  1830  he  was  ad- 
mitted as  a  cadet  at  West  Point,  but  was 
expelled  about  a  year  later  for  irregulari- 
ties. Returning  to  the  home  of  Mr.  Allen 
he  remained  for  some  time,  and  finally 
quarrelled  with  his  benefactor  and  enlisted 
as  a  private  soldier  in  the  U.  S.  army,  but 
remained  only  a  short  time.  Soon  after 
this,  in  1833,  Poe  won  several  prizes  for 
literary  work,  and  as  a  result  secured  the 
position  of  editor  of  the  "Southern  Liter- 
ary Messenger,"  at  Richmond,  Virginia. 
Here  he  married  his  cousin,  Virginia 
Clemm,  who  clung  to  him  with  fond  devo- 
tion through  all  the  many  trials  that  came 
to  them  until  her  death  in  January,  184S. 
Poe  remained  with  the  "Messenger"  for 
several  years,  writing  meanwhile  many 
tales,  reviews,  essays  and  poems.  He  aft- 
erward earned  a  precarious  living  by  his 
pen  in  New  York  for  a  time;  in  1839  be- 
came editor  of  "Burton's  Gentleman's 
Magazine"  ;  in  1840  to  1S42  was  editor  of 
"  Graham's  Magazine,"  and  drifted  around 
Irom  one  place  to  another,  returning  to 
New    York    in    i8j.a.       In    184 5    his    best 


known  production,  "The  Raven,"  appeared 
in  the  "Whig  Review,"  and  gained  him  a 
reputation  which  is  now  almost  world-wide. 
He  then  acted  as  editor  and  contributor  on 
various  magazines  and  periodicals  until  the 
death  of  his  faithful  wife  in  1848.  In 'the 
summer  of  1849  he  was  engaged  to  be  mar- 
ried to  a  lady  of  fortune  in  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, and  the  day  set  for  the  wedding. 
He  started  for  New  York  to  make  prepara- 
tions for  the  event,  but,  it  is  said,  began 
drinking,  was  attacked  with  dilirium  tre- 
mens in  Baltimore  and  was  removed  to  a 
hospital,  where  he  died,  October  7,  1849. 
The  works  of  Edgar  Allen  Poe  have  been 
repeatedly  published  since  his  death,  both 
in  Europe  and  America,  and  have  attained 
an  immense  popularity. 


HORATIO  GATES,  one  of  the  prom- 
inent figures  in  the  American  war  for 
Independence,  was  not  a  native  of  the  col- 
onies but  was  born  in  England  in  1728.  In 
early  life  he  entered  the  British  army  and 
attained  the  rank  of  major.  At  the  capture 
of  Martinico  he  was  aide  to  General  Monk- 
ton  and  after  the  peace  of  Aix  la  Chapelle, 
in  1748,  he  was  among  the  first  troops  that 
landed  at  Halifax.  He  was  with  Braddock 
at  his  defeat  in  1755.  and  was  there  severe- 
ly wounded.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
French  and  Indian  war  Gates  purchased  an 
estate  in  Virginia,  and,  resigning  from  the 
British  army,  settled  down  to  life  as  a 
planter.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rev- 
olutionary war  he  entered  the  service  of  the 
colonies  and  was  made  adjutant-general  of 
the  Continental  forces  with  the  rank  o| 
brigadier-general.  He  accompanied  Wash- 
ington when  he  assumed  the  command  ol 
the  army.  In  June.  1776,  he  was  appoint- 
ed to  the  command  of  the  army  of  Canada, 
but  was  suoerseded  in  May  of  the  following 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


71 


year  by  General  Schuyler.  In  August, 
1777,  however,  the  command  of  that  army 
was  restored  to  General  Gates  and  Septem- 
ber 19  he  fought  the  battle  of  Beinis 
Heights.  October  7,  the  same  year,  he 
won  the  battle  of  Stillwater,  or  Saratoga, 
and  October  17  received  the  surrender  of  : 
General  Burgoyne  and  his  army,  the  pivotal 
point  of  the  war.  This  gave  him  a  brilliant  ! 
reputation.  June  13,  1780.  General  Gates  I 
was  appointed  to  the  command  ot  the 
sou' hern  military  division,  and  August  16  of 
that  year  suffered  defeat  at  the  hands  of 
Lord  Cornwallis,  at  Camden,  North  Car- 
olina. In  December  following  he  was 
superseded  in  the  command  by  General 
Nathaniel  Greene. 

On  the  signing  of  the  peace  treaty  Gen- 
eral Gates  retired  to  his  plantation  in 
Berkeley  county,  Virginia,  where  he  lived 
until  1790,  when,  emancipating  all  his 
slaves,  he  removed  to  New  York  City,  where 
he  resided   until  his  death,  April    10,   1806. 


LYMAN  J.  GAGE.— When  President  Mc- 
Kinley  selected  Lyman  J.  Gage  as  sec- 
retary of  the  treasury  he  chose  one  of  the 
most  eminent  financiers  of  the  century.  Mr. 
Gage  was  born  June  28,  1836,  at  De  Ruy- 
ter,  Madison  county.  New  York,  and  was  of 
English  descent.  He  went  to  Rome,  New 
York,  with  his  parents  when  he  was  ten 
years  old,  and  received  his  early  education 
in  the  Rome  Academy.  Mr.  Gage  gradu- 
ated from  the  same,  and  his  first  position 
was  that  of  a  clerk  in  the  post  office.  When 
he  was  fifteen  years  of  age  he  was  detailed 
as  mail  agent  on  the  Rome  &  Watertown 
R.  R.  until  the  postmaster-general  appointed 
regular  agents  for  the  route.  In  1 854,  when 
he  was  in  his  eighteenth  year,  he  entered 
the  Oneida  Central  Bank  at  Rome  as  a 
junior  clerk  at  a  salary  of  one  hundred  dol- 


lars per  year.  Being  unable  at  the  end  01 
one  year  and  a  half's  service  to  obtain  an 
in  saiary  he  determined  to  seek  a 
wider  field  of  labor.  Mr.  Gage  set  out  in 
the  fall  of  1855  and  arrived  in  Chicago, 
Illinois,  on  October  3,  and  soon  obtained  a 
situation  in  Nathan  Cobb's  lumber  yard  and 
planing  mill.  He  remained  there  tin 
as  a  bookkeeper,  teamster,  etc.,  and  left  on 
account  of  change  in  the  management.  But 
not  being  able  to  find  anything  else  to  do  he 
accepted  the  position  of  night  watchman  in 
the  place  for  a  period  of  six  weeks.  He 
then  became  a  bookkeeper  for  the  Mer- 
chants Saving,  Loan  and  Trust  Company  at 
a  salary  of  five  hundred  dollars  per  year. 
He  rapidly  advanced  in  the  service  of  this 
company  and  in  1  868  he  was  made  cashier. 
Mr.  Gage  was  next  offered  the  position  of 
cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  and  ac- 
cepted the  offer.  He  became  the  president 
of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Chicago  Jan- 
uary 24,  1 89 1 ,  and  in  1 897  he  was  appointed 
secretary  of  the  treasury.  Hi;  ability  as  a 
financier  and  the  prominent  part  ne  took  in 
the  discussion  of  financial  arV-rs  while  presi- 
dent of  the  great  Chicago  b'  ;._•.  ave  him  a 
national  reputation. 


ANDREW  JACKSON,  the  seventh  pres- 
ident of  the  United  States,  was  born 
at  the  Waxhaw  settlement,  Union  county, 
North  Carolina,  March  15,  1767.  His 
parents  were  Scotch-Irish,  natives  of  Carr- 
ickfergus,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1665 
and  settled  on  Twelve-Mile  creek,  a  trib- 
utary of  the  Catawba.  His  father,  who 
was  a  poor  farm  laborer,  died  shortly  be- 
fore Andrew's  birth,  when  the  mother  re- 
moved to  Waxhaw,  where  some  relatives 
lived.  Andrew's  education  was  very  limited, 
he  showing  no  aptitude  for  study.  In  1780 
when  but  thirteen  years  of  age,  he  and    his 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


brother  Robert  volunteered  to  serve  in  the 
American  partisan  troops  under  General 
Sumter,  and  witnessed  the  defeat  at  Hang- 
ing Rock.  The  following  year  the  boys 
were  both  taken  prisoners  by  the  enemy 
and  endured  brutal  treatment  from  the 
British  officers  while  confined  at  Camden. 
They  both  took  the  small  pox,  when  the 
mother  procured  their  exchange  but  Robert 
died  shortly  after.  The  mother  died  in 
Charleston  of  ship  fever,  the  same  year. 

Young  Jackson,  now  in  destitute  cir- 
cumstances, worked  for  about  six  months  in 
a  saddler's  shop,  and  then  turned  school 
master,  although  but  little  fitted  for  the 
position.  He  now  began  to  think  of  a  pro- 
fession and  at  Salisbury,  North  Carolina, 
entered  upon  the  study  of  law,  but  from  all 
accounts  gave  but  little  attention  to  his 
books,  being  one  of  the  most  roistering, 
rollicking  fellows  in  that  town,  indulging  in 
many  of  the  vices  of  his  time.  In  1786  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  in  17S8  re- 
moved to  Nashville,  then  in  North  Carolina, 
with  the  appointment  of  public  prosecutor, 
then  an  office  of  little  honor  or  emolument, 
but  requiring  much  nerve,  for  which  young 
Jackson  was  already  noted.  Two  years 
later,  when  Tennessee  became  a  territory 
he  was  appointed  by  Washington  to  the 
position  of  United  States  attorney  for  that 
district.  In  1791  he  married  Mrs.  Rachel 
Robards,  a  daughter  of  Colonel  John  Don- 
elson,  who  was  supposed  at  the  time  to 
have  been  divorced  from  her  former  hus- 
band that  year  by  act  of  legislature  of  Vir- 
ginia, but  two  years  later,  on  finding  that 
this  divorce  was  not  legal,  and  a  new  bill  of 
separation  being  granted  by  the  courts  of 
Kentucky,  they  were  remarried  in  1793. 
This  was  used  as  a  handle  by  his  oppo- 
nents in  the  political  campaign  afterwards. 
Jackson  was  untiring  in  his  efforts  as  United 


States  attorney  and  obtained  much  influence. 
He  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  1796,  when  Tennessee 
became  a  state  and  was  its  first  represent- 
ative in  congress.  In  1797  he  was  chosen 
United  States  senator,  but  resigned  the  fol- 
lowing year  to  accept  a  seat  on  the  supreme 
court  of  Tennessee  which  he  held  until 
1804.  He  was  elected  major-general  of 
the  militia  of  that  state  in  1S01.  In  1804, 
being  unsuccessful  in  obtaining  the  govern- 
orship of  Louisiana,  the  new  territory,  he 
retired  from  public  life  to  the  Hermitage, 
his  plantation.  On  the  outbreak  of  the 
war  with  Great  Britain  in  1S12  he  tendered 
his  services  to  the  government  and  went  to 
New  Orleans  with  the  Tennessee  troops  in 
January,  1813.  In  March  of  that  year  he 
was  ordered  to  disband  his  troops,  but  later 
marched  against  the  Cherokee  Indians,  de- 
feating them  at  Talladega,  Emuckfaw 
and  Tallapoosa.  Having  now  a  national 
reputation,  he  was  appointed  major-general 
in  the  United  States  army  and  was  sent 
against  the  British  in  Florida.  He  con- 
ducted the  defence  of  Mobile  and  seized 
Pensacola.  He  then  went  with  his  troops 
to  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  where  he  gained 
the  famous  victory  of  January  S,  181  5.  In 
1817-18  he  conducted  a  war  against  the 
Seminoles,  and  in  1821  was  made  governor 
of  the  new  territory  of  Florida.  1111823 
he  was  elected  United  States  senator,  but 
in  [824  was  the  contestant  with  J.  Q.  Adams 
for  the  presidency.  Four  years  later  he. 
was  elected  president,  and  served  two  terms. 
In  1S32  he  took  vigorous  action  against  the 
nullifiers  of  South  Carolina,  and  the  next 
year  removed  the  public  money  from  the 
United  States  bank.  During  his  second 
term  the  national  debt  was  extinguished.  At 
the  close  of  his  administration  he  retired  to 
the  Hermitage,  where  he  died  June  8,  [845 


COMPEXD/CM   OF    BIOGRAPHr. 


78 


ANDREW  CARNEGIE,  the  largest  manu- 
facturer of  pig-iron,  steel  rails  and 
coke  in  the  world,  well  deserves  a  place 
among  America's  celebrated  men.  He  was 
born  November  25,  1S35,  at  Dunfermline, 
Scotland,  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
with  his  father  in  1845,  settling  in  Pittsburg. 
Two  years  later  Mr.  Carnegie  began  his 
business  career  by  attending  a  small  station- 
ary engine.  This  work  did  not  suit  him  and 
he  became  a  telegraph  messenger  with  the 
Atlantic  and  Ohio  Co.,  and  later  he  became 
an  operator,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  read 
telegraphic  signals  by  sound.  Mr.  Carnegie 
was  afterward  sent  to  the  Pittsburg  office 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co.,  as  clerk 
to  the  superintendent  and  manager  of  the 
telegraph  lines.  While  in  this  position  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Woodruff,  the 
inventor  of  the  sleeping-car.  Mr.  Carnegie 
immediately  became  interested  and  was  one 
of  the  organizers  of  the  company  for  its  con- 
struction after  the  railroad  had  adopted  it, 
and  the  success  of  this  venture  gave  him  the 
nucleus  of  his  wealth.  He  was  promoted 
to  the  superintendency  of  the  Pittsburg 
division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and 
about  this  time  was  one  of  the  syndicate 
that  purchased  the  Storey  farm  on  Oil  Creek 
which  cost  forty  thousand  dollars  and  in  one 
year  it  yielded  over  one  million  dollars  in 
cash  dividends.  Mr.  Carnegie  later  was  as- 
sociated with  others  in  establishing  a  rolling- 
mill,  and  from  this  has  grown  the  most  ex- 
tensive and  complete  system  of  iron  and 
steel  industries  ever  controlled  by  one  indi- 
vidual, embracing  the  Edgar  Thomson 
Steel  Works;  Pittsburg  Bessemer  Steel 
Works;  Lucy  Furnaces;  Union  Iron  Mills; 
Union  Mill;  Keystone  Bridge  Works;  Hart- 
man  Steel  Works;  Frick  Coke  Co.;  Scotia 
Ore  Mines.  Besides  directing  his  immense 
iron  industries  he  owned  eighteen  English 


newspapers  which  he  ran  in  the  interest  or 
the  Radicals.  He  has  also  devoted  large 
sums  of  money  to  benevolent  and  educational 
purposes.  In  1879  he  erected  commodious 
swimming  baths  for  the  people  of  Dunferm- 
line, Scotland,  and  in  the  following  year 
gave  forty  thousand  dollars  for  a  free  library. 
Mr.  Carnegie  gave  fifty  thousand  dollars  to 
Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  in  1884 
to  found  what  is  now  called  "Carnegie  Lab- 
oratory," and  in  1885  gave  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars  to  Pittsburg  for  a  public 
library.  He  also  gave  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  a  music  hall  and  library 
in  Allegheny  City  in  1886,  and  two  hundred 
and  lift)-  thousand  dollars  to  Edinburgh,  Scot- 
land, for  a  free  library.  He  also  established 
free  libraries  at  Braddock,  Pennsylvania, 
and  other  places  for  the  benefit  of  his  em- 
ployes. He  also  published  the  following 
works,  "An  American  Four-in-hand  in 
Britain;"  "Round  the  World;"  "Trium- 
phant Democracy;  or  Fifty  Years'  March  of 
the  Republic." 


GEORGE  H.  THOMAS,  the  "  Rock  of 
Chickamauga,"  one  of  the  best  known 
commanders  during  the  late  Civil  war,  was 
born  in  Southampton  county,  Virginia,  July 
31,  1S16,  his  parents  being  of  Welsh  and 
French  origin  respectively.  In  1836  young 
Thomas  was  appointed  a  cadet  at  the  Mili- 
tary Academy,  at  West  Point,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1S40,  and  was  promoted  to 
the  office  of  second  lieutenant  in  the  Third 
Artillery.  Shortly  after,  with  his  company, 
he  went  to  Florida,  where  he  served  for  two 
years  against  the  Seminole  Indians.  In 
1 84 1  he  was  brevetted  first  lieutenant  for 
gallant  conduct.  He  remained  in  garrison 
in  the  south  and  southwest  until  1845,  at 
I  which  date  with  the  regiment  he  joined  the 
I  army  under  General  Taylor,  and  participat- 


74 


COMPENDIUM   OF    B10GRAPH1  . 


ed  in  the  defense  of  Fort  Brown,  the  storm- 
ing of  Monterey  and  the  battle  of  Buena 
Vista.  After  the  latter  event  he  remained 
in  garrison,  now  brevetted  major,  until  the 
close  of  the  Mexican  war.  After  a  year 
spent  in  Florida,  Captain  Thomas  was  or- 
dered to  West  Point,  where  he  served  as  in- 
structor until  1S54.  He  then  was  trans- 
ferred to  California.  In  May,  1S55,  Thom- 
as was  appointed  major  of  the  Second  Cav- 
alry, with  whom  he  spent  five  years  in  Texas. 
Although  a  southern  man,  and  surrounded 
by  brother  officers  who  all  were  afterwards 
;n  the  Confederate  service,  Major  Thomas 
never  swerved  from  his  allegiance  to  the 
government.  A.  S.  Johnston  was  the  col- 
onel of  the  regiment,  R.  E.  Lee  the  lieuten- 
ant-colonel, and  W.  J.  Hardee,  senior  ma- 
jor, while  among  the  younger  officers  were 
Hood,  Fitz  Hugh  Lee,  Van  Dorn  and  Kirby 
Smith.  When  these  officers  left  the  regi- 
ment to  take  up  arms  for  the  Confederate 
cause  he  remained  with  it,  and  April  17th, 
1 86 1,  crossed  the  Potomac  into  his  native 
state,  at  its  head.  After  taking  an  active  part 
in  the  opening  scenes  of  the  war  on  the  Poto- 
mac and  Shenandoah,  in  August,  1861,  he 
was  promoted  to  be  brigadier-general  and 
transferred  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland. 
January  19-20,  1862,  Thomas  defeated 
Crittenden  at  Mill  Springs,  and  this  brought 
him  into  notice  and  laid  the  foundation  of 
his  fame.  He  continued  in  command  of  his 
division  until  September  20,  1862,  except 
during  the  Corinth  campaign  when  he  com- 
manded the  right  wing  of  the  Army  of  the 
Tennessee.  He  was  in  command  of  the 
latter  at  the  battle  of  Perryville,  also,  Octo- 
ber 8,  1862. 

On  the  division  of  the  Army  of  the  Cum- 
berland into  corps,  January  9.  1863,  Gen- 
eral Thomas  was  assigned  to  the  command 
of  the  Fourteenth,  and  at  the  battle  of  Chick- 


amauga,  after  the  retreat  of  Rosecrans, 
firmly  held  his  own  against  the  hosts  of  Gen- 
eral Bragg.  A  history  of  his  services  from 
that  on  would  be  a  history  of  the  war  in  the 
southwest.  On  September  27,  1864,  Gen- 
eral Thomas  was  given  command  in  Ten- 
nessee, and  after  organizing  his  army,  de- 
feated General  Hood  in  the  battle  of  Nash- 
ville, December  15  and  16,  1864.  Much 
complaint  was  made  before  this  on  account 
of  what  they  termed  Thomas'  slowness,  and 
he  was  about  to  be  superseded  because  he 
would  not  strike  until  he  got  ready,  but 
when  the  blow  was  struck  General  Grant 
was  the  first  to  place  on  record  this  vindica- 
tion of  Thomas  judgment.  He  received  a 
vote  of  thanks  from  Congress,  and  from  the 
legislature  of  Tennessee  a  gold  medal.  Af- 
ter the  close  of  the  war  General  Thomas 
had  command  of  several  of  the  military  di- 
visions, and  died  at  San  Francisco,  Cali- 
fornia, March  28,   1870. 


GEORGE  BANCROFT,  one  of  the  most 
eminent  American  historians,  was  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  born  at  Worcester, 
October  3,  1S00,  and  a  son  of  Aaron 
Bancroft,  D.  D.  The  father.  Aaron  Ban- 
croft, was  born  at  Reading,  Massachus'etts, 
November  10,  1755.  He  graduated  at 
Harvard  in  177S,  became  a  minister,  and  for 
half  a  century  was  rated  as  one  of  the  ablest 
preachers  in  New  England.  He  was  also  a 
prolific  writer  and  published  a  number  of 
works  among  which  was  ' '  Life  of  George 
gton."     Aaron  Bancroft  died  August 

19.  1^39- 

The  subject  of  our  present  biography, 
George  Bancroft,  graduated  at  Harvard  in 
1 81 7,  and  the  following  year  entered  the 
University  of  Gottingen,  where  he  studied 
history  and  philology  under  the  most  emi- 
nent teachers,  and  in  1820  received  the  de- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


gree  of  doctor  of  philosophy  at  Gottingen. 
Upon  his  return  home  he  published  a  volume 
of  poems,  and  later  a  translation  of  Heeren's 
"Reflections  on  the  Politics  of  Ancient 
Greece."  In  1834  he  produced  the  first 
volume  of  his  "  History  of  the  United 
States,"  this  being  followed  by  other  vol- 
umes at  different  intervals  later.  This  was 
his  greatest  work  and  ranks  as  the  highest 
authority,  taking  its  place  among  the  great- 
est of  American  productions. 

George  Bancroft  was  appointed  secretary 
of  the  navy  by  President  Polk  in  1845,  but 
resigned  in  1846  and  became  minister  pleni- 
potentiary to  England.  In  1849  he  retired 
from  public  life  and  took  up  his  residence  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  In  1S67  he  was  ap- 
pointed United  States  minister  to  the  court  of 
Berlin  and  negotiated  the  treaty  by  which  Ger- 
mans coming  to  the  United  States  were  re- 
leased from  their  allegiance  to  the  govern- 
ment of  their  native  land.  In  1871  he  was 
minister  plenipotentiary  to  the  German  em- 
pire and  served  until  1874.  The  death  of 
George  Bancroft  occurred  January  17,  1S91. 


GEORGE  GORDON  MEADE,  a  fa- 
mous Union  general,  was  born  at 
Cadiz,  Spain,  December  30,  181 5,  his  father 
being  United  States  naval  agent  at  that 
port.  After  receiving  a  good  education  he 
entered  the  West  Point  Military  Academy 
in  1 83 1.  From  here  he  was  graduated 
June  30,  1835,  and  received  the  rank  of 
second  lieutenant  of  artillery.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  Seminole  war,  but  resigned 
from  the  army  in  October,  1836.  He  en- 
tered upon  the  profession  of  civil  engineer, 
which  he  followed  for  several  years,  part  of 
the  time  in  the  service  of  the  government  in 
making  surveys  of  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river.  His  report  and  results  of  some 
experiments    made  by  him   in  this    service 


gained  Meade  much  credit.  He  alsu  was 
employed  in  surveying  the  boundary  hue  of 
Texas  and  the  northeastern  boundary  line 
between  the  United  States  and  Car.ada. 
In  1842  he  was  reappointed  in  the  amy  to 
the  position  of  second  lieutenant  of  engineers. 
During  the  Mexican  war  he  served  with  dis- 
tinction on  the  staff  of  General  Taylor  in 
the  battles  of  Palo  Alto,  Resaca  de  la  Pakna 
and  the  storming  of  Monterey.  He  received 
his  brevet  of  first  lieutenant  for  the  latter 
action.  In  1851  he  was  made  full  first 
lieutenant  in  his  corps;  a  captain  in  1856, 
and  major  soon  after.  At  the  close  of  the; 
war  with  Mexico  he  was  employed  in  light- 
house construction  and  in  geodetic  surveys 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  in 
which  he  gained  great  reputation.  In 
August,  1 861 ,  he  was  made  brigadier-general 
of  volunteers  and  placed  in  command  of  the 
second  brigade  of  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves, 
a  division  of  the  First  Corps  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  In  the  campaign  of  1862, 
under  McClellan,  Meade  took  an  active 
part,  being  present  at  the  battles  of  Mechan- 
icsville,  Gaines'  Mill  and  Glendale,  in  the 
latter  of  which  he  was  severely  wounded. 
On  rejoining  his  command  he  was  given  a 
division  and  distinguished  himself  at  its  head 
in  the  battles  of  South- Mountain  and  Antie- 
tam.  During  the  latter,  on  the  wounding 
of  General  Hooker,  Meade  was  placed  in 
command  of  the  corps  and  was  himself 
s'ightly  wounded.  For  services  he  was 
promoted,  November,  1862,  to  the  rank 
of  major-general  of  volunteers.  On  the 
recovery  of  General  Hooker  General  Meade 
returned  to  his  division  and  in  December. 
1862,  at  Fredericksburg,  led  an  attack 
which  penetrated  Lee's  right  line  and  swept 
to  his  rear.  Being  outnumbered  and  un- 
supported, he  finally  was  driven  back.  The 
same    month    Meade    was    assigned   to  the 


COMPEXDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


command  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  and  at  Chan- 
cellorsville  in  May,  1863,  his  sagacity  and 
ability  so  struck  General  Hooker  that  when 
the  latter  asked  to  be  relieved  of  the  com- 
mand, in  June  of  the  same  year,  he  nomi- 
nated Meade  as  his  successor.  June  28, 
1863,  President  Lincoln  commissioned  Gen- 
eral Meade  commander-in-chief  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  then  scattered  and  moving 
hastily  through  Pennsylvania  to  the  great 
and  decisive  battlefield  at  Gettysburg,  at 
which  he  was  in  full  command.  With  the 
victory  on  those  July  days  the  name  of 
Meade  will  ever  be  associated.  From  that 
time  until  the  close  of  the  war  he  com- 
manded the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  In 
1864  General  Grant,  being  placed  at  the 
head  of  all  the  armies,  took  up  his  quarters 
with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  From  that 
time  until  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appo- 
matox  Meade's  ability  shone  conspicuously, 
and  his  tact  in  the  delicate  position  in  lead- 
ing his  army  under  the  eye  of  his  superior 
officer  commanded  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  General  Grant.  For  services  Meade  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-general,  and 
on  the  close  of  hostilities,  in  July,  1865, 
was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  military 
division  of  the  Atlantic,  with  headquarters 
at  Philadelphia.  This  post  he  held,  with 
the  exception  of  a  short  period  on  detached 
duty  in  Georgia,  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  November  6,  1S72. 


DAVID  CROCKETT  was  a  noted  hunter 
and  scout,  and  also  one  of  the  earliest 
of  American  humorists.  He  was  born  Au- 
gust 17,  17S6,  in  Tennessee,  and  was  one 
of  the  most  prominent  men  of  his  locality, 
serving  as  representative  in  congress  from 
1827  until  1 83 1.  He  attracted  consider- 
able notice  while  a  member  of  congress  and 
was  closely  associated   with  General  Jack- 


son, of  whom  he  was  a  personal  fiiend.  He. 
went  to  Texas  and  enlisted  in  the  Texan 
army  at  the  time  of  the  revolt  of  Texas 
against  Mexico  and  gained  a  wide  reputa- 
tion as  a  scout.  He  was  one  of  the  famous 
one  hundred  and  forty  men  under  Colonel 
W.  B.  Travis  who  were  besieged  in  Fort 
Alamo,  near  San  Antonio,  Texas,  by  Gen- 
eral Santa  Anna  with  some  five  thousand 
Mexicans  on  February  23,  1S36.  The  fort 
was  defended  for  ten  days,  frequent  assaults 
being  repelled  with  great  slaughter,  over 
one  thousand  Mexicans  being  killed  or 
wounded,  while  not  a  man  in  the  fort  was 
injured.  Finally,  on  March  6,  three  as- 
saults were  made,  and  in  the  hand-to-hand 
fight  that  followed  the  last,  the  Texans  were 
wofully  outnumbered  and  overpowered. 
They  fought  desperately  with  clubbed  mus- 
kets till  only  six  were  left  alive,  including 
W.  B.  Travis,  David  Crockett  and  James 
Bowie.  These  surrendered  under  promise 
of  protection;  but  when  they  were  brought 
before  Santa  Anna  he  ordered  them  all  to 
be  cut  to  pieces. 


HENRY  WATTERSON,  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  figures  in  the  history  of 
American  journalism,  was  born  at  Wash- 
ington, District  of  Columbia,  February  16, 
1840.  His  boyhood  days  were  mostly  spent 
in  the  city  of  his  birth,  where  his  father, 
Harvey  M.  Watterson,  was  editor  of  the 
"Union,"  a  well  known  journal. 

Owing  to  a  weakness  of  the  eyes,  which 
interfered  with  a  systematic  course  of  study, 
young  Watterson  was  educated  almost  en- 
tirely at  home.  A  successful  college  career 
was  out  of  the  question,  but  he  acquired  a 
good  knowledge  of  music,  literature  and  art 
from  private  tutors,  but  the  most  valuable 
part  of  the  training  he  received  was  bv  as- 
sociating with  his  father  and  the  throng  01 


COMPEXDICM   OF   BIOGRAPHr, 


77 


public  men  whom  he  met  in  Washington 
in  the  stirring  days  immediate]}-  preceding 
the  Civil  war.  He  began  his  journalistic 
career  at  an  early  age  as  dramatic  and 
musical  critic,  and  in  1858,  became  editor 
of  the  "Democratic  Review"  and  at  the 
same  time  contributed  to  the  "States," 
a  journal  of  liberal  opinions  published  in 
Washington.  In  this  he  remained  until 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  when  the 
"States,"  opposing  the  administration,  was 
suppressed,  and  young  Watterson  removed 
to  Tennessee.  He  next  appears  as  editor 
of  the  Nashville  "Republican  Banner,"  the 
most  influential  paper  in  the  state  at  that 
time.  After  the  occupation  of  Nashville  by 
the  Federal  troops,  Watterson  served  as  a 
volunteer  staff  officer  in  the  Confederate 
service  until  the  close  of  the  war,  with  the 
exception  of  a  year  spent  in  editing  the 
Chattanooga  "Rebel."  On  the  close  of 
the  war  he  returned  to  Nashville  and  re- 
sumed his  connection  with  the  "Banner." 
After  a  trip  to  Europe  he  assumed  control 
of  the  Louisville  "Journal,"  which  he  soon 
combined  with  the  "Courier"  and  the 
"Democrat"  of  that  place,  founding  the 
well-known  "Courier-Journal,"  the  first 
number  of  which  appeared  November  8, 
1868.  Mr.  Watterson  also  represented  his 
district  in  congress  for  several  years. 


PATRICR  SARSFIELD  GILMORE, 
one  of  the  most  successful  and  widely 
known  bandmasters  and  musicians  of  the 
last  half  century  in  America,  was  born  in 
Ballygar,  Ireland,  on  Christmas  day,  1829. 
He  attended  a  public  school  until  appren- 
ticed to  a  wholesale  merchant  at  Athlone, 
of  the  brass  band  of  which  town  he  soon 
became  a  member.  His  passion  for  music 
conflicting  with  the  duties  of  a  mercantile 
life,  his  position  as  clerk  was  exchanged  for 


that  of  musical  instructor  to  the  young:  sons 
of  his  employer.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he 
sailed  for  America  and  two  days  after  his 
arrival  in  Boston  was  put  in  charge  of  the 
band  instrument  department  of  a  prominent 
music  hous^.  In  the  interests  of  the  pub- 
lications of  this  house  he  organized  a  minstrel 
company  known  as  "  Ordway's  Eolians," 
with  which  he  first  achieved  success  as  a 
cornet  soloist.  Later  on  he  was  called  the 
best  E-flat  cornetist  in  the  United  States. 
He  became  leader,  successively,  of  the  Suf- 
folk, Boston  Brigade  and  Salem  bands. 
During  his  connection  with  the  latter  he 
inaugurated  the  famous  Fourth  of  July  con- 
certs on  Boston  Common,  since  adopted  as 
a  regular  programme  for  the  celebration  of 
Independence  Day.  In  1858  Mr.  Gilmore 
founded  the  organization  famous  thereafter 
as  Gilmore's  Band.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  this  band  was  attached  to  the 
Twenty-Fourth  .Massachusetts  Infantry. 
Later,  when  the  economical  policy  of  dis- 
pensing with  music  had  proved  a  mistake, 
Gilmore  was  entrusted  with  the  re-organiza- 
tion of  state  military  bands,  and  upon  his 
arrival  at  New  Orleans  with  his  own  band 
was  made  bandmaster-general  by  General 
Banks.  On  the  inauguration  of  Governor 
Hahn,  later  on,  in  Lafayette  square,  New 
Orleans,  ten  thousand  children,  mostly  of 
Confederate  parents,  rose  to  the  baton  of 
Gilmore  and,  accompanied  by  six  hundred 
instruments,  thirty-six  guns  and  the  united 
fire  of  three  regiments  of  infantry,  sang  the 
Star-Spangled  Banner,  America  and  other 
patriotic  Union  airs.  In  June,  1867,  Mr. 
Gilmore  conceived  a  national  musical  festi- 
val, which  was  denounced  as  a  chimerical 
undertaking,  but  he  succeeded  and  June  15. 
1869,  stepped  upon  the  stage  of  the  Boston 
Colosseum,  a  vast  structure  erected  for  the 
occasion,  and  in  the  presence  of  over  fifty 


ra 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


thousand  people  lifted  his  baton  over  an 
orchestra  of  one  thousand  and  a  chorus  of 
ten  thousand.  On  the  17th  of  June,  1872, 
he  opened  a  still  greater  festival  in  Boston, 
when,  in  addition  to  an  orchestra  of  two 
thousand  and  a  chorus  of  twenty  thousand, 
were  present  the  Band  of  the  Grenadier 
Guards,  of  London,  of  the  Garde  Repub- 
licaine,  of  Paris,  of  Kaiser  Franz,  of  Berlin, 
and  one  from  Dublin,  Ireland,  together  with 
Johann  Strauss,  Franz  Abt  and  many  other 
soloists,  vocal  and  instrumental.  Gilmore's 
death  occurred  September  24,  1S92. 


MARTIN  VAN  BUREN  was  the  eighth 
president  of  the  United  States,  1837 
to  1841.  He  was  of  Dutch  extraction,  and 
his  ancestors  were  among  the  earliest  set- 
tlers on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson.  He  was 
born  December  5,  17S2,  at  Kinderhook, 
New  York.  Mr.  Van  Buren  took  up  the 
study  of  law  at  the  age  of  fourteen  and  took 
an  active  part  in  political  matters  before  he 
had  attained  his  majority.  He  commenced 
the  practice  of  law  in  1803  at  his  native 
town,  and  in  1S09  he  removed  to  Hudson, 
Columbia  county,  New  York,  where  he 
spent  seven  years  gaining  strength  and  wis- 
dom from  his  contentions  at  the  bar  with 
some  of  the  ablest  men  of  the  profession. 
Mr.  Van  Buren  was  elected  to  the  state 
senate,  and  from  1S15  until  18 19  he  was  at- 
torney-general of  the  state.  He  was  re- 
elected to  the  senate  in  1S16,  and  in  1  Si 8 
he  was  one  of  the  famous  clique  of  politi- 
cians known  as  the  "Albany  regency." 
Mr.  Van  Buren  was  a  member  of  the  con- 
vention for  the  revision  of  the  state  consti- 
tution, in  1821.  In  the  same  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  senate  and 
served  his  term  in  a  manner  that  caused  his 
re-election  to  that  body  in  1827,  but  re- 
signed the  following  year   as  he  had  been 


elected  governor  of  New  York.  Mr.  Van 
Buren  was  appointed  by  President  Jackson  as 
secretary  of  state  in  March,  1829,  but  resigned 
in  1831,  and  during  the  recess  of  congress 
he  was  appointed  minister  to  England. 
The  senate,  however,  when  it  convened  in 
December  refused  to  ratify  the  appointment. 
In  Ma)-,  1S32,  he  was  nominated  by  the 
Democrats  as  their  candidate  for  vice-presi- 
dent on  the  ticket  with  Andrew  Jackson, 
and  he  was  elected  in  the  following  Novem- 
ber. He  received  the  nomination  to  suc- 
ceed President  Jackson  in  1836,  as  the 
Democratic  candidate,  and  in  the  electoral 
college  he  received  one  hundred  and  seventy 
votes  out  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-three, 
and  was  inaugurated  March  4,  1S37.  His 
administration  was  begun  at  a  time  of  great 
business  depression, and  unparalled  financial 
distress,  which  caused  the  suspension  of 
specie  payments  by  the  banks.  Nearly 
every  bank  in  the  country  was  forced  to 
suspend  specie  payment,  and  no  less  than 
two  hundred  and  fifty-four  business  houses 
failed  in  New  York  in  one  week.  The 
President  urged  the  adoption  of  the  inde- 
pendent treasury  idea,  which  passed  through 
the  senate  twice  but  each  time  it  was  de- 
feated in  the  house.  However  the  measure 
ultimately  became  a  law  near  the  close  of 
President  Van  Buren's  term  of  office.  An- 
other important  measure  that  was  passed 
was  the  pre-emption  law  that  gave  the  act- 
ual settlers  preference  in  the  purchase  of 
public  lands.  The  question  of  slavery  had 
begun  to  assume  great  preponderance  dur- 
ing this  administration,  and  a  great  conflict 
was  tided  over  by  the  passage  of  a  resolu- 
tion that  prohibited  petitions  or  papers  that 
in  any  way  related  to  slavery  to  be  acted 
upon.  In  the  Democratic  convention  of 
1840  President  Van  Buren  secured  the 
nomination  for   re-election    on    that    ticket 


COMPEXDJCM    OF    BIOGRAPHT 


79 


without  opposition,  but  in  the  election  he 
only  received  the  votes  of  seven  states,  his 
opponent,  W.  H.  Harrison,  being  elected 
president.  In  1S4S  Mr.  Van  Buren  was 
the  candidate  of  the  "  Free-Soilers,"  but 
was  unsuccessful.  After  this  he  retired 
from  public  life  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life  on  his  estate  at  Kinderhook,  where 
he  died  July  24,  1862. 


W INFIELD  SCOTT,  a  distinguished 
American  general,  was  born  June  13, 
1786,  near  Petersburg,  Dinwiddie  county, 
Virginia,  and  was  educated  at  the  William 
and  Mary  College.  He  studied  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  in  1S08  he  accepted 
an  appointment  as  captain  of  light  artillery, 
and  was  ordered  to  New  Orleans.     In  June, 

181 2,  he  was  promoted  to  be  lieutenant- 
colonel,  and  on  application  was  sent  to  the 
frontier,  and  reported  to  General  Smyth, 
near  Buffalo.  He  was  made  adjutant-gen- 
eral with  the  rank  of  a    colonel,  in  March, 

18 1 3,  and  the  same  month  attained  the  colo- 
nelcy of  his  regiment.  He  participated  in 
the  principal  battles  of  the  war  and  was 
wounded  many  times,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  war  he  was  voted  a  gold  medal  by  con- 
gress for  his  services.  He  was  a  writer  of 
considerable  merit  on  military  topics,  and 
he  gave  to  the  military  science,  "General 
Regulations  of  the  Army  "  and  "  System  of 
Infantry  and  Rifle  Practice."  He  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  Black  Hawk  war, 
and  at  the  beginning  of  the  Mexican  war  he 
was  appointed  to  take  the  command  of  the 
army.  Gen.  Scott  immediately  assembled 
his  troops  at  Lobos  Island  from  which  he 
moved  by  transports  to  Vera  Cruz,  which 
he  took  March  29,  1847,  ar>d  rapidly  fol- 
lowed up  his  first  success.  He  fought  the 
battles  of  Cerro  Gordo  and  Jalapa,  both  of 
which    he   won,  and    proceeded    to    Pueblo 


where  he  was  preceded  by  Worth's  division 
which  had  taken  the  town  and  waited  for  the 
coming  of  Scott.  The  army  was  forced  to 
wait  here  for  supplies,  and  August  7th, 
General  Scott  started  on  his  victorious 
march  to  the  city  of  Mexico  with  ten  thou- 
sand, seven  hundred  and  thirty-eight  men. 
The  battles  of  Contreras,  Cherubusco  and 
San  Antonio  were  fought  August  19-20, 
and  on  the  24th  an  armistice  was  agreed 
upon,  but  as  the  commissioners  could  not 
agree  on  the  terms  of  settlement,  the  fight- 
ing was  renewed  at  Molino  Del  Rey,  and 
the  Heights  of  Chapultepec  were  carried 
by  the  victorious  army  of  General  Scott. 
He  gave  the  enemy  no  respite,  however, 
and  vigorously  followed  up  his  advantages. 
On  September  14,  he  entered  the  City  of 
Mexico  and  dictated  the  terms  of  surrender 
in  the  very  heart  of  the  Mexican  Republic. 
General  Scott  was  offered  the  presidency  of 
the  Mexican  Republic,  but  declined.  Con- 
gress extended  him  a  vote  of  thanks  and 
ordered  a  gold  medal  be  struck  in  honor  of 
his  generalship  and  bravery.  He  was  can- 
didate for  the  presidency  on  the  Whig  plat- 
form but  was  defeated.  He'was  honored  by 
having  the  title  of  lieutenant-general  con- 
ferred upon  him  in  1855.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  Civil  war  he  was  too  infirm  to  take  charge 
of  the  army,  but  did  signal  service  in  be- 
half of  the  government.  He  retired  from 
the  service  November  1,  1861,  and  in  1864 
he  published  his  "Autobiography."  Gen- 
eral Scott  died  at  West  Point,  May  29,  1866 


EDWARD  E\'K RETT  HALE   for  man/ 
years  occupied  a  high  place  among  the 
most    honored   of    America's  citizens.      As 
a   preacher   he  ranks   among  the    I 
in  the  Ni  Utes,  but  to  I 

eral   public  he  is  best   known   through   his 
writings.      Born  mi   Boston,   Mass.,  April  j. 


COMPEXDICM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


1822,  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  most 
prominent  New  England  families,  he  enjoyed 
in  his  youth  many  of  the  advantages  denied 
the  majority  of  boys.  He  received  his  pre- 
paratory schooling  at  the  Boston  Latin 
School,  after  which  he  finished  his  studies  at 
Harvard  where  he  was  graduated  with  high 
honors  in  1839.  Having  studied  theology 
at  home,  Mr.  Hale  embraced  the  ministry 
and  in  1846  became  pastor  of  a  Unitarian 
church  in  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  a  post 
which  he  occupied  about  ten  years.  He 
then,  in  1856,  became  pastor  of  the  South 
Congregational  church  in  Boston,  over  which 
he  presided  many  years. 

Mr.  Hale  also  found  time  to  write  a 
great  many  literary  works  of  a  high  class. 
Among  many  other  well-known  productions 
~>i  his  are  "  The  Rosary,"  "  Margaret  Per- 
cival  in  America,"  "Sketches  of  Christian 
■listory,"  "Kansas  and  Nebraska,"  "Let- 
ters on  Irish  Emigration,"  "  Ninety  Days' 
Worth  of  Europe,"  "  If,  Yes,  and  Perhaps," 
"Ingham  Papers,"  "Reformation,"  "Level 
Best  and  Other  Stories, "  "  Ups  and  Downs, " 
"Christmas  Eve  and  Christmas  Day,"  "In 
His  Name,"  "Our  New  Crusade,"  "Work- 
ingmen's  Homes,"  "  Boys'  Heroes,"  etc., 
etc.,  besides  many  others  which  might  be 
mentioned.  One  of  his  works,  "In  His 
Name,"  has  earned  itself  enduring  fame  by 
the  good  deeds  it  has  called  forth.  The 
numerous  associations  known  as  '  'The  King's 
Daughters,"  which  has  accomplished  much 
good,  owe  their  existence  to  the  story  men- 
tioned. 

DAVID  GLASCOE  FARRAGUT  stands 
pre-eminent  as  one  of  the  greatest  na- 
val officers  of  the  world.  He  was  born  at 
Campbell's  Station,  East  Tennessee,  July 
5,  1801,  and  entered  the  navy  of  the  United 
States  as  a  midshipman.      He  had  the  good 


fortune  to  serve  under  Captain  David  Por- 
ter, who  commanded  the  "  Essex,"  and  by 
whom  he  was  taught  the  ideas  of  devotion 
to  duty  from  which  he  never  swerved  dur- 
ing all  his  career.  In  1823  Mr.  Farragut 
took  part  in  a  severe  fight,  the  result  of 
which  was  the  suppression  of  piracy  in  the 
West  Indies.  He  then  entered  upon  the 
regular  duties  of  his  profession  which  was 
only  broken  into  by  a  year's  residence  with 
Charles  Folsom,  our  consul  at  Tunis,  who 
was  afterwards  a  distinguished  professor  at 
Harvard.  Mr.  Farragut  was  one  of  the  best 
linguists  in  the  navy.  He  had  risen  through 
the  different  grades  of  the  service  until  the 
war  of  1861-65  found  him  a  captain  resid- 
ing at  Norfolk,  Virginia.  He  removed  with 
his  family  to  Hastings,  on  the  Hudson,  and 
hastened  to  offer  his  services  to  the  Federal 
government,  and  as  the  capture  of  New 
Orleans  had  been  resolved  upon,  Farragut 
was  chosen  to  command  the  expedition. 
His  force  consisted  of  the  West  Gulf  block- 
ading squadron  and  Porter's  mortar  flotilla. 
In  January,  1S62,  he  hoisted  his  pennant  at 
the  mizzen  peak  of  the  "Hartford"  at 
Hampton  roads,  set  sail  from  thence  on  the 
3rd  of  February  and  reached  Ship  Island  on 
the  20th  of  the  same  month.  A  council  of 
war  was  held  on  the  20th  of  April,  in  which 
it  was  decided  that  whatever  was  to  be  done 
must  be  done  quickly.  The  signal  was  made 
from  the  flagship  and  accordingly  the  fleet 
weighed  anchor  at  1:55  on  the  morning  of 
April  24th,  and  at  3:30  the  whole  force  was 
under  way.  The  history  of  this  brilliant  strug- 
gle is  well  known,  and  the  glory  of  it  made  Far- 
ragut a  hero  and  also  made  him  rear  admir- 
al. In  the  summer  of  1 S62  he  ran  the  batteries 
at  Vicksburg,  and  on  March  14.  1863,  !;e 
passed  through  the  fearful  and  destructive 
fire  from  Port  Hudson,  and  opened  up  com- 
munication   with    Flag-officer   Porter,    who 


COMPEXDILM   OF   BIOGRAPHY 


80 


had  control  of  the  upper  Mississippi.  On 
Way  24th  he  commenced  active  operations 
against  that  fort  in  conjunction  with  the  army 
and  it  fell  on  July  9th.  Mr.  Farragut  filled 
the  measure  of  his  fame  on  the  5th  of  Au- 
gust, 1864,  by  his  great  victory,  the  capture 
of  Mobile  Bay  and  the  destruction  of  the 
Confederate  fleet,  including  the  formidable 
ram  Tennessee.  For  this  victory  the  rank 
of  admiral  was  given  to  Mr.  Farragut.  He 
died  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  Au- 
gust 4,  1870. 

GEORGE  W.  CHILDS,  a  philanthropist 
whose  remarkable  personality  stood 
for  the  best  and  highest  type  of  American 
citizenship,  and  whose  whole  life  was  an 
object  lesson  in  noble  living,  was  born  in 
1829  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  of  humble 
parents,  and  spent  his  early  life  in  unremit- 
ting toil.  He  was  a  self-made  man  in  the 
fullest  sense  of  the  word,  and  gained  his 
great  wealth  by  his  own  efforts.  He  was  a 
man  of  very  great  influence,  and  this,  in 
conjunction  with  his  wealth,  would  have 
been,  in  the  hands  of  other  men,  a  means  of 
getting  them  political  preferment,  but  Mr. 
Childs  steadily  declined  any  suggestions  that 
would  bring  him  to  figure  prominently  in 
public  affairs.  He  did  not  choose  to  found 
a  financial  dynasty,  but  devoted  all  his 
powers  to  the  helping  of  others,  with  the 
most  enlightened  beneficence  and  broadest 
sympathy.  Mr.  Childs  once  remarked  that 
his  greatest  pleasure  in  life  was  in  doing 
good  to  others.  He  always  despised  mean- 
ness, and  one  of  his  objects  of  life  was  to 
prove  that  a  man  could  be  liberal  and  suc- 
cessful at  the  same  time.  Upon  these  lines 
Mr.  Childs  made  a  name  for  himself  as  the 
director  of  one  of  the  representative  news- 
papers of  America,  "The  Philadelphia  Pub- 
lic   Ledger,"  which    was    owned   jointly  by 


himself  and  the  Drexel  estate,  and  which  he 
edited  for  thirty  years.  He  acquired  con- 
trol of  the  paper  at  a  time  when  it  was  be- 
ing published  at  a  heavy  loss,  set  it  upon  a 
firm  basis  of  prosperity,  and  he  made  it 
more  than  a  money- making  machine — he 
made  it  respected  as  an  exponent  of  the 
best  side  of  journalism,  and  it  stands  as  a 
monument  to  his  sound  judgment  and  up- 
right business  principles.  Mr.  Childs' char- 
itable repute  brought  him  many  applications 
for  assistance,  and  he  never  refused  to  help 
any  one  that  was  deserving  of  aid;  and  not 
only  did  he  help  those  who  asked,  but  he 
would  by  careful  inquiry  find  those  who 
needed  aid  but  were  too  proud  to  solicit  it. 
He  was  a  considerable  employer  of  labor 
and  his  liberality  was  almost  unparalleled. 
The  death  of  this  great  and  good  man  oc- 
curred February  3d,  1894. 


PATRICK  HENRY  won  his  way  to  un 
dying  fame  in  the  annals  of  the  early 
history  of  the  United  States  by  introducing 
into  the  house  of  burgesses  his  famous  reso- 
lution against  the  Stamp  Act,  which  he  car- 
ried through,  after  a  stormy  debate,  by  a 
majority  of  one.  At  this  time  he  exclaimed 
"  Cassar  had  his  Brutus,  Charles  I  his  Crom- 
well and  George  III  "  (here  he  was  inter- 
rupted by  cries  of  "  treason  ")  "  may  profit 
by  their  example.  If  this  be  treason  make 
the  most  of  it." 

Patrick  Henry  was  born  at  Studley, 
Hanover  county,  Virginia,  May  29,  1736, 
and  was  a  son  of  Colonel  John  Henry,  a 
magistrate  and  school  teacher  of  Aberdeen, 
Scotland,  and  a  nephew  of  Robertson,  the 
historian.  He  received  his  education  from 
his  father,  and  was  married  at  the  age  of 
eighteen.  He  was  twice  bankrupted  before 
he  had  reached  his  twenty-fourth  year,  when 
after  six  weeks  of  study  he  was  admitted  to 


84 


COMPEXD/fM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


the  bar.  He  worked  for  three  years  with- 
out a  case  and  finally  was  applauded  for  his 
plea  lor  the  people's  rights  and  gained  im- 
mense popularity.  After  his  famous  Stamp 
Act  resolution  he  was  the  leader  of  the  pa- 
triots in  Virginia.  In  1769  he  was  admitted 
to  practice  in  the  general  courts  and  speed- 
ily won  a  fortune  by  his  distinguished  ability 
as  a  speaker.  He  was  the  first  speaker  o.f 
the  General  Congress  at  Philadelphia  in 
1774.  He  was  for  a  time  a  colonel  of 
militia  in  1775,  and  from  1776  to  -1779  and 
1 78 1  to  1786  he  was  governor  of  Virginia. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  retired  from  pub- 
lic life  and  was  tendered  and  declined  a 
number  of  important  political  offices,  and  in 
March,  1789,  he  was  elected  state  senator 
but  aid  not  take  his  seat  on  account  of  his 
death  which  occurred  at  Red  Hill,  Charlotte 
county,  Virginia,  June  6,   1799. 


BENEDICT  ARNOLD,  an  American 
general  and  traitor  of  the  Revolution- 
ary war,  is  one  of  the  noted  characters  in 
American  history.  He  was  born  in  Nor- 
wich, Connecticut,  January  3,  1740.  He 
ran  away  and  enlisted  in  the  army  when 
young,  but  deserted  in  a  short  time.  He 
then  became  a  merchant  at  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  but  failed.  In  1775  he  was 
commissioned  colonel  in  the  Massachusetts 
militia,  and  in  the  autumn  of  that  year  was 
placed  in  command  of  one  thousand  men 
for  the  invasion  of  Canada.  He  marched 
his  army  through  the  forests  of  Maine  and 
joined  General  Montgomery  before  Quebec. 
Their  combined  forces  attacked  that  city  on 
December  31,  1775,  and  Montgomery  was 
killed,  and  Arnold,  severely  wounded,  was 
compelled  to  retreat  and  endure  a  rigorous 
winter  a  few  miles  from  the  city,  where  they 
were  at  the  mercy  of  the  Canadian  troops 
had  they  cared  to  attack  them.      On  his  re- 


turn he  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  brigadier- 
general.  He  was  given  command  of  a  small 
flotilla  on  Lake  Champlain,  with  which  he 
encountered  an  immense  force,  and  though 
defeated,  performed  many  deeds  of  valor. 
He  resented  the  action  of  congress  in  pro- 
moting a  number  of  his  fellow  officers  and 
neglecting  himself.  In  1777  he  was  made 
major-general,  and  under  General  Gates  at 
Bemis  Heights  fought  valiantly.  For  some 
reason  General  Gates  found  fault  with  his 
conduct  and  ordered  him  under  arrest,  and 
he  was  kept  in  his  tent  until  the  battle  of 
Stillwater  was  waxing  hot,  when  Arnold 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  to  the  front  of 
his  old  troop,  gave  command  to  charge,  and 
rode  like  a  mad  man  into  the  thickest  of 
the  fight  and  was  not  overtaken  by  Gates' 
courier  until  he  had  routed  the  enemy  and 
fell  wounded.  Upon  his  recovery  he  was 
made  general,  and  was  placed  in  command 
at  Philadelphia.  Here  he  married,  and  his 
acts  of  rapacity  soon  resulted  in  a  court- 
martial.  He  was  sentenced  to  be  repri- 
manded by  the  commander-in-chief,  and 
though  Washington  performed  this  duty 
with  utmost  delicacy  and  consideration,  it 
was  never  forgiven.  Arnold  obtained  com- 
mand at  West  Point,  the  most  important 
post  held  by  the  Americans,  in  17N0,  and 
immediately  offered  to  surrender  it  to  Sir 
Henry  Clinton,  British  commander  at  New 
York.  Major  Andre  was  sent  to  arrange 
details  with  Arnold,  but  on  his  return  trip 
to  New  York  he  was  captured  by  Americans, 
the  plot  was  detected,  and  Andre  suffered 
the  death  penalty  as  a  spy.  Arnold  es- 
caped, and  was  paid  about  $40,000  by  the 
British  for  his  treason  and  was  made  briga- 
dier-general. He  afterward  commanded  an 
expedition  that  plundered  a  portion  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  another  that  burned  New'  Lon- 
don, Connecticut,  and  captured  Fort  Trum- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


bull,  the  commandant  of  which  Arnold  mur- 
dered with  the  sword  he  had  just  surren- 
dered. He  passed  the  latter  part  of  his  life 
in  England,  universally  despised,  and  died 
in  London  June  14,  1S01. 


ROBERT  G.  INGERSOLL,  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  orators  that  America  has 
produced,  also  a  lawyer  of  considerable 
merit,  won  most  of  his  fame  as  a  lecturer. 
Mr.  Ingersoll  was  born  August  24,  1833, 
at  Dryden,  Gates  county,  New  York,  and 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools. 
He  went  west  at  the  age  of  twelve,  and  for 
a  short  time  he  attended  an  academy  in 
Tennessee,  and  also  taught  school  in  that 
state.  He  began  the  practice  of  law  in  the 
southern  part  of  Illinois  in  1S54.  Colonel 
Lgtrsoll's  principal  fame  was  made  in 
the  lecture  room  by  his  lectures  in  which  he 
ridiculed  religious  faith  and  creeds  and  criti- 
cised the  Bible  and  the  Christian  religion. 
He  was  the  orator  of  the  day  in  the  Decora- 
tion Day  celebration  in  the  city-  of  New  York 
in  1SS2  and  his  oration  was  widely  com- 
mended. He  first  attracted  political  notice 
in  the  convention  at  Cincinnati  in  1876  by 
his  brilliant  eulogy  on  James  G.  Blaine.  He 
practiced  law  in  Peoria,  Illinois,  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  but  later  located  in  the  city  ot 
New  York.  He  published  the  follow- 
ing: "The  Gods  and  other  Lectures;"  "The 
Ghosts;"  "Some  Mistakes  of  Moses;" 
"What  Shall  I  Do  To  Be  Saved;"  "Inter- 
views on  Talmage  and  Presbyterian  Cate- 
chism ;"  The  "North  American  Review 
Controversy;"  "Prose  Poems;"  "A  Vision 
of  War  ;"  etc. 


JOSEPH  ECCLESTON  JOHNSTON, 
J  a  noted  general  in  the  Confederate  army, 
was  born  in  Prince  Edward  county,  Virginia, 
in  1S07.      He  graduated    from   West  Point 


and  entered  the  army  in  1829.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  his  chief  service  was  garrison 
duty.  He  saw  active  service,  however,  in 
the  Seminole  war  in  Florida,  part  of  the 
time  as  a  staff  officer  of  General  Scott.  He 
resigned  his  commission  in  1837,  but  re- 
turned to  the  army  a  year  later,  and  was 
brevetted  captain  for  gallant  services  in 
Florida.  He  was  made  first  lieutenant  of 
topographical  engineers,  and  was  engaged 
in  river  and  harbor  improvements  and  also 
in  the  survey  of  the  Texas  boundary  and 
the  northern  boundary  of  the  United 
States  until  the  beginning  of  the  war 
with  Mexico.  He  was  at  the  siege  of  Vera 
Cruz,  and  at  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  was 
wounded  while  reconnoitering  the  enemy's 
position,  after  which  he  was  brevetted  major 
and  colonel.  He  was  in  all  the  battles  about 
the  city  of  Mexico,  and  was  again  wounded 
in  the  final  assault  upon  that  city.  After 
the  Mexican  war  closed  he  returned  to  duty 
as  captain  of  topographical  engineers,  but 
in  1855  he  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  of 
cavalry  and  did  frontier  duty,  and  was  ap- 
pointed inspector-general  of  the  expedition 
to  Utah.  In  i860  he  was  appointed  quar- 
termaster-general with  rank  of  brigadier- 
general.  At  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  in 
1 86 1  he  resigned  his  commission  and  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  major-general  of 
the  Confederate  army.  He  held  Harper's 
Ferry,  and  later  fought  General  Patterson 
about  Winchester.  At  the  battle  of  Bull 
Run  he  declined  command  in  favor  of  Beau- 
regard, and  acted  under  that  general's  direc- 
tions. He  commanded  the  Confederates  in 
the  famous  Peninsular  campaign,  and  was 
severely  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks  and  was 
succeeded  in  command  by  General  Lee. 
Upon  his  recovery  he  was  made  lieutenant- 
general  and  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
tern   department.      He    attempted 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY, 


to  raise  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  and  was 
finally  defeated  at  Jackson,  Mississippi. 
Having  been  made  a  general  he  succeeded 
General  Bragg  in  command  of  the  army  of 
Tennessee  and  was  ordered  to  check  General 
Sherman's  advance  upon  Atlanta.  Not 
daring  to  risk  a  battle  with  the  overwhelm- 
ing forces  of  Sherman,  he  slowly  retreated 
toward  Atlanta,  and  was  relieved  of  com- 
mand by  President  Davis  and  succeeded  by 
General  Hood.  Hood  utterly  destroyed  his 
own  army  by  three  furious  attacks  upon 
Sherman.  Johnston  was  restored  to  com- 
mand in  the  Carolinas,  and  again  faced 
Sherman,  but  was  defeated  in  several  en- 
gagements and  continued  a  slow  retreat 
toward  Richmond.  Hearing  of  Lee's  sur- 
render, he  communicated  with  General 
Sherman,  and  finally  surrendered  his  army 
at  Durham,  North  Carolina,  April  26,  1865. 
General  Johnston  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  forty-sixth  congress  and  was  ap- 
pointed United  States  railroad  commis- 
sioner in  1S85.  His  death  occurred  March 
21,    1891. 

SAMUEL  LANGHORNE  CLEMENS, 
known  throughout  the  civilized  world 
as  "Mark  Twain,"  is  recognized  as  one  of 
the  greatest  humorists  America  has  pro- 
duced. He  was  born  in  Monroe  county, 
Missouri,  November  30,  1835.  Hespenthis 
boyhood  days  in  his  native  state  and  many 
of  his  earlier  experiences  are  related  in  vari- 
ous forms  in  his  later  writings.  One  of  his 
early  acquaintances,  Capt.  Isaiah  Sellers, 
at  an  early  day  furnished  river  news  for  the 
New  Orleans  "  Picayune, "  using  the  nom- 
de-plume  of  "Mark  Twain."  Sellers  died 
in  1863  and  Clemens  took  up  his  nom-de- 
piume  and  made  it  famous  throughout  the 
world  by  his  literary  work.  In  [862  Mr. 
Clemens  became  a  journalist   at   Virginia, 


Nevada,  and  afterward  followed  the  same  pro- 
fession at  San  Francisco  and  Buffalo,  New 
York.  He  accumulated  a  fortune  from  the 
sale  of  his  man}'  publications,  but  in  later 
years  engaged  in  business  enterprises,  partic- 
ularly the  manufacture  of  a  typesetting  ma- 
chine, which  dissipated  his  fortune  and  re- 
duced him  almost  to  poverty, but  with  resolute 
heart  he  at  once  again  took  up  his  pen  and 
engaged  in  literary  work  in  the  effort  to 
regain  his  lost  ground.  Among  the  best 
known  of  his  works  may  be  mentioned  the  fol- 
lowing: ' '  The  Jumping  Frog, "  ' '  Tom  Saw- 
yer," "  Roughing  it,"  "  Innocents  Abroad," 
"Huckleberry  Finn,"  "Gilded  Age," 
"Prince  and  Pauper,"  "Million  Pound 
Bank  Note,"  "A  Yankee  in  King  Arthur's 
Court,"  etc. 


CHRISTOPHER  CARSON,  better 
known  as  "Kit  Carson;"  was  an  Amer- 
ican trapper  and  scout  who  gained  a  wide 
reputation  for  his  frontier  work.  He  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  born  December  24th, 
1809.  He  grew  to  manhood  there,  devel- 
oping a  natural  inclination  for  adventure  in 
the  pioneer  experiences  in  his  native  state. 
When  yet  a  young  -man  he  became  quite 
well  known  on  the  frontier.  He  served  as 
a  guide  to  Gen  Fremont  in  his  Rocky 
Mountain  explorations  and  enlisted  in  the 
army.  He  was  an  officer  in  'the  United 
States  service  in  both  the  Mexican  war  and 
the  great  Civil  war,  and  in  the  latter  received 
a  brevet  of  brigadier-general  for  meritorious 
service.  His  death  occurred  May  23, 
1868.  

JOHN  SHERMAN.- Statesman,  politi- 
cian, cabinet  officer  andsenator,  the  name 
of  the  gentleman  who  heads  this  sketch  is  al- 
most a  household  word  throughout  this 
country.      Identified  with  some  of  the  most 


COMPEXDILM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


S7 


important  measures  adopted  by  our  Govern- 
ment since  the  close  of  the  Civil  war,  he  may 
well  be  called  one  of  the  leading  men  of  his 
day. 

John  Sherman  was  born  at  Lancaster, 
Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  May  ioth,  1S23, 
the  son  of  Charles  R.  Sherman,  an  emi- 
nent lawyer  and  judge  of  the  supreme  court 
of  Ohio  and  who  died  in  1S29.  The  subject 
of  this  article  received  an  academic  educa- 
tion and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1S44. 
In  the  Whig  conventions  of  1844  and  1848 
he  sat  as  a  delegate.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  National  house  of  representatives, 
from  1855  to  1S61.  In  1S60  he  was  re- 
elected to  the  same  position  but  was  chosen 
United  States  senator  before  he  took  his 
seat  in  the  lower  house.  He  was  re-elected 
senator  in  1866  and  1872  and  was  long 
chairman  of  the  committee  on  finance  and 
on  agriculture.  He  took  a  prominent  part 
in  debates  on  finance  and  on  the  conduct  of 
the  war,  and  was  one  of  the  authors  of  the 
reconstruction  measures  in  1866  and  1867, 
and  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  treas- 
ury March  7th,    1877. 

Mr.  Sherman  was  re-elected  United  States 
senator  from  Ohio  January  1  Sth,  1881,  and 
again  in  1886  and  1892,  during  which  time 
he  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent leaders  of  the  Republican  party,  both 
in  the  senate  and  in  the  country.  He  was 
several  times  the  favorite  of  his  state  for  the 
nomination  for  president. 

On  the  formation  of  his  cabinet  in  March, 
1897,  President  McKinley  tendered  the  posi- 
tion of  secretary  of  state  to  Mr.  Sherman, 
which  was  accepted. 


WILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON,  ninth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Charles  county,  Virginia,  February 
9,     1773,    the   son    of    Governor    Benjamin 


Harrison.  He  took  a  course  in  Hampden- 
Sidney  College  with  a  view  to  the  practice 
of  medicine,  and  then  went  to  Philadelphia 
to  study  under  Dr.  Rush,  but  in  1791  he 
entered  the  army,  and  obtained  the  commis- 
sion of  ensign,  was  soon  promoted  to  the 
lieutenancy,  and  was  with  General  Wayne 
in  his  war  against  the  Indians.  For  his 
valuable  service  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  captain  and  given  command  of  Fort 
Washington,  now  Cincinnati.  He  was  ap- 
pointed secretary  of  the  Northwest  Territory 
in  1797,  and  in  1799  became  its  representa- 
tive in  congress.  In  1801  he  was  appointed 
governor  of  Indiana  Territory,  and  held  the 
position  for  twelve  years,  during  which  time 
he  negotiated  important  treaties  with  the  In- 
dians, causing  them  to  relinquish  millions  of 
acres  of  land,  and  also  won  the  battle  of 
Tippecanoe  in  181 1.  He  succeeded  in 
obtaining  a  change  in  the  law  which  did  not 
permit  purchase  of  public  lands  in  less  tracts 
than  four  thousand  acres,  reducing  the  limit 
to  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He 
became  major-general  of  Kentucky  militia 
and  brigadier-general  in  the  United  States 
army  in  1812,  and  won  great  renown  in 
the  defense  of  Fort  Meigs,  and  his  victory 
over  the  British  and  Indians  under  Proctor 
and  Tecumseh  at  the  Thames  river,  October 
5,  1813. 

In  1 8 16  General  Harrison  was  elected  to 
congress  from  Ohio,  and  during  the  canvass 
was  accused  of  corrupt  methods  in  regard  tc 
the  commissariat  of  the  army.  He  demanded 
an  investigation  after  the  election  and  was 
exonerated.  In  18 19  he  was  elected  to 
the  Ohio  state  senate,  and  in  1824  he  gave 
his  vote  as  a  presidential  elector  to  Henry 
Clay.  He  became  a  member  of  the  United 
States  senate  the  same  year.  During  the 
last  year  of  Adams'  administration  he  was 
sent  as  minister  to  Colombia,    but   was  re- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


called  by  President  Jackson  the  following 
year.  He  then  retired  to  his  estate  at  North 
Bend,  Ohio, a  few  miles  below  Cincinnati.  In 
1836  he  was  a.  candidate  for  the  presidency, 
but  as  there  were  three  other  candidates 
the  votes  were  divided,  he  receiving  seventy- 
three  electoral  votes,  a  majority  going  to 
Mr.  Van  Buren,  the  Democratic  candidate. 
Four  years  later  General  Harrison  was  again 
nominated  by  the  Whigs,  and  elected  by  a 
tremendous  majority.  The  campaign  was 
noted  for  its  novel  features,  many  of  which 
have  found  a  permanent  place  in  subsequent 
campaigns.  Those  peculiar  to  that  cam- 
paign, however,  were  the  "  log-cabin"  and 
"  hard  cider"  watchwords,  which  produced 
great  enthusiasm  among  his  followers.  One 
month  after  his  inauguration  he  died  from 
an  attack  of  pleurisy,  April  4,   1 841 . 


CHARLES  A.  DANA,  the  well-known 
and  widely-read  journalist  of  New  York 
City,  a  native  of  Hinsdale,  New  Hampshire, 
was  born  August  8,  18 19.  He  received 
the  elements  of  a  good  education  in  his 
youth  and  studied  for  two  years  at  Harvard 
University.  Owing  to  some  disease  of  the 
eyes  he  was  unable  to  complete  his  course 
and  graduate,  but  was  granted  the  degree  of 
A.  M.  notwithstanding.  For  some  time  he 
was  editor  of  the  "  Harbinger,"  and  was  a 
regular  contributor  to  the  Boston  "  Chrono- 
type."  In  1847  he  became  connected  with 
the  New  York  ' '  Tribune. "  and  continued  on 
the  staff  of  that  journal  until  1858.  In  the 
latter  year  he  edited  and  compiled  "The 
Household  Book  of  Poetry,"  and  later,  in 
connection  with  George  Ripley,  edited  the 
"New  American  Cyclopaedia." 

Mr.  Dana,  on  severing  his  connection 
with  the  "  Tribune  "  in  1S67,  became  editor 
of  the  New  York  "Sun,"  a  paper  with 
which  he  was  identified  for  many  years,  and 


which  he  made  one  of  the  leaders  of  thought 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  United  States. 
He  wielded  a  forceful  pen  and  fearlessly 
attacked  whatever  was  corrupt  and  unworthy 
in  politics,  state  or  national.  The  same 
year,  1867,  Mr.  Dana  organized  the  New 
York  "Sun  "  Company. 

During  the  troublous  days  of  the  war, 
when  the  fate  of  the  Nation  depended  upon 
the  armies  in  the  field,  Mr.  Dana  accepted 
the  arduous  and  responsible  position  of 
assistant  secretary  of  war,  and  held  the 
position  during  the  greater  part  of  1863 
and  1C64.      He  died  October  17,  1S97. 


ASA  GRAY  was  recognized  throughout  the 
scientific  world  as  one  of  the  ablest 
and  most  eminent  of  botanists.  He  was 
born  at  Paris,  Oneida  county,  New  York, 
November  1  S,  1S10.  He  received  his  medi- 
cal degree  at  the  Fairfield  College  of  Physi- 
cians and  Surgeons,  in  Herkimer  county, 
New  York,  and  studied  botany  with  the  late 
Professor  Torrey,  of  New  York.  He  was 
appointed  botanist  to  the  Wilkes  expedition 
in  1834,  but  declined  the  offer  and  became 
professor  of  natural  history  in  Harvard  Uni- 
versity in  1842.  He  retired  from  the  active 
duties  of  this  post  in  1S73,  and  in  1874  he 
was  the  regent  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion at  Washington,  District  of  Columbia. 
Dr.  Gray  wrote  several  books  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  many  sciences  of  which  he  was 
master.  In  1836  he  published  his  "  Ele- 
ments of  Botany,"  "Manual  of  Botany"  in 
1S4S;  the  unfinished  "Flora  of  North 
America,"  by  himself  and  Dr.  Torrey,  the 
publication  of  which  commenced  in  183S. 
There  is  another  of  his  unfinished  works 
called  "Genera  Boreali-Americana,"  pub- 
lished in  1S48,  and  the  "Botany  of  the 
United  States  Pacific  Exploring  Expedition 
in  1854."      Hj  wiote  many  elaborate  papers 


C OMrEXDl I  \M   OF    B IOGRAPHT. 


89 


on  the  botany  of  the  west  and  southwest 
that  were  published  in  the  Smithsonian  Con- 
tributions, Memoirs,  etc.,  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  of  which  in- 
stitution he  was  president  for  ten  years. 
He  was  also  the  author  of  many  of  the 
government  reports.  "How  Plants  Grow," 
"Lessons  in  Botany,"  "  Structural  and  Sys- 
tematic Botany,"  are  also  works  from  his 
ready  pen. 

Dr.  Gray  published  in  1861  his  "Free 
Examination  of  Darwin's  Treatise"  and  his 
"  Darwiniana,"  in  1876.  Mr.  Gray  was 
elected  July  29,  1878,  to  a  membership  in 
the  Institute  of  France,  Academy  of  Sciences. 
His  death  occurred  at  Cambridge,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  30,   1889. 


WILLIAM  MAXWELL  EVARTS  was 
one  of  the  greatest  leaders  of  the 
American  bar.  He  was  born  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  February  6,  1818,  and  grad- 
uated from  Yale  College  in  1837.  He  took 
up  the  study  of  law,  which  he  practiced  in 
the  city  of  New  York  and  won  great  renown 
as  an  orator  and  advocate.  He  affiliated 
with  the  Republican  party,  which  he  joined 
soon  after  its  organization.  He  was  the 
leading  counsel  employed  for  the  defense  of 
President  Johnson  in  his  trial  for  impeach- 
.nent  before  the  senate  in  April  and  May  of 
1868. 

la  July,  1868,  Mr.  Evarts  was  appointed 
attorney-general  of  the  United  States,  and 
served  until  March  4,  1869.  He  was  one 
of  the  three  lawyers  who  were  selected  by 
President  Grant  in  1871  to  defend  the  inter- 
ests of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  be- 
fore the  tribunal  of  arbitration  which  met 
at  Geneva  in  Switzerland  to  settle  the  con- 
troversy over  the  "  Alabama  Claims." 

He  was  one  of  the  most  eloquent  advo- 
cates in  the  United  States,  and  many  of  his 


public  addresses  have  been  preserved  and 
published.  He  was  appointed  secretary  of 
state  March  7,  1877,  by  President  Hayes, 
and  served  during  the  Hayes  administration. 
He  was  elected  senator  from  the  state  of 
New  York  January  21,  1SS5,  and  at  once 
took  rank  among  the  ablest  statesmen  in 
Congress,  and  the  prominent  part  he  took 
in  the  discussion  of  public  questions  gave 
him  a  national  reputation. 


JOHN  WANAMAKER.— The  life  of  this 
<J  great  merchant  demonstrates  the  fact 
that  the  great  secret  of  rising  from  the  ranks 
is,  to-day,  as  in  the  past  ages,  not  so  much  the 
ability  to  make  money,  as  to  save  it,  or  in 
other  words,  the  ability  to  live  well  within 
one's  income.  Mr.  Wanamaker  was  born  in 
Philadelphia  in  1838.  He  started  out  in 
life  working  in  a  brickyard  for  a  mere  pit- 
tance, and  left  that  position  to  work  in  a 
book  store  as  a  clerk,  where  he  earned 
the  sum  of  $5.00  per  month,  and  later  on 
was  in  the  employ  of  a  clothier  where  he 
received  twenty-five  cents  a  week  more. 
He  was  only  fifteen  years  of  age  at  that 
time,  but  was  a  "  money-getter  "  by  instinct, 
and  laid  by  a  small  sum  for  a  possible  rainy 
day.  By  strict  attention  to  business,  com- 
bined with  natural  ability,  he  was  promoted 
many  times,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  he 
had  saved  $2,000.  After  several  months 
vacation  in  the  south,  he  returned  to  Phila- 
delphia and  became  a  master  brick  mason, 
but  this  was  too  tiresome  to  the  3  ou 
and  he  opened  up  the  "  Oak  Hall  "  clothing 
store  in  April,  1S61,  at  Philadelphia.  The 
capital  of  the  firm  was  rather  limil 
finally,  after  many  discouragements,  they 
laid  the  foundations  of  one  of  the  largest 
business  houses  in  the  world.  Th 
lishmcnt  covers  at  the  present  writii 
fourteen  acres  ol  and    furnishes 


90 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


employment  for  five  thousand  persons.  Mr. 
Wanamaker  was  also  a  great  church  worker, 
and  built  a  church  that  cost  him  $60,000, 
and  he  was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  which  had  a  membership  of  over 
three  thousand  children.  He  steadily  re- 
fused to  run  for  mayor  or  congress  and  the 
only  public  office  that  he  ever  held  was  that 
of  postmaster-general,  under  the  Harrison 
administration,  and  here  he  exhibited  his 
extraordinary  aptitude  for  comprehending 
the  details  of  public  business. 


DAVID  BENNETT  HILL,  a  Demo- 
cratic politician  who  gained  a  na- 
tional reputation,  was  born  August  29, 
1843,  at  Havana,  New  York.  He  was 
educated  at  the  academy  of  his  native  town, 
and  removed  to  Elmira,  New  York,  in  1862, 
where  he  studied  law.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1864,  in  which  year  he  was  ap- 
pointed city  attorney.  Mr.  Hill  soon  gained 
a  considerable  practice,  becoming  prominent 
in  his  profession.  He  developed  a  taste  for 
politics  in  which  he  began  to  take  an  active 
part  in  the  different  campaigns  and  became 
the  recognized  leader  of  the  local  Democ- 
racy. In  1870  he  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  assembly  and  was  re-elected  in  1872. 
While  a  member  of  this  assembly  he  formed 
the  acquaintance  of  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  after- 
ward governor  of  the  state,  who  appointed 
Mr.  Hill,  W.  M.  Evarts  and  Judge  Hand 
as  a  committee  to  provide  a  uniform  charter 
for  the  different  cities  of  the  state.  The 
pressure  of  professional  engagements  com- 
pelled him  to  decline  to  serve.  In  1877 
Mr.  Hill  was  made  chairman  of  the  Demo- 
cratic state  convention  at  Albany,  his  elec- 
tion being  due  to  the  Tilden  wing  of  the 
party,  and  he  he'd  the  same  position  again 
in  1881.  He  served  one  term  as  alderman 
in  Elmira,  at  the  expiration  of  which  term, 


in  1882,  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Elmira, 
and  in  September  of  the  same  year  was 
nominated  for  lieutenant-governor  on  the 
Democratic  state  ticket.  He  was  success- 
ful in  the  campaign  and  two  years  later, 
when  Grover  Cleveland  was  elected  to  the 
presidency,  Mr.  Hill  succeeded  to  the  gov- 
ernorship for  the  unexpired  term.  In  1885 
he  was  elected  governor  for  a  full  term  of 
three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  he  was  re- 
elected, his  term  expiring  in  1 891,  in  which 
year  he  was  elected  United  States  senator. 
In  the  senate  he  became  a  conspicuous 
figure  and  gained  a  national  reputation. 


ALLEN  G.  THURMAN.  —  "  The  noblest 
Roman  of  them  all "  was  the  title  by 
which  Mr.  Thurman  was  called  by  his  com- 
patriots of  the  Democracy.  He  was  the 
greatest  leader  of  the  Democratic  party  in 
his  day  and  held  the  esteem  of  all  the 
people,  regardless  of  their  political  creeds. 
Mr.  Thurman  was  born  November  13,  1813, 
at  Lynchburg,  Virginia,  where  he  remained 
until  he  had  attained  the  age  of  six  years, 
when  he  moved  to  Ohio.  He  received  an 
academic  education  and  after  graduating, 
took  up  the  study  of  law,  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1835,  and  achieved  a  brilliant 
success  in  that  line.  In  political  life  he  was 
very  successful,  and  his  first  office  was  that 
of  representative  of  the  state  of  Ohio  in  the 
twenty-ninth  congress.  He  was  elected 
judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  Ohio  in  185 1, 
and  was  chief  justice  of  the  same  from  1854 
to  1856.  In  1867  he  was  the  choice  of  the 
Democratic  party  of  his  state  for  governor, 
and  was  elected  to  the  United  States  senate 
in  1869  to  succeed  Benjamin  F.  Wade. 
ami  was  re-elected  to  the  same  position  in 
1S/4.  He  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the 
senate,  until  the  expiration  of  his  service  i  1 
1S81.      Mr.  Thurman   was  also    one  of  the 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY, 


91 


principal  pres'dental  possibilities  in  the 
Democratic  convention  held  at  St.  Louis  in 
1876.  In  1888  he  was  the  Democratic 
nominee  for  vice-president  on  the  ticket 
with  Grover  Cleveland,  but  was  defeated. 
Allen  Granberry  Thurman  died  December 
12,  1895,  at  Columbus,  Ohio. 


CHARLES  FARRAR  BROWNE,  better 
known  as  "  Artemus  Ward,"  was  born 
April  26,  1834,  in  the  village  of  Waterford, 
Maine.  He  was  thirteen  years  old  at  the 
time  of  his  father's  death,  and  about  a  year 
later  he  was  apprenticed  to  John  M  Rix, 
who  published  the  "Coos  County  Dem- 
ocrat "  at  Lancaster,  New  Hampshire.  Mr. 
'  Browne  remained  with  him  one  year,  when, 
hearing  that  his  brother  Cyrus  was  starting 
a  paper  at  Norway,  Maine,  he  left  Mr.  Rix 
and  determined  to  get  work  on  the  new 
paper.  He  worked  for  his  brother  until  the 
failure  of  the  newspaper,  and  then  went  to 
Augusta,  Maine,  where  he  remained  a  few 
weeks  and  then  removed  to  Skowhegan, 
and  secured  a  position  on  the  "Clarion." 
But  either  the  climate  or  the  work  was  not 
satisfactory  to  him,  for  one  night  he  silently 
left  the  town  and  astonished  his  good  mother 
by  appearing  unexpectedly  at  home.  Mr. 
Browne  then  received  some  letters  of  recom- 
mendation to  Messrs.  Snow  and  Wilder,  of 
Boston,  at  whose  office  Mrs.  Partington's 
(B.  P.  Shillaber)  ' '  Carpet  Bag  "  was  printed, 
and  he  was  engaged  and  remained  there  for 
three  years.  He  then  traveled  westward  in 
search  of  employment  and  got  as  far  as  Tif- 
fin, Ohio,  where  he  found  employment  in  the 
office  of  the  "Advertiser,"  and  remained 
there  some  months  when  he  proceeded  to 
Toledo,  Ohio,  where  he  became  one  of  the 
staff  of  the  "Commercial,"  which  position 
he  heid  until  1857.  Mr.  Browne  next  went 
to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  anc;   became  the  locai 


editor  of  the  "  Plain  Dealer,"  and  it  was  in 
the  columns  of  this  paper  that  he  published 
his  first  articles  and  signed  them  "Artemus 
Ward."  In  i860  he  went  to  New  York  and 
became  the  editor  of  "  Vanity  Fair,"  but 
the  idea  of  lecturing  here  seized  him,  and  he 
was  fully  determined  to  make  the  trial. 
Mr.  Browne  brought  out  his  lecture,  "Babes 
in  the  Woods  "at  Clinton  Hall,  December 
23,  1861,  and  in  1862  he  published  his  first 
book  entitled,  "  Artemus  Ward;  His  Book." 
He  attained  great  fame  as  a  lecturer  and  his 
lectures  were  not  confined  to  America,  for 
he  went  to  England  in  1866,  and  became 
exceedingly  popular,  both  as  a  lecturer  and 
a  contributor  to  "Punch."  Mr.  Browne 
lectured  for  the  last  time  January  23,  1867. 
He  died  in  Southampton,  England,  March 
6,    1867. 

THURLOW  WEED,  a  noted  journalist 
and  politician,  was  born  in  Cairo,  New 
York,  November  15,  1797.  He  learned  the 
printer's  trade  at  the  age  of  twelve  years, 
and  worked  at  this  calling  for  several  years 
in  various  villages  in  centra!  New  York.  He 
served  as  quartermaster-sergeant  during  the 
war  of  1812.  In  18 18  he  established  the 
"Agriculturist,"  at  Norwich,  New  York, 
and  became  editor  of  the  "Anti-Masonic 
Enquirer,"  at  Rochester,  in  1826.  In  the 
same  year  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature 
and  re-elected  in  1830,  when  he  located  in 
Albany,  New  York,  and  there  started  the 
"  Evening  Journal,"  and  conducted  it  in  op- 
position to  the  Jackson  administration  and 
the  nullification  doctrines  of  Calhoun.  He 
became  an  adroit  party  manager,  and  was 
instrumental  in  promoting  the  nominations 
of  Harrison,  Taylor  and  Scott  for  the  pre?- 
idency.  In  1856  and  in  i860  he  threw  his 
support  to  W.  H.  Seward,  but  when  defeat- 
ed in  his  object,  he  gave  cordiai  support  to 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Fremont  and  Lincoln.  Mr.  Lincoln  pre- 
VE\led  upon  him  to  visit  the  various  capitals 
of  Europe,  where  he  proved  a  valuable  aid 
tc  the  administration  in  moulding  the  opin- 
ions of  the  statesmen  of  that  continent 
favorable  to  the  cause  of  the  Union. 

Mr.  Weed's  connection  with  the  ' '  Even- 
ing Journal  "  was  severed  in  1862,  when  he 
settled  in  New  York,  and  for  a  time  edited 
the  "Commercial  Advertiser."  In  1868  he 
retired  from  active  life.  His  "  Letters  from 
Europe  and  the  West  Indies,"  published  in 
1 866,  together  with  some  interesting  ' '  Rem- 
iniscences," published  in  the  "Atlantic 
Monthly,"  in  1870,  an  autobiography,  and 
portions  of  an  extensive  correspondence  will 
be  of  great  value  to  writers  of  the  political 
history  of  the  United  States.  Mr.' Weed 
died  in  New  York,  November  22,  1882. 


WILLIAM  COLLINS  WHITNEY, 
one  of  the  prominent  Democratic 
politicians  of  the  country  and  ex-secretary  of 
the  navy,  was  born  July  5th,  1841,  at  Con- 
way, Massachusetts,  and  received  his  edu- 
cation at  Williston  Seminary,  East  Hamp- 
ton, Massachusetts.  Later  he  attended 
Yale  College,  where  he  graduated  in  1863, 
and  entered  the  Harvard  Law  School,  which 
he  left  in  1864.  Beginning  practice  in  New 
York  city,  he  soon  gained  a  reputation  as 
an  able  lawyer.  He  made  his  first  appear- 
ance in  public  affairs  in  1871,  when  he  was 
active  in  organizing  a  young  men's  Demo- 
cratic club.  In  1872  he  was  the  recognized 
leader  of  the  county  Democracy  and  in  1875 
was  appointed  corporation  counsel  for  the 
city  of  New  York.  He  resigned  the  office, 
1882,  to  attend  to  personal  interests  and  on 
March  5,  1885,  he  was  appointed  secretary 
of  the  navy  by  President  Cleveland.  Under 
his  administration  the  navy  of  the  United 
States  rapidly  rose  in  rank  among  the  navies 


of  the  world.  When  he  retired  from  office 
in  1889,  the  vessels  of  the  United  States 
navy  designed  and  contracted  for  by  him 
were  five  double-turreted  monitors,  twc 
new  armor-clads,  the  dynamite  cruiser  "Ve- 
suvius," and  five  unarmored  steel  and  iron 
cruisers. 

Mr.  Whitney  was  the  leader  of  the 
Cleveland  forces  in  the  national  Democratic 
convention   of   1892. 


EDWIN  FORREST,  the  first  and  great- 
est American  tragedian,  was  born  in 
Philadelphia  in  1806.  His  father  was  a 
tradesman,  and  some  accounts  state  that  he 
had  marked  out  a  mercantile  career  for  his 
son,  Edwin,  while  others  claim  that  he  had 
intended  him  for  the  ministry.  His  wonder- 
ful memory,  his  powers  of  mimicry  and  his 
strong  musical  voice,  however,  attracted  at- 
tention before  he  was  eleven  years  old,  and 
at  that  age  he  made  his  first  appearance  on 
the  stage.  The  costume  in  which  he  appeared 
was  so  ridiculous  that  he  left  the  stage  in  a 
fit  of  anger  amid  a  roar  of  laughter  from 
the  audience.  This  did  not  discourage  him, 
however,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  after 
some  preliminary  training  in  elocution,  he 
appeared  again,  this  time  as  Young  Norvel, 
and  gave  indications  of  future  greatness. 
Up  to  1826  he  played  entirely  with  strolling 
companies  through  the  south  and  west,  but 
at  that  time  he  obtained  an  engagement  at 
the  Bowery  Theater  in  New  York.  From 
that  time  his  fortune  was  made.  His  man- 
ager paid  him  $40  per  night,  and  it  is  stated 
that  he  loaned  Forrest  to  other  houses  from 
time  to  time  at  $200  per  night.  His  great 
successes  were  Virginius,  Damon,  Othello. 
Coriolanus,  William  Tell,  Spartacus  and 
Lear.  He  made  his  first  appearance  in 
London  in  1836,  and  his  success  was  un- 
questioned from  the  start.     In  1845,  on  his 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BfOCRArilV. 


second  appearance  in  London,  he  became 
involved  in  a  bitter  rivalry  with  the  great 
English  actor,  Macready,  who  had  visited 
America  two  years  before.  The  result  was 
that  Forrest  was  hissed  from  the  stage,  and 
it  was  charged  that  Macready  had  instigated 
the  plot.  Forrest's  resentment  was  so  bitter 
that  he  himself  openly  hissed  Macready 
from  his  box  a  few  nights  later.  In  1848 
Macready  again  visited  America  at  a  time 
when  American  admiration  and  enthusiasm 
for  Forrest  had  reached  its  height.  Macready 
undertook  to  play  at  Astor  Place  Opera 
House  in  May,  1849,  but  was  hooted  off  the 
stage.  A  few  nights  later  Macready  made  a 
second  attempt  to  play  at  the  same  house, 
this  time  under  police  protection.  The  house 
was  filled  with  Macready 'sfriends,  butthe  vio- 
olence  of  the  mob  outside  stopped  the  play, 
and  the  actor  barely  escaped  with  his  life. 
Upon  reading  the  riot  act  the  police  and 
troops  were  assaulted  with  stones.  The 
troops  replied,  first  with  blank  cartridges, 
and  then  a  volley  of  lead  dispersed  the 
mob,  leaving  thirty  men  dead  or  seriously 
wounded. 

After  this  incident  Forrest's  popularity 
waned,  until  in  1855  he  retired  from  the 
stage.  He  re-appeared  in  i860,  however, 
and  probably  the  most  remunerative  period 
of  his  life  was  between  that  date  and  the 
close  of  the  Civil  war.  His  last  appearance 
on  the  stage  was  at  the  Globe  Theatre, 
Boston,  in  Richelieu,  in  April,  1872,  his 
death   occurring  December  12  of  that  year. 


NOAH  PORTER,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was 
one  of  the  most  noted  educators,  au- 
thors and  scientific  writers  of  the  United 
States.  He  was  born  December  14,  181 1, 
at  Farmington,  Connecticut,  graduated  at 
Yale  College  in  1831,  and  was  master  of 
Hopkins  Grammar  School  at  New  Haven  in 


1831-33.  During  1833-35  he  was  a  tutor 
at  Yale,  and  at  the  same  time  was  pursuing 
his  theological  studies,  and  became  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  church  at  New  Mil- 
ford,  Connecticut,  in  April,  1836.  Dr. 
Porter  removed  to  Springfield,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1843,  and  was  chosen  professor  of 
metaphysics  and  moral  philosophy  at  Yale 
in  1846.  He  spent  a  year  in  Germany  in 
the  study  of  modern  metaphysics  in  1 853— 
54,  and  in  1871  he  was  elected  president  of 
Yale  College.  He  resigned  the  presidency 
in  1885,  but  still  remained  professor  of  met- 
aphysics and  moral  philosophy.  He  was 
the  author  of  a  number  of  works,  among 
which  are  the  following:  "  Historical  Es 
say,"  written  in  commemorationof the 200th 
aniversary  of  the  settlement  of  the  town  ol 
Farmington;  "  Educational  System  of  the 
Jesuits  Compared;"  "The  Human  Intel- 
lect," with  an  introduction  upon  psychology 
and  the  soul;  "  Books  and  Reading;" 
'American  Colleges  and  the  American  Pub- 
lic;" "  Elementsof  Intellectual  Philosophy;" 
"  The  Science  of  Nature  versus  the  Science 
of  Man;"  "  Science  and  Sentiment;"  "  Ele- 
ments of  Moral  Science."  Dr.  Porter  was 
the  principal  editor  of  the  revised  edition  of 
Webster's  Dictionary  in  1864,  and  con- 
tributed largely  to  religious  reviews  and 
periodicals.  Dr.  Porter's  death  occurred 
March  4,   1 892,  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

JOHN  TYLER,  tenth  president  of  the 
kJ  United  States,  was  born  in  Charles  City 
county,  Virginia,  March  29,  1790,  and  was 
the  son  of  Judge  John  Tyler,  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  men  of  his  day. 

When  but  twelve  years  of  age  young 
John  Tyler  entered  William  and  Mary  Col- 
lege, graduating  from  there  in  1806.  He 
took  up  the  study  of  law  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1809,  when  but  nineteen  years 


94 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


of  age.  On  attaining  his  majority  in  1811 
he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  legis- 
lature, and  for  five  years  held  that  position 
by  the  almost  unanimous  vote  of  his  county. 
He  was  elected  to  congress  in  18 16,  and 
served  in  that  body  for  four  years,  after 
which  for  two  years  he  represented  his  dis- 
trict again  in  the  legislature  of  the  state. 
While  in  congress,  he  opposed  the  United 
States  bank,  the  protective  policy  and  in- 
ternal improvements  by  the  United  States 
government.  1825  saw  Mr.  Tyler  governor 
of  Virginia,  but  in  1827  he  was  chosen 
member  of  the  United  States  senate,  and 
held  that  office  for  nine  years.  He  therein 
opposed  the  administration  of  Adams  and 
the  tariff  bill  of  1828,  sympathized  with  the 
nullifers  of  South  Carolina  and  was  the 
only  senator  who  voted  against  the  Force 
bill  lor  the  suppression  of  that  state's  insip- 
ient  rebellion.  He  resigned  his  position  as 
senator  on  account  of  a  disagreement  with 
the  legislature  of  his  state  in  relation  to  his 
censuring  President  Jackson.  He  retired  to 
Williamsburg,  Virginia,  but  being  regarded 
as  a  martyr  by  the  Whigs,  whom,  hereto- 
fore, he  had  always  opposed,  was  supported 
by  many  of  that  party  for  the  vice- presi- 
dency in  1836.  He  sat  in  the  Virginia  leg- 
islature as  a  Whig  in  1839-40,  and  was  a 
delegate  to  the  convention  of  that  party  in 
1 8 -9.  This  national  convention  nominated 
him  for  the  second  place  on  the  ticket  with 
General  William  H.  H.  Harrison,  and  he 
was  elected  vice-president  in  November, 
1840.  President  Harrison  dying  one  month 
after  his  inauguration,  he  was  succeeded  by 
John  Tyler.  He  retained  the  cabinet  chosen 
by  his  predecessor,  and  for  a  time  moved  in  j 
harmony  with  the  Whig  party.  He  finally 
instructed  the  secretary  of  the  treasury. 
Thomas  Ewing,  to  submit  to  congress  a  bill 
for  the  incorporation  of  a  fiscal  bank  of  the 


United  States,  which  was  passed  by  con- 
gress, but  vetoed  by  the  president  on  ac- 
count of  some  amendments  he  considered 
unconstitutional.  For  this  and  other  meas- 
ures he  was  accused  of  treachery  to  his 
party,  and  deserted  by  his  whole  cabinet, 
except  Daniel  Webs'  ar.  Things  grew  worse 
until  he  was  abandoned  by  the  Whig  party 
formally,  when  Mr.  Webster  resigned.  He 
was  nominated  at  Baltimore,  in  May,  1844, 
at  the  Democratic  convention,  as  their  pres- 
idential candidate,  but  withdrew  from  the 
canvass,  as  he  saw  he  had  not  succeed- 
ed in  gaining  the  confidence  of  his  old 
party.  He  then  retired  from  politics  until 
February,  1861,  when  he  was  made  presi- 
dent of  the  abortive  peace  congress,  which 
met  in  Washington.  He  shortly  after  re- 
nounced his  allegiance  to  the  United  States 
and  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Confeder- 
ate congress.  He  died  at  Richmond,  Janu- 
ary 17,  1862. 

Mr.  Tyler  married,  in  18 13,  Miss  Letitia 
Christian,  who  died  in  1842  at  Washington. 
June  26,  1844,  he  contracted  a  second  mar- 
riage, with  Miss  Julia  Gardner,  of  New  York. 


COLLIS  POTTER  HUNTINGTON, 
one  of  the  great  men  of  his  time  and 
who  has  left  his  impress  upon  the  history  of 
our  national  development,  was  born  October 
22,  1 82 1,  at  Harwinton,  Connecticut. 
He  received  a  common-school  education 
and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  his  spirit  of  get- 
ting along  in  the  world  mastered  his  educa- 
tional propensities  and  his  father's  objec- 
tions and  he  left  school.  He  went  to  Cali- 
fornia in  the  early  days  and  had  opportunities 
which  he  handled  masterfully.  Others  had 
the  same  opportunities  but  they  did  not  have 
his  brains  nor  his  energy,  and  it  was  he  who 
overcame  obstacles  and  reaped  the  reward 
of    his  genius.      franscontinental     railways 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOdRAPftr. 


ya 


were  inevitable,  but  the  realization  of  this 
masterful  achievement  would  have  been  de- 
layed to  a  much  later  day  if  there  had  been 
no  Huntington.  He  associated  himself  with  I 
Messrs.  Mark  Hopkins,  Leland  Stanford, 
and  Charles  Crocker,  and  they  furnished  the 
money  necessary  for  a  survey  across  the 
Sierra  Nevadas,  secured  a  charter  for  the 
road,  and  raised,  with  the  government's  aid, 
money  enough  to  construct  and  equip  that 
railway,  which  at  the  time  of  its  completion 
was  a  marvel  of  engineering  and  one  of  the 
wonders  of  the  world.  Mr.  Huntington  be- 
came president  of  the  Southern  Pacific  rail- 
road, vice-president  of  the  Central  Pacific; 
trustee  of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Telegraph 
Company,  and  a  director  of  the  Occidental 
and  Oriental  Steamship  Company,  besides 
being  identified  with  many  other  business 
enterprises  of  vast  importance. 


GEORGE  A.  CUSTER,  a  famous  In- 
dian fighter,  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1840. 
He  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1861,  an- 
served  in  the  Civil  war;  was  at  Bull  Run  id 
1 86 1,  and  was  in  the  Peninsular  campaign, 
being  one  of  General  McClellan's  aides-de, 
camp.  He  fought  in  the  battles  of  South 
Mountain  and  Antietam  in  1863,  and  was 
with  General  Stoneman  on  .  his  famous 
cavalry  raid.  He  was  engaged  in  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg,  and  was  there  made  brevet- 
major.  In  1863  was  appointed  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers.  General  Custer  was 
in  many  skirmishes  in  central  Virginia  in 
1863-64,  and  was  present  at  the  following 
battles  of  the  Richmond  campaign:  Wil- 
derness,Todd'sTavern,  Yellow  Tavern,  where 
hewasbrevetted lieutenant-colonel;  Meadow 
Bridge,  Haw's  Shop,  Cold  Harbor,  Trevil- 
lian  Station.  In  the  Shenandoah  Valley 
1 864-65  he  was  brevetted  colonel  at  Opequan 
Creek,  and  at   Cedar   Creek   he   was    made 


brevet  major-general  for  gallant  conduct 
during  the  engagement.  General  Custer 
was  in  command  ot  a  cavalry  division  in  the 
pursuit  ot  Lee's  army  in  1865,  and  fought 
at  Dinwiddie  Court  House,  Five  Forks, 
where  he  was  made  brevet  brigadier-general; 
Sailors  Creek  and  Appomattox,  where  he 
gained  additional  honors  and  was  made 
brevet  major-general,  and  was  given  the 
command  of  the  cavalry  in  the  military 
division  of  the  southwest  and  Gulf,  in  1865. 
After  the  establishment  of  peace  he  went 
west  on  frontier  duty  and  performed  gallant 
and  valuable  service  in  the  troubles  with  the 
Indians.  He  was  killed  in  the  massacre  on 
the  Little  Big  Horn  river.  South  Dakota, 
June  25,  1876. 


DANIEL  WOLSEY  VOORHEES,  cel- 
brated  as  ' '  The  Tall  Sycamore  of  the 
Wabash,"  was  born  September  26,  1827, 
in  Butler  county,  Ohio.  When  he  was  two 
months  old  his  parents  removed  to  Fount- 
ain county,  Indiana.  He  grew  to  manhood 
on  a  farm,  engaged  in  all  the  arduous  work 
pertaining  to  rural  life.  In  1845  he  entered 
the  Indiana  Asbury  University,  now  the  De 
Pauw,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1849. 
He  took  up  the  study  of  law  at  Crawfords- 
ville,  and  in  1851  began  the  practice  of  his 
profession  at  Covington,  Fountain  county, 
Indiana.  He  became  a  law  partner  of 
United  States  Senator  Hannegan,  of  Indi- 
ana, in  1852,  and  in  1856  he  was  an  unsuc- 
cessful candidate  for  congress.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana.  He  was  United  States 
district  attorney  for  Indiana  from  1857  until 
1 86 1,  and  he  had  during  this  period  been 
elected  to  congress,  in  i860.  Mr.  Voorhees 
was  re-elected  to  congress  in  1862  and  1864, 
but  he  was  unsuccessful  in  the  election  of 
1866.     However,  he  was  returned  to  con- 


96 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


gress  in  1868,  where  he  remained  until  1874, 
having  been  re-elected  twice.  In  1877  he 
was  appointed  United  States  senator  from 
Indiana  to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the  death 
of  O.  P.  Morton,  and  at  the  end  of  the  term 
was  elected  for  the  ensuing  term,  being  re- 
elected in  1885  and  in  1891  to  the  same  of- 
fice. He  served  with  distinction  on  many 
of  the  committees,  and  took  a  very  prom- 
inent part  in  the  discussion  of  all  the  im- 
portant legislation  of  his  time.  His  death 
occurred  in  August,   189  . 


ALEXANDER  GRAHAM  BELL,  fa- 
mous as  one  of  the  inventors  of  the  tele- 
phone, was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland, 
March  3rd,  1847.  He  received  his  early 
education  in  the  high  school  and  later  he 
attended  the  university,  and  was  specially 
trained  to  follow  his  grandfather's  profes- 
sion, that  of  removing  impediments  of 
speech.  He  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
in  X872,  and  introduced  into  this  country 
his  father's  invention  of  visible  speech  in  the 
institutions  for  deaf-mutes.  Later  he  was 
appointed  professor  of  vocal  physiology  in 
the  Boston  University.  He  worked  for 
many  years  during  his  leisure  hours  on  his 
telephonic  discovery,  and  finally  perfected 
it  and  exhibited  it  publicly,  before  it  had 
reached  the  high  state  of  perfection  to  which 
he  brought  it.  His  first  exhibition  of  it  was 
at  the  Centennial  Exhibition  that  was  held 
in  Philadelphia  in  1876.  Its  success  is  now 
established  throughout  the  civilized  world. 
In  1882  Prof.  Bell  received  a  diploma  and 
the  decoration  of  the  Legion  of  Honor  from 
the  Academy  of  Sciences  of  France. 


WILLIAM  HICKLING  PRESCOTT, 
the  justly  celebrated  historian  and 
author,  was  a  native  of  Salem,  Massachu- 
setts, and  was  born  May  4,  1796.      He  was 


the  son  of  Judge  William  Prescott  and  the 
grandson  of  the  hero  of  Bunker  Hill,  Colonel 
William  Prescott. 

Our  subject  in  1808  removed  with  the 
family  to  Boston,  in  the  schools  of  which 
city  he  received  his  early  education.  He 
entered  Harvard  College  as  a  sophomore  in 
181 1,  having  been  prepared  at  the  private 
classical  college  of  Rev.  Dr.  J.  S.  J.  Gardi- 
jner.  The  following  year  he  received  an  in- 
ury  in  his  left  eye  which  made  study 
through  life  a  matter  of  difficulty.  He 
graduated  in  18 14  with  high  honors  in  the 
classics  and  belle  lettres.  He  spent  several 
months  on  the  Azores  Islands,  and  later 
visited  England,  France  and  Italy,  return- 
ing home  in  1817.  In  June,  1818,  he 
founded  a  social  and  literary  club  at  Boston 
for  which  he  edited  "The  Club  Room,"  a 
periodical  doomed  to  but  a  short  life.  May 
4,  1820,  he  married  Miss  Susan  Amory. 
He  devoted  several  years  after  that  event  to 
a  thorough  study  of  ancient  and  modern 
history  and  literature.  As  the  fruits  of  his 
labors  he  published  several  well  written 
essays  upon  French  and  Italian  poetry  and 
romance  in  the  "  North  American  Review." 
January  19,  1826,  he  decided  to  take  up  his 
first  great  historical  work,  the  "  History  of 
the  Reign  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella."  To 
this  he  gave  the  labor  of  ten  years,  publish- 
ing the  same  December  25,  1837.  Although 
placed  at  the  head  of  all  American  authors, 
so  diffident  was  Prescott  of  his  literary  merit 
that  although  he  had  four  copies  of  this 
work  printed  for  his  own  convenience,  he 
hesitated  a  long  time  before  giving  it  to  the 
public,  and  it  was  only  by  the  solicitation  of 
friends,  especially  of  that  talented  Spanish 
scholar,  George  Ticknor,  that  he  was  in- 
duced to  do  so.  Soon  the  volumes  were 
translated  into  French,  Italian,  Dutch  and 
German,    and    the   work    was    recognized 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAI'llV. 


throughout  the  world  as  one  of  the  most 
meritorious  of  historical  compositions.  In 
1843  he  published  the  "Conquest  of  Mexi- 
co," and  in  1847  the  "Conquest  of  Peru." 
Two  years  later  there  came  from  his  pen  a 
volume  of  "  Biographical  and  Critical  Mis- 
cellanies." Going  abroad  in  the  summer  of 
1S50,  he  was  received  with  great  distinction 
in  the  literary  circles  of  London,  Edinburgh, 
Paris,  Antwerp  and  Brussels.  Oxford  Uni- 
versity conferred  the  degree  of  D.  C.  L. 
upon  him.  In  1855  he  issued  two  volumes 
of  his  "History  of  the  Reign  of  Philip  the 
Second,"  and  a  third  in  1858.  In  the 
meantime  he  edited  Robertson's  "Charles 
the  Fifth,"  adding  a  history  of  the  life  of 
that  monarch  after  his  abdication.  Death 
cut  short  his  work  on  the  remaining  volumes 
of  "  Philip  the  Second,"  coming  to  him  at 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  May  28,  1859. 


OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY,  a  noted 
American  commodore,  was  born  in 
South  Kingston,  Rhode  Island,  August  23, 
1785.  He  saw  his  first  service  as  a  mid- 
shipman in  the  United  States  navy  in  April, 
1799.  He  cruised  with  his  father,  Captain 
Christopher  Raymond  Perry,  in  the  West  In- 
dies for  about  two  years.  In  1804  he  was 
in  the  war  against  Tripoli,  and  was  made 
lieutenant  in  1807.  At  the  opening  of  hostili- 
ties with  Great  Britain  in  1 8 1 2  he  was  given 
command  of  a  fleet  of  gunboats  on  the  At- 
lantic coast.  At  his  request  he  was  trans- 
ferred, a  year  later,  to  Lake  Ontario,  where 
he  served  under  Commodore  Chauncey,  and 
took  an  active  part  in  the  attack  on  Fort 
George.  He  was  ordered  to  fit  out  a  squad- 
ron on  Lake  Erie,  which  he  did,  building 
most  of  his  vessels  from  the  forests  along 
the  shore,  and  by  the  summer  of  1 8 1 3  he  had 
a  fleet  of  nine  vessels  at  Presque  Isle,  now 
Erie,    Pennsylvania.       September    10th    he 


attacked  and  captured  the  British  fleet  near 
Put-in-Bay,  thus  clearing  the  lake  of  hostile 
ships.  His  famous  dispatch  is  part  of  his 
fame,  "  We  have  met  the  enemy,  and  they 
are  ours."  He  co-operated  with  Gen.  Har- 
rison, and  the  success  of  the  campaign  in 
the  northwest  was  largely  due  to  his  victory. 
The  next  year  he  was  transferred  to  the  Po- 
tomac, and  assisted  in  the  defense  of  Balti- 
more. After  the  war  he  was  in  constant 
service  with  the  various  squadrons  in  cruising 
in  all  parts  of  the  world.  He  died  of  yellow 
fever  on  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  August  23, 
1 8 19.  His  remains  were  conveyed  to  New- 
port, and  buried  there,  and  an  imposing 
obelisk  was  erected  to  his  memory  by  the 
State  of  Rhode  Island.  A  bronze  statue 
was  also  erected  in  his  honor,  the  unveiling 
taking  place  in  1885. 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES,  though  a  native 
of  Scotland,  was  one  of  America's  most 
noted  fighters  during  the  Revolutionary  war. 
He  was  born  July  6,  1747.  His  father  was 
a  gardener,  but  the  young  man  soon  be- 
came interested  in  a  seafaring  life  and  at 
the  age  of  twelve  he  was  apprenticed  to  a 
sea  captain  engaged  in  the  American  trade. 
His  first  voyage  landed  him  in  Virginia, 
where  he  had  a  brother  who  had  settled 
there  several  years  prior.  The  failure  of 
the  captain  released  young  Jones  from  his 
apprenticeship  bonds,  and  he  was  engaged 
as  third  mate  of  a  vessel  engaged  in  the 
slave  trade.  He  abandoned  this  trade  after 
a  few  years,  from  his  own  sense  of  disgrace. 
He  took  passage  from  Jamaica  for  Scotland 
in  1768,  and  on  the  voyage  both  the  captain 
and  the  mate  died  and  he  was  compelled  to 
take  command  of  the  vessel  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  voyage.  He  soon  after 
became  master  of  the  vessel.  He  returned 
to  Virginia  about  1773  to  settle  up  the  estate 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY, 


of  his  brother,  and  at  this  time  added  the 
name  "Jones,"  having  previously  been 
known  as  John  Paul.  He  settled  down  in 
Virginia,  but  when  the  war  broke  out  in 
1775  he  offered  his  services  to  congress  and 
was  appointed  senior  lieutenant  of  the  flag- 
ship "Alfred,"  on  which  he  hoisted  the 
American  flag  with  his  own  hands,  the  first 
vessel  that  had  ever  carried  a  flag  of  the 
new  nation.  He  was  afterward  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  "  Alfred,"  and  later 
of  the  "Providence,"  in  each  of  which  ves- 
sels he  did  good  service,  as  also  in  the 
"Ranger,"  to  the  command  of  which  he 
was  later  appointed.  The  fight  that  made 
him  famous,  however,  was  that  in  which  he 
captured  the  "  Serapis,"  off  the  coast  of 
Scotland.  He  was  then  in  command  of  the 
"Bon  Homme  Richard,"  which  had  been 
fitted  out  for  him  by  the  French  government 
and  named  by  Jones  in  honor  of  Benjamin 
Franklin,  or  "Good  Man  Richard,"  Frank- 
lin being  author  of  the  publication  known 
as  "  Poor  Richard's  Almanac."  The  fight 
between  the  "  Richard"  and  the  "Serapis" 
lasted  three  hours,  all  of  which  time  the 
vessels  were  at  close  range,  and  most  of  the 
time  in  actual  contact.  Jones'  vessel  was 
on  fire  several  times,  and  early  in  the  en- 
gagement two  of  his  guns  bursted,  rendering 
the  battery  useless.  Also  an  envious  officer 
of  the  Alliance,  one  of  Jones'  own  fleet, 
opened  fire  upon  the  "  Richard  "  at  a  crit- 
ical time,  completely  disabling  the  vessel. 
Jones  continued  the  fight,  in  spite  of  coun- 
sels to  surrender,  and  after  dark  the  "  Ser- 
apis "  struck  her  colors,  and  was  hastily 
boarded  by  Jones  and  his  crew,  while  the 
"Richard"  sank,  bows  first,  after  the 
wounded  had  been  taken  on  board  the 
"Serapis."  Most  of  the  other  vessels  of 
the  fleet  of  which  the  "Serapis"  was  con- 
voy, surrendered,  and  were  taken  with  the 


"Serapis"  to  France,  where  Jones  was 
received  with  greatest  honors,  and  the  king 
presented  him  with  an  elegant  sword  and 
the  cross  of  the  Order  of  Military  Merit. 
Congress  gave  him  a  vote  of  thanks  and 
made  him  commander  of  a  new  ship,  the 
"America,"  but  the  vessel  was  afterward 
given  to  France  and  Jones  never  saw  active 
sea  service  again.  He  came  to  America  again, 
in  1787,  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  was 
voted  a  gold  medal  by  congress.  He  went  to 
Russia  and  was  appointed  rear-admiral  and 
rendered  service  of  value  against  the  Turks, 
but  on  account  of  personal  enmity  of  the  fav- 
orites of  the  emperor  he  was  retired  on  a  pen- 
sion. Failing  to  collect  this,  he  returned  to 
France,  where  he  died,  July  18,  1792. 


THOMAS  MORAN,  the  well-known 
painter  of  Rocky  Mountain  scenery, 
was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  in  1837. 
He  came  to  America  when  a  child,  and 
showing  artistic  tastes,  he  was  apprenticed 
to  a  wood  engraver  in  Philadelphia.  Three 
years  later  he  began  landscape  painting,  and 
his  style  soon  began  to  exhibit  signs  of  genius. 
His  first  works  were  water-colors,  and 
though  without  an  instructor  he  began  the 
use  of  oils,  he  soon  found  it  necessary  to 
visit  Europe,  where  he  gave  particular  at- 
tention to  the  works  of  Turner.  He  joined 
the  Yellowstone  Park  exploring  expedition 
and  visited  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  1871 
and  again  in  1873,  making  numerous 
sketches  of  the  scenery.  The  most  note- 
worthy results  were  his  ' '  Grand  Canon  of 
the  Yellowstone,"  and  "  The  Chasm  of  the 
Colorado,"  which  were  purchased  by  con- 
gress at  $10,000  each,  the  first  of  which  is 
undoubtedly  the  finest  landscape  painting 
produced  in  this  country.  Mr.  Moran  has 
subordinated  art  to  nature,  and  the  subjects 
he  has  chosen  leave   little  ground    for    fault 


COMPENDIUM    OF   BIOGRAPHY 


101 


finding  on  that  account.  "The  Mountain 
of  the  Holy  Cross,"  "The  Groves  Were 
God's  First  Temples,"  "  The  Cliffs  of  Green 
River,"  "  The  Children  of  the  Mountain," 
"  The  Ripening  of  the  Leaf,"  and  others 
have  given  him  additional  fame,  and  while 
they  do  not  equal  in  grandeur  the  first 
mentioned,  in  many  respects  from  an  artis- 
tic standpoint  they  are  superior. 


L ELAND  STANFORD  was  one  of  the 
greatest  men  of  the  Pacific  coast  and 
also  had  a  national  reputation.  He  was 
born  March  9,  1S24,  in  Albany  county,  New 
York,  and  passed  his  early  life  on  his 
father's  farm.  He  attended  the  local 
schools  of  the  county  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty  began  the  study  of  law.  He 
entered  the  law  office  of  Wheaton,  Doolittle 
and  Hadley,  at  Albany,  in  1845,  and  a  *ew 
years  later  he  moved  to  Port  Washington, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  practiced  law  four 
years  with  moderate  success.  In  1852  Mr. 
Stanford  determined  to  push  further  west, 
and,  accordingly  went  to  California,  where 
three  of  his  brothers  were  established  in 
business  in  the  mining  towns.  They  took 
Leland  into  partnership,  giving  him  charge 
of  a  branch  store  at  Michigan  Bluff,  in 
Placer  county.  There  he  developed  great 
business  ability  and  four  years  later  started 
a  mercantile  house  of  his  own  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, which  soon  became  one  of  the  most 
substantial  houses  on  the  coast.  On  the 
formation  of  the  Republican  party  he  inter- 
ested himself  in  politics,  and  in  i860  was 
sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  convention  that 
nominated  Abraham  Lincoln.  In  the 
autumn  of  1861  he  was  elected,  by  an  im- 
mense majority,  governor  of  California. 
Prior  to  his  election  as  governor  he  had 
been  chosen  president  of  the  newly-orga- 
nized  Central  Pacific    Railroad    Company,   | 


and  after  leaving  the  executive  chair  he  de- 
voted all  of  his  time  to  the  construction  of 
the  Pacific  end  of  the  transcontinental  rail- 
way. May  10,  1869,  Mr.  Stanford  drove 
the  last  spike  of  the  Central  Pacific  road, 
thus  completing  the  route  across  the  conti- 
nent. He  was  also  president  of  the  Occi- 
dental and  Oriental  Steamship  Company. 
He  had  but  one  son,  who  died  of  typhoid 
fever,  and  as  a  monument  to  his  child  he 
founded  the  university  which  bears  his  son's 
name,  Leland  Stanford,  Junior,  University. 
Mr.  Stanford  gave  to  this  university  eighty- 
three  thousand  acres  of  land,  the  estimated 
value  of  which  is  $8,000,000,  and  the  entire 
endowment  is  $20,000,000.  In  18S5  Mr. 
Stanford  was  elected  United  States  senator 
as  a  Republican,  to  succeed  J.  T.  Farley,  a 
Democrat,  and  was  re-elected  in  189 1 .  His 
death  occurred  June  20,  1894,  at  Palo  Alto, 
California. 


STEPHEN  DECATUR,  a  famous  com- 
modore in  the  United  States  navy,  was 
born  in  Maryland  in  1779.  He  entered  the 
naval  service  in  1798.  In  1804,  when  the 
American  vessel  Philadelphia  had  been  run 
aground  and  captured  in  the  harbor  of  Trip- 
oli, Decatur,  at  the  head  of  a  few  men, 
boarded  her  and  burned  her  in  the  face  of 
the  guns  from  the  city  defenses.  For  this 
daring  deed  he  was  made  captain.  He  was 
given  command  of  the  frigate  United  States 
at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  18 12,  and 
in  October  of  that  year  he  captured  the 
British  frigate  Macedonian,  and  was  re- 
warded with  a  gold  medal  by  congress.  Af- 
ter the  close  of  the  war  he  was  sent  as  com- 
mander of  a  fleet  of  ten  vessels  to  chastise 
the  dey  of  Algiers,  who  was  preying  upon 
American  commerce  with  impunity  and  de- 
manding tribute  and  ransom  for  the  release 
of  American    citizens    captured.       Decatur 


102 


COMTEXDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


captured  a  number  of  Algerian  vessels,  and 
compelled  the  dey  to  sue  for  peace.  He 
was  noted  for  his  daring  and  intrepidity, 
and  his  coolness  in  the  face  of  danger,  and 
helped  to  bring  the  United  States  navy  into 
favor  with  the  people  and  congress  as  a 
means  of  defense  and  offense  in  time  of 
war.  He  was  killed  in  a  duel  by  Commo- 
dore Barron,  March  12,  1820. 


JAMES  KNOX  POLK,  the  eleventh 
president  of  the  United  States,  1845  to 
1849,  was  born  November  2,  1795,  in  Meck- 
lenburg county,  North  Carolina,  and  was 
the  eldest  child  of  a  family  of  six  sons.  He 
removed  with  his  father  to  the  Valley  of  the 
Duck  River,  in  Tennessee,  in  1806.  He 
attended  the  common  schools  and  became 
very  proficient  in  the  lower  branches  of 
education,  and  supplemented  this  with 
a  course  in  the  Murfreesboro  Academy, 
which  he  entered  in  1 8 1 3  and  in  the  autumn 
of  181  5  he  became  a  student  in  the  sopho- 
more class  of  the  University  of  North  Caro- 
lina, at  Chapel  Hill,  and  was  graduated  in 
18 1 8.  He  then  spent  a  short  time  in  re- 
cuperating his  health  and  then  proceeded  to 
Nashville,  Tennessee,  where  he  took  up  the 
study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Felix  Grundy. 
After  the  completion  of  his  law  studies  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  removed  to 
Columbia,  Maury  county,  Tennessee,  and 
started  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. Mr.  Polk  was  a  Jeffersonian  "  Re- 
publican "  and  in  1823  he  was  elected  to  the 
legislature  of  Tennessee.  He  was  a  strict 
constructionist  and  did  not  believe  that  the 
general  government  had  the  power  to  carry 
on  internal  improvements  in  the  states,  but 
deemed  it  important  that  it  should  have  that 
power,  and  wanted  the  constitution  amended 
to  that  effect.  But  later  on  he  became 
alarmed  lest  the  general  government    might 


become  strong  enough  to  abolish  slavery 
and  therefore  gave  his  whole  support  to  the 
"  State's  Rights"  movement, and  endeavored 
to  check  the  centralization  of  power  in  the 
general  government.  Mr.  Polk  was  chosen 
a  member  of  congress  in  1825,  and  held  that 
office  until  1839.  He  then  withdrew,  as  he 
was  the  successful  gubernatorial  candidate 
of  his  state.  He  had  become  a  man  of 
great  influence  in  the  house,  and,  as  the 
leader  of  the  Jackson  party  in  that  body, 
weilded  great  influence  in  the  election  of 
General  Jackson  to  the  presidency.  He 
sustained  the  president  in  all  his  measures 
and  still  remained  in  the  house  after  Gen- 
eral Jackson  had  been  succeeded  by  Martin 
Van  Buren.  He  was  speaker  of  the  house 
during  five  sessions  of  congress.  He  was 
elected  governor  of  Tennessee  by  a  large 
majority  and  took  the  oath  of  office  at  Nash- 
ville, October  4,  1839.  He  was  a  candidate 
for  re-election  but  was  defeated  by  Governor 
Jones,  the  Whig  candidate.  In  1844  the 
most  prominent  question  in  the  election  was 
the  annexation  of  Texas,  and  as  Mr.  Polk 
was  the  avowed  champion  of  this  cause  he 
was  nominated  for  president  by  the  pro- 
slavery  wing  of  the  democratic  party,  was 
elected  by  a  large  majority,  and  was  inaug- 
urated March  4,  1845.  President  Polk 
formed  a  very  able  cabinet,  consisting  of 
James  Buchanan,  Robert  J.  Walker,  Will- 
iam L.  Marcy,  George  Bancroft,  Cave  John- 
son, and  John  Y.  Mason.  The  dispute  re- 
garding the  Oregon  boundary  was  settled 
during  his  term  of  office  and  a  new  depart- 
ment was  added  to  the  list  of  cabinet  po- 
sitions, that  of  the  Interior.  The  low  tariff 
bill  of  1846  was  carried  and  the  financial 
system  of  the  country  was  reorganized.  It 
was  also  during  President  Polk's  term  that 
the  Mexican  war  was  successfully  conducted, 
which  resulted  in  the  acquisition  of  Califor-- 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY 


10$ 


nia  and  New  Mexico.  Mr.  Polk  retired  from 
the  presidency  March  4,  1849,  after  having 
declined  a  re-nomination,  and  was  succeeded 
by  General  Zachary  Taylor,  the  hero  of  the 
Mexican  war.  Mr.  Polk  retired  to  private 
life,  to  his  home  in  Nashville,  where  he  died 
at  the  age  of  fifty-four  on  June  9,   1S49. 


ANNA  DICKINSON  (Anna  Elizabeth 
Dickinson),  a  noted  lecturer  and  pub- 
lic speaker,  was  born  at  Philadelphia,  Oc- 
tober 28,  1842.  Her  parents  were  Quakers, 
and  she  was  educated  at  the  Friends'  free 
schools  in  her  native  city.  She  early  man- 
ifested an  inclination  toward  elocution  and 
public  speaking,  and  when,  at  the  age  of  iS, 
she  found  an  opportunity  to  appear  before 
a  national  assemblage  for  the  discussion  of 
woman's  rights,  she  at  once  established  her 
reputation  as  a  public  speaker.  From  i860 
to  the  close  of  the  war  and  during  the  ex- 
citing period  of  reconstruction,  she  was  one 
of  the  most  noted  and  influential  speakers 
before  the  American  public,  and  her  popu- 
larity was  unequaled  by  that  of  any  of  her 
sex.  A  few  weeks  after  the  defeat  and 
death  of  Colonel  Baker  at  Ball's  Bluff,  Anna 
Dickinson,  lecturing  in  New  York,  made 
the  remarkable  assertion,  "  Not  the  incom- 
petency of  Colonel  Baker,  but  the  treachery 
of  General  McClellan  caused  the  disaster  at 
Ball's  Bluff."  She  was  hissed  and  hooted 
off  the  stage.  A  year  later,  at  the  same 
hall  and  with  much  the  same  class  of  audi- 
tors, she  repeated  the  identical  words,  and 
the  applause  was  so  great  and  so  long  con- 
tinued that  it  was  impossible  to  go  on  with 
her  lecture  for  more  than  half  an  hour.  The 
change  of  sentiment  had  been  wrought  by 
the  reverses  and  dismissal  of  McClellan  and 
his  ambition  to  succeed  Mr.  Lincoln  as  presi- 
dent. 

Ten  years  after  the  close  of  the  war.  Anna 


Dickinson  was  not  heard  of  on  the  lec- 
ture platform,  and  about  that  time  she  made 
an  attempt  to  enter  the  dramatic  profession, 
but  after  appearing  a  number  of  times  in  dif- 
ferent plays  she   was  pronounced  a  failure. 


ROBERT  J.  BURDETTE.— Some  per- 
sonal characteristics  of  Mr.  Burdette 
were  quaintly  given  by  himself  in  the  follow- 
ing words:  "Politics?  Republican  after 
the  strictest  sect.  Religion  ?  Baptist.  Per- 
sonal appearance  ?  Below  medium  height, 
and  weigh  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
pounds,  no  shillings  and  no  pence.  Rich  ? 
Not  enough  to  own  a  yacht.  Favorite  read- 
ing? Poetry  and  history — know  Longfellow 
by  heart,  almost.  Write  for  magizines  I 
Have  mo.-e  '  declined  with  thar.ks  '  letters 
than  would  fill  a  trunk.  Never  able  to  get 
into  a  magazine  with  a  line.  Care  about  it? 
Mad  as  thunder.  Think  about  starting  a 
magazine  and  rejecting  everbody's  articles 
except  my  own."  Mr.  Burdette  was  born 
at  Greensborough,  Pennsylvania,  in  1844. 
He  served  through  the  war  of  the  rebellion 
under  General  Banks  "  on  an  excursion 
ticket"  as  he  felicitously  described  it,  "good 
both  ways,  conquering  in  one  direction  and 
running  in  the  other,  pay  going  on  just  the 
same."  He  entered  into  journalism  by  the 
gateway  of  New  York  correspondence  for 
the  "Peoria  Transcript,"  and  in  1874  went 
on  the  "Burlington  Hawkeye"  of  which  he 
became  the  managing  editor,  and  the  work 
that  he  did  on  this  paper  made  both  him- 
self and  the  paper  famous  in  the  world  of 
humor.  Mr.  Burdette  married  in  1870, 
and  his  wife,  whom  he  called  "Her  Little 
Serene  Highness,"  was  to  him  a  guiding 
light  until  the  day  of  her  death,  and  it  was 
probably  the  unconscious  pathos  with  which 
he  described  her  in  his  work  that  broke  the 
barriers  that  had  kept  him  out  of  the  maga- 


104 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


zines  and  secured  him  the  acceptance  of  his 
"Confessions"  by  Lippincott  some  years 
ago,  and  brought  him  substantial  fame  and 
recognition  in  the  literary  world. 


WILLIAM  DEAN  HOWELLS,  one 
of  the  leading  novelists  of  the  present 
century  and  author  of  a  number  of  works 
that  gained  for  him  a  place  in  the  hearts  of 
the  people,  was  born  March  i,  1837,  at 
Martinsville,  Belmont  county,  Ohio.  At 
the  age  of  three  years  he  accompanied  his 
father,  who  was  a  printer,  to  Hamilton, 
Ohio,  where  he  learned  the  printer's  trade. 
Later  he  was  engaged  on  the  editorial  staff 
of  the  ' '  Cincinnati  Gazette  "  and  the  "  Ohio 
State  Journal."  During  1861-65  ne  was 
the  United  States  consul  at  Venice,  and 
from  1 87 1  to  1878  he  was  the  editor-in- 
chief  of  the  "Atlantic  Monthly."  As  a 
writer  he  became  one  of  the  most  fertile 
and  readable  of  authors  and  a  pleasing  poet. 
In  1885  he  became  connected  with  "  Har- 
per's Magazine."  Mr.  Howells  was  author 
of  the  list  of  books  that  we  give  below: 
"Venetian  Life,"  "  Italian  Journeys,"  "No 
Love  Lost,"  "Suburban  Sketches,"  "Their 
Wedding  Journey,"  "A  Chance  Acquaint- 
ance," "A  Foregone  Conclusion,"  "Dr. 
Breen's  Practice,"  "A  Modern  Instance," 
"The  Rise  of  Silas  Lapham,"  "Tuscan 
Cities,"  "Indian  Summer,"  besides  many 
others.  He  also  wrote  the  "  Poem  of  Two 
Friends,"  with  J.  J.  Piatt  in  1860,  and 
some  minor  dramas:  "The  Drawing 
Room  Car,"  "The  Sleeping  Car,"  etc., 
that  are  full  of  exqusite  humor  and  elegant 
dialogue. 

JAMES  RUSSELL  LOWELL  was  a  son 
of  the  Rev.  Charles  Lowell,  and  was  born 
at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  February  22, 
1 8 19.      He  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in 


1838  as  class  poet,  and  went  to  Harvard 
Law  School,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  1840,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Boston,  but  soon  gave  his  un- 
divided attention  to  literary  labors.  Mr. 
Lowell  printed,  in  1841,  a  small  volume  of 
poems  entitled  ' '  A  Year's  Life, "  edited  with 
Robert  Carter;  in  1843,  "  The  Pioneer,"  a 
literary  and  critical  magazine  (monthly),  and 
in  1848  another  book  of  poems,  that  con- 
tained several  directed  against  slavery.  He 
published  in  1844  a  volume  of  "Poems" 
and  in  1845  "Conversations  on  Some 
of  the  Old  Poets,"  "The  Vision  of  Sir 
Launfal,"  "A  Fable  for  Critics,"  and  "The 
Bigelow  Papers,"  the  lattei  satirical  es- 
says in  dialect  poetry  directed  against 
slavery  and  the  war  with  Mexico.  In 
1851-52  he  traveled  in  Europe  and  re- 
sided in  Italy  for  a  considerable  time,  and 
delivered  in  1854-55  a  course  of  lectures  on 
the  British  poets,  before  the  Lowell  Insti- 
tute, Boston.  Mr.  Lowell  succeeded  Long- 
fellow in  January,  1855,  as  professor  of 
modern  languages  and  literature  at  Harvard 
College,  and  spent  another  year  in  Em  ope 
qualifying  himself  for  that  post.  He  edited 
the  "Atlantic  Monthly  "  from  1857  to  1862, 
and  the  "North  American  Review"  from 
1863  until  1872.  From  1864  to  1870  he 
published  the  following  works:  "Fireside 
Travels,"  "Under  the  Willows,"  "The 
Commemoration  Ode,"  in  honor  of  the 
alumni  of  Harvard  who  had  fallen  in  the 
Civil  war;  "The  Cathedral,"  two  volumes 
of  essays;  "Among  My  Books"  and  "My 
Study  Windows,"  and  in  1867  he  published 
a  new  series  of  the  "  Bigelow  Papers.  "  He 
traveled  extensively  in  Europe  in  1872-74, 
and  received  in  person  the  degree  of  D.  C. 
L  at  Oxford  and  that  of  LL.  D.  at  the 
University  of  Cambridge,  England.  He 
was  also  interested  in  political  life  and  held 


COMTEXDICM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


10& 


many  important  offices.  He  was  United 
States  minister  to  Spain  in  1877  and  was 
also  minister  to  England  in  1SS0-85.  On 
January  2,  1884,  he  was  elected  lord  rector 
of  St.  Andrew  University  in  Glasgow,  Scot- 
land, but  soon  after  he  resigned  the  same. 
Mr.  Lowell's  works  enjoy  great  popularity 
in  the  United  States  and  England.  He 
died  August  12,   1S91. 


JOSEPH  HENRY,  one  of  America's 
greatest  scientists,  was  born  at  Albany, 
New  York,  December  17,  1797.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  the  city 
and  graduated  from  the  Albany  Academy, 
where  he* became  a  professor  of  mathemat- 
ics in  1826.  In  1827  he  commenced  a 
course  of  investigation,  which  he  continued 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  the  results  pro- 
duced had  great  effect  on  the  scientific  world. 
The  first  success  was  achieved  by  producing 
the  electric  magnet,  and  he  next  proved  the 
possibility  of  exciting  magnetic  energy  at  a 
distance,  and  it  was  the  invention  of  Pro- 
fessor Henry's  intensity  magnet  that  first 
made  the  invention  of  electric  telegraph  a 
possibility.  He  made  a  statement  regarding 
the  practicability  of  applying  the  intensity 
magnet  to  telegraphic  uses,  in  his  article  to 
the  "American  Journal  of  Science  "  in  1831. 
During  the  same  year  he  produced  the  first 
mechanical  contrivance  ever  invented  for 
maintaining  continuous  motion  by  means  of 
electro-magnetism,  and  he  also  contrived  a 
machine  by  which  signals  could  be  made  at 
a  distance  by  the  use  of  his  electro-magnet, 
the  signals  being  produced  by  a  lever  strik- 
ing on  a  bell.  Some  of  his  electro-magnets 
were  of  great  power,  one  carried  over  a  ton 
and  another  not  less  than  three  thousand  six 
hundred  pounds.  In  1832  he  discovered 
that  secondary  currents  could  be  produced 
1  >i  g  conductor  by  the  induction  of  the 


primary  current  upon  itself,  and  also  in  the 
same  year  he  produced  a  spark  by  means  of 
a  purely  magnetic  induction.  Professor 
Henry  was  elected,  in  1832,  professor  of  nat- 
ural philosophy  in  the  College  of  New  Jer- 
sey, and  in  his  earliest  lectures  at  Princeton, 
demonstrated  the  feasibility  of  the  electric 
telegraph.  He  visited  Europe  in  1837,  and 
while  there  he  had  an  interview  with  Pro- 
fessor Wheatstone,  the  inventor  of  the 
needle  magnetic  telegraph.  In  1846  he  was 
elected  secretary  of  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution,being  the  first  incumbent  in  that  office, 
which  he  held  until  his  death.  Professor 
Henry  was  elected  president  of  the  Ameri- 
can Association  for  the  Advancement  of 
Science,  in  1849,  and  of  the  National 
Academy  of  Sciences.  He  was  made  chair- 
man of  the  lighthouse  board  of  the  United 
States  in  1871  and  held  that  position  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  He  received  the 
honorary  degree  of  doctor  of  laws  from 
Union  College  in  1829,  and  from  Harvard 
University  in  1851,  and  his  death  occurred 
May  13,  1878.  Among  his  numerous  works 
may  be  mentioned  the  following:  "Contri- 
butions to  Electricity  and  Magnetism," 
"  American  Philosophic  Trans,"  and  many 
articles  in  the  "American  Journal  of 
Science,"  the  journal  of  the  Franklin  Insti- 
tute; the  proceedings  of  the  American  As- 
sociation for  the  Advancement  of  Science, 
and  in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  from  its  foundation. 


FRANKLIN  BUCHANAN,  the  famous 
rear-admiral  of  the  Confederate  navy 
during  the  rebellion,  was  born  in  Baltimore, 
Maryland.  He  became  a  United  States 
midshipman  in  18 15  and  was  promoted 
through  the  various  grades  of  the  service 
and  became  a  captain  in  1855.  Mr.  Buch 
anan  resigned  his  captaincy  in  order  t<>  join 


106 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY, 


the  Confederate  service  in  1861  and  later  he 
asked  to  be  reinstated,  but  his  request  was 
refused  and  he  then  entered  into  the  service 
of  the  Confederate  government.  He  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  frigate  "  Merri- 
mac  "  after  she  had  been  fitted  up  as  an  iron- 
clad, and  had  command  of  her  at  the  time 
of  the  battle  of  Hampton  Roads.  It  was 
he  who  had  command  when  the  "Merri- 
mac"  sunk  the  two  wooden  frigates,  "  Con- 
gress "  and  "Cumberland,"  and  was  also 
in  command  during  part  of  the  historical 
battle  of  the  "  Merrimac  "  and  the  "Moni- 
tor," where  he  was  wounded  and  the  com- 
mand devolved  upon  Lieutenant  Catesby 
Jones.  He  was  created  rear-admiral  in  the 
Confederate  service  and  commanded  the 
Confederate  fleet  in  Mobile  bay,  which  was 
defeated  by  Admiral  Farragut,  August  5, 
1864.  Mr.  Buchanan  was  in  command  of 
the  "Tennessee,"  an  ironclad,  and  during 
the  engagement  he  lost  one  of  his  legs  and 
was  taken  prisoner  in  the  end  by  the  Union 
fleet.  After  the  war  he  settled  in  Talbot 
county,  Maryland,  where  he  died  May  11, 
1874. 

RICHARD  PARKS  BLAND,  a  celebrated 
American  statesman,  frequently  called 
"the  father  of  the  house,"  because  of  his 
many  years  of  service  in  the  lower  house 
of  congress,  was  born  August  19,  1835, 
near  Hartford,  Kentucky,  where  he  received 
a  plain  academic  education.  He  moved, 
in  1855,  to  Missouri,  from  whence  he  went 
overland  to  California,  afterward  locating  in 
Virginia  City,  now  in  the  state  of  Nevada, 
but  then  part  of  the  territory  of  Utah. 
While  there  he  practiced  law,  dabbled  in 
mines  and  mining  in  Nevada  and  California 
for  several  years,  and  served  for  a  time  as 
treasurer  of  Carson  county,  Nevada.  Mr. 
Bland  returned  to   Missouri  in    1865,  where 


he  engaged  in  the  practice  ot  law  at  Rolla, 
Missouri,  and  in  1869  removed  to  Lebanon, 
Missouri.  He  began  his  congressional  career 
in  1873,  when  he  was  elected  as  a  Demo- 
crat to  the  forty-third  congress,  and  he  was 
regularly  re-elected  to  every  congress  after 
that  time  up  to  the  fifty-fourth,  when  he  was 
defeated  for  re-election,  but  was  returned 
to  the  fifty-fifth  congress  as  a  Silver  Demo- 
crat. During  all  his  protracted  service, 
while  Mr.  Bland  was  always  steadfast  in  his 
support  of  democratic  measures,  yet  he  won 
his  special  renown  as  the  great  advocate  of 
silver,  being  strongly  in  favor  of  the  free 
and  unlimited  coinage  of  silver,  and  on  ac- 
count of  his  pronounced  views  was  one  of 
the  candidates  for  the  presidential  nomina- 
tion of  the   Democratic  party  at  Chicago  in 


FANNY  DAVENPORT  (F.  L.  G.  Daven- 
port) was  of  British  birth,  but  she  be- 
longs to  the  American  stage.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  the  famous  actor,  E.  L.  Daven- 
port, and  was  born  in  London  in  1850. 
She  first  went  on  the  stage  as  a  child  at  the 
Howard  Athenaeum,  Boston,  and  her  entire 
life  was  spent  upon  the  stage.  She  played 
children's  parts  at  Burton's  old  theater  in 
Chambers  street,  and  then,  in  1862,  appeared 
as  the  King  of  Spain  in  "  Faint  Heart  Never 
Won  Fair  Lady. "  Here  she  attracted  the 
notice  of  Augustin  Daly,  the  noted  mana- 
ger, then  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  theater,  who 
offered  her  a  six  weeks'  engagement  with 
her  father  in  "London  Assurance."  She 
afterwards  appeared  at  the  same  house  in  a 
variety  of  characters,  and  her  versatility 
was  favorably  noticed  by  the  critics.  After 
the  burning  of  the  old  Fifth  Avenue,  the 
present  theater  of  that  name  was  built  at 
Twenty-eighth  street,  and  here  Miss  Daven- 
port appeared  in  a  play  written  for  her  by 


COMPENDIUM   OF   'BIOGRAPHY. 


107 


Mr.  Dal)-.  She  scored  a  great  success. 
She  then  starred  in  this  play  throughout  the 
country,  and  was  married  to  Mr.  Edwin  F. 
Price,  an  actor  of  her  company,  in  1880. 
In  1882  she  went  to  Paris  and  purchased 
the  right  to  produce  in  America  Sardou's 
great  emotional  play,  "Fedora."  It  was 
put  on  at  the  Fourteenth  Street  theater  in 
New  York,  and  in  it  she  won  popular  favor 
and  became  one  of  the  most  famous  actresses 
of  her  time. 


HORACE  BRIGHAM  CLAFLIN,  one 
of  the  greatest  merchants  America  has 
produced,  was  born  in  Milford,  Massachu- 
setts, a  son  of  John  Claflin,  also  a  mer- 
chant. Young  Claflin  started  his  active  life 
as  a  clerk  in  his  father's  store,  after  having 
been  offered  the  opportunity  of  a  college 
education,  but  with  the  characteristic 
promptness  that  was  one  of  his  virtues  he 
exclaimed,  "No  law  or  medicine  for  me." 
He  had  set  his  heart  on  being  a  merchant, 
and  when  his  father  retired  he  and  his 
brother  Aaron,  and  his  brother-in-law,  Sam- 
uel Daniels,  conducted  the  business.  Mr. 
Claflin  was  not  content,  however,  to  run  a 
store  in  a  town  like  Milford,  and  accordingly 
opened  a  dry  goods  store  at  Worcester,  with 
his  brother  as  a  partner,  but  the  partnership 
was  dissolved  a  year  later  and  H.  B.  Claflin 
assumed  complete  control.  The  business 
in  Worcester  had  been  conducted  on  ortho- 
dox principles,  and  when  Mr.  Claflin  came 
there  and  introduced  advertising  as  a  means 
of  drawing  trade,  he  created  considerable 
animosity  among  the  older  merchants.  Ten 
years  later  he  was  one  of  the  most  prosper- 
ous merchants.  He  disposed  of  his  busi- 
ness in  Worcester  for  $30,000,  and  went  to 
New  York  to  search  for  a  wider  field  than 
that  of  a  shopkeeper.  Mr.  Claflin  and 
William  M.  Bulkley  started  in  the  dry  goods 


business  there  under  the  firm  name  of  Bulk- 
ley  &  Claflin,  in  1843,  and  Mr.  Bulkley  was 
connected  with  the  firm  until  185 1, when  he 
retired.  A  new  firm  was  then  formed  under 
the  name  of  Claflin,  Mellin  &  Co.  This 
firm  succeeded  in  founding  the  largest  dry 
goods  house  in  the  world,  and  after  weather- 
ing the  dangers  of  the  civil  war,  during 
which  the  house  came  very  near  going  un- 
der, and  was  saved  only  by  the  superior 
business  abilities  of  Mr.  Claflin,  continued  to 
grow.  The  sales  of  the  firm  amounted  to 
over  $72,000,000  a  year  after  the  close  of 
the  war.  Mr.  Claflin  died  November  14, 
1885. 

CHARLOTTE  CUSHMAN  (Charlotte 
Saunders  Cushman),  one  of  the  most 
celebrated  American  actresses,  was  born  in 
Boston,  July  23,  18 16.  She  was  descended 
from  one  of  the  earliest  Puritan  families. 
Her  first  attempt  at  stage  work  was  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  years  in  a  charitable  concert 
given  by  amateurs  in  Boston.  From  this 
time  her  advance  to  the  first  place  on  the 
American  lyric  stage  was  steady,  until,  in 
1835,  while  singing  in  New  Orleans,  she 
suddenly  lost  control  of  her  voice  so  far  as 
relates  to  singing,  and  was  compelled  to  re- 
tire. She  then  took  up  the  study  for  the 
dramatic  stage  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Barton,  the  tragedian.  She  soon  after 
made  her  debut  as  "  Lady  Macbeth."  She 
appeared  in  New  York  in  September,  1836, 
and  her  success  was  immediate.  Her 
"Romeo"  was  almost  perfect,  and  she  is 
the  only  woman  that  has  ever  appeared  in 
the  part  of  "Cardinal  Wolsey."  She  at 
different  times  acted  as  support  of  Forrest 
and  Macready.  Her  London  engagement, 
secured  in  1845,  after  many  and  great  dis- 
couragements,   proved   an    unqualified   sue- 


108 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Her  farewell  appearance  was  at  Booth's 
theater,  New  York,  November  7,  1874,  in 
the  part  of  "  Lady  Macbeth,"  and  after  that 
performance  an  Ode  by  R.  H.  Stoddard 
was  read,  and  a  body  of  citizens  went  upon 
the  stage,  and  in  their  name  the  venerable 
poet  Longfellow  presented  her  with  a  wreath 
of  laurel  with  an  inscription  to  the  effect 
that  "she  who  merits  the  palm  should  bear 
it."  From  the  time  of  her  appearance  as  a 
modest  girl  in  a  charitable  entertainment 
down  to  the  time  of  final  triumph  as  a  tragic 
queen,  she  bore  herself  with  as  much  honor 
to  womanhood  as  to  the  profession  she  rep- 
resented. Her  death  occurred  in  Boston, 
February  18,  1876.  By  her  profession  she 
acquired  a  fortune  of  $600, coo. 


NEAL  DOW,  one  of  the  most  prominent 
temperance  reformers  our  country  has 
known, was  born  in  Portland,  Me.,  March  20, 
1804.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
Friends  Seminary,  at  New  Bedford,  Massa- 
chusetts, his  parents  being  members  of  that 
sect.  After  leaving  school  he  pursued  a 
mecrantile  and  manufacturing  career  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  was  active  in  the 
affairs  of  his  native  city,  and  in  1839  be- 
came chief  of  the  fire  department,  and  in 
1 85 1  was  elected  mayor.  He  was  re-elected 
to  the  latter  office  in  1854.  Being  opposed 
to  the  liquor  traffic  he  was  a  champion  of 
the  project  of  prohibition,  first  brought  for- 
ward in  1839  by  James  Appleton.  While 
serving  his  first  term  as  mayor  he  drafted  a 
bill  for  the  "suppression  of  drinking  houses 
and  tippling  shops,"  which  he  took  to  the 
legislature  and  which  was  passed  without  an 
alteration.  In  185S  Mr.  Dow  was  elected 
to  the  legislature.  On  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Thirteenth  Maine  Infantry  and  accompanied 
General  Butler's  expedition  to  New  Orleans. 


In  1862  he  was  made  brigadier-general.  At 
the  battle  of  Port  Hudson  May  27,  1863,  he 
was  twice  wounded,  and  taken  prisoner.  He 
was  confined  at  Libby  prison  and  Mobile 
nearly  a  year,  when,  being  exchanged,  he 
resigned,  his  health  having  given  way  under 
the  rigors  of  his  captivity.  He  made  sev- 
eral trips  to  England  in  the  interests  of 
temperance  organization,  where  he  addressed 
large  audiences.  He  was  the  candidate  of 
the  National  Prohibition  party  for  the  presi- 
dency in  1880,  receiving  about  ten  thousand 
votes.  In  1884  he  was  largely  instrumental 
in  the  amendment  of  the  constitution  of 
Maine,  adopted  by  an  overwhelming  popular 
vote,  which  forever  forbade  the  manufacture 
or  sale  of  any  intoxicating  beverages,  and 
commanding  the  legislature  to  enforce  the 
prohibition.      He  died  October  2,   1897. 


ZACHARY  TAYLOR,  twelfth  president 
of  the  United  States,  was  born  in 
Orange  county,  Virginia,  September  24, 
1784.  His  boyhood  was  spent  on  his  fath- 
er's plantation  and  his  education  was  lim- 
ited. In  1808  he  was  made  lieutenant  of 
the  Seventh  Infantry,  and  joined  his  regi- 
ment at  New  Orleans.  He  was  promoted 
to  captain  in  18 10,  and  commanded  at  Fort 
Harrison,  near  the  present  site  of  Terre 
Haute,  in  181 2,  where,  for  his  gallant  de- 
fense, he  was  brevetted  major,  attaining  full 
rank  in  18 14.  In  181 5  he  retired  to  an  es- 
tate near  Louisville.  In  1S16  here-entered 
the  army  as  major,  and  was  promoted  to 
lieutenant-colonel  and  then  to  colonel. 
Having  for  many  years  been  Indian  agent 
over  a  large  portion  of  the  western  country, 
he  was  often  required  in  Washington  to  give 
advice  and  counsel  in  matters  connected 
with  the  Indian  bureau.  He  served  through 
the  Black  Hawk  rndian  war  of  1832,  and  in 
1837  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


army  in  Florida,  where  he  attacked  the  In- 
dians in  the  swamps  and  brakes,  defeated 
them  and  ended  the  war.  He  was  brevetted 
brigadier-general  and  made  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  army  in  Florida.  He  was  as- 
signed to  the  command  of  the  army  of  the 
southwest  in  1840,  but  was  soon  after  re- 
lieved of  it  at  his  request.  He  was  then 
stationed  at  posts  in  Arkansas.  In  1845  ne 
was  ordered  to  prepare  to  protect  and  de- 
fend Texas  boundaries  from  invasion  by 
Mexicans  and  Indians.  On  the  annexation 
of  Texas  he  proceeded  with  one  thousand 
five  hundred  men  to  Corpus  Christi,  within 
the  disputed  territory.  After  reinforcement 
he  was  ordered  by  the  Mexican  General  Am- 
pudia  to  retire  beyond  the  Nueces  river, 
with  which  order  he  declined  to  comply. 
The  battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la 
Palma  followed,  and  he  crossed  the  Rio 
Grande  and  occupied  Matamoras  May  1 8th. 
He  was  commissioned  major-general  for  this 
campaign,  and  in  September  he  advanced 
upon  the  city  of  Monterey  and  captured  it 
after  a  hard  fight.  Here  he  took  up  winter 
quarters,  and  when  he  was  about  to  resume 
activity  in  the  spring  he  was  ordered  to  send 
the  larger  part  of  his  army  to  reinforce 
General  Scott  at  Vera  Cruz.  After  leaving 
garrisons  at  various  points  his  army  was  re- 
duced to  about  five  thousand,  mostly  fresh 
recruits.  He  was  attacked  by  the  army  of 
Santa  Anna  at  Buena  Vista,  February  22, 
1847,  and  after  a  severe  fight  completely 
routed  the  Mexicans.  He  received  the 
thanks  of  congress  and  a  gold  medal  for 
this  victory.  He  remained  in  command  of 
the  "army  of  occupation"  until  winter, 
when  he  returned  to  the  United  States. 

In  1848  General  Taylor  was  nominated 
by  the  Whigs  for  president.  He  was  elected 
over  his  two  opponents,  Cass  and  Van 
Buren.      Great  bitterness  was  developing  in 


the  struggle  for  and  against  the  extension  of 
slavery,  and  the  newly  acquired  territory  in 
the  west,  and  the  fact  that  the  states  were 
now  equally  divided  on  that  question,  tended 
to  increase  the  feeling.  President  Taylor 
favored  immediate  admission  of  California 
with  her  constitution  prohibiting  slavery, 
and  the  admission  of  other  states  to  be 
formed  out  of  the  new  territory  as  they 
might  elect  as  they  adopted  constitutions 
from  time  to  time.  This  policy  resulted  in 
the  "  Omnibus  Bill,"  which  afterward  passed 
congress,  though  in  separate  bills;  not,  how- 
ever, until  after  the  death  of  the  soldier- 
statesman,  which  occurred  July  9,  1850. 
One  of  his  daughters  became  the  wife  of 
Jefferson  Davis. 


MELVILLE  D.  LANDON,  better  known 
as  "  Eli  Perkins,  "author,  lecturer  and 
humorist,  was  born  in  Eaton,  New  York, 
September  7,  1839.  He  was  the  son  of 
John  Landon  and  grandson  of  Rufus  Lan- 
don,  a  revolutionary  soldier  from  Litchfield 
county,  Connecticut.  Melville  was  edu- 
cated at  the  district  school  and  neighboring 
academy,  where  he  was  prepared  for  the 
sophomore  class  at  Madison  University.  He 
passed  two  years  at  the  latter,  when  he  was 
admitted  to  Union  College,  and  graduated 
in  the  class  of  1861,  receiving  the  degree  of 
A.  M.,  in  1862.  He  was,  at  once,  ap- 
pointed to  a  position  in  the  treasury  depart- 
ment at  Washington.  This  being  about  the 
time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  and 
before  the  appearance  of  any  Union  troops 
at  the  capital,  he  assisted  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  "  Clay  Battalion/'  of  Washing- 
ton. Leaving  his  clerkship  some  time  later, 
he  took  up  duties  on  the  staff  of  Gem  ral  A. 
L.  Chetlain,  who  was  in  command  at  Mem- 
phis. In  1864  he  resigned  from  the  army 
and  engaged  in  cotton  planting  in  Arkansas 


110 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


and  Louisiana.  In  1867  he  went  abroad, 
making  the  tour  of  Europe,  traversing  Rus- 
sia. While  in  the  latter  country  his  old 
commander  of  the  "  Clay  Battalion,"  Gen- 
eral Cassius  M.  Clay,  then  United  States 
minister  at  St.  Petersburg,  made  him  secre- 
tary of  legation.  In  1871,  on  returning  to 
America,  he  published  a  history  of  the 
Franco-Prussian  war,  and  followed  it  with 
numerous  humorous  writings  for  the  public 
press  under  the  name  of  "Eli  Perkins," 
which,  with  his  regular  contributions  to  the 
"  Commercial  Advertiser,"  brought  him  into 
notice,  and  spread  his  reputation  as  a  hu- 
morist throughout  thecountry.  He  also  pub- 
lished "Saratoga  in  1891,"  "Wit,  Humor 
and  Pathos, "  ' '  Wit  and  Humor  of  the  Age, " 
"  Kings  of  Platform  and  Pulpit,"  "Thirty 
Years  of  Wit  and  Humor,"  "  Fun  and  Fact," 
and  "  China  and  Japan." 


LEWIS  CASS,  one  of  the  most  prom- 
inent statesman  and  party  leaders  of  his 
day,  was  born  at  Exeter,  New  Hampshire, 
October  9,  1782.  He  studied  law,  and  hav- 
ing removed  to  Zanesville,  Ohio,  commenced 
the  practice  of  that  profession  in  1802.  He 
entered  the  service  of  the  American  govern- 
ment in  1 81 2  and  was  made  a  colonel  in 
the  army  under  General  William  Hull,  and 
on  the  surrender  of  Fort  Maiden  by  that 
officer  was  held  as  a  prisoner.  Being  re- 
leased in  181 3,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general  and  in  18 14  ap- 
pointed governor  of  Michigan  Territory. 
After  he  had  held  that  office  for  some 
sixteen  years,  negotiating,  in  the  meantime, 
many  treaties  with  the  Indians,  General 
Caos  was  made  secretary  of  war  in  the  cabi- 
nel  "i  President  Jackson,  in  1831.  He  was, 
in  1836,  appointed  minister  to  France, 
whii  h  office  he  held  for  six  years.  In  1S44 
ne  -  as  elected   United    States  senator  from 


Michigan.  In  1846  General  Cass  opposed 
the  Wilmot  Proviso,  which  was  an  amend- 
ment to  a  bill  for  the  purchase  of  land  from 
Mexico,  which  provided  that  in  any  of  the 
territory  acquired  from  that  power  slavery 
should  not  exist.  For  this  and  other  reasons 
he  was  nominated  as  Democratic  candidate 
for  the  presidency  of  the  United  States  in 
1848,  but  was  defeated  by  General  Zachary 
Taylor,  the  Whig  candidate,  having  but 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  electoral  votes 
to  his  opponent's  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
three.  In  1849  General  Cass  was  re-elected 
to  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  and  in 
1S54  supported  Douglas'  Kansas-Nebraska 
bill.  He  became  secretary  of  state  in 
March,  1857,  under  President  Buchanan, 
but  resigned  that  office  in  December,  i860. 
He  died  June  17,  1S66.  The  published 
works  of  Lewis  Cass,  while  not  numerous, 
are  well  written  and  display  much  ability. 
He  was  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  his  day 
in  the  political  councils  of  the  Democratic 
party,  and  left  a  reputation  for  high  probity 
and  honor  behind  him. 


DE  WITT  CLINTON.— Probably  there 
were  but  few  men  who  were  so  popular 
in  their  time,  or  who  have  had  so  much  in- 
fluence in  moulding  events  as  the  individual 
whose  name  honors  the  head  of  this  article. 
De  Witt  Clinton  was  the  son  of  General 
James  Clinton,  and  a  nephew  of  Governor 
George  Clinton,  who  was  the  fpurth  vice- 
president  of  the  United  States.  He  was  a 
native  of  Orange  county,  New  York,  born  at 
Little  Britain,  March  2,  1769.  He  gradu- 
ated from  Columbia  College,  in  his  native 
state,  in  1 796,  and  took  up  the  study  of  law. 
In  1790  he  became  private  secretary  to  his 
uncle,  then  governor  of  New  York.  He  en- 
tered public  life  as  a  Republican  or  anti- 
Federalist,    and  was   elected    to   the    lower 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


Ill 


house  of  the  state  assembly  in  1797,  and  the 
senate  of  that  body  in  1 798.  At  that  time 
he  was  looked  on  as  "  the  most  rising  man 
in  the  Union."  In  1801  he  was  elected  to 
the  United  States  senate.  In  1803  he  was 
appointed  by  the  governor  and  council 
mayor  of  the  city  of  New  York,  then  a 
very  important  and  powerful  office.  Hav- 
ing been  re-appointed,  he  held  the  office 
of  mayor  for  nearly  eleven  years,  and 
rendered  great  service  to  that  city.  Mr. 
Clinton  served  as  lieutenant-governor  of 
the  state  of  New  York,  1811-13,  and 
was  one  of  the  commissioners  appointed 
to  examine  and  survey  a  route  for  a  canal 
from  the  Hudson  river  to  Lake  Erie.  Dif- 
fering with  President  Madison,  in  relation  to 
the  war,  in  18 12,  he  was  nominated  for  the 
presidency  against  that  gentleman,  by  a 
coalition  party  called  the  Clintonians,  many 
of  whom  were  Federalists.  Clinton  received 
eight-nine  electoral  votes.  His  course  at 
this  time  impaired  his  popularity  for  a  time. 
He  was  removed  from  the  mayoralty  in 
1814,  and  retired  to  private  life.  In  1815 
he  wrote  a  powerful  argument  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  Erie  canal,  then  a  great  and 
beneficent  work  of  which  he  was  the  prin- 
cipal promoter.  This  was  in  the  shape  of 
a  memorial  to  the  legislature,  which,  in 
18 17,  passed  a  bill  authorizing  the  construc- 
tion of  that  canal.  The  same  year  he  was 
elected  governor  of  New  York,  almost  unani- 
mously, notwithstanding  the  opposition  of 
a  few  who  pronounced  the  scheme  of  the 
canal  visionary.  He  was  re-elected  governor 
in  1820.  He  was  at  this  time,  also,  presi- 
dent of  the  canal  commissioners.  He  de- 
clined a  re-election  to  the  gubernatorial 
chair  in  1822  and  was  removed  from  his 
place  on  the  canal  board  two  years  later. 
But  he  was  triumphantly  elected  to  the  of- 
fice of  governor  that  fall,  and  his  pet  project, 


the  Erie  canal,  was  finished  the  next  year. 
He  was  re-elected  governor  in  1826,  but 
died  while  holding  that  office,  February  II, 
1828. 

AARON  BURR,  one  of  the  many  brilliant 
figures  on  the  political  stage  in  the  early 
days  of  America,  was  born  at  Newark,  New 
Jersey,  February  6,  1756.  He  was  the  son 
of  Aaron  and  Esther  Burr,  the  former  the 
president  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  and 
the  latter  a  daughter  of  Jonathan  Edwards, 
who  had  been  president  of  the  same  educa- 
tional institution.  Young  Burr  graduated 
at  Princeton  in  1772.  In  1775  he  joined 
the  provincial  army  at  Cambridge,  Massa- 
chusetts. For  a  time,  he  served  as  a  private 
soldier,  but  later  was  made  an  aide  on  the 
staff  of  the  unfortunate  General  Montgom- 
ery, in  the  Quebec  expedition.  Subse- 
quently he  was  on  the  staffs  of  Arnold,  Put- 
nam and  Washington,  the  latter  of  whom 
he  disliked.  He  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  lieutenant-colonel  and  commanded  a 
brigade  on  Monmouth's  bloody  field.  In 
x779.  on  account  of  feeble  health,  Colonel 
Burr  resigned  from  the  army.  He  took  up 
the  practice  of  law  in  Albany,  New  York, 
but  subsequently  removed  to  New  York  City. 
In  1789  he  became  attorney-general  of  that 
state.  In  1 79 1  he  was  chosen  to  represent 
the  state  of  New  York  in  the  United  States 
senate  and  held  that  position  for  six  years. 
In  1800  he  and  Thomas  Jefferson  were  both 
candidates  for  the  presidency,  and  there 
being  a  tie  in  the  electoral  college,  each 
having  seventy-three  votes,  the  choice  was 
left  to  congress,  who  gave  the  first  place  to 
Jefferson  and  made  Aaron  Burr  vice-presi- 
dent, as  the  method  then  was.  In  [804  Mr. 
Burr  and  his  great  rival,  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton, met  in  a  duel,  which  resulted  in  the 
death  of  the  latter,  Burr  losing  thereby  con- 


112 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


siderable  political  and  social  influence.  He 
soon  embarked  in  a  wild  attempt  upon 
Mexico,  and  as  was  asserted,  upon  the 
southwestern  territories  of  the  United 
States.  He  was  tried  for  treason  at 
Richmond,  Virginia,  in  1807,  but  acquitted, 
and  to  avoid  importunate  creditors,  fled  to 
Europe.  After  a  time,  in  18 12,  he  returned 
to  New  York,  where  he  practiced  law,  and 
where  he  died,  September  14,  1836.  A  man 
of  great  ability,  brilliant  and  popular  talents, 
his  influence  was  destroyed  by  his  unscrupu- 
lous political  actions  and  immoral  private 
life.  

ALBERT  GALLATIN,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  statesmen  of  the  early 
days  of  the  republic,  was  born  at  Geneva, 
Switzerland,  January  29,  1761.  He  was 
the  son  of  Jean  de  Gallatin  and  Sophia  A. 
Rolaz  du  Rosey  Gallatin,  representatives  of 
an  old  patrician  family.  Albert  Gallatin 
was  left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age,  and  was 
educated  under  the  care  of  friends  of  his 
parents.  He  graduated  from  the  University 
of  Geneva  in  1779,  and  declining  employ- 
ment under  one  of  the  sovereigns  of  Ger- 
many, came  to  the  struggling  colonies,  land- 
ing in  Boston  July  14,  1780.  Shortly  after 
his  arrival  he  proceeded  to  Maine,  where  he 
served  as  a  volunteer  under  Colonel  Allen. 
He  made  advances  to  the  government  for 
the  support  of  the  American  troops,  and  in 
November,  1780,  was  placed  in  command 
of  a  small  fort  at  Passamaquoddy,  defended 
by  a  force  of  militia,  volunteers  and  Indians. 
In  1783  he  was  professor  of  the  French 
language  at  Harvard  University.  A  year 
later,  having  received  his  patrimony  from 
Europe,  he  purchased  large  tracts  of  land 
in  western  Virginia,  but  was  prevented  by 
the  Indians  from  forming  the  large  settle- 
ment he  proposed,  and,  in  1786,  purchased 


a  farm  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania. 
In  1789  he  was  a  member  of  the  convention 
to  amend  the  constitution  of  that  state,  and 
united  himself  with  the  Republican  party, 
the  head  of  which  was  Thomas  Jefferson. 
The  following  year  he  was  elected  to  the 
legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  to  which  he  was 
subsequently  re-elected.  In  1793  he  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  senate,  but 
could  not  take  his  seat  on  account  of  not 
having  been  a  citizen  long  enough.  In  1794 
Mr.  Gallatin  was  elected  to  the  representa- 
tive branch  of  congress,  in  which  he  served 
three  terms.  He  also  took  an  important 
position  in  the  suppression  of  the  "whiskey 
insurrection."  In  1801,  on  the  accession  of 
Jefferson  to  the  presidency,  Mr.  Gallatin 
was  appointed  secretary  of  the  treasury. 
In  1809  Mr.  Madison  offered  him  the  posi- 
tion of  secretary  of  state,  but  he  declined, 
and  continued  at  the  head  of  the  treasury 
until  1 8 1 2,  a  period  of  twelve  years.  He 
exercised  a  great  influence  on  the  other  de- 
partments and  in  the  general  administration, 
especially  in  the  matter  of  financial  reform, 
and  recommended  measures  for  taxation, 
etc.,  which  were  passed  by  congress,  and  be- 
came laws  May  24,  1813.  The  same  year  he 
was  sent  as  an  envoy  extraordinary  to  Rus- 
sia, which  had  offered  to  mediate  between 
this  country  and  Great  Britain,  but  the  lat- 
ter country  refusing  the  interposition  of 
another  power,  and  agreeing  to  treat  di- 
rectly with  the  United  States,  in  18 14,  at 
Ghent,  Mr.  Gallatin,  in  connection  with  his 
distinguished  colleagues,  negotiated  and 
signed  the  treaty  of  peace.  In  181 5.  in 
conjunction  with  Messrs.  Adams  and  Clay, 
he  signed,  at  London,  a  commercial  treaty 
between  the  two  countries.  In  18 16,  de- 
clining his  old  post  at  the  head  of  the  treas- 
urv,  Mr.  Gallatin  was  sent  as  minister  to 
■  h   re    lie     remained    until    1823. 


COMPEXDIL'M   OF    B10GRAPHT. 


118 


After  a  year  spent  in  England  as  envoy  ex- 
traordinary, he  took  up  his  residence  in  New 
York,  and  from  that  time  held  no  public 
office.  In  1S30  he  was  chosen  president  of 
the  council  of  the  University  of  New  York. 
He  was,  in  1831,  made  president  of  the 
National  bank,  which  position  he  resigned 
in  1839.      He  died  August  12,  1849. 


M1 


ILLARD  FILLMORE,  the  thirteenth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  of  New  England  parentage  in  Summer 
Hill,  Cayuga  county,  New  York,  January  7, 
1800.  His  school  education  was  very  lim- 
ited, but  he  occupied  his  leisure  hours  in 
study.  He  worked  in  youth  upon  his  fa- 
ther's farm  in  his  native  county,  and  at  the 
age  of  fifteen  was  apprenticed  to  a  wool 
carder  and  cloth  dresser.  Four  years  later 
he  was  induced  by  Judge  Wood  to  enter  his 
office  at  Montville,  New  York,  and  take  up 
the  study  of  law.  This  warm  friend,  find- 
ing young  Fillmore  destitute  of  means, 
loaned  him  money,  but  the  latter,  not  wish- 
ing to  incur  a  heavy  debt,  taught  school 
during  part  of  the  time  and  in  this  and  other 
ways  helped  maintain  himself.  In  1822  he 
removed  to  Buffalo,  New  York,  and  the  year 
following,  being  admitted  to  the  bar,  he 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  East  Aurora,  in  the  same  state.  Here 
he  remained  until  1830,  having,  in  the 
meantime,  been  admitted  to  practice  in  the 
supreme  court,  when  he  returned  to  Buffalo, 
where  he  became  the  partner  of  S.  G. 
Haven  and  N.  K.  Hall.  He  entered  poli- 
tics and  served  in  the  state  legislature  from 
1829  to  1832.  He  was  in  congress  in  1833— 
35  and  in  1837-41,  where  he  proved  an 
active  and  useful  member,  favoring  the 
views  of  John  Quincy  Adams,  then  battling 
almost  alone  the  slave-holding  party  in  na- 
tional politics,  and  in  most  of  public  ques- 


tions acted  with  the  Whig  party.  While 
chairman  of  the  committee  of  ways  and 
means  he  took  a  leading  part  in  draughting 
the  tariff  bill  of  1842.  In  1844  Mr.  Fill- 
more was  the  Whig  candidate  for  governor 
of  New  York.  In  1847  he  was  chosen 
comptroller  of  the  state,  and  abandoning 
his  practice  and  profession  removed  to  Al- 
bany. In  1848  he  was  elected  vice  presi- 
dent on  the  ticket  with  General  Zachary 
Taylor,  and  they  were  inaugurated  the  fol- 
lowing March.  On  the  death  of  the  presi- 
dent, July  9,  1850,  Mr.  Fillmore  was  in- 
ducted into  that  office.  The  great  events 
of  his  administration  were  the  passage  of 
the  famous  compromise  acts  of  1850,  and 
the  sending  out  of  the  Japan  expedition  of 
1852. 

March  4,  1853,  having  served  one  term, 
President  Fillmore  retired  from  office,  and 
in  1855  went  to  Europe,  where  he  received 
marked  attention.  On  returning  home,  in 
1856,  he  was  nominated  for  the  presidency 
by  the  Native  American  or  "  Know-Noth- 
ing" party,  but  was  defeated,  James  Buch- 
anan being  the  successful  candidate. 

Mr.  Fillmore  ever  afterward  lived  in  re- 
tirement. During  the  conflict  of  Civil  war 
he  was  mostly  silent.  It  was  generally  sup- 
posed, however,  that  his  sympathy  was  with 
the  southern  confederacy.  He  kept  aloof 
from  the  conflict  without  any  words  of  cheer 
to  the  one  party  or  the  other.  For  this  rea- 
son he  was  forgotten  by  both.  He  died  of 
paralysis,  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  March  8, 
1874-  

PETER  F.  ROTHERMEL,  one  of  Amer- 
ica's greatest  and  best-known  historical 
painters,  was  born  in  Luzerne  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, July  8,  1817,  and  was  of  German 
ancestry.  He  received  his  earlier  education 
in   his  native  county,  and   in    Philadelphia 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


learned  the  profession  of  land  surveying. 
But  a  strong  bias  toward  art  drew  him  away 
and  he  soon  opened  a  studio  where  he  did 
portrait  painting.  This  soon  gave  place  to 
historical  painting,  he  having  discovered  the 
bent  of  his  genius  in  that  direction.  Be- 
sides the  two  pictures  in  the  Capitol  at 
Washington — '  'De  Soto  Discovering  the  Mis- 
sissippi" and  "Patrick  Henry  Before  the 
Virginia  House  of  Burgesses" — Rothermel 
painted  many  others,  chief  among  which 
are:  "Columbus  Before  Queen  Isabella," 
"Martyrs  of  the  Colosseum,"  "Cromwell 
Breaking  Up  Service  in  an  English  Church, " 
and  the  famous  picture  of  the  "Battle 
of  Gettysburg."  The  last  named  was 
painted  for  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  for 
which  Rothermel  received  the  sum  of  $25,- 
000,  and  which  it  took  him  four  years  to 
plan  and  to  paint.  It  represents  the  portion 
of  that  historic  field  held  by  the  First  corps, 
an  exclusively  Pennsylvania  body  of  men, 
and  was  selected  by  Rothermel  for  that 
reason.  For  many  years  most  of  his  time 
was  spent  in  Italy,  only  returning  for  short 
periods.  He  died  at  Philadelphia,  August 
16,  1895. 

EDMUND  KIRBY  SMITH,  one  of  the 
distinguished  leaders  upon  the  side  of  the 
south  in  the  late  Civil  war,  was  born  at  St. 
Augustine,  Florida,  in  1824.  After  receiv- 
ing the  usual  education  he  was  appointed  to 
the  United  States  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1845  and 
entered  the  army  as  second  lieutenant  of 
infantry.  During  the  Mexican  war  he  was 
made  first  lieutenant  and  captain  for  gallant 
conduct  at  Cerro  Gordo  and  Contreras. 
From  1849  to  1852  he  was  assistant  pro- 
fessor of  mathematics  at  West  Point.  He 
was  transferred  to  the  Second  cavalry  with 
the  rank  of  captain  in   1855,  served  on  the 


frontier,  and  was  wounded  in  a  fight  with 
Comanche  Indians  in  Texas,  May  13,  1859. 
In  January,  18.61,  he  became  major  of  his 
regiment,  but  resigned  April  9th  to  fol- 
low the  fortunes  of  the  southern  cause. 
He  was  appointed  brigadier-general  in  the 
Confederate  army  and  served  in  Virginia. 
At  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  21,  1861, 
he  arrived  on  the  field  late  in  the  day,  but 
was  soon  disabled  by  a  wound.  He  was 
made  major-general  in  1862,  and  being  trans- 
ferred to  East  Tennessee,  was  given  com- 
mand of  that  department.  Under  General 
Braxton  Bragg  he  led  the  advance  in  the 
invasion  of  Kentucky  and  defeated  the  Union 
forces  at  Richmond,  Kentucky,  August  30, 

1862,  and  advanced  to  Frankfort.  Pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general,  he 
was  engaged  at  the  battle  of  Perryville, 
October  10,  and  in  the  battle  of  Murfrees- 
boro,    December  31,    1862,   and  January  3, 

1863.  He  was  soon  made  general,  the 
highest  rank  in  the  service,  and  in  com- 
mand of  the  trans-Mississippi  department 
opposed  General  N.  P.  Banks  in  the  famous 
Red  River  expedition,  taking  part  in  the 
battle  of  Jenkins  Ferry,  April  30,  1864,  and 
other  engagements  of  that  eventful  cam- 
paign. He  was  the  last  to  surrender  the 
forces  under  his  command,  which  he  did 
May  26,  1865.  After  the  close  of  the  war 
he  located  in  Tennessee,  where  he  died 
March  28,   1893. 


JOHN  JAMES  INGALLS,  a  famous 
American  statesman,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 29,  1833,  at  Middleton,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  reared  and  received  his  early 
education.  He  went  to  Kansas  in  1858 
and  joined  the  free-soil  army,  and  a  year 
after  his  arrival  he  was  a  member  of  the  his- 
torical Wyandotte  convention,  which  drafted 
a   free-state   constitution.      In  i860  he  was 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


115 


made  secretary  of  the  territorial  council, 
and  in  1S61  was  secretary  of  the  state  sen- 
ate. The  next  year  he  was  duly  elected  to 
the  legitimate  state  senate  from  Atchison, 
where  he  had  made  his  home.  From  that 
time  he  was  the  leader  of  the  radical  Re- 
publican element  in  the  state.  He  became 
the  editor  of  the  "Atchison  Champion  "  in 
1863,  which  was  a  "red-hot  free-soil  Re- 
publican organ."  In  1862  he  was  the  anti- 
Lane  candidate  for  lieutenant-governor,  but 
was  defeated.  He  was  elected  to  the  Unit- 
ed States  senate  to  succeed  Senator  Pom- 
eroy,  and  took  his  seat  in  the  forty-third 
congress  and  served  until  the  fiftieth.  In 
the  forty-ninth  congress  he  succeeded  Sen- 
ator Sherman  as  president  pro  tern. ,  which 
position  he  held  through  the  fiftieth  con- 
gress.   

BENJAMIN  WEST,  the  greatest  of  the 
early  American  painters,  was  of  Eng- 
lish descent  and  Quaker  parentage.  He  was 
born  in  Springfield,  Pennsylvania,  in  1738. 
From  what  source  he  inherited  his  genius  it 
is  hard  to  imagine,  since  the  tenets  and 
tendencies  of  the  Quaker  faith  were  not  cal- 
culated to  encourage  the  genius  of  art,  but 
at  the  age  of  nine  years,  with  no  suggestion 
except  that  of  inspiration,  we  find  him  choos- 
ing his  model  from  life,  and  laboring  over 
his  first  work  calculated  to  attract  public 
notice.  It  was  a  representation  of  a  sleep- 
ing child  in  its  cradle.  The  brush  with 
which  he  painted  it  was  made  of  hairs 
which  he  plucked  from  the  cat's  tail,  and 
the  colors  were  obtained  from  the  war  paints 
of  friendly  Indians,  his  mother's  indigo  bag, 
and  ground  chalk  and  charcoal,  and  the  juice 
of  berries,  but  there  were  touches  in  the  rude 
production  that  he  declared  in  later  days 
were  a  credit  to  his  best  works.  The  pic- 
ture  attracted    notice,    for    a    council    was 


called  at  once  to  pass  upon  the  boy's  con- 
duct in  thus  infringing  the  laws  of  the  so- 
ciety. There  were  judges  among  them  who 
saw  in  his  genius  a  rare  gift  and  their  wis- 
dom prevailed,  and  the  child  was  given  per- 
mission to  follow  his  inclination.  He  studied 
under  a  painter  named  Williams,  and  then 
spent  some  years  as  a  portrait  painter  with 
advancing  success.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  he  went  to  Italy,  and  not  until  he  had 
perfected  himself  by  twenty-three  years  of 
labor  in  that  paradise  of  art  was  he  satisfied 
to  turn  his  face  toward  home.  However,  he 
stopped  at  London,  and  decided  to  settle 
there,  sending  to  America  for  his  intended 
bride  to  join  him.  Though  the  Revolution- 
ary war  was  raging,  King  George  III  showed 
the  American  artist  the  highest  considera- 
tion and  regard.  His  remuneration  from 
works  for  royalty  amounted  to  five  thou- 
sand dollars  per  year  for  thirty  years. 

West's  best  known  work  in  America  is, 
perhaps,  "The  Death  of  General  Wolf." 
West  was  one  of  the  thirty-six  original  mem- 
bers of  the  Royal  academy  and  succeeded 
Joshua  Reynolds  as  president,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  until  his  death.  His  early 
works  were  his  best,  as  he  ceased  to  display 
originality  in  his  later  life,  conventionality 
having  seriously  affected  his  efforts.  He 
died  in  1820. 


SAMUEL  PORTER  JONES,  the  famous 
Georgia  evangelist,  was  born  October 
if>,  1S47,  in  Chambers  county,  Alabama. 
He  did  not  attend  school  regularly  during 
his  boyhood,  but  worked  on  a  farm,  and 
went  to  school  at  intervals,  on  account  of 
ill  health.  His  father  removed  to  Carters- 
ville,  Georgia,  when  Mr.  Jones  was  a  small 
boy.  He  quit  school  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
and  never  attended  college.  The  war  inter- 
fered  with  his  education,  which  was  intended 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


to  prepare  him  for  the  legal  profession. 
After  the  war  he  renewed  his  preparation 
for  college,  but  was  compelled  to  desist  from 
such  a  course,  as  his  health  failed  him  en- 
tirely. Later  on,  however,  he  still  pursued 
his  legal  studies  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar.  Soon  after  this  event  he  went  to  Dal- 
las, Paulding  county,  Georgia,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
and  in  a  few  months  removed  to  Cherokee 
county,  Alabama,  where  he  taught  school. 
In  1869  he  returned  to  Cartersville,  Georgia, 
and  arrived  in  time  to  see  his  father  die. 
Immediately  after  this  event  he  applied  for 
a  license  to  preach,  and  went  to  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  to  the  meeting  of  the  North  Geor- 
gia Conference  of  the  M.  E.  church  south, 
which  received  him  on  trial.  He  became 
an  evangelist  of  great  note,  and  traveled 
extensively,  delivering  his  sermons  in  an 
inimitable  style  that  made  him  very  popular 
with  the  masses,  his  methods  of  conducting 
revivals  being  unique  and  original  and  his 
preaching  practical  and  incisive. 


SHELBY  MOORE  CULLOM,  a  national 
character  in  political  affairs  and  for 
many  years  United  States  senator  from 
Illinois,  was  born  November  22,  1829,  at 
Monticello,  Kentucky.  He  came  with  his 
parents  to  Illinois  in  1830  and  spent  his  early 
yearson  afarm,  but  havingformed  the  purpose 
of  devoting  himself  to  the  lawyer's  profession 
he  spent  two  years  study  at  the  Rock  River 
seminary  at  Mount  Morris,  Illinois.  In  1853 
Mr.  Cullom  entered  the  law  office  of  Stuart 
and  Edwards  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  two 
years  later  he  began  the  independent  prac- 
tice of  law  in  that  city.  He  took  an  active 
interest  in  politics  and  was  soon  elected  city 
attorney  of  Springfield.  In  1856  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Illinois  house  of 
representatives.     He  identified  himself  with 


the  newly  formed  Republican  party  and  in 
i860  was  re-elected  to  the  legislature  of  his 
state,  in  which  he  was  chosen  speaker  of  the 
house.  In  1862  President  Lincoln  appoint- 
ed a  commission  to  pass  upon  and  examine 
the  accounts  of  the  United  States  quarter- 
masters and  disbursing  officers,  composed 
as  follows:  Shelby  M.  Cullom,  of  Illinois; 
Charles  A.  Dana,  of  New  York,  and 
Gov.  Boutwell,  of  Massachusetts.  Mr. 
Cullom  was  nominated  for  congress  in 
1864,  and  was  elected  by  a  majority  of 
1,785.  In  the  house  of  representatives  he 
became  an  active  and  aggressive  member, 
was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  territories 
and  served  in  congress  until  1868.  Mr. 
Cullom  was  returned  to  the  state  legislature, 
of  which  he  was  chosen  speaker  in  1872, 
and  was  re-elected  in  1874.  In  1876  he 
was  elected  governor  of  Illinois  and  at  the 
end  of  his  term  he  was  chosen  for  a  second 
term.  Hewaselected  United  States  senator 
in  1883  and  twice  re-elected. 


RICHARD  JORDAN  GATLING.  an 
American  inventor  of  much  note,  was 
born  in  Hertford  county,  North  Carolina, 
September  12,  1818.  At  an  early  age  he 
gave  promise  of  an  inventive  genius.  The 
first  emanation  from  his  mind  was  the 
invention  of  a  screw  for  the  propulsion  01 
water  craft,  but  on  application  for  a 
patent,  found  that  he  was  forestalled  but 
a  short  time  by  John  Ericsson.  Subse- 
quently he  invented  a  machine  for  sowing 
wheat  in  drills,  which  was  used  to  a  great 
extent  throughout  the  west.  He  then  stud- 
ied medicine,  and  in  1847-8  attended 
lectures  at  the  Indiana  Medical  College 
at  Laporte,  and  in  1848-9  at  the  Ohio 
Medical  College  at  Cincinnati.  He  later 
discovered  a  method  of  transmitting  power 
through  the  medium  of  compressed  air.      A 


y7    1 1        x  ■^..^oaiG.iwj^soLLl^ 


COMPEXBICM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


119 


double-acting  hemp  break  was  also  invented 
by  him.  The  invention,  however,  by  which 
Dr.  Gatling  became  best  known  was  the 
famous  machine  gun  which  bears  his  name. 
This  he  brought  to  light  in  1861-62,  and  on 
the  first  trial  of  it,  in  the  spring  of  the  latter 
year,  two  hundred  shots  per  minute  were 
fired  from  it.  After  making  some  improve- 
ments which  increased  its  efficiency,  it  was 
submitted  to  severe  trials  by  our  govern- 
ment at  the  arsenals  at  Frankfort,  Wash- 
ington and  Fortress  Monroe,  and  at  other 
points.  The  gun  was  finally  adopted  by 
•our  government,  as  well  as  by  that  of  Great 
Britain,  Russia  and  others. 

BENJAMIN  RYAN  TILLMAN,  who  won 
a  national  fame  in  politics,  was  born 
August  11,  1847,  in  Edgefield  county,  South 
Carolina.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
Oldfield  school,  where  he  acquired  the 
rudiments  of  Latin  and  Greek,  in  addition 
to  a  good  English  education.  He  left  school 
in  1864  to  join  the  Confederate  army,  but 
was  prevented  from  doing  so  by  a  severe 
illness,  which  resulted  in  the  loss  of  an  eye. 
In  1867  he  removed  to  Florida,  but  returned 
in  1868,  when  he  was  married  and  devoted 
himself  to  farming.  He  was  chairman  of 
the  Democratic  organization  of  his  county, 
but  except  a  few  occasional  services  he  took 
no  active  part  in  politics  then.  Gradually, 
however,  his  attention  was  directed  to  the 
depressed  condition  of  the  farming  interests 
of  his  state,  and  in  August,  1885,  before  a 
joint  meeting  of  the  agricultural  society  and 
state  grange  at  Bennettsville,  he  made  a 
speech  in  which  he  set  forth  the  cause  of 
agricultural  depression  and  urged  measures 
of  relief.  From  his  active  interest  in  the 
farming  class  he  was  styled  the  "  Agricult- 
ural Moses."  He  advocated  an  industrial 
school  for   women  and  for  a  separate  agri- 


cultural college,  and  in  1887  he  secured  a 
modification  in  the  final  draft  of  the  will  of 
Thomas  G.  Clemson,  which  resulted  in  the 
erection  of  the  Clemson  Agricultural  Col- 
lege at  Fort  Hill.  In  1890  he  was  chosen 
governor  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  and 
carried  the  election  by  a  large  majority. 
Governor  Tillman  was  inaugurated  Decem- 
ber 4,  1890.  Mr.  Tillman  was  next  elected 
to  the  United  States  senate  from  South 
Carolina,  and  gained  a  national  reputation 
by  his  fervid  oratory. 


GEORGE  DENISON  PRENTICE.— 
No  journalist  of  America  was  so  cele- 
brated in  his  time  for  the  wit,  spice,  and 
vigor  of  his  writing,  as  the  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch.  From  Atlantic  to 
Pacific  'rje,  was  well  known  by  his  witticism 
as  well  as  by  strength  and  force  of  his  edi- 
torials. He  was  a  native  of  Preston,  Con- 
necticut, born  December  18,  1802.  After 
laying  the  foundation  of  a  liberal  education 
in  his  youth,  he  entered  Brown  University, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1823.  Tak- 
ing up  the  study  of  law,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1829.  During  part  of  his  time 
he  was  editor  of  the  "  New  England  Weekly 
Review,"  a  position  which  he  relinquished 
to  go  south  and  was  succeeded  by  John 
Greenleaf  Whittier,  the  Quaker  poet. 

On  arriving  in  Louisville,  whither  he 
had  gone  to  gather  items  for  his  history  of 
Henry  Clay,  Mr.  Prentice  became  identified 
with  the  "Louisville  Journal,"  which,  undei 
his  hands,  became  one  of  the  leading  Whig 
newspapers  of  the  country.  At  the  head  of 
this  he  remained  until  the  day  of  his  death. 
This  latter  event  occurred  January  22,  1S70, 
and  he  was  succeeded  in  the  control  of  the 
"Journal"  by    Colonel    Henry  Watterson. 

Mr.  Prentice  was  an  author  of  consider- 
able celebrity,  chief  among  his  works  being 


120 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


"The  Life  of  Henry  Clay,"  and  "Prentice- 
ana,"  a  collection  of  wit  and  humor,  that 
passed  through  several  large  editions. 


SAM.  HOUSTON,  in  the  opinion  of  some 
critics  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men 
who  ever  figured  in  American  history,  was  a 
native  of  Rockbridge  county,  Virginia,  born 
March  2,  1793.  Early  in  life  he  was  left  in 
destitute  circumstances  by  the  death  of  his 
father,  and,  with  his  mother,  removed  to 
Tennessee,  then  almost  a  boundless  wilder- 
ness. He  received  but  little  education, 
spending  the  most  of  his  time  among  the 
Cherokee  Indians.  Part  of  the  time  of  his 
residence  there  Houston  acted  as  clerk  for  a 
trader  and  also  taught  one  of  the  primitive 
schools  of  the  day.  In  1813  he  enlisted  as 
private  in  the  United  States  army  and  was 
engaged  under  General  Jackson  in  the  war 
with  the  Creek  Indians.  When  peace  was 
made  Houston  was  a  lieutenant,  but  he  re- 
signed his  commission  and  commenced  the 
study  of  law  at  Nashville.  After  holding 
some  minor  offices  he  was  elected  member 
of  congress  from  Tennessee.  This  was  in 
1823.  He  retained  this  office  until  1827, 
when  he  was  chosen  governor  of  the  state. 
In  1829,  resigning  that  office  before  the  ex- 
piration of  his  term,  Sam  Houston  removed 
to  Arkansas,  and  made  his  home  among  the 
Cherokees,  becoming  the  agent  of  that 
tribe  and  representing  their  interests  at 
Washington.  On  a  visit  to  Texas,  just 
prior  to  the  election  of  delegates  to  a  con- 
vention called  for  the  purpose  of  drawing 
up  a  constitution  previous  to  the  admission 
of  the  state  into  the  Mexican  union,  he  was 
unanimously  chosen  a  delegate.  The  con- 
vention framed  the  constitution,  but,  it  be- 
ing rejected  by  the  government  of  Mexico, 
and  the  petition  for  admission  to  the  Con- 
federacy denied  and  the  Texans  told  by  the 


president  of  the  Mexican  union  to  give  up 
their  arms,  bred  trouble.  It  was  determined 
to  resist  this  demand.  A  military  force  was 
soon  organized,  with  General  Houston  at 
the  head  of  it.  War  was  prosecuted  with 
great  vigor,  and  with  varying  success,  but 
at  the  battle  of  San  Jacinto,  April  21,  1836, 
the  Mexicans  were  defeated  and  their  leader 
and  president,  Santa  Anna,  captured.  Texas 
was  then  proclaimed  an  independent  repub- 
lic, and  in  October  of  the  same  year  Hous- 
ton was  inaugurated  president.  On  the  ad- 
mission of  Texas  to  the  Federal  Union,  in 
1845,  Houston  was  elected  senator,  and 
held  that  position  for  twelve  years.  Oppos- 
ing the  idea  of  secession,  he  retired  from 
political  life  in  1861,  and  died  at  Hunts- 
ville,  Texas,  July  25,  1863. 


ELI  WHITNEY,  the  inventor  of  the  cot- 
ton-gin, was  born  in  Westborough,  Mas- 
sachusetts, December  8,  1765.  After  his 
graduation  from  Yale  College,  he  went  to 
Georgia,  where  he  studied  law,  and  lived 
with  the  family  of  the  widow  of  General 
Nathaniel  Greene.  At  that  time  the  only 
way  known  to  separate  the  cotton  seed  from 
the  fiber  was  by  hand,  making  it  extremely 
slow  and  expensive,  and  for  this  reason  cot- 
ton was  little  cultivated  in  this  country. 
Mrs.  Greene  urged  the  inventive  Whitney 
to  devise  some  means  for  accomplishing 
this  work  by  machinery.  This  he  finally 
succeeded  in  doing,  but  he  was  harassed  by 
attempts  to  defraud  him  by  those  who  had 
stolen  his  ideas.  He  at  last  formed  a  part- 
nership with  a  man  named  Miller,  and  they 
began  the  manufacture  of  the  machines  at 
Washington,  Georgia,  in  1795.  The  suc- 
cess of  his  invention  was  immediate,  and  the 
legislature  of  South  Carolina  voted  the  sum 
of  $50,000  for  his  idea.  This  sum  he  had 
great  difficulty  in  collecting,  after   years  of 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


121 


litigation  and  delay.  North  Carolina  al- 
lowed him  a  royalty,  and  the  same  was 
agree  1  to  by  Tennessee,  but  was  never  paid. 

While  his  fame  rests  upon  the  invention 
cf  tiie  cotton-gin,  his  fortune  came  from  his 
improvements  in  the  manufacture  and  con- 
strue'ion  of  firearms.  In  1798  the  United 
States  government  gave  him  a  contract  for 
this  purpose,  and  he  accumulated  a  fortune 
from  it.  The  town  of  Whitney vi lie,  Con- 
necticut, was  founded  by  this  fortune. 
Whitney  died  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut, 
January  8,   1825. 

The  cotton-gin  made  the  cultivation  of 
cotton  profitable,  and  this  led  to  rapid  in- 
troduction of  slavery  in  the  south.  His  in- 
vention thus  affected  our  national  history  in 
a  manner  little  dreamed  of  by  the  inventor. 


LESTER  WALLACK  (John  Lester  Wal- 
lack),  for  many  years  the  leading  light 
comedian  upon  the  American  stage,  was 
the  son  of  James  W.  Wallack,  the  "  Brum- 
mell  of  the  Stage."  Both  father  and  son 
were  noted  for  their  comeliness  of  feature 
and  form.  Lester  Wallack  was  born  in 
New  York,  January  1,  1819.  He  received 
his  education  in  England,  and  made  his  first 
appearance  on  the  stage  in  1848  at  the  New 
Broadway  theater,  New  York.  He  acted 
light  comedy  parts,  and  also  occasion- 
ally in  romantic  plays  like  Monte  Cristo, 
which  play  made  him  his  fame.  He  went 
to  England  and  played  under  management 
of  such  men  as  Hamblin  and  Burton, and  then 
returned  to  New  York  with  his  father,  who 
opened  the  first  Wallack's  theater,  at  the 
corner  of  Broome  and  Broadway,  in  1852. 
The  location  was  afterward  changed  to 
Thirteenth  and  Broadway,  in  1861,  and 
later  to  its  present  location,  Broad 
Thirteenth,  in  1882.  The  elder  Wallack 
died   in    18G4,    after  which  Lester  assumed 


management,  jointly  with  Theodore  Moss. 
Lester  Wallack  was  commissioned  in  the 
queen's  service  while  in  England,  and  there 
he  also  married  a  sister  to  the  famous  artist, 
the  late  John  Everett  Millais.  While  Les- 
ter Wallack  never  played  in  the  interior 
cities,  his  name  was  as  familiar  to  the  public 
as  that  of  our  greatest  stars.  He  die.!  Sep- 
tember 6,   1888,  at  Stamford,    Connecticut. 


GEORGE  MORTIMER  PULLMAN, 
the  palace  car  magnate,  inventor, 
multi-millionaire  and  manufacturer,  may 
well  be  classed  among  the  remarkable 
self-made  men  of  the  century.  He  was 
born  March  3,  1831,  in  Chautauqua  county, 
New  York.  His  parents  were  poor,  and 
his  education  was  limited  to  what  he  could 
learn  of  the  rudimentary  branches  in  the 
district  school.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  he 
went  to  work  as  clerk  for  a  country  mer- 
chant. He  kept  this  place  three  years, 
studying  at  night.  When  seventeen  he 
went  to  Albion,  New  York,  and  worked  for 
his  brother,  who  kept  a  cabinet  shop  there. 
Five  years  later  he  went  into  business  for 
himself  as  contractor  for  moving  buildings 
along  the  line  of  the  Erie  canal,  which  was 
then  being  widened  by  the  state,  and  was 
successful  in  thii.  In  1858  he  removed  to 
Chicago  and  engaged  in  the  business  of 
moving  and  raising  houses.  The  work  was 
novel  there  then  and  he  was  quite  success- 
ful. About  this  time  the  discomfort  attend- 
ant on  traveling  at  night  attracted  his  at- 
tention. He  reasoned  that  the  public  would 
gladly  pay  for  comfortable  sleeping  accom- 
modations. A  few  sleeping  cars  were  in 
use  at  that  time,  but  they  were  wretchedly 
crude,  uncomfortable  affairs.  In  1859  he 
bought  two  old  day  coaches  from  the  Chi- 
cago&Alton  road  and  remodeled  them  some- 
thing like  the  general  plan  of   the  sleeping 


122 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


cars  of  the  present  day.  They  were  put 
into  service  on  the  Chicago  &  Alton  and 
became  popular  at  once.  In  1863  he  built 
the  first  sleeping-car  resembling  the  Pullman 
cars  of  to-day.  It  cost  $18,000  and  was 
the  "Pioneer."  After  that  the  Pullman 
Palace  Car  Company  prospered.  It  had 
shops  at  different  cities.  In  1880  the  Town 
of  Pullman  was  founded  by  Mr.  Pullman 
and  his  company,  and  this  model  manufac- 
turing community  is  known  all  over  the 
world.    Mr.  Pullman  died  October  19,  1897. 

JAMES  E.  B.  STUART,  the  most  famous 
cavalry  leader  of  the  Southern  Confed- 
eracy during  the  Civil  war,  was  born  in 
Patrick  county,  Virginia,  in  1833.  On 
graduating  from  the  United  States  Military 
Academy,  West  Point,  in  1854,  he  was  as- 
signed, as  second  lieutenant,  to  a  regiment 
of  mounted  rifles,  receiving  his  commission 
in  October.  In  March,  1855,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  newly  organized  First  cavalry, 
and  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  the 
following  December,  and  to  captain  April 
22,  1861.  Taking  the  side  of  the  south, 
May  14,  1 861,  he  was  made  colonel  of  a 
Virginia  cavalry  regiment,  and  served  as 
such  at  Bull  Run.  In  September,  186 1,  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-gen- 
erai.  and  major-general  early  in  1862.  On 
the  reorganization  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  in  June  of  the  latter  year,  when 
R.  E.  Lee  assumed  command,  General  Stu- 
art made  a  reconnoissance  with  one  thou- 
sand five  hundred  cavalry  and  four  guns, 
and  in  two  days  made  the  circuit  of  McClel- 
lan's  army,  producing  much  confusion  and 
gathering  useful  information,  and  losing  but 
one  man.  August  25,  1862,  he  captured 
part  of  Pope's  headquarters'  train,  including 
that  general's  private  baggage  and  official 
correspondence,    and  the   next  night,    in  a 


descent  upon  Manasses,  capturing  immense 
quantities  of  commissary  and  quartermaster 
store,  eight  guns,  a  number  of  locomotives 
and  a  few  hundred  prisoners.  During  the 
invasion  of  Maryland,  in  September,  1862, 
General  Stuart  acted  as  rearguard,  resisting 
the  advance  of  the  Federal  cavalry  at  South 
Mountain,  and  at  Antietam  commanded  the 
Confederate  left.  Shortly  after  he  crossed 
the  Potomac,  making  a  raid  as  far  as  Cham- 
bersburg,  Pennsylvania.  In  the  battle  of 
Fredericksburg,  December  13,  1862,  Gen- 
eral Stuart's  command  was  on  the  extreme 
right  of  the  Confederate  line.  At  Chancel- 
lorsville,  after  "Stonewall  "  Jackson's  death 
and  the  wounding  of  General  A.  P.  Hill, 
General  Stuart  assumed  command  of  Jack- 
son's corps,  which  he  led  in  the  severe  con- 
test of  May  3,  1863.  Early  in  June,  the 
same  year,  a  large  force  of  cavalry  was 
gathered  under  Stuart,  at  Culpepper,  Vir- 
ginia, which,  advancing  to  join  General  Lee 
in  his  invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  was  met  at 
Brandy  Station,  by  two  divisions  of  cavalry 
and  two  brigades  of  infantry,  under  General 
John  I.  Gregg,  and  driven  back.  During  the 
movements  of  the  Gettysburg  campaign  he 
rendered  important  services.  In  May,  1864, 
General  Stuart  succeeded,  by  a  detour,  in 
placing  himself  between  Richmond  and 
Sheridan's  advancing  column,  and  at  Yellow 
Tavern  was  attacked  in  force.  During  the 
fierce  conflict  that  ensued  General  Stuart 
was  mortally  wounded,  and  died  at  Rich- 
mond, May  11,   1864. 


FRANKLIN  PIERCE,  the  fourteenth 
president  of  the  United  States — from 
1853  until  1857 — was  born  November  23, 
1804,  at  Hillsboro,  New  Hampshire.  He 
came  of  old  revolutionary  stock  and  his 
father  was  a  governor  of  the  state.  Mr. 
Pierce  entered  Bowdoin    College  in    1820, 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPIIV. 


V2H 


was  graduated  in  1S24,  and  took  up  the 
study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Wood- 
bury, and  later  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 
Mr.  Pierce  practiced  his  profession  with 
varying  successes  in  his  native  town  and 
also  in  Concord.  He  was  elected  to  the 
state  legislature  in  1833  and  served  in  that 
body  until  1837,  the  last  two  years  of  his 
term  serving  as  speaker  of  the  house.  He 
was  elected  to  the  United  States  senate  in 
1837,  just  as  President  Van  Buren  began 
his  term  of  office.  Mr.  Pierce  served  until 
1842,  and  many  times  during  Polk's  term  he 
declined  important  public  offices.  During 
the  war  with  Mexico  Mr.  Pierce  was  ap- 
pointed brigadier-general,  and  he  embarked 
with  a  portion  of  his  troops  at  Newport, 
Rhode  Island,  May  27,  1847,  and  went  with 
them  to  the  field  of  battle.  He  served 
through  the  war  and  distinguished  himself 
by  his  skill,  bravery  and  excellent  judg- 
ment. When  he  reached  his  home  in  his 
native  state  he  was  received  coldly  by  the 
opponents  of  the  war,  but  the  advocates  of 
the  war  made  up  for  his  cold  reception  by 
the  enthusiastic  welcome  which  they  ac- 
corded him.  Mr.  Pierce  resumed  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession,  and  in  the  political 
strife  that  followed  he  gave  his  support  to 
the  pro-slavery  wing  of  the  Democratic 
party.  The  Democratic  convention  met  in 
Baltimore,  June  12,  1852,  to  nominate  a 
candidate  for  the  presidency,  and  they  con- 
tinued in  session  four  days,  and  in  thirty- 
five  ballotings  no  one  had  secured  the  re- 
quisite two-thirds  vote.  Mr.  Pierce  had  not 
received  a  vote  as  yet,  until  the  Virginia 
delegation  brought  his  name  forward,  and 
finally  on  the  forty-ninth  ballot  Mr.  Pierce 
received  282  votes  and  all  the  other  candi- 
dates eleven.  His  opponent  on  the  Whig 
ticket  was  General  Winfield  Scott,  who 
only  received    the   electoral  votes    of    four 


states.  Mr.  Pierce  was  inaugurated  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  March  4,  1S53, 
with  W.  R.  King  as  vice  president,  and  the 
following  named  gentlemen  were  afterward 
chosen  to  fill  the  positions  in  the  cabinet: 
William  S.  Marcy,  James  Guthrie,  Jeffer- 
son Davis,  James  C.  Dobbin,  Robert  Mc- 
Clelland, James  Campbell  and  Caleb  Cush- 
ing.  During  the  administration  of  President 
Pierce  the  Missouri  compromise  law  was 
repealed,  and  all  the  territories  of  the  Union 
were  thrown  open  to  slavery,  and  the  dis- 
turbances in  Kansas  occurred.  In  1857  he 
was  succeeded  in  the  presidency  by  James 
Buchanan,  and  retired  to  his  home  in  Con- 
cord, New  Hampshire.  He  always  cherished 
his  principles  of  slavery,  and' at  the  out- 
break of  the  rebellion  he  was  an  adherent  of 
the  cause  of  the  Confederacy.  He  died  at 
Concord,  New  Hampshire,  October  8,  1869. 


JAMES  B.  WEAVER,  well  known  as  a 
leader  of  the  Greenback  and  later  of  the 
Populist  party,  was  born  at  Dayton,  Ohio, 
June  12,  1833.  He  received  his  earlier 
education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  town, 
and  entered  the  law  department  of  the  Ohio 
University,  at  Cincinnati,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1854.  Removing  to  the  grow- 
ing state  of  Iowa,  he  became  connected 
with  "The  Iowa  Tribune,"  at  the  state 
capital,  Des  Moines,  as  one  of  its  editors. 
He  afterward  practiced  law  and  was  elected 
district  attorney  for  the  second  judicial  dis- 
trict of  Iowa,  on  the  Republican  ticket  in 
1866,  which  office  he  held  for  a  short  time. 
In  1867  Mr.  Weaver  was  appointed  assessor 
of  internal  revenue  for  the  first  district  of 
Iowa,  and  filled  that  position  until  some- 
time in  1873.  He  was  elected  and  served 
in  the  forty-sixth  congress.  In  1880  the 
National  or  Greenback  party  in  convention 
at  Chicago,  nominated  James  B.  Weaver  as. 


ll'-i 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BI0GRAPH1. 


its  candidate  for  the  presidency.  By  a 
union  of  the  Democratic  and  National 
parties  in  his  district,  he  was  elected  to  the 
forty-ninth  congress,  and  re-elected  to  the 
same  office  in  the  fall  of  1886.  Mr.  Weaver 
was  conceded  to  be  a  very  fluent  speaker, 
and  quite  active  in  all  political  work.  On 
July  4,  1892,  at  the  National  convention 
of  the  People's  party,  General  James  B. 
Weaver  was  chosen  as  the  candidate  for 
president  of  that  organization,  and  during 
the  campaign  that  followed,  gained  a  na- 
tional reputation. 


ANTHONY  JOSEPH  DREXEL,  one 
of  the  leading  bankers  and  financiers  of 
the  United  States,  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1826,  and  was  the  son  of 
Francis  M.  Drexel,  who  had  established 
the  large  banking  institution  of  Drexel  & 
Co.,  so  well  known.  The  latter  was  a  native 
of  Dornbirn,  in  the  Austrian  Tyrol.  He 
studied  languages  and  fine  arts  at  Turin, 
Italy.  On  returning  to  his  mountain  home, 
in  1809,  and  finding  it  in  the  hands  of  the 
French,  he  went  to  Switzerland  and  later 
to  Paris.  In  i8i2,aftera  short  visit  home, 
he  went  to  Berlin,  where  he  studied  paint- 
ing until  18 1 7,  in  which  year  he  emigrated 
to  America,  and  settled  in  Philadelphia.  A 
few  years  later  he  went  to  Chili  and  Peru, 
where  he  executed  some  fine  portraits  of 
notable  people,  including  General  Simon 
Bolivar.  After  spending  some  time  in  Mex- 
ico, he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  banking  business.  In  1837  he 
founded  the  house  of  Drexel  &  Co.  He 
died  in  1837,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  two 
sons,  Anthony  J.  and  Francis  A.  His  son, 
Anthony  J.  Drexel,  Jr. ,  entered  the  bank 
when  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age,  before  he 
was  through  with  his  schooling,  and  after 
that  the  history  of  the  banking  business  of 


which  he  was  the  head,  was  the  history  of  his 
life.  The  New  York  house  of  Drexel,  Mor- 
gan &  Co.  was  established  in  1850;  the 
Paris  house,  Drexel,  Harjes  &  Co., in  1867. 
The  Drexel  banking  houses  have  supplied 
iand  placed  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars 
n  government,  corporation,  railroad  and 
other  loans  and  securities.  The  reputation 
of  the  houses  has  always  been  held  on  the 
highest  plane.  Mr.  Drexel  founded  and 
heavily  endowed  the  Drexel  Institute,  in 
Philadelphia,  an  institution  to  furnish  better 
and  wider  avenues  of  employment  to  young 
people  of  both  sexes.  It  has  departments 
of  arts,  science,  mechanical  arts  and  domes- 
tic economy.  Mr.  Drexel, Jr. .departed  this 
life  June  30,  1893. 


SAMUEL  FINLEY  BREESE  MORSE, 
inventor  of  the  recording  telegraph  in- 
strument, was  born  in  Charlestown,  Massa- 
chusetts, April  27,  1 79 1.  He  graduated 
from  Yale  College  in  18 10,  and  took  up  art 
as  his  profession.  He  went  to  London  with 
the  great  American  painter,  Washington 
Allston,  and  studied  in  the  Royal  Academy 
under  Benjamin  West.  His  "Dying  Her- 
cules," his  first  effort  in  sculpture,  took  the 
gold  medal  in  1813.  He  returned  to  Amer- 
ica in  18 1 5  and  continued  to  pursue  his 
profession.  He  was  greatly  interested  in 
scientific  studies,  which  he  carried  on  in 
connection  with  other  labors.  He  founded 
the  National  Academy  of  Design  and  was 
many  years  its  president.  He  returned  to 
Europe  and  spent  three  years  in  study 
in  the  art  centers,  Rome,  Florence,  Venice 
and  Paris.  In  1832  he  returned  to  America 
and  while  on  the  return  voyage  the  idea  of 
a  recording  teiegraph  apparatus  occurred  to 
him,  and  he  made  a  drawing  to  represent  his 
conception.  He  was  the  first  to  occupy  the 
chair  of    fine  arts  in  the  University  of  New 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


125 


York  City,  and  in  1835  he  set  up  his  rude 
instrument  in  his  room  in  the  university. 
But  it  was  not  until  after  many  years  of 
discouragement  and  reverses  of  fortune  that 
lie  finally  was  successful  in  placing  his  inven- 
tion before  the  public.  In  1844,  by  aid  of 
the  United  States  government,  he  had  con- 
structed a  telegraph  line  forty  miles  in  length 
from  Washington  to  Baltimore.  Over  this 
line  the  test  was  made,  and  the  first  tele- 
graphic message  was  flashed  May  24,  1844, 
from  the  United  States  supreme  court  rooms 
to  Baltimore.  It  read,  "What  hath  God 
wrought!"  His  fame  and  fortune  were  es- 
tablished in  an  instant.  Wealth  and  honors 
poured  in  upon  him  from  that  day.  The 
nations  of  Europe  vied  with  each  other 
in  honoring  the  great  inventor  with  medals, 
titles  and  decorations,  and  the  learned 
societies  of  Europe  hastened  to  enroll  his 
name  upon  their  membership  lists  and  confer 
degrees.  In  1858  he  was  the  recipient  of  an 
honor  never  accorded  to  an  inventor  before. 
The  ten  leading  nations  of  Europe,  at  the 
suggestion  of  the  Emporer  Napoleon,  ap- 
pointed representatives  to  an  international 
congress,  which  convened  at  Paris  for  the 
special  purpose  of  expressing  gratitude  of  the 
nations,  and  they  voted  him  a  present  of 
400,000  francs. 

Professor  Morse  was  present  at  the  unveil- 
ing of  a  bronze  statue  erected  in  his  honor  in 
Central  Pajk,  New  York,  in  1871.  His  last 
appearance  in  public  was  at  the  unveiling 
of  the  statue  of  Benjamin  Franklin  in  New 
York  in  1872,  when  he  made  the  dedica- 
tory speech  and  unveiled  the  statue.  He 
died  April  2,   1872,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 


MORRISON  REMICH  WAITE, seventh 
chief  justice  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  at  Lyme,  Connecticut,  November  29, 
1 8 16.      He  was  a  graduate   from  Yale   Col- 


lege in  1837,  in  the  class  with  William  M. 
Evarts.  His  father  was  judge  of  the  su- 
preme court  of  errors  of  the  state  of  Con- 
necticut, and  in  his  office  young  W'aite 
studied  law.  He  subsequently  removed  to 
Ohio,  and  was  elected  to  the  legislature  of 
that  state  in  1849.  He  removed  from 
Maumee  City  to  Toledo  and  became  a  prom- 
inent legal  light  in  that  state.  He  was 
nominated  as  a  candidate  for  congress  re- 
peatedly but  declined  to  run,  and  also  de- 
clined a  place  on  the  supreme  bench  of  the 
state.  He  won  great  distinction  for  his  able 
handling  of  the  Alabama  claims  at  Geneva, 
before  the  arbitration  tribunal  in  1871,  and 
was  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  United  States  in  1874  on  the 
death  of  Judge  Chase.  When,  in  1876,  elec- 
toral commissioners  were  chosen  to  decide 
the  presidential  election  controversy  between 
Tilden  and  Hayes,  Judge  Waite  refused  to 
serve  on  that  commission. 

His  death  occurred  March  23,   1S88. 


ELISHA  KENT  KANE  was  one  of  the 
distinguished  American  explorers  of  the 
unknown  regions  of  the  frozen  north,  and 
gave  to  the  world  a  more  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  the  Arctic  zone.  Dr.  Kane  was 
born  February  3,  1820,  at  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  graduate  of  the 
universities  of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania, 
and  took  his  medical  degree  in  1843.  He 
entered  the  service  of  the  United  States 
navy,  and  was  physician  to  the  Chinese 
embassy.  Dr.  Kane  traveled  extensively 
in  the  Levant,  Asia  and  Western  Africa, 
and  also  served  in  the  Mexican  war,  in 
which  he  was  severely  wounded.  His 
first  Arctic  expedition  was  under  De  Haven 
in  the  first  Grinnell  expedition  in  search 
of  Sir  John  Franklin  in  1850.  He  com- 
manded   the    second    Grinnell    expedition 


liO 


COMPENDIUM  OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


in  1853-55,  and  discovered  an  open  polar 
sea.  For  this  expedition  he  received  a  gold 
medal  and  other  distinctions.  He  published 
a  narrative  of  his  first  polar  expedition  in 
I853,  and  in  1856  published  two  volumes 
relating  to  his  second  polar  expedition.  He 
was  a  man  of  active,  enterprising  and  cour- 
ageous spirit.  His  health,  which  was  al- 
ways delicate,  was  impaired  by  the  hard- 
ships of  his  Arctic  expeditions,  from  which 
he  never  fully  recovered  and  from  which  he 
died  February  16,  1857,  at  Havana. 


ELIZABETH  CADY  STANTON  was  a 
daughter  of  Judge  Daniel  Cady  and 
Margaret  Livingston,  and  was  born  Novem- 
ber 12,  181  5,  at  Johnstown,  New  York.  She 
was  educated  at  the  Johnstown  Academy, 
vhere  she  studied  with  a  class  of  boys,  and 
was  fitted  for  college  at  the  age  of  fifteen, 
•after  which  she  pursued  her  studies  at  Mrs. 
Willard's  Seminary,  at  Troy.  Her  atten- 
tion was  called  to  the  disabilities  of  her  sex 
by  her  own  educational  experiences,  and 
through  a  study  of  Blackstone,  Story,  and 
Kent.  Miss  Cady  was  married  to  Henry  B. 
Stanton  in  1840,  and  accompanied  him  to 
the  world's  anti-slavery  convention  in  Lon- 
don. While  there  she  made  the  acquain- 
tance of  Lucretia,  Mott.  Mrs.  Stanton 
resided  at  Boston  until  1847,  when  the 
family  moved  to  Seneca  Falls,  New  York, 
and  she  and  Lucretia  Mott  signed  the  first 
call  for  a  woman's  rights  convention.  The 
meeting  was  held  at  her  place  of  residence 
July  19-20,  1848.  This  was  the  first  oc- 
casion of  a  formal  claim  of  suffrage  for 
women  that  was  made.  Mrs.  Stanton  ad- 
dressed the  New  York  legislature,  in  1854, 
on  the  rights  of  married  women,  and  in 
i860,  in  advocacy  of  the  granting  of  di- 
vorce for  drunkenness.  She  also  addressed 
the  legislature  and   the    constitutional   con- 


vention, and  maintained  that  during  the 
revision  of  the  constitution  the  state  was 
resolved  into  its  original  elements,  and  that 
all  citizens  had,  therefore,  a  right  to  vote 
for  the  members  of  that  convention.  After 
1869  Mrs.  Stanton  frequently  addressed 
congressional  committees  and  state  consti- 
tutional conventions,  and  she  canvassed 
Kansas,  Michigan,  and  other  states  when 
the  question  of  woman  suffrage  was  sub- 
mitted in  those  states.  Mrs.  Stanton  was 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  "  Revolution,"  and 
most  of  the  calls  and  resolutions  for  con- 
ventions have  come  from  her  pen.  She 
was  president  of  the  national  committee, 
also  of  the  Woman's  Loyal  League,  and 
of  the  National  Association,  for  many  years. 


DAVID  DUDLEY  FIELD,  a  great 
American  jurist,  was  born  in  Connecti- 
cut in  i8o5-  He  en.c.ca  Williams  College 
when  sixteen  years  old,  and  commenced  the 
study  of  law  in  1825.  In  1828  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  and  went  to  New  York, 
where  he  soon  came  into  prominence  be- 
fore the  bar  of  that  state.  He  entered  upon 
the  labor  of  reforming  the  practice  and 
procedure,  which  was  then  based  upon  the 
common  law  practice  of  England,  and  had 
become  extremely  complicated,  difficult  and 
uncertain  in  its  application.  His  first  paper 
on  this  subject  was  published  in  1839,  and 
after  eight  years  of  continuous  efforts  in  this, 
direction,  he  was  appointed  one  of  a  com- 
mission by  New  York  to  reform  the  practice 
of  that  state.  The  result  was  embodied  in 
the  two  codes  of  procedure,  civil  and  crimi- 
nal, the  first  of  which  was  adopted  almost 
entire  by  the  state  of  New  York,  and  has 
since  been  adopted  by  more  than  half  the 
states  in  the  Union,  and  became  the  basis 
of  the  new  practice  and  procedure  in  Eng- 
land, contained  in  the  Judicature  act.      He 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPIIV. 


127 


was  later  appointed  chairman  cf  a  new  com- 
mission to  codify  the  entire  body  of  laws. 
This  great  work  employed  many  years  in  its 
completion,  but  when  finished  it  embraced 
a  civil,  penal,  and  political  code,  covering 
the  entire  field  of  American  laws,  statutory 
and  common.  This  great  body  of  law  was 
adopted  by  California  and  Dakota  territory 
in  its  entirety,  and  many  other  states  have 
since  adopted  its  substance.  In  1867  the 
British  Association  for  Social  Science  heard 
a  proposition  from  Mr.  Field  to  prepare  an 
international  code.  This  led  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  his  "  Draft  Outlines  of  an  Interna- 
tional Code,"  which  was  in  fact  a  complete 
body  of  international  laws,  and  introduced 
the  principle  of  arbitration.  Other  of  his 
codes  of  the  state  of  New  York  have  since 
been  adopted  by  that  state. 

In  addition  to  his  great  works  on  law, 
Mr.  Field  indulged  his  literary  tastes  by  fre- 
quent contributions  to  general  literature, 
and  his  articles  on  travels,  literature,  and 
the  political  questions  of  the  hour  gave 
him  rank  with  the  best  writers  of  his  time. 
His  father  was  the  Rev.  David  Dudley  Field, 
and  his  brothers  were  Cyrus  W.  Field,  Rev. 
Henry  Martin  Field,  and  Justice  Stephen 
J.  Field  of  the  United  States  supreme 
court.  David  Dudley  Field  died  at  New 
York,  April  13,  1894. 


HENRY  M.  TELLER,  a  celebrated 
American  politician,  and  secretary  of 
the  interior  under  President  Arthur,  was  born 
May  23,  1830,  in  Allegany  county,  New 
York.  He  was  of  Hollandish  ancestry  and 
received  an  excellent  education,  after  which 
he  took  up  the  study  of  law  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  the  state  of  New  York. 
Mr.  Teller  removed  to  Illinois  in  January, 
1858,  and  practiced  for  three  years  in  that 
state.      From  thence  he  moved  to  Colorado 


in  1 86 1  and  located  at  Central  City,  which 
was  then  one  of  the  principal  mining  towns 
in  the  state.  His  exceptional  abilities  as 
a  lawyer  soon  brought  him  into  prominence 
and  gained  for  him  a  numerous  and  profit- 
able clientage.  In  politics  he  affiliated  with 
the  Republican  party,  but  declined  to  become 
a  candidate  for  office  until  the  admission  of 
Colorado  into  the  Union  as  a  state,  when 
he  was  elected  to  the  United  States  senate. 
Mr.  Teller  drew  the  term  ending  March 
4,  1877,  but  was  re-elected  December  11, 
1876,  and  served  until  April  17,  1882,  when 
he  was  appointed  by  President  Arthur  as 
secretary  of  the  interior.  He  accepted  a 
cabinet  position  with  reluctance,  and  on 
March  3,  1885,  he  retired  from  the  cabinet, 
having  been  elected  to  the  senate  a  short 
time  before  to  succeed  Nathaniel  P.  Hill. 
Mr.  Teller  took  his  seat  on  March  4,  1885,. 
in  the  senate,  to  which  he  was  afterward 
re-elected.  He  served  as  chairman  on  the 
committee  of  pensions,  patents,  mines  and 
mining,  and  was  also  a  member  of  commit- 
tees on  claims,  railroads,  privileges  and 
elections  and  public  lands.  Mr.  Teller  came 
to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  ablest  advo- 
cates of  the  silver  cause.  He  was  one  of  the 
delegates  to  the  Republican  National  conven- 
tion at  St.  Louis  in  1896,  in  which  he  took 
an  active  part  and  tried  to  have  a  silver 
plank  inserted  in  the  platform  of  the  party. 
Failing  in  this  he  felt  impelled  to  bolt  the 
convention,  which  he  did  and  joined  forces 
with  the  great  silver  movement  in  the  cam- 
paign which  followed,  being  recognized  in 
that  campaign  as  one  of  the  most  able  and 
eminent  advocates  of  "silver"   in   America. 


JOHN  ERICSSON,  an  eminent  inven- 
tor and  machinist,  who  won  fame  in 
America,  was  born  in  Sweden,  July  31,1  803. 
In  early  childhood  he  evinced  a  decided  in- 


128 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


ciination  to  mechanical  pursuits,  and  at  the 
age  of  eleven  he  was  appointed  to  a  cadet- 
ship  in  the  engineer  corps,  and  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  was  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy. 
In  1826  he  introduced  a  "flame  engine," 
which  he  had  invented,  and  offered  it  to 
.English  capitalists,  but  it  was  found  that  it 
could  be  operated  only  by  the  use  of  wood 
for  fuel.  Shortly  after  this  he  resigned  his 
commission  in  the  army  of  Sweden,  and  de- 
voted himself  to  mechanical  pursuits.  He 
discovered  and  introduced  the  principle  of 
artificial  draughts  in  steam  boilers,  and  re- 
ceived a  prize  of  two  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars  for  his  locomotive,  the  "Novelty," 
which  attained  a  great  speed,  for  that  day. 
The  artificial  draught  effected  a  great  saving 
in  fuel  and  made  unnecessary  the  huge 
smoke-stacks  formerly  used,  and  the  princi- 
ple is  still  applied,  in  modified  form,  in  boil- 
ers. He  also  invented  a  steam  fire-engine, 
and  later  a  hot-air  engine,  which  he  at- 
tempted to  apply  in  the  operation  of  his 
ship,  "Ericsson,"  but  as  it  did  not  give  the 
speed  required,  he  abandoned  it,  but  after- 
wards applied  it  to  machinery  for  pumping, 
hoisting,  etc. 

Ericsson  was  first  to  apply  the  screw 
propeller  to  navigation.  The  English  peo- 
ple not  receiving  this  new  departure  readily, 
Ericsson  came  to  America  in  1839,  and 
built  the  United  States  steamer,  "Prince- 
ton." in  which  the  screw-propeller  was  util- 
ized, the  first  steamer  ever  built  in  which 
the  propeller  was  under  water,  out  of  range 
of  the  enemy's  shots.  The  achievement 
which  gave  him  greatest  renown,  however, 
was  the  ironclad  vessel,  the  "  Monitor,"  an 
ei  tirely  new  type  of  vessel,  which,  in  March, 
1862,  attacked  the  Confederate  monster 
ironclad  ram,  "Virginia, "  and  after  a  fierce 
struggle,  compelled  her  to  withdraw  from 
Hampton  Roads  for  repairs.      After  the  war 


one  of  his  most  noted  inventions  was  his 
vessel,  "  Destroyer,"  with  a  submarine  gun, 
which  carried  a  projectile  torpedo.  In  1886 
the  king  of  Spain  conferred  on  him  the 
grand  cross  of  the  Order  of  Naval  Merit. 
He  died  in  March,  1889,  and  his  body  was 
transferred,  with  naval  honors,  to  the  country 
of  his  birth. 


TAMES  BUCHANAN,  the  fifteenth  presi- 
<J  dent  of  the  United  States,  was  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  born  in  Franklin 
county,  April  23,  1 791.  He  was  of  Irish 
ancestry,  his  father  having  come  to  this 
country  in  1783,  in  quite  humble  circum- 
stances, and  settled  in  the  western  part  of 
the  Keystone  state. 

James  Buchanan  remained  in  his  se- 
cluded home  for  eight  years,  enjoying  but 
few  social  or  intellectual  advantages.  His 
parents  were  industrious  and  frugal,  and 
prospered,  and,  in  1799,  the  family  removed 
to  Mercersbur  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
was  placed  in  school.  His  progress  was 
rapid,  and  in  1801  he  entered  Dickinson 
College,  at  Carlisle,  where  he  took  his  place 
among  the  best  scholars  in  the  institution. 
In  1809  he  graduated  with  the  highest  hon- 
ors in  his  class.  He  was  then  eighteen,  tall, 
graceful  and  in  vigorous  health.  He  com- 
menced the  study  of  law  at  Lancaster,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1812.  He. rose 
very  rapidly  in  his  profession  and  took  a 
stand  with  the  ablest  of  his  fellow  lawyers. 
When  but  twenty-six  years  old  he  success- 
fully defended,  unaided  by  counsel,  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  state  who  was  before  the 
bar  of  the  state  senate  under  articles  of  im- 
peachment. 

During  the  war  of  1812-15,  Mr.  Buch- 
anan sustained  the  government  with  all  his 
power,  eloquently  urging  the  vigorous  prose- 
cution of  the  war,  and  enlisted  as  a  private 


C  OMPENDI UM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


129 


volunteer  to  assist  in  repelling  the  British 
who  had  sacked  and  burned  the  public 
buildings  of  Washington  and  threatened 
Baltimore.  At  that  time  Buchanan  was 
a  Federalist,  but  the  opposition  of  that 
party  to  the  war  with  Great  Britain  and  the 
alien  and  sedition  laws  of  John  Adams, 
brought  that  party  into  disrepute,  and  drove 
many,  among  them  Buchanan,  into  the  Re- 
publican, or  anti-Federalist  ranks.  He  was 
elected  to  congress  in  1828.  In  1831  he 
was  sent  as  minister  to  Russia,  and  upon 
his  return  to  this  country,  in  1833,  was  ele- 
vated to  the  United  States  senate,  and  re- 
mained in  that  position  for  twelve  years. 
Upon  the  accession  of  President  Polk  to 
office  he  made  Mr.  Buchanan  secretary  of 
state.  Four  years  later  he  retired  to  pri- 
vate life,  and  in  1853  he  was  honored  with 
the  mission  to  England.  In  1856  the  na- 
tional Democratic  convention  nominated 
him  for  the  presidency  and  he  was  elected. 
It  was  during  his  administration  that  the 
rising  tide  of  the  secession  movement  over- 
took the  country.  Mr.  Buchanan  declared 
that  the  national  constitution  gave  him  no 
power  to  do  anything  against  the  movement 
to  break  up  the  Union.  After  his  succession 
by  Abraham  Lincoln  in  i860,  Mr.  Buchanan 
retired  to  his  home  at  Wheatland,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  died  June  1,   1868. 


JOHN  HARVARD,  the  founder  of  the 
Harvard  University,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land about  the  year  1608.  He  received  his 
education  at  Emanuel  College,  Cambridge, 
and  came  to  America  in  1637,  settling  in 
Massachusetts.  He  was  a  non-conformist 
minister,  and  a  tract  of  land  was  set  aside 
for  him  in  Charlestown,  near  Boston.  He 
was  at  once  appointed  one  of  a  committee  to 
formulate  a  body  of  laws  for  the  colony. 
One  year  before  his  arrival  in   the  colony 


the  general  court  had  voted  the  sum  of  four 
hundred  pounds  toward  the  establishment  of 
a  school  or  college,  half  of  which  was  to  be 
paid  the  next  year  In  1637  preliminary 
plans  were  made  for  starting  the  school.  In 
1638  John  Harvard,  who  had  shown  great 
interest  in  the  new  institution  o*  learning 
proposed,  died,  leaving  his  entire  property, 
about  twice  the  sum  originally  voted,  to  the 
school,  together  with  three  hundred  volumes 
as  a  nucleus  for  a  library.  The  institution 
was  then  given  the  name  of  Harvard,  and 
established  at  Newton  (now  Cambridge), 
Massachusetts.  It  grew  to  be  one  of  the  two 
principal  seats  of  learning  in  the  new  world, 
and  has  maintained  its  reputation  since.  It 
now  consists  of  twenty-two  separate  build- 
ings, and  its  curriculum  embraces  over  one 
hundred  and  seventy  elective  courses,  and  it 
ranks  among  the  great  universities  of  the 
world. 

ROGER  BROOKE  TANEY,  a  noted 
jurist  and  chief  justice  of  the  United 
States  supreme  court,  was  born  in  Calvert 
county,  Maryland,  March  17,  1777.  He 
graduated  fiom  Dickinson  College  at  the 
age  of  eighteen,  took  up  the  study  of  law, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1799.  He 
was  chosen  to  the  legislature  from  his  county, 
and  in  1801  removed  to  Frederick,  Mary- 
land. He  became  United  States  senator 
from  Maryland  in  18 16,  and  took  up  his 
permanent  residence  in  Baltimore  a  few 
years  later.  In  1824  he  became  an  ardent 
admirer  and  supporter  of  Andrew  Jackson, 
and  upon  Jackson's  election  to  the  presi- 
dency, was  appointed  attorney  general  of 
the  United  States.  Two  years  later  he  was 
appointed  secretary  of  the  treasury,  and 
after  serving  in  that  capacity  for  nearly  one 
year,  the  senate  refused  to  con  linn  the  ap- 
pointment.     In    1835,    upon    the    death  of 


ISO 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Chief-justice  Marshall,  he  was  appointed  to 
that  place,  and  a  political  change  having 
occurred  in  the  make  up  of  the  senate,  he 
was  confirmed  in  1836.  He  presided  at 
bis  first  session  in  January  of  the  following 
year. 

The  case  which  suggests  itself  first  to 
the  average  reader  in  connection  with  this 
jurist  is  the  celebrated  "  Dred  Scott  "  case, 
which  came  before  the  supreme  court  for 
decision  in  1856.  In  his  opinion,  delivered 
on  behalf  of  a  majority  of  the  court,  one 
remarkable  statement  occurs  as  a  result  of 
an  exhaustive  survey  of  the  historical 
grounds,  to  the  effect  that  "  for  more  than 
a  century  prior  to  the  adoption  of  the  con- 
stitution they  (Africans)  had  been  regarded 
so  far  inferior  that  they  had  no  rights  which 
a  white  man  was  bound  to  respect."  Judge 
Taney  retain'  d  the  office  of  chief  justice 
until  his  death,  in  1864. 


JOHN  LOTHROP  MOTLEY.— This  gen- 
tleman had  a  world-wide  reputation  as 
an  historian,  which  placed  him  in  the  front 
rank  of  the  great  men  of  America.  He  was 
born  April  15,  18 14,  at  Dorchester,  Massa- 
chusetts, was  given  a  thorough  preparatory 
education  and  then  attended  Harvard,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1831.  He  also 
studied  at  Gottingen  and  Berlin,  read  law 
and  in  1836  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  In 
1 84 1  he  was  appointed  secretary  of  the 
legation  at  St.  Petersburg,  and  in  T866-67 
served  as  United  States  minibter  to  Austria, 
serving  in  the  same  capacity  during  1869 
and  1870  to  England.  In  1856,  after  1  >ng 
and  exhau  tive  research  and  preparation, he 
published  in  Lopdon  "The  Rise  of  the 
Dutch  Rep;iM  c."  It  embraced  three  vol- 
umes and  im  nediatety  attracted  great  at- 
tention throughout  Europe  and  America  as 
a  work  of   unusual   merit.      From    1861    to 


1868  he  produced  "The  History  of  the 
United  Netherlands,"  in  four  volumes. 
Other  works  followed,  with  equal  success, 
and  his  position  as  one  of  the  foremost  his- 
torians and  writers  of  his  day  was  firmly 
established.  His  death  occured  May  29, 
1877-  

ELIAS  HOWE,  the  inventor  of  the  sew- 
ing machine,  well  deserves  to  be  classed 
among  the  great  and  noted  men  of  Amer- 
ica. He  was  the  son  of  a  miller  and  farmer 
and  was  born  at  Spencer,  Massachusetts, 
July  9,  1 8  1 9.  In  1835  he  went  to  Lowell 
and  worked  there,  and  later  at  Boston,  in  the 
machine  shops.  His  first  sewing  machine 
was  completed  in  1845,  and  he  patented  it  in 
1846,  laboring  with  the  greatest  persistency 
in  spite  of  poverty  and  hardships,  working 
for  a  time  as  an  engine  driver  on  a  railroad 
at  pauper  wages  and  with  broken  health. 
He  then  spent  two  years  of  unsuccessful  ex- 
ertion in  England,  striving  in  vain  to  bring 
his  invention  into  public  notice  and  use. 
He  returned  to  the  United  States  in  almost 
hopeless  poverty,  to  find  that  his  patent 
had  been  violated.  At  last,  however,  he 
found  friends  who  assisted  him  financially, 
and  after  years  of  litigation  he  made  good 
his  claims  in  the  courts  in  1S54.  His  inven- 
tion afterward  brought  him  a  large  fortune. 
During  the  Civil  war  he  volunteered  as  a 
private  in  the  Seventeenth  Connecticut  Vol- 
unteers, and  served  for  some  time.  During 
his  life  time  he  received  the  cross  of  the 
Legion  of  Honor  and  many  other  medals. 
His  death  occurred  October  3,  1S67,  at 
Brooklvn,  New  York. 


PHILLIPS  BROOKS,  celebrated  as  an' 
eloquent  preacher  and  able  pulpit  ora- 
tor, was  born  in  Boston  on  the  13th  day  of 
December,     r  S3  5 .       He    received    excellent 


COMPEXDICM    OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


131 


educational  advantages,  and  graduated  at 
Harvard  in  1855.  Early  in  life  he  decided 
upon  the  ministry  as  his  life  work  and 
studied  theology  in  the  Episcopal  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  at  Alexandria,  Virginia.  In 
1859  he  was  ordained  and  the  same  year 
became  pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Advent, 
in  Philadelphia.  Three  years  later  he  as- 
sumed the  pastorate  of  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity,  where  he  remained  until  1870. 
At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  accepted 
the  pastoral  charge  of  Trinity  Church  in 
Boston,  where  his  eloquence  and  ability  at- 
tracted much  attention  and  built  up  a  pow- 
erful church  organization.  Dr.  Brooks  also 
devoted  considerable  time  to  lecturing  and 
literary  work  and  attained  prominence  in 
these  lines. 

WILLIAM  B.  ALLISON,  a  statesman 
of  national  reputation  and  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  Republican  party,  was  born 
March  2,  1829,  at  Perry,  Ohio.  He  grew 
up  on  his  father's  farm,  which  he  assisted 
in  cultivating,  and  attended  the  district 
school.  When  sixteen  years  old  he  went 
to  the  academy  at  Wooster,  and  subse- 
quently spent  a  year  at  the  Allegheny  Col- 
lege, at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania.  He  next 
taught  school  and  spent  another  year  at  the 
Western  Reserve  College,  at  Hudson,  Ohio. 
Mr.  Allison  then  took  up  the  study  of  law 
at  Wooster,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1 85 1,  and  soon  obtained  a  position 
as  deputy  county  clerk.  His  political  lean- 
ings were  toward  the  old  line  Whigs,  who 
afterward  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Repub- 
lican party.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  state 
convention  in  1856,  in  the  campaign  of 
which  he  supported  Fremont  for  president. 
Mr  Allison  removed  to  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
in  the  following  year.  He  rapidly  rose  to 
prominence  at  the  bar  and   in  politics.      In 


i860  he  was  chosen  as  a  delegate  to  the 
Republican  convention  held  in  Chicago,  of 
which  he  was  elected  one  of  the  secretaries. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  he  was  ap- 
pointed on  the  staff  of  the  governor.  His 
congressional  career  opened  in  1862,  when 
he  was  elected  to  the  thirty-eighth  congress; 
he  was  re-elected  three  times,  serving  from 
March  4,  1863,  to  March  3,  1871.  Hewas 
a  member  of  the  ways  and  means  committee 
a  good  part  of  his  term.  His  career  in  the 
United  States  senate  began  in  1873,  and  he 
rapidly  rose  to  eminence  in  national  affairs, 
his  service  of  a  quarter  of  a  century  in  that 
body  being  marked  by  close  fealty  to  the 
Republican  party.  He  twice  declined  the 
portfolio  of  the  treasury  tendered  him  by 
Garfield  and  Harrison,  and  his  name  was 
prominently  mentioned  for  the  presidency 
at  several  national  Republican  conventions. 


MARY  ASHTON  LIVERMORE,  lec- 
turer and  writer,  was  born  in  Boston, 
December  19,  1821.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Timothy  Rice,  and  married  D.  P.  Liver- 
more,  a  preacher  of  the  Universalist  church. 
She  contributed  able  articles  to  many  of  the 
most  noted  periodicals  of  this  country  and 
England.  During  the  Civil  war  she  labored 
zealously  and  with  success  on  behalf  of  the 
sanitary  commission  which  played  so  impor- 
tant a  part  during  that  great  struggle.  She 
became  editor  of  the  "  Woman's  Journal," 
published  at  Boston  in  1870. 

She  held  a  prominent  place  as  a  public 
speaker  and  writer  on  woman's  suffrage, 
temperance,  social  and  religious  questions, 
and  her  influence  was  great  in  every  cause 
she  advocated. 


JOHN  B.    GOUGH,  a  noted  temperance 
lecturer,  who  won   his  fame  in  America, 
was  born  in  the  village  of  Sandgate,  Kent, 


132 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


England,  August  22,  1817.  He  came  to 
the  United  States  at  the  age  of  twelve. 
He  followed  the  trade  of  bookbinder,  and 
lived  in  great  poverty  on  account  of  the 
liquor  habit.  In  1843,  however,  he  re- 
formed, and  began  his  career  as  a  temper- 
ance lecturer.  He  worked  zealously  in  the 
cause  of  temperance,  and  his  lectures  and 
published  articles  revealed  great  earnestness. 
He  formed  temperance  societies  throughout 
the  entire  country,  and  labored  with  great 
success.  He  visited  England  in  the  same 
cause  about  the  year  1853  and  again  in 
1878.  He  also  lectured  upon  many  other 
topics,  in  which  he  attained  a  wide  reputa- 
tion. His  death  occurred  February  18, 
1886.  

THOMAS  BUCHANAN  READ,  author, 
sculptor  and  painter,  was  born  in  Ches- 
ter county,  Pennsylvania,  March  12,  1822. 
He  early  evinced  a  taste  for  art,  and  began 
the  study  of  sculpture  in  Cincinnati.  Later 
he  found  painting  more  to  his  liking.  He 
went  to  New  York,  where  he  followed  this 
profession,  and  later  to  Boston.  In  1846 
he  located  in  Philadelphia.  He  visited 
Italy  in  1850,  and  studied  at  Florence, 
where  he  resided  almost  continuously  for 
twenty-two  years.  He  returned  to  America 
in  1872,  and  died  in  New  York  May  11  of 
the  same  year. 

He  was  the  author  of  many  heroic 
poems,  but  the  one  giving  him  the  most  re- 
nown is  his  famous  "Sheridan's  Ride,"  of 
which  he  has  also  left  a  representation  in 
painting.  

EUGENE  V.  DEBS,  the  former  famous 
president  of  the  American  Railway 
Union,  and  great  labor  leader,  was  born  in 
the  city  of  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  in  1855. 
He   received    his    education    in    the    public 


schools  of  that  place  and  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years  began  work  as  a  painter  in 
the  Yandalia  shops.  After  this,  for  some 
three  years,  he  was  employed  as  a  loco- 
motive fireman  on  the  same  road.  His 
first  appearance  in  public  life  was  in  his 
canvass  for  the  election  to  the  office  of  city 
clerk  of  Terre  Haute.  In  this  capacity  he 
served  two  terms,  and  when  twenty  six 
years  of  age  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
legislature  of  the  state  of  Indiana.  While 
a  member  of  that  body  he  secured  the 
passage  of  several  bills  in  the  interest  of 
organized  labor,  of  which  he  was  always 
a  faithful  champion.  Mr.  Debs'  speech 
nominating  Daniel  Voorhees  for  the  United 
States  senate  gave  him  a  wide  reputation  for 
oratory.  On  the  expiration  of  his  term  in 
the  legislature,  he  was  elected  grand  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  of  the  Brotherhood  of 
Locomotive  Fireman  and  filled  that  office 
for  fourteen  successive  years.  He  was 
always  an  earnest  advocate  of  confederation 
of  railroad  men  and  it  was  mainly  through 
his  efforts  that  the  United  Order  of  Railway 
Employes,  composed  of  the  Brotherhood 
of  Railway  Trainmen  and  Conductors, 
Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Firemen  and 
the  Switchmen's  Mutual  Aid  Association  was 
formed,  and  he  became  a  member  of  its 
supreme  council.  The  order  was  dissolved 
by  disagreement  between  two  of  its  leading 
orders,  and  then  Mr.  Debs  conceived  the 
idea  of  the  American  Railway  Union.  He 
worked  on  the  details  and  the  union  came 
into  existence  in  Chicago,  June  20, 1893.  For 
a  time  it  prospered  and  became  one  of  the 
largest  bodies  of  railway  men  in  the  world. 
It  won  in  a  contest  with  the  Great  Northern 
Railway.  In  the  strike  made  by  the  union 
in  sympathy  with  the  Pullman  employes 
inaugurated  in  Chicago  June  25.  1894,  and 
the  consequent  rioting,    the    Railway  Union 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


lost  much  prestige  and  Mr.  Debs,  in  company 
with  others  of  the  officers,  being  held  as  in  con- 
tempt of  the  United  States  courts,  he  suffered 
a  sentence  of  six  months  in  jail  at  Wood- 
stock, McHenry  county,  Illinois.  In  1S97 
Mr.  Debs,  on  the  demise  of  the  American 
Railway  Union.  organized  the  Social 
Democracy,  an  institution  founded  on  the 
best  lines  of  the  communistic  idea,  which 
was  to  provide  homes  and  employment  for 
its  members. 


JOHN  G.  CARLISLE,  famous  as  a  law- 
yer, congressman,  senator  and  cabinet 
officer,  was  born  in  Campbell  (now  Kenton) 
county,  Kentucky,  September  5,  1835,  on  a 
farm.  He  received  the  usual  education  of 
the  time  and  began  at  an  early  age  to  teach 
school  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  study  of 
law.  Soon  opportunity  offered  and  he 
entered  an  office  in  Covington,  Kentucky, 
and  was  admitted  to  practice  at  the  bar  in 
1858.  Politics  attracted  his  attention  and 
in  1859  he  was  elected  to  the  house  of  rep- 
resentatives in  the  legislature  of  his  native 
state.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  war  in  1861, 
he  embraced  the  cause  of  the  Union  and  was 
largely  instrumental  in  preserving  Kentucky 
to  the  federal  cause.  He  resumed  his  legal 
practice  for  a  time  and  declined  a  nomina- 
tion as  presidential  elector  in  1864.  In 
1866  and  again  in  1S69  Mr.  Carlisle  was 
elected  to  the  senate  of  Kentucky.  He  re- 
signed this  position  in  1871  and  was  chosen 
lieutenant  governor  of  the  state,  which  office 
he  held  until  1875.  He  was  one  of  the 
presidential  electors-at-large  for  Ken- 
tucky in  1876.  He  first  entered  congress  in 
1877,  and  soon  became  a  prominent  leader 
on  the  Democratic  side  of  the  house  of  rep- 
resentatives, and  continued  a  member  of 
that  body  through  the  forty-sixth,  forty- 
seventh,   forty-eighth    and   forty-ninth   con- 


gresses, and  was  speaker  of  the  house  during 
the  two  latter.  He  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  senate  to  succeed  Senator 
Blackburn,  and  remained  a  member  of  that 
branch  of  congress  until  March,  1S93,  when 
he  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  treasury. 
He  performed  the  duties  of  that  high  office 
until  March  4,  1897,  throughout  the  en- 
tire second  administration  of  President 
Cleveland.  His  ability  and  many  years  of 
public  service  gave  him  a  national  reputa- 
tion. 


FRANCES  E.  WILLARD,  for  many  years 
president  of  the  'Woman's  Christian 
Tpmperance  Union,  and  a  noted  American 
lecturer  and  writer,  was  born  in  Rochester, 
New  York,  September  28,  1S39.  Graduating 
from  the  Northwestern  Female  College  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  she  began  teaching  and  met 
with  great  success  in  many  cities  of  the  west. 
She  was  made  directress  of  Genesee  Wes- 
leyan  Seminary  at  Lima,  Ohio,  in  1867,  and 
four  years  later  was  elected  president  of  the 
Evanston  College  for  young  ladies,  a  branch 
of  the  Northwestern  University. 

During  the  two  years  succeeding  1869 
she  traveled  extensively  in  Europe  and  the 
east,  visiting  Egypt  and  Palestine,  and 
gathering  materials  for  a  valuable  course  of 
lectures,  which  she  delivered  at  Chicago  on 
her  return.  She  became  very  popular,  and 
won  great  influence  in  the  temperance 
cause.  Her  work  as  president  of  the  Wo- 
man's Christian  Temperance  Union  greatly 
strengthened  that  society,  and  she  made 
frequent  trips  to  Europe  in  the  interest  of 
that  cause.         

RICHARD  OLNEY.— Among  the  promi- 
nent men  who  were  members  of  the 
cabinet  of  President  Cleveland  in  his  second 
administration,  the  gentleman  whose  nama 


134 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


heads  this  sketch  held  a  leading  place,  oc- 
cupying the  positions  of  attorney  general 
and  secretary  of  state. 

Mr.  Olney  came  from  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  honored  New  England  families; 
the  first  of  his  ancestors  to  come  from  Eng- 
land settled  in  Massachusetts  in  1635.  This 
was  Thomas  Olney.  He  was  a  friend  and 
co-religionist  of  Roger  Williams,  and  when 
the  latter  moved  to  what  is  now  Rhode 
Island,  went  with  him  and  became  one  of 
the  founders  of  Providence  Plantations. 

Richard  Olney  was  born  in  Oxford, 
Massachusetts,  in  1835,  and  received  the 
elements  of  his  earlier  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools  which  New  England  is.so  proud 
of.  He  entered  Brown  University,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  1856,  and  passed  the 
Harvard  law  school  two  years  later.  He 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession  with 
Judge  B.  F.  Thomas,  a  prominent  man  of 
that  locality.  For  years  Richard  Olney  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 
learned  lawyers  in  Massachusetts.  Twice 
he  was  offered  a  place  on  the  bench  of  the 
supreme  court  of  the  state,  but  both  times 
he  declined.  He  was  always  a  Democrat 
in  his  political  tenets,  and  for  many  years 
was  a  trusted  counsellor  of  members  of  that 
party.  In  1874  Mr.  Olney  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  legislature.  In  1876,  during 
the  heated  presidential  campaign,  to 
strengthen  the  cause  of  Mr.  Tilden  in  the 
New  England  states,  it  was  intimated  that 
in  the  event  of  that  gentleman's  election  to 
the  presidency,  Mr.  Olney  would  be  attor- 
eey  general. 

When  Grover  Cleveland  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  on  his  inaugura- 
tion in  March,  1S93,  he  tendered  the  posi- 
tion of  attorney  general  to  Richard  Olney. 
This  was  accepted,  and  that  gentleman  ful- 
611ed  the  duties  of  the  office  until  the  death 


of  Walter  Q.  Gresham,  in  May,  1895,  made 
vacant  the  position  of  secretary  of  state. 
This  post  was  filled  by  the  appointment  of 
Mr.  Olney.  While  occupying  the  later 
office,  Mr.  Olney  brought  himself  into  inter- 
national prominence  by  some  very  able  state 
papers. 

JOHN  JAY  KNOX,  for  many  years  comp- 
troller of  the  currency,  and  an  eminent 
financier,  was  born  in  Knoxboro,  Oneida 
county,  New  York,  May  19,  1828.  He  re- 
ceived a  good  education  and  graduated  at 
Hamilton  College  in  1849.  For  about 
thirteen  years  he  was  engaged  as  a  private 
banker,  or  in  a  position  in  a  bank,  where 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  his  knowledge  of 
the  laws  of  finance.  In  1862,  Salmon  P. 
Chase,  then  secretary  of  the  treasury,  ap- 
pointed him  to  an  office  in  that  department 
of  the  government,  and  later  he  had  charge 
of  the  mint  coinage  correspondence.  In  1867 
Mr.  Knox  was  made  deputy  comptroller 
of  the  currency,  and  in  that  capacity,  in 
1870,  he  made  two  reports  on  the  mint 
service,  with  a  codification  of  the  mint  and 
ccinage  laws  of  the  United  States,  and 
suggesting  many  important  amendments 
These  reports  were  ordered  printed  by  reso- 
lution of  congress.  The  bill  which  he  pre- 
pared, with  some  slight  changes,  was  sub- 
sequently passed,  and  has  been  known  in 
history  as  the  "  Coinage  Act  of  1873." 

In  1872  Mr.  Knox  was  appointed  comp- 
troller of  the  currency,  and  held  that  re- 
sponsible position  until  1884,  when  he  re- 
signed. He  then  accepted  the  position  of 
president  of  the  National  Bank  of  the  Re- 
public, of  New  York  City,  which  institution 
he  served  for  many  years.  He  was  the 
author  of  "  United  States  Notes,"  published 
in  1884.  In  the  reports  spoken  of  above,  a 
history  of  the  two  United  States    banks  i? 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


185 


given,  together  with  that  of  the  state  and 
national  banking  system,  and  much  valuable 
statistical  matter  relating  to  kindred  sub- 
jects. 

NATHANIEL  HAWTHORNE.— In  the 
opinion  of  many  critics  Hawthorne  is 
pronounced  the  foremost  American  novelist, 
and  in  his  peculiar  vein  of  romance  is  said 
to  be  without  a  peer.  His  reputation  is 
world-wide,  and  his  ability  as  a  writer  is 
recognized  abroad  as  well  as  at  home. 
He  was  born  July  4,  1804,  at  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts. On  account  of  feeble  health  he 
spent  some  years  of  his  boyhood  on  a  farm 
near  Raymond,  Maine.  He  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  a  liberal  education  in  his  youth, 
and  entered  Bowdoin  College,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1825  in  the  same  class  with 
H  W  Longfellow  and  John  S.  C.  Abbott. 
He  then  returned  to  Salem,  where  he  gave 
his  attention  to  literature,  publishing  several 
tales  and  other  articles  in  various  periodi- 
cals. His  first  venture  in  the  field  of  ro- 
mance, "  Fanshaw,''  proved  a  failure.  In 
1836  he  removed  to  Boston,  and  became 
editor  of  the  "American  Magazine,"  which 
soon  passed  out  of  existence.  In  1837  ne 
published  "  Twice  Told  Tales,"  which  were 
chiefly  made  up  of  his  former  contributions 
to  magazines.  In  1838-41  he  held  a  posi- 
tion in  the  Boston  custom  house,  but  later 
took  part  in  the  "Brook  farm  experiment," 
a  socialistic  idea  after  the  plan  of  Fourier. 
In  1843  he  was  married  and  took  up  his 
residence  at  the  old  parsonage  at  Concord, 
Massachusetts,  which  he  immortalized  in 
his  next  work,  "Mosses  From  an  Old 
Manse,"  published  in  1846.  From  the  lat- 
ter date  until  1850  he  was  surveyor  of  the 
port  of  Salem,  and  while  thus  employed 
wrote  one  of  his  strongest  works,  "The 
Scarlet   Letter."     For  the  succeeding  two 


years  Lenox,  Massachusetts,  was  his  home, 
and  the  "  House  of  the  Seven  Gables"  was 
produced  there,  as  well  as  the  "  Blithedale 
Romance."  In  1852  he  published  a  "Life 
of  Franklin  Pierce, "a  college  friend  whom 
he  warmly  regarded.  In  1S53  he  was  ap- 
pointed United  States  consul  to  Liverpool, 
England,  where  he  remained  some  years, 
after  which  he  spent  some  time  in  Italy. 
On  returning  to  his  native  land  he  took  up 
his  residence  at  Concord,  Massachusetts. 
While  taking  a  trip  for  his  health  with  ex- 
President  Pierce,  he  died  at  Plymouth,  New 
Hampshire,  May  19,  1864.  In  addition  to 
the  works  mentioned  above  Mr.  Hawthorne 
gave  to  the  world  the  following  books: 
"  True  Stories  from  History,"  "The  Won- 
der Book,"  "  The  Snow  Image,"  "Tangle- 
wood  Tales,"  "The  Marble  Faun,"  and 
' '  Our  Old  Home.  "  After  his  death  appeared 
a  series  of  "Notebooks,"  edited  by  his  wife, 
Sophia  P.  Hawthorne;  "  Septimius  Felton," 
edited  by  his  daughter,  Una,  and  "Dr. 
Grimshaw's  Secret,"  put  into  shape  by  his 
talented  son,  Julian.  He  left  an  unfinished 
work  called  "  Dolliver  Romance,"  which  has 
been  published  just  as  he  left  it. 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  sixteenth  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  was  born 
February  12,  18C9,  in  Larue  county  (Har- 
din county),  Kentucky,  in  a  log-cabin  near 
Hudgensville.  When  he  was  eight  years 
old  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Indiana, 
near  the  Ohio  river,  and  a  year  later  his 
mother  died.  His  father  then  married  Mis. 
Elizabeth  (Bush)  Johnston,  of  Elizabeth- 
town,  Kentucky,  who  proved  a  kind  of  fos- 
ter-mother to  Abraham,  and  encouraged 
him  to  study.  He  worked  as  a  farm  hand 
and  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  Gentryville,  and 
was  noted  for  his  athletic  feats  and  strength, 
fondness    for  debate,    a  fund  of    humorous 


136 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHIC 


anecdote,  as  well  as  the  composition  of  rude 
verses.  He  made  a  trip  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen to  New  Orleans  on  a  flat-boat,  and  set- 
tled in  Illinois  in  1830.  He  assisted  his 
father  to  build  a  log  house  and  clear  a  farm 
on  the  Sangamon  river  near  Decatur,  Illinois, 
and  split  the  rails  with  which  to  fence  it.  In 
185  1  he  was  employed  in  the  building  of  a 
flat-boat  on  the  Sangamon,  and  to  run  it  to 
New  Orleans.  The  voyage  gave  him  anew 
insight  into  the  horrors  of  slavery  in  the 
south.  On  his  return  he  settled  at  New 
Salem  and  engaged,  first  as  a  clerk  in  a  store, 
then  as  giocer,  surveyor  and  postmaster,  and 
he  piloted  the  first  steamboat  that  as- 
cended the  Sangamon.  He  participated  in 
the  Black  Hawk  war  as  captain  of  volun- 
teers, and  after  his  return  he  studied  law, 
interested  himself  in  politics,  and  became 
prominent  locally  as  a  public  speaker.  He 
was  elected  to  the  legislature  in  1834  as  a 
"  Clay  Whig, "  and  began  at  once  to  dis- 
play a  command  of  language  and  forcible 
rhetoric  that  made  him  a  match  for  his 
more  cultured  opponents.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1837,  and  began  prac- 
tice at  Springfield.  He  married  a  lady  of  a 
prominent  Kentucky  family  in  1842.  He 
was  active  in  the  presidential  campaigns  of 
1840  and  1844  and  was  an  elector  on  the 
Harrison  and  Clay  tickets,  and  was  elected 
to  congress  in  1846,  over  Peter  Cartwright. 
He  voted  for  the  Wilmot  proviso  and  the 
abolition  of  slavery  in  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia, and  opposed  the  war  with  Mexico,  but 
gained  little  prominence  during  his  two 
years'  service.  He  then  returned  to  Spring- 
field and  devoted  his  attention  to  law,  tak- 
ing little  interest  in  politics,  until  the  repeal 
of  the  Missouri  compromise  and  the  passage 
of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  in  1854.  This 
awakened  his  interest  in  politics  again  and 
he  attacked  the  champion  of  that   measure, 


Stephen  A.  Douglas,  in  a  speech  at  Spring- 
field that  made  him  famous,  and  is  said 
by  those  who  heard  it  to  be  the  greatest 
speech  of  his  life.  Lincoln  was  selected  as 
candidate  for  the  United  States  senate,  but 
was  defeated  by  Trumbull.  Upon  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  the  Whig 
party  suddenly  went  to  pieces,  and  the  Re- 
publican party  gathered  head.  At  the 
Bloomington  Republican  convention  in  1856 
Lincoln  made  an  effective  address  in  which 
he  first  took  a  position  antagonistic  to  the  ex- 
istence of  slavery.  He  was  a  Fremont  elector 
and  received  a  strong  support  for  nomina- 
tion as  vice-president  in  the  Philadelphia 
convention.  In  1858  he  was  the  unanimous 
choice  of  the  Republicans  for  the  United 
States  senate,  and  the  great  campaign  of  de- 
bate which  followed  resulted  in  the  election 
of  Douglas,  but  established  Lincoln's  repu- 
tation as  the  leading  exponent  of  Republican 
doctrines.  He  began  to  be  mentioned  in 
Illinois  as  candidate  for  the  presidency,  and 
a  course  of  addresses  in  the  eastern  states 
attracted  favorable  attention.  When  the 
national  convention  met  at  Chicago,  his 
rivals,  Chase,  Seward,  Bates  and  others, 
were  compelled  to  retire  before  the  western 
giant,  and  he  was  nominated,  with  Hannibal 
Hamlin  as  his  running  mate.  The  Demo- 
cratic party  had  now  been  disrupted,  and 
Lincoln's  election  assured.  He  carried 
practically  every  northern  state,  and  the 
secession  of  South  Carolina,  followed  by  a 
number  of  the  gulf  states,  took  place  before 
his  inauguration.  Lincoln  is  the  only  presi- 
dent who  was  ever  compelled  to  reach 
Washington  in  a  secret  manner.  He  es- 
caped assassination  by  avoiding  Baltimore, 
and  was  quietly  inaugurated  March  4,  1861. 
His  inaugural  address  was  firm  but  con- 
ciliatory, and  he  said  to  the  secessionists: 
"You  have    no  oath  registered  in  heaven. 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


137 


to  destroy  the  government,  while  I  have  the 
most  solemn  one  to  preserve,  protect  and 
defend  it.'  He  made  up  his  cabinet  chiefly 
uf  those  political  rivals  in  his  own  party — 
Seward.  Chase,  Cameron,  Bates — and  se- 
cured the  co-operation  of  the  Douglas  Dem- 
ocrats. His  great  deeds,  amidst  the  heat 
and  turmoil  of  war,  were:  His  call  for 
seventy-five  thousand  volunteers,  and  the 
blockading  of  southern  ports;  calling  of  con- 
gress in  extra  session,  July  14,  1861,  and 
obtaining  four  hundred  thousand  men  and 
four  hundred  million  dollars  for  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  war;  appointing  Stanton  secre- 
tary of  war;  issuing  the  emancipation  proc- 
lamation; calling  three  hundred  thou- 
sand volunteers;  address  at  Gettysburg 
c-metery;  commissioned  Grant  as  lieuten- 
ant-general and  commander-in-chief  of  the 
armies  of  the  United  States;  his  second 
inaugural  address;  his  visit  to  the  army  be- 
fore Richmond,  and  his  entry  into  Rich- 
mond the  day  after  its  surrender. 

Abraham  Lincoln  was  shot  by  John 
Wilkes  Booth  in  a  box  in  Ford's  theater 
at  Washington  the  night  of  April  14,  1865. 
and  expired  the  following  morning.  His 
body  was  buried  at  Oak  Ridge  cemetery, 
Springfield,  Illinois,  and  a  monument  com- 
memorating his  great  work  marks  his  resting 
place. 

STEPHEN  GIRARD,  the  celebrated 
philanthropist,  was  born  in  Bordeaux, 
France,  May  24,  1750.  He  became  a  sailor 
engaged  in  the  American  coast  trade,  and 
also  made  frequent  trips  to  the  West  Indies. 
During  the  Revolutionary  war  he  was  a 
grocer  and  liquor  seller  in  Philadelphia. 
He  married  in  that  city,  and  afterward 
separated  from  his  wife.  After  the  war  he 
again  engaged  in  the  coast  and  West  India 
trade,  and  his  fortu.ie  began  to  accumulate 


,  from  receiving  goods  from  West  Indian 
planters  during  the    insurrection    in    llayti, 

i  little  of  which   was   ever   called   for  again. 

1  He  became  a  private  banker  in  Philadelphia 
in  1812,  and  afierward  was  a  director  in  the 
United  Slates  Bank.  He  made  much  money 
by  leasing  property  in  the  city  in  times  of 
depression,  and  upon  the  revival  of  industry 
sub-leasing  at  enormous  profit.  He  became 
the  wealthiest  citizen  of  the  United  States 
of  his  time. 

He  was  eccentric,  ungracious,  and  a 
freethinker.  He  had  few,  if  any,  friends  in 
his  lifetime.  However,  he  was  most  chari- 
tably disposed,  and  gave  to  charitable  in- 
stitutions and  schools  with  a  liberal  hand. 
He  did  more  than  any  one  else  to  relieve 
the  suffering  and  deprivations  during  the 
great  yellow  fever  scourge  in  Philadelphia, 
devoting  his  personal  attention  to  the  sick. 
He  endowed  and  made  a  free  institution, 
the  famous  Will's  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary 
of  Philadelphia — one  of  the  largest  institu- 
tions of  its  kind  in  the  world.  At  his  death 
practically  all  his  immense  wealth  was  be- 
queathed to  charitable  institutions,  more 
than  two  millions  of  dollars  going  to  the 
founding  of  Girard  College,  which  was  to- 
be  devoted  to  the  education  and  training  of 
boys  between  the  ages  of  six  and  ten  years. 
Large  donations  were  also  made  to  institu- 
tions in  Philadelphia  and  New  Orleans. 
The  principal  building  of  Girard  College  is 
the  most  magnificent  example  of  Greek 
architecture  in  America.  Girard  died  De- 
cember 26,   1 83  1. 


LOUIS  J.  R.  AGASSIZ,  the  eminent  nat- 
uralist and  geologist,  was  born  in  the 
parish  of  Motier,  near  Lake  Xeuchatel,  Swit- 
zerland, May  28,  1S07,  but  attained  his 
greatest  fame  after  becoming  an  American 
citizen.      He  studied  the  medical  sciences  at 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Zurich,  Heidelberg  and  Munich.  His  first 
work  was  a  Latin  description  of  the  fishes 
which  Martius  and  Spix  brought  from  Brazil. 
This  was  published  in  1 829-3 1  •  He  devoted 
much  time  to  the  study  of  fossil  fishes,  and 
in  1832  was  appointed  professor  of  natural 
history  at  Neuchatel.  He  greatly  increased 
his  reputation  by  a  great  work  in  French, 
entitled  "  Researches  on  Fossil  Fishes,"  in 
1832-42,  in  which  he  made  many  important 
improvements  in  the  classification  of  fishes. 
Having  passed  many  summers  among  the 
Alps  in  researches  on  glaciers,  he  propounded 
some  new  and  interesting  ideas  on  geology, 
and  the  agency  of  glaciers  in  his  "Studies 
by  the  Glaciers."  This  was  published  in 
1840.  This  latter  work,  with  his  "  System 
of  the  Glaciers,"  published  in  1847,  are 
among  his  principal  works. 

In  1846,  Professor  Agassiz  crossed  the 
ocean  on  a  scientific  excursion  to  the  United 
States,  and  soon  determined  to  remain  here. 
He  accepted,  about  the  beginning  of  1848, 
the  chair  of  zoology  and  geology  at  Harvard. 
He  explored  the  natural  history  of  the 
United  States  at  different  times  and  gave  an 
impulse  to  the  study  of  nature  in  this 
country.  In  1865  he  conducted  an  expedi- 
tion to  Brazil,  and  explored  the  lower  Ama- 
zon and  its  tributaries.  In  1868  he  was 
made  non-resident  professor  of  natural  his- 
tory at  Cornell  University.  In  December, 
1 87  1,  he  accompanied  the  Hassler  expedi- 
tion, under  Professor  Pierce,  to  the  South 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans.  He  died  at 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  December  14, 
1873- 

Among  other  of  the  important  works  of 
Professor  Agassiz  may  be  mentioned  the  fol-  j 
lowing:  "Outlines  of  Comparative  Physi- 
ology," "Journey  to  Brazil,"  and  "Contri- 
butions to  the  Natural  History  of  the  United 
States."      It  is  said  of  Professor  Agassiz, 


that,  perhaps,  with  the  exception  of  Hugh 
Miller,  no  one  had  so  popularized  science  in 
his  day,  or  trained  so  many  young  natural- 
ists. Many  of  the  theories  held  by  Agassiz 
are  not  supported  by  many  of  the  natural- 
ists of  these  later  days,  but  upon  many  of 
the  speculations  into  the  origin  of  species  and 
in  physics  he  has  left  the  marks  of  his  own 
strongly  marked  individuality. 


WILLIAM  WINDOM.— As  a  prominent 
and  leading  lawyer  of  the  great  north- 
west, as  a  member  of  both  houses  of  con- 
gress, and  as  the  secretary  of  the  treasury, 
the  gentleman  whose  name  headsthis sketch 
won  for  himself  a  prominent  position  in  the 
history  of  our  country. 

Mr.  Windom  was  a  native  of  Ohio, 
born  in  Belmont  county,  May  10,  1827. 
He  received  a  good  elementary  education  in 
the  schools  of  his  native  state,  and  took  up 
the  study  of  law.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar,  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until 
1855.  In  the  latter  year  he  made  up  his 
mind  to  move  further  west,  and  accordingly 
went  to  Minnesota,  and  opening  an  office, 
became  identified  with  the  interests  of  that 
state,  and  the  northwest  generally.  In 
1858  he  took  his  place  in  the  Minnesota 
delegation  in  the  national  house  of  repre- 
sentatives, at  Washington,  and  continued 
to  represent  his  constituency  in  that  body 
for  ten  years.  In  1 871  Mr.  Windom  was 
elected  United  States  senator  from  Min- 
nesota, and  was  re-elected  to  the  same  office 
after  fulfilling  the  duties  of  the  position  for 
a  full  term,  in  1876.  On  the  inauguration 
of  President  Garfield,  in  March,  1SS1,  Mr. 
Windom  became  secretary  of  the  treasury 
in  his  cabinet.  He  resigned  this  office  Oc- 
tober 27,  1 88 1 ,  and  was  elected  senator 
from   the    North  Star  state    to   fill   the    va- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


189 


cancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  A.  J. 
Edgerton.  Mr.  Windom  served  in  that 
chamber  until  March,   1883. 

William    Windom    died    in     New     York 
City  January  29,    1S91. 


DON  M.  DICKINSON,  an  American 
politician  and  lawyer,  was  born  in 
Port  Ontario,  New  York,  January  17,  1846. 
He  removed  with  his  parents  to  Michigan 
when  he  was  but  two  years  old.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Detroit 
and  at  the  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann 
Arbor,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one.  In  1872  he  was  made 
secretary  of  the  Democratic  state  central 
committee  of  Michigan,  and  his  able  man- 
agement of  the  campaign  gave  him  a  prom- 
inent place  in  the  councils  of  his  party.  In 
1876,  during  the  Tilden  campaign,  he  acted 
as  chairman  of  the  state  central  committee. 
He  was  afterward  chosen  to  represent  his 
state  in  the  Democratic  national  committee, 
and  in  1886  he  was  appointed  postmaster- 
general  by  President  Cleveland.  After  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  returned 
to  Detroit  and  resumed  the  practice  of  law. 
In  the  presidential  campaign  of  1896,  Mr. 
Dickinson  adhered  to  the  "gold  wing"  of 
the  Democracy,  and  his  influence  was  felt 
in  the  national  canvass,  and  especially  in 
his  own  state. 


JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR,  the  founder  of 
the  Astor  family  and  fortunes,  while  not 
a  native  of  this  country,  was  one  of  the 
most  noted  men  of  his  time,  and  as  all  his 
wealth  and  fame  were  acquired  here,  he 
may  well  be  classed  among  America's  great 
men,  He  was  born  near  Heidelberg,  Ger- 
many, July  17,  1763,  and  when  twenty 
years  old  emigrated  to  the  United  States. 
Even  at  that   age   he   exhibited  remarkable 


business  ability  and  foresight,  and  soon  he 
was  investing  capital  in  furs  which  he  took 
to  London  and  sold  at  a  great  profit.  lie 
next  settled  at  New  York,  and  engaged  ex- 
tensively in  the  fur  trade.  He  exported 
furs  to  Europe  in  his  own  vessels,  which  re- 
turned with  cargoes  of  foreign  commodities,, 
and  thus  he  rapidly  amassed  an  immense 
fortune.  In  181 1  he  founded  Astoria  on 
the  western  coast  of  North  America,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  river,  as  a  depot 
for  the  fur  trade,  for  the  promotion  of 
which  he  sent  a  number  of  expeditions  to 
the  Pacific  ocean.  He  also  purchased  a 
large  amount  of  real  estate  in  New  York, 
the  value  of  which  increased  enormously 
All  through  life  his  business  ventures  were 
a  series  of  marvelous  successes,  and  he 
ranked  as  one  of  the  most  sagacious  and 
successful  business  men  in  the  world.  He 
died  March  29,  1848,  leaving  a  fortune  es- 
timated at  over  twenty  million  dollars  to 
his  children,  who  have  since  increased  it. 
John  Jacob  Astor  left  $400,000  to  found  a 
public  library  in  New  York  City,  and  his  son, 
William  B.  Astor,  who  died  in  1875,  left 
$300,000  to  add  to  his  father's  bequest. 
This  is  known  as  the  Astor  Library,  one  of 
the  largest  in  the  United  States. 


SCHUYLER  COLFAX,  an  eminent 
American  statesman,  was  born  in  New 
York  City,  March  23,  1823,  being  a  grand- 
son of  General  William  Colfax,  the  com- 
mander of  Washington's  life-guards.  In 
1836  he  removed  with  his  mother,  who  was 
then  a  widow,  to  Indiana,  settling  at  South 
Bend.  Young  Schuyler  studied  law,  and 
in  1845  became  editor  of  the  "St.  Joseph 
Valley  Register,"  a  Whig  paper  published 
at  South  Bend.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
convention  which  formed  a  new  constitu- 
tion   for  Indiana  in  1 8 50,  and   he  opposed 


140 


COMPENDIUM   OF  BIOGRAPHY. 


the  clause  that  prohibited  colored  men 
from  settling  in  that  state.  In  185  I  he  was 
defeated  as  the  Whig  candidate  for  congress 
but  was  elected  in  1854,  and,  being  repeat- 
edly re-elected,  continued  to  represent  that 
district  in  congress  until  1869.  He  became 
one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influential 
members  of  the  house  of  representatives, 
and  served  three  terms  as  speaker.  During 
the  Civil  war  he  was  an  active  participant 
in  all  public  measures  of  importance,  and 
was  a  confidential  friend  and  adviser  of 
President  Lincoln.  In  May,  1868,  Mr. 
Colfax  was  nominated  for  vice-president  on 
the  ticket  with  General  Grant,  and  was 
elected.  After  the  close  of  his  term  he  re- 
tired from  office,  and  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life  devoted  much  of  his  time  to  lectur- 
ing and  literary  pursuits.  His  death  oc- 
curred January  23,  1885.  He  was  one  of 
the  most  prominent  members  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in  America, 
and  that  order  erected  a  bronze  statue  to 
his  memory  in  University  Park.  Indianapo- 
lis, Indiana,  which  was  unveiled  in  May, 
1887. 

WILLIAM  FREEMAN  VILAS,  who  at- 
tained a  national  reputation  as  an  able 
lawyer,  statesman,  and  cabinet  officer,  was 
born  at  Chelsea,  Vermont,  July  9,  1840. 
His  parents  removed  to  Wisconsin  when 
our  subject  was  but  eleven  years  of  age, 
and  there  with  the  early  settlers  endured  all 
the  hardships  and  trials  incident  to  pioneer 
life.  William  F.  Vilas  was  given  all  the 
advantages  found  in  the  common  schools, 
and  supplemented  this  by  a  course  of  study 
in  the  Wisconsin  State  University,  after 
which  he  studied  law,  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  and  began  practicing  at  Madison. 
Shortly  afterward  the  Civil  war  broke  out 
and  Mr.  Vilas  enlisted  and  became   colonel 


of  the  Twenty-third  regiment  of  Wisconsin 
Volunteers,  serving  throughout  the  war  with 
distinction.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  re- 
turned to  Wisconsin,  resumed  his  law  prac- 
tice, and  rapidly  rose  to  eminence  in  this 
profession.  In  1885  he  was  selected  by 
President  Cleveland  for  postmaster-general 
and  at  the  close  of  his  term  again  returned 
to  Madison,  Wisconsin,  to  resume  the  prac- 
tice of  law. 

THOMAS  McINTYRE  COOLEY,  an  em- 
inent American  jurist  and  law  writer, 
was  born  in  Attica,  New  York,  January  6, 
1 824.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1 846, 
and  four  years  later  was  appointed  reporter 
of  the  supreme  court  of  Michigan,  which 
office  he  continued  to  hold  for  seven  years. 
In  the  meantime,  in  1859,  he  became  pro- 
fessor of  the  law  department  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan,  and  soon  afterward  was 
made  dean  of  the  faculty  of  that  depart- 
ment. In  1864  he  was  elected  justice  of 
the  supreme  court  of  Michigan,  in  1867  be- 
came chief  justice  of  that  court,  and  in 
1869  was  re-elected  for  a  term  of  eight 
years.  In  1881  he  again  joined  the  faculty 
of  the  University  of  Michigan,  assuming  the 
professorship  of  constitutional  and  adminis- 
trative law.  His  works  on  these  branches 
have  become  standard,  and  he  is  recog- 
nized as  authority  on  this  and  related  sub- 
jects. Upon  the  passage  of  the  inter-state 
commerce  law  in  1887  he  became  chairman 
of  the  commission  and  served  in  that  capac- 
ity four  years. 


JOHN  PETER  ALTGELD,  a  noted 
American  politician  and  writer  on  social 
questions,  was  born  in  Germany,  December 
30,  1847.  He  came  to  America  with  his 
parents  and  settled  in  Ohio  when  two  years 
old.      In  1864  he  entered  the  Union  army 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Ill 


and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war,  after 
which  he  settled  in  Chicago,  Illinois.  He 
was  elected  judge  of  the  superior  court  of 
Cook  county,  Illinois,  in  1SS6.  in  which 
capacity  he  served  until  elected  governor  of 
Illinois  in  1892,  as  a  Democrat.  During 
the  first  year  of  his  term  as  governor  he  at- 
tracted national  attention  by  his  pardon  of 
the  anarchists  convicted  of  the  Haymarket 
murder  in  Chicago,  and  again  in  1894  by 
his  denunciation  of  President  Cleveland  for 
calling  out  federal  troops  to  suppress  the 
rioting  in  connection  with  the  great  Pull- 
man strike  in  Chicago.  At  the  national 
convention  of  the  Democratic  party  in  Chi- 
cago, in  July,  1896,  he  is  said  to  have  in- 
spired the  clause  in  the  platform  denuncia- 
tory of  interference  by  federal  authorities  in 
local  affairs,  and  "government  by  injunc- 
tion." He  was  gubernatorial  candidate  for 
re-election  on  the  Democratic  ticket  in  1 896, 
but  was  defeated  by  John  R.  Tanner,  Re- 
publican. Mr.  Altgeld  published  two  vol- 
umes of  essays  on  "  Live  Questions,"  evinc- 
ing radical  views  on  social   matters. 


ADLAI  EWING  STEVENSON, an  Amer. 
ican  statesman  and  politician,  was  born 
in  Christian  county,  Kentucky,  October  23, 
1835,  and  removed  with  the  family  to 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  in  1S52.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1858,  and  set- 
tled in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Metamora,  Illinois.  In  1861  he  was 
made  master  in  chancery  of  Woodford 
county,  and  in  1864  was  elected  state's  at- 
torney. In  1868  he  returned  to  Blooming- 
ton  and  formed  a  law  partnership  with 
James  S.  Ewing.  He  had  served  as  a  pres- 
idential elector  in  1864,  and  in  1868  was 
elected  to  congress  as  a  Democrat,  receiv- 
ing a  majority  vote  from  every  county  in  his 
district.     He     became     prominent    in    his 


party,  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  national 
convention  in  1S84.  On  the  election  of 
Cleveland  to  the  presidency  Mr.  Stevenson 
was  appointed  first  assistant  postmaster- 
general.  After  the  expiration  of  his  term 
he  continued  to  exert  a  controlling  influence 
in  the  politics  of  his  state,  and  in  1892  was 
elected  vice-president  of  the  United  States 
on  the  ticket  with  Grover  Cleveland.  At 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  re- 
sumed the  practice  of  law  at  Bloomington, 
Illinois. 

SIMON  CAMERON,  whose  name  is 
prominently  identified  with  the  history 
of  the  United  States  as  a  political  leader 
and  statesman,  was  born  in  Lancaster  coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  March  8,  1799.  He  grew 
to  manhood  in  his  native  county,  receiving 
good  educational  advantages,  and  develop- 
ing a  natural  inclination  for  political  life. 
He  rapidly  rose  in  prominence  and  became 
the  most  influential  Democrat  in  PennsyJ* 
vania,  and  in  1845  was  elected  by  that  party 
to  the  United  States  senate.  Upon  the 
organization  of  the  Republican  party  he  was 
one  of  the  first  to  declare  his  allegiance  to 
it,  and  in  1856  was  re-elected  United  States 
senator  from  Pennsylvania  as  a  Republican. 
In  March,  1861,  he  was  appointed  secretary 
of  war  by  President  Lincoln,  and  served 
until  early  in  1862,  when  he  was  sent  as 
minister  to  Russia,  returning  in  1863.  In 
1866  he  was  again  elected  United  States 
senator  and  served  until  1877,  when  he  re- 
signed and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  James 
Donald  Cameron.  He  continued  to  exert  a 
powerful  influence  in  political  affairs  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  June  26,   1889. 

James  Donald  Cameron  was  the  eld- 
est son  of  Simon  Cameron,  and  also 
attained  a  high  rank  among  American 
statesmen.      He   was     born   at    Harrishurg, 


142 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Pennsylvania,  May  14,  1833,  and  received  an 
excellent  education,  graduating  at  Princeton 
College  in  1852.  He  rapidly  developed  into 
one  of  the  most  able  and  successful  business 
men  of  the  country  and  was  largely  inter- 
ested in  and  identified  with  the  develop- 
ment of  the  coal,  iron,  lumber  and  manu- 
facturing interests  of  his  native  state.  He 
served  as  cashier  and  afterward  president  of 
the  Middletown  bank,  and  in  1861  was  made 
vice-president,  and  in  1863  president  of 
the  Northern  Central  railroad,  holding  this 
position  until  1874,  when  he  resigned  and 
was  succeeded  by  Thomas  A.  Scott.  This 
road  was  of  great  service  to  the  government 
during  the  war  as  a  means  of  communica- 
tion between  Pennsylvania  and  the  national 
capital,  via  Baltimore.  Mr.  Cameron  also 
took  an  active  part  in  political  affairs, 
always  as  a  Republican.  In  May,  1876, 
he  was  appointed  secretary  of  war  in  Pres- 
ident Grant's  cabinet,  and  in  1877  suc- 
ceeded his  father  in  the  United  States 
senate.  He  was  re-elected  in  1885,  and 
again  in  1891,  serving  until  1896,  and  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
influential  members  of  that  body. 


ADOLPHUS  W.  GREELEY,  a  famous 
American  arctic  explorer,  was  born  at 
Newburyport,  Massachusetts,  March  27, 
1844.  He  graduated  from  Brown  High 
School  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  and  a  year 
later  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Nineteenth 
Massachusetts  Infantry,  and  was  made  first 
sergeant.  In  1863  he  was  promoted  to 
second  lieutenant.  After  the  war  he  was 
assigned  to  the  Fifth  United  States  Cavalry, 
and  became  first  lieutenant  in  1873.  He 
was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  United  States 
signal  service  shortly  after  the  close  of  the 
war.  An  expedition  was  fitted  out  by  the 
United    States    government     in    1881,    un- 


der auspices  of  the  weather  bureau,  and 
Lieutenant  Greeley  placed  in  command. 
They  set  sail  from  St.  Johns  the  first  week 
in  July,  and  after  nine  days  landed  in  Green- 
land, where  they  secured  the  services  of  two 
natives,  together  with  sledges,  dogs,  furs 
and  equipment.  They  encountered  an  ice 
pack  early  in  August,  and  on  the  28th  of 
that  month  freezing  weather  set  in.  Two 
of  his  party,  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  Ser- 
geant Brainard,  added  to  the  known  maps 
about  forty  miles  of  coast  survey,  and 
reached  the  highest  point  yet  attained  by 
man,  eighty-three  degrees  and  twenty-four 
minutes  north,  longitude,  forty-four  degrees 
and  five  minutes  west.  On  their  return  to 
Fort  Conger,  Lieutenant  Greeley  set  out 
for  the  south  on  August  9,  1883.  He 
reached  Baird  Inlet  twenty  days  later  with 
his  entire  party.  Here  they  were  compelled 
to  abandon  their  boats,  and  drifted  on  an 
ice-floe  for  one  month.  They  then  went 
into  camp  at  Cape  Sabine,  where  they  suf- 
fered untold  hardships,  and  eighteen  of  the 
party  succumbed  to  cold  and  hunger,  and 
had  relief  been  delayed  two  days  longer 
none  would  have  been  found  alive.  They 
were  picked  up  by  the  relief  expedition, 
under  Captain  Schley,  June  22,  1884.  The 
dead  were  taken  to  New  York  for  burial. 
Many  sensational  stories  were  published 
concerning  the  expedition,  and  Lieutenant 
Greeley  prepared  an  exhaustive  account 
of  his  explorations  and  experiences. 


LEVI  P.  MORTON,  the  millionaire  poli- 
tician, was  born  in  Shoreham,  Ver- 
mont, May  16,  1824,  and  his  early  educa- 
tion consisted  of  the  rudiments  which  he 
obtained  in  the  common  school  up  to  the 
age  of  fourteen,  and  after  that  time  what 
knowledge  he  gained  was  wrested  from  the 
hard  school  of  experience.      He  removed  to. 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRATHT. 


143 


Hanover,  Vermont,  then  Concord,  Vermont, 
and  afterwards  to  Boston.  He  had  worked 
in  a  store  at  Shoreham,  his  native  village, 
and  on  going  to  Hanover  he  established  a 
store  and  went  into  business  for  himself. 
In  Boston  he  clerked  in  a  dry  goods  store, 
and  then  opened  a  business  of  his  own  in 
the  same  line  in  New  York.  After  a  short 
career  he  failed,  and  was  compelled  to  set- 
tle with  his  creditors  at  only  fifty  cents  on 
the  dollar.  He  began  the  struggle  anew, 
and  when  the  war  began  he  established  a 
banking  house  in  New  York,  with  Junius 
Morgan  as  a  partner.  Through  his  firm 
and  connections  the  great  government  war 
loans  were  floated,  and  it  resulted  in  im- 
mense profits  to  his  house.  When  he  was 
again  thoroughly  established  he  invited  his 
former  creditors  to  a  banquet,  and  under 
each  guest's  plate  was  found  a  check  cover- 
ing the  amount  of  loss  sustained  respec- 
tively, with  interest  to  date. 

President  Garfield  appointed  Mr.  Mor- 
ton as  minister  to  France,  after  he  had  de- 
clined the  secretaryship  of  the  navy,  and  in 
1888  he  was  nominated  as  candidate  for 
vice-president,  with  Harrison,  and  elected. 
In  1894  he  was  elected  governor  of  New 
York  over  David  B.  Hill,  and  served  one 
term. 

CHARLES  KENDALL  ADAMS,  one 
of  the  most  talented  and  prominent 
educators  this  country  has  known,  was  born 
January  24,  1835,  at  Derby,  Vermont.  He 
received  an  elementary  education  in  the 
common  schools,  and  studied  two  terms  in 
the  Derby  Academy.  Mr.  Adams  moved 
with  his  parents  to  Iowa  in  1856.  He  was 
very  anxious  to  pursue  a  collegiate  course, 
but  this  was  impossible  until  he  had  attained 
the  age  of  twenty-one.  In  the  autumn  of 
1856  he  began  the  study  of  Latin  and  Greek 


at  Denmark  Academy,  and  in  September, 
1857,  he  was  admitted  to  the  University  of 
Michigan.  Mr.  Adams  was  wholly  depend- 
ent upon  himself  for  the  means  of  his  edu- 
cation. During  his  third  and  fourth  year 
he  became  deeply  interested  in  historical 
studies,  was  assistant  librarian  of  the  uni- 
versity, and  determined  to  pursue  a  post- 
graduate course.  In  1864  he  was  appointed 
instructor  of  history  and  Latin  and  was  ad- 
vanced to  an  assistant  professorship  in  1865, 
and  in  1S67,  on  the  resignation  os.  Professoi 
White  to  accept  the  presidency  of  Cornell, 
he  was  appointed  to  fill  the  chair  of  profes- 
sor of  history.  This  he  accepted  on  con- 
dition of  his  being  allowed  to  spend  a  year 
for  special  study  in  Germany,  France  and 
Italy.  Mr.  Adams  returned  in  1868,  and 
assumed  the  duties  of  his  professorship. 
He  introduced  the  German  system  for  the 
instruction  of  advanced  history  classes,  and 
his  lectures  were  largely  attended.  In  1885, 
on  the  resignation  of  President  White  at 
Cornell,  he  was  elected  his  successor  and 
held  the  office  for  seven  years,  and  on  Jan- 
uary 17,  1893,  he  was  inaugurated  presi- 
dent of  the  University  of  Wisconsin.  Pres- 
ident Adams  was  prominently  connected 
with  numerous  scientific  and  literary  organ- 
izations and  a  frequent  contributor,  to  the 
historical  and  educational  data  in  the  peri- 
odicals and  journals  of  the  country.  He 
was  the  author  of  the  following:  "  Dem- 
ocracy and  Monarchy  in  France,"  "  Manual 
of  Historical  Literature,"  "  A  Plea  for  Sci- 
entific Agriculture,"  "  Higher  Education  in 
Germany."  

JOSEPH  B.  FORAKER,  a  prominent  po- 
litical leader  and  ex-governor  of  Ohio,, 
was  born  near  Rainsboro,  Highland  county, 
Ohio,  July  5,  1846.  His  parents  operated 
a  small  farm,  with  a  grist  and  sawmill,  hav- 


144 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


ing  emigrated  hither  from  Virginia  and 
Delaware  on  account  of  their  distaste  for 
slavery. 

Joseph  was  reared  upon  a  farm  until 
1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Eighty-ninth 
Ohio  Infantry.  Later  he  was  made  ser- 
geant, and  in  1864  commissioned  first  lieu- 
tenant. The  next  year  he  was  brevetted 
captain.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  was 
mustered  out  of  the  army  after  a  brilliant 
service,  part  of  the  time  being  on  the  staff 
of  General  Slocum.  He  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Missionary  Ridge,  Lookout  Mount- 
ain and  Kenesaw  Mountain  and  in  Sher- 
man's march  to  the  sea. 

For  two  years  subsequent  to  the  war 
young  Foraker  was  studying  at  the  Ohio 
Wesleyan  University  at  Delaware,  but  later 
went  to  Cornell  University,  at  Unity,  New 
York,  from  which  he  graduated  July  1, 
1869.  He  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar.  In  1879  Mr.  Foraker  was  elected 
judge  of  the  superior  court  of  Cincinnati 
and  held  the  office  for  three  years.  In  1883 
he  was  defeated  in  the  contest  for  the  gov- 
ernorship with  Judge  Hoadly.  In  1885, 
however,  being  again  nominated  for  the 
same  office,  he  was  elected  and  served  two 
terms.  In  1889,  in  running  for  governor 
again,  this  time  against  James  E.  Camp- 
bell, he  was  defeated.  Two  years  later  his 
career  in  the  United  States  senate  began. 
Mr.  Foraker  was  always  a  prominent  figure 
at  all  national  meetings  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  a  strong  power,  politically,  in  his 
native  state. 


LYMAN  ABBOTT,  an  eminent  American 
preacher  and  writer  on  religious  sub- 
jects, came  of  a  noted  New  England 
family.  His  father,  Rev.  Jacob  Abbott,  was 
a  prolific  and  popular  writer,  and  his  uncle, 
Rev.    John    S.    C.     Abbott,   was    a    noted 


preacher  and  author.  Lyman  Abbott  was 
born  December  18,  1835,  in  Roxbury, 
Massachusetts.  He  graduated  at  the  New 
York  University,  in  1853,  studied  law,  and 
practiced  for  a  time  at  the  bar,  after  which 
he  studied  theology  with  his  uncle,  Rev. 
John  S.  C.  Abbott,  and  in  i860  was  settled 
in  the  ministry  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  re- 
maining there  until  after  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  then  became  connected  with  the 
Freedmen's  Commission,  continuing  this 
until  1868,  when  he  accepted  the  pastorate 
of  the  New  England  Congregational  church, 
in  New  York  City.  A  few  years  later  he  re- 
signed, to  devote  his  time  principally  to  lit- 
erary pursuits.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
edited  for  the  American  Tract  Society,  its 
"Illustrated  Christian  Weekly,"  also  the 
New  York  "Christian  Union."  He  pro- 
duced many  works,  which  had  a  wide  circu- 
lation, among  which  may  be  mentioned  the 
following:  "Jesus  of  Nazareth,  His  Life  and 
Teachings,"  "Old  Testament  Shadows  of 
New  Testament  Truths,"  "Morning  and 
Evening  Exercises,  Selected  from  Writings 
of  Henry  Ward  Beecher,"  "  Laicus,  or  the 
Experiences  of  a  Layman  in  a  Country 
Parish,"  "Popular  Religious  Dictionary," 
and  "Commentaries  on  Matthew,  Mark, 
Luke,  John  and  Acts." 


GEORGE  WILLIAM  CURTIS.— The 
well-known  author,  orator  and  journal- 
ist whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  born 
at  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  February  24, 
1824.  Having  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
most  excellent  education  in  his  native  land, 
he  went  to  Europe  and  studied  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Berlin.  He  made  an  extensive 
tour  throughout  the  Levant,  from  which  he 
returned  home  in  1850.  At  that  early  age 
literature  became  his  field  of  labor,  and  in 
1 85 1  he  published  his  first  important  work, 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


145 


«'  Nile  Notes  of  a  Howadji."  In  1852  two 
works  issued  from  his  facile  pen,  "The 
Howadji  in  Syria,"  and  "  Lotus-Eating. " 
Later  on  he  was  the  author  of  the  well- 
known  "  Potiphar  Papers,"  "  Prue  and  I," 
and  "Trumps."  He  greatly  distinguished 
himself  throughout  this  land  as  a  lecturer 
on  many  subjects,  and  as  an  orator  had  but 
few  peers.  He  was  also  well  known  as  one 
of  the  most  fluent  speakers  on  the  stump, 
making  many  political  speeches  in  favor  of 
the  Republican  party.  In  recognition  of 
his  valuable  services,  Mr.  Curtis  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  Grant,  chairman  of 
the  advisory  board  of  the  civil  service.  Al- 
though a  life-long  Republican,  Mr.  Curtis 
refused  to  support  Blaine  for  the  presidency 
in  1884,  because  of  his  ideas  on  civil  ser- 
vice and  other  reforms.  For  his  memorable 
and  magnificent  eulogy  on  Wendell  Phillips, 
delivered  in  Boston,  in  1884,  that  city  pre- 
sented Mr.  Curtis  with  a  gold  medal. 

George  W.  Curtis,  however,  is  best 
known  to  the  reading  public  of  the  United 
States  by  his  connection  with  the  Harper 
Brothers,  having  been  editor  of  the  "  Har- 
per's Weekly, "  and  of  the  "Easy  Chair," 
in  "  Harper's  Monthly  Magazine,  "for  many 
years,  in  fact  retaining  that  position  until 
the  day  of  his  death,  which  occurred  August 
31.   1892-  

ANDREW  JOHNSON,  the  seventeenth 
president  of  the  United  States,  served 
from  1865  to  1869.  He  was  born  Decem- 
ber 8,  1808,  at  Raleigh,  North  Carolina, 
and  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  four 
years.  He  never  attended  school,  and  was 
apprenticed  to  a  tailor.  While  serving  his 
apprenticeship  he  suddenly  acquired  a  pas- 
sion for  knowledge,  and  learned  to  read. 
From  that  time  on  he  spent  all  his  spare 
time  in  reading,  and    after  working   for  two 


years  as  a  journeyman  tailor  at  Lauren's 
Court  House,  South  Carolina,  he  removed 
to  Greenville,  Tennessee,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  and  was  married.  Under  his 
wife's  instruction  he  made  rapid  progress  in 
his  studies  and  manifested  such  an  interest 
in  local  politics  as  to  be  elected  as  ' '  work- 
ingmen's  candidate  "  alderman  in  1828,  and 
in  1830  to  the  mayoralty,  and  was  twice 
re-elected  to  each  office.  Mr.  Johnson 
utilized  this  time  in  cultivating  his  talents 
as  a  public  speaker,  by  taking  part  in  a  de- 
bating society.  He  was  elected  in  1835  to 
the  lower  house  of  the  legislature,  was  re- 
elected in  1839  as  a  Democrat,  and  in 
1 841  was  elected  state  senator.  Mr.  John- 
son was  elected  representative  in  congress 
in  1843  and  was  re-elected  four  times  in 
succession  until  1853,  when  he  was  the  suc- 
cessful candidate  for  the  gubernatorial  chair 
of  Tennessee.  He  was  re-elected  in  1855 
and  in  1857  he  entered  the  United  States 
senate.  In  i860  he  was  supported  by  the 
Tennessee  delegation  to  the  Democratic 
convention  for  the  presidential  nomination, 
and  lent  his  influence  to  the  Breckinridge 
wing  of  the  party.  At  the  election  of  Lin- 
coln, which  brought  about  the  first  attempt 
at  secession  in  December,  i860,  Mr.  John- 
son took  a  firm  attitude  in  the  senate  for 
the  Union.  He  was  the  leader  of  the  loy- 
alists in  East  Tennessee.  By  the  course 
that  Mr.  Johnson  pursued  in  this  crisis  he 
was  brought  prominently  before  the  north- 
ern people,  and  when,  in  March,  1862,  he 
was  appointed  military  governor  of  Ten- 
nessee with  the  rank  of  brigadier-general, 
he  increased  his  popularity  by  the  vigorous 
manner  in  which  he  labored  to  restore 
order.  In  the  campaign  of  1864  he  was 
elected  vice-president  on  the  ticket  with 
President  Lincoln,  and  upon  the  assassi- 
nation of  the    latter    he    succeeded    to  the 


146 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


presidency,  April  15,  1865.  He  retained 
the  cabinet  of  President  Lincoln,  and  at 
first  exhibited  considerable  severity  towards 
the  former  Confederates,  but  he  soon  inau- 
gurated a  policy  of  reconstruction,  pro- 
claimed a  general  amnesty  to  the  late  Con- 
federates, and  established  provisional  gov- 
ernments in  the  southern  states.  These 
states  claimed  representation  in  congress  in 
the  following  December,  and  then  arose  the 
momentous  question  as  to  what  should  be 
the  policy  of  the  victorious  Union  against 
their  late  enemies.  The  Republican  ma- 
jority in  congress  had  an  apprehension  that 
the  President  would  undo  the  results  of  the 
war,  and  consequently  passed  two  bills  over 
the  executive  veto,  and  the  two  highest 
branches  of  the  government  were  in  open 
antagonism.  The  cabinet  was  reconstructed 
in  July,  and  Messrs.  Randall,  Stanbury  and 
Browning  superseded  Messrs.  Denison, 
Speed  and  Harlan.  In  August,  1867,  Pres- 
ident Johnson  removed  the  secretary  of  war 
and  replaced  him  with  General  Grant,  but 
when  congress  met  in  December  it  refused 
to  ratify  the  removal  of  Stanton,  who  re- 
sumed the  functions  of  his  office.  In  1868 
the  president  again  attempted  to  remove 
Stanton,  who  refused  to  vacate  his  post 
and  was  sustained  by  the  senate.  Presi- 
dent Johnson  was  accused  by  congress  of 
high  crimes  and  misdemeanors,  but  the  trial 
resulted  in  his  acquittal.  Later  he  was  Uni- 
ted States  senator  from  Tennessee,  and 
died  July  31,  1875. 


EDMUND  RANDOLPH,  first  attorney- 
general  of  the  United  States,  was  born 
in  Virginia,  August  10,  1753.  His  father, 
John  Randolph,  was  attorney-yeneral  of 
Virginia,  and  lived  and  died  a  royalist.  Ed- 
mund was  educated  in  the  law,  but  joined 
the  army  as   aide-de-camp   to    Washington 


in  1775,  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  He 
was  elected  to  the  Virginia  convention  in 
1776,  and  attorney-general  of  the  state  the 
same  year.  In  1779  he  was  elected  to  the 
Continental  congress,  and  served  four  years 
in  that  body.  He  was  a  member  of  the  con- 
vention in  1787  that  framed  the  constitu- 
tion. In  that  convention  he  proposed  what 
was  known  as  the  "  Virginia  plan"  of  con- 
federation, but  it  was  rejected.  He  advo- 
cated the  ratification  of  the  constitution  in 
the  Virginia  convention,  although  he  had  re- 
fused to  sign  it.  He  became  governor  of 
Virginia  in  1788,  and  the  next  year  Wash- 
ington appointed  him  to  the  office  of  at- 
torney-general of  the  United  States  upon 
the  organization  of  the  government  under 
the  constitution.  He  was  appointed  secre- 
tary of  state  to  succeed  Jefferson  during 
Washington's  second  term,  but  resigned  a 
year  later  on  account  of  differences  in  the 
cabinet  concerning  the  policy  pursued  to- 
ward the  new  French  republic.  He  died 
September   12,  181  3. 


W INFIELD  SCOTT  HANCOCK  was 
born  in  Montgomery  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, February  14,  1824.  He  received 
his  early  education  at  the  Norristown 
Academy,  in  his  native  county,  and,  in  1840, 
was  appointed  a  cadet  in  the  United  States 
Military  Academy,  at  West  Point.  He  was 
graduated  from  the  latter  in  1844,  and  brev- 
etted  as  second  lieutenant  of  infantry.  In 
1853  he  was  made  first  lieutenant,  and  two 
years  later  transferred  to  the  quartermaster's 
department,  with  the  rank  of  captain,  and 
in  1863  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major.  He 
served  on  the  frontier,  and  in  the  war  with 
Mexico,  displaying  conspicuous  gallantry  dur- 
ing the  latter.  He  also  took  a  part  in  the 
Seminole  war,  and  in  the  troubles  in  Kan- 
sas,  in  1857,  and  in  California,  at   the  out- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


break  of  the  Civil  war,  as  chief  quarter- 
master of  the  Southern  district,  he  exerted 
a  powerful  influence.  In  1861  he  applied 
for  active  duty  in  the  field,  and  was  assigned 
to  the  department  of  Kentucky  as  chief 
quartermaster,  but  before  entering  upon  that 
duty,  was  appointed  brigadier-general  of 
volunteers.  His  subsequent  history  during 
the  war  was  substantially  that  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  He  participated  in  the 
campaign,  under  McClellan,  and  led  the 
gallant  charge,  which  captured  Fort  Magru- 
der,  won  the  day  at  the  battle  of  Wil- 
liamsburg, and  by  services  rendered  at 
Savage's  Station  and  other  engagements, 
won  several  grades  in  the  regular  service, 
and  was  recommended  by  McClellan  for 
major-general  of  volunteers.  He  was  a  con- 
spicuous figure  at  South  Mountain  and  An- 
tietam.  He  was  commissioned  major-gen- 
eral of  volunteers,  November  29,  1862,  and 
made  commander  of  the  First  Division  of 
the  Second  Corps,  which  he  led  at  Fred- 
ricksburg  ar  i  at  Chancellorsville.  He  was 
appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Second 
Corps  in  June,  1863,  and  at  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg,  July  1,  2  and  3,  of  that  year, 
took  an  important  part.  On  his  arrival  on 
the  field  he  found  part  of  the  forces  then 
in  retreat,  but  stayed  the  retrograde 
movement,  checked  the  enemy,  and  on  the 
following  day  commanded  the  left  center, 
repulsed,  on  the  third,  the  grand  assault  of 
General  Lee's  army,  and  was  severely 
wounded.  For  his  services  on  that  field 
General  Hancock  received  the  thanks  of 
congress.  On  recovering  from  his  wound, 
he  was  detailed  to  go  north  to  stimulate  re- 
cruiting and  fill  up  the  diminished  corps,  and 
was  the  recipient  of  many  public  receptions 
and  ovations.  In  March,  1864,  he  returned 
to  his  command,  and  in  the  Wilderness  and 
at   Spottsylvania   led  large    bodies  of   nun 


successfully  and  conspicuously.  From  that 
on  to  the  close  of  the  campaign  he  was  a 
prominent  figure.  In  November,  1864,  he 
was  detailed  to  organize  the  First  Veteran 
Reserve  Corps,  and  at  the  close  of  hostilities 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Mid- 
dle Military  Division.  In  July,  1866,  he 
was  made  major-general  of  the  regular 
service.  He  was  at  the  head  of  various 
military  departments  until  1872,  when  he 
was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Atlantic,  which  post  he  held 
until  his  death.  In  1869  he  declined  the 
nomination  for  governor  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  the  nominee  of  the  Democratic 
party  for  president,  in  1880,  and  was  de- 
feated by  General  Garfield,  who  had  a  popu- 
lar majority  of  seven  thousand  and  eighteen 
and  an  electoral  majority  .of  fifty-nine.  Gen- 
eral Hancock  died  February  9,   1886. 


THOMAS  PAINE,  the  most  noted  polit- 
ical and  deistical  writer  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary period,  was  born  in  England,  Jan- 
uary 29,  1737,  of  Quaker  parents.  Hisedu- 
cation  was-obtained  in  the  grammar  schools 
of  Thetford,  his  native  town,  and  supple- 
mented by  hard  private  study  while  working 
at  his  trade  of  stay-maker  at  London  and 
other  cities  of  England.  He  was  for  a  time 
a  dissenting  preacher,  although  he  did  not 
relinquish  his  employment.  He  married  a 
revenue  official's  daughter,  and  was  employed 
in  the  revenue  service  for  some  time.  He 
then  became  a  grocer  and  duringall  this  time 
he  was  reading  and  cultivating  his  literary 
tastes,  and  had  developed  a  clear  and  forci- 
ble style  of  composition.  He  was  chosen  to 
represent  the  interests  of  the  excisemen, 
and  published  a  pamphlet  that  brought 
him  considerable  notice.  He  was  soon  after- 
ward introduced  to  Benjamin  Franklin,  and 
having  been  dismissed  from  the  service  on  a. 


148 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


charge  of  smuggling,  his  resentment  led  him 
to  accept  the  advice  of  that  statesman  to 
come  to  America,  in  1774.  He  became 
editor  of  the  "Pennsylvania  Magazine,"  and 
the  next  year  published  his  "Serious 
Thoughts  upon  Slavery"  in  the  "Penn- 
sylvania Journal."  His  greatest  political 
work,  however,  was  written  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  Dr.  Rush,  and  entitled  "Common 
Sense."  It  was  the  most  popular  pamphlet 
written  during  the  period  and  he  received 
two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  from  the 
state  of  Pennsylvania  in  recognition  of  its 
value.  His  periodical,  the  "Crisis,"  began 
in  1776,  and  its  distribution  among  the 
soldiers  did  a  great  deal  to  keep  up  the  spirit 
of  revolution.  He  was  made  secretary  of 
the  committee  of  foreign  affairs,  but  was  dis- 
missed for  revealing  diplomatic  secrets  in 
one  of  his  controversies  with  Silas  Deane. 
He  was  originator  and  promoter  of  a  sub- 
scription to  relieve  the  distress  of  the  soldiers 
near  the  close  of  the  war,  and  was  sent  to 
France  with  Henry  Laurens  to  negotiate  the 
treaty  with  France,  and  was  granted  three 
thousand  dollars  by  congress  for  his  services 
there,  and  an  estate  at  New  Rochelle,  by  the 
state  of  New  York. 

In  1787,  after  the  close  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  he  went  to  France,  and  a  few 
years  later  published  his  "  Rights  of  Man," 
defending  the  French  revolution,  which 
gave  him  great  popularity  in  France.  He 
was  made  a  citizen  and  elected  to  the  na- 
tional convention  at  Calais.  He  favored 
banishment  of  the  king  to  America,  and 
opposed  his  execution.  He  was  imprisoned 
for  about  ten  months  during  1794  by  the 
Robespierre  party,  during  which  time  he 
wrote  the  "  Age  of  Reason,"  his  great  deis- 
tical  work.  He  was  in  danger  of  the  guillo- 
tine for  several  months.  He  took  up  his 
residence  with  the  family  of  James  Monroe, 


then  minister  to  France  and  was  chosen 
again  to  the  convention.  He  returned 
to  the  United  States  in  1802,  and  was 
cordially  received  throughout  the  coun- 
try except  at  Trenton,  where  he  was  insulted 
by  Federalists.  He  retired  to  his  estate  at 
New  Rochelle,  and  his  death  occurred  June 
8,  1809.  

JOHN  WILLIAM  MACKAY  was  one  of 
America's  noted  men,  both  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  western  coast  and  the 
building  of  the  Mackay  and  Bennett  cable. 
He  was  born  in  183 1  at  Dublin,  Ireland; 
came  to  New  York  in  1840  and  his  boyhood 
days  were  spent  in  Park  Row.  He  went 
to  California  some  time  after  the  argonauts 
of  1849  and  took  to  the  primitive  methods 
of  mining  —  lost  and  won  and  finally  drifted 
into  Nevada  about  i860.  The  bonanza  dis- 
coveries which  were  to  have  such  a  potent 
influence  on  the  finance  and  statesmanship 
of  the  day  came  in  1872.  Mr.  Mackay 
founded  the  Nevada  Bank  in  1878.  He  is 
said  to  have  taken  one  hundred  and 
fifty  million  dollars  in  bullion  out  of 
the  Big  Bonanza  mine.  There  were  as- 
sociated with  him  in  this  enterprise  James 
G.  Fair,  senator  from  Nevada;  William 
O'Brien  and  James  C.  Flood.  When 
vast  wealth  came  to  Mr.  Mackay  he  be- 
lieved it  his  duty  to  do  his  country  some 
service,  and  he  agitated  in  his  mind  the 
building  of  an  American  steamship  line, 
and  while  brooding  over  this  his  attention 
was  called  to  the  cable  relations  between 
America  and  Europe.  The  financial  man- 
agement  of  the  cable  was  selfish  and  ex- 
travagant, and  the  capital  was  heavy  with 
accretions  of  financial  "  water"  and  to  pay 
even  an  apparent  dividend  upon  the  sums 
which  represented  the  nominal  value  of  the 
cables,  it  was  necessary   to  hold    the    rates 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


at  an  exorbitant  figure.  And,  moreover, 
the  cables  were  foreign;  in  one  the  influence 
of  France  being  paramount  and  in  the  other 
that  of  England;  and  in  the  matter  of  intel- 
ligence, so  necessary  in  case  of  war,  we 
would  be  at  the  mercy  of  our  enemies.  This 
train  of  thought  brought  Mr.  Mackay  into  re- 
lation with  James  Gordon  Bennett,  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  "  New  York  Herald."  The 
result  of  their  intercourse  was  that  Mr.  Mac- 
kay so  far  entered  into  the  enthusiasm  of 
Mr.  Bennett  over  an  independent  cable, 
that  he  offered  to  assist  the  enterprise  with 
five  hundred  thousand  dollars.  This  was  the 
inception  of  the  Commercial  Cable  Com- 
pany, or  of  what  has  been  known  for  years 
as   the    Mackav-Bennett  cable. 


ELISHA  GRAY,  the  great  inventor  and 
electrician,  was  born  August  2,  1835. 
at  Barnesville,  Belmont  county,  Ohio.  He 
was,  as  a  child,  greatly  interested  in  the 
phenomena  of  nature,  and  read  with  avidity 
all  the  books  he  could  obtain,  relating  to 
this  subject.  He  was  apprenticed  to  various 
trades  during  his  boyhood,  but  his  insatiable 
thirst  for  knowledge  dominated  his  life  and 
he  found  time  to  study  at  odd  intervals. 
Supporting  himself  by  working  at  his  trade, 
he  found  time  to  pursue  a  course  at  Oberlin 
College,  where  he  particularly  devoted  him- 
self to  the  study  of  physicial  science.  Mr. 
Gray  secured  his  first  patent  for  electrical 
or  telegraph  apparatus  on  October  1,  1867. 
His  attention  was  first  attracted  to  tele- 
phonic transmission  during  this  year  and  he 
saw  in  it  a  way  of  transmitting  signals  for 
telegraph  purposes,  and  conceived  the  idea 
of  electro-tones,  tuned  to  different  tones  in 
the  scale.  He  did  not  then  realize  the  im- 
portance of  his  invention,  his  thoughts  being 
employed  on  the  capacity  of  the  apparatus 
for  transmitting   musical    tones   through   an 


electric  circuit,  and  it  was  not  until  1874 
that  he  was  again  called  to  consider  the  re- 
production of  electrically-transmitted  vibra- 
tions through  the  medium  of  animal  tissue. 
He  continued  experimenting  with  various 
results,  which  finally  culminated  in  his 
taking  out  a  patent  for  his  speaking  tele- 
phone on  February  14,  1876.  He  took  out 
fifty  additional  patents  in  the  course  of 
eleven  years,  among  which  were,  telegraph 
switch,  telegraph  repeater,  telegraph  annun- 
ciator and  typewriting  telegraph.  From 
1869  until  1873  he  was  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  telegraph  apparatus  in  Cleve- 
land and  Chicago,  and  filled  the  office  of 
electrician  to  the  Western  Electric  Com- 
pany. He  was  awarded  the  degree  of  D. 
S.,  and  in  1874  he  went  abroad  to  perfect 
himself  in  acoustics.  Mr.  Gray's  latest  in- 
vention was  known  as  the  telautograph  or 
long  distance  writing  machine.  Mr.  Gray 
wrote  and  published  several  works  on  scien- 
tific subjects,  among  which  were:  "Tele- 
graphy and  Teiephonv,"  and  "Experi- 
mental Research  in  Electro-Harmonic  Tele- 
graphy and  Telephony." 


WHITELAW  REID.— Among  the  many 
men  who  have  adorned  the  field  of 
journalism  in  the  United  States,  few  stand 
out  with  more  prominence  than  the  scholar, 
author  and  editor  whose  name  heads  this  ar- 
ticle. Born  at  Xenia,  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
October  27,  1837,  he  graduated  at  Miami 
University  in  1856.  For  about  a  year  be 
was  superintendent  of  the  graded  schools  of 
South  Charleston,  Ohio,  after  which  he  pur- 
chased the  "Xenia  News,"  which  he  edited 
for  about  two  years.  This  paper  wis  the 
first  one  outside  of  Illinois  to  advocate  the 
nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  Mr.  Reid 
having  been  a  Republican  since  the  birth  of 
that  party  in  1856.      Mter  taking  an  active 


150 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


part  in  the  campaign,  in  the  winter  of  1860- 
61,  he  went  to  the  state  capital  as  corres- 
pondent of  three  daily  papers.  At  the  close 
of  the  session  of  the  legislature  he  became 
city  editor  of  the  "Cincinnati  Gazette," 
and  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  went  to 
the  front  as  a  correspondent  for  that  journal. 
For  a  time  he  served  on  the  staff  of  General 
Morris  in  West  Virginia,  with  the  rank  of 
captain.  Shortly  after  he  was  on  the  staff 
of  General  Rosecrans,  and,  under  the  name 
of  "Agate,"  wrote  most  graphic  descrip- 
tions of  the  movements  in  the  field,  espe- 
cially that  of  the  battle  ol  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing. In  the  spring  of  1862  Mr.  Reid  went 
to  Washington  and  was  appointed  librarian 
to  the  house  of  representatives,  and  acted  as 
correspondent  of  the  "  Cincinnati  Gazette." 
His  description  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg, 
written  on  the  field,  gained  him  added 
reputation.  In  1865  he  accompanied  Chief 
Justice  Chase  on  a  southern  tour,  and  pub- 
lished "After  the  War;  a  Southern  Tour." 
During  the  next  two  years  he  was  engaged 
in  cotton  planting  in  Louisiana  and  Ala- 
bama, and  published  "Ohio  in  the  War. " 
In  1868  he  returned  t6  the  "  Cincinnati  Ga- 
zette," becoming  one  of  its  leading  editors. 
The  same  year  he  accepted  the  invitation  of 
Horace  Greeley  and  became  one  of  the  staff 
on  the  "  New  York  Tribune."  Upon  the 
death  of  Mr.  Greeley  in  1872,  Mr.  Reid  be- 
came editor  and  chief  proprietor  of  that 
paper.  In  1S78  he  was  tendered  the  United 
States  mission  to  Berlin,  but  declined.  The 
offer  was  again  made  by  the  Garfield  ad- 
ministration, but  again  he  declined.  In 
1878  he  was  elected  by  the  New  York  legis- 
lature regent  of  the  university,  to  succeed 
General  John  A.  Dix.  Under  the  Harrison 
administration  he  served  as  United  States 
minister  to  France,  and  in  1892  was  the 
Republican  nominee  for  the  vice-presidency 


of  the  United  States.  Among  other  works 
published  by  him  were  the  "  Schools  of 
Journalism,"  "The  Scholar  in  Politics," 
"Some  Newspaper  Tendencies,"  and 
"Town-Hall  Suggestions." 


GEORGE  WHITEFIELD  was  one  of 
the  most  powerful  and  effective  preach- 
ers the  world  has  ever  produced,  swaying 
his  hearers  and  touching  the  hearts  of  im- 
mense audiences  in  a  manner  that  has  rarely 
been  equalled  and  never  surpassed.  While 
not  a  native  of  America,  yet  much  of  his 
labor  was  spent  in  this  country.  He  wielded 
a  great  influence  in  the  United  States  in 
early  days,  and  his  death  occurred  here;  so 
that  he  well  deserves  a  place  in  this  volume 
as  one  of  the  most  celebrated  men  America 
has  known. 

George  Whitefield  was  born  in  the  Bull 
Inn,  at  Gloucester,  England,  December  16, 
1 7 14.  He  acquired  the  rudiments  of  learn- 
ing in  St.  Mary's  grammar  school.  Later 
he  attended  Oxford  University  for  a  time, 
where  he  became  intimate  with  the  Oxford 
Methodists,  and  resolved  to  devote  himself 
to  the  ministry.  He  was  ordained  in  the 
Gloucester  Cathedral  June  20,  1836,  and 
the  following  day  preached  his  first  sermon 
in  the  same  church.  On  that  day  there 
commenced  a  new  era  in  Whitefield's  life. 
He  went  to  London  and  began  to  preach  at 
Bishopsgate  church,  his  fame  soon  spread- 
ing over  the  city,  and  shortly  he  was  en- 
gaged four  times  on  a  single  Sunday  in  ad- 
dressing audiences  of  enormous  magnitude, 
and  he  preached  in  various  parts  of  his  native 
country,  the  people  crowding  in  multitudes 
to  hear  him  and  hanging  upon  the  rails  and 
rafters  of  the  churches  and  approaches  there- 
to. He  finally  sailed  for  America,  landing 
in  Georgia,  where  he  stirred  the  people  to 
great  enthusiasm.     During  the  balance  of 


COirrEXDIl'M   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


158 


his  life  he  divided  his  time  between  Great 
Britain  and  America,  and  it  is  recorded  that 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic  thirteen  times.  He 
came  to  America  for  the  seventh  time  in 
1770.  He  preached  every  day  at  Boston 
from  the  17th  to  the  20th  of  September, 
1770,  then  traveled  to  Newburyport,  preach- 
ing at  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  September 
29,  on  the  way.  That  evening  he  went  to 
Newburyport,  where  he  died  the  next  day, 
Sunday,  September  30,   1770. 

' '  YYhitefield's  dramatic  power  was  amaz- 
ing," says  an  eminent  writer  in  describing 
him.  "  His  voice  was  marvelously  varied, 
and  he  ever  had  it  at  command — an  organ, 
a  flute,  a  harp,  all  in  one.  His  intellectual 
powers  were  not  of  a  high  order,  but  he  had 
an  abundance  of  that  ready  talent  and  that 
wonderful  magnetism  which  makes  the  pop- 
ular preacher;  and  beyond  all  natural  en- 
dowments, there  was  in  his  ministry  the 
power  of  evangelical  trut!  ,  and,  as  his  con- 
verts believed,  the  presence  of  the  spirit  of 
God."  

CHARLES  FRANCIS  BRUSH,  one  of 
America's  prominent  men  in  the  devel- 
opment of  electrical  science,  was  born  March 
17,  1849,  near  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  spent 
his  early  life  on  his  father's  farm.  From 
the  district  school  at  Wickliffe,  Ohio,  he 
passed  to  the  Shaw  Academy  at  Collamer, 
and  then  entered  the  high  school  at  Cleve- 
land. His  interest  in  chemistry,  physics 
and  engineering  was  already  marked,  and 
during  his  senior  year  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  chemical  and  physical  appar- 
atus. During  these  years  he  devised  a  plan 
for  lighting  street  lamps,  constructed  tele- 
scopes, and  his  first  electric  arc  lamp,  also 
an  electric  motor.  In  September,  1867,  he 
entered  the  engineering  department  of  the 
University    of    Michigan    and   graduated   in 


1869,  which  was  a  year  in  advance  of  his 
class,  with  the  degree  of  M.  E.  He  theri 
returned  to  Cleveland,  and  for  three  years 
was  engaged  as  an  analytical  chemist  and 
for  four  years  in  the  iron  business.  In 
1S75  Mr.  Brush  became  interested  in  elec- 
tric lighting,  and  in  1876,  after  four  months' 
experimenting,  he  completed  the  dynamo- 
electric  machine  that  has  made  his  name 
famous,  and  in  a  shorter  time  produced  the 
series  arc  lamps.  These  were  both  patent- 
ed in  the  United  States  in  1876,  and  he 
afterward  obtained  fifty  patents  on  his  later 
inventions,  including  the  fundamental  stor- 
age battery,  the  compound  series,  shunt- 
winding  for  dynamo-electric  machines,  and 
the  automatic  cut-out  for  arc  lamps.  His 
patents,  two-thirds  of  which  have  already 
been  profitable,  are  held  by  the  Brush 
Electric  Company,  of  Cleveland,  while  his 
foreign  patents  are  controlled  by  the  Anglo- 
American  Brush  Electric  Light  Company, 
of  London.  In  1880  the  Western  Reserve 
University  conferred  upon  Mr.  Brush  the 
degree  of  Ph.  D.,  and  in  1881  the  French 
government  decorated  him  as  a  chevalier  of 
the  Legion  of  Honor. 


HENRY  CLEWS,  of  Wall-street  fame, 
was  one  of  the  noted  old-time  opera- 
tors on  that  famous  street,  and  was  also  an 
author  of  some  repute.  Mr.  Clews  was 
born  in  Staffordshire,  England,  August  14, 
1840.  His  father  had  him  educated  with 
the  intention  of  preparing  him  for  the  minis- 
try, but  on  a  visit  to  the  United  States  the 
young  man  became  interested  in  a  business 
life,  and  was  allowed  to  engage  as  a  clerk  in 
the  importing  house  of  Wilson  G.  Hunt  cS: 
Co.,  of  New  York.  Here  he  learned  the 
first  principles  of  business,  and  when  the  war 
broke  out  in  [861  young  Clews  saw  in  the 
needs  of  the    government  an    opportunity  to 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


reap  a  golden  harvest.  He  identified  him- 
self with  the  negotiating  of  loans  for  the 
government,  and  used  his  powers  of  pur- 
suasion  upon  the  great  money  powers  to 
convince  them  of  the  stability  of  the  govern- 
ment and  the  value  of  its  securities.  By 
enthusiasm  and  patriotic  arguments  he  in- 
duced capitalists  to  invest  their  money  in 
government  securities,  often  against  their 
judgment,  and  his  success  was  remarkable. 
His  was  one  of  the  leading  firms  that  aided 
the  struggling  treasury  department  in  that 
critical  hour,  and  his  reward  was  great.  In 
addition  to  the  vast  wealth  it  brought, 
President  Lincoln  and  Secretary  Chase 
both  wrote  important  letters,  acknowledging 
his  valued  service.  In  1873,  by  the  repu- 
diation of  the  bonded  indebtedness  of  the 
state  of  Georgia,  Mr.  Clew:,  lost  six  million 
dollars  which  he  had  invested  in  those  se- 
curities. It  is  said  that  he  is  the  only  man, 
with  one  exception,  in  Wall  street,  who 
ever  regained  great  wealth  after  utter  dis- 
aster. His  "  Twenty-Eight  Years  in  Wall 
Street  "  has  been  widely  read. 


ALFRED  VAIL  was  one  of  the  men  that 
gave  to  the  world  the  electric  telegraph 
and  the  names  of  Henry,  Morse  and  Vail 
will  forever  remain  linked  as  the  prime  fac- 
tors in  that  great  achievement.  Mr.  Vail 
was  born  September  25,  1807,  at  Morris- 
town,  New  Jersey,  and  was  a  son  of  Stephen 
Vail,  the  proprietor  of  the  Speedwell  Iron 
Works,  near  Morristown.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen,  after  he  had  completed  his  stud- 
ies at  the  Morristown  Academy,  Alfred  Vail 
went  into  the  Speedwell  Iron  Works  and 
contented  himself  with  the  duties  of  his 
position  until  he  reached  his  majority.  He 
then  determined  to  prepare  himself  for  the 
ministry,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  he 
entered  the  University  of    the    City  of    New 


York,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1836.  His 
health  becoming  impaired  he  labored  for  a 
time  under  much  uncertainty  as  to  his  future 
course.  Professor  S.  F.  B.  Morse  had  come 
to  the  university  in  1835  as  professor  of  lit- 
erature and  fine  arts,  and  about  this  time, 

1837,  Professor  Gale,  occupying  the  chair 
of  chemistry,  invited  Morse  to  exhibit  his 
apparatus  for  the  benefit  of  the  students. 
On  Saturday,  September  2,  1837,  the  exhi- 
bition took  place  and  Vail  was  asked  to  at- 
tend, and  with  his  inherited  taste  for  me- 
chanics and  knowledge  of  their  construction, 
he  saw  a  great  future  for  the  crude  mechan- 
ism used  by  Morse  in  giving  and  recording 
signals.  Mr.  Vail  interested  his  father  in 
the  invention,  and  Morse  was  invited  to 
Speedwell  and  the  elder  Vail  promised  to 
help  him.  It  was  stipulated  that  Alfred 
Vail  should  construct  the  required  apparatus 
and  exhibit  before  a  committee  of  congress 
the  telegraph  instrument,  and  was  to  receive 
a  quarter  interest  in  the  invention.  Morse 
had  devised  a  series  of  ten  numbered  leaden 
types,  which  were  to  be  operated  in  giving 
the  signal.  This  was  not  satisfactory  to 
Vail,  so  he  devised  an  entirely  new  instru- 
ment, involving  a  lever,  or  "point,"  on  a 
radically  different  principle,  which,  when 
tested,  produced  dots  and  dashes,  and  de- 
vised the  famous  dot-and-dash  alphabet, 
misnamed  the  "  Morse."  At  last  the  ma- 
chine was  in  working  order,  on  January  6, 

1838.  The  machine  was  taken  to  Wash- 
ington, where  it  caused  not  only  wonder, 
but  excitement.  Vail  continued  his  experi- 
ments and  devised  the  lever  and  roller. 
When  the  line  between  Baltimore  and 
Washington  was  completed.  Vail  was  sta- 
tioned at  the  Baltimore  end  and  received 
the  famous  first  message.  It  is  a  remarka- 
ble fact  that  not  a  single  feature  of  the 
original  invention  of    Morse,  as  formulated 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


by  his  caveat  and  repeated  in  his  original 
patent,  is  to  be  found  in  Vail's  apparatus. 
From  1837  to  1844  it  was  a  combination  of 
the  inventions  of  Morse,  Henry  and  Vail, 
but  the  work  of  Morse  fell  gradually  into 
desuetude,  while  Vail's  conception  of  an 
alphabet  has  remained  unchanged  for  half  a 
century.  Mr.  Vail  published  but  one  work, 
"American  Electro-Magnetic  Telegraph," 
in  1845,  and  died  at  Morristown  at  the  com- 
paratively early  age  of  fifty-one,  on  January 
19.   1S59- 

ULYSSES  S.  GRANT,  the  eighteenth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  April  27,  1S22,  at  Point  Pleasant,  Cler- 
mont county,  Ohio.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen he  entered  the  United  States  Military 
Academy  at  West  Point,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  June,  1843,  and  was  given  his 
brevet  as  second  lieutenant  and  assigned  to 
the  Fourth  Infantry.  He  remained  in  the 
service  eleven  years,  in  which  time  he 
was  engaged  in  the  Mexican  war  with  gal- 
lantry, and  was  thrice  brevetted  for  conduct 
in  the  field.  In  1848  he  married  Miss  Julia 
Dent,  and  in  1854,  having  reached  the 
grade  of  captain,  he  resigned  and  engaged 
in  farming  near  St.  Louis.  In  i860  he  en- 
tered the  leather  business  with  his  father  at 
Galena,  Illinois. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  in  1861, 
he  commenced  to  drill  a  company  at  Ga- 
lena, and  at  the  same  time  offered  his  serv- 
ices to  the  adjutant-general  of  the  army, 
but  he  had  few  influential  friends,  so  re- 
ceived no  answer.  He  was  employed  by 
the  governor  of  Illinois  in  the  organization 
of  the  various  volunteer  regiments,  and  at 
the  end  of  a  few  weeks  was  given  the 
colonelcy  of  the  Twenty-first  Infantry,  from 
that  state.  His  military  training  and  knowl- 
edge soon  attracted  the  attention  of  his  su- 


perior officers,  and  on  reporting  to  General 
Pope  in  Missouri,  the  latter  put  him  in 
the  way  of  advancement.  August  7,  1S61, 
he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers,  and  for  a  few  weeks 
was  occupied  in  watching  the  movements  of 
partisan  forces  in  Missouri.  September  1, 
the  same  year,  he  was  placed  in  command 
of  the  Department  of  Southeast  Missouri, 
with  headquarters  at  Cairo,  and  on  the  6th 
of  the  month,  without  orders,  seized  Padu- 
cah,  which  commanded  the  channel  of  the 
Ohio  and  Tennessee  rivers,  by  which  he  se- 
cured Kentucky  for  the  Union.  He  now 
received  orders  to  make  a  demonstration  on 
Belmont,  which  he  did,  and  with  about  three 
thousand  raw  recruits  held  his  own  against 
the  Confederates  some  seven  thousand 
strong,  bringing  back  about  two  hundred 
prisoners  and  two  guns.  In  February,]  1862, 
he  moved  up  the  Tennessee  river  with 
the  naval  fleet  under  Commodore  Foote. 
The  latter  soon  silenced  Fort  Henry,  and 
Grant  advanced  against  Fort  Donelson  and 
took  their  fortress  and  its  garrison.  His 
prize  here  consisted  of  sixty-five  cannon, 
seventeen  thousand  six  hundred  stand  of 
arms,  and  fourteen  thousand  six  hundred 
and  twenty-three  prisoners.  This  was  the 
first  important  success  won  by  the  Union 
forces.  Grant  was  immediately  made  a 
major-general  and  placed  in  command  of 
the  district  of  West  Tennessee.  In  April, 
1 S62,  he  fought  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing, and  after  the  evacuation  of  Corinth  by 
the  enemy  Grant  became  commander  of  the 
Department  of  the  Tennessee.  He  now 
made  his  first  demonstration  toward  Vicks- 
burg,  but  owing  to  the  incapacity  of  subor- 
dinate officers,  was  unsuccessful.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1863,  he  took  command  of  all  the 
troops  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  devoted 
several  months  to   the  siege  of   Vicksburg, 


156 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


which  was  finally  taken  possession  of  by  him 
July  4,  with  thirty-one  thousand  six  hundred 
prisoners  and  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
cannon,  thus  throwing  the  Mississippi  river 
open  to  the  Federals.  He  was  now  raised 
to  the  rank  of  major-general  in  the  regular 
army.  October  following,  at  the  head  of 
the  Department  of  the  Mississippi,  General 
Grant  went  to  Chattanooga,  where  he  over- 
threw the  enemy,  and  united  with  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland.  The  remarkable  suc- 
cesses achieved  by  him  pointed  Grant  out 
for  an  appropriate  commander  of  all  na- 
tional troops,  and  in  February,  1864,  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-general  was  made  for  him 
by  act  of  congress.  Sending  Sherman  into 
Georgia,  Sigel  into  the  Valley  of  West  Vir- 
ginia and  Butler  to  attempt  the  capture  of 
Richmond  he  fought  his  way  through  the 
Wilderness  to  the  James  and  pressed  the 
siege  of  the  capital  of  the  Confederacy. 
After  the  fall  of  the  latter  Grant  pressed 
the  Confederate  army  so  hard  that  their 
commander  surrendered  at  Appomattox 
Court  House,  April  9,  1865.  This  virtually 
ended  the  war. 

After  the  war  the  rank  of  general  was 
conferred  upon  U.  S.  Grant,  and  in  1868  he 
was  elected  president  of  the  United  States, 
and  re-elected  his  own  successor  in  1S72. 
After  the  expiration  of  the  latter  term  he 
made  his  famous  tour  of  the  world.  He  died 
at  Mt.  McGregor,  near  Saratoga,  New  York, 
July  23,  1885,  and  was  buried  at  Riverside 
Park,  New  York,  where  a  magnificent  tomb 
has  been  erected  to  hold  the  ashes  of  the 
nation's  hero. 


JOHN  MARSHALL,  the  fourth  chief  jus- 
tice of  the  United  States  supreme  court, 
was  born  in  Germantown,  Virginia,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1755  His  father.  Colonel  Thomas 
Marshall,  served  with  distinction  in  the  Rev- 


olutionary war,  while  he  also  served  from 
the  beginning  of  the  war  until  1779,  where 
he  became  noted  in  the  field  and  courts 
martial.  While  on  detached  service  he  at- 
tended a  course  of  law  lectures  at  William 
and  Mary  College,  delivered  by  Mr.  Wythe, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  The  next  year 
he  resigned  his  commission  and  began  his 
career  as  a  lawyer.  He  was  a  distinguished 
member  of  the  convention  called  in  Virginia 
to  ratify  the  Federal  constitution.  He  was 
tendered  the  attorney-generalship  of  the 
United  States,  and  also  a  place  on  the  su- 
preme bench,  besides  other  places  of  less 
honor,  all  of  which  he  declined.  He 
went  to  France  as  special  envoy  in  1798, 
and  the  next  year  was  elected  to  congress. 
He  served  one  year  and  was  appointed,  first, 
secretary  of  war,  and  then  secretary  of  state, 
and  in  1801  was  made  chief  justice  of  the 
United  States.  He  held  this  high  office  un- 
til his  death,  in  1835. 

Chief  Justice  Marshall's  early  education 
was  neglected,  and  his  opinions,  the  most 
valuable  in  existence,  are  noted  for  depth 
of  wisdom,  clear  and  comprehensive  reason- 
ing, justice,  and  permanency,  rather  than  for 
wide  learning  and  scholarly  construction. 
His  decisions  and  rulings  are  resorted  to 
constantly  by  our  greatest  lawyers,  and  his 
renown  as  a  just  judge  and  profound  jurist 
was  world  wide. 


LAWRENCE  BARRETT  is  perhaps 
known  more  widely  as  a  producer  of 
new  plays  than  as  a  great  actor.  He  was 
born  in  Paterson,  New  Jersey,  in  1838,  and 
educated  himself  as  best  he  could,  and  at 
the  age  of  sixteen  years  became  salesman 
for  a  Detroit  dry  goods  house.  He  after- 
wards began  to  go  upon  the  stage  as  a 
supernumerary,  and  his  ambition  was  soon 
rewarded  by  the  notice  of  the  management. 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRA  /' // T. 


157 


During  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he  was  a 
soldier,  and  after  valiant  service  for  his 
country  he  returned  to  the  stage.  He  went 
to  Europe  and  appeared  in  Liverpool,  and 
returning  in  1869,  he  began  playing  at 
Booth's  theater,  with  Mr.  Booth.  He  was 
afterward  associated  with  John  McCullough 
in  the  management  of  the  California 
theater.  Probably  the  most  noted  period 
of  his  work  was  during  his  connection  with 
Edwin  Booth  as  manager  of  that  great 
actor,  and  supporting  him  upon  the  stage. 
Mr.  Barrett  was  possessed  of  the  crea- 
tive instinct,  and,  unlike  Mr.  Booth,  he 
sought  new  fields  for  the  display  of  his 
genius,  and  only  resorted  to  traditional 
drama  in  response  to  popular  demand.  He 
preferred  new  plays,  and  believed  in  the 
encouragement  of  modern  dramatic  writers, 
and  was  the  only  actor  of  prominence  in  his 
time  that  ventured  to  put  upon  the  stage 
new  American  plays,  which  he  did  at  his 
own  expense,  and  the  success  of  his  experi- 
ments proved  the  quality  of  his  judgment. 
He  died  March  21,  1891. 


ARCHBISHOP  JOHN  HUGHES,  a  cel- 
ebrated Catholic  clergyman,  was  born 
at  Annaboghan,  Tyrone  county,  Ireland, 
June  24,  1797,  and  emigrated  to  America 
when  twenty  years  of  age,  engaging  for 
some  time  as  a  gardener  and  nurseryman. 
In  1 8 19  he  entered  St.  Mary's  College, 
where  he  secured  an  education,  paying  his 
way  by  caring  for  the  college  garden.  In 
1825  he  was  ordained  a  deacon  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  church,  and  in  the  same  year, 
a  priest.  Until  1 838  he  had  pastoral  charges 
in  Philadelphia,  where  he  founded  St.  John's 
Asylum  in  1829,  and  a  few  years  later  es- 
tablished the  "Catholic  Herald."  In  1S3S 
he  was  made  bishop  of  Basileopolis  in  parti- 
bus    and    coadjutor    to    Bishop   Dubois,    of 


New  York,  and  in  1842  became  bishop  of 
New  York.  In  1839  he  founded  St.  John's 
College,  at  Fordham.  In  1850  he  was 
made  archbishop  of  New  York.  In  186  [-2 
he  was  a  special  agent  of  the  United  States 
in  Europe,  after  which  he  returned  to  this 
country  and  remained  until  his  death,  Jan- 
uary 3,  1864.  Archbishop  Hughes  early 
attracted  much  attention  by  his  controver- 
sial correspondence  with  Rev.  John  Breck- 
inridge in  1833-35.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
ability,  a  fluent  and  forceful  writer  and  an 
able  preacher. 


RUTHERFORD  BIRCHARD  HAYES 
was  the  nineteenth  president  of  the 
United  States  and  served  from  1877  to  1881. 
He  was  born  October  4,  1822,  at  Delaware, 
Ohio,  and  his  ancestry  can  be  traced  back 
as  far  as  1280,  when  Hayes  and  Rutherford 
were  two  Scottish  chieftans  fighting  side  by 
side  with  Baliol,  William  Wallace  and 
Robert  Bruce.  The  Hayes  family  had  for 
a  coat  of  arms,  a  shield,  barred  and  sur- 
mounted by  a  flying  eagle.  There  was  a 
circle  of  stars  about  the  eagle,  while  on  a 
scroll  underneath  was  their  motto,  "Recte." 
Misfortune  overtook  the  family  and  in  16S0 
George  Hayes,  the  progenitor  of  the  Ameri- 
can family,  came  to  Connecticut  and  settled 
at  Windsor.  Rutherford  B.  Hayes  was 
a  very  delicate  child  at  his  birth  and  was 
not  expected  to  live,  but  he  lived  in  spite  of 
all  and  remained  at  home  until  he  was 
seven  years  old,  when  he  was  placed  in 
school.  He  was  a  very  tractable  pupil,  being 
always  very  studious,  and  in  1838  entered 
Kenyon  College,  graduating  from  the  same 
in  1842.  He  then  took  up  the  study  of  law 
in  the  office  of  Thomas  Sparrow  at  Colum- 
bus, but  in  a  short  time  he  decided  to  enter 
a  law  school  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
where  for  two  years  he  was  immersed  in  the 


158 


COMPEXDIL'M   OF   BIOGRAPHY 


study  of  law.  Mr.  Hayes  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  i  S45  in  Marietta.  Ohio,  and  very 
soon  entered  upon  the  active  practice  of  his 
profession  with  Ralph  P.  Buckland,  of 
Fremont.  Ohio.  He  remained  there  three 
years,  and  in  1S49  removed  to  Cincinnati. 
Ohio,  where  his  ambition  found  a  new 
stimulus.  Two  events  occurred  at  this 
period  that  had  a  powerful  influence  on  his 
after  life.  One  was  his  marriage  to  Miss 
Lac;  Wire  Webb,  and  the  other  was  his 
introduction  to  a  Cincinnati  literary  club, 
a  body  embracing  such  men  as  Salmon  P. 
Chase.  John  Pope,  and  Edward  F    N 

•  \     be  was  nominated  for  judge  of  the 
court  of  common  pleas,    but    declined,  and 
two    years     later    he  was    appointed     city 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion 
Mr     Hayes  was    appointed    major    of   the 
Twenty-third  Ohio    Infantry.  June  - 
and    in  July   the  regiment    was  ordered    to 
and   October    i;.    1861,  saw   him 
I  to  the  lieutenant-colonelcy  of  his 
regiment.      He  was    made    colonel    of   the 
Seventy-ninth  Ohio  Infantry,  but  refused  to 
leave  his  old  comrades:  and  in  the  battle  of 
South     Mountain   he    was     wounded     very 
severely  and  was  unable  to  rejoin  his  regi- 
ment   until    Novemb  1  He  had 
been     promoted    to    the    colonelcy    of  the 
regiment  on    October    15.     [862.       In    the 
mbei  he  was    appointed   to 
command  the   Kanawa    division     and    was 
given    the    rank  of    brigadier-general     for 
meritorious  services  in  several   battles,  and 
in  1864  he  was  bre vetted  major-general  for 
shed     services     in      1S64.     during 
which    campaign   he  was    wounded    several 
:  rive  horses  had  been  shot    under 
him.      Mr.    Hayes'  rirst   venture    in   politics 
was  as  a  Whig,  and  later  he   was  one  of  the 
first  to  unite  with  the  Republican  party.     In 
1S64  he  was  elected  from  the  Second  Ohio 


district  to  congress,  re-elected  in  1866, 
and  in  1S67  was  elected  governor  of  Ohio 
over  Allen  G.  Thurman,  and  was  re-elected 
Mr.  Hayes  was  elected  to  the 
presidency  in  1S76,  for  the  term  of  four 
years,  and  at  its  close  retired  to  private  life, 
and  went  to  his  home  in  Fremont,  Ohio, 
where  he  died  on  January  17 


WILLIAM  JENNINGS  BRYAN  became 
a  celebrated  character  as  the  nominee 
of  the  Democratic  and  Populist  parties  for 
president  of  the  United  States  in  1S96.  He 
was  born  March  19.  1S60.  at  Salem,  Illi- 
nois. He  received  his  early  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  county,  and 
later  on  he  attended  the  Whipple  Academy 
at  Jacksonville.  He  also  took  a  course  in 
Illinois  College,  and  after  his  graduation 
from  the  same  went  to  Chicago  to  study 
law.  and  entered  the  Union  College  of  Law 
a*  a  student.  He  was  associated  with  the 
late  Lyman  Trumbull,  of  Chicago,  during 
his  law  studies,  and  devoted  considerable 
time  to  the  questions  of  government.  He 
graduated  from  the  college,  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  and  went  to  Jacksonville.  Illinois, 
where  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Eliza- 
beth Baird.  In  1887  Mr  Bryan  removed 
to  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  and  formed  a  law 
partnership  with  Adolphus  R.  Talbot.  He 
entered  the  field  of  politics,  and  in  1 SSS 
as  a  delegate  to  the  state  con- 
vention, which  was  to  choose  del  e§ 
the  national  convention,  during  which  he 
made  a  speech  which  immediately  won  him 
a  high  rank  in  political  affairs.  He  declined, 
in  the  next  state  convention,  a  nomination 
for  lieutenant-governor,  and  in  iSoc  he  was 
elected  congressman  from  the  First  district 
-ka.  and  was  the  youngest  member 
of  the  fifty-second  congress.  He  cham- 
pioned  the   Wilson  tariff  bill,    and   served 


coMPExniryr  of  biographt. 


1.7.' 


three  terms  in  the  house  of  representatives. 
He  next  ran  for  senator,  but  was  defeated 
by  John  M.  Thurston,  and  in  1896  he  was 
selected  by  the  Democratic  and  Populist 
parties  as  their  nominee  for  the  presidency, 
being  defeated  by  William  McKinley. 


MARVIN  HUGHITT,  one  of  America's 
famous  railroad  men,  was  born  in 
Genoa,  New  York,  and  entered  the  railway 
service  in  1856  as  superintendent  of  tele- 
graph and  trainmaster  of  the  St.  Louis,  Al- 
ton &  Chicago,  now  Chicago  &  Alton  Rail- 
road. Mr.  Hughitt  was  superintendent  of 
the  southern  division  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  from  1862  until  1864,  and  was, later 
on,  the  general  superintendent  of  the  road 
until  1870.  He  was  then  connected  with 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Rail- 
road as  assistant  general  manager,  and  re- 
tained this  position  until  1871,  when  he  be- 
came the  general  manager  of  Pullman's 
Palace  Car  Company.  In  1872  he  was  made 
general  superintendent  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railroad.  He  served  during 
1876  and  up  to  1880  as  general  manager, 
and  from  1880  until  1887  as  vice-presi- 
dent and  general  manager.  He  was  elected 
president  of  the  road  in  1887,  in  recog- 
nition of  his  ability  in  conducting  the 
affairs  of  the  road.  He  was  also  chosen 
president  of  the  Chicago,  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
apolis &  Omaha  Railway;  the  Fremont,  Elk- 
horn  &  Missouri  Valley  Railroad,  and  the 
Milwaukee,  Lake  Shore  &  Western  Railroad, 
and  his  services  in  these  capacities  stamped 
him  as  one  of  the  most  able  railroad  mana- 
gers of  his  day. 


JOSEPH  MEDILL,  one  of  the  most 
eminent  of  American  journalists,  was 
born  in  New  Brunswick,  Canada,  April  6, 
1823.     In  1831  his  father   moved   to  Stark 


county,  Ohio,  and  until  1841  Joseph  Medill 
worked  on  his  father's  farm.  Later  he 
studied  law,  and  began  the  practice  of  that 
profession  in  1846  at  New  Philadelphia, 
Ohio.  But  the  newspaper  field  was  more 
attractive  to  Mr.  Medill,  and  three  years 
later  he  founded  a  free-soil  Whig  paper  at 
Coshocton,  Ohio,  and  after  that  time  jour- 
nalism received  all  his  abilities.  "The 
Leader, "  another  free-soil  Whig  paper,  was 
founded  by  Mr.  Medill  at  Cleveland  in  1852. 
In  that  city  he  also  became  one  of  the  first 
organizers  of  the  Republican  party.  Shortly 
after  that  event  he  removed  to  Chicago  and 
in  1855,  with  two  partners,  he  purchased 
the  "  Chicago  Tribune."  In  the  contest  for 
the  nomination  for  the  presidency  in  1860, 
Mr.  Medill  worked  with  unflagging  zeal  for 
Mr.  Lincoln,  his  warm  personal  friend,  and 
was  one  of  the  president's  stanchest  sup- 
porters during  the  war.  Mr.  Medill  was  a 
member  of  the  Illinois  Constitutional  con- 
vention in  1870.  President  Grant,  in  1871, 
appointed  the  editor  a  member  of  the  firs' 
United  States  civil  service  commission,  and 
the  following  year,  after  the  fire,  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  Chicago  by  a  great  ma- 
jority. During  1873  and  1874  Mr.  Medill 
spent  a  year  in  Europe.  Upon  his  return 
he  purchased  a  controlling  interest  in  the 
"  Chicago  Tribune." 


CLAUSSPRECKELS,  the  great  "  sugar 
baron,"  and  one  of  the  most  famous 
representatives  of  commercial  life  in  Amer- 
ica, was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  and 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1840, 
locating  in  New  York.  He  very  soon  be- 
came the  proprietor  of  a  small  retail  gro- 
cery store  on  Church  street,  and  embarked 
on  a  career  that  has  since 
world.  He  sold  out  his  business  and  went 
to  California   with  the  argonauts  of   1849, 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


not  as  a  prospector,  but  as  a  trader,  and  for 
years  after  his  arrival  on  the  coast  he  was 
still  engaged  as  a  grocer.  At  length,  after  a 
quarter  of  a  century  of  fairly  prosperous 
business  life,  he  found  himself  in  a  position 
where  an  ordinary  man  would  have  retired, 
but  Mr.  Spreckles  did  not  retire;  he  had 
merely  been  gathering  capital  for  the  real 
work  of  his  life.  His  brothers  had  followed 
him  to  California,  and  in  combination  with 
them  he  purchased  for  forty  thousand  dollars 
an  interest  in  the  Albany  Brewery  in  San 
Francisco.  But  the  field  was  not  extensive 
enough  for  the  development  of  his  business 
abilities,  so  Mr.  Sprecklas  branched  out 
extensively  in  the  sugar  business.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  the  entire  output  of 
sugar  that  was  produced  on  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  and  after  1885  was  known  as 
the  "Sugar  King  of  Sandwich  Islands." 
He  controlled  absolutely  the  sugar  trade  of 
the  Pacific  coast  which  was  known  to  be 
not  less  than  ten  million  dollars  a  year. 


CHARLES  HENRY  PARKHURST, 
famous  as  a  clergyman,  and  for  many 
years  president  of  the  Society  for  the 
Prevention  of  Crime,  was  born  April  17, 
1842,  at  Framingham,  Massachusetts,  of 
English  descent.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
he  was  pupil  in  the  grammar  school  at 
Clinton,  Massachusetts,  and  for  the  ensu- 
ing two  years  was  a  clerk  in  a  dry  goods 
store,  which  position  he  gave  up  to  prepare 
himself  for  college  at  Lancaster  academy. 
Mr.  Parkhurst  went  to  Amherst  in  1862, 
and  after  taking  a  thorough  course  lit  gradu- 
ated in  1866,  and  in  1S67  became  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  Amherst  High  School.  He  re- 
tained this  position  until  1870,  when  he 
visited  Germany  with  the  intention  of  tak- 
ing a  course  in  philosophy  and  theology, 
but  was  forced  to  abandon  this  intention  on 


account  of  illness  in  the  family  causing  his 
early  return  from  Europe.  He  accepted  the 
chair  of  Latin  and  Greek  in  Williston  Semi- 
nary, Easthampton,  Massachusetts,  and  re- 
mained there  two  years.  He  then  accom- 
panied his  wife  to  Europe,  and  devoted  two 
years  to  study  in  Halle,  Leipsic  and  Bonn. 
Upon  his  return  home  he  spent  considerable 
time  in  the  study  of  Sanscrit,  and  in  1874 
he  became  the  pastor  of  the  First  Congrega- 
tional church  at  Lenox,  Massachusetts.  He 
gained  here  his  reputation  as  a  pulpit  ora- 
tor, and  on  March  9,  1880,  he  became  the 
pastor  of  the  Madison  Square  Presbyterian 
church  of  New  York.  He  was,  in  1890, 
made  a  member  of  the  Society  for  the  Pre- 
vention of  Crime,  and  the  same  year  be- 
came its  president.  He  delivered  a  sermon 
in  1892  on  municipal  corruption,  for  which 
he  was  brought  before  the  grand  jury,  which 
body  declared  his  charges  to  be  without  suffi- 
cient foundation.  But  the  matter  did  not  end 
here,  for  he  immediately  went  to  work  on  a 
second  sermon  in  which  he  substantiated  his 
former  sermon  and  wound  up  by  saying, 
"I  know,  for  I  have  seen."  He  was  again 
summoned  before  that  august  body,  and  as 
a  result  of  his  testimony  and  of  the  investi- 
gation of  the  jurors  themselves,  the  police 
authorities  were  charged  with  incompetency 
and  corruption.  Dr.  Parkhurst  was  the 
author  of  the  following  works:  "The  Forms 
of  the  Latin  Verb,  Illustrated  by  Sanscrit," 
"The  Blind  Man's  Creed  and  Other  Ser- 
mons," "The  Pattern  on  the  Mount,"  and 
"  Three  Gates  on  a  Side." 


HENRY  BERGH,  although  a  writer, 
diplomatist  and  government  official, 
was  noted  as  a  philanthropist — the  founder 
of  the  American  Society  for  the  Prevention 
of  Cruelty  to  Animals.  On  his  labors  for 
the    dumb    creation    alone    rests  his  fame. 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


16t 


Alone,  in  the  face  of  indifference,  opposition 
and  ridicule,  he  began  the  reform  which  is 
now  recognized  as  one  of  the  beneficent 
movements  of  the  age.  Through  his  exer- 
tions as  a  speaker  and  lecturer,  but  above 
all  as  a  bold  worker,  in  the  street,  in  the 
court  room,  before  the  legislature,  the  cause 
he  adopted  gained  friends  and  rapidly  in- 
creased in  power  until  it  has  reached  im- 
mense proportions  and  influence.  The  work 
of  the  society  covers  all  cases  of  cruelty  to 
all  sorts  of  animals,  employs  every  moral 
agency,  social,  legislative  and  personal,  and 
touches  points  of  vital  concern  to  health  as 
well  as  humanity. 

Henry  Bergh  was  born  in  New  York 
City  in  1823,  and  was  educated  at  Colum- 
bia College.  In  1S63  he  was  made  secre- 
tary of  the  legation  to  Russia  and  also 
served  as  vice-consul  there.  He  also  de- 
voted some  time  to  literary  pursuits  and  was 
the  author  of  "  Love's  Alternative,"  a 
drama;  "Married  Off,"  a  poem;  "'The 
Portentous  Telegram, "  "The  Ocean  Para- 
gon;" "The  Streets  of  New  York,"  tales 
and  sketches. 


HENRY  BENJAMIN  WHIPPLE,  one 
of  the  most  eminent  of  American  di- 
vines, was  born  in  Adams,  Jefferson  county, 
New  York,  February  15,  1822.  He  was 
brought  up  in  the  mercantile  business,  and 
early  in  life  took  an  active  interest  in  polit- 
ical affairs.  In  1847  ne  became  a  candidate 
for  holy  orders  and  pursued  theological 
studies  with  Rev.  W.  D.  Wilson,  D.  D., 
afterward  professor  in  Cornell  University. 
He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1849,  in  Trinity 
church,  Geneva,  New  York,  by  Rt.  Rev. 
W.  H.  De  Lancey,  D.  D.,  and  took  charge 
of  Zion  church,  Rome,  New  York,  Decem- 
ber 1,  1849.  In  1850,  our  subject  was  or- 
dained priest    by    Bishop  De    Lancey.      In 


1857  he  became  rector  of  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Communion,  Chicago.  On  the  30th 
of  June,  1859,  he  was  chosen  bishop  of 
Minnesota,  and  took  charge  of  the  interests- 
of  the  Episcopal  church  in  that  state,  being 
located  at  Faribault.  In  i860  Bishop 
Whipple,  with  Revs.  I.  L.  Breck,  S.  W. 
Mauncey  and  E.  S.  Peake,  organized  the 
Bishop  Seabury  Mission,  out  of  which  has 
grown  the  Cathedral  of  Our  Merciful  Savior, 
the  Seabury  Divinity  School,  Shattuck 
School  and  St.  Mary's  Hall,  which  have 
made  Faribault  City  one  of  the  greatest 
educational  centers  of  the  northwest.  Bishop 
Whipple  also  became  noted  as  the  friend 
and  defender  of  the  North  American  In- 
dians and  planted  a  number  of  successful 
missions  among  them. 


EZRA  CORNELL  was  one  of  the  greatest 
philanthropists  and  friends  of  education 
the  country  has  known.  He  was  born  at 
Westchester  Landing,  New  York,  January 
11,  1807.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  his  na- 
tive state  and  became  a  prominent  figure  in 
business  circles  as  a  successful  and  self-made 
man.  Soon  after  the  invention  of  the  elec- 
tric telegraph,  he  devoted  his  attention  to 
that  enterprise,  and  accumulated  an  im- 
mense fortune.  In  1865,  by  a  gift  of  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  he  made  possible 
the  founding  of  Cornell  University,  which 
was  named  in  his  honor.  He  afterward 
made  additional  bequests  amounting  to  many 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  His  death  oc- 
curred at  Ithaca,  New  York,  December  9, 
1874-  

TGNATIUS  DONNELLY,  widely  knowi. 
I  as  an  author  and  politician,  was  born  in 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  November  3, 
1 83 1.  He  was  educated  at  the  public 
schools  of  that  city,  and  graduated  from  the 


1(32 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


Central  High  School  in  1849.  He  studied 
law  in  the  office  of  Judge  B.  H.  Brewster, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1852.  In 
the  spring  of  1856,  Mr.  Donnelly  emigrated 
to  Minnesota,  then  a  new  territory,  and,  at 
Hastings,  resumed  the  practice  of  law  in 
partnership  with  A.  M.  Hayes.  In  1857, 
and  again  in  1858,  he  was  defeated  for  state 
senator,  but  in  1859  he  was  elected  by  the 
Republicans  as  lieutenant-governor,  and  re- 
elected in  1 86 1.  In  1862  he  was  elected  to 
represent  the  Second  district  of  Minnesota 
in  congress.  He  was  re-elected  to  the  same  j 
office  in  1864  and  in  1866.  He  was  an 
abolitionist  and  warmly  supported  President 
Lincoln's  administration,  but  was  strongly 
in  favor  of  leniency  toward  the  people  of 
the  south,  after  the  war.  In  many  ways  he 
was  identified  with  some  of  the  best  meas- 
ures brought  before  the  house  during  his 
presence  there.  In  the  spring  of  1868,  at 
the  request  of  the  Republican  national  com- 
mittee, he  canvassed  New  Hampshire  and 
Connecticut  in  the  interests  of  that  party. 
E.  B.  Washburne  about  this  time  made  an 
attack  on  Donnelly  in  one  of  the  papers  of 
Minnesota,  which  was  replied  to  on  the  floor 
of  the  house  by  a  fierce  phillipic  that  will 
long  be  remembered.  Through  the  inter- 
vention of  the  Washburne  interests  Mr.  Don- 
nelly failed  of  a  re-election  in  1870.  In 
1873  he  was  elected  to  the  state  senate  from 
Dakota  county,  and  continuously  re-elected 
until  1878.  In  1 886  he  was  elected  mem- 
ber of  the  house  for  two  years.  In  later 
years  he  identified  himself  with  the  Popu- 
list party. 

In  1882,  Mr.  Donnelly  became  known  as 
an  author,  publishing  his  first  literary  work, 
••Atlantis,  the  Antediluvian  World,"  which 
passed  through  over  twenty-two  editions  in 
America,  several  in  England,  and  was  trans- 
lated into  French.      This  was  followed  by 


"  Ragnarok,  the  Age  of  Fire  and  Gravel," 
which  attained  nearly  as  much  celebrity  as 
the  first,  and  these  two,  in  the  opinion  of 
scientific  critics,  are  sufficient  to  stamp  the 
author  as  a  most  capable  and  painstaking 
student  of  the  facts  he  has  collated  in  them. 
The  work  by  which  he  gained  the  greatest 
notoriety,  however,  was  ' '  The  Great  Cryp- 
togram, or  Francis  Bacon's  Cipher  in  the 
Shakespeare  Plays."  "Caesar's  Column," 
"  Dr.  Huguet,"  and  other  works  were  pub- 
lished subsequently. 


STEVEN  V.  WHITE,  a  speculator  of 
Wall  Street  of  national  reputation,  was 
born  in  Chatham  county,  North  Carolina, 
August  1,  1 83 1,  and  soon  afterward  re- 
moved to  Illinois.  His  home  was  a  log 
cabin,  and  until  his  eighteenth  year  he 
worked  on  the  farm.  Then  after  several 
years  of  struggle  with  poverty  he  graduated 
from  Knox  College,  and  went  to  St.  Louis, 
where  he  entered  a  wholesale  boot  and  shoe 
house  as  bookkeeper.  He  then  studied  law 
and  worked  as  a  reporter  for  the  "Missouri 
Democrat."  After  his  admission  to  the  bar 
he  went  to  New  York,  in  1865,  and  became 
a  member  of  the  banking  house  of  Marvin 
&  White.  Mr.  White  enjoyed  the  reputa- 
tion of  having  engineered  the  only  corner 
in  Wall  Street  since  Commodore  Vander- 
bilt's  time.  This  was  the  famous  Lacka- 
wanna deal  in  1883,  in  which  he  made  a 
profit  of  two  million  dollars.  He  was  some- 
times called  "  Deacon"  White,  and,  though 
a  member  for  many  years  of  the  Plymouth 
church,  he  never  held  that  office.  Mr. 
White  was  one  of  the  most  noted  characters 
of  the  street,  and  has  been  called  an  orator, 
poet,  philanthropist,  linguist,  abolitionist, 
astronomer,  schoolmaster,  plowboy,  and 
trapper.  He  was  a  lawyer,  ex-congress- 
man, expert  accountant,  art  critic  and  theo- 


COMPEXDIL'M   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


logian.  He  laid  the  foundation  for  a 
"Home  for  Colored  People,"  in  Chatham 
county,  North  Carolina,  where  the  greater 
part  of  his  father's  life  was  spent,  and  in 
whose  memory  the  work  was  undertaken. 


JAMES  A.  GARFIELD,  the  twentieth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was  born 
November  19,  1831,  in  Cuyahoga  county, 
Ohio,  and  was  the  son  of  Abram  and  Eliza 
(Baliou)  Garfield.  In  1833  the  father,  an 
industrious  pioneer  farmer,  died,  and  the 
care  of  the  family  devolved  upon  Thomas, 
to  whom  James  became  deeply  indebted  for 
educational  and  other  advantages.  As  James 
grew  up  he  was  industrious  and  worked  on 
the  farm,  at  carpentering,  at  chopping  wood, 
or  anything  else  he  found  to  do,  and  in  the 
meantime  made  the  most  of  his  books. 

Until  he  was  about  sixteen,  James'  high- 
est ambition  was  to  become  a  sea  naptain. 
On  attaining  that  age  he  walked  to 
Cleveland,  and,  not  being  able  to  find  work, 
he  engaged  as  a  driver  on  the  Ohio  &  Penn- 
sylvania canal,  but  quit  this  after  a  short 
time.  He  attended  the  seminary  at  Ches- 
ter for  about  three  years,  after  which  he 
entered  Hiram  Institute,  a  school  started  by 
the  Disciples  of  Christ  in  1850.  In  order 
to  pay  his  way  he  assumed  the  duties  of 
janitor  and  at  times  taught  school.  After 
completing  his  course  at  the  last  named  edu- 
cational institution  he  entered  Williams  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  graduated  in  1856.  He 
afterward  returned  to  Hiram  College  as  its 
president.  He  studied  law  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1859.  November  II,  1858, 
Mr.  Garfield  and  Lucretia  Rudolph  were 
married. 

In  1859  Mr.  Garfield  made  his  first  polit- 
ical speeches,  at  Hiram  and  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. The  same  year  he  was  elected  to  the 
state  senate. 


On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  in  1861, 
he  became  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Forty- 
second  Ohio  Infantry,  and,  while  but  a  ne* 
soldier,  was  given  command  of  four  regi- 
ments of  infantry  and  eight  companies  of 
cavalry,  with  which  he  drove  the  Confeder- 
ates under  Humphrey  Marshall  out  of  Ken 
tucky.  January  11,  1862,  he  was  commis- 
sioned brigadier-general.  He  participated 
with  General  Buell  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh 
and  the  operations  around  Corinth,  and  was 
then  detailed  as  a  member  of  the  Fitz  John 
Porter  court-martial.  Reporting  to  General 
Rosecrans,  he  was  assigned  to  the  position 
of  chief  of  staff,  and  resigned  his  position, 
with  the  rank  of  major-general,  when  his 
immediate  superior  was  superseded.  In 
the  fall  of  1862  Mr.  Garfield  was  elected  to 
congress  and  remained  in  that  body,  either 
in  the  house  or  senate,  until  1880. 

June  8,  1880,  at  the  national  Republican 
convention,  held  in  Chicago,  General  Gar- 
field was  nominated  for  the  presidency,  and 
was  elected.  He  was  inaugurated  March 
4,  1 88 1,  but,  July  2,  following,  he  was  shot 
and  fatally  wounded  by  Charles  Guiteau  for 
some  fancied  political  slight,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 19,    1  88 1. 


INCREASE  MATHER  was  one  of  the 
most  prominent  preachers,  educators  and 
authors  of  early  times  in  the  New  England 
states.  He  was  born  at  Dorchester,  Massa- 
chusetts, June  21,  1639,  and  was  given  an 
excellent  education,  graduating  at  Harvard 
in  1656,  and  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin, 
two  years  later.  He  was  ordained  a  min- 
ister, and  preached  in  England  and  America, 
and  in  1664  became  pastor  of  the  North 
church,  in  Boston.  In  1685  he  became 
president  of  Harvard  University,  serving 
until  1701.  In  1692  he  received  the  first 
doctorate   in   divinity    conferred   in  English 


164 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


speaking  America.  The  same  year  he  pro- 
cured in  England  a  new  charter  for  Massa- 
chusetts, which  conferred  upon  himself  the 
power  of  naming  the  governor,  lieutenant- 
governor  and  council.  He  opposed  the 
severe  punishment  of  witchcraft,  and  took 
a  prominent  part  in  all  public  affairs  of  his 
day.  He  was  a  prolific  writer,  and  became 
the  author  of  nearly  one  hundred  publica- 
tions, large  and  small.  His  death  occurred 
August  23,  1723,  at  Boston. 

COTTON  MATHER,  a  celebrated  minis- 
ter in  the  "Puritan  times"  of  New 
England,  was  born  at  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, February  12,  1663,  being  a  son  of 
Rev.  Increase  Mather,  and  a  grandson  of 
John  Cotton.  A  biography  of  his  father 
will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Cotton  Mather  received  his  early  education 
in  his  native  city,  was  trained  by  Ezekiel 
Cheever,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  College 
in  1678;  became  a  teacher,  and  in  1684 
was  ordained  as  associate  pastor  of  North 
church,  Boston,  with  his  father,  having  by 
persistent  effort  overcome  an  impediment  in 
his  speech.  He  labored  with  great  zeal  as 
a  pastor,  endeavoring  also,  to  establish  the 
ascendancy  of  the  church  and  ministry  in 
civil  affairs,  and  in  the  putting  down  of 
witchcraft  by  legal  sentences,  a  work  in 
which  he  took  an  active  part  and  through 
which  he  is  best  known  in  history.  He  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  D.  D.  in  17 10,  con- 
ferred by  the  University  of  Glasgow,  and 
F.  R.  S.  in  17 1 3.  His  death  occurred  at 
Boston,  February  13,  1728.  He  was  the 
author  of  many  publications,  among  which 
were  "  Memorable  Providences  Relating  to 
Witchcraft,"  "Wonders  of  the  Invisible 
World,"  "Essays  to  Do  Good,"  "  Mag- 
nalia  Christi  Americana,"  and  "  Illustra- 
tions of  the   Sacred  Scriptures."     Some  of 


these  works  are  quaint  and  curious,  full  of 
learning,  piety  and  prejudice.  A  well- 
known  writer,  in  summing  up  the  life  and 
character  of  Cotton  Mather,  says:  ' '  Mather, 
with  all  the  faults  of  his  early  years,  was  a 
man  of  great  excellence  of  character.  He 
labored  zealously  for  the  benefit  of  the 
poor,  for  mariners,  slaves,  criminals  and 
Indians.  His  cruelty  and  credulity  were 
the  faults  of  his  age,  while  his  philanthro- 
phy  was  far  more  rare  in  that  age  than  in 
the  present." 

WILLIAM  A.  PEFFER,  who  won  a 
national  reputation  during  the  time 
he  was  in  the  United  States  senate,  was 
born  on  a  farm  in  Cumberland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  September  10,  1831.  He 
drew  his  education  from  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  state  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
taught  school  in  winter,  working  on  a  farm 
in  the  summer.  In  June,  1853,  while  yet  a 
young  man,  he  removed  to  Indiana,  and 
opened  up  a  farm  in  St.  Joseph  county. 
In  1859  he  made  his  way  to  Missouri  and 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Morgan  county,  but  on 
account  of  the  war  and  the  unsettled  state 
of  the  country,  he  moved  to  Illinois  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1862,  and  enlisted  as  a  private  in 
Company  F,  •Eighty-third  Illinois  Infantry, 
the  following  August.  He  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant  in 
March,  1863,  and  served  successively  as 
quartermaster,  adjutant,  post  adjutant, 
judge  advocate  of  a  military  commission, 
and  depot  quartermaster  in  the  engineer 
department  at  Nashville.  He  was  mustered 
out  of  the  service  June  26,  1865.  He  had, 
during  his  leisure  hours  while  in  the  army, 
studied  law,  and  in  August,  1865,  he  com- 
menced the  practice  of  that  profession  at 
Clarksville,  Tennessee.  He  removed  to 
Kansas  in   1870    and    practiced  there  until 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


1878,  in  the  meantime  establishing  and 
conducting  two  newspapers,  the  "  Fredonia 
Journal  "  and  "  Coffey ville  Journal." 

Mr.  Peffer  was  elected  to  the  state  senate 
in  1874  and  was  a  prominent  and  influential 
member  of  several  important  committees. 
He  served  as  a  presidential  elector  in  1880. 
The  year  following  he  became  editor  of  the 
"  Kansas  Farmer,"  which  he  made  a  promi- 
nent and  useful  paper.  In  1890  Mr.  Peffer 
■was  elected  to  the  United  States  senate  as 
a  member  of  the  People's  party  and  took 
his  seat  March  4,  1891.  After  six  years  of 
service  Senator  Peffer  was  succeeded  in 
March,  1897,  by  William  A.  Harris. 

ROBERT  MORRIS.— The  name  of  this 
financier,  statesman  and  patriot  is 
closely  connected  with  the  early  history  of 
the  United  States.  He  was  a  native  of 
England,  born  January  20,  1734,  and  came 
to  America  with  his  father  when  thirteen 
years  old.  Until  1754  he  served  in  the 
counting  house  of  Charles  Willing,  then 
formed  a  partnership  with  that  gentleman's 
son,  which  continued  with  great  success  until 
1793.  In  1776  Mr.  Morris  was  a  delegate 
to  the  Continental  congress,  and,  although 
once  voting  against  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, signed  that  paper  on  its  adop- 
tion, and  was  several  times  thereafter  re- 
elected to  congress.  During  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  the  services  of  Robert  Morris 
in  aiding  the  government  during  its  finan- 
cial difficulties  were  of  incalculable  value;  he 
freely  pledged  his  personal  credit  for  sup- 
plies for  the  army,  at  one  time  to  the  amount 
of  about  one  and  a  half  million  dollars,  with- 
out which  the  campaign  of  1781  would  have 
been  almost  impossible.  Mr.  Morris  was 
appointed  superintendent  of  finance  in  1781 
and  served  until  1784,  continuing  to  employ 
his  personal  credit  to  facilitate  the  needs  of 


his  department.  He  also  served  as  mem- 
ber of  the  Pennsylvania  legislature,  and 
from  1786  to  1795  was  United  States  sena- 
tor, declining  meanwhile  the  position  of  sec- 
retary of  the  treasury,  and  suggesting  the 
name  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  who  was  ap- 
pointed to  that  post.  During  the  latter 
part  of  his  life  Mr.  Morris  was  engaged  ex- 
tensively in  the  China  trade,  and  later  be- 
came involved  inland  speculations,  which 
ruined  him,  so  that  the  remaining  days  of 
this  noble  man  and  patriot  were  passed 
in  confinement  for  debt.  His  death  occurreJ 
at  Philadelphia,  May  8,   1806. 

WILLIAM  SHARON,  a  senator  anr» 
capitalist,  and  mine  owner  of  na 
tional  reputation,  was  born  at  Smithfield, 
Ohio,  January  9,  1821.  He  was  reared 
upon  a  farm  and  in  his  boyhood  given  excel- 
lent educational  advantages  and  in  1842 
entered  Athens  College.  He  remained  in 
that  institution  about  two  years,  after  which 
he  studied  law  with  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  St.  Louis  and 
commenced  practice.  His  health  failing, 
however,  he  abandoned  his  profession  and 
engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  at  Carrollton, 
Greene  county,  Illinois.  During  the  time 
of  the  gold  excitement  of  1849,  Mr.  Sharon 
went  to  California,  whither  so  many  went, 
and  engaged  in  business  at  Sacramento. 
The  next  year  he  removed  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  operated  in  real  estate.  Being 
largely  interested  in  its  silver  mines,  he  re- 
moved to  Nevada,  locating  at  Virginia  City, 
and  acquired  an  immense  fortune.  He  be- 
came one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Bank  of 
California,  and  during  the  troubles  that 
arose  on  the  death  of  William  Ralston,  the 
president  of  that  institution,  was  largely  in- 
strumental in  bringing  its  affairs  into  a  satis- 
factory shape. 


COMPEXDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Mr.  Sharon  was  elected  to  represent  the 
state  of  Nevada  in  the  United  States  senate 
in  1875,  and  remained  a  member  of  that 
body  until  188 1.  He  was  always  distin- 
guished for  close  application  to  business. 
Senator  Sharon  died  November  13,  1885. 


HENRY  W.  SHAW,  an  American  hu- 
morist who  became  celebrated  under 
the  non-de-plume  of  "  Josh  Billings,"  gained 
his  fame  from  the  witticism  of  his  writing, 
and  peculiar  eccentricity  of  style  and  spell- 
ing. He  was  born  at  Lanesborough,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  18 1 8.  For  twenty-five  years 
he  lived  in  different  parts  of  the  western 
states,  following  various  lines  of  bus;ness, 
including  farming  and  auctioneering,  and  in 
the  latter  capacity  settled  at  Poughkeepsie, 
New  York,  in  1858.  In  1863  he  began 
writing  humorous  sketches  for  the  news- 
papers over  the  signature  of  "Josh  Bill- 
ings," and  became  immediately  popular 
both  as  a  writer  and  lecturer.  He  pub- 
lished a  number  of  volumes  of  comic 
sketches  and  edited  an  "  Annual  Allminax  " 
for  a  number  of  years,  which  had  a  wide  cir- 
culation. His  death  occurred  October  14, 
1885,  at  Monterey,  California. 


JOHN  M.  THURSTON,  well  known 
throughout  this  country  as  a  senator 
and  political  leader,  was  born  at  Mont- 
pelier,  Vermont,  August  21,  1847,  of  an 
old  Puritan  family  which  dated  back  their 
ancestry  in  this  country  to  1636,  and  among 
whom  were  soldiers  of  the  Revolution  and 
of  the  war  of  18 12-15. 

Young  Thurston  was  brought  west  by 
the  family  in  1854,  they  settling  at  Madison, 
Wisconsin,  and  two  years  later  at  Beaver 
Dam,  where  John  M.  received  his  schooling 
in  the  public  schools  and  at  Wayland  Uni- 
versity.     His  father  enlisted  as  a  private  in 


the  First  Wisconsin  Cavalry  and  died  while 
in  the  service,  in  the  spring  of  1863. 

Young  Thurston,  thrown  on  his  own 
resources  while  attaining  an  education,  sup- 
ported himself  by  farm  work,  driving  team 
and  at  other  manual  labor.  He  studied  law 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  May  21,  1869, 
and  in  October  of  the  same  year  located  in 
Omaha,  Nebraska.  He  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  city  council  in  1872,  city 
attorney  in  1874  and  a  member  of  the  Ne- 
braska legislature  in  1874.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Republican  national  convention 
of  1884  and  temporary  chairman  of  that  of 
1888.  Taking  quite  an  interest  in  the 
younger  members  of  his  party  he  was  instru- 
mental in  forming  the  Republican  League 
of  the  United  States,  of  which  he  was  presi- 
dent for  two  years.  He  was  then  elected  a 
member  of  the  United  States  senate,  in 
1895,  to  represent  the  state  of  Nebraska. 

As  an  attorney  John  M.  Thurston  occu- 
pied a  very  prominent  place,  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  held  the  position  of  general 
solicitor  of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad  sys- 
tem. 

JOHN  JAMES  AUDUBON,  a  celebrated 
American  naturalist,  was  born  in  Louis- 
iana, May  4,  1780,  and  was  the  son  of  an 
opulent  French  naval  officer  who  owned  a 
plantation  in  the  then  French  colony.  In 
his  childhood  he  became  deeply  interested 
in  the  study  of  birds  and  their  habits.  About 
1794  he  was  sent  to  Paris,  France,  where 
he  was  partially  educated,  and  studied  de- 
signing under  the  famous  painter,  Jacques 
Louis  David.  He  returned  to  the  Unit- 
ed States  about  1798,  and  settled  on  a 
farm  his  father  gave  him,  on  the  Perkiomen 
creek  in  eastern  Pennsylvania.  He  mar- 
ried Lucy  Kakewell  in  1808,  and,  disposing 
of  his  property,  removed  to  Louisville,  Ken- 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPIIT. 


tucky,  where  he  engaged  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits. About  two  years  later  he  began  to 
make  extensive  excursions  through  the  pri- 
meval forests  of  the  southern  and  south- 
western states,  in  the  exploration  of  which 
he  passed  many  years.  He  made  colored 
drawings  of  all  the  species  of  birds  that  he 
found.  For  several  years  he  made  his  home 
with  his  wife  and  children  at  Henderson,  on 
the  Ohio  river.  It  is  said  that  about  this 
time  he  had  failed  in  business  and  was  re- 
duced to  poverty,  but  kept  the  wolf  from  the 
door  by  giving  dancing  lessons  and  in  portrait 
painting.  In  1824,  at  Philadelphia,  he  met 
Charles  Lucien  Bonaparte,  who  encouraged 
him  to  publish  a  work  on  ornithology.  Two 
years  later  he  went  to  England  and  com- 
menced the  publication  of  his  great  work, 
"The  Birds  of  America."  He  obtained  a 
large  number  of  subscribers  at  one  thousand 
dollars  a  copy.  This  work,  embracing  five 
volumes  of  letterpress  and  five  volumes  of 
beautifully  colored  plates,  was  pronounced 
byCuvier  "the  most  magnificent  monument 
that  art  ever  raised  to  ornithology." 

Audubon  returned  to  America  in  1829, 
and  explored  the  forests,  lakes  and  coast 
from  Canada  to  Florida,  collecting  material 
for  another  work.  This  was  his  "  Ornitho- 
logical Biography;  or,  An  Account  of  the 
Habits  of  the  Birds  of  the  United  States, 
Etc."  He  revisited  England  in  1831,  and 
returned  in  1839,  after  which  he  resided  on 
the  Hudson,  near  New  York  City,  in  which 
place  he  died  January  27,  185 1.  During 
his  life  he  issued  a  cheaper  edition  of  his 
great  work,  and  was,  in  association  with 
Dr.  Bachman,  preparing  a  work  on  the 
quadrupeds  of  North  America. 


COMMODORE    THOMAS    McDON- 
OUGH  gained  his  principal  fame  from 
he  celebrated  victory  which  he  gained  over 


the  superior  British  squadron,  under  Com- 
modore Dovvnie,  September  11,  1814.  Com- 
modore McDonough  was  born  in  N 
county,  Delaware,  December  23,  1783,  and 
when  seventeen  years  old  entered  the 
United  States  navy  as  midshipman,  serving 
in  the  expedition  to  Tripoli,  under  Decatur, 
in  1803-4.  In  1807  he  was  promoted  to 
lieutenant,  and  in  July,  18 13,  was  made  a 
commander.  The  following  year,  on  Lake 
Champlain,  he  gained  the  celebrated  victory 
above  referred  to,  for  which  he  was  again 
promoted;  also  received  a  gold  medal  from 
congress,  and  from  the  state  of  Vermont  an 
estate  on  Cumberland  Head,  in  view  of  the 
scene  of  the  engagement.  His  death  oc- 
curred at  sea,  November  16,  1825,  while  he 
was  returning  from  the  command  of  the 
Mediterranean  squadron. 


CHARLES  FRANCIS  HALL,  one  of 
America's  most  celebrated  arctic  ex- 
plorers, was  born  in  Rochester,  New  Hamp- 
shire, in  1821.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by 
trade,  and  located  in' Cincinnati,  where  later 
he  became  a  journalist.  For  several  years 
he  devoted  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  cal- 
orics. Becoming  interested  in  the  fate  of  the 
explorer,  Sir  John  Franklin,  he  joined  the 
expedition  fitted  out  by  Henry  Grinnell  and 
sailed  in  the  ship  "George  Henry,"  under 
Captain  Buddington,  which  left  New  Lon- 
don, Connecticut,  in  i860.  He  returned  in 
1862,  and  two  years  later  published  his 
"  Arctic  Researches."  He  again  joined  the 
expedition  fitted  out  by  Mr.  Grinnell,  and 
sailed  in  the  ship,  "  Monticello,"  under 
Captain  Buddington,  this  time  remaining  in 
the  arctic  region  over  four  years.  On  his 
return  he  brought  back  many  evidences  of 
having  found  trace  of  Franklin. 

In  1 87 1  the  "  Polaris  "  was  fitted  out  by 
the  United  States  government,  and  Captain 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Hall  again  sailed  for  the  polar  regions.  He 
died  in  Greenland  in  October,  1871,  and  the 
"Polaris"  was  finally  abandoned  by  the 
crew,  a  portion  of  which,  under  Captain 
Tyson,  drifted  with  the  icebergs  for  one 
hundred  and  ninety-five  days,  until  picked 
up  by  the  "  Tigress,"  on  the  30th  of  April, 
1873.  The  other  portion  of  the  crew  built 
boats,  and,  after  a  perilous  voyage,  were 
picked  up  in  June,  1873,  by  a  whaling  vessel. 


OLIVER  ELLSWORTH,  the  third  chief 
justice  of  the  United  States,  was  born 
at  Windsor,  Connecticut,  April  29,  1745. 
After  graduating  from  Princeton,  he  took 
up  the  study  of  law,  and  was  licensed 
to  practice  in  177 1.  In  1777  he  was  elected 
as  a  delegate  to  the  Continental  congress. 
He  was  judge  of  the  superior  court  of  his 
state  in  1784,  and  was  chosen  as  a  delegate 
to  the  constitutional  convention  in  1787. 
He  sided  with  the  Federalists,  was  elected 
to  the  United  States  senate  in  1789,  and 
was  a  firm  supporter  of  Washington's  policy. 
He  won  great  distinction  in  that  body,  and 
was  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  United  States  by  Washington 
in  1796.  The  relations  between  this  coun- 
try and  France  having  become  violently 
strained,  he  was  sent  to  Paris  as  envoy  ex- 
traordinary in  1799,  and  was  instrumental 
in  negotiating  the  treaty  that  averted  war. 
He  resigned  the  following  year,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Chief  Justice  Marshall.  His 
death  occurred  November  26,   1S07. 


MELLVILLE  WESTON  FULLER,  an 
eminent  American  jurist  and  chief 
justice  of  the  United  States  supreme  court, 
was  born  in  Augusta,  Maine,  in  1833.  His 
education  was  looked  after  in  boyhood,  and 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  Bowdoin 
College,  and  on  graduation  entered  the  law 


department  of  Harvard  University.  He  then 
entered  the  law  office  of  his  uncle  at  Ban- 
gor, Maine,  and  soon  after  opened  an  office 
for  the  practice  of  law  at  Augusta.  He  was 
an  alderman  from  his  ward,  city  attorney, 
and  editor  of  the  "  Age,"  a  rival  newspaper 
of  the  "Journal,"  which  was  conducted  by 
James  G.  Blaine.  He  soon  decided  to  re- 
move to  Chicago,  then  springing  into  notice 
as  a  western  metropolis.  He  at  once  iden- 
tified himself  with  the  interests  of  the 
new  city,  and  by  this  means  acquired  an 
experience  that  fitted  him  for  his  future 
work.  He  devoted  himself  assiduously  to 
his  profession,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to 
connect  himself  with  the  many  suits  grow- 
ing out  of  the  prorogation  of  the  Illinois 
legislature  in  1863.  It  was  not  long  before 
he  became  one  of  the  foremost  lawyers  in 
Chicago.  He  made  a  three  days'  speech  in 
the  heresy  trial  of  Dr.  Cheney,  which  added 
to  his  fame.  He  was  appointed  chief  jus- 
tice of  the  United  States  by  President  Cleve- 
land in  1888,  the  youngest  man  who  ever 
held  that  exalted  position.  His  income  from 
his  practice  had  for  many  years  reached 
thirty  thousand  dollars  annually. 


CHESTER  ALLEN  ARTHUR,  twenty- 
first  president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Franklin  county,  Vermont,  Octo- 
ber 5,  1830.  He  was  educated  at  Union 
College,  Schenectady,  New  York,  from 
which  he  graduated  with  honor,  and  en- 
gaged in  teaching  school.  After  two  years 
he  entered  the  law  office  of  Judge  E.  D. 
Culver,  of  New  York,  as  a  student.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  an  old  room-mate,  Henry  D.  Gar- 
diner, with  the  intention  of  practicing  law 
in  the  west,  but  after  a  few  months'  search 
for  a  location,  they  returned  to  New  York 
and  opened  an  office,  and   at  once   entered 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


109 


upon  a  profitable  practice.  He  was  shortly 
afterwards  married  to  a  daughter  of  Lieu- 
tenant Herndon,  of  the  United  States  navy. 
Mrs.  Arthur  died  shortly  before  his  nomina- 
tion for  the  vice-presidency.  In  1856  a 
colored  woman  in  New  York  was  ejected 
from  a  street  car  and  retained  Mr.  Arthur 
in  a  suit  against  the  company,  and  obtained 
a  verdict  of  five  hundred  dollars.  It  result- 
ed in  a  general  order  by  all  superintendents 
of  street  railways  in  the  city  to  admit  col- 
ored people  to  the  cars. 

Mr.  Arthur  was  a  delegate  to  the  first 
Republican  national  convention,  and  was 
appointed  judge-advocate  for  the  Second 
Brigade  of  New  York,  and  then  chief  engi- 
neer of  Governor  Morgan's  staff.  At  the 
close  of  his  term  he  resumed  the  practice  of 
iaw  in  New  York.  In  1872  he  was  made 
collector  of  the  port  of  New  York,  which 
position  he  held  four  years.  At  the  Chi- 
cago convention  in  1880  Mr.  Arthur  was 
nominated  for  the  vice-presidency  with 
Garfield,  and  after  an  exciting  campaign 
was  elected.  Four  months  after  the  inau- 
guration President  Garfield  was  assassinated, 
and  Mr.  Arthur  was  called  to  take  the  reins 
of  government.  His  administration  of 
affairs  was  generally  satisfactory.  At  its 
close  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law  in  New 
York.  His  death  occurred  November  18, 
1886. 


ISAAC  HULL  was  one  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous and  prominent  naval  officers  in 
the  early  history  of  America.  He  was  born 
at  Derby,  Connecticut,  March  9,  1775,  be- 
ing the  son  of  a  Revolutionary  officer.  Isaac 
Hull  early  in  life  became  a  mariner,  and 
when  nineteen  years  of  age  became  master 
of  a  merchant  ship  in  the  London  trade. 
In  1798  he  became  a  lieutenant  in  the  United 
States  navy,  and  three  years  later  was  made 


first  lieutenant  of  the  frigate  "Constitution." 
He  distinguished  himself  by  skill  and  valor 
against  the  French  on  the  coast  of  Hayti,  and 
served  with  distinction  in  the  Barbary  expe- 
ditions. July  12,  1812,  he  sailed  from 
Annapolis,  in  command  of  the  "Constitu- 
tion," and  for  three  days  was  pursued  by  a 
British  squadron  of  five  ships,  from  which 
he  escaped  by  bold  and  ingenious  seaman- 
ship. In  August  of  the  same  year  he  cap- 
tured the  frigate  "  Guerriere,"  one  of  his 
late  pursuers  and  for  this,  the  first  naval 
advantage  of  that  war,  he  received  a  gold 
medal  from  congress.  Isaac  Hull  was  later 
made  naval  commissioner  and  had  command 
of  various  navy  yards.  His  death  occurred 
February  13,  1843,  at  Philadelphia. 

MARCUS  ALONZO  HANNA,  famous 
as  a  prominent  business  man,  political 
manager  and  senator,  was  born  in  New  Lis- 
bon, Columbiana  county,  Ohio,  September 
24,  1837.  He  removed  with  his  father's 
family  to  Cleveland,  in  the  same  state,  in 
1852,  and  in  the  latter  city,  and  in  the 
Western  Reserve  College,  at  Hudson,  Ohio, 
received  his  education.  He  became  an  em- 
ploye of  the  wholesale  grocery  house  of 
Hanna,  Garrettson  &  Co.,  his  father  being 
the  senior  member  of  the  firm.  The  latter 
died  in  1862,  and  Marcus  represented  his 
interest  until  1867,  when  the  business  was 
closed  up. 

Our  subject  then  became  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Rhodes  &  Co.,  engaged  in  the 
iron  and  coal  business,  but  at  the  expira- 
tion of  ten  years  this  firm  was  changed  to 
that  of  M.  A.  Hanna  lS:  Co.  Mr.  Hanna 
was  long  identified  with  the  lake  carrying 
business,  being  interested  in  vessels  on  the 
lakes  and  in  the  construction  of  them.  As 
a  director  of  the  Globe  Ship  Manufacturing 
Company,    of    Cleveland,    president   of  the 


170 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Union  Nationai  Bank,  of  Cleveland,  president 
of  the  Cleveland  City  Railway  Company, 
and  president  of  the  Chapin  Mining  Com- 
pany, oi  Lake  Superior,  he  became  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  business  world. 
He  was  one  of  the  government  directors  of 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  being  appointed 
to  that  position  in  1885  by  President  Cleve- 
land. 

Mr.  Hanna  was  a  delegate  to  the  na- 
tional Republican  convention  of  1884,  which 
was  his  first  appearance  in  the  political 
world.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  con- 
ventions of  1888  and  1896,  and  was  elect- 
ed chairman  of  the  Republican  national 
committee  the  latter  year,  and  practically 
managed  the  campaign  of  William  McKin- 
ley  for  the  presidency.  In  1897  Mr.  Hanna 
was  appointed  senator  by  Governor  Bush- 
nell,  of  Ohio,  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by 
the  resignation  of  John  Sherman. 


GEORGE  PEABODY  was  one  of  the 
best  known  and  esteemed  of  aii  philan- 
thropists, whose  munificent  gifts  to  Ameri- 
can institutions  have  proven  of  so  much 
benefit  to  the  cause  of  humanity.  He  was 
born  February  18,  1795,  at  South  Danvers, 
Massachusetts,  which  is  now  called  Pea- 
body  in  honor  of  him.  He  received  but  a 
meager  education,  and  during  his  early  life 
he  was  a  mercantile  clerk  at  Thetford,  Ver- 
mont, and  Newburyport,  Massachusetts.  In 
1 8 14  he  became  a  partner  with  Elisha 
Riggs,  at  Georgetown,  District  of  Columbia, 
and  in  1 8 1  5  they  moved  to  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land. The  business  grew  to  great  propor- 
tions, and  they  opened  branch  houses  at 
New  York  and  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Peabody 
made  several  voyages  to  Europe  of  com- 
mercial importance,  and  in  1829  became  the 
head  of  the  firm,  which  was  then  called 
Peabody,  Riggs  &  Co.,  and  in  1838   he  re- 


moved to  London,  England.  He  retired 
from  the  firm,  and  established  the  cele- 
brated banking  house,  in  which  he  accumu- 
lated a  large  fortune.  He  aided  Mr.  Grin- 
nell  in  fitting  out  Dr.  Kane's  Arctic  expedi- 
tion, in  1852,  and  founded  in  the  same  year 
the  Peabody  Institute,  in  his  native  town, 
which  he  afterwards  endowed  with  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Peabody  visited 
the  United  States  in  1857,  and  gave  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  establish- 
ment at  Baltimore  of  an  institute  of  science, 
literature  and  fine  arts.  In  1 862  he  gave 
two  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars 
for  the  erecting  of  lodging  houses  for  the 
poor  in  London,  and  on  another  visit  to  the 
United  States  he  gave  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  to  establish  at  Harvard  a 
museum  and  professorship  of  American 
archaeology  and  ethnology,  an  equal  sum  for 
the  endowment  of  a  department  of  physical 
science  at  Yale,  and  gave  the  "Southern 
Educational  Fund  "  two  million  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  besides  devoting  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  to  various  objects  of 
public  utility.  Mr.  Peabody  made  a  final 
visit  to  the  United  States  in  1869,  and  on 
this  occasion  he  raised  the  endowment  of 
the  Baltimore  Institute  one  million  dollars, 
created  the  Peabody  Museum,  at  Salem, 
Massachusetts,  with  a  fund  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  gave  sixty  thou- 
sand dollars  to  Washington  College,  Vir- 
ginia; fifty  thousand  dollars  for  a  "Peabody 
Museum, "  at  North  Danvers,  thirty  thousand 
dollars  to  Phillips  Academy,  Andover;  twen- 
ty-five thousand  dollars  to  Kenyon  College, 
Ohio,  and  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  the 
Maryland  Historical  Society.  Mr.  Peabody 
also    endowed    an    art  school  at   Rome,    in 

1868.  He   died    in    London,  November  4, 

1869,  less  then  a  month  after  he  had  re- 
turned   from    the    United    States,    and    his 


COMPEXDICM   OP   BIOGRAPHY. 


171 


remains  were  brought  to  the  United  States 
and  interred  in  his  native  town.  He  made 
several  other  bequests  in  his  will,  and  left 
his  family  about  five  million  dollars. 

MATTHEW  S.  QUAY,  a  celebrated 
public  man  and  senator,  was  born  at 
Dillsburgh,  York  county,  Pennsylvania, 
September  30,  1S33,  of  an  old  Scotch-Irish 
family,  some  of  whom  had  settled  in  the 
Keystone  state  in  171  5.  Matthew  received 
a  good  education,  graduating  from  the  Jef- 
ferson College  at  Canonsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
at  the  age  of  seventeen.  He  then  traveled, 
taught  school,  lectured,  and  studied  law 
under  Judge  Sterrett.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1854,  was  appointed  a  prothon- 
otaiy  in  1855  and  elected  to  the  same 
office  in  1856  and  1859.  Later  he  was 
made  lieutenant  of  the  Pennsylvania  Re 
serve>,  lieutenant-colonel  and  assistant  com- 
missary-general of  the  state,  private  secre- 
tary of  the  famous  war  governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, Andrew  G.  Curtin,  colonel  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Pennsylva- 
nia Infantry  (nine  months  men),  military 
state  agent  and  held  other  offices  at  different 
times. 

Mr.  Quay  was  a  member  of  the  house  of 
representatives  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania 
from  1865  to  1 868.  He  filled  the  office  of 
secretary  of  the  commonwealth  from  1872 
to  1878,  and  the  position  of  delegate-at- 
large  to  the  Republican  national  conventions 
of  1872,  1876,  i8Soand  1888.  Hewasthe 
editor  of  the  "Beaver  Radical"  and  the 
"Philadelphia  Record"  for  a  time,  and  held 
many  offices  in  the  state  conventions  and  on 
their  committees.  He  was  elected  secre- 
tary of  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
1869,  and  served  three  years,  and  in  1885 
was  chosen  state  treasurer.  In  1886  his 
great    abilities    pointed    him    out    as    the 


natural  candidate  for  United  States  senator, 
and  he  was  accordingly  elected  to  that  posi- 
tion and  re-elected  thereto  in  1892.  He 
was  always  noted  for  a  genius  for  organiza- 
tion, and  as  a  political  leader  had  but  tew 
peers.  Cool,  serene,  far-seeing,  resourceful, 
holding  his  impulses  and  forces  in  hand,  he 
never  quailed  from  any  policy  he  adopted, 
and  carried  to  success  most,  if  not  all,  of 
the  political  campaigns  in  which  he  took 
part. 

JAMES  K.  JONES,  a  noted  senator  and 
political  leader,  attained  national  fame 
while  chairman  of  the  national  executive 
committee  of  the  Democratic  party  in  the 
presidential  campaign  of  1896.  He  was  a 
native  of  Marshall  county,  Mississippi,  and 
was  born  September  29,  1839.  His  father, 
a  well-to-do  planter, settled  in  Dallas  county, 
Arkansas,  in  1848,  and  there  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  received  a  carelul  education. 
During  the  Civil  war  he  served  as  a  private 
soldier  in  the  Confederate  army.  From 
1866  to  1873  he  passed  a  quiet  life  as  a 
planter,  but  in  the  latter  year  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  and  began  the  practice  of  iaw. 
About  the  same  time  he  was  elected  to  the 
Arkansas  senate  and  re-elected  in  1874.  In 
1877  he  was  made  president  of  the  senate 
and  the  following  year  was  unsuccessful  in 
obtaining  a  nomination  as  member  of  con- 
gress. In  1S80  he  was  elected  representa- 
tive and  his  ability  at  once  placed  him  in  a 
foremost  position.  He  was  re-elected  to 
congress  in  1882  and  in  1884,  and  served  as 
an  influential  member  on  the  committee  of 
ways  and  means.  March 4,  1885,  Mr.  Jones 
took  his  seat  in  the  United  States  senate  to 
succeed  James  D.  Walker,  and  was  after- 
ward re-elected  to  the  same  office.  In  this 
branch  of  the  national  legislature  his  capa- 
bilities had  a  wider  scope,  and  he  was  rec- 


172 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


ognized  as  one   of  the   ablest  leaders  of  his 
party. 

On  the  nomination  of  William  J.  Bryan 
as  its  candidate  for  the  presidency  by  the 
national  convention  of  the  Democratic 
party,  held  in  Chicago  in  1896,  Mr.  Jones 
was  made  chairman  of  the  national  com- 
mittee. 

THEODORE  THOMAS,  one  of  the  most 
celebrated  musical  directors  America 
has  known,  was  born  in  the  kingdom  of  Han- 
over in  1835,  and  received  his  musical  educa- 
tion from  his  father.  He  was  a  very  apt  scholar 
and  played  the  violin  at  public  concerts  at 
the  age  of  six  years.  He  came  with  his 
parents  to  America  in  1845,  and  joined  the 
orchestra  of  the  Italian  Opera  in  New  York 
City.  He  played  the  first  violin  in  the 
orchestra  which  accompanied  Jenny  Lind 
in  her  first  American  concert.  In  1S61  Mr. 
Thomas  established  the  orchestra  that  be- 
came famous  under  his  management,  and 
gave  his  first  symphony  concerts  in  New 
York  in  1864.  He  began  his  first  "summer 
night  concerts"  in  the  same  city  in  1868, 
and  in  1869  he  started  on  his  first  tour  of 
the  principal  cities  in  the  United  States, 
which  he  made  every  year  for  many  years. 
He  was  director  of  the  College  of  Music  in 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  but  resigned  in  1880,  after 
having  held  the  position  for  three  years. 

Later  he  organized  one  of  the  greatest 
and  most  successful  orchestras  ever  brought 
together  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  and  was 
very  prominent  in  musical  affairs  during  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition,  thereby  add- 
ing greatly  to  his  fame. 


CYRUS  HALL  McCORMICK,  the  fa- 
mous inventor  and  manufacturer,  was 
born  at  Walnut  Grove,  Virginia,  February 
1  5,  1809.      When  he  was  seven  years  old  his 


father  invented  a  reaping  machine.  It  was 
a  rude  contrivance  and  not  successful.  In 
1 83 1  Cyrus  made  his  invention  of  a  reaping 
machine,  and  had  it  patented  three  years 
later.  By  successive  improvements  he  was 
able  to  keep  his  machines  at  the  head  of 
its  class  during  his  life.  In  1845  he  removed 
to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  two  ,  years  later 
located  in  Chicago,  where  he  amassed  a 
great  fortune  in  manufacturing  reapers  and 
harvesting  machinery.  In  1859  he  estab- 
lished the  Theological  Seminary  of  the 
Northwest  at  Chicago,  an  institution  for  pre- 
paring young  men  for  the  ministry  in  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  he  afterward  en- 
dowed a  chair  in  the  Washington  and  Lee 
College  at  Lexington,  Virginia.  He  mani- 
fested great  interest  in  educational  and  re- 
ligious matters,  and  by  his  great  wealth  he 
was  able  to  extend  aid  and  encouragement 
to  many  charitable  causes.  His  death  oc- 
curred May  13,   1884. 


DAVID  ROSS  LOCKE.— Under  the 
pen  name  of  Petroleum  V.  Nasby,  this 
well-known  humorist  and  writer  made  for 
himself  a  household  reputation,  and  estab- 
lished a  school  that  has  many  imitators. 

The  subject  of  this  article  was  born  at 
Vestal,  Broome  county,  New  York,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1833.  After  receiving  his  edu- 
cation in  the  county  of  his  birth  he  en- 
tered the  office  of  the  "  Democrat,"  at  Cort- 
land, New  York,  where  he  learned  the 
printer's  trade.  He  was  successively  editor 
and  publisher  of  the  "Plymouth  Advertiser," 
the  "Mansfield  Herald,"  the  "  Bucyrus 
Journal,"  and  the  "Findlay  Jeffersonian." 
Later  he  became  editor  of  the  "Toledo 
Blade."  In  i860  he  commenced  his 
"  Nasby"  articles,  several  series  of  which 
have  been  given  the  world  in  book  form. 
Under  a  mask  of  misspelling,  and  in  a  auaiDt 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGIi A /'//)'. 


L78 


and  humorous  style,  a  keen  political  satire 
is  couched — a  most  effective  weapon. 
Mr.  Locke  was  the  author  of  a  num- 
ber of  serious  political  pamphlets,  and 
later  on  a  more  pretentious  work,  "  The 
Morals  of  Abou  Ben  Adhem."  As  a  news- 
paper writer  he  gained  many  laurels  and  his 
works  are  widely  read.  Abraham  Lincoln 
is  said  to  have  been  a  warm  admirer  of  P. 
V.  Nasby,  of  "  Confedrit  X  Roads"  fame. 
Mr.  Locke  died  at  Toledo,  Ohio,  February 
15,  1S88.  

RUSSELL  A.  ALGER,  noted  as  a  sol- 
dier, governor  and  secretary  of  war, 
was  born  in  Medina  county,  Ohio,  February 
27,  1836,  and  was  the  son  of  Russell  and 
Caroline  (Moulton)  Alger.  At  the  age  of 
twelve  years  he  was  left  an  orphan  and  pen- 
niless. For  about  a  year  he  worked  for 
his  board  and  clothing,  and  attended  school 
part  of  the  time.  In  1850  he  found  a  place 
which  paid  small  wages,  and  out  of  his 
scanty  earnings  helped  his  brother  and  sister. 
While  there  working  on  a  farm  he  found 
time  to  attend  the  Richfield  Academy,  and 
by  hard  work  between  times  managed  to  get 
a  fair  education  for  that  time.  The  last 
two  years  of  his  attendance  at  this  institu- 
tion of  learning  he  taught  school  during  the 
winter  months.  In  1857  he  commenced  the 
study  of  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1859.  For  a  while  he  found  employ- 
ment in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  but  impaired 
health  induced  him  to  remove  to  Grand 
Rapids,  where  he  engaged  in  the  lumber 
business.  He  was  thus  engaged  when  the 
Civil  war  broke  out,  and,  his  business  suf- 
fering and  his  savings  swept  away,  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  in  the  Second  Michigan 
Cavalry.  He  was  promoted  to  be  captain 
the  following  month,  and  major  for  gallant 
conduct  at  Boonesville,  Mississippi,  July  1, 


1862.  October  16,  1862,  he  was  made 
lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Sixth  Michigan 
Cavalry,  and  in  February,  1863,  colonel  of 
the  Fifth  Michigan  Cavalry.  He  rendered 
excellent  service  in  the  Gettysburg  cam- 
paign. He  was  wounded  at  Boonesboro, 
Maryland,  and  on  returning  to  his  command 
took  part  with  Sherman  in  the  campaign  in 
the  Shenandoah  Valley.  For  services  ren- 
dered, that  famous  soldier  recommended 
him  for  promotion,  and  he  was  brevetted 
major-general  of  volunteers.  In  1 866  Gen- 
eral Alger  took  up  his  residence  at  Detroit, 
and  prospered  exceedingly  in  his  business, 
which  was  that  of  lumbering,  and  grew 
quite  wealthy.  In  1884  he  was  a  delegate 
to  the  Republican  national  convention,  and 
the  same  year  was  elected  governor  of 
Michigan.  He  declined  a  nomination  for 
re-election  to  the  latter  office,  in  1887,  and 
was  the  following  year  a  candidate  for  the 
nomination  for  president.  In  1889  he  was 
elected  commander-in-chief  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  and  at  different 
times  occupied  many  offices  in  other  or- 
ganizations. 

In   March,    1897,    President     McKinley 
appointed  General  Alger  secretary  of  war. 


CYRUS  WEST  FIELD,  the  father  of 
submarine  telegraphy,  was  the  son  of 
the  Rev.  David  D.  Field,  D.D.,  a  Congre- 
gational minister,  and  was  born  at  Stock- 
bridge,  Massachusetts,  November  30,  1819. 
He  was  educated  in  his  native  town,  and  at 
the  age  of  fifteen  years  became  a  clerk  in  a 
store  in  New  York  City.  Being  gifted  with 
excellent  business  ability  Mr.  Field  pros- 
pered and  became  the  head  of  a  large  met 
cantile  house.  In  1853  he  spent  about  six 
months  in  travel  in  South  America.  On  his 
return  he  became  interested  in  ocean  teleg- 
raphy.    Being  solicited  to  aid  in  the  con- 


174 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


struction  of  a  land  telegraph  across  New 
Foundland  to  receive  the  news  from  a  line 
of  fast  steamers  it  was  proposed  to  run  from 
from  Ireland  to  St.  Johns,  the  idea  struck 
him  to  carry  the  line  across  the  broad  At- 
lantic. In  1850  Mr.  Field  obtained  a  con- 
cession from  the  legislature  of  Newfound- 
land, giving  him  the  sole  right  for  fifty  years 
to  land  submarine  cables  on  the  shores  of 
that  island.  In  company  with  Peter  Cooper, 
Moses  Taylor,  Marshall  O.  Roberts  and 
Chandler  White,  he  organized  a  company 
under  the  name  of  the  New  York,  New- 
foundland &  London  Telegraph  Company. 
In  two  years  the  line  from  New  York  across 
Newfoundland  was  built.  The  first  cable 
connecting  Cape  Breton  Island  with  New- 
foundland having  been  lost  in  a  storm  while 
being  laid  in  1855,  another  was  put  down  in 
1856.  In  the  latter  year  Mr.  Field  went  to 
London  and  organized  the  Atlantic  Tele- 
graph Company,  furnishing  one-fourth  of  the 
capital  himself.  Both  governments  loaned 
ships  to  carry  out  the  enterprise.  Mr.  Field 
accompanied  the  expeditions  of  1857  and 
two  in  1858.  The  first  and  second  cables 
were  failures,  and  the  third  worked  but  a 
short  time  and  then  ceased.  The  people  of 
both  continents  became  incredulous  of  the 
feasibility  of  laying  a  successful  cable  under 
so  wide  an  expanse  of  sea,  and  the  war 
breaking  out  shortly  after,  nothing  was  done 
until  1865-66.  Mr.  Field,  in  the  former 
year,  again  made  the  attempt,  and  the  Great 
Eastern  laid  some  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred miles  when  the  cable  parted  and  was 
lost.  The  following  year  the  same  vessel 
succeeded  in  laying  the  entire  cable,  and 
picked  up  the  one  lost  the  year  before,  and 
both  were  carried  to  America's  shore.  After 
thirteen  years  of  care  and  toil  Mr.  Field  had 
his  reward.  He  was  the  recipient  of  many 
medals   and   honors  from    both   home   and 


abroad.  He  gave  his  attention  after  this 
to  establishing  telegraphic  communication 
throughout  the  world  and  many  other  large 
enterprises,  notably  the  construction  of  ele- 
vated railroads  in  New  York.  Mr.  Field 
died  July  1 1,   1892. 


G ROVER  CLEVELAND,  the  twenty- 
second  president  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  in  Caldwell,  Essex  county,  New 
Jersey,  March  18,  1837,  and  was  the  son 
of  Rev.  Richard  and  Annie  (Neale)  Cleve- 
land. The  father,  of  distinguished  New 
England  ancestry,  was  a  Presbyterian  min- 
ister in  charge  of  the  church  at  Caldwell  at 
the  time. 

When  Grover  was  about  three  years  of 
age  the  family  removed  to  Fayetteville, 
Onondaga  county,  New  York,  where  he 
attended  the  district  school,  and  was  in  the 
academy  for  a  short  time.  His  father  be- 
lieving that  boys  should  early  learn  to  labor, 
Grover  entered  a  village  store  and  worked 
for  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars  for  the  first  year. 
While  he  was  thus  engaged  the  family  re- 
moved to  Clinton,  New  York,  and  there 
young  Cleveland  took  up  Hs  studies  at  the 
academy.  The  death  of  his  father  dashed 
all  his  hopes  of  a  collegiate  education,  the 
family  being  left  in  straightened  circum- 
stances, and  Grover  started  out  to  battle 
for  himself.  After  acting  for  a  year  (1853- 
54)  as  assistant  teacher  and  bookkeeper  in 
the  Institution  for  the  Blind  at  New  York 
City,  he  went  to  Buffalo.  A  short  time 
after  he  entered  the  law  office  of  Rogers, 
Bowen  &  Rogers,  of  that  city,  and  after  a 
hard  struggle  with  adverse  circumstances, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1859.  Hebe- 
came  confidential  and  managing  clerk  for 
the  firm  under  whom  he  had  studied,  and 
remained  with  them  until  1863.  In  the  lat- 
ter year  he  was  appointed  district  attorney 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


L75 


of  Erie  county.  It  was  during  his  incum- 
bency of  this  office  that,  on  being  nominated 
by  the  Democrats  for  supervisor,  he  came 
within  thirteen  votes  of  election,  although 
the  district  was  usually  Republican  by  two 
hundred  and  fifty  majority.  In  i866Grover 
Cleveland  formed  a  partnership  with  Isaac 
V.  Vanderpoel.  The  most  of  the  work  here 
fell  upon  the  shoulders  of  our  subject,  and 
he  soon  won  a  good  standing  at  the  bar  of 
the  state.  In  1869  Mr.  Cleveland  associated 
himself  in  business  with  A.  P.  Laning  and 
Oscar  Folsom,  and  under  the  firm  name  of 
Laning,  Cleveland  &  Folsom  soon  built  up  a 
fair  practice.  In  the  fall  of  1870  Mr.  Cleve- 
land was  elected  sheriff  of  Erie  county,  an 
office  which  he  filled  for  four  years,  after 
which  he  resumed  his  profession,  with  L.  K. 
Bass  and  Wilson  S.  Bissell  as  partners. 
This  firm  was  strong  and  popular  and 
shortly  was  in  possession  of  a  lucrative 
practice.  Mr.  Bass  retired  from  the  firm 
in  1879,  and  George  J.  Secard  was  admit- 
ted a  member  in  188 1.  In  the  latter  year 
Mr.  Cleveland  was  elected  mayor  of  Buffalo, 
and  in  1882  he  was  chosen  governor  by 
the  enormous  majority  of  one  hundred  and 
ninety-two  thousand  votes.  July  11,  1884, 
he  was  nominated  for  the  presidency  by  the 
Democratic  national  convention,  and  in 
November  following  was  elected. 

Mr.  Cleveland,  after  serving  one  term  as 
president  of  the  United  States,  in  1888  was 
nominated  by  his  party  to  succeed  himself, 
but  he  failed  of  the  election,  being  beaten 
by  Benjamin  Harrison.  In  1892,  however, 
being  nominated  again  in  opposition  to  the 
then  incumbent  of  the  presidency,  Mr.  Har- 
rison, Grover  Cleveland  was  elected  pres- 
ident for  the  second  time  and  served  for  the 
usual  term  of  four  years.  In  1897  Mr. 
Cleveland  retired  from  the  chair  of  the  first 
magistrate  of  the  nation,  and  in  New  York 


City  resumed  the  practice  of  law,  in  which 
city  he  had  established  himself  in  1S89. 

June  2,  1886,  Grover  Cleveland  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Frances  Fol- 
som, the  daughter  of  his  former  partner. 


ALEXANDER  WINCHELL,  for  many 
years  one  of  the  greatest  of  American 
scientists,  and  one  of  the  most  noted  and 
prolific  writers  on  scientific  subjects,  was 
born  in  Duchess  county,  New  York,  Decem- 
ber 31,  1824.  He  received  a  thorough  col- 
legiate education,  and  graduated  at  the 
Wesleyan  University,  Middletown,  Connect- 
icut, in  1847.  His  mind  took  a  scientific 
turn,  which  manifested  itself  while  he  was 
yet  a  boy,  and  in  1848  he  became  teacher 
of  natural  sciences  at  the  Armenian  Semi- 
nary, in  his  native  state,  a  position  which 
he  filled  for  three  years.  In  1 85 1-3  he  oc- 
cupied the  same  position  in  the  Mesopo- 
tamia Female  Seminary,  in  Alabama,  after 
which  he  was  president  of  the  Masonic  Fe- 
male Seminary,  in  Alabama.  In  1853  he 
became  connected  with  the  University  of 
Michigan,  at  Ann  Arbor,  at  which  institu- 
tion he  performed  the  most  important  work 
of  his  life,  and  gained  a  wide  reputation  as 
a  scientist.  He  held  many  important  posi- 
tions, among  which  were  the  following: 
Professor  of  physics  and  civil  engineering  at 
the  University  of  Michigan,  also  of  geology, 
zoology  and  botany,  and  later  professor  of 
geology  and  palaeontology  at  the  same  insti- 
tution. He  also,  for  a  time,  was  president 
of  the  Michigan  Teachers'  Association,  and 
state  geologist  of  Michigan.  Professor 
Winchell  was  a  very  prolific  writer  on  scien- 
tific subjects,  and  published  many  standard 
works,  his  most  important  and  widely  known 
being  those  devoted  to  geology.  He  also 
contributed  a  large  number  of  articles  tc 
scientific  and  popular  journals. 


176 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHr. 


ANDREW  HULL  FOOTE,  of  the 
United  States  navy,  was  a  native  of 
New  England,  born  at  New  Haven,  Con- 
necticut, May  4,  1808.  He  entered  the 
navy,  as  a  midshipman,  December  4,  1822. 
He  slowly  rose  in  his  chosen  profession,  at- 
taining the  rank  of  lieutenant  in  1830,  com- 
mander in  1852  and  captain  in  1861. 
Among  the  distinguished  men  in  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  Civil  war,  but  few  stood  higher 
in  the  estimation  of  his  brother  officers  than 
Foote,  and  when,  in  the  fall  of  1S61.  he 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  flotilla 
then  building  on  the  Mississippi,  the  act 
gave  grea .  satisfaction  to  the  service. 
Although  embarrassed  by  want  of  navy 
yards  and  supplies,  Foote  threw  himself  into 
his  new  work  with  unusual  energy.  He 
overcame  all  obstacles  and  in  the  new,  and, 
until  that  time,  untried  experiment,  of  creat- 
ing and  maintaining  a  navy  on  a  river, 
achieved  a  success  beyond  the  expectations 
of  the  country.  Great  incredulity  existed  as 
to  the  possibility  of  carrying  on  hostilities 
on  a  river  where  batteries  from  the  shore 
might  bar  the  passage.  But  in  spite  of  all, 
Foote  soon  had  a  navy  on  the  great  river, 
and  by  the  heroic  qualities  of  the  crews  en- 
trusted to  him,  demonstrated  the  utility-  of 
this  new  departure  in  naval  architecture. 
All  being  prepared,  February  6,  1862,  Foote 
took  Fort  Henry  after  a  hotly-contested 
action.  On  the  14th  of  the  same  month, 
for  an  hour  and  a  half  engaged  the  batteries 
of  Fort  Donelson,  with  four  ironclads  and 
two  wooden  gunboats,  thereby  dishearten- 
ing the  garrison  and  assisting  in  its  capture. 
April  7th  of  the  same  year,  after  several 
hotly-contested  actions.  Commodore  Foote 
received  the  surrender  of  Island  No.  10,  one 
of  the  great  strongholds  of  the  Confederacy 
on  the  Mississippi  river.  Foote  having  been 
wounded  at  Fort  Donelson,  and  by  neglect 


it  having  become  so  serious  as  to  endanger 
his  life,  he  was  forced  to  resign  his  command 
and  return  home.  June  16,  1862,  he  re- 
ceived the  thanks  of  congress  and  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  rear  admiral.  He  was 
appointed  chief  of  the  bureau  of  equipment 
and  recruiting.  June  4,  1863,  he  was 
ordered  to  the  fleet  06  Charleston,  to  super- 
cede Rear  Admiral  Dupont,  but  on  his  way 
to  that  destination  was  taken  sick  at  New 
York,  and  died  June  26,   1863. 


NELSON  A. MILES,  the  well-known  sol- 
dier, was  born  at  Westminster,  Massa- 
chusetts, August  8,1839.  His  ancestors  set- 
tled in  that  state  in  1643  among  the  early 
pioneers,  and  their  descendants  were,  many 
of  them,  to  be  found  among  those  battling 
against  Great  Britain  during  Revolutionary 
times  and  during  the  war  of  1812.  Nelson 
was  reared  on  a  farm,  received  an  academic 
education,  and  in  early  manhood  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits  in  Boston.  Early  in 
1 86 1  he  raised  a  company  and  offered  his 
services  to  the  government,  and  although 
commissioned  as  captain,  on  account  of  his 
youth  went  out  as  first  lieutenant  in  the 
Twenty-second  Massachusetts  Infantry.  In 
1 S62  he  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel 
and  colonel  of  the  Sixty-first  New  York  In- 
fantry. At  the  request  of  Generals  Grant 
and  Meade  he  was  made  a  brigadier  by 
President  Lincoln.  He  participated  in  all 
but  one  of  the  battles  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  until  the  close  of  the  war.  During 
the  latter  part  of  the  time  he  commanded 
the  first  division  of  the  Second  Corps. 
General  Miles  was  wounded  at  the  battles 
of  Fair  Oaks,  Fredericksburg  and  Chan- 
cellorsville,  and  received  four  brevets  for 
distinguished  service.  During  the  recon- 
struction period  he  commanded  in  North 
Carolina,  and  on   the   reorganization  of  the 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPH)'. 


177 


regular  army  he  was  made  colonel  of  in- 
fantry. In  1SS0  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general,  and  in  1890  to 
that  of  major-general.  He  successfully  con- 
ducted several  campaigns  among  the  In- 
dians, and  his  name  is  known  among  the 
tribes  as  a  friend  when  they  are  peacefully 
inclined.  He  many  times  averted  war 
with  the  red  men  by  judicious  and  humane 
settlement  of  difficulties  without  the  military 
power.  In  1S92  General  Miles  was  given 
command  of  the  proceedings  in  dedicating 
the  World's  Fair  at  Chicago,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1S94,  during  the  great  railroad 
strike  at  the  same  city,  General  Miles,  then 
in  command  of  the  department,  had  the 
disposal  of  the  troops  sent  to  protect  the 
United  States  mails.  On  the  retirement  of 
General  J.  M.  Schofield,  in  1895,  General 
Miles  became  the  ranking  major-general  of 
the  United  States  army  and  the  head  of  its 
forces. 

JUNIUS  BRUTUS  BOOTH,  the  great 
J  actor,  though  born  in  London  (1796),  is 
more  intimately  connected  with  the  Amer- 
ican than  with  the  English  stage,  and  bis 
popularity  in  America  was  almost  un- 
bounded, while  in  England  he  was  not  a 
prime  favorite.  He  presented  "  Richard  III." 
in  Richmond  on  his  first  appearance  on  the 
American  stage  in  1821.  This  was  his 
greatest  role,  and  in  it  he  has  never  had  an 
equal.  In  October  of  the  same  year  he 
appeared  in  New  York.  After  a  long  and 
successful  career  he  gave  his  final  perform- 
ance at  New  Orleans  in  1S52.  He  con- 
tracted a  severe  cold,  and  for  lack  of  proper 
medical  attention,  it  resulted  in  his  death 
on  November  30th  of  that  year.  He  was, 
without  question,  one  of  ihe  greatest  tra- 
gedians that  ever  lived.  In  addition  to  his 
professional   art  and  genius,  he  was  skilled 


in  languages,  drawing,  painting  and  sculp- 
ture. In  his  private  life  he  was  reserved, 
and  even  eccentric.  Strange  stories  are 
related  of  his  peculiarities,  and  on  his  farm 
near  Baltimore  he  forbade  the  use  of  animal 
food,  the  taking  of  animal  life,  and  even  the 
felling  of  trees,  and  brought  his  butter  and 
eggs  to  the  Baltimore  markets  in  person. 

Junius  Brutus  Booth,  known  as  the  elder 
Booth,  gave  to  the  world  three  sons  of  note: 
Junius  Brutus  Booth,  Jr.,  the  husband  of 
Agnes  Booth,  the  actress;  John  Wilkes 
Booth,  the  author  of  the  greatest  tragedy 
in  the  life  of  our  nation;  Edwin  Booth,  in 
his  day  the  greatest  actor  of  America,  if  not 
of  the  world. 

TAMES  MONTGOMERY  BAILEY,  fa- 
t-  mous  as  the  "Danbury  News  Man," 
was  one  of  the  best  known  American  humor- 
ists, and  was  born  September  2;,  1S41.  at 
Albany,  N.  Y.  He  adopted  journalism  as  a 
profession  and  started  in  his  chosen  work  on 
the  "Danbury  Times,"  which  paper  he  pur- 
chased on  his  return  from  the  war.  Mr. 
Bailey  also  purchased  the  "Jeffersonian," 
another  paper  of  Danbury,  and  consolidated 
them,  forming  the  "Danbury  News,"  which 
paper  soon  acquired  a  celebrity  throughout 
the  United  States,  from  an  incessant  flow  of 
rich,  health}-,  and  original  humor,  which  the 
pen  of  the  editor  imparted  to  its  columns, 
and  he  succeeded  in  raising  the  circulation 
of  the  paper  from  a  few  hundred  copies  a 
week  to  over  forty  thousand.  The  facilities 
of  a  country  printing  office  were  not  so  com- 
plete in  those  days  as  they  are  now,  but  Mr. 
Bailey  was  resourceful,  and  he  put  on  re- 
lays of  help  and  ran  his  presses  night  and 
day,  and  always  prepared  his  matter  a  week 
ahead  of  time.  The  "Danbury  News  Man" 
was  a  new  figure  in  literature,  as  his  humor 
was  so  different  from  that  of  the  newspaper 


178 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


wits — who  had  preceded  him,  and  he  maybe 
called  the  pioneer  of  that  school  now  so 
familiar.  Mr.  Bailey  published  in  book 
form  "Life  in  Danbury"  and  "The  Danbury 
News  Man's  Almanac. "  One  of  his  most 
admirable  traits  was  philanthrophy,  as  he 
gave  with  unstinted  generosity  to  all  comers, 
and  died  comparatively  poor,  notwithstand- 
ing his  ownership  of  a  very  profitable  busi- 
ness which  netted  him  an  income  of  $40,000 
a  year.      He  died  March  4,   1894. 


MATTHEW  HALE  CARPENTER,  a 
famous  lawyer,  orator  and  senator, 
was  born  in  Moretown,  Vermont,  December 
22,  1824.  After  receiving  a  common-school 
education  he  entered  the  United  States 
Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  but  only 
remained  two  years.  On  returning  to  his 
home  he  commenced  the  study  of  law  with 
Paul  Dillingham,  afterwards  governor  of 
Vermont,  and  whose  daughter  he  married. 
In  1847  he  was  admitted  to  practice  at  the 
bar  in  Vermont,  but  he  went  to  Boston  and 
for  a  time  studied  with  Ruf  us  Choate.  In  1848 
he  moved  west,  settling  at  Beloit,  Wisconsin, 
and  commencing  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion soon  obtained  a  wide  reputation  for 
ability.  In  1856  Mr.  Carpenter  removed  to 
Milwaukee,  where  he  found  a  wider  field  for 
his  now  increasing  powers.  During  the 
Civil  war,  although  a  strong  Democrat,  he 
was  loyal  to  the  government  and  aided  the 
Union  cause  to  his  utmost.  In  1868  he 
was  counsel  for  the  government  in  a  test 
case  to  settle  the  legality  of  the  reconstruc- 
tion act  before  the  United  States  supreme 
court,  and  won  his  case  against  Jeremiah  S. 
Black.  This  gave  him  the  election  for  sen- 
ator from  Wisconsin  in  1869,  and  he  served 
until  1875,  during  part  of  which  time  he  was 
president  pro  tempore  of  the  senate.  Failing 
01  a  re-election  Mr.  Carpenter  resumed  the 


practice  of  law,  and  when  William  W. 
Belknap,  late  secretary  of  war,  was  im- 
peached, entered  the  case  for  General 
Belknap,  and  secured  an  acquittal.  During 
the  sitting  of  the  electoral  commission  of 
1877,  Mr.  Carpenter  appeared  for  Samuel 
J.  Tilden,  although  the  Republican  man- 
agers had  intended  to  have  him  represent 
R.  B.  Hayes.  Mr.  Carpenter  was  elected 
to  the  United  States  senate  again  in  1879, 
and  remained  a  member  of  that  body  until 
the  day  of  his  death,  which  occurred  at 
Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  Feb- 
ruary 24,  18S1. 

Senator  Carpenter's  real  name  was  De- 
catur Merritt  Hammond  Carpenter  but  about 
1852  he  changed  it  to  the  one  by  which  he 
was  universally   known. 


THOMAS  E.  WATSON,  lawyer  and 
congressman,  the  well-known  Geor- 
gian, whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of 
this  sketch,  made  himself  a  place  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  country  by  his  ability,  energy 
and  fervid  oratory.  He  was  born  in  Col- 
umbia (now  McDuffie)  county,  Georgia, 
September  5,  1856.  He  had  a  common- 
school  education,  and  in  1872  entered  Mer- 
cer University,  at  Macon,  Georgia,  as  fresh- 
man, but  for  want  of  money  left  the  college 
at  the  end  of  his  sophomore  year.  He 
taught  school,  studying  law  at  the  same 
time,  until  1875,  when  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar.  He  opened  an  office  and  com- 
menced practice  in  Thomson,  Georgia,  in 
November,  1876.  He  carried  on  a  success- 
ful business,  and  bought  land  and  farmed  on 
an  extensive  scale. 

Mr.  Watson  was  a  delegate  to  the  Demo- 
cratic state  convention  of  1880,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  house  of  representatives  of 
the  legislature  of  his  native  state  in  1S82. 
In  1888  he  was   an  elector-at-large   on   the 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


179 


Cleveland  ticket,  and  in  1890  was  elected 
to  represent  his  district  in  the  fifty-second 
congress.  This  latter  election  is  said  to  have 
been  due  entirely  to  Mr.  Watson's  "dash- 
ing display  of  ability,  eloquence  and  popular 
power."  In  his  later  years  he  championed 
the  alliance  principles  and  policies  until  he 
became  a  leader  in  the  movement.  In  the 
heated  campaign  of  1896,  Mr.  Watson  was 
nominated  as  the  candidate  for  vice-presi- 
dent on  the  Bryan  ticket  by  that  part  of  the 
People's  party  that  would  not  endorse  the 
nominee  for  the  same  position  made  by  the 
Democratic  party. 


FREDERICK  A.  P.  BARNARD,  mathe- 
matician, physicist  and  educator,  was 
born  in  Sheffield,  Massachusetts,  May  5, 1809. 
He  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1828, and 
in  1830  became  a  tutor  in  the  same.  From 
1837  to  1848  he  was  professor  of  mathe- 
matics and  natural  philosophy  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Alabama,  and  from  1848  to  1850, 
professor  of  chemistry  and  natural  history 
in  the  same  educational  institution.  In 
1854  he  became  connected  with  the  Univer- 
sity of  Mississippi,  of  which  he  became 
president  in  1856,  and  chancellor  in  1858. 
In  1854  he  took  orders  in  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  church.  In  186 1  Professor  Barnard 
resigned  his  chancellorship  and  chair  in  the 
university,  and  in  1863  and  1864  was  con- 
nected with  the  United  States  coast  survey 
in  charge  of  chart  printing  and  lithography. 
In  May,  1864,  he  was  elected  president  of 
Columbia  College,  New  York  City,  which 
he  served  for  a  number  of  years. 

Professor  Barnard  received  *  he  honorary 
degree  of  LL.  D.  from  Jefferson  College, 
Mississippi,  in  1855,  and  from  Ya!e  College 
in  1859;  also  the  degree  of  S.  T.  D.  from 
the  University  of  Mississippi  in  1861,  and 
that  of  L.  H.  D.  from   the   regents    of   the 


University  of  the  State  of  New  York  in  1 872. 
In  i860  he  was  a  member  of  the  eclipse 
party  sent  by  the  United  States  coast  sur- 
vey to  Labrador,  and  during  his  absence 
was  elected  president  of  the  American  Asso- 
ciation for  the  Advancement  of  Science.  la 
the  act  of  congress  establishing  the  National 
Academy  of  Sciences  in  1863,  he  was  named 
as  one  of  the  original  corporators.  In  1867 
he  was  one  of  the  United  States  commis- 
sioners to  the  Paris  Exposition.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  American  Philosophical 
Society,  associate  member  of  the  Amer- 
ican Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and 
many  other  philosophical  and  scientific 
societies  at  home  and  abroad.  Dr.  Barnard 
was  thoroughly  identified  with  the  progress 
of  the  age  in  those  branches.  His  published 
works  relate  wholly  to  scientific  or  educa- 
tional subjects,  chief  among  which  are  the 
following:  Report  on  Collegiate  Education; 
Art  Culture;  History  of  the  American  Coast 
Survey;  University  Education;  Undulatory 
Theory  of  Light;  Machinery  and  Processes 
of  the  Industrial  Arts,  and  Apparatus  of  the 
Exact  Sciences,  Metric  System  of  Weights 
and  Measures,  etc. 


EDWIN  McMASTERS  STANTON,  the 
secretary  of  war  during  the  great  Civil 
war,  was  recognized  as  one  of  America's 
foremost  public  men.  He  was  born  Decem- 
ber ig,  1 8 14,  at  Steubenville,  Ohio,  where 
he  received  his  education  and  studied  law. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1836,  and 
was  reporter  of  the  supreme  court  of  Ohio 
from  1842  until  1845.  He  removed  to 
Washington  in  1856  to  attend  to  his  prac- 
tice before  the  United  States  supreme 
court,  and  in  1858  he  went  to  California  as 
counsel  for  the  government  in  certain  land 
cases,  which  he  carried  to  a  successful 
conclusion.      Mr.    Stanton    was   appointed 


ISO 


COMPENDIUM  OF  BIOGRAPHY. 


attorney-general  of  the  United  States  in 
December,  i860,  by  President  Buchanan. 
On  March  4,  1861,  Mr.  Stanton  went  with 
the  outgoing  administration  and  returned  to 
the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  was 
appointed  secretary  of  war  by  President 
Lincoln  January  20,  1862,  to  succeed  Simon 
Cameron.  After  the  assassination  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  and  the  accession  of  Johnson 
to  the  presidency,  Mr.  Stanton  was  still  in 
the  same  office.  He  held  it  for  three  years, 
and  by  his  strict  adherence  to  the  Repub- 
lican party,  he  antagonized  President  John- 
son, who  endeavored  to  remove  him.  On 
August  5,  1867,  the  president  requested  him 
to  resign,  and  appointed  General  Grant  to 
succeed  him,  but  when  congress  convened 
in  December  the  senate  refused  to  concur  in 
the  suspension.  Mr.  Stanton  returned  to 
his  post  until  the  president  again  removed 
him  from  office,  but  was  again  foiled  by 
congress.  Soon  after,  however,  he  retired 
voluntarily  from  office  and  took  up  the 
practice  of  law,  in  which  he  engaged  until 
his  death,  on  December  24,   1869. 


ALEXANDER  CAMPBELL,  the  eminent 
theologian  and  founder  of  the  church 
known  as  Disciples  of  Christ,  was  born  in 
the  country  of  Antrim,  Ireland,  in  June, 
1788,  and  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Campbell,  a  Scoth-Irish  "Seceder. "  After 
studying  at  the  University  of  Glasgow,  he, 
in  company  with  his  father,  came  to  America 
in  1808,  and  both  began  labor  in  western 
Pennsylvania  to  restore  Christianity  to 
apostolic  simplicity.  They  organized  a 
church  at  Brush  Run,  Washington  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  18 i  I,  which,  however,  the 
year  following,  adopted  Baptist  views,  and 
in  1  81  3,  with  other  congregations  joined  a 
Baptist  association.  Some  of  the  under- 
lying principles  and    many    practices    of  the 


Campbells  and  their  disciples  were  repug- 
nant to  the  Baptist  church  and  considerable 
friction  was  the  result,  and  1827  saw  the 
separation  of  that  church  from  the  Church 
of  Christ,  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  The 
latter  then  reorganized  themselves  anew. 
They  reject  all  creeds,  professing  to  receive 
the  Bible  as  their  only  guide.  In  most  mat- 
ters of  faith  they  are  essentially  in  accord  with 
the  other  Evangelical  Christian  churches, 
especially  in  regard  to  the  person  and  worlc 
of  Christ,  the  resurrection  and  judgment. 
They  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  weekly, 
hold  that  repentance  and  faith  should  precede 
baptism,  attaching  much  importance  to  the 
latter  ordinance.  On  all  other  points  they 
encourage  individual  liberty  of  thought.  In 
1841,  Alexander  Campbell  founded  Bethany 
College,  West  Virginia,  of  which  he  was- 
president  for  many  years,  and  died  March  4, 
1866. 

The  denomination  which  they  founded 
is  quite  a  large  and  important  church  body 
in  the  United  States.  They  support  quite 
a  number  of  institutions  of  learning,  among 
which  are:  Bethany  College,  West  Virginia; 
Hiram  College,  Hiram,  Ohio;  Northwestern 
Christian  University,  Indianapolis,  Indiana^ 
Eureka  College,  Illinois;  Kentucky  Univer- 
sity, Lexington,  Kentucky;  Oskaloosa 
College,  Iowa;  and  a  number  of  seminaries 
and  schools.  They  also  support  several 
monthly  and  quarterly  religious  periodicals 
and  many  papers,  both  in  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain  and  her  dependencies. 


WILLIAM  L.WILSON,  the  noted  West 
Virginian,  who  was  postmaster-gener- 
al under  President  Cleveland's  second  ad- 
ministration, won  distinction  as  the  father 
of  the  famous  "  Wilson  bill,"  which  became 
a  law  under  the  same  administration.  Mr. 
Wilson  was  born    May   3,    1843,    in    Jeffer- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


son  county,  West  Virginia,  and  received 
a  good  education  at  the  Charlestown 
Academy,  where  he  prepared  himself  for 
college.  He  attended  the  Columbian  Col- 
lege in  the  District  of  Columbia,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  i860,  and  then 
attended  the  University  of  Virginia.  Mr. 
Wilson  served  in  the  Confederate  army  dur- 
ing the  war,  after  which  he  was  a  professor 
in  Columbian  College.  Later  he  entered 
into  the  practice  of  law  at  Charlestown. 
He  attended  the  Democratic  convention 
held  at  Cincinnati  in  1880,  as  a  delegate, 
and  later  was  chosen  as  one  of  the  electors 
for  the  state-at-large  on  the  Hancock 
ticket.  In  the  Democratic  convention  at 
Chicago  in  1892,  Mr.  Wilson  was  its  per- 
manent president.  He  was  elected  pres- 
ident of  the  West  Virginia  University  in 
1882,  entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office 
on  September  6,  but  having  received  the 
nomination  for  the  forty-seventh  congress 
on  the  Democratic  ticket,  he  resigned  the 
presidency  of  the  university  in  June,  1883, 
to  take  his  seat  in  congress.  Mr.  Wil- 
son was  honored  by  the  Columbian  Uni- 
versity and  the  Hampden-Sidney  College, 
both  of  which  conferred  upon  him  the  de- 
gree of  LL.  D.  In  1S84  he  was  appointed 
regent  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  at 
Washington  for  two  years,  and  at  the  end 
of  his  term  was  re-appointed.  He  was 
elected  to  the  forty-seventh,  forty-ninth, 
fiftieth,  fifty-first,  fifty-second  and  fifty- 
third  congresses,  but  was  defeated  for  re- 
election to  the  fifty-fourth  congress.  Upon 
the  resignation  of  Mr.  Bissell  from  the  office 
of  postmaster-general,  Mr.  Wilson  was  ap- 
pointed to  fill  the  vacancy  by  President 
Cleveland.  Hi^  many  years  of  public  serv- 
ice and  the  prominent  part  he  took  in  the 
discussion  of  public  questions  gave  him  a 
national  reputation. 


CALVIN  S.  BRICE,  a  successful  and 
noted  financier  and  politician,  was 
born  at  Denmark,  Ohio,  September  17, 
1845,  of  an  old  Maryland  family,  who  trace 
their  lineage  from  the  Bryces,  or  Bruces,  of 
Airth,  Scotland.  The  father  of  our  subject 
was  a  prominent  Presbyterian  clergyman, 
who  removed  to  Ohio  in  1812.  Calvin  S. 
Brice  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  his  native  town,  and  at  the  age  of  thir- 
teen entered  the  preparatory  department  of 
Miami  University  at  Oxford,  Ohio,  and  the 
following  year  entered  the  freshman  class. 
On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war, 
although  but  fifteen  years  old,  he  enlisted  in 
a  company  of  three-months  men.  He  re- 
turned to  complete  his  college  course,  but 
rt  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Eighty-sixth 
Ohio  Infantry,  and  served  in  the  Virginia 
campaign.  He  then  returned  to  college, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1863.  In  1864 
he  organized  Company  E,  One  Hundred 
and  Eightieth  Ohio  Infantry,  and  served 
until  the  close  of  hostilities,  in  the  western 
armies. 

On  his  return  home  Mr.  Brice  entered 
the  law  department  of  the  University  of 
Michigan,  and  in  1866  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  Cincinnati.  In  the  winter  of  1870- 
71  he  went  to  Europe  in  the  interests  of  the 
Lake  Erie  &  Louisville  Railroad  and  pro- 
cured a  foreign  loan.  This  road  became 
the  Lake  Erie  &  Western,  of  which,  in 
1887,  Mr.  Brice  became  president.  This 
was  the  first  railroad  in  which  he  had  a 
personal  interest.  The  conception,  build- 
ing and  sale  of  the  New  York,  Chicago  & 
St.  Louis  Railroad,  known  as  the  "Nickel 
Plate,"  was  largely  due  to  him.  He  was 
connected  with  many  other  railroads,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  the  following: 
Chicago  &  Atlantic;  Ohio  Central;  Rich- 
mond &  Danville;  Richmond  &  West  Point 


1S2 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Terminal;  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & 
Georgia;  Memphis  &  Charleston;  Mobile  & 
Birmingham;  Kentucky  Central;  Duluth, 
South  Shore  &  Atlantic,  and  the  Marquette, 
Houghton  &  Ontonagon.  In  1890  he  was 
elected  United  States  senator  from  Ohio. 
Notwithstanding  his  extensive  business  inter- 
ests, Senator  Brice  gave  a  considerable 
time  to  political  matters,  becoming  one  of 
the  leaders  of  the  Democratic  party  and  one 
of  the  most  widely  known  men  in  the 
country. 

BENJAMIN  HARRISON,  twenty-third 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  August  20,  1833,  at  North  Bend, 
Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  in  the  house  of  his 
grandfather,  General  William  Henry  Har- 
rison, afterwards  president  of  the  United 
States.  His  great-grandfather,  Benjamin 
Harrison,  was  a  member  of  the  Continental 
congress,  signed  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, and  was  three  times  elected  gov- 
ernor of  Virginia. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  entered  Farm- 
ers College  at  an  early  age,  and  two  years 
later  entered  Miami  University,  at  Oxford, 
Ohio.  Upon  graduation  he  entered  the 
office  of  Stover  &  Gwyne,  of  Cincinnati,  as  a 
law  student.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
two  years  later,  and  having  inherited  about 
eight  hundred  dollars  worth  of  property,  he 
married  the  daughter  of  Doctor  Scott,  pres- 
ident of  a  female  school  at  Oxford,  Ohio, 
and  selected  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  to  begin 
practice.  In  i860  he  was  nominated  by 
ihe  Republicans  as  candidate  for  state 
supreme  court  reporter,  and  did  his  first 
political  speaking  in  that  campaign.  He 
was  elected,  and  after  two  years  in  that 
position  he  organized  the  Seventieth  Indi- 
ana Infantry,  of  which  he  was  made  colonel, 
and  with  his  regiment  joined  General'  Sher- 


man's army.  For  bravery  displayed  at  Re- 
saca  and  Peach  Tree  Creek  he  was  made  a 
brigadier-general.  In  the  meantime  the 
office  of  supreme  court  reporter  had  been 
declared  vacant,  and  another  party  elected 
to  fill  it.  In  the  fall  of  1864,  having  been 
nominated  for  that  office,  General  Harrison 
obtained  a  thirty-day  leave  of  absence,  went 
to  Indiana,  canvassed  the  state  and  was 
elected.  As  he  was  about  to  rejoin  his 
command  he  was  stricken  down  by  an  attack 
of  fever.  After  his  recovery  he  joined 
General  Sherman's  army  and  participated  in 
the  closing  events  of  the  war. 

In  1868  General  Harrison  declined  to 
be  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  supreme 
court  reporter,  and  returned  to  the  practice 
of  the  law.  His  brilliant  campaign  for  the 
office  of  governor  of  Indiana  in  1876, 
brought  him  into  public  notice,  although  he 
was  defeated.  He  took  a  prominent  part 
in  the  presidential  canvass  of  1880,  and  was 
chosen  United  States  senator  from  Indiana, 
serving  six  years.  He  then  returned  to  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  In  1888  he  was 
selected  by  the  Republican  convention  at 
Chicago  as  candidate  for  the  presidency,  and 
after  a  heated  campaign  was  elected  over 
Cleveland.  He  was  inaugurated  March  4, 
1889,  and  signed  the  McKinley  bill  October 
1,  1890,  perhaps  the  most  distinctive  feature 
of  his  administration.  In  1892  he  was 
again  the  nominee  of  the  Republican  party 
for  president,  but  was  defeated  by  Grover 
Cleveland,  the  Democratic  candidate,  and 
again  resumed  the  practice  of  law  in  Indian- 
apolis. 

JOHN  CRAIG  HAVEMEYER,  the 
celebrated  merchant  and  sugar  refiner, 
was  born  in  New  York  City  in  1833.  His 
father,  William  F.  Havemeyer,  and  grand- 
father, William  Havemeyer,  were  both  sugar 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


refiners.  The  latter  named  came  from 
Buckeburg,  Germany,  in  1799,  and  settled 
in  New  York,  establishing  one  of  the  first 
refineries  in  that  city.  William  F.  succeeded 
his  father,  and  at  an  early  age  retired  from 
business  with  a  competency.  He  was  three 
times  mayor  of  his  native  city,  New  York. 
John  C.  Havemeyer  was  educated  in 
private  schools,  and  was  prepared  for  college 
at  Columbia  College  grammar  school. 
Owing  to  failing  eyesight  he  was  unable  to 
finish  his  college  course,  and  began  his 
business  career  in  a  wholesale  grocery  store, 
where  he  remained  two  years.  In  1854, 
after  a  year's  travel  abroad,  he  assumed  the 
responsibility  of  the  office  work  in  the  sugar 
refinery  of  Havemeyer  &  Molter,  but  two 
years  later  etablished  a  refinery  of  his  OvvTi 
in  Brooklyn.  ThL  ^.ft-rwards  developed  into 
the  immense  businf  .so'  Havemeyer  &  Elder 
The  capital  was  furn.shed  by  his  father, 
and,  chafing  under  the  anxiety  caused  by  the 
use  of  borrowed  money,  he  sold  out  his 
interest  and  returned  to  Havemeyer  & 
Molter.  This  firm  dissolving  the  next  year, 
John  C.  declined  an  offer  of  partnership 
from  the  successors,  not  wishing  to  use 
borrowed  money.  For  two  years  he  remain- 
ed with  the  house,  receiving  a  share  of  the 
profits  as  compensation.  For  some  years 
thereafter  he  was  engaged  in  the  commission 
business,  until  failing  health  caused  his 
retirement.  In  1871,  he  again  engaged  in 
the  sugar  refining  business  at  Greenport, 
Long  Island,  with  his  brother  and  another 
partner,  under  the  firm  name  of  Havemeyer 
Brothers  &  Co.  Here  he  remained  until 
1880,  when  his  health  again  declined. 
During  the  greater  part  of  his  life  Mr. 
Havemeyer  was  identified  with  many  benev- 
olent societies,  including  the  New  York 
Port  Society,  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  American  Bible  Society, 


New  York  Sabbath  School  Society  and 
others.  He  was  active  in  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  work  in  New  York. 
and  organized  and  was  the  first  president  of 
an  affiliated  society  of  the  same  at  Yonkers. 
He  was  director  of  several  railroad  corpo- 
rations and  a  trustee  of  the  Continental  Trust 
Company  of  New  York. 


WALTER  QUINTIN  GRESHAM,  an 
eminent  American  statesman  and 
jurist,  was  born  March  17,  1833,  near  Cory- 
don,  Harrison  county,  Indiana.  He  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  local  schools  of 
the  county  and  at  Bloomington  Academy, 
akhough  he  did  not  graduate.  After  leav- 
ing college  he  read  law  with  Judge  Porter 
^t  Corydon,  and  just  beiorc  the  wa;  N  be- 
gan to  take  an  interest  in  politics.  Mr. 
Gresham  was  elected  to  the  legislatir'  .rom 
Harrison  county  as  a  Republ.can;  previous 
to  this  the  district  had  been  represented  by 
a  Democrat.  At  the  commencement  of 
hostilities  he  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  of 
the  Thirty-eighth  Indiana  Infantry,  but 
served  in  that  regiment  only  a  short  time, 
when  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  Fifty- 
third  Indiana,  and  served  under  General 
Grant  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  as  brigadier- 
general.  Later  he  was  under  Sherman  in 
the  famous  "March  to  the  Sea,"  and  com- 
manded a  division  of  Blair's  corps  at  the 
siege  of  Atlanta  where  he  was  so  badly 
wounded  in  the  leg  that  he  was  compelled 
to  return  home.  On  his  way  home  he  was 
forced  to  stop  at  New  Albany,  where  he  re- 
mained a  year  before 'he  was  able  to  leave. 
He  was  brevetted  major-general  at  the  close 
of  the  war.  While  at  New  Albany,  Mr. 
Gresham  was  appointed  state  agent,  his 
duty  being  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  state 
debt  in  New  York,  and  he  ran  twice  for 
congress    against  ex-Speaker  Kerr,  but  was 


184 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


defeated  in  both  cases,  although  he  greatly 
reduced  the  Democratic  majority.  He  was 
held  in  high  esteem  by  President  Grant, 
who  offered  him  the  portfolio  of  the  interior 
but  Mr.  Gresham  declined,  but  accepted 
the  appointment  of  United  States  judge  for 
Indiana  to  succeed  David  McDonald. 
Judge  Gresham  served  on  the  United  States 
district  court  bench  until  1883,  when  he 
was  appointed  postmaster-general  by  Presi- 
dent Arthur,  but  held  that  office  only  a  few 
months  when  he  was  made  secretary  of  the 
treasury.  Near  the  end  of  President 
Arthur's  term.  Judge  Gresham  was  ap- 
pointed judge  of  the  United  States  circuit 
court  of  the  district  composed  of  Indiana, 
Illinois  and  contiguous  states,  which  he  held 
until  1893.  Judge  Gresham  was  one  of  the 
presidential  possibilities  in  the  National  Re- 
publican convention  in  1888,  when  General 
Harrison  was  nominated,  and  was  also  men- 
tioned for  president  ;o  1892.  Later  the 
People's  party  maue  a  strenuous  effort  to 
induce  him  to  become  their  candidate  for 
president,  he  refusing  the  offer,  however, 
and  a  few  weeks  before  the  election  he  an- 
nounced that  he  would  support  Mr.  Cleve- 
land, the  Democratic  nominee  for  president. 
Upon  the  election  of  Mr.  Cleveland  in  the 
fall  of  1892,  Judge  Gresham  was  made  the 
secretary  of  state,  and  filled  that  position 
until  his  death  on  May  28,  1895,  at  Wash- 
ington, District  of  Columbia. 


ELISHA  B.  ANDREWS,  noted  as  an  ed- 
ucator and  college  president,  was  born 
at  Hinsdale,  New  Hampshire,  January  10, 
1844,  his  father  and  mother  being  Erastus 
and  Elmira  (Bartlett)  Andrews.  In  1861, 
he  entered  the  service  of  the  general  gov- 
ernment as  private  and  non-commissioned 
officer  in  the  First  Connecticut  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery,  and  in    1863   was  promoted  to  the 


rank  of  second  lieutenant.  Returning  home 
he  was  prepared  for  college  at  Powers  In- 
stitute and  at  the  Wesleyan  Academy,  and 
entered  Brown  University.  From  here  he 
was  graduated  in  1870.  For  the  succeeding 
two  years  he  was  principal  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Literary  Institute  at  Suffield, Connecticut. 
Completing  a  course  at  the  Newton  Theo- 
logical Institute,  he  was  ordained  pastor  of 
the  First  Baptist  church  at  Beverly,  Massa- 
chusetts, July  2,  1874.  The  following 
year  he  became  president  of  the  Denison 
University,  at  Granville,  Ohio.  In  1879 
he  accepted  the  professorship  of  homiletics, 
pastoral  duties  and  church  polity  at  Newton 
Theological  Institute.  In  1882  he  was 
elected  to  the  chair  of  history  and  political 
economy  at  Brown  University.  The  Uni- 
versity of  Nebraska  honored  him  with  an 
LL.  D.  in  1884,  and  the  same  year  Colby 
University  conferred  the  degree  of  D.  D. 
In  1888  he  became  professor  of  political 
economy  and  public  economy  at  Cornell 
University,  but  the  next  year  returned  to 
Brown  University  as  its  president,  ^rom 
the  time  of  his  inauguration  the  college  work 
broadened  in  many  ways.  Many  timely 
and  generous  donations  from  friends  and 
alumni  of  the  college  were  influenced  by 
him,  and  large  additions  made  to  the  same. 
Professor  Andrews  published,  in  1887, 
"Institutes  of  General  History,"  and  in 
1888,  "  Institutes  of  Economics." 


JOHN  WILLIAM  DRAPER,  the  subject 
of  the  present  biography,  was,  during  his 
life,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  chemists 
and  scientific  writers  in  America.  He  was 
an  Englishman  by  birth,  born  at  Liverpool, 
May  5,  181 1,  and  was  reared  in  his  native 
land,  receiving  an  excellent  education, 
graduating  at  the  University  of  London.  In 
1833   he   came   to   the  United    States,  and 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


187 


settled  first  in  Pennsylvania.  He  graduated 
in  medicine  at  the  University  of  Philadel- 
phia, in  1836,  and  for  three  years  following 
was  professor  of  chemistry  and  physiology 
at  Hampden-Sidney  College.  He  then  be- 
came professor  of  chemistry  in  the  New  York 
University,  with  which  institution  he  was 
prominently  connected  for  many  years.  It 
is  stated  on  excellent  authority  that  Pro- 
fessor Draper,  in  1839,  took  the  first  photo- 
graphic picture  ever  taken  from  life.  He 
was  a  great  student,  and  carried  on  many 
important  and  intricate  experiments  along 
scientific  lines.  He  discovered  many  of  the 
fundamental  facts  of  spectrum  analysis, 
which  he  published.  He  published  a  number 
of  works  of  great  merit,  many  of  which  are 
recognized  as  authority  upon  the  subjects  of 
which  they  treat.  Among  his  work  were: 
"Human  Physiology,  Statistical  and  Dyna- 
mical of  the  Conditions  and  Cause  of  Life 
in  Man,"  "History  of  Intellectual  Develop- 
ment of  Europe,"  "  History  of  the  Ameri- 
can Civil  War,"  besides  a  number  of  works 
on  chemistry,  optics  and  mathematics.  Pro- 
fessor Draper  continued  to  hold  a  high  place 
among  the  scientific  scholars  of  America 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  January, 


GEORGE  W.  PECK,  ex-governor  of 
the  state  of  Wisconsin  and  a  famous 
journalist  and  humorist,  was  born  in  Jeffer- 
son county.  New  York,  September  28,  1840. 
When  he  was  about  three  years  of  age  his 
parents  removed  to  Wisconsin,  settling  near 
Whitewater,  where  young  Peck  received  his 
education  at  the  public  schools.  At  fifteen 
he  entered  the  office  of  the  "Whitewater 
Register,"  where  he  learned  the  printer's 
art.  He  helped  start  the  "Jefferson  County 
Republican"     later    on,    but    sold    out    his 

interest  therein  and  set  type  in  the  office  of 
11 


the  "State  Journal,"  at  Madison.  At  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  he  enlisted  in  the 
Fourth  Wisconsin  Cavalry  as  a  private,  and 
after  serving  four  years  returned  a  3econd 
lieutenant.  He  then  started  the  "  Ripon 
Representative,"  which  he  sold  not  long 
after,  and  removing  to  New  York,  was  on 
the  staff  of  Mark  Pomeroy's  "Democrat." 
Going  to  La  Crosse,  later,  he  conducted  the 
La  Crosse  branch  paper,  a  half  interest  in 
which  he  bought  in  1874.  He  next  started 
"Peck's  Sun,"  which  four  years  later  he 
removed  to  Milwaukee.  While  in  La 
Crosse  he  was  chief  of  police  one  year,  and 
also  chief  clerk  of  the  Democratic  assembly 
in  1874.  It  was  in  1878  that  Mr.  Peck 
took  his  paper  to  Milwaukee,  and  achieved 
his  first  permanent  success,  the  circulation 
increasing  to  80,000.  For  ten  years  he  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  original,  versa- 
tile and  entertaining  writers  in  the  country, 
and  he  has  delineated  every  phase  of 
country  newspaper  life,  army  life,  domestic 
experience,  travel  and  city  adventure.  Up 
to  1890  Mr.  Peck  took  but  little  part  in 
politics,  but  in  that  year  was  elected  mayor 
of  Milwaukee  on  the  Democratic  ticket. 
The  following  August  he  was  elected  gov- 
ernor of  Wisconsin  by  a  large  majority, 
the  "Bennett  School  Bill"  figuring  to  a 
large  extent  in  his  favor. 

Mr.  Peck,  besides  many  newspaper  arti- 
cles in  his  peculiar  vein  and  numerous  lect- 
ures, bubbling  over  with  fun,  is  known  to 
fame  by  the  following  books:  "  Peck's  Bad 
Boy  and  his  Pa,"  and  "The  Grocery  Man 
and  Peck's  Bad  Boy." 


CHARLES  O'CONOR,  who  was  for 
many  years  the  acknowledged  leader 
of  the  legal  profession  of  New  York  City, 
was  also  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  greatest 
lawyers   America  has  produced.      He  was 


JSS 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY, 


born  in  New  York  City  in  1804,  his  father 
being  an  educated  Irish  gentleman.  Charles 
received  a  common-school  education,  and 
early  took  up  the  study  of  law,  being  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  1824.  His  close  ap- 
plication and  untiring  energy  and  industry 
soon  placed  him  in  the  front  rank  of  the 
profession,  and  within  a  few  years  he  was 
handling  many  of  the  most  important  cases. 
One  of  the  first  great  cases  he  had  and  which 
gained  him  a  wide  reputation,  was  that  of 
"Jack,  the  Fugitive  Slave,"  in  1835,  in  which 
his  masterful  argument  before  the  supreme 
court  attracted  wide  attention  and  com- 
ment. Charles  O'Conor  was  a  Democrat 
all  his  life.  He  did  not  aspire  to  office- 
holding,  however,  and  never  held  any  office 
except  that  ofdistrict  attorney  under  Presi- 
dent Pierce's  administration,  which  he  only 
retained  a  short  time.  He  took  an  active 
interest,  however,  in  public  questions,  and 
was  a  member  of  the  state  (New  York)  con- 
stitutional convention  in  1864.  In  1868  he 
was  nominated  for  the  presidency  by  the 
"  Extreme  Democrats."  His  death  occurred 
in  May,   1884. 

SIMON  BOLIVAR  BUCKNER,  a  noted 
American  officer  and  major-general  in 
the  Confederate  army,  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1823.  He  graduated  from  West 
Point  Military  Academy  in  1844,  served  in 
the  United  States  infantry  and  was  later  as- 
signed to  commissary  duty  with  the  rank  of 
captain.  He  served  several  years  at  fron- 
tier posts,  and  was  assistant  professor  in  the 
military  academy  in  1846.  He  was  with 
General  Scott  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  en- 
gaged in  all  the  battles  from  Vera  Cruz  to 
the  capture  of  the  Mexican  capital.  He 
was  wounded  at  Cherubusco  and  brevetted 
first  lieutenant,  and  at  Molino  del  Rey  was 
brevetted  captain.      After  the   close    of  the 


Mexican  war  he  returned  to  West  Point  as 
assistant  instructor,  and  was  then  assigned 
to  commissary  duty  at  New  York.  He  re- 
signed in  1855  and  became  superintendent 
of  construction  of  the  Chicago  custom  house. 
He  was  made  adjutant-general,  with  the 
rank  of  colonel,  of  Illinois  militia,  and  was 
colonel  of  Illinois  volunteers  raised  for  the 
Utah  expedition,  but  was  not  mustered  into 
service.  In  i860  he  removed  to  Kentucky, 
where  he  settled  on  a  farm  near  Louisville 
and  became  inspector-general  in  command 
of  the  Kentucky  Home  Guards.  At  the 
opening  of  the  Civil  war  he  joined  the  Con- 
federate army,  and  was  given  command  at 
Bowling  Green,  Kentucky,  which  he  was 
compelled  to  abandon  after  the  capture  of 
Fort  Henry.  He  then  retired  to  Fort  Don- 
elson,  and  was  there  captured  with  sixteen 
thousand  men,  and  an  immense  store  of  pro- 
visions, by  General  Grant,  in  February, 
1862.  He  was  held  as  a  prisoner  of  war 
at  Fort  Warren  until  August  of  that  year. 
He  commanded  a  division  of  Hardee's  corps 
in  Bragg's  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  and  was 
afterward  assigned  to  the  third  division  and 
participated  in  the  battles  of  Chickamauga, 
and  Murfreesboro.  He  was  with  Kirby 
Smith  when  that  general  surrendered  his 
army  to  General  Canby  in  May,  1865.  He 
was  an  unsuccessful  candidate  for  the  vice- 
presidency  on  the  Gold  Democratic  ticket 
with  Senator  John  M.  Palmer  in  1896. 


SIMON  KENTON,  one  of  the  famous  pio- 
neers and  scouts  whose  names  fill  the 
pages  of  the  early  history  of  our  country, 
was  born  in  Fauquier  county,  Virginia, 
April  3,  1755.  In  consequence  of  an  affray, 
at  the  age  of  eighteen,  young  Kenton  went 
to  Kentucky,  then  the  "Dark  and  Bloody- 
Ground,"  and  became  associated  with  Dan- 
iel Boone  and  other  pioneers  of  that  region. 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


For  a  short  time  he  acted  as  a  scour  and 
spy  for  Lord  Dunmore,  the  British  governor 
of  Virginia,  but  afterward  taking  the  side 
oi  the  struggling  colonists,  participated  in 
the  war  for  independence  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies.  In  1784  he  returned  to  Virginia, 
but  did  not  remain  there  long,  going  back 
with  his  family  to  Kentucky.  From 
that  time  until  1793  he  participated  in  all 
the  combats  and  battles  of  that  time,  and 
until  "Mad  Anthony"  Wayne  swept  the 
Valley  of  the  Ohio,  and  settled  the  suprem- 
acy of  the  whites  in  that  region.  Kenton 
laid  claim  to  large  tracts  of  land  in  the  new 
country  he  had  helped  to  open  up,  but 
through  ignorance  of  law,  and  the  growing 
value  of  the  land,  lost  it  all  and  was  reduced 
1  1  ty.  During  the  war  with  England 
in  iS 12-15,  Kenton  took  part  in  the  inva- 
sion of  Canada  with  the  Kentucky  troops 
and  participated  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames. 
He  finally  had  land  granted  him  by  the 
legislature  of  Kentucky,  and  received  a  pen- 
sion from  the  United  States  government. 
He  died  in  Logan  county,  Ohio,  April  29, 
1836.  

ELIHU  BENJAMIN  WASHBURNE,  an 
American  statesman  of  eminence,  was 
born  in  Livermore,  Maine,  September  23, 
1 8 16.  He  learned  the  trade  of  printer,  but 
abandoned  that  calling  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een and  entered  the  Kent's  Hill  Academy  at 
Reading,  Maine,  and  then  took  up  the  study 
of  law,  reading  in  Hallowell,  Boston,  and  at 
the  Harvard  Law  School.  He  began  prac- 
tice at  Galena,  Illinois,  in  1840.  He  was 
elected  to  congress  in  1852,  and  represented 
his  district  in  that  body  continuously  until 
March,  1869,  and  at  the  time  of  his  retire- 
ment he  had  served  a  greater  number  of 
consecutive  terms  than  any  other  member 
of  the  house.      In  1873  President  Grant  ap- 


pointed him  secretary  of  state,  which  posi- 
tion he  resigned  to  accept  that  of  minister 
to  France.  During  the  Franco- Prussian 
war,  including  the  siege  of  Paris  and  the 
reign  of  the  Commune,  Mr.  Washburne  re- 
mained at  his  post,  protecting  the  lives  and 
property  of  his  countrymen,  as  we'll  as  that 
of  other  foreign  residents  in  Paris,  while  the 
ministers  of  all  other  powers  abandoned 
their  posts  at  a  time  when  they  were  most 
needed.  As  far  as  possible  he  extended 
protection  to  unfortunate  German  residents, 
who  were  the  particular  objects  of  hatred  of 
the  populace,  and  his  firmness  and  the  suc- 
cess which  attended  his  efforts  won  the  ad- 
miration of  all  Europe.  Mr.  Washburne 
died  at  Chicago,  Illinois,  October  22,   1887. 


WILLIAM  CRAMP,  one  of  the  most 
extensive  shipbuilders  of  this  coun- 
try, was  born  in  Kensington,  then  a  suburb, 
now  a  part  of  Philadelphia,  in  1S06.  He 
received  a  thorough  English  education,  and 
when  he  left  school  was  associated  with 
Samuel  Grice,  one  of  the  most  eminent 
naval  architects  of  his  day.  In  1830,  hav- 
ing mastered  all  the  details  of  shipbuilding, 
Mr.  Cramp  engaged  in  business  on  his  own 
account.  By  reason  of  ability  and  excel- 
lent work  he  prospered  from  the  start,  until 
now,  in  the  hands  of  his  sons,  under  the 
name  of  William  Cramp  &  Sons'  Ship  and 
Engine  Building  Company,  it  has  become  the 
most  complete  shipbuilding  plant  and  naval 
arsenal  in  the  western  hemisphere,  and  fully 
equal  to  any  in  the  world.  As  Mr.  Cramp's 
sons  attained  manhood  they  learned  their 
father's  profession,  and  were  admitted  to  a 
partnership.  In  1872  the  firm  was  incor- 
porated under  the  title  given  above.  Until 
i860  wood  was  used  in  building  vessels,  al- 
though pace  was  kept  with  all  advances  in 
the  art  of  shipbuilding.     At  the  opening  of 


190 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


the  war  came  an  unexpected  demand  for 
war  vessels,  which  they  promptly  met.  The 
sea-going  ironclad  "New  Ironsides"  was 
built  by  them  in  1862,  followed  by  a  num- 
ber of  formidable  ironclads  and  the  cruiser 
"Chattanooga."  They  subsequently  built 
several  war  vessels  for  the  Russian  and 
other  governments  which  added  to  their 
reputation.  When  the  American  steamship 
line  was  established  in  1870,  the  Cramps 
were  commissioned  to  build  for  it  four  first- 
class  iron  steamships,  the  "Pennsylvania," 
"Ohio,"  "Indiana"  and  "  Illinois,"  which 
they  turned  out  in  rapid  order,  some  of  the 
finest  specimens  of  the  naval  architecture  of 
their  day.  William  Cramp  remained  at  the 
head  of  the  great  company  he  had  founded 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  January  6, 
1S79. 

Charles  H.  Cramp,  the  successor  of  his 
father  as  head  of  the  William  Cramp  & 
Sons'  Ship  and  Engine  Building  Company, 
was  born  in  Philadelphia  May  9,  1829,  and 
received  an  excellent  education  in  his  native 
city,  which  he  sedulously  sought  to  sup- 
plement by  close  study  until  he  became 
an  authority  on  general  subjects  and  the 
best  naval  architect  on  the  western  hemis- 
phere. Many  of  the  best  vessels  of  our 
new  navy  were  built  by  this  immense  con- 
cern.   

WASHINGTON  ALLSTON,  probably 
the  greatest  American  painter,  was 
born  in  South  Carolina  in  1779.  He  was 
sent  to  school  at  the  age  of  seven  years  at 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  where  he  met  Ed- 
ward Malbone,  two  years  his  senior,  and 
who  later  became  a  painter  of  note.  The 
friendship  that  sprang  up  between  them  un- 
doubtedly influenced  young  Allston  in  the 
choice  of  a  profession.  He  graduated  from 
Harvard   in   1800,  and  went  to  England  the 


following  year,  after  pursuing  his  studies  for 
a  year  under  his  friend  Malbone  at  his  home 
in  South  Carolina.  He  became  a  student 
at  the  Royal  Academy  where  the  great 
American,  Benjamin  West,  presided,  and 
who  became  his  intimate  friend.  Allston 
later  went  to  Paris,  and  then  to  Italy,  where 
four  years  were  spent,  mostly  at  Rome.  In 
1809  he  returned  to  America,  but  soon  after 
returned  to  London,  having  married  in  the 
meantime  a  sister  of  Dr.  Channing.  In 
a  short  time  his  first  great  work  appeared, 
"The  Dead  Man  Restored  to  Life  by  the 
Bones  of  Elisha,"  which  took  the  British 
Association  prize  and  firmly  established  his 
reputation.  Other  paintings  followed  in 
quick  succession,  the  greatest  among  which 
were  "Uriel  in  the  Center  of  the  Sun," 
"Saint  Peter  Liberated  by  the  Angel,"  and 
"Jacob's  Dream,"  supplemented  by  many 
smaller  pieces.  Hard  work,  and  grief  at  the 
death  of  his  wife  began  to  tell  upon  his  health, 
and  he  left  London  in  1 818  for  America. 
The  same  year  he  was  elected  an  associate 
of  the  Royal  Academy.  During  the  next 
few  years  he  painted  "Jeremiah,"  "Witch 
ofEndor,"  and  "Beatrice."  In  1830  Alls- 
ton  married  a  daughter  of  Judge  Dana,  and 
went  to  Cambridge,  which  was  his  home 
until  his  death.  Here  he  produced  the 
"Vision  of  the  Bloody  Hand,"  "Rosalie," 
and  many  less  noted  pieces,  and  had  given 
one  week  of  labor  to  his  unfinished  master- 
piece, "Belshazzar's  Feast,"  when  death 
ended  his  career  July  9,  1843. 


JOHN  ROACH,  ship  builder  and  manu- 
facturer, whose  career  was  a  marvel  of 
industrial  labor,  and  who  impressed  his  in- 
dividuality and  genius  upon  the  times  in 
which  he  lived  more,  perhaps,  than  anv 
other  manufacturer  in  America.  He  was 
born    at    Mitchelstown,    County  Cork,    Ire- 


COMPENDIUM  OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


191 


land,  December  25,  1815,  the  son  of  a 
wealthy  merchant.  He  attended  school 
until  he  was  thirteen,  when  his  father  be- 
came financially  embarrassed  and  failed 
and  shortly  after  died;  John  determined  to 
come  to  America  and  carve  out  a  fortune 
for  himself.  He  landed  in  New  York  at  the 
age  of  sixteen,  and  soon  obtained  employ- 
ment at  the  Howell  Iron  Works  in  New  Jer- 
sey, at  twenty-five  cents  a  day.  He  soon 
made  himself  a  place  in  the  world,  and  at 
the  end  of  three  years  had  saved  some 
twelve  hundred  dollars,  which  he  lost  by 
the  failure  of  his  employer,  in  whose  hands 
it  was  left.  Returning  to  New  York  he 
began  to  learn  how  to  make  castings  for 
marine  engines  and  ship  work.  Having 
again  accumulated  one  thousand  dollars,  in 
company  with  three  fellow  workmen,  he 
purchased  a  small  foundry  in  New  York, 
but  soon  became  sole  proprietor.  At  the 
end  of  four  years  he  had  saved  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars,  besides  enlarging  his  works. 
In  1856  his  works  were  destroyed  by  a 
boiler  explosion,  and  being  unable  to  collect 
the  insurance,  was  left,  after  paying  his 
debts,  without  a  dollar.  However,  his 
credit  and  reputation  for  integrity  was  good, 
and  he  built  the  Etna  Iron  Works,  giving  it 
capacity  to  construct  larger  marine  engines 
than  any  previously  built  in  this  country. 
Here  he  turned  out  immense  engines  for 
the  steam  ram  Dunderberg,  for  the  war  ves- 
sels Winooski  and  Neshaning,  and  other 
large  vessels.  To  accommodate  his  increas- 
ing business,  Mr.  Roach,  in  1869,  pur- 
chased the  Morgan  Iron  Works,  one  of  the 
largest  in  New  York,  and  shortly  after  sev- 
eral others.  In  1871  he  bought  the  Ches- 
ter ship  yards,  which  he  added  to  largely, 
erecting  a  rolling  mill  and  blast  furnace,  and 
providing  every  facility  for  building  a  ship 
out  of  the  ore  and   timber.     This  immense 


plant  covered  a  large  area,  was  valued  at 
several  millions  of  dollars,  and  was  known 
as  the  Delaware  River  Iron  Shipbuilding 
and  Engine  Works,  of  which  Mr.  Roach 
was  the  principal  owner.  He  built  a  large 
percentage  of  the  iron  vessels  now  Hying 
the  American  flag,  the  bulk  of  his  business 
being  for  private  parties.  In  1875  he  built 
the  sectional  dry  docks  at  Pensacola.  He, 
about  this  time,  drew  the  attention  of  the 
government  to  the  use  of  compound  marine 
engines,  and  thus  was  the  means  of  im- 
proving the  speed  and  economy  of  the  ves- 
sels of  our  new  navy.  In  1883  Mr.  Roach 
commenced  work  on  the  three  cruisers  for 
the  government,  the  "Chicago,"  "Boston" 
and  "Atlanta,"  and  the  dispatch  boat 
"  Dolphin."  For  some  cause  the  secretary 
of  the  navy  refused  to  receive  the  latter  and 
decided  that  Mr.  Roach's  contract  would 
not  hold.  This  embarrassed  Mr.  Roach, 
as  a  large  amount  of  his  capital  was  in- 
volved in  these  contracts,  and  for  the  pro- 
tection of  bondsmen  and  creditors,  July  18, 
1885,  he  made  an  assignment,  but  the 
financial  trouble  broke  down  his  strong  con- 
stitution, and  January  10,  1887,  he  died. 
His  son,  John  B.  Roach,  succeeded  to  the 
shipbuilding  interests,  while  Stephen  W. 
Roach  inherited  the  Morgan  Iron  Works  at 
New  York. 

JOHN  SINGLETON  COPLEY,  one  of 
the  two  great  painters  who  laid  the 
foundation  of  true  American  art,  was  born 
in  Boston  in  1737,  one  year  earlier  than  his 
great  contemporary,  Benjamin  West.  His 
education  was  limited  to  the  common  schools 
of  that  time,  and  his  training  in  art  he  ob- 
tained by  his  own  observation  and  experi- 
ments solely.  When  he  was  about  seven- 
teen years  old  he  had  mapped  out  his  future, 
however,  by  choosing  painting  as  his  pro- 


192 


COMPENDIUM  OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


fession.  If  he  ever  studied  under  any 
teacher  in  his  early  efforts,  we  have  no  au- 
thentic account  of  it,  and  tradition  credits 
the  young  artist's  wonderful  success  en- 
tirely to  his  own  talent  and  untiring  effort. 
It  is  almost  incredible  that  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three  years  his  income  from  his 
works  aggregated  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
per  annum,  a  very  great  sum  in  those  days. 
In  1774  he  went  to  Europe  in  search  of  ma- 
terial for  study,  which  was  so  rare  in  his 
native  land.  After  some  time  spent  in  Italy 
he  finally  took  up  his  permanent  residence 
in  England.  In  1783  he  was  made  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Royal  Academy,  and  later  his 
son  had  the  high  honor  of  becoming  lord 
chancellor  of  England  and  Lord  Lyndhurst. 
Many  specimens  of  Copley's  work  are  to 
be  found  in  the  Memorial  Hall  at  Harvard 
and  in  the  Boston  Museum,  as  well  as  a  few 
of  the  works  upon  which  he  modeled  his 
style.  Copley  was  essentially  a  portrait 
painter,  though  his  historical  paintings  at- 
tained great  celebrity,  his  masterpiece 
being  his  "  Death  of  Major  Bierson,"  though 
that  distinction  has  by  some  been  given  to 
his  "Death  of  Chatham."  It  is  said  that 
he  never  saw  a  good  picture  until  he  was 
thirty-five  years  old,  yet  his  portraits  prior 
to  that  period  are  regarded  as  rare  speci- 
mens.     He  died  in  181  5. 


HENRY  B.  PLANT,  one  of  the  greatest 
railroad  men  of  the  country,  became 
famous  as  president  of  the  Plant  system  of 
railway  and  steamer  lines,  and  also  the 
Southern  &  Texas  Express  Co.  He  was 
born  in  October,  18 19,  at  Branford, 
Connecticut,  and  entered  the  railroad  serv- 
ice in  1844,  serving  as  express  messenger 
on  the  Hartford  &  New  Haven  Railroad  until 
1853,  during  which  time  he  had  entire 
charge  of  the  expr^.s?  business  of  that  road. 


He  went  south  in  1853  and  established  ex- 
press lines  on  various  southern  railways,  and 
in  1 86 1  organized  the  Southern  Express 
Co.,  and  became  its  president.  In  1879  he 
purchased,  with  others,  the  Atlantic  &  Gulf 
Railroad  of  Georgia,  and  later  reorganized 
the  Savannah,  Florida  &  Western  Railroad, 
of  which  he  became  president.  He  pur- 
chased and  rebuilt,  in  1880,  the  Savannah 
&  Charleston  Railroad,  now  Charleston  & 
Savannah.  Not  long  after  this  he  organ- 
ized the  Plant  Investment  Co.,  to  control 
these  railroads  and  advance  their  interests 
generally,  and  later  established  a  steamboat 
line  on  the  St.  John's  river,  in  Florida. 
From  1853  until  i860  he  was  general 
superintendent  of  the  southern  division  of 
the  Adams  Express  Co.,  and  in  1867  be- 
came president  of  the  Texas  Express  Co. 
The  "Plant  system"  of  railway,  steamer 
and  steamship  lines  is  one  of  the  greatest 
business  corporations  of  the  southern  states. 


WADE  HAMPTON,  a  noted  Confeder- 
ate officer,  was  born  at  Columbia, 
South  Carolina,  in  1818.  He  graduated 
from  the  South  Carolina  College,  took  an 
active  part  in  politics,  and  was  twice  elected 
to  the  legislature  of  his  state.  In  1861  he 
joined  the  Confederate  army,  and  command- 
ed the  "  Hampton  Legion"  at  the  first  bat- 
tle of  Bull  Run,  in  July,  1861.  He  did 
meritorious  service,  was  wounded,  and  pro- 
moted to  brigadier-general.  He  command- 
ed a  brigade  at  Seven  Pines,  in. 1862,  and 
was  again  wounded.  He  was  engaged  in 
the  battle  of  Antietam  in  September  of  the 
same  year,  and  participated  in  the  raid  into 
Pennsylvania  in  October.  In  1863  he  was 
with  Lee  at  Gettysburg,  where  he  was 
wounded  for  the  third  time.  He  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general,  and 
commanded    a   troop   of   cavalry   in    Lee's 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


army  during  1864,  and  was  in  numerous  en- 
gagements. In  1865  he  was  in  South  Car- 
olina, and  commanded  the  cavalry  rear 
guard  of  the  Confederate  army  in  its  stub- 
born retreat  before  General  Sherman  on  his 
advance  toward  Richmond. 

After  the  war  Hampton  took  an  active 
part  in  politics,  and  was  a  prominent  figure 
at  the  Democratic  national  convention  in 
1868,  which  nominated  Seymour  and  Blair 
for  president  and  vice-president.  He  was 
governor  of  South  Carolina,  and  took  his 
seat  in  the  United  States  senate  in  1879, 
where  he  became  a  conspicuous  figure  in 
national  affairs. 


NIKOLA  TESLA,  one  of  the  most  cele- 
brated electricians  America  has  known, 
was  born  in  1857,  at  Smiljau,  Lika,  Servia. 
He  descended  from  an  old  and  representative 
family  of  that  country.  His  father  was  a 
a  minister  of  the  Greek  church,  of  high  rank, 
while  his  mother  was  a  woman  of  remarka- 
ble skill  in  the  construction  of  looms,  churns 
and  the  machinery  required  in  a  rural  home. 
Nikola  received  early  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Gospich,  when  he  was 
sent  to  the  higher  "Real  Schule"  at  Karl- 
stadt,  where,  after  a  three  years'  course, 
he  graduated  in  1873.  He  devoted  him- 
self to  experiments  in  electricity  and 
magnetism,  to  the  chagrin  of  his  father, 
who  had  destined  him  for  the  ministry, 
but  giving  way  to  the  boy's  evident  genius 
he  was  allowed  to  continue  his  studies  in 
the  polytechnic  school  at  Gratz.  He  in- 
herited a  wonderful  intuition  which  enabled 
him  to  see  through  the  intricacies  of  ma- 
chinery, and  despite  his  instructor's  demon- 
stration that  a  dynamo  could  not  be  oper- 
ated without  commutators  or  brushes, 
began  experiments  which  finally  resulted  in 
his  rotating  field  motors.      After  the  study 


of  languages  at  Prague  and  Buda-Pesth,  he 
became  associated  with  M.  Puskas,  who 
had  introduced  the  telephone  into  Hungary. 
He  invented  several  improvements,  but 
being  unable  to  reap  the  necessary  benefit 
from  them,  he,  in  search  of  a  wider  field, 
went  to  Paris,  where  he  found  employment 
with  one  of  the  electric  lighting  companies 
as  electrical  engineer.  Soon  he  set  his  face 
westward,  and  coming  to  the  United  States 
for  a  time  found  congenial  employment  wrth 
Thomas  A.  Edison.  Finding  it  impossible, 
overshadowed  as  he  was,  to  carry  out  his 
own  ideas  he  left  the  Edison  works  to  join 
a  company  formed  to  place  his  own  inven- 
tions on  the  market.  He  perfected  his 
rotary  field  principle,  adapting  it  to  circuits 
then  in  operation.  It  is  said  of  him  that 
some  of  his  proved  theories  will  change  the 
entire  electrical  science.  It  would,  in  an 
article  of  this  length,  be  impossible  to  ex- 
plain all  that  Tesla  accomplished  for  the 
practical  side  of  electrical  engineering. 
His  discoveries  formed  the  basis  of  the  at- 
tempt to  utilize  the  water  power  of  Niagara 
Falls.  His  work  ranges  far  beyond  the 
vast  department  of  polyphase  currents  and 
high  potential  lighting  and  includes  many 
inventions  in  arc  lighting,  transformers, 
pyro  and  thermo-magnetic  motors,  new 
forms  of  incandescent  lamps,  unipolar  dyna- 
mos and  many  others. 


CHARLES  B.  LEWIS  won  fame  as  an 
American  humorist  under  the  name  of 
"M.  Quad."  It  is  said  he  owes  his 
celebrity  originally  to  the  fact  that  he  was 
once  mixed  up  in  a  boiler  explosion  on  the 
Ohio  river,  and  the  impressions  he  received 
from  the  event  he  set  up  from  his  case  when 
he  was  in  the  composing  room  of  an  ob- 
scure Michigan  paper.  His  style  possesses  a 
peculiar  quaintness,  and  there  runs  through 


194 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHT. 


it  a  vein  of  philosophy.  Mr.  Lewis  was 
born  in  1844,  near  a  town  called  Liverpool, 
Ohio.  He  was,  however,  raised  in  Lansing, 
Michigan,  where  he  spent  a  year  in  an  agri- 
cultural college,  going  from  there  to  the 
composing  room  of  the  "Lansing  Demo- 
crat." At  the  outbreak  of  the  war  he  en- 
listed in  the  service,  remained  during  the 
entire  war,  and  then  returned  to  Lansing. 
The  explosion  of  the  boiler  that  "blew  him 
into  fame,"  took  place  two  years  later,  while 
he  was  on  his  way  south.  When  he  re- 
covered physically,  he  brought  suit  for  dam- 
ages against  the  steamboat  company,  which 
he  gained,  and  was  awarded  a  verdict  of 
twelve  thousand  dollars  for  injuries  re- 
ceived. It  was  while  he  was  employed  by 
the  "  Jacksonian  "  of  Pontiac,  Mich., that  he 
set  up  his  account  of  how  he  felt  while  being 
blown  up.  He  says  that  he  signed  it  "  M 
Quad,"  because  "a  bourgeoise  em  quad  is 
useless  except  in  its  own  line — it  won't 
justify  with  any  other  type."  Soon  after, 
because  of  the  celebrity  he  attained  by  this 
screed,  Mr.  Lewis  secured  a  place  on  the 
staff  of  the  "Detroit  Free  Press,"  and  made 
for  that  paper  a  wide  reputation.  His 
sketches  of  the  "Lime  Kiln  Club"  and 
"  Brudder  Gardner  "  are  perhaps  the  best 
known  of  his  humorous  writings. 

HIRAM  S.  MAXIM,  the  famous  inventor, 
was  born  in  Sangersville,  Maine, 
February  5,  1840,  the  son  of  Isaac  W. 
and  Harriet  B.  Maxim.  The  town  of  his 
birth  was  but  a  small  place,  in  the 
woods,  on  the  confines  of  civilization, 
and  the  family  endured  many  hardships. 
They  were  without  means  and  entirely 
dependent  on  themselves  to  make  out  of 
raw  materials  all  they  needed.  The  mother 
was  an  expert  spinner,  weaver,  dyer  and 
seamstress  and  the  father  a  trapper,  tanner, 


miller,  blacksmith,  carpenter,  mason  and 
farmer.  Amid  such  surroundings  young 
Maxim  gave  early  promise  of  remarkable 
aptitude.  With  the  universal  Yankee  jack- 
knife  the  products  of  his  skill  excited  the 
wonder  and  interest  of  the  locality.  His 
parents  did  not  encourage  his  latent  genius 
but  apprenticed  him  to  a  coach  builder. 
Four  years  he  labored  at  this  uncongenial 
trade  but  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  forsook 
it  and  entered  a  machine  shop  at  Fitchburg, 
Massachusetts.  Soon  mastering  the  details 
of  that  business  and  that  of  mechanical 
drawing,  he  went  to  Boston  as  the  foreman 
of  the  philosophical  instrument  manufactory. 
From  thence  he  went  to  New  York  and  with 
the  Novelty  Iron  Works  Shipbuilding  Co. 
he  gained  experience  in  those  trades.  His 
inventions  up  to  this  time  consisted  of 
improvements  in  steam  engines,  and  an 
automatic  gas  machine,  which  came  into 
general  use.  In  1877  he  turned  his  attention 
to  electricity,  and  in  1878  produced  an 
incandescent  lamp,  that  would  burn  1,000 
hours.  He  was  the  first  to  design  a  process 
for  flashing  electric  carbons,  and  the  first 
to  "standardize"  carbons  for  electric  light- 
ing. In  1880  he  visited  Europe  and  exhibit- 
ing, at  the  Paris  Exposition  of  1881,  a  self- 
regulating  machine,  was  decorated  with  the 
Legion  of  Honor.  In  1883  he  returned  to 
London  as  the  European  representative  of  the 
United  States  Electric  Light  Co.  An  incident 
of  his  boyhood,  in  which  the  recoil  of  a  rifle 
was  noticed  by  him,  and  the  apparent  loss 
of  power  shown,  in  188 1-2  prompted  the 
invention  of  a  gun  which  utilizes  the  recoil  to 
automatically  load  and  fire  seven  hundred 
and  seventy  shots  per  minute.  The  Maxim- 
Nordenfelt  Gun  Co.,  with  a  capital  of  nine 
million  dollars,  grew  from  this.  In  1883  he 
patented  his  electric  training  gear  for  large 
guns.     And  later  turned  his  attention  to  fly- 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPflV. 


195 


ing  machines,  which  he  claimed  were  not  an 
impossibility.  He  took  out  over  one  hundred 
patents  for  smokeless  gunpowder,  and  for  pe- 
troleum and  other  motors  and  autocycles. 

JOHN  DAVISON  ROCKEFELLER, 
U  one  of  America's  very  greatest  financiers 
and  philanthropists,  was  born  in  Richford, 
Tioga  county,  New  York,  July  8,  1839.  He 
received  a  common-school  education  in  his 
native  place,  and  in  1853,  when  his  parents 
removed  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  he  entered  the 
high  school  of  that  city.  After  a  two-years' 
course  of  diligent  work,  he  entered  the  com- 
mission and  forwarding  house  of  Hewitt  & 
Tuttle,  of  Cleveland,  remaining  with  the 
firm  some  years,  and  then  began  business 
for  himself,  forming  a  partnership  with 
Morris  B.  Clark.  Mr.  Rockefeller  was  then 
but  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  during  the 
year  i860,  in  connection  with  others,  they 
started  the  oil  refining  business,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Andrews,  Clark  &  Co.  Mr. 
Rockefeller  and  Mr.  Andrews  purchased  the 
interest  of  their  associates,  and,  after  taking 
William  Rockefeller  into  the  firm,  established 
offices  in  Cleveland  under  the  name  of 
William  Rockefeller  &  Co.  Shortly  after 
this  the  house  of  Rockefeller  &  Co.  was  es- 
tablished in  New  York  for  the  purpose  of 
finding  a  market  for  their  products, -and  two 
years  later  all  the  refining  companies  were 
consolidated  under  the  firm  name  of  Rocke- 
feller, Andrews  &  Flagler.  This  firm  was 
succeeded  in  1870  by  the  Standard  Oil 
Company  of  Ohio,  said  to  be  the  most 
gigantic  business  corporation  of  modern 
times.  John  D.  Rockefeller's  fortune  has 
been  variously  estimated  at  from  one  hun- 
dred million  to  two  hundred  million  dollars. 
Mr.  Rockefeller's  philanthropy  mani- 
fested itself  principally  through  the  American 
Baptist   Educational  Society.      He  donated 


the  building  for  the  Spelman  Institute  at 
Atlanta,  Georgia,  a  school  for  the  instruction 
of  negroes.  His  other  gifts  were  to  the 
University  of  Rochester,  Cook  Academy, 
Peddie  Institute,  and  Vassar  College,  be- 
sides smaller  gifts  to  many  institutions 
throughout  the  country.  His  princely  do- 
nations, however,  were  to  the  University  of 
Chicago.  His  first  gift  to  this  institution 
was  a  conditional  offer  of  six  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  in  1889,  and  when  this  amount 
was  paid  he  added  one  million  more.  Dur- 
ing 1892  he  made  it  two  gifts  of  one  million 
each,  and  all  told,  his  donations  to  this  one 
institution  aggregated  between  seven  and 
eight  millions  of  dollars. 


JOHN  M.  PALMER.— For  over  a  third 
of  a  century  this  gentleman  occupied  a 
prominent  place  in  the  political  world,  both 
in  the  state  of  Illinois  and  on  the  broader 
platform  of  national  issues. 

Mr.  Palmer  was  born  at  Eagle  Creek,, 
Scott  county,  Kentucky,  September  13, 
18 17.  The  family  subsequently  removed 
to  Christian  county,  in  the  same  state,  where 
he  acquired  a  common-school  education,  and 
made  his  home  until  1831.  His  father  was 
opposed  to  slavery,  and  in  the  latter  year 
removed  to  Illinois  and  settled  near  Alton. 
In  1834  John  entered  Alton  College,  or- 
ganized on  the  manual-labor  plan,  but  his 
funds  failing,  abandoned  it  and  entered  a 
cooper  shop.  He  subsequently  was  en- 
gaged in  peddling,  and  teaching  a  district 
school  near  Canton.  In  1S38  he  began  the 
study  of  law,  and  the  following  year  re- 
moved to  Carlinville,  where,  in  December  of 
that  year,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He 
was  shortly  after  defeated  for  county  clerk. 
In  1843  he  was  elected  probate  judge.  In 
the  constitutional  convention  of  1847,  Mr. 
Palmer  was  a   delegate,  and   from  1849  to 


196 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


1 85 1  he  was  county  judge.  In  1852  he  be- 
came a  member  of  the  state  senate,  but  not 
being  with  his  party  on  the  slavery  question 
he  resigned  that  office  in  1854.  In  1856 
Mr.  Palmer  was  chairman  of  the  first  Re- 
publican state  convention  held  in  Illinois, 
and  the  same  year  was  a  delegate  to  the 
national  convention.  In  i860  he  was  an 
elector  on  the  Lincoln  ticket,  and  on  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  entered  the  service 
as  colonel  of  the  Fourteenth  Illinois  Infan- 
try, but  was  shortly  after  brevetted  brigadier- 
general.  In  August,  1862,  he  organized 
the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-second  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  but  in  September  he  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  first  division  of 
the  Army  of  the  Mississippi,  afterward  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-general.  In 
1865  he  was  assigned  to  the  military  ad- 
ministration in  Kentucky.  In  1867  General 
Palmer  was  elected  governor  of  Illinois  and 
served  four  years.  In  1872  he  went  with 
the  Liberal  Republicans,  who  supported 
Horace  Greeley,  after  which  time  he  was 
identified  with  the  Democratic  party.  In 
1890  he  was  elected  United  States  senator 
from  Illinois,  and  served  as  such  for  six 
years.  In  1896,  on  the  adoption  of  the  sil- 
ver plank  in  the  platform  of  the  Democratic 
party,  General  Palmer  consented  to  lead, 
as  presidential  candidate,  the  National  Dem- 
ocrats, or  Gold  Democracy. 


WILLIAM  H.  BEARD,  the  humorist 
among  American  painters,  was  born 
at  Painesville,  Ohio,  ini82i.  His  father, 
James  H.  Beard,  was  also  a  painter  of  na- 
tional reputation.  William  H.  Beard  be- 
gan his  career  as  a  traveling  portrait 
painter.  He  pursued  his  studies  in  New 
York,  and  later  removed  to  Buffalo,  where 
he  achieved  reputation.      He   then    went  to 


Italy  and  after  a  short  stay  returned  to  New 
York  and  opened  a  studio.  One  of  his 
earliest  paintings  was  a  small  picture  called 
"Cat  and  Kittens, "  which  was  placed  in 
the  National  Academy  onexhibition.  Among 
his  best  productions  are  "Raining  Cats  and 
Dogs,"  "The  Dance  of  Silenus,"  "Bears 
on  a  Bender,"  "Bulls  and  Bears,"  "  Whoo!" 
"  Grimalkin's  Dream,"  "Little  Red  Riding 
Hood,"  "The  Guardian  of  the  Flag."  His 
animal  pictures  convey  the  most  ludicrous 
and  satirical  ideas,  and  the  intelligent, 
human  expression  in  their  faces  is  most 
comical.  Some  artists  and  critics  have  re- 
fused to  give  Mr.  Beard  a  place  among  the 
first  circles  in  art,  solely  on  account  of  the 
class  of  subjects  he  has  chosen. 


WW.  CORCORAN,  the  noted  philan- 
thropist, was  born  at  Georgetown, 
District  of  Columbia;  December  27,  1798. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-five  he  entered  the 
banking  business  in  Washington,  and  in 
time  became  very  wealthy.  He  was 
noted  for  his  magnificent  donations  to  char- 
ity. Oak  Hill  cemetery  was  donated  to 
Georgetown  in  1847,  and  ten  years  later  the 
Corcoran  Art  Gallery,  Temple  of  Art,  was 
presented  to  the  city  of  Washington.  The 
uncompleted  building  was  utilized  by  the 
government  as  quartermaster's  headquar- 
ters during  the  war.  The  building  was 
completed  after  the  war  at  a  cost  of  a  mil- 
lion and  a  half  dollars,  all  the  gift  of  Mr. 
Corcoran.  The  Louise  Home  for  Women 
is  another  noble  charity  to  his  credit.  Its 
object  is  the  care  of  women  of  gentle  breed- 
ing who  in  declining  years  are  without 
means  of  support.  In  addition  to  this  he 
gave  liberally  to  many  worthy  institutions 
of  learning  and  charity.  He  died  at  Wash- 
ington February  24,  1888. 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


197 


ALBERT  BIERSTADT,  the  noted  paint- 
er of  American  landscape,  was  born  in 
Dusseldorf,  Germany,  in  1829,  and  was 
brought  to  America  by  his  parents  at  the 
age  of  two  years.  He  received  his  early 
education  here,  but  returned  to  Dusseldorf 
to  study  painting,  and  also  went  to  Rome. 
On  his  return  to  America  he  accompanied 
Lander's  expedition  across  the  continent,  in 
1858,  and  soon  after  produced  his  most 
popular  work,  "The  Rocky  Mountains — 
Lander's  Peak. "  Its  boldness  and  grandeur 
were  so  unusual  that  it  made  him  famous. 
The  picture  sold  for  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars.  In  1867  Mr.  Bierstadt  went  to 
Europe,  with  a  government  commission, 
and  gathered  materials  for  his  great  historic- 
al work.  "Discovery  of  the  North  River 
by  Hendrik  Hudson."  Others  of  his  great 
works  were  "Storm  in  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains," "Valley  of  the  Yosemite,"  "North 
Fork  of  the  Platte,"  "Diamond  Pool," 
"Mount  Hood,"  "Mount  Rosalie,"  and 
■"The  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains."  His 
"Estes  Park"  sold  for  fifteen  thousand 
dollars,  and  "Mount  Rosalie"  brought 
thirty-five  thousand  dollars.  His  smaller 
Rocky  mountain  scenes,  however,  are  vast- 
ly superior  to  his  larger  works  in  execution 
and  coloring. 

ADDISON  CAMMACK,  a  famous  mill- 
ionaire Wall  street  speculator,  was 
born  in  Kentucky.  When  sixteen  years  old 
he  ran  away  from  home  and  went  to  New 
Orleans,  where  he  went  to  work  in  a  ship- 
ping house.  He  outlived  and  outworked 
all  the  partners,  and  became  the  head  of  the 
firm  before  the  opening  of  the  war.  At 
that  time  he  fitted  out  small  vessels  and  en- 
gaged in  running  the  blockade  of  southern 
ports  and  carrying  ammunition,  merchan- 
dise,  etc.,   to  the    southern    peopie.      This 


made  him  a  fortune.  At  the  close  of  the 
war  he  quit  business  and  went  to  New 
York.  For  two  years  he  did  not  enter  any 
active  business,  but  seemed  to  be  simply  an 
on-looker  in  the  great  speculative  center  of 
America.  He  was  observing  keenly  the 
methods  and  financial  machinery,  however, 
and  when,  in  1867,  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  the  popular  Charles  J.  Osborne,  the 
firm  began  to  prosper.  He  never  had  an. 
office  on  the  street,  but  wandered  into  the 
various  brokers'  offices  and  placed  his  orders 
as  he  saw  fit.  In  1873  he  dissolved  his 
partnership  with  Osborne  and  operated 
alone.  He  joined  a  band  of  speculative 
conspirators  known  as  the  "Twenty-third 
pprty,"  and  was  the  ruling  spirit  in  that  or- 
ganization for  the  control  of  the  stock  mar- 
ket. He  was  always  on  the  ' '  bear  "  side  and 
the  only  serious  obstacle  he  ever  encoun- 
tered was  the  persistent  boom  in  industrial 
stocks,  particularly  sugar,  engineered  by 
James  R.  Keane.  Mr.  Cammack  fought 
Keane  for  two  years,  and  during  the  time  is 
said  to  have  lost  no  less  than  two  million 
dollars  before  he  abandoned  the  fight. 


WALT.  WHITMAN.— Foremost  among 
the  lesser  poets  of  the  latter  part  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  the  gentleman  whose 
name  adorns  the  head  of  this  article  takes 
a  conspicuous  place. 

Whitman  was  born  at  West  Hills,  Long 
Island,  New  York,  May  13,  1809.  In  the 
schools  of  Brooklyn  he  laid  the  foundation 
of  his  education,  and  early  in  life  learned  the 
printer's  trade.  For  a  time  he  taught  coun- 
try schools  in  his  native  state.  In  1846-7 
he  was  editor  of  the  "Brooklyn  Eagle," 
but  in  1848-9  was  on  the  editorial  staff  of 
the  "Crescent,"  of  New  Orleans.  He 
made  an  extended  tour  throughout  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  and  returned  to 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY 


Brooklyn,  where,  in  1850,  he  published  the 
"Freeman.  "  For  some  years  succeeding 
yiis  he  was  engaged  as  carpenter  and  builder. 
During  the  Civil  war,  Whitman  acted  as 
a  volunteer  nurse  in  the  hospitals  at 
Washington  and  vicinity  and  from  the  close 
of  hostilities  until  1873  he  was  employed 
in  various  clerkships  in  the  government 
offices  in  the  nation's  capital.  In  the  latter 
year  he  was  stricken  with  paralysis  as  a 
result  of  his  labors  in  the  hospital,  it  is 
said,  and  being  partially  disabled  lived  for 
many  years  at  Camden,   New  Jersey. 

The  first  edition  of  the  work  which  was 
to  bring  him  fame,  "Leaves  of  Grass,"  was 
published  in  1855  and  was  but  a  small 
volume  of  about  ninety-four  pages.  Seven 
or  eight  editions  of  "Leaves  of  Grass"  have 
been  issued,  each  enlarged  and  enriched  with 
new  poems.  "Drum  Taps,"  at  first  a 
separate  publication,  has  been  incorporated 
with  the  others.  This  volume  and  one 
prose  writing  entitled  "Specimen  Days  and 
Collect,"  constituted  his  whole  work. 

Walt.  Whitman  died  at  Camden,  New 
Jersey,  March  26,   1892. 


HENRY  DUPONT,  who  became  cele- 
brated as  America's  greatest  manufact- 
urer of  gunpowder,  was  a  native  of  Dela- 
ware, born  August  8,  18 12.  He  received 
his  education  in  its  higher  branches  at  the 
United  States  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point,  from  which  he  graduated  and  entered 
the  army  as  serond  lieutenant  of  artillery  in 
1S33.  In  1834  he  resigned  and  became 
proprietor  of  the  extensive  gunpowder 
manufacturing  plant  that  bears  his  name, 
near  Wilmington,  Delaware.  His  large 
business  interests  interfered  with  his  tak- 
ing any  active  participation  in  political 
life,  although  for  many  years  he  served 
as  adjutant-general  of  his   native  state,  and 


during  the  war  as  major-general  command- 
ing the  Home  Guards.  He  died  August  8, 
1889.  His  son,  Henry  A.  Dupont,  also  was- 
a  native  of  Delaware,  and  was  born  July  30, 
1838.  After  graduating  from  West  Point 
in  1 86 1,  he  entered  the  army  as  second 
lieutenant  of  engineers.  Shortly  after  he 
was  transferred  to  the  Fifth  Artillery  as  first 
lieutenant.  He  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  captain  in  1864,  serving  in  camp  and 
garrison  most  of  the  time.  He  was  in  com- 
mand of  a  battery  in  the  campaign  of 
1863-4.  As  chief  of  artillery  of  the  army  of 
West  Virginia,  he  figured  until  the  close  of 
the  war,  being  in  the  battles  of  Opequan, 
Fisher's  Hill  and  Cedar  Creek,  besides 
many  minor  engagements.  He  afterward 
acted  as  instructor  in  the  artillery  school  at 
Fortress  Monroe,  and  on  special  duty  at 
West  Point.  He  resigned  from  the  army 
March  1,  1875. 


WILLIAM  DEERING,  one  of  the  fa- 
mous manufacturers  of  America,  and 
also  a  philanthropist  and  patron  of  educa- 
tion, was  born  in  Maine  in  1S26.  His  an- 
cestors were  English,  having  settled  in  New 
England  in  1634.  Early  in  life  it  was  Will- 
iam's intention  to  become  a  physician,  and 
after  completing  his  common-school  educa- 
tion, when  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  he 
began  an  apprenticeship  with  a  physician. 
A  short  time  later,  however,  at  the  request 
of  his  father,  he  took  charge  of  his  father's 
business  interests,  which  included  a  woolen 
mill,  retail  store  and  grist  mill,  after  which 
he  became  agent  for  a  dry  goods  commission 
house  in  Portland,  where  he  was  married. 
Later  he  became  partner  in  the  firm,  and 
removed  to  New  York.  The  business  pros- 
pered, and  after  a  number  of  years,  on  ac- 
count of  failing  health,  Mr.  Deering  sold  his 
interest  to  his  partner,  a  Mr.  Milner.      The 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


business  has  since  made  Mr.  Milner  a  mill- 
ionaire many  times  over.  A  few  years 
later  Mr.  Deering  located  in  Chicago.  His 
beginning  in  the  manufacture  of  reapers, 
which  has  since  made  his  name  famous, 
was  somewhat  of  an  accident.  He  had 
loaned  money  to  a  man  in  that  business, 
and  in  1878  was  compelled  to  buy  out  the 
business  to  protect  his  interests.  The  busi- 
ness developed  rapidly  and  grew  to  immense 
proportions.  The  factories  now  cover  sixty- 
two  acres  of  ground  and  employ  many  thou- 
sands of  men. 


tohn  McAllister  schofield,  an 

<J  American  general,  was  born  in  Chautau- 
qua county,  New  York,  September  29,  1831. 
He  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1853,  and 
was  for  five  years  assistant  professor  of  nat- 
ural philosophy  in  that  institution.  In  1861 
he  entered  the  volunteer  service  as  major  of 
the  First  Missouri  Volunteers,  and  was  ap- 
pointed chief  of  staff  by  General  Lyon,  under 
whom  he  fought  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's 
Creek.  In  November,  1S61,  he  was  ap- 
pointed brigadier-general  of  volunteers,  and 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  Missouri 
militia  until  November,  1862,  and  of  the 
army  of  the  frontier  from  that  time  until 
1863.  In  1862  he  was  made  major-general 
of  volunteers,  and  was  placed  in  command  of 
the  Department  of  the  Missouri,  and  in  1864 
of  the  Department  of  the  Ohio.  During  the 
campaign  through  Georgia  General  Scho- 
field was  in  command  of  the  Twenty-third 
Army  Corps,  and  was  engaged  in  most  of  the 
fighting  of  that  famous  campaign.  Novem- 
ber 30,  1864,  he  defeated  Hood's  army  at 
Franklin,  Tennessee,  and  then  joined  Gen- 
eral Thomas  at  Nashville.  He  took  part  in 
the  battle  of  Nashville,  where  Hood's  army 
was  destroyed.  In  January,  1865,  he  led 
his   corps    into    North    Carolina,    captured 


Wilmington,  fought  the  battle  of  Kingston, 
and  joined  General  Sherman  at  Goldsboro 
March  22,  1865.  He  executed  the  details 
of  the  capitulation  of  General  Johnston  to 
Sherman,  which  practically  closed  the  war. 
In  June,  1868,  General  Schofield  suc- 
ceeded Edwin  M.  Stanton  as  secretary  of 
war,  but  was  the  next  year  appointed  major- 
general  of  the  United  States  army,  and  order- 
ed to  the  Department  of  the  Missouri.  From 
1870  to  1876  he  was  in  command  of  the  De- 
partment of  the  Pacific;  from  1876  to  1881 
superintendent  of  the  West  Point  Military 
Academy;  in  1883  he  was  in  charge  of  the 
Department  of  the  Missouri,  and  in  18S6  of 
the  division  of  the  Atlantic.  In  1888  he 
became  general-in-chief  of  the  United  States 
army,  and  in  February,  1895,  was  appoint- 
ed lieutenant-general  by  President  Cleve- 
land, that  rank  having  been  revived  by  con- 
gress. In  September,  1895,  he  was  retired 
from  active  service. 


LEWIS  WALLACE,  an  American  gen- 
eral and  famous  author,  was  born  iri 
Brookville,  Indiana,  April  10,  1827.  He 
served  in  the  Mexican  war  as  first  lieutenant 
of  a  company  of  Indiana  Volunteers.  After 
his  return  from  Mexico  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  and  practiced  law  in  Covington  and 
Crawfordsville,  Indiana,  until  1861.  At  the 
opening  of  the  war  he  was  appointed  ad- 
jutant-general of  Indiana,  and  soon  after  be- 
came colonel  of  the  Eleventh  Indiana  Vol- 
unteers. He  defeated  a  force  of  Confeder- 
ates at  Romney,  West  Virginia,  and  was 
made  brigadier-general  in  September,  1861. 
At  the  capture  of  Fort  Donelson  in  1862  he 
commanded  a  division,  and  was  engaged  in 
the  second  day's  fight  at  Shiloh.  In  1863 
his  defenses  about  Cincinnati  saved  that  city 
from  capture  by  Kirby  Smith.  At  Monoc- 
acy   in   July,    1864,    he    was  defeated,   but 


200 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


his  resistance  delayed  the  advance  of  Gen- 
eral Early  and  thus  saved  Washington  from 
capture. 

General  Wallace  was  a  member  of  the 
court  that  tried  the  assassins  of  President 
Lincoln,  and  also  of  that  before  whom  Cap- 
tain Henry  Wirtz,  who  had  charge  of  the 
Andersonville  prison,  was  tried.  In  1881 
General  Wallace  was  sent  as  minister  to 
Turkey.  When  not  in  official  service  he 
devoted  much  of  his  time  to  literature. 
Among  his  better  known  works  are  his 
"Fair  God,"  "Ben  Hur,"  "Prince  of 
India,"  and  a  "  Life  of  Benjamin  Harrison." 


THOMAS  FRANCIS  BAYARD,  an  Ameri- 
can statesman  and  diplomat,  was  born 
at  Wilmington,  Delaware,  October  29,  1828. 
He  obtained  his  education  at  an  Episcopal 
academy  at  Flushing,  Long  Island,  and 
after  a  short  service  in  a  mercantile  house  in 
New  York,  he  returned  to  Wilmington  and 
entered  his  father's  law  office  to  prepare 
himself  for  the  practice  of  that  profession. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  185  1.  He 
was  appointed  to  the  office  of  United  States 
district  attorney  for  the  state  of  Delaware, 
serving  one  year.  In  1869  he  was  elected  to 
the  United  States  senate,  and  continuously 
represented  his  state  in  that  body  until  1885, 
and  in  1881,  when  Chester  A.  Arthur  entered 
the  presidential  chair,  Mr.  Bayard  was 
chosen  president  pro  tempore  of  the  senate. 
Hje  had  also  served  on  the  famous  electoral 
commission  that  decided  the  Hayes-Tilden 
contest  in  1876-7.  In  1885  President  Cleve- 
land appointed  Mr.  Bayard  secretary  of 
state.  At  the  beginning  of  Cleveland's  sec- 
ond term,  in  1893,  Mr.  Bayard  was  selected 
for  the  post  of  ambassador  at  the  court  of 
St.  James,  London,  and  was  the  first  to  hold 
that  rank  in  American  diplomacy,  serving 
until  the  beginning  of  the  McKinley  admin- 


istration. The  questions  for  adjustment  at 
that  time  between  the  two  governments 
were  the  Behring  Sea  controversy  and  the 
Venezuelan  boundary  question.  He  was 
very  popular  in  England  because  of  his 
tariff  views,  and  because  of  his  criticism  of 
the  protective  policy  of  the  United  States 
in  his  public  speeches  delivered  in  London, 
Edinburgh  and  other  places,  he  received,  in 
March,  1896,  a  vote  of  censure  in  the  lower 
house  of  congress. 


JOHN  WORK  GARRETT,  for  so  many 
years  at  the  head  of  the  great  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  railroad  system,  was  born  in  Balti- 
more, Maryland,  July  31,  1820.  His  father, 
Robert  Garrett,  an  enterprising  merchant, 
had  amassed  a  large  fortune  from  a  smalt 
beginning.  The  son  entered  Lafayette  Col- 
lege in  1834,  but  left  the  following  year  and 
entered  his  father's  counting  room,  and  in 
1839  became  a  partner.  John  W.  Gar- 
rett took  a  great  interest  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad.  He 
was  elected  one  of  the  directors  in  1857, 
and  was  its  president  from  1858  until  his 
death.  When  he  took  charge  of  the  road 
it  was  in  an  embarrassed  condition,  but 
within  a  year,  for  the  first  time  in  its  exist- 
ence, it  paid  a  dividend,  the  increase  in  its 
net  gains  being  $725,385.  After  the  war, 
during  which  the  road  suffered  much  damage 
from  the  Confederates,  numerous  branches 
and  connecting  roads  were  built  or  acquired, 
until  it  reached  colossal  proportions.  Mr. 
Garrett  was  also  active  in  securing  a  regular 
line  of  steamers  between  Baltimore  and 
Bremen,  and  between  the  same  port  and 
Liverpool.  He  was  one  of  the  most  active 
trustees  of  Johns  Hopkins  University,  and  a 
liberal  contributor  to  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  of  Baltimore.  He 
died  September  26,  1884. 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


Robert  Garrett,  the  son  of  John  W. 
Garrett,  was  born  in  Baltimore  April  9, 
1847,  and  graduated  from  Princeton  in  1867. 
He  received  a  business  education  in  the 
banking  house  of  his  father,  and  in  1871 
became  president  of  the  Valley  Railroad  of 
Virginia.  He  was  made  third  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  in 
1879,  and  first  vice-president  in  188 1.  He 
succeeded  his  father  as  president  in  1884. 
Robert  Garrett  died  July  29,  1896. 


CARL  SCHURZ,  a  noted  German-Ameri- 
can statesman,  was  born  in  Liblar,  Prus- 
sia, March  2,  1829.  Hestudied  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Bonn,  and  in  1849  was  engaged  in 
an  attempt  to  excite  an  insurrection  at  that 
place.  After  the  surrender  of  Rastadt  by 
the  revolutionists,  in  the  defense  of  which 
Schurz  took  part,  he  decided  to  emigrate  to 
America.  He  resided  in  Philadelphia  three 
years,  and  then  settled  in  Watertown,  Wis- 
consin, and  in  1859  removed  to  Milwaukee, 
where  he  practiced  law.  On  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Republican  party  he  became  a 
leader  of  the  German  element  and  entered 
the  campaign  for  Lincoln  in  i860.  He  was 
appointed  minister  to  Spain  in  1861,  but  re- 
signed in  December  of  that  year  to  enter 
the  army.  He  was  appointed  brigadier- 
general-  in  1862,  and  participated  in  the 
second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  also  at 
Chancellorsville.  At  Gettysburg  he  had 
temporary  command  of  the  Eleventh  Army 
Corps,  and  also  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Chattanooga. 

After  the  war  he  located  at  St.  Louis, 
and  in  1869  was  elected  United  States  sena- 
tor from  Missouri.  He  supported  Horace 
Greeley  for  the  presidency  in  1872,  and  in 
the  campaign  of  1876,  having  removed  to 
New  York,  he  supported  Hayes  and  the  Re- 
publican  ticket,  and    was   appointed  secre- 


tary of  the  interior  in  1877.  In  1881  he 
became  editor  of  the  "New  York  Evening 
Post,"  and  in  1884  was  prominent  in  his 
opposition  to  James  G.  Blaine,  and  became 
a  leader  of  the  "Mugwumps,"  thus  assist- 
ing in  the  election  of  Cleveland.  In  the 
presidential  campaign  of  1896  his  forcible 
speeches  in  the  interest  of  sound  money 
wielded  an  immense  influence.  Mr.  Schurz 
wrote  a  "  Life  of  Henry  Clay,"  said  to  be 
the  best  biography  ever  published  of  that 
eminent  statesman. 


GEORGE  F.  EDMUNDS,  an  American 
statesman  of  national  reputation,  was 
born  in  Richmond,  Vermont,  February  1, 
iS_8.  His  education  was  ohtained  in  the 
public  schools  and  from  the  instructions  of 
a  private  tutor.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar,  practiced  law,  and  served  in  the  state 
legislature  from  1854  to  1859,  during  three 
years  of  that  time  being  speaker  of  the  lower 
house.  He  was  elected  to  the  state  senate 
and  acted  as  president  pro  tempore  of  that 
body  in  1861  and  1862.  He  became  promi- 
nent for  his  activity  in  the  impeachment 
proceedings  against  President  Johnson,  and 
was  appointed  to  the  United  States  senate 
to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  Solomon 
Foot,  entering  that  body  in  1866.  He  was 
re-elected  to  the  senate  four  times,  and 
served  on  the  electoral  commission  in  1877. 
He  became  president  pro  tempore  of  the 
senate  after  the  death  of  President  Garfield, 
and  was  the  author  of  the  bill  which  put  an 
end  to  the  practice  of  polygamy  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Utah.  In  November,  1891,  owing 
to  impaired  health,  he  retired  from  the  sen- 
ate and  again  resumed  the  practice  of  law. 


LUCIUS   Q.    C.    LAMAR,    a    prominent 
political  leader,   statesman    and  jurist, 
was  born  in  Putnam  county,  Georgia,  Sep- 


'202 


COMPENDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHIC 


temberi7,  1825.  He  graduated  from  Emory 
College  in  1845,  studied  law  at  Macon  under 
Hon.  A.  H.  Chappell,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1847.  He  moved  to  Oxford, 
Mississippi,  in  1849,  and  was  elected  to  a 
professorship  in  the  State  University.  He 
resigned  the  next  year  and  returned  to  Cov- 
ington, Georgia,  and  resumed  the  practice 
of  law.  In  1853  he  was  elected  to  the 
Georgia  Legislature,  and  in  1854  he  removed 
to  his  plantation  in  Lafayette  county,  Mis- 
sissippi, and  was  elected  to  represent  his 
district  in  the  thirty-fifth  and  thirty-sixth 
congresses.  He  resigned  in  i860,  and  was 
sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  secession  conven- 
tion of  the  state.  He  entered  the  Confed- 
erate service  in  1861  as  lieutenant-colonel 
of  the  Nineteenth  Regiment,  and  was  soon 
after  made  colonel.  In  1863  President 
Davis  appointed  him  to  an  important  diplo- 
matic mission  to  Russia.  In  1866  he  was 
elected  professor  of  political  economy  and 
social  science  in  the  State  University,  and 
was  soon  afterward  transferred  to  the  pro- 
fessorship of  the  law  department.  He  rep- 
resented his  district  in  the  forty-third  and 
forty-fourth  congresses,  and  was  elected 
United  States  senator  from  Mississippi  in 
1877,  and  re-elected  in  1882.  In  1885,  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  his  term,  he  was 
appointed  by  President  Cleveland  as  secre- 
tary of  the  interior,  which  position  he  held 
until  his  appointment  as  associate  justice  of 
the  United  States  supreme  court,  in  1S88, 
in  which  capacity  he  served  until  his  death, 
January  23,   1894. 


BENJAMIN  PENHALLOW  SHILLA- 
BER  won  fame  in  the  world  of 
humorists  under  the  name  of  "Mrs.  Parting- 
ton." He  was  born  in  1841  at  Portsmouth, 
New  Hampshire,  and  started  out  in  life  as  a 
printer.      Mr.     Shillaber    went    to    Dover, 


where  he  secured  employment  in  a  printing 
office,  and  from  there  he  went  to  Demerara, 
Guiana,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  com- 
positor in  1835-37.  In  l^4°  ne  became 
connected  with  the  "Boston  Post,"  and 
acquired  quite  a  reputation  as  a  humorist 
by  his  "Sayings  of  Mrs.  Partington."  He 
remained  as  editor  of  the  paper  until  1850, 
when  he  printed  and  edited  a  paper  of  his 
own  called  the  "Pathfinder,"  which  he  con- 
tinued until  1852.  Mr.  Shillaber  be- 
came editor  and  proprietor  of  the  "Carpet 
Bag,"  which  he  conducted  during  1850-52, 
and  then  returned  to  the  "Boston  Post," 
with  which  he  was  connected  until  1856. 
During  the  same  time  he  was  one  of  the 
editors  of  the  "Saturday  Evening  Gazette," 
and  continued  in  this  line  after  he  severed 
his  connection  with  the  "Post,"  for  ten 
years.  After  1866  Mr.  Shillaber  wrote  for 
various  newspapers  and  periodicals,  and 
during  his  life  published  the  following 
books:  "Rhymes  with  Reason  and  Without," 
"Poems,"  "Life  and  Sayings  of  Mrs.  Part- 
ington," "Knitting  Work,"  and  others. 
His  death  occurred  at  Chelsea,  Massachu- 
setts, November  25,  1890. 


EASTMAN  JOHNSON  stands  first  among 
painters  of  American  country  life.  He 
was  born  in  Lovell,  Maine,  in  1824,  and  be- 
gan his  work  in  drawing  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een years.  His  first  works  were  portraits, 
and,  as  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Wash- 
ington, the  most  famous  men  of  the  nation 
were  his  subjects.  In  1846  he  went  to  Bos- 
ton, and  there  made  crayon  portraits  of 
Longfellow,  Emerson,  Sumner,  Hawthorne 
and  other  noted  men.  In  1849  he  went  to 
Europe.  He  studied  at  Dusseldorf,  Ger- 
man}-; spent  a  year  at  the  Royal  Academy, 
and  thence  to  The  Hague,  where  he  spent 
four  years,  producing  there  his  first  pictures 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


of  consequence,  "The  Card-Players  "  and 
"The  Savoyard."  He  then  went  to  Paris, 
but  was  called  home,  after  an  absence  from 
America  of  six  years.  He  lived  some  time 
in  Washington,  and  then  spent  two  years 
among  the  Indians  of  Lake  Superior.  In 
1858  he  produced  his  famous  picture,  "The 
Old  Kentucky  Home."  He  took  up  his 
permanent  residence  at  New  York  at  that 
time.  His  "  Sunday  Morning  in  Virginia  " 
is  a  work  of  equal  merit.  He  was  espe- 
cially successful  in  coloring,  a  master  of 
drawing,  and  the  expression  conveys  with 
precision  the  thought  of  the  artist.  His 
portrayal  of  family  life  and  child  life  is  un- 
equalled. Among  his  other  great  works  are 
"The  Confab,"  "Crossing  a  Stream,' 
"Chimney  Sweep,"  "Old  Stage  Coach," 
"  The  New  Bonnet,"  "  The  Drummer  Boy," 
"  Childhood  of  Lincoln,"  and  a  great  vari- 
ety of  equally  familiar  subjects. 


PIERCE  GUST  AVE  TOUTANT  BEAU- 
REGARD, one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished generals  in  the  Confederate  army, 
was  born  near  New  Orleans,  Louisiana, 
May  28,  181 8.  He  graduated  from  West 
Point  Military  Academy  in  1838,  and  was 
made  second  lieutenant  of  engineers.  He 
was  with  General  Scott  in  Mexico,  and  dis- 
tinguished himself  at  Vera  Cruz,  Cerro 
Gordo,  and  the  battles  near  the  City  of 
Mexico,  for  which  he  was  twice  brevetted. 
After  the  Mexican  war  closed  he  was  placed 
in  charge  of  defenses  about  New  Orleans, 
and  in  i860  was  appointed  superintendent 
of  the  United  States  Military  Academy  at 
West  Point.  He  held  this  position  but  a 
few  months,  when  he  resigned  February  20, 
1 86 1,  and  accepted  a  commission  of  briga- 
dier-general in  the  Confederate  army.  He 
directed   the    attack    on    Fort    Sumter,  the 

first  engagement  of  the  Civil  war.     He  was 
12 


in  command  of  the  Confederates  at  the  first 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  for  this  victory  was 
made  general.  In  1862  he  was  placed  in 
command  of  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  planned  the  attack  upon  General  Grant 
at  Shiloh,  and  upon  the  death  of  General 
Johnston  he  took  command  of  the  army 
and  was  only  defeated  by  the  timely  arrival 
of  General  Buell  with  reinforcements.  He 
commanded  at  Charleston  and  successfully 
defended  that  city  against  the  combined  at- 
tack by  land  and  sea  in  1863.  In  1864  he 
was  in  command  in  Virginia,  defeating  Gen- 
eral Butler,  and  resisting  Grant's  attack 
upon  Petersburg  until  reinforced  from  Rich- 
mond. During  the  long  siege  which  fol- 
lowed he  was  sent  to  check  General  Sher- 
man's march  to  the  sea,  and  was  with  Gen- 
eral Joseph  E.  Johnston  when  that  general 
surrendered  in  1865.  After  the  close  of  the 
war  he  was  largely  interested  in  railroad 
management.  In  1866  he  was  offered  chief 
command  of  the  Army  of  Roumania,  and  in 
1869,  that  of  the  Army  of  Egypt.  He  de- 
clined these  offers.  His  death  occurred 
February  20,   1893. 


HENRY  GEORGE,  one  of  America's 
most  celebrated  political  economists, 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
September  2,  1839.  He  received  acommon- 
school  education  and  entered  the  high 
school  in  1853,  and  then  went  into  a  mer- 
cantile office.  He  made  several  voyages  on 
the  sea,  and  settled  in  California  in  1858. 
He  then  worked  at  the  printer's  trade  for  a 
number  of  years,  which  he  left  to  follow  the 
editorial  profession.  He  edited  in  succession 
several  daily  newspapers,  and  attracted  at- 
tention by  a  number  of  strong  essays  and 
speeches  on  political  and  social  questions. 
In  1 87 1  he  edited  a  pamphlet,  entitled  "  Oui 
Land  and  Policy,"  in   which   he   outlined  a 


204 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


theory,  which  has  since  made  him  so  widely 
known.  This  was  developed  in  "  Progress 
and  Poverty,"  a  book  which  soon  attained  a 
large  circulation  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlan- 
tic, which  has  been  extensively  translated. 
In  1880  Mr.  George  located  in  New  York, 
where  he  made  his  home,  though  he  fre- 
quently addressed  audiences  in  Great  Britain, 
Ireland,  Australia,  and  throughout  the 
United  States.  In  1886  he  was  nominated 
by  the  labor  organizations  for  mayor  of  New 
York,  and  made  a  campaign  notable  for  its 
development  of  unexpectedpower.  In  1887  he 
was  candidate  of  the  Union  Labor  party  for 
secretary  of  state  of  New  York.  These  cam- 
paigns served  to  formulate  the  idea  of  a  single 
tax  and  popularize  the  Australian  ballot  sys- 
tem. Mr.  George  became  a  free  trader  in 
1888.  and  in  1892  supported  the  election  of 
Grover  Cleveland.  His  political  and  eco- 
nomic ideas,  known  as  the  "single  tax," 
have  a  large  and  growing  support,  but  are 
not  confined  to  this  country  alone.  He 
wrote  numerous  miscellaneous  articles  in 
support  of  his  principles,  and  also  published: 
"The  Land  Question,"  "  Social  Problems," 
"Protection  or  Free  Trade,"  "The  Condi- 
tion of  Labor,  an  Open  Letter  to  Pope  Leo 
XIII.,"  and  "  Perplexed  Philosopher." 


THOMAS  ALEXANDER  SCOTT.  —This 
name  is  indissolubly  connected  with 
the  history  and  development  of  the  railway 
systems  of  the  United  States.  Mr.  Scott 
was  born  December  28,  1823,  at  London, 
Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  first 
regularly  employed  by  Major  James  Patton, 
the  collector  of  tolls  on  the  state  road  be- 
tween Philadelphia  and  Columbia,  Penn- 
sylvania. He  entered  into  the  employ  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  in  1  850, 
and  went  through  all  the  different  branches 
of  work  until  he  had  mastered  all  the  details 


of  the  office  work,  and  in  1858  he  was  ap- 
pointed general  superintendent.  Mr.  Scott 
was  the  next  year  chosen  vice-president  of 
the  road.  This  position  at  once  brought 
him  before  the  public,  and  the  enterprise 
and  ability  displayed  by  him  in  its  manage- 
ment marked  him  as  a  leader  among  the 
railroad  men  of  the  country.  At  the  out- 
break of  the  rebellion  in  1861,  Mr.  Scott 
was  selected  by  Governor  Curtin  as  a  mem- 
ber of  his  staff,  and  placed  in  charge  of  the 
equipment  and  forwarding  of  the  state  troops 
to  the  seat  of  war.  On  April  27,  1861,  the 
secretary  of  war  desired  to  establish  a  new 
line  of  road  between  the  national  capital 
and  Philadelphia,  for  the  more  expeditious 
transportation  of  troops.  He  called  upon 
Mr.  Scott  to  direct  this  work,  and  the  road 
by  the  way  of  Annapolis  and  Perryville  was 
completed  in  a  marvelously  short  space  of 
time.  On  May  3,  1861,  he  was  commis- 
sioned colonel  of  volunteers,  and  on  the  23d 
of  the  same  month  the  government  railroads 
and  telegraph  lines  were  placed  in  his  charge. 
Mr.  Scott  was  the  first  assistant  secretary 
of  war  ever  appointed,  and  he  took  charge 
of  this  new  post  August  1,  1861.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1862,  he  was  directed  to  organize 
transportation  in  the  northwest,  and  in 
March  he  performed  the  same  service  on 
the  western  rivers.  He  resigned  June  1, 
1862,  and  resumed  his  direction  of  affairs  on 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Colonel  Scott 
directed  the  policy  that  secured  to  his  road 
the  control  of  the  western  roads,  and  be- 
came the  president  of  the  new  company  to 
operate  these  lines  in  1871.  For  one  year, 
from  March,  1871,  he  was  president  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad,  and  in  1874  he  suc- 
ceeded to  the  presidency  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Company.  He  projected  the  Texas 
Pacific  Railroad  and  was  for  many  years  its 
president.     Colonel    Scott's    health    failed 


COMPEXDICM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


205- 


him  and  he  resigned  the  presidency  of  the 
road  June  i,  18S0,  and  died  at  his  home  in 
Duby,   Pennsylvania,  May  21,   1SS1. 


ROBERT  TOOMBS,  an  American  states- 
man of  note,  was  born  in  Wilkes  coun- 
ty, Georgia,  July  2,  1810.  He  attended 
the  University  <  f  Georgia,  and  graduated 
from  Union  College,  Schenectady,  New 
York,  and  then  took  a  law  course  at  the 
University  of  Virginia.  In  1830,  before  he 
had  attained  his  majority,  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  by  special  act  of  the  legislature, 
and  rose  rapidly  in  his  profession,  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  leading  statesmen  and 
judges  of  that  time.  He  raised  a  volunteer 
company  for  the  Creek  war,  and  served  as 
captain  to  the  close.  He  was  elected  to  the 
slate  legislature  in  1837,  re-elected  in  1842, 
and  in  1 S44  was  elected  to  congress.  He 
had  been  brought  up  as  a  Jeffersonian 
Democrat,  but  voted  for  Harrison  in  1840 
and  for  Clay  in  1844.  He  made  his  first 
speech  in  congress  on  the  Oregon  question, 
and  immediately  took  rank  with  the  greatest 
debaters  of  that  body.  In  1853  he  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  senate,  and 
again  in  1859,  but  when  his  native  state 
seceded  he  resigned  his  seat  in  the  senate 
and  was  elected  to  the  Confederate  con- 
gress. It  is  stated  on  the  best  authority 
that  had  it  not  been  for  a  misunderstanding 
which  could  not  be  explained  till  too  late  he 
would  have  been  elected  president  of  the 
Confederacy.  He  was  appointed  secretary 
of  state  by  President  Davis,  but  resigned 
after  a  few  months  and  was  commissioned 
brigadier-general  in  the  Confederate  army. 
He  won  distinction  at  the  second  battle  of 
Bull  Run  and  at  Sharpsburg,  but  resigned 
his  commission  soon  after  and  returned  to 
Georgia.  He  organized  the  militia  of 
Georgia  to  resist  Sherman,   and  was  made 


brigadier-general  of  the  state  troops.  He 
left  the  country  at  the  close  of  the  war  and 
did  not  return  until  1867.  He  died  Decem- 
ber 15,    1885. 

AUSTIN  CORBIN,  one  of  the  greatest 
raihvay  magnates  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  July  11,  1827,  at  Newport,  New 
Hampshire.  He  studied  law  with  Chief 
Justice  Cushing  and  Governor  Ralph  Met- 
calf,  and  later  took  a  course  in  the  Harvard 
Law  School,  where  he  graduated  in  1849. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  practiced 
law,  with  Governor  Metcalf  as  his  partner, 
until  October  12,  1851.  Mr.  Corbin  then 
rem  ved  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1865.  In  1854  he  was  a  part- 
ner in  the  banking  firm  of  Macklot  &  Cor- 
bin, and  later  he  organized  the  First  Na- 
tional bank  of  Davenport,  Iowa,  which 
commenced  business  June  29,  1863,  and 
which  was  the  first  national  bank  op.n  for 
business  in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Corbin 
sold  out  his  business  in  the  Davenport  bank, 
and  removed  to  New  York  in  1865  and  com- 
menced business  with  partners  under  the 
style  of  Corbin  Banking  Company.  Soon 
after  his  removal  to  New  York  he  became 
interested  in  railroads,  and  became  one  of 
the  leading  railroad  men  of  the  country. 
The  development  of  the  west  half  of  Coney 
Island  as  a  summer  resort  first  brought  him 
into  general  prominence.  He  built  a  rail- 
road from  New  York  to  the  island,  and 
built  great  hotels  on  its  ocean  front.  He 
next  turned  his  attention  to  Long  Island, 
and  secured  all  the  railroads  and  consoli- 
dated them  under  one  management,  became 
president  of  the  system,  and  under  his  con- 
trol Long  Island  became  the  great  ocean 
suburb  of  New  York.  His  latest  public 
achievement  was  the  rehabilitation  of  the 
Reading    Railroad,    of    Pennsylvania,     and 


206 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


during  the  same  time  he  and  his  friends 
purchased  the  controlling  interest  of  the 
New  Jersey  Central  Railroad.  He  took  it 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  receiver,  and  in 
three  years  had  it  on  a  dividend-paying 
basis.  Mr.  Corbin's  death  occurred  June 
4,   1896. 

JAMES  GORDON  BENNETT,  Sr., 
was  one  of  the  greatest  journalists  of 
America  in  his  day.  He  was  born  Septem- 
ber 1,  1795,  at  New  Mill,  near  Keith,  Scot- 
land. At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  was  sent 
to  Aberdeen  to  study  for  the  priesthood, 
but,  convinced  that  he  was  mistaken  in  his 
vocation,  he  determined  to  emigrate.  He 
landed  at  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  in  1S19, 
where  he  attempted  to  earn  a  living  by 
teaching  bookkeeping.  Failing  in  this  he 
went  to  Boston  and  found  employment  as  a 
proof  reader.  Mr.  Bennett  went  to  New 
York  about  1822  and  wrote  for  the  news- 
papers. Later  on  he  became  assistant 
editor  in  the  office  of  the  "Charleston 
Courier, "but  returned  to  New  York  in  1824 
and  endeavored  to  start  a  commercial 
school,  but  was  unsuccessful  in  this,  and 
again  returned  to  newspaper  work.  He 
continued  in  newspaper  work  with  varying 
su&cess  until,  it  his  suggestion,  the  "En- 
quirer" was  consolidated  with  another 
paper,  and  became  the  "Courier  and  En- 
quirer," with  James  Watson  Webb  as 
editor  and  Mr.  Bennett  for  assistant.  At 
this  time  this  was  the  leading  American 
newspaper.  He,  however,  severed  his  con- 
nection with  this  newspaper  and  tried, 
without  success,  other  ventures  in  the  line 
of  journalism  until  May  6,  1835,  when  he 
issued  the  first  number  of  the  "New  York 
Herald."  Mr.  Bennett  wrote  the  entire 
paper,  and  made,  up  for  lack  of  news  by  his 
own  imagination.      The  paper  became  popu- 


lar, and  in  1838  he  engaged  European  jour- 
nalists as  regular  correspondents.  In  1841 
the  income  derived  from  his  paper  was  at 
least  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Dur- 
ing the  Civil  war  the  "  Herald  "  had  on  its 
staff  sixty-three  war  correspondents  and  the 
circulation  was  doubled.  Mr.  Bennett  was 
interested  with  John  W.  Mackay  in  that  great 
enterprise  which  is  now  known  as  the  Mac- 
kay-Bennett  Cable.  He  had  collected  for  use 
in  his  paper  over  fifty  thousand  biographies, 
sketches  and  all  manner  of  information  re- 
garding every  well-known  man,  which  are 
still  kept  in  the  archives  of  the  "Herald" 
office.  He  died  in  the  city  of  New  York  in 
1872,  and  left  to  his  son,  James  Gordon, 
Jr.,  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  profitable 
journals  in  the  United  States,  or  even  in  the 
world. 


OLIVER  WENDELL  HOLMES,  a 
noted  American,  won  distinction  in  the 
field  of  literature,  in  which  he  attained  a 
world-wide  reputation.  He  was  born  at 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  August  29,  1809. 
He  received  a  collegiate  education  and  grad- 
uated from  Harvard  in  1829,  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  and  took  up  the  study  of  law  and 
later  studied  medicine.  Dr.  Holmes  at- 
tended several  years  in  the  hospitals  of 
Europe  and  received  his  degree  in  1836. 
He  became  professor  of  anatomy  and  phys- 
iology in  Dartmouth  in  1838,  and  re- 
mained there  until  1847,  when  he  was 
called  to  the  Massachusetts  Medical  School 
at  Boston  to  occupy  the  same  chair,  which 
position  he  resigned  in  18S2.  The  first 
collected  edition  of  his  poems  appeared  in 
1836,  and  his  "Phi  Beta  Kappa  Poems," 
"Poetry,"  in  1836;  "Terpsichore,"  in  1843; 
"Urania,"  in  1846,  and  "Astra;a,"  won  for 
him  many  fresh  laurels.  His  series  of 
papers   in  the    "Atlantic    Monthly,"     were: 


COMPEXDIUM   OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


"Autocrat  of  the  Breakfast  Table,"  "Pro- 
fessor at  the  Breakfast  Table,"  "Poet  at 
the  Breakfast  Table,"  and  are  a  series  of 
masterly  wit,  humor  and  pathos.  Among 
his  medical  papers  and  addresses,  are:  "Cur- 
rents and  Counter-currents  in  the  Medical 
Science,"  and  "Borderland  in  Some  Prov- 
inces of  Medical  Science."  Mr.  Holmes 
edited  quite  a  number  of  works,  of  which 
we  quote  the  following:  "Else  Venner," 
"Songs  in  Many  Keys,"  "Soundings  from 
the  Atlantic,"  "Humorous  Poems,"  "The 
Guardian  Angel,"  "Mechanism  in  Thoughts 
and  Morals,"  "Songs  of  Many  Seasons," 
"John  L.  Motley" — a  memoir,  "The  Iron 
Gate  and  Other  Poems,"  "Ralph  Waldo 
Emerson,"  "A  Moral  Antipathy."  Dr. 
Holmes  visited  England  for  the  second  time, 
and  while  there  the  degree  of  LL.  D. 
was  conferred  upon  him  by  the  University 
of  Edinburgh.  His  death  occurred  October 
7.  1894.  

RUFUS  CHOATE,  one  of  the  most  em- 
inent of  America's  great  lawyers,  was 
born  October  1,  1799,  at  Essex,  Massachu- 
setts. He  entered  Dartmouth  in  181 5, 
and  after  taking  his  degree  he  remained  as 
a  teacher  in  the  college  for  one  year.  He 
took  up  the  study  of  law  in  Cambridge,  and 
subsequently  studied  under  the  distinguished 
lawyer,  Mr.  Wirt,  who  was  then  United 
States  attorney-general  at  Washington.  Mr. 
Choatebegan  the  practice  of  law  in  Danvers, 
Massachusetts,  and  from  there  he  went  to 
Salem,  and  afterwards  to  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts. While  living  at  Salem  he  was 
elected  to  congress  in  1832,  and  later,  in 
1 84 1,  he  was  chosen  United  States  senator 
to  succeed  Daniel  Webster,  Mr.  Webster 
having  been  appointed  secretary  of  state 
under  William  Henry  Harrison. 

After  the  death  of  Webster.  Mr-  Choate 


was  the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts bar,  and  was  looked  upon  by  the 
younger  members  of  the  profession  with  an 
affection  that  almost  amounted  to  a  rever- 
ence. Mr.  Choate's  powers  as  an  orator 
were  of  the  rarest  order,  and  his  genius 
made  it  possible  for  him  to  enchant  and  in- 
terest his  listeners,  even  while  discussing  the 
most  ordinary  theme.  He  was  not  merely 
eloquent  on  the  subjects  that  were  calculated 
to  touch  the  feelings  and  stir  the  passions 
of  his  audience  in  themselves,  but  could  at 
all  times  command  their  attention.  He  re- 
tired from  active  life  in  1858,  and  was  on 
his  way  to  Europe,  his  physician  having 
ordered  a  sea  voyage  for  his  health,  but  had 
only  reached  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  when 
he  died,  July   13,   1858. 


D WIGHT  L.  MOODY,  one  of  the  most 
noted  and  effective  pulpit  orators  and 
evangelists  America  has  produced,  was  born 
in  Northfield,  Franklin  county,  Massachu- 
setts, February  5,  1837.  He  received  but 
a  meager  education  and  worked  on  a  farm 
until  seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he  be- 
came clerk  in  a  boot  and  shoe  store  in 
Boston.  Soon  after  this  he  joined  the  Con- 
gregational church  and  went  to  Chicago, 
where  he  zealously  engaged  in  missionary 
work  among  the  poor  classes.  He  met 
with  great  success,  and  in  less  than  a  year 
he  built  up  a  Sunday-school  which  numbered 
over  one  thousand  children.  When  the 
war  broke  out  he  became  connected  with 
what  was  known  as  the  "Christian  Com- 
mission," and  later  became  city  missionary 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  at 
Chicago.  A  church  was  built  there  for  his 
converts  and  he  became  its  unordained  pas- 
tor. In  the  Chicago  fire  of  1871  the  church 
and  Mr.  Moody's  house  and  furniture,  which 
had  been  given  him,  were  destroyed.     The 


20S 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


church  edifice  was  afterward  replaced  by  a 
new  church  erected  on  the  site  of  the  old 
one.  In  1873,  accompanied  by  Ira  D. 
Sankey,  Mr.  Moody  went  to  Europe  and 
excited  great  religious  awakenings  through- 
out England,  Ireland  and  Scotland.  In 
1875  they  returned  to  America  and  held 
large  meetings  in  various  cities.  They 
afterward  made  another  visit  to  Great 
Britain  for  the  same  purpose,  meeting  with 
great  success,  returning  to  the  United  States 
in  1884.  Mr.  Moody  afterward  continued 
his  evangelistic  work,  meeting  everywhere 
with  a  warm  reception  and  success.  Mr. 
Moody  produced  a  number  of  works,  some 
of  which  had  a  wide  circulation. 


JOHN  PIERPONT  MORGAN,  a  financier 
of  world-wide  reputation,  and  famous 
as  the  head  of  one  of  the  largest  banking 
houses  in  the  world,  was  born  April  17, 
1837,  at  Hartford,  Connecticut.  He  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  English 
high  school,  in  Boston,  and  later  supple- 
mented this  with  a  course  in  the  University 
of  Gottingen,  Germany.  He  returned  to 
the  United  States,  in  1857,  and  entered  the 
banking  firm  of  Duncan,  Sherman  &  Co., 
of  New  York,  and,  in  i860,  he  became 
agent  and  attorney,  in  the  United  States,  for 
George  Peabody  &  Co.,  of  London.  He 
became  the  junior  partner  in  the  banking 
firm  of  Dabney,  Morgan  &  Co.,  in  1864, 
and  that  of  Drexel,  Morgan  &  Co.,  in  1871. 
This  house  was  among  the  chief  negotiators 
of  railroad  bonds,  and  was  active  in  the  re- 
organization of  the  West  Shore  Railroad, 
and  its  absorption  by  the  New  York  Central 
Railroad.  It  was  conspicuous  in  the  re- 
organization of  the  Philadelphia  &  Read- 
ing Railroad,  in  1887,  which  a  syndicate  of 
capitalists,  formed  by  Mr.  Morgan,  placed 
on  a  sound  financial  basis.     After  that  time 


many  other  lines  of  railroad  and  gigantic 
financial  enterprises  were  brought  under  Mr. 
Morgan's  control,  and  in  some  respects  it 
may  be  said  he  became  the  foremost  financier 
of  the  century. 


THOMAS  BRACKETT  REED,  one  of 
the  most  eminent  of  American  states- 
men, was  born  October  18,  1839,  at  Port- 
land, Maine,  where  he  received  his  early 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  the 
city,  and  prepared  himself  for  college.  Mr. 
Reed  graduated  from  Bowdoin  College  in 
i860,  and  won  one  of  the  highest  honors  of 
the  college,  the  prize  for  excellence  in  Eng- 
lish composition.  The  following  four  years 
were  spent  by  him  in  teaching  and  in  the 
study  of  law.  Before  his  admission  to  the 
bar,  however,  he  was  acting  assistant  pay- 
master in  the  United  States  navy,  and 
served  on  the  "tin-clad"  Sybil,  which  pa- 
trolled the  Tennessee,  Cumberland  and 
Mississippi  rivers.  After  his  discharge  in 
1865,  he  returned  to  Portland,  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar,  and  began  the  practice  of  his 
profession.  He  entered  into  political  life, 
and  in  1S68  was  elected  to  the  legislature 
of  Maine  as  a  Republican,  and  in  1869  he 
was  re-elected  to  the  hpuse,  and  in  1870 
was  made  state  senator,  from  which  he 
passed  to  attorney-general  of  the  state. 
He  retired  from  this  office  in  1873,  and 
until  1877  he  was  solicitor  for  the  city 
of  Portland.  In  1876  he  was  elected  to 
the  forty-fifth  congress,  which  assembled 
in  1877.  Mr.  Reed  sprung  into  prominence 
in  that  body  by  one  of  the  first  speeches 
which  he  delivered,  and  his  long  service  in 
congress,  coupled  with  his  ability,  gave  him 
a  national  reputation.  His  influence  each 
year  became  more  strongly  marked,  and  the 
leadership  of  his  part)'  was  finally  conceded 
to  him,  and  in  the  forty-ninth   and  fiftieth 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


congresses  the  complimentary  nomination 
for  the  speakership  was  tendered  him  by  the 
Republicans.  That  party  having  obtained 
the  ascendency  in  the  fifty-first  congress  he 
was  elected  speaker  on  the  first  ballot,  and 
he  was  again  chosen  speaker  of  the  fifty- 
fourth  and  fifth-fifth  congresses.  As  a 
writer,  Mr.  Reed  contributed  largely  to  the 
magazines  and  periodicals,  and  his  book 
upon  parliamentary  rules  is  generally  rec- 
ognized as  authority  on  that  subject. 


CLARA  BARTON  is  a  celebrated  char- 
acter among  what  might  be  termed  as 
the  highest  grade  of  philanthropists  Amer- 
ica has  produced.  She  was  born  on  a  farm 
at  Oxford,  Massachusetts,  a  daughter  of 
Captain  Stephen  Barton,  and  was  educated 
at  Clinton,  New  York.  She  engaged  in 
teaching  early  in  life,  and  founded  a  free 
school  at  Bordentown,  the  first  in  New  Jer- 
sey. She  opened  with  six  pupils,  but  the 
attendance  had  grown  to  six  hundred  up  to 
1854,  when  she  went  to  Washington.  She 
was  appointed  clerk  in  the  patent  depart- 
ment, and  remained  there  until  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  war,  when  she  resigned 
her  position  and  devoted  herself  to  the  al- 
leviation of  the  sufferings  of  the  soldiers, 
serving,  not  in  the  hospitals,  but  on  the  bat- 
tle field.  She  was  present  at  a  number  of 
battles,  and  after  the  war  closed  she  origi- 
nated, and  for  some  time  carried  on  at  her 
own  expense,  the  search  for  missing  soldiers. 
She  then  for  several  years  devoted  her  time 
to  lecturing  on  "Incidents  of  the  War." 
About  1868  she  went  to  Europe  for  her 
health,  and  settled  in  Switzerland,  but  on  the 
outbreak  of  the  Franco-German  war  she  ac- 
cepted the  invitation  of  the  grand  duchess 
v)f  Baden  to  aid  in  the  establishment  of  her 
hospitals,  and  Miss  Barton  afterward  fol- 
lowed the  German  army      She  was  deco- 


rated with  the  golden  cross  Dy  the  granc 
duke  of  Baden,  and  with  the  iron  cross  by 
the  emperor  of  Germany.  She  aiso  served 
for  many  years  as  president  of  the  famous 
Red  Cross  Society  and  attained  a  world- 
wide reputation. 


CARDINAL  JAMES  GIBBONS,  one  01 
the  most  eminent  Catholic  clergymen 
in  America,  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land, July  23,  1834.  He  was  given  a 
thorough  education,  graduated  at  St.  Charles 
College,  Maryland,  in  1 857,  and  studied 
theology  in  St.  Mary's  Seminary,  Baltimore, 
Maryland.  In  1861  he  became  pastor  of 
St.  Bq^get's  church  in  BaltimoEe,  and  in 
1868  was  consecrated  vicar  apostolic  of 
North  Carolina.  In  1872  our  subject  be- 
came bishop  of  Richmond,  Virginia,  and 
five  years  later  was  made  archbishop  of  Bal- 
timore. On  the  30th  of  Tune,  1886,  he 
was  admitted  to  the  full  degree  of  cardinal 
and  primate  of  the  American  Catholic 
church.  He  was  a  fluent  writer,  and  his 
book,  "Faith  of  Our  Fathers,'  had  a  wide 
circulation. 

CHAUNCEY  MITCHELL  DEPEW.— 
This  name  is,  without  doubt,  one  ot 
the  most  widely  known  in  the  United  States. 
Mr.  Depew  was  born  April  23,  1834,  at 
Peekskill,  New  York,  the  home  of  the  Depew 
family  for  two  hundred  years.  He  attended 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  place, 
where  he  prepared  himself  to  enter  college. 
He  began  his  collegiate  course  at  Yale  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  and  graduated  in  1856. 
He  early  took  an  active  interest  in  politics 
and  joined  the  Republican  party  at  its  for- 
mation. He  then  took  up  the  study  of  law 
and  went  into  the  office  of  the  Hon.  Will- 
iam Nelson,  of  Peekskill,  for  that  purpose, 
and  in  1858  he  was   admitted  to  the  bar. 


210 


COMPENDIUM  OF   BIOGRAPHY. 


He  was  sent  as  a  delegate  by  the  new  party 
to  the  Republican  state  convention  of  that 
year.  He  began  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion in  1859,  but  though  he  was  a  good 
worker,  his  attention  was  detracted  by  the 
campaign  of  1  SGo,  in  which  he  took  an  act- 
ive part.  During  this  campaign  he  gained 
his  first  laurels  as  a  public  speaker.  Mr. 
Depew  was  elected  assemblyman  in  1862 
from  a  Democratic  district.  In  1863  he  se- 
cured the  nomination  for  secretary  of  state, 
and  gained  that  post  by  a  majority  of  thirty 
thousand.  In  1866  he  left  the  field  of  pol- 
itics and  entered  into  the  active  practice 
of  his  law  business  as  attorney  for  the 
New  York  &  Harlem  Railroad  Company, 
and  in  1869  when  this  road  was  consoli- 
dated with  the  New  York  Central,  and 
called  the  New  York  Central  &  Hudson 
River  Railroad,  he  was  appointed  the  attor- 
ney for  the  new  road.  His  rise  in  the  rail- 
road business  was  rapid,  and  ten  years  after 
his  entrance  into  the  Vanderbilt  system  as 
attorney  for  a  single  line,  he  was  the  gen- 
eral counsel  for  one  of  the  largest  railroad 
systems  in  the  world.  He  was  also  a 
director  in  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan 
Southern,  Michigan  Central,  Chicago  & 
Northwestern,  St.  Paul  &  Omaha,  West 
Shore,  and  Nickel  Plate  railroad  companies. 
In  1874  Mr.  Depew  was  made  regent  of 
the  State  University,  and  a  member  of  the 
commission  appointed  to  superintend  the 
erection  of  the  capitol  at  Albany.  In  1882, 
on  the  resignation  of  W.  H.  Vanderbilt 
from  the  presidency  of  the  New  York  Cen- 
tral and  the  accession  to  that  office  by 
James  H.  Rutter,  Mr.  Depew  was  made 
second  vice-president,  and  held  that  posi- 
tion until  the  death  of  Mr.  Rutter  in  18S5. 
In  this  year  Mr.  Depew  became  the  execu 
tive  head  of  this  great  corporation.  Mr. 
Depew's  greatest  fame  grew  from  his  ability 


and  eloquence  as  an  orator  and  "after-din- 
ner speaker,"  and  it  has  been  said  by  emi- 
nent critics  that  this  country  has  never  pro- 
duced his  equal  in  wit,  fluency  and  eloquence. 


PHILIP  KEARNEY.— Among  the  most 
dashing  and  brilliant  commanders  ill 
the  United  States  service,  few  have  outshone 
the  talented  officer  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch.  He  was  born  in  New  York  City, 
June  2,  1815.  and  was  of  Irish  ancestry  and 
imbued  with  all  the  dash  and  bravery  of  the 
Celtic  race.  He  graduated  from  Columbia 
College  and  studied  law,  out  in  1837  ac- 
cepted a  commission  as  lieutenant  in  the 
First  United  States  Dragoons,  of  which  his 
uncle,  Stephen  W.  Kearney,  was  then  colo- 
nel. He  was  sent  by  the  government, 
soon  after,  to  Europe  to  examine  and  report 
upon  the  tactics  of  the  French  cavalry. 
There  he  attended  the  Polytechnic  School, 
at  Samur,  and  subsequently  served  as  a  vol- 
unteer in  Algiers,  winning  the  cross  of  the 
Legion  of  Honor.  He  returned  to  the 
United  States  in  1840,  and  on  the  staff  of 
General  Scott,  in  the  Mexican  war,  served 
with  great  gallantry.  He  was  made  a  cap- 
tain of  dragoons  in  1846  and  made  major 
for  services  at  Contreras  and  Cherubusco. 
In  the  final  assault  on  the  Citv  of  Mexico 
at  the  San  Antonio  Gate,  Kearney  lost  an 
arm.  He  subsequently  served  in  California 
and  the  Pacific  coast.  In  iSq  1  he  resigned 
his  commission  and  went  to  Europe,  where 
he  resumed  his  military  studies.  In  the 
Italian  war,  in  1859,  he  served  as  a  volun- 
teer on  the  staff  of  General  Maurier,  of  the 
French  army,  and  took  part  in  the  battles 
of  Solferino  and  Magenta,  and  for  bravery 
was,  for  the  second  time,  decorated  with 
the  cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor.  On  the 
opening  of  the  Civil  war  he  hastened  home, 
and;  offering  his  services  to  the  general  gov- 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRATHT. 


211 


eminent,  was  made  brigadier-general  of 
volunteers  and  placed  in  command  of  a  bri- 
gade of  New  Jersey  troops.  In  the  cam- 
paign under  McClellan  he  commanded  a  di- 
vision, and  at  Williamsburg  and  Fair  Oaks 
his  services  were  valuable  and  briliiant,  as 
well  as  in  subsequent  engagements.  At 
Harrison's  Landing  he  was  made  major-gen- 
eral of  volunteers.  In  the  second  battle  of 
Bull  Run  he  was  conspicuous,  and  at  the 
battle  of  Chantilly,  September  i,  1862, 
while  leading  in  advance  of  his  troops,  Gen- 
eral Kearney  was  shot  and  killed. 


RUSSELL  SAGE,  one  of  the  financial 
giants  of  the  present  century  and  for 
more  than  an  average  generation  one  of  the 
most  conspicuous  and  celebrated  of  Ameri- 
cans, was  born  in  a  frontier  hamlet  in  cen- 
tral New  York  in  August,  18 16.  While  Rus- 
seli  was  still  a  boy  an  elder  brother,  Henry 
Risley  Sage,  established  a  small  grocery 
store  at  Troy,  New  York,  and  here  Russell 
found  his  first  employment,  as  errand  boy. 
He  served  a  five-years  apprenticeship,  and 
then  joined  another  brother,  Elisha  M.  Sage, 
in  a  new  venture  in  the  same  line,  which 
proved  profitable,  at  least  for  Russell,  who 
soon  became  its  sole  owner.  Next  he 
formed  the  partnership  of  Sage  &  Bates, 
and  greatly  extended  his  field  of  operations. 
At  twenty-five  he  had,  by  his  own  exertions, 
amassed  what  was,  in  those  days,  a  consid- 
erable fortune,  being  worth  about  seventy- 
five  thousand  dollars.  He  had  acquired  an 
influence  in  local  politics,  and  lour  years 
later  his  party,  the  Whigs,  elected  him  to 
the  aldermanic  board  of  Troy  and  to  the 
treasuryship  of  Rensselaer  county.  In  1848 
he  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  New 
York  delegation  to  the  Whig  convention  at 
Philadelphia,  casting  his  first  votes  for  Henry 
Clay,  but  joining  the    "stampede"  which 


nominated  Zachary  Taylor.  In  1850  the 
Whigs  oE  Troy  nominated  him  for  congress, 
but  he  was  not  elected — a  failure  which  he 
retrieved  two  years  later,  and  in  1854  he 
was  re-elected  by  a  sweeping  majority.  At 
Washington  he  ranked  high  in  influence  and 
ability.  Fame  as  a  speaker  and  as  a  polit- 
ical leader  was  within  his  grasp,  when  he 
gave  up  public  life,  declined  a  renomination 
to  congress,  and  went  back  to  Troy  to  de- 
vote himself  to  his  private  business.  Six 
years  later,  in  1863,  he  removed  to  New- 
York  and  plunged  into  the  arena  of  Wall 
street.  A  man  of  boundless  energy  and 
tireless  pertinacity,  with  wonderful  judg- 
ment of  men  and  things,  he  soon  took  his 
place  as  a  king  in  finance,  and,  it  is  said, 
during  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  con- 
trolled more  ready  money  than  any  other 
single  individual  on  this  continent. 


ROGER  QUARLES  MILLS,  a  noted 
United  States  senator  and  famous  as  the 
father  of  the  "Mills  tariff  bill,  "was  born 
in  Todd  county,  Kentucky,  March  30,  1832.. 
He  received  a  liberal  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  removed  to  Palestine, 
Texas,  in  1849.  He  took  up  the  study  of 
law,  and  supported  himself  by  serving  as  an 
assistant  in  the  post-office,  and  in  the  offices 
of  the  court  clerks.  In  1850  he  was  elected 
engrossing  clerk  of  the  Texas  house  of  rep- 
resentatives, and  in  1852  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  while  still  a  minor,  by  special  act 
of  the  legislature.  He  then  settled  at  Cor- 
sicana,  Texas,  and  began  the  active  prac- 
tice of  his  profession.  He  was  elected  to 
the  state  legislature  in  1859,  and  in  1872  he 
was  elected  to  congress  from  the  state  at 
large,  as  a  Democrat.  After  his  first  elec- 
tion he  was  continuously  returned  to  con- 
gress until  he  resigned  to  accept  the  posi- 
tion of  United  States  senator,  to  which  he 


212 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHT. 


■was  elected  March  23,  1892,  to  succeed 
Hon.  Horace  Chilton.  He  took  his  seat  in 
the  senate  March  30,  1892;  was  afterward 
re-elected  and  ranked  among  the  most  use- 
ful and  prominent  members  of  that  body. 
In  1876  he  opposed  the  creation  of  the  elec- 
toral commission,  and  in  1887  canvassed 
the  state  of  Texas  against  the  adoption  of 
a  prohibition  amendment  to  its  constitution, 
which  was  defeated.  He  introduced  into 
the  house  of  representatives  the  bill  that  was 
known  as  the  "Mills  Bill,"  reducing  duties 
on  imports,  and  extending  the  free  list. 
The  bill  passed  the  house  on  July  21,  1888, 
and  made  the  name  of  "Mills"  famous 
throughout  the  entire  country. 


HAZEN  S.  PINGREE,  the  celebrated 
Michigan  political  leader,  was  born  in 
Maine  in  1S42.  Up  to  fourteen  years  of 
age  he  worked  hard  on  the  stony  ground  of 
his  father's  small  farm.  Attending  school 
in  the  winter,  he  gained  a  fair  education, 
and  when  not  laboring  on  the  farm,  he 
found  employment  in  the  cotton  mills  in  the 
vi.  inity.  He  resolved  to  find  more  steady 
work,  and  accordingly  went  to  Hopkinton, 
usetts,  where  he  entered  a  shoe  fac- 
tory, but  on  the  outbreak  of  the  war  he  en- 
listed at  once  and  was  enrolled  in  the  First 
Massachusetts  Heavy  Artillery.  He  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  which  was 
In-,  initial  fight,  and  served  creditably  his 
early  term  of  service,  at  the  expiration  of 
which  he  re-enlisted.  He  fought  in  the 
battles  of  Fredricksburg,  Harris  Farm, 
Spottsylvania  Court  House  and  Cold  Har- 
bor In  1  864  he  was  captured  by  Mosby, 
and  spent  five  months  at  Andersonville, 
as  a  prisoner,  but  escaped  at  the 
end  of  that  time.  He  re-entered  the  service 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Fort 
Fisher,  Boyden,    and    Sailor's    Creek.      He 


was  honorably  mustered  out  of  service,  and 
in  1866  went  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  where 
he  made  use  of  his  former  experience  in  a 
shoe  factory,  and  found  work.  Later  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  another  workman 
and  started  a  small  factory,  which  has  since 
become  a  large  establishment.  Mr.  Pin- 
gree  made  his  entrance  into  politics  in  1889, 
in  which  year  he  was  elected  by  a  surpris- 
ingly large  majority  as  a  Republican  to  the 
mayoralty  of  Detroit,  in  which  office  he  was 
the  incumbent  during  four  consecutive  terms. 
In  November,  1S96,  he  was  elected  gov- 
ernor of  the  state  of  Michigan.  While 
mayor  of  Detroit,  Mr.  Pingree  originated 
and  put  into  execution  the  idea  of  allowing 
the  poor  people  of  the  city  the  use  of  va- 
cant city  lands  and  lots  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  potatoes.  The  idea  was  enthusiast- 
ically adopted  by  thousands  of  poor  families, 
attracted  wide  attention,  and  gave  its  author 
a  national  reputation  as  "Potato-patch  Pin- 


THOMAS  ANDREW  HENDRICKS,  an 
eminent  American  statesman  and  a 
Democratic  politician  of  national  fame,  was 
born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  Septem- 
ber 7,  1819.  In  [822  he  removed,  with  his 
father,  to  Shelby  county,  Indiana.  He 
graduated  from  the  South  Hanover  College 
in  1S41,  and  two  years  later  was  admitted 
to  the  bar.  In  1851  he  was  chosen  a  mem- 
ber of  the  state  constitutional  convention, 
and  took  a  leading  part  in  the  deliberations 
of  that  body.  He  was  elected  to  congress 
in  1851,  and  after  serving  two  terms  was 
appointed  commissioner  of  the  United  States 
general  land-office.  In  1863  he  waselected 
to  the  United  States  senate,  where  his  dis- 
tinguished services  commanded  the  respect 
of  all  parties.  He  was  elected  governor  of 
Indiana   in    1872,  serving  four  years,  and   in 


COMPEXDICM   OF    BIOGRAPHT 


213 


1876  was  nominated  by  the  Democrats  as 
candidate  for  the  vice-presidency  with  Til- 
den.  The  returns  in  a  number  of  states 
were  contested,  and  resulted  in  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  famous  electoral  commission, 
which  decided  in  favor  of  the  Republican 
candidates.  In  1884  Mr.  Hendricks  was 
again  nominated  as  candidate  for  the  vice- 
presidency,  by  the  Democratic  party,  on  the 
ticket  with  Grover  Cleveland,  was  elected, 
and  served  about  six  months.  He  died  at 
Indianapolis,  November  25,  1885.  He  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  brainiest  men  in  the 
party,  and  his  integrity  was  never  ques- 
tioned, even  by  his  political  opponents. 


GARRETT  A.  HOBART,  one  of  the 
many  able  men  who  have  held  the 
high  office  ofs  vice-president  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  June  3,  1844,  in  Mon- 
mouth county,  New  jersey,  and  in  i860  en- 
tered the  sophomore  class  at  Rutgers  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  graduated  in  1S63  at 
the  age  of  nineteen.  He  then  taught 
school  until  he  entered  the  law  office  of 
Socrates  Tuttle,  of  Paterson,  New  Jersey, 
with  whom  he  studied  law.  and  in  1869 
was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  immediately 
began  the  active  practice  of  his  profession 
in  the  office  of  the  above  named  gentleman. 
He  became  interested  in  political  life,  and 
espoused  the  cause  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  in  1865  held  his  first  office,  serving  as 
clerk  for  the  grand  jury.  He  was  also  city 
counsel  of  Paterson  in  1871,  and  in  May, 
1872,  was  elected  counsel  for  the  board  of 
chosen  freeholders.  He  entered  the  state 
legislature  in  1873,  and  was  re-elected  to 
the  assembly  in  1S74.  Mr.  Hobart  was 
made  speaker  of  the  assembly  in  1S76,  and 
and  in  1879  was  elected  to  the  state  senate. 
After  serving  three  years  in  the  same,  he 
was  elected  president  of  that  body  in  1881, 


and  the  following  year  was  re-elected  to 
that  office.  He  was  a  delegate-at 
the  Republican  national  convention  >n  1876 
and  1880,  and  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
national  committee  in  18S4,  which  pos-'tion 
he  occupied  continuously  until  1896.  He 
was  then  nominated  for  vice-president  by 
the  Republican  national  convention,  anr* 
was  elected  to  that  office  in  the  fall  of  1896 
on  the  ticket  with  William  McKinley. 


WILLIAM  MORRIS  STEWART,  noted 
as  a  political  leader  and  senator,  was 
born  in  Lyons,  Wayne  county,  New  York, 
August  9,  1^-7,  and  removed  with  his  par- 
ents while  still  a  small  child  to  Mesopota- 
mia township,  Trumbull  cpunty,  Ohio.  He 
attended  the  Lyons  Union  school  and  Farm- 
ington  Academy,  where  he  obtained  his  ed- 
ucation. Later  he  taught  mathematics  in 
the  former  school,  while  yet  a  pupil,  and 
with  the  little  money  thus  earned  and  the 
assistance  of  James  C.  Smith,  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  supreme  court  of  New  York, 
he  entered  Yale  College.  He  remained 
there  until  the  winter  of  1849-50,  when,  at- 
tracted by  the  gold  discoveries  in  California 
he  wended  his  way  thither.  He  arrived  at 
San  Francisco  in  May,  1850,  and  later  en- 
gaged in  mining  with  pick  and  shovel  in  Ne- 
vada county.  In  this  way  he  accumulated 
some  money,  and  in  the  spring  of  1852  he 
took  up  the  study  of  law  under  John  R. 
McConnell.  The  following  December  he 
was  appointed  district  attorney,  to  which 
office  he  was  chosen  at  the  general  election 
of  the  next  year.  In  1854  he  was  ap7 
pointed  attorney-general  of  California  and 
in  i860  he  removed  to  Virginia  City,  Ne- 
vada, where  he  largely  engaged  in  early 
mining  litigation.  Mr,  Stewart  was  also  in- 
terested in  the  development  of  the  "Corn- 
stock    lode,"    and   in    [86 1    was    chosen   a 


214 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY, 


member  of  the  territorial  council.  He  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  constitutional  con- 
vention in  1863,  and  was  elected  United 
States  senator  in  1864,  and  re-elected  in 
1869.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  in 
1875,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law  in 
Nevada,  California,  and  the  Pacific  coast 
generally.  He  was  thus  engaged  when  he 
was  elected  again  to  the  United  States  sen- 
ate as  a  Republican  in  1887  to  succeed  the 
late  James  G.  Fair,  a  Democrat,  and  took 
his  seat  March  4,  1887.  On  the  expiration 
of  his  term  he  was  again  re-elected  and  be- 
came one  of  the  leaders  of  his  party  in  con- 
gress. His  ability  as  an  orator,  and  the 
prominent  part  he  took  in  the  discussion  of 
public  questions,  gained  him  a  national  rep- 
utation. 


GEORGE  GRAHAM  VEST,  for  many 
years  a  prominent  member  of  the 
United  States  senate,  was  born  in  Frank- 
fort, Kentucky,  December  6,  1848.  He 
graduated  from  Center  College  in  1868,  and 
from  the  law  department  of  the  Transyl- 
vania University  of  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
in  1853.  In  the  same  year  he  removed  to 
Missouri  and  began  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. In  1 860  he  was  an  elector  on  the 
Democratic  ticket,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  lower  house  of  the  Missouri  legislature 
in  1860-61.  He  was  elected  to  the  Con- 
federate congress,  serving  two  years  in  the 
lower  house  and  one  in  the  senate.  He 
then  resumed  the  practice  of  law,  and  in 
1 879  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United 
States  to  succeed  James  Shields.  He  was 
re-elected  in  1885,  and  again  in  1891  and 
1897.  His  many  years  of  service  in  the 
National  congress,  coupled  with  his  ability 
as  a  speaker  and  the  active  part  he  took  in 
the  discussion  of  public  questions,  gave  him 
a  wide  reputation. 


HANNIBAL  HAMLIN,  a  noted  American 
statesman,  whose  name  is  indissolubly 
connected  with  the  history  of  this  country, 
was  born  in  Paris,  Maine,  August  27,  1809. 
He  learned  the  printer's  trade  and  followed 
that  calling  for  several  years.  He  then 
studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  practice 
in  1833.  He  was  elected  to  the  legislature 
of  the  state  of  Maine,  where  he  was  several 
times  chosen  speaker  of  the  lower  house. 
He  was  elected  to  congress  by  the  Demo- 
crats in  1843,  and  re-elected  in  1845.  In 
1848  he  was  chosen  to  the  United  States 
senate  and  served  in  that  body  until  1861. 
He  was  elected  governor  of  Maine  in  1857 
on  the  Republican  ticket,  but  resigned  when 
re-elected  to  the  United  States  senate 
the  same  year.  He  was  elected  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  on  the  ticket  with 
Lincoln  in  i860,  and  inaugurated  in  March, 
1861.  In  1865  he  was  appointed  collector 
of  the  port  of  Boston.  Beginning  with 
1869  he  served  two  six-year  terms  in  the 
United  States  senate,  and  was  then  ap- 
pointed by  President  Garfield  as  minister  to 
Spain  in  1881.  His  death  occurred  July  4, 
1891.  

TSHAM  G.  HARRIS,  famous  as  Confed- 
1  erate  war  governor  of  Tennessee,  and 
distinguished  by  his  twenty  years  of  service 
in  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  Franklin  county,  Tennessee,  and 
educated  at  the  Academy  of  Winchester. 
He  then  took  up  the  study  of  law,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  and  commenced  practice 
at  Paris,  Tennessee,  in  1841.  He  was 
elected  to  the  state  legislature  in  1847,  was 
a  candidate  for  presidential  elector  on  the 
Democratic  ticket  in  1848,  and  the  next 
year  was  elected  to  congress  from  his  dis- 
trict, and  re-elected  in  1851.  In  1853  he 
was  renominated   by  the   Democrats  of  his 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


district,  but  declined,  and  removed  to  Mem- 
phis, where  he  took  up  the  practice  of  law. 
He  was  a  presidential  elector-at-large  from 
Tennessee  in  1856,  and  was  elected  gov- 
ernor of  the  state  the  next  year,  and  again 
in  1859,  and  in  1861.  He  was  driven  from 
Nashville  by  the  advance  of  the  Union 
armies,  and  for  the  last  three  years  of  the 
war  acted  as  aid  upon  the  staff  of  the  com- 
manding general  of  the  Confederate  army 
of  Tennessee.  After  the  war  he  went  to 
Liverpool,  England,  where  he  became  a 
merchant,  but  returned  to  Memphis  in  1867, 
and  resumed  the  practice  of  law.  In  1877 
he  was  elected  to  the  United  States  senate, 
to  which  position  he  was  successively  re- 
elected until  his  death  in  1897. 


NELSON  DINGLEY,  Jr.,  for  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  century  one  of  the  leaders 
in  congress  and  framer  of  the  famous 
"  Dingley  tariff  bill,"  was  born  in  Durham, 
Maine,  in  1832.  His  father  as  well  as  all 
his  ancestors,  were  farmers,  merchants  and 
mechanics  and  of  English  descent.  Young 
Dingley  was  given  the  advantages  first  of 
the  common  schools  and  in  vacations  helped 
his  father  in  the  store  and  on  the  farm. 
When  twelve  years, of  age  he  attended  high 
school  and  at  seventeen  was  teaching  in  a 
country  school  district  and  preparing  him- 
self for  college.  The  following  year  he  en- 
tered Waterville  Academy  and  in  1 85 1  en- 
tered Colby  University.  After  a  year  and  a 
half  in  this  institution  he  entered  Dart- 
mouth College  and  was  graduated  in  1855 
with  high  rank  as  a  scholar,  debater  and 
writer.  He  next  studied  law  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1856.  But  instead  of 
practicing  his  profession  he  purchased  the 
"  Lewistown  (Me.)  Journal,"  which  be- 
came famous  throughout  the  New  England 
States  as  a  leader  in  the  advocacy  of  Repub- 


lican principles.  About  the  same  time  Mr. 
Dingley  began  his  political  career,  although 
ever  after  continuing  at  the  head  of  the 
newspaper.  He  was  soon  elected  to  the 
state  legislature  and  afterward  to  the  lower 
house  of  congress,  where  he  became  a 
prominent  national  character.  He  also 
served  two  terms  as  governor  of  Maine. 


OLIVER  PERRY  MORTON,  a  distin- 
guished American  statesman,  was  born 
in  Wayne  county,  Indiana,  August  4,  1823. 
His  early  education  was  by  private  teaching 
and  a  course  at  the  Wayne  County  Seminary. 
At  the  age  cc  twenty  years  he  entered  the 
Miami  University  at  Oxford,  Ohio,  and  at 
the  end  of  two  years  quit  the  college,  began 
the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  John  New- 
man, of  Centerville,  Indiana,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1847. 

Mr.  Morton  was  elected  judge  on  trie 
Democratic  ticket,  in  1852,  but  on  thi. 
passage  of  the  "  Kansas-Nebraska  Bill  "  he 
severed  his  connection  with  that  party,  and 
soon  became  a  prominent  leader  of  the  Re- 
publicans. He  was  elected  governor  of  In- 
diana in  1 86 1,  and  as  war  governor  became 
well  known  throughout  the  country.  He 
received  a  paralytic  stroke  in  1865,  which 
partially  deprived  him  of  the  use  of  his 
limbs.  He  was  chosen  to  the  United  States 
senate  from  Indiana,  in  1867,  and  wielded 
great  influence  in  that  body  until  the  time 
of  his  death,  November  1,   1877. 


JOHN  B.  GORDON,  a  brilliant  Confeder- 
ate officer  and  noted  senator  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  in  Upson  county,  Georgia, 
February  6,  1832.  He  graduated  from  the 
State  University,  studied  law,  and  took  up 
the  practice  of  his  profession.  At  the  be- 
ginning of  the  war  he  entered  the  Confederate 
service  as  captain   of  infantry,  and  rapidly 


216 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


rose  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general, 
commanding  one  wing  of  the  Confederate 
army  at  the  close  of  the  war.  In  1868  he 
was  Democratic  candidate  for  governor  of 
Georgia,  and  it  is  said  was  elected  by  a  large 
majority,  but  his  opponent  was  given  the 
office.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  national 
Democratic  conventions  in  1868  and  1872, 
and  a  presidential  elector  both  years.  In 
1873  he  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
senate.  In  1886  he  was  elected  governor 
of  Georgia,  and  re-elected  in  1888.  He 
was  again  elected  to  the  United  States 
senate  in  1890,  serving  until  1897,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  A.  S.  Clay.  He  was 
regarded  as  a  leader  of  the  southern  Democ- 
racy, and  noted  for  his  fiery  eloquence. 


STEPHEN  JOHNSON  FIELD,  an  illus- 
trious associate  justice  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  United  States,  was  born  at 
Haddam,  Connecticut,  November  4,  18 16, 
being  one  of  the  noted  sons  of  Rev.  D. 
D.  Field.  He  graduated  from  Williams 
College  in  1837.  took  up  the  study  of  law 
with  his  brother,  David  Dudley  Field,  be- 
coming his  partner  upon  admission  to  the 
bar.  He  went  to  California  in  1S49.  and  at 
once  began  to  take  an  active  interest  in  the 
political  affairs  of  that  state.  He  was 
elected  alcalde  of  Marysville,  in  1850,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  was  elected 
to  the  state  legislature.  In  1S57  he  was 
elected  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  the 
state,  and  two  years  afterwards  became  its 
chief  justice.  In  1863  he  was  appointed  by 
President  Lincoln  as  associate  justice  of  the 
supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  During 
his  incumbency,  in  1873,  he  was  appointed 
by  the  governor  of  California  one  of  a  corn- 
mission  to  examine  the  codes  of  the  state 
and  for  the  preparation  of  amendments  to 
the  same  for  submission   to   the    legislature. 


In  1877  he  was  one  of  the  famous  electoral 
commission  of  fifteen  members,  and  voted 
as  one  of  the  seven  favoring  the  election  of 
Tilden  to  the  presidency.  In  1880  a  Jarge 
portion  of  the  Democratic  party  favored  his 
nomination  as  candidate  for  the  presidency. 
He  retired  in  the  fall  of  1897,  having 
served  a  greater  number  of  years  on  the 
supreme  bench  than  any  of  his  associates  or 
predecessors,  Chief  Justice  Marshall  coming 
next  in  length  of  service. 

JOHN  T.  MORGAN,  whose  services  in 
the  United  States  senate  brought  him 
into  national  prominence,  was  born  in 
Athens,  Tennessee,  June  20,  1S24.  At  the 
age  of  nine  years  he  emigrated  to  Alabama, 
where  he  made  his  permanent  home,  and 
where  he  received  an  academic  education. 
He  then  took  up  the  study  of  law,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1845.  He  took  a 
leading  part  in  local  politics,  was  a  presi- 
dential elector  in  i860,  casting  his  ballot 
for  Breckenridge  and  Lane,  and  111  1861- 
was  a  delegate  to  the  state  convention  which 
passed  the  ordinance  of  secession.  In  May, 
of  the  same  year,  he  joined  the  Confederate 
army  as  a  private  in  Company  I,  Cahawba 
Rifles,  and  was  soon  after  made  major  and 
then  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Fifth  Regiment. 
In  1862  he  was  commissioned  colonel,  and 
soon  after  made  brigadier-general  and  as- 
signed to  the  command  of  a  brigade  in  Vir- 
ginia. He  resigned  to  join  his  old  1 
whose  colonel  had  been  killed.  He  was 
soon  afterward  again  made  brigadier-gen- 
eral and  given  command  of  the  brigade  that 
included  his  regiment. 

After  the  war  he  returned  to  the  prac- 
tice of  law,  and  continued  it  up  to  the  time 
of  his  election  to  the  United  States  senate,  id 
1877.  He  was  a  presidential  elector  in  1876 
and  cast  his  vote  for  Tilden  and  Hendricks 


COMPENDIUM   OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


217 


He  was  re-elected  to  the  senate  in  1S83, 
and  again  in  1889,  and  1895.  His  speeches 
and  the  measures  he  introduced,  marked 
as  they  were  by  an  intense  Americanism, 
brought    him    into   national   prominence. 


WILLIAM  McKINLEY,the  twenty-fifth 
president  of  the  United  States,  was 
born  at  Niles,  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  Jan- 
uary 29,  1844.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry,  and  received  his  early  education 
in  a  Methodist  academy  in  the  small  village 
of  Poland,  Ohio.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
war  Mr.  McKinley  was  teaching  school, 
earning  twenty-five  dollars  per  month.  As 
soon  as  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon  he  en- 
listed in  a  company  that  was  formed  in 
Poiand,  which  was  inspected  and  mustered 
in  by  General  John  C.  Fremont,  who  at 
first  objected  to  Mr.  McKinley,  as  being  too 
young,  but  upon  examination  he  was  finally 
accepted.  Mr.  McKinley  was  seventeen 
when  the  war  broke  out  but  did  not  look  his 
age.  He  served  in  the  Twenty-third  Ohio 
Infantry  throughout  the  war,  was  promoted 
from  sergeant  to  captain,  for  good  conduct 
on  the  field,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war, 
for  meritorious  services,  he  was  brevetted 
maior.  After  leaving  the  army  Major  Mc- 
Kinley took  up  the  study  of  law,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  in  1869  he  took 
his  initiation  into  politics,  being  elected  pros- 
ecuting attorney  of  his  county  as  a  Republi- 
can, although  the  district  was  usually  Demo- 
cratic. In  1 876  he  was  elected  to  congress, 
and  in  a  call  upon  the  President-elect,  Mr. 
Haves,  to  whom  he  went  for  advice  upon  the 
way  he  should  shape  his  career,  he  was 
told  that  to  achieve  fame  and  success  he 
must  take  one  special  line  and  stick  to  it. 
Mr.  McKinley  chose  tariff  legislation  and 
he  became  an  authority  in  regard  to  import 
duties.      He  was  a  member  of  congress  for 


many  years,  became  chairman  of  the  ways 
and  means  committee,  and  later  he  advo- 
cated the  famous  tariff  bill  that  bore  his 
name,  which  was  passed  in  1S90.  In  the 
next  election  the  Republican  party  was 
overwhelmingly  defeated  through  the  coun- 
try, and  the  Democrats  secured  more  than 
a  two  thirds  majority  in  the  lower  house, 
and  also  had  control  of  the  senate,  Mr. 
McKinley  being  defeated  in  his  own  district 
by  a  small  majority.  He  was  elected  gov- 
ernor of  Ohio  in  1891  by  a  plurality  of 
twenty-one  thousand,  five  hundred  and 
eleven,  and  two  years  later  he  was  re-elected 
by  the  still  greater  plurality  of  eighty  thou- 
sand, nine  hundred  and  ninety-five.  He  was 
a  delegate-at-large  to  the  Minneapolis  Re^ 
publican  convention  in  1892,  and  was  in- 
structed to  support  the  nomination  of  Mr. 
Harrison.  He  was  chairman  of  the  con- 
vention, and  was  the  only  man  from  Ohio 
to  vote  for  Mr.  Harrison  upon  the  roll  call. 
In  November,  1892,  a  number  of  prominent 
politicians  gathered  in  New  York  to  discuss 
the  political  situation,  and  decided  that  the 
result  of  the  election  had  put  an  end  to  Mc- 
Kinley and  McKinleyism.  But  in  less  than 
four  years  from  that  date  Mr.  McKinley  was 
nominated  for  the  presidency  against  the 
combined  opposition  of  half  a  dozen  rival 
candidates.  Much  of  the  credit  for  his  suc- 
cess was  due  to  Mark  A.  Hanna,  of  Cleve- 
land, afterward  chairman  of  the  Republican 
national  committee.  At  the  election  which 
occurred  in  November,  1  896,  Mr.  McKinley 
was  elected  president  of  the  United  States 
by  an  enormous  majority,  on  a  gold  stand- 
ard and  protective  tariff  platform.  He  was 
inaugurated  on  the  4th  of  March,  1S07, 
and  called  a  special  session  of  congress,  to 
which  was  submitted  a  bill  for  tariff  reform, 
which  was  passed  in  the  latter  part  of  July 
of  that  vear. 


218 


COMPENDIUM    OF    BIOGRAPHY. 


CINCINNATUS  HEINE  MILLER, 
known  in  the  literary  world  as  Joaquin 
Miller,  "  the  poet  of  the  Sierras,"  was  born 
at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1841.  When  only 
about  thirteen  years  of  age  he  ran  away 
from  home  and  went  to  the  mining  regions 
in  California  and  along  the  Pacific  coast. 
Some  time  afterward  he  was  taken  prisoner 
by  the  Modoc  Indians  and  lived  with  them 
for  five  years.  He  learned  their  language 
and  gained  great  influence  with  them,  fight- 
ing in  their  wars,  and  in  all  modes  of  living 
became  as  one  of  them.  In  1858  he  left 
the  Indians  and  went  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  studied  law,  and  in  i860  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  Oregon.  In  1866  he 
was  elected  a  county  judge  in  Oregon  and 
served  four  years.  Early  in  the  seventies 
he  began  devoting  a  good  deal  of  time  to 
literary  pursuits,  and  about  1874  he  settled 
in  Washington,  D.  C.  He  wrote  many 
poems  and  dramas  that  attracted  consider- 
able attention  and  won  him  an  extended 
reputation.  Among  his  productions  may  be 
mentioned  "  Pacific  Poems,"  "  Songs  of  the 
Sierras,"  "Songs  of  the  Sun  Lands," 
"  Ships  in  the  Desert, "  ' '  Adrianne,  a  Dream 
of  Italy,"  "  Danites, "  "Unwritten  History," 
"  First  Families  of  the  Sierras  "  (a  novel), 
"  One  Fair  Woman  "  ia  novel),  "Songs  of 
Italy,"  "Shadows  of  Shasta,"  "The  Gold- 
Seekers  of  the  Sierras,"  and  a  number  of 
others.  

GEORGE  FREDERICK  ROOT,  a 
noted  music  publisher  and  composer, 
was  born  in  Sheffield,  Berkshire  county, 
Massachusetts,  on  August  30,  1S20.  While 
working  on  his  father's  farm  he  found  time 
to  learn,  unaided,  several  musical  instru- 
ments, and  in  his  eighteenth  year  he  went 
to  Boston,  where  he  soon  found  employ- 
ment as  a   teacher  of  music.      From    1839 


until  1844  he  gave  instructions  in  music  ;n 
the  public  schools  of  that  city,  and  was  also 
director  of  music  in  two  churches.  Mr. 
Root  then  went  to  New  York  and  taught 
music  in  the  various  educational  institutions 
of  the  city.  He  went  to  Paris  in  1850  and 
spent  one  year  there  in  study,  and  on  his  re- 
turn he  published  his  first  song,  "Hazel 
Dell."  It  appeared  as  the  work  of  "  Wur- 
zel,"  which  was  the  German  equivalent  of 
his  name.  He  was  the  originator  of  the 
normal  musical  institutions,  and  when  the 
first  one  was  started  in  New  York  he 
was  one  of  the  faculty.  He  removed  to 
Chicago,  Illinois,  in  i860,  and  established 
the  firm  of  Root  &  Cady,  and  engaged  in 
the  publication  of  music.  He  received,  in 
1872,  the  degree  of  "Doctor  of  Music" 
from  the  University  of  Chicago.  After  the 
war  the  firm  became  George  F.  Root  &  Co., 
of  Cincinnati  and  Chicago.  Mr.  Root  did 
much  to  elevate  the  standard  of  music  in  this 
country  by  his  compositions  and  work  as  a 
teacher.  Besides  his  numerous  songs  he 
wrote  a  great  deal  of  sacred  music  and  pub- 
lished many  collections  of  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music.  For  many  years  he  was  the 
most  popular  song  writer  in  America,  and 
was  one  of  the  greatest  song  writers  of  the 
war.  He  is  also  well-known  as  an  author, 
and  his  work  in  that  line  comprises:  ' '  Meth- 
ods for  the  Piano  and  Organ,"  "  Hand- 
book on  Harmony  Teaching,"  and  innumer- 
able articles  for  the  musical  press.  Among 
his  many  and  most  popular  songs  of  the 
wartime  are:  "  Rosalie,  the  Prairie-flower," 
"Battle  Cry  of  Freedom,"  "  Just  Before  the 
Battle,"  "Tramp,  Tramp,  Tramp,  the  Boys 
are  Marching,"  "  The  Old  Folks  are  Gone," 
"A  Hundred  Years  Ago,"  "Old  Potomac 
Shore,  "and  "  There's  Music  in  the  Air ."  Mr. 
Root's  cantatas  include  ' '  The  Flower  Queen* 
and  "The  Haymakers."     He  died  in  1896. 


Iti^ 


BOONE  COUNTY 


IOWA 


■ 


A>J<^' 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


CHARLES  J.  A.  ERICSON. 

For  almost  a  third  of  a  century  Charles 
J.  A.  Ericson  has  been  a  resident  of  Boone, 
and  his  lite  work  has  contributed  to  the 
commercial  and  political  history  of  the  state. 
Although  he  began  his  business  career  with- 
out capital  he  is  now  the  cashier  and  one  of 
the  leading  stockholders  of  the  City  Bank  of 
Boone.  His  political  service  covers  two  ses- 
sions of  the  state  legislature,  in  which  he 
was  a  member  of  the  house  and  three  ses- 
sions in  the  state  senate.  Although  he  has 
never  sought  official  or  public  acknowledg- 
ment for  his  service,  nor  does  he  claim  to 
have  done  more  than  his  duty  in  the  various 
walks  of  life,  all  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  life  record  of  Mr.  Ericson  know  that  his 
labors,  directly  ami  indirectly,  have  bene- 
fited  the  city,   county   and   state. 

A  native  of  Sweden.  Mr.  Ericson  was 
born  in  the  province  of  Calmer,  on  the  8th 
of  March,  1840.  His  father.  Eric  Nelson, 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  with  his 
family  came  to  America  in  1S52.  Two 
older  brothers  had  come  to  the  United  States 
about  three  years  before  and  had  settled  in 
Rock  Island  count}-,  near  Moline.  Illinois, 
and  thither  Mr.  Nelson  proceeded.  The  fam- 
ily  had   taken   passage   at    Gutenburg  on   a 


three-mast  schooner,  the  Virginia,  under 
command  of  Cap'ain  Janson,  and  after  a 
plea-ant  voyage  of  forty-five  day-  reached 
the  harbor  of  New  York.  They  at  once  pro- 
ceeded westward,  going  up  the  Hudson  river 
by  boal  to  Ubany,  New  York,  and  by  the 
Erie  railroad  from  Albany  to  Buffalo,  lie 
then  proceeded  by  steamer  to  Dunkirk  and 
i'ii  by  rail  to  Chicago,  and  as  there  was 
then  no  railroad  line  extending  west  of  Chi- 
cago, they  went  by  canal  boat  to  Peru.  Illi- 
nois, and  across  the  country  by  team  to  Mo- 
line. The  father  came  into  possession  of  a 
small  tract  of  land  near  Moline  and  turned 
his  attention  to  fanning,  and  also  engaged  in 
fishing,  an  occupation  which  he  had  pre- 
viously followed  while  in  Sweden.  He  was 
thus  engaged  until  1865.  when  he  removed  to 
Webster  county.  Iowa,  beating  upon  1 
farm.  It  was  his  place  of  abode  until  within 
a  few  years  prior  to  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1801.  He  died  at  the  home  of  his 
son,  X.  P.  Peterson,  at  Mineral  Ridge,  and 
there  the  mother  of  our  subject  also  passed 
away  in  [889.  They  were  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  church,  and  in  his  po- 
litical views  Mr.  Nelson  was  a  Republican. 
In  their  family  were  four  children :  X.  P.. 
who  makes  lis  home  in  Mineral  Ridge,  Lwa; 
(,.  A.,   who  died  in  Florida,  in    [880,  at  the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


age  of  fifty-one  years;  one  that  died  in  in- 
fancy: and  Charles  J.  A.,  of  this  review. 

The  early  education  of  Mr.  Ericson  was 
i  ibtained  in  the  o  unim  m  schi "  >ls  of  his  native 
land,  where  he  pursued  his  studies  until 
twelve  rears  of  age.  when  he  accompanied 
the  family  to  the  new  world  and  continued 
his  studies  in  the  common  schools  of  Rock 
Island  county,  Illinois.  At  the  age  of  thir- 
teen he  began  to  work  for  his  elder  brother 
upon  a  farm,  hauling  wood  and  logs  and 
also  1, leaking  the  prairie.  Me  was  thus  en- 
gaged for  three  year-,  and  then  found  em- 
ployment in  a  sawmill  and  soon  acquired 
sufficient  knowledge  to  run  the  stationary 
engine.  Later  he  assisted  in  running  a  flat- 
In  at  fern  across  Rock  river.  About  this 
time  the  family  removed  to  Altona,  Knox 
county,  Illinois,  the  brothers  having  built  a 
saw  and  flour  mill  there,  and  in  the  new 
plant  Mr.  Ericson  served  as  engineer  Ear  a 
time.  The  brothers  also  conducted  a  gen- 
eral store,  and  our  subject  later  became  a 
clerk  in  the  establishment.  This  gave  him 
an  opportunitj  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of 
the  mercantile  business — a  knowledge  which 
afterward  proved  of  much  value  to  him. 

In  the  spring  of  [859  Mr.  Erii  ■ 
rived  in  Boone  county,  locating  in  Mineral 
Ridge,  where  he  opened  a  little  store,  having 
hut  little  capital,  and  that  all  having  been  ac- 
quired through  his  own  efforts  in  former 
years,  lie  also  engaged  in  buying  and  sell- 
ing cattle  and  other  livestock,  and  in  both 
branches  of  his  business  met  with  credible 
success.  In  1S70  he  purchased  the  general 
store  of  Jackson  OlT,  in  Boone,  the  former 
proprietor  having  been  elected  to  congress, 
which  caused  hint  to  wish  to  discontinue  the 
business.  For  five  years  Mr.  Ericson  then 
carried  on  general  merchandise  in  this  city, 


his  patronage  steadily  increasing  as  his  hon- 
orable business  methods  and  earnest  desire 
to  please  his  patrons  became  recognized  by 
the  public.  In  1S72  Air.  Ericson  assisted  in 
the  organization  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Boone,  and  was  elected  its  vice  president. 
In  1875  he  closed  out  his  mercantile  interests 
and  became  cashier  of  the  First  National 
Hank,  which  surrendered  its  charter  and  was 
reorganized  as  the  City  Bank  in  1S78.  Mr. 
Ericson  has  been  continuously  in  the  posi- 
tion since.  The  original  capital  stock  was 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  from  the  earnings 
of  this  bank  alone  this  has  been  increased  to 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  there  is 
a  surplus  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  building  occupied  by  the 
City  Bank  is  a  handsome  and  commodious 
structure,  which  was  remodeled  in  1892  espe- 
cially for  the  hank,  and  is  fitted  with  all  the 
equipments  of  a  model  banking  institution. 
The  present  officers  are:  Frank  Champlain, 
president;  Louis  Goeppinger^  vice  presi- 
dent; Charles  J.  A.  Ericson',  cashier;  C.  A. 
Rice,  assistant  cashier;  C.  H.  Goeppinger, 
second  assistant  cashier,  and  R.  J.  1  luck- 
worth,  teller. 

Since  attaining  his  majority,  .Mr.  Erie- 
son  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  poli- 
tics, keeping  well  informed  on  the  issues  of 
the  day.  and  while  a  resident  of  Mineral 
Ridge  was  appointed  postmaster,  in  [860, 
during  Buchanan's  administration,  filling  the 
position  continuously  until  his  removal  to 
Boone  in  1870.     He  had  also  served  as  road 

supervisor,  scl 1  director,  school  treasurer 

and  township  clerk.      He  has  been  alderman 
of    I'.' "lie.  cit}    treasurer  several  terms,  and 
president   and  treasurer  1  >f  thi 
of  the  city. 

In    1N71    be  was  elected  a  member  of  the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


225 


fi  urteenth  general  assembly  of  Iowa,  on  the 
Republican  ticket,  his  opponent  being  Judge 
M.  K.  Ramsey,  lie  served  during  the  reg- 
ular session  and  during  an  extra  session, 
which  was  caile  1  in  [873,  to  revise  the  code. 
Senator  Allison  was  at  that  time  elected  to 
succeed  Senat<  r  James  Harland.  and  Mr. 
Ericson  was  one  of  his  stalwart  supporters. 
Twenty-five  years  later  he  consented  to  be- 
come the  candidate  for  state  senator,  and 
was  elected  in  the  year  1895.  While  in  the 
senate  he  introduced  a  bill,  and  was  largely 
instrumental  in  securing  its  passage,  where- 
by corporations  are  taxed,  and  this  has  re- 
sulted in  bringing  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars  into  the  state  treasury.  PR1  also  se- 
cured the  passage  of  a  bill  for  the  reduction 
of  the  interest  on  state  warrants  from  six 
to  five  per  cent.  His  official  record  is  that 
of  a  business  man  who  looks  at  things  from 
a  practical  standpoint,  who  can  see  beyond 
the  conditions  of  the  moment  to  the  exigen- 
cies of  the  future,  and  labors  not  only  for 
the  present  but  for  the  future  of  the  state, 
placing  the  government  before  partisanship 
and  the  general  welfare  before  personal  ag- 
grandizement. 

Mr.  Ericson  ha-  been  twice  married.  In 
[858  he  wedded  Miss  Matilda  Nelson,  and 
unto  them  were  born  two  daughters,  Alice 
and  Rorena.  who  are  with  their  father.  In 
[873  Mr.  Ericson  as  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Nellie  Linderblood,  who  died  in  [899. 
The  family  have  an  attractive  home  in 
Boone,  and  in  addition  to  this  Mr.  Ericson 
owns  much  1  ther  valuable  real  estate,  includ- 
ing one  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Hancock 
count  v. 


on,  m  c  mpai 


his  daughter  Lorena,  made  an  extensive  tr 
abn  ad,  sailing  fr<  m  New-  York  to  Gibralt; 


thence  to  Italy,  Greece,  Egypt,  Palestine  and 

Turkey  on  their  return.  They  then  made 
their  way  to  sunny  Italy,  and  as  the  season 
advanced  journeyed  north  through  Switzer- 
land, France.  Belgium,  ( rermany,  Denmark. 
and  Norway  and  Sweden,  returning  home  by 
way  of  England  and  the  British  Isles.  In 
[863  Mr.  Ericson  became  a  Mason  and  111  w 
holds  membership  in  Mount  Olive  Lodge, 
No.  79,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  Tuscan  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  F-calibur 
Commandery,  No.  13.  R.  T.,  and  has  held 
all  the  principal  offices  in  these  organiza- 
tions, having  served  as  treasurer  of  the  a  m- 
mandery  since  his  arrival  in  Boone.  He  has 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  and 
progress  of  his  adopted  city,  and  has.  co- 
operated in  many  movemnts  for  the  general 
good.  At  a  cost  of  ten  thousand  and  seven 
hundreds  dollars  he  built  a  handsome  library 
building,  which  he  presented  to  the  city, 
known  as  the  Ericson  Memorial  Library. 
In  1901  he  was  requested  by  the  hoard  of 
direob  rs  of  the  State  Historical  Scciet}  of 
Des  Moines,  through  the  Hon.  Charles 
Aldrich,  curator,  to  furnish  a  marble  bust  of 
himself,  to  be  placed  in  the  Iowa  hall  of  his- 
tory. After  much  hesitation  as  to  the  pn  - 
priety  of  complying  with  this  unexpected  re- 
quest, being  a  modest  man.  he  finally  con- 
sented to  do  so.  A  fine  carara  marble  bust, 
made  by  a  noted  artist  in  Florence,  Italy, 
has  been  placed  a-  desired  in  the  [owa  hall 
of  history. 

In  a  summary  of  his  career  one  of  the 
most  noticeable  facts  is  his  continued  ad- 
vancement from  the  time  when  as  a  boy  of 
thirteen  years  he  stai  led  .  m!  ti  1  earn  his  1 1\\  n 
living  at  hauling  1<  gs  and  breaking  prairie. 
A  laudable  ambition  prompted  him  to  con 
tinned    effi  n    in    the   legitimate   channels   of 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


business,  and  he  stands  today  among  those 
who  command  wealth  as  the  result  of  untir- 
ing industry  and  capable  management  above 
all  of  honorable  methods.  Whether  as  a 
private  citizen  or  an  official  in  local  or  state 
offices  he  has  labored  for  the  general  good 
along  lines  of  substantia)  and  lasting  im- 
provement. He  commands  uniform  confi- 
dence and  respect,  not  by  reason  of  any 
claim  which  he  makes  upon  the  regard  of  his 
fellow  men.  but  because  his  salient  charac- 
teristic- are  those  which  in  even-  land  and 
every  clime  win  esteem. 

He  has  been  a  liberal  contributor  to  edu- 
cational institutions,  especially  to  Augustana 
College,  of  Rock  Island.  Illinois,  a  Swedish 
theological  seminary,  which  he  endowed  by 
the  contribution  of  two  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  valuable  coal  land,  worth  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  for  the  endowment  of  a 
Swt  lish  chair,  and  the  sum  of  thirteen  thou- 
sand dollars.  For  this  a  valuable  tract  of 
land  was  purchased,  and  .Mr.  Ericson  agreed 
to  give  one-half  of  the  amount  if  the  faculty 
would  raise  the  other  half.  This  was  done, 
the  land  being  purchased  for  twenty-six 
thousand  dollars,  and  it  has  been  given  the 
name  i  f  Ericson  Park,  in  his  honor.     It  was 

there  that  a  part  of  his  childh 1  was  passed, 

having  often  -one  hunting  upon  that  very 
tract  in  early  days. 


ability,  being  one  of  the  most  popular  and 
best  known  clergymen  in  the  Des  Moines 
and  Stanton  districts,  having  served  both 
districts  in  the  highest  official  capacity.  His 
influence  is  broad  and  dominant  and  arises 
from  a  deep  human  sympathy,  combined 
with  an  earnest  desire  to  aid  his  fellow  men 
and  promote  the  cause  of  Christianity. 

Joseph  Alfred  Anderson  was  born  in 
Sweden.  July  10,  1868,  and  is  a  son  of  J.  M. 
and  Louisa  (Samuelson)  Anderson,  who 
were  natives  of  the  same  country,  but  before 
their  son  Joseph  was  a  year  old  the  family 
circle  was  broken  by  the  death  of  the  mother 
and  six  years  later  the  father  left  his  native 
country  and  with  bis  son  Joseph  came  to 
America,  locating  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 
Here  the  subject  of  this  review  became  a 
student  in  the  public  schools  and  was  after- 
ward graduated  in  the  Augustana  College  at 
Rock  Island.  Illinois,  with  the  class  of  1888. 
lie  had  thus  acquired  a  good  literary  know- 
ledge to  serve  as  a  foundation  upon  which  to 
rear  the  superstructure  of  bis  theological 
learning.  In  [89]  he  again  entered  his  alma 
mater,  where  he  won  the  degree  of  Master 
of  \rt-.  and  in  [892  he  was  ordained  as  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  since  which  time  be 
has  devoted  his  attention  untiringly  to  the 
work  of  promulating  the  great  principles  of 
Christianity  which  lead  to  the  salvation  of 


REV.  J<  ISEPH  A.  ANDERSON. 

Rev.  Joseph  A.  Anderson  is  pastor  of 
the  I  /angelical  Lutheran  Augustana  Synod 
of  North  America,  having  local  charge  in 
Boone,  Iowa,  lie  reside-  in  the  Des  Moines 
district  and  is  a  young    man  of    exceptional 


Rev.  Anderson  was  at  once  given  a 
church  at  Creston,  Tow  a.  and  there  be  re- 
mained for  eight  years,  his  labors  proving 
effective  in  advancing  the  interests  of  hi0 
denomination.  In  the  meantime  he  was 
elected  to  Till  the  office  of  secretary  of  the  con- 
ference for  a  term  of  five  years.  I  le  was  also 
elected  president  of  the  Stanton  conference 
district   and  capably  tilled  that  position   for 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


227 


two  years.  He  was  likewise  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees  for  tbree  years  and  has  been 
elected  twice  as  a  delegate  to  the  general 
council  of  his  church,  but  served  only  once. 
Other  sacred  offices  have  been  conferred  up- 
on him.  for  he  was  elected  as  president  of  the 
Des  Moines  conference  district  and  is  at  the 
present  time  the  incumbent  in  that  office 
whereby  he  has  largely  extended  the  useful- 
ness of  the  church  and  made  its  efforts  more 
effective.  As  a  pastor  of  the  church  in  Boone 
he  looks  after  the  spiritual  welfare  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty  church  members.  Under 
his  g-uidence  the  church  is  growing  both 
numerically  and  spiritually  and  his  work  is 
proving  an  important  element  in  the  moral 
development  and  progress  of  this  part  of 
Iowa. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  1896.  Mr.  An- 
derson was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of 
matrimony  to  Miss  Ellen  Carlson,  a  daugh- 
ter of  A.  G.  and  Mary  (  Rydhold  )  Carlson. 
by  whom  he  had  two  children,  Gerald  and 
Lydia.  Mrs.  Anderson  is  a  native  of  Cres- 
ton,  Iowa,  her  birth  having  occurred  on  the 
6th  of  July,  1879.  She  is  an  able  assistant  to 
her  husband  in  his  holy  work  and  her  labors 
in  the  church  have  been  attended  with  good 
results.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Ander- 
son is  a  Republican.  He  belongs  to  that 
cla<s  of  citizens  who.  while  realizing  fully 
the  importance  of  preparation  for  the  spirit- 
ual world,  is  also  cognizant  of  his  duties  in 
this  life.  He  keeps  well  informed  on  the 
political  questions  of  the  day  and  votes  as  he 
believes  right.  His  kindly  disposition,  hu- 
manitarian principles  and  broad  sympathy 
have  gained  for  him  the  confidence  of  many 
whom  he  has  desired  to  help,  while  his  logi- 
cal and  earnest  utterances  from  the  pulpit 
have  had  their  effect  upon  mam-  lives;  bul 


the  influences  of  one  who  deals  with  the 
moral  nature  of  man  cannot  be  determined 
by  any  known  rule  or  standard  and  it  is  not 
until  the  books  of  eternity  are  opened  that 
the  full  measure  of  his  life  work  will  be 
known. 


IRA  SMITH. 

Ira  Smith  has  always  been  loyal  to  duty 
and  principle  as  has  been  demonstrated  by 
his  faithful  service  as  justice  of  the  peace 
of  Moingona  and  his  valiant  defense  of  the 
Union's  cause  during  the  Civil  war.  He  is 
a  pioneer  of  Boone  county,  where  he  has 
made  his  home  since  1869,  twenty  years  be- 
fore the  county  had  been  organized;  but 
during  that  period  its  growth  had  been  com- 
paratively small  and  frontier  conditions  still 
existed  when  Ira  Smith  took  up  his  abode 
here. 

He  is  a  native  of  Waldo  county.  Maine, 
born  December  8,  1831,  and  is  a  son  of 
Owen  and  Annie  (Fenderson)  Smith,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Fine  Tree  state. 
The  father  was  a  millwright  by  trade  and 
with  his  son.  our  subject,  came  to  the  west 
in  1856,  settling  in  Jasper  county.  Iowa, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  until  1858. 
He  then  returned  to  Maine,  settling  in  Pen- 
obscot county,  where  both  he  and  his  wife 
died. 

Ira  Smith,  their  son,  was  reared  under 
the  parental  roof  and  to  the  common  school 
system  of  his  native  county  he  is  indebted 
for  the  educational  privileges  which  he  en- 
joyed. He  was  married  in  Jasper  county, 
Iowa,  in  1857,  '"  Miss  Annie  Slater,  who 
was  born  in  England,  October  9,  1839,  ami 
is   a   sister  of    John    Slater,   a    brick   manu- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


facturer  of  Moingona,  who  is  represented 
elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Unto  our  subject 
and  his  wife  have  been  born  five  children : 
Charles  \Y.  married  Alice  Munson  and  is 
a  carpenter  living  in  Moingona;  Ira  E.  mar- 
ried Ida  Horton  and  resides  in  the  city  of 
Boone;  Thomas  R.  is  a  brakeman  running 
out  of  Boone  on  the  Chicago  &  Northwest- 
ern Railway;  .Mary  E.  is  deceased:  and  a 
second  Mary  died  in  infancy. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Smith  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade  in  Jasper  county.  Iowa, 
until  1862.  In  the  meantime  a  dissension  in 
the  county  over  the  question  of  slavery  had 
brought  on  civil  war  and  in  that  year  Mr. 
Smith  with  patriotic  spirit  offered  his  ser- 
vices to  the  government,  enlisting  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  A,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Hatch  and 
Captain  Charles  C.  Horton  He  took  part 
in  the  engagements  al  Water  Valley,  Mis- 
sissippi, in  the  fall  of  [862;  Coffeeville  in 
December;  the  Grierson  raid  in  April,  1863; 
the  engagements  of  Okolona,  Birming- 
ham, and  Moline;  that  of  Palo  Alt",  in 
April,  [863;  Jackson,  Mississippi,  July  13, 
[863;  and  Colliersville  in  the  month  of  No- 
vember of  1l1.1t  year.  At  that  point  Mr. 
Smith  knocked  the  supper  tal 
Forest  to  pieces  with  a  ten-pound  parrot 
shell,  lie  afterward  took  part  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Moscow,  December  4.  (863;  West 
Point.  February  21,  [864;  and  Tupelo,  July 
13.  [864.  At  Colliersville  November  23. 
1863,  Mr.  Smith  was  accidental!} 
by  a  piece  of  blank  cartridge  which  struck 
him  in  the  fa<  1 
sight  of  one  e\  e.  He  wa  I 
charged  at  Washington,  1  >.  C,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1864. 

Mr.    Smith    then    returned    to    New  ton. 


Iowa,  where  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's 
trade  until  he  came  to  Boone  county,  in 
1869.  He  became  identified  with  building 
interests  in  this  locality  and  worked  at  car- 
pentering for  four  years,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Jasper  county,  making  that  his 
place  of  residence  for  several  years.  His 
next  home  was  in  Kansas  for  four  years  and 
then  at  Franklin,  Nebraska,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  furniture  and  undertaking  business, 
being  one  of  the  merchants  and  representa- 
tive men  of  that  town  through  fourteen 
years.  In  December,  1895,  he  returned  to 
Boone  count}-,  settling  in  the  village  of 
Moingona.  where  he  has  since  lived  retired. 
He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  there  for 
the  pasl  five  years  and  his  decisions  indicate 
Strict  impartiality  and  careful  attention  to 
the  points  in  evidence.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  while  both  be 
and  his  wife  are  identified  with  the  Metho- 
disl  Episcopal  church  of  Moingona.  Mr. 
Smith  is  a  prominent  and  well-to-do  citizen 
lure,  of  social  manners  and  genial  deposi- 
tion, and  ha-  won  main    warm  friends. 


J(  MIX  II.  MAYER. 

'Idie  fanning  interests  of  Boone  county 
are  well  represented  by  John  H.  Mayer,  who 
is  interested  in  agricultural  pursuits 
den  township,  his  home  being  on  so 
He   was   born   in   Washington   county,   this 
state,    February  22,    (863,  bis  fath 
Mayer,  having  become  one  of  the  < 
tiers  of  that  locality.     He  removed  to  Iowa 
from  Pennsylvania  and  in  this  state  entered 
land  from  the  government,  carrying  on  the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


farm  work  in  connection  with  his  father. 
He  improved  an  excellent  farm  and  thus 
contributed  to  the  general  progress  and  de- 
velopment of  this  section  of  the  state.  His 
death  occurred  in  Washington  county,  in 
1874,  and  his  wife,  surviving  him  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  passed  away  in  1899. 

John  H.  Mayer  was  reared  upon  the  old 
family  homestead  there  and  at  the  usual  age 
entered  the  common  schools  where  he  ac- 
quired a  good  knowledge  of  the  common 
English  branches  of  learning.  After  his 
father's  death  he  remained  with  his  mother 
and  assisted  her  in  carrying  on  the  home 
farm  until  he  sought  a  home  of  his  own  and 
to  this  end  he  was  married  on  the  6th  of 
March.  1892,  in  Washington  county,  to  Miss 
Isabelle  Mason,  a  most  estimable  lad}-.  She 
is  a  native  of  Illinois  and  a  daughter  of 
George  Mason,  who  removed  from  that  state 
to  Washington  county,  Iowa,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
at  the  present  time  he  is  living  a  retired  life 
in  Madrid.  His  wife  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  Illinois  and  was  for  several  years 
engaged  in  teaching  music  there.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Mayer  began  their  domestic  life  in 
Washington  county  upon  a  farm  which  was 
their  home  for  two  years  and  in  1S04  they 
came  to  Boone  count}",  our  subject  purchas- 
ing his  present  farm  on  section  id.  Garden 
township.  There  was  an  old  house  upon  the 
place  and  a  few  improvements,  but  the  farm 
bore  little  resemblance  to  the  substantially 
developed  property  of  the  present  day.  Mr. 
Mayer  has  erected  a  good  residence  and  has 
divided  his  farm  into  fields  of  convenient 
size  li\  well  kept  fences.  lie  has  also 
planted  fruit  tree.-,  tilled  his  land  and  added 
all  modern  equipments.  He  has  a  flowing 
well  upon  the  place  and  is  engaged  in  the 


raising  of  g 1  graded  stock.     He  has  some 

very  high  grade  short  horn  cattle,  a  pure 
blooded  hull  and  also  some  standard  bred 
Clydesdale  horses.  He  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  successful  stock  raisers  of  the 
county  and  is  an  excellent  judge  of  -tods. 
quickly  recognizing  the  tine  point-,  of  a  do- 
mestic animal.  His  business  has  been  care- 
fully conducted  and  his  enterprise  and  in- 
dustry have  succeeded  in  bringing  to  him 
success. 

Called  to  public  office  by  his  fellow 
townsmen,  Mr.  Mayer  has  served  as  super- 
visor of  highways,  yet  political  honors  have 
never  had  any  attraction  for  him  as  he  has 
desired  rather  to  give  his  undivided  atten- 
tion to  his  business.  He  has  always  been  a 
Democrat,  voting  first  for  Cleveland  in  1884. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mayer  have  one  son,  Glenn. 
They  are  highly  esteemed  people  of  the 
community,  their  home  is  noted  for  its 
gracious  hospitality  and  their  circle  of 
friends  is  an  extensive  one. 


THOMAS  BURK. 


Thomas  P.urk.  who  is  residing  on  sec- 
tion 15,  Des  Moines  township,  is  one  of  the 
active  and  enterprising  farmers  of  Boone 
county,  owning  a  valuable  tract  of  land  ad- 
joining the  City  of  Boone.  He  is  also  a 
public-spirited  man  and  one  who  has  long 
been  actively  identified  with  the  progress 
and  improvement  of  this  portion  of  the 
state,  having  taken  up  his  abode  here  in  1885" 
Mr.  Burk  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia on  the  1  1  tli  day  of  June,  1843.  l'c 
received  g 1  school  privileges  in  his  native 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


state  and  when  a  young  man  made  his  way 
to  the  west,  hoping  to  secure  good  business 
opportunities  in  the  Mississippi  valley.  He 
located  in  Bloomington.  Illinois,  in  1861. 
By  trade  he  is  a  painter  and  he  followed 
that  pursuit  in  Bloomington  for  about  three 
years,  after  which  he  worked  in  Chicago. 
Subsequently  he  removed  to  Iowa,  and  en- 
gaged in  teaching  school  in  Boone  county, 
during  the  winter  of  1867-8.  At  a  later  date 
he  returned  to  Chicago  and  gain  worked  at 
the  painter's  trade  for  several  years  in  that 
city.  He  took  up  his  abode  permanently  in 
Boone  county  in  1885.  and  purchased  land 
near  the  city,  since  which  time  he  has  de- 
voted his  attention  to  general  farming.  He 
secured  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  acres  of 
land  upon  which  some  improvements  had 
been  made  and  began  the  further  develop- 
ment of  the  property.  lit  then  sold  his 
first  farm  and  purchased  eighty  acre-  in  1  »es 
Moines  township  upon  which,  he  now  resides, 
lie  has  since  rebuilt  and  remodeled  the 
house  and  has  erected  a  good  barn,  has 
planted  splendid  fruit  and  shade  trees  and 
made  many  other  substantial  improvements 
which  add  to  the  value  and  attractive  ap- 
pearance of  the  place.  The  farm  is  pleas- 
antly and  conveniently  located  just  outside 
the  city  limit  -  of  Boone,  so  that  Mr.  Burk 
and  his  family  are  enable. 1  1  1  enjoj  • 
forts  and  conveniences  of  city  life  as  well 
a-,  the  freedom  and  pleasure  of  farm  life. 

In  the  city  of  Bloomington,  Illinois,  in 
18(14,  \l .-  Burk  w  a-  unite  I 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Home,  a  native  of  McLean 
county,  Illinois,  and  a  widow  at  the  time  of 
her  marriage  to  .Mr.  Burk.  Her  father  was 
John  Mabary,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Mc- 
Lean county.  By  her  former  marriage  she 
had  one  son,   John  C.   I  [orne,  who  is  mar- 


ried and  lives  in  Chicago.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Burk  have  been  born  three  children, 
who  are  yet  living,  the  eldest  being  Charles 
T..  who  assists  in  the  operation  of  the 
farm.  Barbara  E.,  is  the  wife  of  Professor 
C.  C.  Gray,  principal  of  the  schools  of  Wyo- 
ming, Iowa.  He  is  a  man  of  brilliant  educa- 
tion, a  graduate  of  Cornell  College  and  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  prominent  instructors 
in  the  state.  Anna  M.  is  the  wife  of  William 
M.  Bass,  a  farmer  of  Boone  county  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Burk  lost  their  first  child.  Fran- 
cis M.,  who  died  in  Chicago,  September  5, 
1 881,  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age. 
Mrs.  Burk  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Boone,  and  Mr.  Lurk 
attends  services  with  her  and  contributes  to 
its  support. 

In  politics  he  has  been  a  life-long  Re- 
publican since  casting  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  18(14.  He  has 
taken  an  active  interest  in  local  politics  and 
ha-  been  honored  with  a  number  of  public 
offices.  lie  served  for  six  years  a-  town- 
ship clerk  and  in  1896  he  was  elected  super- 
visor ami  re-elected  to  that  office  until  he 
has  tilled  the  position  for  six  consecutive 
years,  being  an  active  and  leading  member 
of  the  county  board.  For  four  years  he  has 
been  it-  chairman  and  he  does  everything  in 
his  power  to  promote  the  substantial  im- 
provement of  the  county  through  the  exer- 
cise of  In-  official  prerogatives.  He  is  a 
friend  of  education,  a  believer  in  good 
schools  and  the  employment  of  callable 
teachers,  and  through  many  years  service  on 
the  school  board  he  has  labored  to  advance 
educational  facilities  in  this  county.  For 
fourteen  years  he  has  served  a-  secretary  of 
the  the  -cho,,l  board,  lie  has  been  a  dele- 
gate to  numerous  county,  congressional  and 


'HE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


>tate  conventions  and  was  one  of  the  dele- 
gates to  the  state  convention  of  1901,  when 
Governor  Cummins  was  nominated.  Thir- 
ty-five years  have  passed  since  Mr.  Burl; 
first  came  to  Boone  county  and  during  this 
time  he  has  witnessed  much  of  the  growth 
and  upbuilding  of  this  portion  of  the  state, 
having  seen  its  wild  lands  transformed  into 
fine  farms,  while  the  county  has  been  crossed 
and  recrossed  by  the  network  of  railroads 
the  telegraph  and  telephone  have  been  intro- 
duced and  agricultural,  commercial  and  pro- 
fessional interests  have  been  carried  on  until 
the  county  has  grown  and  developed  into 
one  of  the  leading  counties  of  this  greac 
commonwealth. 


JERRY  RTXEHART. 

Extensively  engaged  in  farming  in 
Amaqua  township.  Jerry  Rinehart  is  a  rep- 
resentative of  one  of  the  oldest  families  in 
that  part  of  Boone  county,  their  connection 
with  the  development  and  progress  of  the 
locality  dating  from  1865.  Half  the  width 
of  the  a  continent  separates  him  from  his 
birthplace,  for  he  is  a  native  of  Washington 
county,  Maryland,  born  July  26,  1837.  His 
parents,  Samuel  and  Lydia  ( Prett )  Rine- 
hart, were  both  natives  of  Maryland,  their 
home  being  in  Washington  county,  where 
the  father  was  engaged  in  farming  for  sev- 
eral years.  He  afterward  removed  to  Hardy 
county,  West  Virginia,  where  he  carried  on 
agricultural  pursuits  until  he  was  called  to 
his  final  rest.  His  wife  also  passed  away  in 
that  locality.  A  brave  man.  he  served  his 
country  in  both  the  Mexican  and  Civil  wars. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  burn  twelve 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  yet  living,  as 


follows:  Henry,  who  resides  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C..:  Jane,  the  wife  of  Rev.  A.  M. 
Everetts,  a  resident  of  Hagerstown,  Mary- 
land; Mary,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Snyder,  who 
is  living  in  Estherville,  Iowa;  Susan,  the 
wife  of  Rev.  Zimeri  Umstadt,  who  makes 
his  home  near  Kaiser,  West  Virginia  ;  Lydia, 
the  wife  of  Calvin  Smith,  also  of  West  Vir- 
ginia;  William,  a  large  and  prominent 
farmer  of  Amaqua  township,  living  on  sec- 
tion 1 1  ;  and  Jerry,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review. 

In  the  common  schools  of  his  native  state 
Jerry  Rinehart  pursued  his  education  and 
while  living  in  Hardy  county,  West  Vir- 
ginia, he  was  married  on  the  7th  of  June, 
1859.  to  Miss  Lydia  Cosner,  a  native  of 
Hardy  county,  born  August  10,  1839.  Her 
parents  were  Adam  and  Rachel  Cosner,  and 
the  former  followed  farming  in  West  Vir- 
ginia until  his  death.  His  widow  afterward 
removed  with  her  children  to  Missouri, 
where  she  spent  her  last  days.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Rinehart  have  been  born  sixteen 
children,  of  whom  eight  are  yet  living, 
namely:  Allen,  a  minister,  who  married 
Sadie  Dufheld  and  lives  in  Shelby  county, 
Towa:  Armedia  the  wife  of  Amiel  Vaug- 
niaux.  who  is  in  the  employ  of  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  Railroad  and  resides  in 
Boone,  Iowa ;  Benona,  who  married  Rosa 
Irwin  and  is  a  farmer  of  Amaqua  township; 
Washington,  who  married  Lottie  McCaske) 
and  is  a  resident  farmer  in  Yell  township; 
Minnie,  the  wife  of  George  Duffield,  a 
painter  who  is  now  living  in  Lincoln.  Ne- 
braska; Curtis,  Vera  and  Herbert,  all  at 
home  with  their  parents.  Those  who  have 
passed  away  are:  Cornelia,  Charles.  (  Irlena. 
Emma,  Bertha,  Audia,  Jasper  and  Francis. 
All  died  in  Boone  county. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


After  his  marriage  Mr.  Rinehart  re- 
moved to  the  west  in  a  wagon  and  for  one 
year  lived  in  Tama.  Iowa,  after  which  he 
came  to  Bonne  comity,  settling  on  his  pres- 
ent farm  in  Amaqua  township.  Here  he 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  at  five  dollars  per  acre  and  at  once  be- 
gan making  improvements.  His  first  home 
was  a  little  sod  house  but  it  has  long  since 
been  replaced  by  a  more  modern  structure. 
He  now  has  a  beautiful  residence  located  on 
section  24,  Amaqua  township.  His  farm  is 
splendidly  improved  with  all  modern  equip- 
ments :  the  buildings  are  kept  in  good  repair : 
the  iidds  well  tilled  and  excellent  grade-  of 
stock  are  found  in  the  pastures.  He  also 
own-  another  farm  in  Amaqua  township,  his 
landed  possessions  comprising  two  hundred 
and  Fort)  acre-  and  in  addition  to  farming 
and  stock  raising  for  the  past  quarter  of  a 
century  he  lias  also  engaged  in  the  opera- 
tion of  a  threshing  machine  throughoul  this 
part  of  Boone  county.  He  'likewise  built  a 
gristmill  in  Ogden  and  lie  conducted  its 
operation  for  several  years.  For  a  number 
of  years  he  conducted  a  creamery  in  Ogden. 
His  business  interests  have  thus  been  varied 
and  extensive  and  through  his  capable  man- 
agement, hi-  enterprise  and,  sound  business 
judgment  he  has  won  very  creditable  sue 
cess 

For  six  years  Mr.  Rinehart  filled  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  won  high 
commendation  because  hi-  decisions  were 
Strictly  fair  and  impartial,  lie  also  filled  the 
position  of  school  director.  In  politics  he  at 
fust  supported  the  Republican  party,  hut  is 
now  a  Prohibitionist.  He  and  his  wife  hold 
membership  in  the  United  Brethren  church 
of  \m.iqua  township,  and  take  a  great  inter- 
est  in  church  work,  doing  .ill  in  their  power 


to  extend  the  influence  of  Christianity  and 
promote  the  upbuilding  of  the  denomination 
with  which  they  are  identified.  Thirty-seven 
years  have  passed  since  Mr.  Rinehart  came 
to  this  county  and  it  has  been  within  this 
period  that  he  has  advanced  from  a  humble 
financial  position  to  one  of  affluence.  He 
owe-  hi-  success  entirely  to  his  own  effort 
and  well  has  he  merited  the  proud  American 
title  of  a   -elf-made   man. 


WESLEY  MUNN. 


Wesley  Munn,  now  deceased,  was  con- 
nected with  the  operative  department  of  the 
railroad  service  in  this  portion  of  [owa, 
making  his  home  in  Boone^  where  he  had 
many  warm  friends.  He  was  horn  Julv  24, 
1N41).  in  U'tica,  Xew  York,  a  -on  of  James 
and  Abigail  (Patterson)  Munn.  In  the 
schools  of  the  Empire  state  he  pursued  his 
education  and  after  putting  a-ide  his  text 
books  lie  followed  fanning  for  some  time. 
Later  he  turned  hi-  attention  1.  >  the  butcher- 
ing business,  m  he  Kali..  Illinois,  and  about 
ime  connected  with  the  railroad 
service  in  the  employ  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railway  Companj  a-  a  brake- 
man.  There  hi-  fidelity  to  duty,  combined 
with  his  capability,  won  him  promotion  and 
he  was  made  a  conductor  011  a  freight  train 
and  later  became  a  passenger  conductor, 
serving  in  that  capacity  with  credit  to  him- 
self and  satisfaction  to  the  company  until 
In-  death.  lie  wa-  killed  in  an  accident 
caused  h\  an  open  -witch  which  allowed  hi- 
engine  and  thirteen  car-  to  run  off  the  track, 
lie  wa-  on  the  engine  at  the  time  and  was 
killed,     "flu-  accidenl    occurred   September 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


!35 


i,  1883,  and  was  the  cause  of  deep  and  wide- 
spread regret  amid  his  large  circle  of  friends 
and  acquaintances. 

1  >n  the  7th  of  November,  1S7S  Mr.  Munn 
was  united  in  marriage  t<  1  Miss  Ellen  Mitch- 
ell, a  daughter  of  George  Washington  and 
Lydia  1  Inman  )  Mitchell.  She  was  born  in 
Belvidere,  Illinois,  and  by  her  marriage  lie- 
came  the  mother  of  two  interesting  daugh- 
ters, Alice  Josephine  and  Ida  .May.  The 
family  was  an  old  one  of  the  east,  having 
been  established  in  Delaware  at  an  early  day. 
Her  father  was  born  in  thai  state,  while  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Mitchell  was  a  native  of  the 
Empire  state.  The  death  of  Mr.  Munn  came 
as  a  telling  blow  to  his  wife  and  daughters, 
for  he  was  a  devoted  husband  ami  father 
ami  counted  no  personal  sacrifice  too  great 
that  would  increase  the  happiness  of  his 
family.  He  attended  the  services  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  ami  molded  his  life  in 
accordance  with  honorable,  manly  principles. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat  and  held  some 
public  offices,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  at- 
tention was  given  to  his  business  affairs.  His 
family  reside  in  their  pleasant  home  at  Xo. 
1004  Fifth  street,  in  Boone.  The  mother 
and  daughters  are  widely  and  favorably 
known  in  the  city  and  the  hospitality  of  the 
best  homes  is  extended  to  them.  Mr.  Munn 
left  to  his  family  the  priceless  'Heritage  of  an 
untarnished  name  and  for  years  to  come  his 
memory  will  be  cherished  by  those  who 
knew  him. 


WILSTON  W.  GOODRICH. 

Wilston  \Y.  Goodrich,  whose  home  is  in 
Luther,  was  for  many  years  an  active  and 
influential    farmer  of  Garden   township,  but 


is  now  living  retired.  IK-  -till  owns,  how- 
ever, a  valuable  farm  of  eighty  acre-.  1  [e  is 
numbered  among  the  old  settlers  of  the 
county,  dating  his  residence  in  low  a  from 
185O  and  in  Boone  count}'  from  [859.  lie 
was  twenty-seven  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  his  arrival  here,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Steuben  county,  Xew  York,  April  S,  [832. 
He  was  reared  to  manhood  upon  a  farm  in 
that  county  and  was  married  there  in  1853 
to  Margaret  Jane  Chambers,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Sussex  count}-,  Xew  Jersey,  in 
1836.  He  aftervv  rd  located  upon  his  farm 
in  Steuben  county,  where  he  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  1850.  the  year  of  his 
arrival  in  Iowa.  He  first  located  in  what  is 
now  Hamilton  county  and  secured  a  claim 
which  he  cultivated  and  improved.  After 
farming  in  that  count}-  for  more  than  two 
years  he  came  to  Boone  county  in  1859  ;mi' 
purchased  a  claim  of  eighty  acres,  on  which 
he  built  a  cabin,  living  in  it  for  seven  years 
while  opening  up  his  farm,  breaking  his  laud 
by  placing  it  under  the  plow.  He  also 
fenced  the  place  and  made  many  substantial 
improvements  upon  his  laud,  including  the 
erection  of  a  good  residence  and  barns  and 
outbuildings.  Fruit  and  shade  tree-  an 
found  upon  his  place,  adding  to  its  value  as 
well  as  to  its  attractive  appearance,  and  the 
property  is  a  very  desirable  one  in  this  por- 
tion of  the  county. 

On  the  nth  of  August,  1862,  Mr.  Good- 
rich enlisted  as  a  member  of  the  Thirty-.sec- 
ond  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry,  lie  was  as- 
signed to  Company  1).  and  with  his  regi- 
ment joined  the  Western  Army.  A  valiant 
soldier  of  the  Union  he  participated  in  man} 
engagement-  that  led  to  its  preservation,  lie 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  Cape  Girardeau  and 
went  with  General  Banks  on  the  Red  river 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


expedition,  during  which  he  was  under  fire 
continuously  for  a  number  of  days.  During 
that  time  he  sustained  a  gun-shot  wound  in 
the  right  knee  and  was  thus  permanently 
disabled,  being  sent  to  the  hospital  in  Mem- 
phis, Tennessee.  He  there  remained  for 
four  months,  lying  flat  on  his  back,  not  be- 
ing able  to  turn  over  during  that  entire  time. 
He  was  then  transferred  to  the  St.  Louis 
hospital  in  Jefferson  Barracks,  where  he  con- 
tinued for  two  months.  On  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  was  sent  home  and  has 
never  yet  recovered  the  entire  use  of  his 
limb.  After  he  had  recovered  partially  he 
resumed  business  and  until  his  retirement 
from  active  life  was  identified  with  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  this  county. 

In  [899  Mr.  Goodrich  was  '.ailed  upon 
to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on 
the  1  Nth  uf  April,  that  year  and  was  laid 
to  rest  in  Clark  cemetery.  They  had  be- 
come the  parents  of  three  children  :  Charles 
L...  a  farmer  of  Colfax  township,  James  C, 
win  1  is  married  and  operates  the  home  farm; 
and  Sarah,  who  became  the  wife  of  Hiram 
Shutts.  They  then  settled  upon  their  farm. 
and   Mrs.   Shutts  then-  died  May  9,   1884, 

lc;i\  in-   two  children. 

Mr.  <  ii » idrich  is  a  faithful  member  1  if  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  is  serving 
as  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  church  of  that 
denomination  in  Luther.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  Grand  Army  Post  at  Madrid,  and 
since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  For 
John  C.  Fremont  in  1856  he  has  supported 
each  presidential  nominee  of  the  Re 
party  without  one  exception.  He  served  for 
one  term  as  assessor  ami  lias  been  a  delegate 
to  1  o  inventions  of  the  party.  He  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  its  growth  and  success,  yet  he  has 
never  been  an  office  seeker,  preferring  to  de- 


vote his  attention  to  his  business  affairs. 
Forty-six  years  have  passed  since  he  came 
tn  Biiniie  count}",  years  in  which  great 
changes  have  occurred.  The  pioneer  settlers 
are  passing  away  one  by  one  their  work  will 
endure  for  years  and,  in  fact,  throughout 
future  ages  generations  will  be  benefitted 
by  what  they  accomplished  in  reclaiming 
wild  lands  for  the  purposes  of  civilization. 
Mr.  Goodrich  has  now  reached  the  allotted 
psalmist's  span  of  three  score  years  and  ten, 
he  is  enjoying  a  well-earned  rest  in  his  home 
in  Luther,  and  is  respected  and  highly  es- 
teemed   citizen  of  that  place. 


CHARLES  T.  CULVER. 

The  name  of  Charles  T.  Culver  figured 
for  many  years  upon  the  pages  of  the  busi- 
ness annals  of  Boone  county  and  now  he  is 
enjoying  a  well-merited  resl  after  the  years 
of  labor  and  has  put  aside  business  cares. 
living  in  honorable  retirement,  one  of  the 
men  of  worth  and  value  in  the  community. 
lie  makes  his  home  at  No.  [211,  Storj 
street,  in  the  city  of  Boone,  a  place  far  re- 
moved from  the  locality  in  which  he  first 
opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day.  I  te 
was  born  in  Hampshire  county,  Massachu- 
setts. June  [2,  1836,  ami  comes  of  a  family 
of  Scotch  ancestry  that  was  founded  in  the 
old  Ba)  state  at  a  very  early  epoch  in  its 
history.  The  grand  father  of  our  subject 
was  Charles  Culver,  who  was  born  in  Mass- 
achusetts, and  Titus  Culver,  the  father,  was 
likewise  a  native  of  Hampshire  county. 
where  he  grew  to  manhood  and  married 
Ruth  Slade.  She.  too.  was  born  in  Hamp- 
shire county  ami   was  a   daughter  of  Jacob 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Slade,  a  representative  of  another  old  fam- 
ily of  the  Bay  state.  Titus  Culver  engaged 
in  farming  in  his  native  county  and  there 
spent  his  entire  life,  passing  away  on  the 
30th  of  December,  1862,  when  he  was  sev- 
enty years  of  age.  His  wife  survived  him 
nineteen  years,  departing  this  life  in  1881, 
in  Boone,  having  spent  her  last  years  in  the 
home  of  her  son,  C.  T.  Culver.  In  their 
faniiij  were  twelve  children,  three  sons  and 
nine  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the 
eleventh  in  order  of  birth. 

Charles  T.  Culver  spent  the  first  twenty 
years  of  his  life  in  the  county  of  his  nativity, 
receiving  fair  school  advantages  there.  In 
1856,  however,  he  left  the  Atlantic  coast  and 
made  his  way  to  the  Mississippi  valley,  stop- 
ping first  in  Illinois.  He  established  his 
home  in  Boone  county,  that  state,  where  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  eight  years.  During  that  period 
he  was  married  in  Boone  county,  Illinois, 
January  19,  1862,  to  Hannah  E.  White,  a 
native  of  St.  Lawrence  county,  Xew  York. 
and  a  daughter  of  Nathan  White,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Illinois,  who  there 
opened  up  a  farm,  upon  which  Mrs.  Culver 
was  reared,  while  her  education  was  pursued 
in  the  district   schools  near  by. 

In  1865  Mr.  Culver  removed  from 
Boone  county,  Illinois,  to  Boone  county, 
Iowa,  and  made  a  permanent  location  here. 
From  that  time  to  the  present  he  has  been 
identified  with  public  progress  and  improve- 
ment, and  Boone  county  owes  not  a  little  (if 
its  advancement  to  his  efforts  in  its  behalf. 
He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  first  city 
council  and  aided  in  organizing  the  town 
and  tn  his  efforts  is  attributable  the  sub- 
stantial improvement  of  the  municipality  in 
no  small  measure.     Here  he  engaged  in  con- 


tracting and  building  fur  a  number  of  years, 
following  that  pursuit  until  1872,  when  he 
established  a  sawmill  in  Worth  township  and 
was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber, 
that  enterprise  claiming  his  attention  fur  a 
number  of  years.  He  afterward  engaged 
in  buying  anil  shipping  grain  in  the  city  of 
Boone  for  five  years.  His  health  then  failed 
him  and  not  desiring  to  make  further  in- 
roads upon  his  vitality  or  to  undermine  his 
constitution  he  retired  from  business  life. 
As  the  years  have  passed  he  has  made  ju- 
dicious investments  in  real  estate  and  has 
built  and  owns  several  residence  properties. 
Mr.  Culver  has  rilled  the  offices  of  as- 
sessor, marshal  and  councilman.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  First  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Boone.  Xo  his- 
tory of  the  city  would  be  complete  without 
the  mention  of  Charles  T.  Culver,  for  his 
work  has  been  closely  interwoven  with  its 
progress  and  improvement.  He  has 
watched  the  development  of  Boone  from  a 
crossroads  village  to  one  of  the  important 
municipalities  of  the  state  and  no  measure 
<>r  movement  calculated  to  prove  of  public 
good  has  ever  solicited  his  aid  or  co-opera- 
tion  in   vain. 

■*—*■ 

GEORGE  MASOX. 

George  Mason,  a  retired  farmer  living  in 
Madrid,  well  merits  the  rest  that  has  come 
to  him,  because  his  life  has  been  character- 
ized by  unremitting  diligence.  He  took  up 
bis  abode  in  the  town  in  1895,  but  has  been 
a  resident  of  the  state  since  1884.  He  wa9 
born  in  the  neighboring  state  of  Illinois,  his 
birth  having  occurred  on  the  Fox  river,  in 
La   Salle  county.   February    i<).    1839.     He 


236 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


was  reared  to  manhood  in  La  Salle  county. 
Illinois,  upon  the  old  home  farm  and  there 
early  became  familiar  with  the  work  of  field 
and  meadow  as  he  assisted  his  father  in  car- 
rying on  the  old  home  place.  At  the  usual 
age  he  entered  the  common  schools  and  later 
continued  his  studies  in  a  private  school  in 
that  locality.  For  two  terms  he  engaged  in 
teaching  in  La  Salle  county.  Under  the  par- 
ental roof  he  remained  until  his  marriage, 
which  was  celebrated  in  La  Salle  county, 
July  3,  [862,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
Sarah  Ann  Kennison,  who  was  born  in  Ver- 
mont, but  -pent  the  greater  part  of  her  girl- 
hood days  in  [llinois.  She  is  a  sister  of  J. 
S.  Kennison,  of  Garden  township,  who  is 
represented  on  another  page  of  this  work. 
After  his  marriage  Mr.  Mason  located  upon 
a    farm    in    Kendall    county,    Illinois,    near 

Joliet,  and  there  purchased  a  g 1  tract  of 

land  which  he  continued  to  cultivate  for 
eighteen  years.  He  then  soid  the  property 
and  removed  to  Washington  county,  towa, 
purchasing  there  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres.  Many  improvements  he  placed 
upon  the  land  during  his  eight  years'  resi- 
dence there,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  sold  the  property  for  nearly  double 
the  amount  which  he  had  paid  for  it.  For 
two  years  be  then  resided  in  Washington 
county  and  then  in  [895  lie  removed  to  Ma- 
drid, purchasing  ten  acres  of  land  in  the  vil- 
lage. (  )u  this  lie  erected  a  large  white  resi- 
dence which  is  one  of  the  attractive  homes 
of  the  town  and  here  he  is  now  living  re- 
tired. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mason  are  the  parents  of 
five  children,  of  whom  four  are  living: 
Isabelle,  die  wife  of  John  II.  Mayer,  a  sub- 
stantial farmer  of  Garden  township:  E.  <i.. 
who   carries   ..n    farming   near    Washington. 


Iowa:  L.  F...  who  is  also  an  agriculturist  of 
Garden  township;  and  Florence,  the  wife  of 
Dr.  E.  C.  Brown,  of  [Madrid.  They  also 
lost  one  son,  Delbert,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
four  years.  They  have  also  reared  a  niece, 
Mis,  Edna  Copp,  who  was  left  an  orphan  in 
infancy  and  has  since  been  a  member  of  the 
Mason  household.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
are  Christian  people,  belonging  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Madrid,  and  Mr. 
Mason  is  now-  serving  as  president  of  the 
church  board.  He  is  also  identified  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity  which  he  joined  in  1856. 
At  the  present  time  he  is  associated  with 
Madrid  Lodge  and  is  likewise  a  member  of 
the  chapter  and  commandery  of  Morris,  Illi- 
nois, thus  having  become  a  Knight  Templar 
Mason.  He  votes  with  the  Democracy,  hav- 
ing cast  his  first  presidential  ballot  for  Ste- 
phen A.  Douglas,  the  "Little  Giant"  of  Illi- 
nois. At  local  elections,  however,  be  does 
not  consider  himself  bound  bj  party  ties, 
supporting  the  candidates  whom  he  thinks 
best  qualified  for  the  office.  While  residing 
in  Kendall  county.  Illinois,  be  was  elected 
and  served  for  eleven  consecutive  years  as 
justice  of  the  peace.  This  was  a  well-de- 
served honor  and  indicated  his  personal  pop- 
u!arit\  and  the  confidence  reposed  in  him, 
for,  although  a  Democrat,  he  was  continu- 
ally elected  in  a  Republican  township.  in 
Washington  county.  Iowa,  he  served  for 
seven  years  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  was 
also  assessor,  school  treasurer  and  filled 
other  positions  of  honor  and  trust,  lie  is 
in  >w  sen  ing  as  justice  of  the  peace  ot  Doug- 
las township,  Boone  count}".  Mis  decisions 
have  ever  been  strictly  fair  and  impartial 
and  have  won  for  him  golden  opinions.  Mr. 
Mason  has  ever  commanded  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  the  people,  for  be  has  ever  been 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


loyal  to  public  duty  and  the  obligations  of 
the  home  and  of  friendship.  His  career  is 
in  all  respects  an  exemplary  one  and  his  ex- 
ample might  well  serve  as  one  worthy  of 
emulation. 


WILLIAM  BEXSOX. 

William  Benson,  whose  home  is  at  No. 
203  West  Fifth  street,  is  one  of  the  leading 
and  influential  business  men  not  only  of  the 
city  of  Boone  but  of  the  county  and  is  closely 
associated  with  the  development  of  her  coal 
mines,  owning  and  operating  a  coal  bank 
near  Boonesboro.  He  is  largely  self- 
educated  as  well  as  a  self-made  man  finan- 
cially, but  experience,  reading  and  observa- 
tion have  broadened  his  knowledge,  while 
untiring  energy  and  unfaltering  purpose 
have  gained  for  him  success  in  the  business 
world.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1877  a,K' 
with  his  family  located  permanently  here  in 
1879. 

Mr.  Benson  is  a  native  of  Scotland,  his 
birth  having  occurred  near  Glasgow,  on 
the  10th  of  February.  1840.  bis  parents  be- 
ing Peter  and  Margaretta  Benson.  His  fa- 
ther was  also  born  and  reared  in  Scotland, 
and  removed  from  Dumfrieshire  to  Lanark, 
where  he  reared  his  family  and  there  died. 
The  subject  of  this  review  spent  the  days  of 
his  childhood  and  youth  in  that  place.  He 
had  but  limited  school  privileges  for  at  a 
very  early  age  he  started  out  to  make  his  own 
way  in  the  world,  being  employed  in  a  coal 
bank.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  con 
nected  with  coal  mining  in  Scotland  and 
while  there  residing  he  ch<  >se  as  a  c<  unpanion 
and  helpmate  for  the  journey  of  life  Miss 
Margaret   Clark,  their  wedding  being  cele- 


brated in  Scotland,  in  October,  i860.  She 
also  is  a  native  of  the  land  of  bills  and 
heather  and  was  there  reared  to  womanhood. 
Two  years  after  their  marriage  our  subject 
and  bis  wife  came  to  the  new  world,  taking 
passage  on  a  vessel  at  Glasgow  which  was 
bound  for  Quebec.  They  did  not  tarry  long- 
in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  however,  but 
made  their  way  to  La  Salle,  Illinois,  where 
Mr.  Benson  secured  work  as  a  coal  miner,. 
spending  the  winter  there.  He  then  removed 
to  Pennsylvania  ami  was  engaged  in  work 
in  the  mines  along  the  Monongahela  river. 
After  a  few  months,  however,  he  returned  to 
Scotland  in  1864.  The  same  year  he  re- 
moved to  England  and  obtained  employment 
in  the  mines  of  Staffordshire,  residing  in 
that  portion  of  the  country  for  two  years. 
However,  he  had  become  imbued  with  a 
strong  liking  for  the  new  world  and  in  e866 
he  returned  with  his  family  to  America,  lo- 
cating first  in  Pennsylvania,  near  the  Eagle 
coal  works  on  the  Monongahela  river.  He 
was  there  employed  for  a  time  and  afterward 
removed  to  Center  county.  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  secured  a  situation  in  the  coal 
mines.  Afterward,  however,  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  Middlesex.  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  was  employed  for 
two  or  three  years.  during  which 
tine  he  built  and  occupied  a  resi- 
dence there.  His  next  home  was  in  Trum- 
bull county,  Ohio,  where  for  a  year  and  a 
half  he  was  engaged  in  digging  coal.  1  ,eav- 
ing  his  family  at  that  place  he  came  to  Iowa, 
settling  in  Boone  county  about  1X07.  He 
began  work  at  Shepardtown  and  being 
pleased  with  the  slate  ami  its  future  pros- 
pects be  sent  for  his  family  and  was  joined 
by  his  wife  and  children  in  his  new  home  in 
t86q.      Mis    first    purchase   of   laud    in    this 


-.v 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


county  consisted  of  a  tract  of  forty  acres  on 
which  was  a  little  brick  house.  There  he 
carried  on  farming  and  also  worked  in  the 
coal  mines  to  some  extent.  Subsequently  he 
purchased  fifty  acres  of  land  adjoining  the 
first  tract.  About  [895  he  opened  a  brick 
yard  and  began  its  operation.  'If  is  located 
on  the  farm  and  for  four  years  he  engaged 
in  burning  brick  to  the  extent  of  about  three 
or  four  hundred  thousand  brick  annually. 
The  product  of  his  kilns  was  of  such  excel- 
lent quality  that  it  found  a  ready  sale  on 
the  market  and  the  enterprise  contributed  in 
no  small  degree  to  his  business  success.  He 
also  added  to  his  farm  until  it  comprises  one 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  land.  He 
erected  thereon  a  good  residence  and  a  sub- 
stantial barn  and  other  outbuildings  for  the 
shelter  of  the  stock  and  gram.  In  1901  he 
sunk  a  coal  shaft  and  found  a  rich  vein  of 
a  thickness  of  three  feet.  Since  that  time  he 
has  been  engaged  in  digging  out  coal,  work- 
ing about   twenty    men    and    doing   a    g 1 

business. 

In  [900  Mr.  Benson  erected  a  pleasant 
and  substantial  residence  at  No.  203  West 
Fifth  street,  in  Boone,  and  there  he  now  re- 
sides with  his  family.  Unto  him  and  his 
wife  have  been  born  several  children:  one 
daughter  was  born  111  Lanarkshire,  Scot- 
land, while  one  daughter  was  horn  in  Staf- 
fordshire, England,  the  others  in  the  United 
States.  Peter  was  born  in  Allegheny 
county.  Pennsylvania,  while  Jennie.  William 
and  Sadie  are  native-  of  Mercer  county,  that 
state.  James  is  a  native  of  Trumbull  coun- 
ty, <  >hio,  and  Robena  and  Robert  were  born 
in  this  county.  Margaret  is  the  wife  of 
James  Trow,  who  owns  and  operate-  a  coal 
bank  in  Boone  county,  \nnic  is  the  wife 
of  George  Heeps,  who  operates  a  mine  near 


Boonesboro.  Jennie  is  the  wife  oi  Al.  Fra- 
zier,  of  Marshalltown,  Iowa.  Sadie  is  at 
home.  Robena  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Ol- 

son, county  recorder  of  Boone  county.  Pe- 
ter is  the  eldest  son.  James.  William  and 
Peter  are  connected  with  their  father  in  the 
coal  business  and  Robert  is  still  a  student. 

Politically  Mr.  Benson  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, having  voted  with  the  party  since 
he  cast  his  first  ballot  for  General  Grant,  but 
he  has  never  sought  office,  preferring  to  give 
his  attention  to  his  business  interest-.  For 
a  quarter  of  a  century  he  has  made  his 
home  in  this  county  and  has  witnessed  the 
upbuilding  of  the  town,  the  introduction  of 
railroads  and  the  addition  of  all  modern 
equipments  to  the  locality.  His  efforts  in 
agricultural  lines  and  in  other  departments 
of  business  activity  have  brought  to  him 
creditable  success  and  he  is  now  one  of  the 
substantia]  as  well  as  one  of  the  highly  es- 
teemed citizens  of  Boone. 


F.  S.  KENDALL. 

Near  the  town  of  Ogden,  on  section  6. 
Peoples  township,  lives  F.  S.  Kendall,  who 
1-  classed  among  the  wide-awake  and  ener- 
getic farmer- of  Boone  county.  His  place  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy  acres  is  a  monu- 
ment to  his  life  of  industry  and  thrift.  He 
was  born  in  Madison  county,  Ohio,  March 
(8,  [833,  and  erne-  of  an  old  Virginia  fam- 
ily. Mi-  father  James  Kendall,  was  born  in 
\  irginia,  but  when  a  young  man  removed  to 
Kentucky,  and  later  crossed  the  Ohio  river 
into  the  stateof  Ohio,  establishing  his  home 
in  Madison  county  among  it-  early  settlers. 
I  he  greater  part  of  that  region  was  covered 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


239 


with  a  dense  growth  of  timber,  the  trees 
standing  in  their  primeval  strength,  but  soon 
the  rrtonarchs  of  the  forest  fell  before  his 
sturdy  strokes  and  he  continued  the  task  of 
clearing  his  land  until  the  sun  shone  down 
Up  m  the  rich  fields  of  gulden  grain.  He  was 
married  in  that  county  to  Margaret  Seltzer, 
a  native  of  Virginia  who  removed  to  Ohio 
with  her  parents  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Germany.  Mr.  Kendall  reared  his  fam- 
ily upon  the  farm  there  and  made  it  his 
home  continuously  until  his  life's  labors 
were  ended  in  death  in  the  year  1848. 

F.  S.  Kendall  of  this  review  was  only 
fifteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  fa- 
ther's demise.  1  le  was  reared  on  the  old  fam- 
ily homestead,  which  he  had  aided  in  clear- 
ing ami  in  cultivating.  His  school  privi- 
leges were  limited  for  the  educational  ad- 
vantages of  the  neighborhood  were  then  of 
a  primitive  character  and  he  also  had  little 
time  even  then  to  attend  school,  his  aid  being 
needed  in  clearing  and  improving  the  farm. 
At  length  he  attained  his  majority  and  then 
he  desired  to  establish  a  home  of  his  own. 
To  this  end  he  was  married  on  the  1st  of 
January,  1854,  to  Ann  Eliza  Huffman,  a 
native  of  Madison  county,  Ohio,  and  a 
daughter  of  Amos  Huffman,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Germany.  The  young  couple  be- 
gan their  domestic  life  upon  the  old  Kendall 
homestead,  which  continued  to  be  their 
place  of  residence  for  a  few  years, 
during  which  time  four  children  were  born 
unto  them. 

In  1805  our  subject  came  to  the  west  and 
first  took  up  his  abode  in  Polk  county,  [owa, 
where  he  rented  a  farm,  but  later  bought 
land  in  Boone  count}-.  This  was  raw  prai- 
rie, having-  never  been  reclaimed  for  pur- 
poses of  civilization,     lie  also  purchased  a 


tract  of  land  in  Dallas  county,  near  Perry, 
and  with  characteristic  energy  began  the 
task  of  clearing  and  developing  his  fields. 
He  fanned  there  for  two  years  and  then 
came  to  his  present  home,  where  he  has  since 
erected  a  good  house.  He  at  first  built  a 
little  barn,  but  this  was  replaced  in  time  by 
a  large  barn,  one  of  the  best  in  Peoples 
township.  His  labors,  too,  wrought  a  great 
change  in  the  land,  which  was  transformed 
into  a  rich  and  arable  tract.  To-day  his  val- 
uable farm  of  one  hundred  and  seventy 
acres  is  equipped  with  all  modern  accessor- 
ies and  the  efforts  of  the  owned  result  in 
gaining  good  harvests  as  a  return  for  his 
labors. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kendall  has 
been  blessed  with'eight  children  who  arc  yet 
living :  John  A.  is  now  a  substantial  farmer 
of  Peoples  township;  Alva  J.  follows  farm- 
ing in  Yell  township  ;  George  is  living  in  Og- 
den;  Fred  is  a  farmer  of  Peoples  township. 
Ada  is  the  wife  of  Ben  Treloar,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Mason  township;  Maggie  is  the 
wife  of  James  Phillips,  a  worthy  citizen  of 
Boone,  Iowa,  in  the  employ  of  the  Chicago 
cc  Northwestern  Railway  Company;  Mar- 
garet is  the  wife  of  Rev.  Joseph  E.  Treloar. 
a  minister  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  Dora 
is  a  sUCCessful  teacher  of  the  county. 
The  family  is  one  of  prominence  in 
the  community,  and  have  the  respect  of  one 
and  all. 

Mr.  Kendall  belongs  to  the  Peoples  Bap- 
tist church,  becoming  a  charter  member  upon 
its  organization.  In  fact,  it  was  organized 
in  his  home  and  for  many  years  he  lias  been 
one  of  its  deacons.  He  has  served  for  a 
number  of  years  011  the  school  board  and 
the  cause  of  education  found  in  him  a 
warm'  advocate  and   friend.      He   has   filled 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  position  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  his 
fair  and  impartial  rulings  have  won  him 
high  commendation.  He  was  also  elected 
and  served  for  nine  years  as  township  trus- 
tee in  Peoples  township  and  since  casting  his 
first  presidential  vote  for  John  C.  Fremont 
in  1856,  he  has  given  his  ballot  at  each  presi- 
dential election  for  the  candidates  of  the  na- 
tional Republican  party.  In  this  part  of  the 
state  F.  S.  Kendall  is  numbered  among  the 
pioneer  settlers  who  took  up  their  abode  in 
this  region  when  Boone  county  was  upon 
the  western  frontier.  His  interest  in  public 
progress  lias  led  him  to  put  forth  every  ef- 
fort in  behalf  of  his  adopted  county  and  his 
hearty  co-operation  is  given  to  all  measures 
for  the  general  gcx  "1. 


HENRY  FRIEDLEY. 

Living  on  section  9,  Dodge  township, 
and  devoting  his  energies  b  >  general  tanning 
and  stock-raising  and  to  the  raising  and  sale 
of  nursery  stuck.  Mr.  Friedley  has  beo  m< 
weil  known  in  this  portion  of  the  state,  lie 
was  born  in  Clark  county,  Indiana.  February 
jo.  [834,  and  is  a  son  of  Daniel  Fried- 
ley,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  The  family  i-  of 
German  descent,  and  was  founded  in  Amer- 
ica by  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  who 
emigrated  to  the  new  world,  settling 
sylvania.  He  afterward-  removed  t"  Ken- 
tucky and  there  resided  for  a  number  of 
years,  but  ultimately  took  up  his  abode  in 
Han  Lsi  m  '■'  iunt) .  [ndiana  I  ater  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  Clark  count}'.  His  son, 
Daniel  Friedley,  was  married  in  Harrison 
county  to  Miss  Rebe<  ca  I  [iestand, 
horn  in  Ohio.,  but  ren  I    diana  be- 


fore the  state  was  admitted  to  the  Union. 
For  a  few  years  after  their  marriage  Mr. 
Friedley  remained  in  Clark  county  and  then 
removed  to  Clay  county,  where  his  remain- 
ing days  were  passed,  his  death  occurring 
in  1849.  H's  wife  had  departed  this  life 
three  years  previous. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of 
Henry  Friedley  we  present  to  our  readers 
the  life  record  of  one  who  js  widely  and  fa- 
vorably known.     He  spent  the  first  sixteen 

1  lis  life  in  Indiana  and  in  1850  came 
to  Boone  county,  Iowa,  where  for  a  half 
century  he  has  made  his  home.  He  first 
lived  with  his  brother-in-law.  Logan  Defore, 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  portion  of 
the  -tate  and  a  very  prominent  resident  of 
Boone  county.  .Air.  Friedley  worked  with 
Mr.  Defore.  broke  the  prairie  during  the 
spring  ami  summer  months  and  in  the  win- 
ter engaged  in  making  rails.  He  later  be- 
came  the  owner  of  a  breaking  team  of  from 
lour  to  six  yoke  of  cattle.  His  first  plow 
cut  a  furmw  twenty-two  inches  wide  and 
bad  a  wooden  mold  board.  I  le  eng 
breaking  the  prairie  for  a  number  of  years 
and  turned  the  first  furrow,  upon  many  hun- 
dreds of  acres  of  the   virgin   soil  of    1', le 

county.  During  the  cold  season  of  the  year 
he  cut  and  split  rails  and  many  rods  of 
fence  were  built  from  rails  which  he  hid 
prepared,  for  the  purpose.  He  thus  became 
an  active  factor  in  the  early  development  of 

ty.  In  [852  he  entered  a  tract 
of  land  of  eighty  acres  from  the  government 
and  about  two  years  later  he  bought  an  ad- 
ji  ming  eighty  acres.  This  lie  broke  and  cul- 
tivated, making  an  excellent  farm  com- 
prising a  fourth  section.  In  the  5p 
[859,  hi  -v.  !■'.  ei .  he  51  Id  thai  pn  iperty.  He 
had   previous!}    purchased    where    hi 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


j4i 


liveSj  having  here  one  hundred  sixty  acres 
upon  which  the  usual  work  of  the  farm  was 
carried  on.  He  built  fences  and  good  build- 
in--  that  he  might  provide  shelter  and  com- 
fort for  his  family  and  for  the  stock  and 
might  provide  a  place  which  would  protect 
the  crops  from  the  storms  of  winter.  Fruit 
tree>  were  planted  until  now  there  is  a  good 
orchard  and  shade  and  ornamental  trees 
adorn  the  lawn.  He  purchased  an  additional 
tract  of  eighty  acres  and  thus  became  the 
owner  of  a  good  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres.  In  1884,  in  connection  with 
his  sons,  he  began  raising  nursery  stock  and 
has  since  conducted  that  business,  supplying 
his  neighbors  and  many  residents  of  adjacent 
counties.  His  stock  is  of  an  excellent  grade 
and  this  branch  of  his  business  has  proved  a 
profitable  source  of  income  and  to-day  he 
is  a  prosperous  farmer. 

On  the  25th  of  August.  1858,  in  this 
county,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Air. 
Friedley  and  .Miss  Man-  Coe,  a  daughter  of 
Joshua  Coe,  who  removed  here  from  Ohio 
and  was  among  the  early  settlers.  Mrs. 
Friedley  was  born  in  the  Buckeye  state  and 
was  a  maiden  of  fourteen  summers  when 
she  came  to  [owa.  Her  death  occurred 
April  11.  1899,  and  -lie  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Ridgeporl  cemetery.  Five  children  have 
been  born  of  the  marriage:  John  S..  who  is 
married  and  resides  upon  the  farm,  carry- 
ing on  the  place;  Florence,  the  wife  of  John 
Condon,  a  resident  farmer  of  Dodge  town- 
ship; Clara,  who  became  the  wife  of  J.  Pe- 
terson, but  is  now  deceased;  Ed.  who  owns 
and  operates  a  farm  near  his  father;  and 
I\a,  the  wife  of  Charles  Burke,  who  resides 
upon  a  farm  adjoining  the  city  of  | ', ie, 

Mr.  Friedley  is  known  as  a  stalwart  ad- 
vocate of  Republican  principles,  his  identi- 


fication with  the  party  dating  from  the  time 
when  its  first  presidential  candidate  was 
placed  in  the  field.  The  only  office  he  has 
ever  held  has  been  that  of  supervisor  of  high- 
ways and  a  member  of  the  school  board,  for 
he  has  never  sought  or  desired  political  pre- 
ferment. He  belongs  to  the  Ridgeport 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  his  has 
been  an  honorable  and  upright  career,  in 
consistent  harmony  with  his  religious  be- 
liefs and  principles.  His  genial  manner,  his 
devotion  to  the  public  good  and  above  all  his 
known  reliability  and  honesty,  have  made 
Mr.  Friedley  one  of  the  respected  and  val- 
ued men  of  Dodge  township. 


JOHN  KRUSE. 

Among  the  leading  farmers  of  the  north- 
ern part  of  Beaver  township  is  John  Kruse, 
who  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Boone  coun- 
ty, having  been  born  in  Yell  township,  No- 
vember 6.  1808.  His  parents  were  Peter 
and  Margaret  (Schosen)  Kruse,  the  father 
being  a  native  of  Northstoble,  Germany,  who 
in  the  year  1865  came  to  America.  He  aft- 
erward worked  for  a  year  upon  a  farm  near 
Clinton.  Iowa,  ami  thence  came  to  Boone 
county,  being  employed  in  a  similar  capacity 
in  Yell  township  for  two  years.  He  then 
purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  re- 
sides, it  being  located  upon  section  19,  Yell 
township,  and  also  extending  into  A.maqua 
township.  He  i-  a  prominent  agriculturist 
and  year  by  year  gathers  rich  harvest-  from 
the  well  tilled  fields.  He  has  held  the  office' 
of  schi "  '1  director  <  if  hi-  tow  nship  for  -e\  era! 
vears  and  is  a  leading  and  influential  citi- 
zen there.    Unto  him  and  his  wife  have  been 


242 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


born  eleven  children:  Maggie,  the  wife  of 
Hans  Hendrichs,  a  farmer  of  Fairmonnt, 
Minnesota;  John,  of  this  review:  Katie,  the 
wife  >  f  Herman  Paulson,  a  resident  of  Am- 
aqua  township;  George,  a  farmjer  in  the 
same  township;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Claus 
Heldt,  an  agriculturist  of  Yell  township: 
Phoebe,  the  wife  of  Dave  Hardin,  a  farmer 
of  Amaqua  township :  Emma,  who  died  sev- 
eral years  ago;  Hans  H.,  who  assists  his 
father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm :  Lena, 
the  wife  of  Claus  Peters,  who  resides  upon 
his  father's  farm ;  Peter,  also  at  home,  and 
Henry,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family. 
John  Kruse  acquired  a  common-school  edu- 
cation and  early  became  familiar  with  farm 
work  in  all  its  departments.  He  remained 
upon  the  old  homestead  until  he  was  twenty- 
six  years  of  age.  when  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Emma  T.  Bierfeldt,  a 
daughter  of  Efenning  and  Katie 
Bierfeldt,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Germany,  the  father  coining  as  an  early  set- 
tler to  Boone  county,  lie  resided  upon  a 
farm  in  Amaqua  township  and  continued  its 
cultivation  until  [898,  when  lie  retro  ved  to 
Ogden.  where  he  1-  now  living  retired. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  have  been  born  -i\ 
children.  George,  who  is  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  is  operating  a  thresher  and  grain 
sheller,  his  home  being  in  Ogden;  Maggie, 
the  wife  of  Clinton  McCaskey,  a  resident 
of  Yell  township;  Katie,  the  wife  of  1',.  I". 
Ritter,  a  farmer  of  Yell  township:  Anna  C. 
the  wife  of  William  F.  Paulson,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Amaqua  township;  Mrs.  Kruse, 
the  wife  of  our  subject;  and  Maria  F.,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Paulson,  who  resides  on  the 
Bierfeldt  homestead  in  Amaqua  1 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mis.  Kruse  have  been  born 


three  children :    Freda.  Albertie  and  Yelma, 
aged  respectively  six,  four  and  two  years. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Kruse  settled 
upon  his  present  farm  on  section  j.  Beaver 
township,  where  he  has  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  choice  land  and  neat  and 
substantial  buildings  adorn  the  place,  while 
the  fields  are  well  tilled.  He  also  takes 
great  interest  in  the  raising  of  fine  stock  and 
is  a  very  enterprising  and  progressive  agri- 
culturist. Throughout  his  entire  life  he 
has  carried  on  farm  work  and  is  a  worthy 
representative  of  agricultural  interests  111 
his  native  county.  In  politics  he  is  a 
1  democrat  being  deeply  interested  in  the 
growth  and  success  of  his  party.  He  and 
iiis  wife  attend  the  German  Lutheran  church 
and  are  people  of  the  highest  respectability, 
enjoying  the  warm  regard  of  many  friends. 


TOHN  SPARKS. 


John   Sparks  is  a  prominent  and  inllu- 
irmer   of    Marcy      township   and   a 
representative  of  one  of  the  old  families  of 
the  county,      lie  has  made  Ins  home  within 
Boone  county  since  [851  and 
therefore  for  more  than  half  a  century  has 
been  a  w  itness  of  the  changes  which  have  oc- 
curred  and   have  brought    the    community 
from    its    primitive    condition    to    one    of 
marked  advancement.    At  the  time  of  his  ar- 
rival Mr.  Sparks  was  ;,  youth  of  only  about 
ten  years,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  <  'wen 
county,    Indiana.   <  >ct<  ber   31,    1  N4  1 .      1  le  is 
a  son  of  Rev.   William  J.  and   Sarah    1  Jen- 
whom  were  ni 
n  Jina.     Becoming  residents  of  In- 
diana, they  remained  in  the  latter  state  un- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


243 


til  1851,  when  they  brought  their  family  to 
Boone  county,  Iowa,  settling  on  a  farm  in 
Worth  township.  Later  they  came  to  Mar- 
cy  township,  locating  on  the  Berry  farm, 
where  the  father  made  his  home  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1878,  when  he  was 
se\  enty-two  years  of  age,  while  his  wife  died 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine  years. 
Both  were  consistent  Christian  people  and 
held  membership  in  the  Baptist  church  and 
the  father  was  a  minister  of  that  denomina- 
tion, devoting  much  of  his  time  and  energy 
to  the  work  of  advancing  the  cause  of  Chris- 
tianity. This  worthy  couple  were  the  par- 
ents of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  five  are 
now  living:  Mary,  the  widow  of  Francis 
Williams,  and  a  resident  of  Marcy  township; 
Milley,  wife  of  Joe  Staley,  of  the  same 
township;  William,  a  retired  farmer  living 
in  Taylor  county,  Iowa;  Sarah  Ann,  the 
wife  of  Louis  Phipps,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Des  Moines  township;  and  John,  of  this  re- 
view. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family, 
John  Sparks  pursued  his  education  in  the 
common  schools,  beginning  his  studies  in 
Indiana.  Later  he  continued  his  school  work 
in  Boone  county.  He  assisted  in  the  arduous 
task  of  developing  a  new  farm  here  and 
continued  to  work  in  the  fields  and  meadows 
of  the  old  homestead  until  he  had  attained 
his  majority.  About  the  time  the  Civil  war 
was  begun  and  with  patriotic  spirit  Mr. 
Sparks  offered  his  services  to  the  govern- 
ment, enlisting  under  Captain  DeTar.  but 
was  taken  ill  and  was  unable  to  go  to  the 
fn  nit.  I  Ie  afterward  purchased  a  farm  in  the 
southern  part  of  Marcy  township  and  was 
there  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  for 
alii  mt  thirty  years.  He  als<  1  a  inducted  a  saw- 
mill there  and  both  branches  of  his  business 


proved  a  source  of  a  good  income  to  him.  In 
February,  i88_\,  he  removed  to  his  present 
farm  known  as  the  old  Jerry  Gordon  farm, 
comprising  two  hundred  thirty-three  acres 
on  section  14,  Marcy  township.  Since  that 
time  Mr.  Sparks  has  made  excellent  improve- 
ments on  his  property  and  now  has  a  good 
set  of  farm  buildings,  together  with  the  lat- 
est improved  machinery  and  all  the  modern 
accessories  for  facilitating  farm  work.  He 
is  successfully  carrying  on  general  farming 
and  stock  raising  and  trades  to  a  consider- 
able extent  in  stc:k.  For  some  time  he  also 
operated  a  threshing  machine  in  Marcy 
township  and  was  very  busy  during  the  har- 
vest season. 

Mr.  Sparks  has  been  twice  married.  He 
first  wedded  Miss  Adelina  Phipps,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Solomon  Phipps,  a  farmer  of  Boone 
county.  She  died  and  their  only  child  died 
in  infancy.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Sparks 
chose  Nancy  S.  Cartwright,  who  was  horn 
in  Pike  county,  Ohio,  November  25,  1848,  a 
daughter  of  William  A.  Cartwright,  an  ag- 
riculturist of  the  Buckeye  state,  now  de- 
ceased. Unto  Mr.  Sparks  and  his  present 
wife  have  been  born  eleven  children.  The 
eldest  is  Sarah  Jane,  the  wife  of  Wallace 
McCall,  a  resident  of  Marcy  township.  The 
others  are:  Alice,  George  L.,  Delia,  Grover, 
John  Franklin,  Carl,  Justin.  Arville  C, 
Clinton  M.  and  Flossie,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Sparks  has  always  given  his  politi- 
cal support  to-  the  Democracy  and  never  fails 
to  exercise  his  right  of  franchise  in  sup- 
port of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  party. 
He  has  served  for  several  terms  a-  con- 
stable in  his  township,  has  been  mad  super- 
visor and  scl 1  director.     Fraternally  he  is 

connected  with  Moingona  Lodge  No.  258  I''. 
&  A.   -M.,  of   Moingona.      Almost   his  entire 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


life  has  been  passed  in  this  county  and  as  the 
years  have  gone  by  he  has  taken  a  deep  in- 
terest in  public  progress  and  improvement, 
doing  what  he  could  to  promote  the  general 
welfare  along  such  lines.  He  has  a  vivid 
recollection  of  the  county  as  it  was  a  half 
century  ago,  when  the  prairies  were  largely 
uncultivated  and  one  could  ride  for  miles 
without  meeting  a  fence  to  impede  progress. 
The  work  of  improvement  lay  almost  entire- 
ly in  the  future,  but  there  has  come  to  Boone 
county  a  progressive  and  enterprising  class 
of  citizens  who  have  reclaimed  the  region 
for  purposes  of  civilization  and  today  it  is 
the  home  of  a  prosperous  and  contented 
people  who  enjoy  the  conveniences  and  im- 
provements of  the  older  east. 


A.  T.  BARKLEY. 


Alonzo  J.  Barkley  was  burn  upon  a  farm 
in  Linn  county.  Iowa.  March  2j.  1842.  His 
father  was  James  Newton  Barkley,  a  native 
of  Virginia,  while  his  mother,  Lydia  Hob- 
son,  was  a  Carolinian.  The  father,  while 
yet  a  child,  was  taken  by  bis  parents  to  Ken- 
tucky, thence  to  Indiana.  When  about 
twenty-one  years  old,  he  came  to  Iowa  in  the 
year  1841,  settling  in  Linn  county.  He  was 
a  carpenter,  also  engaging-  to  some  extent 
in  farming.  In  the  summer  of  1856  he  re- 
mi  >\  ed  with  his  family  fc  >  I '» -  me  o  >unty.  set- 
tling on  land  in  Dodge  township,  about  eight 
miles  from  Boonesboro,  on  the  then  un- 
broken prairie.  In  politic-  he  was  a 
Republican,  which  in  those  days,  preced- 
ing and  during  the  Civil  war.  required 
much  firmness;  and  in  religious  faith  he 
was    a     Methodist.       He    died     April    6. 


1866.  He  was  married  at  Bedford.  In- 
diana, to  Miss  Lydia  Hobson,  who  was  a 
Quaker  in  faith,  but  subsequently  became 
connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Prior  to  her  marriage  and  subse- 
quent to  the  death  of  her  mother,  she  found 
a  temporary  home  in  the  family  of  the  late 
L.  Q.  Hoggatt.  of  Ames,  Story  county.  Iowa, 
then  a  resident  of  Indiana.  She  died  in 
1887.  at  the  age  1  if  seventy-four  years,  canon- 
ized by  her  children,  respected  and  regretted 
by  nil  her  acquaintance-.  To  this  family  the 
following  children  were  born,  three  of  w  h<  >m 
survive:  Mary,  deceased;  A.  J.,  the  subject 
of  this  article  ;  Harriet  M..  widow  of  Eugene 
Favre;  Levina :  Linzv.  deceased;  Mazzini ; 
and  1  lenry.  deceased. 

The  boy  Alonzo  derived  his  primary 
education  chiefly  by  contact  with  nature  and 
from  the  Bible,  interpreted  at  his  mother's 
knee  and  illustrated  by  applications  to  the 
moral  questions  which  arise  in  the  progress 
of  a  young  life.  The  schoolhouse  at  Ridge- 
port  being  seven  miles  from  his  home,  he 
spent  his  winters  in  the  woods  making  rails 
ami  post-  and  hauling  them  with  oxen  to  the 
farm.  The  year  rS6l  he  spent  in  chop- 
ping cord  wood,  farming  and  attending 
school  in  Boonesboro.  In  the  spring  time 
he  returned  to  the  duties  of  the  farm,  for  the 
father  was  mostly  away  from  home  con- 
structing habitations  for  the  immigrants. 
He  t' »  ik  a  principle  in  grammar  1  >r  a  pn  «bleni 
in  mathematics  with  himself  to  work  and 
solved  it  in  his  own  way.     The  "rule  in  the 

1 k"  and  its  textual  explanations  were  in 

-  unrecognized  by  him.  but  behind 
the  plow  or  while  breaking  the  prairie  were 
melted  in  the  "converter"  of  his  brain,  anil. 
when  reduced  the  product  turned  on  its 
minions   appeared    in    definitions   which    for 


A.  J.  BARKLEY. 


MRS.  A.  J.   BARKLEY. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


249 


conciseness  and  perspicuity  of  statement 
often  excelled  those  of  the  book  and  aston- 
ished his  preceptors.  Thus  the  years  passed, 
from  the  aye  of  fourteen  to  that  of  twenty, 
in  plowing  and  thinking-,  harvesting  and 
selling',  an  experience  in  common  with  many 
of  the  great  men  of  America. 

Then  came  the  great  clash  between  the 
two  civilizations  in  our  country,  diametric- 
ally opposite,  which  had  thus  far  in  its  his- 
tory struggled  to  discover  some  method  of 
existing-  side  by  side  in  peace,  but  ineffect- 
ively. The  war  tocsin  sounded  throughout 
the  land  and  roused  the  sleeping  giant  in  the 
bosom  of  every  American  youth.  Young 
Barkley  recognized  the  voice,  and  on  August 
11,  1862.  took  the  oath  as  a  soldier  of  the 
Union,  with  the  members  of  Company  D, 
Thirty-second  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry,  in 
the  courthouse  square  at  Boonesboro,  and 
marched  away  with  Captain  DeTar  to  the 
army.  After  the  regimental  organization 
at  Camp  Franklin.  Dubuque,  it  received  or- 
ders to  move  to  the  front,  and  a  detachment 
of  four  companies,  A.  F.  G  ami  D.  command- 
ed by  Major  G.  A.  Eberhart.  went  to  Cape 
Girardeau,  spending  the  fall,  winter  and 
spring  in  southern  Missouri  building  forti- 
fications for  the  Cape  and  at  Bloomfield.  The 
tachment  assisted  in  defeating  Marmaduke's 
army  at  Cape  Girardeau  and  driving  it  into 
Arkansas,  returning  in  time  to  accompany 
General  Davidson's  cavalry  division  on  its 
famous  five-hundred-mile  march  through 
Missouri  and  Arkansas  to  Little  Rock,  where 
Price's  army  was  defeated  and  driven  out. 
Mr.  Barkley  was  oik-  of  the  sixty  men  that 
went  up  the  river  from  Clarendon  to  Searcy 
and  burned  the  pontoon  bridge  aero--  the 
Little  Red  river  after  a  portion  of  Marma- 


duke's army  had  crossed.     These  sixty  men 
captured  ers,   '"The  Tom 

Sugg"    and    '"Kaskaskia,"  and   returned  to 
on,  one-third  of  their  number  having 
been  killed  or   w  ire  their  return 

to  the  command.     He  part  in  the 

right  at  Bayou  Metoe,  where  1  ne  of  his  com- 
pany was  killed  and  two  severely  wounded. 

The  regiment  was  reunited  at  Vicksburg 
and  in  the  spring  of  1864  joined  in  Banks's 
Red  River  expedition.  It  participated  in  the 
skirmishes  and  battles  of  that  dis; 
campaign  until  Pleasant  Hill  was  reached  on 
April  8,  1864.  The  next  day  that  fierce  con- 
flict raged  and  Shaw's  brigade,  in  which  was 
Colonel  Scott's  Thirty-second  Iowa  Infan- 
try, held  the  center  until  nightfall,  when  it 
was  surrounded  and  obliged  to  cut  its  wSay 
out.  Private  Barkley  was  dangerously 
wounded  and  the  next  morning  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Confederates  as  a  prisoner  of 
war.  the  Union  army  having  retreated, 
leaving  its  dead  and  wounded  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  the  enemy.  A  thrilling  descrip- 
tion of  this  battle  is  that  by  Mr.  Barkley  as 
seen  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  private 
soldier,  written  for  and  published  in  "The 
Annals  of  Iowa."  the  organ  of  the  Iowa 
Historical  Department,  Vol.  III.,  page  23, 
wherein  this  action  is  duly  set   forth. 

For  more  than  two  months  he  was  a 
prisoner  of  war,  and  then  selected  for  parole, 
as  one  who  could  never  be  of  farther  service 
to  the  enemy,  was  sent  down  Red  river  to  its 
mouth  and  turned  over  to  the  Federal  army. 
Surgeon  Sanger,  surgeon-general  of  the 
Nineteenth  Army  Corp-,  dressed  his  wounds 
on  the  battlefield;  and  meeting-  him  when  pa- 
roled '>n  the  boat  nearly  three  months  after- 
ward, again  performed  tin-  service.     It  is  a 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


coincidence  that  nearly  twenty  years  since 
the  war  this  same  medical  gentleman  again 
discovered  his  former  "army  lad,"  had  a 
photograph  of  his  arm  taken,  showing  the 
uses  which  it  was  capable  of.  and  incorpor- 
ated the  "interesting  case"'  in  a  medical  work 
which  he  published  at  his  home,  Bangor, 
Maine.  At  Benton  Barracks,  while  yet  a 
paroled  prisoner,  Mr.  Barkley  was  given  a 
discharge  and  arrived  home  on  Christmas, 
[864,  opening  the  door  of  his  father's  farm- 
house without  notice — a  happy  holiday  for 
all. 

In  March,  1805.  he  went  to  Cornell  Col- 
lege, at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa,  and  made  in- 
dustrious use  of  its  advantages  until  the 
death  of  his  father  in  April,  1866,  then  came 
home  and  herded  cattle  on  the  prairies  with 
his  ami  in  a  sling,  until  autumn,  meanwhile 
having  been  placed  011  the  Republican  ticket 
for  the  office  of  county  recorder  and  elected 
at  the  November  poll,  taking  the  office  in 
January,  [867.  lie  was  re-elected  m  [868. 
During  this  official  term  he  wrote  a  set  of 
abstract  books  for  the  real  estate  in  Boone 
county,  doing  the  labor  out  of  hours,  and 
devising  hi-  own  system,  having  never  be- 
fore -'en  a  set  of  abstract  records,  the  result 
being  a-  complete  a  set  a-  an)  in  Iowa,  and 
now  in  use  by  Mbore  &  Crooks  of  B 

At  the  close  of  bis  office  as  recorder,  he 
entered  the  real  estate  business :  was  the  local 
agenl  for  the  Iowa  Railroad  Laud  Company, 
'.lie  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company, 
and  on  his  own  account  continuing  in  this 
business  until  [882,  when  he  sold  out.  In 
[889  he  constructed  for  bis  own  use  a  tele- 
phone line  from  his  office  to  the  courthouse. 
In  [891  be  organized  the  Boone  County 
lie  Company,   started  the   first  tele- 


phone exchange  in  Boone  county,  and  as 
president  of  the  corporation,  sold  out  in  1S82 
to  what  is  known  as  the  "Bell,"  or  "Old 
Line." 

In  February,  18S4.  he  was  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers of  the  Boone  County  Bank,  a  pri- 
vate institution,  in  which  the  first  officers 
were  R.  J.  Hiatt,  president;  A.  J.  Barkley, 
vice  president,  and  Oscar  Schleiter,  cashier. 
Six  years  later  Mr.  Schleiter  and  Mr.  Hiatt 
left  the  state  and  the  bank  was  reorganized, 
with  Mr.  Barkley  as  president,  which  posi- 
tion he  still  holds.  It  has  always  been  a 
conservative  hank  and  long  in  good  repute 
and  successful  in  its  affairs.  He  has  also 
served  two  terms  as  a  member  of  the  city- 
council  of  Boone.  In  1899  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  house  of  representatives  in 
the  twenty-eighth  general  assembly  to  repre- 
sent Boone  county  and  two  years  thereafter 
was  returned  in  the  same  capacity.  During 
the  fust  term  he  was  a  member  of  the  library 
committee,  agisted  in  preparing  the  bill 
creating  the  Iowa  library  commission,  which 
became  a  law  and  has  proven  to  be  of  much 
service  in  promoting  this  educational  feature 
of  our  state;  ami  in  his  second  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  ways  and  means  and  other  import- 
ant committees,  and  chairman  of  the  library 
committee.  His  bill  became  a  law  consoli- 
dating the  associate  and  traveling  library 
with  the  Iowa  library  commission,  increas- 
ing the  former  appropriation  from  two  thou- 
sand dollars  to  six  thiusand  dollars. 

Mr.  Barkley  is  one  of  the  trustees  of  Cor- 
nell College.  He  has  long  been  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  orders  and  served  his  breth- 
ren of  the  blue  lodge  at  Boone  for  four  terms 
as  its  master  :  and  is  a  member  of  the  chapter. 
commandery   and   Mystic   Shrine:  also   is    1 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


251 


•nifinl.LT  of  J.  G.  Miller  Post.  G.  A.  R..  of 
Boonesboro,  and  never  forgets  that  lie  was 
one  of  the  boys  who  went  down  into  rebel- 
lious Dixie. 

As  might  be  inferred  from  his  southern 
ancestry,  Mr.  Barkley  is  hospitable  and 
social,  delighting-  in  association  with  his 
fellowmen,  and  his  home  is  the  center  of 
much  geniality.  He  is  large  in  person  and 
with  a  leonine  face,  as  shown  in  his  por- 
trait; in  mind,  not  rapid  to  arrive  at  conclu- 
sions, but  certain,  and  a  position  once  as- 
sumed, cannot  be  shaken,  save  by  new  evi- 
dence, lie  is  humorous,  can  enjoy  the  jokes 
of  others  and  delights  in  perpetrating  one 
himself  to  the  extent  of  prolonging  the 
luxury  of  it.  Children  love  him,  and  the  do- 
mestic animals  about  the  place  know  he  is 
their  friend. 

Mr.  Barkley  has  been  twice  married;  his 
first  wife  was  Miss  Henrietta  Trickey,  to 
whom  he  was  united  November  6,  1866,  in 
Boone  county.  She  died  in  1889.  On  July 
28,  1891,  he  was  married  at  Ainsworth, 
Nebraska,  to  Miss  Flora  E.  Spencer,  who 
had  been  for  a  number  of  years  a  successful 
educator  in  the  high  school  of  Boone.  Their 
home  here  is  a  haven  of  rest  to  them  and  a 
magnet  which  attracts  a  large  coterie  of 
pleasant  friends.  May  they  live  long  to 
enjoy  both. 


MRS.  A.  J.  BARKLEY. 

Flora  R.  Spencer,  wife  of  Hon.  A.  J. 
Barkley.  was  born  February  28,  t86o,  in 
Rice  county,  Minnesota,  about  forty  miles 
south  of  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis.  Her 
father  was  Wilson  Spencer,  a  native  of  Her- 
kimer county,  New  York.     1  lis  grand  father. 


John  Spencer,  served  in  the  War  of  1812. 
Her  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Caro- 
line Beaver  Goodykoontz,  is  a  native  of  In- 
diana. She  traces  her  lineage  through  the 
Beaver  family  of  Pennsylvania,  to  the  immi- 
grant ancestor  in  Alsace,  who  came  over  in 
1740  and  settled  in  the  Keystone  state.  The 
family  were  leaders  in  public  affairs  in  the 
great  commonwealth  and  have  "furnished 
"food  tor  powder"  in  every  war  which 
America  has  waged  since  their  accession  to 
its  citizenship.  One  of  them  was  General 
James  A.  Beaver,  four  times  wounded  dur- 
ing his  service  with  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, the  last  received  at  the  battle  of  Ream 
Station,  on  the  Weldou  railroad,  necessi- 
tating the  amputation  of  his  leg  and  his  dis- 
charge from  the  military  service  of  the 
country.  He  was  governor  of  Pennsylvania 
from   1882  to  1886. 

Mrs.  Barkley  was  one  of  a  family  of 
eight  children,  and  her  youthful  years  illus- 
trate the  fact  that  "the  strenuous  life"  is  not 
confined  to  the  sex  which,  "roams  the  court. 
the  camp,  the  field."  When  she  was  five 
years  of  age  her  parents  removed  from  Min- 
nesota to  the  neighborhood  of  Waukon. 
Allamakee  county,  Iowa,  residing  on  a  farm. 
Here  the  young  child  attended  the  country 
schools  until  eleven  years  old,  when  the  fam- 
ily removed  into  the  town  of  Waukon.  This 
gave  her  better  educational  opportunities,  of 
which  she  made  diligent  use,  in  the  high 
school  until  the  age  of  seventeen.  Thirst- 
ing still  for  knowledge  she  began  to  plan 
and  work  for  the  higher  planes  of  educa- 
tional opportunities,  and  to  this  end  entered 
tlit  teachers'  profession,  finding  occupation 
in  the  country  schools  of  her  neighborhood. 
With  money  thus  and  otherwise  earned, 
and  entirely  bv  her  own  unaided  efforts,  she 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


took  the  course  in  the  Northern  Indiana 
Normal  School  at  Valparaiso,  graduating 
therefrom  July  28,  1880.  a  date  which  has 
ever  since  been  "A  Red  Letter  Day"  in  her 
memory. 

After  a  year  as  teacher  in  the  Valparaiso 
public  schools,  she  returned  to  Waukon  and 
took  a  position  in  the  high  school  as  teacher, 
which  she  retained  until  she  resigned  to  ac- 
cept a  similar  position  in  the  high  school  at 
Boone,  biwa.  in  1887.  This  she  retained 
for  four  years,  doing  most  efficient  and 
highly  acceptable  service  in  behalf  of  the 
young  people  committed  to  her  instructs  n. 

In  1885  her  parents  removed  and  found 
a  new  home  at  Ainsworth,  Nebraska.  There, 
on  July  28,  1891,  she  was  married  to  Hon. 
A.  J.  Barkley,  erf  Boone,  Iowa,  and  has  since 
presided  over  his  comfortable  and  hospitable 
home. 

Unlike  many  ladies,  Mrs.  Barkley  did 
not  lay  down  her  activities  after  marriage. 
Though  children  have  been  denied  her  she 
has  found,  a-  all  w'ho  search  can  find,  many 
avenues  of  helpfulness  for  humanity.  She 
was  the  first  president  of  the  Lowell  Club,  a 
study  club  of  Boone  ladies;  the  fir-;  presi- 
dent of  the  City  Federation  of  Women's 
Clubs,  in  the  same  city;  in  1891  wa 
vice  president  of  the  Iowa  Federation  of 
Women's  Clubs,  and  made  chairnia 
library  committee.  As  such  she  aided  \erj 
materially  in  securing  the  enactment  by  the 
twenty-eighth  general  assemblj  of  the  law 
creating  a  library  commission  in  fowa,  an 
act  which  has  been  of  inestimable  beneftl  1 
the  library  cause  in  ibis  state.  S 
member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Eric- 
son  Library  in  Boone,  has  thrice  been  its 
vice-president,  and  is  now  holding  that  posi- 
tion.    When  the   Eleanor  Moore   Hospital 


was  recently  instituted  in  Boone,  she  was 
chi  >sen  as  one  of  its  board  of  directors.  She 
t<  K>k  an  active  part  in  securing  the  enactment 
of  the  compulsory  education  law  by  the 
twenty-ninth  general  assembly  of  Iowa. 
These  are  some  of  her  works  known  to  the 
public;  but  her  help  in  times  of  need,  in  sor- 
row and  distress,  where  the  general  eye  is 
not  turned,  will  not  be  known  save  to  the 
Great  One  who  presides  over  the  good  acts 
of  I  lis  children  and  to  the  grateful  recipients 
of  her  ministrations. 

In  Mrs.  Barkley  are  found  strength  of 
intellect  and  womanly  tact,  high  aspiration 
and  delicacy  in  the  use  of  means  to  the 
end.  acute  feminine  sympathies  with  that 
judgment  which  holds  them  in  due  check. 
While  at  times  her  health  has  not  been 
so  good  as  could  be  wished,  the  fact 
seems  never  for  long-  to  have  deterred  her 
altruistic  activities.  Her  home  is  the  abode 
of  hospitality  and  she  delights  in  the  society 
of  her  friends.  She  is  fond  of  good  litera- 
ture, and  Lowell  is  her  favorite  poet.  Art, 
111  all  its  subdivisions,  claims  her  apprecia- 
te 'it.  and  the  beauties  of  nature  are  to  her  as 
the  breath  of  Deity.  Her  married  life  has 
been  most  happy  with  the  kind  husband  by 
her  side,  who  truly  sympathizes  with  and 
assists  in  her  endeavors  as  she  does  with  his 
ambitions.  To  all  human  eyes  they  have 
man)  useful  years  before  them,  and  to  all 
this  promise  their  many  friends  say.  Amen! 


ARTHUR  CLARK. 


Arthur  Clark  is  the  president  of  the  Og- 
den  State  Bank,  of  Ogden,  Iowa,  and  his 
name  figures  conspicuously  in  connection 
with  financial  circles  in  this  part  of  the  state. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


253 


where  lie  is  honored  and  respected  by  all 
wlm  know  him.  not  only  because  of  his  excel- 
lent success,  Int  because  "i*  the  straightfor- 
ward and  honorable  business  policy  he  has 
ever  followed.  Air.  Clark  is  a  native  of 
Java,  Wyoming  county,  Xew  York,  born 
February  14.  1839,  his  parents  being  Samuel 
and  Anna  (  Bryant)  Clark,  both  of  Hanover 
City,  Vermont,  whence  they  removed  to 
Wyoming  county,  Xew  York,  at  an  early 
daw  There  the  father  engaged  in  fann- 
ing throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life1 
and  was  a  very  prominent  and  influen- 
tial man  of  that  county.  He  filled  either  the 
office  of  a  justice  of  the  peace  or  that  of 
county  supervisor  for  a  quarter  of  a  century 
and  was  most  loyal  to  the  trust  reposed  in 
him.  His  wife  is  still  living  at  the  age  of 
eighty-seven  years  and  makes  her  home  with 
her  granddaughter,  A.  Blanche  Clark,  in 
Ogden,  Iowa.  She  has  long  been  a  very 
active  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  has  retained  her  mental  and  phy- 
sical faculties  to  a  marked  degree.  Bv  her 
marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  nine 
children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living,  as  fol- 
lows :  William,  a  merchant  and  horse  deal- 
er at  Ames.  Iowa;  Arthur,  the  second,  in  or- 
der birth;  Orson,  a  prominent  practic-" 
ing  physician  of  Ogden  ;  Lucina  ;  and  James, 
a  banker  of  Ravenna,  Buffalo  county,  Ne- 
braska. 

Arthur  Clark  received  a  common -school 
education  in  early  life  and  was  married  on 
reaching  man's  estate,  the  lady  of  his  choice 
being  Mis-  Mary  Watson,  a  daughter  of 
John  Watson,  of  Eagle,  Wyoming  count  v. 
who  was  proprietor  of  a  saw  and  flour  mil', 
ai  that  place.  There  Mr-.  Clark  passed  away 
in  1874.  Three  children  were  born  of  this 
union:        Samuel     Watson,     who   came     to 


Ogden  m  1886,  was  engaged  in  the  banking 

business  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
February  12,  1891.  Lillian  is  the  wife  of 
Ellsworth  Cheney,  who  is  now  traveling  in 
the  interests  of  a  large  woolen  mill  of  San- 
dusky, Xew  York.  A,  Blanche,  the  young- 
est, has  for  several  years  been  the  efficient 
assistant  cashier  in  the  Ogden  State  Bank. 
After  the  death  of  bis  first  wife  Air.  Clark 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Miss  Marian  Holmes,  a  daughter  of 
Myron  Holmes,  of  Sandusky,  Xew  York, 
who  was  a  leader  in  general  merchandise 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1894.  Un- 
to Air.  Clark  and  his  wife  has  been  born  one 
child,  Arthur,  wdio,  in  connection  with  his 
sister.  A.  Blanche,  purchased  the  old  Cutler 
farm  in  Beaver  township,  upon  which  they 
are  now  living. 

During  the  Civil  war  Arthur  Clark  was 
drafted  and  detailed  to  Colonel  Tracy's  of- 
fice for  camp  distribution  at  Elmira,  New 
^  oik.  At  one  time  there  were  eleven  thou- 
sand Confederate  soldiers  there.  He  was 
mustered  out  in  1863  with  the  Sixty-third 
New  York  regiment.  For  one  year  he  was 
a.  clerk  in  Governor  Fenton's  office,  which 
position  he  satisfactorily  filled.  He  resided 
upon  the  old  homestead  in  Wyoming  county, 
Xew  York,  and  there  engaged  in  farming 
until  1891,  when  he  removed  to  the  west  and 
established  his  home  in  Ogden.  Here  he  at 
once  began  the  hanking  business  and  was 
chosen  president  of  the  Ogden  State  Bank, 
in  which  capacity  he  has  since  served.  In 
politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  in 
[862  he  became  a  delegate  to  the  first  Union 
convention,  composed  of  Whigs,  War-Dem- 
ocrats and  Republicans,  at  which  Morgan 
was  nominated  for  governor  of  Yew  York. 
While  residing  in  the  Empire  state  our  sub- 


254 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ject  was  elected  to  represent  his  district  in 
the  state  legislature,  serving  in  1876-7.  So- 
cially he  is  identified  with  Rhodes  Lodge, 
No.  303,  F.  &  A.  M.j  of  Ogden,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic  since  its  organization.  During  the 
greater  part  of  the  summer  months  he  spends 
his  time  upon  his  farm  with  his  wife 
and  son,  on  section  27,  Beaver  township. 
This  is  known  as  the  Forest  Home  farm  and 
is  being  placed  under  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation, a  variety  of  grains,  vegetables  and 
fruits  being  raised.  At  the  front  has  been 
planted  a  grove  of  evergreens,  elms,  maples 
and  other  trees,  which  is  said  to  be  the  fin- 
est grove  in  the  state.  Mr.  Clark  owns  a  fine 
residence  on  Alain  street  in  Ogden  and  in- 
tends to  make  his  home  here.  He  is  one 
of  the  prominent  citizens  of  the  place  and 
the  family  is  well  known  throughout  Boone 
county.  Few  men  are  more  prominent  or 
more  widely  known  in  the  enterprising  city 
ot  Ogden  than  Mr.  Clark,  lie  has  been  an 
important  factor  in  business  circles  and  his 
popularity  is  well  deserved,  as  in  him  are 
embraced  the  characteristics  of  an  unbend- 
ing integrity,  unabating  energy  and  indus- 
try that  never  flags,  lie  1-  public  spirited 
ami  thoroughly  interested  in  whatever  tends 
to  promote  the  moral,  intellectual  and  ma- 
terial welfare  of  his  community. 


rOHN  ENGLER. 


In  the  citizenship  of  Bonne  county  are 
found  representatives  of  many  lands.  From 
Switzerland  John  Engler  came  to  the  United 
States  and  is  now  a  representative  farmer 
of  Jackson  township,  Boonecounty.  He  was 
born  in  the  land  of  the  Alps,  Aug 
is  jo.  hi-  parent-  being  <  lallus  and  Margaret 


Engler.  The  father  was  a  farmer  and  in 
the  year  1852  emigrated  to  America.  He 
took  up  his  abode  in  Fond  du  Lac  county, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  spent  his  remaining 
days,  passing  away  at  the  age  of  sixty-two 
years.  His  wife  is  also  deceased.  In 
their  family  were  six  children,  of  whom 
four  are  yet  living,  Ursula  and  Ulrich,  the 
eldest  and  youngest,  having  passed  away. 
The  others  are:  Christina,  Margaret,  John 
and  Jacob. 

John  Engler  was  reared  to  manhood  in 
Switzerland,  pursuing  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  there.  At  the  age  of  nine- 
teen years  he  crossed  the  briny  deep  and 
became  a  resident  of  Fond  du  Lac  county, 
Wisconsin.  This  was  in  the  year  1841;  and 
he;  lived  in  the  Badger  state  until  1807,  at 
which  time  he  came  to  Boone  county.  Iowa. 
1"  Wisconsin  he  had  owned  and  operated 
eight)  acres  of  land.  The  first  land 
which  he  purchased  in  this  county  was  a 
two  hundred  acres  upon  which  he 
yet  lives.  Here  he  has  carried  on  mixed 
fanning.  lie  ha-  one  hundred  acres  of 
splendid  grain  while  the  remainder  of  his 
farm  is  devoted  to  the  raising  of  hay  and 
to  pasture  land.  He  keeps  about  fifty  head 
of  short-horn  cattle  of  a  high  grade  and 
In  stock  sells  for  good  prices  because  of 
its  excellent  condition.  There  are  good 
buildings  upon  the  place  and  everything 
■  farm  is  indicative  of  the  thrift, 
enterprise  and  up-to-date  business  methods 
of  the  owner. 

In  1858  Mr.  Engler  was  united  in  mar- 
Miss  Mary  Tischauser,  who  died 
in  1878,  and  on  the  20th  of  October,  t88o, 
again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Clara  Cronk,  who  was  horn  in 
Washington  county.  New  York,  Decem- 
ber   25.    1855.    a    daughter    of    Robert   and 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


255 


Adeline  Cronk.  Her  father  was  a  native 
of  Northumberland,  New  York,  while  her 
mother's  birth  occurred  in  Herkimer  coun- 
ty, that  state.  He  is  now  deceased,  but 
his  widow  is  living  in  Boone.  By  his  first 
marriage  Mr.  Engler  had  four  children : 
Christian.  Ulrich,  Margaret  and  John,  and 
the  children  of  the  second  marriage  are : 
Adeline,  Ursula  and  Zeruah.  In  his  polit- 
ical views  Mr.  Engler  largely  endorses  the 
Republican  party,  generally  voting  its  tick- 
et. He  is  a  believer  in  the  Dutch  Reformed 
church,  while  his  wife  is  connected  with 
the  Baptist  church.  They  are  people  of 
the  highest  respectability  and  have  lived 
lives  of  industry  ami  honesty,  and  thorough- 
out  the  community  they  enjoy  the  high  re- 
gard of  a  large  number  of  friends.  Mr. 
Engler  is  one  of  the  men  of  foreign  birth 
who  realized  the  advantages  offered  by  the 
new  world,  have  improved  the  opportunities 
of  America  and  have  achieved  success 
through   earnest    and   honorable    effort. 


JAMES  E.  ROBERTSON. 

Upon  a  farm  where  for  many  years  he 
was  actively  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil.  James  E.  Robertson  is  11  •w  living 
a  retired  life  and  his  rest  is  well  merited  foi 
his  business  career  was  one  of  untiring  ac- 
tivity and  honor.  Mr.  Robertson  is  a  na- 
tive of  Canada,  his  birth  having  occurred 
near  Toronto,  September  26,  1833.  He  is 
a  son  of  James  Robertson,  who  was  born, 
reared  and  married  in  Scotland.  The  lady 
of  his  choice  bore  the  nmaiden  name  of 
Mackintosh  and  her  death  occurred  when 
her  son  James  was  a  little  child.  He  was 
then   reared   by   his   maternal   grandparents 


ami  spent  the  first  sixteen  or  seventeen 
years  of  his  life  in  Canada,  after  which  he 
came  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Erie 
county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged  in  teaming  in  connection  with  rail- 
road construction.  He  followed  railroad 
work  until  1858  on  the  Cleveland  &  Erie 
road  for  three  years  and  subsequently  be- 
came an  engineer  on  the  Milwaukee  road 
running  from  Chicago.  Illinois,  to  Milwau- 
kee,  Wisconsin,   for   four  years. 

In  1858  he  went  to  California,  going  by 
way  of  New  York,  the  Isthmus  of  Pana- 
ma and  Aspinwall,  proceeding  thence  up  the 
Pacific  coast  to  San  Francisco.  On  land- 
ing at  the  Golden  Gate  he  made  his  way  to 
the  mines,  where  he  devoted  his  attention  to 
searching  for  the  precious  metal  for  sev- 
eral years.  In  1861  he  left  California  for 
Montana,  where  he  engaed  in  mining  for  a 
number  of  years.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  came  to  Boone  county,  Iowa, 
and  with  the  capital  he  had  acquired 
through  his  former  labors  he  purchased  one 
hundred  ami  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land. 
He  built  there  a  little  home  and  locating  on 
the  place  began  to  break  the  prairie  and 
cultivate  the  fields.  Now,  in  connection 
with  is  son,  he  owns  five  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  valuable  land,  all  in  Grant 
township,  comprising  three  farms  which  art 
valuable  and  well  improved.  Coming  to 
the  United  States  when  a  young  man.  with- 
out capital,  he  resolved  that  he  would  win 
success  if  it  could  be  gained  through  de- 
termined effort  and  honorable  purpose. 
Those  qualities  are  foundation  stones  for 
main  fortunes  and  it  was  upon  those  that 
Mr.  Robertson  budded  his  prosperity. 
Upon  the  home  farm  he  erected  a  large 
and    substantial    residence,    also    built    good 


256 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


barns  and  buildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain 
and  stock.  He  has  planted  trees  which  are 
now  of  splendid  size,  while  his  orchard 
yields  to  him  excellent  fruits. 

Mr.  Robertson  was  married  in  Mon- 
tana, in  1869,  to  Mrs.  Ann  Griffin,  a 
widow.  She  was  born  in  Ireland  and  dur- 
ing her  girlhood  was  brought  to  America. 
being  reared  mostly  in  Montana  and  Color- 
ado. Her  death  occurred  in  July,  1898. 
By  her  former  marriage  was  born  one  son, 
Frank,  who  was  adopted,  reared  and  edu- 
cated by  our  subject  and  is  now  one  of  the 
prominent  men  of  the  township.  He  is  a 
leading  Republican  and  at  the  present  time 
is  serving  as  township  trustee.  Mr.  Rob- 
ertson has  also  been  a  lifelong  Republican 
and  attained  the  right  of  franchise  at  the 
time  the  Republican  party  sprang  into  ex- 
istence and  placed  its  first  candidate  in  the 
field.  He  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont  and 
has  since  never  faltered  in  his  allegiance  to 
the  time-honored  principles  of  the  party, 
lie  was  elected  to  serve  for  six  years  as 
justice  of  the  peace  ami  for  eighteen  years 
was  township  trustee,  while  on  the  school 
board  he  has  done  effective  service  fur  the 
cause  <<\  education.  He  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  although  he  is  now  di- 
mitted  from  active  membership.  1 1  i >-  son 
Frank    is   likewise   identified    with   the  era  it. 

Mr.  Robertson  ha-  had  a  somewhat 
eventful  life:  his  youth  vyas  passed  in  Can- 
ada, his  early  manhood  in  the  east.  lie 
afterward  came  to  the  Mississippi  valley, 
being  connected  with  railroad  construction 
and  the  operative  departmenl  of  railroads 
in  Wisconsin  and  Illinois,  lie  then  SOUghl 
a  home  upon  the  Pacific  coasl  and  b  fa 
miliar  with  all  the  experiences  of  mining 
life  111  the  early  days  when  the  story  of  the 


mines  was  far  different  from  that  at  the 
present  time.  He  was  also  one  of  the  pio- 
neers in  mining  prospectors  in  Montana, 
then  settled  down  to  the  cpriet  pursuits  of 
the  farm  in  the  rich  agricultural  state  of 
Iowa.  Here  he  has  been  a  valued  represent- 
ative citizen  for  a  third  of  a  century  and 
as  the  years  have  passed  prosperity  has  at- 
tended his  well  directed  efforts  until  now 
he  can  rest  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits 
of   his    former   toil. 


JOHN  M.  BRAINARD. 

By  Charles  Aldrich. 

John  McCrea  Brainard  was  born  in 
Blairsville.  Indiana  county.  Pennsylvania. 
March  30.  183d,  in  the  seventh  generation 
<>f  English  ancestry.  The  immigrant  ances- 
tor was  Daniel  Brainard,  who  crossed  the 
seas  when  but  eight  years  of  age.  and  found 
a  home  in  Hartford.  Connecticut,  in 
it>_io.  In  1662  he  became  a  citizen 
of  and  large  landholder  in  lladdam. 
Connecticut.  was  a  successful  colonist, 
reared  eight  children — seven  sons  ami 
one  daughter — died  and  was  buried  in  Had- 
dam,  April  t .  1 71 5. 

The  father  of  , mr  subject,  Martin  Brain- 
ard, sjxth  in  line  of  descent  from  this  im- 
migrant ancestor,  was  a  son  of  Isaac  and 
Mice  (Brainard)  Brainard  1  not  relatives  1. 
born  at  Randolph.  Vermont,  ]unv  _>o.  1796; 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1817; 
studied  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  I'tica, 
New  York;  practiced  at  Rochester  and  Buf- 
falo 111  that  state,  and  in  Pennsylvania  and 
Wisconsin;  died  at  St.  Augustine,  Florida, 
April    17.    1883   (whither  the  family  had  re- 


JOHN    M.   BRAINARD. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


259 


moved  in  the  autumn  of  1875),  and  was 
buried   in  the  "Old  Huguenot  Cemetery"    in 

that  city.  The  mother  was  Agnes  (more 
generally  known  by  her  pet  name,  Nancy), 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Martha  (Bell) 
Moorhead,  was  born  near  Blairsville,  Penn- 
sylvania. March  13, 181 3, -married  November 
6,  1830,  and  died  at  St.  Augustine,  Florida, 
December  14.  1893.  She  was  a  woman  of 
more  than  usual  education  for  those  days, 
was  possessed  of  a  tenacious  memory  and  a 
capacity  for  ready  and  pertinent  quotation, 
generally  recognized  among  her  acquaint- 
ances. Her  ancestry  was  Scotch-Irish,  im- 
migrating in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth 
or  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  via 
Baltimore,  and  settling  in  the  rich  Cumber- 
land valley.  Franklin  county.  Pennsylvania, 
near  Chambersburg.  Her  grandfather,  Sam- 
uel Moorhead,  of  Westmoreland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  married  Agnes,  daughter  of 
Samuel  Craig,  also  of  Scotch-Irish  stock, 
who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
and  lost  his  life  in  the  line  of  duty,  being 
killed  by  the  Indian  allies  of  the  British  while 
crossing  Chestnut  Ridge  on  his  way  to  Fort 
I.igi  nier,  in  the  same  county.  The  intermar- 
riages of  the  Moorhead  families  were  almost 
without  exception  with  persons  of  Scotch- 
Irish  descent :  and  this  was  also  true  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  on  the  Brainard  side  of  the 
house,  the  first — Daniel — having  married  a 
Scotch  lassie,  Hannah  Spencer,  and  Scotch 
names  appearing  frequently  in  the  list  1  f 
brides  in  later  generations. 

John  M.  was  the  fourth  child  in  a  family 
of  thirteen,  three  older  brothers  dying  in 
early  childhood.  The  remaining  ten  children 
— three  girls  and  seven  buys — are  still  living  : 
John  M.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Boone, 
Iowa:    lustin    M.,    Waterloo,    [owa;    Mary 


Alice  (Seymour),  Chicago;  Joseph,  Boone, 
[owa;  David  \Y..  South  Orange.  New  Jer- 
sey;   R.    H.     Curwensville,     Pennsylvania; 

W'iliam  A,,  St.  Augustine,  Florida;  Martha 
E.  (Kidder).  Ripon,  Wisconsin;  Harriet  H. 
(Foster),  St.  Augustine.  Florida;  and 
Hair)  M..  South  Orange.  Xew  Jersey. 

John  M.  Brainard  received  his  primary 
education,  including  the  elements  of  the 
Latin  language,  from  his  parents  at  home. 
Then,  after  a  few  terms  in  the  common 
sctn  "Is.  which  were  excellent  for  that  period* 
he  was  sent,  in  the  autumn  of  1851.  to  the 
preparatory  academy  at  Eldersridge,  in  the 
same  county.  He  was  then  fifteen  years  of 
age  and  soon  became  self-supporting.  At 
this  school  he  was  prepared  for  the  junior 
year  at  Jefferson  College,  teaching  school  in 
the  winter  and  attending  the  five  months" 
terms  at  the  academy.  One  of  his  pupils  in 
those  earl}-  days  was  Ell  Torrance,  now  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic.  Another  was  Lieutenant  Geary, 
son  of  General  and  afterwards  Governor 
Geary.  Lieutenant  Geary  was  killed  in  the 
battle  of  Lookout  Mountain  (General  Hook- 
er's movement),  which  introduced  the  battle 
of  Chattanooga.  In  the  spring  of  1853  his 
father's  family  removed  from  Pennsylvania 
to  Beloit.  Wisconsin.  He  entered  the  college 
at  that  place,  but  only  remaine  1  until  fall, 
when  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
alternately  studied  in  the  academy  and  taught 
school  until  the  spring  of  1856. 

So. in  after  his  completion  of  the  academic 
course  he  decided  to  go  west.  This  westward 
migration  was  preceded  by  his  marriage  to 
Miss  Martha  Wile  \\  ilson,  daughter  of  San- 
ford  and  Letitia  (Clark)  Wilson,  of  West- 
moreland county,  Pennsylvania.  The  mar- 
riage   was   in   Callensburg,   Clarion   county. 


260 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORl 


Pennsylvania.  March  18,  1856.  (Letitia 
Clark  was  a  a  usin  of  Governor  James 
Clark,  the  third  and  last  territorial  governor 
of  Iowa,  who  died  by  cholera  shortly  after 
the  close  of  his  official  term,  and  lies  buiiod 
at  Burlington,  Iowa.)  The  children  of  this 
marriage  are  seven,  all  but  two  of  whom  are 
living  :  Justin.  b<  >rn  May  9.  1858,  at  Charles. 
City.  Ii  wa;  married  Gladys  J.  Calonkey  Sep- 
tember 4.  1884.  living  in  Boone.  Walter  L., 
horn  March  12.  i860,  at  Clear  Lake.  Iowa: 
married  Lizzie  A.  Shackleton,  June  20.  1886. 
,11  Boone;  died  September  23.  1887,  buried 
at  Boone.  Frank  S..  horn  February  18. 
1862.  at  Clear  Lake,  b  wa  :  lives  at  Centralia. 
Ellin*  is.  Elmer  F..  horn  January  31,  1864, 
at  Nevada,  Iowa:  married  Fannie  E.  Wo  d- 
ward.  January  2,  [889,  at  Elkader,  Iowa; 
lives  at  Pocatello,  Idaho.  Mabel  Alice,  born 
December  24.  [865,  at  Nevada,  Iowa:  mar- 
ried J.  T.  Coveny,  M.  D.,  October  17.  [889; 
lives  in  Oskaloosa,  1<  wa.  They  have  two 
sons,  1 1.  \\  ,-inl  and  (  larence  C.  Emma  Wale. 
horn  May  j^,.  1 87 1 .  at  Boone,  low  a  :  married 
Stillman  Pearson,  Februar)  17.  1896:  lives 
in  Aim  >ra,  Illinois.  A  twin  brother  of  the 
latter  (  unnamed  )  died  a  few  days  after  birth. 
The  young  husband  and  wife  came  1  rut  ti  1 
Wisconsin,  and  July  21  of  the  same  year. 
[856,  removed  t<  Floyd  county.  Iowa,  taking 
up  their  abode  in  Charles  City,  since  which 
time  they  haw  resided  continuously  in  Iowa. 
In  the  autumn  of  [856  he  was  employed  to 
teach  the  public  schools  in  Charles  City, 
where  he  remained  for  a  year.  1  fe  wa-  after" 
wards  employed  in  the  hank  of  Ferguson  & 
Eastman,  in  the  -tore  of  Ferguson  &  Stan- 
ley, and  in  the  county  offices  lie  remained 
in  Charles  City  until  1S5S.  when  having  se- 
cured a  school  at  Mason  City,  he  removed 
there  and  taught  it  during  tiie  ensuing  year. 


In  the  autumn  of  1859  ne  removed  to 
Clear  Lake  and  taught  the  school  there  dur- 
ing the  ensuing  winter.  While  so  employed 
he  became  associated  with  Silan  Noyes  in  the 
establishment  of  the  first  newspaper  in  Cleat- 
Lake.  The  paper  was  known  as  "The  Clear 
Lake  Independent."  Journalism  was  from 
that  time  forward  his  life  work.  At  the  time 
of  entering  this  profession  he  was  twenty- 
three  years  ( if  age.  The  following  year  "The 
Independent"  suspended,  and  the  office  was 
removed  to  New  Amsterdam.  Hancock 
count}',  where  it  was  published  for  a  portion 
of  the  year  1861.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  times  became  verv  hard  for  coun- 
try journals  on  the  frontier,  and  "The  Inde- 
pendent" was  again  suspended,  the  proprie- 
tor- engaging  in  merchandising  at  Clear 
Lake.  This  venture  proved  to  he  an  unfor- 
tunate one.  Many  of  their  o-.,,„ls  went  to 
persons  who  were  afterwards  lost  in  the  war, 
and  to  their  dependent  wives  and  children  on 
the  frontier,  and  such  account-  were  never 
collected.  In  the  summer  of  [863  Mr.  Brain- 
ard  sought  a  new  field,  going  to  Nevada, 
Story  county,  Iowa,  where  he  bought  the 
"Reveille"  from  George  Schoonover,  which 
he  rechristened  "The  Story  County  ^Egis." 
lie  remained  in  Nevada  f<  r  live  year-,  ami 
in  the  autumn  of  [868  acquired  John  Chap- 
man's interest  in  the  "Council  Bluffs  Non- 
pareil," which  he  edited  the  latter  portion  of 
that  year  and  into  the  summer  of  [869. 
About  this  time  he  purchased  "The  Boone 
Standard."  when  his  editorial  wanderings 
ceased.  I  le  had  attended  the  first  sale  of  lot- 
in  the  embryo  town  three  years  before.  The 
paper  wa-  published  without  missing 
until  January  1.  1902,  or  nearly  a  third  of  a 
cumin.  Its  publication  became  too  great  a 
burden,  owing  to  hi-  advancing  years,  and 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


261 


the  changed  circumstances  of  newspaper  pub- 
lication, which  rendered  a  weekly  paper  un- 
profitable, and  to  the  public  undesirable. 
Only  daily  papers  can  meet  the  demands  of 
the  people  these  days  of  telegraphs  and  rural 
mail  delivery.  While  Brainard's  modest  lit- 
tle "Standard"  was  always  readable  from  the 
first  line  to  the  last,  the  propiti*  us  days  for  a 
weekly  in  Boone  county.  Iowa,  had  "faded 
into  the  azure  of  the  past."  Some  men  of  his 
years,  when  compelled  by  the  logic  of  their 
environments  to  give  up  a  line  of  business 
and  retire  to  a  life  wholly  private,  become 
soured  and  misanthropic,  imagining  that  they 
have  been  ill-used,  that  "republics  are  un- 
grateful" and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  Not  so 
was  it  with  John  M.  Brainard.  He  saw  that 
the  days  of  the  country  weekly  had  passed 
away  never  to  return,  and  he  accepted  the 
situation  cheerfully  without  a  word  of  com- 
plaint, turning  his  attention  to  other  fields 
of  usefulness. 

While  he  has  never  been  in  the  generally 
accepted  sense  an  officeseeker.  at  times  the 
favor  of  the  people  or  of  influential  friends 
has  called  upon  him  for  public  service.  In 
1862  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state 
hoard  of  education  from  the  sixth  district  of 
Iowa  to  till  a  vacancy;  but  the  action  1  E  the 
general  assembly  March  24,  1864,  relieved 
him  from  further  duty  by  the  abolition  of  the 
board.  On  February  14,  1873.  his  "valen- 
tine" was  President  Grant's  commission  as 
postmaster  for  Boone.  Iowa,  a  position  which 
he  filled  for  the  usual  term  of  four  years. 
He  served  a  term  on  the  Boone  school  b  'aid, 
by  appointment,  in  1877  an(l  l%7%-  In  !886 
he  was  elected,  for  the  term  of  two  years,  a 
member  of  the  city  council  of  Boone,  a  peril  id 
of  development  in  its  growth  which  gave  him 
opportunity  for  the  impress  of  some  of  his 


cherished  conceptions  of  civic  improvement 
upon  the  eommunity.  In  1893,  when  the 
city  decided  to  construct  a  general  .-ewer  sys- 
tem, he  was  largely  instrumental  in  securing 
as  its  advisory  engineer  in  this  work  the  dis- 
tinguished Colonel  George  I-'..  Waring,  Jr., 
whose  plans  were  substantially  adopted.  In 
[881-82  he  was  active  in  the  promotion  of 
the  St.  Louis.  Des  Moines  &  Northern  Rail 
way.  from  Boone  to  He-  Moines,  now  th' 
property  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St 
Paul  Railway  Company.  The  opening  o: 
this  line  in  July.  1882.  marked  the  commence- 
ment of  an  era  of  new  prosperity  for  the  city 
of  Boone  and  the  territory  adjoining  the  new 
line. 

The  writer  has  known  Mr.  Brainard  inti- 
mately and  well  for  nearly  fort}'  years,  and  it 
is  a  pleasure  to  bear  testimony  to  his  many 
excelent  qualities  of  head  ami  heart.  As  a 
writer  for  the  press  he  was  one  of  the  first 
among  those  who  came  as  pioneers  into 
northwestern  Iowa  prior  t'  >  r86o.  His  paper 
was  a  clean  piece  of  writing  and  printing. 
Xo  parent  ever  felt  any  hesitancy  in  having  it 
come  into  the  home.  It  always  contained 
much  aside  from  the  news  of  the  day  that 
was  in  the  highest  degree  instructive.  Even 
now  "Id  settlers  speak  in  most  cordial  terms 
of  what  John  Brainard's  paper  was  a  quarter 
of  a  century  ago.  A  complete  tile  of  that 
most  excellent  journal  is  in  the  State  His- 
ti  >rical  Library  at  Des  Moines.  Among  other 
good  works  he  has  always  been  a  persistent 
advocate  of  public  libraries.  The  city  of 
Boone  is  now,  thanks  t"  a  few  excellent  peo- 
ple, building  up  a  growing  library,  to  which 
all  are  welcomed.  But  the  sentiment  in  its 
favor  has  arisen  mainly  from  the  untiring 
work  of  John  M.  Brainard.  This  is  conceded 
bv  everybody.     Another  point  may  be  men- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


tionefl.  He  has  labored  in  season  and  out  of 
season  for  the  best  interests  of  the  public 
schools.  No  other  ten  men  in  Boone  have 
done  so  much  unrequited  labor  for  the  cause 
of  education.  Others  have  been  "too  busy"  ; 
but  a  man  with  tastes  in  these  directions, 
whose  heart  is  in  the  work,  can  generally  find 
time  to  help  a  good  cause. 

His  many  appreciative,  abiding  friends 
will  join  the  writer  in  the  hope  that  many 
happy  years  vet  remain  to  Mr.  Brainard,  and 
that — among  the  trees  and  rli  wers  planted  by 
his  own  hand,  and  fondly  cherished  from 
year  to  year,  and  cheered  by  the  songs  of  the 
birds  which  always  find  protection  within  his 
gates — he  may.  in  content  and  happiness, 
"crown  a  life  of  labor  with  an  age  of  ease." 


S.   T.   STEELSMITH. 

S.  T.  Steelsmith  is  filling  the  position 
of  township  trustee  in  Beaver  township. 
Boone  count}-.  Iowa,  where  he  is  well 
known  as  an  extensive  Stock  Inner  and  a 
prominent  fanner,  his  home  living  one  sec- 
tion id.  A  native  of  <  mio,  he  was  born  in 
Tuscarawas  county,  on  the  loth  of  Sep- 
tember, 1N4-.  lie  is  a  son  of  John  and 
Lydia  (Foreman)  Steelsmith,  the  latter  a 
native  of  Ohio  and  the  former  of  Wesl 
moreland  county,  Pennsylvania.  The 
Father  was  bom  in  [805  and  from  his  na- 
tive state  removed  to  Tuscarawas  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  resided  until  1859,  when 
he  came  direct  to  Iowa  by  way  of  the  river 
route,  the  water  being  very  high  at  that 
time.      He    first    settled    in    Warren    county, 

but    after    a    shorl    time    came    '"    1'. le 

c.nnty,    because    of   an     uncle    living   lure. 


He  settled  upon  a  farm  near  Boone,  then 
in  Worth  township,  and  there  spent  his  re- 
maining days,  being  engaged  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits.  He  died  June  20,  1865, 
and  his  wife,  long  surviving  him,  passed 
away  in  November,  1888.  In  their  family 
were  six  children  :  John,  who  is  now  living 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Worth  township; 
Solomon  W.,  who  resides  upon  the  home 
place;  Peter  W.,  a  carpenter  residing  in 
South  Prairie,  Washington:  Samuel  T.,  of 
this  review;  Luther  M.,  who  is  engaged  in 
mining  in  Troy,  Idaho;  and  Benjamin  F., 
who  died  in  California  in   1880. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family. 
S.  T.  Steelsmith  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  His  early  boyhood  days  were 
spent  in  the  county  of  his  nativity.  When 
about  twelve  years  of  age  he  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Iowa,  where  lie  has  since  re- 
mained, being  a  resident  of  Boone  county 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  time.  After 
arriving  at  years  of  maturity  he  married 
Mi—  1  atherine  A.  Davis,  of  this  county, 
a  daughter  of  Lewis  Davis,  of  Worth 
township,  one  of  the  early  settlers  and  a 
representative  of  an  eminent  family  of 
Boone  county.  Here  he  died  in  [898. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Steelsmith  have  been 
born  six  children;  Lydia.  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; Clarence,  who  is  engaged  in  teach- 
in-  school  and  is  making  his  home  with 
Ins  parents,  for  his  wife,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  II.  Xolin.  is  now  de- 
ceased; ('.  Fred,  who  married  Erne  Gon- 
der  and  resides  two  miles  south  of  Boone; 
John  V.  Benjamin  I-".,  and  Florence  Belle. 
all  at   home. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Steelsmith 
rented  a  small  farm  on  section  10.  Beaver 
township,   where  he  resided    for   two   years, 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


:&3 


when    he    removed    to    the    old    Ten    Eyck 

place,  making-  it  his  place  of  residence  until 
the  spring  of  1878.  He  then  removed  to 
his  present  farm,  known  as  the  old  Lloyd 
property.  His  farm  is  well  improved,  the 
buildings  have  all  been  erected  here  since 
its  purchase.  He  has  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  upon  section  iG,  Beaver  town- 
ship, and  is  accounted  one  of  the  promi- 
nent, progressive  and  practical  agricultur- 
ists of  his  community.  He  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stuck  raising,  also  buys 
and  sells  cattle.  He  now  holds  the  office 
of  township  trustee  in  Beaver  township  and 
has  filled  other  local  positions.  In  politics 
he  has  always  voted  with  the  Republican 
party  and  is  unfaltering'  in  his  allegiance 
thereto  and  in  the  support  of  any  measure 
or  movement  which  he  believes  will  con- 
tribute to  the  general  good.  He  keeps  well 
informed  on  the  issues  and  questions  of  the 
day.  both  political  and  otherwise,  and  is  a 
wide-awake,  representative  American  citi- 
zen who  realizes  that  industry  is  the  found- 
ation of  all  success  and  has  therefore  made 
it  one  of  the  salient  features  in  his  career. 


W.  F.  MENTON. 


W.  F.  Menton,  who  is  connected  with 
journalistic  interests  in  Boone,  Iowa,  as  one 
of  the  owners  and  publishers  of  the  Boone 
County  Democrat,  was  born  in  Colfax  town- 
ship on  the  13th  of  September.  1874,  and 
i-  a  -on  of  John  and  Joanna  (O'Lear)  I 
Menton,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ire- 
land, whence  they  emigrated  to  the  United 
State-  and  took  up  their  abode  in  Boston. 
The  father  was  first  employed  upon  a  farm 


and  later  was  for  twelve  years  an  employe 
in  the  Ames  Shovel  Factory,  near  Brockton, 
Massachusetts.  In  April,  1866,  he  came  to 
Iowa,  locating  in  Colfax  township,  Boone 
county,  upon  the  farm  where  our  subject 
was  born.  He  purchased  fifty-eight  acres 
of  land  and  in  the  spring  of  1889  he  re- 
moved to  Boone,  where  he  i>  now  living  re- 
tired, having  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury been  an  active  factor  in  agricultural 
interests.  He  is  now  enjoying  a  well- 
earned  rest,  for  in  the  years  of  his  business 
activity  he  accumulated  a  considerable  com- 
petence. In  his  family  were  nine  children, 
of  whom  eight  are  yet  living:  Julia; 
Daniel;  John  A.,  Catherine,  wife  of  D.  P. 
[vis,  of  Boone  county:  Ellen  Elizabeth; 
Thomas  P.;  William  F.,  and  Edward  J. 
One  son,  Dennis,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five  years,  on  the  19th  of  February,  1888. 
He  had  been  admitted  to  practice  at  the 
Boone  county  bar,  after  completing  a  course 
in  the  State  Agricultural  College  at  Ames, 
Iowa,  and  in  the  Iowa  State  University, 
where  he  pursued  his  law  course.  He 
seemed  to  have  a  bright  future  before  him, 
hut   his   career   was   terminated   in   death. 

W.  F.  Menton.  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  pursued  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  and  in  early  life  became  fa- 
miliar with  all  the  work  of  the  farm,  early 
assisting  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fields.  At 
length,  however,  he  left  the  old  home- 
stead and  on  the  3d  of  September,  1900, 
purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  Boone 
County  Democrat,  becoming  the  partner  of 
J.  R.  Herron.  This  relation  ha-  -nice  been 
maintained  and  the  paper  is  conducted  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  Herron  &  Menton. 
The  Democrat  was  established  in  [868  and 
has    the    largest    circulation    ,.i    any    Memo- 


264 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


cratic  weekly  published  in  Boone  county  .  It 
also  1-  the  strongest  organ  of  the  party  in 
central  Iowa.  Its  owners  and  publishers 
are  men  of  good  business  ability,  wide 
awake  and  enterprising  and  their  paper  has 
now  a  large  and  constantly  increasing  cir- 
culation. It  supports  every  measure  calcu- 
lated to  benefit  the  general  welfare  and  has 
been  a  valued  factor  in  advancing  the  pub- 
lic  good. 

Mr.  Mentor  is  a  member  of  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men.,  belonging  to 
Oneida  Tribe.  No.  22,  of  Boone,  and  he 
now  holds  the  office  of  great  senior  saga- 
more of  Iowa.  He  is  also  identified  with 
Boonesboro  Lodge,  K.  of  P.  and  with  the 
Fraternal  Choppers  of  America.  Mr.  Men- 
ton  is  a  young  man  who  exemplifies  the 
progressive  spirit  of  the  west.  He  has  a 
■wide  acquaintance  in  Boone  county  where 
be  has  always  resided,  and  the  circle  of  his 
friends  is  almost  co-extensive  with  the  cir- 
cle of  his   acquaintances. 


JOHN    R.    HERRON. 

In  the  promotion  ami  conservation  of 
advancement  in  all  the  normal  line-  of  hu- 
man progress  and  civilization,  there  1-  no 
factor  which  has  exercised  a  mure  potent 
influence  than  the  press,  which  is  both  the 
director  and  the  mirror  of  public  opinion. 
Iowa  has  been  signally  favored  in  the  char- 
acter of  its  newspapers,  which  have  been 
vital,  enthusiastic  and  progressive,  ever 
aiming  to  advance  the  intersts  of  this  fa- 
vored section  of  the  Union,  to  aid  in  laying 
fast  and  sure  the  foundations  of  an  enlight- 
ened commonwealth,  to  further  the  ends  of 
justice  and  to  uphold  the  banner  of  the 
Hawk-eve  state.        In  a  compilation  of  ibis 


nature,  then,  it  is  clearly  incumbent  that 
due  recognition  be  accorded  the  newspaper 
press  and  in  this  connection  we  are  glad  to 
mention  The  Boone  County  Democrat  and 
its  proprietor,  John  R.  Herron. 

Mr.  Herron  was  born  in  Des  Moines 
township,  Boone  count}".  Iowa,  March  19, 
1874,  and  is  a  son  of  Richard  and  Sabina 
i  Payton)  Herron.  The  paternal  grand- 
father also  bore  the  name  of  Richard  and 
was  a  native  of  Ireland.  Crossing  the  At- 
lantic to  America  at  an  early  date,  he  lo- 
cated in  Canada  and  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming.  His  wife  bore  the  maid- 
en name  of  Mary  Henneberry.  '  In  their 
family  were  four  children,  three  sons  and  a 
daughter:  Richard;  Mary,  the  wife  of  "['. 
McDermott.  of  Eagle  Gn  we.  Iowa  ;  William, 
of  Missouri  Valley,  Iowa;  and  John,  de- 
ceased. The  father  of  our  subject  was  also 
a  native  of  the  Emerald  Isie  and  when  he 
sought  a  home  beyond  the  Atlantic,  took 
up  his  abode  in  Stratford,  Ontario,  in  1847. 
making  his  home  there  until  1865.  In  the 
meantime,  in  the  year  1858,  he  wed- 
ded Sabina  Payton,  a  daughter  of  Rat- 
rick  Payton.  who  was  born  in  Ire- 
land but  in  the '^os  removed  to  Can- 
ada and  there  spent  his  remaining  days. 
IM-  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Hogan 
and  died  when  her  daughter.  Mrs.  Herron. 
was  quite  young.  In  the  family  were 
eight  children:  Catherine.  Bernard, 
Thomas,  Jane.  Sabina.  Ann.  Alice  ami  Mar- 
garet. While  residing  in  Canada  Mr.  Her- 
ron engaged  in  farming  and  in  [865  be 
came  to  Iowa,  residing  for  two  months  in 
Cedar  Rapids,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Boone.  The  railroad  at  that  time  extend- 
ed only  to  Nevada  and  there  were  but  two 
houses  in  what  is  now  the  city  of  Boone. 
Mr.    Herron   and   hi-    family   took   up  their 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


265 


abode  in  the  little  hamlet  where  they  re- 
mained until  1869  when  they  settled  upon 
a  farm  in  Des  Moines  township,  three  and 
one-half  miles  southeast  of  the  city.  It  was 
there  that  our  subject  was  born.  The  fam- 
ily resided  continuously  upon  the  farm  un- 
til the  spring-  ,.f  1886,  when  the  parents  re- 
moved to  Boone,  where  they  yet  make  their 
home.  Their  children  are  Mary,  deceased. 
and  John  R. 

In  the  common  schools  John  R.  Herron 
began  his  education,  attending-  the  parochial 
school  of  Boone  and  also  the  high  school  of 
this  city.  His  connection  with  journalistic 
work  began  when  he  was  sixteen  years  of 
age.  in  the  capacity  of  a  printer's  devil  in 
the  office  of  The  Boone  County  Democrat. 
There  he  remained,  winning"  advancement 
from  time  to  time  until  he  became  the 
owner  of  a  half  interest  in  the  plant,  pur- 
chasing this  on  the  1st  of  January,  [899. 
He  had  previously  served  as  an  apprentice 
and  local  editor.  His  partner  in  the  enter- 
prise i-  \Y.  F.  Menton,  the  partnership  be- 
ing designated  by  the  style  of  Herron  & 
Menton.  They  are  both  wide-awake,  en- 
terprising young  business  men  a;;d  are  pub- 
lishing a  journal  which  is  creditable  to  the 
city  and  which  is  ever  found  as  the  cham- 
pion of  movements  and  measures  for  the 
general  good.  Socially  Mr.  Herron  is  con- 
nected with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World, 
the  Fraternal  Choppers  of  America,  and 
other   social   and   fraternal   ors:anizatCn-:. 


JOHN"   II.   HOYS. 

John  II.  Hoys  is  well-known  in  journa 
istic  interests  in  Boone.  He  is  a  youn 
man    possessing    the    enterprising    spirit    s 


typical  of  the  west.  His  birth  place  was  in 
the  Mississippi  valley,  for  he  is  a  native  of 
Metamora.  Illinois,  born  October  S.  1X70. 
His  father.  Isaac  Boys,  was  also  born  there 
and  was  widely  known  as  a  stock  dealer, 
extensively  engaged  in  the  raising  of  thor- 
oughbred cattle.  He  is  still  living  at  the 
age  of  sixty-two  years.  His  father.  James 
Boys,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  a 
farmer  by  occupation. 

The  subject  of  this  review-  pursued  his 
education  in  the  Northwestern  University 
of  Evanston,  Illinois,  and  in  Knox  College, 
of  Galesburg,  completing-  the  course  with 
the  class  of  1893.  While  in  college  he  en- 
gaged in  newspaper  work  and  after  the 
completion  of  his  collegiate  course  he  con- 
tinued in  that  line  of  industrial  activity  in 
connection  with  the  publication  of  the 
Council  Bluffs  Nonpareil.  After  one  year 
he  became  advertising  manager  for  the 
Peoria  Transcript  and  the  Evening  Times, 
and  two  years  later  he  was  made  managing 
editor  of  the  latter  and  in  that  capacity 
served  for  one  year.  In  the  winter  of  1899 
he  removed  to  Atlantic.  Iowa,  where  he 
purchased  the  Atlantic  Messenger,  conduct- 
ing that  paper  until  August,  iqoo,  when  he 
entered  into  partnership  with  W.  W. 
Loomis,  with  whom  he  has  since  been  as- 
sociated.  Together  they  conducted  the 
Messenger  until  March,  kjoi,  when  they 
purchased  the  Boone  Daily  Republican, 
which  was  established  as  a  weekly  journal 
111  1865  and  the  daily  on  the  1  st  of  Jan- 
uary. 1899.  The  present  proprietors  have 
enlarged  the  plant  and  added  the  first  type 
setting  machine  ever  brought  to  Boone. 
They  publish  both  the  daily  and  weekly 
papers.  The  Republican  is  a  leading  po- 
litical   factor,  its  support  being  indicated  by 


266 


IE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


its  name.  Its  influence  is  widely  felt  in  lie- 
half  of  the  party  and  also  in  advocacy  of 
every  measure  which  tends  to  promote  the 
social,  intellectual  and  moral  welfare  of  the 
community.  Mr.  Boys  is  business  mana- 
ger and  the  enterprise  is  proving  a  profita- 
ble one.  In  1896  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Boy-  and  Miss  Jean  Caskey, 
a  daughter  of  Alex  Caskey,  of  Chicago 
Heights.  They  have  one  son.  Philip,  lorn 
.March   21,    1901. 


WILLIAM  \V.  LOOMIS. 

William  W.  Loomis  is  associated  with 
J.  H.  Boys  in  the  publication  of  the  Even- 
ing Republican  and  has  editorial  charge  of 
the  paper.  Mr.  Loomis  was  born  in  Fay- 
ette county.  Iowa,  and  came  to  Boone  in 
March,    tool. 


WILLIAM  JOHNSON. 

For  twenty-nine-  consecutive  years  Will- 
iam Johnson  was  successfully  engaged  in 
merchandising  in  Madrid,  and  was  one  of 
the  leading  representative  men  of  thai  place. 
He  passed  away  April  29,  [902,  and  his  death 
was  mourned  throughout  the  entire  commu- 
nity, for  he  was  a  man  who  had  endeared 
himself  to  his  fellow  men  by  reason  of  his 
possession  of  those  sterling  traits  of  character 
which  in  every  country  and  every  clime  com- 
mand respect.  In  his  business  affairs  he  was 
found  to  be  reliable,  just,  accurate  and  dili 
gent,  and  in  social  life  his  friendly  interest  in 
his  fellow  men.  his  genial  manner  and  kindly 
disposition  won  for  him  the  high  regard  of 
those   with  whom  he  came  in  contact.      It  is 


therefore  proper  that  the  sketch  of  his  career 
should  be  given  in  a  volume,  the  purpose  of 
which  is  to  preserve  the  history  of  the  men 
who  have  taken  a  part  in  molding  the  prog- 
ress, improvement  and  upbuilding  of  Boone 
c<  lunty. 

His  name  indicates  his  Swedish  lineage. 
He  was  born  in  the  kingdom  of  Sweden  on 
the  1  -t  1  >f  June.  1830.  and  when  a  lad  of  four, 
teen  years  crossed  the  briny  deep  to  the  new- 
world  in  company  with  his  brother,  arriving 
in  August.  1852.  They  remained  for  some 
time  in  Xew  York  city  and  state,  als.  1  resid- 
ing for  a  time  in  Pennsylvania,  during  which 
period  Mr.  Johnson  of  this  review  worked  as 
a  farm  hand.  He  had  few  advantages,  edu- 
cational or  otherwise,  in  his  youth.  He 
early  had  to  depend  upon  his  own  resources 
for  a  living,  and  whatever  be  achieved  or 
gained  in  life  was  the  result  of  his  indefa- 
tigable efforts.  In  [859  he  went  to  Califor- 
nia, where  he  secured  employment,  and  later 
he  engaged  in  farming  011  rented  land  until 
he  was  enabled  to  purchase  a  farm  of  his 
own.  He  then  operated  his  property  until 
1S70.  when  he  sold  his  possessions  in  the 
far  west  and  came  to  Iowa,  establishing 
his  home  in  Polk  county,  lie  purchased 
a  farm  111  Madison  township,  that  count}-, 
and  continued  its  cultivation  for  four 
years,  hut  in  1 S7 j  he  again  sold  out  and 
in  that  year  he  came  to  Boone  county,  making 
his  home  in  Madrid.  1  [ere  he  purchased  an 
interest  in  an  established  general  mercantile 
store,  and  as  the  war-  passed  built  up  an  ex- 
cellent trade.  For  twenty-nine  years  he  was 
a  representative  of  the  mercantile  int< 
this  place.  He  carried  a  large  and  well  se- 
lected stock  of  general  goods,  and  his  reason- 
able prices  and  his  earnest  desire  to  please, 
together  with  his  trustworthy  methods,  se- 


MRS  WM  JOHNSON 


~2^_ 


BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


cured  to  him  a  very  desirable  patronage. 
After  residing  in  Madrid  for  a  time  he  pur- 
chased a  grx  id  business  house  and  also  erect- 
ed a  comfortable  home  and  two  other  brick 
business  blocks  in  this  city.  He  likewise  pur- 
chased and  sold  several  other  business  houses 
and  aided  materially  in  the  improvement  of 
the  town.  His  assistance  was  never  sought 
in  vain  in  behalf  of  any  movement 
intended  to  promote  the  public  wel- 
fare. When  he  came  to  America  he 
was  a  poor  hoy.  with  no  capital  and 
no  influential  friends  to  aid  him,  but  he 
possessed  energy,  resolution  and  strong  will, 
and  these  enabled  him  to  meet  business 
opportunities  in  a  way  to  make  them  return 
to  him  a  good  income.  He  thereby  accumu- 
lated a  very  desirable  estate,  a  good  home. 
and  moreover  he  won  an  honored  name  in 
the  land  of  his  adoption. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  in  Boone  county 
July  7,  1871,  to  Miss  Anna  Johnson,  a  native 
of  Sweden,  who  came  to  America  when  a  lit- 
tle maiden  of  twelve  years,  and  was  reared  in 
this  county. She  was  born  December  12,1853, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Jonas  and  Josephine 
(  Barnquist )  Johnson.  Her  birth  occurred  in 
the  town  of  Mjolby,  Sweden,  and  there  she 
pursued  her  studies  until  she  attained  the 
age  of  twelve  years,  when  the  family  re- 
moved to  America,  settling  at  Swede  Point. 
now  Madrid,  and  it  was  here  on  the  7th  of 
July,  1N71,  that  she  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  William  Johnson.  Her  parents  are 
both  dead,  her  father  having  passed  away 
Feb.  -><>.  1873.  while  her  mother  died  on  the 
2ist  of  March.  [902.  They  were  residents 
of  Madrid  and  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  ceme- 
tery of  this  place.  They  were  the  first  pas- 
sengers into  Boone  over  the  railroad,  having 
come  here  in  a  freight  car  on  the  first  train 


that  entered  the  city.  They  left  Sweden  in 
the  month  of  May  and  arrived  at  their  destin- 
ation in  September.  Two  children  blessed 
the  union  of  William  and  Anna  Johnson: 
Arthur,  a  young  man.  who  assisted  his  father 
in  the  store;  and  Selma.  at  home.  Mr.  John- 
son was  a  pronounced  Republican  in  his  po- 
litical views,  and  when  he  became  a  natural- 
ized citizen  of  America  he  cast  his  first  presi- 
dential vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  i860, 
and  at  each  presidential  election  from  that 
time  until  his  death  he  supported  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  party,  but  was  never  an 
aspirant  for  office  himself,  his  time  and  at- 
tention being  occupied  by  his  business  affairs- 
He.  hi  iwever,  served  as  a  member  of  the  town 
board,  as  town  treasurer  and  as  school  treas- 
urer for  seventeen  years.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith  and 
he  adhered  to  the  church  of  that  denomina- 
tion until  his  death.  Air.  Johnson  aided  in 
building  and  supporting  various  churches, 
not  only  in  Madrid  but  in  the  adjoining  dis- 
tricts. He  looked  at  life  from  a  broad  and 
practical  standpoint  and  realized  that  there  is 
nothing  of  true  value  in  the  world  save  char- 
acter, and  he  so  lived  as  to  develop  an  up- 
right, honorable  manhood.  He  was  known 
as  a  reliable  merchant  and  a  loyal  citizen,  a 
de\  1  ted  husband  and  father,  as  well  as  a  con- 
sistent Christian  man.  and  thus  in  his  life 
record  there  is  much  that  is  worthy  of  emula- 


ERIC  SODERLAXI). 

The  fitting  reward  of  a  well-spenl  life 
is  honorable  retirement  from  labor  and  this 
has  been  vouchsafed  to  Mr.  Soderland,  who 
has  put  aside  business  cares  and  is  now  liv- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ing  a  retired  life  in  Madrid,  although  for 
thirty-seven  years  he  was  actively  asso-  , 
ciated  with  farming  interests.  He  is  num- 
bered among  the  old  settlers  of  Iowa,  dat- 
ing his  residence  in  the  state  from  1858, 
while  since  [865  he  has  made  his  home  in 
Boone  county.  Sweden  has  sent  a  large 
quota  of  citizens  to  this  portion  of  the  state 
and  they  have  been  important  factors  in 
advancing  public  progress.  Among  the 
number  is  Mr.  Soderland,  who  was  born  hi 
Sweden  June  2^,  1831,  During  the  period 
of  his  youth  there  he  learned  the  shoemak- 
er's trade  and  followed  it  for  some  time. 
He  had  but  little  opportunity  to  attend 
school  and  is  largely  a  self-educated  man. 
learning  many  valuable  lessons  in  the 
school  of  experience  and  thus  supplement- 
ing the  knowledge  which  he  had  gained  in 
early  manhood. 

In  the  year  1857  lie  emigrated  to  the 
new  world,  sailing  from  Stockholm  and  go- 
ing by  vyay  of  Hamburg  to  Xcw  York  city. 
On  reaching  the  shores  of  the  new  world  he 
did  not  delaj  in  the  east,  but  made  his  way 
at  once  to  the  Mississippi  valley,  settling  in 
Knox  county,  Illinois,  where  he  remained 
for  more  than  a  year,  working  upon  a  farm. 
In  [868  he  arrived  in  Boone  county.  Iowa, 
and  was  employed  as  a  farm  band  by  the 
month  for  one  year.  In  [859  he  purchased 
his  first  land,  becoming  the  owner  of  a  tract 
of  eighty  acres  of  raw  prairie  in  Hamilton 
count}'.  This  he  broke  and  planted  and  en- 
closed it  within  a  fence,  but  he  put  aside 
business  cares  in  [862  in  order  that  he 
might  aid  the  government  in  the 
to  preserve  the  union  intact. 

He  enlisted  at  Boonesboro,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  1.  Thirty-ninth  Iowa  Vol- 
unteer  Infantry,  and  after  drilling  in    Des 


Moines  and  Davenport  for  a  time,  receiv- 
ing uniform  in  the  latter  city,  he  went  with 
his  regiment  to  the  south  and  was  assigned 
to  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  He  first 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Parker's  Cross 
Roads  and  subsequently  in  the  engagement 
at  Corinth.  Later  the  regiment  was  as- 
signed to  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps  and 
took  part  in  the  Vicksburg  campaign.  After 
participating  in  numerous  engagements  Mr. 
Soderland  was  also  in  the  battles  of  Chat- 
tanooga, Chickamauga,  Missionary  Ridge 
and  LookOvrt  Mountain,  and  then  joined  the 
Fifteenth  Army  Corps  and  went  with  Sher- 
man in  the  Atlanta  campaign,  fighting  all 
along  the  line.  He  aided  in  capturing  the 
city,  then  marched  through,  to  Savannah. 
going  with  Sherman  on  his  celebrated 
march  to  the  sea.  which  was  a  continual 
triumph.  He  then  took  part  in  the  North 
Carolina  campaign  to  Columbus,  and  after 
the  destruction  of  that  city  participated  in 
the  lasl  battle  of  the  war  at  Bentonville. 
marching  thence  to  Richmond  and  on  to 
Washington,  D,  C,  where  he  participated 
in  the  grand  review  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
lb  losl  very  little  time  from  sickness  or 
other  causes  and  returned  home  v  ith  a  mosl 
creditable  military  record,  being  honorably 
discharged  in  Clinton,  Iowa,  in  June.  (865. 
Mr.  Soderland  then  made  his  way  to 
Madrid  and  purchased  land  near  the  town. 
in  Garden  township,  becoming  the  owner 
of  eighty-seven  acres  upon  which  no  fur- 
rows h.id  been  turned  or  improvements 
made,  but  his  energetic  labors  resulted  in 
1  ringing  a  change  in  a  very  short  cours<  of 
I  the  wild  lands  returned  to  him 
good  harvests.  He  first  built  two  small 
houses  m  which  he  lived  for  several  years. 
lie  afterwards  added   forty  acres  ;,,  pis  lajKJ 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


273 


and  then  built  a  good,  substantial  and  com- 
modious residence  and  also  erected  barns 
and  outbuildings,  while  fruit  and  shade 
trees  were  planted  and  modern  machinery 
was  purchased  and  all  the  accessories  of  a 
good  farm  were  added.  There  Mr.  Soder- 
land  continued  to  make  his  home  until 
1902,  when  he  purchased  residence  prop- 
erty in  Madrid  and  is  now  living  retired  in 
the  town.  He  still  owns  his  farm,  however, 
and  is  also  possessor  of  three  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  Lincoln  county,  Minnesota,  of 
which  two  hundred  acres  are  under  cultiva- 
tion. 

Mr.  Soderland  was  married  January  22. 
1866,  in  Boone  county,  to  Miss  Hattie  An- 
derson, who  was  born  and  reared  in  Swe- 
den and  was  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Carl- 
son, who  came  to  Iowa  in  1854.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Soderman  now  have  six  living  chil- 
dren: Christina,  the  wife  of  Haney  John- 
son, of  Slater,  Iowa :  Maggie,  at  home ;  An- 
drew, who  is  married  and  is  operating  the 
home  farm :  Emil.  who  is  married  and  is 
now  in  Arizona,  for  his  health  :  Siegel,  who 
is  assisting  his  brother  on  the  old  home- 
stead; and  Hannah,  who  is  still  under  the 
parental  roof.  They  also  lost  two  chil- 
dren :  Arthur,  who  met  death  by  accident 
when  nine  years  of  age;  and  Peter,  who. 
died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Soderland  is  a  member  of  the 
(.rand  Army  Post  at  Madrid,  and  his  wife 
belongs  to  the  Lutheran  church  there.  In 
politics  he  is  a  pronounced  Republican  and 
probably  cast  his  first  vote  for  Abraham 
Lincoln,  in  [864,  at  Rome.  Georgia,  while 
lie  was  serving  in  the  army.  He  has  never 
been  an  office  seeker  but  has  never  wavered 
in  his  allegiance  to  Republican  principles. 
He  commenced  life  a  poor  man.  coming  t' 


America  with  no  capital.  He  realized, 
however,  that  energy,  strong  purpose  and 
honorable  methods  prove  an  excellent 
foundation  upon  which  to  rear  the  super- 
structure of  success  and  as  the  architect  of 
his  own  fortunes  he  has  builded  wisely  and 
well.  During  a  residence  of  thirty-seven 
years  in  Boone  county,  he  has  become  fa- 
miliar through  experience  with  the  history 
of  its  development  and  progress,  has  seen 
the  building  of  towns  and  cities,  the  con- 
struction of  railroads,  the  development  of 
farms  and  the  work  of  improvement  along 
all  lines  leading  to  the  substantial  upbuild- 
ing- of  this  portion  of  the  state.  He  de- 
serves great  credit  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plished in  life  and  well  does  he  merit  rep- 
resentation in  this  volume. 


JEHIEL  B.   HURLBURT. 

Farmer,  teacher.  California  argonaut, 
citizen,  soldier  and  civil  officer,  Jehiel  P.. 
Hurlburt  was  born  in  the  town  of  Win- 
chester, Litchfield  county.  Connecticut. 
June  I.  182S.  in  the  sixth  generation  from 
English  ancestry  and  is  a  son  of  Erastus 
G.  and  Clarissa  (Goodwin)  Hurlburt,  both 
natives  of  Hartford  county.  Connecticut,  the 
father  born  in  1787.  He  traces  his  ances- 
try back  to  Thomas  H.  Hurlburt,  the  immi- 
grant who  came  from  England  in  1637; 
through  Stephen  1  2  )  ;  Thomas  (3);  Elijah 
141  ;  and  Erastus  G.,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject. The  immigrant  ancestor  was  the 
father  1  if  five  si  >iis. 

Erastus  G.  Hurlburt,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  a  farmer  and  was  assisted  in 
his  occupation  by  a   family  of  eleven  chil- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


dren.  all  born  on  the  home  place.  In  1S42 
he  removed  to  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  one 
of  the  counties  of  "The  Connecticut  Re- 
serve," as  it  was  popularly  called,  and  then 
a  comparatively  new  country.  As  the  land 
in  that  region  was  covered  with  a  dense 
growth  of  timber-,  young  Jehiel  found  occa- 
sion for  the  plentiful  use  of  his  spare  ener- 
gies in  clearing  it.  After  three  years  his 
father  died,  in  1845;  his  wife  survived  him 
for  eleven  year-,  passing  away  in  1856.  In 
their  family  was  seven  suns  and  four 
daughters,  of  whom  four  sons  and  one 
daughter  are  now  living,  namely :  Mrs. 
Louisa  Freer,  a  widow,  residing  at  Mount 
Vernon,  Iowa,  at  eighty-four  years  of  age; 
Judge  Belden  G..  of  San  Jose.  California, 
eighty-two  years  old;  Jehiel  Burr,  of  tin- 
review:  H.  ('..  df  Osborn  county.  Kansas; 
and  Captain  David  F...  of  Ashtabula  comity. 
Ohio,  who  commanded  Company  K.  of  the 
Twenty-ninth  Ohio  Infantry,  during  the 
Civil   war. 

Young  Jehiel  spent  hi-  boyhood  in  the 
usual  manner  of  the  lads  of  that  daw  work- 
ing on  the  farm  in  summer  and  attending 
the  country  schools  in  the  winter.  His  re- 
moval to  Ohio  when  fourteen  year- old  did 
not  materially  vary  the  order  of  his  occu- 
pations, for  the  citizen-  had  a  common  an- 
cestry and  like  eagerness  for  educational 
advantages  tor  their  children.  Thus  it 
came,  in  the  most  natural  wav,  that  he 
graduated  from  the  school  benches  to  the 
.-eat  of  the  teacher,  and  se\  en  consecutive 
winters  saw  him  occupied  in  the  latter  ca- 
pacity in  Ohio  and  Illinois.  In  the  latter 
state  he  taught  in  the  town-  of  Blooming- 
dale  and  Xauvoo.  While  thus  eng 
the  latter  place,  he  contracted  the  prevail- 
ing  "gold    fever"    and    prepared   during  the 


winter  of  185 1-2  for  an  overland  trip  to  the 
Pacific  coast  country,  which  design  was  car- 
ried out  in  1852,  consuming  six  months  of 
the  summer  season.  The  departure  of  him- 
self and  brother,  B.  G..  was  from  Xauvoo, 
and  arriving  in  central  Iowa1  they  found 
that  the  grass  was  not  yet  grown  sufficiently 
lor  their  oxen  and  they  encamped  for  a 
month  on  what  is  now  the  site  of  Mitchell- 
ville,  a  few  miles  east  of  the  city  of  Des 
Moines,  until  the  herbage  was  sufficiently 
advanced.  This  period  of  rest  gave  oppor- 
tunity to  observe  the  richness  of  Iowa's 
prairie  soil  and  doubtless  afterward  had  its 
influence  in  determining  his  future  location. 
There  was  nothing  0ut  of  the  common  hap- 
pened to  his  party  in  this  long,  weary  and 
monotonous  journey;  the  way  lined  with 
the  wreck  of  wagons,  ox-bows,  discarded 
boxes,  hones  of  dead  cattle  and  sometimes 
those  of  human  being-:  all  conditions  re- 
quiring the  utmost  endurance,  patience  and 
whatever  of  hope  was  left  yet  in  their  weary 
bodies  or  more  weary  minds.  Arrived  at 
the  long  sought  Eldorado  August  28  Air. 
Ilurlhurt  engaged  in  mining  for  a  short 
time,  hut  meeting  with  indifferent  success 
took  up  truck  farming  in  the  Sacramento 
\ alley,  forty  mile-  north  of  the  city  of  the 
same  name.  This  he  followed  for  three 
years,  returning  in  the  early  part  of  1N50  to 
his  home  in  Ohio,  by  way  of  Nicaragua 
Lake  and   New    York  city. 

In  [857  Mr.  Hurlburt  came  to  Iowa  and 
purchased  a  farm  in  Worth  town-hip. 
Boone  county.  After  this  investment  he  re- 
turned to  Ohio  and  pursued  the  work  of 
farming  until  r86o,  on  November  mth  of 
which  year  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  .Mi--  Myra  S.  Lloyd,  a  native  of  Lake 
county,   the  ceremony  occurring   in   Ashta- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


275 


hula  county.  The  bride  had  been  engaged 
in  teaching  successfully  prior  to  her  mar- 
riage, and  was  a  daughter  of  Lester  Lloyd. 
who  was  Massachusetts  born  and  engaged 
in  agriculture  after  his  removal  to  Ohio. 
Shortly  after  the  wedding  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hurlburt  came  on  to  Iowa  and  took  up  their 
residence  on  the  land  previously  acquired, 
building  first  temporary  quarters  and  break- 
ing the  prairie  sod,  and  in  due  course  of 
time  establishing  themselves  in  a  comforta- 
ble farm  home.  In  recent  years — in  1896 — 
they  have  built  and  occupy  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence in  the  village  of  Luther,  which  town 
owes  its  existence  to  the  construction  of  the 
line  of  the  Milwaukee  railway  within  a 
mile  or  two  of  the  home  farm. 

Seven  children  blessed  this  union,  only 
four  of  whom  are  now  living,  namely : 
Mrs.  Anna  L.  is  the  wife  of  Edwin  Moss, 
whose  farm  lies  not  far  from  that  of  the 
parents,  and  they  have  one  son,  Howard  L. : 
Myra  S.  is  the  wife  of  C.  D.  Todhunter.  of 
Indianola,  Iowa,  and  they  have  a  son, 
Lewis  J.;  Jay  B.  is  a  merchant  of  Luther; 
Lillian  L.  is  a  trusted  employe  in  the  post- 
office  at  Luther. 

A  youth  who  imbibed  his  views  of  po- 
litical equity  and  the  rights  of  man  from 
perusing  the  Xew  York  Weekly  Tribune 
ever  since  his  thirteenth  year  could  not  be 
indifferent  to  the  assault  upon  the  nation's 
integrity  by  open  rebellion,  and  in  1862  Mr. 
Hurlburt  responded  to  the  call  for  troops 
by  enlisting,  August  nth,  in  the  ranks  of 
Company!  ]>..  Thirty-second  Iowa  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  commanded  by  Colonel  John 
Scott.  The  regiment  rendezvoused  at  Du- 
buque for  organization  and  equipment  and 
was  promptly  sent  southward.  It  was  di- 
vided at  Cairo,  one  portion  going  into  gar- 


rison duty  at  Xew  Madrid  and  a  battalion 
of  four  companies  under  command  of  Ma- 
jor Eberhart  being  detached  for  a  long  and 
anluou>  campaign  which  took  it  into  south- 
ern Missouri  and  to  Little  Rock.  Arkansas, 
often  skirmishing  and  capturing  the  capital 
aforesaid.  After  lying  ill  in  the  hospital 
at  Memphis,  Mr.  Hurlburt  received  an  hon- 
orable discharge  and  returned  home  in  July, 
1864.  To  have  been  a  member  of  this  regi- 
ment was  itself  an  honor;  its  regimental 
colors,  now  in  the  capitol  building,  are  in- 
scribed with  the  battles  of  Cape  Girardeau, 
Bayou  Metaire,  Fort  De  Russey,  Pleasant 
Hill  (where  the  regiment  suffered  '"the 
greatest  loss  in  modern  battles"'),  Marks- 
ville.  Yellow  Bayou,  Lake  Chicot.  Tupelo. 
Old  Town  Creek,  Nashville,  Brentwood 
Hills  and  Fort  Blakely. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
party  Mr.  Hurlburt  became  identified  with 
it  and  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont,  its  first 
presidential  candidate.  He  is  of  the  same 
political  faith  yet.  In  1865  he  was  elected 
to  the  responsible  office  of  treasurer  of 
Boone  county  for  the  term  of  two  years. 
In  1873  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  the  same 
county,  serving  the  customary  term  of  two 
years.  He  has  at  all  times  taken  an  intelli- 
gent interest  in  promoting  the  best  local 
government,  often  seeing  his  prevision  of 
public  policies  become  true,  and  patientl} 
waiting  the  slower  conception  of  these  by 
his  less  discerning  neighbors.  His  religious 
convictions  have  caused  his  affiliation  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  the 
welfare  of  the  young  he  takes  a  kindly. 
fatherly  interest,  and  is  a  most  excellent 
neighbor  as  is  the  habit  of  all  pioneer  set- 
tlers, imbibed  in  the  times  when  com  en 
iences   were  few  and  all   were  mutually   help- 


276 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ful.  He  is  entirely  too  modest  to  permit 
the  recitation  here  of  the  good  qualities 
which  his  intimates  ascribe  to  his  nature, 
but  we  can  not  retrain  from  the  remark  that 
the  man  who  was  nurtured  from  the  col- 
umns of  the  Xew  York  Tribune,  who  reads 
habitually  the  Forum  ami  like  substantial 
literature,  takes  his  cue  in  morals  from  the 
pages  of  the  Bible,  bears  in  these  his  own 
banner  of  respectability,  sincerity  and  abil- 
ity. May  he  have  many  years  before  is 
"beat  the  last  tattoo." 


STEPHEN  G.  GOLDTHWAITE. 

Stephen  G.  Goldthwaite  is  a  representa- 
tive of  the  newspaper  interests  of  Boone. 
It  is  said  that  no  other  one  industry  indi- 
cates so  clearly  the  social,  business  and  mor- 
al status  of  the  community  as  do  the  news- 
papers and  as  this  is  so,  many  words  of  com- 
mendation may  be  written  concerning 
Boone,  for  its  journalistic  interests  are  cer- 
tainly most  creditable.  Mr.  Goldthwaite 
was  horn  in  this  city  November  22.  [868;  Iris 
parents  being  Nathan  E.  and  Mary  A. 
(Thayer)  Goldthwaite,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  .Massachusetts,  hut  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Boone.  In  the  public  chcols  our 
subject  was  educated,  completing  the  high 
school  course  bj  graduation  in  1885.  He 
then  attended  I  >es  Moines  College  for  two 
years  ami  afterward  entered  Brown  Univer- 
sity in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  where  lie 
was  graduated  in  the  class  of  [890.  He 
then  returned  to  his  native  city  and  accepted 
a  position  as  reporter  on  the  Daily  News,  in 
which  capacity  he  served  continuously  for 
three  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  peri- 
od he  became  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the 


Boone  County  Republican,  in  partnership 
with  W.  H.  Gallup.  He  conducted  that 
paper  until  November,  1896,  when  he  sold 
out  to  his  partner.  He  then  held  a  position 
with  the  Chicago  Dry  Goods  Reporter,  re- 
maining in  Chicago  until  1899.  when 
he  returned  to  Boone  and  became  a 
half  owner  in  the  Boone  Daily  News,  enter- 
ing into  partnership  with  C.  O.  Carter.  To- 
gether they  published  the  daily  and  weekly 
journal  with  a  combined  circulation  of  four 
thousand. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1  S< > 5 .  Mr.  Gold- 
thwaite was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eva 
Bryant,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  H.  F. 
Bryant,  ^i  Boone,  and  they  now  have  one 
child.  Mary  Thayer,  who  was  born  March 
30.  1902.  Mr.  Goldthwaite  is  a  Republican 
in  his  political  views  and  does  all  in  his 
power  to  promote  the  growth  and  insure  the 
success  of  that  party.  As  a  citizen  he  is 
public  spirited  ami  deeply  interested  in  ev- 
erything pertaining  to  the  general  good  and 
his  efforts  through  the  columns  of  his  paper 
have  largely  resulted  to  the  public  benefit. 


IAMKS  MILLER. 


Upon  his  farm  on  section  30.  Garden 
township.  James  Miller  is  devoting  his  time 
and  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  field  and 
meadow  and  to  the  raising  of  stock  and  his 
work  has  been  so  energetically  prosecuted 
that  gratifying  success  has  attended  his  ef- 
forts. He  today  owns  four  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land,  covering  portions  of  sec- 
tions _>,  !_l.  jj.  27  and  28,  which  is  a  well 
improved  farm  on  which  are  three  sets  of 
farm  buildings.  lie  also  has  a  place  of 
thirty  acres  adjoining  Madrid. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Mr.  .Miller  is  a  native  of  New  York,  his 
birth  having  occurred  on  the  St.  Lawrence 
river,  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  February  6, 
1842.  His  father,  John  Miller,  was  a  native 
of  Ireland  and  on  leaving  the  Green  Isle  of 
Erin  crossed  the  briny  deep  to  the  new  world 
when  a  young  man.  St.  Lawrence  county, 
Xew  York,  was  his  destination,  and  he  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  in  Lisbon  township,  where 
he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits,  becom- 
ing one  of  the  substantial  fanners  of  that 
locality.  There  he  reared  his  Family  and 
spent  his  remaining-  days,  his  death  occur- 
ring there  in  1891  at  the  ripe  old  age  of 
eight)-  years.  He  was  married  in  that  coun- 
ty to  Mary  Burk,  also  a  native  of  Ireland. 
She  died  in  1864.  By  her  marriage  she 
became  the  mother  of  four  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter, all  of  whom  reached  adult  age. 

Of  this  number  James  Miller  was  the 
eldest  and  upon  the  old  home  farm  in  the 
Empire  state  he  was  reared  to  manhood,  re- 
maining under  the  parental  roof  until  he  had 
reached  his  majority.  He  had  fair  common 
school  advantages  and  on  starting  out  on  an 
independent  business  career  he  secured  em- 
ployment as  a  farm  hand  and  his  time  was 
thus  passed  for  eleven  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried March  _\  1874,  to  Matilda  Miller,  a 
native  of  St.  Lawrence  county,  reared  and 
educated  there.  The  wedding  journey  of 
the  young  couple  consisted  of  a  trip  to  the 
west.  They  made  their  way  direct  to  Boone 
county.  Iowa,  arriving  on  the  4th  of  March 
and  for  two  years  they  resided  upon  a  rented 
farm.  Mr.  Miller  then  purchased  the  first 
farm  which  he  ever  owned,  becoming  the 
possessor  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
on  section  14.  Garden  township.  Nota  fur- 
row had  been  turned  or  improvement  made 
U| ion  the  place  but  with  characteristic  ener- 


gy he  undertook  the  work  of  developing  a 
good  farm  there.  He  built  a  small  house 
and  began  to  break  the  land  and  fence  the 
fields.  Later  his  first  home  was  replaced 
with  a  good  residence,  while  substantial 
barns  and  outbuildings  were  provided  for  the 
shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  In  his  new  home 
success  attended  his  efforts  and  he  purchased 
a  tract  of  land,  adding  to  his  property  from 
time  to  time  until  he  secured  two  hundred 
acres  in  the  home  place  and  other  lands  near- 
by. In  1900  he  removed  to  his  present 
home,  adjoining  Madrid  and  rented  his  orig- 
inal farm.  The  place  had  been  purchased  in 
1891  and  in  September,  1900,  he  took  up 
his  abode  there. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  has  been  born 
one  son,  Linnie  J.,  who  it  is  home  with  his 
parents.  Mr.  Miller  is  most  earnest  in  bis 
advocacy  of  the  principles  of  the  Republi- 
can party  and  in  18O4  be  cast  bis  presidential 
ballot  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  while  to  each 
candidate  of  the  party  since  that  time  he  has 
given  unwavering  allegiance.  He  firmly  be- 
lieves in  the  principles  of  the  organization, 
including  the  protection  of  American  indus- 
tries, sound  money  and  expansion.  He  has 
never  desired  or  sought  office,  but  has  served 
as  township  trustee  and  also  as  supervisor 
of  highways.  The  cause  of  education  finds 
in  him  a  warm  friend  and  he  endorses  all 
measures  which  he  believes  will  contribute 
to  the  general  good.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
arc  devoted  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  of  Madrid  and  Mr.  Miller  is 
serving  as  one  of  the  church  trustees.  He 
is  a  respected  citizen  of  the  county  in  which 
he  has  made  his  home  for  twenty-eight  years- 
and  in  which  he  has  been  known  as  a  pro- 
gressive and  enterprising  agriculturist.  lie 
came    to    the     county  a  poor     man.     empty 


278 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


handed  but  possessed  of  courage  and  deter- 
mination. He  has  met  obstacles  and  diffi- 
culties on  his  path  but  has  overcome  these 
by  strong  purpose  and  to-day  he  stands 
among  the  substantial  men  who  owe  their 
advancement  to  indefatigable  labor.  His 
life  history  is  an  illustration  of  what  may  be 
accomplished  through  unremitting  diligence 
when  guided  by  practical  common  sense  and 
should  serve  to  encourage  and  inspire  many 
young  men  starting  out  for  themselves  with- 
out capital. 


JOSIAH   P.  TILLSON. 

[..Mali  Pierce  Tillson,  deceased,  was  born 
on  a  farm  in  Otsego  county.  New  York, 
April    17,    1839.    son   of   Ass    and    Camilla 

(Pierce)  Tillson.     He  grew  to  rnanh 1  on 

the  home  place,  receiving  bis  education  in 
very  good  rural  schools  of  the  Empire  Mate 
and  at  the  Gilbertville  Academy.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-five  years  he  emigrated  ti  1  Wiso  in- 
sin  in  1864,  but  the  climate  did  not  agree 
with  him.  and  two  years  afterward,  in  (866, 
he  came  to  l..\va.  locating  in  Boone  county. 
His  first  occupation  was  conducting  a  brick 
yard,  a  prime  necessity  in  the  neighborhood 
of  a  rapidl)  growing  town. the  work-  being  in 
the  vicinity  of  what  has  since  come  to  be 
known  as  the  historical  "Kate  Shelley 
Bridge."  This  he  managed  For  a  year  or 
more  and  then  removed  to  the  town  of  Mon- 
tana, as  the  present  city  1  E  Boone  was  then 
called.     He  immediately  found  occupation,  in 

1867,  in  the  freight  dep<  t  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railwaj  Company,  which  he 
served  for  the  greater  portion  of  his  lifetime. 

\-  an  occasional  variation  of  this  work,  he 
took    employment    in    grocery    stores,    the 


woolen  mill,  and  at  the  date  <  f  his  final  ill- 
ness was  employed  as  a  carpenter  by  the  rail- 
way company. 

Josiah  P.  Tillson  was  the  fourth  child 
and  oldest  son  of  his  parents,  the  brothers 
and  sisters  being:  Mrs.  Louisa  Fessenden.of 
Clyde.  Kansas;  Mrs.  Ruth  Eaton,  of  Maple 
Grove,  New  York;  Mrs.  Marcella  Baker,  of 
Binghamton,  Xew  York;  Albert,  of  Maple 
Grove,  Yew  York;  Mrs.  Rosaline  Hunt, 
Mrs.  Marcia  Holliday,  Warren.  Hiram  and 
Sidney,  all  deceased. 

On  February  4.  1868,  Josiah  P.  Tillson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  (  Hive  Lucas, 
at  Belvidere,  Illinois,  she  being  the  fifth 
child  of  Horace  and  Elizabeth  (Hinkson) 
Lucas,  and  was  born  February  26,  1847, 
near  Flora,  Boone  county.  Illinois.  She  was 
.  ne  of  -even  brothers  and  sisters,  namely: 
Walter,  of  Belvidere,  Illinois;  Oscar  F.  and 
Moses,  also  of  Belvidere,  Illinois;  Cather- 
ine, deceased  wife  of  Hawley  Main,  Boone, 
Iowa;  Horace,  deceased;  and  Mrs.  Mila  Ann 
Gibbs,  deceased. 

The  children  horn  to  Josiah  P.  Tillson 
and  wife  were  as  follows:  Ida  May.  de- 
ceased; Clarence  1)..  head  clerk  of  Fraternal 
(  !hoppers  of  America.  Boone,  Iowa:  Edward 
E.,  machinist,  Chicago&  Northwestern  Rail- 
way Company,  at  Boone;  Lloyd  A.. 
plumber,  of  Boone;  Harry  I...  student  in 
the  b.wa  State  College,  Ames,  Iowa. 

In  all  that  makes  for  good  American  citi- 
zenship Josiah  P.  Tills.n  was  well  equipped. 
He  was  industrious,  companionable  and 
thrifty.  He  took  interest  in  public  affairs, 
was  active  in  the  incorporation  of  the  new 
city  of  Boone,  and  one  of  its  early  council- 
men,  serving  as  such  in  the  years  1868  ami 
1871.  He  was  later  i<  .reman  of  the  fire 
company,  and  always  alert  to  the  necessity 


J.   P.   TILLSON. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


of  securing  good  and  capable  men  in  public 
office.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  Uni- 
versaJist  Church  Society  of  Boone  he  was 
one  of  its  charter  members,  connecting  him- 
self with  the  church,  May  9,  1870,  and  al- 
ways taking  an  active  part  in  its  work.  Fi  >r 
many  years  he  was  one  of  its  trustees  and  at 
the  time  of  his  decease  was  the  superinten- 
dent of  its  Sabbath  school. 

Mr.  Tillson  always  showed  a  preference 
for  fraternal  societies  and  was  a  member  of 
the  Legion  of  Honor  in  which  he  carried  in- 
surance, as  he  also  did  in  several  other  or- 
ganizations, a  precaution  which  was  highly 
commendable.  Perhaps  his  nature  derived 
the  greater  enjoyment  from  his  association 
with  the  Masonic  bodies.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Mount  Olive  Lodge.  No.  79,  F.  &  A. 
M.;  of  Tuscan  Chapter,  Xo.  31,  R.  A.  M.  : 
and  of  Excalibur  Commandry.  Xo.  13.  K. 
T.  He  took  an  active  part  in  all  Masonic 
work,  and  was  the  Tyler  for  each  of  these 
bodies  for  many  years.  The  members  of  the 
fraternity  who  survive  him  are  wont  to  re- 
call his  many  pleasantries  during  their 
"hours  of  refreshment." 

He  died  March  8,  1886,  within  a  few 
weeks  of  his  forty-seventh  birthday,  and  was 
buried  with  full  Masonic  honors.  He  had 

been  ill  but  three  weeks,  his  malady  being 
a  malignant  form  of  typhoid  fever.  From 
a  notice  published  shortly  after  in  one  of  the 
local  papers,  the  manner  of  the  man  is  char- 
acteristically delineated : 

"In  disposition  the  deceased  was  one  of 
the  must  equable  of  men;  with  a  cheerful 
temperament,  hopeful,  sturdy,  independent; 
conceding  to  all  men  similar  independence  of 
action  and  the  same  purity  of  motive  which 
actuated  himself.  He  made  few  enemies  and 
was  respected  by  all.     lie  was  a  thoroughly 


reliable  man,  one  of  the  conservatives  of  so- 
ciety, neither  too  fast  nor  too  slow,  making 
few  mistakes  and  generally  attaining  his  ends. 
with<  >nt  undue  display  of  the  means.  A  com- 
munity of  such  persons  would  have  little  use 
for  statutes.  He  will  be  sadly  missed  in  the 
church,  the  home,  the  lodge  and  in  society."" 


CLARENCE  D.  TILLSON. 

Life  is  meaningless  unless  it  is  universal 
and  coherent.  It  is  in  the  helpful  spirit  of 
the  times  that  strength  is  found  and  when 
much  good  is  accomplished.  The  concerted 
efforts  of  the  day  are  those  which  lead  to 
results  and  there  has  been  no  one  element 
of  greater  importance  to  the  world  than  that 
represented  by  fraternities,  in  their  helpful 
spirit  bringing  aid  to  those  who  through  co- 
operation with  others  have  also  aided  their 
fellow  men.  Clarence  D.  Tillson  is  the 
founder  of  one  of  these  fraternal  organiza- 
tions and  his  effort  in  this  direction  was  a 
humanitarian  spirit  as  well  as  business 
enterprise. 

Mr.  Tillson  was  born  March  21.  1871, 
in  Boone,  Iowa,  where  he  still  makes  his 
home,  his  parents  being  Josiah  P.  and  Olive 
(Lucas)  Tillson.  the  former  a  native  of 
New  York  and  the  latter  of  Boone  county, 
[llinois.  The  father  was  a  son  of  Cephas 
Tillson  and  the  family  was  of  English  line- 
age. He  was  born  in  the  Empire  state  and 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  while  his 
wife  reached  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years. 

In  the  public  schools  Clarence  I ).  Till- 
son began  his  early  education  and  continued 
in  the  high  schools  of  Boone,  being  a  grad- 
uate- and  the  valedictorian  of  the  class  of 
r88o.     Later  Ik-  attended  Cornell  College  at 


282 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Mount  Vernon*  Iowa,  for  two  years  and 
then  became  a  student  in  the  Gem  City  Busi- 
ness College  of  Quincy,  Illinois,  where  he 
completed  a  business  and  shorthand  course 
in  [892.  For  one  year  thereafter  lie  was 
employed  as  a  shorthand  reporter  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
peri,  id  he  returned  to  Boone,  where  he  en- 
tered the  service  of  the  Northwestern  Rail- 
road Company,  with  which  he  continued  for 
a  year  and  a  half.  Me  next  became  stenog- 
rapher for  the  National  Building  and  Sav- 
ings Association,  with  which  be  was  con- 
nected until  September,  1900.  During  this 
time  lie  had  taken  a  deep  interest  in  fra- 
ternal societies,  and  in  August,  1900,  in 
connection  with  B.  ( '.  Wood,  now  deceased, 
as  head  consul,  he  was  the  chief  promulgator 
of  the  new  organization  of  Woodcraft 
known  as  the  Fraternal  Choppers  of  Amer- 
ica, the  general  office  of  the  organization  be- 
ing a;  Boone.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Wood 
11.  A.  Miller  became  head  consul,  while  C. 
1).  Tillson  was  made  bead  clerk.  Other 
prominent  men  of  the  state  filled  the  other 
important  positions  ami  the  society  has  al- 
ready won  a  large  following.  Mr.  Tillson 
is  also  interested  in  Boone  real  estate  and  is 
the  owner  of  considerable  valuable  property. 
In  [897  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Tills.  111  and  Miss  Kittie  Hill,  a  daughter  of 
J.  II.  and  Rebecca  1  Moore)  Hill.  The  chil- 
dren born  of  this  union  are  Elizabeth  and 
Ralph  C.  Mrs.  Tillson  is  connected  with  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution.  So- 
cially Mr.  Tillson  is  identified  with  the  Ma- 
sonic Lodge  of  Bo  'lie.  of  which  be  is  wor- 
shipful master.  He  has  also  taken  the  de- 
grees of  the  chapter  and  the  commandery 
and  lias  crossed  the  sands  of  the  deserl  with 
the    Mvstic   Shrine.      Roth  be  and   his   wife 


belong  to  the  Eastern  Star  Lodge  and  be  is 
a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  and  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World. 
Under  his  able  guidance  the  new  organiza- 
tion, the  Fraternal  Choppers,  is  winning 
creditable  and  gratifying  success,  having  al- 
ready been  endorsed  by  many  prominent  and 
reliable  men  throughout  this  section  of  the 
country. 


J.  H.   RINKER. 

J.  H.  Rinker  is  the  owner  of  a  valuable 
farm  of  one  hundred  ami  twenty  acres  situ- 
ated on  section  id.  Beaver  township,  where 
be  has  resided  since  1895.  He  was  horn 
near  the  Atlantic  coast,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  Woodstock,  Shenandoah 
county.  Virginia,  on  the  9th  of  May,  1841. 
He  is  a  son  of  Rev.  Henry  St.  John  and 
Mary  (  Fravel)  Rinker,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Woodstock,  Virginia.  The 
father  began  studying  for  the  ministry  at 
Woodstock.  He  attended  the  high  school 
at  York,  Pennsylvania,  for  two  years  and 
afterward  became  a  student  in  Marshall  Col- 
lege at  Mercerburg,  Pennsylvania.  On  the 
completion  of  his  literary  course  be  took  Up 
the  study  of  theology,  having  determined  to 
devote  his  life  to  the  holy  calling  of  pro- 
claiming the  gospel  among  men.  For  over 
a  half  century  be  devoted  his  time  and  en- 
ergies t"  tiie  work  of  the  ministry  in  the 
Reformed  church,  and  his  influence  was 
of  no  restricted  order.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  took  charge  of  what  was  then 
the  Mill  Creek  work  and  held  it  for 
twent)  five  years,  gaining  the  love,  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  be  came 
in  contact,     lie  was  then  called  to  Lovetts- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


283 


ville,  Loudoun  county,  Virginia,  where  he 
served  the  congregation  acceptably  for  six- 
teen vears.  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  re- 
turned to  his  old  home  in  the  valley  of  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  spent  his  last  days,  dying 
in  February,  iqoo.  At  his  funeral  there 
were  fourteen  ministers  present,  represent- 
ing different  denominations.  His  loss  was 
deeply  and  widely  felt,  fi  >r  where\  er  he  was 
known  he  had  gained  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence as  well  as  the  friendship  and  love  of 
those  with  whom  he  was  associated.  Many 
were  led  to  choose  the  better  way  of  life 
through  his  teachings  and  his  influence,  his 
memory  remaining  as  a  blessed  benediction 
to  those  who  knew  him.  His  wife  passed 
away  on  the  7th  of  April,    1895. 

Their  marriage  was  blessed  with  four- 
teen children,  the  eldest  being  Jonathan  H.. 
of  this  review.  The  others  are:  Robert 
D.,  proprietor  of  a  livery  stable  in  Newark, 
Ohio:  Jacob  G.,  a  railroad  bridge  builder, 
living  in  Corning.  Arkansas;  Anna  Mar- 
garet, who  resides  upon  the  old  homestead 
in  Shenandoah  county,  Virginia :  Joseph  F., 
a  clerk  in  Grottos.  Rockingham  count}-, 
Virginia;  Susan  E.,  wdio  resides  upon  the 
old  homestead  in  the  Old  Dominion:  X. 
Eugene,  a  traveling  salesman  living  in  Co- 
lumbus, Ohio:  John  Casper,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  months:  Philip  S..  a  farmer 
also  living  on  the  old  homestead:  Charles 
1'..  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  dry  goods 
house  in  St.  Louis.  Missouri:  Cabin  IL.  a 
farmer  near  Woodstock;  James  William, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  a  year  and  a  half; 
one  that  died  in  infancy:  and  Kirby  I.,  who 
1-  agent  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad 
at  Brunswick,  Maryland,  having  charge  of 
the  transfer  in  the  freight  department. 

To  the  public  school   system  of  his  na- 


tive state  J.  H.  Rinker  of  this  review  is  in- 
debted for  the  educational  privileges  which 
be  enjoyed.  He  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  under  the  parental  roof  and 
continued  a  resident  of  Virginia  until  1870. 
when  he  removed  in  Ohio,  where  be  resided 
for  two  years,  during  which  time  he  fol- 
lowed teaming,  lie  then  removed  to  Illi- 
nois, locating  near  Arrow  smith,  McLean 
county,  where  he  live  1  until  the  1  si  of 
March,  1877.  His  next  home  was  in  Ford 
county,  that  state,  but  March  i.  1886,  he 
returned  to  McLean  county,  and  from  there 
came  to  Iowa  in  [895,  when  he  took  up  his 
residence  upon  bis  present  farm  in  Beaver 
township,  Boone  county,  having  purchased 
this  property  three  years  before.  He  now 
lias  a  well  improved  and  valuable  tract  of 
land  and  carries  on  general  farming  and 
stock  raising.  In  his  work  be  is  prosperous 
and  has  a  well  developed  place,  upon  which 
are  seen  all  the  evidences  of  advanced  farm 
methods. 

Mr.  Rinker  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Sarah  C.  Hoover,  a  daughter  of  Reuben 
and  Rachel  Hoover,  of  Woodstock.  Vir- 
ginia. Her  father  was  a  captain  in  the 
slate  militia  and  during  his  business  career 
carried  on  farming,  his  death  occurring  in 
W Istock,  in  [866.  His  widow  after- 
ward removed  to  Illinois,  where  she  located 
in  1888,  there  remaining  until  [895,  when 
she  came  to  the  Rinker  home  in  Beaver 
township.  Boone  county,  Iowa,  and  here 
died  at  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety-one 
vcars.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoover  were 
members  of  the  Reformed,  church.  Unto 
our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born 
twelve  children:  Mary  M.,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; Harvey  11..  who  is  married  and  is 
engaged   in    farming  near   In-    father:  John 


284 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Casper,  who  was  born  March  2.  1867,  and 
died  April  2,  r  S 7 7  :  George  J.,  a  farmer  of 
Amaqua  township;  Lizzie  A.,  the  wife  of 
Albert  E.  Rose,  a  resident  farmer  of  Mc- 
Lean county,  Illinois:  Willie,  who  died  in 
infancy;  Lucy  A.,  the  wife  of  M.  S.  Wise, 
a  dealer  in  farming  implements,  in  Arrow- 
smith,  Illinois;  Sallie  M.,  the  wife  of  Bur- 
ton Van  Pelt,  a  resident  of  Amaqua  town- 
ship; Robbie,  who  died  in  infancy;  Charles 
R.,  a  resident  farmer  of  Amaqua  township; 
and  Milton  J.  and  Ernest  E.,  who  are  at 
home   with   their   parents. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rinker  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  take  an  active  part  in  its  work.  He 
votes  with  the  Democracy  and  has  served  as 
road  supervisor  ami  school  director  of  his 
district,  having  held  these  offices  for  five 
years.  Although  he  is  one  of  the  recent  ar- 
rivals  in  Boone  count  v.  Mr.  Rinker  is  al- 
ready widely  known  as  an  enterprising  and 
progressive  farmer  and  as  2  valued  citizen, 
and  he  and  his  estimable  wife  have  a  large 
circle  of  friends  in  this  locality. 


WILLIAM  McCALL, 


It  would  not  lie  a  complete  history  of 
Boone  county  if  William  McCal'  was  not 
mentioned  upon  its  pages,  for  fifty-five 
years  have  passed  since  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  this  portion  of  the  state.  He  came 
from  Indiana  in  [846,  settling  first  in  Dal- 
las county,  hut  on  the  7th  of  April,  1847. 
took  up  his  abode  near  Centertown,  Boone 
county,  where  he  secured  a  claim.  From 
that  time  forward  he  has  been  a  witness  of 
the  progress  and  improvement  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  state. 


Mr.  McCall  was  born  in  Rush  county, 
Indiana,  November  iS,  1S29.  and  is  a  son 
of  Montgomery  and  Charlotte  I  McCane) 
McCall,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  In  an  early 
day  the  father  removed  to  Indiana,  where 
he  made  his  home  until  he  came  to  Boone 
county.  Iowa.  He  entered  here  four  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  from  the  government. 
On  the  tract  not  an  improvement  had  been 
made  or  a  furrow  turned,  but  he  located 
upon  the  place  and  at  once  began  its  de- 
velopment and  cultivation.  After  two 
\  ears,  hi  iwever,  he  returned  to  Dallas  county, 
Iowa,  where  he  conducted  a  gristmill  and 
sawmill,  carrying  on  business  along  those 
lines  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1855.  His  wife  survived  him  for  a  number 
of  years,  passing  away  in  Marcy  township. 
Boone  county,  in  1872.  In  their  family 
were  nine  children:  Emily,  the  wife  of 
Reuben  S.  Clark,  a  resident  of  Ray  county, 
Missouri;  Samuel  P...  who  is  living  in  Los 
Angeles.  California,  where  he  is  in  charge 
of  the  Soldiers'  Home  of  the  state:  Will- 
iam, of  this  review  :  Margaret  M..  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  J.  Bowles,  hut  is  now  de- 
ceased; Martha,  who  has  also  passed  away; 
Solomon,  a  resident  farmer  of  Marcy  town- 
ship; John,  who  died  in  March.  1902:  Mar- 
garet, the  wife  of  Samuel  Parks,  of  Boones- 
boro;  and  James,  who  i>  living  in  Boone. 
All  were  educated  in  the  common  schools 
and  thus  acquired  knowledge  fitting  them 
for  the  practical  duties  of  business  life. 

William  McCall  of  this  review  spent  the 
firsl  seventeen  years  of  his  life  in  his  native 
state  and  at  the  usual  age  began  his  edu- 
cation there.  He  also  worked  upon  the 
home  farm  and  thus  early  became  familiar 
with   the  duties   and   labors  that    fall    to  the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


285 


lot  of  the  agriculturist.  At  the  age  of 
se\enteen  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Iowa 
and  in  1847  took  up  his  abode  in  Boone 
county,  where  he  secured  a  claim,  residing 
thereon  for  eight  years.  He  then  removed 
tn  a  place  near  his  present  home.  After  his 
marriage  he  entered  land  where  the  village 
of  Moingona  is  located.  This  he  cleared 
and  made  excellent  improvements  upon  the 
property.  Since  that  time  he  has  resided 
continuously  in  this  locality  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  summer  which  he  spent  in  Ray 
county,  Missouri.  He  now  owns  ninety 
acres  of  land  on  section  12.  Marcy  town- 
ship, adjoining  the  village  of  Moingona. 
and  here  has  a  comfortable  home.  In  con- 
nection with  his  son  he  is  carrying  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  the  united  labors  of  the 
two  result  in  the  acquirement  of  a  good 
competence. 

Mr.  McCall  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Sarah  Rose,  a  native  of  Ohio  and  a 
daughter  of  Colonel  John  Rose,  an  early 
resident  of  Marcy  township,  settling  here 
in  1850.  From  that  time  forward  he  was 
identified  with  farming  interests  in  this  lo- 
cality until  his  death.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McCall  have  been  born  two  children: 
Charles  Henry,  who  is  residing  in  Boone: 
and  William  Wallace,  who  married  Sarah 
J.  Sparks  and  resides  upon  the  old  home- 
stead. He  has  two  children.  Roy  and 
I-lorie. 

In  his  political  affiliation-  Mr.  McCall  is 
a  Democrat  and  fraternally  he  is  connected 
with  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Moingona  and 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  01' 
that  place,  lie  re;  resents  one  of  the  oldest 
families  in  this  part  o!"  the  state  and  de- 
serves ureal  credit  for  the  work  be  has  ac- 
complished in  laying  the  foundation  for  the 


present  prosperity  and  development  of 
Boone  county.  He  was  familiar  with  the 
hardships  and  trials  of  pioneer  life  and  it 
is  but  justice  that  he  now  enjoys  the  fruits 
of  his  former  toil  and  has  become  the  posj 
lessor  of  a  comfortable  home  in  which  to 
spend  the  evening  of  his  life.  He  has 
reached  the  age  of  seventy-three  years  and 
all  along  life's  journey  he  has  won  and  re- 
tained the  friendship  and  respect  of  those 
with  win  mi  he  has  been   associated. 


D.  R.  HINDMAN. 


D.  R.  Hindman,  of  Boone,  was  born  in 
Otsego  county,  Xew  York.  May  10.  1834, 
of  Scottish  parentage.  He  was  educated 
in  the  state  of  Xew  York,  served  in  the  war 
of  the  Rebellion  as  a  member  of  the  Nine- 
teenth Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
has  served  for  ten  and  a  half  years  as  judge 
of  the  eleventh  judicial  district  of  Iowa  and 
is  now  actively  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
law  in  B01  me.   b  >\\  a. 


GEORGE    E.    FREIE. 

George  F.  Freie,  who  i<  living  on  sec- 
tion 33,  Grant  township,  near  the  town  of 
Ogden,  is  one  of  the  more  recent  arrivals 
in  Boone  Count),  dating  hi-  resilience  here 
from  March,  1885.  He  was  bom  in  Cook 
county.  Illinois,  September  28,  1860.  His 
father.  John  Freie,  was  ;|  native  of  Ger- 
many and  when  a  lad  of  fourteen  years 
crossed  the  brim  deep  to  the  United  States, 
taking  up  bis  abode  in   Coo 


itv,   II 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


nois.  He  was  afterward  married  there  to 
Katarina  Bu'berd,  a  native  of  Germany, 
who  died  when  her  son  George  was  only 
five  years  of  age.  The  father  afterward 
married  again  and  had  several  children  by 
his  second  wife,  but  our  subject  is  the  only 
son  horn  of  the  first  marriage  in  a  family  of 
four  children.  <  )f  the  second  marriage,  two 
sons  and  six  daughters  are  still  living.  The 
father  devdted  his  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits  in  Cook  and  Kankakee  counties, 
Illinois,  and  his  last  years  were  spent  in  re- 
tirement in  Chicago.  His  second  wife  still 
survives   him. 

George  F.  Freie  remained  in  the  county 
of  his  nativity  until  he  was  twelve  year-  of 
age  and  in  [872  accompanied  his  father  on 
his  removal  to  Kankakee  county,  Illinois. 
lie  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand 
from  that  time  forward  ami  gave  his  father 
his  earnings  until  he  was  twenty-two  years 
of  age.  Me  then  began  working  for  himself 
and  was  employed  as  a  farm  hand  in  Kan- 
kakee. La  Salle  and  Cook  counties.  He 
afterward  rented  land  in  La  Salle  county, 
continuing  its  cultivation  for  three  years, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1885  lie  came  to  Boone 
countw  Iowa,  where  he  again  leased  a  farm, 
which  he  operated  for  ten  years.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  purchased  the 
place  upon  which  he  now  resides,  first  be- 
coming the  owner  of  eighty  acres,  upon 
which  he  built  a  summer  house  and  stable. 
In  1895  he  took  up  bis  abode  here  and  has 
since  purchased  an  additional  tract  of 
eight)  acres  so  that  he  now  owns  a  quarter 
section  in  Grant  township,  lie  has  also  re- 
modeled the  house,  to  which  he  has  made 
additions  and  has  built  a  large  barn.  An 
air  of  neatness  and  thrift  pervades  his  place 
and   Mr.   Freie  is  well   known  as  one  of  the 


progressive  and  enterprising  agriculturists 
of  the  community.  He  has  planted  fruit 
and  shade  trees  upon  his  place.  Me  now 
makes  a  specialty  of  the  production  of  po- 
tatoes, planting  from  fifteen  to  twenty  acres 
each  year  to  that  tuber,  ra;sni:_;  about  two 
thousand  bushels  annually.  During  the  sea- 
son of  1901  he  had  thirteen  hundred  bush- 
els although  it  was  considered  a  very  bad 
year  for  crops  of  all  kinds.  He  also  raises 
a  good  grade  of  stock,  making  a  specialty 
of  Poland  China  hogs  and  is  known  as  a 
breeder  and  dealer  in  pure  blooded  animals, 
lie  has  some  very  fine  Poland  China  hogs 
and  these  command  prices  upon  the  markets. 
In  [902  he  further  extended  his  business  in- 
terests by  the  purchase  of  the  Rentier 
Creamery,  located  in  this  neighborhood,  lie 
employs  a  butter  maker  ami  his  business  is 
now    being  successful)-  conducted. 

Mr.  Freie  was  married  in  La  Salic 
county.  Ilhiois.  in  the  winter  of  [885,  to 
Miss  Anna  Peter,  a  native  of  Germany,  who 
came  1-  the  new  world  in  childhood.  She 
was  reared  in  La  Salle  count)  and  he  her 
marriage  she  ha-  become  the  mother  of  six 
children:  Nora  Ella,  Benjamin.  Edward, 
Xettte.  Esther  and,  Lillie.  .Mr.  Freie 
and  his  family  are  prominently  connected 
with  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  he 
heartily  supports  the  men  and  measures  of 
the  Republican  party.  his  first  vote 
being  cast  for  James  (i.  Blaine,  in 
1SS4.  While  not  a  politician  in  the  usually 
accepted  sense  of  office  seeking  be  always 
keep-  well  informed  on  the  is-ues  and  ques- 
tions of  the  da)  and  for  foul"  years  he 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  likewise 
held  the  position  of  constable,  filling 
both  offices  with  credit  to  himself  and  satis- 
faction  to  hi-  constituents.      Me  is  a   -elf- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


287 


made  man.  owing  his  prosperity  entirely  to 
his  own  efforts.  Possessed  of  laudable  am- 
bition to  secure  a  home  for  himself  and 
family  he  steadily  worked  his  way  upward 
and  to-day  is  classed  among  the  substantial 
agriculturists   of    (Irani    township. 


MIKE   KELLY 


Mike  Kelly  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
in  Ogden.  Years  of  active  connection  with 
business  interests,  the  capable  control  of  his 
affairs  and  untiring  energy  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  his  work  led  to  the  acquirement  of  a 
handsome  competence,  so  that  he  is  now 
enabled  to  rest  from  his  labors,  lie  lias  re- 
sided in  this  county  for  twenty  years.  He 
was  born  in  county  Kildare,  Ireland,  on  the 
8th  of  April,  [835,  and  is  a  son  of  John 
and  Catherine  (Owens)  Kelly,  who  were 
also  natives  of  the  same  county.  The  fa- 
ther followed  the  occupation  of  farming 
there.  In  the  year  1X4S  he  emigrated  with 
his  family  to  America,  settling  in  Xew  York, 
where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  iS;;. 
when  he  went  to  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  after 
spending  the  winter  in  that  city  he  went  to 
Boone  count}-,  Illinois,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  several  years.  He 
afterward  returned  to  New  York  and  from 
that  state  removed  to  Missouri,  where  he 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  His 
wife  passed  away  in  Boone  county.  Illinois, 
on  the  28th  of  February,  1SN7.  This  worthy 
couple  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
the  eldest  being  the  subject  of  this  review. 
John  died  March  [6,  [857,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years.  Edward,  who  enlisted  in 
a  Chicago  regiment  at  the  time  of  the  l  nil 
war,  was  detailed   for  service  in  Virginia, 


where  he  was  mustered  out  at  the  close  of 
the  Rebellion.  He  then  enlisted  in  the 
United  States  Regulars  and  was  stationed 
at  Fort  Laramie.  Wyoming,  while  later  he 
wa-  transferred  to  Xew  Mexico.  .Simon  has 
resided  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  for  thirty 
years.  Patrick  died  in  that  city  1::  the  fall 
of  1000.  after  having  spent  a  quarter  of  a 
century  there.  Thomas  died  at  Walker, 
Iowa,  in  the  spring  of  [894.  Ellen  became 
the  wife  of  helix  McCune  and  died  in  [897, 
while  her  husband  and  children  are  still  liv- 
ing in  Boone  county,  Illinois.  James  is  en- 
gaged in  mining  at  Cripple  Creek',  Colorado. 
All  received  common-school  educations. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  Mike 
Kelly  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account. 
For  four  years  he  was  employed  as  a  farm 
hand.  Then  he  resolved  to  make  a  home  of 
his  own.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Sarah  Horton,  a  daughter  of  Abraham  and 
Lena  Horton.  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Xew  York.  In  1855  they  removed  to 
Boone  count}',  Illinois,  and  there  engaged  in 
farming  for  many  years.  The  mi  ither  died 
in  [867,  but  the  father  passed  away  in  this 
county  about  1S85.  The  home  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kelly  has  heen  blessed  with  ten  chil- 
dren :  Kate,  the  wife  of  William  McConley, 
a  farmer  residing  at  Red  Cloud.  Nebraska; 
Mary  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  I'.  Cronin,  a 
traveling  salesman  representing  a  firm  of  St. 
Joseph,  Missouri,  living  in  Lawrence,  Ne- 
braska; Simon,  who  is  engaged  in  mining 
in  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains;  Emma 
Josephine,  the  wife  of  Henry  Johnson,  a 
farmer  living  at  Kcd  Cloud.  Nebraska; 
Francis  Edward,  who  married  Sarah  <  lavey, 
of  Boone  county,  and  follows  farming  in 
Beaver  township:  John  A.,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  lumber  business  in  California;   lames 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


M .,  a  resident  farmer  of  Beaver  township ; 
and  Sarah  Jane,  who  resides  at  home.  Those 
who  have  passed  away  are  William  and  Har- 
vey. The  children  have  all  been  provided 
with  good  educational  privileges  and  two  of 
the  daughters  were  teachers  in  this  county. 
Mr.  Kelly  has  firm  faith  in  the  principles 
of  the  Democracy  and  has  taken  quite  an 
active  interest  in  politics,  keeping  well  in- 
formed on  the  issues  and  questions  of  the 
<lay.  lie  and  his  family  are  communicants 
of  the  Catholic  church  of  Ogden,  and  are 
actively  interested  in  church  work.  He  has 
been  a  very  industrious  and  successful  man. 
carrying  his  business  operations  to  a  suc- 
cessful conclusion.  He  is  to-day  the  owner 
of  a  fine  farm  in  Beaver  township  compris- 
ing two  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  which  is 
well  improved.  He  settled  upon  that  tract 
when  there  was  not  a  building  between  his 
house  and  Grand  Junction.  Iowa,  except  the 
section-house  on  the  Chicago  &  Northwest- 
ern railroad.  For  many  years  he  carried 
on  farming  and  as  time  passed  his  well  tilled 
fields  brought  to  him  a  handsome  return  for 
his  labor.  On  the  tst  of  March.  (898,  he 
gave  over  his  farm  to  the  supervision  of  his 
sons  and  removed  to  the  village  of  1  >gden, 
where  he  has  a  pleasant  home  and  is  now 
living  a  retired  life.  He  is  a  very  prominent 
citizen  and  no  man  is  better  known  through- 
out this  part  of  the  county  than  Mike  Kelly. 


JACOB  TONSFELDT. 

Jacob  Tonsfeldt,  now  deceased,  was  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Boone  county  and  as 
he  was  a  reliable  business  man  and  a  val- 
ued citizen  his  loss  was  deeply  felt  through 


out  the  community  when  he  was  called  to 
his  final  rest.  His  birth  occurred  in  Ger- 
many, March  13,  1838,  and  he  was  a  son 
of  Eggert  Tonsfeldt,  who  always  lived  in  the 
fatherland,  working  there  as  a  laborer 
throughout  his  entire  life.  Both  and  his 
wife  died  in  Germany.  There  were  only  two 
of  the  family  that  ever  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  the  new  world — Jacob  and  his  brother 
Hans,  the  latter  now  a  retired  farmer  living 
in  Davenport,  Iowa. 

These  two  brothers  came  to  America  in 
iS-S,  settling  in  Davenport.  The  subject 
of  this  review  had  attended  the  schools  of 
his  native  country  and  thus  had  been  fitted 
for  life's  practical  and  responsible  duties, 
lie  was  a  young  man  of  twenty  years  when 
he  sailed  across  the  briny  deep  to  the  United 
States.  For  four  or  live  years  he  worked 
on  a  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  Davenport  and 
then  removed  to  Omaha,  Nebraska,  where 
he  was  employed  in  a  brick  yard  for  two 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
came  to  Boone  county  and  purchased  a  farm 
in  Amaqua  township,  on  which  his  widow  is 
now  living.  From  that  time  until  his  death 
he  devoted  his  attention  and  energies  to  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  and  soon  his  practical 
work  was  manifested  in  the  improved  con- 
dition of  the  land  which  came  into  his  pos- 
session. As  year  after  year  went  by  he  har- 
vested good  crops  as  the  result  of  his  ca- 
pable and  energetic  labors  and  became  the 
owner  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
rich  tannin--  land,  constituting  one  of  the 
best  country  homes  in  this  portion  of  the 
stale. 

Mr.  Tonsfeldt  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Elsie  Lohse,  who  was  born  in  Ger- 
many. January  7.  [839,  a  daughter  of  John 
Lohse,  a  resident  farmer  who  always  lived 


JACOB   TONSFELDT. 


I 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


291 


in  Germany  and  there  died.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Tonsfeldt  were  born  nine  children: 
John,  who  wedded  Emma  Dierks  and  is 
farming  near  Terril,  Clay  county.  Iowa; 
Henry,  who  wedded  Emma  Hagge  and  is 
a  resident  tanner  of  Amaqua  township; 
Anna,  who  resides  at  home  with  her  mother; 
Jacob,  who  married  Lizzie  Knhl  and  fol- 
lows farming  in  Cirant  township :  Eggert, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years  and  five 
months;  Lena,  at  home;  Herman  and  Emil. 
twins,  who  manage  the  home  farm  for  their 
mother;  and  Charlie,  who  is  yet  under  UK- 
parental  roof. 

Mr.  Tonsfeldt  served  as  a  trustee  in  his 
township  for  two  terms,  and  fur  several 
years  acceptably  tilled  the  othce  of  road  su- 
pervisor. He  was  a  Democrat  in  his  polit- 
ical views,  strongly  endorsing  the  principles 
of  the  party.  Classed  among  the  progres- 
sive farmers  of  the  county,  he  deserved  this 
position  because  of  his  untiring  energy  and 
the  success  which  attended  his  efforts.  He 
continued  his  farming  operations  until  May 
iS.  [9  10,  when  he  was  called  to  his  final 
rest,  his  death  being'  deeply  mourned  by 
many  friends  as  well  as  his  immediate 
Eamib  . 

Mrs.  Tonsfeldt  now  owns  the  farm  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  on  section  12. 
Amaqua  township,  where  she  and  her  chil- 
dren are  now  living.  This  is  one  of  the  best 
improved  farms  in  her  part  of  the  country, 
and  her  sons  are  successfully  engaged  in  the 
tilling  i>f  the  soil  and  in  the  raising  of 
stuck.  The  mother  and  her  children  are  all 
members  of  the  German  Luthern  church  of 
<  >gden,  and  the  family  is  one  of  prominence 
in  the  community,  the  members  of  the  house- 
hold occupying  an  enviable  position  in  the 
social  circles  in  which  they  move. 


C.  E.   RICE. 

The  true  measure  of  success  is  deter- 
mined by  what  one  has  accomplished,  and. 
as  taken  in  contradistinction  to  the  ..1,1  adage 
that  a  prophet  is  never  without  honor  save 
in  his  own  country,  there  is  particular  in- 
terest attaching  to  the  career  of  the  subject 
of  this  review,  since  he  is  a  native  son  of 
the  county  in  which  he  has  passed  his  entire 
life  and  so  directed  his  ability  and  efforts 
as  t. .  gain  recognition  as  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative citizens  of  Bonne.  He  is  actively 
connected  with  a  business  which  has  im- 
portant bearing  upon  the  progress  and  stable 
prosperity  of  any  section  or  community,  ami 
in  the  City  Bank  he  has  worked  his  way 
steadily  upward  from  the  position  of  errand 
boj   1..  tiiat..f  assistant  cashier. 

Mr.  Rice  was  born  November  10,  1856, 
in  Boonesboro,  his  parents  being  B.  J.  and 
Jennie  I.  (  Moffatt)  Rice,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  >.f  Jefferson  county,  Xew  York.  At 
the  usual  age  he  entered  the  public  sch.  ...Is 
and  was  graduated  in  the  Boonesboro  high 
school.  In  1S75  he  pursued  a  pharmacy 
course  in  the  University  of  Michigan,  at 
Ann  Arbor,  and  in  1875  became  interested 
in  a  drug  business  in  Boone  with  his  fa- 
ther. The  latter  became  an  active  factor  in 
the  conduct  of  the  City  Bank  in  1880  and 
our  subject  then  succeeded  to  the  drug  busi- 
ness, in  which  he  continued  until  1885,  when 
he  also  became  connected  with  the  bank,  in 
which  his  father  was  vice-president.  IBs 
advancement  has  come  entirely  through  his 
own  efforts,  lie  began  work  in  the  humble 
capacity  of  errand  boy  and  mastered  every 
detail  of  the  business  as  it  came  t.>  him. 
Eater  he  was  made  bookkeeper  and  since 
r8g2  he  has  been  assistanl  cashier  of  the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


bank  which  was  organized  in  1872,  with  a 
capita]  of  lift}  thousand  dollars.  It  was  or- 
ganized as  a  national  bank  and  later  sur- 
rendered its  charter  and  continued  as  the 
City  Bank  of  Boone.  Its  present  capital  and 
surplus  amounts  to  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
thousand  dollars.  Its  officers  are  Frank 
Champlin,  president:  Louis  Goeppinger, 
vice-president;  C.  J.  A.  Ericson,  cashier;  C. 
E.  Rice,  assistant  cashier,  and  C.  H.  Goep- 
pinger,  second  assistant  cashier. 

In  1879  Mr.  Rice  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  .May  Belle  Jackson,  of  Boone,  who 
died  November  13,  1881,  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years,  leaving  one  child.  Charles, 
born  August  12,  1881,  and  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years  and  nine  months.  Mr.  Rice 
was  again  married,  June  14.  1SS7.  the  lady 
of  his  choice  being  May  Goetzman,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  Goetzman,  of  Boone,  and 
their  children  are  Howard,  born  May  1, 
1N00;  Margaret,  born  January  S.  [894. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  are  well  known  in 
Boone  and  the  hospitality  of  the  hesl  homes 
is  extended  to  them.  Mr.  Rice  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  lie  possesses  the 
typical  spirit  of  the  west,  being  enterprising. 
progressive  and  always  alert  and  watchful 
for  favorable  business  opportunities,  nor  is 
he  afraid  of  thai  lab  irious  attention  to  labor 
without   which  there  is  little  real  success. 


M1LDEN  LUTHER. 

Milden  Luther,  who  is  one  of  the  thrift) 
farmers  and  stock-raisers  of  Boone  coun 
ty.  owns  and  operates  a  farm  on  section  13 
Douglas  township,  comprising  two  hundret 

acres    (if    well    improved    and  most  valuable 


laud.  It  is  also  pleasantly  located  within 
three  miles  of  Madrid,  The  owner  is  one 
of  the  honored  pioneer  settlers  of  the  coun- 
ty, dating  his  residence  here  from  1849.  '  'e 
was  born  in  Indiana,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Clay  county,  on  the  J2<1  of  March, 
1S40.  'His  father,  Samuel  Luther,  was  born 
in  North  Carolina  in  1S02.  and  came  of 
German  ancestry,  the  family  having  been 
established  in  Pennsylvania  at  an  early  day. 
Samuel  Luther  was  reared  iruNorth  Caro- 
lina and  was  married  there  to  Dova  Green, 
a  lady  of  English  lineage,  also  a  native  of 
North  Carolina.  After  their  marriage  they 
removed  from  the  old  north  state  to  Indi- 
an;., settling  in  Clay  county,  and  were 
among  its  early  residents.  The  father  had 
a  farm  which  he  continued  to  cultivate  and 
improve  for  a  number  of  years,  lint  in  [849 
lie  sought  a  home  in  Iowa  and  took  up  bis 
abode  in  Douglas  township,  Boone  county, 
where  he  entered  land  from  the  government, 
becoming  the  owner  of  over  a  thousand 
acres.  This  he  broke',  fenced  and  improved, 
and  through  cultivation  he  made  it  a  very 
valuable  farm,  spending  thereon  his  remain- 
ing days,  lie  passed  away  at  the  advanced 
age  of  seventy  years,  his  wife  surviving  him 
about  four  years.  The  subject  of  this  re- 
view was  the  eighth  in  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  live  daughters,  all  of 
whom   reached   mature  years. 

Milden  Luther  was  a  lad  of  about  nine 
years  when  he  arrived  in  tow  a.  and  amid  the 
wild  scenes  of  frontier  life  in  Boone  county- 
he  -pent  the  days  of  his  youth,  living  upon 
the  old  home  farm  and  assisting  in  the  ardu- 
ous task  of  developing  fields  hitherto  uncul- 
tivated, lie  remained  with  his  father,  ren- 
dering him  such  assistance  as  was  possible 
until  he  was  almost  twenty-two  years  of  age. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


293 


During  that  time  he  acquired  a  common- 
school  education  and  gained  much  practical 
knowledge  of  farm  work  in  all  its  depart- 
ments. In  early  life  he  also  engaged  in 
teaching,  but  during  the  greater  part  of  his 
business  career  has  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  1862,  in  Boone 
county,  Mr.  Luther  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  Hull,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  James 
Hull,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Boone 
county,  whither  he  came  from  Indiana.  Mrs. 
Luther  was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Iowa, 
and  was  reared  in  this  county.  After  their 
marriage  our  subject  and  his  wife  began 
their  domestic  life  upon  the  farm  which  is 
yet  his  home.  He  at  once  began  to  improve 
it  and  to-day  has  a  tract  of  two  hundred 
acres,  which  is  rich  and  arable  and  returns 
a  splendid  harvest  for  the  care  and  labor 
bestowed  upon  it.  In  1874  he  built  a  good, 
substantia]  residence  and  has  also  erected 
large  barns  am!  the  necessary  outbuildings 
for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  He  has 
also  splendid  shade  and  fruit  trees  which 
adil  tn  the  value  ami  attractive  appearance  of 
the  place,  and  he  is  now  the  owner  of  one 
of  the  best  improved  farms  in  the  township. 
The  home,  tun,  has  been  Messed  with  the 
presence  of  four  children.  The  eldest,  I.illie. 
is  now  the  wife  of  W.  H.  \\  illiams,  a  farmer 
ni  Douglas  township.  Ella  married  Dr.  11. 
S.  Farr.  Zylpha  is  the  wife  1  if  <  iei  irge  I  fut- 
ton,  a  teacher  of  Madrid.  Carrie  is  the 
wife  of  11.  D.  Lucas,  of  Madrid.  Mr,  and 
Mrs.  Luther  also  lost  three  children,  two 
who  died  in  early  infanc)  and  Libby  M-, 
who  died  in  her  second  year. 

Tn  his  political  views  Mr.  Luther  was 
long  a  Democrat.  He' was  reared  in  the 
faith  of  that  party  and  gave  to  it   his   un- 


faltering allegiance  through  an  extended 
period,  but  he  has  always  been  a  strong 
temperance  man  and  now  believes  that  is 
one  of  the  dominant  issues  before  the  people, 
so  that  in  recent  years  he  has  given  his  sup- 
port to  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Pro 
hibition  party.  He  was  elected  and  served 
as  township  trustee  For  a  number  of  years 
and  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  school 
board  and  its  secretary,  but  has  given  little 
time  to  seeking  office,  preferring  tn  devote 
his  attention  to  his  business  affairs.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Madrid 
Christian  church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as 
trustee  and  also  as  one  of  the  elders.  He  is 
likewise  a  Master  Mason,  identified  with 
Madrid  Lodge,  in  which  he  has  filled  all  of 
the  chairs  and  is  now-  a  past  master.  He 
also  represented  his  lodge  in  the  grand  lodge 
for  four  or  five  terms.  For  more  than  half 
a  century  lie  has  been  a  resident  of  Boone 
county,  the  entire  period  of  his  manhood  be- 
ing here  passed.  He  has  never  desired  to 
leave  this  district,  believing  that  it  is  a  fa- 
vored one.  and  he  has  borne  his  part  in  all 
measures  tending  to  the  substantial  impn  >\  e- 
ment  and  upbuilding  of  the  community. 
Widely  and  favorably  known,  his  worth  is 
acknowledged  by  a  large  circle  of  friends 
and  acquaintances.  He  is  a  man  of  un- 
faltering integrity  a  id  unflagging  diligence, 
—two  characteristics  which  contribute  to  the 
development  of  genuine  worth. 


JOHN  R.  BUTTOLPH. 

Near  the  village  of  Ogden  resides  John 
Buttolph,  whose  home  is  on  section  ;,_>. 
-I  Mound  township.     Almost  a  half  cen 


294 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


tury  has  passed  since  his  arrival  in  Iowa,  and 
since  1856  he  lias  made  his  home  in  Boone 
county.  He  was  born  in  Lorain  county. 
Ohio,  August  18.  1842,  and  is  a  son  of 
George  Buttolph,  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
while  the  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
Starr  Buttolph,  a  native  of  Connecticut.  The 
family  is  of  English  lineage  and  was  estab- 
lished in  America  in  early  colonial  days  by 
representatives  of  the  name,  who  settled  in 
the  Charter  Oak  state.  George  Buttolph 
grew  to  manhood  in  Massachusetts,  and 
when  a  young  man  removed  westward,  tak- 
ing up  his  abode  in  Lorain  county.  Ohio, 
about  1828.  It  was  then  a  sparsely  settled 
region  and  with  its  pioneer  development  he 
became  identified.  1  le  was  married  there  in 
[829  to  Dorothy  Clark,  a  native  of  Maine 
and  a  daughter  of  Bunker  Clark.  Mr. 
Buttolph  cleared  away  the  timber  from  a 
tract  of  land,  then  built  a  barn  and  in  course 
of  time  improved  an  excellent  farm  in  Lo- 
rain county,  where  he  remained  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  removed  to  St.  Joseph 
county,  Indiana,  in  1842.  Seven  children 
were  born  in  Lorain  county,  Ohio,  and  four 
in  St.  Joseph  county,  Indiana,  eleven  alto- 
gether. In  1845  he  came  to  [owa,  estab- 
lishing his  home  in  Linn  county,  but  about 
1850  he  came  to  Boone  county  locating  in 
Pilot  Mount  township,  where  he  engaged  in 
fanning.  I  lis  remaining  days  were  spent 
here,  and  in  1872.  when  sixty-six  years  of 
age.  lie  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  I  lis  vvife 
survived  him  for  a  number  of  years,  passing 
away  in  [895,  at  the  ripe  old  age  oi  eight) 
live. 

John  R.  Buttolph  was  a  lad  of  twelve 
summers  when  he  came  to  Iowa  and  was 
fourteen  years  of  age  when  lie  arrived  in 
Boone  countv.      lie  acquired  a  good  com 


mon-school  education  in  Linn  and  Boone 
counties,  returning  to  the  former  county  in 
order  to  attend  school  there  during  the  win- 
ter terms.  When  the  country  became  in- 
volved in  Civil  war  he  was  found  as  a  loyal 
defender  of  the  Union,  enlisting  in  June, 
j  No  1.  for  three  months'  service.  Later  he 
re-enlisted  for  three  years'  service,  becom- 
ing a  member  of  the  Second  Iowa  Battery, 
and  was  in  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  in 
tlie  "Eagle  Brigade,"  participating  in  the 
battles  of  Xew  Madrid.  Island  Number  10, 
Farmington,  siege  and  battle  of  Corinth,  the 
siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  Meridan, 
Jackson.  Black  River  Bridge.  Iuka,  Tupelo 
and  Xashville.  in  altogether  twenty-seven 
battles.  He  received  two  slight  gunshot 
wounds  at  Vicksburg,  but  was  not  disabled, 
and  he  lost  no  time  from  illness  and  other 
causes  during  four  years  of  active  service. 
He  was  honorable  discharged  and  mustered 
out  on  the  7th  of  August,  1865,  as  first  ser- 
geant of  his  battery,  at  Davenport,  and 
with  a  most  creditable  military  record  re- 
turned to  his  home,  for  he  was  a  loyal  sol- 
dier, never  failing  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duty,  whether  upon  the  picket  line  or  in  the 
thickest  of  the  light. 

Again  coming  to  Boone  county.  Mr. 
Buttolph  then  entered  upon  his  business  ca- 
reer, renting  land  which  he  cultivated  for 
some  time.  About  [869  he  purchased  eight) 
acres  where  he  now  resides.  There  were  no 
ments  upon  the  place,  hut  he  1  milt  a 
little  house  and  lived  in  it  while  opening  up 
the  farm,  lie  afterward  purchased  an  ad- 
joining tract  1  f  eighty  acres.  This  he  fenced 
and  built  upon  u  a  large  substantial  resi- 
dence, also  elected  a  big  bant  and  convenient 
outbuildings,  while  fruit  trees  were  planted 
excellent  orchard  developed.     Shade 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


295 


and  ornamental  trees  were  set  out  upon  the 
land  and  substantial  improvements  of  a  val- 
uable and  attractive  kind  were  added.  Air. 
Buttolph  also  engaged  in  raising  a  good 
grade  of  stuck  in  addition  to  the  cultivation 
of  his  place  and  is  one  of  the  pn  igressn  e  ag- 
riculturists of  his  community. 

On  the  24th  of  December,  1865,  our  sub- 
ject was  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  A. 
Myers,  who  was  born  in  Seneca  county, 
Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Myers,  who  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  county,  locat- 
ing here  in  1854.  Mrs.  Buttolph  was  reared 
and  educated  in  Boone  c<  mnty  and  is  a  most 
estimable  lady,  who  has  indeed  proven  a 
faithful  companion  and  helpmate  to  her  hus- 
band since  they  started  out  on  the  journey 
of  life  together.  They  have  three  children  : 
Ada  C,  now  the  wife  of  Sherman  Elliott, 
of  Fraser,  Iowa;  Ida  L.,  the  wife  of  Ralph 
Casey,  of  Beaver:  and  J.  Frank,  who  is  mar- 
ried and  is  now  carrying  on  the  home  farm. 

Mr.  Buttolph  is  well  known  in  fraternal 
circles,  being  a  valued  member  of  Pilot 
Mound  Lodge.  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  J.  G. 
Miller  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Boonesboro.  He 
is  quite  prominent  in  political  circles  also, 
and  since  1868  has  voted  the  Republican 
ticket.  He  was  elected  and  served  for  five 
years  as  township  clerk,  has  also  been  as- 
sessor, filling  the  position  for  twenty  con- 
secutive years,  and  at  the  present  time  he  is 
serving  as  township  trustee.  In  the  dis- 
charge of  his  official  duties  he  has  ever  been 
prompt,  reliable  and  faithful  and  has  fre- 
quently been  a  delegate  to  the  county  and 
-late  conventions  of  the  Republican  party. 
lli-  official  career  has  ever  been  a  blameless 
one,  as  is  indicated  by  his  long  retention  in 
office.  During  forty-six  years  he  has  made 
his  home  in  Boone  county,  witnessing  almost 


its  entire  growth  and  improvement,  as  the 
conveniences  of  an  advanced  civilization 
have  been  added  to  the  pioneer  district.  He 
is  a  man  of  tried  and  true  integrity,  faithful 
to  the  duties  of  home  life  and  to  friendship 
and  is  as  loyal  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties 
of  citizenship  as  when  he  followed  the  starry 
banner  of  the  nation  upon  the  battle-fields 
of  the  south. 


ROBERT  D.  CLARK. 

Boone  county  has  been  kind  to  her  citi- 
zens, for  the  rich  land  can  be  brought  tinder 
a  very  high  state  of  cultivation  and  there- 
fore yields  good  return  for  the  care  and  labor 
bestowed  upon  it.  Mr.  Clark  is  numbered 
among  those  who  in  following  agricultural 
pursuits  have  won  success  and  now  he  is  liv- 
ing a  retired  life  in  Luther,  where  for  five 
years  he  has  made  his  home.  He  is  a  native 
of  Indiana,  his  birth  having  occurred  on  the 
Wabash  river,  where  the  old  fort  Harrison 
once  stood,  his  natal  day  being  April  1,  183 1. 
His  father,  Samuel  Clark,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  but  was  reared  in  Ohio,  and 
subsequently  removed  to  Vigo  county,  In- 
diana, where  his  remaining  days  were 
passed,  his  death  occurring  there  in    1 84 1 . 

Robert  D.  Clark,  of  this  review,  was 
reared  in  the  Hoosier  state  until  sixteen 
years  of  age.  .and  in  1847  nc  removed  to 
Bureau  county,  Illinois,  and  later  to  Peru, 
La  Salle  county,  while  subsequently  he  made 
his  home  in  Livingston  county,  that  state, 
where  he  remained  until  [874.  His  school 
privileges  were  very  limited,  but  his  train- 
ing at  farm  work  was  not  meager.  lie  is  a 
self-educated  as  well  as  a  self-made  man. 
There  have  been  main-  traits  of  character  in 


296 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


his  life  record  worthy  of  commendation. 
His  faithfulness  to  duty  is  indicated  by  the 
fact  that  for  seven  years  he  was  in  the  em- 
plo)  of  one  man  engaged  in  the  livery  busi- 
ness in  Peru,  Illinois. 

(  hi  the  9th  of  May,  1855,  in  Livingston 
county.  Mr.  Clark  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Hannah  Maria  (  tetrander,  a  native  of  Erie 
county,  Xew  York,  born  near  the  city  of 
Buffalo.  About  [852,  however,  she  became 
a  resident  of  Illinois,  After  their  marriage 
Mr.  and  Airs.  Clark  located  upon  a  farm  and 
for  three  years  he  devoted  his  energies  ti  its 
cultivation,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the 
hotel  business  at  Old  Redding  continuing 
there  and  upon  the  farm  for  twelve  years. 
He  became  .a  prominent  and  influential  citi- 
zen of  the  community  ami  was  elected  and 
served  as  county  supervisor,  township  clerk 
and  justice  of  the  peace.  Me  was  deput) 
sheriff  and  tilled  other  positions  of  In, nor  and 
trust.  In  [866  he  came  to  [owa  and  pur- 
chased land  in  Colfax  township.  Boone  coun- 
ty, becoming  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  raw  prairie.  I  fe  then  returned 
to  Illinois,  hut  in  [874  took  up  his  per- 
manent abode    in     Boone    county,  locating 

upon  the  land  which  he  had  previousl)  pur- 
ch  Lsed.  The  buildings  there  were  erected  by 
him  and  the  work  of  cultivation  and  im- 
provement was  aKo  the  result  of  his  energy 
audi  determination.  For  twenty-three  years 
he  successfully  earned  on  general  farming 
and  stock-raising  and  his  efforts  were  so  dis 
cerningly  directed  that  he  gained  for  Inn 
self  very  creditable  success,  in  [897,  how 
ever,  he  resolved  to  live  a  retired  life  and 
rented  his  place,  removing  to  Luther,  where 
lie  purchased  a  residence  property,  having 
since  made  it  his  home.      He  is  now    enjov- 


ing  the  fruits  of  former  toil  and  his  rest  is 
well  merited. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  were  horn 
tour  children.  Chester  W.  is  a  farmer  of 
Calhoun  county.  Iowa.  He  is  married  and 
has  five  children.  The  daughter,  Ida,  is  the 
wife  of  E.  K.  Luther,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Douglas  township.  Boone  county,  and  they 
have  three  children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark 
lost  two  children.  Eliza  Jane,  who  died  in 
her  sixth  year,  and  Rosetta,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  fifteen  months.  Mr.  Clark  voted  for 
John  C.  Fremont  in  [856  and  at  each  presi- 
dential election  since  that  time  has  supported 
the  Republican  party,  for  he  believes  firmly 
in  its  principles  of  sound  money,  of  protec- 
tion and  of  expansion.  His  business  career 
as  well  as  his  private  record  has  been  an 
honorable  one  and  shows  that  success  may 
be  attained  through  diligence  and  persever- 
ance when  guided  by  sound  judgment,  lie 
had  no  friends  or  wealth  to  aid  him  in  start- 
ing o,,t  up,  .n  ins  career,  hut  steadily  he  has 
advanced  and  to-day  his  competence  is  suf- 
ficient to  enable  him  to  li\e  without  future 
labor. 


A.  M.  BURNSIDE. 


Boone  county  figures  as  one  of  the  most 
attractive,  progressive  and  prosperous  di- 
visions of  the  state  of  Iowa,  justly  claiming 
a  high  order  of  citizenship  ami  a  spirit  of 
enterprise  which  is  certain  to  conserve  con- 
secutive developmenl  and  marked  advance- 
ment m  the  material  upbuilding  of  the  sec- 
tion. The  county  has  been  .and  is  signally 
favored  in  the  class  of  men  who  have  con- 
trolled its  affairs  in  official  capacity,  and  in 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


this  connection  the  subject  of  this  review  de- 
mands representation  as  one  who  has  served 
the  county  faithfully  and  well  in  positions 
of  distinct  trust  and  responsibility.  He  is 
now  filling'  the  office  of  county  auditor,  to 
which  he  was  elected  on  the  Republican 
ticket. 

Mr.  Burnside  was  born  in  Ames.  Iowa. 
December  14,  1869,  his  parents  being  John 
A.  and  Margaret  P.  (Smyth)  Burnside. 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  in 
1869  came  to  Iowa,  locating  first  in  Ames. 
The  father  followed  farming  in  that  portion 
of  the  state.  His  death  occurred  September 
14.  [883  when  he  was  thirty-seven  years  of 
age.  in  his  family  were  four  children,  name- 
ly :  A.  M.,  of  this  review;  Mary  L..  the 
wife  of  T.  J.  McGregor,  of  Ogden;  Anna 
M.,  the  wife  of  E.  E.  Beatty,  of  Grand  Junc- 
tion. Iowa;  and  Alice  E..  now  a  teacher  in 
the  Bonne  schools. 

Mr.  Burnside,  of  this  review,  pursued  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  Ohio, 
Ogden.  Iowa,  and  at  Highland  Park,  1  )es 
Moines.  He  remained  upon  the  farm  until 
about  four  years  ago  and  in  the  meantime 
he  engaged  in  teaching  school  in  the  win- 
ter nv  mths.  assisting  in  the  labors  of  the 
fields  during  the  summer  seasons.  In  No- 
vember, iS()S,  however,  he  was  elected  to 
office  and  on  the  1st  of  January.  1899.  en- 
tered upon  the  duties  of  county  auditor, 
which  he  discharged  so  acceptably  that  in 
1900  he  was  re-elected  and  is  now  the  pres- 
ent incumbent.  He  received  a  majority  of 
two  thousand  at  the  second  election,  which 
proved  conclusively  that  his  first  term's 
service  w  as  highly  satisfactory  to  the  public. 
He  has  ever  been  a  stanch  Republican,  un- 
faltering in  his  advocacy  of  the  principles  of 
the  party  and  his  efforts  in  its  behalf  have 


b<  discerningly  directed  that  they  have 

resulted  in  promoting  the  party's  success. 
Socially  tie  is  connected  with  Ogden  Lodge. 
Xo.  281,  1.  0.  (  t.  1-..  and  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  fraternity. 


ALFRED  MORGAN. 

Alfred  Morgan  is  a  retired  farmer,  land 
owner  and  prominent  citizen  now  living  re- 
tired in  the  village  of  Ogden.  and  his  con- 
nection with  Boone  count}-  and  its  interests 
covers  a  period  of  twenty-eight  years.  He 
is  a  native  of  Cambridgeshire.  England,  born 
October  7.  1843.  anc^ ls  a  son  oi  William  and 
Rebecca  X.  1  Hart)  Morgan,  both  of  whom 
were  also  natives  of  the  "Merrie  Isle."  The 
father  there  engaged  in  carpentering  and  in 
cabinet-making,  following  those  pursuits  in 
England  until  1857.  "hen  with  his  family 
he  sailed  for  America  landing  in  Xew  York 
city  on  the  6th  of  July.  1857.  He  went  di- 
rect to  Bureau  county,  Illinois,  and  there 
worked  at  his  trade  for  two  years,  after 
which  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming 
upon  a  tract  of  land  in  Bureau  county.  In 
1875  he  put  aside  agricultural  pursuits,  how- 
ever, and  lived  retired  from  active  lab  r" un- 
til his  death,  which  occurred  January  28, 
[892.  For  but  a  brief  period  he  had  sur- 
vived his  wife,  who  died  on  the  19th  of  No- 
vember, [890.  In  their  family  were  sj\ 
children,  the  eldest  being  the  subject  of  this 
review.  The  others  are:  William,  a  resi- 
dent farmer  of  Bureau  county.  Illinois; 
[saac,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years; 
John,  who  married  Margaret  J.  Miller  and  is 
a  retired  farmer  now  living  in  Ogden;  Ar- 
thur, who  died  at  the  age  of  -i\  vears  :  and 


298 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


David,  who  is  living  upon  the  old  homestead 
farm  in  Bureau  county,  Illinois. 

Alfred  Morgan,  of  this  review,  spent  the 
first  fourteen  years  of  his  life  in  the  land  of 
his  nativity  and  then  came  with  his  parents 
to  the  United  States.  When  twenty-one 
years  of  age  he  started  out  upon  an  inde- 
pendent business  career  and  was  engaged  in 
farming  in  Bureau  county,  Illinois,  for  six 
years.  As  a  companion  and  helpmate  on 
life's  journey  he  chose  Miss  Rosamond  M. 
Tilson,  their  wedding  being  celebrated  on  the 
28th  of  November,  1866,  her  parents  being 
T.  T.  and  Sarah  (Ballard)  Tilson,  of 
Princeton,  Illinois.  Her  father  was  a  car- 
penter and  builder  by  trade,  but  after  his  re- 
moval to  Boone  county  Iowa,  he  engaged  in 
farming  in  Peoples  township  until  his  death. 
which  occurred  in  March.  1892.  His  widow 
still  resides  in  Wyanet.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Morgan  have  been  born  six  children:  Will- 
iam L.,  who  married  Dora  Caylor,  is  a 
farmer  living  in  Peoples  town-hip.  A.  A. 
(better  known  as  Fred)  married  Lama 
Jenner  and  is  also  a  farmer  of  Peoples  town- 
ship. Clyde  C,  carries  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits in  Marcy  township:  Amy  L.  is  the  wife 
of  Percy  Clark,  a  resident  farmer  of  Peo- 
ples township.  Ralph  D.  follows  farming 
in  Marcy  township.    Jessie  B.  is  at  home. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Morgan  engaged 
in  farming  and  in  the  operation  of  a  thresh- 
ing machine  in  Bureau  county.  Illinois,  un- 
til the  spring  of  1X74,  when  lie  resolved  to 
establish  his  home  in  Boone  county,  Iowa, 
and  settied  in  Peoples  township.  Here  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  and  al  once  began 
its  improvement.  \s  time  passed  and  his 
financial  resources  increased  he  afterward 
added  to  that  property  and  also  bought  land 
in  Marcy  township.      He  was  successfully 


engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing until  1 90 1.  when  he  removed  to  Ogden 
and  purchased  what  was  known  as  the 
Charles  Baker  residence,  which  is  a  nice 
modern  home  on  one  of  the  main  streets  of 
Ogden,  and  here  Mr.  Morgan  has  since  lived 
retired.  He  has  made  judicious  investment 
in  property  as  the  years  have  gone  by,  and 
now  owns  between  seven  and  eight  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Boone  county,  both  in  Marcy 
and  Peoples  townships,  upon  which  his  sons 
are  now  living.  He  is  a  stanch  Democrat 
in  his  political  views,  unswerving  in  his  al- 
legiance to  the  party.  Socially  he  is  con- 
nected  with  the  Rhodes  Lodge.  Xo.  303,  F. 
&  A.  A  I.,  of  Ogden.  He  has  become  very 
widely  and  favorably  known  throughout 
J !.  i'  >ne  n  unity  and  is  a  man  of  genuine  worth 
who  was  active  in  business  and  has  always 
been  found  to  be  reliable  and  thrustworthy 
in  all  life's  relations. 


JOHN  HERRING: 

John  Herring,  now  deceased,  was  a  man 
who  throughout  life  enjoyed  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  was  associated 
and  whin  death  came  to  him  Boone  losl  one 
of  it-  valued  citizens.  He  had  long  been  in 
the  railroad  service  and  was  a  most  trusted 
employe  of  the  corporation.  A  native  01 
England,  he  was  burn  al  Barnstable,  in  1840, 
and  when  only  four  years  of  age  came  to 
the  United  States,  being  brought  to  this 
country  by  his  parents,  who  settled  near 
R  ichester,  Nev  York.  He  was  a 
William  and  Margaret  (Cox)  Herring. 
The  father  remained  in  the  Empire  state, 
following  the  occupation  of  farming 
throughout   the  entire   period   of  his   active 


JOHN    HERRING. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


business  life  and  thus  providing  for  his  fam- 
ily. Bofh  he  and  his  wife  died  upon  the 
old  homestead  in  New  York  when  about 
eighty  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Herring,  of  this  review,  remained 
upon  the  old  farmstead  in  the  Empire  state 
until  lie  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and 
during  that  time  he  acquired  a  good  knowl- 
edge of  the  branches  of  learning  taught  in 
the  common  schools  and  also  was  trained  to 
to  various  departments  of  farm  work,  early 
becoming  familiar  with  the  labors  of  field 
and  meadow.  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  how- 
ever, he  sought  a  home  in  the  west,  making 
his  way  to  Chicago,  [llinois,  where  he  was 
employed  for  a  number  of  years.  He  then 
resinned  his  westward  journey  and  took  up 
his  almde  at  Belle  I'laine,  Iowa,  where  he 
entered  the  service  of  the  Northwestern 
Railroad  Company,  being  employed  as  tire- 
man  for  two  years,  after  which  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  position  of  engineer  and  in  thai 
capacity  served  continuously  until  twelve1 
years  ago.  when  he  was  injured  in  a  wreck 
on  the  line.  He  was  then  running  on  the 
limited  and  in  the  accident  he  lost  his  right 
leg.  \fter  this  he  did  not  again  engage  in 
active  service.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers  and 
was  also  a  Mason  in  his  fraternal  relations. 

Mr.  Herring  was  married  in  the  city  of 
Boone  to  Miss  Celia  Alcott,  a  second  cousin 
of  Louisa  M.  Alcott.  the  noted  author,  and 
a  daughter  of  Addison  and  Almira  Alcott. 
The  parents  were  both  natives  of  Connecti- 
cut, bom  near  the  city  of  New  Haven,  and 
shortly  after  their  marriage  the}'  removed  to 
Ohio  and  subsequently  to  Illinois.  After 
spending  some  time  in  the  latter  state  they 
came  to  [owa  about  [873  and  took  up  their 
abode  in  Boone,  where  thev  spent  their  re- 


maining  days,   but   both  have    now    passed 

away.  Mr.  Alcott  was  a  wagonmaker  by 
trade,  hut  did  not  follow  thai  pursuit  during 
the  later  years  of  his  life.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  passed  away  in  the  city  of  Boone  when 
seventy-nine  years  of  age.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Herring  were  born  five  children,  four 
of  whom  are  still  living:  Gertrude  A.,  now 
the  wife  of  Jonas  Nichols,  a  resident  of 
Santa  Anna.,  California,  where  he  is  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  business,  living  there 
with  his  wife  and  their  son  Jonas;  John  II., 
a  mail  carrier  of  Boone,  who  has  served  in 
that  capacity  since  the  establishment  of  the 
free  delivery  system;  Nita,  who  is  at  home; 
Alfred,  now  sixteen  years  of  age:  and  Rob- 
ert, who  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  LJerring  was 
a  Republican  and  believed  the  principles  of 
that  party  were  best  calculated  to  conserve 
the  general  good.  His  fellow  townsmen,  rec- 
ognizing his  worth  and  ability,  called  him 
to  public  office,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
he  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council 

of  I! ie,  taking  an  active  part  in  its  work 

and  promoting  as  far  as  possible  all  meas- 
ures which  he  believed  would  prove  of  pub- 
lic benefit.  He  resided  in  Boone  about  one- 
third  of  a  century  and  was  highly  respected 
by  many  friends  there.  He  passed  away 
March  15.  1898,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 
I1.'  11  me  cemetery.  There  was  in  his  life  much 
that  is  worthy  of  emulation.  He  was  loyal 
in  friendship,  faithful  in  business  and  true 
to  every  -public  trust,  while  in  his  family  he 
was  a  devoted  and  loving  husband  and  fa- 
ther. His  widow  with  her  younger  chil- 
dren Still  resides  at  her  pleasant  home  at  No. 
1  jo  Tama  street.  Mrs.  Herring  has  a  wide 
acquaintance  in  Roone,  including  a  large 
number  of   friends. 


302 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


A.  F.  ARMSTRONG. 

The  name  of  Garden  township  is  an  in- 
dex or  indication  of  the  portion  of  the 
country  included  within  its  borders.  Rich 
farming  lands  produce  excellent  crops  in 
return  for  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon 
the  place  and  Garden  township  has  aided  in 
winning  for  Iowa  its  splendid  reputation  as 
an  agricultural  state.  Connected  with  the 
work  of  cultivating  the  sod  is  Andrew  F. 
Armstrong,  who  lives  on  section  29,  (jar- 
den  township,  where  he  owns  a  tract  of 
land  of  seventy-seven  acre-  that  is  located, 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  .Madrid.  During 
forty-five  years  he  has  resided  in  Boone 
county  and  has  contributed  in  every  meas- 
ure to  the  growth  and  development  of  this 
portion  of  the  state  along  agricultural  lines. 

He  is  a  native  of  Sweden,  born  June  21, 
1844,  and  iv  a  son  of  Peter  Armstrong, 
whose  birth  also  occurred  in  thai  country. 
The  mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Christina  Nelson  and  she,  too,  was  a  native 
(if  Sweden.  The  father  carried  on  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  order  to  provide  for  his 
family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren. In  [857,  however,  he  came  to  the 
new  world,  taking  passage  on  a  -ailing  ves- 
sel, the  Eclipse,  in  the  command  of  Captain 
Conrad.  The)  left  the  harbor  of  Gotten 
borg  ami  proceeding  across  the  pathless 
ocean,  arrived  at  the  harbor  of  Boston  in 
June.  1857,  after  what  was  considered  n 
very  quick  voyage  of  three  weeks.  By  rail 
the)  made  their  way  westward  to  Mount 
Pleasant,  Iowa,  and  from  there  to  Jeffer 
son  county,  taking  up  their  abode  near  the 
town  of  Xew  Sweden,  where  the)  remained 
for  six  weeks.  They  then  continued  their 
journey    with    ox    teams   to    Boone    county. 


Here  Mr.  Armstrong  purchased  the  land 
which  his  son)  now  owns.  He  bought  a 
tract  of  eighty  acres  which  was  raw  and  un- 
improved and  on  which  he  built  a  small 
house.  Soon  the  track  of  the  plow  was  to 
he  seen  across  the  hitherto  unbroken  prairie, 
the  seed  was  sown  over  the  fields  and  the 
sun  and  rain  came,  bringing  forth  good  har- 
vests. Air.  Armstrong  also  purchased 
eighty  acres  on  section  20,  and  this,  too,  ho 
improved.  He  resided  upon  the  homestead 
which  he  developed  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  the  fall  of  190 1,  when  he  had 
attained  the  advanced  age  of  more  than 
eighty  years.  His  wife  passed  away  Jan- 
uary 8,  [900,  and  both  were  laid  to  rest  in 
the  DeJander  cemetery.  In  their  family 
were  but  two  children,  the  daughter  being 
Christina  S..  who  became  the  wife  of  An- 
drew W.  Anderson.  They  located  in  Gar- 
den township  and  she  died  leaving  one  son, 
who  is  also  now  deceased. 

Andrew  F.  Armstrong,  of  this  review, 
was  a  lad  of  thirteen  years  at  the  time  of 
hi-  arrival  in  Boone  county,  llis  memory 
carries  him  hack  to  pioneer  days,  when  the 
famil)  experienced  the  hardship,  and  trials 
as  well  as  the  pleasures  of  pioneer  life.  For 
miles  awav  stretched  the  unbroken  prairies, 
ami  improvement  and  progress  seemed  yet 
a  work  of  the  future.  Mr.  Armstrong 
aided  in  developing  the  farm,  remaining 
with  liis  father  until  twenty-four  years  of 
age.  lie  had  hut  limited  educational  ad- 
vantages, being  almost  wholly  self-edu- 
cated. hu»  he  has  made  the  mosl  of  his  op- 
portunities in  life  and  has  not  only  secured 
impetence,  but  through  experience 
and  observation  he  has  largely  broadened 
his  know  :  ining   a   practical    view    -f 

life. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


3^3 


Or.  the  23rd  of  <  >ctober,  t8i  8,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Armstrong  and  Miss 
Christina  W.  Segren,  a  native  of  Sweden. 
who  came  to  the  new  world  in  l86l,  when 
a  child  of  nine  years  and  was  reared  in 
Boone  county.  Four  children  have  been 
bom  of  this  marriage:  Elma,  Peter  E., 
Frederick  and  Jennie,  all  of  whom  are  at 
home  and  the  sun-  assist  their  father  in  the 
work    of   the    farm. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Armstrong  lo- 
cated "ii  section  20,  Garden  township,  there 
improving  a  place  on  which  he  erected  a 
good  residence  and  also  substantial  barns 
and  outbuildings.  Trees  were  planted 
around  the  house,  casting  grateful  shades 
over  the  lawn  and  home,  and  an  orchard 
was  also  set  out  and  its  fruit  stored  in  the 
cellar  for  winter  use.  Mr.  Armstrong  be' 
came  the  owner  of  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  acres  of  land  and  three  business  blocks 
in  .Madrid  and  continued  to  carry  on  farm- 
ing until  1896,  when  he  rented  his 
land,  which  is  divided  into  four  farms  and 
supplied  with  four  sets  of  buildings.  In 
the  spring  of  [897  lie  returned  to  the  old 
homestead,  carrying  for  hi.-  father  during 
his  declining  years.  In  1899  he  erected  a 
large,  neat  and  attractive  residence.  It  is 
built  in  modern  style  of  architecture  and 
forms  a  pleasing  feature  of  the  landscape. 
In  it  is  a  furnace,  which  heats  the  house 
with  hot  water  and  other  modern  equip- 
ments are  found,  and  altogether  it  1-  one 
of  the  besl  residences  in  the  township.  Po- 
litically Mr.  Armstrong  has  been  a  life-long 
Republican  and  cast  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  U.  S.  Grant.  The  honor-  and 
emoluments  of  office  have  had  no  attraction 
for  him  for  hi-  labor-  have  been  concen- 
trated upon  his  farm.     Both  he  and  hi-  wife 


are  members  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
church  of  Madrid  and  are  honored  and  re- 
spected people  a-  well  a-  pioneers  of  the 
county,  where  Mr.  Armstrong  ha-  made  his 
home  for  nearly  a  half  century,  while  his 
wife  has  been  equally  long  a  resident  of 
this  port  1,111  of  the  -late.  lie  1-  a  man  of 
integrity  and  worth  and  in  the  time  when 
Boone  count}  was  a  frontier  region,  he 
took  an  active  interest  in  promoting  it- 
growth  and  improvement,  while  as  the  years 
have  passed  he  has  manifested  a  deep  regard 
for  the  general  good  and  as  far  as  possible 
has  aided  in  promoting  its  general  welfare. 


L.  W.  CLARK. 


With  the  farming  ami  stock-raising  in- 
terests of  Boone  county  L.  \Y.  Clark  is 
identified,  his  home  being  -on  section  2j, 
Peoples  township.  He  is  an  extensive  land 
owner,  having  live  hundred  and  twenty 
acre-  all  in  one  farm.  His  is  a  splendidly 
improved  tract,  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
farms  in  the  district.  Mr.  Clark  i-  :  na- 
tive of  Vermont,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Caledonia  county,  in  the  to  en  of 
Peacham,  Ma\  14.  [842.  His  father.  Gid- 
eon Clark,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  about 
the  year  1808,  while  the  grandfather,  John 
Clark,  was  also  a  native  of  the  (-'barter  Oak 
state  and  with  his  family  removed  to  Ver- 
mont settling  in  Caledonia  county.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  married  there  to 
Miss  Harriet  Watt-,  whose  birth  occurred 
in  that  county.  Mr.  (  lark  was  a  mechanic 
and  Followed  the  machinist's  trade  for  some 
time,  [n  [857  he  resolved  to  seek  a  home 
in  the  west   and  make  his  waj    I  1  Clinton 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


county,  Iowa,  where  he  secured  a  tract  of 
land,  turning  his  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  For  several  years  he  pursued 
this  vocation  while  residing  there  and  then 
removed  to  Calhoun  county  where  he  spent 
his  remaining  days,  his  death  occurring 
about   1897. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  L. 
W.  Clark  we  present  to  our  readers  the  life 
record  of  one  widely  and  favorably  known 
in  this  portion  of  the  state,  for  his  residence 
in  Iowa  dates  from  [856  and  in  Boone 
county  from  1867.  lie  spent  the  first  four- 
teen year-  of  his  life  in  the  Green  Mountain 
state  and  then  came  to  the  west  with  an 
uncle,  who  settled  in  Clinton  county.  Iowa. 

where    Mr.    Clark   grew    to   manh 1.      His 

educational  privileges  were  somewhat 
meagre,  but  through  reading,  experience 
and  observation  he  has  broadened  his 
knowledge.  Upon  the  farm  in  Clinton 
county  he  gamed  a  practical  knowledge  of 
agricultural  pursuits  and  his  experience  in 
that  direction  has  proven  of  value  to  him  in 
later  year-. 

On  the  the  20th  of  January,  1862,  Mr. 
Clark  was  united  in  marriage  to  Amelia 
Davis,  a  native  of  Schoharie  county.  New 
York.  Seven  children  have  been  horn  of 
this  union:  George  who  is  married  and  is 
a  farmer  o\  Peoples  township;  Elmer,  who 
works  upon  the  home  farm:  Charles  and 
Francis  who  also  assist  in  the  work  there; 
Kl'rie,  the  wife  of  Henry  Smith,  of  Mont- 
gomery county.  Iowa:  Jennie,  the  wife  of 
Ed  Vickroy,  a  farmer  of  Peoples  township; 
and  A  Hie,  who  is  yet  under  the  parental 
roof. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Clark  carried  on 
farming  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  for  five 
vears  and  then  came  to  Boone  county.     As 


he  had  but  limited  capital  he  rented  land 
for  two  years  and  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  located  upon  the  farm  where  he 
now  resides.  It  was  totally  unimproved, 
but  the  forty  acres  which  lie  secured  was 
soon  placed  under  cultivation  and  rich  fields 
brought  to  him  golden  harvests.  He  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings  and  from  time 
to  time  he  has  made  judicious  investments 
in  property  until  his  landed  possessions  now- 
aggregate  five  hundred  and  twenty  acres  all 
in  one  body.  This  is  a  very  valuable  farm 
and  certainly  indicates  the  life  of  industry 
and  enterprise  which  Mr.  Clark  has  led.  A 
good  residence,  four  barns  and  other  large 
outbuildings  for  grain  and  slock  stand  as 
monuments  to  the  enterprise  and  labor  of 
the  owner.  Many  rods  of  fences  inclose 
this  place  ami  fruit  and  shade  trees  add  to 
its  value  and  attractive  appearance.  In 
connection  with  the  cultivation  of  grain  Mr. 
Clark  is  extensively  engaged  in  the  raising 
of  good  graded  stock  and  anniuliv  feed- 
and  ships  a  large  number  of  cattle  and  hogs 
which  bring  a  good  price  upon  the  market, 
due  to  the  excellent  condition  in  which  they 
are  when  sent  to  the  city. 

Although  reared  in  the  faith  of  the 
Democratic  party.  Mr.  Clark  endorsed  the 
principles  of  the  new  Republican  party  when 
in  1  So  1  he  cast  his  first  presidential  vote. 
He  has  been  elected  and  served  for  nine 
years  as  township  trustee  and  his  official 
work  has  been  of  a  character  to  win  him 
high  commendation.  He  has  also  been  a 
member  of  the  school  hoard  for  a  number  of 
years  and  in  his  official  ix>sition  he  has  man- 
ifested marked  fidelity  to  the  general  good. 
lie  takes  a  deep  interest  in  politics  doing 
everything  in  bis  power  to  promote  the 
growth  and  insure  the  success  of  his  party. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


305 


His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  although  Mr.  Clark 
1-  not  identified  with  any  religious  organiz- 
ation he  attends  the  services  of  the  church 
to  which  his  wife  belongs  and  contributes 
to  its  support.  From  an  early  age  Mr. 
Clark  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own  re- 
sources. When  quite  young  he  started  out 
to  tight  life's  battles  and  in  the  strife  he  has 
come  off  conqueror.  His  life  history 
should  serve  to  inspire  and  encourage  oth- 
ers who  are  dependent  upon  their  own  re- 
sources, for  his  record  certainly  proves  that 
prosperity  may  be  gained  by  determined 
purpose,  laudable  ambition  and  capable 
management  together  with  honesty  in  all 
business  dealings.  During  thirty-six  years 
residence  in  Boone  count)'  Mr.  Clark  has 
ever  commanded  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow  men.  and  it  is  with  pleasure 
that  we  present  the  record  of  bis  life  to  our 
readers  knowing  that  it  will  be  gladly  re- 
ceived by  bis  manv  friends. 


THOMAS   B.   HOLMES. 

Thomas  1',.  Holmes,  who  is  filling  the 
office  of  deputy  sheriff  of  Boone  county. 
lias  always  resided  in  this  count)  and  is 
widely  and  favorably  known  to  its  citizens. 
His  birth  occurred  October  29.  1N57.  111 
Boonesboro.  His  father,  William  Holmes, 
was  a  native  of  Greene  county.  Ohio,  born 
January  17,  [814.  The  grandfather,  Sam- 
uel Holmes,  was  born  in  this  country. 
March  2,  ijjj,  but  was  of  Irish  parentage. 
He  was  left  an  orphan  when  only  five  years 
of  age  and  was  reared  by  German  people 
in    Pennsylvania.      He   joined    the    United 


States  arm}-  at  the  time  of  the  war  of  [812 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  known  as  St. 
Clair's  defeat,  where  he  received  two 
wounds.  He  afterward  married  Martha 
Miller,  who  was  born  January  15.  17N1.  and 
was  of  English  lineage.  Samuel  Holmes 
died  in  Ohio  in  August,  [830,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-eight  years  and  bis  wife  passed  away 
in  Iowa,  on  the  nth  of  October,    [852. 

In  early  life  William  Holmes  re- 
moved to  Indiana,  taking  up  bis  abode  near 
Thorntown,  where  he  lived  with  his  mother. 
Subsequently  be  removed  to  Illinois  and  af- 
ter a  year  came  to  Iowa  in  [838,  long  be- 
fore the  admisison  of  the  territory  into  the 
Union.  He  took  up  bis  abode  at  West 
Point  in  Lee  county,  where  be  was  married 
September  22,  183S.  to  Elizabeth  Abbott, 
who  was  born  May  24,  1819,  in  Allegheny 
county,  Pennsylvania.  of  German  and 
Scotch  parentage.  When  only  eight  years 
of  age  she  accompanied  her  father  and 
mother  on  their  removal  westward,  the 
journey  being  made  on  a  fiat  boat  down  the 
Ohio  river  to  a  point  near  Cairo.  Illinois. 
There  Mrs.  Holmes  was  reared  to  woman- 
hood and  later  she  became  a  resident  oi 
Iowa.  The  parents  of  our  subject  con- 
tinued residents  of  Lee  county,  until  1 H4 _' . 
when  they  removed  to  Wapello  county, 
locating  on  a  claim  near  Agenc)  City. 
There  the  father  engaged  in  farming  until 
the  fall  of  [849,  when  lie  visited  Boone 
county,  locating  on  a  claim  west  of  the  pres- 
ent city  of  Boone.  In  May,  1N51.  however, 
attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cal- 
ifornia, be  started  with  '/..  S.  McCall  and 
Others    for    the    Pacific     slope.      They     were 

three  nths  in  making  the  trip  and  having 

abandoned  their  wagons,  the  iasl  four  hill] 
dred  miles  was  accomplished  on  1 


3o6 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Mr.  Holmes  at  first  engaged  in  mining,  but 
did  not  find  that  a  very  profitable  venture 
and  began  packing  provisions  from  the  set- 
tlements to  the  mines.  This  proved  to  be 
much  more  lucrative  and  eventually  he  re- 
turned home  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Pan- 
ama and  New  York  city.  By  sailing  ves- 
sel he  proceeded  to  New  York,  thence  by 
rail  to  Buffalo,  and  from  there  to  Chicago 
by  way  of  the  lakes,  continuing  his  journey 
bv  stage  to  Agencj  City  and  then  coming 
on  horseback  to  Boonesboro.  He  arrived 
at  his  home  after  an  absence  of  two  and 
one-half  years  and  here  again  engaged  in 
carpenter  work,  building  many  of  the  fin- 
est houses  of  Boonesboro.  In  [856  be  was 
elected  sheriff  of  Boone  county,  taking 
charge  of  that  office  on  the  first  Monday  in 
January,  [857.  For  four  years  lie  there 
remained  ami  during  hi-  term  the  Pardee 
riot  and  the  river  land  trouble  occurred. 
It  was  also  the  period  of  the  critical  politi 
cal  arguments  preceding  the  Rebellion. 
As  an  officer  he  -bowed  neither  fear  nor  fa- 
vor, and  it  is  said  that  he  never  went  after 
.1  horse  thief  and  failed  to  get  him.  Mr. 
Holmes  also  acted  a-  a  member  of  the  board 
of  supervisors.  On  the  expiration  ,,f  his 
term  as  sheriff  he  again  engaged  in  carpen- 
tering winch  he  followed  until  [865,  when 
he  purchased  a  farm  in  Marcy  township, 
spending  his  remaining  days  thereon.  IIP 
death  occurred  November  10.  [895,  and 
hi-  wil\'.  who  bail  shared  with  him  in  the. 
pii  nicer  I  rials  1  f  the  west,  died  1  Vrcinb  -r  [6, 
1893.  They  left  four  children  . 
\\\.  now  of  St.  Joseph,  Missouri;  Miriam. 
the  wife  of  Jacob  1  [oleomb  of  Dallas  county, 
Iowa :  Sarah  ]..  the  wife  f\  I  fenr} 
Shockey,  1  if  I  Ireg*  m  ;  and  ["hoi  -  B.,  of 
tin-    review. 


In  his  youth  Thomas  B.  Holmes  ac- 
quired a  common  school  education  and 
upon  the  home  farm  he  remained  until 
twenty  years  of  age.  He  then  went  to 
Kansas  where  he  engaged  in  teaching 
school  in  [878-9,  after  which  he  returned 
to  Iowa  and  was  identified  with  educa- 
tional work  here  from  1879  until  1885, 
proving  himself  a  competent  instructor  by 
the  readiness  with  which  he  imparted  to 
others  the  knowledge  that  he  had  acquired. 
At  the  latter  date,  however,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  farming  which  he  followed  con- 
tinuously until  1898,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed deputy  sheriff  of  Boone  county  for 
a  term  of  four  years  and  is  now  serving  in 
that  office.  He  has  also  been  township  as- 
sessor. 

On  the  1st  of  November,  1885,  Mr. 
Holmes  was  united  in  marriage  to  Emma 
Hardcastle,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sy- 
bil Hardcastle,  the  former  a  native  of  Lan- 
caster, England,  and  the  latter  of  Mercer 
county.  Pennsylvania.  Mr-.  Hardcastle 
wa-  of  English  and  Scotch  lineage.  In 
[859  they  removed  to  Minnesota,  and  after 
us  there  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in 
Stor)  county.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Holmes 
is  still  residing  there,  hut  the  mother 
passed  away  in  1875  at  the  age  of  forty- 
two  years.  Their  children  were  Anna,  the 
wife  of  George  (  hapman,  of  Nevada,  Iowa; 
Emma,  the  wife  of  our  subject ;  William  K. ; 
Mary,  the  wife  <-i  ('.  II.  Elliott,  and  Dan- 
iel, who  is  living  in  Ames.  Iowa.  The 
marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holme-  has  been 
blessed  with  three  children:  Bessie  E., 
Jasper  Leroy  and  William  R.  In  the  dis- 
charge of  bis  official  duties  Mr.  Holmes 
has  followed  in  the  foot-tens  of  his  father 
and   has   been   most   loyal   to   the  trust   re- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


posed  m  him.  lie  has  always  resided  in 
this  county  where  he  is  widely  known,  and 
the  fact  that  many  who  have  been  ac- 
quainted with  him  from  boyhood  are  num- 
bered among  his  stanchest  friends,  is  an  in- 
dication that  his  career  has  ever  been  up- 
right  ami  honorable  one. 


SAMUEL  WIRTZ. 

Switzerland,  the  land  of  the  Alps,  has 
furnished  many  worthy  citizens  to  America. 
They  are  men  of  strong  resolution,  un- 
daunted purpose  and  unflagging  industry 
and  are  3  valued  acquisition  of  the  industrial 
ranks  of  the  new  world.  Samuel  Wirtz 
comes  from  that  little  mountainous  country 
and  in  America  he  has  worked  his  way 
steadily  upward  to  a  position  of  affluence,  so 
that  he  is  now  living  a  retired  life.  His 
birth  occurred  July  28,  [841,  his  parents  be- 
ing facob  and  Rosalia  1  Ximhelmann ) 
Wirtz.  also  natives  of  Switzerland.  The 
father  came  to  the  new  world  in  18(13  and 
made  his  way  across  the  country  to  Boone 
count  v.  Iowa,  settling  in  Des  Moines  town- 
ship. Here  he  spent  his  remaining  days. 
passing  away  when  nearly  eighty  years  of 
age.  His  wife  still  survives  him  and  is  now 
residing  1  >n  the  1  ild  hi  «ne  place,  having  passed 
the  eightieth  mile-stone  on  life's  journey. 
The)  were  the  parent-  of  five  sons  and  a 
daughter,  who  are  vet  living:  Samuel,  Ed- 
ward, (iotlieh.  Media,  Daniel  and  Charles. 
They  also  lust  six  children. 

Samuel  Wirtz  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 

h 1  and  youth  in  the  land  of  the  Alps  and 

when  twenty  years  of  age  crossed  the  broad 
Atlantic    to   the   new    world,    believing   that 


he  might  have  better  business  opportunities 
and  privileges  in  this  country.  Boone  coun- 
ty was  his  destination  and  in  [862  he  took 
up  his  abode  here.  In  his  native  land  he  had 
learned  the  stone-cutter's  trade  ami  he  also 
mastered  the  trade  of  silk-weaving,  follow- 
ing it  for  some  time  in  his  native  country. 
After  he  arrived  in  America  he  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade,  which  he  folk, wed  for 
three  years  and  then  turned  his  attention  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  fi  >r  with  the  capital 
that  he  had  acquired  through  his  own  efforts 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  section 
2,  Des  Moines  township.  This  he  subse- 
quently sold  and  bought  his  present  farm  in 
[881.  He  owns  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  rich  and  arable  land  on  the  home 
place  and  has  made  excellent  improvements 
upon  it.  the  buildings  standing  as  monu- 
ments to  his  thrift  and  enterprise.  His  ef- 
forts return  to  him  a  good  harvest  and  he 
makes  a  specialty  of  the  raising  of  corn, 
oats  and  hay.  He  also  keeps  from  twenty  to 
thirty  head  of  cattle,  preferring  the  short- 
horns. In  both  branches  of  his  business  he 
has  been  very  successful  and  is  now  prac- 
tically living  retired.  He  expect-  soon  to  re 
move  td  Boone,  where  he  will  put  aside  all 
business  cares  and  rest  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  fruits  of  his  former  labors.  In  addition 
to  the  home  farm  he  also  owns  another  tract 
of  -lie  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Beaver 
township,  which  he  now  rents  to  his  eldest 
son. 

in  1K71  Mr.  Wirtz  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Caroline  llennan,  who  died  in  [882. 
The  following  year  be  was  again  married, 
In-  second  union  being  with  Christina 
(iesein.  She  was  also  bora  in  Switzerland. 
By  the  first  marriage  there  wa-  one  child, 
while  the  children   of   the   second   marriage 


303 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


numbered  four.    They  are  Edward,  Adolph, 
Emma,  Samuel  and  Jacob. 

Mr.  Wirtz  is  one  of  the  honored  early 
settlers  of  Boone  county,  and  has  witnessed 
almost  its  entire  development,  as  it  has 
emerged  from  primitive  conditions  to  take 
its  place  among  the  leading  counties  of  the 
state.  He  has  been  an  active  factor  in  its 
agricultural  interests  and  his  business  af- 
fairs have  been  so  capably  conducted  that  he 
has  won  most  creditable  and  gratifying  suc- 
cess. In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has 
served  as  school  director  in  this  district  and 
also  in  Beaver  township.  His  religious  faith 
is  indicated  1>\  bis  membership  in  the  Ger- 
man Reformed  church.  The  hope  thai  led 
him  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new  world  has 
been  more  than  realized,  for  here  be  has 
found  bow  potent  is  industry  in  the  active 
affair^  of  life  and  that  labor  directed  b) 
sound  judgment  always  brings  its  reward. 
lie  has  gained  prosperity  and  has  also  won 
the  warm  regard  "i  a  larg<  circle  of  friends 
in  Ins  adi  ipted  o  >unt\ . 


JESSE  C.  WILLIAMS. 

[esse  C.  Williams,  who  is  extensively  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  section  24,  Marcy 
township,  has  made  bis  home  in  Boone  conn 
tv  since  April  6,  1851,  when  he  came  to  this 
locality  with  bis  father.  Comparatb 
of  the  residents  of  the  county  have  so  long 
resided  within  its  borders,  and  classed  among 
the  honored  pioneer  settlers  Mr.  Williams 
well  deserves  representation  in  this  volume. 
He  was  bom  in  Henry  county,  Kentucky. 
April  2,  1825.  and  is  a  son  of  Jesse  and 
Susanna  (Simmons)  Williams,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Virginia,  whence  they 


removed  to  Kentucky,  where  the  father  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  the  year  1828.  At 
that  time  lie  became  a  resident  of  Mont- 
gomery county.  Indiana,  where  he  purchased 
a  farm,  residing  thereon  until  be  came  to 
this  state  in  1850.  At  that  time  he  settled 
near  Des  Moines,  but  after  a  year  came  to 
Boone  count}-,  arriving  in  April,  1851.  He 
took  up  bis  abode  in  Cass  township  and 
there  he  devoted  bis  energies  to  agricultural 
pursuits  until  bis  life's  labors  were  ended  in 
death,  lie  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers 
in  the  community  and  aided  in  laying  broad 
and  deep  the  foundation  for  the  present 
progress  and  improvement  of  the  locality. 
He  died  in  1854,  while  bis  wife  passed  away 
in  1869.  In  their  family  were  eight  chil- 
dren, but  Polly,  Annie.  John.  Nancy  and 
Samuel  are  all  deceased.  The  next  is  Jesse 
C,  of  this  review.  Sanford  1'..,  the  seventh. 
now  resides  upon  the  old  homestead  in  Cass 
township,  while  Francis,  the  youngest  of  the 
family,  is  deceased. 

When  the  Family  came  to  Boone  county 
the  fa'ber  and  two  .if  his  sons  located  in 
(ass  township,  but  Jesse  ( '.  Williams  came 
t<>  Marcy  township  and  took  up  bis  abode 
on  bis  present  farm.  1  le  bad  spent  the  years 
of  his  minority  in  bis  native  state  and  was 
about  twenty-five  years  of  age  when  the 
family  came  to  [owa.  lie  was  die  first  set- 
tler in  bis  part  of  Marcy  township  and  se- 
cured bis  farm  through  a  land  warrant.  He 
also  bouglu  land  o!  tlie  River  Company  and 
thus  secured  a  very  large  tract,  being  to-day 
one  of  the  extensive  land  owners  of  the 
community.  lie  has  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  all  in  Marcy  township,  and 
has  been  numbered  among  the  progressive 
and  enterprising  agriculturists  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  state.     At  the  present  time,  how- 


JESSE    C.  WILLIAMS    AND    WIFE. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ever,  lie  is  practically  living  retired  from 
business  life,  while  his  son-in-law  conducts 
his   farming  interests. 

Mr.  Williams  was  married  in  Indiana 
t' >  Miss  Letitia  Hopper,  of  Wayne  county, 
that  state,  and  fur  many  years  she  was  to 
him  a  faithful  companion  and  helpmate  on 
life's  journey,  hut  on  the  26th  of  August. 
[892,  she  was  called  t<>  the  home  beyond. 
In  the  family  were  nine  children:  James  F., 
a  resident  fanner  living  near  Woodward, 
Bi  one  county;  Mary  K.,  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Johnson,  of  Washington  ;  Sarah  E.,  the  wife 
of  Oliver  Hblloway,  who  is  living-  in  Mon- 
tana: Robert,  who  married  Jane  Hollowaj 
and  resides  near  his  father:  Harriet,  the 
wife  of  Jerry  Shaw,  a  representative  of  an 
old  familv.  by  whom  she  had  five  children: 
Xettie:  \"i<  .let.  deceased:  Pearl;  Opal: 
and  Roy  T.,  deceased.  Mr.  Shaw  now  op- 
erates the  farm  belonging  to  Mr.  Williams 
and  is  a  practical  and  progressive  agricult- 
urist. The  children  of  the  familv  that  have 
passed  away  are:  John  Gilson,  Drusilla, 
Martha  and  Jesse. 

At  the  time  of  the  Mexican  war  Mr. 
Williams,  of  this  review,  entered  the  army 
and  fought  for  American  rights,  lie  was 
never  injured  in  any  way.  He  had  alsi  1  ren- 
dered effective  service  in  civic  affairs.  At 
the  time  oi  the  Civil  war  he  was  for  Four 
years  a  member  of  the  county  board  of  su- 
pervisors, lie  has  filled  various  township 
uffices.  He  votes  with  the  Democracy  and 
takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  growth  an  1  suc- 
cess oi  his  party.  His  daughter,  Mrs.  Shaw. 
is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  oi  Marry  township,  lie  has  always 
been  a  hard-working  man  ami  as  the  result 
1  if  In-  enterprise  and  careful  management  he 
i-  now  the  owner  of  a  tine  farm.     I  lis  life 


histor)  proves  that  success  maj  be  won 
through  strong  determination,  earnest  pur- 
pose and  honorable  effort,  and  in  many  re- 
spects his  hie  is  well  worthv  of  emulation. 


JOHN  ANDERS!  IN. 

Boone  county  is  situated  in  the  center 
1  if  a  rich  agricultural  district.  The  line  farms 
of  [owa  are  noted  throughout  the  entire 
land,  and  of  one  of  these  John  Anderson  is 
the  owner,  having  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  acres  which  is  well  improved  and  highh 
cultivated.  His  home  is  only  two  miles  from 
Madrid  and  thus  he  is  enabled  to  enjoy  the 
conveniences  and  comforts  of  city  life  as 
well  as  the  pleasures  which  can  only  be  ob- 
tained upon  a  farm.  In  the  fall  of  1S40  he 
arrived  in  Boone  county  and  throughout  the 
intervening  years  he  has  been  interested  in 
its  development  and  progress,  while  his  la- 
bors have  been  of  a  character  that  have  ad- 
vanced its  substantial  improvement. 

As  his  name  indicates  he  is  of  Swedish 
birth  and  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of 
day  in  the  countrj  of  Sweden  on  the  23d  of 
June.  [832.  His  father,  Magnas  Anderson, 
was  ,-ils,,  a  nati\e  of  Sweden,  where  he  was 
reared,  married  and  followed  farming  for 
some  years.  Six  children  were  born  unto 
him  in  that  country,  and  in  [846  he  emi 
grated  with  his  family  to  the  new  world. 
landing  at  New  York.  He  thence  made  his 
wa\  across  the  country  to  [owa  and  estab- 
lished his  permanent  home  in  Boone  county. 
although  he  first  1,, rated  in  Polk  county, 
coming  to  this  count)  in  1847  al  which  time 
he  took  I'p  hi-  abode  in  Douglas  township. 
Mere  he  had  entered  some  land  and  his  at- 
tention was  now    given  to  the  development 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


and  improvement  of  his  farm,  but  he  was  not 
long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home,  for 
he  died  the  same  year. 

John  Anderson  was  a  lad  of  fourteen 
years  when  he  came  to  the  United  States. 
He  had  acquired  a  fair  education  in  the 
schools  'if  his  native  land.  1ml  is  entirely 
self-educated  in  the  English  language,  hav- 
ing acquired  a  knowledge  of  that  language 
since  attaining  his  majority.  When  still  a 
young  lad  he  started  out  in  life  "ii  his  own 
acounl.  being  employed  as  a  farm  hand, 
lie  was  inured  to  hardships  and  privations 
from  early  youth,  owing  t>  >  his  father's 
death,  hut  he  then  developed  self  reliance 
and  force  of  character  that  have  proved  im- 
portant elements  in  his  later  success.  When 
he  had  acquired  a  sufficient  capital  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land  which  was  the 
nucleus  of  his  present  farm.  It  was  we'd 
watered  and  upon  it  he  1  milt  a  log  h<>use  in 
which  he  lived  during  the  time  when  he  was 
opening  up  his  farm.  lie  turned  the  first 
furrows  of  the  virgin  soil,  fenced  In-  prop- 
erty and  in  course  <<\  time  garnered  rich 
harvests  from  the  fields  which  he  had  cul- 
tivated. From  time  t"  time  as  his  financial 
resources  increased  he  purchased  other  land 
until  he  is  to-day  the  owner  of  two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  acres.  I  le  has  built  a  large 
residence  upon  the  place,  also  substantia] 
outbuildings  and  the  entire  tract  is  under 
cultivation.  Everything  about  the  place  is 
kept  in  good  repair,  ami  the  air  of  neatness 
and  thrift  which  pervades  the  place  indicates 
the  practical  and  progressive  spirit  of  the 
owner.  An  orchard  yields  iis  fruits  in  sea 
son  and  shade  trees  adorn  the  lawn  and  pro- 
tect the  home  from  the  hoi  rays  of  the  sum- 
mer sun.  The  farm  is  now  a  valuable  one 
and  the  owner  deserves  great  credit  for  what 


he  has  accomplished.  There  are  two  sets  of 
faun  buildings  there  and  all  of  the  improve- 
ments upon  the  place  are  visible  evidences 
of  the  life  of  industry  which  Mr.  Anderson 
has  led.  1  lis  efforts  too,  have  been  extended 
to  other  lines.  He  was  oik-  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Madrid  State  Bank.  He  was  elected 
iis  first  president  and  has  acted  continuously 
in  that  position  from  the  organization  of  the 
bank  in  1895.  It  has  become  one  of  the 
strong  banking  institutions  of  the  county 
and  is  a  valued  and  enterprising  concern  in 
the  business  activity  of  this  section  of  the 
slate. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married  in  Boone 
county  in  1S57  to  Miss  Caroline  Nelson, 
who  was  born  and  reared  in  Sweden.  She 
died  in  1S-0,  leaving  three  children,  the  eld- 
est being  John  i\,  who  is  now  a  resident 
of  Minnesota.  Alma  is  the  wife  of  If.  1'. 
Dalander,  a  prominent  business  man  of  Ma- 
drid. C.  \.  Silford  is  the  editor  and  prop- 
rietor of  the  .Madrid  Register  News.  Mr. 
Anderson  was  again  married  in  1S77.  his 
second  union  being  with  Olive  Anderson, 

11    a  her  -irlh 1  days  in  Sweden,  her 

native  land,  bight  children  have  been  born 
of  this  union:  Selma.  the  wife  of  Mines 
<  Hson,  a  fanner  of  Douglas  township;  Dora, 
I  eresa,  ilven,  \rthur.  I  [arold,  Roy  and 
Ester,  all  at  hi  'inc. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Anderson 

is  a  stanch  Republican,  having  been  allied  to 

that  party  since  casting  his  first  presidential 

\oi,     For   Abraham   Lincoln   in    i860.      For 

1  ounty  supervisor,  has 

filled  the  office   of  assessor   for  more  than 

twenty  years  and  has  been  secretary  of  the 

Swedish   Mutual    Insurance    Company    for 

ars  being  one  of  its  prominent  pro- 

nd  organizers.    The  cause  of  cdue  1- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


3'3 


tii  m  has  ever  found  in  him  a  warm  friend. 
He  believes  in  having  good  schools  and 
capable  teachers  and  has  long  served  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board  and  as  its  treas- 
urer. He  has  been  a  delegate  to  various 
state  and  county  conventions  of  the  Repub- 
lican part\-  and  in  all  public  offices  has  been 
loyal  and  true  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him. 
He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  church  of  Madrid  and  contrib- 
uted liberally  to  the  erection  of  the  present 
lmuse  of  worship.  Few  men  car,  antedate 
his  residence  in  Boone  county,  where  he  has 
passed  fifty-six  years.  He  has  been  an  eye 
witness  of  its  wonderful  growth  and  de- 
velopment and  has  also  contributed  to  its 
progress  along  many  lines.  The  sterling 
characteristics  of  his  race  are  manifest  in 
his  career  and  America  has  no  more  valued 
citizens  than  Sweden  has  furnished  to  this 
land.. 


john  McGregor. 

John  McGregor  is  the  proprietor  of  the 
Orchard  farm,  one  of  the  most  desirable 
farms  of  Boone  county.  It  comprises  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  arable  land  on 
section  iS,  Beaver  township,  and  while  he 
carrier  mi  general  farming  he  is  also  ex- 
tensively  engaged  in  fruit  growing,  his  hor- 
ticultural  interests  proving  a   remunerative 

source  of  income.      Upon  his  place  are  g 1 

buildings  and  all  modern  equipments,  and 
the  neal  and  thrifty  appearance  of  the  farm 
indicate-  the  practical  and  progressive 
spirit  of  the  owner,  who  for  thirteen  years 
has  made  his  home  in    Boone  county. 

Mr.  McGregor  was  born  in  Bedford 
count)-.  Pennsylvania,  November  7.   1845,    ' 


son  of  Duncan  and  Sarah  (  Blackburn  I  Mc- 
Gregor, both  of  whom  are  native-  of  l'.ed- 
tnty,  Pennsylvania,  where  they  were 
reared  and  married.  There  the  father  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  May,  [853,  when  he 
removed  with  his  family  to  Peoria  county, 
Illinois,  spending  two  years  in  that  place. 
He  purchased  a  farm  in  Princeville  town- 
ship, Peoria  county,  and  was  engaged  in 
farming  until  the  death  of  his  wife  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1889.  He  then  came  to  Boone 
county.  Iowa,  in  1S90.  and  died  here  in  the 
same  year.  Unto  him  and  his  estimable 
wife  were  born  eight  children:  A.  II..  win 
1-  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising  in  Beaver  township;  John,  of 
this  review:  Ella,  the  wife  of  J.  II.  Miller, 
a  farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Warren  county, 
Iowa,  who  served  for  two  terms  in  the  state 
legislature  and"  also  an  extra  session,  and 
was  a  loyal  soldier  in  the  Union  army  in  the 
Civil  war:  William,  a  retired  farmer  living 
in  .Monica.  Peoria  county,  Illinois;  George, 
who  is  conducting  a  large  cattle  ranch  in 
South  Dakota;  Margaret,  the  wife  of 
Ihotnas  Darby,  an  agriculturist  of  Peoria 
county.  Illinois;  Daniel,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  cattle  business  in  western  Kansas;  and 
Jackson,  who  died  in  infancy. 

To  the  common  school  system  of  bis  na- 
tive county,  John  McGregor  is  indebted  for 
the  educational  privileges  which  he  en- 
joyed. In  his  youth  he  earl\  became  famil- 
iar with  farm  work  in  all  it-  departments, 
lor  he  assisted  his  father  from  an  earl)  age 
remaining  upon  the  old  home  farm  until  lie 
was  twenty-three  years  of  age.  \t  thai 
time  he  was  married  to  Martha  Colwell,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Daw- 
son 1  <  '.<  dwell,  the  former  a  farmer  and 
Stock  buyer  of   Stark  county,   Illinois.      Af- 


3H 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ter  their  marriage  the  young  couple  began 
their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm  in  Peoria 
count}-.  They  started  with  very  little,  but 
working  with  the  steady  purpose  to  become 
independent  and  to  give  their  children  a 
good  education,  they  have  gained  a  hand- 
some competence  which  will  supply  them 
with  all  the  necessities  and  many  of  the  lux- 
uries of  life  in  their  declining  days.  It  was 
about  1889  that  they  left  Illinois  and  be- 
came residents  of  Bonne  county.  Iowa. 
They  now  have  in  the  home  farm  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  valuable  land  and 
most  of  the  improvements  upon  the  place 
stand  as  monuments  to  the  enterprise,  thrift 
and  progressive  spirit  of  John  McGregor. 
In  addition  to  general  farming  he  has  one 
of  the  largest  orchards  in  this  part  of  the 
state,  including  apples,  crabapples,  peaches, 
plums,  cherries  and  a  large  variety  of  small 
fruits.  He  likewise  has  a  fine  grove  which 
consists  of  soft  maples  and  ash  tree-  and 
constitute-  one  of  the  finest  groves  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  Everything  about  the 
place  is  in  keeping  with  the  ideas  of  a  model 
farm  of  the  twentieth  century  and  Mr.  Mc- 
Gregor's opinions  concerning  fruit  growing 
are  largely  considered  as  authority  in  this 
locality. 

The  home  of  our  subject  and  his  wife 
has  hceii  blessed  with  nine  children.  C.  D.. 
the  eldest,  is  occupying  the  position  of  pro- 
fessor of  shorthand  in  the  commercial  de- 
partment of  Drake  University,  at  Des 
Moines.  Iowa.  William  died  in  infancy. 
I.  J,  1-  a  resident  fanner  of  Beaver  town- 
ship. M.  1'.  follows  farming  in  Greene 
county,  h-wa.  \.  I  >.  is  a  farmer  of  Beaver 
town-hip.  Ilattie  is  attending  Drake  Uni- 
versity. LeRoy  is  a  resident  farmer  of  Ama- 
qua   township.      Ollie   is   also  a    student   in 


Drake   University.     Frank,   who   completes 

the  family,  is  at  home. 

In  the  spring  of  1892,  in  company  with 
Mr.  Steelsmith,  of  Beaver  township.  Mr. 
McGregor  look  an  extensive  trip  to  the  Pa- 
cific coast,  visiting  many  places  of  interest 
and  spending  about  three  weeks  in  that  way. 
In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  traveled 
through  Colorado,  Texas,  Xew  Mexico  and 
the  republic  of  Mexico  and  also  visited  Ok- 
lahoma and  Arkansas,  looking  for  a  good 
location  for  his  sons.  Mr.  McGregor  and 
his  family  are  numbered  among  the  leading 
citizens  of  Boone  county  and  his  life  has 
been  one  of  untiring  activity  and  energy 
whereby  a  comfortable  competence  has  been 
won  ami  a  leading  position  in  reliable  finan- 
cial circles  has  been  gained. 


SAMUEL  M.  STERRETT. 

Samuel  M.  Sterrett,  who    is    familiarly 

called     "Uncle     Sam"    by    his     numerous 

w  ide-awake  and  pn  - 

Farmers  of  I  lodge  township,  living 

on  section  _>  1 .  where  lie  owns  and  cultivates 

tw<     hundred   and    forty  acres  of  rich   land. 

pleasantl)  situated  six  miles  north  of  Boone. 

Mr.  Sterrett  is  numbered  among  the  native 

Indiana,   his  birth  having  occurred 

in   I  .  rroll  county  of  that  state  on  the   14th. 

of  October,  [835.     His  father.  Robert  Ster- 

a  native  of  Ireland,  and  1  1 
inq  the  \  tlantic  t<  1  the  new  world  took  up 
[1  in  1  am  '11  county.  Indiana.  By 
trade  he  was  a  weaver,  following  that  voca- 
ti  in  in  early  life,  but  after  his  removal  to 
Carroll  Count)  he  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits.     IMs  death  there  occurred  in  1837 


~HE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


and  bis  wife  passed  away  about  five  years 

later. 

Mr.  Sterrett  of  this  review  was  only  two 
years  old  at  the  time  of  bis  father's  death 
and  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  seven. 

He  then  went  to  make  his  home  with  his 
uncle,  but  from  early  youth  has  been  tie- 
pendent  entirely  upon  his  own  resources. 
After  attaining-  his  majority  he  rented  land 
and  engaged  in  fanning  upon  his  own  ac- 
count in  Carroll  county.  Indiana,  for  four 
years.  The  year  1805  witnessed  his  ar- 
rival in  Boone  count)',  I>  i.wa.  He  had  vis- 
ited this  district  in  1859  al"'  XNiS  married 
here  to  Miss  Mary  Hawkins,  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  her  girlhood  days  being  spent  in 
that  state  and  in  Indiana  and  Iowa.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sterrett  began  their  domestic  life 
in  the  Hoosier  state  where  he  continued  his 
farming  pursuits  until  1865  when  he  made 
preparations  to  establish  a  home  in  Iowa. 
In  January.  1866,  he  purchased  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  raw  prairie  land  on 
section  21,  Dodge  township  and  he  at  once 
began  the  work  of  making  bis  fields  culti- 
vable. He  built  a  fence  around  the  place 
and  soon  the  breaking  plow  was  seen  on  the 
tract,  turning'  the  first  furrows  and  getting 
the  land  into  a  condition  for  cultivation. 
From  year  to  year  his  farm  has  been  im- 
proved and  today  is  a  very  valuable  tract. 
He  has  a  large  and  pleasant  home  which 
was  erected  in  1888.  There  are  also  two 
good  barns  and  he  has  planted  fruit,  shade 
and  ornamental  trees.  The  substantial  im- 
provements on  all  parts  of  the  farm  are  in- 
dicative of  the  enterprise  and  progressive 
spirit  of  the  owner  who  commenced  lite  a 
poor  young  man.  in  fact,  has  depended  upon 
his  own  resources  from  early  boyhood,  lie 
found   that  industry,  close  application   and 


reliability  won  him  advancement  and  these 

qualities  have  been  salient  characteristics  in 
his  entire  career. 

Ah'-  Sterrett  lost  his  first  wife  after  com- 
ing to  Boone  county,  her  death  occurring 
in  [869.  Three  children  were  born  of 
that  union:  Telitha  J.,  the  wife  of  John 
Hunnan,  of  Boone,  who  is  in  the  employ  of 
the  Northwestern  Railway  Company;  Ce- 
lesta, the  wife  of  Rev.  \.  T.  Carpenter,  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  minister  now  located 
in  Keyapaha  county,  Nebraska:  and  Mar- 
garet E.,  the  wife  of  John  Boucher,  of 
Churdan,  Iowa.  In  1870  Mr.  Sterrett  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with 
Winnie  Baker,  win,  was  born  in  Clay 
count\,  Indiana,  but  during  her  infancy  was 
brought  to  Iowa  where  she  was  reared  to 
womanhood.  Ten  children  were  horn  of 
this  marriage:  Docia,  the  wife  of  Herman 
Stotts.  of  Dodge  township:  Mae.  the  wife 
of  Arthur  Stotts  of  the  same  township;  Eva 
at  home:  Mabel,  who  is  a  student  in  the 
high  school  of  Boone;  Clara  Belle;  William 
Alexander;  Lillie.  and  Irene.  They  also 
lost  one  son,  Robert  L.,  who  died  when 
about  eight  years  of  age.  The  parents  are 
consistent  and  active  members  of  the  .Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Ridgeport,  and 
in  politics  Mr.  Sterrett  is  a  Prohibitionist. 
He  has  ever  been  fearless  in  the  defense  of 
his  honest  convictions  and  has  newer  fal- 
tered in  announcing  the  same.  In  early  life 
be  was  a  Jackson  Democrat  and  cast  bis 
first  ballot  for  James  Buchanan,  in  1850, 
and  bis  next  vote  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas, 
lie  afterward  supported  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  part)  for  several 
years  ami   is  now    a   Prohibitionist,  having 

long   been   a    warm     friend   of     the   cause   of 

temperance,      lie  has  served  for  a  few  terms 


316 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


as  township  trustee  and  has  been  a  member 
of  the  school  board.  Mr.  Sterrett  is  a  man  of 
known  integrity  who  enjoys  and  merits  the 
confidence  and  good  will  of  his  fellow  men. 
He  is  true  to  every  cause  or  interest 'which 
he  believes  to  lie  right  and  dues  not  hesitate 
to  denounce  those  which  he  believes  will 
prove  detrimental  to  the  general  welfare. 
That  he  has  a  pleasant  and  genial  manner 
is  indicated  by  his  large  circle  of  friends 
and  by  the  name  of  "Uncle  Sam"  with 
which  they  usually  greet  him. 


SIDNEY  R.   DYER. 

When  the  history  of  Boone  county  and 
her  public  men  shall  have  been  written,  its 
pages  will  bear  no  mure  illustrious  name 
and  record  no  more  prominent  career  ca- 
reer that  that  of  Mr.  Dyer.  If  "biography 
is  the  home  aspect  of  history"  as  Wilmot 
has  expressed  it,  it  is  entirely  within  the 
province  of  true  history  to  commemorate 
and  perpetuate  the  lives  and  characters,  the 
achievements  and  honor  of  the  leading  sons 
of  a  community.  For  thirty  years  Mr. 
Dyer  has  figured  prominently  in  connection 
with  the  judicial  annals  of  this  portion  of 
the  state,  having  practiced  continuously  in 
Boone  since  [872. 

A  native  of  Lockport,  New  York,  he 
was  horn  December  28,  1845,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  and  Sarah  A.  1  Webb)  Dyer. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  Isaac  Dyer, 
a  native  of  Vermont,  while  John  Dyer  was 
horn  in  Watertown,  New  York.  His 
grandfather  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and  his 
father  successfully  followed  the  ho.it  and 
shoe  business  for  a  number  of  years  in  Ful- 
ton.    Illinois.        He    had    left    the     Empire 


state  in  1856  and  had  taken  up  his  abode  in 
Fulton,  where  he  remained  until  1S99.  when 
he  came  to  Boone  to  make  his  home  with 
the  subject  of  this  review.  Here  he  is  yet 
living  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two  years.  In  their  family  were 
four  children:  Eva  E.,  the  wife  of  G.  K. 
Bent:  Sidney  R. ;  Frances  A.,  the  wife  of 
S.  A.  Austin:  and  Leamon  A.,  who  com- 
pletes the   family. 

Mr.  Dyer  of  this  review  was  quite 
young  when  his  parents  removed  to  Illinois. 
In  Fulton,  that  state,  he  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  a  military  academy  at  that 
place,  continuing  his  studies  until  after  the 
inauguration  of  the  Civil  war.  when,  at  the 
aye  of  seventeen  years  he  enlisted  in  July. 
a  member  of  Company  F,  Ninety- 
third  Illinois  Infantry,  in  which  lie  became 
a  drummer  hoy.  being  mustered  out  in  1865. 

\fter  his  return  home  Mr.  Dyer  at- 
tended the  Northern  Soldiers  College. 
where  he  completed  hi-  studies  and  in  1S70 
he  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
\\  I-'.  Leffingwell,  of  Lyons.  Iowa.  He 
diligently  continued  his  reading  until  1872, 
when  he  was  admitted  to  the  Clinton  county 
bar.  lie  then  practiced  law  for  a  time  in 
Fulton,  Illinois,  hut  in  November,  [872, 
opened  an  office  in  Boone,  where  he  has  re- 
mained continuously  since.  Few  lawyers 
have  made  a  more  la-ting  impression  upon 
the  bar  of  the  state,  both  for  lega'  ability  of 
a  high  order  and  for  the  individuality  of  a 
personal  character.  He  has  gained  a  high 
place  in  Ins  profession  by  hard  work.  The 
zeal  with,  which  he  has  devoted  his  energies 
to  his  profession,  the  careful  regard  evinced 
for  the  interests  ,,f  his  clients,  and  assidu 
ous  and   unrelaxing  attention  to  all   the  de- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    I 


tails  of  his  cases,  have  brought  him  a  large 
business  and  made  him  very  successful  in 
it-  conduct.  His  arguments  have  elicited 
warm  commendation,  not  only  from  his  as- 
sociate- at  the  har.  but  also  from  the  bench. 
He  is  a  very  able  writer;  his  briefs  always 
show-  wide  research,  careful  thought,  and 
the  best  and  strongest  reasons  which  can  be 
urged  for  his  contention,  presented  in  cogent 
and  logical  form,  and  illustrated  by  a  style 
unusually  lucid  and  clear. 

In  1870  Mr.  Dyer  was  married  to  Jen- 
nie L.  Moffatt,  a  daughter  of  Charles  M. 
and  Charlotte  (  Bascom)  Moffatt,  natives  of 
Xew  York.  Her  father  ..lied  at  the  age  of 
fifty-eight  year-  but  her  mother  is  si  ill  liv- 
ing. In  their  family  were  lour  children 
and  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dyer  have  been  born 
two  sons.  John  S.  and  Walter  R.  Mr. 
Dyer  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  and  to  the  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks.  His  political  sup- 
port is  given  with  unflinching  loyalty  to  the 
Republican  party  and  he  has  served  as  a 
member  of  the  school  hoard,  while  for  two 
terms  he  has,been  mayor  of  Boone.  Such 
in  brief  is  the  history  of  Sidney  R.  Dyer. 
In  whatever  relation  of  life  we  find  him, — 
in  the  government  service,  in  political  cir- 
cles, in  business  or  in  social  relations — he  is 
always  the  same  honorable  and  honored 
gentleman,  whose  worth  well  merits  the 
high  regard  which  is  uniformly  given  him. 


EDWARD  ('.   JORDAN. 

Edward  C.  Jordan,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  feed  and  fuel  business  in  Boone,  is  a 
worthy  representative  of  that  class  which 
forms  the  great  majority  of  our  citizens— 


the  men  who  do  not  owe  their  business 
standing  and  prosperity  to  inheritance  or  to 
influence  hut  who  have  won  it  through  close 
application  and  honorable  effort,  lie  has 
always  lived  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  his 
birth  having  occurred  near  Dixon,  Illinois, 
on  the  ji-t  .if  December,  1X01.  It  was  in 
that  city  that  his  grandfather,  Richard  for- 
dan,  died  in  1876.  at  the  age  of  seventy-five 
year-.  In  this  family  were  two  daughters 
and  four  s.  .11-..  including  John  Jordan,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  who  was  horn  on  the 
Emerald  Island  and  in  1848  crossed  the 
briny  deep  to  the  new  world.  Here  he  mar- 
ried Anna  1  ionnoly,  also  a  native  of  Ireland, 
the  year  of  her  emigration  to  the  new  world 
being  [850.  From  [856  until  [866  he  car- 
ried on  farming  near  Dixon.  Illinois,  and 
then  came  to  Boone  county,  Iowa,  where  he 
has  since  made  his  home.  His  wife  died, 
however,  December  5.  1899.  at  the  age  of 
sixty-seven  years.  Mr.  Jordan  has  Keen 
honored  with  a  number  of  local  offices.  He 
has  served  as  township  trustee;  was  for  sev- 
eral years  treasurer  of  the  school  fund:  and 
ii:  [890  was  elected  a  member  of  the  city 
council  of  Boone,  in  which  capacity  he 
served  for  two  year.-.  He  is  a  citizen  of 
worth,  honorable  in  business,  reliable  in  of- 
fice, and  trustworthy  in  friendship.  In  his 
family  were  rive  children:  Richard  E, 
now  deceased;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  C.  Deer- 
ing,  of  Boone;  Maurice,  an  engineer  on  the 
Union  Pacific  railroad:  and  Alice,  wife  of 
Matt  Welsh. 

During  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth  Edward  C.  Jordan  remained  under 
the  parental  roof,  assisting  in  the  labors  of 
the  farm  and  acquiring  a  good  education  in 
the  common  schools,  At  die  age  of  twen- 
appi  linted  to  a  pi  isition  in  the 


318 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


railway  mail  service  during  President 
Cleveland's  administration.  He  resigned 
the  office  in  February,  1889.  In  1894  he 
came  to  Boone  and  entering  into  partner- 
ship with  Patrick  Brody  has  since  been  en- 
gaged in  the  fuel  and  feed  business,  in 
which  they  have  secured  a  good  trade,  their 
patronage  now  being  large  and  profitable. 
On  the  30th  of  October,  1S88,  Mr.  Jor- 
dan was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth  M.  Cooper,  of  DeWitt,  Clinton  county. 
Iowa,  and  their  children  are  Helen.  Anna 
T.,  Genevjeve  M.,  Edward  C.  and  Richard 
Francis  Clement.  Fraternally  Mr.  Jordan  is 
connected  with  the  Ah  idem  Woodmen.  His 
political  support  is  given  to  the  Democratic 
party  and  fur  two  terms  he  has  served  as  a 
member  of  the  city  council,  filling  that  posi- 
tion from  1897  until  1901,  discharging  his 
duties  in  a  manner  which  was  unmistakable 
proof  of  his  deep  interest  in  the  progress 
and  welfare  of  his  adopted  city.  His  bus- 
iness methods  and  qualifications  have 
gained  him  confidence,  his  social  nature  has 
won  him  many  friends. 


CHARLES  V.  ANDERSON. 

(  harles  F.  Anderson,  now  deceased,  was 

a  man  who  merited  and  received  the  trust. 
confidence  and  friendship  of  his  fellow  men, 
because  they  bad  learned  to  appreciate  his 
worth  and  to  value  his  regard,  lb  was  a 
native  of  Sweden  and  came  to  the  United 
States  when  eighteen  years  of  age.  His 
bnih  had  occurred  in  December,  1844.  His 
mother  died  when  he  was  quite  young  and 
the  father  passed  away  in  Sweden  after  the 
subject  of  this  review  bad  attained  to  years 
of  maturity.     Crossing  the    Atlantic  to  the 


new  world.  Mr.  Anderson  landed  at  New 
York  and  remained  in  that  city  for  some 
time,  removing  thence  to  Delaware,  Xew 
Jersey.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  contractor, 
having  learned  the  trade  in  his  native  land, 
fie  was  also  a  bridge  builder  and  for  some 
time  followed  that  department  of  industrial 
activity  in  the  state  of  Xew  York. 

In  the  spring  of  1S81  Mr.  Anderson 
came  to  the  west,  locating  in  Eagle  Grove, 
Iowa,  where  be  resided  for  eight  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  worked  in  the  water  sup- 
ply department  of  the  Northwestern  Rail- 
road Company,  repairing  pumps,  tanks,  etc.. 
along  the  line  of  the  road.  In  the  fall  of 
iSSii  be  removed  with  his  family  to  the  city 
oil  li  n  me.  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days, 
still  continuing  in  the  employ  of  the  same 
company  and  at  the  same  work  until  his  de- 
mise. 

In  1885  Mr.  \nderson  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Joyce,  the  wedding 
ceremony  being  performed  in  the  month  of 
July  in  Webster  City.  The  lady  is  a  native 
of  Ujica,  New  York,  and  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Elizabeth  1  Bott)  Joyce,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  England,  in  which  land  they 
were  reared  and  married.  After  coming  to 
the  United  States  they  look  up  their  abode 
in  Utica,  Xew  York,  and  the  father  was  em- 
ployed as  a  gardener,  but  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  now  deceased.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Anderson  was  born  one  son,  Charles  Ed- 
ward, whose  birth  occurred  in  Eagle  Grove, 
Iowa,  and  who  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years  is 
now  attending  school. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  a  valued  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  bellows',  be- 
longing to  the  lodge  at  Eagle  Grove,  lie 
held  membership  in  the  Lutheran  church,  but 
attended  the  Presbyterian  church  at   Boone, 


CHARLES    F    ANDERSON. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


because  his  wife  was  not  able  to  understand 
the  Swedish  language,  in  which  tongue  the 
sermons  were  preached  in  the  Lutheran 
church.  In  politics  he  was  a  Republican  and 
had  firm  faith  in  the  principles  of  the  party, 
but  never  sought  or  desired  office.  His 
death  was  the  result  of  an  accident  in  one 
of  the  wells  of  the  railroad  company  that  he 
was  repairing.  He  passed  away  October  10, 
1898,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery 
in  Boone.  He  was  a  trusted  employe,  an 
exemplary  and  useful  citizen,  a  devoted,  kind 
and  loving  husband  and  father,  and  a  man 
who  enjoyed  and  deserved  the  respect  of  all 
who  knew  him.  His  widow  still  resides  in 
Boone,  having  a  pleasant  home  at  No.  1 .2 1 3 
Carroll  street,  and  throughout  the  city  she 
has  many  friends. 


GEORGE  KUHL. 


George  Kuhl  is  a  well  known  farmer  of 
Amaqua  township  and  diligence  and  enter- 
prise are  numbered  among  his  salient  char- 
acteristics. These  elements  in  his  character 
have  made  him  successful  and  to-day  he 
is  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  valuable  land  on  sections  13  and  14.  Ama- 
qua township.  He  is  numbered  among  the 
worthy  citizens  that  Germany  has  furnished 
to  Boone  county,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  the  fatherland  on  the  26th  of  November, 
1846.  His  parents.  Clans  and  Tepka  Kuhl. 
always  lived  in  Germany  and  the  father  was 
a  weaver  by  trade,  but  both  are  now  de- 
ceased. Five  children  of  the  family  came  ti  1 
this  country  and  all  are  now  residents  of 
Boone  county:  Annie,  the  wife  of  Hans 
Hcldt.  who  makes  his  home  in  Amaqua 
township;  George,  of  this  review  :  Catherine, 


tin  wife  of  Hans  Hagge,  a  well  known 
farmer  of  Veil  township;  -Maria,  the  wife  of 
Claus  Terns,  a  resident  of  the  village  of  Og- 
den  ;  and  Lena,  the  wife  of  Hans  Cook,  a 
fanner  of  Amaqua  township. 

The  educational  advantages  offered  by 
the  excellent  schools  of  Germany  were  those 
enjoyed  by  the  members  of  the  Kuhl  family. 
It  was  thus  that  our  subject  gained  the 
knowledge  which  fitted  him  for  active  par- 
ticipation in  the  business  world.  Having 
heard  favorable  reports  of  the  opportunities 
offered  in  America  to  ambitious  young  men 
he  determined  to  seek  a  home  be- 
yond the  Atlantic  and  sailed  for 
New  York  city,  but  be  did  not 
tarry  long  in  the  eastern  metropolis,  making 
his  way  westward  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  remained  for  a  year  and  a  half  and 
then  came  to  Boone  county  and  began  work- 
ing as  a  farm  laborer,  being  employed  in 
the  capacity  of  a  farm  hand  in  this  locality 
for  several  years.  All  this  time  he  mani- 
fested determination,  perseverance  and  dili- 
gence and  at  length  his  labors  brought  to 
him  capital  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  begin 
farming  on  his  own  account.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  located  on  section  6,  Yell  township, 
where  he  resided  for  eleven  years.  He  then 
removed  to  his  present  farm  in  Amaqua 
township,  known  as  the  old  Lark  place. 
Here  he  now  owns  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land  which    is    highly    cultivable 

and  is  ever  kept  in  g 1  condition,  the  fields 

annually  returning  to  him  golden  harvests. 

He  also  raises  g 1  graded  stock  and  both 

branches  of  his  business  are  proving  profit- 
able. 

In  [880  Mr.  Kuhl  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Alvina  Henson,  a  native  of  Jackson 
couutv,  Iowa,  born  December  24,  [860,  ami 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


a  daughter  of  Detlef  F.  and  Franka  Henson. 

Her  father  was  a  farmer  of  Boone  county 
for  a  number  of  years  but  is  now  living  re- 
tired in  the  village  of  Ogden.  The  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kuhl  has  been  blessed  with 
six  children,  but  they  lost  their  first  bom  in 
infancy.  The  others  are :  Lizzie,  the  wife 
of  Jacob  Tonsfeldt,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Grant  township.  Boone  county:  John;  Ber- 
tha; Detlef  .and  Henry,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Kuhl  exercises  his  right  of  franchise 
in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the 
Demi  cracy.  \\<  ith  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Lutheran  church  of  <  >g- 
den  and  take  a  deep  and  active  interest  in  all 
movements  pertaining  to  the  general  welfare 
and  to  progress  along  substantial  lines  of 
development.  Mr.  Kuhl  is  a  leading  and  in- 
fluential fanner  of  his  township,  well  known 
and  respected  by  all  with  whom  he  has  been 
associated,  lie  has  never  had  occasion  to 
regret  his  determination  to  seek  a  home  in 
America  fur  here  he  found  the  business  op- 
portunities he  sought  and  has  not  only  profit- 
ed in  this  way  but  has  also  achieved  success 
in  gaining  the  regard  of  his  fellow  men. 


C.  I.  SPARKS. 

C.  1.  Sparks,  who  is  filling  the  position 
of  county  attorney  of   Boone  count)   is  one 

of  the  younger  members  of  the  bar  of  this 

locality,  but  has  attained  a  creditable  posi 

tion  as  a  representatn  i 

nitv  and  sets  at  naughl  the  i  >ld  ada$ 

prophet  i-  not  without  honor  save  in  his  own 

country,    for    Mr.   Spark-    is  a    native    of 

lackson  township.      His  birth   occut 

the  22d  of  December, 1 872,  his  pare 

A.  B.  and  Jennie  K.  i  Weston  1  Sparks      His 


paternal  grandparents  were  Isaac  and  Cath- 
erine Sparks,  who  lived  in  Ohio  for  some 
years,  removing  thence  to  Boone  county. 
Iowa,  where  their  remaining  days  were 
passed.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  born 
in  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  and  came  to 
Iowa  in  1850,  locating  first  in  Jackson  town- 
ship upon  a  farm,  where  he  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  about  three  years  ago, 
since  which  time  he  has  lived  retired.  He 
was  a  progressive  farmer,  following  modern 
methods  and  using  the  latest  improved  ma- 
chinery that  would  facilitate  his  work.  He 
married  Jennie  R.  Weston,  a  native  of  Jef- 
ferson county.  Xew  York,  and  a  daughter  of 
Charles  Weston,  who  was  the  first  Repub- 
lican county  clerk  of  Boone  county.  I  [e  also 
tilled  other  political  positions,  serving  as  a 
member  of  the  board  of  supervi 
township  trustee  and  township  assessor,  lie 
had  three  brothers,  Jndson;  Clark,  who  is 
living  in  Oxbow.  Xew  York;  and  John,  who 
was  killed  at  Pleasant  Hill.  Louisiana,  in  the 
Civil  war.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sparks  are  now 
residing  in  Boone  and  the  father  is  fifty- 
three  wars  of  age.  lie  is  living  retired  in 
the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  his  former 
toil.  In  their  family  were  the  following 
children:  Charles  [saac,  Augusta  W., 
Jeremy  X..  George  A..  Lawrence  B.,  Bernice 
Edna,   Miranda  J.  and  Dorothy. 

After  acquiring  his  elementary  education 
in  the  district  schools  Mr.  Sparks  of  this  re- 
view, continued  his  studies  in  Simpson  Col- 
lege at  Indianola.  Warren  county,  towa, 
where  he  pursued  a  four  years'  course.  Not 
wishing  to  follow  the  plow  as  a  life  work. 
but   desiring  I  1  entei  fessional 

career,  in   [895  he  took  up  the  study  of  law 
in    [owa  City.    Iowa,  completing  his  course 
luation  in  June,   1896.     He  then  be- 


J  HE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


gan  practice  in  Boone  in  the  same  month 
and  has  since  been  a  well  known  factor  at 
the  bar  of  this  county,  winning  distinction 
by  reason  of  his  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  jurisprudence  and  the  correct- 
fiess  with  which  he  applies  these  to  the  points 
of  litigation.  He  is  also  very  prominent  in 
political  circles  and  in  1897  became  chairman 
of  the  Republican  central  committee,  at 
which  time  he  was  the  youngest  county 
chairman  in  the  state.  With  excellent  fore- 
sight and  ability  he  planned  the  work  of  the 
party  and  his  labors  contributed  in  no  small 
degree  b  •  its  success,  in  1 898  he  was  electe  I 
county  attorney  by  a  majority  of  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  and  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  the  office  in  January,  ie'99.  In  1900  he 
was  elected  for  a  second  term  by  an  in- 
creased majority  of  over  seventeen  hundred. 
although  he  ran  against  one  of  the  strongest 
men  in  the  Democratic  party.  The  large 
vote  was  certainly  an  indication  of  his  per- 
sonal popularity  and  of  the  confidence  re- 
posed in  him  by  his  fellow  citizens.  He  was 
only  twenty- four  years  of  age  when  made 
chairman  of  the  Republican  central  commit- 
tee and  was  about  twenty-five  when  elected 
county  attorney,  probably  the  youngest  can- 
didate ever  chosen  for  such  an  office  in  Iowa. 
That  he  discharged  his  duties  with  marked 
capability  and  without  fear  or  favor  is  be- 
yond question.  He  is  strong  in  argument 
and  his  deductions  follow  in  logical  se- 
qttence.  He  has  won  several  notable  cases 
and  the  profession  as  well  as  the  public  ac- 
cord him  a  leading  place  in  its  ranks. 

On  the  28th  of  September,  [895,  Mr. 
Sparks  was  united  in  marriage  to  [da  1). 
Roberts,  a  daughter  of  E.  D.  and  Catherine 
Roberts,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Indi- 
ana, respectively.     Her  grandfather  was  a 


member  of  Abraham  Lincoln's  company  in 
tin  Black  Hawk  war.  He  serve 
of  county  mines  for  a  Ion 
and  was  a  prominent  and  influential  citizen 
of  his  community.  The  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sparks  has  been  blessed  with  two 
children— (  atherine  1).  and  Charles  Alden. 
Air.  Sparks  is  a  valued  member  of  Mount 
<  'live  1  odge,  No.  79,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of 
Centra]  Lodge,  No.  73,  K.  P.  He  is  also 
identified  with  the  Bar  Association.  Earn- 
est effort,  cf.se  application  and  the  exercise 
of  his  native  talents  have  won  him  prestige 
a.s  a  lawyer  at  a  bar  which  numbers  many 
pn  uninent  ami  able  men. 


C.   L.  LUCAS. 

No  histor)  of  Madrid.  Iowa,  would  be 
complete  without  the  history  of  C.  L.  Lucas. 
so  actively  and  efficiently  has  he  been  ident- 
ified with  the  work  of  progress  and  im- 
provement here.  He  has  left  the  impress 
of  individuality  upon  its  commercial  cir- 
cles and  is  still  identified  with  business  af- 
fairs here  as  a  dealer  in  real  estate  and  in- 
surance. Numbered  among  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Boone  county,  he  dates  his  residence 
within  its  borders  from  October,   1853. 

The  Lucas  family  is  of  English  lineage 
and  was  founded  in  Virginia  at  a  very  early 
day.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
there  born,  while  Hiram  Lucas,  the  father, 
was  a  name  of  Kentucky,  in  which  stale  he 
was  reared.  In  Indiana  he  married  Susan 
Payne,  al  ol   Kentucky .      I  le  had 

tier  of  Indiana,  there 
1  ipening  up  a     farm     in     Putnam     o  iuntj . 


here   he   made   his   home 


ian\    year: 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Seven  children  were  bom  unto  him  and  his 
wife  in  that  county,  including  Air.  Lucas  of 
this  review j  whose  birth  occurred  on  the 
19th  of  November.  1838.  In  1S53.  Hiram 
Lucas  removed  with  his  family  to  Iowa, 
Boone  county  being  his  destination.  He  lo- 
cated in  Worth  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased some  land,  and  also  entered  a  tract 
from  the  government.  With  characteristic 
energy  he  began  the  cultivation  and  im- 
provement of  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  and  in  the  course  of  time  the 
fields  brought  to  him  a  splendid  return  for 
their  care  and  cultivation.  The  station  of 
Gracon  is  located  upon  his  land.  He  still 
lives  upon  the  old  home  place  and  is  now 
a  venerable  man  of  eighty-seven  years, 
while  his  wife,  who  has  been  spared  to  him 
through  all  these  year-,  has  reached  the  age 
of  eighty-four.  They  have  long  traveled 
life'-,  journey  together,  sharing  with  each 
other  the  joys  and  sorrows,  the  adversity 
and  prosperity  which  checker  the  careers  of 
all. 

C.  L.  Lucas  was  a  youth  of  about  fif- 
teen years  when  he  accompanied  hi-  parents 
on  their  removal  to  [owa,  He  had  attended 
the  common  schools,  but  is  largely  a  self- 
educated  as  well  as  a  self-made  man. 
and  although  he  is  now  well  in- 
formed his  knowledge  has  been  largely  ac- 
quired through  reading,  experience  and  ob- 
servation, lie  remained  with  his  father, 
assisting  in  the  development  of  the  home 
farm,  until  he  had  attained  bis  majority, 
when  he  began  farming  on  bis  own  account 
purchasing  land  near  Belle  Point.  There 
he  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  for 
twenty  years  and  as  time  passed  he  pros- 
pered, gradually  adding  to  his  capital  until 
he  had  acquired  a  fair  remuneration  for  his 


efforts.  He  then  came  to  Madrid  and  for 
the  past  "twelve  years  has  been  engaged  in 
real  estate  and  insurance  here,  prosperity 
attending  his  efforts  in  this  direction,  the 
only  interval  that  has  occurred  during  his 
business  connection  with  Madrid,  covering 
a  period  of  four  years.during  which  time  he 
served  as  postmaster  from  1893  until  1S97 
under  the  administration  of  President 
Cleveland. 

Throughout  his  entire  life  Mr.  Lucas 
has  been  identified  with  the  Democracy  and 
cast  his  first  presidential  ballot  for  Stephen 
A.  Douglas,  the  "Little  Giant  of  Illinois," 
in  r86o.  He  takes  quite  an  active  inter- 
est in  local  politics  and  has  been  elected  and 
served  in  different  offices.  For  ten  years  he 
was  justice  of  the  peace  and  has  also  beer. 
township  trustee  and  township  clerk  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  was  Madrid's  first 
mayor  and  tilled  that  office  for  one  term 
and  sevral  years  later  was  again  elected  to 
the  same  office  which  he  filled  for 
two  terms.  discharging  his  duties 
in  such  a  manner  that  promoted  the 
welfare,  progress  and  improvement  of  the 
city.  He  ha-  also  been  a  delegate  to  the 
county  ami  state  conventions  and  in  every 
office  in  which  he  has  served  he  has  effi- 
ciently and  faithfully  performed  his  duties. 
In  other  ways  he  has  taken  an  active  part 
in  public  improvement  here.  In  [860,  in 
company  with  Ins  brother.  H.  M.  Lucas,  he 
became  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Boonesboro 
I  lerald  and  for  one  year  he  was  editor  of  the 
Granger's  column  in  the  Boone  County 
1  >emocrat.  1  le  has  been  almost  constantly  a 
correspondent  of  the  county  press  for  many 
years.  Muring  those  years  he  wrote  many 
histi  iric  sketches  and  articles  of  pioneer  times 
which    were   read    with   much   interest    and 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


325 


which  were  copied  by  many  papers  in  central 
Iowa.  He  purchased  what  was  known  as  the 
Anderson  second  addition  to  Madrid  and  is 
now  known  as  the  Lucas  addition.  He  has 
made  improvements  upon  his  property  and 
it  is  now  a  desirable  residence  section  of  the 
city. 

On  the  9th  of  February.  1862,  Air.  Lu- 
cas was  united  in  marriage  in  this  county  to 
Miss  Nancy  Sturdivant,  a  native  of  Clay 
county,  Indiana,  born  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood where  the  birth  of  Air.  Lucas  oc- 
curred.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John  Sturdi- 
vant. one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Boone  county 
who  arrived  here  in  1851.  Unto  our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  have  been  born  four  chil- 
dren, but  Pandora  died  at  the  age  of  six 
years.  John  \Y.  is  engaged  in  the  real  es- 
tate business  in  Madrid,  is  married,  and  has 
-one  child.  H.  D.  is  married  and  is  engaged 
in  business  in  Madrid.  J.  G.  is  a  young 
man  at  home,  and  is  a  printer  by  trade.  Mr. 
Lucas  and  bis  family  are  connected  with  the 
Christian  church  of  Madrid.  Almost  bait 
a  century  has  passed  since  his  arrival  in  this 
county  and  the  history  of  its  development 
and  improvement  is  therefore  very  familiar 
to  him.  He  can  remember  the  building  of 
the  railroad  and  the  introduction  of  many 
business  enterprises  which  'nave  contributed 
in  a  marked  measure  to  public  advancement 
and  improvement.  He  is  widely  known  as 
a  man  of  integrity  and  worth  and  he  and 
In-  estimable  wife  have  a  large  circle  of 
friends  throughout  this  portion  of  the  state. 


FREDERIC  D.  GAY. 
\  country  has  but  one  chief  ruler,  be  he 
king,  emperor  or  president.     Comparatively 


Eev 


len  can   aitam  t' 


the    highest    offices 


in  civil  or  military  life  but  commerce 
offers  a  broad  and  almosl  limitless  field 
in  which  one  may  exercise  his 
unrestrained  and  gain  a  leadership  as  the 
head  of  a  chosen  calling.  Drawing  the 
lessons  which  we  do  from  the  life  of  Mr. 
Gay,  we  learn  that  the  qualifications  neces- 
sary for  success  are  a  high  ambition  and  :i 
resolute,  honorable  purpose  to  reach  the  ex- 
alted standard  that  has  been  set  up.  From 
an  early  age  he  has  depended  upon  his  own 
resources  and  has  won  the  proud  American 
title  of  self-made  man. 

Mr.  Gay  was  born  in  Pittston,  Maine, 
September  25,  1853,  and  1-  a  -on  of  Joshua 
S.  and  Sarah  E.  (Jordan)  Gay,  the  former 
a  native  of  Stoughton.  Massachusetts,  and 
the  latter  of  Biddeford,  Maine.  In  the  pa- 
ternal line  the  ancestry  can  be  traced  back- 
to  John  Gay,  who  came  from  the  west  of 
England  and  landed  in  Boston.  Massachu- 
setts, on  the  30th  of  May.  1630.  He  took 
up  hi-  abode  at  Watertown  in  the  Massachu- 
setts colony  but  in  [635  removed  to  Ded- 
ham,  in  Massachusetts,  in  company  with 
eighteen  others  and  there  he  was  married  in 
[639.  Unto  him  and  his  wife.  Joanna,  were 
born  nine  children.  Calvin  daw  the  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject,  took  up  his 
d  sen  ed  his  country  in 
the  war  for  independence,  valiantly  aiding 
in  the  struggle,  which  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment ol  ican  republic.  He  mar- 
ried Joanna  Kingsbury.  Ebenezer  Gay,  his 
son.  was  born  October  1  1.  1792,  at  Walpole, 
Massachusetts.  In  [8l0  be  entered  Harvard 
College  and  on  completion  of  a  four  years' 
course  was  graduated  in  1N14.  in  a  class  of 
sixty-two  and  was  the  last  survivor  of  that 
clas--.  The  diary,  which  he  kepi  in  his  early 
years,  show-  a  young  man  of  earnest  piety. 


326 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


He  was  a  regular  and  devout  attendent  on 
public  worships  and  the  notes  which  he 
made  upon  sermons  that  lie  heard  show  at 
once  a  judicious  criticism  and  a  jealous  re- 
gard fur  the  doctrine  which  he  believed  t'> 
be  true.  Immediately  after  entering  college 
he  commenced  reading  the  Greek  testament 
— a  chapter  daily — and  continued  that  habit 
until  the  last  week  of  his  life,  using  the  same 
copy  of  the  sacred  text  for  three-quarters  of 
a  century.  Air.  Gay  was  pastor  of  the  Trin- 
itarian Congregational  church  at  Bridge- 
water.  Massachusetts,  from  1823  until  1S42. 
when  he  was  dismissed  at  his  own  request. 
He  remained  a  resident  of  Bridgewater. 
however,  supplying  churches  in  the  vicinity 
either  temporarily  or  as  a  regular  pastor  for 
nearly  thirty  years.  His  interest  in  the  cause 
of  education  was  manifested  in  his  effective 
labor  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  of  the 
town  and  as  a  trustee  of  the  Academy  of 
Bridgeport  fur  a  generation.  He  was  also 
active  in  the  establishment  of  the  normal 
school  in  Bridgewater.  He  also  served  as 
the  representative  from  his  town  in  the  state 
legislature  in  [842.  A.S  a  preacher  of  the 
Gospel  he  ranked  among  the  ablest  of  his  de- 
nomination and  his  Catholic  spirit  opened 
the  pulpits  of  the  Unitarian  churches  in  his 
vicinity,  where  he  frequently  acceptably 
preached.  \t  length  he  removed  from 
Bridgewater  to  Tompkins  Cove,  New  ^  ork, 
and  spent  his  declining  years  with  his  young- 
est son.  lie  was  married  May  [3,  iSiS,  to 
Laura  Sanders,  of  Wrentham  and  unto 
them  were  born  three  son-  and  two  daugh- 
ters. Mr.  Gay  retained  his  mental  vigor  to 
the  lasl  ami  ever  found  special  satisfaction  in 
reading  the  current  literature  of  the  day  and 
all  classical  works,  lie  was  a  man  of  schol- 
arly attainments  and  broad  and  general  in- 


formation. His  old  age  was  full  of  peace 
to  himself  and  comfort  to  his  children.  Like 
his  father,  who  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
war,  he  was  a  patriotic  lover  of  his  country, 
at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances. 

The  Rev.  Joshua  S.  Gay,  the  father  of 
our  subject  also  became  a  Congregational 
minister  and  for  about  forty  years  labored 
continuously  in  the  ministry  of  that  denom- 
ination in  different  churches  in  Xew  Eng- 
land. He  also  did  much  missionary  work 
in  that  part  of  the  country.  Through  his 
own  force  of  character  and  business  ability 
he  was  enabled  to  make  bis  way  through 
college  and  theological  school.  His  life  was 
indeed  an  honorable  one  and  the  world  is 
certainly  better  for  his  having  lived.  He 
married  Miss  Sarah  E.  Jordan,  who  proved 
to  him  a  faithful  companion  and  helpmate 
on  life's  journey.  Her  father.  Captain  Rich- 
ard Jordan,  was  born  in  Biddeford,  Maine, 
and  when  twenty-one  years  of  age  turned  his 
attention  to  the  seafaring  life  and  followed 
the  same  until  two  old  to  longer  engage  in 
that  kind  of  work.  He  was  one  of  the  old- 
est .Masons  in  the  state  at  the  time  of  his 
death  and  was  a  worthy  exemplar  of  that 
craft,  which  is  based  upon  the  principles  of 

tin-  brotherh 1  of   man.      lie   served   his 

Country  in  defense  of  Fort  Hill  in  the  war  of 
1812.  He  made  monthly  trips  by  boat  be- 
tween Boston  and  Saco  and  was  well  known 
in  both  ports.  He  died  at  the  advanced  age 
of  ninety-five  years  and  his  mother  was 
ninety-seven  years  at  the  time  of  her  demise. 
It  was  his  daughter  that  became  the  wife  of 
Joshua  S.  Gay.  By  their  marriage  there 
were  sj\  children  born,  of  whom  Frederic 
I  1,  Gay  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth. 
Three  younger  children  died  within  fourteen 
diphtheria,  and  those  still  living  are 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


327 


Ebenezer.  a  resident  of  New  Jersey;  Robert 
Henry,  who  is  living  in  Maine:  and  the  sub- 
ject 1  if  this  review. 

Frederic  D.  Gay  acquired  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  and  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  years  began  earning  his  own  liv- 
ing in  Chelsea.  Massachusetts,  in  the  employ 
of  a  carpenter  and  builder  with  whom  be  re- 
mained for  six  months.  The  succeeding 
winter  he  attended  school  in  Newburypi  irt, 
Massachusetts,  and  the  following  spring  re- 
moved to  Vermont,  where  he  began  work  on 
a  farm.  For  four  years  he  was  employed  in 
Massachusetts  at  farm  labor  and  in  [876  he 
came  to  Iowa,  settling  first  at  Dubuque, 
whence  he  removed  to  Boone,  in  September, 
1S77.  Here  he  has  since  resided  and  has 
been  an  active  factor  in  business  circles 
throughout  the  intervening  period.  He  is 
especially  well  known  in  insurance  circles. 
For  four  years  he  served  as  collection  clerk 
in  the  McFarland  Bank  from  1880  until 
i8S_i  and  during  that  time  was  also  con- 
nected with  insurance  interests.  In  18S2  he 
was  elected  city  clerk,  in  which  capacity  he 
served  until  1889  with  the  exception  of  the 
year  [884.  In  1894  he  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council,  in  which  he  served 
for  two  years.  In  the  Business  Men's  Asso- 
ciation he  has  been  honored  with  offices, 
serving  as  its  secretary  during  the  past  three 
years.  He  is  also  secretary  of  the  Boone 
Building  and  Loan  Asociation,  filling  this 
position  since  its  organization  in  [886.  He 
is  likewise  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Iowa  Domestic  Local  Building  and  Loan 
Association  League,  having  filled  this  posi- 
tion for  the  past  eight  years.  Dunn-  all 
this  time  Mr.  Gay  has  likewise  been  con- 
nected with  the  insurance  business  as  a  rep- 


resentative of  some  of  the  most  reliable  com- 
panies of  the  country  and  he  owes  his  success 
entirely  to  his  own  effort-,  his  business  capa- 
bility and  his  resolute  purpose. 

In  [884  was  celebrated  the  man,  1 
Mr.  Gay  and  Miss  Anna  A.  Boss,  daughter 
of  John  II.  ami  Martha  A.  1  Hoxsie)  Boss 
of  Rhode  Island.  Her  father.  I 
Boss,  died  about  (lie  year  [868,  being  killed 
on  the  Erie  Railroad  during  the  infancy  of 
his  daughter.  Mis  Cay.  Her  mother  and 
brother,  Walter  A.  lioss,  came  to  Boone  in 
the  '70s  and  the  latter  was  killed  on  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railroad  in  May.  [889,  in 
a  head-end  collision,  at  which  time  he  was 
serving  as  engineer  on  the  passenger  train. 
The  accident  occurred  at  Crystal  Springs. 
The  mother  was  born  at  White  Brook, 
Rhode  Island.  September  26,  1833,  and  died 
at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Cay,  De- 
cember 20.  1897,  in  her  sixty-fourth  year. 
She  was  married  September  6,  [859.  She 
held  membersip  in  the  Baptist  church  and 
her  social  and  moral  qualities  made  her  re- 
spected and  loved  by  all  who  knew  her. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gay  have  one  son.  Walter 
L.  who  was  born  February  1  1.  [889.  Fra- 
ternally Mr.  Cay  is  connected  with  the  In- 
dependent (  )rder  of  Odd  Fellows,  belonging 
to  both  the  subordinate  lodge  and  encamp- 
ment. In  political  thought  and  action  he  has 
always  been  independent,  carrying  out  his 
honest  views  without  fear  or  favor.  In  busi- 
ness he  has  achieved  success  through  honor- 
able efforts,  untiring  industry  and  capable 
management,  and  in  private  life  he  has 
gained  that  warm  personal  regard  which 
arises  from  true  nobility  of  character,  de 
ference  for  the  opinion  of  others,  kindliness 


32S 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


JOHN'  CRIM. 

John  Crim,  living'  on  section  8,  Dodge 
township,  is  practically  living  retired  upon 
the  old  home  farm  which  has  been  the  scene 
of  his  active  labor  for  many  years.  He  was 
born  in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia.  October 
2.  1825.  The  same  year  his  parents  removed 
westward,  settling  in  Carroll  county,  <  >hio, 
ami  mg  the  frontier  people  there  living.  The 
father  chopped  down  the  great  forest  trees. 
grubbed  up  the  stumps,  cleared  away  the 
brush  and  eventually  was  enabled  to 
carry  on  the  work  of  plowing  and 
planting  upon  his  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres.  In  course  of  time 
the  tract  of  land  became  rich  and  arable. 
He  spent  his  last  years  upon  that  place  and 
was  the  leading  agriculturist  of  I 
rrmnity. 

Upon  the  home  farm  John  Crim  was 
reared  and  in  early  youth  he  took  his  place 
behind  the  plow  and  continued  to  assist  in 
the  work  of  the  farm  through  a  long  period. 
About  [8/| 8  he  married  Salina  Kail  and  then 
to  provide  a  home  for  his  bride  he  rented  a 
tract  of  land,  continuing  its  cultivation  until 
1854,   when   he  came   to    Iowa.      The    first 

after    his    arrival    was    sp< 
Madrid,  and  in  the  spring  of  185: 
to  Dodge  township,  entering  from  the  gov- 
ernment land  which  he  now   owns  and  oc 
cupies.     It  was  a  tract  of  raw  praii  < 
ing  eighty  acres  and  also  an  eight} 
of  timberland.    Preparing  it 
In  continued  the  work  of  a  progressive  and 
practical  agriculturist  for  man}   war-.     He 
also  bought  eighty  acres  adjoining  his  first 
purchase,  erected  a  good  residence  and  put 
up  all  the  other  buildings  which  constitute 
the  necessary   and   desirable  improvements 


upon  a  farm.  He  has  an  excellent  orchard, 
good  forest  trees  and  splendid  equipments, 
and  all  these  stand  as  monuments  to  his  en- 
terprise and  thrift. 

Mr.  Crim  for  many  years  enjoyed  the 
companionship  and  aid  of  his  estimable  wife, 
but  on  the  12th  of  December,  1893,  was 
called  upon  to  mourn  her  loss,  for  she  died 
on  that  date  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 
Ricigeport  cemetery.  They  became  the  par- 
ents of  nine  children  :  C.  W.,  a  lawyer,  now- 
enjoying  a  large  clientage  in  Esthervilfe, 
Iowa,  is  married  and  has  two  children.  Al- 
bert, a  resident  farmer  of  Emmet  county, 
Iowa,  is  married  and  has  four  children,  one 
of  his  daughters  being  engaged  in  teaching. 
John  B..  who  is  occupying  the  home  place, 
is  married  and  has  three  children, — Floyd, 
Ruby  and  Edgar.  Maggie  is  the  wife  of 
Columbus  Richardson,  by  whom  she  has 
five  children,  four  of  whom  have  reached 
years  of  maturity.  Virginia  is  the  wife  of 
David  Richardson,  of  Hancock  count}-, 
Iowa,  and  has  four  living  children.  Mrs. 
Ettie  Hanson  is  a  widow  of  Webster  City, 
Iowa,  and  has  five  children.  Carrie  is  the 
wite  oi  Mort  Condon,  of  North  Dakota,  and 
has  five  children.  Dora  is  the  wife  of  Peter 
Mather,  of  Stanhope,  Iowa,  and  has  two 
childi  en. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Crim  is  a  Jef- 
fersonian  Democrat  and  never  failed  to  vote 
each  presidential  election  since  casting  his 
first  vote  for  Franklin  Pierce,  in  1852.  with 
the  exception  of  the  last  two  times  when  he 
was  not  able  to  go  to  the  polls.  For  a  few 
terms  he  served  as  township  trustee  and  has 
also  been  school  director,  but  has  never  been 
a  politician  in  the  commonly  accepted  sense 
seeking.  He  lu  lop--  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Ridgeport  and  is 


. 


MRS.  JOHN   CRIM. 


JOHN   CUIM. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


333 


a  valued  man  whose  advancement  in  life  has 
come  as  a  direct  result  of  his  own  efforts. 
He  had  no  friends  to  aid  him  and  no  inherit- 
ance came  to  him,  but  with  strong  purpose 
he  resolved  to  work  his  way  upward,  and  as 
the  years  have  passed  his  labors  have  borne 
excellent  fruit.  1  le  now  has  a  valuable  farm 
upon  which  he  is  living  in  retirement,  for 
his  former  toil  has  brought  him  a  comfort- 
able competence  that  now  supplies  him  with 
al  of  the  necessities  and  comforts  and  many 
of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


FACKSON  HULL. 


lacksim  Hull,  who  follows  agricultural 
pursuits  on  section  34.  Worth  township,  has 
been  a  resident  of  Boone  county  for  a  1.  inger 
period  than  almost  any  of  its  citizens,  the 
date  of  his  arrival  here  being  the  fall  of 
1848.  He  is  a  native  of  Schuyler  county. 
Missouri,  born  April  25,  1841.  His  father, 
George  Hull,  was  born  in  Virginia,  in  1779. 
and  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  at  the 
close  of  which  he  moved  to  Muskingum 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  for  sev- 
eral years,  moving  finally  to  Fulton  county. 
Illinois,  and  thence  to  Schuyler  county, 
Missouri.  During  the  Black  Hawk  and 
other  Indian  wars,  he  commanded  a  com- 
pany of  the  regiment  commanded  by  Colo- 
nel Farris.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife 
he  married  Lucy  Farris,  the  sister  of  his 
old  colonel,  and  the  mother  of  Jackson 
Hull,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  In  1848 
they  moved  to  Boone  county,  towa,  where 
he  died  in  [855,  bis  wife  having  died  in 
1852. 

After  the  death  of  his   father,  Jackson 
Hull   resided   with  his  older  brother.  Jesse 


Hull,  until  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age. 
when  he  began  earning  his  own  living  by 
working  a-  a  farm  band  by  the  month.  He 
then  went  to  Colorado,  in  the  spring  of 
1 80,  making  his  wax  to  Denver  and  Pikes 
Peak  where  be  engaged  in  prospecting  for  a 
time.  Subsequently  he  was  employed  in  a 
quart/  mill  in  Colorado,  spending  aboul 
eighteen  months  in  that  state,  after  which 
he  returned  to  his  home  in  Iowa.  At  the 
time  of  the  Civil  war  his  loyalty  to  the  Un- 
ion was  manifested  by  his  enlistment,  in 
December,  1861,  at  which  time  he  joined 
the  boys  in  blue  of  Company  D,  Sixteenth 
Iowa  Infantry.  The  regiment  went  south, 
was  attached  to  the  Army  of  the  Tennes- 
see and  particpated  in  the  battles  of  Pitts- 
burg Landing.  Corinth,  Iuka,  Black  River 
Bridge,  the  -lege  of  Yicksburg  and  the  cap- 
ture of  that  Confederate  stronghold.  Mr. 
Hull  then  veteranized  and  was  granted  a 
furlough  of  thirty  days,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  rejoined  the  army  at  Clifton, 
Kentucky,  and  participated  in  the  Atlanta 
campaign,  including  many  noted  battles. 
He  was  taken  prisoner  at  Atlanta.  July  jj. 
1864,  and  was  then  sent  to  Andersonville, 
where  be  was  incarcerated  for  two  months 
when  he  was  exchanged  and  rejoined  the 
army.  He  went  with  Sherman  on  his  cel- 
ebrated march  to  the  sea  and  participated  in 
all  of  the  engagements  of  that  campaign, 
then  marched  through  to  Richmond  and  on 
to  Washington,  where  he  participated  in  the 
in.i-l  celebrated  military  pageant  ever  seen 
on  the  western  hemisphere  the  "grand  re- 
view'*— a  most  fit tmg  close  of  the  brilliant 
if  the  northern  army.  I  le  was  then 
sent  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  where  be  re- 
mained until  mustered  out.  Returning  to 
Iowa  he  wa<  honorably  discharged  at  Dav- 


334 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


cnp' lit.  in  July.  1865.  He  was  only  twenty 
years  of  age  when  he  enlisted,  but  his  loy- 
alty and  valor  were  equal  to  that  of  many 
an  older  soldier  and  his  military  record  is 
a  most  creditable  one. 

During  the  summer  season  following 
his  return  to  Boone  county.  Mr.  Hull  rented 
land  and  engaged  in  farming.  As  soon  as 
possible  he  purchased  a  tract  comprising 
forty  acres  in  Douglas  township.  Clearing 
away  the  timber  and  brush  he  built  a  home 
and  witli  characteristic  energy  began  the 
improvement  of  the  farm  upon  which  he 
lived  fur  several  years  when  he  sold  the 
propert)  and  purchased  a  part  of  the  farm 
upon  which  he  now  resides,  becoming  the 
owner  of  thirty-five  acres.  Taking  up  his 
abode  here  lie  has  each  season  since  culti- 
vated the  fields  and  year  by  year  has  suc- 
cessfully carried  mi  fanning  until  he  is  now- 
one  of  the  substantial  agriculturist  of  the 
community,  having  one  hundred  and  forty- 
li\e  acres  of  rich  land  which  brings  him 
splendid  harvests.  lie  lias  a  g 1  resi- 
dence upon  the  place,  substantial  improve- 
ments, barns,  a  bearing  orchard  and  beauti- 
ful evergreen  trees  winch  adorn  the  lawn 
and  shade  the  home.  X"  equipments  of  a 
model  farm  are  lacking,  lie  has  purchased 
improved  machinery  \<>  facilitate  the  work 
of  the  licliN  and  he  alsi  1  raises  a  gi 
of  stock,  this  branch  of  his  business  likc- 
w  ise  proA  ing  pn  ifitable. 

Throughout  the  greater  part  of  his  busi- 
ness career  Mr.  Hull  lias  enjoyed  the  com- 
panionship and  assistance  of  a  most  estim- 
able lad_\'.  who  in  her  maidenhood  was  Mary 
J.  Payne,  and  whom  he  made  his  wife  on 
the  17th  of  March.  [867.  She  is  a  native 
of  Indiana  and  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 


Rebecca  Payne.  Benjamin  Payne  died  dur- 
ing the  early  girlhood  of  Mrs.  Hull.  She 
was  largely  reared  in  Boone  county,  and 
has  become  the  mother  of  three  children: 
Ida,  now  the  wife  of  P.  H.  Zenar,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Worth  township,  formerly  a  tele- 
graph operator  on  the  Northwestern  Kail- 
road;  Rebecca  May,  who  was  married  to  B. 
F.  I  lull  and  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years;  and  Frank,  who  is  married  and  as- 
sists in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm. 

In  early  life  Mr.  Hull  was  a  Democral 
but  in  1864  he  cast  his  ballot  for  Abraham 
Lincoln.  He  endorsed  the  Democracy  af- 
ter the  war.  but  of  recent  years  has  been  1 
Prohibition-Republican.  He  was  elected 
and  served  as  township  trustee,  tilling  the 
position  for  six  years  and  also  has  keen  a 
member  of  the  school  board,  doing  every- 
thing in  his  power  to  advance  the  cause  of 
education  in  this  locality.  He  and  his  wife 
belong  to  the  Christian  church  known  as  the 
\lcadou  Grove  church,  and  Mr.  Hull  is 
serving  as  one  of  its  elders  and  as  a  trus- 
tee lie  was  formerly  a  Master  Mason, 
but  is  now  dimmed  from  the  lodge.  Fif- 
ty four  years  have  passed  since  he  came  to 
I '.'.one  county.  He  is  .me  of  the  few  re- 
maining early  settlers  who  have  witnessed 
the  development  of  this  portion  of  the  state 
through   a   half  century.  There   we're   110 

railroads  when  he  came  and  few  wagmi 
roads.  The  greater  portion  of  the  land  was 
still  in  possession  of  the  government  and 
upon  the  prairies  grew  the  native  grasses 
or  timber.  He  has  taken  a  just  pride  in 
what  has  keen  accomplished  in  the  way  of 
improvement  and  development  here  and  has 
borne  his  part  in  the  work  of  progress. 
His  efforts  have  not  been  without  result  and 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


335 


as  the  year-  have  been  added  to  the  cycle  of 
eternitv,  Jackson  Hull  has  been  numbered 
among  the  valued  and  representative  men 
of  his  county. 


JOHN  GUST  MARTENS*  IN. 

In  the  history  of  Boone  county  it  will  be 
found  that  many  of  its  citizens  are  of  Swed- 
ish birth,  or  descent,  and  that  the  Swedish- 
American  element  has  been  an  important 
one  in  the  development  of  this  portion  of  the 
state.  The  sons  and  daughters  of  Sweden 
are  characterized  by  thrift,  energy  and 
strong  determination,  ami  these  qualities 
prove  important  elements  in  winning  success. 
They  are  also  honest  and  reliable  and  in 
the  life  record  of  Mr.  Martenson  we  note 
many  of  the  sterling-  characteristics  of  his 
people.  He  is  now-  one  of  the  thrift}-  and 
prominent  farmers  of  Douglas  township, 
owning-  and  cultivating  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred acres  which  is  not  far  from  Madrid,  so 
that  the  accessories  of  city  life  are  easily  ob- 
tainable. 

Coming  to  Boone  county  on  the  .24th  of 
May,  1869,  he  has  since  made  it  his  home. 
lie  was  then  a  young  man  of  thirty  years. 
hi-  birth  having-  occurred  in  Sweden  on  the 
[5th  of  September,  C839.     Me  was  reared  to 

manhood  upon  the  farm  there  and  had,  g 1 

school  privileges  in  hi-  native  town,  hut  his 
knowledge  of  English  ha-  been  acquired  en- 
tirely through  hi-  own  efforts  sinc< 
gration  to  the  new  world.  1  le  worked  upon 
his  father's  farm  for  a  number  of  year-  and 
then  with  the  family  crossed  the  broad  At- 
lantic to  the  Tnited  Slate-  in  [869.  The} 
sailed  from  Gottenborg  on  a  steamship 
hound  for  New  York  and  thence  made  their 


way  1. 1  Boone c  unty,  towa,  where  Mr.  Mar 
tenson  lived  with  his  father,  mother  and 
brothers.  Two  brother-  had  located  here 
four  years  pre\  ious,  and  one  had  returned  to 
the  old  country  and  again  came  to  America 
with  the  father  and  his  family.  John  Gusl 
Martensi  m  ami  1  me  of  his  brother-  purchased 
a  farm  in  Dallas  county.  Iowa,  and  locating 
thereon  continued  its  cultivation  for  about 
three  years  when  they  -old  out.  .Mr.  Mar- 
I  thi-  review  then  came  to  Madrid 
and  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he  now 
lives,  in  the  spring  of  1873.  It  was  a  place 
with  fair  improvements  and  he  at  once  un- 
dertook the  further  development  of  the  farm. 
He  has  built  two  ham-  and  granary  cribs 
and  all  other  necessary  outbuildings  and  has 
planted  a  large  number  of  fruit  trees.  In 
his  yard  are  evergreen  trees  and  other  shade 
tree-  ami  altogether  his  place  i-  an  attractive 
'■lie.  presenting  a  pleasing  appearance  to  the 
traveler  who  passes  his  way. 

Mr.  Marten-011  was  married  111  Boon* 
county.  January  i<>.  [873,  to  Miss  Matilda 
Carlson,  a  native  of  Sweden  who  came  i<> 
the  United  States  when  a  maiden  of  ten  sum- 
mers, the  year  of  her  arrival  being  1853. 
She  is  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Carlson  who 
settled  upon  the  place  now  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  Martenson.  ddte  latter  i-  a 
stanch  Republican,  having  never  wavered  in 
lii-  allegiance  to  the  party  since  he  gained  the 
right  of  franchise,  yet  he  ha-  never  desired 
office  and  ha-  continually  refused  to  become 
a  candidate.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith  and  are  now 
members  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church 
of  Madrid.  1  le  ha-  been  a  resident  -1  towa 
for  thirtv   three  v  ear-  and  hi-  wife  for  forty- 

ears,  and   she   was   reared   upon  the 
f:Mm  v  hicli  is  now   her  home         l'he>   are 


336 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


well  known  people  of  the  community  for 
during  the  period  of  their  long  residence 
here  they  have  gained  a  large  circle  of 
friends,  many  of  whom  entertain  for  them 
warm  regard  and  cherish  for  them  warm 
friendship. 


AUSTIN  T.  SHADLE. 

Austin  T.  Shadle.  who  is  a  representa- 
tive of  the  farming  interests  of  Amaqua 
township,  living  on  section  26,  possesses 
good  business  ability,  a  fact  which  has  been 
demonstrated  by  the  success  which  has 
crowned  his  efforts  in  the  years  that  have 
passed,  during  which  lie  has  given  his  atten- 
tion to  general  farming  and  to  the  buying 
and  shipping  of  stock.  He  is  also  interested 
in  the  grain  business,  being  part  owner  of 
one  of  the  largest  grain  elevators  in  (  Igden. 

Numbered  among  Iowa's  native  sons,  his 
birth  occurred  in  Clinton  comity,  in  October. 
[866,  his  parents  being  George  and  Susan 
(Hilman)  Shadle.  During  his  infancy  his 
parents  removed  to  this  county  and  in  his 
boyhood  days  he  largel)  assisted  his  father 
in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm  in  Ama- 
qun  township.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  during  the  winter  months  and  thus 
gained  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  common 
branches  of  English  learning.  To  his  father 
he  gave  tlie  benefit  of  his  services  until  he 
was  twenty  years  of  age  when  he  was  mar 
ried  on  the  15th  of  June.  1N87.  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  .Miss  Laura  Powers,  of 
\m.'n|>ia  township,  a  daughter  of  William 
Powers^  a  prominent  and  influential  citizen 
and  an  earl}  settler  of  this  county.  He  yet 
lives  in  Boone  county  and  his  children  are 
all  around  him,  the  family  being  one  highlv 


respected  in  the  community.  The  home  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shadle  has  been  blessed  with 
seven  children  and  the  family  circle  vet  re- 
mains unbroken  by  the  hand  of  death.  In 
order  of  birth  these  are  as  follows  :  Myrtle, 
Ida,  Minnie.  Orin.  Eva,  Goldie  and  Gay,  all 
living  at  home. 

After  their  marriage  our  subject  and  his 
wife  began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm 
upon  section  15,  Amaqua  township,  where 
they  lived  for  a  few  years  and  then  removed 
to  the  village  of  Beaver,  where  Mr.  Shadle 
was  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  for 
a  year.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
took  up  his  abode  011  section  23,  Amaqua 
township,  and  rented  a  farm  for  five  years, 
after  which  he  removed  to  his  present  home 
on  section  26.  Amaqua  township.  This  is 
known  as  the  "Id  clap]!  farm.  Here  he  owns 
two  hundred  acres  of  rich  land  capable  of 
high  cultivation  and  his  fields  are  well  tilled 
while  in  the  autumn  he  garners  rich  harvests. 
He  is  also  engaged  in  the  stock  business, 
buying  and  selling  all  kinds  of  stock  and  his 
annual  shipments  return  to  him  a  good  in- 
come. During  the  season  he  operates  a 
threshing  machine.  In  partnership  with  the 
firm  of  Xylander  Brothers,  he  recently  pur- 
chased tlie  Henning  &  Hagge  grain  elevator 
at  ()gden.  which  they  now  conduct  under 
the  firm  style  of  Xylander  Brothers  & 
Shadle.  It  being  splendidly  located  the  Xy- 
lander Brothers  have  removed  their  stock  of 
agricultural  implements  there,  not  having 
sufficient  roi  'in  at  their  1  rid  li  icatii  m. 

Air.  Shadle  served  as  constable  of  his 
township  for  one  term  and  for  one  term  has 
been  school  director,  He  votes  with  tlie  Re- 
publican party  and  is  deeph  interested  in  all 
that  tends  to  promote  the  growth  and  insure 
tli'  sikvc--  -1"  die  party.     His  wife,  a  most 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


in- 


estimable lady,  is  a  member  of  the  German 
Baptist  church  of  Dallas  Center.  Mr.  Shadle 
is  vet  a  young-  man  but  has  already  attained 
a  degree  of  success  which  many  an  older 
man  might  well  envy.  He  is  very  progres- 
sive in  all  bis  business  methods,  is  far- 
sighted  and  possesses  sound  judgment, 
forming-  his  plans  carefully,  he  is  then  deter- 
mined in  their  execution  and  through  the 
conduct  of  his  varied  business  interests  he 
has  met  with  desirable  and  gratifying  pros- 
perity. 


W.  1.  KEIGLEY. 


\Y.  J.  Keigley  is  now  living  a  retired 
life  in  Madrid,  but  for  a  number  of  years 
was  classed  among  the  successful  business 
men  of  Boone  county.  For  fourteen  years 
he  engaged  in  merchandising  here  and 
prior  to  that  time  was  a  representative  of 
the  agricultural  interests  of  the  state  and 
county.  Pennsylvania  is  the  state  of  his 
nativity,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Greene  county  u|pon  a  farm,  June  12,1824. 
His  father,  John  Keigley,  was  also  a  native 
of  that  state,  his  birth  having  occurred  near 
Cumberland,  Maryland,  but  across  the  bor- 
ders of  Pennsylvania,  in  1789.  After  ar- 
riving at  man's  estate  he  wedded  Rachel 
Anderson,  also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  devoted  his  attention  to  farming  in 
Greene  county  for  many  years  and  there 
four  sons  and  three  daughters  were  born 
unto  himself  and  wife.  In  the  year  1852 
he  sought  a  home  in  Iowa,  locating  at  Belle 
Point,  Boone  county.  He  improved  a 
farm  and  throughout  his  remaining  days 
was  interested  in  agricultural  pursuits  here. 
His  death  occurred  about  1856  and  the  com- 


munity thereby  lost  a  valued  and  represent- 
ative citizen,  a  man  who.  111  all  life's  rela- 
tions was  true  to  duty,  although  there  were 
no  exciting  chapters  in  his  history.  His 
wife  survived  him  about  nine  years  and 
was  then  laid  to  rest  by  his  side,  in  the 
Lutheran  cemetery. 

Air.  Keigley  of  this  review  was  reared 
to  manhood  in  the  county  of  his  nativity. 
He  bad  little  opportunity  to  attend  school 
for  his  services  were  needed  upon  the  home 
farm,  but  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has 
gained  practical  knowledge  and  moreover 
he  has  developed  a  character  of  sterling 
worth.  He  remained  with  his  father  until 
his  twenty-fourth  year,  when  he  was  mar- 
ried in  Greene  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the 
29th  of  February,  1848,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Throckmorton,  also  a  native  of  the  Key- 
stone state  and  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
Throckmorton.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Xew  Jersey,  and  represented  an  early  fam- 
ily of  that  state,  of  English  ancestry.  Airs. 
Keigley  was  born  November  2~.  1824,  in 
Greene  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  is  about 
four  months  younger  than  her  husband. 

After  their  marriage  the  young  couple 
began  their  domestic  life  upon  the  old  Keig- 
ley homestead  in  Pennsylvania,  where  they 
remained  for  four  years,  afterward  spend- 
ing one  year  upon  the  Throckmorton  farm. 
In  the  spring  of  1854,  however,  they  re- 
solved to  test  the  truth  of  the  favorable  re- 
ports which  they  had  heard  concerning 
Iowa  and  in  that  year  they  traveled  across 
country  to  Boone  county,  where  they  ar- 
rived on  the  12th  of  April.  Mr.  Keigley 
purchased  a  farm,  of  which  only  ten  acres 
had  been  broken.  Few  improvement-  had 
been  made,  a  small  amount  of  fence  had 
been  built  but  the  greater  part  of  the  tract 


538 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


was  unfenced.  He  built  a  cabin  and  for 
four  years  lived  in  it  in  pioneer  style,  endur- 
ing many  of  tbe  trials  and  hardships  of 
frontier  life,  at  the  same  time  enjoying 
ninny  of  its  pleasures.  At  the  end  of  that 
period,  however,  the  little  cabin  and  all  its 
contents  were  destroyed  by  fire.  In  order 
to  provide  a  home  for  his  family  Mr.  Keig- 
ley at  once  rebuilt,  erecting  a  good  frame 
house.  He  first  owned  eighty  acres  of  land 
and  afterward  he  added  to  this  as  his  fin- 
ancial resources  made  additional  purchases 
possible,  becoming  the  owner  of  about  five 
hundred  acres  of  rich  land  of  which  two 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  lay  in  the  home 
farm.  The  years  witnessed  the  addition  of 
many  improvements  to  the  place.  He  re- 
modeled ami  improved  the  house,  built  a 
good  barn,  planted  fruit  and  shade  trees  and 
in  the  course  of  time  gathered  good  cro] 
from  his  orchard  as  well  as  from  his  fields. 
For  thirty-two  years  he  carried  on  agricul- 
tural pursuit^,  and  then  put  aside  the  labors 
of  the  farm,  removing  to  .Madrid  in  t886. 
Here  he  turned  his  attention  to  merchan- 
dising and  for  fourteen  years  sue 
conducted  a  general  store.  Many  men  who 
have  been  identified  with  agricultural  pur- 
suits, cann.it  retire  and  turn  their 
to  commercial  interests,  but  Mr.  Keiglev 
displayed  excellent  business  and  executive 
ability,  meeting  with  prosperity  in  his  new 
undertaking.  After  fourteen  years  had 
passed  he  sold  his  store  to  his  son  and  lias 
since  lived  retired.  He  is  now  in  tl 
ing  of  life  and  well  merits  rest  from  active 
labor.  His  efforts  have  been  of  benefit  to 
the  town  along  the  lines  of  substantial  im- 
provemenl  and  progress.  I  te  now  owns  a 
brick  business  Mock  here  which  was  erected 
bv  his  two     sons  and  he  also     has  a  very- 


pleasant  residence.  Mr.  Keiglev  began  life 
in  Boone  county  a  very  poor  man,  having 
scarcely  any  capital,  but  through  the  assis- 
tance of  his  estimable  wife  and. as  a  result  of 
his  capable  management  and  unremitting 
diligence  he  has  steadily  advanced  until  to- 
day he  is  accounted  one  of  the  men  of  af- 
fluence in  this  portion  of  the  state. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keigley  have  been 
bom  se\en  children:  John  Warren,  who  is 
married  and  resides  in  Boone;  C.  C,  who  is 
married  and  owns  a  rice  plantation  at  Crow- 
ley. Louisiana;  T.  H..  who  is  married  and 
resides  upon  a  farm  in  Colfax  township, 
Boone  county:  Lionel  F.,  who  is  engaged 
in  merchandising  in  Madrid;  Robert  M.. 
who  is  a  partner  of  his  brother  Lionel  1-'. : 
Emma,  the  wife  of  Andrew  Sutherland,  of 
Madrid;  and  Wilbur,  who  is  married  and 
1 1  sides  in  Madrid. 

Politically  Mr,  Keigley  is  a  Democrat, 
whose  allegiance  to  the  party  has  never 
wavered  through  all  the  years  of  his  man- 

h 1.      He  has  served  as  a  member  of  the 

county  board  of  supervisors,  as  a  member 
of  the  town  council  and  as  a  delegate  to  va- 
rious county  and  state  conventions,  but  has 
to  no  extent  sought  public  office  as  a  re- 
ward for  party  fealty,  his  business  interests 
having  made  heavy  demands  upon  his  time; 
neither  did  he  care  for  the  excitement  Ot 
the  political  arena.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
Madrid  and  enjoy  an  unusual  degree  of  the 
esteem  and  respect  of  all  with  whom  they 
have  been  brought  in  contact.  Few  indeed 
of  the  s,  -  ie  county  have 

resided  in  this  portion  of  the  state  as  Mr. 
Keigley,  whose  residence  here  covers  more 
than  forty-eight  years.  He  truly  deserves 
re]  resentation   among  the  honored    \  ioneers 


THE    BI0GRAPHICA1     RECORD. 


who  have  laid  the  foundation  for  the  pres- 
ent prosperity  and  upbuilding  of  the  county 
as  not  only  did  he  take  part  in  the  beginning 
of  business  here,  but  throughout  many 
years  was  an  active  factor  in  industrial  cir- 
cles leading  to  substantial  improvement. 


HENRY  GOEPP1XGER. 

For  nearly  thirty-seven  years  Henrv 
Gceppinger  has  been  associated  with  the 
business  interests  and  general  development 
of  the  city  of  Boone.  He  is  the  junior 
member  of  the  firm  of  L.  &  H.  Gceppinger, 
wholesale  leather  and  saddlery  hardware 
merchants.  A  native  of  Germany,  he  was 
born  October  31,  1843,  at  Reutlingen, 
Wurtemburg,  son  of  Johannes  and  Kath- 
arine (  Ammer)  Gcepplinger,  with  whom  he 
came  to  America  in  1851.  The  father.  Jo- 
hannes, was  born  January  10.  1700. 
and  died  at  Boone,  Iowa,  October  4,  1873. 
The  mother,  born  December  12,  1800,  died 
April  9.  1888.  in  Boone.  The  family 
stopped,  for  the  first  six  months  after  their 
arrival,  in  Allegheny  City,  Pennsylvania, 
then  removed  to  Xew  Chambersburg,  Ohio, 
and  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  war  the 
father  went  to  Ravenna,  in  the  same  state, 
dwelling  with  the  daughter,  Lena,  until  he 
removed  to  Boone.  The  children  were  fif- 
teen 111  number,  -i\  of  whom  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  living  are:  Frederick,  horn 
July  10.  1828,  now  residing  at  Albion,  In 
diana:  Louis;  Henry:  Christian,  born  June 
-'5-  lN.v-  residing  at  Bushnell,  [llinois; 
Charles,  bom  October  25,  1848.  residing  at 
Denver,  Colorado.  The  following  adult 
children   have  passed  to  the  great   beyond: 


John,  bom  September  10.  1830,  duel  June 
[9,  [893,  at  Kendallville,  Indiana:  Maria 
1  Buren  1.  horn  March  iS.  [832,  dud  August 
21,  1894.  at  Boone,  Iowa:  Lena  (Gretzin- 
ger)  horn  October  26,  [834,  died  July  27, 
1899,  .it  Ravenna,  Ohio;  and  Gotthilf  (Ca- 
leb), born  April  20,  [839,  died  July  27, 
1863. 

In  Germany  Henry  Gceppinger  hail 
commenced  bis  primary  education  which  he 
continued  in  this  country,  acquiring  read- 
ily a  masten  of  the  English  la 
Then  he  worked  in  his  father's  tannery  at 
Chambersburg,  Ohio,  until  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  continuing'  the  same  occupa- 
tion until  1864.  Having  contracted  rheu- 
matism through  exposure,  he  abandoned  the 
tanning  business  and  engaged  in  that  of 
general  merchandising  for  a  year.  This  he 
sold  to  his  sister.  Maria  I'.uren.and  entering 
into  partnership  with  his  brother,  Louis, 
came  to  Boone.  March  31.  1866,  and  estab- 
lished the  wholesale  saddlery  business 
which  the  firm  has  continued  to  the  present. 
The  brothers  have  found  the  partnershi] 
mutually  pleasant  and  profitable,  and  it  bids 
fair  to   continue   so   for  many  years. 

M11  January  13.  1N07,  Mr.  Gceppinger 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Mis^.  \nna 
Mary  Le  Mean,  who  was  horn  March 
_'8.  JS48,  and  wa>  the  eighth  111  a 
family  of  eleven  children,  whose  father 
was  Charles  Le  Beau  of  Malvern,  Carroll 
county,  Ohio.  IA  Henry  Gceppinger  and 
wife  have  been  born  seven  children,  but 
three  of  whom  survive:  Ursula  Caroline, 
1  Mrs.  J  M.  I  ferrhan  1.  bi  >rn  February  1 . 
[869;  John  II..  born  November  30,  [870; 
and  Marj    Matilda,  bom  (  Ictober   13.   [875. 

The  children  deceased  were:  Mary  Cath- 
erine, l)i  in  I  lecember  31  >.  1867,  died  January 


34° 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


17,  1863;  Emma  Catherine,  born  May  7. 
1873,  died  July  18,  1887;  Magdalene  Mar- 
garet, born  August  21,  1880,  died  August 
3,  1897;  and  Henrietta  Catherine,  born  Oc- 
tober i,  1886,  died  January  3,  18S9.  Mr. 
Gceppinger  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  German  Evangelical  Lutheran 
church  in  the  teachings  of  which  they  firm- 
ly believe  and  confidently  hope  to  rejoin 
their  lost  ones  in  another  and  a  better 
world. 

Though  always  a  busy  man  Mr.  Gcep- 
pinger  has  liberally  given  of  his  time  to  the 
cause  of  education  and  city  government. 
He  was  for  four  years  a  member  of  the  city- 
school  board,  during  one  of  which  he  filled 
the  responsible  position  of  president ;  for 
another  four  years  he  served  the  public  in- 
terests as  a  member  of  the  city  council :  and 
in  other  like  positions  he  has  served  the  gen- 
eral interests  of  this  community,  unre- 
quited save  in  the  knowledge  of  things  well 
done.  He  has  financial  interests  in  the 
City  Bank,  Security  Savings  Bank  of  Boone 
and  in  real  estate. 

Though  not  at  all  an  invalid,  the  ad- 
vance of  years  and  close  application  to  busi- 
ness, has  made  it  desirable  to  seek  more 
genial  climes  in  the  winter  season,  which  he 
and  his  wife  have  done  of  late  in  California 
and  other  warm  localities. — a  recreation 
wholly  justifiable.  Henry  Gceppinger's 
most  distinguished  personal  traits  might 
well  be  stated  in  the  two  adjectives — kindly 
and  placid.  He  is  never  knowingly  unjust. 
Bv  nature  and  in  practice  he  is  deliberate, 
hence  has  little  to  regret.  Properly  careful 
of  his  own,  he  readily  concedes  the  same  to 
others,  and  no  man  can  say  he  has  ever  en- 
dured wrong  at  his  hands.  Guided  by  such 
principles,  his  life  Hows  along  as  a  smooth 


river,  whose  banks  are  bordered  by  the  love 
of  his  family,  the  esteem  of  his  acquaint- 
ances and  the  respect  of  his  business  friends, 
each  and  all  of  whom  join  in  the  hope  that 
it>  ocean  is  vet  afar  awav. 


HOX.  A.  J.  HOLMES. 

Axloniram  Judson  Holmes  was  a  man  of 
the  strenuous  life.  He  was  born  March  2. 
1842,  at  Jackson,  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  son 
of  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin  Holmes,  who  saw 
the  light  first  near  East  Aurora,  Xew  York, 
in  [816,  and  who  died  in  Palmyra,  Wiscon- 
sin, at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years.  The  im- 
migrant ancestor  of  the  Holmes  family  was 
Captain  George  Holmes,  of  Xew  Amster- 
dam, who  was  born  in  England  about  the 
year  1600.  In  1635  he  was  captain  of  a 
party  which  effected  a  settlement  on  the 
Delaware  river.  His  descendants  afterward 
settled  in  Virginia,  Ohio,  Wisconsin  and 
low.i.  \.  J.  Holmes'  mother.  Susan  (Par- 
ker) Holmes,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Parker. 
was  born  in  Massachusetts.  March  25,  1771, 
and  died  February  jo.  1853.  Her  father 
was  a  pioneer  on  the  "Holland  Purchase,"" 
Xew  York.  Our  subject's  brothers  are  B. 
Frank  Holmes,  who  died  in  1889.  and  Ira 
\\  Holmes,  who  resides  in  Cedar  Rapids. 
Iowa.  His  sister.  Lucinda  M.  Holmes,  died 
in  1866.  Shortly  after  the  birth  of  our  sub- 
ject his  parents  moved  i'<  Granville,  Lick- 
in."  county,  Ohio,  afterwards  to  Rouseburg. 
Ashland  county.  In  1852  they  removed  to 
Palmyra,  Jefferson  county.  Wisconsin,  which 
became  their  permanent   abode. 

A.  J,  Holmes  was  a  boy  of  ten  when 
he  went  to  Wisconsin.  He  was  educated  in 
the  common  and  high  schi  1  Is  of   Palmyra. . 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


343 


and  at  .Milton  College  at  Milton,  Wisconsin, 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war,  then 
in  his  twentieth  year.  Like  thousands  of 
other  college  youths  he  nobly  responded 
to  his  country's  call  and  enlisted  on  the 
16th  of  August,  1862,  as  a  private,  his 
name  being  carried  on  the  army  rolls 
as  "Judson  A.  Holmes"  through  an  er- 
r<  ir  ( if  the  mustering  officer.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  D,  Twenty-fourth  Wiscon- 
sin Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Captain  Al- 
bert Philbrook  and  Colonel  Charles  H.  Lar- 
rabee.  The  adjutant  of  the  regiment  was 
General  Arthur,  as  he  eventually  became, 
recently  the  commanding  officer  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, and  Private  Holmes  was  used  to  tell 
how  efficient  he  was  thus  early  in  his  career. 

The  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Thir- 
ty-second Brigade,  Eleventh  Division,  of  the 
Army  of  the  Ohio.  In  1863  it  became  a 
portion  of  the  First  Brigade,  Third  1  l.ivisii  m, 
right  wing  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland. 
Mr.  Holmes  participated  with  his  regiment 
in  the  battles  of  Perrysville,  Stone  River,  or 
Murfreesboro,  Chickamauga.  Chattanooga, 
Missionary  Ridge,  the  siege  of  Knoxville 
and  campaigns  in  East  Tennessee  and  the 
action  near  Danridge.  From  February  to 
April,  1864,  he  was  assigned  to  duty  at  ( ien- 
eral   Sheridan's  headquarters. 

I 'poii  the  reorganization  of  the  Army  oi 
the  Potomac,  Sheridan  was  transferred  to 
that  army.  Private  Holmes  was  promoted, 
receiving  his  commission  as  second  lieuten- 
ant in  Company  ( ',  of  the  Thirty-seventh 
Wisconsin  Infantry,  and  was  transferred 
with  Sheridan's  command  to  the  Eastern 
Army,  being  assigned  to  the  First  Brigade, 
Third  Division,  of  the  Ninth  Corps,  of  the 
Potomac,  in  June.  [864.  He  did  guard  duty 
from  Whit'-  rlouse  to  Cold  Harbor:  partici- 


pated in  the  assault  011  Peter-burg  June  15 
to  17;  the  action  on  the  X.  &  P.  R.  R.  Tune 
18;  m  outpost  duty  before  Petersburg  un- 
til July  10,  and  was  in  the  action  of  the 
.Mine  in  front  of  Petersburg,  July  30,  1804. 
In  this  battle  of  the  Mine  his  troops  held  the 
fort  captured  until  nearly  all  of  our  forces 
had  retired,  when  he  and  his  comrade-  were 
captured  by  the  enemy  and  taken  into  Rich- 
ni'  'iid  as  prisoners  of  war.  Some  negri  1  1  egi- 
ments  had  participated  in  the  action  of  the 
Mine  and  were  captured  with  their  white 
comrades.  The  Confederates  in  charge  of 
these  prisoners  arranged  them  for  sleep  the 
first  night  after  falling  into  their  hands,  al- 
ternating a  black  private  with  a  white  1  ifficer, 
all  upon  a  bare  floor,  an  expression  of  con- 
tempt on  the  part  of  the  victors  characteris- 
tic of  those  violent  times. 

Lieutenant  Holmes  was  imprisoned  in 
Danville,  Virginia,  Columbia,  South  Caro- 
lina, Greensboro,  North  Carolina,  Charlotte, 
North  Carolina,  Goldsboro  and  Raleigh, 
transfers  caused  by  the  advances  of  the 
Federal  forces  into  the  enemy's  country. 
He  was  paroled  March  1,  1865,  at  Wilming- 
ton, North  Carolina,  after  an  imprisonment 
of  nearly  seven  months;  was  commissioned 
first  lieutenant  of  Company  G.  Thirty-sev- 
enth Wisconsin  Infantry,  May  1  _'.  1865; 
was  detailed  to  the  provost  marshal's  office, 
District  of  Columbia,  until  mustered  on:, 
li.lv  27,  1865,  by  termination  of  the  war. 
While  a  prisoner  at  Columbia  he.  in  com- 
pany with  a  comrade,  broke  out  one  dark 
night,  and  after  hiding  in  the  obscure  por- 
tions "f  the  town  until  search  had  ceased 
took  to  the  open  country.  For  a  few  days 
they  enjoyed  the  luxun  of  freedom,  aided 
am'  their  want-  supplied  by  the  ever  faith- 
ful  blacks,   but    were   captured    through    the 


344 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


aid  of  bloodhounds  and  returned  to  confine- 
ment. While  in  prison  at  Columbia  Lieu- 
tenant Holmes  obtained  a  copy  of  Pitman's 
short-hand  through  the  favor  of  a  kindly 
guard,  and  employed  his  enforced  leisure  in 
mastering  this  art.  in  company  with  a  com- 
rade who  was  located  in  the  floor  beneath 
his.  They  exchanged  notes  in  the  charac- 
ters, lowering  and  raising  the  same  with  a 
string.  Once  this  act  was  detected  by  the 
guard  and  the  note  captured,  but  as  noth- 
ing could  be  deciphered  it  was  accepted  as  a 
deep  laid  plot  to  prepare  for  a  general  de- 
livery on  the  part  of  the  prisoners  and 
double  guards  were  stationed  for  some  time 
after. 

The  war  was  closed  and  this  young  lieu- 
tenant found  himself,  in  common  with  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  other  young  soldiers, 
facing  the  problems  of  existence  in  civil  life 
-without  adequate  prepartion  for  the  same. 
The  best  years  for  fundamental  education 
were  gone  from  them;  they  must  now  do 
what  they  could,  prompted  by  ambition  and 
a  pride  to  serve  their  country  in  the  walks 
of  peace  as  faithfully  as  they  had  in  war. 
That  so  many  succeeded  in  attaining  emi- 
nence under  these  disadvantages  is  a  credit 
alike  to  themselves  and  the  country  where 
such  success  is  made  possible  under  its  in- 
stitutions. J  lis  pastime  as  a  prisoner  now 
became  his  support  as  a  student;  he  entered 
the  law  department  of  the  University  of 
Michigan  and  in  due  time  graduated  there- 
from and  shot  tlj  after  began  the  practice  ■  if 
law  in  Boone,  Iowa,  in  [868,  which  remained 
his  home  for  the  re-;  of  his  life.  His  skill 
a-  a  stenographer,  an  art  then  unusual  in 
the  courts  of  the  new  west,  enabled  him  to 
supplement  the  scant  earnings  of  a  young 
lawver  until  he  was  well  established  in  the 


profession.  After  a  year  or  so  he  formed 
a  co-partnership  with  another  young  at- 
torney, L.  W.  Reynolds,  also  a  graduate  of 
the  .Michigan  Law  School,  and  the  firm  of 
Holmes  &*  Reynolds  soon  rose  to  more  than 
local  prominence.  It  remained  until  dis- 
solved by  the  election  of  Mr.  Holmes  to  con- 
gress and  was  acknowledgedly  the  leading 
law  firm  in  the  city. 

Hon.  A.  J.  Holmes'  official  career  com- 
menced soon  after  his  residence  was  estab- 
lished in  Boone.  He  held  several  minor  of- 
fices, such  as  notary  public,  clerk  of  the  city 
council,  city  solicitor  and  mayor,  and  was 
elected  by  the  Republicans  of  his  county  to 
the  lower  house  of  the  nineteenth  general 
assembly  of  Iowa.  Before  his  term  as  such 
legislator  had  fully  expired  be  was  nom- 
inated by  the  Republicans  of  the  tenth  con- 
gressional district  of  Iowa  as  their  candidate 
for  representative  in  congress  and  was  elect- 
ed as  such  to  the  forty-ninth  session  of  the 
national  legislature.  He  was  twice  re-elect- 
ed, and  served  with  distinction  in  the  fiftieth 
and  fifty-first  congresses,  lie  secured  the 
passage  of  a  bill  for  the  relief  of  the  "river 
land  settlers/'  which  had  troubled  his  pred- 
ecessors in  proceeding  congresses  for  over 
twenty  years;  a  bill  which  also  passed  the 
senate,  but  was  vetoed  by  President  Cleve- 
land: then  carried  by  a  two-thirds  majority 
over  the  president's  veto,  lacking  but  six 
votes.  But  undeterred  by  this  he  secured 
from  the  secretary  of  the  interior  such  action 
and  inquiries  as  eventually,  after  his  own 
term  in  the  house  had  closed,  resulted  in  the 
passage  of  the  much  desired  relief,  ami  cli  wsed 
the  incident  of  the  "river  land  matter"  in 
bwa   forever. 

At  the  organization  of  the  lift;. 

the    Republicans   of   the    house,   by 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


345 


practically  unanimous  action  in  caucus,  se- 
lected Mr.  Holmes  as  sergeant-at-arms  of 
that  body,  without  any  solicitation  whatever 
on  his  part,  a  position  which  he  accepted 
and  satisfactorily  filled  during-  the  stormy 
career  of  that  noted  congress. 

A.  I.  Holmes  was  married  on  February 
28,  1878,  to  Miss  Emma,  daughter  of  Z. 
Allan  and  Margaret  (Robson)  Folsom.  rel- 
atives of  Mrs.  President  Cleveland.  Of  this 
marriage  there  were  children  horn  as  fol- 
lows: Lulu  Emma,  who  was  born  June  12, 
1N70.  but  did  not  live;  Judson  Harold,  who 
was  born  November  6,  1881,  and  died  Feb- 
ruary 12.  1884;  and  Clarence  Folsom,  who 
was  born  May  26,  1886,  and  is  living  with 
his  mother  in  Boone. 

After  the  close  of  his  congressional  ca- 
reer Hon.  A.  J.  Holmes  returned  to  Boone 
and  essayed  again  the  practice  of  the  law. 
But  his  many  years  in  public  life  had  seen 
his  clientage  vanish  and  it  was  slow  work 
recalling  the  business.  He  also  made  some 
investments  in  the  neighborhood  of  Arkan- 
sas Pass,  Texas,  which,  though  considered 
promising,  turned  out  unfortunately,  and  he 
lost  his  fortune.  He  endeavored  to  meet 
these  changed  conditions  bravely  and  pa- 
tiently, but  the  long  years  in  camp  and  field, 
the  hardships  of  early  life  and  the  strain  of 
official  duties  had  impaired  his  health,  and 
with  deep  regret  his  friends  noted  the  grad- 
ual failure  of  his  intellect.  In  time  this  re- 
quired his  entrance  to  the  state  infirmary  at 
Clarinda,  Iowa,  where  some  months  after 
the  spark  of  life  flickered  and  finally  went 
out,  on  January  21.  1902,  in  the  sixtieth  year 
of  his  age.  The  interment  was  in  Boone, 
January  23,  under  escort  of  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows, of  which  fraternity  he  was  a  member, 
and  with  an  attendance  of  tnanv  of  his  old 


1  riends.  1  [e  was  also  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  and  of  the  Union  Vet- 
erans Union,  his  connection  with  the  latter 
having  been  made  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
and  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  United 
States,  Commander}-  of  Iowa. 

"Major"  Holmes,  as  he  was  brevetted  by 
his  personal  friends  and  neighbors  at  home, 
was  a  man  of  fine  physical  mould.  Tall, 
straight,  of  due  proportions,  he  enjoyed  to 
the  full  a  life  of  athletics,  exemplifying 
['resilient  Roosevelt's  oft  repeated  injunc- 
tion, he  lead  "the  strenuous  life."  He  won 
his  way  fully  as  well  by  untiring  effort  as 
by  mental  abilities.  No  check  in  the  trial  of 
a  case  at  law  discouraged  him,  but  he  re- 
newed the  contest  with  fresh  courage  and 
new  weapons  promptly  on  the  following 
morning.  He  was  generous  to  a  fault,  but 
had  no  ill  personal  habits.  Liquor  never 
touched  his  lips  during  the  whole  course  of 
his  life,  nor  was  he  given  to  the  use  of  any 
kind  of  narcotics  or  stimulants.  The  pleas- 
ures of  the  field,  the  hunt  upon  the  open 
prairies  before  they  were  converted  into 
farms  and  while  w  ild  game  yet  was  plenty, 
field  games  of  foot  ball  and  the  like,  pedes- 
trianisrri  for  its  own  sake, — these  claimed 
him.  At  one  time,  missing  his  train  at  Des 
Moines,  he  walked  home  by  the  country 
roads  between  four  in  the  afternoon  and 
late  bedtime.  He  loved  good  literature,  and 
having  a  phenomenal  memory  made  many 
of  its  choicest  phrases  his  own  at  call.  He 
knew  no  limit  in  the  credit  he  extended  to 
his  friends  and  they  could  draw  on  him  few- 
personal  services,  money  or  his  time  with 
never  failing  certainty.  Happily  not  many 
abused  this  confidence.  He  evident^  en- 
joyed army  life,  and  had  he  chosen  this  field 
at   the   close   of   the   Civil    war   there   is    no 


346 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


reason  to  believe  that  he  would  not  have 
achieved  distinction  similar  to  that  by  his 
old  adjutant  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Wiscon- 
sin, General  Arthur. 


J.   W.  THOMPSON. 

J.  W.  Thompson,  who  is  the  editor  and 
publisher  of  the  Boone  County  Messenger 
of  Ogden,  Iowa,  has  resided  in  this  county 
since  May,  1866.  He  was  born  in  West- 
moreland ounit}',  Pennsylvania,  September 
<>.  1833,  his  parents  being  James  and  Jane 
(Park)  Thompson.  The  father  was  born 
in  Maryland  and  by  occupation  was  a 
farmer.  The  mother's  birth  occurred  in 
Westmoreland  county.  Pennsylvania,  and  in 
the  year  1852  the  family  came  to  Iowa,  set- 
tling in  Linn  county.  The  parents  have 
both  passed  away,  the  mother  having  died 
in  that  count)'  in  l86o3  while  the  father's 
death  occurred  in  Jefferson.  Greene  county, 
Iowa,  in  1S71.  In  his  political  views  he 
was  a  Whig  in  early  life  and  later  became  a 
Republican,  but  he  never  sought  or  desired 
political  preferment.  In  the  family  were 
twelve  children,  five  sons  and  seven  daugh- 
ters, of  whoin  one  brother  1-  in  <  Iregon,  an- 
other in  Washington,  the  third  in  Bayard, 
Iowa,  while  the  fourth  brother  of  our  sub- 
ject is  deceased.  The  sisters  are  living, 
one  in  (  tgden.  one  in  Lenox,  one  in  Amaqua 
township,  Boone  county,  one  in  Marquette, 
Michigan,  and  one  in  Oklahoma,  while  the 
other  two  are  deceased.  Two  of  the 
brothers  served  throughout  the  Civil  war 
as  members  of  Company  A.  Thirteenth 
[1  w.i  Infantry  and  were  mustered  out  at  the 
Cli  ise   1  if   hostilities. 


The  subject  of  this  review  spent  his 
early  youth  in  the  county  of  his  nativity, 
acquiring  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
and  when  about  nineteen  years  of  age  he 
came  with  his  parents  to  Iowa,  settling  in 
Linn  county.  He  was  married  in  that 
county  in  1854  to  Miss  Mary  Rogers,. 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Muskingum  county, 
Ohio,  on  the  1 6th  of  August,  1832.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Fannie 
(Wertz)  Rogers,  both  of  whom  have  now- 
passed  away.  They,  too,  were  farming 
people.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson 
have  been  born  seven  children  of  whom  a 
son  and  a  daughter  died  in  childhood.. 
Five  daughters  are  now  living  and  three 
of  the  number  are  married.  Mrs.  .Martha 
Elliott  makes  her  home  in  Beaver,  Iowa. 
Mrs.  Etta  Weaver  resides  in  Boone,  [owa, 
while  Mrs.  Anna  Kellogg,  a  widow,  is  a 
resident  of  Chicago.  The  daughters  at 
home  are  both  successful  educators  in  the 
public  schools  of  <  >gden.  tiara  being  a  prin- 
cipal, while  Mae  is  a  teacher  in  the  gram- 
mar grade. 

Mr.  Thompson  has  resided  upon  a  farm 
for  many  years  yet  spent  much,  of  his  time 
a-  a  teacher  and  his  educational  work 
ranked  him  among  the  successful  members 
of  the  profession  in  this  part  of  the  state. 
In  January.  1890,  however,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  journalistic  work  ami  founded 
the  Boone  County  Messenger'  in  company 
with  Cyrus  F.  Weaver  under  the  lain  name 
of  Thompson  &  Weaver.  In  the  fall  of 
1S92,  however,  he  purchased  Mr.  Weav- 
er's interest  and  since  that  time  has  been 
--le  owner  and  publisher  of  the  paper, 
which  he  has  made  one  of  the  leading 
country  journals  in  this  part  of  the  state. 
The   political    complexion    of   the   paper    is 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


that  hi  an  independent  Democratic  journal. 
It  is  largely  devoted  to  the  dissemination  of 
local  and  general  news  and  to  affairs  in  he- 
half  iif  the  welfare,  progress  and  improve- 
ment 'it  the  community. 


JOHN  W.  PAGE. 

Practical  and  enterprising  in  his  work, 
John  W.  Page  is  successfully  carrying  on 
farming  on  section  30,  Colfax  township. 
■where  has  one  hundred  acres  of  land,  ad- 
joining the  village  of  Luther.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio,  born  May  23,  7845.  His 
father.  Benjamin  P>.  Page,  was  born  in  Bed- 
furd  county,  Virginia,  in  1812,  and  when 
a  yi  >ung  man  left  the  Old  Dominion,  estab- 
lishing his  home  in  Ohio.  He  there  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  H.  Crishin,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Page  followed  tann- 
ing in  the  Buckeye  state  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1864.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  and  reared  her  children,  living 
fi  ir  many  years  in  Clinton  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, near  the  old  home.  In  the  family 
were  eleven  children — rive  sons  and  six 
daughters — who  reached  mature  years  and 
the  sons  and  three  of  the  daughters  are  yet 
living. 

Mr.  Page  of  this  interview  spent  his 
boyhood  days  not  unlike  the  maimer  in 
which  most  lads  of  the  period  were  reared 
upon  the  farms.  He  enlisted  in  December, 
[861,  for  one  year's  service,  being  at  that 
time  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  lie 
joined  Company  1.  of  the  Sixtieth  Ohio 
Volunteer  Regiment  and  served  under  Gen- 
eral Fremont  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 
participating  in  the  battles  of  Cross  Keys, 
Harper's  Ferry  and   some  skirmishes.     He 


was  then  taken  prisoner  at  Harpers  Ferry 
in  the  fall  of  [862,  but  soon  afterward  was 
paroled  and  discharged  in  Chicago  in  the 
same  year. 

Mr.  Page  then  returned  home  and  later 
worked  at  bridge  carpentering  in  the  employ 
of  the  railroad  until  1870,  when  he  came 
to  Boone  county.  Iowa.  He  was  married 
in  Worth  township  of  this  county  on  the 
15th  of  December,  of  the  same  year,  the 
lady  of  his  choice  being  Catherine  Eppert, 
who  was  horn  in  Indiana  and  reared  in 
Boone  county,  having  been  brought  here 
in  [854,  when  a  child  of  one  year  by  her 
father,  Daniel  Eppert.  He  was  among  the 
first  that  entered  land  in  this  locality.  His 
birth  occurred  December  16,  1829,  in  Ohio, 
and  in  1832,  he  was  taken  to  Indiana,  where 
he  was  reared.  There  on  the  24th  of  June, 
1852.  he  wedded  Mary  J.  Huffman,  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  state.  In  Indiana  he  car- 
ried on  farming  for  a  number  of  vears  and 
in  1854  emigrated  westward  to  Boone 
county,  where  from  the  government  be  se- 
cured a  tract  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land,  which  in  course  of  time  be- 
came a  rich  and  fertile  farm.  Thereon  he 
reared  his  family  and  there  his  death  oc- 
curred March  22,  1886,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  in  June,  1900.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Page  began  their  domestic  life  upon  the  Ep- 
pert farm  and  after  a  year  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Colfax 
township,  operating  it  for  one  season,  lie 
then  removed  to  Des  Moines,  where  be  en- 
gaged in  business  for  a  number  of  years. 
(  )n  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  returned 
to  Boone  count),  bought  one  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  Worth  township,  and  continued 
it-  cultivation  for  sometime,  also  placing 
substantial   buildings     upon     the  property. 


54» 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


In  1892,  however,  he  sold  that  farm  and 
bought  the  one  on  which  he  is  now  living 
on  section  30,  Colfax  township.  Since  that 
time  he  has  remodeled  the  house,  has 
planted  fruit  and  shade  trees  and  added  to 
the  place  many  excellent  improvements, 
which  have  tended  to  make  this  one  of  the 
model   farms  of  the  community. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Airs.  Page  have  been  bom 
eight  children,  who  are  yet  living:  Mel- 
vin  E.,  a  resident  farmer  of  Garden  town- 
ship; Nellie,  the  wife  of  J.  B.  McClarnan, 
a  farmer  of  Worth  township;  H.  E..  who  is 
married  and  is  the  station  agent  and  tele- 
graph operator  at  Luther:  Minetta  at  home; 
Daniel  B.  and  Scot  D.,  who  areassisting  in 
the  1  >perati<  >n  of  the  hi  >me  farm  :  Raymond  : 
and  Emma.  The  political  support  of  Mr. 
Page  is  given  to  the  Republican  party  and  in 
r868  he  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  thus 
endorsing  the  candidacy  of  U.  S.  Grant.  At 
each  presidential  election  he  has  given  his 
support  to  Republican  principles.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Grand  Army  Post  at  Madrid 
and  takes  pleasure  in  recalling  the  scenes  of 
army  life  with  his  old  comrades.  Since  the 
fall  of  1N70  he  has  made  his  home  in  Boone 
county,  which  he  has  helped  to  improve  and 
develop  as  the  years  have  passed  by.  in 
manner  he  is  pleasant  and  genial  and  the 
qualities  of  an  upright  business  career  and 
of  a  sterling  character  have  gained  for  him 
the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  with 
whom  he  has  been  a--  iciated. 


GEORGE  (i.  YEAMAN. 

Although  Mr.  Yeaman  is  one  of  the 
younger  lawyers  practicing  at  the  Boone 
count}  bar,  his  years  do  not  seem  to  hamper 


his  capability  or  his  success  for  he  has  al- 
ready won  a  liberal  clientage  that  has  con- 
nected him  with  some  of  the  important  liti- 
gations tried  in  the  courts  of  his  district. 
He  was  born  in  Sugar  Valley,  Pennsylvania, 
on  the  21st  of  December,  1872,  and  is  a  son 
of  William  and  Barbara  (Gray)  Yeaman, 
the  former  a  native  of  Scotland  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Pennsylvania.  William  Yeaman  came 
to  America  fifty-eight  years  ago  and  took 
up  his  abode  in  the  Keystone  state,  whence 
he  removed  to  Minnesota  in  1879.  There 
he  remained  for  a  year  and  a  half  and  on 
the  expiration  of  that  period  located  in 
South  Dakota  in  1881,  securing  a  homestead 
and  tree  claim,  which  he  developed  into  a 
valuable  property.  He  is  now  living  a  re- 
tired life  in  De  Smet.  Kingsbury  count}-. 
Si  <uth  1  >ak<  ita.  At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war 
he  responded  to  the  call  of  his  adopted  coun- 
try for  aid  and  joined  the  Union  Army.  He 
has  been  twice  married,  his  first  union  being 
with  Miss  Renninger  by  whom  he  had  seven 
children,  as  follows:  James.  John,  William, 
Richard.  Anna.  Harry  and  McClellan.  For 
his  second  wife  Mr.  Yeaman  chose  Barbara 
Gray  and  they  also  had  seven  children: 
Arnelda,  Hiram,  George,  Joseph.  Samuel. 
Charles  and  Albert.  William  Yeaman.  a 
half  brother  of  our  subject,  is  now  living  in 
Coal  Valley,  Boone  county.  Joseph  Yea- 
man, a  brother  of  our  subject,  is  a  member 
of  Company  1.  First  South  Dakota  Volun- 
teers and  is  serving  his  country  in  the 
i  'hilippines. 

George  G.  Yeaman  was  a  hoy  of  only 
aboul  seven  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Minnesota  and  in  the  common 
scl Is  of  De  Smet  he  pursued  his  early  edu- 
cation, which  was  afterward  supplemented 
by  -tud\  in  the  Drake  University,  where  lie 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


349 


completed  the  course  with  the  class  of  1899. 
During  his  early  life  he  spent  eight  years  in 
Deadwood,  in  the  Black  Hills,  and  in  Wy- 
oming, having  a  position  with  the  Indian 

Scl I  Agency,  in  Sisseton,  South  Dakota. 

hi  [896  he  arrived  in  Boone  and  after  his 
admission  to  the  bar  began  the  practice  of 
lav.  here.  I  >n  the  4th  of  October,  1899,  he 
was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  various  state 
courts  and  has  won  creditable  success  in  his 
chosen  vocation.  His  mind  is  keenly  analy- 
tical and  his  trial  of  a  case  is  characterized 
by  strong  argument  and  ready  mastery  of 
all  p< lints  hearing  upon  his  suit. 

In  October,  180)9.  Mr.  Yeaman  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ruth  Evans,  of 
Bin  me.  and  they  now  have  an  interesting 
little  daughter,  Gladys  Ruth.  Their  home  is 
the  center  of  a  cultured  society  circle  and 
their  friends  in  the  community  are  man}-. 
Mr.  Yeaman  is  rapidly  winning  his  way  up- 
ward and  his  success  will  undoubtedly  come 
because  his  is  a  nature  that  never  could  be 
content  with  mediocrity. 


LOUIS  GOEPPINGER. 

Louis  Gceppinger,  the  senior  member  of 
the  firm  of  L.  &  H.  Gceppinger,  is  one  of  the 

pione.er  business  men  of  the  city  of  Boone, 
lie  is  a  native  of  Keutlingen.  Wurtemburg, 
Germany,  born  June  <>,  1829,  the  second 
child  of  Johannes  and  Katharine  (  Animer  ) 
Gceppinger.  lie  acquired  a  practical  educa- 
ti'  n  in  Germany,  then  learned  and  pursued 
the  trade  of  his  ancestors  who  had  been  tan- 
ners for  three  hundred  years.  In  the  year 
1849,  with  his  oldest  brother  Frederick,  he 
emigrated  in  America,  lauding  in  New  York 
city  on  the   iSth  of  April  in  that  year,     lie- 


went  to  Dauphin,  Pennsylvania,  a  town  on 
the  Susquehanna  river  eight  miles  above 
Harrisburg,  and  after  six  months  removed 
to  Allegheny  City.  The  incidents  of  this 
trip,  which  was  made  in  a  canal  boat  of  that 
time, — vessels  in  sections  for  the  purpose  of 
transfer  by  railway  over  the  inclined  planes 
across  the  Allegheny  mountain  region. — still 
linger  in  his  memory.  Stationary  engines  at 
the  apex  of  each  plane,  using  a  wire  cable 
coiled  about  a  huge  drum,  simultaneously 
raised  one  section  of  a  boat  and  lowered  an- 
other on  the  opposite  side.  The  length  of 
In-  journey  was  two  hundred  miles  and  re- 
quired five  days  time;  it  is  now  made  by  the 
railway  in  less  than  four  hours.  Working 
at  his  trade  and  husbanding  bis  earnings,  he 
eventually  established  a  tannery  of  his  own 
at  Malvern,  Ohio,  which  he  conducted  profit- 
ably until  1866,  when  he  disposed  of  it,  hav- 
ing spent  twenty-three  years  in  this  occupa- 
tion. Then  lie  removed  to  the  new  t>  >wn  1  if 
Boone,  Iowa,  which  has  been  his  abiding- 
place  continuously  since. 

Prior  to  this  removel  he  was  united  in 
marriage.  July  19.  1857,  at  Malvern,  Ohio, 
to  Catharine  LeBeau.  a  native  of  that  vil- 
lage, born  February  10,  1840,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  LeBeau.  who  was  a  native  of 
Landau,  Germany,  who  had  emigrated  to 
(  >1  io  and  carried  on  the  cooper's  trade  until 
his  death  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Louis  Gceppinger  have 
hem  born  the  following  children:  Mary, 
Mrs.  Fred.  Kengott,  of  San  Francisco;  John 
L. ;  Charles  11.:  F.  Louis  and  Emilie,  of 
Boone,  and  three  children  who  died  in  in- 
fanc)  . 

When  Louis  <  Iceppinger  came  to  I'-  *  me 
In-  was  offered  land  at  his  own  price.  A  sea 
of  waving  grass  rested  upon  tin-  earth  from 


35o 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  Northwestern  railway  tracks  to  the  ex- 
treme northern  limits  of  the  state  and  far 
out  into  the  "Land  of  the  Dakotas"  where 
the  Indian  and  the  buffalo  were  the  sole  in- 
habitants. All  this  vast  expanse  up  to  the 
base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  is  now  the 
home  of  an  industrious  and  happy  people. 
He  witnessed  the  sale  of  lots  on  Story,  the 
principal  business  streets  of  Boone,  at  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  each,  like 
property  now  being  cheap  at  six  thousand 
dollars.  ^  ith  this  development  he  has  keen 
prominently  identified  from  the  date  of  his 
arrival  in  [866,  when  in  company  with  his 
brother  Henry  he  opened  the  leather  store 
of  L.  &  H.  Gceppinger  in  a  modest  frame 
building,   with   an   equally   modest   stock   of 

g Is.     He  is  now  the  oldest  business  man  in 

Boone,  and  the  house  is  the  oldest  saddlery 
establishment  in  the  state. 

He  was  one  of  the  first  stockholders  in 
the  City  Bank,  ami  for  many  years,  as  he  is 
now.  its  vice-president,  be  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  improvement  of  real  estate 
in  the  town  and  country  ;  his  linn's  hem-  the 
first  three-front,  substantial  business  block 
on  Story  street,  lie  was  also  active  in  the 
construction  of  the  ( ierman  Lutheran  church 
building,  and  of  the  congregation  he  has 
long  been  a  consistent  member.  All  that  be 
has  undertaken  he  has  carried  to  successful 
completion,  brooking  no  hindrance  which 
could  be  overcome  by  determined  effort  and 
honorable  attack,  lie  has  witnessed  many 
changes  in  business  methods  in  this  region, 
as  well  a-  in  i's  landed  development,  and  has 
adapted  himself  to  these  with  true  American 
facility.  When  he  came  over  the  seas  in  '40 
in  the  sailing  vessel  Luconia,  he  was  forty- 
nine  days  on  the  water,  and.  the  passage  was 
rough.     In   1  S<>  1  he  was  one  of  ,(  party  of 


six  who  paid  a  visit  to  Germany  to  survey 
the  scenes  of  his  youth.  The  vessel  which 
carried  them  over  was  the  "Columbia"  of 
the  Hamburg- American  line,  and  she  made 
the  trip  in  six  days.  After  four  months  of 
unalloyed  enjoyment  he  was  happy  to  again 
set  foot  upon  the  land  of  his  adoption. 

Though  always  a  busy  man.  he  has  found 
tunc  to  encourage  education  and  good  morals 
in  the  community  in  which  he  resides.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  school  beard  of 
Boone  for  three  terms,  and  has  lent  his  pres- 
ence, counsel  and  encouragement  to  every 
good  work  which  has  commanded  the  atten- 
tion of  this  people.  His  rugged  frame  ami 
strong  yet  kindly  countenance  are  frequent- 
ly seen  in  the  convocations  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens, or  beaming  with  friendly  look  upon  the 
young.  Withal,  the  years  have  deaU  lightly 
with  him,  "the  period  of  the  sear,  the  yellow 
leaf"  has  been  deferred,  and  be  lives  to  en- 
joy tne  product  of  his  care,  the  esteem  of 
his  friends  and  the  affection  of  his  intimates. 

In  these  sketches  of  the  Goeppinger  and 
other  German  families  one  is  again  reminded 
of  the  value  of  such  immigration  from  the 
fatherland,  bringing  so  much  of  prudence, 
sagacity,  perseverance  and  sterling  integrity 
to  this  country  of  new  lands,  wider  oppor- 
tunities, full  civil  and  religious  freedom,  and. 
mingling  with  those  already  here,  forming 
a  more  perfect  nation.  To  such  is  due  in  no 
inconsiderable  measure  the  marvelous  de- 
velopment of  the  greal  west,  and  their  mem- 
ories and  their  deeds  shall  livi  after  them. 


JOHN  I..  GOEPPINGEI 
John  I..  I  roeppinj 

life,  is  an  active  fact 
die  city  ot  Boone.     I 


ow  in  the  prime  of 

the  business  life  of 
is  In  .111  at  Malvern. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Ohio.  Juno  5,  1862,  the  son  of  Louis  and 
Catharine  (LeBeau)  Gceppinger,  who  are 
of  <  ierman  parentage.  When  four  years  old 
he  migrated  with  his  parents  to  Boo  ne,  towa. 
In  due  season  he  entered  the  public  schools 
of  the  town,  passed  through  the  several 
grades,  entered  the  high  school  and  was 
graduated  in  1880  in  the  first  class  ever 
turned  out,  consisting  of  seven  members,  of 
vi  h  'in  he  \\  as  si  tie  representative  1  >f  the  male 
sex.  Shortly  after  he  went  to  Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania,  and  entered  Duff's  Commer- 
cial College  in  that  city,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  [881. 

Returning  home  he  immediately  entered 
upon  his  commercial  career  in  the  firm  of 
L.  &  H.  Gceppinger,  composed  of  his  father 
anu  uncle,  with  which  firm  he  now  remains. 
In  the  twenty-one  years  of  his  engagement 
in  this  house  he  rose  rapidly  in  the  busi- 
ness, and  has  been  for  many  years  the  man- 
ager of  this  extensive  enterprise,  capably 
conducting  its  affairs  and  having  general 
oversight.  This  success  has  required  on  the 
the  part  of  John  L.  close  and  careful  atten- 
tion but  the  studious  habits  contracted  while 
a  student  and  his  well  known  record  as  a 
pupil  naturally  pointed  him  out  among 
his  neighbors  for  the  graver  duties  of  edu- 
cational direction  when  he  had  reached  full 
manhood.  He  was  for  nine  consecutive 
years  a  member  of  the  board  of  school  di- 
rector-, and  for  three  subsequent  years  its 
president.  lie  advocated  and  helped  to  se- 
cure the  consolidation  of  the  school  districts 
of  Boone  and  Boonesboro.  Quoting  from  the 

Boone  School  Manual,  a  1 k  published  in 

1896,  inder  the  title  "Historical  Sketch  of 
Boone  Schools."  "This  young  man  got  into 
the  Ik. hit  of  hcing  in  the  front  rank-  and  the 
habit  clings  to  him.     First  alumnus  of  the 


school,  he  was  the  first  graduate  to  he  placed 
upon  the  school  hoard,  and  the  first  graduate 
to  he  elected  president  of  that  honorable 
body." 

But  as  though,  the  perplexities  of  this 
educational  supervision,  in  a  district  employ- 
ing fift)  or  more  instructors,  might  possiby 
fail  of  giving  him  diversified  occupation 
sufficient  to  supply  his  hunger  for  hard  work, 
his  business  neighbors  of  Boone  made  him 
president  of  their  association  ;  and  other  calls 
required  him  upon  the  directorship  of  the 
City  Bank,  the  Security  Savings  Bank,  the 
Public  Library,  with  occasional  calls  in  other 
advisory  positions  where  public  interests 
were  involved.  The  public  is  sometimes  un- 
v  ittingly  exacting  where  it  finds  a  man  with 
capacity  and  an  obliging  disposition,  and  in 
the  case  of  our  subject  drew  too  strongly 
upon  his  endurance.  So  it  came  about  that 
he  sought  a  temporary  vacation  in  1891  by 
accompanying  his  father  and  several  others, 
a  party  of  six.  in  a  visit  to  the  former  land 
of  his  father  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  and 
other  states  of  Europe,  in  which  delightful 
and  educational  occupation  he  obtained  a 
restoration  of  health  and  several  months  of 
recreatii  m. 

On  June  24,  1896,  Mr,  Gceppinger  was 
married  to  Miss  Ella,  daughter  of  Julius  and 
Elizabeth  (Shauwecker)  Groetzinger,  the 
wedding  being  solemnized  at  Allegheny  City, 
Pennsylvania.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Reutlingen,  Germany,  born  February  6, 
1831;  and  is  still  living;  her  mother,  born 
July  31,  [837,  at  Columbiana,  Ohio,  died 
March  29,  [890,  at  the  age  of  nearly  sixty- 
three  years.  John  L  Gceppinger's  mar- 
riage lias  been  blessed  with  the  birth  of 
three  children:  Julius  Louis,  horn  May  9, 
1898;    Allied    Henry,    born    December    25, 


35- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1899;  and  Katharine  Louise,  born  January 
2,  1902.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ( Iceppinger  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  church. 

If  John  L.  Gceppinger's  life  is  extended 
to  man's  allotted  span  of  which  there  is  m  1 
present  evidence  to  the  contrary,  he  will  lie- 
come  still  further  distinguished  in  the  lines 
of  his  chosen  work.  His  habits  are  fixed  and 
repose  upon  the  firm  foundations  of  justice. 
honor  and  consideration  for  the  rights  of 
all.  He  is  sagacious,  industrious,  kindly, 
with  a  cheerful  social  disposition  which 
views  the  success  of  others  without  marring 
his  own  enjoyment.  There  is  no  ladder  of 
success  so  high  as  to  carry  him  beyond  the 
regard  <  if  his  old  friends,  or  from  the  heights 
of  which  he  will  be  unable  to  look  back  and 
give  them  his  smile  of  cheerful  recognition. 


[OHN  J.  DANA. 


John  J.  Dana,  one  of  the  thrifty  tanners 
of  Union  township,  was  born  in  Washington 
county,  Maine.  June  8,  1833.  and  is  a  son 
of  William  1).  and  Mary  E.  Dana.  Upon 
the  home  farm  our  subject  was  reared.  In 
Ins  youth  he  entered  the  common  schools  of 
the  neighborhood  and  when  he  had  acquired 
his  preliminary  knowledge  he  entered  the 
Bridgewater  State  Normal  School  of  Massa- 
chusetts, in  which  institution  he  was  grad- 
uated with  the  elass  of  [854.  Later  he  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  the  old  Bay  state  for  a 
number  of  terms.  Subsequently  he  followed 
the  same  profession  in  Maine  and  Dwa.  I  lis 
attention  was  entirel)  given  to  educational 
work  through  the  winter  months  while  in 
the  summer  seasons  he  carried  on  farming. 
1    1    r86'?  witnessed  his  rem<  val  From 


the  Pine  Tree  state  to  the  Mississippi  valley 
and  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Macoupin  coun- 
ty. Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for 
a  year.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
removed  to  Chicago  and  was  employed  in 
the  stock  yards  for  a  year.  In  1865  he  ar- 
rived in  Iowa,  settling  first  in  Jones  county 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  four  years. 

Mr.  Dana  came  to  Boone  county  in  1869. 
He  had  previously  visited  this  county  in  the 
fall  of  [868  and  had  purchased  the  land 
which  he  now  owns,  settling  thereon  the  fol- 
lowing year.  He  first  built  a  little  shanty  in 
which  he  lived  while  performing  the  initial 
labor  of  the  farm  transforming  the  once  wild 
prairie  into  a  rich  and  lovely  place.  In 
course  of  time,  however,  the  pioneer  home 
was  replaced  by  a  good  residence  and  barns 
were  also  built.  Forest  and  fruit  trees  have 
been  planted  and  many  substantial  improve- 
ments have  been  made  indicating  the  pro- 
gressive and  practical  spirit  of  the  owner. 

Mr.  Dana  went  to  Massachusetts  in  [858 
and  was  married  in  that  state  in  the  month 
of  April  to  Sarah  E.  Warren,  whose  birth 
there  occurred.  She  was  to  him  a  faithful 
companion  and  helpmate  on  life's  journey 
for  almost  thirt\  years  and  her  many  excel- 
lencies (.f  character  gained  for  her  the  warm 
regard  of  a  large  circle  of  friends.  <  >n  the 
6th  of  December,  iSS-.  she  was  called  t"  her 
final  rest  and  her  remains  were  interred  in 
Fairview  cemetery.  Six  children  were  bom 
of  that  marriage:  W.  A.,  who  is  married 
and  makes  his  home  in  St.  Paul.  Minnesota; 
Charles  i...  a  resident  farmer  of  Union 
township,  Boone  count}  ;  George  G.,  a  me- 
mployed  in  the  J.  I.  Case  \v<  >rks,  of 
Racine.  Wisconsin;  Anna  C,  the  wif< 
A.  Jewell,  of  Union  township;  Charlotte  W.. 
who  1-  a  trained  nurse  of  Boston,  Massachu- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


353 


setts;  and  Mar}'  A.,  who  is  a  successful 
teacher  of  Wisconsin.  After  the  death  of 
his  first  wife,  Air.  Dana  returned  to  Maine 
and  was  there  a  second  time  married,  on  the 
29th  1  f  January.  [891,  the  lady  of  his  choice 
being  Alary  Sophronia  Gates,  who  was  bom 
in  Washington  county  of  the  Pine  Tree 
state.  She  had  at  one  time  been  a  pupil  of 
Air.  Dana  and  subsequently  became  a  teach- 
er, while  still  later  she  became  connected 
with  a  mercantile  establishment.  Air.  Dana 
is  a  member  of  the  Unitarian  church  while 
his  wife  belongs  tn  the  Episcopalian  church. 
Hi-  life  has  been  a  busy,  useful  and  active- 
one.  As  an  educator  he  imparted  clearly 
and  concisely  to  others  the  knowledge  that 
he  had  acquired.  As  a  farmer  he  has  been 
progressive  and  industrious  and  in  all  of  his 
business  affairs  he  has  been  reliable  and 
trustworthy.  He  is  now  numbered  among 
the  old  settlers  of  the  county,  having  since 
1869  resided  within  its  borders,  covering  a 
period  of  thirty-three  years. 

Study  of  the  political  issues  and  questions 
that  gave  rise  to  the  two  old  parties  has  led 
Air.  Dana  to  give  his  political  support  to  the 
Republican  party  and  his  first  presidential 
vote  was  cast  for  John  C.  Fremont  in  1856. 
lie  was  elected  and  served  for  two  years  as 
county  surveyor  and  in  the  township  he  has 
filled  the  portions  of  trustee  and  assessor 
and  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  school 
board  for  a  number  of  years.  His  labors 
have  been  effective  in  promoting  the  general 
welfare.  He  has  ever  been  found  as  a  mosl 
loyal  officer  and  over  the  record  of  his  pub- 
lic career  and  private  life  there  falls  no 
shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion  of  evil.  He 
has  been  a  delegate  to  a  number  of  conven- 
tions in  his  party  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  prominent  Republicans  of  the  locality. 


CHARLES  A.  UPTON. 

For  thirty-one  years  Charles  A.  Upton 
has  resided  in  Boone  county  and  is  widely 
acquainted  within  its  borders,  where  he  is 
recognized  as  a  valued  citizen  and  a  pro- 
gressive fanner.  He  was  born  in  Jo  Daviess 
county.  Illinois,  on  the  1st  of  May,  t868,  and 
is  a  son  of  Albert  Edward  ami  Henrietta 
(Dellate)  Upton.  His  father  was  born  in 
Vermont  and  when  about  four  years  of  age 
became  a  resident  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  and 
from  there  removed  to  Jo  Daviess  county, 
Illinois,  in  the  year  1862,  and  through  the 
succeeding  decade  he  was  there  engaged  in 
farming  with  a  fair  degree  of  success.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  came  to 
Boone  county,  locating  on  a  farm  in  Beaver 
township.  He  afterward  purchased  some 
land  and  became  one  of  the  largest  land  own- 
ers in  his  township.  A  few  years  ago  he  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Ogden,  where  he  has 
since  lived  retired  and  his  rest  is  well 
merited,  as  his  life  of  industry  should  be 
crowned  by  a  period  of  ease.  He  and  his 
wife  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  the 
eldest  being  Charles  A.,  of  this  review.  The 
others  are:  George  H.,  who  resides  upon 
his  father's  farm  in  Beaver  township;  L.  L., 
who  is  also  living  on  that  farm;  and  one  that 
died  in  infancy. 

Under  the  paternal  roof  Charles  A.  Up- 
ton spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth. 
1  fe  was  but  four  years  of  age  when  the  fam- 
ily came  to  Boone  county  and  upon  the  home 
farm  he  continued  to  remain  until  he  had 
reached  man's  estate,  when  he  removed  to 
Sioux  City,  Iowa,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
constructing  the  grade  for  a  railroad  com- 
pany. This  work  occupied  his  attention  for 
three  months  and  he  then  took  a  contract  for 


-354 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


doing  some  work  for  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  at  Cherokee,  Iowa.  On 
the  expiration  of  another  three  months  he 
sold  his  grading  outfit  and  was  then  engaged 
in  buying  and  training  race-horses  and  in 
racing  them  thn  >ugh(  >ut  this  part  of  the  state. 
Thus  three  years  passed  by,  during  which 
time  Mr.  Upton  also  devoted  some  attention 
to  the  operation  of  a  threshing  machine  in 
this  section;  in  fact,  he  followed  the  latter 
business  for  six  years,  lie  to-day  owns  two 
hundred  and  thirteen  acres  of  well  improved 
land  on  section  u.  Beaver  township,  and  his 
time  and  energies  are  devoted  to  general 
farming,  his  well  tilled  fields  indicating  him 
to  be  a  man  of  practical  views  and  progres- 
sive ideas. 

In  i  So  i  Mr.  I 'ill'"1  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Annie  C.  Flannery  a  daughter 
of  Thomas  Flannery  who  was  horn  in  Kil- 
kenny county,  Ireland,  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica at  an  early  day.  residing  in  Clinton  coun- 
ty until  [898,  when  he  came  to  Beaver  town- 
ship, this  county,  and  was  engaged  in  farm 
ing  for  a  short  time,  lie  then  removed  to 
Boone,  where  he  is  now  living  in  honorable 
retirement  front  labor.  Ills  wife,  who  bore 
th;  maiden  name  of  Annie  Ihennan.  was 
also  a  native  of  treland  and  her  death  oc- 
curred on  the  29th  of  March.  [901.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Upton  have  been  born  four 
children:  Grace  Edna,  horn  in  [892;  Maud 
Marie,  born  in  [895;  Henrietta  and  Albert 
Edward   I  twins  ).  horn   March  9,    [902. 

Mr.  Upton  has  studied  the  political  situ- 
ation of  the  country  and  the  issues  of  the  day 
have  led  him  to  ally  his  strength  with  the 
Republican  party,  for  he  has  firm  faith  in  its 
principles.  For  six  years  Ik  served  as  road 
supervisor  in  hi-  township  and  is  now  filling 
the  position  of  president  of  the  school  board 


in  his  district.  Having  long  resided  in  this 
portion  of  the  state.  Air.  Upton  is  widely 
known  and  his  circle  of  friends  is  almost  co- 
extensive with  the  circle  of  his  acquaint- 
ances. 1  lis  life  record  is  of  such  a  character 
as  to  commend  him  to  public  confidence  and 
regard,  and  with  pleasure  we  present  his  his- 
ti  in  b  1  our  readers. 


MOSES  BAKER. 

Moses  Baker,  who  for  eighteen  years 
has  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace 
and  is  known  as  one  of  the  leading  and 
highly  respected  citizens  of  Jackson  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Schuylkill  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, on  the  25th  of  November,  1829; 
and  is  descended  from  good  old  Revolu- 
tionary stock.  His  paternal  grandfather 
was  horn  in  Germany*  and  had  been  here 
hut  a  short  time  when  hostilities  were  begun 
resulting  in  the  achievement  of  .American  in- 
dependence. I  le  joined  the  army  and  aided 
in  the  cause  of  liberty.  His  sou.  William 
Baker,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born 
in  Berks  county.  Pennsylvania,  and  in  early 
life  engaged  in  working  in  the  coal  mines, 
but  later  turned  his  attention  to  farming. 
In  the  -tale  of  his  nativity  he  married  Chris- 
tina Benzinger,  who  was  born  in  Schuylkill 
county,  Pennsylvania.  In  1834  he  removed 
to  \\  ayne  county,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased 
land,  thereon  spending  his  remaining  days, 
his  death,  occurring  when  he  was  about 
eighty-three  years  of  age.  Ills  wife  passed 
awa\  when  about  the  same  age.  Mr.  Baker 
was  a  very  industrious,  enterprising  man 
and  a  good  citizen.  He  gave  his  political 
suppi  rl  to  the  Democratic  party  and  while 


MOSES   BAKER. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


357 


not  a  member  of  any  church  he  rather  en- 
dorsed the  teachings  and  principles  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  his  family 
were  sixteen  children,  nine  sons  and  seven 
daughters,  all  of  whom  reached  years  of  ma- 
turity with  the  exception  of  one  who  died 
at  the  age  of  eleven  years.  Fourteen  of  the 
family  are  still  living. 

Moses  Baker,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  was  reared  to  manhood  in 
Wayne  county.  Ohio,  whither  he  went  with 

his  parents  during  his  boyh 1  days.    There 

he  pursued  his  education  in  the  subscription 
schools,  for  there  were  110  common  schools 
at  that  time.  The  first  schoolhouse  in  which 
he  was  a  student  was  a  log  structure  with  a 
puncheon  floor,  while  benches  were  made  of 
slabs  placed  upon  wooden  pins.  The  heat- 
ing was  furnished  by  an  immense  fireplace 
and  the  methods  of  instruction  were  very 
primitive.  His  training  at  farm  work,  how- 
ever, was  not  limited,  for  he  assisted  his  fa- 
ther in  the  arduous  task  of  developing  a  new 
farm  in  the  midst  of  the  forest.  Not  only 
one  hut  four  farms  were  cleared  in  this  way, 
ami  .Mr.  Baker  remained  with  his  parents 
upon  the  old  homestead  until  he  was  twenty- 
tw( '  years  1  A  age.  when  he  hired  out  h  1  w  < irk 
as  a  farm  hand  for  eleven  dollars  per  mouth. 
He  was  thus  employed  for  eight  months 
during  which  time  he  saved  his  earnings  and 
afterward  made  his  first  purchase  of  land. 
hut  in  the  meantime  he  had  rented  a  farm 
f(  ir  nine  years  befi  ire  buying.  In  his  twenty- 
fourth  year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Feazel,  who  was  horn  in  <  )hio  and 
died  aboul  rime  years  after  her  marriage, 
leaving  no  children.  Subsequently  he 
wedded  Lurinda  J.  Dunmire.  In  [866 
they  came  to  Boone  count}-.  Iowa,  and  lived 
in    the    cit)    of     Boone     for    about   eighteen 


months.  Mr.  Baker  then  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land  north  of  the  courthouse,  on 
which  was  considerable  timber.  He  paid  1  me 
hundred  and  eighty  dollars  for  this  property, 
from  which  he  sold  five  hundred  dollars' 
worth  of  cord-wood.  He  also  made  other 
sales  which  were  profitable,  and  then  sold 
his  farm  for  eight  hundred  dollars.  In  Jan- 
uary, 1  So-,  he  purchased  his  present  farm, 
upon  which  he  took  up  his  abode  in  [8/2. 
This  was  all  raw  land  and  he  at  once  began 
making  improvements.  He  could  only  see 
a  few  houses  scattered  here  and  there  over 
the  prairie  at  the  time  of  his  arrival,  but  he 
has  lived  to  witness  remarkable  changes  in 
the  county  as  settlers  have  arrived  and  re- 
claimed the  wild  land  for  purposes  of  civili- 
zation. He  still  operates  the  home  farm 
here,  owning  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
and,  in  other  localities  he  has  owned  other 
farms. 

\fter  locating  in  Boone  Mr.  Baker  was 
called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  sec- 
ond wife,  who  died  leaving  two  sons  and 
two  daughters  :  Grant,  who  is  now  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law  in  Boone;  Ernes;.  who 
is  also  an  attorney  practicing  in  Barberton, 
Ohio;  .Vim?.  C,  the  wife  of  James  Dull,  of 
Medina  county.  Ohio;  and  Cora  A.,  the  wife 
of  Albert  Smalley,  of  Boone  count}-.  Iowa. 
For  his  third  wife  Mr.  Baker  chose  Sarah 
A.  Shields,  who  was  born  in  Tama  county. 
Iowa,  and  unto  this  marriage  were  born  four 
sons  audi  three  daughters,  as  follows  Sam 
uel  \Y..  William  II.,  Roscoe  S..  i\us>dl  I'... 
Ada  1...  Aha  M.  and  Minnie  E.  Of  this 
number  Samuel  \Y.  married  Miss  Dove  Mil- 
ler, of  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  and  he  has  en- 
gaged in  teaching  school  for  two  terms  and 
has  also  followed  carpentering  to  some  ex- 
tent. 


35* 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL-  RECORD. 


Mr.  Baker  lias  led  a  very  busy,  useful 
and  active  life  and  has  succeeded  in  gain- 
ing a  comfortable  competence.  He  filled  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  sixteen  con- 
secutive years  and  after  an  interval  was 
again  elected,  serving  another  term  of  two 
years,  making  eighteen  years  in  all.  He 
then  positively  declined  to  fill  the  position 
longer.  He  proved  a  most  capable  officer, 
his  decisions  being  just  and  impartial.  He 
has  likewise  filled  other  local  positions,  and 
has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican  in  pol- 
itics since  the  organization  of  the  party.  In 
his  religious  views  he  is  a  Methodist,  belong- 
ing to  the  church  in  Boone.  Mr.  Baker  has 
now  passed  the  seventieth  milestone  on  life's 
journey,  but  is  still  an  active  factor  in  agri- 
cultural circles  and  is  accounted  one  of  the 
progressive  and  representative  farmers  of 
his  adopted  county. 


J<  i.M-.IMI  B.  BARNETT. 

From  the  age  of  fifteen  years  to  the  pres- 
ent time  Joseph  B.  Barnett  has  been  depend- 
ent Upon  his  own  resources  and  well  may  he 
be  called  a  sell -made  man  for  his  success  has 
resulted  from  his  untiring  labor,  persever- 
ance and  capable  management.  I  le  was  In  u  11 
in  Cynthiana,  Kentucky,  December  14.  1N44, 
and  i-  a  son  of  James  B.  and  l.ettie  (Mc- 
I  lonell  )  Barnett,  the  former  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia and  the  latter  of  Scotch  descent.  In 
his  early  days  the  father  accompanied  his 
parents  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky  and 
when  our  subject  was  three  years  of  age  re- 
moved to  Jackson  county.  Missouri,  where 
he  followed  fanning  throughout  the  remain- 
der of  his  active  business  career,  making  a 


specialty  of  the  raising  of  flax  and  tobacco. 
He  also  filled  the  position  of  Indian  agent  in 
district.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  superior 
education  and  ability  and  exerted  a  strongly 
felt  influence  among  his  fellow  men.  His 
life  was  ever  upright  and  honorable  and  he 
was  a  minister  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 
His  death  occurred  when  he  was  seventy- 
four  years  of  age  and  his  wife  passed  away 
at  the  age  of  sixty-nine.  In  their  family 
were  h\t-  children,  two  sons  and  three 
daughters:  Ann,  wife  of  John  F.  Elbert; 
Joseph  B. :  Nancy;  James;  and  Sarah. 

When  only  fifteen  years  of  age  Joseph 
Ik  Barnett  left  home  and  went  to  California 
in  search  of  a  fortune.  He  remained  on  the 
Pacific  coast  for  seven  years  and  then  re- 
turned to  the  Mississippi  valley  but  again 
went  to  California  and  continued  there  until 
1872.  That  year  witnessed  his  arrival  in 
Iowa  where  he  found  employment  with  the 
Hawkeye  Insurance  Company  until  1881. 
and  from  the  latter  year  until  1885  he  was  a 
resident  of  Crawford  county,  this  state.  In 
September.  1885,  he  came  to  Boone  and  en- 
gaged  in  raising  Poland  China  hogs,  being 
the  first  man  to  introduce  that  breed  into 
this  count).  He  also  originated  the  Hawk- 
eye  herd  of  Roland  China  hogs,  which  he 
later  sold  to  A.  J.  Benson  of  O'Brien  coun- 
ty, Iowa,  in  1892.  From  1896  until  July, 
[899,  Mr.  Barnett  was  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  in  Boone,  and  in  the  latter 
year  he  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the 
Boone  County  Democrat,  but  a  year  later  he 
sold  out.  I  le  then  again  turned  his  attention 
to  the  real-estate  business,  which  he  is  still 
conducting,  controlling  some  valuable  and 
desirable  property  and  negotiating  may  im- 
portant  real-estate  transactions. 

(  In  the    28th  of    December,     1882,  Mr. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Barnett  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  C.  Snodgrass,  a  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
I.  VV.  Snodgrass,  of  Boone.  He  is  a  valued 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  frater- 
nity, belonging  to  Boonesboro  Lodge.  No. 
324.  He  is  a  member  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Business  Men's  Association 
and  in  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  His  life 
has  been  <>ne  of  continuous  activity,  in  which 
he  has  been  accorded  due  recognition  of 
labor;  and  to-day  he  is  numbered  among  the 
substantial  citizens  of  his  county.  His  in- 
terests are  thoroughly  identified  with  those 
of  the  m  irthwest,  and  at  all  times  he  is  ready 
to  lend  his  aid  and  co-operation  to  any 
movement  calculated  to  benefit  this  section 
of  the  country  or  advance  its  wonderful  de- 
velopment. 


BURR  BOUTON. 

Mr.  Bouton  has  been  a  resident  of 
Boone  county  for  comparatively  a  brief  per- 
iod, arriving  in  1890,  but  already  he  has 
gained  a  wide  acquaintance  and  the  friend- 
ship of  many  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact  has  been  extended  to  him  in  recogni- 
tion of  his  worth.  He  lives  on  section  34, 
Peoples  township.  A  native  of  Illinois,  he 
was  born  in  Peoria  county,  October  12, 
1846.  His  father,  Jehiel  Bouton,  was  born 
in  Xew  York  in  1807  and  in  the  year  1817 
accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal 
to  Ohio,  the  family  having  been  one  of  the 
:;:-i  to  locate  in  the  section  of  the  state 
which  they  made  their  home.  There  amid 
the  wild  scenes  of  the  frontier  Jehiel  Bou- 
ton was  reared  and  experienced  many  of  the 
hardships  and  difficulties  of  pioneer  life. 
Again,  however,  be  became  identified    with 


pioneer  experiences,  for  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Peoria  county.  Illinois,  when  the 
work  of  improvement  was  just  being  begun 
there.  He  was  married  in  Princeville,  that 
ci  unty,  to  Miss  Hannah  L.  Hall,  who  was 
born  and  reared  in  <  >hio.  Mr.  Bouton  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade  and  although  he  worked 
at  that  pursuit  to  a  limited  extent  he  also 
owned  and  operated  a  taim,  upon  which  L.e 
reared  his  family.  Prom  the  time  of  his 
removal  to  Illinois  until  bis  demise  he  con- 
tinued a  resident  of  Peoria  county  and 
there  died  in  the  year  1885.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  for  several  years  and  passed 
away  in  September,  1900.  This  worthy 
couple  were  the  parents  of  seven  children 
who  reached  man  and  womanhood,  three 
sons  and  four  daughters.  The  eldest  son 
was  James  Bouton,  now  a  resident  of  Dallas 
county,  where  he  fo.'icws  farming;  Burr  is 
the  next  younger;  Warren  is  a  business 
man  of  Princeville,  Illinois.  The  sisters 
are:  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  William 
Spears,  of  Pekin,  Illinois;  Amanda,  the 
wife  of  Jacob  Cox,  of  Adair,  Iowa:  Mary, 
who  was  married  and  died  leaving  one  son, 
Herbert  Savage;  and  Julia,  the  wife  of  Burt 
Harden,  of  Peoria,  Illinois. 

In  the  county  of  his  nativity  Burr  Bou- 
ton was  reared,  spending  his  life  upon  the 
home  farm  where  the  work  of  field  and 
meadow  early  became  familiar  to  him 
thiough  practical  experience.  In  the  win- 
ter months  he  attended  the  common  schools 
and  thus  gained  a  good  knowledge  of  the 
common  branches  of  English  learning.  lie 
remained  with  his  father  until  he  had 
reached    man's    estate   and    then    Started    out 

in  life  for  himself.  Coming  to  Iowa  he 
worked  for  about  a  year  in  Wapello  county 
and   then   returned   to   Peoria     county,  lib- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


nois,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until 
1871.  In  that  year  he  again  came  to  Iowa, 
this  time  settling  in  Taylor  county,  where 
he  spent  two  years.  Next  he  again  located 
in  the  county  of  his  nativity,  where  he  was 
employed  until  1876. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Bouton  was  mar- 
ried in  Stark  county,  Illinois,  on  the  18th 
of  December,  1873,  to  Sarah  E.  Hull,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  that  county  and  who  was  a 
teacher  prior  to  her  marriage.  The  young 
couple  took  up  their  abode  upon  a  farm  in 
Peoria  county,  where  they  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1S76,  at  which  time  they  became 
residents  of  Keokuk  county.  Iowa.  For 
four  years  Mr.  Bouton  was  identified  with 
farming  interests  there  and  then  removed  to 
Dallas  county  where  he  operated  a  rented 
fawn  near  Woodward  for  two  years.  He 
then  purchased  fifty-three  and  one-half 
acres  of  land  in  Dallas  county  and  devel- 
oped the  place  into  an  excellent  property. 
He  continued  to  plow  and  plant  the  fields 
there  with  good  results  for  eight  years  and 
also  rented  a  farm  there,  running  it  in  addi- 
tion to  his  home  property.  In  June,  1889, 
he  purchased  his  present  farm  on  section  34. 
Peoples  town-hip,  and  the  following  season 
established  his  home  here.  He  built  a  -mall 
house  and  began  to  improve  his  land. 
Later  he  made  additions  to  and  remodeled 
the  house  and  now  has  a  good  farm  resi-- 
dence  together  with  a  large  bam  and  all 
other  necessary  outbuilding-.  He  ha-  since 
purchased  an  additional  tract  of  sixty  acres 
of  land  on  section  1.;.  and  tin-  1-  now  occu- 
pied by  his  son.  Mr.  Bouton's  long  exper- 
ience as  an  agriculturist  ha-  made  him  well 
qualified  to  carry  on  the  work  which  he  is 
now  undertaking  and  in  which  he  has  met 
with  creditable  and  satisfactory  su< 


The  home  of  our  subject  and  his  wife- 
has  been  blessed  with  four  children:  Xew- 
ton,  who  is  married  and  is  operating  his 
father's  land;  Orpha.  the  wife  of  Fred 
Wernhil,  a  resident  farmer  of  Peoples 
township;  Delia,  a  well  educated  young  lady 
who  is  now  an  able  teacher  of  the  county; 
and  James,  who  assists  his  father  in  the  op- 
eration of  the  home  farm.  Mr.  Bouton 
has  been  able  to  supply  his  family  with  a 
very  comfortable  living  and  a  good  home 
all  through  his  own  well  directed  efforts  and 
the  assistance  of  his  estimable  wife. 

He  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  views 
and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  school 
board  but  otherwise  has  held  no  public  of- 
lice.  lie  and  his  wife  .arc  identified 
through  membership  relations  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  One  b)  one 
Mr.  Bouton  has  seen  the  evidences  of  front- 
ier life  displaced  by  the  work  of  progress 
and  improvement  as  it  has  been  successfully 
carried  forward.  He  has  aided  in  laying 
broad  and  deep  foundation  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  sections  of  [owa  in  which  he  has 
lived  and  now  be  1-  classed  among  the  rep- 
resentative and  esteemed  citizen-  of  Peoples 
township. 


ADAM   BEITER. 


Adam  Heiter.  who  is  ,  me  of  the  active 
business  men  of  Boone,  having  been  closely 
associated  with  it-  commercial  interests 
through  the  greater  part  of  the  time  for 
twenty-two  years,  dates  his  residence  in  Iowa 
from  January,  [869.  He  is  a  native  of  In- 
diana, his  birth  having  occurred  in  Misha- 
waka,  St.  I  seph  county,  February  23,  1849. 
His  father,  Barnhart  Beiter,  was  a  native  of 


ADAM    BKII'KK. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


363 


Germany,  but  when  a  young  child  was 
brought  to  America  and  was  -reared,  edu- 
cated and  married  in  St.  Joseph  county,  In- 
diana. There  he  carried  on  farming  and 
reared  his  family,  but  afterward  removed  to 
Michigan,  where  he  spent  his  remaining 
days. 

Adam  Beiter,  of  this  review,  continued 
under  the  parental  roof  during  the  period 
of  his  minority.  He  had  but  limited  school 
privileges  and  is  largely  a  self-educated  and 
self-made  man,  having  depended  upon  his 
own  resources  from  an  early  period.  He 
learned  the  baker's  trade  in  South  Bend, 
Indiana,  and  afterward  removed  to  Terre 
Haute,  that  state,  where  he  worked  at  his 
chosen  vocation  in  a  wholesale  steam  bakery 
for  one  year.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  Des 
Moines,  in  January,  1869.  Here  he  sought 
and  found  employment  in  the  line  of  his 
trade,  continuing  for  two  years  and  four 
months  in  the  service  of  another,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  period  he  formed  a  part- 
nership and  carried  on  a  successful  bakery 
business  and  grocery  store  on  his  own  ac- 
count. At  length,  however,  he  sold  out  there 
and  removed  to  Grinnell,  Iowa,  where  he 
continued  working  at  his  trade  for  eight 
months,  but  was  not  content  in  that  place 
and  returned  to  Des  .Moines,  where  he  oc- 
cupied a  position  as  clerk  during  the  suc- 
ceeding winter.  He  next  removed  to  Jeffer- 
son and  for  live  years  was  in  the  employ  of 
J.  D.  Hall,  in  the  bakery  business  at  that 
place.  In  1880  he  came  to  Boone  and  es 
tablished  a  grocery  store,  bakery  and  lunch 
room,  successfully  carrying  on  business 
along  those  lines  until  [891.  He  then  re- 
moved  to  I   hicagO  and  during  the  peril  id  of 


the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  con- 
ducted a  restaurant  and  lodging  house. 
After  the  hair  was  over  he  handled  World's 
hair  goods  for  about  two  years,  returning 
to  Boone  in  1805.  Here  he  resumed  busi- 
ness along  the  old  lines  of  trade  in  which 
he  had  formerly  been  engaged,  and  has  se- 
cured a  good  patronage,  conducting  now  an 
excellent  grocer}-  store,  bakery  and  lunch 
room,  which  are  meeting  with  creditable 
success.  His  long  efforts  in  this  line  of 
trade  have  made  him  well  equipped  for  car- 
rying on  the  business  and  to-day  he  is  en- 
joying- richly  merited  prosperity. 

In  the  spring  of  1872,  in  Des  Moines, 
Mr.  Beiter  was  united  in  marriage  to  Eliza 
Shirts,  a  native  of  Fairfield,  Iowa,  who  was 
lion,  in  1849,  but  reared  mostly  in  Des 
.Ah  ,'nes.  Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  ten  children  :  Charles,  now  a  resi- 
dent of  California;  Sylvester,  who  is  en 
gaged  in  business  with  his  father-  Unss.  a; 
home;  Adolph,  attending  school;  Isabella, 
the  wife  of  E.  A.  Hyde,  a  resident  of  Water- 
bur)-.  Connecticut;  Daisy,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Hartford,  of  Boone;  Leora;  Paul- 
ina ;  and  Iva  Dell,  all  under  the  parental 
roof.  Mr.  and  Airs.  Beiter  also  lost  one 
child.  Vivian,  who  died  in  early  youth.  In 
his  political  views  our  subject  is  a  stanch 
Republican,  but  has  never  consented  to  hold 
office,  not  wishing  to  let  political  aspirations, 
"i-  work  interfere  with  his  business  interests. 
He  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  are  widely  and  favorably  known 
in  the  community  which  has  been  their  home 
lor  so  long.  Twenty-two  years  have  passed 
since  they  took  up  their  abode  in  Boone,  and 
here  Mr.  Beiter  has  gained  a  creditable  po- 
sition    in     business    circles,     being    classed 


364 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


among  the  reliable  and  enterprising  men 
whose  efforts  have  contributed  to  commer- 
cial activity  and  therefore  to  the  progress 
and  improvement  of  this  portion  of  the  state. 


JOHN  X.  MALMQUIST. 

John  X.  Malmquist,  who  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  on  section  35,  Grant  township, 
is  a  native  of  Sweden  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  that  land  on  the  21st  of  June, 
1S66.  There  lie  spent  twenty  years,  hav- 
ing acquired  a  good  education  in  his  native 
town.  He  became      familiar   with    farm 

Work  in  all  its  departments  and  in  1887  he 
resolved  to  seek  a  home  beyond  the  Atlantic 
and  accordingly  sailed  for  Xew  York. 
Making  his  way  to  Iowa  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  year,  he  took  up  bis  abode  m  Boone 
county,  joining  an  uncle  who  was  living 
here.  In  order  to  gain  a  knowledge  of  Eng- 
lish he  attended  the  public  schools  in  this 
locality.  Entering  upon  his  business  ca- 
reer he  was  employed  as  a  farm  band  by  the 
month  and  on  the  Jtb  of  March,  1889,  he 
made  preparation  for  having  a  home  of  bis 
own  b\  Ins  marriage  to  Johanna  J<hnson, 
a  native  of  Sweden,  who  was  brought  to  the 
new  world  when  two  years  of  age.  Her 
father.  Eric  Johnson,  left  his  native  land  in 
1N-0  and  with  bis  family  came  to  Boone 
county.  Iowa,  where  he  opened  up  and  de- 
veloped a  farm  becoming  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial men  of  his  locality. 

After  bis  marriage  Mr.  Malmquist  en- 
gaged in  farming  with  bis  father-in-law  for 
six  years  and  then  purchased  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acre-  of  land  on  section  35,  Grant 


township.  It  was  almost  destitute  of  im- 
provements and  in  fact  the  prairie  was  still 
covered  with  its  native  grasses,  but  his  en- 
ergy and  unremitting  labor  soon  wrought 
a  great  change  in  the  appearance  of  the 
tract.  He  divided  his  farm  into  fields  of 

convenient  size  by  well  kept  fences  and  the 
work  of  plowing  and  planting  was  carried 
on  until  excellent  harvests  now  reward  his 
labors.  He  has  a  neat  frame  residence,  a 
large  barn  and  other  good  outbuildings,  has 
shade  and  fruit  trees  and  is  raising  a  good 
grade  of  stock  in  addition  to  the  cultivation 
of  his* crops. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Malmquist 
has  been  blessed  with  four  children:  Harry 
J.  E. ;  Hulda;  Godfrey;  and  Carl.  Our 
subject  and  his  estimable  wife  are  widely 
known  in  this  community  and  have  a  large 
circle  of  friend-.  They  are  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  and 
Mr.  Malmquist  i-  a  pronounced  Republican. 
He  cast  his  first  presidential  ballot  for  Will- 
iam McKinley,  in  1896.  He  is  now  serv- 
ing a-  a  member  of  the  township  central 
committee  and  does  all  in  his  power  to  pro- 
mote the  growth  and  insure  the  success  of 
his  party.  For  a  number  of  years  be  has 
served  as  supervisor  of  highways  and  is  the 
present  constable.  He  has  frequently  been 
a  delegate  to  county  convention,-  and  is  rec- 
orgnized  as  one  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  Republican  party  in  this  locality.  In 
addition  to  bis  home  place  be  owns  eighty 
acre-  of  land  on  section  27,  ('.rant  town- 
ship. His  valuable  farming  interests  are 
the  visible  evidences  of  a  life  of  thrift  and 
industry.  Dependent  upon  bis  own  re- 
-<  urces  from  an  early  age  he  has  been  un- 
tiring in   his  work     and   as  the   vears  have 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


3&5 


passed  his  labors  have  been  crowned  with  a 
high  measure  of  success,  which  never  fails 
to  reward  diligence  when  guided  by  sound 
business    judgment. 


F.  E.  CUTLER. 

F.  E.  Cutler  ranks  among  the  most 
prominent  and  successful  business  men  of 
Boone,  and  his  efforts  have  ever  been  of 
such  a  character  that  they  have  led  not  alone 
to  his  success  but  have  also  contributed  to 
the  general  prosperity.  A  man  of  great 
natural  ability,  Mr.  Cutler's  success  in  busi- 
ness from  the  beginning  of  his  residence  in 
Boone  has  been  uniform  and  rapid.  He 
possesses  untiring  energy,  is  quick  of  per- 
ception, forms  bis  plans  readily  and  is  de- 
termined in  their  execution;  his  close  ap- 
plication to  business  and  his  excellent  man- 
agement have  brought  to  him  a  high  degree 
of  prosperity.  To-day  he  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing representatives  of  the  insurance  interests 
of  this  portion  of  the  country,  being  secre- 
tary of  the  Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance 
Company. 

Mr.  Cutler  was  born  in  Waterford,  Ver- 
mont, October  30,  1849,  ms  parents  being- 
Thomas  A.  and  Caroline  (Chandler)  Cut- 
ler. His  paternal  grandfather,  Ezekiel  Cut- 
ler, was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  born  in 
1703,  and  on  leaving  the  Bay  state  took  up 
bis  abode  at  Waterford,  Vermont.  He  died 
in  Lansing,  Iowa,  in  1869,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-six  years.  He  was  a  prominent 
and  practical  farmer  and  prided  himself 
upon  the  excellent  condition  of  his  farm  and 
was  engaged  in  the  raising  of  fine  stock, 
lie  held  member-hip  in  the  Congregational 


church,  was  one  of  its  leading  and  active 
representatives  and  took  a  deep  interest  in 
the  promotion  of  the  moral  development  of 
his  community.  He  married  a  Miss  At- 
kins, who  died  in  middle  life  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  six  children:  Eben- 
ezer,  Thomas  A.,  Martha,  Almira,  Ezekiel 
and  Betsey  Eliza.  The  last  named  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty  years. 

The  Rev.  Ebenezer  Cutler,  who  was  an 
uncle  of  our  subject,  was  the  pastor  of  the 
Union  Congregational  church  in  Worcester, 
Massachusetts.  He  was  a  graduate  of  both 
the  University  of  Vermont  and  the  Andover 
Seminary.  In  1865  he  was  elected  to  the 
presidency  of  the  former  institution,  but  de- 
clined to  serve  in  that  capacity.  He  af- 
terward wrote  a  history  of  the  church  in 
which  his  pastorate  covered  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  He  had  formerly  served  as  pas- 
tor of  the  Congregational  church  in  St.  Al- 
bans. Vermont,  for  seven  years.  Ezekiel 
Cutler,  another  member  of  the  same  family, 
was  a  prominent  attorney  of  Anamosa, 
Iowa,  and  represented  his  district  in  the 
Iowa  senate.  He  served  as  major  of  the 
Thirty-first  Iowa  Infantry  during  the  Civil 
war,  and  afterward  removed  to  Decorah, 
where  he  practiced  law  and  also  held  the  of- 
fice of  county  judge.  He  likewise  served 
as  county  auditor  and  was  a  very  active  and 
influential  member  of  the  Congregational 
church. 

Thomas  A.  Cutler  is  now  the  only  sur- 
viving member  of  that  family.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Waterford.  Vermont.  In  early 
life  he  attended  the  schools  of  the  Green 
Mountain  state.  Subsequently  he  became 
connected  with  educational  interests  and  lias 
served  as  superintendent  of  schools  in  his 
native  state.      lie  also   served  as  a  member 


366 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


of  the  Vermont  legislature.  A  man  of 
scholarly  attainments  and  strong  literary 
tastes,  he  has  always  read  extensively  and 
had  a  library  of  more  than  twelve  hundred 
volumes.  He  can  also  speak  seven  lan- 
guages and  is  particularly  proficient  as  a 
French  and  German  student.  In  the  spring 
of  1866  he  came  to  Iowa,  first  settling  at 
Waukon,  where  he  purchased  what  was  then 
known  as  Allamakee  College,  which  he  con- 
ducted as  a  seminary  for  some  three  years. 
He  then  sold  the  building  to  the  Indepen- 
dent school  district  and  it  was  then  used  as 
a  public  school  building.  Professor  Cutler 
afterward  took  charge  of  a  private  school 
at  Lansing,  Iowa,  which  he  conducted  for 
three  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
period  he  came  to  Boone  county  and 
purchased  a  farm,  conducting  the  same 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active 
business  life.  Al  the  present  time  he  is 
living  retired  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven 
year-.  He  has  held  the  position  of  county 
superintendent  of  the  schools  of  Boone 
county  and  his  influence  has  been  a  potent 
factor  in  promoting  intellectual  progress  in 
this  portion  of  the  state.  He  belongs  to  the 
Congregational  church  and  is  a  man  of 
strong  character  and  refined  nature,  whose 
influence  has  ever  been  for  good.  Al- 
th  iugh  ;i  most  highly  educated  man.  he  has 
quit  etl  knowledge  through  hi-  1  iwii 
unaided  efforts.  lie  is  an  excellent  musi- 
cian, and  hi-  broad  knowledge,  capability 
ami  uprightness  have  rendered  him  a  favor- 
ite with  young  and  old.  rich  and  | f.      He 

'aid  oul  extensive  -round-  of  twelve  acres  in 
a  most  beautiful  way,  following  the  plan 
of  'he  landscape  gardener  having  charge  of 
the  Copeland  place  in  Boston,  and  his  is  one 
01  the  most  beautiful  and  attractive  homes 


of  Boone  county.  He  planted  tour  hun- 
dred evergreen  trees,  many  shrubs  of  hardy 
varieties,  and  beautiful  plants  of  all  de- 
scriptions. Mr.  Cutler  married  Miss  Car- 
oline Chandler  who  was  born  in  North  Con- 
way, New  Hampshire,  and  died  in  Ver- 
mont. January  11,  1861,  at  the  age  of  thir- 
ty-five years.  She  left  five  children,  of 
whom  our  subject  is  the  eldest.  The  oth- 
ers were:  Edna,  the  wife  of  Dr.  V.  I). 
Warren,  of  Cabot.  Vermont;  .Mary  Eliza- 
beth, the  wife  of  D.  E.  Foristall,  of  Repub- 
lic City,  Kansas;  Carrie,  the  wife  of  Harry 
Sawyer  of  Osceola,  Nebraska;  and  Charles 
L.,  of  this  ci  unity. 

1.  I"..  Cutler,  whose  name  introduces 
tin-  review,  pursued  a  common  school  edu- 
cation in  his  native  town  and  later  became 
a  student  in  Newberry  Seminary  of  Ver- 
mont. In  1866  he  came  to  the  west  with 
his  parents,  and  acted  a-  assistant  teacher 
in  the  school  conducted  by  hi-  father.  Later 
be  taught  in  the  public  schools  of  Boone 
ccunty  until  the  winter  of  1N74  when  be 
married.  The  lady  of  his  choice  was  Ro- 
sella  Astleford,  a  daughter  of  William  and 
Hannah  (Temple)  Astleford,  who  were  na- 
tives of  Ireland  and  Massachusetts;  respect- 
ively. For  the  pa-t  half  century  the  Temple 
family  has  been  represented  in  St.  Lawrence 
count\.  \ew  York.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cutler  have  been  born  three  children,  two  of 
whom,  Walter  ami  Elmer,  are  yet  living. 
They  lost  one  -on.  Leonard,  who  died  in 
infancj . 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Culler  turned 
hi-  attention  to  farming,  which  he  carried 
on  continuously  until  1889.  He  was  then 
elected  county  auditor  and  served  for  five 
years.  He  was  afterward  cashier  of  the 
Security  Savings   Bank   for  three  and  one- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


3^7 


half  years,  and  he  left  that  institution  in 
[898  when  he  was  chosen  secretary  of  the 
Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Company  in 
which  capacity  he  is  now  serving.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  identified  with  the  Presby- 
terian church,  holding  membership  therein, 
and  Mr.  Cutler  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fraternity.  In  every  work  of  life 
which  he  has  undertaken  he  has  met  with 
success,  for  in  him  are  embraced  the  char- 
acteristics of  an  unbending  integrity,  una- 
bated .energy  and  industry. 


GEORGE  SHADLE. 

George  Shadle  is  now  living  retired  in 
the  village  of  Beaver,  but  for  many  years 
was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
has  a  wide  acquaintance  and  to  many  of  his 
friends  is  known  as  "Uncle  George."  He 
is  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  the  western 
part  of  Boone  county,  having  taken  up  his 
abode  there  in  1867.  A  native  of  the  Key- 
sti  'lie  state,  his  birth  occurred  in  Bedford 
county,  Pennsylvania.  January  19,  1826, 
his  parents  being  John  and  Susan  (Hoff- 
man) Shadle.  who  always  lived  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  the  father  devoted  his  energies 
to  the  work  of  the  farm.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  passed  away  in  the  state  of  their  na- 
tivity. Four  of  their  children  came  to  the 
west  including  the  subject  of  this  review. 
They  made  lite  journey  to  Iowa  together 
in  [856,  settling  in  Clinton  county.  There 
the  three  brothers  ami  our  subject  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  and  all  three  died  in 
that  county. 

George   Shadle  had   spent   his   boyh 1 

days  upon  the  old  home  farm  and  under  the 
direction  of  his  father  had  gained  a  practi- 
cal  knowledge  of   farm   work   in  all   its  de- 


partments, while  in  the  public  schools  of  the 
neighborhood  he  acquired  a  good  education, 
fitting  him  for  his  life  work.  On  his  arrival 
in  Clinton  count)-,  Iowa,  lie  rented  a  farm 
and  conducted  its  cultivation  and  improve- 
ment for  eleven  years.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  came  to  Boone  county, 
Iowa,  and  was  among  the  first  settlers  that 
established  homes  in  the  western  part  of  the 
county.  He  began  hauling  wood  for  a  liv- 
ing and  was  at  that  time  offered  as  a  gift 
one-half  of  all  the  land  he  would  plow  or 
break,  but  did  not  accept  this  proposition. 
During  the  first  year  after  his  arrival  here 
no  crops  were  raised  on  account  of  the  grass- 
hoppers destroying-  every  particle  of  vege- 
taion,  but  Mr.  Shadle  perserved  in  his  at- 
tempt to  make  a  home  in  this  locality  and  in 
the  course  of  time  he  got  a  start.  During 
the  first  year  he  had  to  go  as  far  as  Mar- 
shalltown,  Iowa,  to  buy  wheat  and  have  it 
ground  into  flour.  He  finally  settled  on  a 
farm  on  section  15,  •  Amaqua  township, 
where  he  lived  for  many  years  and  as  time 
passed  his  labors  wrought  a  great  trans- 
formation in  the  place,  bringing  to  him  ex- 
cellent harvests  as  a  reward  for  his  careful 
cultivation  of  the  fields.  In  1890,  however, 
he  put  aside  the  arduous  duties  of  farm  life 
which  he  had  so  faithfully  prosecuted,  and 
removed  to  the  village  of  Beaver,  where  he 
is  now  living  retired. 

Mr.  Shadle  married  Miss  Susan  Hile- 
man.  a  native  of  Huntingdon,  Pennsylva- 
nia, where  her  parents  spent  their  entire 
lives.  Fifteen  children  were  born  unto  our 
subject  and  his  wife,  of  whom  seven  are  yet 
living:  George  is  a  fanner  of  Sac  count)', 
Iowa;  Joseph  S.  is  a  prominent  stork-  man 
and  an  extensive  farmer  of  Greene  count)-, 
Iowa  :  Sarah  is  the  wife  of  Robert  Van  Pelt, 


368 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


who  follows  farming  in  Amaqua  township ; 
Hiram  H.  is  a  carpenter  of  Boone,  Iowa; 
Austin  T.  is  a  well  known  agriculturist  of 
Amaqua  township;  Grant  follows  farming 
on  section  22,  Amaqua  township;  and  Cal- 
vin, born  October  12,  1872,  married  Ella 
Gray,  a  member  of  one  of  the  old  families  of 
Boone  county,  and  1  operates  a  large  grain  ele- 
vator in  Beaver,  where  he  is  classed  ami  nig 
the  leading  and  substantial  citizens.  Unto 
him  and  his  wife  have  been  born  two  chil- 
dren:  Kirby  and  Lloyd.  Tbe  children 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Shadle  that 
have  passed  away  are  as  follows:  Rachel 
Ann,  John.  Samuel,  Daniel.  Martin  Luther, 
Frances  Fidelia.  Mary  Ann.  and  Jemima. 
Mr.  Shadle  has  sold  much  of  his  fann- 
ing land  since  his  retirement  to  private  life, 
but  indolence  seems  utterly  foreign  to  his 
nature  and  11  is  almost  impossible  for  him  to 
ei  tirely  put  aside  business  care-,  so  that  he 
now  retains  and  operates  forty  acres  of  land 
near  Beaver,  where  he  raises  a  nice  crop 
each  year,  fie  owns  a  beautiful  residence 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  village  and  there 
he  and  his  wife  are  now  living,  the  fruits  of 
their  former  toil  bringing  to  them  all  of  the 
comfort-  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 
They  arc  both  devoted  member-  of  the 
United  Brethren  church,  to  which  some  of 
their  children  also  belong.  Mr.  Shadle  has 
held  many  township  offices,  and  in  p  ilitics 
has  ever  been  an  earnest  Republican.  Hi-; 
life  has  been  one  of  untiring  industry  and 
his  since--  is  well  merited.  lie  knew  that 
advancement  for  him  must  be  secured  by 
diligent  effort  and  as  the  year-  passed  his 
labors  and  capable  management  enabled  him 
to  overcome  the  difficulties  and  obstacles  in 
his  path  and  advance  to  the  goal  of  pros- 
perity. 


JOHN  BASS. 

The  history  of  the  pioneer  settlement  of 
Boone  county  would  not  lie  complete  with- 
out an  account  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Bass,  who 
from  the  early  development  of  this  portion 
of  the  state  has  been  a  prominent  factor  in 
its  establishment,  growth  and  improvement. 
When  the  county  was  cut  off  from  the  ad- 
vantages and  conveniences  of  the  older  east 
by  lack  of  railroad  communications,  he  made 
his  way  thither  and  through  a  long  period 
was  identified  with  agricultural  interests. 
reclaiming  a  tract  of  wild  land  for  purposes 
of  cultivation.  He  arrived  in  the  year  1854, 
coming  to  Iowa  from  Indiana.  He  is  a  na- 
tive, however,  of  Surrey  count)-.  North 
Carolina,  and  a  son  of  Edward  and  Pollie 
1  Sacklej  1  Bass.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Kentucky  but  removed  thence  to  North 
Carolina,  where  he  remained  until  1035, 
when  he  became  a  resident  of  Owen  county, 
Indiana.  There  he  engaged  in  farming  un- 
til [854,  when  he  came  with  his  family  to 
unty,  Iowa,  and  purchased  a  farm 
two  miles  north  of  Boonesboro.  The  tract 
was  then  partially  covered  with  native  tim- 
ber but  be  cleared  away  tbe  trees  and  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1SX4.  when  lie  was 
eighty-four  years  of  age.  His  wife,  sur- 
viving him  about  two  years,  passed  away  in 
t886,  when  eighty-six  years  of  age.  Three 
sons  and  a  daughter  of  the  family  are  still 
living:  James,  now  a  retired  farmer  of  Day- 
ton, low  a:  I  illie.  the  widow  of  M .  R.  Cole, 
a  resident  of  Boone  county;  David  M..  a 
farmer  residing  near  Boone;  ami  John,  of 
this  review. 

But  limited  educational  advantages  were 
enjoyed  by    |ohn   Mass.  \)U\  ids  training  at 


the  biographical  record. 


369 


farm  labor  was  not  meager.  He  was  taken 
by  his  parents  to  Indiana  and  was  reared  in 
that  state  and  in  Iowa,  remaining-  under  the 
parental  roof  until  his  marriage,  during 
which  time  he  largely  assisted  his  father  in 
the  farm  work.  In  the  year  1858  he  was 
joined  in  wedlock  to  Magdeline  Getzman.  a 
native  of  (  >hiq  ami  a  daughter  of  Earnhardt 
Getzman,  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Boone  and  is  now  deceased.  The  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bass  has  been  blessed 
with  six  chldren:  Amanda,  the  wife  of 
Frank  Davis,  a  resident  of  Polk  county, 
I«>\\a;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Wilbur  Curl,  of 
Brown  count}',  Kansas;  Charlie,  who  is  re- 
siding in  Sherman  county.  Xebraska ;  Mack, 
who  married  Ida  Martin  and  is  a  farmer  of 
Beaver  township,  Boone  count)-;  Katie,  the 
wife  of  Oscar  Rinehart,  of  Chicago;  and 
Carrie  who  resides  at  home. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Bass  began 
farming  mi  his  own  account  and  continu- 
ously engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  until 
1893,  when  he  retired  from  active  business 
life  and  purchased  a  residence  in  the  north- 
ern part  1  if  the  village  of  Ogden,  in  which 
lie  has  since  lived,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his 
former  toil.  He  was  a  successful  agricultur- 
ist, having  placed  his  land  under  a  very  high 
stale  of  cultivation  and  carefully  watching 
his  crops  si  1  that  he  annually  garnered  rich 
harvests.  He  is  still  the  owner  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  good  farming  land 
in  this  county.  His  efforts  in  behalf  of 
agriculture  have  been  effective  and  bene- 
ficial. He  served  for  about  fifteen  years  as 
the  president  of  the  Boone  County  Agri- 
cultural Society  and  largely  promoted  the 
welfare  of  the  fanning  classes.  In  his  polit- 
ical views  he  is  a  Democrat  and  while  be  has 
not  been  an  active  politician  in  the  sense  of 


office  seeking-  he  has  served  as  township 
trustee  and  was  school  director  for  several 
years.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
Rhodes  Lodge.  Xo.  303.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of 
Ogden  and  in  his  life  exemplifies  the  spirit 
of  the  craft,  which  is  based  upon  mutual 
helpfulness.  He  is  now  a  prominent  and 
well-to-do  citizen  of  Ogden  and  justly 
merits  the  rest  from  labor  which  has  been 
vouchsafed  to  him.  Through  almost  a  half 
century  he  has  made  his  home  in  this  portion 
of  the  state  and  has  seen  pioneer  conditions 
replaced  by  those  of  an  advanced  civiliza- 
tion. In  all  the  work  of  improvement  and 
upbuilding  he  has  borne  a  creditable  part  and 
is  a  man  whom  to  know  is  to  respect  and 
In  'in  ir. 


T.  P.  ROGERS. 

Honored  and  respected  by  all,  there  is  no 
man  in  Boone  or  in  the  county  who  occupies 
a  more  enviable  position  than  T.  P.  Rogers, 
who  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cer- 
eals. His  business  is  proving  one  of  credit- 
able success.  His  parents,  John  and  Mary 
(Bartley)  Rogers,  were  natives  of  Ireland 
and  in  1848  the  father  came  to  the  United 
States,  while  three  years  later  his  wife  ar- 
rived in  the  new  world.  Their  first  home 
was  in  Laporte,  Indiana,  where  they  were 
married  in  1855.  Subsequently  they  re- 
moved to  Amboy,  Illinois,  in  1858  and  in 
the  spring  of  1809  came  to  Boone.  The  fa- 
ther was  engaged  in  boiler-making  through- 
out his  active  business  career.  His  birth  oc- 
curred in  1830  and  his  wife's  in  1833  and  by 
their  marriage  they  became  the  parents  of 
twelve  children,  of  whom  eight  are  yet  liv- 
ing.    All.  however,   reached  years  of  man- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


hood  and  womanhood:  E.  \Y..  who  is  fore- 
man of  the  Cook  Locomotive  W(  irks,  of  I  'at- 
erson.  New  Jersey ;  John,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Perry.  Iowa,  where  he  is  employed. 
as  an  engineer  on  the  Milwaukee  Railroad; 
Margaret,  the  wife  of  Daniel  Finley;  of  Mis- 
souri Valley.  Iowa;  James,  who  died  in  Nor- 
folk, Nebraska,  in  1896  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
live  years  while  his  wife,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Kate  Connelly,  is  still  resid- 
ing in  Boone:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Clems;  Simon,  who  is  president  of  the  Dun- 
lap  Milling  Company,  at  Dunlap,  Iowa; 
Alice,  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Coughlin,  a  miller 
of  Eagle  Grove,  Iowa,  who  is  now  president 
of  the  Rogers-Coughlin  Milling  G  impany ; 
Frank,  who  is  vice-president  of  the  same 
company;  Joseph,  who  is  proprietor  of  the 
Woodbine  Flour  Mills  as  a  partner  of  the 
firm  of  Rogers  &  Brothers;  and  Miles  and 
Catherine,  twins,  who  are  both  deceased,  the 
former  having  passed  away  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years  and  the  latter  of  twelve 
years. 

T.  P.  Rogers,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  was  horn  in  Amboy,  Illinois, 
February  l8,  1865,  and  pursued  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Boone.  Entering  upon 
his  business  career  in  the  capacity  of  a  sales- 
man in  a  grocery  store,  he  was  employed 
in  that  way  for  eight  years,  then  purchasing 
an  interest  in  the  grocery  business  in  con- 
nection with  S.  S.  Payne.  For  one  year  the 
firm  of  Payne  &  Rogers  continued  business, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  the  partner  of  our 
subject  disposed  of  his  interest  to  M.  J. 
Reilly,  forming  the  linn  of  Rogers  &  Reillv, 
and  the  new  firm  maintained  its  existence 
for  two  years.  Mr.  Rogers  then  sold  out 
and  was  engaged  in  the  wholesale  coffee 
business  with  the  Columbia  Coffee  Company, 


of  Chicago.  Later  he  sold  his  interest  in 
that  enterprise  and  in  1894  came  to  Boone, 
purchasing  a  half  interest  in  the  Carlson 
Milling  Company,  which  eventually  devel- 
oped into  the  Dowd,  Rogers  Milling  Com- 
pany. Charles  H.  Carlson,  a  member  of  the 
firm,  was  killed  in  1895.  at  which  time  E. 
II.  1  )■  >wd  became  his  successor  and  the  name 
of  the  Dowd,  Rogers  Milling  Company  was 
then  assumed.  In  February,  1891,  Mr. 
Rogers  sold  his  interest  and  established  the 
Rogers  Cereal  Company,  which  has  since 
been  engaged  in  manufacturing  breakfast 
foods  their  leading  cereal  being  the  Morn- 
ing Glory  oats.  The  daily  output  is  three 
hundred  and  twenty-five  barrels  of  oatmeal, 
one  hundred  barrels  of  wheat  flour,  fifty  bar- 
rels of  rolled  wheat  and  ten  tons  of  corn  and 
1  >at  feed.  The  pr<  tducts  are  shipped  to  nearly 
all  the  markets  of  the  United  States  and 
they  -ell  only  to  the  wholesale  trade,  doing 
a  jobbing  business.  To  T.  P.  Rogers  is  due 
the  success  of  this  enterprise,  his  keen  judg- 
ment and  unflagging  industry  being  salient 
features  in  his  prosperity. 

In  [880  Mr.  Rogers  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Delia  Payne.  She  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two  years,  leaving  two  children. 
Hazel  and  Bessie.  In  1897  he  was  again 
married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs. 
Wilfarene  Johnston,  a  daughter  of  John 
Gamble,  of  Boone.  She  was  first  married 
to  B.  E.  Johnston,  of  Kansas  City,  and  by 
tli  it  marriage  has  two  surviving  children — 
John  and  Wilfarene  Johnston.  By  her  sec- 
ond marriage,  to  Mr.  Rogers,  she  also  has 
two  children — Mienard  and  Emmett.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
church  of  the  Sacred  Heart  and  are  people 
of  genuine  worth,  having  due  regard  for  all 
the  obligations  and  duties  of  life  and  at  the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


37i 


same  time  winning  many  friends  through 
their  geniai  manner  and  social  dispositions. 
Mr.  Rogers  is  notably  prompt,  energetic 
and  reliable  in  business  affairs,  brooking  no 
obstacles  that  can  be  overcome  by  determina- 
tion and  honorable  effort,  lie  has  steadil) 
worked  his  way  upward  to  success  and  to- 
day is  an  important  factor  in  the  industrial 
life  of  Boone,  his  enterprise  being  one  of 
moment  to  the  city  through  its  promotion 
of  commercial  activity  and  the  employment 
furnished  to  a  large  force  of  workmen. 


JOHN  BILSLAXD. 

In  the  city  of  Madrid  are  a  number  of 

men  who  are  now  living  in  retirement,  from 
business  life  and  well  do  they  deserve  this 
rest  from  labor  because  of  their  active  con- 
nection with  business  affairs  at  an  earlier 
date.  Of  this  class  Mr.  Bilsland  is  a  repre- 
sentative. His  energies  were  directed 
along  the  line  of  agricultural  interests  and 
he  owned  and  operated  a  valuable  farm  of 
two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  a  mile  and  a 
ha!i  north  of  Madrid.  Forty-six  years 
have  passed  since  his  arrival  in  Boone 
county.  Throughout  this  period  he  has 
manifested  marked  loyalty  to  the  public 
good  by  his  faithful  allegiance  to  all  meas- 
ures and  movements  calculated  to  prove  of 
public  benefit. 

He  was  born  in  Fountain  county.  Indi- 
ana. April  7.  183 1.  His  father,  John  Bils- 
land, Sr.,  was  born  on  the  Atlantic  while 
the  parents  were  emigrating  to  the  new 
world.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  our 
suhject  was  Alexander  Bilsland,  who,  on 
reaching   America,      took   up    his    abode    in 


Pennsylvania,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  upon  the  old  homestead  there  John 
Bilsland,  Sr.,  was  reared.  Attracted  1>\ 
military  life  and  desiring  to  serve  his  coun- 
try he  enlisted  in  the  regular  army  with 
which  he  was  connected  for  six  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  participated  in  the  war  of 
18 12.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  his  home 
in  Pennsylvania  and  afterward  removed  to 
Pickawa)  comity,  Ohio,  wdiere  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Susan  Evans,  a  lady  of  Welsh  de- 
scent who  was  bom  in  the  state  of  Vermont. 
Mr.  Bilsland  carried  on  farming  in  Picka- 
way county  for  a  number  of  years  and  af- 
tei  ward  went  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Foun- 
tain county,  where  he  opened  up  a  farm, 
transforming  it  into  a  productive  tract  and 
rearing  his  family  thereon.  It  was  his  place 
of  residence  until  his  death. 

John  Bilsland,  of  this  review,  was  reared 
upon  his  father's  farm  in  Indiana.  He  had 
little  opportunity  to  attend  school  and  is 
largely  a  self-educated  as  well  as  a  self- 
made  man.  Attracted  by  the  business  op- 
portunities of  the  west  he  came  to  Boone 
county,  Iowa,  in  1853,  and  purchased  three 
hundred  acres  of  wild  land.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Indiana,  where  he  continued  to 
make  his  home  for  three  more  years  when 
he  once  more  came  to  Iowa.  Here  he  de- 
voted his  energies  to  breaking  prairie  and 
transforming-  the  wild  land  into  rich  fields. 
For  three  years  he  lived  upon  his  farm  and 
in  June.  1859,  he  returned  to  his  native 
state  where  he  was  married  in  the  month  oi 
September  to  Eliza  Wagner,  who  was  born 
in  Iroquois  county.  Illinois.  Her  father, 
David  Wagner,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  that  county  and  there  Mrs.  Bils- 
land was  reared  and  educated.  After  her 
father's  death  she  went  to   Indiana  and  re- 


372 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


sided  with  her  sister.  While  in  the  latter 
state  she  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Bils- 
land  and  gave  him  her  hand  in  marriage. 
Soon  after  the  marriage  ceremony  was  per- 
formed the  young  people  started  for  Boone 
county,  beginning  their  domestic  life  upon 
the  farm  which  he  had  developed  here.  He 
further  improved  the  place  and  as  the  years 
p;  ssed  added  all  modern  equipments  and 
accessories.  The  fields  returned  to  him 
splendid  harvests  and  the  neat  and  thrifty 
appearance  of  the  place  indicated  his  care- 
ful supervisor  and  progressive  methods. 
He  continued  his  farm  work  until  about 
1897,  although  he  had  removed  to  Madrid 
in  1873. 

In  [896  Mr.  Bilsland  was  called  upon 
to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on 
the  25th  of  January  of  that  year  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Mount  Hope  cemetery  where 
a  substantial  monument  marks  her  place  of 
interment.  Mr.  Bilsland  has  one  daughter, 
Blanche,  now  the  wife  of  S.  B.  Williams,  a 
grain  merchant  and  leading  business  man  of 
Madrid.  They  have  two  children.  Edna 
and  Dorothy. 

Politically  Mr.  Bilsland  lias  been  a  life- 
long Democrat,  his  first  presidential  vote 
having  been  cast  for  Franklin  I 
185.'.  1 1 i s  fellow  townsmen  recognizing  his 
worth  and  ability  called  him  to  office  in  the 
public  interest-  and  for  a  number  <<i  years 
he  served  as  township  trustee.  He  was  also 
read  supervisor  and  has  ever  been  a  friend 
to  education,  doing  all  in  his  power  to  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  the  schools  and  to  secure 
good  teachers  that  his  economic  method-. 
have  made  possible  by  his  services  on 
the  school  board  through  a  number  of  years. 
He  has  also  been  a  delegate  to  numerous 
county   and  state  convention,   of  his   party. 


He  has  been  a  member  of  the  town  council 
of  Madrid  for  several  terms  and  although  he 
has  frequently  served  in  office  he  has  never 
been  a  politician  in  the  sense  of  office  seek- 
ing, accepting  such  positions  because  he  be- 
lieved it  to  be  his  duty  to  the  community. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
to  which  his  daughter  and  her  husband  also 
belong.  Mr.  Bilsland  is  serving  as  one  of 
its  trustees  and  Mrs.  Williams  is  a  very  ac- 
tive church  worker.  He  also  belongs  to 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  holding  member- 
ship in  Star  Lodge.  X...  115.  F.  &  A.  M.. 
of  Madrid,  in  which  he  has  served  in  sev- 
eral official  capacities.  He  came  to  Boone 
county  in  pioneer  times  before  the  admis- 
sion ,  i  the  state  into  the  Union.  His  in- 
terest in  its  welfare  and  progress  has  ever 
been  manifest  by  a  hearty  co-operation  in  all 
movements  tending  to  promote  material,  so- 
cial, intellectual  and  moral  progress.  His 
entire  life  has  been  one  over  which  there 
falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion  of 
evil.  He  has  passed  the  psalmist's  span  of 
three  score  years  and  ten.  and  now  in  the 
evening  of  his  earthly  pilgrimage  receives 
the  respect  and  esteem  which  should  ever  be 
accorded  to  one  who  has  advanced  far  on 
life's  journey. 


DRS.  CLARK  &  CLARK. 

Ibis  linn  name  is  fine  well  known  in 
Ogden  and  throughout  Boone  county. 
The  members  are  father  and  two  sons,  who 
ime  widely  and  favorably  known  in 
0  nnccl  ion  with  the  practice  of  medicine  and 
tlie  sale  of  remedial  agencies.  The  father. 
Orson  (lark,  has  resided  in  Ogden  since 
the    i-t   of   September.    [869,  being  the  sec- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


373 


ond  resident  physician  of  Og'den.  He  was 
born  in  Wyoming  county.  New  York,  on 
tin:  2  ist  of  April,  1844,  a  son  of  Samuel 
and  Annie  (Bryant)  Clark.  The  mother, 
a  native  of  Wyoming  county,  is  now  living 
in  Ogden,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
seven  years.  The  father  was  a  resident 
farmer  of  Wyoming  county  and  died  there 
in  the  spring  of  1870.  After  his  demise  the 
other  members  of  the  family  came  to  the 
west,  -Mine  settling  in  Ames,  Iowa,  and  oth- 
ers in  Ogden.  There  are  five  children,  who 
art  yet  living:  William,  who  is  retired  in 
Ames;  Arthur,  the  president  of  the  Bank  of 
Ogden;  Lucina,  the  wife  of  John  D.  Gillett, 
a  resident  of  West  Superior.  Wisconsin. 
James,  who  is  living  in  Ravenna,  Xehraska, 
and  Dr.  Clark,  Sr. 

The  last  named  acquired  his  elementary 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  na- 
tive town  and  afterward  attended  a  semi- 
nary there.  He  remained  with  his  parents 
until  twenty-one  years  of  age.  at  which  time 
he  continued  the  work  of  preparing  for  the 
practical  and  responsible  duties  of  life  by 
entering  the  medical  school  of  the  Univers- 
ity of  Buffalo,  in  Xew  York.  There  he 
continued  his  studies  until  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  the  class  of  1866.  Immediately  af- 
terward he  began  practice  in  Ellicottville, 
Xew  York,  where  he  remained  for  six 
months,  going  thence  to  Linden,  Iowa 
county,  Wisconsin,  where  he  continued  for 
three  years.  In  1869  he  arrived  in  Ogden, 
Iowa,  being  the  second  practicing  physician 
at  this  place.  He  has  since  continued  an 
active  member  of  the  profession,  although 
at  the  present  time  he  is  t"  a  considerable 
extent  leaving  the  duties  of  his  calling  to 
hi-  son-,  lie  has  always  been  a  close  and 
discriminating  student,  carrying  his  investi- 


gations tar  and  wide  into  the  realms]  of 
medical  knowledge  in  order  to  give  to  his 
1 '.hi  mii-  the  most  effective  service  possible 
in  the  great  and  important  work  of  restor- 
ing   health    and    prolonging    life. 

The  Doctor  was  married  in  Wisconsin 
on  the  ist  of  September.  [868,  to  Miss 
Emma  Sylvester,  a  native  of  Maine,  and  a 
daughter  of  Caleb  Sylvester,  who  on  remov- 
ing westward  located  in  the  Badger  state, 
where  he  spent  his  remaining  days.  Unto 
the  Doctor  and  his  wife  have  been  born 
six  children  and  with  the  exception  of  the 
eldest  all  were  natives  of  Ogden.  Herbert, 
bom  May  23.  1869,  is  a  farmer  living  three 
miles  northwest  -of  Ogden.  He  married 
Ella  Clark  and  their  children  are  Herbert, 
Vesper,  Lucy  and  Whitney.  Charles,  a 
practicing  physician,  was  born  here  July  9, 
1871,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  University  of 
Iowa  of  the  class  of  1893.  In  1897  ,le  was 
married  to  Mamie  McFarland  at  Gilbert 
Station,  Iowa,  and  they  have  one  child  liv- 
ing, James  A. ;  Cedric  died  at  age  of  four- 
teen months,  Febraury  28,  1901.  Orson 
W..  the  third  member  of  the  family,  was 
born  September  6,  1873.  He  is  also  a  prac- 
ticing physician  of  Ogden,  completing  his 
course  in  the  medical  department  of  the 
State  University  of  Illinois,  at  Chicago,  in 
1900.  Louise,  born  January  17,  1877,  be- 
came the  wife  of  R.  W.  Hosford  and  died 
January  31,  1902.  Anna  Belle,  horn  Au- 
gust 13.  1878,  is  at  home.  Samuel  Parker, 
born  November  13,  1881,  completes  the 
family. 

Dr.  Clark,  Si\.  has  newer  sought  or  de- 
sired office  but  takes  an  active  interest  in 
political  affairs  and  in  the  success  of  the 
Republican  party,  of  which  he  has  long 
been  an  earnest  advocate,      lie  is  a  charter 


374 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


member  of  Rhodes  Lodge,  Xo.  303,  F.  & 
A  .M..  and  his  sons  are  also  identified  with 
that  organization.  He  and  his  wife  and 
their  children  belong  to  the  Congregational 
church  and  the  Doctor  has  lived  in  consist- 
ent harmony  with  the  teachings  of  that  de- 
nomination. 

The  firm  of  Clark  &  Clark  is  a  strong 
one  in  connection  with  general  practice.  The 
si  ns  conduct  a  drug  store  in  Ogden,  S.  P. 
Clark  being  a  graduate  pharmacist.  They 
carry  a  large  line  of  paints,  oils,  drugs  and 
druggist  sundries  and  now  have  a  very  lib- 
eral patronage.  In  the  practice  of  medicine 
they  are  also  well  versed  and  their  efforts, 
like  those  of  their  honored  father,  have 
proven  of  much  value  in  checking  diseases 
and  restoring  to  man  his  most  cherished 
possession,  health.  Dr.  Clark  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  Ogden  State  Bank 
and  served  for  a  number  of  years  a-  presi- 
dent of  the  institution.  Not  only  as  a  physi- 
cian, however,  has  Dr.  Clark  won  promi 
ncnce.  His  life  has  ever  been  honorable 
and  he  has  social  qualities  which  have  ren- 
dered him  popular,  being  always  courteous, 
cordial  and  considerate. 


WILLIAM  L.    PILCHER. 

No  history  of  Boone  county  would  be 
complete  without  mention  of  William  L. 
Pilcher,  who  was  numbered  among  the  hon- 
ored pioneer  men  and  took  a  very  active  part 
in  the  work  of  early  progress  and  improve- 
ment lure,  lie  left  the  impress  of  his  in- 
dividuality upon  the  development  of  the 
coimt\-  his  labors  were  most  effective  in  re- 
placing primitive  conditions  with,  those  of 
the  civilization  of  the  east. 


Mr.  Pilcher  was  born  in  Stafford  county. 
Virginia,  on  the  28th  of  February,  181+. 
and  represents  an  old  family  of  that  state. 
His  father  was  Charles  Pilcher.  with  whom 
he  resided  in  Virginia  until  fourteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  to  Ohio.  For  the  succeeding 
thirty-four  years  the  subject  of  this  review- 
was  a  resident  of  the  Buckeye  state. 

It  was  in  Ohio  that  Mr.  Pilcher  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Jane  Ham- 
ilton, who  was  born  in  Belmont  count;--. 
Ohio,  July  7.  1819,  and  on  the  4th  of  May, 
1842,  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  the  sub- 
ject  of  this  review.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Elizabeth  (Lafferty)  Hamil- 
ton, the  former  born  in  Pennsylvania  and 
the  latter  in  (  mio.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
and  miller  and  spent  bis  entire  life  in  the 
Buckeye  state,  where  both  he  and  his  wife 
tway.  Unto  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Pilcher  were  born  six  children,  five 
of  whom  are  yet  living:  James  11..  born 
August  27,  1846;  William  M..  horn  Jan- 
uary 26,  1852;  Emily  J.,  born  June  27, 
is,  1  ;  i  harles  I-'.,  born  December  25,  [856; 
and  Leonard  D..  born  October  9,  1859.  Mrs. 
Louisa  K.  lloyer.  the  eldest  of  the  family, 
was  torn  April  22,    [845,  and  died  July  24J 

Attracted  by  the  possibilities  and  oppor- 
tunities of  the  west,  in  the  year  1848  Mr. 
Pilcher  left  his  Ohio  home  and  with  his 
wife  and  two  children  came  to  Iowa,  settling 
first  in  Des  Moines.  Three  years  later,  in 
[851,  he  brought  his  family  to  Boone  coun- 
ty, finding  here  a  region  which  was  situated 
on  the  very  border  of  civilization.  It  was  in- 
deed a  western  frontier  district  for  wild 
game  of  many  kinds  abounded,  including 
deer,  turkeys  and  other  lesser  game,  while 


WILLIAM    L.   PILCHER. 


MRS.  WILLIAM     L.   PILCHEB. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


379- 


there  were  many  wolves  in  the  neighborhood. 
The  nearest  market  was  Des  Moines,  forty 
miles  away,  and  the  settlers  had  to  go  to 
Iowa  City  for  Hour  and  meal,  for  no  mill 
had  been  built  in  this  section  of  the  state. 
Mr.  Pilcher  purchased  a  claim  i  if  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  and  his  first  home  was 
a  little  log  cabin,  which  he  erected.  He  then 
began  the  devlopment  of  a  farm  and  his  un- 
tiring- industry  and  unremitting  diligence 
soon  wrought  a  great  transformation  in  the 
appearance  of  his  land,  which  was  changed 
from  a  barren  tract  into  one  of  rich  fertility, 
making  the  place  a  very  valuable  one.  In 
his  farming  operations  Mr.  Pilcher  met  with 
a  high  degree  of  success,  for  as  the  years 
passed  excellent  crops  brought  to  him  a  good 
income.  He  continued  to  reside  upon  his 
limnc  farm  until  his  death,  and  in  the  mean- 
time he  had  placed  excellent  improvements 
upon  it,  including  a  substantial  modern  resi- 
dence, good  barns  and  other  necessary  build- 
ings for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  He 
passed  away  November  9,  1900,  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him.  fur  his  lite  had  ever 
been  honorable  and  upright.  He  voted  the 
Democratic  ticket,  but  always  declined  to 
hold  office.  In  his  religious  views  he  was  a 
Baptist  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  that 
church.  In  all  matters  of  business  he  was 
reliable,  honorable  and  straightforward,  and 
his  history  proves  conclusively, the  forces  of 
integrity  and  industry  in  the  active  affairs 
of  life.  His  labors  were  of  the  greatest  bene- 
fit t<>  the  county  along  lines  of  improve- 
ment and  progress  and  his  name  should  he 
placed   high    upon    the   roll   of   honored   pio- 

Mrs.  Pilcher  still  survives  her  husband 
and  1.  yet  living  upon  the  old  home  farm 
which  Ik-  improved.     She  is  one  of  the  few- 


pioneer  women  remaining-  that  have  for  a 
haif  century  been  witnesses  of  the  growth 
and  development  of  the  county.  The  work 
of  the  home  farm  is  carried  on  by  her  grand- 
son. Edward  Hoyer,  who  carefully  manages 
the  property  and  keeps  the  kind  under  a  high 
state  1  if  cultivatii  m. 


WEST  MYERS. 

West  Myers,  well  known  as  a  leading 
farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Boone  county 
and  one  whose  success  is  attributable  en- 
tirely to  his  own  efforts,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 26,  185 1,  upon  the  old  home  farm  in 
this  county,  where  he  now-  lives.  His  father 
w  as  Michael  Myers,  who  was  born  in  east- 
ern Tennessee  on  the  24th  of  January,  1825. 
The  grandfather  bore  the  name  of  West 
Myers  and  was  three  times  married.  He 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  following  that 
pursuit  in  eastern  Tennessee  and  was  one 
of  the  prominent  and  well-educated  men  of 
hia  district.  He  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  for  a  considerable  period  and  was  a 
capable  and  intelligent  officer.  From  Ten- 
nessee he  removed  to  Indiana  and  thence 
came  to  Iowa,  in  the  winter  of  1854-5. 
Pure  his  death  occurred  when  he  was  fifty- 
six  years  of  age.  Michael  Myers,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  was  a  mere  child  when  his 
parents  removed  to  the  Hoosier  state.  There 
be  was  reared  to  manhood  and  was  married 
there.  In  1850  he  came  to  Boone  count} 
and  purchased  the  claim  Upon  which  our 
subject  is  now  living,  removing  his  family 
to  this  farm  on  the  26th  of  April,  [851.  A 
little  log  cabin  sheltered  the  family  while 
be  carried  on  the  work  of  held  and  meadow. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


He  paid  five  hundred  dollars  for  his  prop- 
erty, consisting  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres.  On  this  farm  Michael  Myers  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life  and  was  never  away 
from  home  for  any  great  length  of  time, 
the  longest  period  being  on  one  occasion 
when  he  was  buying  cattle  in  Minnesota, 
when  he  was  gone  for  one  month  and  two 
days.  He  was  extensively  engaged  in  hand- 
ling stock,  being  one  of  the  leading  repre- 
sentatives in  this  line  of  business  in  the 
county.  He  was  very  industrious  and  ac- 
tive, and  sturdy,  honest  man  in  all  his  ways, 
and  through  his  earnest  labor  he  accumu- 
lated a  nice  property;  in  fact,  became  one 
of  the  largest  landowners  of  the  county. 
his  realty  holdings  covering  thirteen  hun- 
dred acres.  During  the  last  eight  years  of 
his  life  he  largely  lived  retired  from  active 
business. 

.Michael  Myers  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Charlotte  Latham,  who  was  horn  in  In- 
diana. She  died  February  4.  1859,  at  the 
ag«  of  thirty-three  years  and  ten  month-. 
B>  this  union  were  horn  eight  children. 
After  the  death  of  the  first  wile  the  father 
again  married,  hi-  second  union  being  with 
Mrs.  Mary  Latham,  who  died  August  30, 
[890.  There  were  live  children  by  this 
union.  In  the  family  were  thirteen  alto- 
gether and  ten  of  the  number  are  yet  living, 
as  follows:  Alexander,  Nancy  A..  John 
\\ ..  West,  Harrison.  Johnson,  Vincent, 
Lou;,,  Charles  R.,  and  Hell.  Michael  \lv 
e,  ■-  was  not  an  office  seeker,  hut  hi-  fellow 
townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth  and  abil- 
ity, called  him  to  a  number  of  positions  of 
public  trust  during  his  residence  in  Des 
Moines  township.  lie  served  a-  school 
trustee  and  was  administrator  of  several  es- 
tates.    In  his  political  views  he  was  a  Dem- 


ocrat where  questions  of  state  and  national 
importance  were  involved,  hut  at  local  elec- 
tions where  there  was  no  issue  before  the 
people  he  voted  regardless  of  party  affilia- 
tions, supporting  the  men  whom  he  thought 
best  qualified  for  office.  He  was  not  identi- 
fied with  any  religious  organization,  hut  at- 
tended the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
more  than  others.  However,  he  contrib- 
uted to  the  support  "f  all  churches  and  in 
Ins  dealings  with  bis  fellow  men  be  was 
generou-.  upright  and  honorable.  Tlis  life 
was,  indeed,  well  worthy  of  commendation 
and  his  example  of  emulation.  He  started 
out  upon  his  business  career  empty  handed, 
but  with  strong  purpose  and  steadfast  will 
he  continued  his  labors  and  thus  advanced 
steadily  toward  the  -o;d  of  prosperity.  At 
all  times  he  was  just  and  reliable  in  his  re- 
lations with  his  fellow  men  and  thus  he 
commanded  their  esteem,  and  when  he  was 
called  to  his  final  rest  his  death  was  deeply 
mi  mined. 

West  Myers,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  spent  his  boyhood  days  upon 
the  old  family  homestead  ami  in  the  com- 
mon schools  pursued  his  education,  lie  has 
followed  general  farming  and  stock  raising. 
lie  I-  to-da)  the  owner  of  the  old  home 
farm  which  covers  an  extensive  tract  of  rich 
land  and  here  he  carries  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  1  lc  raises  the  grains  best 
adapted  n>  the  -■  >il  and  climate,  and  in  ad- 
dition is  giving  considerable  attention  to  the 
raising  of  stock,  making  a  specialty  of  Dur- 
ham cattle.  lie  keeps  from  seventy-live  to 
one  hundred  head  of  this  breed  upon  his 
farm  and  his  annual  sales  of  stock  materi- 
ally increase  bis  income,  and  his  home  farm 
comprises  three  hundred  and  twenty-two 
and  one-half  acres,      lie  also  owns  another 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


farm    of     four    hundred    and     twenty-two 
acres. 

Air.  Myers  was  married  April  q,  [879, 
to  Belle  F.  Joice,  who  was  born  in  Boone 
county,  Iowa.  February  28,  1861.  a  daugh- 
ter of  A.  Joice.  Unto  our  subject  and  his 
wife  have  been  born  four  children,  three  yet 
living,  namely :  Lotte  B.,  Austin,  and  Sei- 
dell W.  Their  daughter,  Lotte  B..  is  the 
wife  of  Clarence  Lockard,  a  resident  of 
Boone.  In  religion  Mr.  Myers  favors  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  his 
wife  is  a  member.  He  is  a  representative 
of  one  of  the  earliest  families  of  Boone 
county  and  has  witnessed  almost  its  entire 
development,  as  it  has  emerged  from  pio- 
neer conditions  to  take  its  place  aiming  the 
richest  and  best  sections  of  this  grand  state. 
A  native  son  of  Boone  county,  he  well  de- 
serves representation  in  this  history  as  one 
or  its  representative  and  honored  men. 


WILLIAM   MYRTLE  BOONE. 

William  Myrtle  Boone,  who  is  now  li\- 
ing  a  retired  life  in  the  home  of  his  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Page,  on  section  14,  Worth  town- 
ship, was  for  many  years  a  thrifty  and  en- 
terprising farmer  owning  and  operating  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land.  He  came 
to  Boone  county  in  the  fall  of  1851,  finding 
here  a  district  situated  upon  the  frontier 
while  pioneer  conditions  existed  through- 
out the  county.  He  was  born  in  Harrison 
county,  Indiana,  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio 
river,  May  30,  [822,  and  is  a  son  of  Squire 
Boone  and  a  grandson  of  Moses  Boone, 
both  natives  of  Kentucky.  The  latter's 
father  was  also  named  Squire  Boone  and 
was    a    brother   of    the    noted    pioneer   and 


explorer,    Daniel    Boone,   who  led   the  way 

into  the  wilds  of  the  Blue  Grass  state.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  reared  to  man- 
hoi  '1  in  Kentucky  and  was  married  there  to 
Phebe  Rissler.  who  was  born  in  Virginia 
and  was  reared  in  Kentucky.  In  that  state 
the  father  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits 
for  a  number  of  years  and  then  moved 
acmss  the  Ohio  river  into  Indiana,  where 
he  again  developed  a  new  farm.  In  1852  he 
crime  to  Iowa,  settling  in  Worth  township, 
Boone  county.  Here  he  purchased  land  and 
with  the  aid  of  his  sons  again  improved  a 
new  farm  upon  which  he  spent  his  last 
years.  For  several  years  prior  to  his  death 
Ik-  was  a  resident  of  Boonesboro.  His  wife 
died  there  and  he  then  went  to  live  with  his 
son,  William  M.,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  his  death  which  occurred  December  5, 
1871;.  when  he  was  eighty-five  years  of  age. 
He  was  twice  married  and  by  the  first  union 
had  two  daughters,  while  by  the  second 
unii  >n  he  had  three  daughters  and  four  sons. 
William  M.  was  the  eldest  of  this  family. 
There  are  two  sons  and  one  daughter  living, 
the  brother,  Tyler  Boone,  being  one  of  the 
substantial  farmers  and  well-known  citizens 
of  Worth  township.  The  sister,  Mrs.  Eliz- 
abeth Williams,  is  a  widow  living  in  Ma- 
drid. 

William  M.  Boone  was  reared  in  Put- 
nam county.  Indiana,  and  assisted  his 
father  in  the  arduous  task  of  developing  a 
new  farm.  He  remained  with  his  father  un- 
til he  had  attained  his  majority  and  then 
took  charge  of  the  old  home  place  which 
he  conducted  for  ten  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Putnam  county,  in  1841.  to  Mi>s 
Nancy  Parker,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  In 
the  fall  of  1851  he  came  to  Iowa  and  settled 
hear    old    Boonesboro,    in    Boone    county. 


382 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


There  he  purchased  a  claim  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  and  when  the  land  came  into 
the  market  entered  it  from  the  government 
and  secured  his  title.  After  raising  one 
crop  he  rented  his  laud  for  a  number  of 
years  and  subsequently  traded  it  for  land 
in  Worth  township  on  which  he  took  up  his 
abode  about  1853.  He  had  removed  to 
Worth  township  in  order  to  be  near  his 
father  and  attend  to  the  business  interests 
of  his  parents.  He  then  cultivated  and  im- 
proved a  new  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  aero,  built  good  residences  upon  it. 
operated  the  fields,  planted  fruit  trees  and 
made  valuable  additions  to  the  place  which 
transformed  it  into  a  model  farm  of  the 
period.  There  he  continued  to  carry  on 
agricultural  pursuits  with  signal  success  un- 
til [896.  <  >n  the  1st  of  Januan  .  1  >f  that 
year,  his  wife  passed  away  and  he  then 
rented  the  farm,  but  previous  to  this  time 
he  had  given  portions  of  it  to  his  children 
and  aided  all  of  them  to  gel  a  start  in  life 
1>\   making  a  gift  of  a  farm  to  each. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boone  were  born 
nine  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 
Alice  is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Page,  now  of 
Luther:  Edward  M.,  is  a  resident  of  Wyom- 
ing; Jesse  P.  is  also  living  in  Luther;  Virgil 
is  a  resident  farmer  of  Worth  township  ;Ma- 
tilda  is  the  wife  of  Wesley  Page,  a  sub- 
stantial agriculturist  of  Worth  township; 
Laura  is  the  wife  of  James  \Y.  Wayne,  also 
a  farmer  of  Worth  township:  and  Oliver 
P.  follows  agricultural  pursuits  in  this 
a  tinty. 

In  the  early  life  Mr.  Boone  of  this  re- 
view voted  with  the  old  Whig  part\  and. 
upon  its  dissolution  he  joined  the  ranks  of 
the  new  Republican  party  at  its  organiza- 
tion  and   cast   his   ballot    for    fohn  C.  Fre- 


mont in  1856.  He  has  since  voted  for  each 
presidential  candidate  of  the  party,  never 
wavering  in  his  allegiance  to  the  principles 
in  which  he  so  firmly  believes.  He  has 
never  sought  or  desired  office,  preferring 
that  his  attention  shall  be  given  to  his  busi- 
ness affairs.  Fifty-one  years  have  passed 
since  his  arrival  in  Iowa, — more  than  half 
a  centurj — and  -real  changes  have  occurred 
during  this  long  period.  The  most  far- 
sighted  could  not  have  imagined,  much  less 
d;  earned  of  the  present  flourishing  condi- 
tion of  the  county,  ranking  to-day  among 
the  leading  counties  of  this  great  common- 
wealth,     lie  has  seen    B le  grown  from  a 

nine  hamlet  to  one  of  the  leading  cities  of 
tin.  state;  has  witnessed  the  introduction  of 
tie  railroads,  bringing  the  count)'  into  close 
communication  with  other  portions  of  this 
land;  saw  the  wild  prairies  reclaimed  for 
of  civilization,  while  roads  were 
constructed  and  homes  were  built  and 
churches  indicate  the  moral  and 

educational  status  of  the  community.  Mr. 
Boone  has  endorsed  everj  movement  for  the 
benefit    of    the    county    and    is    well    known 

►ul  this  section  of  the  state  as  a 
man  whose  life  has  ever  been  honorable  and 
upright,  his  example  being  well  worthy  of 
emulation  by  bis  children  and  grandchild 
dun.  lie  has  many  friends  throughout 
this  portion  of  Iowa  who  will  be  glad  to  see 
his  record  in  the  histon   of  Boone  county. 


THOMAS  PAYNE. 


Tl, 


Payne  has  contributed  to  an  im- 
pi  rtant  chapter  in  the  history  of  America. 
for  he  was  one  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Civil 
war.  who,  in  response  to  the  presidi 


MRS.  THOMAS    PAYNE. 


THOMAS    PAYNE. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


335 


for  aid,  donned  the  blue  uniform  of  the  na- 
tion, and  went  forth  to  battle  for  the  Union. 
He  was  a  most  loyal  soldier,  never  shirk- 
ing any  duty,  but  ever  faithfully  defending 
the  old  flag.  Certainly  he  deserves  the  rec- 
ognition and  gratitude  of  his  country.  In 
business  affairs  he  has  been  very  successful 
and  has  become  one  of  the  extensive  land 
ov\  ners  of  the  county,  owning  eleven  hun- 
dred acres. 

Mr.  Payne  was  born  in  Clay  county.  In- 
diana, on  the  5th  of  November,  1834,  and 
is  a  son  of  Benjamin  C.  and  Maria  (Bry- 
ant )  Payne,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia 
and  the  latter  of  Maryland.  The  Payne 
family  was  founded  in  the  Old  Dominion  at 
an  early  epoch  in  its  history.  The  father  of 
our  subject  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812 
and  throughout  life  carried  on  farming. 
He  resided  for  many  years  in  Maryland  and 
Indiana,  taking  up  his  abode  in  the  latter 
state  about  1830.  There  he  made  his 
home  until  the  5th  of  November,  1854. 
when  he  arrived  in  Boone  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  spent  his  remaining  days.  He 
reached  an  extreme  old  age,  being  eighty- 
nine  years  and  eight  months  at  the  time  of 
Ins  demise.  His  wife  died  many  years  be- 
fore, passing  away  in  1842.  They  were  the 
parents  of  six  children,  of  whom  three  are 
now  living.  The  names  of  all  are  William 
B..  Maria,  James  R.,  Mary,  Thomas  and 
Carnelia. 

Thomas  Payne  was  born  and  reared  in 
Indiana  and  acquired  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  Clay  county,  but  his  opportuni- 
ties in  that  direction  were  somewhat  limited. 
He  began  the  mastery  of  the  branches  of 
English  learning  in  a  little  log  school  house 
seated  with  slab  seats,     the  boards  resting 


upon  wooden  pegs.  There  was  a  stick 
chimney  through  which  the  smoke  made  its 
egress  from  an  immense  fireplace.  Mr. 
Payne's  training  at  farm  work,  however, 
was  not  limited  for  very  early  in  life  he  be- 
gan work  in  the  fields  and  assisted  his 
father  in  the  labors  of  the  home  farm  until 
a  short  time  prior  to  his  majority,  when  he 
came  to  Boone  county.  He  purchased 
eight}-  acres  of  prairie  land  and  forty  acres 
of  timber  land,  investing  capital  which  he 
had  earned  through  various  lines  of  labor. 
As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  here 
made  other  investments  until  he  owned 
three  hundred  acres  of  land  in  connection 
with  his  brother.  He  then  sold  his  interest 
but  immediately  afterward  purchased  other 
land.  Later  he  removed  to  his  present  place 
of  residence.  Here  he  has  a  valuable  farm 
of  two  hundred,  acres  and  another  farm  in 
the  county  which  he  owns  comprises  four 
hundred  and  eighty-one  acres,  in  fact  he  has 
become  one  of  the  extensive  landholders  of 
this  portion  of  the  state.  His  realtv  pos- 
sessions comprise  ten  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  acres  of  land.  He  has  always  carried 
011  genral  farming  and  has  traded  quite  ex- 
tensively in  stock,  purchasing  as  much  as 
any  other  man  in  this  section.  He  makes 
a  specialty  of  handling  short  horn  and  Here- 
ford cattle  and  his  excellent  judgment  con- 
cerning stock  and  his  business  ability  have 
been  most  important  elements  in  winning 
him  success. 

Mr.  Payne  has  been  three  times  married. 
At  the  age  of  thirty-three  years  he  wedded 
Marian  Morris,  who  died  leaving  no  chil- 
dren, lie  afterward  wedded  Laura  Bell 
Parker  and  they  bad  three  children — Ella 
Cora  Lee.  Nettie  Bell  and   I'h.  .mas  Edward. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Mr.  Payne's  present  wife  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Laura  Lee  Ouinlan  and  was  born 
in  Putnam  county,  Indiana.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  William  Ouinlan  of  Harford, 
Maryland,  who  followed  farming  through- 
out life  and  died  in  1879.  He  married  Ser- 
eldah  Sinclair,  a  daughter  of  Rev.  J.  P. 
Sinclair,  a  pioneer  minister  of  Putnam 
county,  Indiana.  Her  death  occurred  in 
1899.  Mrs.  Payne  is  one  of  a  family  of 
six  children,  the  others  being  John  H..  de- 
ceased;  America  A.,  deceased;  Susanna  O., 
Sarah  J.  and  James  S. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Payne 
watched  with  interests  the  progress  of 
events  in  the  south  and  aroused  by  a  spirit 
of  patriotism  he  enlisted  in  August,  1862, 
as  a  member  of  Company  I).  Thin 
Iowa  Infantry,  remaining  in  the  service  un- 
til honorably  discharged  after  the  close  of 
the  war  in  August.  [865.  Mis  was  a  most 
creditable  military  record  and  his  course 
ever  commended  him  to  the  respect  of  his 
officers  and  the  friendship  of  hi-  comrades. 
lie  participated  in  the  battles  of  Ca] 
(Kan,  Missouri,  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  and 
the  Red  River  campaign.  He  was  also  in 
the  engagement  of  Bermuda  Hundred  and 
in  all  of  the  battles  and  skirmishes  in  which 
his  regiment  took  part  in  Arkansas.  Later 
the  command  came  down  the  White  river  to 
Mississippi,  thence  proceeded  t"  Memphis 
and  afterward  returned  t<>  Vicksburg,  where 
i:>  Mi]  it  was  consolidated.  In  April  of 
that  \ear  Mr.  Payne  was  transferred  to  the 
Sixteenth  \rmy  Corps  Division  train  and 
the  command  proceeded  to  (  airo.  lie  indeed 
>aw  M urn'  and  was  ne\ er 

ofi  duty  except  for  ten  days,  although  he 
was  ill  at  different  times.  In  July,  [864, 
he  participated  in  the  Tupelo  raid,  march- 


ing about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from 
Memphis.  He  was  also  in  Missouri  and 
Kansas  chasing  Price  and  suppressing  the 
guerrillas  there.  During  this  time  the  reg- 
iment made  over  thirty  miles  a  day  for  about 
thirty  clays,  pursuing  Price  for  over  nine 
hundred  miles.  Subsequentlv  the  com- 
mand went  to  Nashville,  from  there  to  East- 
port  and  then  down  to  Cairo,  and  on  the 
loth  of  February,  1865,  they  landed  at  New 
Orleans.  The  last  charge  of  the  rebellion 
was  made  at  Fort  Blakely  by  this  regiment. 
Whether  on  the  picket  line  or  in  the  thick- 
est of  the  tight,  whether  making  long  forced 
marches  or  resting  in  winter  quarters.  Mr. 
Payne  was  ever  found  loyal  to  the  stars  and 
stripes  and  shirked  no  duty  which  would 
promote  the  Union  cause. 

Mr.  Payne  has  nev  :r  aspired  t<  1 1  rffice  but 
Mies  with  the  Republican  party,  which 
stui  ..I  as  the  defender  of  the  Union  in  her 
hour  of  peril,  llis  religious  faith  is  rather 
that  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  al- 
though he  is  not  a  member  of  any  organiz- 
ation. He  has  witnessed  the  growth  of  the 
county,  having  located  here  in  pioneer  days, 

when  g Is   were     hauled     by  teams   front 

Keokuk  and  when  wild  game  abounded, 
some  of  it  furnishing  meals  for  the  frontier 
settlers.  In  the  work  of  improvement  and 
progress,  Mr.  Payne  has  ever  borne  his 
share.  lie  has  led  a  very  busy  and  useful 
life  and  all  that  he  has  he  has  made  him- 
self. Well  may  he  be  termed  a  self-made 
iran  for  he  deserves  all  the  credit  and  praise 
which  that  word  implies.  In  business  he  1- 
reliable,  straightforward  and  energetic  and 
in  citizenship  he  is  as  true  to-day  to  his 
country  as  when  he  followed  tin'  starry  ban- 
ner over  southern  battlefields  and  fought  to 
prevent    the   iln  isii  ill    of   the    I  '-in  n 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


>»7 


W.  H.  SPRAGUE. 

W.  II.  Sprague,  who  is  filling  the  office 
of  city  weigher,  is  far  separated  from  the 
li'acc  of  his  birth,  for  he  is  a  native  of  the 
Empire  state,  having  been  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  New  York,  in  1844.  His  parents 
were  Israel  and  Eunice  Ann  (Noble) 
Sprague,  both  of  whom  were  also  natives 
of  New  York,  where  they  spent  their  entire 
lives.  Of  their  family,  H.  H.  Sprague,  who 
is  a  brother  of  the  subject  of  this  review, 
and  W.  H.  Sprague  came  to  Boone  county, 
Iowa,  the  former  in  1869  and  the  latter  in 
1870.  For  a  time  they  were  associated  in 
business  as  proprietors  of  a  grocery  store, 
and  later  engaged  in  farming  for  a  period 
ot  ten  years.  In  1837  Mr.  Sprague  of  this 
review  came  to  Boone,  Iowa,  where  he  has 
since  made  his  home.  For  fifteen  years  he 
his  been  city  weigher,  filling  the  office  in  a 
most  capable  manner,  his  duties  being  dis- 
charged with  promptness  and  fidelity. 

Mr.  Sprague  has  ever  been  a  loyal  and 
patriotic  citizen,  and  when  the  country  was 
engaged  in  Civil  war  he  responded  to  the 
call  for  aid,  enlisting  on  the  30th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1 86 1,  as  a  member  of  Company  I, 
Ninety-second  New  York  Infantry,  lie 
remained  at  the  front  through  the  period  of 
hostilities,  being  mustered  out  on  the  12th 
of  January,  1865.  He  had  been  wounded 
in  front  Petersburg,  June  24,  18(14,  having 
been  shot  through  the  wrist,  the  bones 
thereof  being  shattered.  On  account  of  his 
disability  lie  was  sent  to  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  remained  in  the  hospital 
until  honorably  discharged.  He  took  pari 
in  twenty-tour  engagements  in  all.  includ- 
ing man_\'  lit  the  leading  battles  of  the  Army 
1.1'  the  Potomac. 


In  1871  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Mr.  Sprague  and  Miss  Elizabeth  Mitchell, 
a  daughter  of  William  Mitchell,  of  Boone 
county,  Iowa.  Their  children  are :  Anna 
May,  the  wife  of  Charles  Clark;  Arthur  H., 
Bert  and  Benjamin.  Of  this  number  Bert 
enlisted  for  service  in  the  Spanish-Ameri- 
can war  as  a  member  of  Company  I,  Fifty- 
second  Iowa  Infantry.  The  regiment  was 
called  to  Chickamauga,  but  was  never  called 
to  active  field  service,  and  eventually  he  was 
discharged. 

Mr.  Sprague  is  identified  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Redmen,  and  with  the 
Grand  Army  Post,  whereby  he  maintains 
pleasant  relations  with  his  old  army  com- 
rades who  wore  the  blue  in  detense  of  the 
Union  cause.  Local  advancement  and 
national  progress  are  both  dear  to  his  heart 
and  he  carefully  considers  and  supports  all 
measures  which  he  believes  will  contribute 
to  the  general  gfood. 


GEORGE  J.  BOYD. 


George  J.  Boyd,  who  is  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock  raising  on  section  17, 
Colfax  township,  there  owns  and  operates 
a:,  excellent  farm  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  within  eight  miles  of  the  city 
of  Boone.  He  is  one  of  Iowa's  native  sons, 
his;  birth  having  occurred  in  Clinton  county, 
on  the  4th  1  if  December,  [842.  His  father> 
James  Boyd,  was  horn  in  Allegheny  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  [82  1 .  and  was  reared  in  the 
Keystone  state  until  sixteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  emigrated  westward,  locating  in 
Clinton  county,   fowa,  among  the  first  set- 


388 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


tiers  there.  He  purchased  land  from  the 
government,  afterward  bought  other  land 
and  engaged  in  the  difficult  task  of  reclaim- 
ing the  wild  prairie  for  cultivation.  In  his 
work  he  persevered  and  his  two  hundred 
acres  were  in  the  course  of  time  transformed 
into  rich  and  arable  fields.  He  also  made 
good  improvements  upon  his  property  in 
the  way  of  buildings.  In  Clinton  county  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
Sloan,  who  was  born  and  reared  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  was  a  daughter  of  Squire 
Sloan,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Iowa.  Mr. 
Boyd  remained  in  Clinton  county  for  sev- 
eral years  and  in  1869  came  to  Boone 
county,  where  he  purchased  a  farm,  spend- 
ing his  remaining  days  thereon.  He  died 
November  30,  1887,  having  survived  his 
wife  four  years.  In  their  family  were  six 
sons  and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom 
reached  years  of  maturity,  while  four  sons 
and  one  daughter  are  vet   living. 

George  J.    Boyd  of  this  review   is  the 
eldest,  and  upon  the  old  homestead   farm  in 

Clinton  county  the  days  of  his  boyh 1  and 

youth  were  passed.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  there  through  the  winter  months 
and  in  the  summer  season  worked  upon  the 
farm,  remaining  with  his  father  until  he 
had  attained  his  majority,  when  he  began 
clearing  his  land.  I  le  then  went  to  *  !ol 
01  ado,  where  he  spent  one  year  in  freight- 
ing and  mining.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  returned  to  Ins  home.  In  1NO4 
Mr.  Boyd,  in  partnership  with  John  (  oopei , 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  following 
it  for  five  years  in  Clayton  county,  towa, 
01!  the  Turkey  river,  purchasing  standing 
timber  and  manufacturing  same  into  lum- 
ber which  they  would  rait  to  Dubuque, 
hwa.     In   [869  he  aco  mipanied  his  father 


and  the  family  on  their  removal  to  Boone 
and  at  once  took  up  his  abode  upon  the 
place  where  he  now  resides.  It  was  then 
wild  prairie  land,  totally  without  improve- 
ments, but  soon  the  breaking  plow  was  seen 
in  the  fields  and  as  the  sod  was  turned  the 
seed  was  planted  and  in  course  of  time  good 
harvests  were  gathered.  He  began  here 
with  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land, 
but  as  his  financial  resources  increased, 
making  possible  the  purchase  of  other  prop- 
erty, he  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  farm 
until  it  now-  comprises  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  He  has  recently  erected  a  com- 
modiousand  attractive  farm  residence,  has 
also  built  good  bams  and  grain  sheds  and 
fruit  and  shade  trees  have  been  planted.  The 
latest  improved  machinery  is  found  upon 
his  place  and  the  equipments  are  such  as  to 
indicate  that  the  owner  is  a  practical  and 
progressive  agriculturist. 

Mr.  Boyd  was  married  in  Clinton 
count}.  Iowa.  March  10.  1872,  to  Rebecca 
Hill,  a  native  of  Ohio.     She  came  to  Iowa 

during  her  girlh 1   days   with   her   parents 

and  was  reared  in  Clinton  county.  Her 
father  was  an  early  settler  there  lint  died 
soon  after  arming  in  this  state.  Mr.  and 
Mis.  Boyd  have  four  children:  Leslie  k\. 
who  is  earning  on  the  home  farm:  Frank, 
aiso  at  home;  Mary,  the  wife  of  William 
Rea,  a  farmer  of  Colfax  township:  and 
Carl,   a   little   lad    of   seven   years. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Boyd  is 
a  Jefferson  Democrat  and  in  1864  he  voted 
foi  George  B.  McClellan.  At  local  elec- 
tions, however,  he  is  independent,  casting 
hi  -  ballot  without  regard  to  party  ties  1  le 
ha;  filled  some  township  offices  hut  has 
never  been  a  politician  in  the  sense  of  office 
seeking,   as  his   Ihimirn,   affairs   have   made 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD, 


389 


heavy  demands  upon  his  time  and  energies. 
His  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  [owa  and 
for  one-third  of  a  century  he  has  made  his 
home  in  Boone  county.  During  this  period 
many  of  the  now  thriving  towns  and  vil- 
lages have  been  founded ;  business  interests 
formerly  known  only  to  the  east,  have  been 
introduced,  while  the  wild  prairie  has  been 
transformed  into  good  farms,  which  are  the 
hunics  of  contented  and  prosperous  people. 
Mr.  Boyd  has  had  a  successful  career  and 
hi-  enterprise  and  careful  supervision  of  his 
business  affairs  have  been  the  foundation 
upon   which   he  has  budded   his   prosperity. 


JOHN  T.  S.  WILLIAMS. 

John  T.  S.  Williams,  who  is  engaged  in 
handling  real  estate  in  Ogden,  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  business  men  who  almosl  from 
the  beginning  of  the  town  have  been  identi- 
fied with  its  commercial  interests.  He  lo- 
cated here  in  June.  1868,  when  there  were 
only  two  stores  in  Ogden.  He  was  born 
near  Hanshenbrook,  Canada,  on  the  31st  of 
August,  1835,  and  is  a  son  of  the  Rev. 
Ebenezer  and  Margaret  Williams,  the  for- 
mer of  Welsh  descent  and  the  latter  of 
Scotch  lineage.  They  were  married,  how- 
ever, in  Canada  and  settled  in  the  southern 
portion  of  that  country  but  afterward  re- 
moved to  New  York,  thence  to  Milwaukee. 
Wisconsin,  and  afterward  to  Iowa  county. 
\\  isconsin,  where  they  made  their  home  un- 
til coming  to  Boone  county,  Iowa,  in  [869. 
The  lather  was  a  minister  of  the  Episcopal 
church,  devoting  his  entire  hie  to  that  holy 
calling.  For  nine  years  he  remained  a  resi- 
denl  of  Iowa,  passing  away  on  tin'  8th  of 


December,    1878.      His   wife   died   in   New 

York.  After  her  death  the  father  was  again 
married,  his  second  union  being  with  Jane 
Hommann.  By  the  first  marriage  there 
were  two  children,  John  T.  S.,  of  this  re- 
view, and  one  that  died  in  infancy. 

In  Philadelphia  Mr.  Williams  pursued 
his  education  and  for  three  years  was  a  stu- 
dent in  the  Dr.  Hare  Academy,  an  Episco- 
palian school  of  that  city.  When  he  came  to 
Iowa  in  [868  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Beaver 
township,  Boone  county,  and  with  char- 
acteristic energy  began  the  improvement  of 
the  place,  continuing  its  cultivation  success- 
fully until  1880,  when  he  abandoned  the 
work  of  the  farm  in  order  to  devote  his  at- 
tend' hi    to   official    duties. 

From  1 87 1  down  to  the  present  time 
Mr.  Williams  has  been  an  active  factor  in 
political  circles  in  Boone  county  and  in  1880 
he  was  elected  county  treasurer,  filling  the 
position  for  two  years.  On  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  established  a  general  mer- 
cantile store  in  Ogden  and  conducted  the 
enterprise  with  success  for  six  years.  He 
then  turned  his  attention  to  dealing  in  agri- 
cultural implements  and  for  four  years  was 
in  that  line  of  commercial  pursuit.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  was  elected 
postmaster  and  served  for  four  years  under 
President  Cleveland's  administration.  When 
he  again  retired  from  office  he  turned  his  at- 
tention to  the  real  estate  and  insurance  bus- 
iness, in  which  he  is  engaged,  llis  office  is 
located  on  Main  street  and  he  has  met  with 
a  fair  degree  of  success  in  the  various  cu- 
terpi  ises  which  he  has  conducted. 

Mr.  Williams  was  married  to  Miss  Jane 
Thomas,  of  Iowa  county.  Wisconsin,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  sewn  children: 
G.    K..  who  resides  on  the  old  homestead 


390 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


in  Beaver  township;  Charles  H..  who  is  also 
living-  on  the  old  homestead;  Char- 
lotte N.,  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Nylander, 
who  is  engaged  in  agricultural  implement 
business  in  Ogden  and  resides  near  the 
town;  Lillie,  the  wife  of  C.  H.  Reed,  a 
dentist  of  Avoca,  Iowa;  Laura,  the  wife  of 
C.  L.  Thomas,  a  resident  of  Beaver  town- 
ship; Edgar,  who  is  a  printer  by  trade  and 
is  living  in  Scranton,  Iowa;  and  Amy,  who 
is  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  public  schools 
of  Ogden. 

Mr.  Williams  has  always  given  his  sup- 
port to  the  Democracy  and  is  a  strong  ad- 
herent to  its  principles,  doing  all  in  his 
power  to  promote  its  growth  and  insure  its 
success,  in  1S70  he  aided  in  organizing 
Beaver  township  and  has  always  been  an 
active  factor  in  public  affairs.  He  served 
as  township  clerk  and  was  secretary  of  the 
school  board  throughout  the  period  that  he- 
resided  upon  his  farm  in  Beaver  township. 
Throughout  his  residence  in  this  state  Mr. 
Williams  has  been  recognized  as  a  valued 
citizen,  as  a  reliable  man,  a  capable  officer 
am!  oilr  who,  in  all  life's  relations,  has  com- 
manded the  respect  and  confidence  of  those 
with  whom  he  has  heen  associated. 


S.    1.    ELLIOTT. 


S.  J.  Elliott,  who  follows  farming  near 
the  village  of  Beaver,  his  home  being  in 
Amaqua  township,  belongs  to  one  of  the 
oldest  families  of  Boone  county,  a  settle- 
liuiii  having  heen  made  here  by  the  Elliotts 
in  (856.  Our  subject  was  then  scarcely 
three  years  old.  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Logan  county,  Ohio.  November  -•-'.  1853. 


He  is  a  son  of  Amos  and  Belinda  Elliott. 
The  father  was  born  in  Stark  county,  Ohio, 
but  removed  to  Logan  county,  where  he  re- 
sided upon  a  farm  until  1856.  when  with  his 
family  he  came  to  the  west,  settling  in 
Boonesboro,  Iowa.  There  he  engaged  in 
farming  for  a  year  and  a  half,  after  which 
he  removed  to  Marcy  township  and  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land,  becoming  one  of  the 
first  settlers  within  the  borders  of  that 
township.  Farming  pursuits  occupied  his. 
attention  until  his  life's  labors  were  ended 
in  death.  He  passed  away  February  7, 
1899.  ani'  ms  widow  is  now  living  with  a 
son  on  the  old  family  homestead  in  Marcy 
township.  Six  children  were  born  unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Elliott:  William  P.,  who  follows 
farming  near  Tracy.  Minnesota:  Abraham 
W..  who  is  engaged  in  farming  pursuits  in 
Montgomery  county,  Iowa;  Spain  J.; 
Charles  II..  who  is  farming  on  the  old 
homestead;  Liburn  F...  an  employe  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company, 
living  in  Heaver:  and  Sherman  A.,  who  re- 
sides 111  !•  raser.  this  county. 

Upon  the  old  home  farm  Spain  J.  Elliott 
was  reared  and  in  the  common  schools  of 
Marcy  township  he  pursued  his  education. 
Through  the  summer  months  he  worked  in 
the  fields  and  wa^  employed  Upon  the  old 
homestead  until  after  he  had  attained  his 
majority,  when  he  rented  a  tract  of  land  in 
Marcy  township  and  began  farming  on  his 
own  account.  As  a  companion  and  help- 
mate on  life's  journey  he  chose  Miss  Martha 
E,  Thompson,  a  native  of  Linn  county. 
Iowa,  and  a  daughter  of  J.  W.  Thompson, 
now  editor  of  the  Boone  Count)  Messenger, 
which  is  published  in  <  >gdeu.  The  children 
have  been  bom  unto  our  subject  and  his 
wife:      Clarence   and    Mabel.      The    former 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


is  at  home,  while  the  latter  is  employed  in 
Air.  Thompson's  printing  office  in  Ogden. 

Mr.  Elliott  resided  upon  several  differ- 
ent farms  in  Marcy  township  before  he 
finally  located  upon  the  old  homestead,  there 
continuing  its  further  development  and  im- 
provement until  1888,  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  upon  his  present  farm  in  Amaqua 
township,  known  as  the  old  Becker  prop- 
erty. This  is  located  just  north  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Beaver  and  adjoins  the  corporation 
limits.  Since  removing-  to  that  place  Mr. 
Elliott  has  sold  a  portion  of  his  farm  for 
town  lots,  but  still  owns  thirty-four  acres. 
He  carries  on  general  farming  and  stock 
raising  and  from  his  aunts  he  also  rents 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Amaqua  township 
which  he  cultivates.  His  work  as  an  agri- 
culturist has  been  the  means  of  bringing  to 
him  a  comfortable  competence  and  he  is 
now  numbered  among  the  substantial  citi- 
zens of  the  community.  He  is  serving  at 
the  present  time  in  the  office  of  township 
trustee  of  Amaqua  township  and  has  held 
other  minor  positions.  Like  his  father  he 
is  a  stanch  Republican  and  socially  is  con- 
nected with  the  Good  Templars  of  Beaver. 
His  life  has  been  honorable  and  upright, 
characterized  by  faithful  allegiance  to  manly 
principles  and  throughout"  the  community 
he  is  heartily  esteemed  for  his  genuine 
worth. 


HERMAN  HEXXIXCS. 

Herman  Hennings  1-  the  senior  member 
of  the  firm  of  Hennings  &  Hagge,  grain 
merchants  and  dealers  in,  farming  imple- 
ments and  lumber  in  Ogden.  Among  those 
who  have  come  from   foreign  lands  to  be- 


come prominent  in  business  circle- 
county  is  this  well-known  gentleman.  His 
success  in  his  undertakings  has  been  so 
marked  that  hi-  methods  are  of  interest  to 
the  commercial  world.  He  has  based  his 
business  principles  and  actions  upon  strict 
adherence  to  the  rules  which  govern  in- 
dustry, economy  ami  strict,  unswerving  in- 
tegrity. He  wa>  horn  in  Germany,  May  i<). 
1S51.  and  is  a  son  of  Clause  Hennings,  a 
farmer  of  that  land,  who  spent  his  entire 
life  in  the  country  of  his  nativity. 

Mr.  Hennings  of  this  review  was  a 
young  man  of  thirty-two  years  when  he  em- 
igrated to  America,  landing  in  Xew  York. 
He  made  his  way  direct  across  the  country 
to  Ogden.  where  he  had  a  sister  living  and 
began  farming  in  Amaqua  township,  where 
he  followed  agricultural  pursuits  for  a  year. 
He  then  came  to  Ogden  and  worked  on  the 
section  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
Railroad  for  a  year  and  a  half.  For  seven 
and  one-half  years  he  was  connected  with 
the  grain  trade  in  the  employ  of  I.  YV.  Rice 
and  at  length  he  purchased  an  interest  in  an 
elevator,  becoming  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Hennings  &  Hennings.  In  1892  the 
present  firm  of  Hennings  &  Hagge  was 
formed  and  has  since  conducted  a  successful 
and  growing  business.  They  are  dealers  in 
grain,  farm  implements  and  lumber  and  in 
the  various  departments  of  their  enterprise 
they  are  meeting  with  success,  having  a 
large  patronage,  which  annually  returns  to 
them  a  good  income.  Mr.  Hennings  and 
his  partner  are  also  engaged  in  buying  hogs 
and  cattle  and  dealing  in  real  estate  and  in- 
surance. They  handle  all  kinds  of  farm  mi 
plements  and  their  business  is  now  one  of 
the  leading  commercial   enterprises   of  the 

town. 


395 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Mr.  Hennings  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1878  to  Miss  Helen  Ohlstein,  also  a  native 
of  German}-,  and  they  now  have  two  chil- 
dren. Fredia  and  Martha.  For  three  years 
Mr.  Hennings  has  served  as  a  member  of 
the  city  council  of  Ogden  for  Yell  town- 
ship. He  has  always  supported  the  Democ- 
racy, believing  firmly  in  the  principles  of 
that  party.  Truly  a  self-made  man  in  the 
best  sense  of  that  oft-misused  term,  he  has 
worked  his  wa)  steadily  upward  from  a 
humble  position,  brooking  no  obstacles  that 
could  be  overcome  by  determination  and 
honorable  effort.  He  stands  to-day  strong 
in  his  success  and  in  his  good  name  and 
well  does  ho  merit  representation  in  this 
volume. 

■ *-—■ 

B.  arm:. 

The  histon  of  Mr.  Arie  is  one  winch 
demonstrates  the  force  of  industr)  and  keen 
discrimination  in  the  nine  affairs  of  life. 
Boone  number-  him  among  her  valued  and 
representative  citizens,  and  he  is  one  who 
has  contributed  a  large  measure  to  her  im- 
provement and  upbuilding.  Mam  of  the 
leading  structures  of  the  cit\  stand  a-  mon- 
ument- to  hi-  enterprise  and  progressive 
spirit.  1  le  was  bom  m  Brodi,  Austria- 
Hungaria,  in  [847,  and  was  very  young 
when  his  father  died.  When  he  was  but 
-  1  if  age  his  mother  removed  with 
her  children  to  Braila.  Roumania,  where  a 
brother  of  Mr.  Arie  was  living.  After  ac- 
quiring bis  education  in  the  common 
die  subject  of  our  review  en- 
gaged in  the  whole-ale  liquor  business  with 
hi.  brother,  until  the  year  1876,  at  which 
time  he  became  connected   with  military  af- 


fairs, entering  the  Roumanian  army,  for  his 
country  was  then  allied  with  the  Russians, 
and  fought  in  the  Russian  and  Roumanian 
war  in  the  years  1877-8.  While  thus  en- 
gaged Mr.  Arie  suffered  the  loss  of  the 
sight  of  mie  of  bis  eyes.  When  the  war 
was  over  his  brother  having  died,  he  en- 
gaged in  the  wholesale  liquor  business  alone 
for  a  year  or  two,  and  also  in  the  brewery 
and  bottling  business. 

In  1  SoS  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Mr.  Arie  and  Mi--  Eva  Abrams,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  three  children,  one  of 
whom  is  yet  living  and  is  his  father's  assis- 
tant in  business. 

It  was  in  the  year  1880  that  Mr.  Arie 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world,  be- 
lieving that  be  might  have  better  business 
opportunities  in  this  country.  He  first 
landed  in  Philadelphia,  whence  he  went  to 
Xew  York  city,  remaining  there  for  but  a 
short  time.  Establishing  his  home  in  Om- 
aha, Nebraska,  he  there  embarked  in 
the  battling  business,  but  a  few-  months 
served  to  prove  to  him  that  his  effort-  at 
thai  plai  1  v  •  luld  >■■•  1  pri  >\  e  successful.  Ac- 
cordingly he  removed  to  Plattsmouth,  Ne- 
braska, and  from  that  point  again  looking- 
for  new  fields  of  lab  ir  he  found  several 
places    that    be    believed    would    proi 

but  linallv  decided  that  Boone  was 
preferable  to  all  other-  and  has  made  his 
re  continuously  since  1881.  When 
fie  arrived  al  Boone  he  had  only  money 
enough  to  buy  a  meal.  Through  the  assis- 
tance of  friend-  in  Omaha,  however,  he  es- 
tablished the  bottling  works  here  and  con- 
tinued in  that  line  of  business  until  [894. 
From  that  time  to  the  present  he  has  been 
connected  with  the  Anheu-er  llu-ch  Brew- 
ing   Association,  of  St.  Louis,  a-  it-  agent 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD 


395 


in   this   district.     His   assistant   is   his   son, 
Oscar  B.  Arie. 

Mr.  Arie.  however,  is  a  man  of  re- 
sourceful business  ability,  who  has  not  lim- 
ited his  efforts  to  one  line  of  business.  He 
has  been  largely  associated  with  building 
interests,  has  erected  many  fine  structures  in 
Boone,  including  the  Opera  House  block 
and  the  Arie  building.  He  also  built  the 
Arie  Hotel  at  Madrid,  Iowa,  and  his  judi- 
cious investments  in  real  estate  have  con- 
tributed not  a  little  to  his  success.  He  is  a 
■companionable  gentleman  and  has  won 
many  friends,  but  when  business  cares  need 
his  attention  he  concentrates  his  thought 
and  energies  upon  the  work  in  hand  and 
carries  it  forward  to  a  successful  comple- 
tion. His  success  in  all  his  undertakings 
has  been  so  marked  that  his  methods  are  of 
interest  to  the  commercial  world.  Yet  there 
is  ii"  secret  connected  with  his  prosperity, 
for  it  has  been  acquired  through  diligence 
and  honest  toil  combined  with  capable  man- 
agement. He  is  a  liberal  contributor  to  all 
worth v  charities. 


JOHN  TINGWALD. 

John  Tingwald  may  well  he  classed 
among  those  men  of  enterprising  spirit  who 
owe  their  advancement  to  their  own  efforts, 
as  he  started  out  upon  his  business  career 
empty  handed,  placing  his  dependence  upon 
selr  reliance,  energy  and  determination. 
Gradually  he  has  advanced  until  he  now  oc- 
cupies  a  position  among  the  leading  mer- 
chants of  Boone.  In  the  analyzation  of  the 
character  and  life  work  of  Mr.  Tingwald 
we  note  main-  of  the  characteristics  which 


have  marked  the  German  nation  for  many 
centuries— the  perseverance,  the  reliability 
and  the  unconquerable  determination  to 
pursue  the  course  that  has  been  marked  out, 
It  is  these  qualities  which  have  gained  for 
Mr.  Tingwald  success  in  life  and  made  him 
one  of  the  substantial  and  valued  citizens 
of  Boone  county.  His  birth  occurred  in  the 
fatherland  in  1865,  his  parents  being  Fred 
and  Anna  1  Kelting)  Tingwald.  The  father 
died  in  1884.  at  the  age  of  fifty-one  years, 
but  his  widow  is  still  living  in  Germany. 
In  their  family  were  six  children,  of  whom 
our  subject  was  the  second  in  the  order  of 
birth.  The  others  are:  Henry,  a  resident 
of  Perry,  Boone  county.  Iowa:  Charles  F., 
of  Boone:  Martin:  Louisa,  and  Freida. 

At  a  very  early  age  John  Tingwald  en- 
tered upon  an  independent  business  career. 
Early  in  life,  when  but  sixteen  years  of  age, 
he  came  to  America,  believing  that  he 
might  have  better  business  opportunities  in 
the  new  world.  He  accepted  a  clerkship  in 
the  store  of  P.  Rattray,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained for  three  years.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  removed  from  Ogden, 
Iowa,  to  Boone  and  entered  the  employ  of 
F.  M.  Ballon,  a  dry  goods  merchant  in 
whose  sendee  he  remained  as  a  salesman  for 
five  years.  He  afterward  clerked  for  Theo- 
dore Wilson  for  live  years  and  in  the  fall  of 
[896  began  business  on  his  own  account, 
establishing  a  mercantile  store  which  he 
conducted  until  1902.  In  that  year  he  en- 
teied  into  partnership  with  his  brother, 
Charles  F..  under  the  linn  name  of  Ting- 
wald Brothers,  and  in  order  to  meet  the 
growing  demand  of  their  trade  they  re- 
moved to  larger  quarters  and  increased  their 
stock.  They  now  carry  a  large  line  of  dry 
goods,  notions,  cloaks  and  carpets.     On  the 


v-f. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


25th  of  February.  1902,  they  removed  the 
store  to  its  present  location. 

In  1899  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Tingwald  and  Miss  Katie  Braklow,  a 
daughter  of  Herman  Braklow,  of  Boone. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tingwald  now  have  two  chil- 
dren,  Lillian  and   Edward. 

Charles  F,  Tingwald.  the  partner  of  our 
subject,  married  Rosa  Leininger,  of  Dodge 
township,  Boone  county,  a  daughter  of 
Chris  Leininger,  their  wedding  being  cele- 
brated in  June,  1901.  The  firm  occupies  a 
very  enviable  position  in  trade  circles  of 
Boone. 

The  hope  that  led  Mr.  Tingwald  to  leave 
his  native  land  and  seek  a  home  in  America 
has  been  more  than  realized.  He  found  the 
o\  portunities  he  sought, — which,  by  the  way. 
are  always  open  to  the  ambitious,  energetic 
man, — and  making  the  best  of  these  he  has 
steadily  worked  his  way  upward.  He  pos- 
sesses the  resolution,  perseverance  and  re- 
liability so  characteristic  of  people  of  his  na- 
tion, and  his  name  is  now  enrolled  among 
the  best  citizen-  of  Boone  county. 


MRS.  ELLEN  BICKET. 

Mrs.  Bickel  has  resided  in  Boone  county 
for  only  a  short  period,  but  already  she  has 
gained  a  wide  acquaintance  and  won  the 
friendship  of  many  with  whom  she  has  been 
broughl  in  contact,  and  she  and  her  family 
are  regarded  as  valued  acquisitions  to  the 
citi  enshipof  this  portion  of  Iowa.  Sin-  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  Ellen  I  'ran.  and  is  a 
native  of  Wisconsin.  After  arriving  at  years 
of  womanhood  sjie  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  William  A.  Bicket,  who  was  born 


in  Toronto.  Canada,  on  the  9th  of  Septem- 
ber. 1S42.  and  is  a  son  of  James  B.  and  Jane 
iLeckie)  Bicket.  The  father  was  a  native 
of  Scotland  and  in  bis  youth  went  to  Can- 
ada, while  the  mother  was  born  in  Kings- 
ton, Canada,  and  both  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject died  in  the  Dominion.  Tbev  bad  five 
children,  but  with  the  exception  of  Agnes. 
who  is  the  wife  of  George  Mitchell,  of 
Toronto,  Canada,  all  are  now  deceased. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family,. 
Mr.  Bicket  pursued  a  common-school  educa- 
tion and  when  about  twenty  years  of  aye  he 
went  to  Minnesota,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  until  [863.  In  that  year  he  enlisted 
in  Company  A,  of  the  Seventh  Regiment 
of  Minnesota  Volunteers,  and  was  detailed 
as  recruiting  clerk  at  Fart  Snelling,  wher  he- 
was  stationed  until  after  the  close  of  the 
war.  A'  that  time  be  was  mustered  out  of 
the  service,  after  which  be  went  to  Chicago 
and  accepted  the  position  of  bookkeeper  for 
his  uncle,  with  whom  he  remained  for  sev- 
eral years.  Pie  then  went  to  the  forty-thou- 
sand-acre  Sullivan  farm,  in  Ford  county, 
Illinois,  now  known  as  tin  Hiram  Sibley 
farm,  where  be  was  engaged  in  keeping 
books  for  two  years.  (  )n  the  expiration  of 
that  period  be  removed  to  Texas,  remain- 
ing there  for  ;i  year  and  a  half,  after  which 
lie  returned  to  the  Sullivan   farm  and  began 

taking   charge   of  the  1 ks.  acting  in   that 

Capacity    until    the   extensive     tract    of     land 

passed  into  the  control  of  1  tiram  Sible) .  of 
Ri  Chester,  New  N  ork,  at  winch  time  Mr. 
Bicket  became  manager,  acting  in  that  ca- 
pacity with  excellent  ability  and  to  the  sat- 
isfaction of  all  concerned  until  bis  death. 
I  Le  was  a  man  of  (  xecllent  busin 
executive  force,  well  qualified  for  the  im- 
portant duties  that  devolved  upon  him. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bicket  were  born 
eight  children:  Mary  Gertrude  is  the  wife 
of  Rev.  Elbert  Alford,  a  Methodist  Epis- 
copal clergyman  now  located  in  Peoria,  Illi- 
nois. Xellie  Louise  resides  with  her  mother. 
Harry  Leckie  died  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
months.  Erne  May  is  the  wife  of  John 
Hirdlicka,  a  bookkeeper  en  the  Hiram  Sibley 
farm,  at  Sibley,  Illinois.  James  Pratt  is  a 
desk  man  of  the  .Associated  Press  of  Chi- 
cago. William  Albert  died  at  the  age  of 
one  year.  Grace  Darling  is  at  home  with 
her  mother.  Hiram  Sibley  is  now  engaged 
in  general  farming  and  stock  raising  on  the 
home  farm  in  Beaver  township,  Boone  coun- 
ty. After  attending  the  common  schools  the 
children  were  all  afforded  college  or  business 
courses,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bicket  desiring  that 
their'  family  should  be  well  equipped  for  the 
practical  and  responsible  duties  of  life. 

Fraternally  he  was  a  prominent  man, 
holding  membership  with  the  Knight  Temp- 
lars, the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  In  his  political  affil- 
iations he  was  a  Republican  and  took  an 
active  part  in  local,  state  and  municipal  pol- 
itics. Fc  >r  several  years  he  served  as  county 
supervisor  and  at  different  times  held  many 
minor  offices  in  Illinois.  Several  times  he 
was  chosen  as  a  delegate  to  national  con- 
ventions and  took  an  active  part  in  the  com- 
mittees of  the  same.  Of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  he  was  a  very  prominent. 
consistent  and  loyal  member,  thereby  con- 
tributing most  generously  and  liberally  to 
its  support,  lie  had  an  especial  regard  for 
the  needy,  and  his  benevolenl  spirit  came  as 
a  blessing  to  man)  of  his  fellow  men.  He 
was  indeed  a  friend  to  those  that  needed 
assistance  and  heartfelt  regret  was  mani- 
fested  at    the  time  <  <\    his   demise  hv  many 


whom  he  had  befriended  in  the  dark  hour 
of  adversity.  It  was  on  the  loth  of  April, 
1 89O,  that  Mr.  Bicket  was  called  to  his  final 
rest  and  thus  closed  a  most  useful,  honor- 
able and  active  career,  but  his  memory  is 
still  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  main  who 
knew  him,  while  his  influence  remains  as  a 
blessed  benediction  to  those  with  whom  he 
was  associated. 

After  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs. 
Bicket  removed  with  her  family  to  Chicago, 
Illinois,  in  the  fall  of  1897,  and  there  re- 
mained until  March  17,  1902,  when  they 
came  to  Beaver  township,  Boone  county, 
and  settled  upon  the  land  purchased  several 
years  ago  by  the  husband  and  father.  Airs. 
Bicket  now  owns  four  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  on  sections  20  and  21,  Beaver  town- 
ship, and  has  recently  erected  a  modern 
eight-room  residence  and  expects  to  build 
a  large  barn  and  cattle  sheds  and  make  other 
improvements  upon  the  farm  this  season. 
She  lately  had  a  well  dug,  in  which  water 
is  constantly  flowing  with  great  force,  and 
it  is  said  by  experts  to  be  one  of  the  best 
wells  in  this  part  of  the  state.  Mrs.  Bicket 
and  family  are  educated  and  refined  people 
and  have  already  been  warmly  welcomed  to 
the  social  circles  of  Boone  coitnty. 


HARRISON  MEYERS. 

Harrison  Meyers  was  horn  in  Boone 
count),  h.wa,  on  the  >oth  of  February,  1854, 
and  is  a  brother  of  West  Meyers,  whose 
sketch  appears  on  another  page  of  tin-  work. 
His  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  Boone 
county  and  throughout  the  period  of  his 
manhood  he  iias  been  identified  with  asrri- 


398 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORl 


-cultural  pursuits.  He  pursued  his  early  ed- 
ucation in  the  public  schools  and  afterward 
completed  his  studies  in  the  high  school  of 
Boonesboro.  Since  that  time  he  has  given 
his  attention  to  general  farming.  He  and  his 
brother  handle  stock.  Me  makes  a  specialty 
of  shorthorn  cattle  of  a  high  grade  and  his 
business  in  this  line  has  reached  very  exten- 
sive proportions  and  is  proving'  to  him  a 
profitable  source  of  income.  Our  subject 
owns  his  farm  of  two  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Jackson  township,  having  made  his 
home  thereon  for  the  past  twenty-one  years. 
One  hundred  and  ninety-five  acres  of  this 
land  was  formerly  owned  by  his  father,  but 
when  removing  here  Mr.  Meyers,  of  this  re- 
view, purchased  the  land  of  his  father  and 
has  since  retained  possession  of  it.  The 
fields  are  now  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  everything  ah.  ml  the  place  is  neat  and 
thrifty  in  appearance,  indicating  the  careful 
supervision  of  the  practical  and  progressive 
owner. 

On  the  27th  of  November,  [879.  oc 
curred  an  important  event  in  the  life  of  Mr. 
Meyers,  for  it  was  oft  that  date  that  his  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Ethel  A.  Boyd  was  celebrated. 
She  was  horn  in  Clinton  county.  Iowa,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  A.  1  Sloan  I 
Boyd.  They  now  have  two  children.  Frank 
V.  and  Alary  E.  In  his  social  relations  Mr. 
Meyers  is  connected  with  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America,  at  Boone,  and  with  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  of  the 
same  pla.ee.  Fie  votes  with  the  Republican 
party,  believing  firmly  in  its  principles  as 
most  conducive  to  good  government,  lie  i- 
widely  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading 
farmers  of  Jackson  township  and  does  a 
large  business  in  raising,  feeding  and  selling 
stock.     1  lie  Meyers  Eamilv  has  through  half 


a  century  been  a  prominent,  respected  and 

honored  one  in  the  community  and  Harrison 
Meyers,  of  this  review,  well  sustains  the 
family  reputation.  He  carefully  conducts 
his  business  affairs  and  at  all  times  is  fair 
and  just  in  his  dealings.  Ik-  is  widely 
known  throughout  his  native  county  and  the 
fact  that  many  who  have  known  him  from 
boyhood  are  numbered  among  his  warmest 
friends  is  an  indication  that  his  entire  life 
has  been  worthy  of  commendation. 


DANIEL  LEHMAN. 

Daniel  Lehman,  who  1.  devoting  his  en- 
ergies to  agricultural  pursuits  on  section  31, 
Grant  township,  owns  and  operates  a  val- 
uable farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres. 
This  is  well  improved  land  and  in  its  neat 
and  thrifty  appearance  indicates  the  care- 
ful supervision  of  the  owner  who  smce 
March,  18.75,  has  made  his  home  in  Boone 
county.  He  was  then  a  young  man  of 
twenty-seven  years,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred  on  the  1  ith  of  April.  1848,  in  Henry 
countw  Illinois.  His  father,  Lawrence 
Lehman,  was  horn,  reared  and  married  in 
Germany  and  on  emigrating  to  the  new 
world  took  up  his  abode  near  Geneseo,  Illi- 
nois, in  Henry  county,  being  one  of  the  first 
settler  to  establish  a  home  in  that  portion 
of  the  state.  He  purchased  his  land  from 
the  government  ami  at  once  began  the  im- 
provement of  the  farm  upon  which  he  reared 
his  family  and  spent  his  remaining  days 
passing  awa\    there  in    1S05. 

Daniel  Lehman  of  this  review  was 
reared  in  the  county  of  his  nativity  upon  the 
old  homestead  and  assisted   in  the  work  of 


DANIEL   LEHMAN    AND   WIFE. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


cultivating  and  improving  the  place,  work- 
ing in  held  and  meadow  during  the  sum- 
mer months  while  in  the  winter  seasons  he 
became  a  student  of  the  public  schools,  thus 
acquiring  the  knowledge  that  fitted  him  for 
life's  practical  and  responsible  duties.  On 
attaining  his  majority  he  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account  and  was  first  employed 
as  a  farm  hand  working  by  the  month  for 
two  seasons.  He  then  entered  upon  an  in- 
dependent venture  by  renting  an  improved 
farm  which  he  cultivated  for  a  few  years. 
Believing  that  good  opportunities  were  af- 
forded in  Iowa,  which  had  recently  been 
opened  up  to  civilization,  he  came  to  Boone 
county  in  1875  and  purchased  a  portion  of 
his  present  farm  becoming  the  owner  of  a 
quarter  section.  Not  a  furrow  had  been 
turned  upon  this  raw  tract  of  prairie,  but 
he  built  a  small  house  and  at  once  began  the 
task  of  placing  the  land  under  the  plow. 
Later  he  added  eighty  acres  to  the  farm  so 
that  his  landed  possessions  now  aggregate 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  The  little 
home  has  long  since  been  replaced  by  a  large 
and  commodious  residence  which  is  one  of 
the  best  in  the  township.  He  has  also  built 
a  substantial  barn  and  good  cribs,  has  a 
wind  pump  upon  the  place,  has  planted  fruit 
and  shade  trees :  in  fact,  has  made  his  place 
one  of  the  very  best  farms  of  the  commun- 
ity. In  connection  with  the  cultivation  of 
the  cereals  best  adapted  to  the  soil  and  cli- 
mate he  is  also  engaged  in  the  raising  of 
good  graded  stock.  As  the  years  pass  by. 
Ik-  is  continually  adding  to  his  capital  which 
has  come  to  him  as  a  result  of  his  unremit- 
ting diligence  and  industry  that  never  flags. 
Mr.  Lehman  was  married  in  this  county  in 
[879,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Car- 
oline   Vetter,   a  native   of   Germany,   who, 


when  a  little  maiden  of  seven  summers,. 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world  and 
was  reared  in  Whiteside  county,  Illinois. 
P>\  her  marriage  she  has  become  the  mother 
of  eight  children:  Ida  M.,  the  wife  of  Jacob 
Schneider,  a  farmer,  residing  near  Grand 
Junction,  Iowa;  Harvey  L,  who  is  aiding 
in  carrying  on  the  home  farm;  Alice  C,  the 
wife  of  Fred  Wagner,  of  South  Dakota; 
Charles,  who  also  assists  his  father ;  Minnie, 
Bernice  L,  Warner  A.,  and  Vern  E.,  all  at 
home. 

Mr.  Lehman  is  a  Republican  and  since 
1872,  when  he  voted  for  General  Grant,  has 
supported  each  presidential  nominee  of  the 
party.  He  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  He  is  a  man  of  good 
business  ability,  enterprise  and  keen  discern- 
ment and  in  his  business  career  has  brooked 
no  obstacles  that  could  be  overcome  by  de- 
termination and  honorable  effort.  Thus  he 
has  advanced  from  an  humble  financial  posi- 
tion to  one.  of-  affluence. 


H.  J.  PARKER. 


H.  J.  Parker,  who  is  filling  the  office  of 

justice  of  the  peace,  was  born  in  W Iford 

county,  Illinois,  May  5,  1838,  his  parents 
being  Ellis  and  Sarah  (George)  Parker. 
The  father  was  bom  in  New  Jersev  and 
when  eight  years  of  age  removed  to  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania,  where  his  boyhood 
days  were  passed.  His  birth  occurred  in 
1805  and  when  twenty-four  years  of  age  he 
was  united  in  marriage  in  Urbana,  Cham- 
paign county.  Ohio,  to  Sarah  George,  a  na- 
tive "i  Kentucky.  The  paternal  grandfa- 
ther was   |acob  Parker,  at  one  tim< 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ploye  of  Stephen  Girard,  of  Philadelphia. 
Pennsylvania.  In  his  family  were  six  chil- 
dren. Ellis  being  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth. 
The  maternal  grandfather  was  Richard  B. 
George,  a  prominent  minister  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  It  is  supposted  that  he  came 
from  Kentucky,  with  his  daughter  Sarah, 
the  mother  of  our  subject,  and  other  chil- 
dren. 

Ellis  Parker  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade. 
He  followed  that  occupation  through  much 
of  his  life.  In  the  year  1834  he  removed 
westward  to  Illinois,  and  twenty  years  later 
went  to  Hardin  county,  Iowa.  His  political 
supporl  was  given  the  Whig  party  until 
after  its  dissolution,  when  be  joined  the 
rank-  of  the  new  Republican  party.  When 
our  subject  was  only  eight  years  of  age  the 
wife  and  mother  died.  Ellis  Parker  never 
married  again,  ever  remaining  true  to  the 
memory  of  his  wife.  In  their  family  were 
four  children:  Francis,  who  is  now  living 
in  the  -trite  of  Washington;  Martha,  the 
wife  of  Christopher  ["ticker,  of  Shenandoah, 
[owa  :  I  liram  J.,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record;  and  .Alary,  the  wife  of  Benjamin 
Ivihli.  of  Eldora,  Hardin  county,  Iowa.  The 
father  of  this  familj  long  survived  his  wife, 
passing  away  January  14,  1893,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight 
years.  He  was  intimately  acquainted 
with  Abraham  Lincoln  while  living 
Illinois  and  stronglj  endorsed  the 
party  of  which  that  greal  statesman  was  one 
irly  leaders. 

II.  I.  barker,  whu-e  name  introduces 
litis  record,  accompanied  his  father  on  bis 
removal  from  Illinois  to  Iowa  and  remained 
1  county  until  [867,  when  he  came 
to  Boone  c  unity  and  took  up  bis  abode  in 
Boonesboro.     He  engaged  in  business  there 


as  a  brick  layer  and  aided  in  the  construc- 
tion of  many  of  the  leading  brick  blocks  of 
the  city,  as  an  employe  of  William  Palmer, 
a  well  known  contractor.  In  1892  Mr, 
barker  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  on 
the  Republican  ticket  and  was  re-elected  at 
the  succeeding  election.  In  fact,  he  has  been 
the  people's  choice  continuously  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  covering  a  period  of  ten  years. 

In  i860  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Mr.  barker  and  Miss  Amanda  Richards,  the 
daughter  of  Edward  Richards.  Their  chil- 
dren are:  Lois,  who  is  a  teacher  in  the 
primary  schools  of  Boone;  and  Edna,  the 
G  M.  Rosenthal,  of  San  Francisco, 
(alt  forma.  Mr.  barker  is  a  member  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  is 
connected  with  the  Degree  of  Honor.  In 
politics  he  has  always  been  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican since  casting  bis  first  presidential  vote 
for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  i860.  In  public  of- 
fice his  "even  handed  justice"  has  "won 
golden  opinions  from  all  sorts  of  people,? 
and  over  his  public  career  as  well  as  his 
private  life  there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong 
or  suspicion  of  evil. 


J    il.  RIEKENBERG. 

I.  lb  Riekenberg  i-  what  the  world  calls 
a  self-made  man.  and  he  deserves  all  the 
credit  and  'honor  which  that  term  implies. 
Ili-  began  work  tor  himself  at  the  early  age 
.  if  fi  >urteen  '.cars  .and  has  -nice  been  depend- 
ing upon  ''is  own  resources.  Although  be 
intered  difficulties  and  obstacles  in 
his  path  he  has  overcome  these  by  deter- 
mined effort  ami  by  honest  purpose,  and  to- 
day he  is  a   leading    representative  of    the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


403 


business  interests  of  Boone,  being  the  owner 
of  a  large  dry-goods  establishment  and  the 
vice-president  of  the  Boone  Count}  Bank. 
He  is  still  a  young  man  and  has  attained 
the  success  that  many  an  older  man  might 
well  envy. 

Mr.  Riekenberg  was  born  February  16. 
1862,  his  parents  being  C.  J.  and  Martha 
(Eckstein)  Riekenberg,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  German}',  whence  they  came  to 
the  United  States  in  the  year  1867,  our 
subject  being  at  that  time  five  years  of 
age.  The  father  was  employed  by  the  Chi- 
cago &  Northwestern  Railway  Company  un- 
til In-  death,  working  in  the  capacity  of 
stationary  engineer  as  well  as  various  others. 
In  the  former  position  he  served  for  a  con- 
siderable period.  He  died  in  July.  1888, — 
a  man  who  was  quiet  and  unassuming,  but 
highl)  respected  by  all  who  knew  him  be- 
cause of  his  genuine  worth.  He  held  mem- 
bership with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen.  In  his  family  were  six  children, 
of  whom  fotu  are  yet  living:  Maggie,  the 
wife  of  .Mark  Heiman;  John  H..  of  this  re- 
view: Liz/ie,  the  wife  of  A.  Schaneman; 
and  Edward.  Those  deceased,  are :  Gusta, 
the  wife  of  H.  Jurgensen,  and  Charles,  who 
was  a  partner  of  our  subject,  but  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-five  years.  Their  busi- 
ness relations  had  been  maintained  for  two 
years,  and  previous  to  the  establishment  of 
the  partnership  he  had  been  in  the  employ  of 
his  brother  John  from  the  time  he  was  thir- 
teen years  of  age. 

John  Jf.  Riekenberg  entered  upon  his 
business  career  at  the  early  age  of  fourteen 
-.\.,.r-..  being  employed  as  a  salesman  in  a 

dry-g Is    store    in    Boone.     Gradually  he 

vvorked  his  way  upward  and  mastered  the 
business    in     both    principle     and    detail.       In 


[884,  with  the  capital  Ik-  had  acquired  from 
his  own  efforts,  he  opened  a  small  dry-goods 
store  in  company  with  Hawley  Main.  Suc- 
cess attended  the  new  enterprise  from  the 
beginning,  and  at  the  expiration  of  five  years 
Mr.  Riekenberg  purchased  his  partner's  in- 
terest ami  has  since  been  alone.  He  has  a 
large  store  in  which  he  carries  a  complete 
and  well  selected  stock  of  dry  goods.  His 
earnest  desire  to  please  his  patrons,  his  study 
of  the  business  and  of  business  methods,  his 
reliability  and  his  genial  manner  have  won 
for  Mr.  Riekenberg  a  large  and  constantly 
growing  patronage.  He  has  also  been  vice- 
president  of  the  Boone  County  Dank  for 
several  years. 

in  August,  [888,  was  celebrated  the 
marriage  of  our  subject  and  Miss  Mary 
Alunn,  a  daughter  of  A.  J.  Munn.  Their 
home  is  noted  for  its  gracious  hospitality, 
which  is  enjoyed  by  their  large  circle  of 
friends.  Mr.  Riekenberg  is  a  man  of  keen 
discernment  in  business  affairs,  enterprising 
and  alert,  and  his  life  proves  conclusively 
that  success  is  not  a  matter  of  genius  but  is 
the  outcome  of  honorable  and  determined 
effort. 


W.  H.  SLADE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch.  W.  H.  Slade, 
an  enterprising  shoe  merchant  of  Boone, 
represents  an  old  Xew  England  family.  He 
was  born  in  Erie  county,  Xew  York,  his 
parents  being  \\  illiam  and  Virginia  (Stan- 
ley)  Slade,  both  of  whom  are  natives  of 
Alden,  Eric  county,  Xew  York.  The  pa- 
ternal grandfather.  Samuel  Slade.  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  Hampshire  and  became  one  of 
the  pioneers  of   the   western   portion   of   the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Empire  stale.  He  built  a  log  cabin  on  the 
old  family  homestead  and  aided  in  clearing 
a  farm  in  the  midst  of  the  wilderness.  He 
died  aL  about  seventy  years  of  age.  Horace 
Stanley,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  also  spent  his  life  in  western  Xew 
York. 

William  Slade,  the  father,  was  a  repre- 
sentative farmer  of  Erie  county,  and  for 
many  years  was  actively  identified  with  ag- 
ricultural pursuits,  but  in  1865  he  sold  the 
original  homestead  and  is  now  living  retired 
at  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  lie  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  has  pos- 
sessed excellent  musical  ability.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  years  he  became  a  chorister  in 
the  Presbyterian  church  to  which  be  be- 
longed, and  continued  to  act  in  that  capacity 
until  1901.  He  also  taught  singing  school 
during  his  early  life.  1  le  possesses  a  genial 
and  kindly  nature.  lie  has  won  many 
friends.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Dem- 
ocrat for  many  years,  but  when  William 
Mckinley  was  first  nominated  for  the  presi- 
dency be  joined  the  ranks  of  the  Republican 
party  and  by  his  ballot  supported  the  late 
statesman  of  <  >hio.  I  le  has  been  three  times 
married,  his  first  union  being  with  Virginia 
Stanley,  who  died  when  our  subject  was 
Oill)  lour  years  of  age.  leaving  three  chil- 
dren: Fred  S.,  Samuel  T..  and  William  H. 
For-his  second  wife  Mr.  Slade  chose  Harriet 
Stanley,  and  his  third  wife  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Elizabeth  Cooke.  She  died  in  C893, 
at  the  age  1  if  fift}  eight  years. 

Fred  S.  Slade.  the  brother  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  the  tirst  of  the  familj  to  come  to 
Iowa,  the  year  of  his  arrival  being  [875. 
tie  located  in  Boone,  in  the  music  business. 
in  the  emplo)  of  John  X.  Reynolds,  and 
afterward  entered  the  emploj  of  W.  T.  Wil- 


son in  the  dry-goods  trade.  Samuel  T.  was 
the  next  to  come  to  Iowa,  arriving  in  Boone 
in  [876.  He  entered  the  employ  of  Mason 
Brothers,  dry-goods  merchants,  as  a  sales- 
man. Later  Fred  S.  and  Samuel  T.  Slade 
embarked  in  business  together,  in  Tekamah, 
Nebraska,  in  1878,  and  opened  a  general 
store,  which  they  conducted  until  1882. 
They  then  became  interested  in  mines  and 
in  a  supply  store  at  Mechakinock,  Iowa,  con- 
tinuing there  until  1890.  when  Fred  S.  lo- 
cated in  Buffalo,  Xew  York,  where  he  is  en- 
gaged in  the  music  business  as  proprietor  of 
a  piano  store.  Samuel  T.  went  to  Savior, 
near  1  )es  Moines.  Iowa,  where  he  has  con- 
tinued conducting  a  mining  store. 

William  H.  Slade  arrived  in  Boone  in 
[878  and  entered  the  employ  of  C.  A.  Mc- 
Cune,  a  retail  dealer  in  boots  and  sin  >cs. 
where  he  continued  until  1888.  lie  then 
began  business  for  himself  in  the  same  line 

' nnection   with  his  brother   Samuel  T. 

This  arangement  continued  for  two  years 
under  the  firm  name  of  Slade  Brother's. 
<  )ur  subject  then  became  a  representative 
up.n  the  road  for  the  firm  of  Buell  &  Sons, 
shoe  merchants  of  VVaterville,  Xew  York, 
ami  continued  as  one  of  their  traveling  sales- 
men until  June  10.  [901,  when  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  John  Johnson,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Johnson  &  Slade.  purchas- 
ing the  stock  of  shoes  of  Garrett  X  Bomas. 
They  have  since  doubled  their  stock  and 
their  trade  has  constantly  increased,  so  that 
the  enterprise  has  proven  very  profitable. 

William  II.  Slade  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Virginia  Astor,  of  Nebraska,  in 
iSNj.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Christian  Astor. 
who  died  in  [902  at  the  age  of  seventy-four 
years.  Their  children  are  Milo  A..  Fred 
W.  and   Sam  S.      From  an  early  period  in 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


40$ 


life  Mr.  Slade  has  been  dependent  upon  his 
own  resources,  and,  placing  his  dependence 
in  the  substantial  qualities  of  enterprise  and 
progressiveness,  he  has  steadily  worked  his 
wa\  upward,  and  to-day  commands  a  lead- 
ing place  in  the  commercial  circles  of  Boone. 


SQUIRE  B.  WILLIAMS. 

Si  pure  B.  Williams,  who  is  numbered 
among  the  business  men  of  Madrid,  where 
he  is  actively  connected  with  the  grain 
trade,  is  one  of  Iowa's  native  sons;  indeed, 
Boone  county  claims  him  among  her  native 
citizens,  for  his  birth  here  occurred  on  the 
13th  of  May.  i860.  He  is  a  son  of  Benja- 
min Williams,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  who 
removed  to  Indiana  during  his  childhood, 
becoming  a  resident  of  Putnam  county. 
where  he  was  reared  and  educated.  He  also 
married  there  and  in  1847  came  to  Iowa, 
settling  in  Boone  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased land  which  he  cleared  and  developed, 
transforming  the  raw  tract  into  a  produc- 
tive farm.  Subsequently  he  sold  that  and 
purchased  a  place  near  Madrid  and  engaged 
there  in  farming  and  further  improved  that 
property.  There  he  reared  his  family  and 
made  his  home  until  he  was  called  to  his 
final  rest  in  February,  1883,  when  sixty- 
six  years  of  age.  He  was  three  times  mar- 
ried, his  last  marriage  being  to  a  widow, 
Mr-.  Elizabeth  Goodrich,  a  daughter  of 
Square  Boone,  who  was  another  of  the  early 
settlers  of  the  county. 

Sqitire  B.  Williams,  of  this  review,  is 
one  of  a  family  of  four  children  that  reached 
mature  years,  horn  of  the  last  marriage.  Me 
was   reared    and    educated    in    the  county   of 


his  nativity,  pursuing  his  studies  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  He  remained  with  his  father 
upon  the  farm  until  after  he  had  arrived  at 
man's  estate  and  was  prepared  to  start  out 
in  life  on  his  own  account.  He  then  fol- 
lowed farming  for  one  year  and  a  half,  when 
he  became  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in 
Madrid,  conducting  that  enterprise  for  four 
years.  He  was  then  appointed  postmaster 
under  President  Cleveland  and  filled  the  po- 
sition for  one  term  in  a  manner  which  re- 
flected credit  upon  himself  and  the  office. 
Upon  his  retirement  from  that  position  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  grain  business, 
becoming  connected  with  the  McFarland 
Grain  Company,  with  which  he  was  asso- 
ciated for  twelve  years,  having  the  manage- 
ment of  the  business  here.  He  then  bought 
out  an  established  business  on  the  1st  of 
August,  1900,  and  has  since  carried  on  the 
grain  trade  on  his  own  account.  He  now 
makes  extensive  purchases  and  shipments, 
sending  on  an  average  of  from  one  hundred 
and  fifty  to  two  hundred  carloads  of  grain 
annually  to  the  city  markets.  He  is  also  a 
stockholder  in  the  Madrid  State  Bank  and 
is  widely  recognized  as  a  business  man  of 
importance  who  carries  forward  to  a  suc- 
cessful completion  whatever  he  undertakes. 
On  the  29th  of  September,  1883.  Mr. 
Williams  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Blanche  Bilsland,  a  daughter  of  John  1  *» i  1  s - 
land.  She  was  reared  and  educated  in 
Boone  county  and  has  become  the  mother  of 
two  interesting  children:  Edna  and  Doro- 
thy. Mr.  Williams  is  a  stanch  Democrat, 
having  voted  with  the  party  since  casting 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  Grover  Cleve 
land  in  [884.  In  addition  to  tilling  the  po- 
sition of  postmaster  he  has  served  a-  city 
treasurer  for  two  years  and  was  most  loyal 


406 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


and  faithful  to  the  duties  of  his  office.  He 
has  been  a  delegate  to  the  county  conven- 
tion of  his  party.  Socially  he  is  identified 
with  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  become 
a  Mason  in  Star  Lodge.  No.  115,  F.  &  A. 
M.  He  has  served  as  treasurer  of  the  lodge 
for  the  past  six  years  and  in  his  life  he 
shows  forth  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  fra- 
ternity, which  is  based  upon  brotherly  kind- 
ness and  mutual  helpfulness.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  active  and  valued  members  of 
the  Christian  church  and  for  ten  years  have 
sung  in  the  choir.  Mrs.  Williams  has  a 
fine  soprano  voice  and  is  a  noted  vocalist  of 
this  locality.  Both  are  held  in  high  esteem 
throughout  the  community  and  their  circle 
of  friends  is  almost  co-extensive  with  the 
circle   of  their  acquaintances. 


JAY    MYERS. 

The  home  farm  of  Mr.  Myers,  situated 
on  section  m.  Garden  township,  comprises 
one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  Iowa's  rich 
land.  Mr.  Myers  is  no1  only  well  known  as 
an  enterprising  agriculturist,  but  is  also  a 
naii\  e  si  >n  of  Boone  o  unity,  his  birth  ha\  ing 
occurred  on  the  old  family  homestead  on 
which  he  is  still  living,  August  5,  1858.  He 
is  a  son  of  Rev.  Samuel  C.  Myers,  a  native 
<  if  \\  estmi  Ireland  a  >untj .  Pennsylvania,  who 
was  of  <  rerman  lineage,  lie  was  reared  and 
married  in  the  count}-  of  his  nativity,  wed- 
ding Miss  Martha  Sherrick,  also  a  native 
of  Westmoreland  county.  l'.\  trade  he  was 
a  blacksmith,  ami  for  a  number  of  years  he 
also  carried  on  farming  and  through  a  long 
pen...;  devoted  a  pi  irtion  oi  his  time  to  the 
ministry.     Two  children  were  born  unto  him 


and  his  wife  in  Pennsylvania,  and  then  they 
left  the  Keystone  state,  removing  afterward 
to  Iowa.  They  cast  in  their  lot  with  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  Washington  county, 
where  Samuel  Myers  owned  and  operated 
a  farm,  making  his  home  thereon  for  ten  or 
twelve  years.  During  that  time  five  chil- 
dren were  added  to  the  family.  In  [856  be- 
came to  Boone  county  and  purchased  several 
hundred  acres  of  land  in  Garden  township. 
His  home  was  located  upon  the  west  side  of 
section  19.  and  there  he  broke  the  prairie. 
built  fences  and  developed  an  excellent  farm 
of  1  ne  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  He  was 
one  of  the  prominent  agriculturists  of  Gar- 
den township,  reared  his  family  there  and 
spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  on  the  old 
homestead  place,  where  lie  died  about  1864, 
when  Jay  Myers  was  a  lad  of  sj\  or  seven 
years.  His  wife  survived  him  and  with  a 
m.  ►ther's  1.  >ving  care  reared  her  family,  dying 
.  .11  the  seventy-third  anniversary  of  her  birth. 
Jay  Myers  is  the  youngest  in  a  family  of 
five  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  four 
son-  and  two  daughters  reached  years  of 
maturity  and  are  still  living.  The  eldest, 
Cyrus  Myers,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war 
an  1  is  now  in  the  Soldiers'  Home  at  Mar- 
shalltown,  Iowa;  Wesley  is  a  resident  of 
Garden  township;  Aaron  is  also  living  in 
tlie  same  township:  and  Jay  is  the  youngest 
son.  The  sisters  are:  Mrs.  Sarah  Tebus. 
a  widow  residing  in  Garden  township,  and 
Lizzie,  the  wife  of  William  Munden,  a 
farmer  of  Story  county,  low  a. 

Jay  Myers,  whose  name  introduces  this 
reci  >rd,  grew  t'  1  manhood  up  .11  the  1  .Id  hi  mne- 
stead  farm  in  Garden  township,  remaining 
willi  his  mother  until  he  had  attained  his 
majority,  pursuing  his  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools.      When  he  had  reached  man's 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


407 


estate  and  wished  to  establish  a  home  of  his 
own  he  sought  a  companion  and  helpmate 
for  life's  journey  and  was  married  in  Butler 
county,  Iowa,  September  3,  1870,  to  [ennie 
Owen,  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in 
Broome  county.  Her  fattier,  Benjamin 
Owen,  was  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  stale 
and  there  married  Sarah  Hnlse,  whose  birth 
also  occurred  in  Broome  county,  New  York. 
In  1867  Mr.  Owen  removed  with  his  family 
to  Iowa,  settling  in  Bremer  county,  where 
Mrs.  Myers  was  reared  and  educated.  He 
followed  farming-  in  that  county  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  and  afterward  removed  to  But- 
ler county.  In  1880  lie  and  his  wife  came 
to  Boone  county  to  live  with  Mrs.  Myers, 
and  Mrs.  Owen  died  August  11,  1901,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine  years.  Mr. 
Owen  reached  the  very  ripe  old  age  of 
ninety  years,  in  January,  1902. 

After  their  marriage  our  subject  and  his 
wife  began  their  domestic  life  upon  the  farm 
where  they  are  now  living.  Mr.  Myers 
there  had  eight}-  acres  of  land  upon  which 
a  tew  improvements  had  been  made,  but  he 
at  once  began  the  further  development  of 
the  place  and  soon  had  his  fields  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  He  also  built  a 
gi  m  M  residence  and  barns  and  added  all  mi  id- 
em equipments  to  his  place,  so  that  the  farm 
is  now  a  valuable  one  of  the  community.  In 
connection  with  the  cultivation  of  the  fields 
he  is  engaged  in  raising  a  good  grade  of 
stock  making  a  specialty  of  raising  and 
fattening  hogs  for  the  market.  He  has  also 
bought  more  land  and  now  has  one  hundred 
and  thirty  acres  in  '.he  home  place  and  a 
twenty-acre  tract  of  timber  land  and  is  ac- 
counted oik-  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of 
nunity.  The  home  has  been  blessed 
with  the  presence  of  two  children:    Estella, 


who  is  the  wife  .if  (  (scar  Sander,  a  resident, 
farmer  of  Boone  county;  and  Eugene,  who 
is  now  a  student  in  the  schools  of  Madrid. 
Politically  .Mr.  Myers  was  originally 
identified  with  the  Republican  party  and  cast 
his  first  ballot  for  James  A.  Garfield,  hut  the 
cause  of  temperance  has  always  found  in 
him  a  warm  friend  and  lie  now  endorses  the 
Prohibition  party.  Political  preferment  has 
had  no  attraction  for  him,  as  he  has  been 
content  to  devote  his  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness affairs.  He  has  always  been  a  warm 
friend  of  education  and  of  the  public  schools 
and  has  given  his  influence  toward  the  pro- 
motion of  educational  work.  He  is  now 
serving  as  a  school  director  and  exercises 
his  official  prerogatives  in  support  of  good 
schools.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  reared 
in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  of  which  they  are  now  members. 
Mr.  Myers  was  born  here  in  pioneer  times 
and  through  all  the  intervening  years  he  has 
been  a  resident  of  Boone  county.  The  trav- 
eler of  forty  or  fifty  years  ago  would  hardly 
have  deemed  it  possible  that  such  great 
changes  could  have  occurred  in  this  period, 
but  the  enterprise  and  diligence  of  the  citi- 
zens have  wrought  a  great  transformation 
and  Mr.  Myers  has  ever  taken  his  part  in 
this  work  and  feels  a  just  pride  in  what  has 
been  accomplished  in   his  native  county. 


WILLIAM  M.  PETTY. 

In  the  town  of  Pilol  Mound  William  M. 
Pettj  makes  his  home,  living-  a  retired  life 
after  years  of  active  connection  with  agri- 
cultural interests.  In  the  fall  of  1S54  he 
arrived  in   Boone  county,  casting  in  his  lot 


4o8 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


with  the  pioneer  settlers,  and  for  many  years 
was  closely  associated  with  farming  interests 
whereby  the  development  of  the  county  was 
promoted.  He  was  horn  in  Miami  county, 
Indiana,  August  i,  1838,  a  son  of  Zachariah 
Petty,  whose  birth  occurred  in  North  Caro- 
lina and  who  went  to  Indiana  with  his  par- 
ents about  1823.  They  were  among  the  first 
settlers  of  that  portion  of  the  Hoosier  state. 
Zachariah  Petty  was  married  in  Wayne 
county  to  Miss  Lucinda  Runyan,  a  daughter 
of  Peter  Runyan,  also  an  honored  pioneer 
settler  of  Indiana  who  later  came  to  Boone 
county,  iowa,  arriving  in  1854.  Mr.  Petty 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  in  Miami 
county  for  a  number  of  years  and  six  chil- 
dren were  horn  unto  him  and  his  wife  there, 
two  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  In  1854  he 
brought  ins  family  to  the  Hawkeve  state, 
making  the  journey  with  teams,  lie  also 
drove  cattle  and  hogs  to  the  new  home,  ar- 
riving in  October.  He  had  visited  this 
county  in  the  spring  of  that  year  ami  had 
entered  three  hundred  ami  twenty  acres  ni 
land  from  the  government  there,  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  of  which  lay  in  Boone  county 
and  the  other  quarter  section  in  Webster 
county.  He  took  up  his  abode  on  section 
22,  Pilot  Mound  township,  al  once  began 
work  here  ami  built  a  little  hewed-log  house. 
From  early  morning  lie  worked  in  the  fields 
until  darkness  came  down  and  made  further 
labor  impossible.  He  fenced  his  land,  placed 
it  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  with 
determined  energy  conducted  his  work. 
Both  lie  and  his  family  experienced  man) 
hardships  ami  privations  during  the  first 
vears  of  their  residence  here.  \s  lime  passed 
more  of  the  comforts  of  the  older  east  could 
he  secured  ami  he  buill  a  good  home,  spend 
in<*  his  last  days  upon  the   farm  which  he 


had  developed.  There  he  died  about  1866, 
when  fifty-five  --ears  of  age.  His  wife,  sur- 
viving him  many  years,  passed  away  in  1899 
at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years  and  six 
months.  In  their  family  were  four  sons  and 
three  daughters  who  reached  adult  age. 

William  M.  Petty  spent  the  first  sixteen 
years  of  his  life  in  the  county  of  his  nativity 
and  then  accompanied  his  parents  to  Iowa. 
He  had  acquired  good  common-school  priv- 
ileges in  Indiana  and  had  been  trained  to 
the  practical  work  of  the  farm.  Here  he 
continued  to  assist  his  father  in  the  arduous 
task  of  developing  the  new  farm  until  he 
was  twenty  years  of  age.  I  le  was  then  mar- 
ried, on  the  27th  of  December.  1857,  to 
Sarah  C.  Scott,  who  was  horn  in  Virginia 
and  spent  the  greater  part  of  her  girlhood 
in  Indiana.  Her  father  was  Dr.  Scott,  who 
(Vied  during  her  early  childhood.  Mrs.  Petty 
came  to  this  county  with  her  mother  and 
the  family. 

After  their  marriage  our  subject  and  his 
wife  lived  upon  a  rented  farm  for  two  years, 
on  the  expiration  of  which  period  he  pur- 
chased a  half  interest  in  a  steam  sawmill  and 
turned  his  attention  to  the  manufacture  of 
lumber.  He  continued  in  that  business  until 
In-  enlistment  in  the  Union  army,  on  the 
1  ith  of  August,  [862,  as  a  member  of  1  Com- 
pany I).  Thirty-second  Iowa  Volunteer  In- 
fantry. The  regiment  was  assigned  to  the 
Western  Army  and  was  stationed  on  the 
right  wing  of  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps 
under  the  command  of  General  A.  J.  Scott. 
Mr.  Petty  enlisted  as  a  private,  hut  was  pro- 
moted  to  the  rank  of  corporal  and  afterward 
to  that  of  sergeant.  The  first  engagement 
in  which  he  participated  was  that  at  Cape 
Girardeau,  Missouri,  ami  he  was  afterward 
in   the  battles  of    Bayou    Meter,    and    Little 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Ruck.  In  December  of  thai  year  he  came 
home  on  a  recruiting  expedition,  remaining 
Eoi  several  months  in  Boone  county,  and 
later  lie  rejoined  his  regiment  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Led  river.  He  was  also  in  the  battles 
nf  Old  River  Lake.  Mississippi,  Tupelo,  the 
first  battle  of  Nashville  and  subsequently 
went  to  New  (  Orleans  and  participated  in  the 
capture  of  Fort  Blakely  and  the  Spanish 
Fort.  He  then  marched  to  Montgomery, 
Alabama,  and  while  en  mute  for  that  place 
heard  the  news  of  General  Lee's  surrender. 
The  command  was  then  sent  home  and  Mr. 
Petty  was  honorably  discharged  and  mus- 
tered out  at  Clinton,  Iowa,  on  the  23d  of 
August.  18^5.  He  lost  but  about  three 
weeks'  time  during  his  entire  service  from 
illness  or  other  causes.  He  was  in  the  hos- 
pital for  about  two  weeks,  but  was  never 
wounded  nor  captured. 

After  his  return  Mr.  Petty  resumed  work 
in  a  sawmill,  engaging  in  the  manufacture 
of  lumber  for  two  years.  Before  going  to 
the  war  he  had  purchased  some  land  and 
after  the  close  of  hostilities  he  built  a  house 
upon  this  and  in  March,  [867,  located  on 
the  place,  commencing  with  eighty  acres. 
It  was  still  wild  and  uncultivated,  but  in 
course  of  time  his  labors  resulted  in  making 
it  .a  very  arable  ami  rich  tract,  lie  also  be- 
came the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  in  the  home  place  just  adjacent  to 
T'ilot  Mound.  He  built  a  good  house  and 
two  substantial  barns,  improved  his  place 
with  go,  .d  machinery,  planted  trees  for  the 
production  of  fruits  as  well  as  for  shade, 
and  as  die  years  passed  bis  farm  became 
one  of  the  very  valuable  and  attractive  farms 
-1  th<  community.  Mr.  Petty  continued  to 
carry  on  agricultural  pursuits  there  until 
1S04.     h,  [899  be  purchased  a  residence  in 


Pilot  Mound  and  now  makes  bis  home  in 
the  town,  where  for  a  number  of  years  he 
has  been  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  in- 
surance business,  handling  considerable 
property  and  writing  considerable  insurance. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Petty  have  been  born 
si\  children:  George  A.,  who  is  engaged 
in  farming  at  North  Yakima,  Washington, 
is  married  and  has  a  daughter;  Frank  C. 
is  married  and  is  a  resident  farmer  of 
Okarche,  Oklahoma,  and  has  a  daughter, 
Sarah  (',.;  Charles  S.  is  a  farmer  of  Melvin, 
Kansas,  ami  has  three  children.  Carleton 
and.  two  daughters;  Ernest  E.  is  now  work- 
ing for  his  brother  in  British  Columbia; 
May  is  the  wife  of  James  McBeth,  of 
Hebron,  Nebraska,  and  has  two  children. 
Pearl  and  William;  and  Sarah  A.,  is  the 
wife  nf  Daniel  \V.  Carlson,  of  Malvern, 
Kansas,  and  has  three  children.  Blanche. 
Clifton  and  Law 

Mr.  Petty  has  been  called  upon  to  serve 
in  several  positions  of  public  trust  and  has 
filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for 
a  number  of  years,  and  has  been  school 
treasurer  for  seventeen  years.  He  has  also 
served  as  township  trustee  and  discharge'! 
his  duties  in  a  very  prompt  and  capable  man- 
ner which  indicates  his  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  and  progress  of  his  community. 
Lor  a  number  of  years  he  served  on  the 
school  board  and  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  the 
cause  of  education  were  effective  and  bene- 
ficial. Sociall)  Mr.  Petty  is  identified  with 
Pilot  Mound  Lodge,  [.  O.  (  >.  L,  in  which 
he  has  filled  all  of  the  chairs  and  is  a  past 
grand,  lie  is  likewise  identified  with  J.  G. 
Miller  Lost.  (i.  A.  R.,  at  Boonesboro.  lie 
has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican  since 
casting  his  fust  presidential  vote  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  in  1  So...     hew  men  have  longer 


4io 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


resided  in  this  county  than  Air.  Petty,  whose 
memory  goes  back  to  pioneer  times,  while 
his  knowledge  also  embraces  the  era  of  mod- 
ern development.  Experiencing  the  hard- 
ships and  trials  of  frontier  life  in  his  youth, 
he  watched  with  interest  the  progress  of 
efforts  leading  to  the  substantial  improve- 
ment of  the  county.  In  all  life's  relations 
he  has  been  loyal  to  the  trust  reposed  in 
him,  has  been  found  straightforward  and 
reliable  in  business  and  is  a  man  of  known 
integrity,  highly  respected  for  his  genuine 
worth. 


OSCAR  A.  NELSON. 

Oscar  A.  Nelson  is  accounted  one  of  the 
enterprising  merchants  of  Boone,  where  he 
is  now  engaged  in  business  as  a  member  of 
the  McCune  Shoe  Company.  I  lc  has  always 
lived  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  in  Rcckford,  Illinois.  Novem- 
ber 3,  t868,  his  parents  being  A.  T.  and 
Ellen  (Anderson)  Nelson,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Sweden,  and  emigrated  to 
the  United  States  in  the  spring  of  1868. 
After  landing  in  America  they  made  their 
w.i\  westward  to  Rockford,  Illinois,  and  in 
the  spring  <  i  t86g  they  came  to  Boone.  The 
father  is  a  tailor  by  trade,  but  after  many 
years  connection  with  that  business  is  now 
living  retired  in  Boone.  Unto  him  and  his 
wife  have  been  born  seven  children,  but  only 
three  are  yet  living,  namely:  Oscar  V. 
Theodore  E.  and  George  W.  Those  who 
have  passed  away  are  Emma,  Charles  V, 
Edith  and  \\  illiam,  the  last  named  dying  in 
in  i.'in.  \ 

Mr.  Nelson,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record,   was   only   a    few    months  old  when 


brought  by  his  parents  to  Boone.  At  the 
usual  age  he  entered  the  public  schools. 
where  he  acquired  an  education  that  fitted 
him  for  life's  practical  and  responsible 
duties.  Entering  upon  his  business  career, 
he  was  employed  in  the  capacity  of  a  sales- 
man 111  several  stores  in  the  town,  and  in 
1887  he  began  clerking  for  C.  A.  McCune. 
a  retail  shoe  dealer.  In  1900  a  partnership 
was  formed  between  Mr.  McCune,  J.  K. 
Elwell  and  Oscar  A.  Nelson,  under  the  firm 
style  of  The  McCune  Shoe  Company.  This 
business  has  constantly  been  enlarged  to 
meet  Ihe  growing  demand  of  the  trade  and 
the  enterprise  is  a  very  profitable  one. 

In  1896  occurred  the  marriage  of  Air. 
Nelson  and  Agnes  G.  Zandell,  a  daughter 
of  the  late  Alfred  Zandell,  and  their  union 
lias  been  blessed  with  one  daughter.  Eloise 
G.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  hold  membership 
in  the  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission  church 
and  take  a  very  active  interest  in  its  work. 
They  are  prominent  and  well  known  people 
of  Boone,  enjoying  the  high  regard  of  many 
friends  and  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes 
of  the  citv  is  extended  to  them. 


JASON   E.  WEBB. 

Jason  E.  Webb,  who  is  now  enjoying  a 
well  earned  resl  from  labor,  making  his 
home  with  his  son,  Q.  <  >.  Webb,  is  a  native 
of  Ohio,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Ma- 
honing count)  October  9,  [824.  His  father. 
James  Webb,  was  a  native  of  Maryland, 
born  near  Baltimore  and  there  he  was  reared, 
removing  to  (  Hiio  when  a  young  m 
became  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Mahoning 
count}    and    in    the   midst    of   the    forest   htv 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


hewed  out  a  home,  cutting  away  the  trees 
in  order  that  lie  might  plant  the  land  and 
gain  good  crops  therefrom.  Tie  married 
Keziah  Bowman,  who  was  horn  in  Red- 
stone, Pennsylvania,  and  upon  the  old  home- 
stead which  he  improved  there  he  reared 
his  family  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age, 
passing  away  in  July",  [863,  when  he  had 
attained  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-four 
years.  He  served  his  country  as  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812  and  was  ever  a  loyal 
citizen. 

Jason  E.  Webb,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  spent  his  boyhood  days  under 
the  parental  roof  and  after  attaining  his  ma- 
jority devoted  his  energies  to  farming  in 
AJahoning  comity,  Ohio,  for  a  number  of 
years.  There  he  owned  and  cultivated  a 
farm  until  the  time  of  the  war,  when,  putting 
aside  business  and  personal  considerations 
in  order  that  he  might  aid  his  country,  he 
enlisted  on  the  31st  of  October,  1861,  as  a 
member  of  Company  K,  Fifth  Ohio  Cavalry. 
The  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee  ami  he  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Shiloh,  Corinth,  Franklin,  Ten- 
nessee, and  Snow  Mountain.  He  also  did 
considerable  scouting  duty,  serving  for 
nearly  three  \ears.  after  which  he  was  hon- 
orably discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
at  Monterey,  Mississippi,  in  May,  1864. 
While  he  retained  his  health  he  was  ever 
a  loyal  and  valiant  soldier,  fearlessly  per- 
forming his  duty  no  matter  where  it  called 
him. 

When  he  could  no  longer  aid  his  coun- 
try in  the  field  Mr.  Webb  then  returned  to 
In,  home  in  <  'hio.  Soon  afterward  he  vent 
to  di'  west,  spending  some  time  in  Montana, 
Kansas  ami  Nebraska,  where  he  followed 
various  pursuits,  engaging  in  any   kind  of 


labor  that  would  yield  to  him  an  honest  liv- 
ing. Prior  to  the  war  .Mr.  Webb  had  mar- 
ried. In  Mahoning  county,  Ohio,  in  1S44, 
he  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Rebecca 
Cook,  and  unto  them  were  born  seven  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  are  living:  (  ).  <  >.. 
who  now  owns  and  operates  the  home  farm; 
Louisa,  the  wife  of  Owen  Elliott,  a  farmer 
residing  near  Guthrie  Centre.  Iowa;  and 
Ellen,  the  wife  of  T.  S.  Elliott,  who  is  liv- 
ing retired  in  Perry.  Iowa.  The  mother  of 
tiiese  children  died  in  1865,  and,  as  before 
stated,  Mr,  Webb  then  went  to  the  west.  In 
1S69  he  and  his  son,  0.  0.  Webb,  came  to 
Iowa,  settling  in  Boone  county.  Here  he 
first  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  which 
was  yet  in  its  primitive  condition,  covered 
with  the  native  prairie  grass.  He  built  a 
little  shanty  in  the  midst  of  the  tract  and 
he  and  his  sou  kept  bachelor's  hall  for  a 
time  while  breaking  the  land  and  cultivating 
the  fields.  As  time  passed  they  added  to 
this  property  until  they  became  the  owners 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  on  which 
they  erected  a  large  and  pleasant  residence 
and  a  substantial  barn,  together  with  other 
outbuildings.  In  fact,  they  made  all  the  im- 
provements usually  found  upon  a  model 
farm,  planted  shade  and  fruit  trees  and  car- 
ried on  their  work  until  the  valuable  tract 
of  land  yielded  to  them  good  harvests.  This 
farm  is  now  owned  and  operated  lw  the  son, 
O.  O.  Webb. 

He  married  Miss  Mace,  a  daughter  of 
Jacob  Mace,  one  of  [owa's  early  settlers. 
who  came  to  this  state  from  West  Virginia, 
in  [856.  Four  children  have  been  horn  of 
this  union:    Ada,  the  wife  of  Manning  Mc- 


Gregor, ot  I'e 
o!  Albert  Fiow< 
Mabel,  who  an 


.   Lowa;   Bertha,  the  wife 

1'  (  (gden  :  and  Blanche  and 
.•t  under  the  parental  roof. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Politically  Jason  E.  Webb  is  a  Repub- 
lican, of  inflexible  adherence  to  the  prin- 
ciples i  if  the  part) .  He  has  served  as  town- 
ship trustee  and  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  but  would  not  qualify  for  the  latter 
office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  and  a  man  of  exemplary  habits  and 
high  moral  principles,  of  strict  integrity  and 
genuine  worth  of  character.  He  and  his  s<  >n 
and  the  latter-  family  are  much  esteemed 
in  the  communitj  and  well  worthy  of  repre- 
sentation in  this  \.ihime. 


DAVID  NOBLE  DeTAR. 

Among  the  recent  deaths  in  the  city  of 
Boone  was  that  of  David  Noble  DeTar,  M. 
D.  who  in  the  prime  of  his  life  and  useful- 
ness was  called  away.  His  accomplish- 
ments and  service-  to  humanity  justh  merit 
record  in  such  a  work  a-  this  one.  His 
fa  titer.  Theodore  DeTar,  was  also  a  physi- 
cian, a  native  of  Indiana,  and  of  French  ex 
tn.ctn'u.  but  we  have  no  available  record 
of  hi-  ancestry,  lie  married  Margaret  !■'.. 
Noble,  a  native  of  the  same  state,  and  there 
rn  to  them  tweh  e  children,  five  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity:  David  \  .  of  this 
I  VI  \  I  I  irk-,  of  Col- 
orado Springs,  Colorado;  VV.  T..  a  practic- 
ing physician  of  Victoria,  Texas;  Bertha, 
wife  of  VV.  R.  Fuller,  of  Tampa,  Florida: 
and  Mellie,  wife  oi  C.  P  Fuller,  oi  Ellen 
ton,  Florida.  He  practiced  his  profession 
ci iunt)  it >i"  manj  j ears,  entered  the 
Civil  war  as  captain  of  Company  1).  [owa 
Thirty-second  Volunteer  Infantry,  served 
until  the  loss  of  a  leg  in  the  battle  of  Nash- 
ville,   wa>   honorably    discharged,    returned 


to  the  practice  of  his  profession  here,  re- 
moved in  March.  [889,  to  Bradentown, 
Florida,  and  died  there.  November  2j.  [893. 
His  widow    is  still  a  resident  of  Florida. 

David  X.  DeTar  was  born  October  6, 
1852^,  near  Lynnville,  Indiana,  and  at  the 
age  of  three  years  come  to  Boonesboro  with 
his  parents  in  the  year  1855.  He  attended 
the  common  schools  and  afterwards  sup- 
plemented the  same  by  a  year  in  the  college 
at  tndianola,  Iowa;  thence  to  the  State  Uni- 
versity at  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  in  1N71, 
graduating  in  the  literary  department  in 
1S7S.  and  two  years  later  taking  his  degree 
ill  the  medical  department.  He  returned 
home  For  a  short  rest,  and  then  accepted  the 
position  of  ornithologist  in  the  state  mus- 
eum, at  Albany,  Xew  York,  a  position  which 
he  filled  acceptably  for  two  years  but  was 
obliged  to  resign  because  of  impaired  health 
returning  home  to  Boone.  In  1883  he  be- 
gan  the  practice  of  medicine  in  the  city  of 
Boone,  and  rapidly  acquired  a  large  and  luc- 
rative constituency,  which  he  held  and  ex- 
tended for  the  subsequent  twenty  years  of 
his  life.  lint  the  cares  of  a  large  practice 
could  not  wholly  wean  him  from  his  atten- 
tion to  s,„ne  of  the  sciences  which  had  de- 
lighted him  while  a  college  student.  As 
ha-  been  intimated  before,  he  was  an  ac- 
complished ornithologist,  and  an  entomo- 
logical collection,  made  h\  him  while  at  Ann 
Arbor,  is  now  in  one  of  the  scientific  insti- 
tutions of  Cincinnati.  He  was  skilled  in 
conchology,  a  tine  collection  in  this  branch 
of  science,  the  work  of  hi-  leisure  hours,  is 
now  in  the  Ericson  Library  at  Boone.  In 
developed  and  applied 
locally,  he  was  an  acknowledged  authority, 
and  his  [ove  of  flowering  plants  was  proven 
in   the  cheerful   surroundings  of  hi-  home. 


D.  N    DE  TAR.  M.  D. 


- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


415 


In  both  the  fine  arts  and  the  useful  ones  he 
took  much  delight,  ami  in  some  directions 
was  almost  profound.  He  had  that  rare 
combination  of  intellectual  gifts — ready  ap- 
prehension, intense  concentration,  tenacity 
of  purpose,  to  which  were  added  a  sound 
and  strong  physical  person — endowments 
which  arc  capable  of  accomplishing  won- 
ders. His  walls  were  tapestried  with  books, 
and  whatever  he  had  read  came  obedient  to 
his  call  of  memory.  In  his  later  years 
he  had  harbored  the  intent  of  abandon- 
ing in-  medical  practice,  having  secured 
an  ample  competency,  and  of  devoting 
his  time  to  the  pursuits  which  claimed 
first  place  in  his  affections;  and  had  he  done 
so.  it  may  have  been  that  his  life  would  have 
been  spared  and  science  been  greatly  the 
gpiner   thereby. 

He  was  married  in  September.  1878.  to 
Miss  Ella  M.  Hicks,  .laughter  Of  Jacob  11. 
and  Alary  E.  (Booth)  Hicks,  of  Ann  Ar- 
bor, Michigan,  who  were  natives  of  New 
York.  The  mother  died  in  September. 
1883;  the  father  in  December.  [886.  Mrs. 
DeTar  was  one  of  seven  children:  C.  A'., 
a  druggist  of  Alpena.  Michigan:  William. 
who  passed  away;  Ella  M..  the  wife  of  our 
subject;  James  T..  who  is  living  a  retired 
life  at  Bennington,  Michigan:  Rhoda  M., 
wife  of  B.  Taylorn,  Bennington,  Michigan; 
Lillie.  wife  of  William  Perkins,  Benning- 
ton, Michigan;  and  Carrie,  wife  of  William 
Cline  of  the  same  place.  Mrs.  DeTar  re- 
ceived her  education  in  the  State  University 
of  Michigan,  entering  the  university  the 
same  year  the  Doctor  matriculated;  she  also 
took  a  partial  lecture  course  in  the  medical 
section,  a  preparation  which  afterwards  ren- 
dered her  an  invaluable  assistanl  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  professional  duties.     With 


hue  artistic  tastes,  and  common  objects  in 
life  with  those  of  her  husband,  their  home 
life  was  an  ideal  one  whose  rupture  by 
death  left  the  sincerest  sorrow. 

The  Doctor  was  one  of  the  most  com- 
panionable of  men.  He  was  brusque  in 
manner,  but  combined  therewith  great  ten- 
derness of  heart,  an  association  of  extremes 
in  n  so  very  infrequent  in  men  endowed  with 
both  strength  and  kindness.  His  range  of 
social  contact  was  most  democratic,  for  he 
could  gather  as  well  as  give,  and  all  condi- 
tions of  life  have  lessons  for  those  who  can 
lead  them.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Cen- 
tral District  Medical  Association  of  Iowa, 
which  has  the  largest  membership  in  the 
state  aside  from  that  of  the  State  Associa- 
tion and  was  In  mured  with  its  presidency. 
He  was  also  identified  with  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica, the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  and  with 
the  Benevolent  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 
The  latter  held  memorial  exercises  sub- 
sequent to  his  death,  on  December  1.  1901, 
and  from  his  eulogy  pronounced  on  that  oc- 
casion by  Hon.  S.  R.  Dyer,  an  old  friend 
and  intimate,  we  select  the  passage  which 
appropriately  defines  the  religious  views  of 
the  Doctor.  The  speaker  had  adverted  to 
the  fact  that  he  was  widely  read  in  the  lit- 
erature of  the  great  religions  of  the  world, 
and  then   continued:     "Yet   with    all    this 


ge  he  turned,  as  with  the  si 
■  1.  to  that  srreat  system,  whi 


of  God  and  was  taught  by  the  lowly  Nazar- 
ine  :  the  religii  hi  of  In  >pe  and  love,  of  charity 
and  sacrifice,  of  justice  and  work  for  the  up- 
building of  humanity.  He  did  not  affiliate 
with  any  church;  he  acknowledged  no 
creed:  his  was  .if  the  spirit,  not  the  letter. 
He  knew    that   all   the  other   s\ -terns  of   re- 


4i6 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ligion  were  intensely  selfish  and  debased, 
but  that  the  system  which  commanded  his 
homage  was  based  on  infinite  love,  infinite 
charity,  and  infinite  sacrifice." 

A  few  years  before  his  death,  while  re- 
turning from  a  professional  call,  his  team 
ran  away  throwing  him  out.  his  head  strik- 
ing a  roadside  tree,  and  causing  a  serious 
illness.  It  is  possible  that  this  concussion 
had  a  harmful  effect,  but  no  complaint  was 
heard  from  him  and  he  continued  his  busi- 
ness. After  a  short  illness,  he  died  January 
31,  1 901,  being  but  forty-seven  years  of 
age.  It  was  the  occasion  of  widespread 
and  profound  sorrow,  in  town,  county  and 
other  portions  of  the  state.  No  citizen  of 
this  community  has  been  more  sincerely 
mourned  by  so  wide  a  list  of  friends  as  this 
genial,  brilliant  and  accomplished  family 
physician  to  the  multitude — David  X.  De- 
Tar. 


GEORGE  L.  IRWIN. 

George  L.  Irwin  is  classed  among  the 
merchants  of  Ogden,  where  since  April  6, 
1901,  be  lias  been  engaged  in  dealing  in 
harness  ami  saddlery.  For  fourteen  years, 
however,  he  has  resided  in  Boone  county, 
and  for  eight  years  has  made  his  home  in 
this  town.  A  native  of  Illinois,  he  was  born 
in  McLean  county  on  the  13th  of  March. 
[867,  and  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Narqssa 
Erwin,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the 
latter  of  Kentucky.  They  removed  to  Mc- 
Lean county,  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Irwin  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  he  came  to  Boone 
county.  Iowa,  in  [888.  Here  he  settled  in 
Marcy  township,  where  he  remained  for 
four  years,  and  then  removed  to  In-  present 


farm  in  Yell  township,  where  both  he  and 
his  wife  now  make  their  home.  In  their 
family  were  twelve  children,  of  whom  nine 
are  living  and  most  of  the  number  are  resi- 
dents of  this  county. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Illinois  George 
L.  Irwin  pursued  his  education  and  was  thus 
weli  fitted  for  life's  practical  and  responsible 
duties.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  came 
to  Boone  comity.  Iowa,  and  assisted  his  fa- 
ther in  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  He 
was  also  employed  as  a  farm  hand  in  the 
neighborhood  for  four  years,  but  believing 
that  he  would  prefer  town  life  he  came  to 
Ogden  where  he  purchased  a  dray  and  en- 
gaged in  teaming  for  three  years.  He  then 
began  buying  grain  for  an  elevator  and  was 
employed  in  that  way  until  1901,  when  he 
purchased  his  present  business.  He  is  now 
dealing  in  harness  and  saddlery  and  is  meet- 
ing with  fair  success,  having  a  good  trade. 
He  employs  a  practical  harnessmaker  in 
his  shop  who  manufactures  all  kinds  of  har- 
ness and  does  all  kinds  of  repair  work  in  that 
line.  Mr.  Irwin  attends  to  the  sales  and  is 
meeting  with  gratfiying  success. 

In  Dallas  comity.  Iowa,  was  celebrated 
the  marriage  of  George  L.  Irwin  to  Mrs. 
Lora  Lyons,  of  Greene  county,  Iowa,  and 
the}  now  have  four  children,  Ernest,  Elmer, 
Hazel  and  Bertpn.  The  family  have  a  pleas- 
ant home  in  <  >gden  and  attend  the  services 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Socially 
Mr.  Irwin  is  connected  with  the  Odd  Fel- 
1'  v  -  Lodge  of  this  place,  in  which  he  has 
noble  -rand.  I  le  votes  with  the 
Democracy  and  has  been  honored  with  a 
number  of  local  offices,  lie  has  served  as  a 
member  of  the  town  council  in  former  years. 
From  1899  until  [90]  he  was  marshal  of 
the  Bi « ine  (  ountj    Agricultural  So<  ■■ 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ing  in  that  capacity  at  the  time  of  the  o  uml  y 
fairs.  He  has  also  been  city  marshal  for 
three  years  and  for  the  second  term  is  serv- 
ing as  constable  of  Veil  township.  All  who 
know  him  esteem  him  for  his  genuine  worth 
an  1  he  has  a  large  circle  of  friends  in  the 
community. 


JAMES  E.  NUTT. 

James  E.  Nutt  is  one  of  the  young  busi- 
ness men  of  Boone  and  has  always  been 
identified  with  the  west.  He  was  born  up  in 
the  Pacific  coast,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  California  October  q.  1N74,  his  parents 
being  Isaac  C.  and  Lucretia  (  Hull )  Nutt. 
Both  were  natives  of  Iowa  and  are  still  liv- 
ing in  Boone  county.  The  paternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject  was  Elias  Nutt,  and 
the  maternal  grandfather  was  James  Hull, 
who  is  yet  a  resident  of  Boone,  and  repre- 
sents one  of  the  oldest  families  of  this  coun- 
ty. His  children  are:  Lucretia,  now  Mrs. 
Nutt;  Sarah,  who  is  living  in  California: 
and  Elizabeth  and  George  C,  who  are  resi- 
dents of  Boone. 

James  E.  Nutt  is  the  only  living  child  of 
his  parents.  There  was  one  sister,  Birdie, 
but  she  died  in  infancy.  In  the  public 
schools  of  Boonesboro  James  E.  Nutt  was 
educated,  and  in  February,  1893,  he  began 
learning  the  jeweler's  trade  in  the  store  and 
under  the  direction  of  E.  E.  Chander.  In 
March,  [899,  he  began  business  as  a  jeweler 
in  Ogden,  Boone  county,  and  in  February, 
1901.  he  removed  to  this  city,  where  he  is 
now  conducting  a  well  appointed  jewelry 
store,  carrying  a  large  and  carefull)  selected 
stock,  lie  is  a  popular  merchant,  owing  to 
ightforward  business    methods,  his 


earnest  desire  to  please  and  his  unfailing 
courtesy.  He  is  identified  with  several  civic 
organizations,  being  a  valued  representative 
of  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  the  Independent 
Order  of  <  )M  Fellows  of  Boone.  He  is  also 
connected  with  the  Rebekah  degree  of  the 
latter.  In  his  life  Air.  Nutt  exemplifies  the 
progressive  spirit  which  has  led  to  the  rapid 
development  of  the  west.  He  is  a  wide- 
awake and  enterprising  young  business  man. 
alert  to  favorable  opportunities,  and  his  keen 
discrimination  and  good  judgment  have  al- 
ready brought  to  him  a  creditable  degree  of 
prosperity. 


GEORGE  PAULSON. 

George  Paulson,  a  leading  farmer  of 
Amaqua  township,  who  since  1872  has  been 
a  resident  of  Boone  county,  was  born  in 
Germany,  October  21,  1844,  and  is  a  son  of 
Henning  and  Margaret  Paulson,  who  also 
lived  in  Germany,  where  the  father  engaged 
in  peddling.  Both  he  and  his  wife  have 
passed  away. 

In  the  country  of  his  nativity  George 
Paulson  was  reared,  and  after  reaching 
man's  estate  he  wedded  Miss  Anna  Kock, 
also  a  native  of  Germany.  Ten  children 
have  been  born  of  this  marriage:  -Maggie. 
the  wife  of  Henry  Peters,  a  resident  of 
Ogden;  John,  who  married  Miss  Katie 
Maas  and  is  a  resilient  fanner  of  Amaqua 
township;  Herman,  who  married  Katie 
ECruse  and  also  follows  farming  in  Amaqua 
township;  William,  a  fanner  in  the  same 
locality,  who  married  Anna  Bierfeldt; 
Henry,  a  farmer  in  Amaqua  township,  who 
is  married  to  Katie  Stamp:  Anna  who  is 
the   sixth    member   of   the    family    and    is    at 


4  IS 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


heme:  Charlie,  who  wedded  Marie  Bierfeldt 
and  follows  farming  in  Amaqua  township; 
Harry,  at  heme:  Louis  and  George  (twins). 
also    under   the   parental    roof. 

George  Paulson  is  the  only  member  of 
his  father's  family  that  ever  came  to  the 
new  world.  He  crossed  the  Atlantic  in 
1872  and  did  not  tarry  long  on  the  coast, 
but  made  his  way  westward  to  Boone  coun- 
ty, Iowa,  and  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Des 
Moini  -  township,  where  he  lived  for  three 
years.  <  hi  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
moved  to  the  old  Hedinger  home  farm  in 
Beaver  township  and  afterward  resided  for 
a  short  time  in  the  village  of  Ogden.  He 
subsequently  resided  upon  various  farms  in 
Amaqua  township  and  finally  took  up  his 
abode  in  (  .reene  county,  Iowa,  where  he  en- 
gaged m  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  for 
three    war,,    when    he   again    returned    to 

I unty  and  settled  upon  the  presenl 

farm  know  11  as  the  old  Nelson  place,  lie 
ik-w  owns  two  hundred  and  ninet)  acres  of 
land  situated  on  sections  9  and  [6,  Amaqua 
township  and  constituting  one  of  the  best 
improve, ',  nf  this  locality.  Its  well  tilled 
fields  indicate  his  careful  supervision  and 
progressive  methods.  The  stock  which  he 
raises  is  also  of  g 1  grades  and  Mr.  Paul- 
son has  long  been  known  as  a  progressive 
agriculturist.  Mis  sons,  however,  now  rent 
much  of  his  land,  so  he  is  largely  living  re 
tired. 

Air.  Paulson  is  at  the  present  time  filling 
■  of  township  trustee  and  for  several 
years  he  served  as  school  director  in  Ama- 
qua township.  lie  has  never  wavered  in  his 
allegiance  to  the  Republican  party,  believ- 
ing thai  its  principles  are  besl  calculated  to 
conserve  the  general  g 1  and  promote  na- 
tional progress  and  the  welfare  of  the  coun- 


try.  He  takes  a  deep  interest  in  politics  and 
has  many  times  attended  its  county  conven- 
tions. Church  work  also  receives  his  aid 
and  endorsement,  and  he  and  his  wife  are 
consistent  and  faithful  members  of  the  Ger- 
man Lutheran  church  in  Amaqua  township. 


CARL  J.  CASSEL. 

Almost  without  a  contemporary  in  years 
of  continuous  residence  in  Boone  county, 
<  arl  J.  Cassel  is  numbered  among-  the  hon- 
ored pioneers,  having  since  [849  made  his 
home  within  this  portion  of  the  state.  Four 
years  before  he  arrived  in  Iowa,  but 
Boone  county  has  numbered  him  among  its 
honored  representatives  for  fifty-three  years. 
lie  '-  .1  native  of  Sweden,  his  birth  having 
occurred  there  on  the  26th  of  December, 
[82]  III-  school  privilege-  were  limited 
and  he  bad  no  knowledge  of  the  English 
language  when  he  came  to  America.  He 
emigrated  to  the  new  world  with  his  father 
and  family  in  [845,  taking  ship  at  Gutten- 
berg.  The  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  was 
made  in  a  sailing  vessel  and  after  eighl 
week-  .inch, .I'  was  dropped  111  the  harbor  of 
the  new  world.  During  the  trip  they  had 
experienced  some  stormy  weather  and  se- 
vere -ales  had  arisen,  but  the)  reached  port 
in  safety.  The  family  proceeded  from  the 
eastern  metropolis  to  Philadelphia,  thence 
to  Pittsburg  and  on  down  the  <  >hio  river  to 
Cairo  and  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Bur-1 
lington,  Iowa,  reaching  their  destination  in 
1845.  '  ,,e  family  located  in  Jefferson  and 
I  lenrv  counties  ami  were  the  first  Swedish 
people  I,,  lake  tip  their  abode  within  the 
b,  irders  of  Iowa. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


419. 


Carl  J.  Cassel,  of  this  review,  remained 
in  Jefferson  county  for  about  one  year  and 
aided  his  father  in  opening  up  and  im- 
proving the  farm  there.  He  then  spent  two 
years  in  Fairfield,  Iowa,  working  at  the  cab- 
inet maker's  trade,  or  at  any  employment 
which  would;  yield  him  an  honest  living. 
In  1X41)  he  came  to  Boone  county,  his  broth- 
ers-in-law having  previously  entered  land 
here.  Mr.  Cassel  became  connected  with 
them,  working  with  them  for  some  time. 
They  developed  a  farm  of  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres,  where  the  town  of  Mad- 
rid now  stands.  "When  several  years  had 
passed,  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr. 
Cassel  remaining  upon  the  old  home  place. 
They  had  also  built  a  steam  flour  mill  in 
Madrid,  and  engaged  in  the  milling  business 
successfully  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr. 
Cassel  had  become  familiar  with  the  busi- 
ness in  Sweden,  and  at  the  time  of  the  erec- 
tion of  the  mill  in  Boone  county,  assumed 
charge,  continuing  its  operation  for  some 
time.  He  has  improved  some  residence 
properties  in  Madrid,  and  has  added  ma- 
terially to  the  development  of  die  town  and 
county.  He  belongs  to  that  class  of  repre- 
sentative American  citizens  who,  while  ad- 
vancing individual  success,  has  also  added 
to  the  general  prosperity  by  directing  their 
labors  along  lines  of  general  good. 

Mr.  Cassel  was  married  in  Fairfield, 
Iowa,  in  1848,  to  Miss  Clrich  Dealander,  a 
native  of  Sweden,  who  was  brought  to  the 
new  world  in  [846,  in  which  year  she  be- 
came a  resident  of  Iowa.  To  her  husband 
she  proved  a  faithful  companion  and  help- 
mate lor  a  third  of  a  century  and  on  the  30th 
of  May.  i8()i.  they  were  separated  by  the 
hand  of  death,  Mrs.  tassel  being  called 
to    the    home    beyond.        By    her    marriage 


sb<  became  the  mother  of  nine  children, 
three  sons  and  six  daughters:  John,  a  res- 
ident farmer  of  this  county;  Peter,  a  pharm- 
acist, who  is  employed  in  the  line  of  his 
chosen  calling  in  Madrid;  Charles  \Y..  who 
resides  with  his  father  and  carries  on  farm- 
ing in  this  county:  Matilda,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Oakleal,  who  follows  farming  cast 
of  Madrid;  Ilia,  the  wife  of  A.  X.  Ander- 
son, of  Webster,  .Nebraska;  Clara,  at 
home;  Johanna,  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Johnson, 
who  is  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  cast 
of  Madrid;  Mary,  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Peter- 
son, of  Henry  county,  Illinois;  and  Amanda, 
who  is  acting  as  housekeeper  for  her  father 
and  brother. 

Politically  Mr.  Cassel  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican, supporting  the  men  and  measures  of 
the  party  with  unfaltering  faith  in  the 
righteousness  of  its  principles.  He  has 
been  elected  and  served  as  supervisor  of  his 
township,  tilling  the  position  for  two  years. 
Later  he  was  for  a  number  of  terms  town- 
ship trustee  and  has  frequently  been  chosen 
as  a  delegate  to  the  count}-  conventions  of 
his  party.  He  has  always  been  loyal  to  the 
public  good,  whether  in  or  out  of  office,  and 
Ins  lite  lias  ever  been  in  consistent  harmony 
with  his  professions  as  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  church.  His  memory  forms  a 
connecting  link  between  the  primitive  past 
and  the  progressive  present  of  Boone 
county.  On  all  sides  was  the  wild  prairie, 
unbroken  and  productive,  awaiting  the 
awakening  touch  of  man  to  transform  it  into 
rich  fields.  The  site  of  now  flourishing 
towns  and  villages  was  then  unmarked  li\ 
cabin  or  place  of  business.  Mr.  <  assel 
laid  out  the  present  town  of  Madrid  and 
ha-  contributed  in  a  very  large  measure  to 
its    improvement     and      progress.      He    has 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


aided  materially  in  its  development  and  is 
widely  known  as  a  man  of  integrity  and 
worth,  loved  by  his  family,  respected  by  his 
many  friends  and  held  in  high  regard  by  all 
w  ho  know  him. 


HENRY  W.  HULL. 

Through  a  period  of  twenty-four  years 
Henry  W.  Hull  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Boone  county  bar,  practicing  at  Madrid,  and 
his  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  juris- 
prudence combined  with  his  close  applica- 
tion and  his  careful  preparation  of  cases  have 
made  him  a  lawyer  of  ability.  He  is  en- 
titled to  distinction  not  only  as  a  representa- 
tive of  his  profession,  however,  for  he  was 
the  first  white  child  born  in  Boone  county, 
his  birth  occurring  on  the  8th  of  August, 
[847.  I  lis  father,  John  Hull,  was  born  in 
1  ihio,  February  7,  [818,  his  birthplace  be- 
ing near  Zanesville,  in  Muskingum  county. 
During  his  childhood  he  removed  westward, 
locating  in  Kulton  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
was  reared.  About  [840  he  became  a  resi- 
denl  ol  Schiv)  ler  county,  Missouri,  and  about 
1843  was  there  married  to  Sophia  Holcomb, 
who  was  born  in  Peoria  county.  Illinois,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Ben  Holcomb  and  a  sister 
of  I  [enry  \\ .  I  Lolcomb,  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  settlers  of  Boone  count)'.  Air.  Hull 
removed  to  Iowa  in  May,  [847,  establish- 
in-  his  home  upon  a  farm  in  this  county 
five  miles  northwest  of  Madrid.  \fter  two 
s,  ild  that  property  and  took  up  his 
irther  north  toward  Boone.  I  fe 
spun  the  greater  part  of  his  active  busi- 
ness carver  there  as  a  progressive  and  en- 
ergetic   farmer  and,   later  joined    his   son    in 


Grant  City,  Missouri,  and  there  died,  June 
7,  1883.  His  wife  survived  him  for  five 
years  and  died  at  the  old  home  place  in 
Boone  county  in  r888,  being  laid  to  rest  by 
the  side  of  her  husband  in  Hull  cemetery, 
where  a  suitable  monument  marks  their  last 
resting-  place. 

Henry  W.  Hull  was  reared  in  the  county 
of  his  nativity  and  the  common  schools  af- 
forded him  his  educational  privileges.  He 
engaged  in  teaching-  for  a  number  of  years 
in  Boone  county  and  in  Kansas  and  Mis- 
souri. He  was  but  seventeen  years  of  age 
when  in  1864  he  responded  to  President  Lin- 
coln's call  for  aid  and  enlisted  in  Company 
F,  Thirteenth  Iowa  Infantry,  joining  the 
regiment  at  Atlanta.  Later,  however,  on 
account  of  illness  he  was  sent  back  to  Chat- 
tanooga, but  when  he  had  recovered  his 
health  he  rejoined  his  regiment  at  Golds- 
boro,  North  Carolina.  He  afterward 
marched  through  Richmond  to  Washington, 
D.  C.  He  participated  in  the  second  battle 
of  Nashville,  ami  at  Washington  took  part 
in  th(  -rand  review.  He  there  sustained  a 
sunstroke  and  was  taken  to  the  hospital. 
where  he  remained  until  discharged  on  the 
8th  of  August,  [865, — the  eighteenth  an- 
niversary of  his  birth.  For  some  time,  how  - 
ever,  he  was  unable  to  return  home,  but  in 
September  he  again  arrived  in  the  county  of 
bis  nativity.    Subsequent^  he  continued  his 

education  and  also  took  up  the  study  of  law 
with  John  A.  Hull,  of  Boone.  While  pur- 
suing his  law  si,„hcs  he  went  to  Kansas  and 
w  is  eng  iged  in  teaching  school  in  the  win- 
1.  01  [8(  -  and  1S0S  at  (  Mtawa.  Upon  his 
return  to  this  slate  he  was  employed  as  a 
teacher  in  this  locality  and  devoted  his 
leisure  hout  s  to  reading  law .  In  [869  he 
I  1  ( .rant  (  it  v.  Missouri,  where  he 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


engaged  in  teaching  school  for  some  time. 
In  iS-S  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  there 
and  remained  a  practitioner  at  that  place  un- 
til   1890. 

In  that  year  Mr.  Hull  returned  t<i  Iowa 
and  located  in  Des  Moines,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  practice  until  1900.  He  then  came 
to  Madrid,  where  he  opened  an  office  and  is 
now  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in  con- 
nection with  the  real  estate  business,  buying 
and  dealing  in  farm  lands  and  in  town  pr<  >p- 
erty.  He  is  likewise  a  representative  of  a 
number  of  insurance  companies  and  is  a 
loan  agent,  placing  loans  on  farm  lands.  He 
has  built  up  a  very  good  business  here  and 
is  well  known  in  the  profession  and  in  the 
other  lines  of  his  husiness  activity. 

Mr.  Hull  was  married  first  in  Grant 
City.  Missouri,  on  the  6th  of  August,  1871, 
to  Miss  Kate  Swift,  a  native  of  Wayne 
county,  Xew  York.  She  was  reared  on 
Sodus  Bay  and  was  educated  in  that  locality, 
becoming  a  teacher  in  early  life.  She  died 
in  Grant  City.  Missouri.  June  [5,  1889, 
leaving  five  children.  Frank  G.  the  eldest, 
is  married  and  is  engaged  in  contracting  and 
building,  his  home  being  near  Ontario, 
Boone  county.  J.  Fred  is  married  and  is  the 
owner  and  editor  of  the  Pilot,  published  at 
Maysville,  Missouri.  Arthur  R.  was  in  the 
regular  army  for  five  years,  serving  for  two 
years  in  the  Philippines  and  is  now-  engage  1 
as  a  barber  in  San  Francisco,  California. 
Sophia  E.  is  living  with  her  brother  Fred  in 
Maysville,  Missouri.  Emma  is  at  home. 
Mr.  Hull  was  again  married,  in  Des  Moines, 
Iowa.  February  6,  [891,  his  second  union 
being  with  Nancy  J.  i  karris,  who  was  horn 
in  Polk  count}',  this  state,  just  north  of  the 
capital  city.  There  is  one  living  son  by  this 
unii  hi.  I  [arris  W. 


Politically  Mr.  Hull  has  keen  a  lifelong 
Republican,  although  he  was  reared  in  the 
Democratic  faith.  He  cast  his  first  presi- 
dential ballot  for  C.  S.  Grant  in  [868,  and 
has  never  wavered  in  his  allegiance  to  the 
party,  but  has  newer  sought  or  desired  office 
in  return  for  his  loyalty.  He  is  a  memncr 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and 
the  Grand  Army  Post,  and  while  living  in 
Grant  City  he  served  as  commander  of  the 
local  post  there  for  three  years.  He  was 
also  a  member  of  the  staff  of  the  commander 
in  chief  in  1880.  and  is  now  a  member  of 
the  stall  of  General  Metzger,  of  Iowa.  Mr. 
Hull  is  justly  placed  among  the  representa- 
tive men  of  his  native  county  and  Madrid 
claims   him   as    one  of   her  valued  citizens. 


JOHN  RUN DB ERG. 

John  Rundberg,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
furniture  and  embalming  business  in  Ogden, 
has  been  identified  with  commercial  inter- 
ests here  since  1874.  He  is  a  native  of 
Sweden,  born  August  19,  1834.  His  father. 
Andrew  Anderson,  was  a  wagonmaker  and 
blacksmith  by  trade  and  served  as  overseer 
of  the  poor  of  his  count)',  having  charge  of 
the  count)  farm.  He  died  when  the  subject 
of  this  review  was  only  twelve  years  of  age 
and  the  son  then  began  to  earn  his  own  liv- 
ing, working  for  eight  cents  per  day.  lie 
afterward  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and 
also  the  cabinetmaker's  trade,  becoming  fa- 
miliar with  this  pursuit  when  eighteen  years 
of  age.  He  was  thus  employed  until  the 
year  of  his  emigration  to  the  new  world, 
which  occurred  in  [868.  In  September  of 
thai  year  he  took  the  first  premium  for  in- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


venting  a  threshing  machine  separator.  He 
landed  in  New  York  city,  making  his  way 
westward  to  Chicago  and  thence  going  to 
Stockholm,  Wisconsin.  There  lie  worked 
at  his  trade  for  a  short  time  and  then  came 
to  Boone,  Iowa,  in  1869.  being  employed 
as  a  laborer  there.  Subsequently  he  secured 
a  position  at  his  trade  and  was  also  em- 
ployed in  a  furniture  factory  for  a  year  and 
a  half.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
removed  to  Moingona,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  furniture  business  in  partnership  with 
Samuel  Morgan,  continuing  at  that  for 
about  nine  months.  In  the  fall  of  1874  he 
came  to  Ogden  and  established  his  furniture 
and  undertaking  business  in  this  place.  He 
carric-  a  large  and  well  selected  stock  of 
furniture  which  he  sells  at  reasonable  prices, 

and  for  many  years  he  has  enjoyed  a  g 1 

patronage,  which  return-  to  him  a  gratifying 
income.  In  addition  to  a  general  line  of 
furniture  lie  handles  pictures,  pianos,  organs, 
sewing  machines,  carpet-  and  bicycles, 
handling  all  standard  make-  of  wheels.  1  le 
likewise  engages  in  picture  framing  and 
doe-  an  undertaking  business,  being  a  reg- 
ular embalmer.  He  own-  his  nice  building 
and  has  met  with  gratifying  success  as  the 
years  have  passed. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Johanna  Rundberg,  who  was  also  a  native 
of  Sweden.  She  died  in  Boone  count)  De- 
cember lO,  [877,  and  Mr.  Rundberg  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with 
Hannah  Rustan,  a  name  of  Sweden  and  a 
daughter  of  Gus  Rustan,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  the  same  country  and  who  is  now 
living  a  retired  life  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 
having  previously  followed  the  carpenter's 
trade  Five  children  were  horn  of  the  first 
marriage:     Augusta,  the  wife   of    Charles 


Rosen,  a  harnessmaker  of  Ogden:  David, 
who  married  Libby  Anderson  and  resides  at 
Giiletts  Grove,  Iowa,  where  he  is  employed 
as  a  telegraph  operator:  John  H..  who  mar- 
ried Matilda  Sandberg,  and  is  engaged  in 
carpentering  and  cabinet-making  in  Denver, 
(  olorado;  Emma,  at  home;  and  Phil  E., 
who  was  horn  January  19.  1874.  and  mar- 
ried Emma  Ehlers.  They  reside  in  Ogden, 
where  he  is  now  manager  of  his  father's 
business,  being  a  registered  embalmer.  By 
the  second  marriage  there  have  been  horn 
five  children :  Jennie,  Charlie.  Martin.  Bessie 
and  Annie  Hazel.  Mr.  Rundberg  belongs 
to  the  Swedi-h  Mission  church  of  Ogden 
and  is  a  man  of  upright  character  and  ster- 
ling worth.  Ill-  life  has  ever  been  straight- 
forward and  his  influence  has  ever  been 
given  in  behalf  of  all  that  is  honest  and  up- 
lifting. 


AUSTIN  JOICE. 

Austin  Joice  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
in  Boone,  and  for  many  years  was  one  of 
the  active  business  men  of  this  locality.  He 
was  closelj  associated  with  railrofu!  build- 
ing and  his  effort-  in  this  direction  contrib- 
uted in  a  large  measure  to  the  improvements 
and  progress  of  the  state,  for  there  is  no 
other  one  interest  of  more  value  to  a  com- 
munity than  it-  railroads,  bringing  the  dis- 
trict into  close  and  speed)  connection  with 
the  outside  world  and  thus  furnishing  a 
market  for  its  products  and  bringing  to  it 
the  article-  not  produced  within  it-  border-. 
Mr.  Joice  has  made  his  home  in  h 
1858.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Montpelier,    Vejrmont,     January     1.    iSj; 


ITHENE' 


,-,XAND 


MRS    AUSTIN    JUICE. 


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AUSTIN    JOICE. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


V-7 


His  father.  Peter  Joice,  was  also  a  native  of 
Alontpelier  and  was  of  Irish  parentage. 
The  paternal  grandfather  took  np  his  abode 
in  the  Green  Mountain  state  in  pioneer 
times.  Peter  Joice  was  reared  and  married 
there,  Eleanor  Rowan  being  his  wife.  He 
followed  farming  near  the  city  of  Montpel- 
ier  for  a  number  of  years  and  afterward  re- 
moved to  Lorain  comity,  Ohio,  and  still 
later  to  Sandusky  city.  He  was  not  long 
permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home,  however, 
for  there  he  was  taken  ill  and  died  in  1832. 
His  wife  long  survived  him  and  later  re- 
turned to  the  state  of  Xew  York. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  Austin 
Joice  was  adopted  by  Reuben  Nichols,  of 
Lorain  county.  He  was  reared  by  him  in 
the  city  of  Elyria.  He  had  good  school 
privileges  and  after  leaving  the  common 
schools  spent  one  year  in  Oberlin  College. 
He  then  started  out  in  business  on  his  .own 
account,  going  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  he 
secured  a  position  as  night  clerk  in  the 
American  House,  which  was  then  the  lead- 
ing hostelry  of  the  city.  He  spent  two 
vears  there  and  afterward  spent  about  one 
year  on  Thunder  Bay,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  fishing  and  in  trading  with  the  In- 
dians. He  then  returned  to  Elyria.  where 
he  remained  through  the  winter  and  in  the 
spring  went  to  Cincinnati,  becoming  man- 
ager of  a  hotel,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
for  three  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  removed  to  Wilmington,  Ohio, 
and  engaged  in  the  hotel  business  a-  an  in 
dependent  venture  until  1846.  The  follow 
ing  year,  the  country  having  become  in- 
volved in  war  with  .Mexico  he  joined  the 
army  as  an  orderly  sergeant  ami  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  -1  sergeant  major. 
During  most    of    the   time  lie   engaged    in 


guerrilla  fighting,  but  at  length  was  hon- 
orably discharged  at  Cincinnati,  in  July, 
1  848. 

At  that  time  Mr.  Joice  removed  to  Mor- 
row, Ohio,  where  he  opened  a  hotel  ami  eat- 
ing house  as  a  summer  resort,  carrying  on 
business  there  during  1848-y.  In  the  lat- 
ter year  he  became  connected  with  railroad 
work,  as  grading  foreman  of  the  Spring- 
field &  Dayton  Railroad.  For  seven  years 
he  was  engaged  in  the  construction  of  dif- 
ferent lines  in  Ohio,  and  in  1857  he  came 
to  Iowa,  locating  first  at  Muscatine,  but  in 
1858  he  came  to  Boone  county.  Here  he 
purchased  land  one  mile  north  of  Boones- 
boro,  spending  one  summer  upon  that  place. 
He  then  sold  the  property  and  purchased 
another  farm.  He  erected  good  buildings 
and  transformed  the  place  into  a  valuable 
property.  From  time  to  time  he  added  to 
his  property,  but  has  since  sold  much  of 
the  land.  While  the  work  of  the  farm  was 
being  carried  on  through  the  aid  of  those 
whom  he  employed.  Mr.  Joice  has  continued 
In-,  work  of  railroad  constructing.  He  ha- 
been  engaged  in  the  construction  of  rail- 
way lines  through  Iowa,  in  <  >hio,  Nebraska, 
Michigan  and  Wyoming.  He  was  for  a 
time  connected  with  the  Union  Pacific  road 
in  the  construction  of  its  line  from  Omaha, 
to  Laramie,  Wyoming,  and  continued  as  a 
very  active  representative  of  the  business  in- 
terests of  various  states  in  this  wa\  mini 
about  [899,  when  he  retired  to  private  life 
enjoying  a   well   merited   and   well   earned 

rest. 

Mr.  Joice  has  been  twice  married.  In 
[850  he  lost  his  wife  and  baby  bo)  In 
1851,  in  Covington,  Kentucky,  he  wedded 
Annette  M.  Stearns,  a  native  of  New  "i  ork, 
who  had  removed  to  '  'hi.  1  during  her  girl 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


In  mm!.  Her  father,  Harry  Stearns,  was  a 
pioneer  of  the  Buckeye  state,  making  the 
journey  westward  with  team.  Fifty-live  of 
her  ancesters  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Mrs.  Joice  was  reared  and  educated 
in  <  >hio  and  by  her  marriage  lias  become  the 
mother  of  eight  children:  one  daughter 
who  died  in  infancy;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
Rev.  B.  C.  Tillett.  a  minister  of  the  Con- 
gregational church,  now  located  in  Central 
City,  Iowa,  by  whom  she  had  a  family  of 
four  daughters  and  two  smb.  all  of  whom 
are  living  with  the  exception  of  the  oldest 
daughter;  Coartney  Austin,  who  is  in  the 
railroad  service  and  resides  at  Omaha.  Ne- 
braska; Belle,  the  wife  of  West  Myers,  a 
fanner  of  Boone  county,  by  whom  she  has 
three  children,  one  daughter  being  married: 
Amma  E.,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Beard,  a  resi- 
dent farmer  of  Boone  county,  by  whom  she 
two  sons  and  a  daughter;  .Maude,  the  wife 
of  George  II.  Steadman,  a  farmer  of  this 
county,  by  whom  -In-  ha-  one  Mm  and  one 
daughter;  Walter  II..  who  is  married  and 
resides  in  Boone,  being  employed  a-  a  rail- 
road engineer,  and  has  i  m  son,  Basil;  and 
Bertha  C,  the  wife  of  H  G  I  >a\  is,  of  Eagle 
Grove,  Wright  county,  who  is  employed  as 
an  express  agenl  on  the  Northwestern  mad. 
Politically  Mr.  joice  is  a  Republican. 
having  supported  the  party  since  it-  organ- 
ization. He  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont,  in 
[856,  and  for  each  Republican  nominee 
down  to  the  presenl  time,  lie  was  elected 
and  served  for  three  years  as  a  member  of 
the  lmard  of  supervisors,  and  served  as  it- 
chairman  for  two  war-,  but  has  never  been 
a  politician  in  die  sense  of  seeking  office,  de- 
siring rather  to  give  In-  attention  to  his  bus- 
iness interests,  lie  and  his  wife  are  both 
members  of  the  Methodisl  Episcopal  church 


and  he  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity  in 
which  he  has  taken  the  degrees  of  blue 
lodge,  chapter,  and  commandery,  being  also 
identified  with  the  Mystic  Shrine.  His  res- 
idence in  Boone  count)  covers  forty-four 
years  and  his  efforts  have  been  of  great  ben- 
efit to  this  portion  of  the  state.  Other 
states  have  also  profited  by  his  labors  in  rail- 
road construction,  and  he  belongs  to  that 
class  of  representative  American  citizens 
who,  while  advancing  individual  success, 
al-o  promote  the  general  prosperity.  His 
life  has  indeed  been  a  busy  and  useful  one 
and  it  has  been  permeated  by  principles  that 
in  every  land  and  every  clime  command  re- 
spect  and  confidence. 


HENRY  II.  OTIS. 


Henry  H.  Otis,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
dairy  business,  was  horn  June  21,  [838,  in 
Cherr)  Valley  township,  Ashtabula  county, 
Ohio.  His  father.  Robert  <  Mis,  was  a  na- 
tive .  !'  New  York  and  was  a  son  of  John 
•'tis,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Empire 
state,  who  removed  from  New  York  to  Ohio 
and  subsequently  to  northwestern  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  spent  his  remaining  clays, 
passing  away  in  [846,  when  about  seventy- 
five  wars  of  age.  lie  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
de-cenl. 

Robert  <  )ti-  spent  a  part  of  his  life  in 
Jefferson  county,  New  York,  and  about 
[830  removed  to  Mhtahula  county,  Ohio, 
where  be  remained  for  fortj  six  years.  He 
then  accompanied  his  son.  our  subject,  to 
[owa,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days, 
covering  about  eighteen  years.     His  death 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


429 


occurred  in  October,  1894,  when  he  was  in 
his  eighty-fifth  year.  He  married  Lucy 
Richards,  who  was  a  native  of  Connecticut, 
and  a  daughter  of  Charles  Richards.  Her 
father  was  of  English  descent  and  at  an 
earl_\-  period  in  the  development  of  the  state 
settled  in  central  New  York,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  in  the  operation  of 
a  distillery.  His  death  occurred  about  1858 
and  his  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Abagail  Manly,  passed  away  at  the  age  of 
seventy-six  years.  Their  daughter,  Mrs. 
Otis,  died  in  Trumbull  county.  Ohio,  in 
1884.  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  Their 
children  are:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Fayette 
Dunbar,  of  Cortland,  Ohio;  Harriet,  the 
widow  of  M.  M.  Langley,  of  Cortland. 
Ohio:  Charles  R..  who  died  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  months;  and  Henry  H.,  of  this  re- 
view. The  father  of  this  family  was  a  gen- 
eral merchant  and  for  many  years  thus,  sup- 
ported his  wife  and  children,  but  during  the 
last  twenty-five  years  of  his  life  he  devoted 
his  energies  to  the  fire  and  life  insurance 
business. 

Henry  H.  Otis  began  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  near  his  home  and  after- 
ward entered  the  Western  Reserve  Sem- 
inary, at  West  Farmington,  Ohio,  but  when 
the  Civil  war  was  inaugurated  he  put  aside 
all  business  and  personal  considerations,  en- 
listing on  the  29th  of  May,  1862,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  I'-.  Eighty-seventh  Regi- 
men! of  (  )hio  Volunteers.  Vfter  -ix  months 
he  was  transferred  to  the  Thirteenth  Ohio 
Infantry  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
captain,  at  Harper's  Ferry,  on  the  [2th  of 
September,  [862.  Five  months  later,  by 
special  commission  from  Governor  Tod,  he 
was  transferred  to  the  Western  Army,  be- 
ing attached  to  the  Thirteenth   Ohio   Regi- 


ment. He  participated  in  the  engagements 
at  Harper's  Kerry,  Antietam,  Stone  River 
and  others  oi  lesser  importance,  and  re- 
ceived an  honorable  discharge  on  the  1st  of 
January,  1804. 

Alter  returning  to  his  home  Mr.  Otis 
engaged  in  the  insurance  business  with  his 
father  for  a  time  and  afterward  became  a 
commercial  traveler.  Subsequently  he 
turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits 
and  in  the  spring  of  1866  began  farming  in 
Trumb  "  county.  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
for  six  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  removed  to  Kent  county,  Mich- 
igan, wdiere  he  conducted  a  hotel  and  livery. 
It  was  in  the  spring  of  1876  that  he  came 
to  Iowa,  locating  in  Harrison  township, 
Boone  county,  but  when  two  years  had 
passed  he  removed  to  Des  Moines  township, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  At  the  time  he 
located  at  this  place  his  farm  was  unim- 
proved land  and  where  his  fine  residence  now 
stands  was  pasture  land.  This  home  with 
its  pleasant  environments  is  the  visible  evi- 
dence of  the  life  of  industry  and  enterprise 
which  Mr.  Otis  has  led.  Since  the  incor- 
poration of  the  city  of  Boone  Mr.  Otis' 
property  is  within  the  boundary  lines.  Dur- 
ing the  past  four  years  he  has  been  engaged 
in  the  d  dry  business  and  has  found  this 
a  p-ofitable  source  of  income. 

On  the  [6th  of  November,  1805.  Mr. 
(  His  was  united  in  marriage  to  Alary  L. 
Base  id.  a  daughter  of  I  [oratio  and  Caroline 
(Newell)  Bascom,  natives  of  Connecticut. 
The  children  of  this  marriage  are  Caroline, 
I  ,UC)  .  (  harles  and  Frank.  The  elder  son 
married  Alary  /.imbleman.  and  is  now  living 
in  Boone,  while  Frank  wedded  Bessie  L. 
King  and  resides  in  Worth  township,  Boone 
county.     The  family  is  one  of  prominence 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


in  the  community  and  the  members  of  the 
household  occupy  an  enviable  position  in 
social  circles.  Mr.  Otis  is  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge  of 
Boone  and  he  also  belongs  to  Jerusalem 
Lodge.  No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M..  of  Hartford. 
Ohio,  to  the  Grand  Army  Post  and  to  the 
order  of  Druids.  His  social  qualities  and 
personal  characteristics  have  made  him  a 
valued  representative  of  these  organizations, 
and  as  a  citizen  he  is  as  true  to-day  to  his 
duties  as  when  he  followed  the  old  flag  upon 
the  battle-fields  of  the  south. 


FRED  JOHNSON. 

Fred  Johnson,  who  is  living  on  section 
12,  1  louglas  township,  has  become  the  owner 
of  a  valuable  Farm  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  entirely  as  a  result  of  his  own 
enterprise,  untiring  energy  and  keen  dis- 
crimination in  business  affairs,  and  his  life 
onclusivelj  how  potent  in  America 
are  industry  and  resolution  in  the  gaining 
of  success.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a  native  of 
Sweden,  his  birth  having  occurred  there  on 
the  29th  nf  April,  [840.  I  te  is  a  son  of 
Andrew  Johnson,  who  was  also  born  in  that 
land  and  after  arriving  at  man's  estate 
wedded  Elizabeth  Nelson,  a  native  of  the 
same  country.  The  lather  followed  farm- 
ing in  Sweden  and  three  children,  who  are 
yei  living,  were  bom  unto  him  and  his  wife 
there.  In  [85]  he  determined  to  seek  a 
home  in  the  new  world  and  with  his  family 
crossed  the  Vtlantic  to  Mew  York,  whence 
he  proceeded  at  once  westward  by  way  of 
Chicago  and  Keokuk,  towa,  to  Boone  coun- 
ty, where  he  Eound  some  substantial  friend-. 


Andrew  Johnson  died  the  same  year  at 
Keokuk.  The  family  were  six  months  upon 
the  way  and  had  endured  many  hardships 
and  privations.  The  voyage  across  the  At- 
lantic had  lasted  for  twelve  weeks  and  four 
days,  during  winch  time  the  vessel  en- 
countered some  very  severe  storms.  Mrs. 
Johnson  long  survived  her  husband  and  died 
in  this  county  in  1892.  The  subject  of  this 
review  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth  of 
three  children.  The  eldest.  Mrs.  Mollie  An- 
derson, is  now  a  widow  residing  in  Douglas 
township,  while  Matilda,  the  younger  sister, 
i-  now  the  wife  of  Peter  Sholan,  of  Madrid. 
Fred  Johnson  spent  the  first  eleven  years 
of  hi-  life  in  the  land  of  his  nativity  and 
then  came  to  the  United  State-.  Well  dees 
nber  many  incident-  of  the  voyage 
and  of  the  trip  across  the  country.  At 
length  the  family  reached  their  new  home 
in  Boone  county  and  here  he  was  reared 
upon  the  farm,  lie  had  but  limited  school 
privileges,  so  that  he  is  aim. -t  entirely  a 
self-educated  as  well  as  a  -elf-made  man. 
From  his  youth  he  has  depended  upon  his 
own  resources  for  a  livelihood  and  the  suc- 
cess thai  he  has  achieved  1-  the  direct  result 
of  in-  own  labors,  \fter  arriving  at  years 
of  maturity  he  chose  a  companion  and  help- 
mate for  life's  journey  and  was  united  in 
marriage  on  the  26th  of  October,  [866,  to 
Miss  I  laddie  I ).  Larson,  a  native  of  Sweden. 
in  which  country  she  spent  her  girlhood 
days.  Mei  father  i-  1).  Larson,  of  Garden 
township,  Boone  county.  The  young  couple 
began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm  near 
Madrid  which  Mr.  Johnson  had  previously 
purchased,  a  tract  of  eighty-six  acre-,  lie 
:  once  to  further  improve  and  de- 
prop*  rty  and  as  thi 
and    his  labor-  brought  to    him    increased 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


43' 


financial  resources  he  a  land  un- 
til he  now  owns  five  hundred  acres,  corn- 
three  g 1    farms.     He  has  always 

carried  on  the  cultivation  of  grain  and  also 
the  raising-,  feeding  and  fattening  of  stock 
for  the  markets.  I  lis  business  has  been  suc- 
cessfully conducted  and  although  he  started 
out  in  life  for  himself  empty-handed,  hav- 
ing enjoyed  but  few  advantages,  he  has 
steadily  climbed  the  ladder  of  success  and 
to-day  he  is  numbered  among  the  men  of 
affluence  in  the  community. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  was 
blessed  with  nine  children,  eight  of  whom 
arc  yet  living:  John  A.,  who  is  married 
and  follows  farming  on  his  father's  land; 
Charles  G.,  who  is  married  and  lives  in  Den- 
ver, Colorado;  C.  Eddy,  a  young  man  at 
home:  Oscar  F..  who  is  married  and  is  liv- 
ing on  one  of  his  father's  farms;  Anton  S.. 
who  is  also  married  and  lives  on  one'  of  his 
father's  farms;  Selma.  Mary  and  Clarence 
L..  all  under  the  parental  roof.  They  also 
lost  one  son.  Arthur,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  nine  years. 

When  Mr.  Johnson  attained  his  majority 
he  became  identified  with  the  Republican 
party,  for  his  consideration  of  the  questions 
and  issues  of  the  day  lead  him  to  believe 
thai  the  best  interests  of  the  country  would 
be  conserved  through  the  adoption  of  Re- 
publican principles,  lie  cast  his  first  presi- 
dential ballot  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1864 
and  has  voted  for  each  presidential  nominee 
of  the  party  since  thai  time,  lie  was  elected 
and  is  now  serving  for  his  second  year  in 
lli-  "Lire  of  township  trustee.  lie  and  his 
wife  were  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith  and 
hold  membership  relations  with  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  church  of  Madrid  and  aided  lib- 
erally in  the  erection  of  the  house  of  worship 


there.  Mr.  Johnson  is  deeply  interested  in 
every  movement  and  measure  calculated  to 
prove  of  general  good,  and  he  is  familiar 
with  the  history  of  upbuilding  ii 
county  through  the  past  half  century,  lie 
has  seen  its  pioneer  conditions  give  way  he- 
fore  the  encroachments  of  civilization.  Me 
has  seen  the  count)  crossed  and  re 
by  a  net-work  of  railroads,  telegraph  and 
telephone  wires,  has  witnessed  the  introduc- 
tion of  man}-  hnsiness  enterprises,  the  estab- 
lishment of  towns  and  villages,  while  the 
wild  lands  have  been  made  to  bloom  and 
blossom  as  the  rose.  .\  man  of  unquestioned 
honor  in  business  and  loyalty  in  social  cir- 
cles, he  has  the  confidence  of  friends  and 
neighbors  and  well  deserves  representation 
in  this  volume. 


a.  h.  McGregor. 

A.  M.  McGregor  is  a  prosperous  farmer 

and  stock  breeder  of  Beaver  township  liv- 
ing on  section  27.  For  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury he  has  resided  in  Boone  county,  but 
many  miles  separate  him  from  the  place  of 
his  birth,  which  occurred  in  Bedford  county, 
Pennsylvania,  November  27,  1838.  He  is 
the  eldest  son  of  Duncan  and  Sarah  |  Black- 
burn )  Md  Iregor,  both  of  Bedford  county. 
Pennsylvania.  In  that  county  the)  were 
reared  and  married,  the  wedding  being  cele- 
brated in  March.  (838.  For  several  years 
thereafter  tin  father  carried  on  farming  in 
that  locality  and  on  the  3d  of  May,  (853, 
he  removed  with  his  family  to  Peoria,  Illi- 
nois, living  in  that  city  for  two  years  and 
then  purchasing  Mud  in  Princeville  town- 
ship,  Pei  rin  count  v.      For  thirty-four  years 


432 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


he  was  a  representative  of  the  agricultural 
interests  of  that  locality.  His  wife  died  on 
the  Qtli  of  February,  1889,  and  in  the  spring 
of  that  year  he  gave  up  the  old  home  farm 
and  came  to  Boone  county.  Here  he  spent 
his  remaining  days,  but  he  did  not  long  sur- 
vive the  lady  who  had  so  long  been  his  com- 
panion and  helpmate  on  life's  journey,  for 
his  death  occurred  on  the  2d  of  December. 
1890.  In  their  Family  were  nine  children. 
who  are  mentioned  in  the  sketch  of  John 
Mc<  ircg.r  on  another  page  of  this  work. 

In  the  usual  manner  of  tanner  lads  A. 
11.  McGregor  spent  the  days  of  his  b 
and  youth,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-fix  e 
years  he  left  home  to  make  his  own  way  in 
the  world.  He  entered  upon  his  business 
career  by  renting  a  farm  of  his  father,  in 
Princeville  township,  Peoria  comity.  Illi- 
nois, and  after  two  years  he  purchased  that 
property,  which  he  owned  for  four  year-. 
He  then  sold  out  and  invested  in  coal  mines, 
opening  up  and  operating  mines  for  five 
years,  in  [877,  however,  he  disposed  of  his 
business  interests  in  Illinois  and  came  to 
Boone  county,  Iowa,  purchasing  the  farm 
upon  which  he  has  since  resided,  and  here 
he  has  since  lived  with  the  exception  of 
three  years  spent  in  Des  Ah  lines.  Iowa,  in 
order  to  better  educate  his  children. 

On  the  8th  of  November,  [865,  Mr.  Mc- 
Gregor was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  E.  Ballentine,  a  daughter  of  James 
D.  and  Lucinda  (Edwards)  Ballentine. 
Her  father.  .1  native  of  Cumberland  coun- 
ty, North  Carolina,  followed  farming 
throughout  his  entire  business  career.  He 
now  lives  with  Mr.  McGregor  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety  years,  hut  is  still  able 
to  hi  ><  111  the  garden  and  do  other  light  work, 
lie  removed    from  his  native  state  to    fen 


nessee  in  1849  an<^  m  l&$1  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Stark  county,  Illinois.  His  wife- 
died  in  North  Carolina  September  22,  [846. 
1  "hey  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children, 
1  tf  w  hi  mi  three  are  now  deceased.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  McGregor  have  been  born  five 
children:  William  S..  horn  October  1,  1866, 
died  March  14.  [867.  James  A.,  born  De- 
cember 19,  1S67.  died  March  23,  1868.  M. 
Devereaux.  born  April  28,  1869.  was  mar- 
ried May  16.  1899.  to  Miss  Sophia  Xedham, 
a  daughter  of  W.  I).  and  Addie  (Stewart  I 
Xedham.  of  Boone,  Iowa.  They  reside  hi 
Boone,  where  he  was  deputy  county  auditor 
for  fi\e  years  and  was  then  elected  county 
auditor,  serving  for  four  years.  He  is  now- 
engaged  in  collecting  hack  taxes.  Clara  E.. 
horn  (  tctoher  27.  1872,  is  the  wife  of  F.  II. 
Johnson,  bookkeeper  for  the  firm  of  \Y.  D. 
Johnson  &  Company;  of  Boone,  and  for 
three  years  he  he'.d  the  <<\Uv(.-  <>\  deputy  coun- 
ty auditor.  Otto  Manning,  horn  January  15,. 
1874,  follows  farming  in  Union  township, 
lie  was  married  December  30,  [896,  to  Miss 
Ada  W'ebh.  daughter  of  Q.  <  >.  and  Erispie 
(Mace)  Webb,  the  father  a  farmer  and 
stockraiser  of  Union  township.  All  of  the 
children  have  had  college  educations  and 
have  thus  been  well  fitted  for  life's  practical 
and  responsible  duties.  The  home  of  this 
family  is  on  sections  27  and  34,  Beaver 
township,  where  Mr.  McGreagor  owns  two 
hundred  and  fort)  acres  of  land,  which  is 
very  rich  and  arable,  lie  has  recently  erect- 
ed a  commodious  and  modern  residence  and 
upon  his  place  has  large  barns  and  cattle 
and  hog  sheds.  The  fields  are  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  and  he  has  a  g |  bear- 
ing orchard  and  small  fruit  is  seen  in  abund- 
ance upon  his  place.  He  also  owns  a  resi- 
dence   and    some  vacant    property  in    Des 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Moines  and  a  store  building  in  Berkley, 
Iowa,  thus  having  made  judicious  invest- 
ments in  real  estate,  lie  makes  a  specialty 
of  the  raising  of  fine  stock  upon  his  farm  and 
has  full  blooded  .Hereford  eattle.  He  has 
been  very  successful  in  his  agrcultural  ef- 
forts and  in  the  placing  of  his  investments 
and  is  among  the  most  prosperous  and  up- 
to-date  farmers  in  Beaver  township.  His 
family  is  refined  and  intelligent  and  all  en- 
joy the  warm  regard  of  many  friends.  Mr. 
McGregor  is  a  Republican  in  polities  and  has 
almost  continuously  held  some  minor  office. 
lie  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Berkley  and  take 
an  active  part  in  all  lines  of  church  work. 
He  belongs  to  that  public-spirited  class  of 
citizens  who,  while  promoting  individual 
success,  also  find  time  to  aid  in  advancing 
the  general  welfare  along  social,  material, 
intellectual  and  mural  lines. 


CHARLES  ROSEN. 

Charles  Rosen  is  engaged  in  the  har- 
ness and  saddlery  business  in  Ogden  and  is 
controlling  an  extensive  trade,  his  business 
having  gradually  increased  until  it  has  now 
assumed  extensive  proportions  for  a  town 
of  this  size.  Mr.  Rosen  is  a  native  of  Swe- 
den, his  birth  having  there  occurred  No- 
vember 17.  [851.  His  father,  Carl  Carlson, 
has  always  lived  in  Sweden.  He  was  a 
laborer  and  farmer  and  is,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-eight  years,  living  retired  from  bus- 
iness cares.  Our  subject  and  two  of  his 
brothers  came  to  America  and  one  brother 
is  now   serving  as  town  clerk  of  <  Igden. 

The  year  [870  witnessed  the  arrival  of 
Charles  Rosen  in  the  new  world.     He  made 


hi>  way  direct  across  the  countn 
Momes  and  there  borrowed  monej  in  order 
to  continue  his  journey  to  Lust  Grove,  Iowa, 
where  he  worked  on  a  farm  for  six  months. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  went  to 
Boone,  where  he  began  working  at  the  har- 
nessmaker's  trade  in  the  emplo)  of  Oscar 
Nelson  with  whom  he  remained  for  six 
months,  hut  on  account  of  the  failure  of  his 
employer  he  was  left  with  only  ten  cents  in 
his  pocket.  He  then  began  working  for  six 
dollars  per  month  and  later  was  paid  seven 
dollars,  then  eventually  eight  dollars  per 
month.  All  this  time  he  was  in  the  employ 
of  a  harnessmaker.  Subsequently  he  was 
paid  fifty  dollars  per  month  and  later  he  had 
charge  of  the  harness  shop  in  Ogden.  con- 
tinuing to  serve  111  that  capacity  from  1N75 
until  1897.  On  the  death  of  his  employer. 
Mr.  Rosen  then  purchased  the  stock  and  has 
since  carried  on  the  business  with  excellent 
success.  His  store  is  well  supplied  with  a 
general  line  of  harness,  saddlery,  robes  of 
all  kinds  and  fur  coats,  his  stock  being  the 
largest  in  the  town.  He  employs  four  prac- 
tical harnessmakers,  who  are  kept  busy  all 
of  the  time  in  the  manufacture  and  repair 
of  harness.  They  do  all  kinds  of  leather 
work  and  the  products  of  the  shop  are  of 
such  excellent  grade  and  the  business 
methods  of  the  house  so  honorable  that  Mr. 
Rosen  has  secured  a  very  liberal  patronage. 
In  [878  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
our  subject  and  Mi^s  Augusta  Rundberg  of 
Sweden,  and  a  daughter  of  John  Rundberg, 
who  is  engaged  in  the  furniture  m\A  em- 
balming business  m  Ogden.  Four  children 
have  been  horn  of  their  union,  hut  Lillian  L. 
is  now  deceased.  Walter  M.  is  engaged  111 
clerking  in  the  State  Bank  in  Ogden  and 
Edna   and    Clarence    R.   are  at    home.      Mr. 


434 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Rosen  own-  a  very  fine  home  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  town  and  it  is  a  favorite  resort 
of  the  many  friends  of  himself  and  wife. 
hi  his  political  views  he  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican and  takes  a  very  active  interest  in  the 
work  of  the  party.  He  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council  for  nine  years  and 
for    six   year-   ha?   been    a   member   of   the 

scl 1  board,      lie  and  his   wife  attend  the 

Mission  church  of  which  Mr-.  Rosen  is  a 
member.  Since  coming  to  the  new  world 
oui  subject  has  prospered  in  his  business 
affairs  ami.  although  lie  began  life  here  in 
very  limited  financial  circumstances  he  has 
steadily  worked  his  way  upward  and  the 
success  that  never  fails  to  crown  earnest 
and  honest   labor  is  now    his. 


JUSTIN  R.  I»  >RAN. 

Justin  l\.  Doran  i-  the  leading  farmer 
■  >f  the  western  part  i  >t"  1'" » »ne  1 1  >un 
ty,  his  agricultural  interests  being  very  ex- 

.o   he  i-  the  i  >\\  ner  <  >f  nearly  two 
thousand  acres  of  laud  which  is  ven    rich 
ble.     He  is  then  ed  among 

the  wealthy  men  of  this  portion  of  1    ■ 
and  moreover  he  deserves  great   credit   for 
having    reached    this   position    through    his 
own  well  directed  effort-.     During  twenty- 
eight  years  he  has  resided  in  Boone  count} 

been  deeply  interested  in  it-  pro- 
gress and  welfare,  bearing  his  part  in  its 
rapid  development  and  improvement,  lie 
was  born  in  Niagara  county,  Mew  York, 
August  8,  [850,  and  i-  a  son  of  Patrick  and 
Catherine  (Keeley)    Doran,  both  of  whom 

tii  es  1  'i  I  ounty  <  barlow  .  Ireland. 
The  father  was  engaged  in  the  operation  of  a 


flour  mill  on  the  Emerald  Isle  in  early  life. 
He  and  his  wife  were  married  in  Burris, 
that  country.  They  sailed  lor  America  on 
board  the  ship,  Richard  Cobdon,  and  the 
vessel  narrowly  escaped  shipwreck,  but  they 
landed  safely  at  Xew  York  city,  about  the 
1st  of  February,  1849.  From  there  they 
went  by  packet  boat,  by  way  of  the  Erie  ca- 
nal, to  Reynolds  Basin,  in  Niagara  county, 
Xew  York,  where  they  lived  for  four  years. 
Thence  by  boat  they  proceeded  to  Buffalo, 
Xew  Vork.  and  on  by  steamer  to  Detroit, 
Michigan  proceeding  thence  to  (  Imago  and 
by  way  of  the  [llinois  and  .Michigan  canal  to 
Ottawa,  Illinois.  In  the  vicinity  of  the  last 
named  place  Mr.  Doran  worked  out  a-  a 
farm  band  for  a  few  years.  lie  then  re- 
moved to  Livingston  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  and  engaged 
in  tanning  on  hi-  ><\\n  account  un- 
til his  death  which  occurred  November  -'5, 
[865.  Ili-  wife  died  in  1  .a  Salle  county. 
Illinois.  August  25,  1855.  They  were  the 
parents  of  right  children:  Edward,  a 
fanner  of  Polk  county,  low  a:  Ellen,  the 
widow  of  Christopher  Harvey,  and  a  resi- 
dent of  Grand  Junction,  [owa;  Mary,  who 
al-o  resides  at  Grand  Junction  ;  Thomas  II. 
a  lumber  dealer,  stock-raiser  and  one  of  the 
owner-  of  a  telephone  system,  fixing  at  Bur- 
well.  Garfield  county,  Nebraska;  Justin  K., 
of  this  review;  John,  a  resident  farmer  and 
stock-raiser  of  Bradshaw,  York  county.  Ne- 
braska; and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  died  when  he 
was  only  five  years  of  age  and  he  wa-  left  an 
orphan  when  Inn  a  youth  of  fifteen.  lie 
then  started  out  in  life  on  hi-  own  account 
and  has  since  been  dependent  entirely  upon 
hi-  own  resouri 
chore-    for   hi-   board,    for   Mr-.    Carroll,    in 


JUSTIN    DORAN. 


I 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Livingston  county,  Illinois,  and  during  that 
period  also  attended  school.  In  March. 
1866,  he  returned  to  La  Salle  county.  Illi- 
nois, and  was  employed  by  Charles  Hoag, 
in  Serena  township,  for  eight  and  a  half 
months,  at  sixteen  dollars  per  month,  after 
which  he  worked  for  the  same  gentleman 
during  the  winter  months,  doing  chores  tor 
his  hoard  and  the  privilege  of  attending 
school.  The  following  spring  the  notes 
which  had  been  given  at  the  sale  of  the 
personal  property  of  his  father,  became  due, 
and  after  all  debts  were  cancelled  there  was 
still  a  balance  of  about  seven  hundred  dol- 
lars with  which  the  four  youngest  children, 
including  our  subject,  purchased  another 
outfit  and  began  farming  upon  the  old 
homestead  until  November  <>,  1874.  Justin 
Doran  had  previously  visted  Iowa,  in  July, 
1870,  largely  making  the  trip  in  order  to 
benefit  his  health.  He  went  to  Union  town- 
ship. Benton  count}-,  where  he  worked  for 
about  a  month  as  a  farm  hand  and  then 
went  to  Blairstown,  Iowa,  where  he  was 
employed  in  an  elevator  for  some  time.  He 
next  returned  to  Illinois,  but  in  1S71  he 
again  located  in  Blairstown  and  was  once 
more  employed  in  an  elevator  until  Octo- 
ber. 1N-1,  when  he  returned  to  Illinois,  re- 
maining until  January.  1872.  At  that  time 
he  and  his  eldest  brother  purchased  a  corn 
thresher  with  which  they  returned  to  this 
state,  conducting  the  same  until  the  follow- 
ing July,  when  Justin  R.  Doran  once  more 
went  to  Illinois  and  there  remained  until  he 
sold  the  old  homestead  of  the  family.  In 
that  year  he  came  to  I '.none  count}'.  Iowa, 
and  purchased  three  hundred  and  seventy 
acre-  of  his  present  farm,  on  section  5. 
Beaver  township.  This  he  purchased  foi 
his    brother.    Thomas    lb.    and    their    sister 


Mary,  as  well  as  for  himself.  Mr.  Doran 
was  the  first  settler  upon  the  four  sections 
dial  1-1111  the  school  district  No.  .}.  in 
Beaver  township.  As  the  years  have 
passed  he  has  made  other  purchases,  invest- 
ing his  capital  in  farm  land  until  he  now 
owns  nineteen  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
rich  and  valuable  land  most  of  which  is  in 
Beaver  township.  Ibis  is  well  improved 
and  he  operates  one  thousand  acres  of  the 
land  while  the  remainder  he  rents.  His 
residence  is  located  on  section  5  and  is  but 
a  short  distance  from  the  village  of  Beaver. 
It  is  a  large,  commodious  and  attractive 
home  and  upon  the  farm  are  two  large  barns 
and  all  the  equipments  found  upon  a  model 
farm  of  the  twentieth  century.  He  car- 
ries on  general  farming  and  stock-raising 
and  has  two  registered  Norman  horses  and 
several  graded  and  Hambletonian  and  Nor- 
man horses  which  are  very  valuable. 

Mr.  Doran  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Olive  F.  Blanshan,  a  daughter  of  Ja- 
cob and  Maria  Blanshan,  both  of  Auburn, 
New  York,  thence  they  went  to  Wisconsin 
in  1848,  coming  to  Iowa  in  1874.  The 
lather  followed  farming  throughout  bis  en- 
tire life  and  was  a  prominent  and  influential 
citizen.  He  served  for  two  terms  in  the 
state  legislature  of  Wisconsin  and  was  also 
a  member  of  the  count}-  board  of  supervis- 
ors for  a  number  of  years,  lie  died  111  [890 
and  bis  wife  passed  away  in  February, 
1902,  at  the  home  of  her  son  in  Grand 
Junction,  h.wa.  Unto  Mr.  ami  Mrs.  Do- 
ran have  been  born  eleven  children:  Les- 
ter (',..  who  is  a  graduate  of  tlje  Highland 
Park  school  is  engaged  in  farming  and 
slock  raising  in  connection  with  bis  father: 
Alford  T.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  years 
ami   live  days:  Alexander   R.;   Eugene   lb; 


438 


7/£    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Benjamin  B. :  Oliver  E. ;  Lucia  S. :  Maud 
H.;  Lant  H. ;  Mamie  Charlotte.;  Milo  T.; 
and  Daisy  Ellen,  all  at  home. 

At  one  time  Mr.  Doran  supported  the 
Greenback  party,  but  is  now  identified  with 
the  Republican  party.  He  has  held  the 
office  of  township  trustee  for  several  terms 
and  is  now  serving  as  school  director  in  his 
district.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Junc- 
tion Lodge.  No.  3^-,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Grand 
Junction,  and  Beaver  Lodge  No.  657,  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  of  Beaver.  Since  1895  he  has  been 
adjuster  for  the  Boone  County  Farmers' 
Mutual  Insurance  Company  for  all  of  the 
territory  west  of  the  Des  Moines  river  in 
Boone  and  adjoining  counties.  He  is.  in- 
deed, a  self-made  man  and  is  a  firm  believer 
in  the  idea  that  things  do  not  come  by  ac- 
cident, but  that  success  is  the  result  of  per- 
sistent effort.  -Intelligent  and  well  read,  he 
keeps  in  touch  with  the  interests  and  issues 
of  the  day  and  at  the  same  time  capabl)  su- 
perintends his  extensive  business  interests. 
His  life  history  certainly  proves  that  pros- 
perity is  not  the  outcome  of  genius,  but  is 
the  reward  of  persistent  and  indefatigable 
labor  when  guided  by  sound  common  sense. 
Year  by  year  he  has  added  to  his  property 
until  to-day  he  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  and 
most  extensive  land  owners  in  his  portion 
of  the  state.  Great  credit  is  due  him  for 
what  he  has  accomplished  and  his  life  should 
serve  as  a  source  of  inspiration  and  encour- 
agement to  others. 


HON.  JACKSON  ORR. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  horn   in 
Fayette  county,  Ohio,  September  21,    1832, 

.son  and  second  child  of  Samuel  Orr,  a  na- 


tive of  Kentucky,  horn  June  2,  1800.  His 
father  was  John  Orr,  son  of  lames  Orr,  a 
Scotchman  who  migrated  to  AmeVica  in 
1745.  Jackson  Orr  was  known  in  Boone 
county  as  "Captain"  Orr,  an  inheritance  of 
liis  army  service  during  the  Civil  war.  He 
had  one  brother,  William  Orr.  older  than 
himself,  who  died  in  Fort  Dodge.  Iowa, 
September  21.  1855.  and  is  buried  in  1  Sonne. 
His  mother's  family  name  was  Snider,  be- 
ing of  German  descent.  There  were  also 
two  sisters:  Mrs.  Eliza  Jane  Stedman,  who 
died  August  14.  1857;  and  Mrs.  Amanda 
Mosier,  who  died  August  18,  [863,  in  Iowa. 
At  the  age  of  four  years  Captain  Orr  re- 
moved  with  his  family  from  Kentucky  to 
northern  Indiana,  settling  in  the  village  of 
Benton,  Elkhart  county.  The  region  was 
new  and  the  Indians  had  nol  then  been  re- 
moved, an  event  delayed  for  several  years 
after  the  advent  of  the  (  )rrs.  The  common 
schools  of  that  time  were  equally  primitive, 
and  young  (  >rr  received  the  elements  ,,f  an 
English  education  within  the  walls  of  the 
traditional  log  school  house.  He  made  the 
best  use  of  his  opportunities,  however,  and 
ai  the  age  of  sixteen  taught  a  country  school 
in  the  same  county.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
be  attended  the  LaGrange  Collegiate  Insti- 
tute at  Ontario,  LaGrange  county,  Indiana, 
and  the  year  following  returned  to  his  birth- 
place and  attended  an  acadenn  in  I  ireen- 
fiekl,  Highland  county.  Ohio,  for  one  war. 
The  next  year  he  spent  in  a  country  store 
and  on  leaving  this  service  lie  attended  the 
Slate  Universit)  of  Bloomington.  Indiana. 
His  collegiate  course  a;  this  institution  was 
terminated  by  the  breaking  out  of  the  chol- 
era there,  and  Captain  Orr  returned  to  his 
home  in  Elkhart  county,  finding  employ- 
1    cut  m  the  1  Hue  ol  tile  citrk  cl  the  district 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


court  of  Noble  county,  Indiana,  as  deputj 
clerk.  In  this  capacity  he  remained  for  four 
years,  when  he  became  a  candidate  for  that 
office,  but  was  defeated  at  the  polls,  the  reac- 
tion after  the  "Know  Nothing"  political 
episode  having-  given  the  county  to  the 
1  lemocrats. 

Shortly  after  this  the  death  of  his 
brother,  William,  at  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa, 
called  him  out  to  that  place  to  settle  up  his 
estate.  This  accomplished,  Captain  On- 
settled  in  Jefferson,  Greene  county,  Iowa. 
In  Greene  county  he  held  the  office  of  super- 
intendent of  schools,  by  election,  and  subse- 
quently that  of  county  treasurer,  by  appoint- 
ment. He  also  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
law  in  Jefferson,  but  the  sparse  population 
and  small  legal  business  in  consequence  re- 
quired him  to  add  to  his  profession  the  bus- 
iness of  land  speculation. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war  in 
1861,  he  raised  a  company  in  Greene  county 
which  became  Company  H  of  the  Seventh 
[owa  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  chosen 
as  its  captain.  The  regiment  was  organ- 
ized at  Iowa  City  and  went  into  service  at 
Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri.  Captain  On" 
and  his  company  served  through  the  cam- 
paigns of  Missouri,  Tennessee,  and  Miss- 
issippi until  after  the  surrender  of  Vicks- 
burg,  when  failing  health  compelled  his 
r<  signation. 

Previous  to  the  war  and  while  residing 
in  Jefferson  he  had  married  Miss  Elvira  E. 
Amy  of  that  place,  who  had  borne  one  child 
who  died  at  the  age  of  one  year.  His  next 
child  was  Jackson  E.,  horn  at  Jefferson, 
Augusl  30,  [861,  during  the  absence  of  the 
father  in  the  army.     He  lived  to  the  age  of 


way  accident  near  Ogden,  Utah.  Two 
daughters  were  horn  at  Boonesboro,  whither 
the  family  had  removed  soon  after  Captain 
Orr's  return  from  the  army.  Mrs.  Maude 
Blanche  Nelson  and  Mrs.  Zoe  Am)  Trow- 
bridge, both  of  whom  are  living. 

Captain  Orr's  first  wife  died  at  Des 
Moines.  Iowa.  July  2J.  [896,  and  was 
buried  at  Boone.  October  14.  [901,  he  was 
again  married  to  Lavinia  Waddell,  at  Chi- 
cago, Illinois. 

After  locating  in  Boonesboro  Captain 
(  >rr  first  engaged  in  mercantile  business, 
which  was  afterward  removed  to  the  new 
town  of  Boone.  He  became  a  candidate  on 
the  Republican  ticket  for  the  office  of  rep- 
resentative in  the  state  legislature,  but  was 
defeated  by  William  Cook  Martin.  In  [868 
he  was  again  a  candidate  for  the  house  and 
was  elected  to  the  twelfth  general  assembly 
over  John  A.  Hull,  the  Democratic  candi- 
date. 

In  '1870  the  Republicans  of  the  sixth 
district  of  Iowa  nominated  him  as  their  can- 
didate for  representative  in  congress  and  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  forty-second 
congress,  defeating-  the  Democratic  candi- 
date. Charles  Smeltzer  of  Fort  Dodge.  Ik- 
was  again  a  candidate  for  the  same  office  in 
1872  and  was  elected,  defeating  John  F. 
Duncombe,  Democrat,  of  Fort  Dodge.  At 
the  expiration  of  his  second  term,  having 
served  four  years  in  the  national  congress. 
Ik  removed  to  Colorado,  which  had  just 
been  admitted  to  statehood,  settling  first  at 
Silveiton  and  afterward  removing  id  Den- 
ver, where  he  now  resides.  During  his 
residence  in  Silverton  he  held  for  four  years 
the  office  of  county  judge.  lie  has  been 
frequently   active  in    the  general   politics  of 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


the  state  of  Colorado.  In  all  his  residence 
in  that  state  he  has  heen  engaged  in  mining 
and    is   so   engaged    at    present. 

Captain  Orr's  service  in  the  national 
legislature  was  conspicuous  for  the  part  he 
took  in  what  is  known  as  the  "River  Land" 
matter.  Early  and  poorly  considered  legis- 
lation on  the  part  of  Iowa  general  assem- 
blies had  the  result  of  creating  conflicting 
titles  to  a  large  portion  of  the  lands  lying 
along  the  Des  Moines  river  between  the 
state  capital  and  the  Minnesota  border.  Suc- 
cessive but  futile  attempts  to  quiet  these 
had  been  essayed:  Congressman  Qrr  took 
the  matter  up,  perfected  his  knowledge  of 
the  many  intricacies  surrounding  the  sub- 
ject and  was  successful  jji  securing  such 
legislation  as  to  subsequently  clear  up  the 
entire  matter.  It  can  be  properly  said  that 
lie  was  the  creator  of  Senator  Allison.  At 
the  close  of  his  first  congressional  term, 
there  were  conditions  which  seemed  to  re- 
quire of  him  that  Senator  Harlan  should 
be  displaced.  His  quiet  campaign  to  this 
end  made  throughout  the  wide  extent  of  the 
then  large  sixth  district  of  Iowa,  resulted  in 
the  return  to  the  state  legislature  immedi- 
ately following  of  a  sufficient  number  of 
members  therefrom  to  secure  the  choice  of 
Senator  Allison  as  Mr.  Harlan's  successor. 

Captain  Orr  was  a  more  than  usuall) 
well  endowed  campaign  speaker.  His 
friends  were  greatly  surprised  at  this  ca- 
pacity, all  unsuspected  by  them,  until  his 
campaign  against  Hon.  John  F.  Duncombe, 
the  acknowledged  orator  of  northwestern 
Iowa,  brought  it  to  light,  lie  proved  to  be 
a  foeman  worthy  the  steel  of  Mr.  Dun- 
combe's  flashing  blade.  In  addition  to  the 
gift  .>f  ready  speech  in  the  forum,  Captain 
Orr  was  a  most  engaging  conversationalist. 


This  was  aided  by  the  gift  of  a  very  pleas- 
ing personality,  good  descriptive  powers 
and  a  vein  of  quaint  humor  which  afforded 
the  proper  seasoning.  His  memory  is  fa- 
vorably recalled  by  the  older  residents  of 
Boone  county,  who  knew    him  thirty  years 


WILLIAM  CRQWK 

Few  men  have  been  mi  ire  potent  factors 
in  the  business  advancement  and  progress 
in  Boone  county  than  has  William  Crowe, 
who  is  closely  associated  with  the  coal  min- 
ing interests  of  this  portion  of  the  state.  As 
has  been  truly  remarked,  after  all  that  may 
he  done  for  a  man  in  the  way  of  giving  him 
earl}  opportunities,  obtaining  requirements 
which  are  sought  in  the  schools  and  in 
books,  he  must  essentially  formulate,  deter- 
mine and  give  shape  to  his  own  character, 
and  this  is  what  Mr.  Crow<  has  done  lie 
has  persevered  in  the  pursuit  of  a  persistent 
purpose,  and  gained  a  most  satisfactory  re- 
ward. His  life  is  exemplary  in  all  respects 
and  he  has  ever  furthered  those  interests 
which  are  calculated  t«>  uplift  and  benefit  a 
community,  while  his  own  high  moral  worth 
is  deserving  of  the  highest  commendation. 

Mr.  Crowe  was  horn  in  Scotland,  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1S47,  his  parents  being  <  iarvin 
and  .Margaret  (Bullock)  Crowe.  The  pa- 
ternal grandfather.  William  Crowe,  lived 
to  be  more  than  ninety  years  of  age.  The 
father  of  our  subject  spent  his  entire  life  in 
his  native  land  and  in  cany  life  was  con- 
nected with  a  bleaching  factory.  lie  also 
followed  farming  to  sdme  extent  and  he 
died  in  (898  at  the  age  of  seventy  years. 
His   widow    died    in    [899  at   the  age  of  sev- 


WILLIAM    CROWE. 


MRS.  WILLIAM   CROWE. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


44  J- 


enty-three  years.  He  was  an  active  and  en- 
ergetic man,  reliable  in  business,  faithful  in 
friendship  and  true  to  every  duty  of  life. 
He  and  his  wife  were  constant  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  In  their  family 
■were  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  of 
whom  are  yet  living,  namely:  William,  of 
this  review;  Garvin;  James,  who  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Boone;  Margaret,  wife  of  Garvin 
Loumbie;  Marian,  the  wife  of  William  Mc- 
Mehen,  and  Christine,  the  wife  of  Robert 
Prentice.  The  last  three  are  residents  of 
Scotland.  The  maternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  William  Bullock,  a  weaver 
by  trade,  who  followed  that  calling  in  Scot- 
land for  some  time  and  afterward  con- 
ducted a  coal  yard.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy  years,  while  his  widow,  who  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  Elizabeth  Davidson, 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years. 
In  their  family  were  five  children,  while  in 
the  family  of  the  paternal  grandfather  there 
were  the  following  named :  James  Archi- 
bald, Garvin,  Maria  and  Jane. 

In  the  year  1866  William  Crowe  left  the 
village  of  Larkhall  in  Scotland  and  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world,  locating  first 
in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  for 
three  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  removed  to  Illinois,  but  after 
three  years  returned  to  Pennsylvania.  When 
a  short  time  had  passed  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Ohio,  where  in  1871  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Marshall  of  Hub- 
bard. Trumbull  count}',  and  in  1876  they 
came  to  Boone,  Iowa,  and  Mr.  Crowe  has 
since  been  an  active  factor  in  the  coal  de- 
velopment of  tiiis  portion  of  the  state,     lie 

has  drilled  for  real  111  Vines.  |o\\a.  and 
Some  years  later  became  connected  with  the 
coal  trade  in  Boone.     For  eighteen  yea 


was  in  partnership  with  George  Rogers 
who,  on  the  expiration  of  that  period,  sold 
Ins  interest  to  John  Marshall,  who  was  a 
partner  of  Mr.  Crowe  until  his  death  in 
November,  [899,  their  business  relations 
having  dated  from  1894.  In  November  of 
that  year  Mr.  Crowe  settled  up  the  business 
and  on  the  nth  of  March,  1900.  he  organized 
the  Crowe  Coal  Mining  Company,  consist- 
ing of  William  Crowe  as  president  and  gen- 
eral manager,  James  Crowe  as  vice-presi- 
dent and  secretary  and  Gavin  Cr<  >we  as 
treasurer.  The  company  developed  the 
mines  in  Des  Moines  township,  starting 
from  the  surface  and  their  enterprise  has 
pioved  a  very  valuable  one  to  the  commun- 
ity. Mr.  Crowe  has  employed  more  men 
than  any  other  person  interested  in  coal 
mining  in  his  time  in  Boone.  He  has 
brought  the  business  through  perils  to  suc- 
cess and  is  now  enjoying  an  excellent  in- 
come and  is  a  man  of  splendid  executive 
ability,  keen  discernment  and  enterprise. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crowe  have  been 
born  the  following  children :  Agnes,  the 
wife  of  Leslie  M.  Strong;  Margaret,  the 
wife  of  George  Johnson;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Oscar  E.  Anderson ;  Christine  Anna  E., 
who  was  married  June  18,  1902.  to  J.  B. 
Bergstrom.  a  native  of  Boone  count}',  now 
connected  with  Ellsworth  A.  Jenkins  in  the 
real  estate  business  at  Fargo,  North  Da- 
kota; May;  William  ( i..  George  Roger, 
3  Carry  James,   and   Lester  Verne. 

Mr.  Crowe  has  been  president  of  the 
school  hoard  of  Boone  for  ■me  year  anil  for 
twelve  years  was  one  of  its  members.  He 
has  also  served  on  the  city  council.  Ira 
teinally  he  is  connected  with  tin-  Masonic 
order,  tin-  \1n1ent  Order  of  United  Work- 
men and  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodg        I  [1 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Baptist  church. 
In  1 888  he  visited  the  land  of  his  birth, 
again  looking  upon  the  scenes  amid  which 
hi*  childhood  was  passed,  and  renewing  the 
friendships  and  acquaintances  of  his  youth. 
Few  men  are  more  prominent,  or  more 
widely  known  in  the  enterprising  city  of 
Boone  than  Mr.  Crowe.  In  business  affairs 
Mr.  Crowe  is  energetic,  prompt  and  notably 
reliable.  Tireless  energy,  keen  perception. 
honesty  of  purpose,  a  genius  for  devising 
and  executing  the  right  thing  at  the  right 
time,  joined  to  every-day  common  sense, 
guided  by  resistless  will  power,  are  the 
chief  characteristics  of  the  man.  Justice 
has  ever  been  maintained  in  his  relations  to 
patrons  and  employes,  and  many  of  those 
who  began  with  him  at  the  commencement 
of  his  career  are  still  in  his  service.  He  has 
not  been  slow  to  assist  and  encourage  oth- 
ers who  have  left  his  employ  to  enter  busi- 
ness for  themselves,  and  in  return  he  natur- 
ally has  the  loyal  support  of  all  the  em- 
ployes of  the  house.  He  has  been  watchful 
of  all  the  details  of  his  business  and  of  all 
indications  pointing  toward  prosperity,  and 
from  the  beginning  had  an  abiding  faith  in 
the  ultimate  success  of  his  enterprise.  He 
has  gained  wealth,  yet  it  was  not  alone  the 
goal  for  which  he  was  striving,  and  he  be- 
li  igs  i"  that  class  of  representative  Amer- 
ican citizen-  who  promote  the  general  pros- 
perity while  advancing  individual  interests. 


JOHN  P.  PENDARVIS. 

A  worth}-  representative  of  the  farming 
interests  of  Marcy  township  i-  John  P. 
Pendarvis,  who  is  living  on  section  13.     He 


was  born  in  Henderson  county,  Illinois, 
January  8.  1865.  and  his  father,  Howard 
Pendarvis,  was  also  a  native  of  that  state. 
After  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  he 
was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Nancy  J.  Williams, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Montgomery 
cot  nty,  Indiana.  After  their  marriage  they 
resided  upon  a  farm  in  Henderson  county, 
Illinois,  until  1868  when  Mr.  Pendarvis 
brought  his  family  to  Boone  county,  Iowa, 
settling  in  Marcy  township  on  what  is 
known  a-  the  old  Sparks  farm.  There  he 
resided  through  a  long  period  and  was  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil.  Mis  energies  were  devoted  to  farm- 
ing until  his  death  which  occurred  about 
1884,  while  hi-  wife  passed  away  in  1880. 
Unto  this  worth\  couple  were  born  eight 
children:  Elzey.  a  laborer  of  Boonesboro; 
John  I'..  of  this  review  :  Charles,  a  railroad 
engineer  in  the  employ  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railway  Company,  living  in 
Boone:  Fred,  a  blacksmith  residing  in  Yal- 
isca,  Iowa;  Harry,  a  fanner  living  near 
Cedar,  Iowa;  Benjamin,  a  resident  farmer 
":"  Henderson  count).  Illinois;  Art  Rose, 
who  resides  in  Boone,  \<>w,\;  and  Katie,  the 
wite  oi  \lhc-rt  Lucas,  an  employe  of  the 
Chicago  >S;  Northwestern  Railway  Com- 
pany, at    Boone,   Iowa. 

John  1'.  Pendarvis  was  only  three  years 
old  when  brought  by  hi-  parents  to  Iowa. 
He  pursued  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  this  county  and  after  attaining 
to  man's  estate  he  wedded  Lena  Peterson,  a 
native  of  Marc)  town-hip.  horn  it 
She  1-  a  daughter  oi  Chrisl  P.  and  Hannah 
1  Scott)  Peterson,  the  former  a  name  of 
Denmark  and  the  latter  of  Indiana.  The 
father  came  to  America  and  at  once  made 
his  \\a\-  westward,  living  for  three  war-  in 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


445 


the  far  west,  after  which  he  returned  to 
Marcy  township,  settling-  upon  his  present 
farm  where  he  has  since  made  his  home. 
He  is  a  progressive  and  respected  citizen  of 
the  community  and  well  deserves  the  high 
regard  which  is  given  him  by  his  many 
friends  and  acquaintances.  In  the  Peter- 
son family  are  four  children,  the  eldest  be- 
ing Lena,  the  wife  of  our  subject.  The  oth- 
eis  are  Minnie,  who  is  living  in  Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania;  Mary,  who  resides  near 
Perry,  Iowa;  and  Dora,  who  is  still  with 
her  parents.  Mr.  Peterson  now  owns  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  but  Mr. 
Pendarvis  is  operating  the  farm  and  has 
full  charge  of  it.  Mr.  Peterson  is.  there- 
tore  living  retired  and  resides  with  our 
subject. 

Mr.  Pendarvis  is  regarded  as  a  very  in- 
dustrious agriculturist  and  has  been  quite 
successful  in  his  farming  operations.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  connected  with  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  belonging  to 
their  lodge  in  Moingona,  and  also  to  the 
Order  of  Red  Men,  of  Boone. 


CHARLES  A.  SHERMAN. 

To  say  of  him  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  that  he  has  risen  unaided  from  com 
parative  obscurity  to  rank  among  the  leading 
business  men  of  Iowa,  is  a  statement  thai 
seems  trite  to  those  familiar  with  his  life. 
yel  it  is  hut  just  to  say  in  history  that  will 
descend  to  future  generations  that  his 
business  record  has  been  one  that  man) 
would  Ik-  proud  to  possess.  Beginning  ai 
the  bottom  round  of  the  ladder,  he  has  ad- 
vanced steadily,  step  bj  step,  until  he  is  now 
occupying  a  position  of  prominence  and  trust 


reached  by  few  men  in  this  portion  of  the 
state.     Through  his  entire  business  career 

he  ha-  been  looked  upon  as  a  model  of  in 
tegrit}  and  honor,  never  making  an  engage 
ment  that  lie  has  not  fulfilled  ami  standing 
to-day  an  example  of  what  determination 
an.l  force,  accompanied  with  the  highest  de- 
gree of  business  integrity,  can  accomplish 
for  a  man  of  natural  ability  and  strength  of 
character.  lie  is  respected  by  the  com 
munity  at  large  and  honored  by  his  business 
associates.  His  interests  have  been  of  a 
varied  character  and  have  led  not  only  to 
his  individual  success  but  has  also  promoted 
the  prosperity  and  progress  of  Iowa. 

Mr.  Sherman  is  a  native  of  Sandgate, 
Vermont,  horn  September  22,  [830,  his  par- 
ents being  Seeley  M.  and  Julia  (  Flower) 
Sherman,  both  of  whom  were  also  natives 
of  Sandgate,  the  father  born  in  [809  and  the 
mother  in  [808.  The  paternal  grandfather, 
Seeley  Sherman,  was  a  native  of  the  Green 
Mountain  state  and  the  family  was  early  es- 
tablished there.  He  married  a  Miss  Phillips 
and  among  their  children  was  Seeley  Sher- 
man, win;  in  early  life  engaged  in  farming 
but  afterward  turned  his  attention  to  the 
manufacture  of  plows.  He  was  also  a  car- 
penter and  machinist  and  a  man  of  untiring 
industry  and  diligence,  who  through  his  own 
well  directed  efforts  accumulated  a  good 
property.  For  a  time  he  resided  in  West 
Rupert.  Vermont,  and  subsequently  he  took 
un  his  abode  in  Lowell.  Massachusetts.  At 
a  '.iter  day  he  lived  in  Whitehall.  New  York, 
but  both  lie  and  his  wife  are  now  deceased. 
In  their  family  were  three  children  who 
reached  mature  years  our  subject  being  the 
eldest.  The  others  are:  Sillnnan  1',..  who 
,  South  Dakota;  and  Mrs  Celia  M. 
Hall,  of  New   York. 


446 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Charles  A.  Sherman,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review,  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  the  Green  Mountain 
state  and  entered  the  public  schools,  there 
acquiring  his  preliminary  education  which 
was  supplemented  by  study  in  a  college  in 
Cambridge.  Xew  York.  He  entered  upon 
his  business  career  as  an  employe  in  the 
Appleton  Bank  of  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  in 
the  capacity  of  assistant  cashier  and  there 
remained  from  1847  unt^  l&5$-  He  was 
then  elected  cashier  in  the  Prescott  Bank, 
but  declined  to  accept  the  position,  having 
determined  to  seek  a  home  and  fortune  in 
the  west,  for  he  believed  that  there  were  bet- 
ter business  opportunities  in  a  district  not 
so  thickly  populated  as  the  older  east.  Ac- 
cordingly he  journeyed  toward  the  setting 
sun  and  in  October.  1855,  established  a  home 
in  Fort  Dodge.  Iowa.  There  he  established 
a  private  bank,  doing  business  under  the 
firm  name  of  Green,  Weare  &  Company. 
Subsequently  the  bank  became  the  propert) 
of  the  firm  of  Merritt,  Sherman  &  Company 
and  our  subject  was  connected  with  the  in- 
stitution until  i860,  when  the  affairs  of  the 
bank  were  closed  up. 

He  served  as  postmaster  of  Fort  Dodge 
in  1861,  filling  the  office  until  alter  the  in- 
auguration of  the  Civil  war.  when  prompted 
bv  a  spirit  of  loyalty  to  bis  country  he  of- 
fered his  services  to  the  government.  He 
bad  been  a  very  active  factor  in  the  early 
business  interests  of  Fort  Dodge,  his  labors 
largely  promoting  its  commercial  activity, 
and  consequent  prosperity.  He  built  the 
Duncombe  Hotel.  At  the  time  of  the  I  ivil 
war,  however,  he  put  aside  all  busii 
personal  consideration  and  took  quite  an 
active  part   in  raising  an   independent  com- 


pany to  go  to  the  front.  This  company  was 
to  be  organized  in  honor  of  a  Mr.  Holland 
of  Dubuque.  Iowa,  but  when  the  troops  ar- 
rived in  Washington,  they  were  placed  in 
Company  A,  of  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  in  order  to  till  out  that  company. 
Mr.  Sherman  joined  the  army  as  a  private 
.hi  I  was  afterward  made  a  sergeant,  while 
later  he  became  quarter-master  of  his  regi- 
ment at  Fortress  .Monroe.  He  saw  some 
very  active  service  and  was  at  the  front  until 
honorably  discharged  at  the  close  1  f  the 
war,  in  1805.  J  le  was  ever  true  and  loyal  to 
bis  duty,  performing  every  task  assigned 
him  without  question  or  hesitation. 

At  the  close  of  hostilities  Mr.  Sherman 
was  honorably  discharged  and  returned  to 
Fori  Dodge,  but  after  a  short  time  there 
passed  came  to  Boonesboro,  Iowa,  in  July, 
[865,  and  bought  the  first  established  bank 
in  that  place.  He  continued  in  the  banking 
business  until  [885  and  has  also  been  very 
active  in  other  enterprises,  building  what  is 
known  as  the  plug  railroad  from  the  coal 
mine-,  a  work  which  greatly  facilitated  the 
mining  interests  of  the  county.  In  [885  he 
sold  this  line  to  the  Northwestern  Railroad 
Company.  1  le  has  also  been  an  active  factor 
in  developing  the  coal  interests  and  placing 
the  product  on  the  market.  He  has  always 
been  interested  in  merchandising  and  has 
been  connected  with  mining  and  railroad 
building  in  the  state  of  Wyoming,  lie  now 
has  \er\  extensive  and  important  interests 
there  and  1-  also  engaged  in  developing  oil 
wells  and  mines  at  Lewiston,  Wyoming, 
and  1  tther  places. 

Air.  Sherman  was  first  married  in  [858, 
the  lad)  of  his  eh' .ice  being  Tirzah  Vincent, 
of  Fort    Dodge,   towa.     She  was  drowned 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


April  22,  1862,  while  crossing  the  Boone 
river  and  the  two  children  born  of  that  union 
arc  also  deceased.  On  the  30th  of  May. 
18(1(1.  Mr.  Sherman  was  again  married,  his 
.sec  im  I  union  being  with  Alary  Wood,  who 
was  born  in  VVaterford,  Pennsylvania.  Unto 
them  have  been  born  four  children:  Phoebe 
\\.  Charles  I',..  Alice  M.,  and  Lucy  F. 

Mr.  Sherman  gives  his  political  support 
to  the  Republican  party,  believing  that  its 
platform  contains  the  best  elements  of  good 
government.  He  is  an  Episcopalian  in  his 
religious  \  iew  s,  and  is  connected  with  several 
civic  societies,  including  the  Masonic  Lodge 
of  Boone  and  Miller  Post,  G.  A.  K..  of 
which  he  has  served  as  commander.  He 
has  a  nice  home  in  Boone  and  is  one  of  the 
best  known  and  most  prominent  citizens. 
What  he  has  accomplished  in  the  world  of 
commerce  can  not  be  adequately  told  in 
words.  He  has  directed  and  controled  busi- 
ness enterprises  of  much  magnitude,  has  un- 
usual powers  of  organization  and  executive 
ability  and  vet  if  one  should  seek  in  his  ca- 
reer the  causes  that  have  led  to  his  success 
they  will  lie  found  along  the  lines  of  well 
tried  and  old  time  maxims.  Honesty  and 
fair  dealing,  promptness,  truthfulness  and 
fidelity — all  these  are  strictly  enforced  and 
adhered  t".  lie  is  a  most  genial  man  to 
meet,  an  excellent  illustration  of  a  self-made 
man,  ami  his  career  should  serve  as  a  lesson 
to  the  young.  His  life  history  proves  most 
forcably  the  power  of  patience  and  persist- 
ance.  lie  has  so  conducted  all  affairs 
whether  of  a  public  or  private  nature  as  to 
merit  the  esteem  of  all  classes  and  citizens 
and  no  word  of  reproach  is  ever  uttered 
against  him.  As  a  man  and  citizen  he  en- 
joys tiie  added  prosperity  which  comes  to 
those  genial     spirited,   who   have    a     heart y 


shake  of  the  hand  with  all  of  those  whom 
they  meet  day  after  day  and  who  seem  to 
throw  around  them  in  consequence  so  much 
of  the  sunshine  1  if  life. 


CHARLES  B.  SHERMAX. 

Charles  B.  Sherman  is  one  of  the  most 
progressive,  wide-awake  and  enterprising 
young  business  men  of  Boone  county  and  is 
proprietor  of  the  only  complete  plumbing 
establishment  of  the  city  of  Boone.  He  was 
horn  in  Boonesboro,  April  10,  1878,  and  is 
a  son  of  Charles  A.  Sherman,  whose  sketch 
is  given  above.  At  the  usual  age  he  entered 
the  public  schools  and  there  mastered  the 
common  branches  of  English  learning. 
Later  he  became  a  student  in  Ames  College, 
where  he  pursued  his  studies  during  the 
winter  of  1807-8.  In  Jul}-,  1896,  he  entered 
upon  an  apprenticeship  to  the  plumber's 
trade  in  the  employ  of  P>radley  &  Sutherin, 
and  subsequently  he  purchased  a  half  inter- 
est in  the  business,  becoming  a  partner,  in 
1900.  in  1901  he  became  the  sole  proprietor 
and  is  now  conducting  a  splendid  establish- 
ment in  this  line.  He  thoroughly  understands 
the  business  both  in  principle  and  detail,  is 
himself  an  excellent  workmen  andisthor- 
oughly  capable  of  directing  the  labors  of 
those  who  work  under  him.  He  employs  five 
men  throughout  the  entire  year  and  has  had 
as  many  as  forty  men  mi  contract  work. 
Tins  i-,  indicative  of  a  large  business  and 
also  shows  the  public  confidence  in  his  abil- 
ity. 

Mr.  Sherman  was  a  member  of  the  Na- 
tional Guards  of  towa  and  when  the  war 
wu :i  Spain  was  begun  he  and  his  company 


448 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


offered  their  services  to  aid  in  upholding  the 
American  flag  and  American  principles  on 
the  soil  of  the  new  world.  In  business  af- 
fairs he  is  noiably  prompt,  reliable  and  ener- 
getic, never  making  an  engagement  that  he 
does  not  fulfill  and  executing  faithfully  the 
terms  of  every  contract  which  is  awarded 
him. 


L.  E.   BRIGHAM. 


L.  E.  Brigham  is  the  proprietor  of  a 
photographic  gallery  in  Ogden,  having  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  business  here  since  Jan- 
uary. 1891.  He  claims  (  )hio  as  the  state  of 
his  nativity,  his  birth  having  there  occurred 
in  Champaign  county,  on  the  I2th  of  June. 
1867.  1  lis  father,  George  VV.  Brigham,  was 
also  a  native  of  that  county  and  came  to  the 
west  in  [873,  settling  in  Wisconsin,  where 
he  resided  for  eight  years  and  then  came  to 
Perry,  Iowa,  where  he  accepted  a  position 
as  bookkeeper  and  clerk,  devoting  his  atten 
tion  to  such  work  throughout  the  remainder 
of  his  residence  there.  At  length,  however, 
he  removed  to  Colorado,  where  he 
in  business  as  a  horticulturist  and  there  his 
death  occurred. 

Mr.  Brigham  of  this  review  is  the  only 
one  of  the  family  that  ever  came  to  Boone 
county.  He  accompanied  his  father  on  the 
removal  to  Iowa  and  while  living  in  Dallas 
count)  lie  mastered  the  photographic  art, 
learning  the  business  in  Perry.  He  followed 
his  chosen  vocation  in  that  place  for  three 
years  and  in  January.  [891,  arrived  in  <  >g- 
den,  establishing  his  studio  here.  He  keep- 
in  touch  with  the  latest  processes  in  the  work 
of  photography,  gets  excellent   results  and 


now  enjoys  a  very  liberal  and  well  deserved 
patronage. 

Mr.  Brigham  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mrs.  Lucy  Mowry  Bender,  who  is  now  en- 
gaged in  the  millinery  business  in  Ogden, 
having  conducted  her  store  in  this  place  for 
six  years.  Mr.  Brigham  votes  with  the 
Republican  party,  having  been  one  of  its 
supporters  since  age  gave  him  the  right  of 
franchise.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity in  this  town  and  to  Central  Lodge, 
No.  72,  K.  i'.,  of  Boone,  while  his  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church.  He 
has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the 
west  and  possesses  the  enterprising  and  pro- 
spirit  so  common  to  this  district  of 
the  country,  which  has  already  won  him  a 
very  creditable  degree  of  success  in  his  busi- 
ness affairs. 


THOMAS  J.  SMALLEY. 

Thomas  J.  Smallej  is  a  native  of  Ash- 
land county,  Ohio,  horn  on  the  14th  of  Au- 
gust, [839.  He  traces  his  ancestry  hack 
i  the  old  families  of  Kentucky.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  John  Smaller,  was 
horn  in  that  state  and  became  an  early  set- 
tler of  Ohio.  There  he  married  Elizabeth 
Bradfield,  who  was  horn  in  Xew  Jersey.  At 
the  time  of  the  I  Hack  Hawk  war  John 
Smalley  joined  the  troops  engaged  in  quell- 
ing the  uprising  of  the  Indians  who  resisted 
the  advance  of  the  white  man  into  the  north- 
west territory.  He  was  a  fanner  and  from 
the  time  of  his  removal  to  Ohio  remained  a 
continuous  resident  of  that  state  until  called 
to  his  final  rest.  The  old  homestead  upon 
which  he  lived  remained  in  possession  of  the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


family  until,  1901  when  it  was  sold.  The 
grand  father  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-six 
years  and  the  wife  passed  away  at  the  age 
of  se\  only  years.  In  their  family  were  seven 
children,  as  follows:  Isaac.  John,  Richard. 
Edward,  Sophia.  Polly  or  Mary,  and  Sarah. 
hut  all  are  now  deceased. 

Edward  Smalley,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Ashland  county,  Ohio, 
May  2,  1812,  an. I  was  reared  amid  the  wild 
scenes  of  the  frontier  upon  the  old  home 
farm  there.  After  arriving  at  years  of  ma- 
turity he  married  Susan  Wiley,  who  was 
horn  in  Pennsylvania  in  1814.  Edward 
Smalley  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits 
throughout  his  business  career  and  spent  all 
his  life  in  Iowa,  having  come  to  this  state 
about  [851.  From  the  government  he  en- 
tered a  claim  of  a  quarter  section  of  land  in 
Fayette  county  and  afterward  removed  to 
\\  inneshiek  county  where  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  making  his  home 
thereon  for  fifteen  years  during  which  time 
he  continuously  cultivated  his  fields.  He 
then  sold  that  property  and  removed  to  Min- 
nesi  ita,  but  after  two  years  spent  in  that  state 
he  disposed  of  his  realty  holdings  there  and 
came  to  Boone  county.  Iowa,  purchasing  a 
farm  in  Jackson  township.  It  was  upon  that 
place  that  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  pass- 
ing away  at  the  aye  of  seventy-five  years 
and  three  months.  I  lis  wife  had  died  in 
Winneshiek  county.  In  their  family  were 
eight  children,  three  sons  and  five  daughters, 
as  ("Hows:  Sarah  .Nun,  Thomas,  Richard 
!■"..  Mary  E.,  Catherine  R.,  Melinda  J.,  Har- 
riet I-:.,  and  William  W.  All  of  this  num- 
ber are  living  in  [owa  with  the  exception  of 
Catherine. 

Thomas  I.  Smalley,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this    record,  has    been  a    resident   of 


Boone  county  since  (867,  hut  has  trade  his 
home  in  [owa  smce  [851,  having  come  to 
this  >tate  with  his  parents  when  a  youth  of 
twelve  years.  lie  was  reared  in  the  usual 
manner  of  fanner  lads  of  the  period  and 
first  became  the  owner  of  land  in  [869,  when 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  eight}  acres  of  wild 
land  constituting  part  of  the  farm  upon 
which  he  is  now  living.  At  different  times 
he  has  ad. led  to  the  property  until  lie  has 
owned  as  much  as  [our  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  acres,  hut  of  this  he  has  sold  a  portion, 
still  retaining  possession  of  two  hundred  and 
seventy-four  acres.  He  yet  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  has  always  kept  a  good 
grade  of  cattle.  He  has  hem  engaged  in 
stock  raising,  in  buying,  feeding  and  selling 
and  ships  from  one  to  two  carloads  of  cattle 
each  year,  at  present,  although  he  is  not  as 
actively  and  extensively  engaged  in  farming 
operations  and  stock  dealing  as  he  was  in 
foimei  years,  having  in  the  meantime  ac- 
quired an  excellent  capital.  He  has  a  nice 
farm  upon  which  are  good  buildings  erected 
there  by  the  owner. 

(  In  the  17th  of  February,  1851,  Mr. 
Smalley  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Lovina  Bentley,  who  was  horn  in  Dane  coun- 
ty, Wisconsin.  September  5,  1N40,  and  was 
a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Paulina  Uallin 
Bentley.  She  died  September  [9,  [896, 
leaving  seven  children.  Five  of  this  number 
are  yet  living,  namely:  ldella  I'.:  Alia  M.; 
Herbert  ).:  Judson  E. ;  and  Etha.  Those 
who  have  passed  .-.way  are:  Hattie  E. ; 
Nora    !•.. :    Lydia    I A  and    Robert   <  >. 

Mr.  Smalley  is  leading  a  very  active  and 
busy  life  and  has  been  a  w  itness  of  the 
greater  part  of  the  growth  and  development 
,t"  Boone  county.  When  he  first  came  here 
there  were  ii"  roads  and  wild  game  of  vari- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


mi,  kinds  was  plentiful.  He  endured  many 
hardships,  like  the  other  pioneer  settlers,  be- 
cause the  comforts  of  the  older  east  could 
not  he  easily  obtained  as  there  were  no  rail- 
road facilities.  His  first  home  was  a  little 
cabin  fourteen  by  twenty  feet,  but  he  to- 
day has  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings  upon 
Ins  place.  In  his  political  views  he  is  a 
Democrat.  Throughout  Boone  county  he 
has  a  wide  acquaintance  and  his  circle  of 
friends  is  .almost  co-extensive  therewith,  for 
the  sterling  qualities  of  his  character  and  his 
upright  manhood  have  won  him  the  esteem 
and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been 
as-'  -dated. 


JAMES  F. 


RICHEY. 


James  F.  Richey  is  now  living  a  retired 
life  in  Pilot  Mound  and  for  many  years  he 
was  a  thrifty  and  enterprising  farmer  <>t 
Webster  and  Boone  counties.  His  birth  oc- 
curred in  Ohio,  he  being  a  native  of  Wayne 
county,  that  state,  where  he  first  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  light  of  day  on  the  Jth  of  No- 
vember, 1845,  his  parents  being  G.  T.  and 
Martha  (Richards)  Richey.  The  Richey 
family  is  of  Irish  lineage  and  was  estab- 
lished in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania, 
at  an  early  day.  It  was  in  that  county  that 
the  father  of  our  subject  was  horn  in  1804. 
and  in  [8_'_'  he  accompanied  the  family  on 
their  removal  to  Ohio.  They  cast  in  their 
Imi  with  the  first  settlers  of  Wayne  county, 
for  that  district  was  then  upon  the  western 
frontier,  civilization  having  advanced  but 
little  beyond  the  mountains.  C.  T.  Richey 
was  married  in  Wayne  count}  to  Miss  Mar- 
tha Richard-,,  a  native  of  Westmoreland 
county,   Pennsylvania  and  also  a  native  of 


one  of  the  early  families  of  Wayne  county, 
Ohio.  Mr.  Richey  was  a  miller  by  trade 
and  followed  that  business  in  Wayne  county 
fcr  a  quarter  of  a  century,  conducting  both 
a  flouring  mill  and  sawmill.  His  industry 
was  one  of  value  in  those  pioneer  times, 
furnishing  lumber  as  well  as  bread  stuffs 
to  the  early  settlers.  Seven  children  were 
added  to  the  family  in  Ohio,  and  in  1854, 
with  In-  wife  and  children.  Mr.  Richey 
came  to  Iowa,  entering  a  large  tract  of  land 
from  the  government  in  Webster  county 
near  the  present  town  of  Dayton.  Making 
his  home  thereon  he  labored  indefatigably 
and  earnestly  for  the  development  of  the 
farm  that  it  should  prove  a  source  of  in- 
come sufficient  to  enable  him  to  provide 
comfortably  for  his  family.  He  realized 
the  hope  which  brought  him  to  the  west 
and  in  course  of  time  was  enabled  to  im- 
prove   bis    place    with    g 1    buildii 

make  bis  land  a  very  attractive  and  arable 
tract.  He  became  one  of  the  prosperous 
and  enterprising  farmer-,  of  the  county  and 
Spent  his  last  years  there,  dying  on  the  9th 
of  April,  [882.  Hi-  wife  survived  him  for 
some  time  and  departed  this  life  November 
[8  [892.  Mr.  Richey  was  one  of  the 
prominent  and  influential  residents  of  Web- 
ster county  and  his  fellow  townsmen,  rec- 
Ognizing  bis  worth  and  ability,  frequently 
called  him  to  positions  of  public  trust.  He 
served  for  a  number  of  years  as  one  of  the 
board  oi  county  supervisors  and  through  a 
considerable  period  acted  as  its  chairman. 

James  F.  Richey  was  the  sixth  in  order 
of  birth  in  a  family  of  seven  children: 
Margaret  A.,  the  wife  of  Cyrus  Burnett,  a 
retired  farmer  of  Dayton,  Iowa;  Mary  [., 
the  wife  of  J.  R.  Line,  of  Fori  I  lodge. 
Iowa:  Priscilla,  who  married  Levi  Emerson 


f/*. .; 

■^ 

r  ^*\ 

4.  * 

^HH 

[RS.  JAMES    F.   RICHEY. 


JAMES   F.  RICHEY. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


455 


both  being  now  deceased;  Henrietta,  the 
wife  "i  A.  R.  Daughenbaugh,  of  Des 
Moines,  towa;  J.  F..  the  next  of  the  famil)  : 
and  S.  ]'>..  a  prominent  fanner  of  Webster 
county,  where  he  owns  a  section  of  land. 

James  F.  Richey  spent  the  greater  part 
of  his  boyhood  and  youth  upon  the  home 
farm  in  Webster  county  and  as  far  as  possi- 
ble assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  field 
and  meadow.  His  education  was  acquired 
in  the  home  school  and  after  he  had  attained 
his  majority  he  carried  on  the  work  of  the 
farm  for  nineteen  years  and  became  the 
1 1\\  ner  <  if  the  home  place.  There  he  devoted 
his  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  until 
1887,  when  he  came  to  Pilot  Mound  and 
built  a  residence  here.  He  has  prospered 
in  his  undertakings  and  has  engaged  in 
loaning  money  on  real  estate  and  also  in 
buying  and  dealing  in  stock.  He  carried  on 
both  branches  of  his  business  until  quite  re- 
cently, but  now  be  is  practically  retired 
from  business  life,  giving  his  attention  only 
to  the  superintendence  of  his  investments 
and   to   his   official    duties. 

Mr.  Richey  was  married  in  Boone 
county  October  11,  1868,  to  Miss  Louisa 
Baker,  who  was  born  in  Clay  county,  Indi- 
ana, a  daughter  of  Joel  Baker,  a  native  of 
Washington  county,  Kentucky.  He  after- 
ward removed  to  Indiana  when  a  young 
man,  settling  in  Clay  county,  where  he  met 
and  married  Ollie  Mitchell,  also  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  born  in  his  native  county.  In 
[852  Mi".  Baker  removed  to  Iowa;  settling 
fii  st  in  Polk  county,  and  in  [853  be  came 
1-  Boone  county,  here  carrying  on  farming 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  February 
i  j.  [889.  I  lis  willow  still  survives  her 
husband  and  resides  upon  the  old  home 
farm.      Mrs.    Richey    was    reared    in    Boone 


count)-  and  is  a  most  estimable  la<l\  who 
has  proved  an  able  assistant  to  her  husband 
on  life'-  journey. 

In  bis  political  views  Mr.  Richey  is  a 
stanch  Democrat,  always  voting  for  the 
presidential  nominee  of  bis  party.  He  has 
never  bad  a  desire  for  office,  however,  In- 
attention being  fully  occupied  by  business 
affairs.  Of  recent  years  he  has  made  sev- 
eral trips  to  the  west,  visiting  Nebraska, 
Kansas  and  Colorado,  lb-  and  In--  wife  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  church  of  Pilot 
Mound  and  have  many  warm  friends 
throughout  this  section  of  the  state.  Mr. 
Riche)  has  been  a  resident  of  Iowa  for  al- 
most half  a  century  and  diat  many  who 
have  known  him  from  boyhood  are  num- 
bered among  bis  firmest  friends  is  an  indi- 
cation that  his  has  been  an  honorable  and 
upright    career. 


FRANK  \V.  WILKINS. 

Frank  \Y.  Wilkins,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business  in  (  >gden,  has  for  almost 
thirty  years  made  bis  home  in  this  town. 
lie  comes  from  the  land  of  the  bills  and 
heather,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Scot- 
land, on  the  [6th  of  April,  1844.  He 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world  with 
his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  1 1.  Wilkins, 
and  located  in  Little  balls.  New  Jersey,  in 
1849.  There  the  father  accepted  a  position 
a^  bookkeeper,  making  his  home  in  that 
place  for  some  time.  They  then  went  to  St. 
John-.  \ew  Brunswick,  where  the  father  en 
gaged  in  teaching. 

While    the    family    were    living    in    New 
Brunswick.  Frank  W.  Wilkins  was  appren- 


45& 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECOKU. 


ticed  by  his  father  to  learn  the  ship  car- 
penter's trade  at  St.  Johns  and  followed  that 
pursuit  for  six  years.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  went  on  board  a  ship,  serving 
as  carpenter  for  four  years.  He  then  went 
to  Boston  where  he  spent  several  years 
working  at  his  trade.  In  March.  1X72,  after 
the  great  Chicago  fire,  he  went  to  that  city 
and  took  a  contract  to  erect  a  building  on 
corner  of  LaSalle  and  Water  streets,  where 
the  Produce  Exchang*  no\i  stands,  lie  was 
then  foreman  of  carpenter-  on  the  McCor- 
mick  Reaper  foundry.  When  this  was  com- 
pleted he  came  to  Ogden,  Iowa,  arriving  in 
October,  [874.  Here  he  began  work  at  the 
carpenter's  trade,  being  identified  with  the 
building  interests  of  this  place  for  twelve 
I  [e  w  orked  on  many  of  the  best 
buildings  put  up  in  that  time  and  was  al- 
ways able  to  command  good  wages,  becausi 
of  his  expert  workmanship.  Believing  that 
the  real   estate    business    would    furnish  a 

g 1  field   for  successful  labor  he  began  in 

thai  line  of  business  in   [881 
of  Mr.  Litchfield,  who  owned  a  large  amount 
of  land  in  J  '  ince  that 

time  engage!  in  real  e  entirel) . 

and  has  h  ch    valuable   property, 

ci  inducting  many  imp<  n  tanl  1 1  al-estate  trans- 
fers. Ik-  has  a  comprehensive  knowledge 
of  the  \  alue  1  >i  real  estate  in  this  po 
the  state  and  his  eff  >rt  -  ba\  e  pn  *  ed  1  if  bene- 
fit to  those  whom  he  serves  and  to  himself. 
Mr.  Wilkin-  was  married,  in  1875,  to 
\.  Shepard,  who  was  born  in  Bi  >one 
county  in  [859.  She  was  a  daughter  of  J. 
M.  Shepard,  a  farmer,  and  one  of  the  old 
settlers  of  Boone  county.  I  he  home  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W  ill  ii  lessed  with  nine 

children,  but  George,  the  third  in  order  of 
birth,  is  deceased.     The  others  are:     fames 


Charles.  Arthur  J.,  Frances  Q.,  Agnes  M.. 
Carrie  M.,  Frank  W  ..  Jr.,  Fred  L.  and 
Faye  F. 

Mr.  Wilkins  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measurer  of 
Democracy,  and  for  a  number  of  years  held 
the  position  of  township  trustee.  He  has 
al  :o  been  a  school  director  for  several  years, 
lie  belongs  to  the  Episcopal  church,  while 
his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  Both  are  widely  and  Favor- 
ably known  in  the  community  and  are  es- 
timable people  enjoying  in  a  high  degree 
the  warm  regard  of  man}    friends. 


-   M.   REED. 

vl.  Reed  is  a  worthy  representative 
of  the  farming  I    Boone  county. 

He  residi  '.    pic-  township, 

and  is  a  natn  e  •  if  I  ,ake  county,  Indiana,  born 
( (ctober  5,  1841.     His  father.  Thorn 

igton  cmint}-.   Pennsyl- 
vania, in  December,  1812,  while  the 
father  was  lame-  Reed,  who  at  an  early  day 
left   the  Keystone  state  and  went   to  Ohio, 

lived   in   different   counties  there.     Thomas 
Reed  go  I  Ihio  and  after- 

Maria    Myrick,   a   native  of 
ho  bad  gi  me  to  the  Bucki 
dining  her  early  childh 1.      \fter  bis  mar- 
riage Mr.  Reed  gave  bis  attention  to  farm- 
:  number  of  ;  ea  1  -  and  1  me  -  >n  w  as 
born   unto  him   and   his   wife   in   that   state. 
to  I  ndiana,  bo    settled    in    Lake 

count}'  where  be  secun  mud  and 

his  laboi  an   arable 

in  ni.      Eight    children    were   added    to   the 
family  during  their  residence  on  that  place. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


457 


In  1853  tlK>>  came  '"  Iowa,  settling-  in  War- 
ren count)'  in  June.  Much  of  the  land  here 
was  still  in  the  possession  of  the  government 
and  Mr.  Reed  secured  a  claim,  entering 
eighty  acres.  In  a  short  space  of  time  this 
was  fenced,  indicating  his  individual  o\\  lei 
ship.  The  breaking  plow  made  its  way 
across  the  fields  and  in  course  of  time  the 
seed  planted  in  the  spring  bn  night  t<  irth  gi  n  id 
harvests  in  the  autumn.  On  this  place  Mr. 
Heed  reared  his  children  and  -pent  his  last 
days,  'passing  away  in   1SN0.  while  his  wife 

survived  him  until  1895  when  -lie  1 was 

called  to  her  final  rest. 

Elias  M.  Reed  was  only  twelve  ; 1 
age  when  he  came  to  Iowa  with  his  parents 
and  upon  the  home  farm  in  Warren  county 
he  was  reared.  He  worked  in  the  fields  as 
his  strength  would  permit,  his  capacity 
growing  with  the  years,  and  to  his  father  he 
rendered  substantial  assistance.  In  Febru- 
ary. 1862,  however,  he  put  aside  farm  work- 
in  order  to  espouse  the  cause  of  the  Union 
i>  ate  1  if  Company  <  i,  Fif- 
[owa  [nfantry,  and  with  is  regiment 
he  went  to  the  south  and  was  attached  to  the 
army  of  General  Sher- 

man. The  first  battle  in  which  he  partici- 
pated was  that  of  Shiloh  and  later  he  took 
part  in  the  engagement  at  Corinth,  where  lie 
ounded  by  a  gunshot  through  both 
legs.     This   permanent!)    disabled 

off  duty   for  ten  months.     After  be- 
mi  mths  he  was 
allowed  to  return  home  1  m  a  shorl   F1 
\\  hen  his   lea>  e  of  ab  pired  \v 

reji  lined    his    regiment    ai    LaFay<  I 

•     ■.  ard  in  the     i< 
i  g  and  aided  in  the  1  apture  of  thai 
stn  mg  rebel  cit) .     Sul  1 
ized  and  because  of  this  was  -ranted  a  thirty 


days'  furlough  which  he  spent  with  his  fam- 
ily in  Iowa  and  then  joined  Sherman  on  the 
Atlantic  campaign.  Again  he  was  wounded 
on  the  22d  of  July,  [864,  at  the  city  of  At- 
lanta, sustaining  a  flesh  wound  in  the  left 
arm.  Again  he  was  incapacitated  for  duty 
and  was  allowed  to  return  home.  Later  he 
went  to  Keokuk,  remaining  in  the  hospital 
there  for  some  time.  When  he  ha 
ciently  recovered  he  was  again  sent  to  the 
trout  and  joined  General  Sherman's  com- 
mand at  Raleigh.  J  le  then  marched  thn  nigh 
to  Richmond  and  on  to  Washington,  taking 
part  in  the  splendid  military  pageant   which 

V  war,  wave  after  wave  of  "bayonet 
crested  blue"  passing  by  the  review  stand 
on  which  the  president  stood  watching  that 
splendid  American  army  that  had  preserved 
the  Union.  Mr.  \<^Qi\  was  then  sent  hack  to 
Kentucky  with  his  regiment  and  was  must- 

;  at  Louisville,  receiving  an  honor- 
able discharge  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  July, 

I  No;. 

For  two  years  after  the  war  Mr.  KvcA 
assisted  in  the  work  of  the  home  Farm,  lie 
ried  in  .Mahaska  county,  [owa  in 
181 16,  i"  Mahala  E.  Byerly,  who  was 
bom  in  Vinton  county.  Ohio,  and  was  reared 
there  o  uning  to  l<  iwa  w  hen  a  y  nu 
In  the  fall  of  [867  Mr.  Reed  renn  ■ 
his  young  wife  to  Grundy  county,  Missouri, 
spending  the  winter  in  Trenton  and  the  fol- 
lowing spring  he  located  upon  a  farm  which 
he  op(  rated  for  three  years  after  which  he 
returned  to  Iowa  tin. I  I  in  farm- 

■    fi      several  years  in  Warren  county.     In 
nint)    .and  after 
renting  la  ghl  eighty 

acre-  in  Dallas  township,  a  few  miles  south 
of  Perry.     For  six  years  he  lived  upon  the 
d  then  traded  it  for  his  present  farm 


458 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


on  which  he  located  in  1885.  Beginning 
then  to  further  develop  and  improve  the 
property,  he  has  now  a  well  equipped  farm 
supplied  with  all  the  accessories  and  con- 
veniences found  upon  a  model  farm  of  the 
twentieth  century.     In  addition  to  the  cereals 

which   he  cultivates     he    also    raise-    g 1 

graded  stock. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed  have  five  living  chil- 
dren :  Ella,  the  wife  of  S.  B.  Weaver,  of 
Dallas  county;  J.  P.,  who  is  married  and  re- 
sides m   W Iward,   Iowa;  O.   II..  who  is 

married  and  makes  his  home  in  Dallas  coun- 
ty; E.  "!'.,  who  is  in  business  for  himself: 
and  E.  M.,  who  assists  in  the  operation  of 
the  home  farm.  The)  also  lost  two  children 
—  Ida  V.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  year, 
and  Verna,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five  year-. 

Politically  Mr.  Reed  is  independent,  lie 
does  not  consider  himself  hound  by  party 
ties  but  votes  as  his  judgment  dictate-.  I  le 
ha-  been  elected  justice  of  tin 
would  not  qualify,  not  caring  to  hold  an} 
political  p  sitii  >n.  1  le  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Metliodi-t  Episcopal  church  and 
fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Masonic 
lodge  at  Woodward.  Thoroughl)  under 
standing  the  teachings  of  the  craft  he  exem- 
plifies its  virtues  in  his  life  and  is  most  loyal 
to  the  order.  In  business  affairs  he  has 
prospered  as  the  year-  have  gone  by  and  to- 
day he  own-  an  excellent  farm  0 
1  'copies  fc  iv  nship. 


JOSEPH  JUDSON  SNELL. 

[oseph  Judson  Snell  is  the  chief  execu- 
tive <-\  Boone  and  his  administration 
has  been  so  business  like  and  progressive 
that  he  has  won  commendation  from  a  large 


majority  of  citizens.  He  is  a  lawyer  of 
ability  with  a  keen  discriminating  mind  and 
analytical  power  that  has  enabled  him  to 
gain  a  position  of  distinction  at  the  bar. 
Mr.  Snell  was  born  April  20,  1852.  in  Leice- 
ster. Massachusetts,  his  parents  being  Jo- 
seph W".  and  Julia  A.  (Potter)  Snell.  On 
the  paternal  side  the  family  is  of  German 
and  I  nglish  lineage,  while  on  the  maternal 
side  Mr.  Snell  is  only  of  English  descent. 
As"  Snell.  the  great-uncle  of  our  subject, 
became  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Wis- 
ci  ti-n  1.  and  later  the  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject removed  to  that  state.  Joseph  W. 
Snell  had  acquired  an  excellent  education, 
expecting  to  enter  the  ministry  but  during 
In-  college  course  his  health  failed  him  and 
lie  came  west  in  order  to  recuperate.  He 
found  in  the  bracing  western  atmosphere 
the  tonic  he  needed  and  developed  a  strong, 
robust  manhood  through  the  daily  exercises 
of  the  farm.  It  was  during  the  boyhood 
or  our  subject  that  he  took  his  family  to 
Wisconsin,  settling  firsl  in  Dane  county. 
He  afterward  removed  to  Fort  Atkinson 
and  in  [866  went  to  Ogle  count)r,  Illinois, 
where  he  spenl  three  years,  coming  thence 
to  Boone  county  in  February,  1869.  Here 
he  was  widely  recognized  as  a  worthy  and 
influential  citizen,  becoming  a  leader  in 
public  thought  and  opinion.  He  was 
elected  treasurer  of  the  county  but  died  be- 
fore assuming  the  duties  of  the  office.  He 
had  held  minor  positions,  had  been  town- 
ship trustee  in  \\  isconsin  at  the  time  of  the 
Civil  war  and  was  always  found  a  loyal 
citizen,  interested  in  whatever  pertained  to 
the  growth  and  substantial  improvement  of 
his  community.  A  man  of  strong  convic- 
tn  11-.  he  was  fearless  in  the  defense  of  his 
1  iwn  beliefs  and  m  1  one  ever  had  to  question 


THE    BIOGRAPHIC. If.    RECORD. 


,,,, 


his  position  in  regard  to  an)  issue.     He  was, 
however,  never  bitterh  aggressive  and  to  a 

marked  degree  he  inspired  and  retained  the 
confidence  of  his  fellow  men.  He  never 
sought  office,  although  occasionally  he 
served,  his  elections  coming  in  recognition 
of  the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow 
townsmen.  His  was  an  open,  frank  and 
joyous  nature,  one  that  enjoyed  all  that  is 
noblest  and  best  in  lite  to  the  fullest  extent. 
His  religious  faith  was  that  of  the  Congre- 
gational church  and  he  took  a  very  active 
interest  in  its  work.  He  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  on  the  we^t  side  of  the  Des 
Mc lines  river  and  there  developed  a  tract  of 
prairie  land,  transforming  it  into  a  rich  and 
arable  farm.  His  death  occurred  in  1875 
e  was  fifty-one  years  of  age.  I  1  i- 
widow  still  survives  him  and  is  now  sev- 
enty-four years  of  age,  making  her  home 
with  her  son.  Maro  I'.,  who  is  now  living 
in  Jesup,  Georgia.  With  the  exception  of 
our  subject  he  was  the  only  child  of  the 
family. 

Joseph  Judson  Snell  largely  acquired  his 
early  education  under  the  instruction  of  his 
father,  who  engaged  in  teaching,  and  when 
d  a  district  school  course  he 
entered  the  high  school  of  Fort  Atkinson, 
Wisconsin,  lie  assisted  his  father  in  the 
cultivation  and  improvement  of  the  home 
farm  until  he  had  attained  his  majority. 
Having  pursued  his  studies  under  the  direc- 
tion of  his  father  he  passed  an  examination 
which  admitted  him  to  entrance  in  the 
State  Agricultural  College  of  Ames,  Iowa. 
■  pursued  ::  f  iur  years'  course.  I  lur- 
ing the  months  of  vacation  he  acted  as  a 
bookkeeper  in  Ogden.  After  the  death  of 
his  father  he  went  to  thai  place  and  opened 
a  banking  business   for   Sylvester,   Huntlev 


&  Osborne,  conducting  the  enterprise  for 
four  years.  In  the  fall  of  1880  he  was 
elected  clerk  of  the  district  and  circuit 
courts  of  Boone  count)  and  filled  that  posi- 
tion for  four  years,  after  which  he  acted  as 
deputy  clerk  for  a  similar  period.  He  had 
previously  read  law,  being  for  three  years 
a  student  of  jurisprudence  in  the  office  of 
&  Jordan,  of  Boone.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  by  the  supreme  court  of 
the  state  and  while  engaging  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  his  profession  he  also  held  the  posi-, 
tion  of  cashier  in  the  B01  >ne  O  ■uutv  Bank 
for  three  years.  At  length  the  demands  of 
his  professional  duties  became  so  excessive 
that  he  had  to  abandon  the  hanking  busi- 
ness in  order  to  properly  attend  to  the  work 
which  came  to  him  through  a  large  and 
growing  clientage.  Professional  advance- 
ment in  the  law  is  provervially  slow.  The 
lirst  element  of  success  is.  perhaps,  a  per- 
sistency of  purpose  and  effort  as  enduring 
as  the  force  of  gravity.  But,  as  in  any 
other  calling,  aptitude,  character  and  indi- 
viduality are  the  qualities  which  differen- 
tiate the  usual  from  the  unusual;  the  voca- 
tion from  the  career  of  the  lawyer.  As  the 
years  passed  Mr.  Snell  won  advancement 
and  his  position  is  now  assured  as  a  lead- 
ing and  representative  member  of  the  Boone 
county  bar. 

In  1870  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Mr.  Snell  and  Miss  Mary  A.  Palmer,  a 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  George  W.  Palmer,  of 
Carroll,  Iowa.  Her  father  was  a  Congre- 
gational minister  of  Ogden,  Iowa,  and  the 
house  of  worship  of  thai  denomination  was 
erected  during  his  pastorate  then'.  Both 
he  and  his  first  wife  are  now  deceased,  and 
Mrs.  Snell  is  theonl)  survivor  of  their  three 
children,    hut    Ins    second    wife.    Mrs.    Anna 


462 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


M  Palmer,  is  still  living.  By  her  marriage 
Mrs.  Snell  has  become  the  mother  of  four 
children,  but  Bertha  E.,  the  second,  died  in 
1895.  The  others  are  Eloise  Winifred,  Ju- 
dith J.  and  Vivian  P.  H.  The  family  all 
hi  ild  membership  in  the  First  Presbyterian 
church  and  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  the  best 
homes  of  the  city.  In  his  political  affilia- 
tions Mr.  Snell  is  a  Republican  and  has  been 
called  upon  to  serve  in  sei  era!  1  >fnc'es.  Since 
1891  he  has  been  secretary  of  the  school 
board  and  his  efforts  haw  contributed  in  a 
large  measure  to  the  substantial  advance- 
ment of  educational  interests  here.  In  1901 
lie  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city  and  has 
since  served  in  that  capacity,  his  adminis- 
tration hving  characterized  b)  a  loyal  in- 
terest in  the  public  ' 


HERMAN  S.  FARR,  M.  D. 

I  >r.   !  I  rr,  who  has  ' 

e  practio 
-.  in  Madrid,  is  a    lative  o 
In-  birth  having  occurred  in  the  province  of 
<  mtario,   on   th<     t2th  of  D 
1  fis    fathei .    I  laniel    T.    Pur.    was   born   in 

Mew   York,  and  w 
■'■■    Bi    liel   I'arr.  a  native  of  Vermont.     The 
family  is  of  English  lineage  and    ■ 
lished  in   \m  erica  at  a  1  n  by  rep- 

n  s(  ntati   <  I  in  Yew 

!  mr    subject    was 

unity  of  his  nativity  and  when 

tructii  m  1  if  the  Great 
Western    Railroad,  hi-  special  line  of  lab  >r 
being  bridge  building.     While  in  Canada  he 
met    find 
nath  e  1  f  that   count 


Peter  Haines,  who  was  of  German  lineage. 
The  first  member  of  that  family  in  America 
was  a  Hessian,  who  came  to  the  new  world 
as  one  •  •('  the  soldiers  employed  by  the  Brit- 
ish army  to  aid  in  the  suppression  of  the 
Ci  1I1  mists  during  the  Revolutionary  war.  He 
did  not  desire  to  return  to  his  native  land 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  this  country.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Farr  served  as  a  soldier  with 
tin-  British  army  in  the  war  of  iNu.  at 
which  time  he  was  living  in  Canada.  .Mr. 
I-arr  resided  in  that  country  for  ten  years 
and  three  children  were  born  unto  him  and 
his  wife  there.  He  then  came  to  [owa,  set- 
Jackson  county  upon  a  tract  of  land 
which  In  to  a  goi  "1  farm,  mak- 

ing it    his  home   for  many  years,  and  there 
is    i.niiiu  .      I  lis  last  days  were  spent 
in  thai  county,  where  lie  died  in  1895,  at  the 
ears. 
The  I  »octor  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth 
sj\  children,   four 
two  daughters,   three  of  whom    were  born 
if  Iowa. 
1  le  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Jacks 

the  old  home  farm  and  acquired  his 
education   jn  the  district   schools  and  after- 
ward in  a  business  college,  where 
I     eat  ly  1 
in  teaching,  hut  desiring  1.1  make 
-  k  he  be- 
ing u  iin  ;hat  end  in  \  iev  in 
port,  Iowa,  pursuing  thn  1  lectures 

in  the  Si  ,  in  which  institution 

raduated  in  March.  1881. 

Moines,  where  he  opened  an 

practiced  for  three  years,  but  since 

Madrid.     I  le  is 

dent  physician  of 

cellent  practice 

within  a  d  has  alwav  5 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


4G3 


the  liberal  patronage  due  to  his  skill  and 
ability,  which  is  widely  recognized,  and  has 
gained  nun  the  reputation  of  being  one  of 

the  successful  physicians  of  Bonne  county. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Central  District  and 
the  State  Medical  Societies  and  thus  keeps 
in  touch  with  the  advanced  thought  and  ideas 
of  the. profession.  He  has  read  widely  and 
comprehendingly  and  has  continually  broad- 
ened his  knowledge  concerning  the  science 
of  medicine  and  its  uses  in  the  world. 

Dr.  Farr  was  married  February  ro,  [886, 
to  Ell  1  L.  Luther,  a  native  of  Boone  county 
ana  a  daughter  of  Milden  Luther,  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  this  locality  who  became  a 
substantial  farmer  and  is  now  residing  near 
Madrid.  Mrs.  Farr  received  her  education 
in  the  public  schools,  and  by  her  marriage 
she  has  become  the  mother  of  live  children: 
Imogene  B.,  Eulah  I.,  Milden  L.,  Juno  F. 
and    1  lerman  L. 

Dr.  Farr  exercises  his  right  of  franchise 

hi  -unport  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the 

Democracy,  hut  the  honors  and  emoluments 

iiave  had  no  attraction  for  him.    He 

and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Christian  church 

of   Madrid   and   he   1-   identified   with   Star 

Lodge.  No.   115.  F.  &  A.   A!.,  of  this  city. 

ile  also  has  membership  relations  with  the 

Knights  of   Pythias,  has    filled   all  of    the 

chairs  in  the  local  lodge  and  has  served  as 

lancellor.  x  Throughout    the    greater 

part  of  his  life  he  ha-  been  a  residenl  of  the 

state  and   for  eighteen  years  has 

home  in  Madrid,  where  he  is  held  in  high 

regard    socially  as  well    a-    professionally. 

llis  comprehensive    knowledge  of 

principles,  combined  \\  ith  close  applicatii  >n, 

de  him  a  successful  pin  sician,  while 

1   1   manner  and    unfailing    courtesy 

lined  !'•  n'  him  many  friends. 


CHARLES  F.  P1LCHER. 

Charles  F.  Pilcher  is  the  largest  stock- 
feeder  of  Des  Moines  township,  and  is  a 
business  man  of  marked  ability,  executive 
force  and  enterprise.  His  strong  determina- 
tion enables  him  to  carry  forward  to  suc- 
cessful  completion  whatever  he  undertakes. 

Numbered  among     I' le    county's    native 

sons  his  life  history  is  known  to  his  fellow 
men  as  that  of , me  win  1  has  ever  been  hon< tr- 
able  in  business  affairs,  loyal  in  citizenship 
and  trustworthy  in  all  life's  relations. 

Air.  Pilcher  was  horn  on  Christmas  Day 
of  1856,  and  in  the  public  schools  acquired 
his  education.  Early  in  youth  he  worked 
upon  the  home  farm,  thus  becoming  familiar 
with  the  task  of  developing  the  fields  and 
caring  for  stock.  For  about  eight  years  he 
carried  on  railroad  work,  beginning  in  the 
capacit)  of  a  switcher  on  the  Union  Pacific 
line.  Gradually  however,  he  won  promotion 
audi  other  duties  were  entrusted  to  him.  In 
ivever,  he  returned  to  his  native 
count}',  where  he  engaged  in  fanning  and 
to  Hin-  cattle  and  has  since  carried  on  busi 
ncss  in  this  way.  lie  now  feeds  aboul  three 
car  loads  <'\  cattle  each  year  and  keeps  on 
hand  from  thirty-five  to  forty  head.  H<  pre 
fers  the   Hereford   stock  and  has  some  full- 

bl led  animals  of  thai   bred.      1  lis    farm 

comprises  eight)    acres  of   Iowa's  rich  land 

and  upon  the  place  he  has  an  excellent  set 

of  farm  buildings.     In  addition  to  the  man- 

.  iv\  11    po  iperty   he  has  also 

carried  on  the  home  farm  and  has  operated 

three  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land.     I  le  is 

edei  in  the  ti  >w  nship  and 

bringing  to  him 

a  \  en  grati  F3  ing 

Mr.  Pilcher  was  married  on  the  29th  of 


464 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECQRi 


December,  1896,  to  Miss  Agness  Lumley,  a 
native  of  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  and  a 
daughter  of  Ralph  and  Christina  (Landles) 
Lumley,  the  former  a  native  of  England  and 
the  hitter  of  Scotland.  Her  father  is  over- 
seer of  the  tracks  in  the  mines  in  this  county 
and  is  a  well  known  man.  Mr.  Pilcher  has 
served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  and 
takes  an  active  interest  in  everything  0  M- 
nected  with  public  progress  and  improve- 
ment, lie  votes  with  the  Democratic  party. 
but  has  never  been  a  politician  in  the  sense 
oi  office  seeking,  preferring  that  his  time 
and  energies  should  be  given  to  his  business 
affairs,  which  are  of  an  important  nature, 
making  him  one  of  the  leading  representa- 
tock-raising  in  this  portion 


DA\  ID  M.   BASS. 

When    tin-   tocsin     of    war     sow 
awakened  a  patriotic  response  in  the  hearts 
of  loyal  sons  throughout  the  nation.     Man) 
men    in    1  11  if    the    north     had 

watched  with  interesl  the  progress 
thai  culminated  in  the  hostilities  bel 
north  ami  the  south  and  when  they  saw  that 
the  war  was  to  In-  no  mere  holida)  affair. that 
it  could  not  he  crushed  1  nil   in  ; 
or  even  month-,  the)   1  tiered  their  services 
to  the  government.     Such   was  the  histon 
oi'     Mr.     Bass     ami    now      he     1-     1 
among  the  veterans  who  aided  in  pri 
the  I  Inion.     I  li-  entii  1  has  b<  en 

commendable  and  he  deserves  mention 
among  the  representative  citizens  1  i  Boone 
county. 

A  native  of  Indiana  Mr.  Bass  was  horn 
in  Owen  county,  on  the  6th  of  September, 
[840,  his  parents  beii  nd  Mary 

1  Bessler  1    Bass,  1"  >th  1  >i  \\  horn  n  ei  e  h  »rn    in 


North  Carolina.    In  the  year  1854  the  father 
became  a  resident  of  Boone  count}-.  Iowa. 
and   purchased   a    farm  near  the  one   upon 
which  our  subject  now  resides.     He  was  a 
very  industrious  and  hard-wo'rking  man  and 
always  devoted  his  life  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits.    From  the  time  he  arrived  in  Iowa  un- 
til his  death  he  remained  continuousl)  upon 
one  farm,  there  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
two  years.     Mis  wife  survived  him  and  was 
almosl  ninety-two  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  her  demise.     In  their  family  were  ten  chil- 
dren, who  reached  years  of  maturity,  while 
four   are   still" living:      Mrs.    Matilda    Cole, 
.  John  and  David  M.     Those  who 
-I'd  away  are:    Jessie,  Sarah,  Han- 
and  Rachael. 
David  M.  Bass  was  a  youth  of  fourteen 
ten   with   his  parents    he    left    the 
State  and  came  to   fowa.      His  edu- 
cational advantages  were  somewhal  limited 
but  his  training  at  farm  work  was  not  mea- 
ger.    He  assisted  in  the  cultivation  and  de 
velopmenl  of  his  father's  farm  and  was  thus 
engaged  until  [862,  when  he  could  no  longer 
ci  intent  liimsi  plow   and  donned  the 

[1  Tin  of  the  natii  >n,  as  a  defender  of 
cause,     lie  became  a  member  of 
K.  Sixteenth  Iowa   Infantry,  and 
Led  in  the  battles  of  Shiloh,   Inka. 
Vicksburg.  the  siege  of  Atlanta  and  was  in 
Sherman. 
\i  the  battle  of  Atlanta  on  the  2d  of  July. 
was  wounded  and  in  April.    [865, 
ed  an  honorable  discharge. 
When  his  military  career  was  ended  Mr. 
Bass  returned  to  his  home  in  Iowa,  and  here 
in    farming  on    his    own     acount. 
I  le  had  previously  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
hundred  and  twenty  acres,  but   this 
he  afterward  sold,  and  in  [868  he  purchased 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


46s 


the  farm  upon  which  he  now  lives,  and  which 
has  been  his  home  for  more  than  one-third 
of  a  century.  It  comprises  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  rich  land  and  he  has  made 
excellent  improvements  upon  it.  so  that  it  is 
now  a  mode]  farm  of  the  community.  His 
attention  is  given  to  the  raising'  of  grain  and 
stock  and  he  makes  a  specialty  of  Durham 
cattle,  keeping  full-blooded  stock. 

In  18(1(1  Mr.  Bass  was  married  to  Miss 
Susan  Harter,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Ger- 
many, February  14,  1841.  Their  union  has 
been  blessed  with  six  children,  who  are  yet 
living:  William  M.,  Nettie.  Laura.  Samuel, 
(.race  and  Maude.  Air.  Bass  has  served  as 
a  member  of  the  school  board  and  he  exer- 
cises his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the 
men  and  measures  of  the  Democracy.  He 
is  connected  with  Crooks  Post,  No.  329,  G. 
A.  R.,  and  often  delights  in  recounting  the 
scenes  and  experiences  of  army  life..  He  is 
numbered  among  the  early  pioneer  settlers 
t>\  Boone  county,  has  witnessed  almost  the 
entire  growth  of  the  state  and  has  seen 
man}-  changes  since  he  arrived  here.  There 
was  wild  game  in  the  county  when  he  took 
up  his  abode  within  its  borders  and  much  of 
the  land  was  still  in  its  primitive  condition 
as  it  came  from  the  hand  of  nature.  To-day 
he  owns  an  excellent  farm,  as  a  visible  evi- 
dence of  his  life  of  industry.  As  a  citizen 
he  is  as  true  to-day  to  his  duties  as  when 
he  followed  the  old  flag,  manifesting  his 
loyalty  to  die  Union  cause  by  active  service 
upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  south. 


A.  P.  WESTBERG. 


A.  1'.  VVestberg,  who  resides  on  section 
29,  Garden  township,  is  one  of  the  worthy 
citizens  that  Sweden  has  furnished  to  Boone 


county.  His  birth  occurred  July  17,  1840. 
upon  a  farm  in  that  kingdom.  Me  was 
reared  there  and  in  early  life  also  learned 
the  carpenter  trade.  I  le  has  gained  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  English  language  since  coming 
to  the  new  world  and  is  largely  self-educated 
in  all  ways,  his  school  privileges  in  youth 
being  quite  limited.  He  has  however, 
broadened  his  knowledge  through  experi- 
ence and  observation  and  has  a  practical 
mind  which  is  evidenced  in  his  successful 
control  of  his  business  interests.  In  the  year 
1866  he  determined  to  seek  a  home  in  the 
new  world,  for  he  had  heard  favorable  re- 
ports of  its  business  opportunities.  Ac- 
cordingly he  sailed  from  Gottenborg  for 
Quebec,  and  thence  crossed  the  Great  Lakes 
to  Chicago,  afterward  spending  four  months 
in  DeKalb  county,  Illinois.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  came  to  Iowa,  arriv- 
ing in  Boone  on  the  9th  of  October,  1866. 
For  a  time  he  worked  on  the  Northwestern 
railroad  at  Clinton,  Iowa,  being  engaged  in 
the  bridge  building  department  of  that  com- 
pany for  nine  years.  At  length  with  the 
capita]  he  had  saved  and  which  had  been  ac- 
quired through  his  diligence  and  economy, 
he  purchased  land,  becoming  the  owner  of 
his  present  farm  in  1873  although  he  did  not 
take  up  his  abode  thereon  until  [876.  There 
was  a  smal!  house  and  some  little  improve- 
ments on  tiie  place  but  the  chief  work  of 
cultivation  and  development  has  been  per- 
formed by  Mr.  Westberg.  He  has  erected 
a  large  frame  residence,  good  barns  and  all 
jsary  outbuildings  for  the  shelter  of 
grain  and  stock.  Thrifty  trees  of  his  own 
planting  adorn  the  yard,  and  an  orchard 
which  he  has  set  out  yields  its  fruit  in  sea- 
son. ||.;  has  raised  a  good  grade  of  short- 
horn and  Hereford  cattle  and  is  now   breed- 


466 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


iug  and  dealing  in  pure  blooded  Aberdeen 
cattle.  As  time  has  passed  and  his  financial 
resources  have  increased  he  has  also  pur- 
chased more  land  and  now  owns  a  splendidly 
developed  farm  of  eighty  acres  on  section 
20,  Garden  township,  in  addition  to  the 
home  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
on  section  29,  Garden  township.  Air.  West- 
berg  began  life  in  Iowa  a  very  poor  boy.  He 
had  no  assistance  and  was  without  capital, 
but  he  possessed  determination  and  energy 
and  these  are  potent  elements  in  winning 
success.  Steadily  he  worked  bis  way  up- 
ward and  to-day  two  rich  farms  in  this  great 
agricultural  district  are  the  visible  evidences 
of  his  life  of  industry. 

Mr.  VVestberg  was  married  in  Boone 
county,  October  27,  1876,  to  Miss  Anna 
Lundahl,  who  was  horn  and  reared  in  Swed- 
en. They  now  have  eight  children :  Maude, 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Sundberg.  a  resident 
farmer  of  Garden  township;  Richard,  who 
is  married  and  resides  in  Madrid  and  was 
associated  with  his  father  in  establishing  an 
electric  light  plant  in  that  place  in  [899, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  in  control  of 
the  business ;  Ethel,  the  wife  of  Oscar  West- 
erson,  of  Madrid;  Frank,  who  is  assisting 
his  father  on  the  home  farm;  Esther,  Edwin, 
Blanche  and  Self,  who  are  still  under  the 
parental  roof.  The  parents  hold  member- 
ship in  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  of  Ma- 
drid, and  Mr.  Westberg  has  voted  with  the 
Republican  party  since  1872  when  he  cast 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  General  Grant. 
He  was  elected  and  served  as  township  trus- 
tee for  several  years,  and  has  been  a  member 
of  the  school  hoard  for  a  number  of  years, 
acting  as  its  president  and  secretary  ami  do- 
ing everything  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
standard  of  education  in  this  portion  of  the 


county.  Although  of  foreign  birth  Mr. 
Westberg  is  as  loyal  to  his  adopted  land  as 
any  native  son  of  America.  He  has  firm 
faith  in  its  government  and  in  its  institu- 
tions and  does  all  in  his  power  to  promote 
progress  and  improvement  in  his  community 
thus  adding  to  the  sum  of  national  advance- 
ment. He  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret 
his  determination  to  come  to  America  for  in 
the  new  world  he  has  found  the  business  op- 
portunities be  sought,  and  in  this  land  where 
labor  1-  unhampered  by  caste  or  class  he  has 
met  with  very  creditable  success. 


fOHN   [VIS. 


Ireland  has  furnished  to  America  many 
men  who  have  become  valued  citizens  of  the 
locality  in  which  they  have  cast  their  lot. 
Such  a  one  was  John  his,  who  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  was  an  esteemed  resident  of 
Boone.  He  \>  as  b  u  n  1  >n  the  Emerald  isle, 
bis  birth  having  occurred  in  the  county  of 
1  ork  on  the  24th  of  June.  [825.  When  he 
was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  came 
to  the  I'nned  States,  lie  bad  previously 
acquired  a  good  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  believing  that  he  might  have 
bettei  business  advantages  in  the  new  world 
he  determined  to  cross  the  Atlantic.  Land- 
ing at  \ew  York,  he  -pent  some  time  there 
and  afterward  removed  to  Alabama,  locat- 
ing in  the  cit)  of  Mobile,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  hardware  store  as  a  clerk,  lie 
afterward  owned  a  draj  line  and  was  en- 
gaged in  that  business  for  a  number  of  years, 
meeting  with  good  success.  Subsequently 
he  crossed  the  Mississippi  river,  making  his 
way  north  to  Iowa.  This  was  about  1856, 
and  he  located  in    Lvons,   Clinton    county, 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


467 


where  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  dealer  in 
live  Stock.  He  afterward  purchased  a  farm 
in  that  county  :>nt\  cultivated  it  for  a  time, 
but  subsequently  sold  it  and  bought  a  farm 
at  Center  Grove,  Clinton  county,  upon  which 
lie  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  engaged  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  grains  best  adapted 
to  the  -'iil  and  climate,  also  giving  some  at- 
tention tM  stock-raising.  In  1872  he  re- 
moved i"  Boone  county  and  purchased  a 
farm  in  Jackson  township,  comprising  an 
entire  section  of  land,  which  continued  to 
lie  his  home  until  iSN<).  when  lie  removed 
to  the  city  of  Boone,  where  he  lived  a  retired 
life  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  He  was  a 
very  progressive  and  enterprising  farmer, 
kept  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  everything-about  his  place  was  char- 
acterized by  neatness  and  thrift.  As  the 
years  passed  his  indefatigable  labors  and 
careful  management  brought  to  him  a  very 
desirable  competence  and  enabled  him  in  his 
declining  years  to  enjoy  a  well  merited  re- 
tirement  from  labor. 

In  1853  Mr.  his  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Hannah  Buckley. who  was  horn  in  County. 
Cork.  Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
about  1851.  Their  marriage  was  celebrated 
in  Mobile,  Alabama,  and  was  blessed  with 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living. 
Ellen,  the  eldest,  died  at  Mobile,  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  months,  while  William  died  at 
the  age  'if  eight  years.  Mary,  the  wife  of 
John  Rock,  resides  in  Pueblo,  Colorado, 
where  her  husband  is  employed  as  a  car  re- 
pairer. She  had  previously  married  Bar- 
tholernew  Sweeney  and  by  that  marriage  had 
one  son.  who  was  named  for  his  father. 
Annie  is  the  wile  of  John  Griffin,  a  merchant 
of  Harrison  township  at  Griffin  postoffice, 
where  he  is  serving    as  postmaster.      They 


had  seven  children:  Gertrude,  now  de 
ceased  .  Leu:  William  ;  Bessie;  Morris;  one 
that  .bed  in  infancy ;  and  Joseph.  John.  win. 
resides  in  Boone,  is  a  carpenter  and  con- 
tractor, lie  married  Ellen  McKone  and 
they  have  three  children.  Arthur,  (leu  ami 
Gertrude.  Dennis,  a  farmer  residing  in 
Jacks,  m  township,  Boone  county,  wedded 
Kate  Menton  and  they  have  four  children, 
Mary,  John,  Irene  and  Eleanor.  Kate,  the 
youngest  ol  the  family,  is  at  home.  All  of 
the  living  children  were  born  in  Clinton 
county,  Iowa,  and  the  two  deceased  were 
born  in  Mobile,  Alabama. 

Mr.  I  vis  died  August  30,  [895,  at  his 
home  in  Boone,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Boone 
cemetery.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat, 
but  he  never  sought  or  desired  office,  al- 
though he  was  a  public-spirited  citizen  and 
advocated  every  cause  tending  to  promote 
the  general  welfare  of  the  community  in 
which  he  lived.  He  held  membership  in  the 
Cathi  He  church  and  by  all  who  knew  him 
was  esteemed  as  an  upright  citizen.  In  all 
his  business  affairs  he  was  reliable  and  trust- 
worthy and  through  the  years  of  his  man- 
hood he  gained  many  friends  by  reason  of 
his  genuine  worth.  His  widow  still  resides 
at  No.  1  1  [8  Marshall  streel  in  Boone,  where 
she  has  a  pleasant  home,  and  there  her 
many  friends  delight  to  gather.  The  fam- 
ily is  one  well  known  in  Boone. 


J.  X.  GILDEA. 

A    half  centur)    has    passed    since   J.    \. 
Giklea  came  in  I'.' 11  .lie  county,  and  through- 

prominenl  factor  in  the  advancement  of  the 


46S 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


commercial  interests  upon  which  the  growth 
ami  prosperity  of  a  community  always  de- 
pends. Widely  known,  his  life  history  can- 
not fail  to  prove  of  interest  to  his  many 
friends,  and  it  is  therefore  with  pleasure  that 
we  present  this  record  of  his  career  to  our 
readers.  He  was  born  in  Bowling  Green, 
Clay  county,  Indiana.  August  i.  1845.  His 
lather,  James  Gildea,  was  born  on  a  ship  en 
route  from  Ireland  to  the  new  world,  about 
1804.  The  mother  of  our  subject  bon  the 
maiden  name  of  Sarah  Zenor,  and  was  born 
in  1S02.  By  their  marriage  this  worthy 
couple  hecame  the  parents  of  ten  children. 
of  whom  seven  are  yet  living,  but  one 
brother,  Oliver  G.,  was  wounded  and  died 
in  the  army  while  serving  as  a  defender  of 
his  country  in  the  Civil  war;  Eliza  is  the 
widow  of  G  M.  Drake,  of  Kansas  City, 
Missouri :  John  C.  makes  his  home  in  Wash- 
ington; Mrs.  Sarah  J.  Grime  died  in  Colo- 
rado; Sarentha  is  the  wife  of  J.  R.  Epper- 
son, of  Boone;  Thomas  R.  is  living  in  Wash- 
ington; George  W.  also  makes  his  home  in 
the  same  place;  Clara  is  a  resident  of  h>wa. 
living  near  Des  .Moines;  and  J.  X..  of  this 
review,  completes  the  family.  It  was  in  the 
year  185.;  that  the  Gildea  famil)  came  to 
Boone  county,  and  the  father  purchased  the 
farm  which  was  operated  by  his  son.  He 
died  in  [859,  and  his  wife.  Inn-  surviving 
him,  passed  awaj  in   Vpril,  r888. 

I.  X.  Gildea,  of  this  review,  was  but 
seven  years  of  age  when  his  parent 
in  Iowa.  He  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  Boone  county,  hut 
through  reading,  experience  and  observation 
has  become  a  well  informed  man.  lie  re- 
mained upon  the  "Id  homestead  until  [863, 
when  he  turned  his  attention  t«  >  merchandise. 
establishing  a  grocery  store  in  Bo 


There  he  remained  until  1872,  when  he  re- 
moved to  the  city  of  Boone  and  engaged  in 
the  same  business,  conducting  a  store  until 
1 891.  He  then  became  connected  with'  a 
green  house  enterprise,  continuing  the  rais- 
ing of  flowers  until  1901.  in  which  year  he 
established  a  store  in  Boone,  in  which  he 
carries  a  tine  line  of  cut  flowers  and  makes 
a  specialty  of  floral  designs.  In  this  busi- 
ness he  has  met  with  creditable  success,  hav- 
ing a  liberal  patronage. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  1873,  Mr., 
(iildea  married  Miss  Mattie  R.  Slater,  who 
was  born  in  Champaign  county,  Illinois,  De- 
cember _',  1851,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Slater, 
whose  birth  occurred  March  11.  181 1. 
After  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  her  fa- 
ther married  Rebecca  Harvey,  who  was  born 
April  22,  t8lO.  I  lis  death  occurred  Decem- 
ber iS.  1852,  and  his  wife  died  March  0. 
[887.  Three  children  have  blessed  themar- 
riage  of  our  subjeel  and  his  wife:  Russell 
M..  who  was  born  September  3,  1S75.  in 
Boone:  Besse  G.,  who  was  bom  December 
3,  1S77.  and  is  the  wife  of  l\  R.  Payne;  and 
Loran  S.,  who  was  born  March  17.  [881. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  hold  membership 
in  tin-  Episcopalian  church,  and  in  politics 
he  is  a  Republican,  earnest  in  support  of  the 
principles  oi  the  party,  and  for  four  years 
he  served  as  a  member  of  the  cit\  council. 
Socially  lie  1-  identified  with  the  Fraternal 
1  hoppers.  During  the  half  century  that  he 
has  resided  in  Boone  county  he  has  witnesse  1 
many  changes,  and  has  taken  an  .active  in- 
terest in  the  work  of  public  improvements. 
When  he  came  here  the  country  was  all  wild. 
little  ^t  it  having  been  reclaimed  from  its 
primitive  condition.  Deer,  elk.  buffaloes 
and  smaller  game,  such  as  ducks,  geese  and 
turkeys,   could    all    he   found    in    abundance. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


469 


an  1  wolves  were  often  seen.  Mr.  Gildea  has 
shot  ducks  at  the  o  rner  of  ]  Eighth  and  St<  iry 
streets  in  Boone.  As  the  years  have  passed, 
however,  a  great  transformation  has  been 
wrought,  and  the  little  hamlet  has  emerged 
from  primitive  conditions  to  take  its  place 
aim  mg  the  enterprising  cities  of  the  a  mum  111- 
wealth.  Air.  Gildea  has  ever  manifested  a 
deep  interest  in  his  work,  and  as  a  public 
spirited  citizen  has  done  what  he  could  to 
advance  public  progress. 


ERASTUS  R.  IRVING. 

A  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
is  the  visible  evidence  of  the  life  of  industry 
and  enterprise  which  Erastus  R.  Irving  has 
led.  He  is  living  on  section  5,  Colfax  town- 
ship, and  the  width  of  half  the  continent 
separates  him  from  his  birthplace.  He  was 
born  in  Washington  count}-.  New  York,  No- 
vembei  1.  1830,  and  is  of  English  lineage. 
His  father,  \dam  Irving,  was  horn  in  Eng- 
land, and  there  remained  until  sixteen  years 
of  age,  when  as  a  soldier  in  the  British  sen  - 
ice  he  went  to  Canada  and  on  leaving  the 
Dominion  he  removed  to  Xew  York,  locat- 
ing in  Washington  count)'.  There  he  was 
united,  in  marriage  to  Rhoby  English,  who 
was  also  of  English  lineage,  although  the 
family  had.  been  founded  in  America  in  very 
early  days,  her  first  ancestors  in  this  coun- 
try coming  across  the  Atlantic  in  the  May- 
flower. Mr.  Irving,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  a  tailor  by  trade  and  followed  that 
pursuil  throughout  his  active  business  ca- 
reer. In  the  '40s  he  removed  to  Illinois. 
settling  near  Belvidere  in  Boone  county, 
where  he  resided   for  a  number  of  war-  and, 


then  went  to  Minnesota.  He  spent  his  last 
years  \\  ith  his  sons  in  Boone  count)  and  long 
survived  his  wife,  who  died  in  Xew  York 
in    1842. 

Erastus  R.  Irving  was  reared  to  man- 
hood in  the  county  of  his  nativity  and  at 
the  usual  age  entered  the  public  schools,  a< 
quiring  a  good  English  education.  For  -tie 
term  he  engaged  in  teaching  school  in  Ben- 
ton  county.  Iowa.  In  1854  he  had  made  his 
way  westward  to  the  Mississippi,  locating 
in  Boone  county,  Illinois.  There  he  rented 
land  and  carried  on  farming,  and  in  that: 
county  he  was  united  in  marriage  in  No- 
vember, [858,  to  Nancy  M.  Burton,  a  na- 
tive of  Dutchess  county,  Xew  York,  and  a 
daughter  of  John  Burton,  who,  on  leaving 
the  Empire  state  made  his  way  to  Boone 
county.  Illinois,  in  the  '30s,  becoming  one  of 
the  first  tesidents  of  that  locality.  The 
young  couple  began  their  domestic  life  upon 
a  rented  farm  in  Boone,  which  was  their 
home  for  two  years,  and  in  1857  the)'  came 
to  Iowa,  settling  first  in  Benton  county. 
Soon  afterward,  however,  Air.  Irving  went 
to  Minnesota,  where  he  remained  until  the 
fail  of  that  year  and  then  again  took  up  his 
abode  in  Benton  count}',  where  he  engaged 
in  teaching  school  during  the  winter  of 
1857-8.  In  the  spring  of  the  latter  year  he 
again  went  to  Minnesota,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming  through  the  summer  and  in  the 
autumn  returned  to  Boone  county,  Illinois. 
There  he  engaged  in  farming  until  1S05, 
when  he  once  more  soughl  a  home  in  Iowa, 
and  during  that  year  raised  a  crop  in  Boone 
count}-.  In  the  spring  of  1866  lie  came  to 
this  county  and  purchased  ninet)  acres  of 
land  on  section  1.  Worth  township,  which 
was  then  raw  prairie  on  which  not  a  furrow 
had  been  turned  or  an  improvement  made. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


but  soon  the  track  of  the  plow  could  be  seen 
across  the  fields  which  were  fenced  and  cul- 
tivated. After  two  years  there  Mr.  Irving 
sold  that  property  and  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  cm  section  7.  Colfax 
township.  This  he  broke  and  improved, 
planted  a  very  large  orchard  and  a  walnut 
gr.ove  and  developed  a  line  farm.  Subse- 
quently he  purchased  where  he  now  resides, 
becoming  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  improved  land,  lie  now  has 
a  nice  grove  upon  the  place,  a  neat  and  sub- 
stantial   residence,   and    m     the   rear   stands 

g 1    barns    and    outbuildings,    furnishing 

shelter  tor  grain  and  stock.  This  1-  one  of 
the  best  improved  farms  in  Colfax  township 
and  is  an  indication  of  the  life  of  industry 
and  enterprise  which  Mr.   Irving  has  led. 

The  In  -me  1  d  our  subject  and  h 
has  been  blessed  with  two  children,  who  are 
yet  living.  George  B.  is  now  a  substantial 
farmer  of  the  county,  lie  was  married  in 
this  county,  March  11,  [895,  to  Man  E. 
Brown,  who  was  born  in  Salem.  Massachu- 
setts, her  father,  Edmond  Brown,  having 
come  from  'he  l'.a\  state  to  [own  aboul  181  9. 
Airs,  [rving  was  reared  and  educate'!  her 
and  prior  to  her  marriage  was  a  successful 
teacher.  By  this  marriage  one  daughter  has 
been  born,  Esther.  Edna  I-'...  the  only  liv- 
ing daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Erastus  Irv- 
ing, is  now   die  wife  of   Frank   Beckett,  of 

I ne,  and  they  have  one  son,  William  lr\ 

m.;  Beckett.  They  also  lost  a  daughter, 
Myra,  who  died  April  1.  [881.  at  the  age 
of  thirteen  years. 

Mr.  Irving  has  served  his  township  as 
justice  of  the  peace,  discharging  his  dimes 
with  fairness  and  impartiality,  and  also  the 
orifice  of  town  clerk,  lie  has  served  as  a 
delegate  to  numerous  conventions  of  the  Re- 


publican party,  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in 
promoting  its  growth  and  insuring  its  suc- 
cess. His  first  presidential  ballot  was  cast 
for  John  C.  Fremont  in  1856  and  he  also 
voted  tor  Lincoln  and  Grant,  supporting  the 
latter  at  his  first  election.  He  and  his  wife 
belong  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  lake  a  deep  interest  in  the  moral  de- 
velopment of  the  community.  Mr.  Irving 
is  a  citizen  of  worth  who  has  ,-,  operated  in 
man}  movements  for  the  general  good.  His 
own  life  record  is  a  creditable  and  honorable 
one  and  the  success  he  has  achieved  has  come 
to  him  as  the  direct  result  of  his  wn  energy 
and  capable  management.  When  he  started 
out  in  life  he  had  no  influential  friends  to 
assist  him  and  no  inheritance  to  give  him  a 
start,  but  with  strong  purpose  and  laudable 
ambition  he  has  worked  his  way  steadily  up- 
1  In-  plane  1  a  affluence. 


CLAUS  HAGGE. 

A  successful  business  career  has  been 
that  of  Glaus  I  lagge  and  four  hundred  acres 
of  the  rich  land  of  Boone  count}  is  now  in 
ssion.  I  le  is  also  a  member  1  a"  the 
fennings  &  Hagge,  grain  merchants 
.  f  1  >gden.  Through  thirty  years  he  has  re- 
sided in  this  count}  and  is  familiar  with  the 
history  of  the  town  from  the  period  of  its 
inception.  He  came  to  America  from  Ger- 
many, his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  fa- 
therland on  the  19th  of  September,  1847. 
I  lis  parents,  Henry  and  Anna  Hagge,  were 
also  natives  of  Germany,  and  the  father 
ried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until 
[868,  when  he  resolved  to  seek  a  home  and 
fortune  in  America  and  made  his  way  across 


THE    BlOcRJrillL.il.    RECORD. 


the  Atlantic.  On  landing  on  the  shores  of 
the  new  world  he  immediately  proceeded 
westward  to  Jackson  county,  Iowa,  where 
he  resided  for  two  years  and  then  went  to 
Dallas  countw  where  lie  also  spent  two 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
came  to  Boone  county,  settling-  in  Yell  town- 
ship, where  he  continued  to  reside  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1S75. 
His  wife  survived  him  for  a  few  years  and 
was  called  to  the  home  beyond  in  [881.  In 
their  family  were  eighl  children  and  three 
of  the  number  are  yel  living  in  Boone  county 
and  are  connected  with  its  agricultural  in- 
terests. 

Claus  Hagge  is  indebted  to  the  common 
school  system  of  his  native  land  for  the  ed- 
ucational privileges  he  enjoyed.  He  re- 
mained at  home  until  twenty  years  of  age 
and  then  began  farming  in  Yell  township, 
Boone  county,  renting  a  tract  of  land  in  that 
locality.  In  1S77  he  removed  to  Amaqua 
township  and,  purchasing  a  tract  of  land,  at 
once  began  its  further  development  and  im- 
provement. In  1S70  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Mi--  Margaret  Henson,  a.  daughter 
of  Dietleb  Henson,  of  Boone  county.  Seven 
children  have  been  horn  of  this  marriage. 
Henry.  Elizabeth,  Jerry,  Alvina,  Mary,  W  ill 
iam  and  Wilbelmina. 

After  Ins  marriage  Mr.  Hagge  took  his 
bride  to  his  farm,  where  he  resiled  contin- 
uously until  [893.  During  that  period  he 
placed  his  land  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation, his  well  tilled  fields  bringing  to 
him  golden  harvests:  He  also  added  many 
improvements  to  the  place,  hut  at  length  he 
decided  to  retire  from  active  farm  life  and 
removed  t"  Ogden,  where  he  entered  into 
business  relations  with  Mr.  Hennings,  as  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Hennings  &  Hagge. 


I  hey  are  now  well  known  giai.i  merchants 
and  buy  and  sell  on  an  extensive  ile.  They 
also  handle  lumber  and  agricultural  imple- 
ments and  'heir  business  is  increasing  yearly. 
Mr.  Hagge  and  his  wife  are  devoted 
members  of  the  <  lerman  Lutheran  church  of 
(  Igden,  and  he  is  a  Democrat,  having  c  m 
tinuously  supported  die  party  since  attain- 
ing his  majority.  Upon  that  ticket  he  was 
elected  township  trustee  of  Amaqua  town- 
ship and  sewed  continuously  in  the  office  for 
nine  -ears,  while  for  seven  years  he  was 
scli'  1:  '1  direc  tor.  He  is  now  serving  as  school 
director  in  the  town  of  (  )gden  and  is  also  a 
member  of  the  city  council.  I  lis  life  has 
been  one  oi  industry  and  enterprise  and  his 
prosperity  is  die  merited  reward  of  his  own 
labor.  In  addition  to  his  business  and  his 
home  in  the  town  he  still  owns  four  hun- 
dred •'  res  1  if  die  rich  land  of  Boone  coun- 
ty. All  has  been  acquired  through  his  ca- 
pable management  and  diligence  and  his  lile 
should  :  rve  as  a  source  of  encouragement 
to  others  who  are  forced  to  enter  upon  a 
business  career  without  capital. 


II.  M.  HAMILTON. 

In  the  pursuit  of  business  interests  II. 
M.  Hamilton  accumulated  a  comfortable 
competence  that  now  enables  him  to  live  re- 
tired from  the  active  management  of  busi- 
ness affairs.  lie  makes  Ins  home  111  (  Igden, 
where  at  one  time  he  conducted  an  imple- 
ment store,  and  he  still  owns  an  implement 
business  in  Madrid,  this  county.  I  le  has  re- 
sided in  Boone  count}  since  [865  and  has 
therefore  been  a  witness  of  much  of  the 
progress  and  development  of  this  pari  of  the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


state.  A  native  of  La  Grange  county,  In- 
diana, he  was  born  April  3,  1839,  a  son  of 
Robert  I  lamilton,  who  was  an  Indiana  farm- 
er, and  there  spent  his  entire  life. 

The  subject  of  this  review  after  acquir- 
ing his  preliminary  education  became  a  stu- 
dent in  Cornell  College  of  Alt.  Vernon, 
Iowa.  He  came  to  this  state  in  1858  and 
after  attending  the  college  at  Mt.  Vernon  he 
removed  to  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  where -he 
established  a  general  mercantile  store,  which 
he  conducted  for  four  years.  On  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  removed  to  Boone 
and  began  the  manufacture  of  furniture, 
sash,  doors,  etc.  His  connection  with  that 
enterprise  continued  for  three  years,  after 
which  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming  on 
section  I''.  Beavet  township.  He  afterward 
bought  .1  farm  in  Marcy  township,  where 
he  remained  until  [873.  lie  then  sold  thai 
property,  coming  thence  to  Ogden,  where 
he  opened  a  general  implement  store,  carry- 
ing mi  business  with  good  success  until 
1901.  As  the  years  passed  a  liberal  patron- 
age was  accorded  him  and  he  gained  a 
gratifying  competence;  which  now  enables 
him  to  live  retired  in  the  enjoymenl  of  the 
fruits  of  his  former  toil.  He  also  opened 
a  small  business  in  Madrid,  which  he  still 
carries  on,  although  it  is  under  the  manage- 
ment of  his  son.  lie  is  likewise  engaged  in 
the  same  line  of  business  at  I  lavelock,  [owa. 
Mr.  I  Ian  lilt' hi  intends  to  reside  in  the  future 
in  California,  expecting  t<>  remove  to  the 
Goklen  state  after  about  a  year. 

Mr.  Hamilton  has  been  twice  married. 
Me  first  wedded  Helen  Watson,  who  died  in 
[868,  and  later  he  married  Loretta  House- 
man. '  a"  the  Enipiri  state.  The  children 
born  of  the  first  marriage  are:  William. 
who     is    i!  i\\    residing     in     (  .  ill  iradi  i :     and 


Harry,  who  has  charge  of  his  father's  im- 
plement business  in  Madrid.  Mr.  Hamilton 
votes  with  the  Republican  party  and  believes 
firmly  in  its  principles,  but  has  never  sought 
or  desired  office.  Socially  be  is  connected 
with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
of  Boone.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  church  of  Ogden 
and  are  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  a 
large  circle  of  friends.  Mr.  Hamilton  gained 
an  enviable  reputation  as  a  reliable,  enter- 
prising and  progressive  business  man  and 
throughout  the  years  of  his  connection  with 
mercantile  interests  in  Brume  he-enjoyed  in 
a  large  measure  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  those  of  win  mi  he  was  associated. 


CHARLES  ALDRICH. 


By  J 1 


M. 


The  founder  and  curator  of  the  Iowa 
State  Historical  Department  was  born  Octo- 
ber 2,  [828,  in  the  town  of  Ellington,  Chau- 
tauqua county,  New  Turk,  son  of  Stephen 
and  Eliza  (Nichols)  Aldrich.  He  is  of  the 
ninth  generation  from  the  immigrant  an- 
cestor, George  Aldrich.  of  Derbyshire,  Eng- 
land, who  arrived  in  Boston,  Massachusetts. 
November  6,  10,^1.  the  genealogical  line 
since  being  (2)  Joseph,  (3)  Samuel,  (4) 
Peter,  (5)  Sylvanus,  (6)  Stephen,  (7) 
Stephen,  and  (8)  Stephen,  the  last  named 
being  the  father  of  our  subject.  The  father 
was  a  blacksmith  in  early  life,  and  after- 
wards a  merchant-lumberman  and  farmer. 
He  was  a  kindly,  impulsive,  energetic  and 
well  informed  man.  lie  had  been  honored 
as  county  supervisor  and  justice  of  the  peace 
upon  the  organization  of  the  town  1  E  Cold 
spring,  Cattaraugus  county,   New  York,  in 


CHARLES   ALDRICH. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1838.  The  mother  died  in  1880  at  the  resi- 
lience of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Jane  Aldrich 
Lee.  at  Oleun,  New  York,  whither  Charles, 
in  [882,  sent  the  remains  of  his  father,  who 
died  in  Iowa,  and  the  parents  sleep  side  by 
side,  in  the  shade  of  towering  pines,  in  the 
beautiful  cemetery  by  the  Allegany  river. 
Stephen  Nichols,  his  grandfather  on  his 
mother's  side,  had  been  a  sailor,  visiting 
many  p>  rtions  of  the  globe  and  ending  his 
days  as  a  fanner  at  Broadalbin,  New  York. 
The  maternal  grandmother  was  Lucy  (Ken- 
nicott  )  Nichols,  o\  whom  we  have  no  partic- 
ulars save  that  she  was  a  Kennicott,  an  aunt 
of  Robert  Kennicott,  the  distinguished  west- 
ern naturalist. 

His  elementary  education  was  Mich  as  the 
common  schools  afforded,  and  at  sixteen  he 
attended  Jamestown  Academy  for  a  year,  but 
his  real  education  began  in  June,  1846,  when 
he  entered  the  printing"  office  of  the.  West- 
ern Literary  Messenger  published  b)  I  leni- 
ent &  Faxon,  in  Buffalo,  New  York.  In 
this  office  he  served  an  apprenticeship  to  the 
printer's  art,  and  after  working  in  the  vil- 
lages of  Attica  and  Warsaw.  New  York, 
and  Warren,  Pennsylvania,  in  June,  1S50, 
established.  The  Cattaraugus  Sachem,  a 
weekly  newspaper,  at  Randolph,  New  York, 
which  he  conducted  one  year.  A  tile  of 
The  Sachem  is  in  the  [owa  Historical  De- 
partment. Removing  to  1  llean,  in  the  same 
county,  he  established  The  Journal,  which 
he  conducted  five  years,  and  then  returned 
to  the  home-  farm  in  Little  Valley,  where  he 
remained  until  he  removed   west   in    1  S 5 7 . 

It  was  in  June  of  this  latter  year  that  he 
set  n])  in  a  modest  office  The  I  [amilton  Free- 
man, al  Webster  City,  Iowa.  The  press,  type 
and  office  fixture-  had  been  hauled  across  the 
country    from    Dubuque,    over    the    prairie 


roads  and  through  sloughs  "without  bot- 
tom." The  prospect — a  Republican  paper  in 
a  village  of  two  hundred  inhabitants,  the 
county  all  told  having  but  fifteen  hundred, 
and  the  official  patronage  in  the  hands  of 
the  Democrats — was  not  the  most  encour- 
aging to  one  with  less  vigor  and  confident 
hopefulness.  He  came  quite  naturally  to 
be  a  Republican,  for  he  was  a  Freesoiler 
long  before  his  majority.  At  the  age  of  nine- 
teen he  was  chosen  secretary  of  the  first  Free- 
soil — anti-slavery — convention  held  in  Cat- 
taraugus county,  Xew  York.  It  was  in  the 
midst  of  the  discussions  of  the  slavery  ques- 
tions, and  words  were  not  minced  on  the 
frontier  in  political  contests.  This  result,  to 
The  Freeman  and  its  patrons,  justified  the 
venture,  and  party  lines  were  soon  readjusted 
on  a  more  satisfactory  basis.  Subsequently 
Mr.  Aldrich  was  connected  with  the  publica- 
tion rmd  editing  of  The  Dubuque  Times, 
Marshall  Times,  and  as  a  writer  for  The 
Chicago  Infer  Ocean  and  many  other  pa- 
pers. 

He  has  served  the  state  in  five  of  its  legis- 
latures. He  was  chosen  chief  clerk  of  the 
house  of  representatives  in  i860,  1862,  1866 
and  1N70,  and  was  elected  a  member  of  that 
body  by  Hamilton  county  in  1881,  serving 
in  the  session  which  began  in  the  following 
January.  It  was  during  this  session  that  he 
introduced  a  bill  to  prohibit  the  issuing  by 
the  railroads  of  free  passes  to  public  officers, 
ddiis  bill  was  favored  by  two  or  three  of  the 
leading  companies  and  opposed  by  others. 
It  became  the  exciting  topic  of  the  session 
and  was  hotly  debated  on  the  floor  of  the 
house  and  in  the  newspapers.  .Mr.  Aldrich's 
remarks  in  its  defense  were  copied  ]>v  the 
leading  journals  throughout  the  country 
from    New    York    to   San    Francisco.      No 


476 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


speech  of  any  Iowa  man  has  ever  had  so  wide 
a  circulation.  But  the  bill  failed  to  become  a 
law.  This  topic  was  discussed  by  Mr. 
Aldrich  and  the  late  Judge  N.  M.  Hubbard, 
of  Cedar  Rapids,  in  the  North  American 
Review  for  January,  1884. 

In  1869,  doubtless  through  the  good 
offices  of  his  abiding  friend,  the  late  Hon. 
J.  B.  Grinnell,  Iowa  College  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  A.  M.  In  1883  he 
was  one  of  the  founders  and  is  still  a  member 
of  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  several  state  historical 
societies. 

In  1883  Mr.  Aldrich  started  for  the  Hoi) 
Land  with  his  friend,  Jacob  M.  Funk,  of 
Webster  City.  They  traveled  in  England, 
Ireland,  Belgium.  Germany,  Italy  and 
France,  but  went  no  farther  east  than  the 
city  of  Xaples,  on  account  of  the  cholera 
which  had  begun  its  march  across  Europe. 
Mr.  Funk  came  home  two  weeks  in  advance 
of  Mr.  Aldrich,  who  then  visited  the  Chan- 
nel islands,  Winchester.  Selbourne,  Canter- 
bury, Stratford-on-Avon,  Oxford,  Cam- 
bridge ami  Birmingham.  He  had  the  good 
fortune  to  hear  sermons  on  Martin  Luther 
hy  Spurgeon,  (anon  Farrar  and  the  then 
Archbishop  of  York.  He  also,  heard  an  elo- 
quent charity  sermon  by  Cardinal  Manning, 
and  was  kindly  received  by  Cardinal  New- 
man. He  crossed  the  Atlantic  twice  later 
on  hut  ilid  not  go  beyond  England. 

Mr.  Aldrich  has  devoted  much  time  to 
the  work  of  securing  just  and  necessary  legis- 
lation for  his  state.  We  will  enumerate 
briefly  a  few  of  these  measures  :  In  1858  he 
secured  the  passage  of  a  law  for  the  publica- 
tion of  the  laws  in  two  newspapers  in  each 
county.  Tn  this  work  he  had  the  hearty  sup- 
port  of  Cyrus  ( '.  Carpenter,  afterwards  gov 


ernor ;  of  James  F.  Wilson,  who  became  one 
of  our  United  States  senators,  and  of  Captain 
Thomas  Drummond,  the  brilliant  Iowa  jour- 
nalist, who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Five 
Forks,  Virginia.  This  law  was  repealed 
some  time  in  the  '70s,  but  it  had  served  a 
good  purpose  while  it  was  on  the  statute 
hook.      The  change   in   county   government 

(i860)  from  the  old  county  judge — auto- 
cratic, and  often  corrupt  or  inefficient — sys- 
tem, to  boards  of  supervisors,  was  due  to  the 
agitation  started  and  continued  by  him. 
The  publication  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
hoards  of  supervisors,  the  lists  of  county 
expenditures,  and  the  sheriffs'  sales  of  real 
property,  were  secured  by  laws  drafted  by 
Mr.  Aldrich.  lie  drafted  and  secured  the 
passage  of  the  Iowa  law  of  1870  which  pro- 
tects from  wanton  destruction  our  harmless 
and  useful  birds.  Of  this  pioneer  measure 
he  ha<  always  Keen  very  proud.  It  still  re- 
mains in  the  Code  of  Iowa,  though  slightly 
amended.  In  the  session  of  iNNj  he  intro- 
duced and  secured  the  passage  of  the  bill 
which  gave  to  Judge  fames  W.  McKenzie's 
widow  a  continuance  of  his  salary  for  some 
months.  McKenzie  was  the  soldier  who 
"waved  the  answer  back  to  Sherman"  from 

M-it' a  to  Kenesaw.       He  had  died  while 

in  office  from  the  effects  of  his  army  service. 
I  U  also  introduced  a  hill  providing  for  a 
state  hoard  of  pardons,  which  passed  the 
house  but  was  not  reached  in  the  senate. 
Up  to  this  session  neither  house  had  ever 
had  a  legislative  calendar.  Mr.  Aldrich  in- 
troduced a  resolution  directing  the  adop- 
tion of  this  sensible  and  altogether  indispen- 
sable custom,  hut  it  was  pounced  upon  and 
I'  ught  by  sundry  economists  with  more 
than  ordinary  bitterness,  lie  secured  its 
reference  to  the  committee  011  rules,  and  tak- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


477 


ing  a  roll-call  explained  the  measure  to 
members  individually,  promising-  to  pay  the 
expense  of  printing,  if  after  a  week's  trial 
the  house  should  discontinue  the  morning 
calendar.  As  members  promised  to  stand 
by  this  experiment  he  checked  their  names. 
When  a  majority  was  secured  he  got  the 
resolution  reported  back,  but  "without  rec- 
ommendation," so  cautions  and  "conserva- 
tive"' were  the  committee.  When  it  came  up 
it  was  passed  and  the  appearance  of  the  first 
morning  calendar  made  the  custom  a  perma- 
nent one  in  Iowa  legislatures.  The  sen- 
ate provided  for  morning  calendars  two  or 
three  days  later,  and  that  excellent  measure 
of  true  economy  continues  as  a  fixed  cus- 
tom to  this  day.  In  old  times  Iowa  official 
publications  were  only  bound  in  sleazy 
paper  covers.  In  1862  Mr.  Aldrich  secured 
the  adoption  of  a  measure  which  after  some 
experiments  resulted  in  the  permanent  bind- 
ing of  our  public  documents.  He  drew  up 
the  program  for  securing  the  repeal  of  the 
old  "Granger  law''  of  1874,  and  the  substi- 
tution of  the  commissioner  or  Massachusetts 
system.  This  law  passed  in  1878  and  is  yet 
on  the  statute  book.  Upon  the  publication 
(if  Poole's  Index  to  Periodical  Literature, 
he  urged  upon  the  board  of  state  library 
trustees,  ami  advocated  the  idea  through  the 
press,  of  beginning  at  once  a  collection  of 
the  magazines  of  this  country  and  England. 
This  work  proceeded  slowly  at  first,  but  lie 
persisted  in  his  efforts  until  it  became  the 
settled  policy  of  the  state  library,  and  the 
collection  is  now  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  one  id"  those  acquisi- 
tions of  which  every  Iowan  may  justly  feel 
proud. 

Mr.   Aldrich   has  labored   to  develop  a 
sentiment  in  favor  of  republishing  such  of 


the  early  laws  of  the  territory  and  state  as 
have  been  long  out  of  print.  The  first  vol 
nine  (1838-9)  has  been  issued,  and  at 
this  writing  (July,  1902, )  the  second  is  in 
pros.  The  department  has  also  issued  the 
following  historical  works:  Census  of 
[836,  two  handsome  pamphlets;  lion.  Ir- 
ving B.  Richman's  "John  Brown  Among  the 
Quakers"  and  other  sketches:  the  hitherto 
unpublished  journals  of  the  special  session 
of  the  territorial  legislature  of  1840;  and 
Shambaugh's  "History  of  the  Iowa  Consti- 
tutions." He  has  also  published  five  Bien- 
nial Reports  of  the  Historical  Department. 
It  has  been  found  necessary  to  reprint  a  few 
numbers  of  The  Annals,  the  editions  having 
been  exhausted.  Mr.  Aldrich  hopes  to  pub- 
lish Captain  F.  E.  Lander's  Historical  and 
Geographical  Atlas  of  the  United  States, 
and  a  second  and  revised  edition  of  Judge 
Fulton's  Red  Men  of  Iowa. 

Believing  that  our  public  documents 
would  become  of  the  highest  value  for  his- 
torical purposes,  Mr.  Aldrich  applied  in 
1859  to  the  secretary  of  state,  Hon.  Elijah 
Sells,  for  a  full  set.  "I  cannot  give  them 
to  you,"  said  Mr.  Sells,  "for  the  reason  that 
the  state  does  not  possess  a  set."  Waste 
bad  even  then  been  going  on  for  several 
years.  Mr.  Aldrich,  younger  then,  at  once 
gave  up  the  effort,  thinking  an  imperfect  set 
was  not  worth  procuring.  He  would  do 
differently  today  and  save  such  as  could  be 
secured. 

In  [862  Mr.  Aldrich  locked  up  his  news- 
paper office  and  entered  the  Union  army. 
lie  was  made  adjutant  of  the  Thirty-second 
Iowa  Infantry  and  served  as  such  for  eight- 
een months  when  he  resigned  and  returned 
io  low, 1.  Soon  afterward  he  was  preparing 
1   tin1  service  as  major  of  the  Tenth 


473 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Cavalry,  when  orders  came  discontinuing 
the  organization  of  that  regiment.  Subse- 
quently Gen.  M.  M.  Crocker  tendered  him 
a  position  on  his  staff  as  lie  was  about  to 
proceed  to  his  command  in  the  department 
of  Arizona,  but  lie  was  obliged  to  decline 
because   of   private  business. 

As  indicating  his  natural  bent  in  the  di- 
rection of  historical  affairs,  it  may  be  re- 
called that  while  a  resident  of  Webster  City 
he  aroused  public  interest  and  secured  the 
placing  of  a  beautiful  brass  tablet  in  the 
new  courthouse,  commemorating  the  names 
and  deeds  of  the  Company  (C)  contributed 
by  Hamilton  county  to  the  Spirit  Lake  ex- 
pedition of  1857.  In  1894  the  legislature 
appropriated  the  funds  to  erect  a  monument 
to  mark  the  spot  where  the  massacre  began, 
and  Governor  Jackson  appointed  Mr.  Al- 
drich  a  member  of  the  commission  which 
had  charge  of  the  work.  Another 
ture  provided  for  the  erection  of  a  monu- 
ment near  Sioux  City  to  mark  the  grave 
of  Sergeant  Floyd,  a  member  of  the  Lewis 
and  Clarke  expedition,  who  died  there  in 
1804,  and  was  the  first  American  soldier 
buried  in  Iowa  soil.  Mr.  Aldrich  was  a 
member  of  the  Floyd  Mem. -.rial  association, 
which  brought  the  subject  to  public  atten- 
tion. In  1872  he  was  appointed  b 
nor  Cyrus  C.  Carpenter  a  member 
commission  to  investigate  and  report  upon 
the  titles  of  settlers  in  the  Des  Moines  valley 
who  had  lost  their  homes  by  adverse  de- 
cisions of  the  United  States  supreme  court. 
They  continued  in  office  until  the  early  part 
of  [875,  their  labors  resulting  in  the  pass- 
age of  an  act  by  congress  for  a  new  com- 
mission  and  a  report  to  the  genera]  [ 
ment.  Mr.  Aldrich  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Grant  as  the  Iowa  member  of  this  com- 


mission, whose  recommendation  for  relief 
passed  the,  house,  but  failed  in  the  senate. 
In  the  year  1875  he  was  a  member  of  the 
United  States  geological  survey  under  Dr. 
F.  V.  Hayden,  which  was  engaged  that  year 

do,  Utah.  Arizona  and  New  Mex- 
ico. His  letters  to  the  Chicago  Inter-Ocean 
were  widely  read,  often  copied  and  very  in- 
teresting. Father  Boren,  the  pioneer  miner 
in  the  La  Plata  valley.  Colorado,  and  the 
discoverer  of  Boren"s  Gulch,  named  a  moun- 
tain for  Mr.  Aldrich.  The  name  "Mount 
Aldrich,"  is  recognized  in  the  United  States 
geological  reports. 

For  the  past  eighteen  years  the  histori- 
cal department  of  Iowa  has  engaged  the 
chief  attention  of  Mr.  Aldrich.  It  is  his 
development  and  will  remain  his  most  en- 
during monument.  It  had  its  origin  in  a 
taste  acquired   in  early  youth   for  the  col- 

;'  autograph  letter-,  portraits,  and 
other  personal  mementoes  of  distinguished 

living  and  dead.  In  1884.  when 
this  had  grown  to  considerable  magnitude, 
he  tendered  it  to  the  state.  It  was  accepted 
by  the  tr  state  library,  with  the 

conditions  that  it  should  have  suitable  cases, 
be  kept  separate  from  other  collections,  and 
that  he  should  be  privileged,  to  make  addi- 

i  from  time  to  time.  He  has  de- 
voted much  time  and  means  to  increasing 
and  caring  for  this  '"Aldrich  Collection," 
es  in  which  the  material 
is  kept.  These  cases  have  been  adopted  for 
like  purposes  in  libraries  and  other  collec- 
tions. They  ar  contain- 
Sfreat  collections  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum. 

In   1892,  upon  Mr.  Aldrich's  showing  to 

lature,  that  body  established  the 
Historical  Department,  and  gave  it  r.  ~>nis 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


479 


in   the  Capitol   building.     Its   development 

was  of  --low  growth  at  first,  for  it  is  seldom 
that  the  public's  appreciation  of  the  higher 
■  ;'  life  keeps  pace  with  the  wider 
views  of  their  promoters;  but  in  [897,  the 
legislature  made  an  appropriation  of  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  with  which  to  erect  a 
building  and  purchase  the  grounds  therefor. 
After  a  site  was  bought  the  Executive  G  >un- 
cil  deemed  the  amount  too  small  to  erect  a 
suitable  building  and  decided  to  await  the 
acti<  >n  1  >t  the  next  legislature.  During  this 
period  the  campaign  of  popular  education 
went  on,  and  the  legislature  of  1898  appro- 
priated thirty  thousand  dollars  more 
for  this  purpose.  New  and  much  larger 
grounds  were  secured  and  one  wing 
of  a  building  which,  when  completed, 
will  cost  three  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
was  commenced  in  1898  and  is  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Historical  Department.  The  ed- 
ucational value  of  this  great  work  is  fully 
recognized.  It  is  collecting  and  saving  from 
destruction  the  materials  from  which  the 
history  of  the  state  will  be  written  sooner  or 
later,  its  walls  are  adorned  with  portraits, 
and  marble  busts  of  many  of  its  distin- 
guished citizens  are  to  be  placed  in  the  art 
room.  A  museum  of  articles  mainly  illus- 
trating the  pioneer  conditions  of  the  state 
is  a  very  interesting  feature  and  is  viewed 
by  thousands  of  people  every  year.  The 
department  is  collecting  and  preserving 
earl}-  and  current  files  of  state  newspapers 
and  periodicals  so  useful  for  purp 
reference.  In  connection  with  the  depart- 
ment there  is  published  a  quarterly.  The 
Annals  of  Iowa,  through  which  the  public 
i^  brought  in  touch  with  the  work  of  the  in- 
stitution. 

Mr.  Aldrich  has  made  an  addition  to  the 


Kendall  Young  Library  in  Webster  City, 
consisting  of  several  hundred  volumes  main- 
ly in  natural  history,  and  which  is  believed  to 
contain  the  best  collection  of  books  on  the 
birds  in  the  state.  Among  them  is  a  set  of  the 
works  of  John  James  Audubon,  with  all  the 
original  illustrations  in  colors,  in  full  mo- 
rocco binding.  He  has  also  made  considera- 
ble gifts  to  the  Masonic  Library  at  Cedar 
Rapids,  and  to  the  public  libraries  of  Boone, 
Burlington  and  Council  Bluffs. 

On  July  29.  185 1.  he  was  married  at 
Knowlesville.  Xew  York,  to  Miss  Matilda 
Olivia  Williams,  who  was  born  August  8. 
1836.  in  Dansville.  Xew  York,  and  died  in 
Boone,  Iowa,  September  18,  1892,  the  fam- 
ily having  removed  there  in  1891.  Her  par- 
ents were  Aaron  and  Olivia  (  Nichols)  Will- 
iams. Her  grandfather,  Stephen  Williams, 
had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war 
and  was  seriously  wounded  in  the  battle  of 
Trenton  December  26.  1777.  losing  an  eye 
and  afterwards  die  other  through  sympa- 
thetic  affection.  He  was  blind  fully  half  his 
lifetime.  She  was  in  full  sympathy  with  all 
her  husband's  ambitions,  and  was  well  and 
widely  known  throughout  the  state,  and  sin- 
cerely mourned  at  her  death.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  American  Society  for  the 
Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  and  a 
lover  of  the  birds.  Mr.  Aldrich  was  mar- 
ried a  second  time.  November  12.  [898,  to 
Miss  Tliirza  Louisa  Briggs,  of  Webster 
City,  a  lifelong  friend  of  his  first  wife. 
Their  home  in  Boone  is  an  ideal  one.  a  cen- 
ter of  rest  and  pleasure  to  their  old  friends. 

Mr.  Aldrich's  mental  equipment  is  most 
versatile,  with  the  faculty  of  immediate  con- 
centration upon  the  subject  in  hand,  and  un- 
tiringly persistent  to  its  end.  His  style  of. 
writing   i;    concise,    lucid,   with   a   dash   of 


480 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


quaint,  applicable  humor  and  excellent  power 
of  description.  There  is  no  straining  for 
high-flown  expressions.  He  has  always  too 
much  to  say  thus  to  waste  space.  In  dispo- 
sition he  is  a  maker  of  friends  and  loyal  to 
them  when  secured.  His  enemies,  if  he  has 
them,  are  managed  by  letting  them  alone, 
tin  nigh  in  his  newspaper  days  the  editorial 
belt  may  at  times  have  been  ornamented  with 
distinguished  scalps.  He  is  fond  of  the  so- 
ciety of  young  people,  to  whom  he  has  long 
been  helpful  in  many  ways.  In  religion  he  is 
liberal,  believing  the  best  expression  of  faith 
is  in  deeds  of  charity  and  sympathy  with  suf- 
fering humanity,  rather  than  in  creeds  and 
dogmas.  His  life  has  been  an  illustration  of 
this  thought,  for  most  of  his  work  has  been 
done  without  pecuniary  reward.  May  he  live 
many  years  to  continue  this  helpfulness! 


THOMAS  J.  GEYER. 

In  Pilot  Mound  reside  many  retired 
farmers  who  in  the  capable  management  of 
business  affairs  in  former  years  have  won  a 
competence  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  now 
rest  from  the  arduous  duties  of  field  and 
meadow.  Such  a  one  is  Thomas  J.  Geyer, 
who  for  a  third  of  a  century  carried  on  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  and  still  owns  a  valuable 
farm  three  miles  east  of  town.  A  native  of 
Ohio,  he  was  horn  in  Muskingum  county, 
April  21,  1842,  and  is  a  son  of  tsaac  Geyer, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Mbnongahela,  Penn- 
sylvania. The  grandfather,  George  Geyer, 
was  of  German  parentage  and  represented 
one  of  the  first  families  established  in  that 


portion  of  the  Keystone  state.  At  a  later 
day  George  Geyer  removed  with  his  family 
to  <  )hio,  becoming  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Muskingum  county.  There  the  family  be- 
came familiar  with  pioneer  life  in  its  dif- 
ferent phases,  enjoying  its  pleasures  and 
also  experiencing  its  hardships  and  trials. 
Isaac  Geyer  was  there  reared,  being  the 
youngest  of  a  family  of  six — five  sons  and 
one  daughter.  He  succeeded  to  the  owner- 
ship of  the  old  homestead  in  Muskingum 
county,  whereon  lie  had  received  ample 
training  at  farm  labor.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Jane  Tomlinson,  who  was  born 
in  Virginia,  but  was  reared  in  Ohio,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Solomon  Tomlinson,  another  early 
settler  of  Muskingum  county.  Mr.  Geyer 
became  a  leading  and  influential  farmer 
there  and  upon  the  old  homestead  which  he 
developed  and  improved  he  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  life,  passing  away  in  [888,  when 
he  had  reached  the  advanced  age  of  seventy- 
eight  years.  His  wife  also  passed  away  at  a 
ripe  old  age,  dying  in  [895,  when  more  than 
eighty  years  of  age. 

Thomas  J.  Geyer  is  the  only  son  of  these 
worth)  people.  He  was  reared  to  manhood 
in  the  county  of  bis  nativity,  the  old  home- 
stead farm  being  bis  playground  in  youth. 
lli-*  educational  privileges  were  somewhat 
limited,  for  the  schools  of  that  district  bad 
not  reached  their  present  advanced  Standard 
and  aKo  his  aid  was  needed  in  the  cultiva- 
tion ,,f  the  farm.  lie  continued  to  devote 
hi-  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits  until 
May,  [864,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army  for  one  hundred  days'  service,  joining 
the  One  Hundred  and  Sixtieth  Ohio  Regi- 
ment of  the  National  Guard.  This  command 
■iied  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


48  r 


and  was  sent  to  Virginia,  where  it  did  guard 
duty  and  was  held  in  reserve,  being  largely 
used  in  guarding  railroads,  trains  and  also 
in  guarding  prisoners.  Mr.  Geyer  served 
until  after  the  term  of  his  enlistment  and 
was  then  mustered  out  and  honorably  dis- 
charged in  Zanesville,  Ohio,  in  September, 
[864.  lie  then  returned  to  the  farm,  hut 
did  nnt  long  continue  his  residence  in  Ohio. 
In  1865  our  subject  removed  westward 
to  Illinois,  and  the  following  February  came 
to  Boone  county,  Iowa,  where  he  began  work 
as  a  farm  hand  by  the  month.  Soon  after- 
ward, however,  he  began  following  car- 
pentering in  the  city  of  Boone  and  later 
in  the  county  and  at  Pilot  Mbund,  being 
thus  employed  for  about  two  years.  After 
his  marriage  he  took  up  his  abode  upon  a 
farm  which  he  rented,  and  later  he  bought 
a  place,  first  purchasing  ten  acres,  lie  be- 
gan to  farm  this  and  other  land  which  he 
leased,  and  as  success  crowned  his  efforts 
and  his  capital  was  thereby  increased  he  pur- 
chased other  land  from  time  to  time  and  now 
has  a  place  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two 
acres  in  the  home  farm.  He  built  a  good 
sei  of  farm  buildings  upon  it  and  placed  his 
land  under  a  very  high  state  of  cultivation: 
in  fact,  the  property  became  a  desirable  and 
valuable  tract,  and  to  its  further  improve- 
ment and  development  Mr.  Geyer  gave  his 
undivided  attention  until  igoi,  when  he 
came  to  Pilot  .Mound  and  located  in  the 
heart  of  the  town  .,n  four  and  a  half  acres 
ol  land  which  he  had  purchased  several 
years  before.  L'pon  it  he  has  built  a  go<  id 
residence  and  his  attention  is  now  devoted 
to  keeping  up  this  place.  The  house  is  in 
first  class  condition  and  the  beautiful  lawn 
is  carefully  tended.  Otherwise  Mr.  (lever 
is  living  a  retired  life  ami  well  does  he  merit 


the  rest,  for  through  a  long  period  his  life 
was  one  of  untiring  activity. 

On  the  ,3d  of  November,  1868,  in  Pilot 
Mound  township,  Mir.  Geyer  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Mary  Ann  Berry,  a  native  of 
Indiana  and  a  daughter  of  George  W.  Berry, 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  county,  living 
along  the  Des  Moines  river.  Mrs.  Geyer 
was  largely  reared  and  educated  in  Boone 
county.  She  proved  to  her  husband  a  faith- 
ful companion  and  helpntote  on  life's  joiirney 
for  many  years,  but  in  September,  1S87.  was 
called  to  her  final  rest,  leaving  a  desolate 
household,  her  loss  being  deeply  mourned 
not  only  by  her  immediate  family,  but  also 
by  many  friends.  In  the  family  were  six 
children:  John  S.,  who  is  now  residing  in 
Colorado  City,  Colorado;  Adda  Mav,  the 
wife  of  C.  C.  Copeland.  of  Pilot  Mound,  by 
whom  she  has  two  sons,  Orrin  and  Rolin; 
Charles  B.,  who  is  married  and  is  farming 
the  old  home  place;  William,  wlho  is  also 
living  there  with  his  brother;  Jennie,  the 
wife  of  Howard  Kelley.  a  farmer  of  Dodge 
township,  by  whom  she  has  one  daughter; 
and  Hattie  A.,  who  is  acting  as  her  father's 
housekeeper. 

Mr.  Geyer' s  study  of  the  political  ques- 
tions of  the  day  has  led  him  to  ally  his  po- 
litical strength  with  the  Republican  party. 
He  cast  his  first  presidential  ballot  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  in  [864,  and  has  since  voted  for 
each  candidate  of  the  organization  seeking 
to  become  the  chief  executive  of  the  nation. 
He  has  served  at  different  times  as  township 
trustee  and  as  assessor,  having  made  two  as- 
sessments of  pilot  Mound  township,  lie 
was  ever  the  friend  of  education,  believing 
in  securing  competent  teachers  and  thereby 
promoting  the  schools.  Me  belongs  to  the 
Baptist  church  of  Pilot  Mound,  has  taken  a 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


very  active  and  helpful  part  in  the  work  of 
the  Sunday-school  and  served  as  its  super- 
intendent for  a  number  of  years.  His  life 
has  at  all  times  been  in  consistent  harmony 
with  his  profession.  In  business  he  has  been 
found  trustworthy  and  reliable,  keqjing  his 
engagements  and  never  going  back  upon  his 
word.  In  matters  of  friendship  he  is  loyal 
and  true,  and  in  his  family  he  has  been  a 
devoted  husband  and  father.  He  well  de- 
serves representation  among  the  honored 
pioneers  as  well  as  the  leading  citizens  of 
Boone  county. 


E.  H.  MELOTT,  M-.  1). 

Among  the  enterprising  and  progressive 
citizens  of  Ogden  is  numbered  Dr.  Melott, 
whose  activity  in  business  and  fidelity  in 
office  has  made  him  one  of  the  famous  men 
of  this  portion  of  the  state.  I  Ie  has  recently 
completed  a  two  years'  term  as  mayor  of  the 
city  and  in  addition  to  the  practice  of  his 
pn  Fession  he  is  half  owner  of  the  Ogden 
Telephone  Company. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Fleetwood, 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  2nd  day  of  April,  1N40, 
and  was  the  only  child  bom  of  the  union  of 
Daniel  and  Esther  (  Hoch  )  Melott.  The 
mother  had  five  children  by  a  subsequent 
marriage,  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  all 
of  whom  are  deceased.  The  Doctor's  father 
was  also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  of 
French  descent.  By  occupation  he  was  a 
cattle  dealer,  and  in  politics  was  a  Whig. 
He  died  in  1857  when  about  forty-five  years 
of  age.  On  the  maternal  side  Dr.  Melon's 
ancestors  came  originally  from  Germany. 
I  lis     grandfather    Colonel     Daniel     Hoch, 


served  with  distinction  as  an  officer  in  the 
War  of  18 12  and  also  in  the  Mexican  war. 
He  was  a  large  landholder  and  miller  and 
was  a  man  of  considerable  prominence  in 
his  time.  I  lis  (laughter,  the  mother  of 
Doctor  Melott,  died  when  about  seventy- 
two  years  of  age. 

After  attending  the  comnn  m  schools 
near  his  boyhood  home,  Dr.  Melott  became 
a  student  in  the  Pennsylvania  State  Normal 
School,  in  which  he  was  graduated  in  the 
class  of  [865.  lie  then  determined  to  make 
the  practice  of  medicine  his  life  work  and 
began  studying  under  Professor  Austin 
Flint.  When  he  had  acquired  considerable 
knowledge  of  the  principles  of  the  medical 
science,  he  entered  the  Bellevue  Hospital 
Medical  College  of  New  York,  in  the  fall  of 
1867,  and  on  the  completion  of  his  course 
he  practiced  for  two  years  at  Fleetwood, 
Pennsylvania,  after  which  he  came  to  Og- 
den, Iowa,  in  1872.  Here  he  has  practiced 
continuously  since,  and  has  been  accorded  a 
large  patronage  by  reason  of  his  superior 
knowledge  and  skill  in  the  line  of  his 
chosen  work.  Dr.  Melott  realizes  fully  the 
heavy  responsibility  which  rests  upon  the 
physician  and  through  continued  reading 
and  study  he  has  kept  abreast  of  the  times 
or.  all  that  pertains  to  his  profession  in  or- 
der that  he  should  be  well  qualified  to  per- 
form the  important  work  connected  with 
tl  '■  restoration  of  health  and  the  prolonga- 
tion of  life. 

In  1 S77  the  Doctor  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Mis,  Ida  Mullen,  and  unto  them 
were  born  six  children,  but  Florence,  Ray. 
Leslie,  Elsie  and  an  infant  arc  all  deceased. 
Eisma  is  the  only  surviving  child  and  she 
is  at  home  with  her  parents.  Mrs.  Melott 
is  a  mbst  estimable  lady,  having  a  large  cir- 


E.  H.  MELOTT,  M.  D. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


485 


cle  of  friends  here.  In  1876  the  Doctor 
joined  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  has  since  held  all  the  offices  of  his 
lodge.  He  has  represented  his  lodge  in  the 
grand  lodge  of  the  state  and  in  1880  was 
made  district  grand  master  for  central  Iowa. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Tribe  of  Im- 
pioved  Order  of  Red  Men  at  Ogden. 

In  his  political  views  Dr.  Melott  is  in- 
dependent, voting  for  the  candidate  win  >m 
he  thinks  best  qualified  for  office.  His  fel- 
low citizens  recognizing  his  worth  and  abil- 
ity have  frequently  called  him  to  offices  of 
public  trust.  He  has  served  for  six  years 
as  a  member  of  the  town  council,  three  years 
as  township  trustee,  and  for  two  years  has 
filled  the  office  of  chief  executive  of  the 
town,  his  administration  being  one  highly 
commendable  because  of  its  progressive  and 
practical  nature.  For  seventeen  years  he 
has  served  as  secretary  of  the  Ogden  school 
board  and  is  still  the  incumbent  in  that 
office.  His  entire  life  has  been  one  of  un- 
usual activity  and  industry.  He  has  at- 
tended to  a  large  practice  in  the  line  of  his 
profession  and  has  a  deserved  reputation 
for  liberality  in  attending  the  deserving 
poor  when  in  need  of  medical  assistance, 
few  of  whom  were  ever  presented  with  a  bill 
for  services.  At  the  same  time  he  has 
found  opportunity  to  aid  in  the  promotion 
of  the  welfare  and  improvement  of  the 
town  in  which  he  makes  his  home.  His 
methods  have  always  been  in  keeping  with 
the  highest  principles  of  lienor  and  tan- 
dealing  and  with  a  conscientious  regard  for 
the  rights  of  others.  Fie  1-  generous  to  a 
t'arHt  and  yet,  from  comparative  poverty,  by 
economy  and  business  tad  he  has  accumu- 
lated  a  competence  that  is  ample  to  elimin 
ate  the  rare-   from  his  declining  years. 


CARL  CARLSON. 

Among  the  worthy  citizens  that  Sweden 
has  furnished  to  Boone  county  is  numbered 
Carl  Carlson,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  this 
portion  of  the  state  and  a  man  of  strong- 
purpose  and  upright  life,  who  by  his  well  di- 
re-led efforts  has  won  success  in  his  business 
undertakings  and  gained  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  as- 
sociated. He  was  born  in  Hallon,  Sweden. 
July  11,  1 841.  His  father,  Peter  Carlson, 
was  also  a  native  of  that  country,  and  there 
wedded  Johanna  Carlson.  They  never  left 
Sweden,  spending  their  entire  lives  in  that 
land.  In  their  family  were  four  children, 
of  whom  two  are  still  living,  namely:  Mr. 
Carlson,  of  this  review:  and  Johanna,  the 
wife  of  B.  S.  Busk,  a  resident  of  Denmark. 

Car!  Carlson  obtained  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  land  of  his  nativity,  but  his  priv- 
ileges m  that  direction  were  somewhat  lim- 
ited, for  at  the  early  age  of  twelve  years 
he  left  home  and    began  earning    his  own 

livclih 1.   working    as    a  coachman    until 

twenty-three  years  of  age,  when,  in  1864,  he 
removed  to  Copenhagen,  Denmark.  In  that 
city  he  was  employed  in  a  mill  for  a  year 
and  afterward  followed  farm  work  for  two 
years,  returning  on  the  expiration  of  that 
peri'  d  to  Sweden.  In  his  native  country  be 
foil,, wed  farm  work  until  April,  [868,  when, 
believing  that  be  might  better  his  financial 
o  mditii  -i'  in  the  new  world,  he  came  to  the 
United  States,  landing  at  Portland.  Maine. 
Making  bis  way  across  the  country,  he  took 
up  Ins  abode  in  Illinois,  where  he  remained 
for  a  short  time,  and  in  the  fall  of  [868  he 
came  to  Boone  county,  fowa,  where  he  has 
since  made  bis  home,  covering  a  period  of 
1  3.      At   first   he  rented 


436 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


a  farm,  which  lie  operated  until  1870,  and 
then  turned  his  attention  to  work  in  a  mill 
in  Boone,  being  thus  employed  for  twenty- 
two  years.  In  1892  he  purchased  property 
and  built  a  mill,  which  he  continued  until 
1901,  when  he  retired  from  active  life.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  met  with  creditable  and 
gratifying  success  in  his  undertakings.  His 
mill  was  equipped  with  the  latest  improved 
machinery,  and  his  product  was  of  such  an 
excellent  quality  that  the  flour  which  he 
manufactured  found  a  ready  sale  on  the 
market.  J  lis  business  methods  were  also 
such  as  would  bear  the  closest  inspection, 
and  thus  he  obtained  a  liberal  patronage 
which  brought  to  him  a  desirable   financial 

bO(  ■!!. 

On  the  27th  of  March,  1868,  in  S 
Air.  Carlson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Marie  Anderson,  who  was  burn  August  1, 
1S41,  a  daughter  of  Ander  Anderson.  Her 
mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Breta  Lar- 
son, and  was  a  resident  of  Hallans  county, 
Sweden.  Both  of  her  parents  died  in  their 
native  country.  In  their  family  wire  six 
children,  of  whom  five  are  yet  living,  name 
lv:  Anna  I  beta,  the  widow  of  Gusl  John- 
son, a  resident  of  Sweden:  Louisa,  .Matilda 
and  Adolphus,  who  are  also  living  in  that 
country ;  and  Mrs.  Carlson.  The  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carlson  has  been  blessed 
with  seven  children,  but  only  three  of  the 
number  are  now  living.  Charles,  born  De- 
cember 21,  [868,  died  May  20,  [895;  Ma- 
tilda, bom  October  [3,  [870,  died  November 
27,  r895;  John  A.,  horn  November  2,  [872, 
died  December  25,  1881 ;  Eda  M'ilhelmina. 
In  M  n  May  (>,  1 875,  is  ci  mnected  with  the  mil- 
linery store  in  I  Sonne:  Elvira  Matilda,  born 
Max  i;v  1878.  is  the  wife  of  John  Doud,  of 
Cedar  Rapids,  low  a:  Joel  E.,  bom  Novem- 


ber 2t,  1880.  is  secretary  of  the  Doud  Mill- 
in-  Company,  of  Boone,  Iowa-  Minnie 
Mabel,  born  December  18.  1882,  died  Oc- 
tober 1,  1899. 

The  parents  are  members  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Mission  church,  and  Mr.  Carlson  is 
a  stanch  Republican  in  politics.  He  owns  his 
own  home  in  1  >oi  nie,  and  1  me  i  ither  residence, 
his  property  being  the  visible  evidence  of  his 
life  of  usefulness  and  energy.  The  hope 
that  led  him  to  leave  his  native  land  and 
seek  a  home  in  America  has  been  more  than 
realized.  Me  found  the  opportunities  he 
sought — which,  by  the  way.  are  always  open 
to  an  ambitious,  energetic  man — and  mak- 
ing the  best  of  these  lie  has  steadily  worked 
his  way  upward,  lie  possesses  the  resolu- 
tion, perseverance  and  reliability  so  charac- 
iple  of  his  nation,  and  his  name 
is  now  enrolled  among  the  best  citizens  of 
!'.■  i'  nie  county. 


CHARLES  R.  CARLSON. 

("nark-  R.  1  larlsi  m,  a  son  of  Carl  Carl- 
son, whose  sketch  is  given  above,  was  b  ,m 
hi  Gottenb  irg,  Sweden.  December  21,  [868, 
and  was  educated  in  the  city  schools  of 
Boone.  Before  graduation,  however,  he  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  clerk  in  the  postoffice, 
hut  after  one  year  resigned  in  order  to  he- 
ci  nie  a  clerk  in  the  empli  »y  1  if  the  master  me- 
chanic of  the  (  hicago  &  Northwestern  Rail- 
ps.  A  year  later  he  entered  the  serv- 
ice of  the  Linseed  <  lil  Company,  of  Omaha, 
Nebraska,  hut  subsequently  returned  to 
Boone,  and  engaged  in  the  milling  business 
with  his  father.  Later  he  became  a  partner 
in  the  enterprise  ol    1     I     Rogers,  under  the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    R 


4S7 


firm  name  of  the  Carlson-Rogers  Milling 
Company,  and  was  widely  recognized  as  a 
most  enterprising  and  progressive  young 
business  man  of  the  city,  but  on  the  .20th  of 
May,  1895,  ne  was  killed  by  the  cars  on  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway.  He  had 
been  elected  a  member  of  the  city  council 
and  \  <v  four  \i';iin  served  in  that  position. 
Fraternally  he  was  connected  with  the 
Knights  nf  Pythias  order  and  was  the  pop- 
ular and  honored  president  of  the  Colum- 
bian Club.  His  reputation  as  a  singer  ex- 
tended throughout  the  state'  and  lie  was  a 
valued  factor  in  social  gatherings,  (lis  ster- 
ling worth  wen  him  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  all,  and  his  genial  nature  gained 
tiir  him  many  friends.  His  death  was  a 
great  blow  l<>  his  parents,  to  the  business 
communitv  and  to  all  who  knew  him. 


HENRY  WOLF. 


During  a  residence  nf  more  than  a  third 
of  a  century  in  Bonne  county  Henry  Wolf 
has  become  widely  and  favorably  known. 
and  is  justly  classed  among  the  honored  and 
respected  pioneer  settlers.  He  now  resides 
on  section  32,  Pilot  Mound  township.  A 
native  of  Germany,  he  was  born  in  Hesse 
on  the  6th  nf  November,  1840.  The  Teu- 
tonic race  has  steadily  advanced  westward. 
carrying  with  it  the  civilization  of  the  older 
easl  and  has  been  a  very  important  factor 
in  the  development  of  the  new  world.  Like 
others  of  his  nationality,  Mr.  Wolf  sought 
the  opportunities  afforded  by  America,  and, 
enjoying  its  advantages,  he  has  steadil) 
worked  his  wa\  upward  in  the  business 
world    and    is   now    a    substantial    farmer   of 


his  adopted  county.  His  father.  Abel  Wolf. 
was  also  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  was 
reared  and  married.  He  carried  on  fanning 
there  for  many  years  and  then  emigrated  to 
the  new  world  in  1855,  making  his  way 
direct  to  Chicago,  where  he  remained  for 
five  or  six  years.  Me  then  removed  to 
Henrx  county,  Illinois,  settling  near  Anna- 
wan,  where  he  purchased  a  farm,  devoting 
his  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  on  that 
place  until  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in 
death.  In  the  family  were  three  children, 
who  are  yet  living:  Jeremiah,  a  prominent 
fanner  of  Pilot  Mound  township:  Henry. 
of  this  review  :  and  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
Jacob  Stetzler,  of  Chicago. 

Henry  Wolf  was  reared  to  manhood  in 
Illinois,  being  a  youth  of  nine  years  when 
brought  1>\  his  parents  to  America.  He 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  childhood  upon 
the  old  home  farm,  remaining  with  his 
mother  until  he  had  attained  his  majority. 
He  worked  for  one  season  as  a  farm  hand 
b)  the  nion ih.  and  in  1866  he  and  his  brother 
came  to  Boone  county,  making  their  way  to 
Pilot  Mound  township,  where  they  purchased 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land.  It 
was  raw  and  unimproved,  just  as  it  came 
from  the  hand  of  nature,  hut  the  work  of 
development  was  possible  and  the  brothers 
were  energetic  young  men  and  for  several 
rears  they  continued  their  farming  pursuits 
in  partnership.  On  the  dissolution  of  the 
business  relations  between  them  Henry  Wolf 
located  where  he  now  resides,  becoming  the 
owner  of  a  tract  of  eight}  acres  there.  \s 
time  passed  and  his  financial  resources  were 

increased     lie     made     other     investments     in 

property,  and  to-day  has  a  very  excellent 
farm,  improved  with  a  go,  id  residence,  two 

substantial    barns,   granaries,   cribs     ami     in 


48? 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


fact  all  the  equipments  necessary  to  the  pro- 
gressive farm  work  of  the  day.  He  has 
planted  shade  and  ornamental  trees  in  fn  nit 
of  the  home,  while  fruit  trees  yield  a  goo  1 
crop  and  the  well  tilled  fields  yield  golden 
harvests.  Mr.  Wolf  is  also  engaged  in  the 
raising  of  good  graded  stock  and  though  he 
started  out  in  life  with  no  capital  he  has 
overcome  ail  difficulties  anil  obstacles  in  his 
path  an.!  is  to-day  one  of  the  substantia! 
residents  of  Pilot  Mound  township. 

In  Boone  county,  in  1870.  Mr.  Wolf  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Amelia  Fry.  who  was 
born  and  reared  in  Germany.  Eight  chil- 
dren have  blessed  this  union:  Albert,  who 
is  married  and  is  engaged  in  business  in 
Pilot  Mound;  Henry,  who  resides  in  Fort 
Dodge,  where  he  is  occupying  a  business 
position;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Charles  Jones, 
now  of  Minneapolis.  Minnesota;  Ikmnah.  a 
successful  school  teacher  of  Boone  count)  ; 
Hattie,  at  home;  Eva,  who  is  also  engaged 
in  teaching  school;  William,  who  assists  in 
carrying  on  the  home  farm;  and  Ada.  who 
completes  the  family. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolf  wen'  reared  in  the 
faith  oi  the  Lutheran  church,  but  attend 
services  at  different  churches,  lie  votes 
with  the  Republican  party,  having  casl  his 
first  ballot  for  General  U.  S.  ('.rant  in  [868. 
Each  presidential  candidate  of  the  party 
since  that  time  has  been  given  hi-  support, 
but  at  local  election,  he  doC-  no1  consider 
himself  bound  by  party  ties  and  exercises 
his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men 
whom  lie  thinks  best  qualified  for  the  po- 
sition, lie  was  a  young  man  .if  twenty 
years  when  he  came  to  Boone  county.  Thir- 
ty-six years  have  since  passed,  during  which 
time  he  ha-  witnessed  the  greater  part  of  the 
growth  and  improvement  of  tin-  portion  of 


the  state.  Be  has  seen  roads  made  across 
what  was  then  the  trackless  prairie  and  has 
seen  the  land  claimed  for  purposes  of  civili- 
zation and  enclosed  within  fences  indicating 
individual  ownership.  The  prairies,  too, 
which  had  been  clothed  in  their  native 
grasses,  have  been  made  to  yield  abundant 
harvests,  while  in  the  towns  and  villages 
commercial  and  industrial  pursuits  have  been 
carried  on,  adding  to  the  general  prosperity. 
Mr.  Wolf  has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  what 
has  been  accomplished  in  this  county,  and 
as  a  citizen  is  public  spirited  and  progressive, 
doing  everything  in  his  power  to  add  to  the 
material,  intellectual,  social  and  moral  ad- 
vancement of  his  community. 


Ik  WK1.1X  DOLLOFF. 

Thirty-six     years     have     passed     since 
Franklin  Dolloff  arrived  in  Boone.     In  the 

fall  of  1866  he  came  to  tin-  county  and  in 
the  intervening  period  he  has  become  widely 
known  as  a  progressive  and  reliable  citizen, 
iw  living  a  retired  life  at  his  pleas- 
an1  home.  No.  709  West  Fifth  street.  Al- 
most half  the  width  of  the  continent  separ- 
ates him  front  his  birthplace,  t lie  town  of 
Meredith.  New  Hampshire,  where  he  first 
opened  his  eyes  to  tin-  lighl  of  day  on  the 
/til  of  September.  1822.  In  iS_»j  the  family 
removed  to  Vermont,  settling  in  the  town  of 
Sutton,  in  Caledonia  county,  where  our  sub- 
net grew  to  mature  year-,  earl)  becoming 
familiar  with  the  work  of  the  home  farm  in 
.ii'  11-  departments.  When  he  had  attained 
t.  man's  estate  lie  returned  to  New  Hamp- 
shire and  secured  employment  in  the  cotton 
factory   in    Manchester  where  he  continued 


- 

MKS.  FHANKLIN    DOLLOFF. 


FRANKLIN    DOLLOFF. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


493 


for  seven  years.  In  the  fall  of  [849,  at- 
tracted by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia, he  made  a  trip  to  that  state,  going 
by  vessel  around  Tape  Horn  and  through 
the  Pacific  ocean  to  San  Francisco.  In  the 
spring  of  1850  he  made  his  way  to  the 
mines  in  search  of  the  precious  metal.  He 
engaged  in  prospecting  to  a  certain  extent 
and  was  fairly  prosperous  in  his  business 
ventures  in  the  far  west.  He  then  returned 
by  way  of  the  Panama  route  to  New  York 
city   and   Xew   Hampshire. 

In  the  spring  of  1S53  Mr.  Dolloff  was 
married  in  Canaan,  Xew  Hampshire,  to 
Miss  Sarah  Derby,  who  was  born  and 
reared  in  the  old  Granite  state.  With  his 
bride  he  then  removed  to  Lawrence,  Mass- 
achusetts, where  he  built  a  home  and  began 
housekeeping.  While  there  lie  accepted  a 
position  of  night  watchman  in  the  cotton 
mills,  serving  in  that  capacity  for  two  years. 
He  then  sold  his  property  in  Xew  England, 
and  removing  to  the  west  located  in  Rock- 
ton,  Winnebago  county.  Illinois,  where  he 
purchased  a  farm,  devoting  his  energies  to 
agricultural  pursuits  for  two  years.  He  then 
again  disposed  of  his  property  and  became  a 
resident  Rock  county.  Wisconsin,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  farming  until  [864,  when, 
feeling  that  his  duty  was  to  his  country  he 
joined  the  army  at  Janesville,  becoming  a 
member  of  Company  I,  Forty-fourth  Wis- 
consin [nfantry.  He  then  proceeded  south 
to  Tennessee,  joining  his  regiment  at  Nash- 
ville, where  the  command  was  held  in  re- 
serve during  the  last  battle  in  that  vicinity. 
Later,  he  was  engaged  in  patrol  and  pickel 
Iso  participating  in  some  skirmishes, 
continuing  at  the  front  until  after  the 
tion  of  hostilities  and  the  establishment  of 
peace   relations   between   the   two   divisions 


of  the  country,  lie  was  then  mustered  out 
and  honorabl)  discharged  at  Paducah,  Ken- 
n  September,  1805. 
Immediately  afterward  Mr.  Dolloff  re- 
turned to  his  In  ime,  rejoining  his  family  in 
Janesville,  Wisconsin.  In  the  spring  of 
1866  he  came  to  Iowa,  establishing  his  home 
in  Boonesboro,  where  he  purchased  a  lot 
and  erected  a  good,  comfortable  residence. 
He  was  variously  employed,  accepting  any 
occupation  that  would  bring  him  a  sufficient 
return  in  order  that  he  might  provide  for 
himself  and  family,  lie  was  with  the  street 
railway  company  for  twenty  years,  having 
'the  supervision  of  the  track,  his  duty  being 

io  ;ee  thai  ii  was  always  in  g 1  repair,  he 

also  served  as  janitor  of  public  schools  for 
about  twelve  years  and  for  seven  years  he 
worked  for  the  street  commissioners  on  the 
sidewalks.  lie  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
and  makes  his  home  with  one  of  his  daugh- 
ters. In  September,  1901.  he  lost  his  wife, 
who  in  that  month  was  called  to  her  final 
rest,  leaving  him  very  lonely.  They  were 
the  parents  of  four  children,  of  whom  two 
are  living.  Nellie  is  the  wife  of  Robert 
Fullerton,  a  business  man  of  Boone.  They 
reside  with  .Mr.  Dolloff,  caring  for  bis  home 
and  bringing  into  it  all  the  sunshine  possi- 
ble since  the  death  of  the  loving  wife  and 
mother.  The  other  living  'laughter  is  Bes- 
sie, now  the  wife  of  1..  I  ).  l.elaud.  a  well 
known  commercial  man  residing  at  Boone. 
They  have  four  children:  Frank,  Bertha, 
Rhoda  Ma\  and  Sarah.  Mr.  Di  lloff  losl 
two  children:  l.ydia.  who  grew  to  mature 
years  and  became  the  wife  of  1..  1).  I. eland 
ier  death  left  two  children,  Nellie, 
who  is  now  one  of  the  successful  teachers 
of  Boone  county,  and  Clyde,  who  occupies 
a  p  isitii  m  in  the  business  world  of  Boone, 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


The  only  son  in  the  Dolloff  family  was 
David  L..  who  reached  mature  years,  pass- 
ing away  when  he  was  about  thirty-two 
years  of  age. 

In  politics  Mr.  Dolloff  has  long  been 
identified  with  the  Republican  party,  having 
given  its  support  thereto  since  John  C.  Fre- 
mont became  its  first  candidate  in  1856.  Tic 
belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
being  identified  with  the  post  in  Boone,  and 
has  served  as  its  chaplain  for  the  past  ten 
years.  Since  1892  he  has  received  a  pen- 
sion of  twelve  dollars  per  month.  He  has 
led  an  exemplary  life,  being  a  man  of  cor- 
rect habits,  honest  and  unassuming,  honored 
as  an  earl}  settler,  as  a  loyal  citizen  and  a 
gentleman  of  sterling  worth  as  well  as  a 
veteran  oi  the  Civil  war  who  foughl  For  the 
union  during  the  dark  hour  in  our  country's 
histot  )  I  le  has  now  reached  th< 
eighty  years,  a  venerable  and  respected  man, 
well  deserving  mention  in  the  history  of  his 
adopted  count)  where  Ik-  has  made  his 
home  through  more  than  a  third  of  a  cen- 
tury. 


\.   II.  MERTZ. 

I'1  r  a  long  period  A.  II.  Mertz  was  a 
factot  in  business  circles  in  Ogden  and  the 
years  of  his  activity,  accompanied  with  care- 
ful management  and  unremitting  diligence. 
broughl  to  him  the  prosperity  which  now 
enables  him  to  live  a  retired  life,  lie  was 
born  in  Berks  county,  Pennsylvania.  October 
11.  [837.  a  sou  of  Abraham  Mertz.  who  al- 
ways lived  in  Berks  county.  He  was  a  shoe 
maker  by  trade  and  also  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farming.  He  reached  an  advanced 
age,  passing  away  in  April,  [882. 


Mr.  Mertz,  of  this  review,  continued  to 
make  his  home  in  the  Keystone  state  until 
thirty  years  of  age,  when  he  left  the  parental 
roof  and  journeyed  westward,  taking  up  his 
abode  in  Jones  county.  Iowa.  He  had  ac- 
quired a  good  common-school  education  and 
received  ample  training  at  farm  work,  early 
becoming  familiar  with  all  the  tasks  that 
devolve  upon  the  agriculturist.  For  three 
years  lie  was  connected  with  farming  inte  - 
ests  in  Jones  county,  and  then  came  to  [;, ,  >ue 
county  in  1S70.  Here  he  began  farming  in 
Amaqua  township  and  upon  the  land  which 
h<  purchased  he  continued  the  work  of  cul- 
tivation and  improvement  until  the  fall  of 
1874,  w  hen  he  removed  to  <  (gden  and  estab- 
meal  market,  carrying  on  business 
along  that  iine  for  eight  years.  (  In  the  ex- 
piratii  m  1  [he  sold  1  iut  and  went 

to  Glidden,  towa,  where  he  conducted  a 
meat  market  For  four  years,  but  when  that 
period  had  elapsed  he  once  more  came  to 
1  )gden  and  again  began  business  in  the 
e  m  this  place.  Later  he  purchased 
and  conducted  a  meat  market  in  Fraser,  this 
county,  and  was  identified  with  commercial 
pursuits  there  for  five  years  and  twi  >  mi  mths. 
II.'  then  returned  to  Ogden  and  has  since 
lived  retired  in  this  place,  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  in,  former  toil. 

Mr.  Mertz  was  married  in  [860,  the 
Iad\  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Susanna  High, 
alsi  :  native  of  Berks  county,  Pennsylvania. 
1  >e<  ember  24,  r88i .  In  the  family 
were  five  children  :  ( >rlando,  now  di 
(  atherine,  the  wife  of  Henry  Worseck,  who 
is  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  in  I  >g- 
den;  Irwin,  who  is  living  in  Indian  Teri- 
tcry ;  Mary  M..  whose  home  is  in  Des 
Moines.   Iowa,  and  Ezra  F. 

\s  Mr.  Mertz  prospered  in  his  business 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


undertakings  he  made  judicious  investments 
in  land,  and  in  addition  to  his  property  in 
Ogden  he  now  owns  land  in  both  Minnesota 
and  Dakota.  He  has  never  been  an  office 
seeker  and  has  always  refused  to  serve  in 
positions  of  public  trust,  save  when  he  was 
once  a  member  of  the  city  board.  I  le  usuall} 
votes  with  the  Republican  party,  bui  does 
not  consider  himself  bound  b\  party  ties  and 
supports  the  man  whom  be  regards  as  the 
be>t  candidate  for  the  office  without  regard 
to  political  affiliation.  He  belongs  to  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  of  Ogden 
ami  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
this  place.  Thirty-two  years  have  passed 
since  lie  came  to  Boone  county  and  during 
that  period  be  has  witnessed  its  improvement 
and  progress,  taking  an  active  interest  in 
all  measures  tending  to  advance  the  general 
good,  ilis  business  affairs  have  been  care- 
full},  systematically  and  faithfully-  con- 
ducted, and  to-day  he  enjoys  in  a  high  meas- 
ure the  confidence  and  regard  of  bis  fel- 
low men. 


S.  OLIVER  STOCKSLAGER,  M.  D. 

The  state  of  biwa.  with  its  pulsing  in- 
dustrial activities  and  rapid  development, 
has  attracted  within  its  confines  men  of 
marked  ability  and  high  character  in  the 
various  professional  lines,  and  in  this  way 
progress  has  been  conserved  and  social  sta- 
bility fostered,  lie  whose  name  initiates 
this  review  has  gained  recognition  as  one  "i 
the  able  and  successful  physicians  of  central 
Iowa,  and  by  bis  labors,  bis  high  profes- 
sional attainments  and  bis  sterling  character- 
istics has  justified  the  respeel  and  confidence 


in  which  be  is  held  by  the  medical  Fraternity 
and  local  public. 

The  1  loctor  was  burn  in  Ba 
Maryland,  October  27,  [852.  His  father, 
Jacob  Stockslager,  was  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, born  Januan  11.  1S15.  Me  is  of 
Prussian  lineage.  Ilis  ancestors  were  re- 
ligious exiles,  win,,  driven  from  Prussia  by 
the  Catholic  crusaders,  on  accourit  of  their 
I  rotestanl  views,  settled  in  New  York.  The 
great-grandfather  of  our  subject  \va 
ficer  in  tiie  Revolutionary  war.  The  grand- 
father serve:  .1  .1  soldier  in  the  ivai  of 
[812.  '1'be  family  lias  evei  been  noted  for 
loyalt)  and  for  patriotic  devotion  to  the 
country.  Jacob  Stockslager,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  removed  from  Pennsylvania  to 
Baltimore,  Maryland,  before  the  Civil  war, 
and,  served  in  die  commissary  department 
of  the  Union  army  when  the  country  be- 
came involved  in  hostilities  between  the 
north  and  the  south.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Chit/,  a  native'of  .Maryland,  born  February 
17.  [815.  "idle  wedding  was  celebrated 
about  [849,  and  in  [864  they  came  to  Iowa, 
taking  up  their  abode  near  Tipton  upon  a 
farm,  in  Cedar  county.  There  they  remained 
until  [873,  when  they  removed  1-  Benton 
county,  and  in  [888  became  residents  of  1  >es 
Moines,  where  they  are  still  living,  the  fa- 
ther having  retired  from  business  li  fed  b  nv- 
ever,  in  former  years  bis  well  direct© 
brought  him  a  comfortable  competence,  In 
their  family  were  three  children  :  S.  ( )liver  ; 
(  arrie,  w  ho  is  at  home:  and  U  mzo  E.,  who 
r<  sides  in  Santa   Rosa,  I  alifoi  nia. 

In  the  public  schools  of  bis  native  city 
Dr.  Stockslager  pursued  bis  early  education, 
and  after  the  removal  of  the  famil)  to  Iowa 
continued  bis  studies  in  Cedar  county.     He 


49' 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


was  also  one  year  in  an  academy  at  Clar- 
ence. Iowa,  and  in  1867  he  entered  the  col- 
department  of  the  State  University 
al  Iowa  City,  where  lie  remained  for  two 
years.  Later  lie  spent  one  year  in  the  med- 
ical department  of  that  institution,  and  in 
1871  entered  the  Rush  Medical  College  of 
Chicago,  where  he  was  a  student  fur  one 
year.  In  the  fall  of  1872  he  matriculated  in 
the  Bellevue  Medical  'Hospital  and  College 
at  New  York,  where  he  was  graduated  in 
1875  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  In  July  of 
the  same  year  lie  began  practice  in  Norway, 
here  he  remained  until  October, 
1879.  ''i  January,  r88o,  he  arrived  in 
here  he  has  since  made  his  home, 
and  during  the  intervening  years  he  has 
naturally  gained  a  large  and  lucrative  prac- 
tice, which  lias  come  t< >  him  by  reason  of  his 
skid  and  ability  in  his  chosen  profession. 

ddie  Doctor  was  married  in  Norway, 
Iowa,  November  13.  1877.  to  Elora  E. 
Brown,  a  daughter  of  Jesse  E.  Brown,  who 
was  born  December  jo.  [821,  in  Kentucky, 
ami  dieil  in  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  August  S. 
1877.  Her  mother  bore  die  maiden  name 
m|'  Clarissa  Catt,  and  was  born  January  29, 
1829,  in  Ohio.  Her  death  also  occurred  in 
Cedar  Rapids,  the  date  of  her  demise  being 
April  17.  1899.  Her  greal  grandfather  was 
Boone  in  many  of  his 
expeditions  as  he  explored  Kentucky  and 
other  portions  i  the  west.  At  one  time 
he  swam  three  miles  with  his  overcoal  and 
all  his  other  clothes  on  in  order  b  • 
from  the  India''-,  i  lowever,  he  . 
tin  eel  on  1  >ne  1  :<  asi<  «  and  was  h  :ld  in  cap- 
tivity by  the  red  men  foi  rs.  Mrs. 
Stockslager  is  one  of  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren, of  whom  seven  are  yel  living.  Bj  her 
ler  of  two 


children:  Mae,  horn  September  7.  1NN1. 
now  a  student  in  Wells  ('..liege,  of  Aurora, 
New  York;  and  Ray.  who  was  horn  Novem- 
ber [8,  1888,  and  is  still  with  his  parents. 
The  Doctor  endorses  the  Republican 
party  and  its  principles,  hut  is  not  an  office 
seeker,  having  served  in  no  official  position 
save  that  of  United  States  pension  examiner, 
to  which  he  was  appointed  by  President  Har- 
rison. He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
holding  membership  relations  with  the  blue 
lodge,  chapter,  commander}-  and  with  the 
Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  also  connected  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity,  and  aside 
from  hi-  profession  is  identified  with  busi- 
ness interests  in  Boone  as  vice-president  and 
director  of  the  Boone  County  Telephone 
Company.  In  the  line  of  his  practice  he  is 
connected  with  the  Lowa  State  Medical  So- 
ciety aim  the  Central  Medical  Society,  and 
thus  keeps  in  touch  with  the  progress  made 
in  1  In  profession.  He  has  a  bn  .ad  and  com- 
prehensive knowledge  of  the  principles  and 
science  of  medicine,  and  anything  which 
tends  to  bring  t<>  man  the  key  to  that  mystery 
which  we  call  life  elicits  his  interest  and  co- 
.  peration. 


HENRY  M.  GR  \\ T.S. 

Henry  M.  Graves,  who  for  the  past  two 
years  has  been  a  resident  of  Madrid,  en- 
gaged  in  reai  estate  dealing,  is  numbered 
among  the  pioneer  settlers  ,.f  the  county  anil 
ei  an  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war. 
His  entire  life  has  been  one  of  fidelity  to 
duty  in  every  relation,  and  his  loyalty  to  his 
country  in  her  hour  of  danger  was  hut  an 
indication  of  his  entire  career.  He  arrived 
in  this  county  in  1859,  coming  to  h>wa  from 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Indiana,  hi--  birth  having  occurred  in  Clay 
county  of  the  latter  state  on  the  tst  of  April. 
[840.  He  is  a  son  of  William  Graves,  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  while  his  grand- 
father was  Gillum  Graves,  also  a  native  of 
the  same  state,  where  he  spent  his  entire 
life.  After  his  death  the  family 
to  Indiana,  settling  in  Clay  county,  where 
William  Graves  was  reared  to  manhood.  I  I 
afterward  married  Sarah  Lucas,  a  native  of 
Indiana,  horn  in  Clay  count}',  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  Lucas,  who  was  one  of  the 
heroes  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  lie  was 
born  in  North  Carolina  and  became  a  resi- 
dent of  1 'lay  county,  Indiana,  at  a  very  early 
epoch  in  its  history,  lie  lived  to  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  about  seventy-five  or  eighty 
years.  Mr.  Graves  was  a  farmer  in  Clay 
county,  carrying  on  agricultural  pursuits 
there  until  his  death.  He  died,  however,  in 
the  prime  of  life  when  the  subject  o-f  this 
review  was  only  four  years  old.  His  wife 
survived  him,  carefully  reared  the  family, 
and  married  the  second  time,  becoming  the 
wife  of  Linsey  Stinson,  who  afterward  re- 
moved with  the  family  to  Hendricks  coun- 
ty, Indiana. 

In  that  county  Mr.  Graves,  of  this  re- 
view, was  reared,  receiving  but  limited  ed- 
ucational privileges,  attending  the  district 
schools  only  during  the  winter  months -and 
even  then  his  school  life  covered  but  a  few- 
years.  When  a  young  man  he  resolved  to 
seek  a  home  in  the  west  where  land  was 
cheap  and  business  opportunities  were  good. 
Accordingh  he  arrived  in  Boone  county  in 
began  work  as  a  farm  hand,  being 
employed  in  that  way  for  two  years.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  enlisted  for 
service  in  the  Union  army,  for  the  country 
had    become    involved    in    ( 'nil    war.      I  le 


1  e  Third  Iowa  Volunteer  I 
and  was  assigned  to  G  mpany  E,  with  which 
he  soon  joined  the  \\  estern  Army.  The  first 
year  was  spent  in  Missouri,  but  in  February 
oi  the  fi  'Hi  >v,  ing  _\  ear  he  pn  iceeded 
d  participated  in  the  batth  1 
burg  Landing.  He  also  ivas  under  tire  at 
the  second  battle  of  Corinth  and  in  the  siege 
of  Vicksburg  He  participated  in  the  sec- 
ond battle  of  Jackson  and  up 
in  1 81 14  as  a  veteran  he  received  a  furlough 
of  thirty  days,  which  he  spent  at  honn-.  I  le 
then  joined  the  army  at  Big  Shantj  and 
participated  in  the  Atlanta  campaign,  after 
which  he  vent  with  Sherman  on  the  cele- 
brated march  to  the  sea  and  took  part  in 
numerous  engagements  ah  ng  1 
After  the  surrender  of  Johnston  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Richmond  and  on  to  Washington. 
When  the  grand  review  w  as  held  he  w  as  1  n  e 
who  formed  with  the  "bayonet  crested  wave 
of  blue  '  that  for  hours  swept  by  the  review- 
ing stand  upon  which  the  president  of  the 
United  Slates  sto  d.  In  1861  he  was  held 
for  three  months  111  the  hospital  at  Quincy, 
Illinois,  with  typhoid  fever,  but  he  lost  no 
further  time  from  other  sickness  or  wounds 
during  his  long  army  service.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  he  was  honorably  discharged  at 
Davenport.  Iowa,  in  July,  1865.  He  has 
every  reason  to  be  proud  of  his  military  rec- 
ord, for  throughout  the  whole  contest  he 
was  found  as  a  loyal  advocate  of  the  Union 
cause,  never  shirking  any  dut)  imposed 
upon  him. 

When  the  war  was  ended  Mr.  Graves 
returned  1-  Boone  count}-  and  for  several 
months  remained  with  his  uncle,  cultivating 
the  Iatter's  farm.  On  the  20th  of  Septem- 
ber. [866,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Carrie  A.   Hull,  who  was  born  in  Missouri 


498 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


and  was  reared  and  educated  in  Boone  coun- 
ty. Here  she  was  brought  by  her  parents 
when  two  years  of  age. For  six  years  prior 
to  her  marriage  she  successfully  engaged  in 
teaching.  Her  father.  Jesse  Hull,  removed 
with  his  family  from  Ohio  to  Iowa.  He 
was  born  near  Wheeling,  West  Virginia, 
and  was  a  son  of  George  Hull,  one  of  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  flic  Buckeye  state  whose 
home  was  in  Morgan  county.  Jesse  Hull 
was  there  reared  and  educated  and  accom- 
panied the  family  on  its  later  removal  to 
Fulton  county,  Illinois,  where  lie  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Cadwallader,  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio,  born  in  Morgan  county. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
took  up  their  abode  upon  a  rented 
farm,  which  our  subject  continued  to  cul- 
■  a  number  of  years.  He  then 
bought  a  small  place  and  afterward  pur- 
chased another  farm  three  miles  north  of 
Madrid,  continuing  its  cultivation  for  sev- 
eral years.  Subsequent^  he  removed  to 
Ames  in  order  to  educate  his  sons,  and  while 
there  became  employed  in  the  boarding  de- 
partment of  the  college,  continuing  in  that 
capacity  for  six  years,  while  his  wife  was 
matron  during  tins  time.  In  [890  he  re 
turned  to  Boone  county  and  again  purchased 
a  small  farm  near  Madrid,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  make  his  home  for  about  a  year. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  removed 
to  1  >es  Moines  and  took  charge  of  the  hoard- 
ing department  of  Highland  Park  College 
ii:  (892,  upon  the  opening  of  the  institution. 
For  eight  years  he  remained  at  that  place  as 
manager  of  the  boarding  department  and 
ga\  (  gi "  id  satisfactii  m  t<  1  the  man  i 
the  institution.  In  [900  he  returned  to 
Madrid  and  settled  upon  the  place  where  he 
and,  his  wife  are  now  living.     He  is  engaged 


in  the  real  estate  business  and  handles  con- 
siderable property. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graves  have  been 
horn  two  sons,  to  whom  they  have  given  an 
excellent  education,  thus  preparing  them  for 
tlie  practical  responsibilities  of  life,  and  both 
are  now  prominent  and  reliable  business  men 
who.  are  a  credit  to  their  families  and  to 
the  town.  Frank  H.,  the  elder,  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  Ames  College,  lie  is  now  mar- 
ried and  resides  in  Madrid,  where  he  is  con- 
ducting a  drug  store.  Harry  C,  completed 
his  education  by  graduation  in  the  Highland 
Park  (  bllege,  and  iie.  too.  is  married  and  is 
living  in  Madrid.  He  has  one  son,  Russell 
1..  1  lairy  ( Graves  is  now  tilling  the  position 
of  postal  clerk  on  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
&  Si.  Paul  railroad,  running  between  Marion 
and  Council   Bluffs,  Iowa. 

Politically  Mr.  Graves  is  a  fefferson 
Democrat,  who  cast  his  first  vote  for  Pell 
supporting  each  presi- 
dential candidate  of  the  party  since  that 
lime,  lie  has  never  sought  or  desired  of- 
fice, preferring  to  give  his  attention  to  his 
business  interests,  lie  with  his  wife  and 
sons  is  a  membei  of  the  Methodisl  Epis- 
copal  church  of  Madrid,  and  he  belongs  to 
mic  fraternity,  holding  membership 
m  Stai  Lodge,  No.  1  15,  F.  &  A  M.  He 
also  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  Post,  of 
which  he  is  the  present  ci  >mmander.  He  has 
>m  count)  much  of  the  time 
during  the  past  forty-three  years,  having 
come  here  when  a  young  man,  without  cap- 
ital, hut  possessed  of  a  strong  heart  and 
willing  hands  he  feared  not  that  laborious 
attention  to  business  which  is  the  foundation 
of  all  success,  and  as  the  years  have  passed 
he  lias  -ained  a  comfortable  competence  and 
pn  >\  ided   well   f<  ir  his   family. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RE(  ORD. 


MORRIS  WHEELER. 

Morris  Wheeler,  who  is  engaged  in  gen- 
eral farming  on  section  13,  Douglas  town- 
ship, his  In  niie  being  within  three  miles  of 
Madrid,  is  a  native  of  Oneida  county.  New 
York,  his  birth  having  occurred  on  the  1  ith 
of  December,  1832.  lie  is  a  son  of  George 
Wheeler,  who  was  born  in  Glastonbury, 
Connecticut,  in  February,  171)1.  The 
grandfather,  Lazarus  Wheeler,  was  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  Empire  state.  ( .0  trge 
Wheeler  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  lNu. 
serving  as  a  musician.  With  his  father's 
family  he  removed  to  New  York,  settling 
in  Rome  in  1810,  and  there  he  was  reared 
to  manhood.  After  arriving  at  years  oi 
maturity  he  was  there  married  to  Denlanna 
Holmes,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Hartwick, 
New  York.  -Mr.  Wheeler  followed  farm- 
in-  in  Oneida  comity,  and  there  reared  his 
family,  spending  his  entire  life  in  that  lo- 
calit)  after  his  removal  from  Connecticut 
to  the  Empire  state.  There  his  death  oc- 
curred oa  the  9th  of  September,  iSSj. 

Morris  Wheeler,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth  111  the  Empire  state.  He  was  the 
youngest  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  seven 
sons  and  one  daughter,  but  only  three  of  the 
number  are  now  living.  He  acquired  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  ol  »  Ineida 
county  and  in  academies  of  the  east,  and 
remained  with  his  father  until  he  was  sev- 
enteen years  of  age.  I  te  then  went  to  [Jtica, 
New  York,  where  he  engaged  in  clerking 
1  al  years,  following  that  pursuit  un- 
til his  marriage,  lake  most  young  men 
stnrti  ig  oul  in  hie  -n  their  own  account, 
he  did  nol  desire  to  tra\  el  the  journey  alone. 
and   as   a   companion  he  chose   Miss   Mary 


Oram,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  in 
Oneida  county,  June  6,  [855.  The  ladj  was 
a  native  of  Canada. 

In  the  spring  of  [856  Air.  \\  heeler  came 
with  his  young  wife  to  Iowa,  locating  in 
Madrid,  where  he  engaged  in  the  hardware 
business  for  a  few  years.  In  the  year  of  his 
arrival  he  purchased  the  land  upon  which 
he  now  resides.  This  he  broke,  fenced  and 
improved.  I  [e  also  built  upon  11.  and  opened 
up  a  good  farm,  and  has  for  many  years 
carried  on  general  farming  and  stock-rais- 
ing. He  lost  his  first  wife  here  in  August, 
iSiij.  and  after  her  death  he  returned  to 
Xew  York  and  joined  the  army,  becoming 
a  clerk  in  the  quartermaster's  department, 
in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the  close 
"I  the  war.  He  afterward  worked  with  his 
brother  in  Utica  in  the  stove  foundry.  For 
seven  years  he  was  a  clerk  and  bookkeeper, 
and.  about  that  time  was  again  married. 

On  the  6th  of  October.  [869,  Mr. 
Wheeler  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Lucy 
Xourse.  a  native  of  Xew  York,  born  in 
Herkimer  county,  where  she  was  reared. 
She  acquired  her  education  in  the  Whites- 
town  Seminary  and  on  the  completion  of 
liar  course  was  graduated  in  [865. 
She  is  a  'laughter  of  Elisha  Xourse,  a  native 
of  Vermont,  in  which  state  he  was  reared 
and  man  ied.  Aider  the  death  of  his  first 
wife  lie  was  married  in  Xew  York  to  Lucy 
11.  Xew  land,  who  became  the  mother  of 
Mrs.  Wheeler.  In  [872  our  subject  and  his 
wile  returned  to  [owa,  locating  upon  his 
pi  :sen1  farm,  mi  which  he  has  since  placed 
many  excellent  improvements.  The  pleasant 
and  substantial  outbuildings  are 
surrounded  by  well  tilled  fields;  the  neat  ap- 
pearance A  the  It  nne  is  very  attractive;  in 
front   are  ornamental    trees  which    cast    a 


50o 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


grateful  shade  in  summer,  and  an  orchard 
yields  its  fruits  in  season.  In  fact,  the 
farm  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  in  this  lo- 
cality and  indicates  the  enterprise  of  the 
owner. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wheeler  have  been 
bom  three  children:  E.  M.,  a  rioted  cor- 
nctist,  now  in  Chicago,  being  a  member  of 

nd  Regiment  hand;  Lucile  M..  a 
student  and  teacher  of  music,  now  in  the 
Highland  Park  Conservatory  in  Des  Moines, 
Iowa;  and  Walter  11..  who  is  pursuing  his 
studies  in  the  Agricultural  College  at  Ames. 
[owa.  When  age  ga\  e  to  Mr.  \\  heeler  the 
right  of  franchise  he  cast  his  first  presi- 
dential ball  ol  cor  Abraham  Lincoln  in  181  o, 
an  I  has  never  yet  wavered  in  his  allegiance 
to  the  Republican  party;  but  has  never  as- 
pired to  office  nor  desired  to  serve  in  posi- 
tions nt  official  preferment.  Mrs.  Wheeler 
was  reared  in  the  Baptist  faith  and 
hei  daughter  hold  membership  in  the  church 

of  that  denomination  al    B te  and  attend 

services  frequentl)  at  Madrid.  Mrs. 
Wheeler  takes  a  vcr\  active  interest  in  the 
w<  rk  and  is  now  serving  as  a  teacher  in  the 
Christian  Sunday-school  of  Madrid.  She 
is  als<  i  s   member  of  and  president   of  the 

3   Christian   Temperance    Union    of 
thai    pi. uc    and     belongs     to     the    American 

( ruardian  Si  iciet)  i  if  \Te\\  \  i  u"k. 
She  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  tov 
Baptist  and  the  Congress  of  Mothers,  and 
of  other  societies  tending  to  promote  the 
m<  ral  develi  ipment  i  if  the  rare.  Mr. 
Wheeler  was  made  a  Mason  in  Utica,  Mew 
York,  but  is  nol  dimitted  from  tin  craft. 
F<  n  tv  six  years  ago  he  came  n  i  Bo  mi 
and  has  never  had  i  a  asion  to  regret  his  de- 
termination tn  seek  a  home  in  this  portion 
of  the  state,  for  as  the  years  have  passed  he 


has  prospered  in  his  work,  placing  his  de- 
pendence upon  the  substantial  qualities  of 
an  industry  that  never  flags,  unfaltering 
resolution  and  sound  business  judgment. 


GEORGE  SWISHER. 

George  Swisher,  whose  home  on  sec- 
tion 16,  Cass  township,  is  an  indication  of 
the  practical  and  progressive  spirit  of  the 
owner,  is  a  name  of  West  Virginia,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Preston  county, 
near   Terre   Aha.   on  the  6th  of   May.    [842. 

I!'-  parents  were  John  and  Mary  Jane 
[Grow)  Swisher.  The  father  was  a  native 
of  Germany  and  when  a  young  man  came 
to  the  new  world,  settling  in  Hampshire 
county,  West  Virginia,  lie  was  twice  mar- 
ried, his  second  wife  being  the  mother  of 
our  subject.  He  died  during  the  early 
childhood  of  his  son,  George,  and  the 
mi  ther   afterward    married    again. 

The  subject  of  this  review  worked  upon 
a  farm  in  the  l  Cumberland  mountaii 
hi-  earliest  youth  and  endured  many  hard- 
ships and  privations,  lie  had  very  limited 
school  privileges  and  his  knowledge  has 
been  mostly  acquired  since  attaining  his  ma- 
jority. When  the  country  became  involved 
in  civil  war  his  sympathy  was  with  the 
Union,  which  he  did  not  wish  to  see  <lc- 
troyed  by  the  spirit  of  secession  in  the 
south.  Accordingly  he  enlisted  on  the  [6th 
■  f  July,  1861,  in  the  Seventh  Wes1  Vir 
ginia  Volunteer  [nfantn  and  was  assigned 
to  I  ompany  A.  The  regiment  was  attached 
tn  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  under  Genera] 
Mc<  lellan,  and  Mr.  Swisher  participated  in 
th(     engagements     at     Fredricksburg     and 


111      i 

GEORGE  SWISHER 


MRS.  CiEORUK   SWISHER. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


505 


Chancellorsville.  The  regiment  was  held  in 
reserve  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  and 
later  lie  took  part  in  the  battles  of  ^ntietam 
and  Gettysburg.  The  regiment  made  an 
awful  charge  into  what  seemed  the  very 
jaws  of  death  just  in  the  evening  of  July  3, 
and  this  was  the  turning  point  of  the  im- 
portant battle  of  Gettysburg.  On  one  oc- 
casion Mr.  Swisher  was  in  the  hospital, 
having  contracted  rheumatism  and  measles, 
and  in  December,  1863,  he  was  honorably 
discharged  on  account  of  sickness. 

He  then  returned  home  and  after  par- 
tial}- recovering  his  health  he  made  his  way 
westward  to  Chicago,  in  June,  [864.  Dur- 
ing the  succeeding  winter  he  wa- 
in chopping  cordwood  in  Indiana  and  the 
following  year  came  to  towa,  arriving  in 
December,  [865.  He  made  the  journey  to 
this  -tale  in  company  with  a  Mr.  Sprague 
and  the  trip  was  accomplished  with  horses 
and  teams  to  Willi  nighhy,  Butler  county. 
Mr.  Swisher  soon  afterward  made  his  way 
to  Black  I  lawk  county,  where  he  worked 
upon  a  farm  until  December,  1866,  when 
he  came  to  Boone  county  and  here  engaged 

in  chopping  cordu 1  for  two  persons.     He 

then  rented  and  engaged  111  farming  the 
land  belonging  to  Michael  Myers  for  thirteen 
years.  With  the  capital  he  had  acquired 
through  his  industry  and  economy  he  then 
purchased  land  in  1879,  buying  eighty 
acres  of  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  re 
sides.  The  following  year  he  took  up  his 
abode  there  and  began  clearing  away  the 
timber  and  brush  and  placed  the  land  in  a 
condition  for  plowing.  Soon  afterward  he 
planted  his  crops  and  in  course  of  time 
reaped  abundant  harvests.  lie  has  placed 
substantial  buildings  upon  his  farm  and  now 
has    a    well  developed    property    which    has 


steadily  increased  in  value  a-  the  years  have 
gone  by.  I  fe  alsi  1  pun  h  ised  mure  land  and 
t<  '-day  within  tin  farm  are 

comprised  two  hundred  and  forty  acres. 
a  rich  and  arable  tract  and  he  an- 
nually gains  a  good  income  as  the  result  of 
t!  -  lal  ors  which  he  bestows  upon  the  fields. 
he  has  given  to  his  son  eighty  acres  of  the 
<  W  home  farm. 

In  Boone  count)7,  on  the  27th  of  June, 
[867,  Mr.  Swisher  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  lunih  A.  McMichael,  a  native  of 
Henry  county,  Iowa,  who  was  born  and 
reared  in  Boone  county  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  McMichael,  who  belongs  to  one 
of  the  honored  pioneer  families  of  this 
state.  He  took  up  his  residence  in  Boone 
county  at  a  very  early  peril  id  and  was  iden- 
tified with  the  work  of  progress  and  im- 
provement here.  Unto  Mr.  and  Airs. 
Swisher  have  been  born  five  children: 
Carrie  I'...  now  the  wife  of  Charles  K.  Ver- 
non, a  farmer  of  Cass  township;  Mary  M., 
the  wife  of  Frank  Parcel,  of  Dallas  county, 
Iowa;  Benjamin  M.,  who  is  also  married 
and  is  carrying  on  fanning  in  Dallas 
county;  George,  who  is  married  and  fol- 
lows agricultural  pursuits  in  Cass  town- 
ship; and  James  V.,  who  is  married  and  re- 
sides upon  the  old  home  place,  giving  his 
attention  to  the  work  of  improvement  and 
development    there. 

When  Mr.  Swisher  came  to  Boone 
county  he  was  a  poor  man.  From  early 
life  he  had  been  inured  to  hard  labor  and 
he  was  willing  to  again  work  industriously 
in  1 't'der  tn  establish  a  g 1  home.  Indus- 
try and  enterprise  have  been  the  salient 
feature^  of  his  career,  and  indolence  and 
idleness  arc  foreign  to  Ins  nature.     A.s  the 


506 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


in  bringing  to  him  a  very  desirable  compe- 
tence and  be  is  now  numbered  among  the 
substantial  citizens  of   the  community. 

In  politics  be  is  a  stanch  Prohibitionist, 
voting  with  that  party  at  national  elections, 
but  at  local  elections,  where  no  issue  is  in- 
volved, he  casts  bis  ballot  for  the  men 
whom  be  regards  as  best  qualified  for  office, 
He  was  elected  and  served  as  asses 
twelve  consecutive  years  and  is  now  town- 
ship clerk,  in  which  capacity  be  has  re- 
mained for  four  years.  For  several  years 
he  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board 
and  in  public  office  he  is  ever  found  faithful 
and  true  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him.  Both 
he  and  bis  wife  hold  membership  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Woodward, 
and  be  is  a  member  of  its  official  board, 
having  long  served  as  trustee.  Socially  be 
is  identified  with  the  Wooch 
1  >.  O.  I'.  Ill-  life  has  ever  been  honorable 
and  upright,  lie  deserves  great  - 
what  he  lias  accomplished.  Whili 
ing  to  promote  bis  indi  >s  be  has 

also  been  loyal   to  his  duties  of  citizenship 
and  has  borne  bis  part  in  the  wot 
lie  progress  and  improvement,     tie  has  wit- 
nessed the  wonderful  grow  th  an 
menl    i  >f   ihi-   o  unity,    ha-    seen   tin 
li  nned  and  developed  int  i 
farms    while   the   timber   has   been    cleared 
away   and   the  hi  imes   i  if  the   pri  ispi 
cemented  people  dot  the  landscape,     ile  has 
also   seen    the   road-   made,    the   build'" lg    of 
the   railroads,   together   with   the   introduc- 
tion   of    many    business    enterprises    which 
have  contributed   to   the   prosperity 
community,     lie  is  well   known   in    Boone 
count)   as  a  man  of  exemplary  habits,  high 
integrity    and    of    genuine    worth    and    well 
di  ies  he  deserve  mention  in  this  volume. 


CARSTEN  COOK. 

Car-ten  Cook  owns  and  cultivates  a  line 
farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  on  sec- 
tions 33  and  34,  Marcy  township.  He  has 
been  a  resilient  of  Boone  county  since  [866, 
but  Germany  is  the  land  of  his  birth.  He 
first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in 
Holstein.  September  9,  1834.  his  parent-  be- 
ing Clans  and  Abel  Cook,  both  natives  of 
Germany.  The  father  was  a  laborer  tnd 
died  in  his  native  country,  but  the  mother 
afterward  came  to  America,  passing  away 
a1  the  In  me  of  her  son  Car-ten.  near  Boone, 
in  [879.  In  their  family  were  five  children, 
the  elde-i  being  the  subject  of  this  review; 
the  wife  of  John  lineman,  a  re-i- 
l  igden:  Elsab)  became  the  wife  of 
'eters.  but  both  are  now  di 
\unie  i-  the  wife  of  George  Powers!  of 
Amarjua  township:  and  Hans  settled  here 
in  i  S;  -  and  died  in  1900.  lie  was  a  shoe- 
maker 1  if  B01  me  I  he  childi  en 
forded  the  educational  privileges  of  the 
scln  "1-  of  ( icnnany. 

(  ar-ien  (  !i  1  ik  acquired  a  fair  km 

1  remained  in  Germany  until  after 
his  marriage,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
ibeth  Martins,  of  the  fatherland. 
Three  children  were  born  unto  them  :  Will- 
iam, who  is  living  upon  his  father'-  farm; 
(  iharles,  at  home ;  and  Annie,  the 
William  Beerwood,  a  mail  carrier  who  re- 
si  les  in  <  ouncil  Bluifs,  Iowa.  The  mother 
children  died  in  Boone  on  the  27th 
of  September,  [870. 

Immediately  following  his  first  marriage 
Mr.  (  1 11  >k  came  to  the  I  'nited  States,  lauding 
at  Xew    \  •     ■  he  made  his  '.. 

\  ard  to  i  fowa,  in  [865.     to 

calitv  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  a  year 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


and  then  came  to  Boone  county,  settling  in 
the  city  of  I'm' inc.  where  he  secured  employ- 
ment in  the  service  of  the  Chicago  &  North 
western  <  Railwaj  Company,  lie  aided  in 
grading  the  roadbed  and  worked  all  along 
the  road  for  six  years.  On  the  expiration 
of  that  peric id,  with  the  capital  he  had  ac- 
quired through  his  own  exertions,  he  began 
farming  one  mile  smith  of  Boone,  in  Des 
Mi  line-  township.  He  then  rented  a  farm 
for  several  years,  after  which  he  purchased 
In-  present  farm,  in  January.  [882.  1 1c  now 
owns  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich 
and  arable  land  on  section-  3.;  and  34, 
Marcy  township.  He  has  made  all  of  the 
improvements  upon  this  place  and  is  success 
fully  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  ami 
in  the  raising  of  stock,  both  branches  of  his 
business  having  returned  to  him  a  good  in 
come.  He  is  now  largely  relieved  in  the 
arduous  work  of  the  farm  by  the -labors  of 
his  sons.  >o  that  he  is  practically  living  re- 
tired at  present,  but  he  has  been  a  mosl  dili- 
gent and  energetic  man. 

In  this  county  Mr.  C>«.k  was  again  mar- 
ried, In-  second  marriage  being  with  Wil- 
hehnina  Peters,  a  native  of  Germany,  born 
.May  12,  [852.  Her  father.  Theodore 
Peters,  came  to  America  and  For  a  short 
time  lived  with  his  children  in  Davenport, 
Iowa,  bill  was  nol  long  permitted  to  enjoy 
his  new  home,  his  death  occurring  there 
after  a  brief  residence  111  the  new  world. 
By  the  second  marriage  of  our  subject  nine 
children  have  been  born,  but  the  first  died 
in  infancy  unnamed.  'The  other-  are: 
Henry,  at  home;  Lizzie,  employed  in  die 
part  <  if  the  n  iv  nship  :  Emma,  Ar- 
weina,  Albertina,  Dora  and  Mary,  all  at 
home;  and  I  terman,  who  died  in 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cook  bold  member- 


ship in  the  German  Lutheran  church  of  1  >g- 
den.  1  le  has  servetl  as  schc*  il  dir< 
his  township  and  in  other  minor  offices.  In 
his  political  affiliations,  however,  he  is  inde- 
pendent, regarding  only  the  capability  of  the 
candidate.  He  is  a  self-made  man  who  de- 
serves great  credil  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plished. He  had  to  h  >rn  m  ten  dollars  upon 
his  arrival  in  Boone,  and  thus  literally 
empty-handed  he  started  out  upon  his  busi- 
ness career  here.  He  was  energeti 
resolute,  however,  and  in  the  course  of  time 
as  the  result  of  his  industry  and  economy 
he  has  amassed  a  sufficient  sum  to  enable 
him  to  purchase  land.  As  the  years  have 
passed  he  has  prospered  and  to-cla)  1-  en- 
joying a  comfortable  competence. 


JOHN  W.  DICKINSON,  M.   D. 

To  a  profession  in  which  success  must 
depend  upon  individual  merit  Dr.  John  VV. 
Dickinson  1-  devoting  In-  energies,  and  has 
attained  to  a  creditable  position  in  the  ranks 
of  the  medical  fraternity,  although  lie  is 
one  of  ii-  younger  representatives  in  Boone, 

Iowa.     He  was  bom  in  Zumbrota,  <i lhue 

county.  Minnesota,  April  ro,  (874.  Hi-  fa- 
ther, Perry  P.  Dickinson,  was  a  native  of 
England,  born  in  \pril.  iS  |_\  and  in  1  s 4  1 
was  brought  to  America,  die  family  landing 
in  New  York.  After  arriving  al  years  of 
maturity  he  married  Rosella  Smith,  a  native 
of  die  Empire  state,  who  was  bom  in  [849. 
'I  lien  wedding  was  celebrated  in  M 
ab  111  1865.  The  father  engaged  in  nier 
chandising  and  in  the  lumber  business,  cm 
ducting  lumber  yards  at  \keb ,  Vei  ndale 
ami  Menahga,  Minnesota.    He  was  a  man  of 


5o8 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


marked  enterprise  and  unflagging  diligence, 
and   i-   still  conducting  industries  enabling 
him  to  provide  comfortably  for  his  family, 
lie  had  eighl  children,  of  win  mi  seven  are 
yet  living:    Jenny,  the  wife  of  K.  L.  Payne, 
who  is  engaged  in  the  packing  bu 
Seattle,   Washington;  Clayton  1-.. 
in  general  merchandise  and  lumber  in  Akely, 
Minnesota;  Eugene,  a  distinguished  physi- 
cian of    Duluth,   Minnesota,   who   makes  a 
specialty  of  the  treatment  of  diseases  oi  the 
eve.  ear.  nose  and  throat;  John  \\\.  whose 
name  introduces  this  review;  Lilah  J.,  die 
wife  of   1 1.  C.   Barton,  a  druggisl   of  So  t- 
land,  South   Dakota;  Florence  E.,   i1 
of  Earl  Miller,  a  general  merchant  of  Akely, 
.Minnesota.  Violet,   who  died  at  tin 
five  years;  and  Ha/el   K.,  who  is  living  at 
home  in  Minneapolis. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  1  )r. 
1  >ickinson,  of  Boone,  we  present  to  our  read- 
ers the  li  Fe  rec  ml  ol  i  me  win  i  is  widi 
favorably  know  n,  m  A  i  mly  i  in  aco  nil 
professional  skill,  bul  on  account  of  his  per- 
s<  i  ial  w  orth  a  >  w  ell.  I  lis  earl)  educatii  m 
was  received  in  the  public  schools  of  Zuni- 
brata,  where  he 

eighteen  years  of  age.      He  afterward  went 
t<  i  1  fenn ,  Si  >uth  I  »aki  ita,  w  here  he  i 
father   in   the  a  mducl   i  if    a   ge  u  i 
cantile  enterprise,  remaining  there   for  two 
years,  bul   desiring  to  devote  his  attention 
to  the  alleviation  of  human  sufreri 
member  of  the  medical   fraternity,   in    1894 
he  entered   the   American   Medical   College 
at   St.   Louis,   where  lie  remained    for  two 
years,  closely  applying  himself  to  the  mas 
tery  of  the  principles  of  the  sciences,     lie 
then   entered   the   Marion   Sims   College  of 
Medicine,  in  St.   Louis,   Missouri,  and  was 
graduated   in  that    institution   in    [898,   with 


the  degree  of  M.  I).  During  this  time  he 
also  pursued  a  hospital  course  of  one  year, 
rhorough  preparation  had  well  fitted  the 
Doctor  for  the  practice  of  medicine,  and  he 
iocated  in    Keokuk.    Iowa,  but   after  a  short 

time  came  to  B le,  in  October,   [898,  and 

has  -nice  been  a  well  known  and  successful 
practitioner  of  this  place.     His  practice  ex- 

•  t  a  wide  territory.  He  makes  a 
specialt)    of  the  diseases  of  women,   but  is 

1    in   all   parts  of   medical  practice, 
and   his    abilit)    ranks    him    with   many    an 
Idei  prai  titi 

<  >n  the  tst  of  November,  [897,  the  Dor- 
tor  was  united  in  marriage  to  Delia  L. 
Powell,  who  was  horn  January  21,  [875, 
in  1  Clinton,  low  a,  a  daughter  of  ( liarles  I. 
Powell,  a  native  of  \Yw  York,  connected 
with  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway 
Company.      Her  mother  was  in  her  maiden- 

h 1  Miss  Mary  Wagner,  and  she. 

born  in  the  Empire  state.     In  their   family 
were  seven  children:     Lonetta,  the  wife  of 
nil.  of    Boone;    Mrs.     Delia 
Dickinson;    Milo   F...   of  Ottumwa,   who  is 
d    with    the   Chicago,    Purlin-ton    & 
n    h  hi  1  died  at  the  age 
of  three  years  ;  <  rrace  1  [.,  at  home:  and  Win- 
nie and   Bessie,  who  are  still  with  their  par- 
ents.     The   Doctor  and  his   wife  have  one 
child, .Howard  1  ..  horn  January  4.  [899. 

The  Doctor  is  a  stalwart  advocate  of  the 
Republican  party,  believing  firmly  in  its 
i-i  inciples.  Si  icially  he  is  connected  with  the 
Modern   \\ [men  of    America.      He  own-, 

of  land  in  North  Dakota,  and  three 
fine  residences  in  the-  city  of  Boone,  How- 
ever, as  his  financial  resources  have  in- 
creased he  has  made  judicious  inv< 

i\ .  In  the  line  1  if  his  pn  ifession  he 
i-  connected  with  the  Central  District   Med- 


B.  P.  HOLbT. 


'HE   BIOGRAPHICAL   Rl 


5'i 


ical  Association  and  the  American  Medical 
Association.  He  is  a  deep  and  earnest  stu- 
dent of  his  profession,  and  his  knowledge 
and  efficiency  arc  constantl}  being  aug- 
mented by  reading  and  investigation.  He 
has  now  a  large  practice,  which  is  an  indica- 
tion of  the  public  confidence  in  his  skill. 


B.  P.  HOLST,  M.  A. 

When  we  contemplate  the  career  of 
those  who  turn  the  tide  of  adversity  in 
early  life  to  successful  ends,  we  are  in- 
duced to  regard  with  mure  than  ordinary 
admiration  their  character  and  persever- 
ance. Probably  there  is  in  the  central  part 
of  the  United  States  no  one  who  has 
greater  claim  to  a  biographical  sketch  in 
this  work  than  B.  P.  Hoist,  both  from  the 
interest  shown  in  the  general  upbuilding  of 
educational  institutions  and  for  his  long 
contact  with  the  development  of  Boone 
comity  and  the  state  of  Iowa.  His  life  off- 
er- so  much  encouragement  to  those  who 
arc  at  the  commencement  of  their  business 
and  professional  career,  all  of  which  is  so 
laudable  and  exemplary,  that  the  writer  is 
inspired  by  many  incidents  of  importance 
associated  with  him  and  his  education,  pro- 
fessional    work    and    business    enterprises. 

He  descended  from  German  parentage, 
hi-  forefathers  having  resided  for  many 
generations  in  the  regions  made  famous  by 
the  imperial  contest-  of  Napoleon  and  the 
war-  for  Polish  independence.  Though 
these  eventful  times  were  witnessed  in  dif- 
ferent sections  of  Germany,  the  former  re- 
1V1O0  Lauenburg,  the  home  of  his  paternal 
.  and  the  latter  to  Posen    the  seat 


of  his  maternal  progenitors.      In  both  prov 
inces  were  formidable  parties  that  joined  in 
the  revolution  of  thought  and  action  againsl 
the    continuance    of    imperial    regimes,    and 
with  these  were  associated  tin 
whom  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  scion. 

His  father,  Heinrich  Ludwig  Hoist,  was 
born  at  Ratzeburg,  Germany.  April  17, 
1817,  and  died  at  Pilot  .Mound,  Iowa,  Sep- 
tember 10.  1SS5.  The  latter  was  the  son 
of  Ludwig  Carl  Hoist,  who  died  before 
reaching  middle  life,  and  his  mother  sub- 
sequently married  a  school  teacher  at  Ratze- 
burg. Under  the  careful  and  sympathetic 
instruction  of  his  stepfather  he  obtained  the 
benefits  of  a  practical  education  and  after- 
ward learned  the  trade  of  a  cooper.  He  was 
an  able  thinker  on  theological  and  economi- 
cal questions,  a  lover  of  good  books, and  to*  >k 
considerable  interest  in  traveling.  After 
visiting  many  cities  of  the  German  Confed- 
eration, he  traveled  in  Switzerland,  Austria, 
Prance  and  Russia,  and  in  1842  settled  in 
Samotczin,  Germany,  where  he  founded 
and  developed  a  successful  business  a-  a 
Ci  11  'per. 

On  June  15,  1843,  L.  PP  Hoist,  the 
Father  of  B.  P.  Hoist,  married  Emilie  Leo- 
poldina  Buchholz  at  Samotczin.  She  was 
horn  at  Obersitzko,  a  picturesque  town  on 
the  VVarthe  river';  in  Posen,  April  20,  [820. 
Her  father,  Wilhelm  Gotthold  Buchholz, 
was  a  prominent  citizen  and  successful  drug- 
gist at  her  native  town,  and  her  mother  was 
( ian  dine  I  [irsekorn.  It  was  the 
ambition  of  her  parents  to  give  her  and  her 

onl)  sister,  Amelia  Wilhelmina,  a  g 1  edu 

cation,  which   hope  was  realized   in  the  kin- 
dergarten and  public  schools  of  (  >b 
and   subsequent!)    both   were  taught    music 
bandiwi  irk  in  a  realschule,  or  man- 


512 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECQRl 


ual  school.  Her  only  brother,  Edward,  was 
liberally  educated  and  became  a  successful 
pharmacist. 

The  family  resided  in  Germany  about 
three  years  after  their  marriage,  embarking 
from  Bremen  October  12,  1846,  with  the 
view  of  founding  a  home  in  Australia,  and 
landing  at  Port  Adelaide  March  l8,  [847. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  the  trip  on  the  ocean 
required  over  live  months,  a  fact  due  to  the 
tardy  progress  made  by  sail  ships,  and  while 
on  the  Atlantic  ocean,  off  (ape  Blanco, 
Africa.  (  Ictober  9,  1846,  their  first  b 
Wilhelm  Hoist,  died.  For  seven  months 
the  family  resided  in  Adelaide,  one  of  the 
finest  cities  in  Australia,  after  which  they 
resided  at  different  tin  id    Hoff- 

mmgsthal,  Hochkirck,  and  on  a  farm  near 
Lindock  valley.  In  the  meantime  II.  L. 
Hoist  was  either  occupied  in  farming  or  in- 
terested in  gold  mining,  and  after  a  resi- 
dence of  twenty  years  in  Australia,  about 
equal  portions  of  the  time  in  the  col 
Victoria  and  South  Australia,  the] 
to  emigrate  to  the  United  States.  I  hi  Vpril 
3,  [867,  they  set  sail  from  Melbourne  for 
London,  England,  which  place  they  reached 
in  July,  and  after  spending  some  lime  in 
thai  cit)  and  Liverpool  the)  took  a 
boat  for  New  York,  reaching  Castle  Garden 
on  August  3,  [867.  Five  days  later  they 
came  to  Boone,  Iowa,  and  soon  after  pur- 
chased a  farm  (if  [60  acre-  located  twelve 
miles  northwest  of  the  court  house,  in  Pilot 
Mound  township,  and  a  half  mile  west  of 
Pilot  Mound,  the  highesl  elevation  in  Boone 
county. 

This  farm  was  the  home  of  1'..   I'.  I  [olst, 
tin'  subject  of  this  sketch,  during   In-  bo) 
ears,     lie  is  the  youngest  of  the  fam- 
ily, which  consisted  of  four  boys  and  three 


girls.  They  were  named  in  order  of  age  as 
follows:  Wilhelm  (1845-46);  Ludwig 
Heinrich  (,1847);  Philip  Hermann  (1850- 
57);  Alary  Louise  (1853);  Augusta  Jo- 
hanna (1856)  ;  Emilie  Caroline  (1858-72)  ; 
and  Bernhart  Paul  (1861  ).  Wilhelm  died 
ofl  Cape  Blanco,  Africa.  October  9,  1846; 
Philip  Hermann  died  at  Lobethal,  South 
Australia,  March  20,  1857:  and  Emilie  Car- 
oline died  at  Pilot  Mound,  Iowa,  January  1, 
[872.  Ludwig  Heinrich  chose  to  remain  in 
Australia,  where  he  acquired  success  a-  a 
teacher  and  supervisor  111  the  public 
Man  Louise  married  Julius  Amine  in  [882, 
ami  Augusta  Johanna  married  Joseph 
Adamson  in  r883;  both  reside  in  Boone 
Ci  nun. 

Bernhart  Paul  Hoist  was  horn  Septem- 
ber iS,  [86l,  in  Hochkirch,  in  the  Austra- 
lian colon)  of  Victoria,  and  since  1N07  has 
resided  in  Boone  county,  Iowa,  which  state 
is  yet  his  home  and  for  which  he  has  ever 
had  strong  love,  lie  was  reared  amid  re- 
1  es1  that  were  possible 
under  pioneer  conditions,  and  early  devel- 
oped  the  traits  of  character  which  led   to  a 

strong  manh 1.      In   the   home  and   public 

schools  he  secured  his  early  education,  after 
which  he  had  the  benefits  of  academic  and 
collegiate  work.  From  early  infanc)  he  en- 
joyed the  benefits  that  come  from  learning 
t"  use  several  modern  languages,  and  in  his 
educational  research  attained  more  than 
mediocre  proficiency  in  German  history  and 
literature,  lie  was  granted  his  first  teach- 
ers' certificate  by  J.  H.  Chambers,  county 
superintendent  of  Boone  county  schools,  in 
[883,  when  he  began  teaching  in  the  pttb- 
■  -  -  Being  popular  among  his  asso- 
ciates and  indefatigable  as  an  organizer,  he 
gave    hearty    and    efficienl     support    in    the 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


513 


maintenance  of  debating  societies,  institutes, 
Sunday  schools  and  other  organizations  in- 
tended to  benefit  and  improve  moral  and 
social  conditions.  In  the  spring  of  1884  he, 
in  company  with  two  young  men,  Samuel 
and  Andrew  Adamson,  drove  a  team  to  Lo- 
gan county,  Nebraska,  where  he  served  in 
surveying-  government  lands  and  in  tha 
meantime  completed  title  to  a  quarter  sec- 
tion of  public  land.  Subsequently  he  drove 
on  the  California  trail  across  the  plains  to 
the  foothills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  that  year  returned  to 
Boone  count}  to  resume  teaching  in  the  pub- 
lic schools. 

On  September  15,  1887.  Mr.  Hoist  mar- 
ried Ella  Roose,  Rev.  Abram  .Miller,  of  the 
Lutheran  church  of  Georgetown,  solemniz- 
ing the  marriage  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents,  near  Moultrie,  Ohio:  Mrs.  Hoist 
was  born  in  Columbiana  county,  Qhio,  Jan- 
uary 26,  1 81 17,  and  is  the  youngest  of  four 
children,  having-  one  sister  and  two  broth- 
ers. Her  parents.  Michael  Roose,  born 
February  14.  [826,  and  Rachael  Myers 
I  ose,  born  February  u>.  [832,  are  of  Ger- 
man parentage  and  descended  from  early 
settlers  of  Pennsylvania.  They  reside  in  the 
natural  gas  and  oil  belt  near  Alliance.  Ohio, 
where  they  own  a  productive  fruit  and 
dairy  farm.  Two  children  have  been  horn 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoist,  a  son  and  a  daugh- 
ter. The  -on.  Bertram  Paul,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1889,  and  since  his  sixth  year 
has  attended  the  schools  of  Boone.  The 
daughter.  Blanche  Alcott,  was  horn  in 
Boone,   Iowa,  Januaiw    2,    [894. 

No  compendium  such  as  the  province  of 
this  work  defines  in  it-  essential  limitations 
will  serve  to  offer  lit  memorial  to  the  life 
and   ai  complishments  of    B.    I'.    I  foist,   the 


honored  subject  of  this  sketch — a  man  re- 
markable m  the  breadth  of  his  wisdom,  in 
In-  indomitable  perseverance,  his  -iron-  in 
dividuality,  and  yet  one  whose  whole 
esoteric  phase,  being  an  open  scroll,  inviting 
the  closest  scrutiny.  True,  his  have  been 
"massive  deed-  and  great"  in  one  sense,  and 
yet  his  entire  lite  accomplishments  hut  rep- 
resent the  result  of  the  tit  utilization  of  the 
innate  talent  which  is  his,  and  the  directing 
ot  his  effort-  in  those  lines  where  mature 
judgment  and  rare  discrimination  lead  the 
way.  There  is  in  him  a  weight  of  character, 
a  native  sagacity,  a  farseeing  judgment  and 
a  ftdelit}  of  purpose  that  commands  the  re- 
spect of  all.  A  man  of  indefatigable  enter- 
prise and  fertility  of  resource,  he  has 
carved  his  name  deeply  on  the  record  of  the 
educational,  political,  commercial  and  pro- 
fessional history  of  the  state,  which  owes 
much  of  its  advancement  to  his  efforts,  espe- 
cialh  along  educational  lines.  Being  one  of 
til-  most  capable  and  successful  educators 
of  the  -late,  he  caused  the  schools  of  Boone 
count}  to  make  rapid  progress  and  induced 
a  higher  sentiment  for  professional  enter- 
prise in  teachers'  institutes  and  public  school 
0  mrses. 

It  may  he  said  that  throughout  his  en- 
tire life  lie  has  been  connected  with  educa- 
te mal  work,  and  that  he  turned  n  1  ; 
count  much  of  the  time  that  too  many  men 
fail  to  utilize.  In  his  professional  work  he 
has  been  persevering  to  enlarge  hi-  own  use- 
0  nl  that  of  his  learners  as  he  ha-  ever 
been  diligent  in  his  business  enterprises,. and 
it  may  he  -aid  that  he  has  been  equally  suc- 
cessful in  both  line-.  In  [889  he  was 
elected  county  superintendent  of  schools  of 
in  \\  Inch  capacity  he  remained 
for    ten    \ear-.       \o  one    m    the   c.  .11111  \    ever 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


filled  the  same  position  for  as  long  a  period, 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  any.  me  else  in  the  state 
has  been  more  highly  complimented  through 
popular  suffrage  than  he.  It  is  suggestive 
of  mure  than  ordinary  popularity  and  abil- 
ily  when  we  note  that  he  was  nominated  on 
the  Democratic  ticket  while  Boone  county 
i-  strongly  Republican,  and  yet  he  was 
elected,  receiving  a  vote  about  five  hundred 
more  than  the  strength  of  his  party.  In 
[891,  when  re-elected,  he  received  a  vote  of 
one  thousand  more  than  his  party,  and  in 
1S93  his  vote  was  about  eleven  hundred 
more  than  that  cast  for  his  ticket.  In  1895, 
when  the  opposition  party  had  an  average 
majority  of  thirteen  hundred  votes  for  it- 
candidates  he  was  given  a  safe  endorsement 
for  a  fourth  term  and  afterward  was  elected 
for  the  fifth  time,  each  term  being  for  two 
years.  In  1899,  while  conducting  an  insti- 
tute at  Boone  where  about  three  hundred 
and  thirty  teacher-  were  in  attendance,  he 
was  notified  that  the  Democratic  state  con- 
vention had  nominated  him  for  superinten- 
dent of  public  instruction  by  acclamation, 
and  shortly  after  he  was  tendered  a 
public  ovation  by  the  teachers  and  citizens 
of  Boone.  Though  defeated  in  the  state 
election,   he   turned   the  compliment 

nomination   to  g 1   accounl    b)    delivering 

addresses  in  many  of  the  cities  of  tin1  state 
and  extending  hi-  acquaintance  among  pub- 
lic men. 

Professor  Hoist  1-  known  as  an  insti- 
tute instructor  and  lecturer,  having  been  ap- 
pointed on  the  corps  of  teachers  for  more 
than  twent)  five  Iowa  institutes  held  in  dif- 
ferent counties.  Among  his  mosl 
addresses  are  those  entitled  Educational 
Foundations,  Fundamentals,  Three  Greal 
the   Kge,  and  "]    \m  Fearfully  and 


Wonderfully  Made."  His  popularity  as  a 
conductor  of  institutes  is  evidenced  by  the 
following  memorial  presented  to  him  in 
[895  by  the  teachers  of  Boone  county: 

"Whereas:  The  sixth  session  of  the 
Boone  county  Normal  Institute  under  your 
direction  is  now  drawing  to  a  close,  and  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  these  sessions  have 
been  the  most  earnest  and  enthusiastic  ever 
held  in  the  county,  the  courses  of  study  be- 
ing the  most  systematic  and  complete  ever 
issued,  the  instruction  in  them  able  and  con- 
scientious .and  the  maimer  of  conducting 
them  competent  and  energetic; 

"In  grateful  recognition  whereof:  We, 
the  teachers  of  Bo,  me  county  tender  you 
our  sincere  thanks  for  the  watchful  interest 
with  which  you  have  ever  guarded  our  edu- 
c;  tional  affair-,  and  the  firm  and  yet  courte- 
or-  manner  in  which  you  have  ever  dealt 
itll  teacher-  and  patrons  of  OUT 
and  we  do  hereby  recommend  you 
to  the  school  public,  not  only  a-  an  educator 
-1  profound  ability,  but  a-  a  gentleman  of 
thoroughly   Christian  character. 

"Furthermore.:  We.  the  undersigned, 
members  of  the  Boone  County  Normal  ln- 
stitute  of  [895,  a-  a  testimonial  of  our  high 
personal  regard,  and  as  an  evidence  of  our 
appreciation  of  the  able  manner  in  which 
you  have  discharged  the  important  duties  of 
your  office,  present  you  with  this  gold  watch 
and  chain,  and  hope  that  you  may  long  en- 
j"\  positions  of  usefulness  among  your  fel- 
li  w    men." 

fhe  subject  of  this  -ketch  has  been  no; 
only  influential  in  the  higher  councils  of 
hut  has  held  a  num- 
ber of  official  positions  ami  served  on  im- 
portant legislative  committees.  In  1892  at 
Cedar    Rapids.    Iowa,    he    was    chosen    the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


5'5 


first  vice-president  of  the  Iowa  State  Teach- 
ers' Association,  lie  was  quite  a  young 
man  when  thus  honored,  but  he  capably 
filled  the  position  and  in  1893  was  elected 
president  of  the  county  superinten- 
dents' and  Normal  Department  while  in 
session  at  Des  Moines.  His  indefatigable 
efforts  in  promoting  organization  has  its 
desired  effect  and  gave  Iowa  the  largest 
meeting  ever  held  up  to  that  time  by  county 
superintendents.  The  Iowa  Normal  Month- 
ly, published  at  Dubuque.  Iowa,  said  of  him  : 

"He  is  master  in  effecting  organization 
and  system.  He  brings  harmony  and  a 
gladdening  spirit  into  the  work.  Under  his 
efficient  management  every  line  of  school 
work  has  been  awakened  and  broadened.  He 
has  organized  a  teachers'  library  and  a  hun- 
ched for  the  public  schools  with  over  two 
thousand  five  hundred  volumes.  His  sys- 
tematic plans  for  conducting  teachers'  meet- 
ings and  county  institutes  make  them  at 
once  profitable  and  popular.  In  his  office 
are  kept  the  most  accurate  and  systematic 
records  of  supervision  and  gradation. 

"He  is  an  able  writer  and  natural 
speaker.  The  past  year  he  delivered  about 
forty  lectures  before  institutes  and  conven- 
tions. While  he  takes  delight  in  this  line  of 
work,  he  is  constantly  guarding  the  school- 
in  his  charge.  Their  upbuilding  and  suc- 
cessful advancement  have  been  his  constant 
desire.  One  of  Iowa's  greatest  educators, 
Dr.  W.  M.  Beardshear,  fittingly  says  of 
him:  T  can  speak  of  him  and  his  work  in 
the  most  commendable  terms.'" 

In  speaking  of  In-  public  life  and  w<  irk 
it  may  be  fitting  b  1  mentii  v\  brief!] 
fidence  in   which  he  is  held  by  those  thai 
know  him  best.  Tin-  applies  not  only  to  his 
public   sen  ice,  bul   1  >  true  alsi  1  1  if  his  busi- 

■27 


ness  and  social  life.  When  but  twenty-one 
years  of  aye  he  was  nominated  for  justice 
of  the  peace  in  Pilot  Mound  township  by  a 
class  of  citizens  who  wanted  to  bring  a 
young  man  and  efficiency  to  that  office  at 
a  time  when  the  town  of  Pilot  Mound  was 
in  its  infancy.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  he 
was  elected  and  that  he  served  his  constitu- 
ents with  ability.  After  retiring  from  the 
county  superintendency  in  1901  he  was 
chosen  a  member  ojf  the  city  council  of 
Boone  by  the  citizens  of  the  fifth  ward  who 
favor  public  improvements,  and  in  1902  he 
was  re-elected  by  the  same  progressive  ele- 
ment. 

He  is  indebted  largely  to  himself  for 
what  he  is  and  for  what  he  has  achieved, 
but  above  all  be  attributes  bis  success  to  the 
watchful  care  and  constant  encouragement 
of  his  parents.  From  his  father,  a  man 
strongly  devoted  to  the  religious  teachings 
and  moral  practices  of  the  Lutheran  church, 
he  obtained  a  fine  collection  of  works  in  the 
German,  and  to  him  also  is  he  indebted  for 
support  in  attending  for  two  years  at  a 
school  where  he  studied  modern  languages 
and  the  sciences.  From  this  work  as  a 
nucleus,  he  broadened  his  mind  by  constant 
study  and  practical  application,  taking  while 
engaged  in  school  supervision  advantage  of 
university  extension  courses  of  study  and  in 
[899  was  awarded  on  an  examination  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts  by  the  Western 
University,   Chicago. 

While  at  the  farm  home  during  his  youth 
he  began  t"  take  an  interest  in  reading  the 
works  of  great  authors,  such  as  Schiller. 
Bryant,  Holmes,  Whittier,  Goethe,  I  tan- 
croft,  Shakespeare,  and  I  >ickt-n-.  and  front 
e.,ch  he  drew  inspiration  characteristic  of 
the    writer.       lie    was    particularK 


5i6 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


sketches  drawn  from  Eulenspiegel  and  the 
Nibelungenlied.  Being  interested  in  literary 
work,  he  began  to  find  pleasure  in  writing 
as  a  local   correspondent   for  county  news- 

md  prepared  numerous  essaj  s  on 
literary  topics  to  fie  read  before  schools  and 
lyceums.  In  1890  he  began  publishing  the 
Boom  1  ount)  Teacher,  a  monthl)  educa- 
tional journal,  which  he  issued  for  ten  years 
and  made  it  a  helpful  means  of  furthering 
pedagogical  work.     In   [893  he  read  an  able 

i  Demands  of  the  Count)  Superin- 
tendenc)  before  the  county  superintendents' 
and  normal  department  at  Des  Moines,  and 
subsequently  delivered  many  addresses  relal 
ing  to  educational  topics  Ijefore  institutes 
While  count)  super- 
published 
annually  the  Graded   Four  Years'    I 

-1  Study,  which  was  issued  regu 
larlv   for  ten  years. 

I  lir    finest    literal")    work   of    i " 
Hoist,  however,  1-  In-  Teachers'  and  Pupils' 
Cyclopaedia,     lie  began  work  <>n  it  in  [898. 
v\  hen  be  was  in  the  co 
writing   biographical    sketches   and    articles 
itwfic  subjects,  such  a--  would  not  lose 

and  value  b)    the  la] 

k  1  he  employed  a  type- 
writer ami  shorthand  reporter  with  the  view 
of  cmpleting  the  won,   on   the  manuscript 

morning  until  nine 
o'clock  at  night  about  two  years  111  collating 
ising  it.  The  work  was  finally  pub- 
lished m  its  complete  form  111  February, 
1902,  when  it  was  issued  in  three  large  vol- 
umes containing  2,21 16  ind  ah.  >ut 
nstratii  ms.  I  he  sea  >nd  edition  ap- 
peared in  May,  ]<)<>_'.  with  divers  improve- 
ments   and    eight    pages    added.        This    work 


is  written  in  a  beautiful,  narrative  style, 
and  i.-  a  valuable  treatise  and  dictionary  of 
geography,  history,  mythology,  discoveries, 
inventions  and  'educational  progress.  It 
treat-  the  literature  of  all  countries  and 
peoples;  reviews  the  resources  and  political 
conditions  of  all  land.-:  presents  the  biog- 
raphies of  all  noted  persons  both  living  and 
dead;  and  discusses  the  art-  and  science-  in 
kin-  and  application,  ft  has  al- 
ready found  its  way  into  hundred-  of  homes 

and  scl 1  libraries)  and  is  justly  regarded 

one  of  the  finest  American  products  now  on 
■  <k  market. 
From   1867  until  in  February,   hioo.  he 

■  Mi   the   family   homestead   immedi- 
ately south  of  the  b  >w  n  1  if  Pilot  Mi 
in  the  latti  ived  to  the  fifth  ward. 

Boone,  where  he  i-  -till  a  resident,  lie 
1-  the  owner  of  several  large 
and  a  tine  home,  and  has  material  interests 
m  the  Hoist  Publishing  Company,  a  corpor- 
oted  to  the  publication  of  his 
books,      lli-   personal   library  contain-   sev- 

ousand     volutin 
printed   in   the    English,   German,    Swedish 

:  languages.  In  all  bis  work  he  has 
exemplified  the  -pint  of  education  approved 
b)  Sidney  Smith,  who  said:  "The  real  ob- 
ject   of   education    i-    to   give   children    re- 

that  will  endure  a-  long  a-  life  en- 
dures; habits  that  tune  will  ameliorate,  nol 
destroy;  occupation  that  will  render  sick- 
ness tolerable,  solitude  pleasant,  age  vener- 
able, lift  '  ied  and  useful,  and 
death  less  terrible."  He  is  a  man  of  dis- 
tinct and  forceful  individuality;  hi-  influ 
ence  ha-  ewer  been  on  the  ide  of  progress 
and  public  improvement,  and  Boone  count) 
bas  reason  to  he  proud  that  she  can  number 
him  among  her  citizens. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    A 


5'7 


JACOB  HESS. 

Jacob  1  fess,  a  resident  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser  'it  Amaqua  township,  living  on  sec- 
tion 4.  lias  resided  in  Boone  count}'  onh 
since  1889,  but  during  that  period  lie  has  be 
come  widely  recognized  as  a  business  man 
of  ability,  practical  in  all  his  farming  opera- 
tions. He  was  burn  in  Lake  county,  Illi- 
nois, on  the  6th  of  February,  1859,  his  par- 
ents being  Anthony  and  Christina  Hess, 
both  of   whom   were  natives  of   Germany, 

they  came  to  America  in  [844.  tak- 
ing up  their  abode  in  Lake  county,  where  the 
father  secured  a  tract  of  land  and  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death. 
which  occurred  in  1897.  His  wife  survived 
him  about  two  years,  passing  away  in  [899. 
Of  their  family  of  twelve  children  only 
three  came  to  Iowa,  namely:  Fred,  who  is 
now  a  farmer  residing  in  Greene  count)  ; 
William,  who  carries  on  fanning  in  Clay 
ci  iunt)  :  and  Jacob,  1  >f  this  review . 

Xii  event  of  special  importance  occurred 
to  vary  the  routine  of  farm  life  for  Mr. 
1  less  in  bis  early  youth.  1  le  worked  in  held 
and  meadow  and  pursued  his  education  111 
the  public  schools  near  his  home;  but  when 

arrived  at  manhood  an  important 
evenl  in  his  life  occurred — his  marriage  to 
Mis-  Sophia  Tibbie,  of  Kankakee.  Illinois. 
Her  father  was  a  farmer  of  that  place  and 
spent  his  entire  life  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
11  -  ame  the  parents  i  >i  5C\  en  children. 
all  of  whom  are  at  home,  namely:  Frank. 
Robert,  Robert,  Warren.  Elmer,  S 
Leonard. 

\\  hen  Mr.  I  less  came  to  the  west  in  [889 
he  settled  upon  his  present  farm,  on  sec 
tion  4,  Amaqua  tow  nship,  and  at  once  be 
gan  the  improvement  and  cultivation  ol  this 


tract,      i  le    now  owns    ninet)  -thn 
which,   is  under  a  high   state  of  cultivati   n, 
and  in   the  rich   fields  are  see::  the   various 
crops  which  are  adapt* 

mate.      I  le   ha  office   seeker. 

nor  has  he  held  positions  of  public  i  r  po 
Iitical  preferment,  but  he  has  alwaj  s  gi\  en 
a  loyal  support  to  the  Republican  party. 
Social!)  he  1-  identified  with  the  Micienl 
(  Irdei  of  United  Work  ing  to  the 

cam])  wliu  h  hold    il    meetings  in  tin 

tse.     I  lis  life  has  been  one  of  unre- 
mitting   diligence,    and   as    the   years    have 
passe  1  his  labors  have  been  manifest  in  the 
acquirement  of  a  good    farm   and  1 
able  hi  ime. 


HEXRY  BERGMAN. 

Henry  Bergman,  deceased,  was  a  worthy 
representative  ol  tin  class  of  reliable  and 
valued  citizens  thai  Germany  has  furnished 
to  the  new  world,  lie  was  huru  in  the  fa- 
therland September  28,  1832,  a  sou  of  Will- 
iam Bergman,  who  spent  his  entire  life  in 
I  lermany.  W'tcr  the  death  of  tin 
the  mother  and  our  subject  came  to  the 
United  States,  crossing  the  Atlantic  in  1859. 
The)  settled  in  Lee  ornate.  Illinois,  and 
Mrs.  Bergman  purchased  a  farm  upon  which 
she  lived  for  ten  years.  She  then  came  to 
Iowa  in  [869,  and  spent  one  yeai  in  the  city 
of  Boone,  alter  winch  she  took  up  i  1 
on  section  [9,  Pilot  Mound  township.  I  fere 
I  leinw  Bergman  purchased  a  farm  and  im- 
proved the  land,  making  it  a  very  valuable 
tract  Upon  thai  place  he  made  his  home 
until  [892,  when  he  renv  red  to  I  >gden  and 
continued  to  live  at  that  place  until  bis 
death,  which  occurred  Jul)    2,   19  >2,  after  an 


5i8 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


illness  of  eight  weeks.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  the  Lutheran  cemetery,  five  miles 
northwest  of  Ogden.  After  his  removal  to 
Ogden  he  still  owned  the  farm  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  in  Pilot  Mound  town- 
ship. He  was  a  wide-awake,  practical  and 
progressive  agriculturist  and  his  labors 
brought  to  him  splendid  returns.  As  the 
years  passed  the  sale  of  his  crops  gained  for 
him  a  gratifying  income  and  he  became  the 
possessor  of  a  comfortable  competence  and 
could  enjoy  a  well  merited  rest. 

On  the  ioth  of  September.  1832.  in  Ger- 
main, occurred  the  birth  of  Johanna  Fried- 
land  and  before  Henry  Bergman  left  Ger- 
many he  made  this  lady  his  wife.  Their 
marriage  has  been  blessed  with  twelve  chil- 
dren: Philena.  the  wile  of  Arnie  Miller, 
who  resides  upon  a  farm  near  Dayton,  Iowa; 
Ernstena,  the  wife  of  William  Peters,  a  resi 
dent  of  Boone  county;  Anna,  the  wife  of 
Charles  W  rede,  a  clothing  merchant  of  (  )g- 
den;  Cecelia,  who  is  the  widow  of  Theodore 
Wrecle  and  resides  near  her  father's  home 
in  Ogden;  Elyina,  who  is  at  home:  Ellen, 
who  is  the  wife  of  A.  Fisher,  a  railroad  en- 
gineer-at  Fraser  Junction:  William,  Ed- 
ward, Johanna  ami  Henry,  who  are  all  de- 
ceased: Caroline,  who  is  the  wife  of  Louis 
Ohge,  a  resident  of  I',., one.  low  a:  and 
Amelia,  who  married  Rinehold  VViddig  ami 
lives  in  Boone.  Mr.  Bergman  hail  a  tine 
residence  in  the  northern  part  of  <  )gden  and 
its  hospitable  doors  were  ever  open  for  the 
reception  of  many  friends  of  the  family.  In 
politics  he  was  a  1  >emocra1  and  tx  ith  he  and 
bis  wife  held  membership  in  the  German 
Lutheran  church  of  (  >gden.  Through  a  sue 
cessful  business  career  his  labors  were  con 
tinued  from  year  to  year  until  he  retired  to 
enjoy  a  well  merited  rest.      He  ever  com- 


manded the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow 
men  and  well  deserves  representation  in  this 
volume. 


ANDREW  J.   BOLLEXBAUGH. 

Andrew  J.  Bollenbaugh.  who  is  now 
living  a  retired  life  in  the  village  of  Moin- 
gona,  was  born  in  Van  Wert  county,  Ohio, 
on  the  19th  of  January,  183 1.  His  par- 
ents, John  and  Elizabeth  (  Stetler)  Bollen- 
baugh, were  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania 
ami  thence  removed  to  Ohio.  Mr.  Bollen- 
baugh becoming  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Van  Wert  county.  He  took  up  his  abode 
upon  a  farm  there  and  throughout  his  rej 
training  days  devoted  his  energies  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  becoming  one  of  the  pros- 
perous  as  well  as  enterprising  farmers  of 
the  community.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died 
in  Van  Wert  county.  This  worthy  couple 
were  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  of 
whom  six  are  yet  living:  Sallie.  who  C 
now  the  widow  of  Ajilon  Wright,  and  re- 
sides m  Hamilton  county.  Nebraska:  Absa- 
lom, who  1^  engaged  in  farming  in  Van 
Wert  county.  Ohio;  Betsey,  who  is  the 
widow  of  Garrison  Alsbaugh  and  lives  in 
Van  Wert  count\  ;  Mrs.  Catherine  Ding- 
man,  a  widow  living  in  Sydney,  Ohio; 
Rachel,  the  widow  of  John  Howard,  and  a 
resident  of  Nelson,  Nebraska;  Nancy,  the 
wife  of  Fred  Hill,  of  Van  Wert,  county, 
Ohio;  and  Andrew  J. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family 
Andrew  J.  Bollenbaugh  pursued  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  state 
ami  assisted  his  father  in  the  operation  of 
the  home  farm  until  hi-  marriage  which  oc- 
curred in  the     year     1850,  the  lady  of  his 


A.  J.  BOLLENBAUGH    AND   WIFE. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


521 


choice  being  Miss  Mar)  Stetler,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Ohio  on  the  30th  of  April. 
1830.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Stetler. 
an  early  settler  and  farmer  of  Ohio,  who 
died  in  that  state.  The  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bollenbaugh  has  been  blessed  with 
seven  children:  Rachel,  born  October  17. 
1853.  is  with  her  parents.  Rhoda,  born  Jan- 
uary 20,  1858.  is  the  wife  of  John  Kester. 
a  mason  living'  in  Moingona.  Clara,  burn 
October  31,  1859.  is  the  wife  of  George  C. 
Thompson,  who  is  a  merchant  of  Ogden, 
Iowa.  William,  born  April  5,  [863,  owns 
and  operates  a  farm  near  Moingona,  Iowa. 
He  was  engaged  in  the  restaurant  business 
for  one  year  in  Ogden.  but  now  lives  at 
home.  King  Cyrus,  born  July  31,  1803, 
married  Helen  Lawton,  and  is  living  neai 
Ogden  upon  his  father's  farm.  John,  bom 
August  31.  1867,  wedded  Mary  Timmons 
and  is  engaged  in  farming  in  Beaver  town- 
ship. Ida  May.  born  December  17.  1874.  is 
the  wife  of  George  Brooks,  a  miner  of 
Moingona. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Bollenbaugh  re- 
sided upon  the  old  home  farm  in  Ohio  for 
two  years.  Then  removing  to  Grant  coun- 
ty, Wisconsin,  where  be  purchased  a  small 
tract  of  land,  he  continued  its  cultivation 
for  thirteen  years.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  sold  bis  property  in  the 
Badger  state  and  came  to  Boone  comity, 
Iowa,  first  settling  in  Ogden.  There  he 
built  a  bouse  in  which  he  lived  for  a  year. 
after  which  he  purchased  a  farm  two  miles 
south  of  Ogden.  in  Marcy  township.  This 
comprised  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  and 
he  there  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  un- 
til January.  [900,  when  he  removed  to  the 
village  of  Moingona  where  he  has  since 
lived    retired,   but   be   still     owns   his    farm. 


The  first  house  which  he  built  111  Ogden  was 
constructed  of  lumber  which  he  hauled  for 
fifteen  miles  through  the  swamps  and  over 
the  rough  roads  of  Boone  county,  but  cul- 
tivation and  training  have  wrought  a  trans- 
formation and  the  district  is  now  tine  farm- 
ing land.  Mr.  Bollenbaugh  is  yet  the 
owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
rich  land  located  on  the  northeast  quarter  of 
section  i8j  Marcy  township,  and  this  re- 
turns to  him  a  good  rental. 

As  the  years  have  passed  our  subject  has 
tilled  some  minor  political  positions,  but  has 
never  been  an  office  seeker.  In  politics  he 
has  ever  been  a  Democrat,  giving  his  sup- 
prut  to  the  men  and  measures  of  the  party. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  unremitting  toil 
until  of  recnt  years  when  he  has  put  aside 
business  cares  in  order  to  enjoy  a  well  mer- 
ited rest.  He  is  well  known  as  a  respected 
and  honored  citizen  of  Moingona  and  of 
Boone  county  and  his  friends  throughout 
the  community  are  many. 


THOMAS  L.  JOXES. 

In  business  circles  of  Hoi  me  Thomas  L. 
Jones  is  an  active  factor.  He  is  a  western 
man  by  birth,  training  and  preference,  and 
in  his  life  exemplifies  the  true  western  spirit 
of  progress  and  determination  which  has 
led  to  the  rapid  development  of  this  portion 
of  the  country,  lie  was  born  in  Ontario, 
Iowa.  November  :S.  [866.  His  Father, 
Richard  Jones,  was  a  native  of  VVooster, 
Ohio,  where  his  birth  occurred  I  >ctober  1  ^. 
[838.  The  grandfather.  Thomas  F.  Jones, 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  [802,  and  the 
family  was  an  old  and  prominent  one  in  that 


522 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


state.  The  mother  of  our  subject  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Henrietta  Ross,  ami  her 
birth  occurred  near  Valparaiso,  Indiana. 
July  21,  1 84 1 .  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Scotland,  and  her  mother  of  the  Keystone 
state.  The  parents  of  our  subject  were  mar- 
ried mi  the  20th  of  Ma) .  t86o,  near  Ontario, 
Iowa,  and  the  father  devoted  his  energies  to 
farming  until  prompted  by  the  spirit  of 
patriotism  he  offered  his  services  to  the  gov- 
ernment in  response  to  the  country's  call  for 
aid.  and  enlisted  in  Nevada,  in  August, 
[862,  as  a  member  of  Company  A,  Twenty- 
third  Iowa  Infantry,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Ballard  and  Colonel  Kinsman.  The 
r<  ginn  nl  was  attached  1 1  the  \\  estern  Army, 
and  Mr.  Jones  proceeded  with  his  command 
to  the  front,  participating  in  many  import- 
ant engagements,  which  led  to  the  preserva 
tion  of  the  Union.  After  the  war  he  re- 
turned to  1  Intario,  where  lie  made  bis  home 
until  1892.  when  lie  came  to  Boone,  where 
he  and  his  «  ife  are  still  !i\  ing.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  four  children :  Thomas  L.,  our  sub- 
jecl  .  I-  -  W.,  w  hi  1  is  engaged  in  tin 
tate  business  in  ( 'n  1  iksti  >n,  Minnesota  :  J. 
F.,  who  is  successfully  engaged  in  the  prac 
tice  of  medicine  in  Fargo,  North  Dakota; 
and,  \\  .  (',..  who  is  chief  clerk  in  the  employ 
of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railwa) 
Company  at   Verdigris,   Nebraska. 

In  the  schools  of  Ston  count) .  Iowa, 
Thomas  L.  Jones  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tion, which  was  supplemented  by  stud)  in 
the  high  school  at  \iiie-.  this  state.  Later 
red  the  Capital  City  O  immercial  Col- 
leg*  at  Des  Moines,  and,  m  [892  he  arrived 
in  Boone,  since  which  tune  he  has  been  an 
active  factor  in  business  circles  that  have 
contributed  not  alone  to  his  own  success  but 
also  to  the  prosperity  of    the    community. 


He  first  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade 
through  the  summer  of  1892,  and  during  the 
succeeding  three  and  a  half  years  was  en- 
gaged in  the  music  business  in  Boone.  In 
the  spring  of  [896,  he  turned  his  attention 
to  real  estate  dealing  and  to  the  insurance 
business,  and  his  operations  have  since  been 
along  these  lines.  Few  men  are  better  in- 
formed concerning  the  value  of  property  in 
this  portii  m  of  the  country,  and  he  has  nego- 
tiated many  important  real  estate  transfers. 
I  le  is  well  known  for  his  reliability,  and  sus- 
tains an  unassailable  reputation.  In  bis 
work  he  is  associated  with  Mr,  Herman, 
under  tile  firm  name  of  Herman  &  Jones, 
and  they  hand!  ■  large  valued  interests  in  the 
state  and  also  in  Minnesi  ita  and  the  1  >akotas. 
The)    iikew  ise  liavi  rgest    insurance 

agency  in  Boone  county,  writing  much  busi- 
ness each  year,  representing  many  thousands 
of  dollars. 

( )n  the  27th  of  April,  1890,  Mr.  Jones 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Bertha  A.  Jones. 
who  was  loni  in  Indiana.  September  [6, 
[869,  and  is  the  daughter  of  I..  R.  Jones,  a 
native  of  the  same  state,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  1K40.  When  be  had  arrived  at 
years  of  maturity  he  married  Louisa  Saw- 
yer, who  was  born  in  Indiana  in  [843,  and 
their  marriage  was  -raced  with  five  chil- 
dren :  Leah,  the  wife  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Johnson, 
of  Charles  City,  Iowa:  Bertha,  now  the  wife 
of  our  subject:  F.  S..  a  resident  farmer  of 
I  '•'  -  me  o  mnty  :  M.  I'.,  w  In  1  is  living  in  St  >rv 
county,  and  Mabel  I...  who  has  passed  away. 
Unto  Mr.  an  1  Mrs  Jones  of  this  review . 
have  been  born  three  children:  Bernice  R., 
born  .March  9,  1891  ;  Ethel  1...  horn  Septem- 
ber 29,  iN.|j.  and  Edith  L.  born  March  30, 
[894.  The  parents  hold  membership  in  the 
Christian  church,   in   which     Mr.    [ones    is 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    R 


£23 


serving  as  treasurer,  and  in  this  work  they 
take  an  active  interest,  doing  what  tlie\  can 
to  extend  its  influence  and  to  promote  its 
growth. 

Politically  Mr.  Jones  is  a  Democrat,  and 
in  [898  he  was  elected  assessor,  filling  that 
position  for  four  years  with  credit  to  himself 
and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents.  So- 
cially he  is  connected  with  the  Royal  Arca- 
num, and  with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World 
As  a  business  man  he  has  been  conspicuous 
among  his  associates,  not  only  for  his  suc- 
cess, but  for  his  probity,  fairness  and  honor- 
able methods,  and  in  everything  he  has  been 
eminently  practical;  this  has  been  manifest 
not  onh  in  his  business  undertakings,  and 
also  in  social  and  private  life. 


J.  H.  PIES. 

J.  II.  Pies,  whose  home  is  on  section  17. 
in  Garden  township,  and  who  is  a  highly 
esteemed  citizen,  familiarly  called  "Henry" 
by  his  friends,  is  now  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock  raising,  owning  and  cultivating  a 
good  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres. 
It  is  pleasantly  and  conveniently  located 
three  miles  and  a  half  from  Madrid  and  thus 
the  conveniences  of  city  life  are  ea 
tainable,  while  at  the  same  time  he  enjoys 
the  comfort  and  freedom  found  only  upon 
the  farm. 

Since  [866  he  has  been  a  residenl 
Boone  county  which  is  far  from  the  place 
of  his  birth  for  he  is  a  native  of  Germany. 
I  [e  was  born  (  Ictober  3,  [850,  a  son  of  M. 
YV.  Pies,  who  was  also  horn  and  reared  in 
the  fatherland,  where  he  married  Wilhel- 
mine  <  Itto,  also  of  ( Germany.  Tin 
spelt    their   entire   lives   111   that   country,  hut 


I  leiiry  Pies  came  to  the  new  world 
lad  of  fifteen  years  and  from  that  til 
ward  has  been  a  resident  of  Donne  countv. 
lie  joined  an  uncle  here  ami  began  work  as 
a  farm  hand  by  the  month.  I  [e  bad  en- 
joyed fair  school  advantages  in  his  native 
country  and  thus  was  well  prepared  to  meet 
the  practical  ami  responsible  duties  of  life. 
He  made  his  first  purchase  of  land  in  1S75, 
becoming  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  on  which 
lie  now  resides.  It  was  still  in  its  primitive 
conditi  m  but  he  broke  it  the  same  year  and 
thus  prepared,  it  for  cultivation.  In  [876 
he  built  a  small  house  and  began  to  farm  his 
land  and  further  improve  the  property.  Sub- 
sequentl)  he  purchased  another  tract  of  forty 
acres  adjoining  the  first  purchase  and  still 
later  added  eighty  acres  on  section  7  and  a 
forty  acre  tract  on  section  [9,  Garden  town- 
ship. He  has  since  built  and  remodeled  his 
residence  ami  now  has  a  large  and  substan- 
tial farm  house,  good  barns  and  all  the  nec- 
essary outbuildings  upon  his  place.  Trees 
of  his  own  planting  adorn  the  lawn  and 
the  orchard  yields  its  fruits  in  season,  lie 
has  been  engaged  in  raising  and  breeding 
stock',  usually  feeding  from  one  to  two  car- 
loads of  cattle  ami  quite  a  large  number  of 
hogs  annually.  lie  is  accounted  one  of  the 
successful  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  the 
ounty.  a  position  which  is  a  creditable  one 
because  il  has  been  1  obtained  entirely  thn  nigh 
his  own  efforts. 

(  In  the  Jist  of  February,  1S7S.  Mr.  Pies 
was  muted  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sophia  Frey, 

on  another  page  of  this  work.     There  are 
four    children    by    this    man 

E  mma  and  Lillie.  I  he  si  n  as 
sists  die  father  in  carrying  on  the  home 
farm.     'I  he  family  are  members  of  the  <  iar- 


524 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


den  Prairie  Congregational  church  and  are 
people  of  sterling  worth,  enjoying  the  high 
regard  of  all  with  whom  they  have  been 
brought  in   contact. 

Mr.  Pies  votes  with  the  Democracy  and 
his  first  presidential  ballot  was  cast  for 
Hqrace  Greeley  in  [872,  since  which  time  he 
has  never  failed  to  vote  for  each  presidential 
candidate  of  the  Democratic  party  with  one 
exception.  He  was  elected  and  served  as 
township  trustee,  has  also  filled  the  offices  of 
school  treasurer  and  school  director  and  in 
every  position  of  public  trust  has  been  found 
loyal,  capable  and  faithful.  He  has  been  a 
delegate  to  the  county  conventions  of  his 
party  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  its  growth 
and  success.  When  Mr.  Pies  came  t<  1  I'.. » >ne 
county  he  was  a  poor  man,  hut  in  this  land 
effort  is  not  hampered  and  labor  finds  its 
ju.-.t  reward.  Through  unflagging  industry 
he  has  worked  his  way  steadily  upward  and 
to-day  is  the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm  as  the 
result  of  his  untiring  labors  which  have  been 
vigorously  prosecuted  during  a  residence  of 
thirty-six  years  in  this  county.  His  rhemor) 
forms  a  connecting  link  between  the  primi- 
tive past  and  the  progressive  present,  lie  is 
familiar  with  pioneer  experiences  and  has 
taken  a  just  pride  in  the  advancement  of  the 
county  as  it  has  progressed  toward  substan- 
tial improvement.  As  a  citizen  he  is  reliable 
and  trustworthy  and  as  a  man  possesses 
many  sterling  traits  of  character  that  com- 
mend him  to  the  confidence  ami  regard  of 
all  with  whom  he  is  brought  into  contact. 


RICHARD  F.  JORDAN 

One  of  the  citizens  of  this  county,  whose 
accidental  death  recently  caused  general  re- 
gret, was  Richard  F.  Jordan,  who  died  Sep- 


tember 5,  1 89 1,  as  the  result  of  injuries  re- 
ceived by  fire  on  the  2nd  day  of  the  same 
month.  His  stable  in  the  city  of  Boone 
burned  down  ami  in  the  effort  to  rescue  his 
favorite  driving  mare,  he  received  the  fatal 
burns.  His  funeral,  held  in  the  church  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  on  Sunday.  September  8, 
was  attended  by  an  unusual  concourse  of 
mourning  friends  and  acquaintances,  many 
being  bis  former  college  class-mates,  gath- 
eied  on  this  sad  errand  from  distant  parts 
of  the  state. 

Richard  F.  was  the  son  of  John  and  Anna 
(  Connolly )  Jordan,  who  came  from  Ireland 
in  1848  and  settled  at  Glens  Falls.  Xew 
York,  where  Richard  was  born.  March  19, 
1856,  being  the  eldest  of  five  children;  the 
others  being  Mrs.  Mary  Deering.  Maurice, 
Mrs.  Alice  Welsh  and  Edward  C.  In  the 
autumn  of  the  same  year  be  was  taken  by 
his  parents  to  Dixon.  Lee  county,  where 
the  family  tarried  for  some  ten  years, 
and  in  1866  another  removal  was  made 
to  Boone  count}'.  Iowa,  which  has  been 
the  permanent  residence  of  the  family 
since.  In  the  free  life  of  the  prairies, 
his  nerves  and  muscles  developing  naturally 
under  the  quieting  influences  of  the  farm, 
Richard  grew  up  to  early  manhood.  His 
primary  education  was  obtained  in  the 
rural  schools  of  the  neighborhood  and 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  he  was  matric- 
ulated in  the  freshman  class  at  the  Iowa 
State  College  at  Ames,  only  a  few  miles 
from  his  home.  He  was  a  devoted  student, 
walking  in  pleasant  and  riding  in  rough 
weather  to  and  from  his  home  and  the  reci- 
tation moms,  and  received  his  degree  near 
the  head  of  his  class  in   [877. 

Evidently  the  young   student   had   early 
made   his  contract  for  life  with  hard  work. 


K.  F  JORDAN. 


I 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


527 


for  immediately  after  completing  his  sec- 
ondary course  he  entered  the  Law  School  at 
Des  Moines,  took  up  the  intricacies  of  thq 
profession  and  in  two  years  had  so  well  suc- 
ceeded that  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  June 
7.  1879,  and  was  ready  for  the  serious  work 
of  his  life.  He  entered  the  practice  of  his 
profession  as  a  partner  of  Judge  M.  K. 
Ramsey,  under  the  business  name  of  Ram- 
sex  &  Jordan.  Afterwards  his  business  as* 
sociations  were:  Cook  &  Jordan,  Jordan 
&  Brockett,  and  Jordan  &  Goodykoontz. 
For  some  time  prior  to  forming  the  last 
partnership,  he  was  alone  in  practice. 

While  a  student  in  the  law  school,  Air. 
Jordan  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss 
Martha  H..  daughter  of  John  and  Helen 
(Sarsfield)  Lynch,  residents  of  the  capital 
city,  who  were  natives  of  Ireland  and  came 
to  America  about  the  year  1848.  The 
father  is  now  living  in  San  Francisco,  and 
the  mother  went  to  her  final  reward  Octo- 
ber 19,  1877.  After  his  business  was  as- 
sured Mr.  Jordan  married  this  lady,  the  cer- 
emony occurring  May  23,  1882,  and  thev 
set  up  their  household  in  Boone.  Mrs.  Jor- 
dan is  one  of  seven  children:  May  resides 
in  Elgin,  Illinois;  Catherine  is  the  wife  of 
J.  S.  McCormick  of  San  Francisco:  J.  C. 
lives  in  Helena,  Montana;  Mrs.  Jordan  is 
the  fourth  child:  William  is  deceased. 
Frank  served  as  a  member  of  the  Eleventh 
United  States  Infantry  in  the  Philippines, 
and  has  returned  in  safety  to  this  country; 
and  John  is  deceased.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs, 
Jordan  were  horn  the  following  children; 
John,  May  24,  18X3,  now  a  student  in  the 
Iowa  Slate  College  at  Ames,  from  which 
his  father  was  graduated  :  Frank,  February 
28,  [886,  a  pupil  in  the  Boone  public 
schools;   Helen.  July  24,    [889,  also  in  the 


local    school-;    Clara.    AugUSl    5,    1899,    at 
Ik  me.     They  all     give     good   proi 
growing  up  to  be  useful  and  honorable  cit- 
izens. 

Mr.  Jordan  was  a  member  of  Boone 
Lodge  No.  303,  Benevolent  and  Protective 
I  Irder  of  Elks,  which  on  Sunday,  December 
1.  1901,  held  appropriate  memorial  exercises 
in  Grace  Episcopal  church  in  Boone,  at 
which  his  eulogy  was  pronounced  by  Judge 
J.  R.  Whitaker.  His  funeral  had  been  held 
Sunday.  September  8,  1901,  in  the  Church 
of  the  Sacred  Heart,  (Catholic),  of  which 
he  was  a  devout  member,  the  services  being 
conducted  by  Father  B.  C.  Lenihan.  whose 
tear-stained  voice  paid  warm  tribute  to  the 
many  lovable  qualities  of  this  deceased  cit- 
izen. In  politics  Mr.  Jordan  had  generally 
acted  with  the  Democratic  party,  but  waa 
not  an  unrelenting-  partisan,  and  during  the 
campaign  of  [900,  affiliated  with  the  opposi 
tion,  following  the  dictates  of  his  judgment 
upon  the  financial  issue.  Had  he  lived  thia 
new  affiliation  would  have  permitted  the 
dominant  party  to  have  honored  him  with 
official  trusts,  either  judicial,  legislative  or 
executive,  for  which  his  rare  judgment  and 
sound  discretion  so  eminently  fitted  him, 
His  community  was  the  gainer,  however,  in 
that  it  secured  his  services  in  non-partisan 
positions  which  gave  opportunity  for  plac- 
ing his  impress  upon  affairs  of  full  as  much 
moment  to  community  as  more  conspicuoua 
positions.  As  a  member  of  tin-  school 
hoard,  city  solicitor,  president  of  the  hoard 
of  trustees  of  the  public  library,  president 
of  the  Business  Men's  Association,  and  in 
other  similar  positions,  he  had  opportunity 
to  direel  to  g 1  results  tin-  forces  influ- 
enced l>_\  such  organizations.  IK-  was  in 
frequent  request  for  addresses  on  public  oc- 


528 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


casions  and  when  not  was  turned  to  as  their 
presiding  officer. 

He  was  always  busy — his  was  '"the 
strenuous  life."  His  profession  claimed 
his  first  and  deepest  energies:  his  cases  were 
prepared  with  care  and  research  which 
stopped  at  no  labor,  and  he  came  into  court 
armed  at  every  known  point  in  defense  of  his 
client's  cause.  When  the  just  remunera- 
tion for  such  devotion  enabled  him  to  com- 
mand the  higher  resources  of  mental  equip- 
ment lie  turned  with  fondness  to  the  books 
whose  early  acquaintance  he  had  made  in 
the  college  library,  and  added  from  day  to 
day  to  his  familiarity  with  the  thoughts  of 
the  great  minds  i  if  the  past  and  the  disc  iver- 
ies  of  the  present  age.  In  his  social  relations 
his  was  a  singular  mingling  of  frankness 
and  reserve.  I  lis  eye  was  open  and  inviting, 
his  address  genial  and  refreshing;  bul 
where  principle  or  the  right  as  he  interpre- 
ted the  same,  were  at  stake  he  could  be  as 
unflinching  as  a  prime  minister.  While  in 
no  sense  a  "societ)  man"  he  enjoyed  social 
relaxation  with  his  fellows,  the  delights  of 
the  lecture,  the 'drama  and  musical  entei 
tainments.  But  bis  greatest  love  was  for 
his  family  and  into  the  joys  and  little  sor- 
rows of  his  children  the  fathet  ente 
a  sympathy  and  heartiness  which  must  long 
be  cherished  as  a  fond  memory  in  their 
lues.  Mis  relations  with  women  were  chi- 
valrous to  a  high  degree.  Honoring  the 
memorj  of  Ins  mother  and  the  devotion  of 
his  wife,  he  gave  to  othei  w  mien  thai  court 
esy  and  respect  which  inspire  feminine  conn" 
deuce  and  reliance  in  difficulty.  Hi--  was 
the  mind  and  heart  to  help,  not  hurl.  His 
charities  with  purse,  and  of  advice  which 
often  is  more  helpful  than  money,  were 
many  but  bestowed  with  such  discretion  that 


the  knowledge  of  them  was  not  general  un- 
til after  his  decease.  In  this  he  followed 
the  injunction  "let  not  thy  left  hand  know 
what  thy  right  hand  doeth."  The  sudden 
and  tragical  taking  away  of  Richard  F.  Jor- 
dan, at  the  zenith  of  his  usefulness,  at  the 
early  age  of  forty-five  years,  caused  wide- 
spread regret  in  the  community  which  had 
known  him  intimately  from  the  days  of  his 
boyish  eagerness  to  the  full  maturity  of  his 
manly  powers. 


JOHN  COOPER. 

I  he  unai  agricultural  state  of  tow  a  i  w\  es 
its  prominence  in  this  direction  to  the  enter- 
prising and  consecutive  efforts  of  such  men 
as  John  Cooper,  who  resides  on  section  3, 
1  olfa:  township,  where  he  owns  and  culti- 
vates a  fractional  half  section  of  land  and  111 
addition  to  this  he  own-,  a  fractional  north 
ha.lt  oi  section  5,  of  the  same  township. 
Through  a  third  of  a  century  he  has  made 
his  home  in  Boone  count)  while  his  residence 
in  iowa  covers  fort)  five  years.  A  native 
oi  Scotland,  he  was  horn  in    Aberdeenshire, 

9,  [840,  his  parents  being 
and  I  [elen  1  M<  I  'hei  -■  >n  1  l  ooper,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Scotland,  in  which 
country  the\  were  reared  and  married.  In 
1856  the  father  left  the  land  of  hills  and 
heather  and  with  his  family  emigrated  to 
the  new  world  settling  first  in  (  (ntario, 
Canada,  where  he  remained  for  about  two 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  thai  period  lie 
came  to  the  United  States,  settling  in  Clinton 

county,  Iowa,  near  I  >e  Witt,  where  he  se- 
cured a  tract  of  land  about  the  year  [858. 
Upon  the  farm  which  he  there  developed  lie 
lived   until   he   was  called   to  his   final   rest. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    R 


529 


[ohn  Cooper,  of  this  review,  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  boyhood   and  youth  in 
Clinton  and  Clayton  counties.    Iowa,  in  the 
usual  manner  of  farmer  lads  of  the  period. 
He  became  familiar  with  the  work  of  field 
and  meadow  and  subsequently  turned  his  at- 
tention to  the  lumber  business  on  the  Miss- 
issippi   river,   in   Clayton   county,   in   which 
enterprise  he  was  associated  in  partnership 
with  George  J.  Boyd.     That  enterprise  was 
conducted  with  success  for  five  or  six  years 
and  then  Mr.  Cooper  disposed  of  his  inter- 
ests and  in  [868  came  to  Boone  county,  pur- 
chasing one   hundred   acres   of   raw    prairie 
land  on  section  3.  in  Colfax  township.     This 
was   destitute  of  all  improvements  but  his 
labors  soon  wrought  a  marked  difference  in 
the  appearance  of  the  place,  buildings  being 
erected  while  the  fields  were  tilled.     As  his 
financial  resources  enabled  him  to  make  ad- 
ditional purchases  the  b  mndaries  of  Iris  farm 
were  extended   until   the  home  place  com- 
prises a    fractional   half   section  of  kind  on 
section  3,  and  thai  amount  on  section  5.    lie 
also  owns  one  hundred   and  sixty  acres  in 
I  >es  Moines  township,  near  the  city  of  Boone 
and  this  too  is  well  improved,  constituting 
one  of   the   good    farms  of  the  community. 
There  is  on  the  home  place  a  good  residence, 
two  good  barns  and  all  necessary  outbuild- 
ings for  the  shelter  oi  grain  and  stock.     He 
has    also    planted    two    orchards    ami    shade 
trei  -  have  been  sel  onl  around  his  home  and 
protect  the  residence  fc  nn  the  ra\  -  of  the  hot 
MHi  iii  summer,      in   Fact,  a  valuable  farm  is 
the  property  of  John  (  ooper   who  is  justly 
accounted  one  of  the  progressive  and  enter- 
prising agriculturists  of  this  portion  of  the 
slate. 

On  the   uth  of  January,    [871.  in  ''lax- 
ton  county,  Iowa.  Mr.  Cooper  was  united  in 


marriage  to  Mary  E.  Spangler,  who  was 
horn  in  Wayne  county,  (  >hio,  a  daughter  of 
k'-ulicn  Spangler,  also  a  native  of  the  Buck- 
et e  state  1  1  «  Inch  place  he  was  reared. 
When  Iowa  was  a  pioneer  region  he  sou-lit 
a  home  in  (  layton  count)'  and  there  Mrs. 
Cooper  was  reared  and  educated.  I'.\  her 
marriage  she  has  become  the  mother  of  ten 
children:  George,  who  is  married  and  re- 
sides 011  a  farm  in  Boone  county;  Charles 
H.  who  is  assisting  in  the  operation  of 
the  home  farm;  F.  J.,  who  is  living  in  the 
state  of  Washington;  Clyde  \Y..  who  is 
carrying  on  the  work  of  the  home  farm  in 
connection  with  his  father  and  brothers; 
Floyd  C,  Grant  11.  and  Ralph,  who  are 
still  with  their  parents;  Nellie  is  the  wife  of 
K.  i'..  Roe.  of  Mason  county,  Washington; 
Edith  M.  and  .Mary,  who  are  yet  under  the 
parental  n  iof. 

Mr.  Cooper  is  especially  interested  in 
everything  pertaining  to  the  progress  and 
improvement  of  his  county,  lie  endorses 
good  schools  and  believes  in  continually 
raising  the  standard  of  intellectual  develop- 
ment. For  many  years  he  served  on  the 
school  hoard  and  was  president  of  the  dis- 
trict, lie  has  keen  connected  with  the 
Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Compan)  for 
man)  years  and  for  six  or  eight  years  has 
acted  as  its  president.  1  Ic  first  voted  for 
General  Granl  in  [868.  He  afterward  sup- 
ported the  men  and  measures  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  hut  in  [896  cast  his  ballot  for 
\\  illiam  Mckinley.  lie  is  a  believer  in 
sound  money  and  expansion  and  thereby  he 
endorsed  the  Republican  party  in  thai  year. 
lie  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  his 
membership  being  with  the  lodge  in  Boone. 
In  his  business  career  he  has  given  evidence 
of  the  possession  of  those  traits  which  at- 


530 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ways  insure  success,  being  energetic,  reso- 
lute and  honorable.  Not  to  any  outside  aid 
or  influence  does  he  owe  his  prosperity,  but 
to  his  strong  determination  to  win  success 
guided  by  sound  judgment.  All  who  know 
him  entertain  for  him  warm  regard  and  Mr. 
Cooper  lias  a  very  wide  acquaintance  in  this 
county". 


HARRISON  A.  K.  McCASKEY. 

Harrison  A.  K.  McCaskey,  now  de- 
ceased, was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Boone  county  and  was  widely  known  among 
his  many  friends  as  Doc.  McCaskey.  lie 
lived  in  this  portion  of  the  county  for  forty 
years  and  was  acquainted  with  the  work  of 
development  and  improvement  and  contri- 
buted his  share  to  the  general  advancement. 
He  was  born  in  Ohio,  in  1833.  a  son  ot* 
John  and  Nancy  A.  McCaskey,  also  natives 
of  the  Buckeye  state,  whence  they  removed 
to  Indiana,  where  the  father  was  engaged  in 
farming  until  his  death.  He  served  as  a 
county  official  in  that  state  and  was  a  very 
prominent  and  influential  man  there.  Hi- 
death  occurred  in  that  state,  but  his  widow 
surviving  him  for  sometime,  passed  away 
in  Ogden. 

Mr.  McCaskey  of  this  review  pursued 
a  common  school  education,  largely  spend 
ing  his  youth  in  Indiana.  After  coming  to 
Iowa  he  settled  on  a  farm  in  Yell  township, 
known  as  the  Maple  Shade  Stock  Farm. 
He  purchased  at  different  times  several 
farms  and  became  an  extensive  land-owner 
but  continued  to  make  his  residence  upon 
the  .Maple  Shade  Stock  Farm  until  his  re- 
moval to  the  village  of  Ogden  in  1896.  He 
was    extensively    engaged    in    raising    stock- 


anil  his  business  prospered  from  year  to 
year  bringing  to  him  an  excellent  return. 
His  life  was  one  of  industry  in  which  there 
was  no  trace  of  indolence.  He  realized 
that  prosperity  comes  as  the  reward  of  dili- 
gence, directed  by  sound  judgment,  and  his 
efforts  provided  a  comfortable  competence 
for   his    family. 

On  the  17th  of  May,  i860,  Mr.  Mc- 
Caskey was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elsie 
D.  Ritter,  a  native  of  Stark  county,  Ohio, 
and  a  daughter  of  Si  ilomon  Ritter,  who  died 
in  Indiana.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCaskey 
wer  born  twelve  children.  Lincoln,  who 
wedded  Mary  Pugsley,  is  a  resident  farmer 
living  in  Yell  township.  Clinton  married 
Maggie  Bierfeldt  and  is  also  living  in  Yell 
township.  Ellen  is  the  wife  of  Martin 
Rinehart,  who  is  an  employe  of  the  rail- 
road and  makes  his  home  in  Boone.  Mary 
A.,  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Rinehart,  a  car- 
penter living  in  Ogden.  Orlo  B.  married 
Ella  Hanson  and  is  living  in  Hancock. 
Iowa.  Harrison  resides  in  Ogden,  Iowa. 
Franklin  O.  is  now  living  in  Washington. 
Sheldon  S.  is  at  home.  Charles  is  em- 
ployed  on  a  farm  in  Yell  township.  Fsther 
Jane  is  deceased.  Martin  Kay  and  Ftelka 
D.  are  at  In  ime.  The  father  of  this  family 
was  called  to  his  final  rest  September 
14.  1901,  and  in  his  death  the  community 
mourned  the  loss  of  a  valued  and  represen- 
tative citizen.  He  was  a  Republican  in  his 
political  views  and  took  a  deep  interest  in  the 
success  of  his  party.  For  several  years  he 
served  as  a  school  director  of  Yell  town- 
ship but  was  never  an  active  politician  in  the 
sense  of  office-seeking,  preferring  to  devote 
his  time  and  energies  to  his  business  affairs 
whereby  he  won  a  handsome  competence. 
thus  leaving  his    family  in  comfortable  cir- 


H.  A    K.  MCCASKEY. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


cumstances.  The  many  excellent  traits  of 
his  character  won  for  him  the  esteem  of  all 
with  whom  he  was  associated  and  at  his 
death  many  friends  mourned  his  loss.  Hi? 
widow  still  owns  the  farm  in  Yell  township, 
having  bought  seven  hundred  acres.  Much 
of  this  is  situated  on  section  18,  Yell  town- 
ship, while  a  quarter  section  is  in  Hancock, 
Iowa.  The  estate  also  comprises  a  fine  res- 
idence in  the  northern  part  of  Ogden.  The 
family  is  one  widely  and  favorably  known. 
the  members  of  the  household  occupying  ar 
enviable  position  in  social  circles. 


ROBERT  F.  DALE. 


Robert  F.  Dale  is  actively  connected  with 
the  profession  which  has  important  bearing 
upon  the  progress  and  stable  prosperity  of 
any  section  or  community,  and  one  which 
has  long  been  considered  as  conserving  the 
public  welfare  by  furthering  the  ends  of 
justice  and  maintaining  individual  rights. 
His  reputation  as  a  lawyer  has  been  won 
through  earnest,  honest  labor,  and  his  stand- 
ing at  the  bar  is  a  merited  tribute  to  his 
ability.  He  is  likewise  prominent  in  polit- 
ical circles  and  is  a  recognized  leader  of  pub- 
lic thought  and  opinion. 

Mr.  Dale  was  born  in  Putnam  county, 
Indiana,  January  20,  [860.  Hi-  father, 
William  Dale,  was  a  native  of  Kentucky. 
born  <  >ctober  13.  1822.  and  when  three  years 
of  age  was  left  an  orphan,  lie  wedded 
Eliza  Nelson,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Ken- 
tucky, May  3,  [830.  Their  marriage  was 
celebrated    in    Indiana    in     1S47,  and    unto 


them  were  born  si\  children:  James  II.. 
who  is  in  the  grocery  business  in  Bex  me; 
William  and  Mary  X.,  both  deceased;  J.  F., 
who*  has  also  passed  away;  Robert  F. ;  and 

S.  1...  the  wife  of  C.  A.  (  )sg 1.  a  grocer  of 

Boone.  The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  remained  in  Indiana  until  1873, 
when  he  became  a  resident  of  Boone,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  1st  of  October.  He  pur- 
chased land  and  engag-ed  in  the  supervision 
of  his  farming  interests  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  January  .24,  1897.  His 
widow  is  still  living. 

Robert  F.  Dale  acquired  his  early  educa- 
ti(  m  in  the  schools  of  Indiana,  and  later  be- 
came a  student  in  the  city  schools  of  Boone. 
He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until 
1S78,   when  he  entered  the  law   school   at 
Iowa  City,  and  was  graduated  the  follow- 
ing year.     Returning  to  Boone  he  then  con- 
tinued the  study  of  law  and  also  engaged  in 
clerking.     He  had  no  settled  business,  how- 
ever, for  a  few  years,  but  continued  to  in- 
form himself  concerning  the  principles  of 
jurisprudence.    On  the  1st  of  January,  1885, 
he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  and  held 
this  1  >,'!icc  until  1803,  and  in  July  of  the  same 
year  he  entered  into    partnership    relations 
with  J.  R.  Whitaker,  in  the  practice  of  law, 
this  connection  being  maintained  until  1899, 
when  Mr.  Whitaker  was  elected  to  the  dis- 
trict  bench.     Mr.   Dale  then  continued  busi- 
ness  .done  tor  a  short  time,  when  he  became 
a  partner  of  Charles  Whitaker,  a  brother  of 
the  judge.     The  firm  is  one  of  the  strongest 
practicing   at   the    Boone   county   bar.      Mr. 
Dale  now  has  a  very  large  clientage,  and  his 
careful  preparation  of  cases  is  supplemented 
by  the  power  of  argument  and  the  forceful 
presentation  of  his  points  in  the  court  room. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


so  that  he  never  fails  to  impress  court  or 
jurv.  and  seldom  fails  to  gain  the  verdict  de- 
sired. 

(  In  the  |th  of  November,  1885,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Dale  and  Mrs.' 
Lizzie  M.  De  Frees,  who  was  born  in  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana.  June  [3,  1 866,  the  daughter 
of  Anthony  De  Frees  who  was  of  French 
lineage.  Her  father  was  employed  on  the 
staff  of  the  New  York  Tribune  when  Horace 
Greeley  was  its  publisher.  His  wife  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  Elizabeth  Singer.  In 
their  family  were  two  children  :  Liz 
Mrs.  Dale,  and  Sadie,  the  wife  of  Will 
Bullerdick.  The  home  of  Mr.  and  .Mr-.  I  lale 
has  been  blessed  with  one  sun.  Frank  I'.. 
who  was  born  October  20,  l886,  and  is  at- 
tending sell'  'I  '1. 

Ah-.    I  >ale  gives  lus  political  supporl    ! 
the    1  lemocrac]  .   and   has   frequently    served 
a-   a  delegate  to  conventions.     He 
alternate    to    the    national     convention     in 
111   [892,  and  m   1900  lie  was  noni 
■  ir  congress,  but  1  m  account  1  >f  the 
great   Republican  strength  in  his  district  he 
was   defeated,   although   he   ran   eight   hun- 
ch ed    >   ites  ahead  of  his    ticket     ii 
county,      lie   served   as   a   member   of   the 
school  lizard  from   [866  until    (888,  yet  he 
lias  never  been  a  politician  in  the 
office  seeking.     Socially  he  is  connected  with 
the  Benevolent  and  Protectivi  1  Irderof  Elks. 
His  entire  time  and  attention  is  devoted   1  1 
his  practice;  his  preparation  of  cases  is  mosl 
thorough    and    exhaustive.        Il<;    quickly 
grasps  the  strong  points   of  law  and   fact, 
and  presents  his  suit   so  cogentb 
answerably  as  to  leave  no  doubt   as  to  the 
correctness  of  his   views  or  of   his  conchv 
sii  his. 


JOHN  F.  MILLER. 

John  F.  Miller,  a  highly  respected  citizen 
of    Boone,    ,vas  b     n   in    Highland   county, 
Ohio,   September  8,    1832.     His  father.  Jo- 
seph  Miller,   w  of   Pennsylvania. 
and  married  Polly  Fisher,  who  was  also  1>  irn 
in  the  Ki                            In  their  family  were 
hen.  but  only  three  are  now  living: 
Jacob,  a  resident  of  Boone  county ;  John  F. ; 
and  Josephine  who  is  now  living  in  Ohio. 
lied   in    M  mtgomery  county, 
Indiana,  in    1843,  and  at  that  time  the  sub- 
ject 1  f  this   review    began  earning  his  own 
farm  hand.      I  le  had 
pursued  hi  hools  of  ]  [igh- 
land  ci  Hint} .  and    in   early  lift 

1  i    continued    in 

farm   work  until   after  the  inauguration   of 

!•;   that   his  duty 

ted  on  the  7th  of 

-    1    md  <  »hi  1 

,      1  !'  ! 

duty,  but  took  no  part 

ken  ill.     He  was 

nber,    1864, 

disability. 

1865  witt  :d  in  I '"one  c  .untv. 

1,  but  1  ml}  remaine  1 

there  foi  for  in  1866  h 

vloingona,  where 
ined    for  three  years,      [n    t8i  9  he 
the  transfer 
which    he   conducted    until    188.2.    when   he 
meat  market,  which  clainn 
til    [885.      In   that  year  he  retired 
1  I  1  heuma  ■ 
in  became  a  factor  in 
igent. 
Mr.    Miller    was   married    lulv   6,    1854, 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


535 


to  K<  iah  Osbeni,  who  was  born  April  11. 
[832,  in  Adams  county,  1  (bio,  a  daughter  of 
Jame  1  isbern.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller 
were  born  ten  children,  of  whom  four  arc 
living:  George  \\\.  torn  June  [9,  [855,  is 
on  a  ranch  at  Denver,  Colorado;  Catherine 
I )..  born  September  3,  [856,  died  September 
4,  r8'5]  ;  Emily  A.,  bom  December  8,  [857, 
is  the  wife  of  C.  F.  Gregory,  of  Boone; 
Man  [■:..  born  January  28,  1869,  is  the  wife 
of  C.  I-.  Eddy;  Sampson  T.,  born.  (  tetober 
29.  [860,  died  June  15.  [86j  :  Rebecca,  b  >rn 
May  28,  [862,  died  July  6,  (865;  James 
W.,  1  '!'ii  April  2,  ]  Si  >4.  died  February  22, 
[81 17  .  Jao  »b  and  ( liarlcs.  b  >rn  June  2<  1. 
[867,  died  on  the  21st  and  y<\  of  August, 

jpectively:  Allien  A.,  born  Feb- 
ruary [6,  [876,  is  engaged  in  the  plumbing 
business  in  B le.  The  mother  of  this  fam- 
ily was  called  to  her  final  rest  Ma)  26,  1897, 
am!  her  loss  was  deeply  mourned  by  many 
Several  of  the  children  have  mar- 
ried. Mary  E.  became  the  wife  of  <  harle 
E.  Eddy,  April  15.  1884.     Her  husband  wa 

iment  blacksmith  at  Fort  Washakie. 
Wyoming,  lie  was  born  Ma\  1.  iS.ui.  in 
Bradford  county,    Pennsylvania,   and  there 

-til  [883.  He  has  always  followed 
blacksmithing  and  is  an  expert  workman. 
By  this  marriage  six  children  were  born, 
hut  Emily,  who  was  born  June  11.  [886, 
died  in  infancy.  Gladys  M.,  born  Jul)  r;, 
[887,  1-  with  her  parents,  while  Ke/iali. 
hum  August  1  1.  [889,  died  Januar)  9,  [89  1. 
Allison     II.  born     December  23,    [891,  in 

e,    Wyoming,    Benjamin     E.,  born 

i«..  1893,  and  ( leorge  Washingti  m. 

born  June  25,    [895,  are  -till   with  their  par 

ents.     After  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mr-. 

Eddy,  they    resided    in    Boone    until    [889, 

enm 


which  was  their  place  of  abode  for  twelve 
years,  after  which  they  spent  one  year  in 
Denver,  Colorado,  and  in  December,  [90T, 
the)  returned  to  Boone,  where  the  family 
are  now  living,  although  Mr.  Eddy  is  still 
in  Wyoming,  being  yet  in  the  governmenl 
employ.  I  lis  political  support  is  given  tin' 
Republican  party. 

Mr.  Miller,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record,  is  also  a  stanch  Republican,  and  cast 
In-  first  presidential  vote  for  James  Buch- 
anan, hut  -nice  thai  tunc  lie  has  endorsed  the 
men  and  measure-  of  the  grand  old  party. 
lie  belongs  to  J.  G.  Miller  I',  .si  No.  67, 
(,.  A.  R.,  of  Bopnesboro.  He  has  held  sev- 
eral offices,  including  that  of  judge  of  the 
election,  lie  is  to-da)  a-  true  to  his  duties 
of  citizenship  as  when  he  followed  the  old 
flag  upon  the  southern  battle  fields,  fur  he 
ha-  a  deep  and  abiding  interest  in  all  that 
pertains  to  the  general  good.  Highly  re- 
spected throughout  the  community,  he  en- 
joys the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  fel- 
low men.  bv  reason  of  his  upright  life. 


HANS  KRUSE. 

The  work  of  the  farm  formerly  occupied 
Lhe  time  of  I  Ian-  Kruse.  bu1  now  he  is  living 
retired,,  making  his  hi, me-  111  the  village  ol 
(  Igden.  I  le  came  to  thi-  county  in  [868 
an.!  In-  present  home  1-  far  separated  from 
of  his  birth,  which  occurred  in 
Profens.  Schleswig-Holstein,  (  lermany,  on 
the  —ill  of  January.  1N.1  1.  Mis  father.  I  lan- 
Kruse,  Sr..  lived  and  .lied  in  that  country 
a-  did  the  mother  1  1'  oursubject.  I  le.  whose 
name  intn  iduces  this  re\  iew,  is  the  only 
member  1  if  the  famih  thai  ever  came  to  the 


536 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


new  world.  1  le  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1866 
and  settled  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  for  two  years.  He 
then  came  to  Bonne  county  and  took  Up  his 
abode  on  section  7,  Yell  township,  where  he 
rented  a  farm,  residing  thereon  until  1874. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Amaqua  township,  becom- 
ing the  owner  of  seven  hundred  and  sixty 
acres — a  very  rich  and  arable  as  well  as  ex- 
tensive tract.  He  made  excellent  improve- 
ments thereon  and  continued  the  cultiva- 
tion of  his  land  until  September,  1899.  when 
he  removed  to  Ogden;  where  he  has  resided 
continuously  since  in  honorable  retirement 
from  labor.  He  still  owns  seven  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Amaqua  township 
and  the  rental  from  that  property  brings  to 
him  a  good  income. 

Ere  leaving  Germany  Mr.  Krusc  jyas 
united  in  marriage  to  Christina  Peters,  who 
was  also  born  in  Profens.  Schleswig-Hol- 
stein,  March  24,  1843.  In  the  family  were 
five  children  :  Catherine,  the  wife  of  Charlie 
H.  Lark,  who  is  living  on  her  father's  farm 
in  Amaqua  township;  Hans  ]•'..,  who  mar- 
ried Annie  Peterson  and  is  living  on  a  part 
of  his  father's  farm;  Carson  Henry,  who 
married  Sophia  Claussen  and  likewise  lives 
on  a  portion  of  his  father's  farm  in  Amaqua 
township;  John  E.,  who  is  living  there  and 
married  Emma  Claussen;  and  Willie  D., 
who  completes  the  family,  his  birth  having 
occurred  August  28,  1887. 

In  [899  Mr.  Kruse  purchased  his  present 
home  and  lias  a  good  residence  in  Ogden. 
He  has  never  desired  or  sought  office  bul 
served  as  a  school  director  of  Amaqua  town- 
ship. His  political  support  has  ever  been 
given  the  Democracy.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are    members    of    the    German     Lutheran 


church  of  Ogden  and  to  its  support  he  has 
contributed  liberally.  Well  may  he  be  called 
a  self-made  man  for  he  owes  his  success  en- 
tirely to  his  own  efforts.  He  has  never  had 
occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to  seek 
a  home  in  the  new  world  for  here  he  has 
found  the  business  opportunities  he  sought. 
In  this  land  where  labor  is  not  hampered  by 
caste  or  class  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way 
upward  from  a  little  financial  position  to 
one  of  affluence. 


H.  C.  DE  FORE. 


H.  C.  De  Fore,  whose  operations  in  real 
estate  have  led  to  the  substantial  upbuilding 
and  improvement  of  the  city  as  well  as  to 
his  own  business  prosperity,  was  horn  in 
Boone  county,  Iowa,  in  [853,  ins  parents 
being  Willis  L.  and  Rachael  C.  (Freedly) 
De  Fore.  The  paternal  grandparents  were 
James  and  Charlotte  (Denny)  De  Fore. 
The  former  died  when  the  father  of  our 
subject  was  only  twelve  years  of  age,  but 
Mrs.  De  Fore,  who  was  horn  April  17.  1X00. 
lived  to  be  almost  ninety-one  years  of  age 
passing  away  on  the  10th  of  April,  [891. 
One  of  their  sons,  William  De  Fore,  en- 
listed 111  the  latter  part  of  [861,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  D.  Sixteenth  Iowa  Infan- 
try, for  service  in  the  Civil  war  and  was 
killed  in  the  skirmish  at  luka.  The  other 
son  of  the  family  was  Willis  L.  De  Fore, 
the  father  of  our  subject.  The  daughters 
of  the  household  were  five  in  number:  Ju- 
lia Ann,  the  wife  of  Mathias  White  of 
Boone  county;  Hulda,  the  deceased  wife  of 
Richard  Green;  Serena,  the  wife  of  Dam 
Hull,  of   Boone  county  :  Ada.  the  1 


WILLIS    L.  DE   FORE. 


H.  C.  DE  FORE. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


559 


wife  of  David  Hull  of  Washington;  and 
Louise,  the  wife  of  George  E.  Jones. 

\\  illis  L.  De  Fore,  the  lather  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  bom  in  Indiana  in  1826,  ami  in 
[849  came  to  towa,  settling  in  Polk  coun- 
ty, where  he  first  engaged  in  splitting  rails. 
Ik-  afterward  returned  to  Clay  county,  In- 
diana, and  in  1S51,  brought  his  family  to 
this  state,  having  previously  been  united  in 
marriage  to  Rachael  C.  Freedly,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Clay  county,  Indiana.  (  )n 
his  second  trip  Air.  De  Fore  settled  in 
Dodge  township,  Boone  county,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising  for 
a  number  of  years,  being  thus  employed  un- 
til his  death,  which  occurred  November  7, 
1887,  when  he  was  sixty-one  years  of  age. 
H<  owned  a  tract  of  five  hundred  and; 
eight)  acre-  off  land,  having  bee  >me  tin, 
owner  of  swamp  land  at  an  early  day,  which 
through  ditching  he  converted  into  a  very 
arable,  rich  and  valuable  farm.  He  owned 
land  in  Boone,  Hamilton,  Story,  Webster, 
Greene,  Kossuth,  Wright  and  Hancock 
counties.  In  the  work  of  securing  swamp 
land  and  improving  it  he  was  associated, 
with  J.  F.  Alexander  of  Funis.  Texas.  Mr. 
Ik  Fore  had  made  his  first  money  in  this 
county  at  breaking  prairie  with  six  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  though  he  came  here  with  only 
four  hundred  dollars  in  money  he  grad- 
ually worked  his  way  up  financially  until 
he  became  a  wealthy  man  and  so  honorably 
was  his  success  won  that  the  most  envious 
could  not  grudge  him  his  prosperity.  \t  an 
early  da)  In-  engaged  in  freighting  from 
Keokuk  ami     Marengo   to    Boonesboro,   to 

I'ort     Dodge    and    to    I  b  imer.     Iowa.  He 

was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Grange  and  was  very  ac- 
tive and  earnest  in  advancing    agricultura1 


interests,  lie  was  called  to  represent  his 
district  in  the  fifteenth  general  assembl)  of 
kwva.  and  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  man- 
ifested his  loyalty  to  the  government  by  en- 
listing in  [862  in  the  Thirty-second  Iowa 
Volunteer  Infantry,  serving  during  greater 
part  of  the  time  as  wagon-master  under  ( Gen- 
eral A.  J.  Smith.  Airs.  De  Fore  still  sur- 
vives  her  husband  and  is  now  living  at  Ta- 
coma,  Washington,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
two  war-.  In  tiie  family  were  ten  children: 
Julia,  the  wife  of  Robert  Royster  of  Boone 
county:  Edwin,  now  deceased;  Henry  C, 
of  this  review;  Charles  A.,  who  died  in 
1S77  at  the  aye  of  twenty-one  years:  James 
A.  of  Tacoma,  Washington;  Alary  S.,  the 
wife  of  Aaron  Nelson  of  Boone  county:  Ts- 
abella,  the  wife  of  Daniel  Xeff  of  Tacoma. 
Washington;  Arminta.  the  wife  of  Max 
I '.rooks  of  Puyallup,  Washington;  Daniel, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  two  and  one-half 
years;  and  Viola,  the  wife  of  Elmer  Cramb- 
let. 

H.  C.  De  Fore,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  indebted  to  the  common  schools 
for  his  early  educational  privileges.  He 
aNo  -pent  one  term  in  the  high  school  of 
Boonesboro  in  the  winter  of  187.--72.  In 
his  early  youth  he  worked  upon  ins  fath- 
er's farm  becoming  familiar  with  all  the 
duties  of  field  and  meadow,  being  there  em- 
ployed from  1873  until  |S,S7-  '"  the  bat- 
tel year  be  removed  to  Boone  and  began 
purchasing  grain  for  the  McFarland  Grain 
Company,  giving  bis  attention  to  this  busi- 
ness for  two  wars.  He  afterward  spent 
two  years  in  working  a1  the  carpenter's 
trade  ami  for  a  similar  period  was  connected 
with  the  Northwestern  Railroad  Company. 
In  [894  he  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff  un- 
der S.   I'.  Zenor,  filling  that  position  for  one 


540 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


year  and  five  months.  In  1895  he  became 
a  candidate  for  the  office  of  sheriff  of  Boone 
county  and  was  elected  on  the  Republican 
ticket,  filling  the  position  most  creditably 
until  1898.  since  which  time  he  has  been 
engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  handling 
both  southern  and  northern  property.  He 
has  been  wonderfully  successful  in  locating 
parties  in  homes  in  Kansas  and  his  efforts 
have  contributed  in  no  small  measure  to  the 
improvement  and  upbuilding  of  the  west. 

On  the  nth  of  March,  1873.  Mr.  De 
Fore  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  A. 
Barnes,  a  daughter  of  Harvey  and  Eliza- 
beth (Scott)  Barnes  of  Boone.  Her  pa- 
rents were  natives  of  Indiana  and  her  father 
died  in  Neosho  county.  Kansas,  while  her 
mother  passed  away  in  Clark  county.  In 
pioneer  days  they  had  come  to  Boone  county 
and  were  well  known  people  in  this  section 
of  the  state  at  the  time.  Her  father  had  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  business  in  Boonesboro 
carrying  on  trade  there  when  there  were 
only  three  houses  in  the  town.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  De  Fore  have  been  born  the  fol- 
lowing named:  Xellie  E.,  who  died  in 
1889  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years;  Charles  K.. 
and  Clara  May.  twins ;  and  Fannie  I.  Of 
the  twins  the  daughter  is  now  deceased. 
while  the  son  is  living  in  Council  Bluffs, 
Iowa.  Mr.  De  Fore  is  a  member  of  Mount 
Olive  Lodge,  No.  79,  F.  &  A.  M.  and  also 
of  Tuscan  Chapter  No.  ji.  R.  \.  M.  He 
is  likewise  identified  with  the  Woodmen  of 
the  World,  his  membership  being  in  Camp 
No.  80.  His  entire  life  has  been  passed  in 
Boone  county,  where  he  has  lived  from  pio- 
neer times  to  the  present,  lie  lias  therefore 
witnessed  much  of  its  growth  and  develop- 
mnt,  has  seen  its  wild  lands  reclaimed  and 
improved  and  has  taken  an  active  interest  in 


all  that  tended  to  promote  progress  ami  up- 
building. He  enjoys  an  unassailable  rep- 
utation as  a  business  man  and  in  his  com- 
munity all  know  him  to  be  worthy  of  high 
regard. 


HON.  JOHN  F.  HOPKINS. 

That  Mr.  Hopkins  has  enjoyed  and 
merited  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  towns- 
men is  recognized  by  the  fact  that  he  lias 
frequently  been  called  to  public  office  and  for 
one  term  he  represented  his  district  in  the 
state  legislature.  He  is  a  progressive  and 
enterprising  farmer,  a  valued  citizen  and  a 
man  of  genuine  worth  of  character  and  ster- 
ling integrity.  He  is  now  practically  living 
retired  upon  his  farm,  enjoying  the  fruits 
which  have  been  secured  to  him  through  his 
earnest  labors  in  former  years.     On  the  10th 


of   November, 


\s4. 


casting  m  his  lot  with  the  early  settlers  who 
were  reclaiming  the  count}-  for  purposes  of 
civilization. 

He  is  a  native  of  Marion  county.  Ohio, 
horn  October  4.  iN_m.  His  father,  the  Hon. 
Robert  Hopkins,  was  born  in  Delaware,  in 
17^7.  and  the  grandfather,  John  Hopkins, 
was  also  a  native  of  that  state  and  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution.  The  Hopkins  family  was 
founded  in  Delaware  in  colonial  days.  After 
the  establishment  of  American  independence 
John  Hopkins  made  his  way  westward 
across  the  Alleghany  mountains  into  Ohio 
and  became  one  of  the  first  settlers  along 
the  Scioto  river  in  that  state,  hut  he  was  not 
long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home,  his 
death  occurring  soon  after  his  removal  to 
that  place. 

Robert    Hopkins,  the   father  of  our  sub- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ject.  afterward  resided  with  his  sister  in 
Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  and  was  reared 
there.  When  about  nineteen  years  of  age  he 
married  Miss  Nancy  Bezey,  a  native  of 
Delaware,  who,  however,  was  reared  in  the 
same  neighborhood  in  which  Mr.  Hopkins 
spent  his  youth.  Prior  to  his  marriage  he 
had  served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812  and  was  at  Detroit  at  the  time 
of  Hull's  surrender.  He  participated  in  a 
number  of  skirmishes  and  after  the  surren- 
der was  discharged.  Subsequently  he  re- 
moved to  Logan  count}-,  Ohio,  where  he 
gained  his  first  start  in  life  on  the  head- 
waters of  the  Miami  river.  There  he  fol- 
lowed farming  for  a  few  years  but  after- 
ward sold  that  property  and  removed  to 
Marion  county,  Ohio,  where  he  opened  up  a 
farm  upon  which  he  reared  his  family.  He 
hecame  one  of  the  prominent  and  influential 
residents  of  that  county  and  was  elected  and 
served  for  two  terms  in  the  lower  house  and 
one  term  in  the  state  senate.  Well  fitted  for 
Ieadership  he  gave  to  every  question  that 
came  up  for  settlement  his  earnest,  careful 
consideration,  supported  those  measures 
which  he  believed  would  contribute  to  the 
general  good  and  left  the  impress  of  his  in- 
dividuality upon  the  legislation  enacted  dur- 
ing the  period  of  his  connection  with  the 
Ohio  assembly.  He  spent  his  last  years  in 
Marion  county,  dying  in  1863.  I  lis  wile 
survived  him  for  several  years  hut  is  also 
now  deceased. 

John  F.  Hopkins  is  one  of  a  family  of 
eight  children  and  the  fourth  in  older  of 
birth.  He  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Marion 
county  upon  the  old  home  farm.  Mis  edu- 
cational privileges  were  rather  limited,  for 
he  had  the  opportunity  of  attending  school 
only  .luring  the  winter  months  when  his  ser- 


vices upon  the  home  farm  were  not  needed. 
II''  has  greatly  broadened  his  knowledge, 
however,  since  attaining  to  man's  estate, 
gaining  information  through  reading,  ex- 
perience and  observation.  In  1849,  at~ 
tracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Califor- 
nia, lie  made  the  overland  trip  to  that  state 
and  spent  two  years  in  the  mines  in  search 
of  the  precious  metal.  He  first  started  a 
good  ranch,  there  hut  afterward  sold  that 
and  engaged  in  mining.  He  now  has  a  piece 
of  the  first  gold  which  he  found  upon  the 
river  bed.  It  is  flat  metal,  about  five  inches 
in  length  and  one  inch  in  width  at  the  widest 
part  and  is  valued  at  twenty-eight  dollars. 
Mr.  Hopkins  still  retains  this  as  a  souvenir 
of  his  mining  experiences.  Upon  the  return 
trip  he  made  his  way  down  the  coast  to 
Acapulco,  where  he  secured  horses,  riding 
acn  iss  .Mexico  and  thence  proceeding  to  New 
Orl  ins  and  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Cairo 
and  then  by  means  of  the  Ohio  river  he  re- 
sumed his  journey  to  Cincinnati.  He  was 
fairly  successful  in  his  mining  and  ranch 
business  in  the  far  west. 

On  the  J2<1  of  April.  [852,  soon  after  his 
arrival  home,  Mr.  Hopkins  was  united  in 
marriage  in  Marion  county  to  Miss  Lydia 
Hates,  a  native  of  that  county,  born  on  a 
farm  adjoining  the  Hopkins  homestead. 
After  his  marriage  he  turned  his  attention 
to  agricultural  pursuits  ami  raised  two  crops 
in  the  east.  He  then  removed  west  to  Iowa 
in  1854,  coming  direct  to  Boone  county. 
The  journey  was  made  by  team  and  was  a 
long,  hard  trip,  but  was  accomplished  with- 
out accident.  He  took  up  his  abode  upon 
the  place  which  is  yet  his  home,  having 
visited  this  country  in  the  pre\  ions  June  and 
purchased  land.  He  first  became  the  owner 
of  two  half   sections   which    he   bought    for 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


four  ami  one-fourth  dollars  per  acre,  one 
tract  being  located  in  Des  Moines  township 
and  the  other  in  the  south  half  of  section 
36,  Douglas  township.  With  characteristic 
energy  Mr.  Hopkins  began  to  fence  and 
break  in  his  land.  lie  also  erected  good 
buildings  thereon,  although  his  first  home 
was  a  log  cabin  in  which  he  lived  in  pioneer 
style  while  making  the  first   improvements 

upon  the  farm.     I  le  has  since  erected  a  g I 

and  substantial  residence  and  has  added  all 
modern  equipments  to  his  farm  and  has  sub- 
stantial barns  and  outbuildings,  fruit  and 
shade  trees  and  richly  cultivated  fields.  1  le 
was  formerly  engaged  not  only  in  general 
farming,  but  also  in  raising  and  feeding 
stock  and  was  one  of  the  most  successful  ag- 
riculturists of  the  community'.  Thereby  he 
won  a  ven  desirable  competence  that  now 
enables  him  to  live  a  retired  life. 

In  1901  Mr.  Hopkins  was  called  upon 
to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on 
the  10th  of  August  and  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Mount  Hope  cemetery.  She  was  a  faithful 
wife  and  helpmate  to  him  for  nearly  a  half 
century,  and  by  her  marriage  she  became  the 
mother  of  four  daughters  and  one  son  :  Eva 
J.  is  the  wife  of  II.  II.  Aldrich,  of  Madrid. 
Robert  J.  pursued  a  good  education  and  was 
graduated  in  the  Ames  Agricultural  (  bllege. 
He  then  returned  to  his  home  in  Boone 
county  and  was  elected  and  served  For  two 
terms  as  clerk  of  litis  county.  He  then  to  ik 
up  his  residence  upon  the  home  farm,  assist- 
ing in  its  further  cultivation  and  improve- 
ment until  his  death,  which  occurred  De- 
cember 6,  1893,  his  wife  having  passed  away 
two  years  previous.  Helen  L.,  his  daugh- 
ter, is  living  with  her  grandfather,  and  one 
son  had  died  in  infancy.  Mary  Elsie,  the 
next  member  of  the  familv  of  <<\w  subiect. 


is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Nance,  of  Madrid. 
Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  Peter  Cassel,  a  drug- 
gist of  the  same  place.  Nannie  is  the  wife 
of  Charles  Yearnshaw,  and  they  have  three 
children.  Edith,  Charles  H.  and  Helen  C. 
Mr.  ifearnshaw  resides  upon  her  father's 
farm  and  has  assumed  the  management  of 
the  place,  thus  relieving  Mr.  Hopkins  of  its 


Political!}  a  pronounced  Republican.  Mr. 
Hopkins  lias  never  wavered  in  his  devotion 
to  the  party  since  casting  his  first  presi- 
dential vote  for  John  C.  Fremont  in  [856. 
He  has  taken  quite  an  active  part  in  local 
political  work  and  was  elected  and  served  for 
one  term  as  a  member  of  the  thirteenth  gen- 
eral assembly  of  hw\a.  and  during  that  time 
nr-t  appropriate  m  m 
ding  of  the  new  state  capitol.  I  le 
served  on  a  number  of  import  am  committees 
and  was  a  valued  member  of  the  01 

lly.  lie  has  also  tilled  a  number  of 
[  honor  and  trust,  including  six 
years'  service  on  the  board  of  supervisors. 
lie  has  likewise  been  a  delegate  of  numerous 
county,  congressional  and  state  conventions 
and  has  always  been  true  to  the  trust  re- 
posed iii  him  when  in  public  offices  as  well 
as  in  private  hie.  IK-  was  reared  in  the 
faith  of  the  I'ree  Baptist  church  and  yet  ad- 
heres to  thai  belief.  Looking  back  over  the 
pas,  he  realizes  if. a  almost  half  a  century 
has  come  and  gone  since  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Boone  county,  and  time  and  man  have 
wrought  many  changes  for  the  better.  Pio- 
neer conditions  have  given  way  to  the  im- 
provements (a"  civilization  and  the  work  of 
progress  and  development  lias  been  carried 
on  until  Boom  o  mity  takes  its  place  among 
the  leading  counties  <'i  this  great  common- 
wealth.   Mr.   Hopkins  has  ever  bore  his  part 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


543 


in  the  work  of  public  progress  and  has  been 
a  reliable  and  straightforward  man  in  busi- 
ness, loyal  in  friendship  and  true  to  every 
relatit  m  of  life.  He  commands  unit.  >rm  a  >n- 
fidence  and  respect  and  is  widely  and  favor- 
ably known  throughout  this  portion  of  the 
state. 


CHARLES  WHITAKER. 

Charles  Whitaker  is  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Whitaker  &  Dale,  attorneys  at  law 
of  Boone.  He  was  born  in  Hamilton  coun- 
ty. Iowa,  November  10,  [868.  His  father, 
Charles  \\  hitaker,  was  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, born  in  [820,  and  at  the  lime  of  the 
Civil  war  he  offered  his  services  to  the  gov- 
ernment and  became  colonel  of  the  Twenty- 
eighth  Regiment  of  Wisconsin  Volunteers 
in  chat  state.  In  i860  he  brought  his  famil) 
to  Iowa,  settling  first  in  Boonesboro,  but  he 
later  removed  to  Boone,  where  he  engaged 
in  the  hardware  business,  and  in  the  spring 
of  [868  took  tip  his  abode  upon  a  farm  in 
Hamilton  county,  which  remained  his  place 
of  residence  until  1891.  At  that  date  he  lo- 
cated in  Ames,  Iowa,  where  he  spent  the 
residue  of  his  days,  passing  away  in  Decem- 
ber, [892.  lie  was  twice  married,  his  first 
wife  being. Catherine  Riptka,  by  whom  he 
had  s(  \m  children  :  Catherine,  Judge  J.  R.. 
J.  M..  Sarah.  Amelia.  I.evma  and  Helen. 
1  two  are  now  deceased.  For  his 
second  wife  the  father  wedded  Margaret 
Hill,  who  died  in  I  lamilton  county  in  De- 
cember, 1880.  By  that  union  were  horn  the 
following  children,  namely:  Anna,  the  wile 
of  Theodore  A.  Brown,  a  photographer  of 
Marshalltown,  Iowa;  Margaret,  the  wife  of 
\\  ilbra    Coleman,  an    attorney  of    Seattle, 


Washington;  Charles,  of  this  review;  John 
E>,  a  member  of  the  Hanna  Manufacturing 
Company  of  Oskaloosa,  Iowa:  Kenneth; 
Robert,  who  is  in  the  United  States  custom 
house  in  the  Philippine  islands:  and,  Guy, 
who  is 'first  sergeant  in  the  Twenty-eighth 
Regiment  of   Regulars,   in  the   Philippines. 

To  the  district-school  system  of  Hamil- 
ton county.  Iowa.  Charles  Whitaker,  of  this 
review,  is  indebted  for  the  early  educational 
privileges  which  he  received,  lie  mani- 
fested special  aptitude  in  his  studies  and  at 
tii;  age  of  seventeen  began  teaching,  follow- 
ing that  profession  through  the  winter 
months,  while  in  the  summer  seasons  he 
worked  upon  the  home  farm.  In  1  No  1  he 
entered  Ames  College,  where  he  remained 
for  a  year  and  then  took  up  the  study  of  law 
under  the  direction  of  Judge  Stevens,  of 
Ames,  in  1893.  In  January.  [895,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  and  began  practice  at 
Ames.  He  was  also  a  practitioner  in  Ne- 
vada, Iowa,  until  1809.  when  he  entered  into 
partnership  with  Robert  F.  Dale,  of  Boone, 
and  this  connection  has  since  been  main- 
tained. 

On  the  28th  of  January.  iNo;.  Mr. 
Whitaker  was  united  in  marriage  to  Bede 
Miller,  who  was  hum  Septembei  S.  1876, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  J.  C.  Miller,  in  whose 
family  were  eight  children  :  Ellen,  the  wife 
of  James  Blaine,  of  Polk  City,  lew  a:  l.ina, 
the  wife  of  Allen  Stewart,  a  contractor  of 
Boone;  \mia,  now  deceased;  Robert  <i., 
who  is  a  teacher  in  Hampton,  iowa;  1'.  *i.. 
who  is  a  carpentei  of  Devils  Lake,  North 
1  >akota  :  John,  who  makes  his  home  in  Polk 
t  u v.  Iowa :  Etta,  the  wife  .if  D  !■'.  Scholl, 
who  is  now  in  the  Klondike;  and  Mrs.  Whit- 
aker. By  their  marriage  our  subject  and  his 
wife  have  one  child.  Charles,  ix>rn  Septem- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ber  28,  [899.  The  father  holds  membership 
in  the  Episcopal  church,  the  mother  in  the 
Congregational  church.  In  politics  Mr. 
VVhitaker  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  frequently 
served  as  a  delegate  to  county  conventions, 
but  lias  never  sought  or  desired  office,  pre- 
ferring to  devote  his  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness and  professional  duties.  He  belongs 
to  the  Knights  of   Pythias   fraternity.      He 


in  i\\  1  ccupies  a  lea 


position  in  the  ranks 


of  the  legal  practitioners  of  Boone  county. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  untiring  activity 
and  has  been  crowned  with  a  gratifying  de- 
gree of  success,  vet  he  is  not  less  esteemed 
as  a  citizen  than  as  a  lawyer,  and  his  kindly 


impulses  and  his  charming  cordia 


if  man- 
ner have  rendered  him  exceedingly  popular 
among  all  classes. 


HON.  JOHN  L.  GOOD, 

One  of  Boone  county's  most  prominent 
and  representative  citizens  is  John  L.  Good, 
who  has  made  his  home  here  since  the  spring 
of  1869,  and  to-day  owns  and  operates  a 
veil  improved  and  valuable  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  011  section  35. 
Grant  township.  He  was  born  on  the  9th 
of  April,  1845,  m  Gratz,  Dauphin  count). 
Pennsylvania,  and  is  descended  from  a  good 
old  German  family  which  was  early  estab- 
lished in  that  state.  His  father.  Daniel 
( icod,  was  a  native  of  Snyder  county.  Penn- 
sylvania, and  on  reaching  manhood  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Reedy, 
who  was  born  in  Schuykill  county,  the  same 
state,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Leonard  Reedy 
a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  By  trade 
Daniel  Good  was  a  tanner  and.  followed  that 
occupation  for  a  number  of  years,  while  at 


the  same  time  he  owned  a  farm  and  operated 
it  with  the  assistance  of  his  sons.  He 
spent  his  entire  life  in  the  Keystone  state, 
dying  there  in  the  fall  of  1870.  In  his  fam- 
ily were  nine  children,  four  sons  and  five 
daughters,  all  of  whom  reached  years  of 
maturity,  and  with  the  exception  of  one  son 
and  one  daughter  all  are  still  living. 

In  the  county  of  his  nativity  John  L. 
Good  grew  to  manhood,  aiding  in  carrying 
mi  the  old  home  farm  and  pursuing  his 
studies  in  the  common  and  higher  schools, 
where  he  acquired  a  good  practical  educa- 
tion that  has  well  fitted  him  for  life's  re- 
sponsible duties.  When  the  country  became 
involved  in  Civil  war,  he  offered  his  services 
to  the  government,  enlisting  in  the  fall  of 
[862,  in  Company  1.  One  Hundred  and  Sev- 
enty-seventh Pennsylvania  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, which  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  With  that  command  be 
served  nine  months,  doing  mostly  picket 
and  garrison  duty,  and  was  then  honorably 
discharged  and  returned  home,  but  in  1804 
he  re-enlisted  for  one  year  or  during  the 
war,  this  time  becoming  a  member  of  Com- 
pany 11.  Two  Hundred  and  Tenth  Penn- 
sylvania Infantry,  which  was  also  a  part  of 
the  Arnn"  of  the  Potomac.  He  particpated 
in  a  number  of  skirmishes  and  the  battles 
of  Hatchie's  Run  and  Gravel  Run.  and  dur- 
ing the  latter  engagement  was  wounded  by 
a  gunshot  through  the  thigh.  Being  thus 
disabled  he  was  sent  to  the  hospital,  where 
he  remained  until  honorably  discharged,  in 
June.  (865.  After  his  return  home  Mr. 
Good  attended  Freelmrg  Academy  for  a 
time  and  later  engaged  in  teaching  school 
one  term.  Subsequently  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  clerk  in  a  store  at  Gratz,  Pennsylva- 
nia, where  he  remained  until  coming  west. 


!- 

|%t 

^t 

'H 

^H    fSfrf:- . 

ifc&gHfl^S 

• 

JOHN    L.  GOOD 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


547 


As  before  stated  Mr.  Good  came  to 
Boqne  county  Iowa,  in  1869,  and  after  look- 
ing around  made  a  permanent  location  the 
following  spring,  when  he  bought  a  farm  at 
Pilot  Mi  mud  and  engaged  111  its  operation 
for  five  years.  On  selling  that  place  he  re- 
moved to  the  farm  in  Grant  township  which 
he  still  owns.  He  broke  the  land,  fenced 
and  improved  it  and  erected  thereon  a  good 
residence,  barn  and  convenient  outbuildings, 
which  he  has  surrounded  by  beautiful  shade 
and  ornamental  trees,  which  add  greatly  to 
the  attractive  appearance  of  the  place.  He 
follows  general  farming  and  stock-raising 
with  good  success  and  is  accounted  one  of 
the  most  progressive  citizens  of  his  com- 
munity. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1867,  in  Dau- 
phin county,  Pennsylvania,  Mr.  Good  mar- 
ried Miss  Cassia  Schreffler,  who  was  also 
horn,  reared  and  educated  in  that  county. 
Her  father,  Harry  Schreffler,  belonged'  to 
an  old  Pennsylvania  family  and  died  when 
Mrs.  Good  was  only  four  years  old.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  have  six  children  still 
living',  namely:  Anna,  now  the  wife  of 
Henry  Hockey,  a  farmer  of  this  county; 
Daniel  A.  and  C.  Grant,  who  are  both  mar- 
ried and  follow  farming  and  teaching  in  this 
comity:  Minnie  E.,  who  is  successfully  en- 
gaged in  school  teaching  in  the  county:  and 
Katie  1).  and  Lucile  May.  both  at  home. 
I  ho^e  of  the  family  now  deceased  are  Hat- 
tic,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years: 
Mary,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven  months, 
and  a  son,  who  died  in  infancy  unnamed. 

Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  General  U.  S.  Grant  in  [868,  Mr. 
Good  has  supported  every  presidential  can- 
didate of  the  Republican  party,  and  has  la- 
bored   earnestly    for    his    party's    interests. 


Recognizing  his  worth  and  ability,  His  fel- 
low citizens  have  called  upon  his  to  fill  a 
number  of  official  positions  of  honor  and 
trust,  lie  was  elected  and  served  two  terms 
as  supervisor  and  was  chairman  of  the  coun- 
ty hoard  of  three  years.  In  the  fall  of  1895 
he  was  chosen  to  the  state  legislature  and 
was  an  influential  member  of  the  assembly 
during  two  terms  including  the  extra  ses- 
sion, serving  on  a  number  of  important 
ci  mmittees,  being  chairman  of  the  commu- 
te on  mines  and  mining  and  a  member  of 
the  committees  on  hanks  and  hanking,  loans 
and  insurance,  military,  horticulture,  sena' 
torial  districts  and  industrial  schools.  He 
has  been  a  delegate  to  numerous  state  and 
county  conventions  of  his  party,  and  excr- 
etes considerable  interest  in  public  affairs. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Good  is  a  member  of  Pilot 
Mound  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  which  he  has 
filled  all  the  chairs  and  is  now  past  grand, 
and  he  also  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Py- 
thias Lodge  and  the  Grand  Army  Post  of 
Boonesbbro.  He  has  been  an  important 
factor  in  the  development  and  progress  of 
his  adopted  county,  and  well  merits  the  es- 
teem in  which  he  is  held. 


IAMES  BARCLAY. 

'  )u  the  home  farm  on  section  15,  Garden 
township,  James  Barclay  is  successfully  car- 
rying on  agricultural  pursuits,  being  widely 
recognized  as  one  of  the  thrifty  farmers  and 
stock-raisers  of  this  portion  of  the  state. 
The  month  of  December,  [865,  witnessed 
his  arrival  in  Boone  county  and  (luring  the 
period  which  has  since  elapsed  he  has  ad- 
\  anced  b  <  a  very  creditable  p  isitii  >n  as  a  man 


54S 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


of  business  ability,  and  his  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  is  the  visible  evidence 
of  his  life  of  energy  and  good  management. 
A  native  of  Ohio,  he  was  born  in  Carroll 
County  June  24,  ]<v.?<).  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph 
Barclay,  a  native  of  Scotland,  born  and 
reared  in  the  land  of  hills  and  heather. 
When  a  young  man  the  father  came  to  the 
iKM  world  and  was  classed  among  the  early 
settlers  of  the  portion  of  Pennsylvania  in 
which  he  made  his  home.  He  was  a  mer- 
chant in  Pittsburg  when  Indians  -till  visited 
the  locality.  He  was  married  there  to 
janette  Noble,  also  a  native  of  Scotland, 
and  subsequently  they  removed  to  Ohio, 
becoming  pioneer  settlers  of  Carroll  county, 
where  in  the  midst  of  the  dense  forests  Jo- 
seph Barclay  hewed  out  a  farm.  Cutting 
away  the  timber,  he  placed  the  land  under 
cultivation  and  there  made  a  good  farm  of 
four  hundred  acres,  becoming  the  owner  of 
one  of  the  best  farming  properties  in  Car- 
roll county.  Upon  that  place  he  reared  his 
family  and  spent  his  remaining  days,  pass- 
ing away  in  185  1. 

James  Barclay  was  reared  there  and  in 
his  youth  early  became  familiar  with  the 
lain  11s  of  field  and  meadow,  lie  had  but 
common  school  advantages,  but  his  training 
at  farm  work  was  not  meager.  In  August, 
[862,  he  enlisted,  joining  the  One  Hundred 
and  Fifteenth  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  as  a 
member  of  Company  A.  lie  went  south 
ano  was  one  of  "Pap  Thomas'  boys."  He 
participated  in  numerous  engagements,  also 
did  scouting  duty  and  was  in  the  battle  at 
Nashville.  He  afterward  engaged  in  doing 
guard  duty  along  the  railroads  and  in  guard- 
ing government  property,  serving  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  when  he  was  mustered  out 


at  Murfreesboro,  receiving  an  honorable  dis- 
charge at  Cleveland.  Ohio,  in  July,  1865. 

Ah'.  Barclay  then  returned  to  his  home 
and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  came  west 
to  Boone  county,  Iowa,  arriving  in  Decem- 
ber, T865.  The  railroads  terminated  here 
at  that  time.  He  purchased  forty  acres  of 
land  near  Boone  and  engaged  in  taking  out 
coal,  carrying  on  that  business  for  two  years. 
On  selling  his  interests  there  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land,  constituting  the  nucleus 
of  his  present  farm.  Only  slight  improve- 
ments had  been  made;  a  little  house  had  been 
erected,  while  a  tew  acres  had  been  broken. 
He  located  thereon  in  the  spring  01  [868 
and  began  the  further  improvement  of  the 
land,  to  which  lie  added  until  he  now  has 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rich  farming 
land  under  a  very  high  state  of  cultivation. 
the  well  tilled  fields  bringing  to  him  an  ex- 
cellent return  for  his  labor.  He  has  erected 
a  good  house  and  barns  and  substantial  out- 
buildings and  has  three  flowing  wells,  lie 
lias  also  planted  a  grove  and  has  made  sub- 
stantial improvements  along  all  lines  indicat- 

progress  and  advancement.    He  has  also 

been  engaged  in   raisin-  g 1  graded  stock 

and  this  branch  of  his  business  has  contrib- 
uted in  no  small  degree'  to  his  success.  \ 
poor  man  when  he  came  to  Boone  count}'; 
his  advancement  in  life  has  been  achieved 
through  his  own  efforts,  and  to-day  he  is 
the  possessor  of  a  very  valuable  farm  and  a 
good  home.  I  lis  life  record  should  serve 
to  inspire  and  encourage  others,  who  star' 
ing  out  in  iife  empty-handed  often  lack  the 
courage  and  perseverance  necessary  to  the 
pursuit  of  iortune. 

.Mr.  Barclay  was  married  in  Boone  coun- 
ty, December  27,  [866,  to  Rebecca  E.  Hover, 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


who  was  bom  in  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  a 
daughter  of  George  Hoyer,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Pennsylvania,  and  who  was  one 
of  the  first  settlers  of  Boone  county,  settling 
near  the  city  of  Boone  in  [856.  Mrs.  Bar- 
clay spent  her  girlhood  days  in  this  county 
and  was  success  fully  engaged  in  teaching 
school  prior  to  her  marriage.  Five  children 
have  blessed  this  union  :  Salemma,  the  wife 
of  Emerson  Hazen,  who  is  residing  in  Polk 
county,  Iowa;  Charles,  who  assists  in  carry- 
ing mi  the  home  farm;  Bertha,  Angus  and 
Fern,  all  at  home.  A  lifelong  Republican, 
Mr.  Barclay  has  voted  with  the  party  since 
Abraham  Lincoln  became  its  second  candi- 
date in  i860,  and  his  ballot  has  been  given 
to  each  presidential  candidate  since  that 
time.  He  believes  in  good  schools,  in  the 
employment  of  competent  teachers  and  in  a 
high  standard  of  education.  He  served  for 
some  years  as  a  director  of  the  home  schools, 
but  otherwise  has  never  held  or  desired  of- 
fice. He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Congregational  church  at  Garden  Prairie, 
and  he  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  Post  at 
Madrid.  A  faithful  soldier  of  the  Civil  war. 
loyal  to  the  old  flag,  he  is  as  true  to-day  to 
his  country  as  when  he  followed  the  starry 
banner  upon  the  battle-fields  of  the   south. 


.LIP  WALTER 


Phillip  Walter,  who  carries  on  general 

longs  to  that  land  which  has  sent  so  many 
worthy  citizens  to  the  new  world,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Alsace,  Germany,  on  the 
jth  ot  December.  1851,  his  parents  being 
John  and    Maggie  \\  alter.    ,-  ho  were  also 


natives  of  Germany.  The  father  was  a 
weaver  by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit 
in  the  land  of  his  birth  until  1882,  when 
with  his  wife  he  came  to  the  new  world. 
They  made  their  home  with  our  subject 
tliroii'diout  their  remaining  days,  the  father 
dying  in  [885,  while  the  mother  departed 
this  life  in  1891.  They  were  the  parents  of 
six  children,  two  of  whom  have  now  passed 
away.  The  remainder,  with  the  exception 
of  our  subject,  are  now  residents  of  Ger- 
many. 

Phillip  Walter  was  a  young  man  of 
twenty  years  when  he  bade  adieu  to  home 
and  friends  in  his  native  land  and  sailed  for 
the  new  world,  resolved  to  make  a  comfort- 
able living  tor  himself  in  this  country  if  it 
could  lie  gained  through  persistent  and  hon- 
orable effort.  As  the  years  have  passed  he 
has  prospered  in  his  undertakings.  He  ar- 
rived in  Boone  county  in  187J,  making  his 
way  direct  to  this  portion  of  the  country 
after  landing  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  Here 
he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  in  Grant  and 
Arriaqua  townships,  being  employed  by 
various  men  of  the  neighborhood.  In  this 
way  he  earned  a  sufficient  amount  to  pur- 
chase his  present  farm,  which  has  been  in 
his  possession  since  1883.  It  was  then  all 
wild  prairie  land,  on  which  not  a  furrow- 
hail  been  turned  or  an  improvement  made, 
but  he  at  once  began  its  development  and 
now  it  is  one  of  the  best  improved  farms 
in  hi,  part  of  Boone  county.  Recently  he 
lias  erected  a  line  large  residence  and  has 
also  put  up  other  buildings,  having  all  the 
barns  and  sheds  necessary  for  the  shelter  of 
grain  and  stock.  He  to-day  owns  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-seven  acres  of  rich  land  in 
his  presenl  farm  011  section  5,  Ama<|ua  town- 
ship, and  also  has  a  trad  of  eighty  acres  in 


550 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


(■rant  township.     In  connection  with  his  son 

he  carries  on  general  farming  ami  stock- 
raising,  and  each  year  sees  an  increase  in  his 
capita!  as  the  result  of  his  well  directed 
labors. 

Mr.  Walter  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Clara  Lehman,  a  native  of  Henry  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  and  a  daughter  of  Lawrence 
Lehman,  of  Germany.  Her  father  came  to 
America  in  early  life,  taking  up  his  al 
Henry  county,  Illinois,  where  he  carried  on 
farming  pursuits  until  his  death.  The  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter  has  been  blessed 
with  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  under 
the  parental  roof,  as  follows:  Ezra,  born 
March  2,  1881  :  William,  horn  May  3,  [882; 
Harrison,  horn  September  15,  [888;  and 
Ernest  horn  April  \j.  1895.  '"  ni"  polit- 
ical views  Mr.  Walter  is  a  Republican.  His 
allegiance  to  the  party  has  been  unwavering 
through  all  the  period  during  which  he  has 
had  the  rights  of  a  native  born  American 
citizen.  Both  he  .and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  German  Evangelical  church  of  Grant 
township.  No  native  son  'if  this  country  is 
more  loyal  to  the  interests  and  welfare  of 
the  L'nited  States  than  is  Phillip  Walter, 
who  has  great  love  for  the  land  of  his  adop- 
tion because  he  has  found  here  the  busi- 
ness opportunities  he  sought.  The  condi- 
tions here  are  such  that  labor  has  not  ham- 
pered by  caste  or  class  ami  through  his  un- 
tiring diligence  he  has  gained  success. 


HARVEY  L.  GANOE. 

The  specific  and  distinctive  office  of  biog- 
raphy is  not  to  give  voice  to  a  man's  modest 
estimate  of  himself  and  his  ace  imphshments. 


but  rather  to  leave  a  perpetual  record  estab- 
lishing his  character  by  the  concensus  of 
opinion  on  the  part  of  his  fellow  men.  That 
Mr.  Ganoe occupies  a  notable  position  among 
the  able  lawyers  of  Boone  is  demonstrated 
by  the  liberal  clientage  accorded  him.  lie 
is  now  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  I  lanoe 
X-  Hollingsworth. 

Mr.  Ganoe  was  horn  in  McLean  county, 
Illinois,  February  1.  [861.  His  father, 
James  Ganoe,  was  also  a  native  of  Illinois, 
born  December  6,  1834,  while  the  grandfa- 
ther. Elijah  Ganoe.  was  bom  in  1791  and 
served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of 
[812.  The  family  name  is  of  French  origin 
and  was  originally  spelled  Ganeaux.  About 
[686  the  emigrants  left  France,  and  settled 
in  America.  They  were  Huguenot  refugees. 
Fearless  in  support  of  their  honest  convic- 
tions, however,  they  did  not  dread,  the  dan- 
gers incident  to  an  ocean  voyage  at  that 
time,  being  upheld  b)  the  hi  >pe  1  f  ba\  ing  the 
right  i"  w  <  irship  1  «  id  acc<  irding  ti  1  their  1  iwn 
consciences  in  the  new  w  irld.  Elijah  ( ianoe, 
the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  became 
a  member  of  the  American  army  during  the 
w  ai"  of  the  Revolution.  Later  his  son  joined 
the  American  forces  in  the  second  war  with 
England,  and  when  the  country  became  in- 
volved in  civil  war  the  father  of  our  subject 
joined  the  army  and  served  for  three  years 
as  a  private.  lames  Ganoe  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Sarah  \.  Taylor,  a  native  of 
McLean  county,  Illinois,  born  May  15,  1N40, 
a  daughter  of  Harvey  Taylor,  who  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Black  Hawk  war.  Ilis  wife 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Barbara  Byers. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  (ianoe  were  married 
on  the  23d  of  May.  iS.-S,  at  Saybrook,  llli- 
nois,  and  eleven  children  were  born  of  their 
marriage,    namelj  :      <  (liver    1'..    now     tie- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


551 


ceased;  Harvey  L. ;  Elijah  and  Elisha,  both 

deceased;  Mary  E..  who  lias  also  passed 
aw  iy  :  James  (  >..  a  physician  of  Pilot  Mound, 
Iowa:  Effie  May,  the  wife  of  E.  J.  Goody- 
koontz,  of  Hancock  county,  Iowa;  Sarah  J.. 
the  wife  of  R.  A.  Bovaird,  of  Estherville, 
Iowa  :  (  ).  E.,  who  is  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  dentistry  in  Boone;  F.  \\\,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  law  in  Des  Moines; 
and  Charles  V.,  who  is  studying  medicine  in 
the  capital  city  id"  this  state.  The  parents 
resided  in  McLean  count}-,  Illinois,  until  the 
spring  of  1890.  when  they  came  to  Boone 
county,  Iowa,  settling  in  Ogden. 

In  the  country  schools  of  his  native  coun- 
ty Harvey  1..  Ganoe  acquired  his  early  edu- 
cation, which  was  supplemented  by  study  in 
the  Illinois  Wesleyan  College  at  Blooming- 
ton.  He  also  spent  three  years  in  the  North- 
ern Indiana  Normal  School  at  Valparaiso, 
Indiana,  where  he  was  graduated  in.  1884. 
The  succeeding  winter  was  passed  in  Bloom- 
fieid,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  teaching- 
school  for  two  terms.  In  the  fall  of  1885 
he  removed  to  Scotia.  Greeley,  county.  Ne- 
braska, where  for  one  year  he  was  engaged 
in  teaching  school.  He  then  engaged  in 
newspaper  work  at  Greeley,  Nebraska, 
where  he  remained  until  the  spring  ol  [888, 
and  in  the  meantime  he  devoted  all  his 
leisure  hours  to  the  study  of  law.  In  April, 
[888,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  con- 
tinued a  practitioner  of  Greeley  until  the 
fall  of  [898,  when  he  arrived  in  Boone, 
[ovva,  and  here  entered  into  partnership  with 
1).  ( ..  Baker,  a  connection  that  was  con- 
tinued until  July  1 .  1000.  <  >n  its  dissolu- 
tion he  immediately  entered  into  partner-hip 
with  Frank  Hollingsworth,  and  the  firm  of 
Ganoe  &   Hollingsworth  has  since  enjoyed 


a   large  clientage  in  recognition  of  the  skill 
and  ability  of  its  members. 

On  the  19th  of  September.  1886,  Mr. 
Ganoe  was  united  in  marriage  to  Eliza  E. 
Tilson,  who  was  born  in  Sangamon  county, 
tllinois,  May  1.  1864.  a  daughter  of  P.  D. 
Tilson.  who  was  born  in  Tennessee,  and 
after  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  wedded 
Nancv  Tipton,  also  a  native  of  that  state. 
In  their  family  were  eleven  children,  of 
whom  five  are  yet  living,  as  follows:  James, 
who  makes  his  home  near  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois; E.  W.  Tilson.  of  Menard  county.  Illi- 
nois; Mary,  the  wife  of  Super  Bunch,  of 
Menard  county.  Illinois;  Mrs.  Eliza  E. 
Ganoe:  and  S.  A.,  who  makes  his  home  in 
Boone  county.  The  parents  are  both  living, 
the  father  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine,  and 
the  mother  at  the  age  of  seventy-four.  The 
home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Canoe  has  been 
blessed  with  four  children:  James  H.,  born 
December  16,  1890;  Ella  M.,  who  was  born 
June  [6,  1895,  and  died  February  17,  [896; 
Charles  F.,  born  November  29,  1897;  and 
John  T.,  born  December  8,  1900.  The  fam- 
ily hold  membership  in  the  Christian  church. 
Mr.  Ganoe  is  an  earnest  Republican  in  his 
political  views,  and  while  residing  in  Greeley 
county,  Nebraska,  served  as  county  attorney 
foi  two  years.  He  lakes  a  very  active  in- 
terest in  the  growth  and  upbuilding  of  his 
party,  and  has  served  as  a  delegate  to  state, 
judicial  and  congressional  conventions,  and 
has  been  chairman  of  the  county  central  com- 
mittee. Socially  he  is  identified  with  the 
Masonic  lodge  and  with  the  Sons  of  Vet- 
erans. Mr.  Ganoe  may  well  lie  termed  a 
self-made  man,  and  in  a  profession  where 
advancement  depends  entirely  upon  individ- 
ual merit,  upon  close  application  and  strong 


552 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


mentality,  he  has  steadily  advanced  until  he 
now  occupies  a  creditable  and  leading  po- 


GEORGE  W.   CROOKS. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  die  peace, 
prosperity  and  well  being  of  every  commun- 
ity depend  upon  the  wise  interpretation  of 
the  laws,  as  well  as  upon  their  judicious 
framing,  and  therefore  the  records  of  the 
various  persons  who  have  at  different  times 
made  up  the  bar  will  form  an  important  part 
of  this  volume.  A  well  known  jurist  of 
Illinois  said :  "In  the  American  state  the 
great  and  good  lawyer  must  always  be 
prominent  for  he  is  one  of  the  forces  that 
move  and  control  society.  Public  confi- 
dence has  generally  been  reposed  in  the  legal 
profession.  It  has  ever  been  the  defender 
ot  popular  rights,  and  the  champion  of  free- 
dom regulated  by  law.  the  firm  support  of 
good  government.  No  political  preferment, 
no  mere  place,  can  add  to  the  power  or  in- 
crease the  honor  which  belongs  to  the  pure 
and  educated  lawyer."  Mr.  Crooks  is  one 
who  has  been  honored  by  and  is  an  hi  >u<  >r  to 
the  legal  profession  of  Boone  county  and 
has  attained  distinction  through  ability. 
Since  January,  1X74,  he  lias  been  a  practi- 
tioner at  the  bar  of  Boone  and  is  now  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Crooks  &  Snell. 

Mr.  Crooks  is  a  native  of  Clay  county, 
Indiana,  although  he  has  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  in  this  state,  lie  was  born 
July  22,  1836,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Hannah 
I  ( iroy  )  Crooks,  both  of  win  mi  were  of  Ger- 
man lineage.  On  coming  to  America  the 
paternal  ancestors  established  homes  in  Ohio 
and  Kentucky.     The  father  of  our  subject 


served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 
and  in  1845.  accompanied  by  his  family, 
emigrated  westward  to  Iowa,  when  it  was 
yet  a  territory,  settling  in  Jefferson  county, 
near  Fairfield.  In  the  spring  of  1847  he  re- 
moved to  Boone  county,  and  secured  a  gov- 
ernment claim  a  few  miles  south  of  Boone, 
continuing  the  cultivation  of  his  land  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1853.  His 
wife  long  survived  him  and  died  in  1882. 

Mr.  Crooks  of  this  review  was  but  nine 
years  of  age  when  the  family  came  to  Iowa, 
and  in  his  youth  he  largely  assisted  in  the 
arduous  task  of  developing  and  improving  a 
new  farm.  He  remained  upon  the  old 
homestead  until  1855  when  he  removed  to 
Boonesboro  and  since  that  time  has  resided 
continuously  in  town,  either  in  Boonesboro 
or  the  city  of  Boone,  with  the  exception  of 
two  years  passed  in  .Madrid.  Iowa.  In 
1S60  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Xutt 
and  the  following  year  was  commissioned 
first  lieutenant  to  enlist  a  company  to  enter 
the  Union  service.  He  assisted  in  raising 
the  company  and  left  the  county  for  the  ren- 
dezvous, in  August.  1S61,  but  on  account  of 
ill  health  he  was  unable  to  be  regularly  mus- 
tered into  the  United  States  service.  In 
every  way  possible,  however,  he  rendered 
aid  to  the  Union  cause  at  home.  In  June, 
1863,  he  was  appointed  sheriff  of  Boone 
county  and  filled  that  position  until  Janu- 
ary, 1874.  when  he  entered  upon  the  prac- 
tice of  law  . 

Mr.  Crooks  had  previously  studied  law 
and  after  careful  preparation  for  the  bar 
was  admitted  at  the  December  term  of  the 
district  court,  in  1873,  by  the  lion.  1).  1). 
Chase,  then  judge.  In  the  following  Jan- 
uary  he   entered    into   partnership   with   the 


GEORGE   W.   CROOKS. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


555 


Hon.  I.  N.  Kidder,  with  whom  lie  remained 
until  1882.  The  following  year  he  entered 
into  partnership  relations  with  R.  F.  Jor- 
dan, an  association  which  was  continued  un- 
til 1891.  Through  the  two  succeeding 
years  Mr.  Crooks  was  not  actively  con- 
nected with  the  bar,  but  in  1893,  formed  a 
partnership  with  the  Hon.  J.  J.  Snell  that 
has  -nice  been  maintained.  In  1878  he 
was  elected  to  represent  Boone  county  in  the 
state  legislature.  He  has  long  occupied  a 
foremost  position  in  the  foremost  rank  of 
the  legal  practitioners  of  Boone  county.  His 
life  has  been  one  of  untiring  activity  and  has 
been  crowned  with  a  big  degree  of  success, 
yet  he  is  not  less  esteemed  as  a  citizen  than 
as  a  lawyer,  and  his  kindly  impulses  and 
charming  cordiality  of  manner  have  ren- 
dered him  exceedingly  popular  among  all 
classes.  The  favorable  judgment  which  the 
world  passed  upon  him  in  his  early  years 
has  never  been  set  aside  nor  in  any  degree 
modified.  It  has,  on  the  contrary,been  em- 
phasized by  his  careful  conduct  of  impor- 
tant litigation,  his  candor  and  fairness  in  the 
presentation  of  cases,  his  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness as  an  advocate  and  the  generous  com- 
mendation he  has  received  from  his  contem- 
poraries, who  unite  in  bearing  testimony  to 
In-   superior   mind   and   high   character. 


ANDREW  JOHNSON. 

Andrew  Johnson,  who  is  living  on  sec- 
lion  10,  Garden  township,  is  one  of  th<  ex- 
tensive land  owners  of  the  locality,  his  pos- 
sessions   aggregating     four     hundred     and 

forty   acres.      Almost    a   third    .if  a   centur} 
lias   passed    since   bis   arrival    here.       \s    his 


name  indicates  he  is  of  Swedish  birth,  his 
natal  daj  being  January  9,  [839.  lie  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  Sweden  and  acquired 

a  g 1  education  in  his  native  tongue,  but 

his  knowledge  of  the  English  language  has 
been  obtained  since  his  arrival  in  the  new- 
world.  Attracted  by  the  favorable  reports 
which  he  had  heard  concerning  America, 
he  sailed  for  the  United  States  in  1804,  tak- 
ing passage  on  a  sailing  vessel  at  Gotten- 
borg,  which  after  six  weeks  on  the  Atlantic 
dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Quebec, 
Canada.  He  made  the  voyage  in  company 
with  his  father,  mother  and  four  sisters, 
and  on  reaching  the  Canadian  city  he  at 
once  started  for  Illinois,  crossing  the  lakes 
and  thence  proceeding  to  Bureau  county. 
He  located  in  Princeton,  and  having 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Sweden 
1m-  began  work  at  that  vocation  in  connec- 
tion with  his  In-other  in  Princeton.  He  was 
a  resident  of  that  city  for  six  years  and  in 
1870  he  came  to  Boone  county,  Iowa,  where 
he  and  his  brother  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  rich  land.  At  once  they  began  the  dif- 
ficult task  of  cultivating  it  so  that  it  would 
yield  a  good  return  for  their  labors.  They 
placed  it  under  fence  and  the  track  of  the 
plow  was  soon  seen  across  the  hitherto  wild 
prairie.  As  their  labors  brought  a  good  re- 
turn they  purchased  more  land  from  time 
to  time  and  became  the  owners  of  four  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres.  Andrew  Johnson  has 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  and  has  erected 
a  "large  residence,  his  being  one  of  the  at- 
tractive country  homes  in  this  locality.  The 
farm  is  further  improved  with  good  barns, 
cribs  and  granaries  and  fruit  and  shade  trees 
add  to  the  value  and  attractive  appearance 
of  the  place.  Industry  an  1  economy  have 
been  the  salient  features  in  bringing  to  Mr. 


556 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Johnson  the  very  desirable    and    creditable 
success  which  lie  now  enjoys. 

In  1 87 1  in  this  county  was  celebrated  the 
marriage  of  our  subject  to  Miss  Matilda 
Segren,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  A.  F.  Armstrong. 
She  was  born  in  Sweden,  but  was  reared 
in  Boone  county,  and  by  her  marriage  has 
become  the  mother  of  five  children :  Mary, 
the  wife  of  William  Benson,  of  Garden 
township;  Ernest,  Amel.  Fred  and  Elma, 
who  are  still  under  the  parental  roof.  They 
lost  their  first  born,  Anna,  who  died  in 
1890,  when  a  maiden  of  sixteen  years.  I  0- 
litically  Mr.  Johnson  is  an  earnest  Repub- 
lican, who  believes  firmly  in  the  party  and 
cast  his  first  vote  for  Grant  in  1872.  He 
has  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board, 
but  otherwise  has  steadily  refused  to  hold 
office.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Madrid  Mission  church  and  endorse  ali 
movements  and  measures  for  the  general 
good.  In  an  analyzation  of  the  character 
of  Mr.  Johnson  we  find  that  energy  in  busi- 
ness has  been  guided  by  honorable  principles, 
that  his  friendship  has  been  characterized 
by  loyalty  and  that  in  the  home  he  is  a  de- 
voted husband  and  father,  and  these  render 
him  a  valued  resident  of  his  adopted  coun- 
ty, and  he  well  merits  the  esteem  given  him. 


ABEL  C.  ROBERTS. 

Abel  C.  Roberts,  now  deceased,  was  an 
important  factor  in  commercial  circles  of 
(  >gden  and  established  the  first  jewelry  store 
in  that  place,  taking  up  his  abode  there  in 
187(1.  He  was  born  in  Washington,  Ver- 
mont, November  6.  1844.  His  father.  Per- 
ley  Roberts,  spent  his  entire  life  in  the  Green 


Mountain  state,  where  he  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farming  throughout  the  years  of 
his  manhood  or  until  his  labors  were  ended 
in  death.  In  the  family  were  two  sons,  one 
of  whom  is  now  living  in  McCune,  Kansas. 

Abel  C.  Roberts  spent  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  the  Green  Mountain 
state  and  was  indebted  to  the  public-school 
system  for  the  educational  privileges  he  en- 
joyed. In  the  war  1876  he  emigrated  west- 
ward, believing  that  he  would  have  better 
business  opportunities  in  this  section  of  the 
country,  and  making  his  way  to  Ogden.  he 
here  established  a  jewelry  store  which  oc- 
cupied a  part  of  the  room  in  which  Mr. 
Pitman's  drug  store  was  also  located.  As 
the  years  passed  his  patronage  increased  and 
necessitated  more  commodious  quarters.  He 
built  up  a  very  good  trade  which  broughl 
to  him  a  fair  return  for  his  labors,  and  he 
continued  in  the  business  until  live  years  be- 
fore his  death,  when  on  account  of  illness 
he  retired  to  private  life.  He  was  known 
as  one  oi  the  progressive  and  enterprising 
business  men  of  this  locality,  belonging  to 
that  class  of  progressive  citizens  who  have 
done  so  much  to  upbuild  this  portion  of  the 
country. 

Air.  Roberts  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Esther  McCubbin,  a  native  of  Grant  county. 
Wisconsin,  born  March  3,  [857,  a  daughter 
of  James  McCubbin.  a  native  of  Scotland. 
who  carried  on  farming  in  Wisconsin  after 
his  emigration  to  the  United  States.  He 
spent  his  remaining  days  in  Wisconsin,  liv- 
ing there  in  [871.  Unto  our  subject  and  his 
wife  were  born  three  children:  Yelma,  the 
wife  of  John  I',.  Larson,  who  is  foreman  of 
the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  section  and  re- 
sides in  (  >gden;  Jessie,  at  home;  and  Hallie. 
who  died  May  3,  1894.    As  the  years  passed 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


557 


Mr.  Roberts  prospered  in  his  undertakings 
and  was  thus  enabled  to  provide  his  family 
with  a  good  home.  In  addition  to  conduct- 
ing his  jewelry  store  he  also  dealt  in  organs 
and  pianos  and  sheet  music.  In  his  political 
views  lie  was  a  Republican,  while  socially 
he  was  connected  with  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity, his  membership  being  with  the  lodge  in 
Ogden.  He  was  also  identified  with  the 
Grand  .Army  of  the  Republic,  for  at  the 
time  of  the  Civil  war  he  had  manifested  his 
loyalty  to  the  government,  enlisting  in  the 
Eighth  Vermont  Regiment,  with  which  he 
retained  his  connection  until  after  the  close 
of  hostilities.  He  was  therefore  entitled  to 
membership  in  the  post  and  was  held  in  high 
esteem  by  his  army  comrades.  He  also  be- 
longed to  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen.  Some  time  prior  to  his  death, 
which  occurred  January  30,  1896,  he  located 
where  his  widow  now  resides  and  there  he 
passed  away  widely  and  deeply  mourned  as 
a  reliable  business  man.  a  faithful  friend 
and  devoted  husband.  Mrs.  Roberts  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
of  ( )gden  and  has  many  friends  in  this  com- 
munity. 


JOHN  F.  HERMAN. 

The  prosperity  of  any  community,  town 
or  city  depends  upon  its  commercial  activity, 
its  industrial  interests  and  its  trade  relations, 
and  therefore  the  real  upbuilders  of  a  town 
are  those  who  stand  at  the  head  of  the  lead- 
ing enterprises.  Mr.  Herman,  of  this  re- 
view, is  closely  associated  with  the  shoe 
trade  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  ( 'aider 
Brothers  &  Herman,  of  Boone.  He  was 
born  in  this  city  March  27,  (868,  his  parents 


being  John  M.  ami  Anna  (  Spring)  Herman. 
The  father  was  ;i  native  of  Germany,  born 
in  1829,  while  his  mother's  birth  occurred 
in  Switzerland  in  1838.  It  was  in  the  year 
1840  that  John  M.  Herman  came  to  the  new- 
world,  taking  up  bis  abode  in  Wisconsin. 
In  i860  he  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Anna 
Spring.  They  became  the  parents  of  five 
children:  Emma,  a  resident  of  Boone;  J. 
Henry,  who  is  in  the  First  National  Bank 
of  this  city;  Anna,  now  deceased;  John  F., 
of  this  review  ;  and  O.  G,  who  is  in  the  real 
estate  business  in  Boone.  The  year  [866 
witnessed  the  arrival  of  the  family  in  Iowa. 
and  here  Mr.  Herman  established  a  brew- 
ery, which  he  conducted  successfully  until 
[884,  his  last  years,  however,  being  spent 
in  retirement  from  business  cares.  He  died 
January  15.  1898. 

Mr.  Herman,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  was  born  in  Boone,  attended  the 
public  schools  of  the  city,  and  supplemented 
In-  early  educational  privileges  by  study  in 
the  low  a  State  College  at  Ames.  Entering 
upon  his  business  career,  he  secured  a  posi- 
tion in  the  First  National  Bank  as  book- 
keeper and  also  spent  about  one  year  as 
deputy  in  the  postoffice.  In  1888  he  engaged 
in  the  shoe  business  with  Canier  Brothers, 
ami  this  relation  has  since  been  maintained, 
the  firm  being  recognized  leaders  in  this  line 
in  Boone.  They  carry  the  largest  stock  of 
shoes  in  this  part  of  the  state  and  their  busi- 
ness is  very  extensive  and  constantly  increas- 
ing. Mr.  Herman  is  also  associated  with 
oilier  important  enterprises  of  the  city,  being 
a  stockholder  in  the  First  National  Bank  and 
also  in  the  Security  Savings  Bank.  Of  the 
former  he  is  likewise  a  director;  also  stock- 
bolder  in  Boone  Count)  Telephone  and  the 
I ',01  me  Brick,  Tile  and  Paving  Company. 


558 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


On  the  ath  of  November,  1896,  in  Kan- 
sas City,  Mr.  Herman  married  Katherine 
Hungerford,  of  Burlington.  Vermont,  who 
was  born  August  23.  1871.  her  parents  be- 
ing the  Rev.  Edward  Hungerford  and  wife, 
the  former  a  native  of  England,  the  latter 
of  the  *  Ireen  Mountain  state.  Mrs.  Herman 
f  four  children,  namely :  Caroline, 
the  wife  of  Silas  A.  Mills:  Charlotte,  the 
wife  of  William  H.  Zantzinger;  Frank:  and 
Katherine.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herman 
have  been  born  two  children  :  D<  >r< 
wh  >se  birth  occurred  January  8,  i> 
Edw  ard,  1"  irn  June  3.  1900.  The  family  at- 
tend the  Presbyterian  church  and  Mr.  Her- 
man is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Pr<  >- 
tective  Order  of  Elks, 


JOHN  SMYTH. 

Ji  >hn  Smyth  is  a  retired  farmer  n<  >w  living 
in  the  village  of  Ogden  and  for  thirty-four 
years  he  has  not  not  only  been  a  1 

th  and  development  of  this  county 
bm  has  contributed  his  full  share  ti 
era!  improvement  ami  progress.  I  [e  was  born 
near  St.  Clairsville,  Belmont  counl 
November  1  1.  1823.  and  i-  a 
am!  Mary  (Lee)  Smyth.  The  father  was 
horn  in  Drumgiven.  Townland,  near  St. 
Field,  in  the  County  of  Down,  Ireland, 
about  eight  miles  from  Belfast,  his  natal 
i!a\  being  Ma\  1.  170-'.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica on  board  a  sailing  d  in  this 
country  was  married  to  Mary  Lee.  who  was 
born  near  Cross  Creek,  in  Washington 
county.  Pennsylvania,  on  Christina-  day  of 
1803.  They  were  the  parents  of  eleven 
children,  five  sons  and  six  daughters,  name- 


ly: John,  born  November  11.  1823:  Mary, 
horn  April  21.  1825:  Robert  Lee.  horn  De- 
cember 28.  1826;  William,  born  February 
24,  1820;  Dorothy,  born  March  17.  1831 ; 
Alexander,  born  April  3.  1833:  George 
Vance,  horn  December  11.  1834:  Jane,  horn 
October  19.  1836;  Ann.  horn  October  21, 
1838;  Eliza  E.,  horn  November  1.  1841  : 
and  Margaret  Priscilla,  horn  March  2.  1844. 
all  of  whom  were  horn  in  Madison  town- 
ship, Muskingum  county.  Ohio,  with  the 
exception  of  the  first  two,  who  were  born  in 
St.  Clairsville,  Ohio.  All  iv 
ucational  privilege-,  thus  fitting  them  for 
capably  performing  the  practical  work  of 
life  that  came  to  them. 

In  addition  to  an  excellent  school  edu- 
hn  Smyth  studied  civil  engineering. 
In  early  life  he  engaged  in  teaching  school 
and  entered  upon  his  work  a-  an  agricultu- 
rist by  renting  land  in  Ohio  for  several 
■.  -  a  companion  and  helpmate  on 
life'-  journey  he  chose  Mi--  Elizabeth  Dunn 
Fitz.  their  wedding  being  celebrated  No- 
vember 4.  1851,  the  lady  being  a  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Jane  1  Lindsay)  Fitz,  of  eas- 
tern Pennsylvania.  Ten  war-  later,  in 
[861,  Mr.  and  Mr-.  Smyth  ren 
I. inn  county,  loU  a.  and  there  pun 
-mall  farm  which  he  improved,  during 
seven  year-'  residence  upon  the  place.  Mr. 
Smyth  began  teaching  here  following  that 
:  during  the  winter  months  while 
in  the  summer  season  he  devoted  his  ener- 
gies  to  farm  work.  In  1808.  however,  he 
sold  his  property  in  Linn  county  and  came 
to  Boone  county,  purchasing  land  in  Ama- 
qua  township.  He  improved  the  same  and 
taught  school  during  the  winter  months 
while  in  the  summer  seasons  he  followed 
farming  as   he   had   in    Linn   county.      Hi- 


MRS.  JOHN    SMYTH. 


JOHN    SMYTH. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


565 


first  purchase  made  him  the  owner  of  eight) 
acre-  and  he  afterward  added  another  eigh- 
ty acre  tract  and  extended  the  boundaries  of 
his  place  later  until  he  had  acquired  two 
hundred  and  three  acres,  it-  present  dimen- 
sions. In  the  spring'  of  1901.  however,  he 
sold  his  farm  in  Amaqua  township  and  pur- 
chased a  small  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Yell 
township,  which  he  took  in  part  payment 
for  his  old  homestead.  This  farm  was 
well  improved,  He  also  owns  ten  acres  of 
dial  land  on  section  22,  Veil  township, 
and  now  rents  his  eighty  acre-  on  section 
30,  Yell  township,  making  his  own  home  in 
Ogden,  where  he  is  enjoying  a  well  merited 
rest. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smyth  have  been 
born  ten  children,  as  follows:  George 
Henry,  born  August  9,  [852,  married  Liz- 
zie Fields  and  resides  in  Churdan,  Greene 
count}".  Iowa.  Robert  C,  horn  March  22, 
1854.  married  Mary  Ella  Bomberger  and 
resides  near  Marietta,  Minnesota.  Thev 
have  three  children.  Arthur,  born  July  [8, 
[856,  died  in  infancy.  Orville  Vance,  born 
March  11.  1858,  married  Emma  C.  Matz 
and  with  their  three  children  they  reside 
in  Boone,  fowa.  S.  A.  Douglas,  born  Sep- 
tember 5,  i860,  married  Hattie  Anderson 
and  reside  in  Rockwell  City,  Iowa.  They 
have  two  children.  Wiley  Ellsworth,  horn 
September  22,  1862,  died  at  the  age  of  three 
years.  Mary  Jane,  horn  January  21,  1865, 
married  Harvey  Helphrey  and  reside-  in 
'ei  .  [1  >wa.  They  have  two  children* 
John  Edwin,  horn  September  2,  1N07.  is  liv- 
ing with  our  subject.  Efne  Ellen,  bom 
September  12,  [870,  married  Henry  Gear- 
man  a  residenl  of  Revillo,  South  Dakota 
and  they  have  four  children.  Libbie  D., 
born    June    1.    1875,      married    Wallace    M. 


Jones  and    resides   on   our   subject's   eight) 

acre  farm  in  Veil  township.  The)  have 
two  children.  (  lur  subject's  first  five  chil- 
dren were  born  in  Muskingum  county,  (  )hio  ; 
the  next  three  in  Linn  county,  Iowa;  and 
the  remaining  two  in  Amaqua  township. 
1  ounty. 
Mr.  Smyth  held  the  office  of  count)  sur- 
veyor in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  for  three 
years,  being  commissioned  by  Salmon  P. 
(  ha-e.  1  le  has  also  held  the  office  of  coun- 
ty supervisor,  representing  Amaqua  town- 
ship on  the  hoard,  and  has  filled  some  minor 
offices.  lie  and  his  wife  are  very  active 
members  and  earnest  workers  in  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church.  He  has  met  with  a 
fair  degree  of  successs  in  all  his  undertak- 
ings and  is  among  the  old  and  respected  cit- 
izens of  Boone  county,  for  many  years  con- 
nected with  agricultural  interests.  He  has 
a  comfortable  competence  and  now  makes 
his  home  in  Ogden,  where  he  is  enabled  to 
lead  a  retired  life.  He  is  enjoying-  the  rest 
which  he  has  justly  earned  and  among  the 
leading  citizens  of  his  community  he  is  num- 
bered, being  respected  for  the  possession  of 
those  qualities  of  manhood  which  in  every 
land  and  every  clime  command  esteem. 


HENRY  L.  MOVERS. 

Henry  L.  Mover-,  who  i-  living  on  sec 
tion  24,  Worth  town-hip.  was  horn  in  Bote- 
tourt county.  Virginia,  October  20.  1834, 
on  of  Cary  A.  and  Susan  (  Locket  ) 
Moyers,  who  were  also  natives  of  the  Old 
Dominion,  in  which  state  they  were  reared 
and  married.  About  [840  they  removed  to 
Indiana,  settling  in   Putnam  county'   where 


564 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  father  secured  land,  improving  an  excel- 
lent farm  and  rearing-  his  family  thereon. 
It  continued  to  be  the  home  of  both  himself 
and  wife  until  they  were  called  to  their  final 
rest,  and  in  the  community  they  had  a  wide 
acquaintance,  while  many  friends  esteemed 
them  for  their  sterling  worth. 

Henry  L.  Movers  spent  the  greater  part 
of  liis  youth  in  Putnam  county  upon  the  old 
homestead  which  he  had  aided  in  clearing, 
assisting  his  father  in  the  arduous  task  of 
developing  a  new  farm  upon  the  frontier. 
He  remained  at  home  until  his  marriage, 
which  occurred  October  12.  1854.  in  Clay 
count}-,  when  he  was  in  his  twentieth  year. 
He  wedded  Elizabeth  Clark,  who  was  born 
August  12,  1834.  in  Clay  county,  and  a 
daughter  of  John  and  M.  Clark.  The  young 
couple  began  their  domestic  lite  upon  a 
rented  farm  in  Putnam  county,  which  con- 
tinued to  be  their  place  of  abode  for  several 
years.  The  young  wife  carefully  attended 
to  the  duties  of  the  household,  while  the  hus- 
band worked  in  the  fields  from  the  time  of 
the  early  spring  planting  until  the  crops  were 
harvested  in  the  late  autumn.  In  i860  he 
he  came  to  Iowa,  thinking  that  he  might 
have  better  business  opportunities  in  this 
state,  then  less  thickly  populated.  Boone 
county  was  his  destination.  He  had  pre- 
viously had  eighty  acres  entered  for  him 
from  the  government.  He  rented  a  farm 
which  he  operated  for  two  years  and  then 
purchased  forty  acres  of  land  on  section  28. 
This  lay  along  the  river  and  on  it  he  made 
his  home  for  a  short  time,  building  a  cabin, 
clearing  a  little  of  the  land  and  farming  it. 
while  at  the  same  time  operating  his  present 
farm  and  making  it  habitable.  He  first  built 
a  shanty  here  and  with  characteristic  energy 
began  breaking  the  fields  and    fencing  the 


place.  As  the  years  passed  great  was  the 
improvement  accomplished,  and  the  little 
cabin  In ime  was  replaced  by  a  good  substan- 
tial house,  though  small  in  proportion.  He 
lived  in  it  for  some  time,  then  built  his  pres- 
ent commodious  residence.  He  has  also 
built  good  barns,  corn  cribs,  granaries  and 
has  made  a  very  valuable  farm.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  home  property,  on  section  24, 
Worth  township,  he  likewise  owns  a  well 
improved  place  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in   Colfax   township. 

Mr.  Movers  lost  his  wife  on  the  5th  of 
October,  1895,  and  she  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Clark  cemetery.  She  had  been  a  faithful 
companion  and  helpmate  to  him  on  life's 
journey  and  her  loss  was  deeply  mourned, 
not  only  by  her  immediate  family  hut  also 
hy  many  friends.  Seven  children  were  horn 
of  the  marriage:  Francis  P..  who  is  now  a 
substantial  stock  dealer  and  farmer  of 
Luther;  John  A.,  also  a  successful  business 
man  of  Boone;  Albert  E..  who  makes  his 
home  in  Monona  county.  Iowa:  and  Xelda. 
the  wile  of  James  Curtis  kintzlev.  who  is 
operating  one  of  the  farms  belonging  to  her 
father.  Alice.  Alma.  Minnie  May  and  an 
infant  son  have  passed  away. 

Although  Mr.  Movers  has  never  sought 
or  desired  office  he  has  always  been  a  stanch 
i  lemocrat  in  his  political  views,  never  waver- 
ing in  his  allegiance  to  the  party,  in  whose 
principles  he  has  firm  faith.  He  first  voted 
foi  James  Buchanan  in  1850.  Among  pio- 
neer settlers  of  the  county  he  is  numbered 
and  the  history  of  upbuilding  and  develop- 
ment here  has  been  familiar  to  him  through 
forty-two  \ears.  Mr.  Movers  deserves  great 
credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished,  as  he 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account  a  poor 
young  man.      lie  had  absolutely  no  capital, 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


565 


but  he  realized  that  diligence  and  energy  are 
important  factors  in  winning  success  in  the 
business  world  and  with  these  qualities  to 
serve  as  a  foundation  upon  which  to  rear 
success  he  has  steadily  advanced  and  is  tm 
day  the  owner  of  three  valuable  farms.  1  >if- 
ficulties  and  obstacles  he  has  encountered, 
but  with  resolute  spirit  he  has  overcome 
these  and  has  at  all  times  commanded  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  his  associates  and 
acquaintances  by  reason  of  his  honorable 
dealing. 


GILBERT  L.  ENFIELD. 

Gilbert  L.  Enfield  is  a  very  progressive 
and.  wide-awake  citizen  belonging  to  the 
class  of  enterprising  men  who  has  promoted 
the  improvement  and  development  of  this 
section  of  the  state  until  it  m  iw  ranks  among 
the  leading  districts  of  the  great  common- 
wealth of  Iowa.  Mr.  Enfield  follows  farm- 
ing and  is  also  president  of  the  Marcy 
Telephone  Company.  He  was  born  in 
Marcy  township  March  21,  [862,  and  is  a 
son  of  Joseph  and  Susan  (Van  Winkle) 
Enfield,  the  former  a  native  of  Indiana  and 
the  latter  of  Illinois.  In  the  year  [852  the 
father  came  to  Boone  county  and  settled 
upon  a  farm  on  section  1.  Marcy  town- 
ship. He  afterward  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  on  section  14.  the  same  township,  and 
there  made  his  home  through  a  long  period 

but    subsequently  removed    to  W lward, 

Iowa,  where  he  is  now  living  a  retired  life. 
enjoying  the  rest  which  he  has  truly  won 
and  richly  merits.  His  wife  passed  away 
in  October,  [884.  Ten  children  have  been 
born  unto  them,  of  whom  four  arc  yel  li\ 
ine.     Of  those  now   deceased  the  mosl  of 


the  number  died  in  infancy.  The  four  sur- 
viving are  as  follows:  Norris,  a  resident  of 
Humboldt  county,  Iowa;  Gilbert  Lumas,  of 
this  review:  Thomas  Theodore,  a  painter  of 
Ogden,  Boone  county:  and  Homer,  a  resi- 
dent of  Washington. 

Gilbert  L.  Enfield  pursued  a  common- 
school  education  and  during  the  months  of 
vacrtion  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm,  remaining  under  the 
parental  roof  until  he  was  twenty-three  years 
of  age.  when  he  made  preparations  for  hav- 
ing a  home  of  his  own  by  his  marriage  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  A.  W'infield,  a  native  of  Hen- 
derson county.  Illinois,  and  a  daughter  of 
Benjamin  F.  Winfield.  who  is  a  farmer  and 
now  resides  on  section  i_>.  Marcy  township, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  The  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Enfield  has  been  blessed 
with  three  children  :  Ralph,  Helen  and  Flor- 
ence. 

In  iSoi  Mr.  Enfield  removed  to  his  pres- 
ent farm,  the  north,  one-half  of  the  old  Will- 
iam Enfield  place,  located  on  sections  14  and 
LI,  Marcy  township.  Here  he  owns  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  well  improved 
farm  land  and  is  devoting  his  attention  to 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil  and  to  stock-rais- 
ing. His  labors  are  vigorously  prosecuted 
and  his  thorough  understanding  of  all  the 
best  methods  of  caring  for  his  fields  and  his 
stock  has  resulted  in  bringing  to  him  a  good 
financial  reward  for  his  labors.  He  has  also 
been  quite  prominent  in  public  affairs.  In 
the  winter  of  1901  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  Marcy  Telephone  Company  and  now 
holds  that  office.  He  has  served  for  three 
years  as  a  trustee  of  Marcy  township  and 
has  also  been  a  school  director  for  three 
years.  In  his  political  views  he  is  a  Re- 
publican  and     his    wife     hold-     membership 


566 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
Quincy,  fowa.  Both  arc  people  of  sterling 
worth,  having  the  warm  regard  of  many 
friends  in  the  community  in  which  they  make 
their  home. 


JOHN  K.  ELWELL. 

The  first  of  the  Ehvell  family  in  Amer- 
ica was  Robert  Elwell  of  Dorchester,  .Mas- 
sachusetts. He  was  known  to  have  been  a 
resident  of  that  place  as  early  as  1634.  hav- 
ing taken  up  his  abode  in  what  was  the  col- 
ony of  Massachusetts  Bay  on  what  is  now 
a  portion  of  the  city  of  Boston.  The  an- 
cestry can  be  traced  back  in  a  direct  line  to 
him.  Members  of  the  family  took  an  ac- 
tive part  in  the  war  of  1812. 

Joel  Elwell,  the  great-grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Pitts  Grov< 
county,  New  Jersey,  May  14.  [763,  and  was 
a  weaver  by  trade.  On  the  18th  of  March. 
1788,  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Button, 
who  was  also  born  in  New  Jersey.  May  9, 
1705,  and  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Eliz 
abeth  Hutton.  She  died  in  Woodburn,  near 
Dayton,  Ohio,  in  February,  1833,  an''  m< 
death  occurred  in  Putnam  county.  Ohio, 
April  [9,  1842:  In  religious  faith  they 
were  Calvinistjc  Presbyterians.  Their  fam- 
ily numbered  eight  children,  namely: 
James,  Abraham.  Mary,  Hannah.  John  IP. 
Margaret,  Elizabeth  and  Joel,  all  of  whom 
reached  years  of  maturity,  married  and 
reaied  families  of  their  own. 

John  H.  Elwell.  our  subject'-  grand- 
father, was  horn  in  Pitts  Grove,  Salem 
county,  .New  Jersey,  December  2,  1707.  and 
in  !(Sod  accompanied  his  parents  on  then 
emigration  to  Ohio,  taking  Up  his  abode  hi 


Woodburn.  which  was  as  large  as  Dayton 
at  that  time.  In  1832,  having  married  in 
the  meantime  he  removed  to  Dayton  where 
he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  and 
in  Febraury,  1830.  took  up  his  residence 
in  what  was  then  the  wild  district  of  Putnam 
county,  Ohio.  There  lie  entered  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  government  land 
and  gave  his  attention  to  the  development 
of  the  farm.  On  the  25th  of  March.  1824, 
in  Montgomery  count},  Ohio,  he  married 
Miss  Nancy  Smith,  daughter  of  Edwin  and 
Catharine  Smith,  who  was  born  January  3. 
1  Six.,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  the 
following  children:  George  Washington, 
born  December  29,  1824,  died  in  infancy; 
Samuel,  born  December  5.  1825,  died  April 
14.  1849;  Joseph,  born  September  11.  1827, 
died  August  -'<>.  [882;  John  Hutton,  born 
December  31.  iN_><>.  .bed  August  II,  1S5S; 
Martha  was  born  December  [8,  [831;  Hi- 
ram S.,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  the 
next  in  order  of  birth  :  Sarah  was  born  Sep- 
tember 15.  [836;  William  Perry  was  born 
November  8,  [838;  Elizabeth  was  born  No- 
vember 5.  1840;  Janie-.  born  January  24. 
1843,  died  July  4.  1875;  Isaac,  born  July 
2-  [846,  died  on  the  9th  of  August  of  that 
year;  and  Mary  ]^>uisa,  born  March  26. 
1N4S.  died  June  30,  1SN1.  The  father  of 
tin-  family  died  in  Putnam  county.  Ohio, 
July  9,  [86l,  and  his  wife  passed  away  m 
tlf  same  county  on  the  24th  of  September, 
.  81  x  >. 

Hirain  Elwell,  the  father  of  our  subject. 
"a-  born  in  Dayton.  Montgomery  county. 
<  Ihio,  April  30.  1834,  and  was  twelve  years 
of  age  before  he  had  the  opportunity  to  at- 
tend school,  but  lie  showed  special  aptitude 
in  his  studies  and  acquired  a  sufficient  cr- 
eation  to  engage  in   teaching,   which   work 


J.  K.  ELWELL. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


569 


he  followed  for  several  terms.    Although  he 

spent  his  early  life  upon  a  farm  he  became  a 
marble  cutter  by  trade  and  followed  that 
pursuit  for  many  years.  At  the  time  of  the 
Civil  war  he  became  a  member  of  the  state 
militia,  enlisting  on  the  31st  of  August, 
1863,  in  Company  F,  One  Hundred  and  Fif- 
ty-first Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  which 
went  into  camp  at  Lima,  Ohio.  The  reg- 
iment was  afterward  transferred  to  Camp 
Chase,  Columbus,  and  was  there  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service.  They 
were  first  ordered  to  Washington.  D.  C. 
and  spent  about  a  month  at  Fort  Sumner. 
During  June  the  company  made  their  head- 
quarters at  Fort  Reno,  and  in  July  were  or- 
dered to  Battery  Cameron  and  on  the  Po- 
tomac near  Georgetown  during  the  siege  of 
\\  adiington  by  Early  and  Breckenridge  on 
the  9th  of  that  month.  In  August  the  com- 
mand returned  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  and 
were  mustered  out  at  Camp  Chase.  Mr. 
Elwell  arrived  home  on  the  30th  of  Au- 
gust, [863,  and  continued  to  make  his  home 
in  Ohio  throughout  life,  his  death  occur- 
ring at  Columbus  Grove,  September  21, 
1885.  Religiously  he  was  a  Presbyterian, 
strongly  endorsing  the  Calvinistic  faith.  He 
was  married  September  1,  [859,  to  Miss 
Mary  1.  Ketcham,  who  was  born  in  Morrow 
county.  Ohio.  November  2,  1039,  a  daugh- 
tei  of  John  L.  and  Catherine  (Gunsaulus) 
Ketcham,  who  emigrated  to  that  county  in 
1833.  Her  parents  were  zealous  and  active 
members  of  the-  Methodist  church. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  historj  of 
John  1\.  Elwell  we  present  to  our  readers  the 
>rd  of  one  n  ho  is  widely  and  fa- 
vorably known  in  Boone,  Iowa,  lie  1-  in- 
debted to  the  public  school  sv~tcm  of  Co- 
lumbus  Grove,    Ohio,    for    the   educational 


privileges  he  enjoyed.  In  May.  [879,  he 
went  to  Gallatin,  Missouri,  and  was  em- 
ployed on  a  farm,  but  afterward  engaged 
in  clerking  in  a  hardware  store  owned  by 
A.  M.  Irving.  In  the  autumn  of  the  same 
year  he  accepted  a  position  with  the  Etter 
Randall  Dry-  Goods  Company  in  the  same 
town,  as  an  errand  boy.  but  his  close  appli- 
cation, his  fidelity  to  duty  and  his  trust- 
worthiness won  him  continued  promotion 
and  at  the  end  of  five  years  the  firm  gave 
him  charge  of  the  shoe  department.  In 
that  position  he  remained  until  the  1st  of 
August.  1890,  when  he  came  to  Boone, 
Iowa,  and  organized  the  McCune  Shoe 
Company,  of  which  he  has  since  been  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  and  has  the  management 
of  the  business.  His  careful  supervision, 
business  ability  and  essential  and  wide 
know  ledge  of  the  trade  has  made  him  an  ac- 
tive factor  in  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 

On  the  9th  of  October.  1805.  Mr.  Elwell 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Am- 
brose of  Nevada,  Iowa,  a  daughter  of  J.  XV. 
and  Louisa  (McNeir)  Ambrose,  the  former 
a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Penn- 
sylvania. Mrs.  Elwell  was  born  in  Polo, 
Illinois,  June  6,  1865,  and  is  the  eldest  of 
six  children,  all  of  whom  are  living,  name- 
ly: Harry  G..  William  0.,  Alice,  B.  E, 
Eva  and  Mrs.  Elwell,  all  residents  of  Story 
county,  bwva,  with  the  exception  of  the  wife 
of  our  subject.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elwell  have 
one  child,  John  Ambrose,  born  August  25, 
[897. 

<  lur  subject  holds  membership  rela- 
tions with  Mount  Olive  Lodge  \.  V .  &  A. 
VJ  .  also  belongs  to  Tuscan  Chapter.  R.  A. 
M. ;  and  Excalibur  Commanderv,  No.  13. 
K.  T.  I  lc  and  bis  wife  are  memcers  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  Mr.  Elwell 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


has  served  as  president  of  the  Epworth 
League  and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school.  He  has  been  prominent  in  Epworth 
League  work  since  its  organization.  He 
served  three  years  as  secretary  of  Boone 
District  League,  and  two  years  as  first  vice- 
president  of  the  Des  Moines  Annual  Con- 
ference League.  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  Iowa  State 
Epworth  League  and  president  of  the  Boone 
District  League.  Mr.  El  well  is  serving  his 
fourth  year  as  president  of  the  Epworth 
League  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Boone.  He  was  connected  with 
the  building  of  the  church  edifice  in  an  offi- 
cial capacity.  His  membership  with  the 
church  dates  from  the  age  of  fourteen  years, 
and  his  life  has  ever  been  in  consistent  har- 
mony with  is  principles.  Starting  out  upon 
hi>  business  career  as  he  did,  in  the  humble 
capacity  of  errand  boy,  he  has  steadily 
worked  his  way  upward  until  he  is  now 
numbered  among  the  men  of  prominence 
and  affluence  in  his  community. 


OTTO  C.  HERMAN. 

Among  the  young  men  whose  enterprise, 
business  ability  and  keen  foresight  have  con- 
tributed to  the  upbuilding  and  prosperity  of 
Boone  count)  as  well  as  to  their  individual 
success  is  numbered  Otto  C.  Herman,  now 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Herman  &  Join-. 
real  estate  and  insurance  agents.  He  was 
horn  in  Boone  February  24,  1S71.  and  is  a 
son  of  J.  M.  and  Anna  (Spring)  Herman 
His  father  was  born  in  Germany  January 
1.  1831,  and  in  1847  crossed  the  broad  At- 
lantic to  the  new   world,  taking  up  bis  abode 


in  Ohio,  whence  afterward  he  removed  to 
Wisconsin.  There  he  was  married  on  the 
17th  of  August  1 8(3 1.  to  Miss  Anna  Spring, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Switzerland  May 
12.  1837.  and  who  had  come  to  the  United 
States  about  1858.  For  some  time  the  fa- 
ther conducted  a  brewery  in  Monroe,  Wis- 
consin, and  in  1866  he  came  to  Boone, 
Iowa,  where  he  built  a  brewery  and  con- 
tinued its  operation  until  1884.  when  he  re- 
tired from  active  business  to  a  large  extent, 
although  he  gave  his  supervision  to  the 
management  of  his  farms  in  Boone  county. 
He  had  prospered  in  his  undertakings  and 
had  made  judicious  investments  in  land.  His 
death  occurred  January  16,  1898.  In  his 
family  were  the  following  children  :  Emma, 
now  living  in  Boone;  Julia,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  three  years:  J.  Henry,  who  is  cashier 
in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Boone;  Anna. 
who  died  June  15.  1897;  John  F..  of  this 
city,  connected  with  the  shoe  trade;  an  1 
Otto  C. 

The  last  named  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  in  which  he  was  graduated  in 
[889,  and  then  prepared  for  business  life  bj 
pursuing  a  course  in  Bryant  &  Stratton 
Commercial  College,  I  hicago.  On  leaving 
that  institution  he  accepted  a  position  as 
bookkeeper  for  the  Box  Manufacturers  As- 
sociation. In  (891,  however,  he  left  Chi- 
I '..  11  me.  "where  he  acted 
as  manager  of  his  father's  farm  for  some 
time,  lie  then  entered  the  abstract  office  oi 
the  firm  of  Moore  &  Crooks,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1893  when  he  was  made  assist 
ant  cashier  of  the  Security  Savings  Bank 
■  .  continuing  in  that  institution  until 
[896,  when  he  entered  the  Columbia  Law 
School  of  New  York  city,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  making  the  practice  of  law  his  life 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


57> 


work.  In  1897,  however,  owing  to  the  death 
of  his  sister  and  the  illness  of  his  father, 
lie  was  obliged  to  return  home.  Upon  his 
father's  death  he  was  made  administrator 
of  the  estate.  In  1900  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  cashier  with  the  Security  Savings 
Bank,  but  illness  compelled  him  to  resign 
and  after  a  short  time  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  real  estate  and  insurance  busi- 
ness, in  which  he  has  since  been  engaged. 
He  also  places  loans  and  has  handled  much, 
valuable  property,  negotiating  important 
realty  transfers.  He  has  a  broad  and  com- 
prehensive knowledge  of  realty  values 
throughout  this  part  of  the  country.  In  this 
undertaking  he  is  associated  with  Mr.  Junes, 
as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Herman  &  Ji  mes. 
They  handle  Iowa,  Minnesota  and  Dakota 
lands,  as  well  as  much  property  in  Boone. 
They  make  loans  on  farm  and  city  property 
and  have  the  agency  for  more  insurance 
companies  than  any  other  firm  in  this  part 
of  the  country.  Mr.  Herman  is  a  man  of 
resourceful  business  ability,  and  has  not 
limited  his  efforts  to  one.line.  In  connec- 
tion with  his  brothers  and  sister  he  has 
planned  two  additions  to  Boone,  known  as 
Herman's  first  and  second  additions.  He 
is  alsi '  the  vice-president  of  the  Security  Sav- 
ings Bank,  a  stockholder  in  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank,  a  director  in  the  Boone  Town 
Lot  &-  Land  Company,  and  a  director  and 
the  treasurer  of  the  Boone  County  Tele- 
phone Company. 

On  the  7th  of  March.  1899,  Mr.  Her- 
man wedded  Emily  Romme,  who  was  bom 
in  Winnebago  county.  Wisconsin.  October 
30,  [872,  a  daughter  of  John  Romme,  a  na- 
tive of  Wisconsin.  Iler  mother  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Miss  Johnson,  and  was 
als  •  born  in  tin-  Badger  state.     Mrs.  |  Ionian 


is  the  eldest  of  three  children,  the  others  be- 
ing Thomas,  now  deceased,  and  Bernard 
J.  a  resident  of  Idaho.  Their  mother  died 
n:  [880,  1  Ine  child  graces  the  union  of  our 
subject  and  his  wife.  John  Marvin,  born 
June  u,  1901.  The  family  is  one  of  promi- 
nence in  the  community  and  their  pleasant 
home  is  celebrated  for  its  gracious  ami 
charming  hospitality.  The  family  attend  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  Mr.  Herman  is  a 
director  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation. He  has  been  an  important  factor 
in  business  circles,  and  his  popularity  is  well 
deserved.  He  is  public  spirited  and  thor- 
oughly interested  in  whatever  tends  to  pro- 
mote the  material,  intellectual  and  moral 
welfare  of  his  native  county. 


JOHN  F.  FREY. 

Among  the  residents  of  Douglas  town- 
ship whose  farming  interests  are  worthy  of 
more  than  passing  notice  is  John  F.  Frey, 
who  resides  on  section  24,  where  he  has  a 
good  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
that  is  pleasantly  and  conveniently  located  a 
mile  and  a  half  north  id'  Madrid.  He  has 
been  living  in  the  county  since  1871,  claim- 
ing Germany,  however,  as  the  land  of  his 
birth.  His  natal  day  was  July  8,  1828,  and 
in  the  fatherland  he  was  reared  to  manhood, 
there  remaining  until  he  had  attained  the 
age  of  twenty-five  years.  He  received  good 
school  privileges  in  that  country,  but  bis 
knowledge  of  English  has  been  acquired 
without  the  aid  of  teachers,  lie  emigrated 
to  the  new  world  in  1X51.  taking  passage  at 
the  harbor  of  Bremen  on  a  sailing  vessel, 
ili-      ship    Helena,   commanded     by    Captain 


57'- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Foikmann,  and  after  a  voyage  of  forty-five 
days  on  the  broad  Atlantic  anchor  was 
dropped  in  the  harbor  of  New  York  and  the 
passengers  landed  at  tbe  eastern  metropolis. 
Spending  a  night  there.  Mr.  Frey  then 
started  out  to  seek  employment  and  secured 
a  position  as  a  clerk  in  a  grocery  store  in 
New  York  city  where  he  made  his  home 
until  r8S4,  when,  believing  that  he  might 
have  still  better  opportunities  in  the  west,  he 
made  his  way  to  Galena.  Illinois.  There  he 
followed  carpentering  and  continued  to  en- 
gage in  that  business  for  a  number  of  years, 
working  by  the  day  for  some  time  and  tak- 
ing part  in  the  construction  of  many  g 1 

buildings  in  that  locality.  He  afterward  en- 
gaged  in  conducting  a  hardware  store  and 
while  living  in  Galena  became  personally  ac- 
quainted with   General  U.    S.   Grant. 

In  1S70  Air.  Frey  arrived  in  Iowa,  and 
purchased  land  in  Douglas  township.  Boone 
county,  that  he  now  owns.  Only  a  few  acre- 
had  been  broken  at  that  time,  lie  then  re- 
turned to  Galena,  where  he  remained  until 
187 1.  when  he  permanently  located  in  Boone 
county.  Here  he  began  to  break  the  prairie 
and  to  open  up  the  farm  upon  which  he  has 
since  erected  a  substantial  home  ami  good 
farm  buildings.  He  has  also  planted  trees 
and  those  of  an  ornamental  character  add  to 
the  attractive  appearance  of  the  place,  while 
the  fruit  trees  increase  his  income  and  add 
not  a  little  to  the  family  table.  He  1 
high  grade  of  stock  in  connection  with  the 
cultivation  of  the  cereals  best  adapted  ti  1  this 
climate  and  his  business  i>  so  conducted  as 
to  firing  him  a  very  creditable  prosperity.      • 

Air.  Frey  was  first  married,  in  New 
York,  in  185..'.  to  Sophia  Wolf,  a  native  of 
Kiel,  Germany,  and  unto  them  were  born 
six    children:      rohn    Frederick;   Carl    II.: 


Sophia  L..  the  wife  of  Henry  Ties,  an  ex- 
tensive fanner  of  Boone  county;  Lyda  O., 
the  wife  of  Air.  Kies.  of  Wisconsin;  Han- 
nah L..  the  wife  of  Daniel  Roe.  of  Kansas; 
and  Henrietta,  the  wife  of  Andrew-  Pies,  of 
California.  On  the  31st  of  December  1885. 
Air.  Frey  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Alary  F.  Reed,  who  was 
boni  in  Clay  county.  Indiana,  but  was  reared 
in  Brazil,  that  state,  and  afterward  married 
William  F.  Thomas.  Unto  the  second  mar- 
riage of  Air.  and  Airs.  Frey  have  been  born 
four  children:  Claude  A.,  Clarence  Reed, 
Robert  Lincoln  and  Martha  E.  In  hi-  po- 
litical affiliations  Air.  Frey  is  an  earnest  Re- 
publican ami  gives  firm  allegiance  to  tbe 
party.  He  was  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith 
and  his  wife  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Socially  he  is  identified  with  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  has 
filled  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  local  lodge  and 
is  a  pasl  grand,  lie  has  never  had  cause 
to  regret  his  determination  to  leave  the  fa 
therland  ami  seek  a  home  in  the  land  of 
tin.  free.     Noting  the  business  opportunities 

here  he  has  made  g i  useofhisad1 

and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has  ac- 
quired a  comfortable  fortune  and  is  one  of 
the  substantial  agriculturist-  of  Douglas 
township. 


[1  »HN  SLATER. 

With  the  industrial  interests  of  Moin- 
gona  John  Slater  is  identified,  being  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
brick  in  the  village  of  which  he  is  a  very 
prominent  citizen.  More  than  a  third  of  a 
century  has  passed  since  he 
county,   for  he  took  up  his  abode  within  its 


JOHN    SLATER. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


575 


borders  on  the  ist  of  January,  [866,  when 
there  were  only  two  other  men  living  in 
Moingona.  Mr.  Slater  was  the  first  man  to 
engag'e  in  the  manufacture  of  brick  in  this 
county*  and  throughout  the  intervening 
years  he  has  carried  on  his  business  in  an 
honorable,  straightforward  manner,  win- 
ning a  good  living  and  gaining  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  those  with  whom  he  is 
associated. 

Mr.  Slater  is  a  native  of  England,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Cumberland  coun- 
ty, on  the  17th  of  April,  1832.  He  is  a  son 
of  Thomas  and  .Mary  (Mark)  Slater,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  England.  In  [850 
the  father  came  to  America,  bringing  with 
him  his  family,  and  later  settled  in  Keokuk, 
Iowa,  where  he  resided  for  nine  years,  liv- 
ing retired  from  active  business  life.  <  >n 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to 
Jasper  county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased 
land  and  engaged  in  farming  until  Ins 
death,  which  occurred  about  [882.  His 
wife  also  passed  away  there.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  seven  children  :  William,  now  de- 
ceased;  John  of  this  review;  Mary,  who  is 
residing  in  Jefferson  county,  Iowa;  Eliza- 
beth, who  resides  in  Nebraska;  Annie,  the 
wife  of  Ira  Smith,  whose  home  is  in  Marcy 
township;  Sarah  Jane,  who  is  living  in 
Kansas:  and  Ruth,  who  is  the  widow  of 
M 01  roc  Sprague  and  makes  her  home  in 
Iowa. 

In  the  common  schools  J  for  Slater  pur- 
sued his  education.  He  did  not  come  to 
America  with  the  other  members  of  the  fam- 
ily hut  was  broughl  to  this  country  in  1S47 
b)    his  uncle.  John      Lancaster,     who  then 

owned  land  in  I  .ee  county,  Iowa.  They 
settled  in  Keokuk  and  our  subject  began 
work   upon    his   uncle's    farm,    where  he    re- 


mained for  two  years.  After  his  father 
took  up  his  abode  there  Mr.  Slater  went  to 
work  for  him  and  remained  upon  the  old 
home  farm  until  he  had  attained  his  major- 
ity. He  then  entered  upon  an  independent 
business  career,  beginning  the  manufacture 
of  brick  in  Jasper  county,  Iowa.  The  new- 
enterprise  met  with  success  and  he  conducted 
the  business  successfully  for  nine  years.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to 
Boonesboro,  where  he  also  conducted  a 
brick  yard  for  two  years,  and  when  that 
period  had  elapsed  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Moingona,  being  the  first  person  to  manu- 
facture brick  at  this  point.  Throughout  the 
intervening  years  he  has  since  carried  on 
the  business/,  meeting  with  very  creditable 
and  gratifying-  success.  His\  plant  has  a 
capacity  for  drying  ninety  thousand  brick. 
lie  manufactures  common  hand-slap  brick 
from  hank  clay  and  ships  his  product 
throughout  this  portion  of  the  country. 
He  is -now  enlarging  his  plant  in  order  to 
meet  the  increasing  demands  of  his  trade 
and  the  large  and  growing-  business  is  mak- 
ing Mr.  Slater  one  of  the  prosperous  repre- 
sentatives of  industrial  circles  in  this  part  of 
Iowa. 

Mr.  Slater  was  united  in  marriage  to 
X.inc\  I  lammer.  a  native  of  Tennesssee,  and 
at  the  time  of  her  marriage  a  resident  of 
Iowa.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Seth  Hammer, 
who  came  to  Jasper  county,  this  state,  in 
1S4O,  and  there  spent  his  remaining  days. 
In  [870  Mr.  Slater  was  called  upon  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  departed 
this  Hie  m  the  month  of  February,  of  that 
year.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Slater  were  born 
six  children:  Thomas  and  Henry,  now  de- 
ceased: John,  who  married  Clara  lhueban! 
and    is   a     brick-mason.     living   al     Madrid, 


576 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Iowa;  Alary,  the  wife  of  William  Boone,  a 
resident  of  Moingona;  ami  Curtis  E.  and 
William,  both  of  whom  are  deceased.  After 
the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Slater  wedded 
Mrs.  Louisa  Battin,  but  she  has  also  passed 
away  and  he  now  boards  with  his  daughter. 
Mrs.  Boone. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Slater  is  a 
Republican  and  has  always  voted  fur  the 
men  and  measures  of  that  party.  He  has 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  of  Moingona 
for  some  time,  discharging  his  duties  with 
absolute  fairness.  He  belongs  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  this  place  and  is 
a  representative  citizen,  deeply  interested  in 
everything  pertaining  to  the  progress  and 
improvement  of  the  county  along  lines  of 
material,  social  or  moral  upbuilding.  He 
has  been  a  witness  of  the  changes  that  have 
occurred  in  this  county  for  a  long  period 
and  his  enterprise  has  been  a  potent  fator 
in   Moingona's   development. 


PETER  HELDT. 

Yell  township  has  a  large  representation 
of  German-American  citizens.  These  are 
men  of  sterling  worth,  persevering  and  re- 
liable in  business.  Mr.  Heldt  now  follows 
farming  on  section  30,  Yell  township,  and 
is  numbered  among  the  early  settler-  of 
Boone  county,  having  taken  up  his  abode 
here  in  May,  [868.  He  was  born  in  Ger- 
many May  9,  [841,  a  son  of  Hans  C.  and 
Phcebe  Heldt.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Germany,  where  they  spent  their  entire  lb  es 
The  father  devoted  hi-  energies  to  farming 
and  in  thai  way  pn  >\  ideel  i'  ■!  In-  family. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  -ix  chil- 


dren, three  of  whom  came  to  America: 
Hans,  who  is  living  in  Amaqua  township, 
Boone  county:  Pluebe.  the  widow  of  Peter 
Peterson,  a  resident  of  Ogden;  and  Peter 
Heldt,  of  this  review. 

Mr.  Heldt.  of  this  sketch,  was  a  young 
man  of  twenty-four  years  when  be  crossed 
the  -Atlantic.  He  had  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  his  native  country,  and 
believing  that  he  would  have  better  business 
opportunities  and  larger  scope  for  advance- 
ment in  the  new  world  he  made  preparations 
to  leave  the  old  world  and  sailed  to  the 
United  States  in  1868.  He  landed  in  New 
York  and  at  once  made  his  way  across  the 
country  to  Clinton  county.  Iowa,  where  he 
worked  on  hi-  farm  for  three  years.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  came  to  Boone 
count)-,  where  he  was  again  employed  as  a 
farm  hand  for  some  time.  He  then  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  on  section 
7,  Yell  township,  and  made  his  home  thereon 
for  about  twenty-two  years,  during  which 
time  the  fields  were  placed  in  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  the  land  being  very  rich  and 
arable.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
removed  to  his  present  home,  known  as  the 
Sylvester  farm.  He  now  owns  six  hundred 
acres  of  very  valuable  land.  Of  this  a  tract 
of  eighty  acres  and  one  of  forty  acres  are  in 
Amaqua  township,  but  the  remainder  is  in 
Yell  township.  Here  Mr.  Heldt  is  carrying 
on  farming  and  everything  about  bis  place 
"1  condition,  indicating  the  careful 
supervision  <<\  the  owner.  The  fields  are 
well  tilled,  tlie  fences  and  barns  kept  in  good 
repair  and  annually  Mr.  Heldt  receives  a 
good  income  as  the  result  of  the  -ale-  of  his 
farm  product-. 

lie  married  Mi—  Phcebe  Henkins.  a  na- 
11   e  of  Germany  and  a  daughter  of  Claus 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


577 


I  Jenkins,  who  was  a  veterinary  surgeon  and 
came  to  America,  spending  his  remaining1 
days  here.  Unto  Air.  and  Mrs.  Heldt  have 
been  bom  seven  children :  Hans  C,  who  is 
now  living  on  section  7,  Yell  township; 
Clans,  who  resides  about  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  from  his  parents;  Annie,  the  wife  of 
Hans  Jones,  a  resident  of  Amaqua  township  : 
John,  who  is  also  living  in  Amaqua  town- 
ship; Emma,  Phoebe  and  Janie,  who  are  yet 
under  the  parental  roof.  Mr.  Heldt  votes 
with  the  Republican  party,  having  firm  faith 
in  its  principles,  and  has  served  as  school 
director  for  some  time,  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion finding  in  him  a  warm  friend.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  German 
Lutheran  church  of  Ogden,  and  the  circle  of 
their  friends  is  almost  co-extensive  with  the 
circles  of  their  acquaintance.  Mr.  Heldt  has 
been  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers 
of  Yell  township  and  has  never  had  occa- 
sion to  regret  his  determination  to  leave  the 
fatherland  and  become  a  resident  of  the  land 
of  the  free. 


SAMUEL  R,  WANE. 

Samuel  R.  Wane  is  an  enterprising  mer- 
chant of  Boone,  successfully  engaged  in  the 
grocer}  business  as  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Wane  Brothers.  He  is  a  native  of  this 
county,  bom  March  29,  1852.  His  father. 
John  Wayne,  was  horn  in  Baltimore,  Man 
land.  March  1  1,  1812,  and  after  arriving  at 
years  of  maturity  was  joined  in  wedlock  to 
Caroline  Hull,  whose  birth  occurred  in  In- 
diana in  [825.  The  father  w  a  -  employed  .11 
the  printing  trade  in  Washington,  New 
York,  and  subsequently  went  to  New  York 
city,  where  Ik-  secured  a  situation  in  the  of- 


fice mi'  the  Xew  York  Tribune.  Later  he 
removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  farming.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
first  union  being  with  an  Ohio  lady,  who 
died  leasing  one  child,  Lucia  A.,  now  the 
wife  of  W.  C.  Grayson,  of  Boone  county. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Wane 
was  again  married,  the  wedding  being  cele- 
brated in  Jefferson  county,  Iowa,  in  184(1. 
the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Caroline  Hull. 
Removing  to  Boone  county,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he 
followed  in  Des  Moines  township,  there 
spending  his  remaining  days,  his  death  oc- 
curring May  20,  1897.  He  was  a  Repub- 
lican in  his  political  views  and  served  as 
county  clerk  and  also  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  supervisors.  He  was  not  an  office 
seekei .  however,  although  his  friends  said 
he  might  have  filled  any  position  to  which 
lie  aspired  had  he  so  desired.  He  held  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  church  and  his  life 
was  in  constant  harmony  with  its  principles. 
In  hi?  family  were  nine  children :  James 
W.,  a  resident  of  Boone  county;  Elizabeth, 
the  wife  of  W.  C.  Sparks,  of  this  county; 
Samuel  R. ;  J.  W.  S.,  who  is  living  in  Okla- 
homa; E.  H,  who  makes  his  home  in  Boone 
county;  Mary,  the  wife  of  D.  H.  Latham, 
of  Boone:  Silver  C.  also  living  in  Boone 
county;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Frank  Latham, 
of  this  county;  and  Jesse  M..  who  is  en- 
gaged in  business  in  partnership  with  his 
brother  Samuel. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  Sam- 
uel R.  Wane  we  present  to  our  readers  the 
life  record  of  one  who  is  widely  and  favor- 
ably known  in  the  county  of  his  nativity. 
He  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  coun- 
try scii,  mis  and  supplemented  bis  preliminary 
knowledge  by  study  in  the  Simpson  College 


578 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


at  Indianola,  where  he  remained  for  a  year. 
During  the  succeeding  seven  years  he  was 
engaged  in  teaching  school  and  proved  a  ca- 
pable teacher,  having  the  ability  to  impart 
clearh  and  concisely  to  others  the  knowledge 
that  he  had  acquired.  In  1877.  however. 
he  began  farming  and  followed  that  occupa- 
tion f<>r  five  years.  For  twenty  years,  how- 
ever, he  has  been  numbered  among  the  gro- 
cery merchants  of  Boone  and  has  enjoyed  a 
large  and  constantly  growing  patronage, 
owing  to  his  reasonable  prices,  his  honorable 
methods  and  his  earnest  desire  to  please  Ins 
patrons. 

On  the  28th  of  February.  1878,  Mr. 
Wane  led  to  the  marriage  altar  Miss  Lottie 
Meyers,  who  was  born  in  Boone  county  in 
September.  [868,  ami  is  a  daughter  of  Mich- 
ael Meyers,  who  was  born  in  Indiana.  Her 
mother  was  in  her  maidenhood  Miss  Lottie 
Latham,  and  she,  too,  was  a  native  of  the 
Hoosier  state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meyers  had 
a  family  of  twelve  children,  of  whom  ten  are 
living:  Nancy  A.,  the  wife  of  E.  A.  Doty, 
of  Oxford.  Johnson  county,  Iowa;  Alexan- 
der, John,  Wesley.  Harry,  Johnson,  Vincent 
and  Lottie,  all  residents  of  Boone  count)  ; 
Charles,  who  is  living  in  Seattle.  Washing 
ton;  Belle,  the  wife  of  Charles  Ingersoll,  a 
druggist  of  Boone,  Iowa.  The  parents  are 
both  deceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wane  hold  membership  in 
the  Methodist  church  and  he  votes  with  the 
Republican  party.  For  two  years  he  has 
served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  and 
was  justice  of  the  peace  for  one  term.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  associated  with  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Mr.  Wane  has  spent 
bis  entire  life  in  this  count)  and  is  well 
known  to  a  large  majority  of  it-,  citizens. 
In  commercial  circles  in  Boone  lie  1-  highb 


regarded  for  his  unquestioned. integrity  and 

bis  reputatii  in  is  unassailable.  All  win  <  km  >w 
him  respect  him  for  his  genuine  worth,  and 
he  well  deserves  mention  among  the  hon- 
ored residents  1  >f  Boone. 


CHARLES  LARSOX. 

Devoting  his  energies  to  farming  and 
stock-raising  on  section  22,  Garden  town- 
ship. Charles  Larson  there  owns  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  the  rich  land  of 
Boone  count).  lie  is  a  native  of  Sweden, 
born  Tune  1,  [845,  and  was  a  young  man  of 
four  years  when  he  arrived  in  Boone 
county,  reaching  this  locality  on  the  20th  of 
May,  [869.  Ilis  father,  John  Larson,  was 
also  born  and  reared  in  Sweden,  was  mar- 
ried there,  veared  his  famil)  and  eventually 
passed  to  the  home  beyond  in  that  country. 

Charles  Larson,  however,  was  attracted 
to  die  new  world  and  with  his  mother  and 
step-father  he  came  in  [852,  settling  in  Rock 
Island  county.  Illinois,  where  he  remained 
for  about  three  years.  In  185;  he  became 
a  resident  of  1  lenry  county,  that  state,  locat- 
ing between  Vndover  and  Berlin,  where  his 
step  father,  John  Gabrielson,  purchased  land 
and  engaged  in  farming.  Charles  Larson 
was  largely  reared  in  Henry  county.  Ilis 
educational  privileges  were  \ er\  meager,  tor 
fi  hi  an  earl)  age  he  had  to  depend  upon 
Ills  own  resources  and  largely  assist  in  the 
wi  rk  of  the  home  farm.  He  worked  in  a 
brickyard  for  three  years  in  his  youth  and 
wis  afterward  for  seven  years  employed  as 
a  farm  hand  in  the  sen  ice  of  one  man.  The 
first  land  w  liicli  lie  e\  ei  1  i\\  ncd  w  as  a  tract 
me  acres  in  |  [enry  o  ami  \ .     lie  im- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


579 


proved  the  place,  continuing  its  cultivation 
for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
sold  it  at  a  good  advance  on  the  purchase 
price.  He  was  married  in  Rock  Island  coun- 
ty in  1868  to  Miss  Hannah  Olson,  who  was 
born  and  reared  in  Sweden. 

In  the  following  year  Mr.  Larson  came 
to  [owa  making  a  location  in  Boone  coun- 
ty, where  he  became  connected  with  agri- 
cultural interests.  He  first  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  raw  prairie  land  on  section  22,  Gar- 
den township,  and  buying  an  old  house, 
moved  it  to  his  farm.  Living  in  it.  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  work  of  breaking 
his  land,  and  from  early  morning  until  dewy 
eve  he  worked  in  the  fields.  He  afterward 
purchased  more  land  and  thus  added  from 
time  to  time  to  his  property  until  he  has  he- 
come  the  possessor  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  1  [e  has  built  a  good  substan- 
tial house,  a  large  ham  and  outbuildings  and 
has  the  place  equipped  with  all  modern  ac- 
cessories and  conveniences  for  the  operation 
of  the  farm  and  the  provision  of  a  com  fi  >rta- 
able  home,  for  the  shelter  of  his  grain  and 
Stock  and  for  carrying  on  the  work  of  the 
fields  in  a  modern  and  progressive  manner. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Larson  have  been 
born  eight  children:  C.  E.,  who  is  married 
and  resides  in  Cambridge:  Ankeny  \\\.  who 
i>  associated  with  his  brother  in  the  owner- 
ship of  a  store  in  Cambridge:  Joseph  A., 
who  is  married  and  resides  on  a  farm  near 
Eagle  Grove;  William  M..  who  assists  his 
father  in  the  conduct  of  the  home  farm:  Ida 
l;.  and  Phebe  M.,  who  are  still  with  their 
parents.  They  lost  two  children,  Ella  K.. 
who  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years;  and 
Mollie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three  years. 

Politicalh  Mr.  Larson  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican.    When  age  gave  to  him  the  right 


of  franchise  he  voted  for  General  U.  S. 
Grant  for  the  presidency  and  has  supported 
each  presidential  candidate  of  the  party  since 
thai  lime.  Mis  fellow  townsmen,  recogniz- 
ing his  worth  ami  ability,  have  called  him 
to  public  office,  and  lor  three  years  lie  served 
as  t<  -u  nship  trustee  1  if  <  rarden  t<  iwnship,  and 
has  also  been  a  school  director.  He  and 
his  wife  are  loyal  and  consistent  members 
of  the  Madrid  Swedish  Lutheran  church. 
During  a  third  of  a  century  he  has  lived  in 
Boone  county  and  is  now  numbered  among 
its  pioneer  settlers.  The  Swedish  element  in 
the  citizenship  of  this  portion  of  the  state 
has  been  a  very  important  one  in  promot- 
ing progress  and  improvement  here,  and  in 
this  regard  Mr.  Larson  has  been  a  worthy 
representative  of  his  native  land. 


HANS  HAGGE. 


Hans  Hagge  belongs  to  one  of  the  old 
and  prominent  families  of  Boone  county  and 
has  resided  within  its  borders  since  [872. 
As  Ins  name  indicates,  the  family  is  of  ( Ger- 
man lineage  and  our  subject  was  born  in  the 
fatherland  on  the  1st  of  December,  1S44. 
He  was  a  young  man  of  twenty- four  years 
when  he  severed  the  ties  which  hound  him 
to  that  country  and  crossed  the  briny  deep 
to  the  new  world.  On  reaching  \merican 
shores  lie  at  once  continued  his  journey  over- 
land to  Calumet  county.  Wisconsin,  where 
he  remained  for  a  year  and  a  half.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  went  to  Clinton 
county,  Iowa,  where  he  was  employed  on 
farms  for  two  years,  and  on  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  removed  to  Dallas 
county,    where   he   engaged    in    fanning    lor 


S8o 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


one  year.  His  next  removal  brought  him 
to  Boone  county,  and  in  1872  he  took  up  his 
abode  upon  his  present  farm  in  Yell  town- 
ship. This  district  was  evidently  such  as 
he  sought,  for  he  has  never  had  a  desire  to 
change  his  place  of  abode  since  that  time. 
His  energies  have  been  given  to  his  farm 
work,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has 
become  one  of  the  substantial  and  respected 
citizens  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Hagge  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Catherine  Knhl,  also  a  native  of  Germany, 
born  January  20.  1851.  Her  father,  who 
was  a  mechanic,  died  in  that  country.  The 
home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hagge  has  been 
blessed  with  seven  children,  as  follows: 
Henry,  at  home;  Annie,  the  wife  of  Louis 
Hasstedt,  a  resident  of  A'maqua  township, 
by  whom  she  has  two  children — Johnie  and 
Menhardt;  Maggie,  at  home;  Johnie,  who 
is  learning  the  drug  business  in  Ogden ; 
Wiilie.  Katie  and  Hans,  all  at  home.  In 
all  the  work  of  the  farm  Mr.  Hagge  is  ably 
assisted  by  his  sons.  He  now  owns  six  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  valuable  land,  which 
is  largely  operated  by  the  aid  of  his  boys. 
He  is  also  extensively  engaged  in  stock- 
raising,  having  over  seventy  head  of  fine 
stock  upon  his  place.  His  land  lies  in  both 
Yell  and  Amaqua  townships. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hagge  is  a  Democrat. 
He  served  as  road  supervisor  for  some  time, 
was  also  school  director  for  two  terms  and 
was  the  incumbent  of  the  same  office  in  Des 
Moines  for  one  term.  He  and  his  wife  hold 
membership  in  the  German  Lutheran  church 
of  Ogden,  in  which  he  is  serving  as  director. 
In  1896  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hagge  visited  the 
old  country,  Schleswig  Holstein.  Very  suc- 
cessful in  his  business  career,  he  owes  his 
advancement  entirely  to  his  own  efforts  and 


may  truly  be  called  a  self-made  man.  Start- 
ing in  this  world  without  any  capital,  he 
has  steadily  advanced  to  a  prominent  posi- 
tion among  the  representative  farmers  of 
his  community.  He  carries  forward  to  suc- 
cessful completion  whatever  he  undertakes 
and  his  efforts  have  been  so  vigorously  pros- 
ecuted that  as  the  years  have  gone  by  he 
has  won  a  property  that  is  among  the  most 
valuable  farms  of  this  portion  of  the  state. 


HARRY  A.  HOUGHTON. 

Every  legitimate  business  enterprise  con- 
tributes to  the  welfare,  progress  and  upbuild- 
ing of  the  community,  and  the  men  who  con- 
trol business  affairs  are  the  real  promoters 
of  a  town.  Harry  A.  Houghton  has  been 
actively  connected  with  commercial  interests 
for  some  time,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the 
real  estate,  loan,  collection  and  insurance 
business  in  Boone  lit.-  is  a  young  man. 
enterprising  and  progressive  and  carries  for- 
ward to  a  successful  completion  whatever  he 
undertakes,  lie  was  born  in  this  county 
September  3,  [874,  and  is  a  son  of  Orvil 
Houghton,  whose  birth  occurred  in  New 
York  city,  June  [8,  [842.  His  paternal 
grandfather.  Elijah  Houghton,  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  eastern  metropolis  at  an  early 
day.  The  mother  of  our  subject  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Zella  B.  Smullin.  and  was 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  Ma\  8,  1845. 
She  represented  one  of  the  old  families  of 
the  Keystone  state,  her  parents  having  lo- 
cated there  at  an  early  epoch  of  its  history. 
Orvil  Houghton  and  Zella  Smullin  were 
married  in  Boone  county  August  22,  1871, 
both  having  resided  in  this  county,  however, 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


581 


from  1864.  They  became  the  parents  of 
six  children  :  Alia,  the  wife  of  G.  W.  Suth- 
erin,  of  Topeka,  Kansas;  Harry  A.;  Ralph 
L.,  who  is  a  fireman  in  the  employ  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company 
and  makes  his  home  at  Boone;  Claiule  L., 
who  is  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  fruit 
in  California;  Calvert,  a  commission  mer- 
chant of  San  Francisco.  California;  and 
Wilbur,  who  is  still  pursuing-  his  studio  in 
Boone.  The  parents  are  respected  and 
worthy  citizens  of  this  county,  the  father 
now  living  a  retired  life. 

To  die  district  school  system  of  Boone 
county  Harry  A.  Houghton  is  indebted  for 
the  early  educational  privileges  which  he  en- 
joyed. He  afterward  continued  his  studies 
in  the  high  school  of  Boone  and  in  1894  he 
entered  upon  his  business  career  as  a  book- 
keeper in  the  emplo)  of  Hoggs  &  Wheelock, 
continuing  with  them  until  the  fall  of  1897. 
He  then  accepted  a  position  with  a  shoe  com- 
pany and  in  the  spring  of  1898  he  turned  his 
attention  to  the  insurance  business,  also 
dealing  in  real  estate  and  placing  loans. 
He  has  handled  much  valuable  property  and 
make>  loans  on  farms  and  city  real  estate. 
He  makes  a  specialty  of  buying  and  selling 
northern  lands,  especially  in  Iowa,  Minne- 
sota and  North  and  South  Dakota.  He  also 
writes  fire  and  life  insurance  and  his  policies 
have   represented  a  large  amount  annually. 

On  the  nth  of  June,  1901,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Harry  A.  Houghton 
and  .Miss  Martha  B.  Mass,  of  Des  Moines, 
who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  July  17. 
1874.  and  is  a  daughter  of  1).  \V.  Mass,  of 
tla-  Keysti  ne  state,  llei  father  died  in  [895. 
Mrs.  Eloughton  was  one  of  six  children  and 
was  the  first  in  order  of  birth,  the  others  be- 
in"-  Pearl,  Mabel.  Catherine,  Margaret  and 


Durwoorl.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  hold 
membership  in  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  Mr.  Houghton  exercises  his 
right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  Republican  part)-.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  is  a  worthy  representative  of  the 
society.  His  enterprising  and  progressive 
spirit  has  made  him  a  typical  western  man 
in  every  sense  of  the  word  and  he  well  de- 
serves mention  in  the  history  of  his  coun- 
ty. He  started  upon  his  business  career  with 
nothing  but  his  own  energy  and  willing 
hands  to  aid  him.  and  by  constant  exertion 
associated  with  good  judgment  he  has  raised 
himself  to  the  prominent  position  he  now 
holds,  having  the  friendship  of  many  ami  the 
respect  of  all. 


ORVTL  HOUGHTON. 

Orvil  Houghton  is  now  living  a  retired 
life  in  Boone  and  well  does  he  merit  his  rest. 
for  his  career  has  been  one  of  untiring  en- 
ergy and  strong  purpose,  his  acts  being  char- 
acterized by  fidelity  to  duty  and  upright 
principles.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Empire 
state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Jeffer- 
son count}'  June  18.  1843.  He  belongs  to 
one  of  the  old  New  England  families,  his 
grandfather,  Elijah  Houghton,  having  been 
a  native  of  Massachusetts.  His  father, 
Elijah  Houghton.  Jr.,  was  also  born  in  that 
state,  his  natal  day  being  June  20,  1800. 
He  wedded  Harriet  Dopkings,  also  a  native 
of  Xew  York,  their  marriage  being  cele- 
brated in  Antwerp,  that  slate.  The  father 
of  our  subject  was  tailed  to  his  final  rest  in 
tiic    fall    of    1802,    at    the    advanced    age   of 


5S2 


7/£    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ninety-two  years,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
in  1S81.  In  their  family  were  ten  children: 
Elijah, who  is  living  in  Antwerp.  Xew  York  : 
Andrew,  Arthur  and  Abigail,  all  now  de- 
ceased: Betsy,  who  resides  in  Boone,  tov 
Elsie,  who  has  also  passed  away:  Otis,  of 
Coon  Rapids,  Iowa;  William,  deceased;  <  >r- 
vil,  a  resident  of  Boone;  and  Harriet,  who 
has  departed  this  life. 

Orvil  Houghton  acquired  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Antwerp,  Xew 
York,  and  remained  with  his  parent-  until 
1861,  after  which  he  spent  about  three  and 
a  half  years  in  travel.  In  1804  he  purchased 
a  general  mercantile  store  in  Hammond. 
Xew  York,  and  conducted  that  enterprise 
for  a  short  time.  In  1866  he  removed  to 
Boone  county,  Iowa,  and  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  in  Garden  township,  upon  which  he 
made  his  home  until  1895.  Throughout  this 
entire  period  he  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  his  land  brought  to  him  a  good  re- 
turn for  the  care  and  cultivation  he  be- 
stowed upon  it.  At  length,  however  he  de- 
termined to  put  aside  business  life  and  re- 
moved to  Boone,  where  he  has  since  lived  in 
an  honorable  retirement. 

On  the  13th  of  August,  [872,  Mr. 
Houghton  wedded  Grisella  Smullin,  who 
was  born  in  Clarion  county.  Pennsylvania. 
Ma)  8,  184''.  a  daughter  of  J.  \V.  and 
Margery  (  Boggs)  Smullin.  Her  father  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  November  [3,  [821, 
and  died  April  25,  1897,  while  his  wife. 
whose  birth  occurred  in  ('enter  county. 
Pennsylvania  April  _>.  1827,  is  now  living 
in  Boone.  In  their  family  were  six  children. 
namely:  Mrs.  Houghton;  Leonidas  I..,  who 
is  tiie  general  agenl  for  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railway  Company  at  Clin- 
ton, [owa;  Emory,  deceased:  John  H  .  who 


has  Iso  assed  away;  James  H.,  of  Chi- 
cago; and  Kitty,  the  wife  of  H.  D.  En- 
sign, of  Boone,  Iowa.  The  home  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Houghton  has  been  blessed  with  six 
children:  Alia  Belle,  who  was  born  May 
6.  1873,  and  is  the  wife  of  ( \.  \\ .  Sutherin; 
Harry  A.,  a  real  estate  dealer  of  this  city; 
Ralph,  who  was  born  December  jo.  [876 
and  is  a  fireman  on  the  Chicago  X-  North- 
western Railroad:  Claude  L..  who  was  born 
December  17  1S7S.  and  is  a  well  known 
horticulturist  of  Tulare,  California:  Orvil 
G.,  who  was  born  November  14.  [888,  and 
is  connected  with  the  commission  business 
in  San  F'rancisco;  Wilbur  I!.,  bom  April  29, 
[887,  now  attending  school  in  Boone: 

The  parents  hold  membership  in  the 
t  Episcopal  church  and  Mr.  Hough 
ton  is  a  representative  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, in  his  life-  exemplifying  the  benefi- 
cent spirit  of  the  craft,  lie  owns  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  good  land  in  Boone  county  and 
four  houses  in  the  city  of  Boone  and  has 
I<  ng  been  ace,  mnted  one  of  tin-  enterprising 
men  of  tin-  portion  of  the  state.  His  belief 
in  the  cause  of  temperance  leads  him  to  en- 
dorse the  Prohibition  party  by  his  ballot. 
His  life  has  been  a  busy,  useful  and  honor- 
able one  ainl  over  the  record  of  his  career 
there  Falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion 
of  evil. 


BENJAMIN  CAPRON. 

From  an  early  epoch  in  the  history  of 
Boone  county  down  to  the  present  time  Ben- 
jamin Capron  has  been  numbered  among 
the  substantial  and  representative  men  of 
the  county.  He  was  for  a  time  identified 
with  agricultural  interest-  and  later  with  the 


MRS.  BENJAMIN    CAPKON. 


BENJAMIN    ('APRON 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


587 


industrial  circles  of  the  city  of  Boone,  bul 
at  the  present  time  is  living  a  retired  life — 
a  fitting  reward  for  his  useful  and  active 
career.  He  came  to  this  county  on  the  10th 
of  September,  1867.  His  present  home  is 
far  removed  from  the  place  of  his  birth,  for 
he  is  a  native  of  Orange  county,  Vermont, 
his  natal  day  being  November  22,  1822. 
He  is  a  son  of  Ephraim  Capron,  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  who  served  his  country  as 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was 
in  the  ranks  for  nine  months  and  had  also 
acted  as  a  teamster  for  nine  months  when 
peace  was  declared,  Great  Britain  acknowl- 
edging the  independence  of  the  solonies. 
There  are,  indeed,  few  living  men  or  women 
who  can  boast  of  the  honor  of  having  had 
a  father  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Eph- 
raim Capron  was  married  in  Massachu- 
setts to  Miss  Hannah  Sanders,  a  native  of 
that  state.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war 
he  removed  to  Vermont,  settling  in  Will- 
iamstown,  Orange  county.  He  was  a  con- 
tractor and  builder,  carrying  on  business  in 
that  line  during  his  active  career.  He 
erected  many  of  the  leading  buildings  of  Al- 
bany, New  York,  and  often  worked  as  many 
as  fifty  men  throughout  the  season.  He  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leaders  in  his  line 
of  business  in  the  east  and  some  of  the  struc- 
tures which  he  erected  still  stand  as  monu- 
ments to  his  thrift  and  enterprise.  His  last 
years  were  passed  in  the  Green  Mountain 
state,  where  he  died  in  [828,  when  the 
subject  of  this  review  was  six  years  of  age. 
His  wife  survived  him  and  careful] 
her  family. 

Benjamin  Capron  is  the  youngest  oi  a 
family  of  eleven  children  and  the  only  sur- 
vivor,     lie   was   reared   to  manhood   in  his 


native  state  and  in  his  early  manhood 
learned  the  wagonmakers  and  cabinetmak- 
ers trade.  Like  most  young  men  starting 
out  in  life  for  themselves,  he  desired  a  com- 
panion and  helpmate  for  life's  journey,  and 
was  married  in  New  Hampshire  on  the  17th 
of  June,  1847,  to  Harriet  Fish,  who  was 
born  in  Orange  county,  a  daughter  of  Ezra 
F'.sh.  The  young  couple  began  their  do- 
mestic life  in  Wilmot,  New  Hampshire, 
where  Mr.  Capron  established  a  wagon  and 
general  repair  simp,  conducting  the  busi- 
ness there 'for  seven  or  eight  years.  He 
carried  on  his  wagon  making  business  for 
twelve  years  and  then  owned  and  operated, 
a  sawmill,  engaging  in  the  manufacture  of 
lumber  at  that  place  for  nine  years.  Think- 
ing that  he  would  have  better  business  op- 
portunities in  the  west,  he  made  arrange- 
ments to  leave  his  old  home  and  in  1867 
came  to  Boone  county,  Iowa,  arriving  at 
his  destination  on  the  10th  of  September. 

Mr.  Capron  purchased  land  in  this 
county  in  the  spring  of  1868,  but  during  the 
previous  winter  engaged  in  the  hotel  busi- 
ness in  Boone,  conducting  the  old  Pioneer 
House.  When  spring  came  he  located  upon 
his  farm  two  miles  east  of  Boone,  pur- 
chasing one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
wild  land  here.  He  erected  good  buildings 
and  developed  an  excellent  farm  which  he 
conducted  and  cultivated  for  about  eight 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  be 
returned  t<>  the  city  and  engaged  in  cm- 
ducting  a  blacksmith  and  wagon  repair 
shop.  I  te  afterward  purchased  a  simp  and 
ection  with  repair  work  turned  bis 
attention  to  the  manufacture  of 
carrying  on  that  business  for  sevei 
since  which  tune  be  lias  practical!) 


588 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


tired.  He  built  a  shop  anil  traded  his  farm 
for  other  business  property  in  Boone,  in- 
cluding the  Ives  Hall. 

In  [887  Mr.  Capron  was  called  upon  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  passed 
away  on  the  19th  of  January  of  that  year 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Linwood  cemetery. 
Unto  them  were  horn  two  sons.  The  elder, 
Willie  1)..  however,  died  in  March,  1874, 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  Nelson  H..  the 
younger,  reached  mature  years  and  pur- 
sued his  education  in  this  county.  He  com- 
pleted a  high  school  course  in  Boone  and 
was  married  in  this  city  May  4,  1887,  to 
Estella  M.  Dawes,  who  was  born  in  Jack- 
son county,  Iowa,  and  was  brought  to 
Boone  county  when  a  little  maiden  of  four 
summers,  her  girlhood  days  being  here 
passed.  She  is  a  daughter  of  C.  M.  Dawes, 
an  early  settler  of  the  county,  now  residing 
in  Minneapolis.  Unto  \".  II.  Capron  and 
his  wife  have  been  born  two  sons — Ben 
F.  and  Jean  L.  Their  father  is  an  enter- 
prising business  man  of  Boone,  engaged  in 
sign  painting  and  is  an  expert  in  his  line. 
He  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Politically  Mr.  Cap- 
ron is  a  stanch  Republican,  having  cast  his 
ballot  with  that  party  since  voting  for  John 
C.  Fremont,  its  first  candidate,  in  1850. 
Prior  to  that  time  he  had  given  his  sup- 
port to  the  Whig  party.  He  has  never  been 
a  politician  111  the  sense  of  office  seeking, 
preferring  that  his  time  and  attention 
should  be  devoted  to  his  business  affairs. 
Thirty-seven  years  have  passed  since  he  ar- 
rived in  this  county  and  great  changes  have 
occurred  in  that  period,  for  time  and  man 
have  wrought  a  wonderful  transformation. 
He  has  seen  the  growth  of  the  city  as  it  has 
developed   from   a    town   of   less   than   two 


thousand  to  take  its  place  as  the  seventh 
city  in  size  in  this  great  commonwealth. 
Hi-  aid  and  co-operation  in  behalf  of  move- 
ments for  the  public  good  have  never  been 
sought  in  vain  but  have  been  freely  given 
and  he  yet  takes  a  deqa  and  active  interest 
in  everything  that  pertains  to  the  general 
welfare.  He  has  reached  the  age  of  eighty 
years  and  in  the  evening  of  his  life  is  en- 
joying a  well-merited  rest.  He  has,  too, 
the  warm  regard  of  many  friends  which  is 
accorded  to  him  in  recognition  of  his  hon- 
orable  and    straightforward   career. 


FRED  WOLF. 


Fred  Wolf  is  well  known  in  Boone 
county  and  in  other  portions  of  the  state  and 
country  as  a  breeder  and  dealer  in  standard- 
bred  horses,  lie  owns  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  on  section  33,  Grant 
township,  and  his  fields  now  return  to  him 
good  crops,  although  the  greater  part  of 
his  time  and  attention  is  given  to  his  ex- 
tensive and  successful  business  of  horse- 
raising.  He  was  born  upon  a  farm  in  Lake 
county,  Illinois,  March  6,  [852,  and  is  of 
lineage,  his  father.  Philip  Wolf, 
having  been  born  and  reared  in  Germany. 
Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  he 
Vlagdeline  Eil,  also  a  native  of  the 
id,  and  coining  to  the  new  world 
i  up  their  abode  in  Lake  county. 
Illinois,  where  Mr.  Woll  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  while  upon  his  farm  he 
reared  his  family;  numbering  two  sons  and 
two  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  vet  living. 
<  hie  son.  Jacob  Wolf,  owns  and  operates  the 
old  homestead  in   Illinois.     The  daughters 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


569 


arc  Lizzie  and  Magdeline.  The  former  is 
Mrs.  Sexhour,  a  widow  living  in  Chicago, 
and  Magdeline  is  the  wife  of  Chrisl  Red- 
linger,  of  Lake  county.  Illinois.  The  young- 
est is  Mr.  V\  olf,  of  this  review.  These  four 
were  born  of  the  father's  last  marriage  an  1 
by  a  former  marriage  he  also  had  four  chil- 
dren. 

Fred  Wolfe  spent  his  boyh 1  days  upon 

the  old  homestead  in  Illinois.  His  school 
privileges  were  limited,  but  since  attaining 
his  majority  he  has  largely  broadened  his 
knowledge  in  the  school  of  experience.  His 
training  at  farm  labor,  however,  was  not 
meager  and  when  he  had  reached  his  ma- 
jority he  rented  land  and  engaged  in  farming 
on  his  own  account  in  Lake  county  for  sev- 
eral years.  In  1885  he  came  to  low  a.  set- 
tling in  Boone  county.  Here  he  again  rented 
land  for  fourteen  years  and  in  connection 
with  farming  he  owned  and  operated  a  steam 
thresher  and  thus  added  materially  to  his 
income.  He  also  operated  a  cornsheller  for 
a  number  of  years.  When  his  labors  had 
brought  him  sufficient  capital  to  enable  him 
to  make  investment  in  land  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  $$  and 
has  here  improved  a  good  farm.  For  the 
past  nine  years  he  has  made  a  specialty  of 
handling,  breaking  and  dealing  in  standard- 
bred  horses  and  is  one  of  the  lea. ling  horse- 
dealers  of  Boone  county.  lie  is  an  excellent 
judge  of  domestic  animals  and  is  a  lover  of 
the  noble  steed,  lie  has  owned  many  fine 
horses  and  his  annual  sales  bring  to  him 
a  good   income. 

Mr.  Wolf  was  first  married  in  Cook  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  1S74,  the  lady  of  his  choice 
being  Miss  Mary  Hagge,  who  was.  born  in 
that  siate  of  German  parentage  and  was 
reared   in  Look  county.     She  died   in   that 


county  February  2,  1884.  leaving  three  chil- 
dren, while  one  child  of  the  marriage  has 
also  passed  away.  The  eldest,  Nellie,  is 
now  the  wife  of  Charles  Sanders,  of  Kansas. 
Walley  W.  is  residing  in  South  Dakota,  and 
R.  R.  is  upon  the  home  farm.  One  son, 
Herbert  II..  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years.  In  1884  Mr.  Wolf  was  again  mar- 
ried, in  Kankakee.  Illinois,  his  second  union 
being  with  Lizzie  Freie,  a  native  of  Cook 
county,  Illinois,  where  she  was  reared.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wolf  now  have  many  friends  in 
Boone  count}',  being  widely  and  favorably 
known. 

Our  subject  is  a  Republican  in  his  po- 
litical views  and  in  1880  his  first  presidential 
vote  was  cast  for  James  A.  Garfield.  Polit- 
ical honors  and  offices  have  had  no  attrac- 
tion for  him  and  save  for  service  on  the 
school  board  he  has  never  occupied  a  polit- 
ical position.  Socially  he  is  identified  with 
Dana  Lodge,  1.  O.  O.  F.,  and  also  is  con- 
nected with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica and  has  filled  ali  of  the  offices  in  the 
local  camp.  He  deserves  great  credit  for 
what  he  has  accomplished  in  the  business 
world  and  owes  his  prosperity  to  his  own 
industry  and  enterprise.  He  is  to-day  the 
possessor  of  a  valuable  farm  and  good  busi- 
ness  as  the  result  of  his  labors.  In  his  life 
he  has  displayed  many  of  the  strong  char- 
acteristics of  his  German  ancestry,  having 
sound  business  judgment,  perseverance  and 
thrift. 


WILLIAM    nnl.I.K. 


William  I'.olle  owes  his  success  entirely 
to  his  own  efforts.  Me  had  no  friends  or 
inheritance  to  aid  him  when  he  started  out  in 


590 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


life,  but  has  depended  upon  industry  and  un- 
remitting toil.  He  came  to  Boone  county 
on  the  1 8th  of  September,  1854.  He  is  a 
native  of  Germany,  born  May  16,  182.1,  and 
in  that  country  he  was  reared  to  manhood. 
He  was  a  railmaker  by  trade,  following  that 
pursuit  for  a  number  of  years,  but  thinking 
that  he  might  have  better  business  oppor- 
tunities in  the  new  world  he  crossed  the  At- 
lantic in  1854,  taking  passage  on  a  sailing 
vessel  which  left  the  harbor  of  Bremen  for 
New  i  ork.  There  were  two  very  severe 
storms  during  the  passage,  but  at  length  the 
vessel  reached  its  destination  in  safety  about 
the  1st  of  September. 

Mr.  Bolle  made  Ids  way  west,  passing 
through  Chicago.  The  latter  part  of  his  jour- 
ney was  made  by  team  and  he  came  at 
once  to  Bonne  county,  locating  near  M.nh  id 
Here,  in  order  to  provide  a  living  for  him- 
self, he  began  work  as  a  farm  hand  by  the 
month,  ami  was  thus  employed  for  two  and 
one-half  years.  He  then  purchased  land  just 
north  of  Madrid,  securing  forty  acres  which 
he  broke,  fenced  and  improved  by  the  erec 
tion  of  substantial  buildings  as  well  as  by 
the  cultivation  of  the  fields,  lie  made  bis 
home  thereon  for  several  years  and  then  sold 
that  property,  purchasing  another  farm  three 
miles  east  of  Madrid  comprising  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  land.  Upon  this 
he  built  a  good  residence  and  made  substan- 
tial improvements,  transforming  the  farm 
into  a  valuable  property.  It  was  his  home 
for  some  time,  but  about  [890  he  rented  his 
farm  and  removed  to  Madrid,  where  he  has 
since  lived  a  retired  life,  enjoying  a  well 
earned   rest. 

In  bis  political  views  Mr.  Bolle  is  a 
stanch  Republican  and  in  [856  he  cast  his 
first  presidential  vote  for  John  C.  Fremi  nt, 
since  which  time  he  has  given  his  support 


to  every  presidential  nominee  of  the  Repub- 
lican party.  He  belongs  to  the  Christian 
church  and  has  attended  its  services  very 
regularly,  although  of  late  years  he  has  been 
at  a  disadvantage  because  of  impaired  hear- 
ing. He  is  well  known  in  Boone  and  vi- 
cinity, being'  numbered  among  the  few  re- 
maining early  settlers  who  have  long  wit- 
nessed the  growth  and  development  of  the 
county.  When  he  came  here  much  of  the 
land  was  in  a  primitive  condition,  the  set- 
tlers were  widely  scattered  and  far  apart. 
but  as  tune  passed  others  came  to  the  county 
and  the  land  was  claimed  and  developed  into 
good  farms.  Mr.  Bolle  bore  his  share  in 
this  work  and  through  his  enterprising  ef- 
forts met  with  success. 


ANDREW  JOHNS<  >N. 

•  Andrew  Johnson  is  a  leading  and  sub- 
stantial farmer  of  Jackson  township.  He 
was  born  in  Joneheping,  Sweden,  on  the 
28th  of  January,  1 S40.  and  is  a  son  of  Gus- 
tave  and  Catherine  (Carlson)  Johnson, 
both  of  whom  were  horn  in  the  locality  in 
which  our  subject's  birth  occurred.  They 
spent  their  entire  lives  in  their  native  land 
and  both  passed  away  when  about  seventy- 
five  years  of  age.  In  their  family  were 
seven  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living, 
1  s :  John,  Andrew  .  Peter,  ( lharlie, 
Swaten,  Ellen  and  I  I 

\mlivw  Johnson  resided  in  Sweden  un- 
til he  was  t w  iiit \  nine  years  of  age.  Dur- 
ing that  time  he  mastered  the  branches  of 
learning  taught  in  the  public  schools  and 
afterward  followed  farming,  becoming  the 
overseer  of  a  large  landed  estate  there,  but 
he  had  heard  favorable  reports  of  the  new 


MRS.   ANDREW    JOHNSON. 


ANDRKW    JOHNSON. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


595 


world  and  wished  to  try  his  fortune  in  this 
land.  Acordingly  he  sailed  for  America  in 
1869  and  became  a  resident  of  Bureau 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  four 
years.  He  worked  by  the  month,  receiving 
twenty-one  dollars  per  month  for  his  ser- 
vices. Subsequently  he  rented  a  farm  of 
forty  acres  for  three  years  and  on  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  came  to  Boone 
countw  Iowa,  in  1S74.  Here  he  purchased 
the  first  land  he  ever  owned,  becoming  the 
possessor  of  a  tract  of  one  hundred  acres 
in.  Jackson  township.  As  the  years  have 
passed  and  his  financial  resources  have  in- 
creased he  has  added  to  his  property  until 
he  now  owns  three  hundred  acres  of  valu- 
able land.  All  of  the  improvements  upon  his 
farm  stand  as  monuments  to  his  thrift  and 
enterprise.  There  are  good  buildings,  well- 
kept  fences  and  the  latest  improved  ma- 
chinery, and  everything  about  the  place  in- 
dicates the  owner  to  be  a  progressive  and' 
practical  man.  He  now  rents  a  portion  of 
his  laud,  giving  his  time  to  the  cultivation 
of  the  remainder. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  in  ■Sweden,  in 
1809,  to  Miss  Christina  Damelson,  who  was 
born  near  his  home  place,  in  June,  1839. 
They  now  have  one  daughter,  Jennie,  the 
wife  mi'  Theodore  Hanson,  of  Boone,  by 
whom  she  lia>  three  sons:  Leonard,  Ra\ 
and  Arthur.  When  Mr.  Johnson  came  to 
this  cpunty  it  was  wild  and  unimproved. 
There  were  few  roads  here  and  much  of  the 
land  was  still  in  its  primitive  condition. 
\\  ii!i  the  work  of  development  and  cultiva- 
tion he  has  since  been  identified.  As  the 
years  have  passed  he  has  prospered  in  his 
undertakings,  Ibeing  to-'day  the  ownelr  of 
one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the  state,  lie 
gives  i"  it  his  personal  supervision,  bul  the 


work  of  cultivation  is  carried  on  by  the  aid 
of  those  whom  he  employs.  He  is  the  lead- 
ing  Swedish  farmer  in  his  township  and  has 
been  very  very  successful,  but  his  prosperity 
is  'well  merited  as  it  has  come  to  him  in  re- 
turn for  his  energy,  determination  and  care- 
ful control  of  his  business  interests.  In  his 
political  views  he  is  a  Republican,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Free  Mission  church  at 
Boone.  His  life  history  proves  what  can 
be  accomplished  in  this  land  where  labor  is 
unhampered  by  caste  or  class. 


HANS  HELDT. 


The  farming  interests  of  Mr.  Heldt  are 
extensive  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  enterprising  agricul- 
turists <ii  Amaque  township,  where  be  has 
resided  for  thirty  years.  He  is  a  native  of 
Germany,  born  May  <i.  1834,  his  parents  be- 
ing Hans  C.  and  Phcebe  Heldt,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Germany,  where  they 
spent  their  entire  lives  and  at  length  passed 
away.  The  father  devoted  his  energies  to 
agricultural  pursuits  as  a  means  of  provid- 
ing for  liis  family.  There  are  two  sons  of 
the  family  now  living  in  Boone  county: 
I  tans  and  Peter,  the  latter  a  farmer  of  Yell 
township. 

In  his  early  hie.  while  living  in  Ger- 
many, Mans  Heldt  learned  the  shoemaker's 
trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  in  his  native 
country  until  1866,  when  he  resolved  to  test 
the  truth  of  the  favorable  reports  he  had 
heard  concerning  the  business  opportunities 
of  the  new  world.  Accordingly  he  sailed 
for  America  and  settled  in  Clinton  county. 
Iowa,  where  he  worked  at  the  shoemaker's 


596 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


trade  until  1873.  when  he  came  to  Boone 
county,  taking  up  his  abode  upon  his  pres- 
ent farm  in  Amaqua  township.  At  the  time 
he  located  here  he  purchased  a  small  tract  of 
land,  but  he  labored  earnestly  and  indefatig- 
ably  and  as  his  financial  resources  increased 
he  kept  adding  to  his  property  until  he  is 
now  the  owner  of  over  five  hundred  acres 
of  rich  farm  land  in  Amaqua  township  on 
sections  21  and  12.  He  has  made  all  of  the 
improvements  upon  this  place  and  is  now 
successfully  and  extensively  engaged  in 
carrying  on  general  farming.  He  is  also 
engaged  in  stock  raising  mi  a  large  scale  and 
both  branches  of  his  business  are  proving  to 
him  a  pn  Stable  si  nirce  of  inci  >me. 

In  1873  Mr.  Heldt  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Annie  ECuhl,  also  a  native  of 
Germany,  and  a  daughter  of  Claus  and 
Tepka  Kuhl.  Her  father  was  a  weaver  by 
trade  and  spent  his  entire  time  and  life  in 
Germany,  but  is  now  deceased.  Three  chil- 
dren have  been  born  unto  our  subject  and  his 
wife:  Hans,  who  married  \lvina  Johns. 
and  is  carrying  on  farming  in  Amaqua 
township:  Claus,  who  is  now  attending 
school;  and  Alvina,  the  wile  of  John  Johns. 
who  is  employed  in  a  lumber  yard  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Ogden,  where  he  makes  his  home. 

The  parent-  are  devoted  members  of  the 
German  Lutheran  church  of  Ogden.  In  his 
political  views  Mr.  Heldt  is  a  Republican 
and  earnestly  supports  the  party,  but  has 
never  sought  or  desired  office  as  a  reward  for 
his  fidelity  to  Republican  principles.  Al- 
th  ugh  he  has  reached  the  age  of  sixty-eight 
years.  Mr.  Heldt  is  -till  a  very  active  and 
diligent  man.  yet  doing  hard  work  upon  his 
farm.  His  own  labor  .-mil  careful  manage- 
ment have  been  the  factors  in  hi-  success. 
He  is  now  one  of  the  wealthy  and  substan- 


tial citizens  of  Amaqua  township  and  his  life 
record  should  serve  to  encourage  and  instill 
inspiration  in  others  who  are  forced  to  begin 
their  business  careers  as  he  did.  without 
capital  or  influential  friends  to  aid  him.  His 
history  proves  conclusively  that  success  can 
be  gained  by  strong  purpose  and  indefatig- 
able enere^\ 


W.  I).  JOHXSOX. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Johnson  has  been 
numbered  among  the  prominent  and  pro- 
gressive citizens  of  Boone  and  has  been  the 
promoter  of  many  of  its  leading  business 
enterprises.  1 1  i>  connection  with  any  under- 
taking insures  the  prospen  'tis  1  >utcome  of  the 
n  is  in  his  nature  to  carry  forward 
to  a  successful  completion  whatever  he  un- 
dertakes. IK-  ha-  obtained  for  himself  an 
enviable  reputation  a-  a  careful  man  of  bu-i- 
ness  and  in  hi-  dealing-  is  known  for  his 
<ud  honorable  methods.  I  le  is  to- 
day actively  associated  with  the  coal  trade 
as  president  of  the  W.  D.Johnson  Coal 
1  1  >mpany. 

.Mr.  Johnson  was  born  in  Campbell  coun- 
ty. Tennessee.    March    15.    [833,  and  is  the 
son   1  if  J,  ,]in   and    Ri  >sa    I   \tkins  i    J 
In  ith  of  win  mi  were  natives  of  Ten 

tier  born  in  [806,  the  latter  in  1810. 
ernal  grandfather,  John  Johnson. 
sen  ed  his  countr)  a-  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  and  again  entered  the  army  in 
iSu  to  preserve  the  rights  of  the  new  re- 
public against  the  encroachment  of  British 
oppression.  The  parents  of  our  subject  were 
married  in  the  state  of  their  nativity  and  by 
this  union  were  born  fourteen  children  :  <  He- 
lena, I. or. inie  and    Polly,  all  deceased;  W. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


597 


]  >. ;  Richard  M.,  who  has  also  passed  away; 
Parthenia,  who  is  living  in  Illinois;  Eliza- 
beth, who  makes  her  home  in  the  same  state; 
James,  John  and  S.  G.,  all  residents  of  Illi- 
nois; 1'homas.  deceased;  David,  a  resident 
of  Stor)  county,  Iowa;  and  Nancy,  deceased 
It  was  in  the  year  1833  that  the  family  left 
the  south  and  took  up  their  abode  in  Cass 
county.  Illinois,  where  the  father  followed 
the  occupation  of  farming  throughout  his  re- 
maining days,  his  death  occurring  in  [865. 
His  wife,  long-  surviving  him,  passed  away 
in  1898. 

W.  I ).  Johnson  of  this  review  was  reared 
upon  the  home  farm  until  seventeen  years 
of  age  when  he  went  to  Oregon,  but  only  re- 
mained there  for  a  short  time  after  which 
he  returned  to  the  old  home  farm  in  Illinois. 
This  trip  was  made  in  [854  and  leaving  St. 
Ji  seph,  Missouri,  he  proceeded  to  Salt  Lake, 
assisting  in  driving  a  flock  of  sheep  across 
the  country,  lie  continued  in  the  far  west 
until  [856  and  then  returned  to  the  old 
homestead.  In  1859,,  however,  he  again 
went  west  making  his  way  to  Denver  and  to 
Tikes  Peak.  In  [860  he  had  charge  of  a 
train  of  five  hundred  wagons  and  was  ac- 
companied by  fifteen  hundred  people  upon  a 
triii  acn  iss  tin-  plains  and  thn  nigh  the  moun- 
tain passes  to  <  Meg  hi.  The  party  had  sev- 
eral encounters  with  the  Indians  and  all  but 
on<  of  Mr.  Johns, m's  companions  de 
him.  For  six  years  he  remained  in  the 
northwest,  visiting  Oregon,  Idaho  and 
Washington,  where  for  six  years  he  was  en- 
gaged in  mining  operations.  In  [867  he 
went  t'o  Texas  when'  he  continued  for  seven 
years.  In  [88l,  with  a  partner,  he  bought 
eighty-seven  thousand  acres  of  land  in  the 
1 ,1  ,ne  star  -tair  and  extensivelj  engag 
the  raising  of  Texas  cattle.      In   1883,  how- 


ever, he  traded  one-half  of  his  land  for  cattle. 

It  was  in  the  year  1881  that  Air.  John- 
son arrived  in  Boone  county  and  he  has 
since  been  an  active  promoter  of  the  coal 
mining  interests  .if  this  portion  of  the  state. 
He  has  also  engaged  in  general  merchandis- 
ing, opening  a  stock  of  goods  in  Boonesboro. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  Boone  Mercantile 
Works  and  a  stockholder  in  the  Security 
Savings  Bank.  Me  owns  valuable  land  in 
Illinois,  together  with  two  farms  in  Mis- 
souri and  desirable  realty  possessions  in 
Boone  county,  including  city  property  in 
Boonesboro.  In  his  coal  mining  interests 
he  is  at  the  head  of  the  W.  1).  Johns 
Company  and  his  efforts  in  this  direction 
have  been  of  much  benefit  to  the  county. 

On  the  1st  of  November,  1871.  Mr. 
Johnson  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Eliza  A. 
Worsham,  who  was  born  in  Missouri,  and 
died  in  1875.  Their  one  child,  Ira  I).  John- 
son, born  August  t2,  [872,  died  July  15. 
[897,  leaving  a  wile  and  two  children  who 
are  interested  in  the  W.  1).  Johnson  Coal 
( '<  impany.  Mr.  Johnsi  >n  1  if  this  re\  r-w  gives 
his  political  support  10  the  Democracy,  hav- 
ing adhered  to  that  party  since  casting  his 
first  presidential  vote  tor  Franklin  Pierce. 
Ik-  is  wideh  and  favorably  known  through- 
out this  portion  of  the  state.  The  difficulties 
which  he  has  had  to  encounter  in  his  own 
business  career  haw  made  him  ever  ready  to 
extend  a  helping  hand  to  those  who  try  to 
aid  themselves,  and  in  his  business  he  ever 
rewards  faithful  services  on  the  part  of  his 
employes  when  opportunity  offers.  He  has 
been  conspicuous  among  his  associates  nol 
onlj  Tor  his  success  but  for  his  proper  and 
honorable  business  methods.  There  is  no 
esoteric  phase  in  his  career,  his  life  living  an 
open  scroll  that  will  bear  the  closest  scrutiny. 


598 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


JOHN  REAGAN. 

John  Reagan,  who  is  residing  or 
19.  Veil  township,  was  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers in  this  part  of  Boone  county  and  is  now 
actively  identified  with  agricultural  pursuits, 
lie  was  born  in  Glinton  county;  Iowa.  May 
28,  [866,  and  is  a  son  of  John  Reagan  who 
was  the  third  settler  in  Beaver  towflship, 
Boone  county,  locating  there  in  1867.  He 
was  l)i  irn  in  Ireland  and  in  an  early  day  came 
to  America,  finding  here  excellent  business 
opportunities  which  lie  improved.  After 
taking  up  his  abode  in  this  county  he  carried 
"ii  agricultural  pursuits  in  Beaver  township 
until  about  three  years  prior  to  bis  death 
which  occurred  in  [898.  His  widow  still 
survives  him  and  is  now  living  in  Ogden 
In  their  family  were  two  children,  the 
daughter  being  Mary,  the  wife  of  L.  J. 
J  Lousman,  a  laborer  of  Ogden. 

John  Reagan  of  this  review  was  about 
ild  w  ben  he  came  t.i  1  Bi "  me  O  iunt} 
and  amid  the  wild  scenes  of  frontier  life  he 
was  reared,  experiencing  the  hardships  and 
trials  which  constitute  the  lot  of  those  who 
seek  to  develop  the  wild  lands  in  frontier 
districts.  \s  time  passed,  however,  all  of 
the  improvements  and  accessories  known  to 
the  older  east  were  broughl  to  tin  west  and 
the  Reagan  family  kept  pace  with  the  on- 
ward march  of  progress.  In  the  common 
schools  the  subject  of  this  review  pursued 
his  studies  and  under  the  parental  roof  he 
remained  until  his  marriage  assisting  his 
fatliei  111  the  operation  of  the  home  farm. 
As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  he  chose  Emma  Engleen,  of  Boone 
county,  a.  daughter  of  Charles  Engleen,  a 
fanner  who  resided  in  Marcy  township  but 
is  now  deceased 


After  his  marriage  Mr.  Reagan  removed 
to  his  present  farm  on  section  19,  Yell  town- 
ship, vt  here  he  has  sixty-seven  acres  of  good 
land.  Here  he  is  carrying  on  general  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising.  As  the  architect  of 
his  own  fortunes  he  has  builded  wisely  and 
well.  He  had  no  assistance  when  he  started 
out  in  business  life,  but  he  and  his  estimable 
wife  have  worked  together  and  today  a  good 
farm  is  the  result  of  their  labors.  Jn  poli- 
tics .Mr.  Reagan  is  a  Democrat  and  always 
votes  for  the  men  and  measures  of  the  party. 
He  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Catholic  church  of  Ogden.  He  remembers 
any  when  much  of  its  land  was 
wild,  the  work  of  improvement  having  yet 
been  hardly  begun.  As  the  years  passed 
however,  the  prairies  were  transformed  into 
rich  fields,  good  homes  were  builded  and  the 
1 .  ilization  were 
everywhen  seen.  Mr.  Reagan  has  taken  a 
deep  11  in  rest  in  the  development  of  the  coun- 
ty ami  ha-  co-operated  in  measures  for  the 
general  good  and  at  the  same  time  ha.-  given 
close  and  earnest  attention  to  his  business 
affairs.    . 


JAMES  H.  NOYES,  .MAD. 

A   man's    reputation    is    the   property  of 
tin-  world.     The  laws  of  nature  have  forbid- 
ati  m.      Ever)    human  being  submits 
1  mtrolling  influence  of  othei 
a   master   spirit   wields   a   power  either   for 
good    or    evil    o„    the    masses    of    mankind. 
.  be  ii'  1  impr<  ipriety  in  justl)   scan- 
ning the  acts  of  any  man  as  they  effect   bis 
public  and  business  relations.      If  he  is  hon- 
■  ininent  in  his  chosen  field  of  labor 

ation     will     brighten     his     fame    and 


J.  H    NOYES,  M.  D. 


* 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


601 


point  the  path  that  others  may  follow  with 
like  success.  From  among-  the  ranks  of  the 
quiet,  persevering,  yet  prominent  citizens — 
pr<  >minent  on  account  of  what  they  have  ac- 
complished in  professional  and  political  cir- 
cles— there  is  no  one  more  deserving  of 
mention  in  a  volume  of  this  character  than 
Dr.  Noyes.  There  is  much  in  his  life  that 
is  commendable.  He  is  a  veteran  of  the 
Civil  war  and  has  accomplished  great  good 
for  his  fellow  men  in  the  line  of  his  pro- 
fession, has  promoted  commercial  activity 
through  his  connection  with  financial  inter- 
ests in  Ogden  and  has  largely  advanced  the 
welfare  of  the  city  through  his  twenty  year's 
service  as  its  chief  executive.  He  is  to- 
day the  vice-president  of  the  Ogden  State 
Bank  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
prominent  citizens  of  Boone  county,  where 
he  has  made  his  home  since   1S07. 

A  native  of  Massachusetts,  the  Doctor 
was  bom  in  Gardner,  Worcester  county, 
July  20.  1835.  I  lis  father.  Henry  J.  Noyes, 
was  a  mechanic  of  thai  county  and  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  there,  his  death 
occurring  within  its  borders.  The  Doctor 
was  the  only  one  of  the  family  that  ever 
came  west.  His  early  education  was  ac- 
quired in  the  common  schools  of  the  county 
of  his  nativity  and  later  he  continued  his 
studies  first  in  Appleton  Academy  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  then  in  the  Burr  Seminary, 
in  Manchester,  Vermont,  After  three  and 
one-half  years  devoted  to  mastering  the 
branches  taughl  in  these  institutions  he  re- 
garded his  literary  education,  as  far  as 
ork  went,  as  finished.  With  broad, 
general  learning  to  serve  as  the  foundation 
upon  which  to  rear  the  superstructure  of 
professional  knowledge  Dr,  Noyes  took  up 
the    Study    of    medicine    al     Nashua.     New- 


Hampshire,  where  he  continued  his  reading 
until  [859,  supplementing  it  with  a  course 
of  lectures  at  the  University  of  Vermont. 
After  this  he  entered  the  old  Columbia  Col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  New 
York  city  and  was  graduated  on  the  com- 
pletion of  a  course  in  medicine  in  the  spring 
of  [861.  Well  prepared  for  the  work  he 
had  undertaken  he  then  returned  to 
Nashua,  where  he  practiced  until  the  coun- 
try became  involved  in  civil  war. 

In  1861  the  Doctor  offered  his  services 
to  the  government,  enlisting  as  hospital 
steward  and  was  soon  promoted  to  assistant 
surgeon,  but  was  afterward  appointed  regi- 
mental surgeon  of  the  Sixth  New  Hamp- 
shire Volunteer  Infantry  with  the  rank  of 
major.  He  was  with  both  the  eastern  and 
western  $jfviisions  of  the  army,  being  un- 
der ( irant  at  Vicksburg,  and  Burnside  in 
North  Carolina  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  Petersburg  and  Appomattox.  He 
was  present  at  the  following-named  engage- 
ments: Camden,  North  Carolina.  April  19, 
1862;  Second  Bull  Run,  Virginia,  August 
29-30,  1862;  South  Mountain,  Maryland, 
September  14,  1862;  Antietam.  Maryland, 
September  17,  1862;  Fredericksburg,  Vir- 
ginia, December  13.  r862,  when  thirteen 
thousand  were  killed;  Vicksburg  and  Jack- 
son, Mississippi,  July,  [863;  Wilderness, 
Virginia,  May  6,  [864;  Spottsylvania,  Vir- 
ginia, May  12  to  [8,  1864;  North  Anna 
River,  May  24-25-26,  [864;  Tolopotomy 
Creek,  Virgina,  May  31,  [864;  Bethesda 
Church,  June  3,  [864;  Cold  Harbor,  June 
9,  [864;  advance  on  Petersburg  June  16-18, 
[864;  (  emeterj  I  [ill,  Jul)  30,  [864  :  Wel- 
don  Railroad,  Virginia,  August  20,  [864; 
Poplar  Grove  Church,  September  30,  1864; 
Pegram  House.  October  r.   [864;  Hatchie'g 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Run,  Virginia,  in  October,  1864:  Fort  Ma- 
hone  and  capture  of  Petersburg,  April  1-2, 
1865.  He  was  also  present  at  the  grand  re- 
view at  Washington,  D.  C.  During  his 
service  Drj  Noyes  was  taken  prisoner  at 
Bull  Run  and  released  fourteen  days  later. 
He  performed  a  most  important  sen-ice  in 
the  alleviation  of  human  suffering,  ami 
when  the  country  no  longer  needed  his  ser- 
vices he  was  honorably  discharged  a1  I  Con- 
cord, New  Hampshire,  in  October,  1865. 
His  regiment  served  three  years  and  he 
served  the  same  time,  and  lie  re-enlisted 
with  his  regiment  for  three  years  more,  hut 
the  war  closed  before  that  time. 

The  Doctor  sought  a  western  held  of 
labor  and  located  in  Boone  county,  [owa, 
in  1867,  becoming  the  first  physician  of  (  >g- 
den,  where  he  has  made  his  home  continu- 
ously since.  He  arrived  here  in  the  spring 
of  that  year,  less  than  a  year  a  iter  the  plat- 
ting of  the  town,  and  the  population  then 
consisted  of  the  Eighmy  and  Bloomberg 
families  and  a  few  section  hands,  lie  saw-, 
in  situation  and  surroundings,  the  nucleus 
of  a  prosperous  town  and  tune  has  proved 
the  wisdom  of  his  resolution  to  identify 
himself  with  its  future  developmenl  and 
growth.  In  those  early  days  lie  was  called 
for  miles  into  the  surrounding  country  that 
he  might  give  professional  services  to  those 
in  need  of  his  aid.  and  lie  still  continues 
in  active  uractice.  having  a  large  patronage 
both  in  the  village  and  country.  His  office 
is  on  Main  street.  Me  keeps  in  close  touch 
with  the  progress  that  is  being  continually 
made  in  the  professional  world,  reading  and 
research  having  added  to  his  knowledge  and 
promoted  his  efficiency,  and  man}  have  rea- 
son to  feel  very  grateful  to  I  >r  Xoyes  for  his 
labors  in  their  behalf. 


The  Doctor  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Sarah  F.  Stone,  of  Nashua.  New 
Hampshire,  and  they  have  one  child.  Mary 
S.,  now  the  wife  of  William  Rieley  Shurtz. 
a  clerk  in  Boone.  Fraternally  Dr.  Noyes  is 
connected  with  Rhodes  Lodge,  No.  303,  F. 
&  A.  M..  of  <  >gden,  and  has  been  worshipful 
master  one  term.  He  belongs  to  Bufford 
Post,  X,,.  300,  G.  A.  R..  in  which  he  is  now 
the  honored  commander,  and  has  spoken 
often  in  the  interest  of  the  old  soldiers  on 
Decoration  days.  Both  he  and  his  wife  be- 
long to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
Ogden  and  since  1867  he  has  served  con- 
tinually   as   one   of    its    trustees. 

In  his  political  views  Dr.  Noyes  has 
been  a  hie  long  Republican,  and  he  has  al- 
ways taken  quite  an  active  and  prominent 
part  in  public  affairs.  When  the  town  of 
Ogden  was  incorporated  in  1878  he  prac- 
tically became  its  first  mayor,  as  Oscar  W. 
Whitehead,  who  had  at  first  been  chosen,  re- 
signed three  months  later,  when  the  Doctor 

was    elected    to    -ucceed    him.       lie    lias    held 

thai   office  continuousl)    since,   with  the  ex- 
cel lion  of  two  terms,  having  thus 
thi     head    of    municipal    affairs    for    twenty 
years.     \<  1  gre; 

his  capability  and  progressive  service  than 
his  long  continuance  in  the  position.  His 
administration  has  been  practical  and  re- 
sulted largel)  to  the  benefil  of  the  town, 
for  lie  exercises  his  official  prerogatives  in 
support  of  all  measures  that  he  believed 
would  contribute  to  thi  od.     Foe 

the  past  fi  mrteen  years  he  has  also  been  a 
member  of  the  pension  board.  I  [1 
a  representative  of  the  financial  interests  of 
the  city,  having  been  for  several  years  a 
stockholder  and  vice-president  of  the  Og- 
den State  Bank. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


603 


Always  courteous  and  genial,  Dr.  Noyes 
has  a  very  large  circle  of  friend-.  His  ia 
an  upright  and  honorable  manhood.  There 
is  nothing  selfish  or  narrow  in  his  character 
and  his  broad  humanitarian  principles  have 
prompted  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  his  fellow 
men  not  only  in  the  field  of  battle  but  in  his 
professional  life.  He  is,  however,  free  from 
ostentation  or  display  in  regard  to  what  he 
does  111  behalf  of  his  fellow  men.  Honored 
and  respected  by  all  he  well  deserves  repre- 
sentation in  this  volume  and  no  history  of 
Ogden  would  be  complete  without  mention 
of  Dr.   Noyes. 


IOHX  NYLANDER 


At  an  early  daj  in  the  history  of  Boone 
county,  John  Nylander  took  up  his  residence 
here,  lie  was  born  in  Sweden  March  25, 
1843.  and  his  parents,  John  and  Walberg 
Johnson,  always  lived  in  Sweden,  the  father 
devoting  his  energies  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits there,  lie  passed  away  at  the  age  of 
lift_\  years  and  his  wife,  long  surviving  him, 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  Three 
brothers  of  the  family  came  to  America. 
Charlie  was  a  railroad  man  ami  merchant 
of  Duhith.  Minnesota,  where  his  death  oc- 
curred. Swan  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in 
Portland,  (  >reg 

The  third  member  >-\  the  family  is  John 
Nylander,  of  this  review.  Like  the  others 
he  pursued  his  education  in  the  public  sch  ><  >ls 
of  Sweden,  but  in  the  English  language  he 
is  self-educated.  In  companj  with  his 
brother  Charles,  he  sailed  for  America  on 
the  i;'h  of  April,  [869,  and  on  the  1  3 1 1 1  of 
burg,    Illinois.       \t   that 


place  he  secured  work.  He  was  without 
money  and  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  at 
once  get  employment  in  order  to  meet  his 
daily  expenses.  He  afterward  went  to  Keo- 
kuk. Iowa,  where  his  first  work  was  in  load- 
ing a  steamboat,  and  for  one  month  was  in 
the  railroad  employ.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  returned  to  Galesburg,  where 
he  arrived  1  >n  the  4th  of  July,  1 869.  He  was 
employed  by  a  farmer  during  the  haying- 
season  and  then  went  to  Duluth.  Minnesota, 
by  way  of  the  lakes.  For  three  years  he 
worked  in  the  lumber  regions  in  that  section 
of  the  country.  He  spent  six  years  in  Du- 
luth ami  vicinity,  conducting  a  restaurant 
and  boarding  house  in  the  city  for  some  time. 

While  there  Mr.  Nylander  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Bertie  Marine,  who 
came  from  the  same  part  of  Sweden  in  which 
his  birth  occurred.  Eleven  children  have 
been  born  unto  them:  John,  who  1-  now 
employed  as  a  salesman  in  a  clothing  house 
in  Des  .Moines.  Iowa;  Anna,  who  is  asso- 
ciated with  her  sister  in  business,  carrying 
on  dressmaking  :  1  Des  Moines;  Emma,  con- 
nected with  her  sister  Anna ;  Zellma  and 
Willie,  at  home;  Lillie,  who  is  engaged  in 
dressmaking  in  Boone;  Mamie,  who  is  now 
a  student  in  the  business  college  in  Des 
Moines;  Henry,  Bertha,  Fred  ami  Wallace, 
all  under  the  parental  roof. 

On  leaving  Duluth  Mr.  Nylander  re- 
moved to,  Ishpeming,  Michigan,  and  for  Four 
\  ears  was  empL  >ved  in  the  iron  mines  of  lb  it 
locality,  lie  then  came  to  Boone  county, 
taking  up  his  abode  in  Moingona,  Marcy 
township.  For  two  years  thereafter  he  was 
engaged  in  digging  coal  and  then  turned  his 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits,  renting  a 
farm  near  Pilot  Mound,  this  county.  \  fo-r 
one    war   he   removed    to    Swede    Yallcv    in 


604 


HE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Marcy  township,  and  after  renting-  different 
farms  lie  finally  purchased  what  is  known  as 
the  old  Heddinger  farm,  in  1884.  Here  he 
owns  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land. 
He  has  made  all  of  the  improvements  upon 
tin-  property  and  the  place  is  a  monument  to 
his  thrift  and  enterprise  and  his  useful  ca- 
reer. He  has  a  fine  residence,  one  of  the 
most  attractive  country  homes  in  this  lo- 
cality, and  with  the  assistance  of  his  sons  he 
is  m  iw  carrying  on  general  farming  and  to 
sonic  extent  is  engaged  111  stock-raising.  Be- 
sides his  property  here  he  owns  a  quarter 
section  of  land  in  North  Dakota. 

He  has  never  soughl  or  desired  office. 
but  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican  in 
lus  political  views.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
belong  to  th:  Swedish  Lutheran  church  of 
Marcy  township.  Mr.  Nylander  has  always 
been  a  hardworking  man.  Self-reliant,  in- 
dependent and  reliable,  his  sterling  worth 
has  ever  commanded  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  those  with  whom  he  has  come  111 
contaci  and  he  now  has  many  friends  in  the 
country  of  his  adoption. 


CHARLES   S.   C  \  Ml 'BELL. 

Charles  S.  Campbell,  a  farmer  of  Col 
fax  township,  living  on  section  9,  was  born 
near  Pittsburg,  in  Butler  county,  Pennsyl 
nia.  in  September,  [850,  and  comes  oi  a 
family  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage.  His  pater 
nal  grandfather  was  Joseph  Campbell,  and 
the  father  also  bore  the  same  name.  The 
latter  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which 
state  he  was  reared  and  educated  and  there 
he  married  Ann  McClung,  also  of  Scotch 
lineage.     The  subject     of  this  review  was 


reared  in  the  Keystone  state  and  after  ac- 
quiring his  preliminary  education  in  the 
public  schools  he  became  a  student  in  the 
Washington  and  Jefferson  College  where 
he  completed  a  course  by  graduation  in 
1874.  lie  afterward  followed  the  profes- 
sii  11  of  leaching  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
first  went  to  Illinois.  There  through  the 
winter  months  he  was  employed  as  an  in- 
structor while  in  the  summer  seasons  he 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits.  His  work 
in  the  schoolroom  was  most  satisfactory  and 
;il,  for  he  had  the  ability  to  impart 
clearly  and  readily  to  others  the  knowledge 
which  he  had  acquired.  His  youth  was 
largely  passed  in  Pennsylvania  and  at  dif- 
ferent times  he  taught  in  Logan,  Cham- 
paign. Macoupin.  Sangamon  and  Piatt  coun- 
ties, o|  Illinois,  being  mostly  in  the  graded 
schools,  [n  [874  he  became  a  resident  of 
Piatt  count}-  and  remained  in  Illinois  until 
[880,  when  he  removed  to  Kansas 
cured  a  homestead  claim  in  Sheridan  county, 
lie  remained  there  only  one  summer,  how- 
ever, and  then  went  to  Colorado,  but  in  the 
fall  of  1SS1  returned  to  Illinois  where  he 
continued  to  engage  in  farming  and  school- 
teaching  for  ahout  fifteen  years.  In  1895 
he  arrived  in  Iowa  and  purchased  the  farm 
upon  which  he  now  resides,  firsl  buying  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  while  later  he 
added  to  this  a  trad  of  eight}-  acres.  I  te  has 
since  been  engaged  in  feeding  and  dealing  in 
cattle,  shipping  about  three  or  four  carloads 
of  cattle  annually,  together  with  a  large 
number  of  hogs,  lie  is  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive and  successful  stock- feeders  of  the 
county  and  his  annual  sales  bring  him  an 
excellent  income. 

Politically  Mr.  Campbell  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, unfaltering  in  his  allegiam 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


605 


men  and  measures  of  the  part)-.  He  belongs 
to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
having  joined  the  organization  in  Virden, 
Illinois,  while  now  he  is  a  member  of  De- 
land  Lodge.  He  is  also  connected  with  De- 
land  Lodge.  M.  W.  A.  He  was  reared  in 
the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  is 
now  one  of  its  members.  Since  his  arrival 
in  Boone  county  he  has  here  developed  an 
excellent  farm  and  now  has  a  very  desirable 
property. 


F.  E.  WENTZ. 

F.  E.  Wentz  is  the  proprietor  of  the 
Edgewood  stock  farm  on  section  20,  Veil 
township.  The  great  state  of  Iowa  owes  its 
wealth  to  its  farming  and  stock-raising  in- 
terests. It  is  these  lines  of  business  activity 
that  have  formed  the  foundation  for  the 
present  prosperity  of  the  state.  Mr.  Wentz 
is  a  capable,  energetic  and  reliable  business 
man  and  is  well  known  in  connection  with 
his  chosen  line  of  work.  For  eleven  years 
he  has  resided  in  Boone  county  and  through- 
out his  life  has  made  his  home  in  Iowa, which 
is  his  native  state.  His  birth  occured  in 
Iowa  City,  June  4.  1859,  his  parents  being 
Daniel  and  Catherine  (Haverstroh)  Wentz. 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany. 
The  father  came  to  America  in  [854,  set- 
tling in  Iowa  City.  There  he  engaged  in  re- 
pairing Shoes  and  in  dealing  in  shoes  for  a 
short  time,  hut  later  he  purchased  a  farm 
near  O  ford,  F  >wa,  where  Ik-  made  his  home 
until  Ik  came  b  >  I '"  k  me  a  unity  in  1 891.  He 
sold  the  property  which  lie  had  previously 
acquired  and  in  this  county  spent  his  remain- 
ing days,  passing  awaj   in  [892.     Mis  wife 

died  tli. 


F.  E.  Wentz  was  the  only  child.  1  I  e  w  as 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  in  the 
commercial  college  at  low  a  City.  He  then 
entered  upon  an  independent  business  career 
and  was  first  engaged  in  teaching-  school  in 
Nebraska.  He  also  taught  music  and  other 
branches  for  rive  years.  During  that  time 
he  made  his  home  upon  the  farm  and  c  .11  the 
expiration  of  that  period  turned  his  entire 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits  which  he 
continuously  followed  until  1887  when  he 
removed  to  Hitchcock  county,  Nebraska. 
There  he  again  engaged  in  farming,  making 
his  home  in  that  place  for  four  years,  on  the 
expiration  of  which  period  he  traded  his 
land  there  for  the  Edgewood  stock  farm. 
This  i-  now  a  valuable  property.  He  owns 
altogether  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  on  sections  20  and  21.  Veil  township. 
The  farm  is  well  improved  being  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  equipped  with 
a  splendid  set  of  farm  implements.  He 
makes  a  specialty  of  raising  fine  stock, 
poultry  and  swine  and  has  splendid  speci- 
mens of  all  these  upon  his  place.  The  farm 
is  well  adapted  for  the  uses  for  which  it  is 
kept,  there  being  good  barns  and  all  the 
necessary  outbuildings  for  the  care  of  his 
stock  and  poultry. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  -Mr.  Wentz  chose  Miss  \1111a  Link- 
hart,  of  Oxford,  a  daughter  of  Joel  Link- 
hart,  who  was  engaged  in  cattle  dealing  but 
died  in  Oxford  in  1901.  Seven  children 
1,1  •  been  horn  unto  our  subject  and  his 
wife,  namely:  Leo.  F.tiie,  R.iss.  Leula, 
Joyce,  Mark  and  Frank  E.  lie  v.  He-  with 
th(  Republican  party,  take-  an  active  inter- 
est in  temperance  work  ami  keeps  well  in- 
formed nil  the  i-Mies  and  questions  of  the 
day.    Both  he  and  his  wife  hold  membership 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


in  the  Congregational  church  of  Ogden  and 
are  well  known  in  the  town  as  well  as 
throughout  the  surrounding  country.  In 
connection  with  his  other  business  affairs 
Mr.  Wentz  is  also  interested  in  the  Farmers' 
Telephone  Company.  He  is  now  to  a  large 
degree  putting  aside  the  active  work  of  the 
farm  and  giving  to  it  only  his  supervision 
while  the  manual  labor  is  largely  performed 
by  others.  Such  a  rest  is  well  deserved  for 
his  life  has  been  one  of  untiring  diligence. 
lie  has  known  the  value  of  industr)  and  en- 
terprise and  it  is  all  mg  tin  >se  Hues  that  he  has 
achieved  gratifying  success.  With  the  ex- 
if  the  four  years  passed  in  Nebraska 
he  has  always  lived  in  Iowa  and  it  is  his  na- 
tive state — one  of  the  besl  if  nol  the  best  in 
i In    great  Union. 


TOHX  1.  TEMPLE. 


John  J.  Temple,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
grocer}'  business  in  Boonesboro,  is  a  name 
of  England,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Count)  Durham,  on  the  24th  of  June,  [866, 
his  parents  being  John  and  Mar)  A.  1  Ml 
sop)  Temple,  who  are  also  natives  of  the 
"Merrie  Isle."  They  were  married  in  Eng 
land  and  had  the  following  children  :  Anna, 
the  wife  of  Charles  Hart,  who  is  still  living 
in  that  country:  Lizzie,  the  wife  of  R.  I. 
Kirkup,  of  Crawford  county,  towa;  John  I  . 
and.F.  A.,  who  is  connected  with  the  brick 
and  tile  works  of  Boone.  In  the  year  [886 
the  father  of  this  famil)  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  the  new  world  and  made  his  wa\  to  1  »eu 
nison,  but  a  short  time  after  left  that  place 
and  when  three  years  had  passed  returned  to 
ere  he  is  ye!  li\  ing. 


John  I.  Temple  acquired  his  preliminary 
educati  m  in  the  public  schools  and  later  en- 
tered upon  his  business  career,  acting  in  the 
capacity  of  weigher  in  the  coal  mines  of  his 
native  land.  He  was  thus  employed  until 
he  came  to  America.  Believing  that  he 
might  have  better  business  opportunities  in 
this  country,  he  bade  adieu  to  friends  in  bis 
native  land  and  sailed  for  the  United  States. 
\flcr  a  few  months  spent  in  Dennison  he 
came  to  Boonesboro  in  August.  [866,  and 
for  about  f<  air  years  was  empli  yed  as  weigh- 
master  in  the  mines  here.  Subsequently  he 
was  in  a  grocery  store  for  a  year  as  an  em- 
ploye, and  in  1892,  in  connection  with  \\  .  I'.. 
Sherman,  he  purchased  the  grocer)  store 
which  1  hey  conducted  for  seven  and  one- 
half  years.  In  December,  [899,  Mr.  Temple 
joined  his  brother  F.  A.  Temple  in  estab- 
lishing a  grocery  store,  and  on  the  1st  of 
January.  iN«jj.  he  purchased  the  brother's  in- 
terest and  is  now  sole  proprietor. 

On  the  [2th  of  November,  (891,  Mr. 
Temple  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Cora  I".  Bowman,  who  was  born  in  Boones- 
boro, May  i.  1N70,  her  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Catherine  (Lebs)  Bowman, 
f  Ohio  a]\<\  the  latter 
oi  Pennsylvania.  They  were  married,  how- 
ever, in  Iowa  and  unto  them  were  bom  four 
children:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Charles  I  ddy 
of  Boone;  Mrs.  Temple;  May.  the  wife  of 
F.  A,  Temple,  of  Boonesboro;  and  Ida.  the 
wife  -1  v  !).  Post,  of  Lehigh,  Iowa.  Mr. 
■  r.\'\  Mis  Temple  have  one  child.  John  T., 
In  .m  I  )ecember  u  .   [892 

1I1  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fraternity  and  with  the  Independent 
Order  of  odd  Fellows,  while  political!}  he 
is  1  Republican.  He  has  never  sought  or 
desired  oflice,  however,  preferring  to  devote 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


607 


his  time  and  attention  to  his  business  in- 
terests, in  which  he  is  meeting  with  cred- 
itable success.  His  advancement  is  the  re- 
sult of  his  own  well  directed  labors,  for 
he  started  out  in  life  upon  his  own  account 
without  capital. 


W.  B.  MONTGOMERY. 

VV.  B.  Montgomery,  who  is  well  known 
as  a  worthy  and  respected  citizen  of  Boone, 
claims  Ohio  as  the  state  of  his  nativity,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Belmont  county, 
August  22,  1830.  His  father,  David  M., 
was  a  native  of  Virginia  and  had  a  brother 
who  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  David 
Mi  tntgi  unery  attained  ti  >  a  ripe  old  age,  pass- 
ing away  in  1872.  He  married  Harriet  E. 
McBee,  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  her  death 
occurred  in  1883.  They  were  the  parents 
of  ten  children:  Mary  A.,  now  deceased; 
W.  B.,  of  this  review;  Hammond,  Harriet 
F.  and  Ruth  A.,  all  now  deceased;  Leah, 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Linaberry  of  Platte  coun- 
ty, Nebraska;  John,  who  was  killed  in  the 
army;  Robert,  who  makes  his  home  in  Illi- 
nois; Hampton,  who  is  also  deceased;  and 
Hannah,  who  is  a  widow  and  resides  in 
Omaha.  Nebraska.  In  1860  the  family  re- 
moved from  Ohio  to  Illinois. 

Mr.  Montgomery  of  this  review  pursued 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  the  Buckeye 
State  and  continued  under  the  parental  roof 
until  1840.  when  lie  went  to  Washington 
county.  Ohio,  there  entering  into  partner- 
ship for  the  raising  of  tobacco.  After  a 
year,  however,  he  began  freighting  between 
Columbus,  Ohio,  and  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
following  that  pursuit    for  two  years,      in 


September,  [852,  he  went  to  Bureau  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  he  worked  on  a  farm  and 

in  chopping  w 1  during  the  winter.     In  the 

succeeding  year  he  took  charge  of  a  large 
farm  which  he  managed  for  one  season,  but 
continued  his  agricultural  pursuits  until 
[859.  After  a  year  spent  in  Iowa  he  again 
removed  to  a  farm  and  was  identified  with 
agricultural  interests  until  1867.  when  he 
came  to  Boone,  Iowa.  Here  he  engaged  in 
the  livery  business  for  nine  years,  but  in  187O 
he  purchased  a  farm  and  gave  his  attention 
to  its  cultivation  and  improvement  till  18S0, 
when  he  rented  his  land  arid  went  to  the 
Pacific  coast.  He  also  went  to  the  Black 
Hills  and  was  engaged  in  mining  for  a  year, 
after  which  he  returned  to  Boone  county. 
For  the  three  succeeding  years  he  was  again 
engaged  in  farming,  but  in  1890  took  up 
his  abode  in  Boone,  where  he  has  since  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  med- 
icine. 

On  the  Oth  of  February,  1854,  Mr. 
.Montgomery  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Nancy  F.  Mercer,  who  was  born  in  Bureau 
county,  Illinois,  December  22.  1836,  and 
died  January  18.  [902.  She  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Ellis  Mercer,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  the  family  were  six  children,  two 
of  whom  died  when  they  were  small.  The 
survivors  are;  Mary  J.,  the  wife  of  C.  C. 
Connell,  a  plumber  of  Boone;  E.  <  >..  who 
is  connected  with  the  Sinclair  Packing  Com- 
pany of  Cedar  Rapids,  having  charge  of  the 
stock  yards  in  Boone;  W.  U.,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Boone,  but  is  connected  with  the 
theatrical  business;  and  F.  I...  who  was  bom 
July  7,  [873,  :nu\  is  now  superintending  the 
manufacture  of  the  Seminole  Indian  medi- 
cines, extracts,  etc. 

Mr.  Montgomery  of  this  review  is  man- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ager  of  the  Seminole  Indian  Medicine  Com- 
pany and  manufactures  a  full  line  of  staple 
medicines,  having  a  large  business  in  Min- 
nesota, Iowa,  Nebraska  and  Kansas.  He 
employs  thirty  men  upon  the  road  and  has 
six  employes  in  Boone  to  assist  him  in  his 
manufacturing  interests  here.  His  volume 
of  business  amounts  to  forty  thousand  dol- 
lars annually.  Mr.  Montgomery  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  is  a  successful  and  enterprising 
man,  who  has  a  large  circle  of  friends  in 
Boone  county.  His  son.  who  is  associated 
with  him  in  business  married  Edna  C.  Ep- 
person, who  was  born  in  Iowa,  <  Jctober  25, 
1879,  and  is  a  daughter  of  P.  J.  and  Phoebe 
(Jewel)  Epperson.  They  have  one  child. 
Florence  E.,  who  was  born  Ai.nl  jo.  [900. 
F.  L.  .Montgomery  holds  membership  rela- 
tions  with  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 


THOMAS   S.    K<  >SS. 


Thomas  S.  Ross  is  now  living  a  reined 
life  in  Marcy  township,  but  though  he  is 
not  .-it  present  actively  engaged  in  farm 
work  he  has  been  a  most  progressive  ami 
enterprising  agriculturist  and  is  the  owner 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acre-  of  val- 
uable land  on  section  26,  where  be  1-  -till 
living.  He  ha-  been  a  rest. lent  of  this 
county  since  187]  and  is  a  native  of  Miami 
county.  Ohio,  where  his  birth  occurred,  July 
10,  1838.  His  father.  Samuel  Ross,  was  ;t 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  after  arriving 
at  years  of  maturit)  married  Maria  Elli- 
ott, also  a  native  of  the  Ke 
1824  he  became  a  resident  of  Miami  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  un- 
til  [848  when  he  came  to  [owa,  be 


bered  among  the  early  settlers  of  tin-  -tate. 
He  took  up  his  abode  in  Henry  a  >unty  and 
there  he  again  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  his  death  which  occurred  in 
1872.  He  had  long  survived  his  wife,  who 
passed  away  in  1841. 

Thomas  S.  Ross  was  the  only  member  of 
the  family  that  came  to  Boone  count}-.  He 
was  a  little  lad  of  ten  years  when  he  became 
a  resident  of  Iowa  and  in  the  schools  of  this 
state  he  largely  acquired  his  education. 
Under  the  direction  of  his  father  he  re- 
ceived practical  training  in  the  work  of  the 
farm  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
until  after  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil 
war,  when,  his  sympathies  being  with  the 
Union  cause,  be  felt  it  his  duty  to  protect 
the  government  and  enlisted  on  the  13th  of 
August,  [862,  a-  a  member  of  Company  B, 
Twenty-fifth  Iowa  Infantry  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  J.  B.  Ritner  and  Colonel 
George  V  Stone.  He  took  part  in  a  num- 
ber of  important  engagements  including  the 
battles  "i  Vicksburg,  Chattanooga  and  those 
of  tin-  Atlanta  campaign,  after  which  he  pro- 
ceeded to  the  sea  with  Sherman's  victorious 
army  and  on  through  the  Carolinas  to 
Washington,  lie  was  never  injured  in  any 
way  and  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities 
was  honorabl)  discharged  at  I  >. 
Iowa,  on  the  15th  of  June.    [865. 

Mr.  Ross  then  returned  to  his  own  home 
111  this  state  and  in  1S71  came  to  Boone 
county  where  be  has  since  lived.  As  the 
years  have  passed  be  has  prospered  in  his 
undertakings  and   1-  t<  tier  of  a 

very    valuable    farm   of   three   hundred   and 
1  res  in  Marcy  township.      He  con- 
tinued it-  active  cultivation  for  a  number  of 
war-  but  is  now  living  retired  and  the  farm 
law. 


T.  S.  ROSS. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Mr.  Ross  was  united  in  marriage  in 
Henry  county,  [owa,to  Miss  Alary  Chalfant, 
of  Iowa,  and  unto  them  were  born  two  chil- 
dren :  Anna,  the  wife  of  M.  W.  Burrell,  a 
farmer  living  in  Peoples  township,  and 
Belle  C,  the  wife  of  N.  R.  Swain,  who  is 
operating  her  father's  farm.  The  mother 
died  March  30,  1888,  and  since  that  time 
Mr.  Ross  has  made  his  home  with  his 
daughter  and  son-in-law.  Mrs,  Swain  is  a 
member  of  the  Peoples  Baptist  church  of 
Peoples  township  and  is  a  most  estimable 
lady.  Mr.  Ross  holds  membership  with  the 
Grand  Army  Post  of  Boone  and  is  a  very- 
prominent  and  well-to-do  citizen  who,  dur- 
ing the  thirty-one  years  of  his  residence  in 
Boone  county  has  become  widely  known 
and  gained  many  friends.  He  has  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings  as  the  years  have 
passed,  his  well  directed  labors  bringing  to 
him  creditable  and  gratifying  success. 


CYRUS  M.  DAVIS. 


Iowa  is  one  the  greatest  agricultural 
states  in  the  Union.  The  splendid  produc- 
tions of  field  and  meadow  have  been  a  most 
important  element  in  its  welfare  and  pros- 
perity. Its  products  have  been  shipped  out 
into  other  states  and  its  influence  upon  trade 
has  been  very  great.  It  is  a  well  known 
fact  that  agriculture  is  the  basis  of  all  pros- 
perity and  those  countries  advance  more 
rapidly  where  the  productions  of  the  fields 
arc  sufficient  to  support  the  people.  .Mr. 
Davis  is  numbered  among  those  in  Boone 
count)  who  have  won  for  Iowa  il 
did  reputation  in  this  n  gard  I  [e  owns  and 
operates  a   farm  of  one  hundred  and  eighty 


acres  on  sections  -'4  and  25,  Worth  town- 
ship, and  the  old  home  place  is  substantially 
improved  ami  is  a  valuable  tract  of  land. 
He  came  to  Boone  county  in  October.  1N54. 
being  then  only  twelve  years  of  age.  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Harrison  county, 
Ohio,  November  18,  1842.  His  father, 
Lewis  Davis,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  born 
in  1820,  and  in  1832  went  to  Ohio  with 
an  uncle,  becoming  a  resident  of  Harrison 
county,  that  state,  when  the  district  was  a 
frontier  region.  There  he  grew  to  manhood 
and  when  he  had  attained  to  years  of  ma- 
turity he  sought  a  companion  and  helpmate 
for  life's  journey,  being  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Alary  Ann  Ames,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Harrison  county.  Mr.  Davis  fol- 
lowed farming  there  for  a  number  of  years 
and  six  children  were  there  added  to  the 
family,  in  T854  he  came  to  Boone  county, 
lo\\a.  and  purchased  land  and  developed  a 
farm  in  Worth  township,  spending  bis  re- 
maining days  upon  that  place.  He  died  in 
180,2.  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  in  February,  1900. 
In  their  family  were  six  sons  and  seven 
daughters  and  all  readied  adult  age,  hut 
one  brother  and  one  sister  are  now  de- 
ceased. 

Cyrus  M.  Davis  spent  the  first  twelve 
years  of  his  life  in  the  state  of  his  nativity 
and  during  the  remainder  of  his  youth  lived 
in  Boone  county.  He  was  early  trained  to 
the  arduous  duties  of  field  and  meadow-  in 
the  development  of  a  new  farm,  giving  to 
his  father  the  benefit  of  his  services  until 
he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  when  the  coun- 
try claimed  his  aid.  He  felt  that  his  first 
Aw\\  was  b  ■  the  I  Fnii  m  and  in  [862  he  joined 
Compah)  I ».  Thirty-second  Iowa  Volunteer 
Infantry,  with  which  he  proceeded  to  the 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


south  and  was  assigned  to  duty  with  the 
Western  Army.  He  participated  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Cape  Girardeau,  Nyo  Meto,  Little 
Rock,  Brownsville,  and  went  with  General 
i  the  Red  River  expedition,  being 
forty-two  days  under  lire  in  that  campaign. 
He  was  also  in  the  battle  of  Alexandria, 
Fort  De  Russy,  Pleasant  Hill  and  many 
smaller  skirmishes.  He  afterward  took  pari 
in  the  battle  of  Eastport,  Mississippi,  and 
in  die  three  days'  engagement  at  Nashville. 
After  the  battle  of  Tupelo  he  went  to  Mo- 
bile with  his  command,  took  part  in  the 
battle  there  and  afterward  proceeded  to 
Montgomery,  Alabama,  and  participated  in 
the  siege  and  capture  of  Spanish  Fort  and 
Fort  Blakely.  He  served  with  valor  and 
loyalty  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he 
was  honorably  discharged  at  Davenport, 
Jowa,  in  August,  1865. 

Mr.  Davis  immediately  afterward  re- 
turned to  his  home.  He  was  ill  in  the  hos- 
pital but  once,  having  spent  two  weeks  in 
the  hospital  at  Brownsville,  Arkansas.  He 
had  always  been  found  at  his  post  of  duty, 
faithfully  defending  the  cause  of  the  Union, 
but  with  rejoicing  returned  to  Iowa  when 
the  country  no  longer  needed  his  services, 
the  preservation  of  the  Union  being  an  as- 
sured fact.  He  then  remained  with  his  fa- 
ther upon  the  old  home  farm  until  his  mar- 
riage, which  was  celebrated  in  this  count) 
.in  the  18th  of  March,  [866,  the  lady  of  his 
choice  being  Mrs.  Sarah  \l.  Boone,  a 
widow,  and  a  daughter  of  John  Nut! 
the  pioneer  farmers  of  Indiana.  She  was 
born  in  that  state,  bu1  reared  in  Boone  coun 
ty.  \fter  his  marriage  Mr.  Davis  rented 
land  for  two  wears  and  then  located  upon  his 
present  farm,  on  section  -4.  Worth  town- 
ship, first  purchasing  one  hundred  and  sixty 


acres  of  raw  prairie,  on  which  he  built  a 
small  house.  Throughout  the  months  of 
spring,  summer  and  autumn  he  was  found 
in  the  fields  attending  to  his  crops  a-  thej 
pr  igressed  toward  perfection.  After  a  num- 
ber of  years  had  passed  his  tirst  home  was 
replaced  by  a  good  substantial  residence  and 
all  modern  equipments  and  accessories  have 
been  added  to  his  property,  so  that  it  has 
now  become  very  valuable.  The  boundaries 
of  the  farm  have  been  extended  by  addi- 
tional purchase  until  he  now  has  two  hun- 
dred! acres  there.  He  also  bought  two  hun- 
dred acre-  of  timber  land  on  section  15. 
\\  1  >rth  tow  nship,  ami  ha-  g<  a  id  pasture  land. 
In  connection  with  general  farming 
engaged  in  the  raising  and  breeding  of 
stock  and  i-  regarded  a-  one  of  the  prosper- 

ulturists  and  stock  men  of  tin-  lo- 
cality. 

tome  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  has 
been  blessed  with  six  children,  and  only  two 
of  the  number  are  now  living,  Zilpha  and 
James  Allien.  The  former  is  yet  with  her 
parents,  while  the  latter  is  married  ami  fol- 
lowed farming  with  his  father.  He  lias  one 
child.  Ina  May.  The  members  of  the  family 
who  have  passed  away  are:  CMlie,  who  died 
at  the  ag<  of  nineteen  year-;  Harrison,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  eight  years;  Annette,  wh  1 
died  at  the  age  of  two  years;  and  an  infant. 

1-  and  the  children  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church  and  Mr.  Davis  voted 
with  the  Republican  party  in  early  life,  cast- 
ing hi-  first  ballot  for  \braham  Lincoln 
while  i"  the  army,  but  now  he  is  independent 
m  hi-  political  affiliations,  supporting  the 
men  and  measures  that  he  thinks  best  calcu- 
lated t(  advance  the  national  welfare  or  lord 
I  le  ha-  served  a-  a  member  of 
tlie  school  board    For  several   wears  and  has 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


613 


taken  an  active  interest  in  securing  good 
schools  and  advancing  the  standard  of  edu- 
cation. Throughout  the  years  of  his  man- 
hood he  has  known  no  other  home  than 
Boone  county  and  is  one  of  its  valued  and 
respected  citizens.  Fr<  im  pii  meer  times 
down  to  the  present  his  work  lias  hem  of 
■character  to  reflect  credit  upon  the  state,  and 
in  matters  of  citizenship  he  is  as  loyal  to 
day  to  his  country  as  during  the  period  of 
the  war  when  he  donned  the  blue  uniform 
of  the  Union  and  went  forth  to  defend  its 
cause. 


T.  D.  W.  HORNS. 


A  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
fortv  acres  is  in  the  possession  of  J.  D.  W. 
Horns,  who  is  living  on  section  iS.  Yell 
township.  More  than  a  third  of.  a  century 
ha  -  passed  since  he  arrived  in  Boone  county. 
When  he  came  to  this  portion  of  the  state  in 
1868  he  took  up  his  abode  on  section  14, 
Amaqua  township.  The  German  element 
has  been  an  important  one  in  our  American 
citizenship  and  of  this  Mr.  Morns  is  a  repre- 
sentative. He  was  horn  in  Germany  Febru- 
ary  i_\  1:842,  his  parents  being  John  and 
Annie  Horns,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
'  lermany,  where  the  father  conducted  a  meat 
market  ami  spent  his  entire  life  in  that  coun- 
try, passing  away  at  the  age  of  eighty-two 
yeai 

In  fact,  the  Subject  of  this  review  is  the 
only  member  of  the  family  that  ever  came 
to  America.  He  had  heard  favorable  re- 
ports of  the  business  openings  in  this  coun- 
try and  of  the  opportunities  afforded  young 
men  in  the  land  of  the  free,  and  resolved 
ti  1  tesl  tin-  truth  of  the-e  reports  h\   estab- 


lishing Ins  home  beyond  the  Atlantic.  Ac- 
cordingly he  crossed  the  ocean,  landing  in 
New  York,  whence  he  went  to  St.  bonis, 
Missouri,  where  he  lived  for  three  months. 
He  next  took  up  his  abode  in  Lyon,  Iowa, 
where  he  worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade 
for  three  years.  In  1868  he  came  to  Boone 
county,  locating  in  Amaqua  township,  by 
the  purchase  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land.  This  he  improved  for  three  years, 
after  which  be  located  in  Ogden,  where  he 
conducted  a  blacksmith  shop  for  seven 
years.  He  next  purchased  land  which  made 
him  the  owner  of  a  farm  on  section  17,  Yell 
township,  and  there  he  carried  on  the  work 
of  tilling  the  soil  for  eleven  years,  when  he 
sold  that  property  and  rented  a  very  large 
farm  known  as  the  Sawyer  property.  There 
he  engaged  in  stock  raising  for  four  years, 
then  removed  to  his  present  place,  known  as 
the  old  A.  P.  Thompson  farm,  on  section 
18.  Yell  township.  He  has  always  been 
a  hard  working  man  and  he  knows  from 
practical  experience  the  value  of  diligence 
and  perseverance.  That  he  is  a  successful 
fanner  is  the  result  of  his  own  labors,  for 
he  had  no  inheritance  to  aid  him  or  influen- 
tial friends  to  assist  him  in  getting  a  start 
in  life,  but  while  winning  a  good  living  he 
also  developed  strong-  character  and  is  a 
man  of  genuine  worth. 

Mr.  Horns  was  married  to  Miss  Sophia 
Linderman,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  a 
daughter  of  Casper  Linderman,  also  of  that 
countrj  Her  parents  came  to  America  late 
in  the  year  1872  and  both  lived  with  Mr. 
Horns  until  called  to  their  final  rest.  Seven 
children  have  been  born  of  the  marriage  of 
our  subject  and  his  wife:  John,  the  eldest, 
married  Annie  Ramsey  and  is  a  contractor 
ago,   Illinois:  Albert   wedded    Mar- 


614 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


garet  Carlton  and  is  conducting  a  meat  mar- 
ket at  Eagle  Grove,  Iowa;  William  married 
Minnie  Baton  and  their  home  is  near  his 
father's  farm.  Otto  married  Crystal  Sher- 
win  and  is  also  in  the  meat  business  in  Eagle 
Grove,  Iowa.  Rudolph  is  also  conducting 
a  meat  market  at  that  place.  Louis  and 
Edward,  the  younger  members  of  the  fam- 
ily, are  still  with  their  parents. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horns  are  devout 
member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  of 
Ogden  and  in  his  political  views  he  is  a 
Republican.  For  three  years  he  served  as 
township  trustee  and  for  a  similar  period 
has  been  treasurer  of  the  school  board  of 
his  township,  filling  that  position  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  He  was  also  constable  and  in 
the  discharge  of  his  official  duties  he  has 
ever  been  notably  prompt  and  reliable.  Since 
1871  be  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity  and  has  been  senior  warden  of 
the  blue  lodge  in  Ogden.  Such  in  brief  is 
the  life  history  of  Mr.  Horns,  who  when  a 
young  man  came  to  the  United  States,  find- 
ing himself  in  a  strange  country,  amid 
strange  people,  whose  language  he  did  not 
understand,  but  as  the  years  have  passed  he 
has  adapted  himself  to  his  new  surroundings 
and  changed  conditions,  has  made  the  most 
of  his  opportunities  and  has  become  one 
of  the  substantial  and  representative  fann- 
ers .if  his  adopted  county. 


HON.  JOHN  II.  JENNINGS. 

Hon  John  II.  Jennings  has  been  an  im- 
portant factor  in  political  circles  in  Boone 
county  as  well  as  a  leading  representative  of 
its  agricultural  interests  and  his  efforts  have 


been  of  such  a  character  as  to  promote  the 
general  welfare.  He  is  ever  true  to  any 
trust  reposed  in  him,  and  in  public  office  he 
has  discharged  his  duties  faithfully  and  ca- 
pably, placing  the  general  good  before  part- 
isanship and  the  welfare  of  the  state  before 
personal  aggrandizement.  He  is  now  de- 
voting his  energies  to  farming,  having  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  well  developed 
land  on  section  22,  Worth  township.  He  is 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  has  been  a 
resident  of  Boone  county  for  half  a  century. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Greene  county  of  the 


Key-tone   state  on  the  3d  of  Ap- 


iSj: 


and  his  father,  Jotham  S.  Jenr  .  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1800.  ^iter  ar- 
riving at  years  of  maturity  he  was  married 
then  to  Elizabeth  Hill,  also  a  native  of 
Greene  county  and  there  the  father  of  our 
subject  followed  farming  until  1839,  when 
he  removed  with  is  family  to  '  Ihio,  settling 
in  Knox  county,  where  he  purchased  a  place 
upon  which  some  improvements  had  been 
made.  To  its  further  cultivation  and  de- 
velopment, however,  lie  gave  his  attention 
until  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1865.  In  the 
family  were  five  sons  and  three  daughters 
of  whom  the  subject  of  this  review  is  the 
eldest.  The  father  was  twice  married  and 
by  the  first  union  there  were  three  - 
three  daughters.  The  three  eldest  were 
soldiers  of  the  war  of  1 X 1  _•.  and  twcPof  the 
brothers  laid  down  H  -ir  lives  upon  the  al- 
tar of  their  country  .icing  killed  in  battle; 
Xathanii  .  was  wounded  and  af- 
died 
John  1  unings,  who  is  the  eldest  of 
the  childi        torn  of  the  first  man  ia 

eared  in   Knox  county,  (  >hio.      lie 

-  antages  and  was  well 

to   farm  work,   so  that  the  practical 


MRS.  JOHN    H.  JENNINGS. 


JOHN    H.  JENNINGS. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


619 


experiences  of  his  youth  enabled  him  to  suc- 
cessfully carry  on  business  along-  that  line 
in  later  years.  After  he  had  attained  his 
majority  he  was  married  on  the  26th  of 
August,  [852,  in  Ohio,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Euan,  a  native  of  Knox  county,  and  a 
daughter  of  John  Ewart,  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Ohio,  removing  there  from 
Greene  county,  Pennsylvania.  The  bridal 
trip  of  the  young  couple  consisted  of  a  jour- 
ney to  Iowa,  made  in  a  wagon  drawn  by  a 
team  of  horses.  Boone  county  was  their 
destination  and  on  reaching  this  place  .Mr. 
Jennings  purchased  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  upon  which  he  still  re- 
sides. He  then  built  a  cabin  home  and  at 
once  began  to  break  the  prairie  and  place  it 
under  the  plow.  The  greater  part  of  the 
work  was  accomplished  by  him  without  as- 
sistance. From  early  morn  until  dewey  eve 
he  worked  in  the  fields  and  in  the  course  of 
time  his  labors  were  rewarded  with  good 
harvests,  lie  afterward  erected  a  substan- 
tial residence,  barn  and  substantial  out- 
buildings, while  the  land  was  divided  into 
fields  of  convenient  size  by  well  kept  fences. 
He  planted  fruit  trees  and  also  shade  trees 
around  the  home  and  made  a  valuable  farm. 
In  d  mnectii  >n  with  the  raising  of  cereals  best 
adapted  t"  the  soil  and  climate  he  also  en- 
gaged in  raisin-   g 1   stock.      A  poor  man 

when  he  started  out  in  life,  he  has  long  since 
gained  a  place  among  the  men  of  affluence 
in  this  locality  and  his  prosperity  is  well 
merited. 

Mr.   and    .Mr-.    Jennings   have   but   one 

Id.     John   E.,     who  j-  a  resident 

farmer     of     Worth     township.     They    lost 

three  children,  two  having  died  in  infancy, 

while  Alary  J.  grew    ot  mature  years  an  I 


married  Lewis  Morris.  They  then  settled 
on  the  home  farm,  but  Mrs,  Morris  died, 
leaving  two  children:  Clara  E.  and  Mabel, 
who  now  find  a  pleasant  home  with  their 
grandparents.  Politically  Mr.  Jennings 
was  an  old  line  Whig  in  early  life 
and  his  first  ballol  was  can  for  Zachary 
Taylor.  LTpon  the  organization  of  the  Re- 
publican party  in  [856  he 'joined  its  ranks 
and  has  since  been  a  follower  of  its  stand- 
ard In  1865  he  was  elected  to  represent  his 
district  in  the  eighteenth  general  assembly, 
being  the  first  member  of  his  party  ever 
chosen  to  that  office  in  Boone  coun- 
ty. He  served  on  a  number  of  im- 
portant committees  and  made  an  hon- 
orable record.  He  has  also  been  a 
member  of  the  township  board  of  trustees 
and  has  been  township  treasurer  of  the 
school  funds  and  for  thirty-live  years  has 
been  township  treasurer — facts  which  indij 
cate  in  ;ih  unmistakable  manner  his  fidelity 
to  duty  and  the  confidence  reposed  in  him 
by  bis  fellow  townsmen.  Frequently  he 
has  been  sent  as  a  delegate  to  county,  con- 
gressional and  state  conventions  and  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  leading  and  influential 
Republicans  of  his  district.  He  and  his 
wife  hold  membership  in  the  Baptist  church 
in  which  he  is  serving  as  deacon.  "Justly 
numbered  among  the  honored  pioneers  of 
the  county,  he  has  contributed  in  a  large 
measure  to  public  progress.  Fifty  years 
ago  he  came  to  Iowa  and  aided  in  organiz- 
ing the  firsl  Union  League  oi  Boone  coun- 
ty during  the  war.  In  all  possible  ways 
he  has  labored  for  the  advancement  of  this 
portion  of  the  siate,  giving  his  co-operation 
to  all  movements  for  the  material,  social, 
intellectual   and   moral   welfare  of  his   com- 


620 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


munity.  He  has  a  very  extensive  ac- 
quaintance throughout  this  portion  of  the 
state  and  no  man  is  held  in  warmer  regard 
than  the  Hon.  John  H.  Jennings. 


J.  S.  KENNISON. 

Upon  a  farm  on  section  15,  Garden 
township,  lives  J.  S.  Kennison.  His  friends, 
and  the  circle  is  an  extensive  one.  call  him 
Joe.  He  is  popular  with  those  who  know 
him  and  is  also  accounted  one  of  the  most  en- 
terprising agriculturists  of  the  community 
in  which  he  owns  and  operates  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  land,  situated  on 
sections  [5  and  i<>.  Garden  township.  Born 
in  Vermont,  his  birth  occurred  on  the  4th 
of  September,  [,845,  in  Caledonia  county, 
his  parents  being  Henry  and  Arvilla 
(Smith)  Kennison.  The  father  was  also 
born  in  Caledonia  county  and  his  mother 
was  likewise  a  native  of  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state.  In  [855  they  left  New  Engjand, 
journeying  westward  to  Illinois,  spending 
one  summer  in  Kendall  county.  Subse- 
quently they  removed  to  Kankakee  county, 
taking-  up  their  abode  in  Wilmingtoi 
Mr.  Kennison  died  in  1857.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  for  a  number  of  year-  1 
rearing  her  children  and  at  length  was  called 
to  her  final  rest,  passing  away  in  Kendall 
county. 

Leaving  the  mountainous  districl  of  Ver- 
mont, Joseph  S.  Kennison  of  this  review 
was  reared  upon  the  plains  of  Illinois.  He 
had  little  Opportunity  to  attend  tin 
and  is  largely  self-educated,  his  knowledge 
being  acquired  mostly  in  the  school  of  ex- 
perience. From  early  youth  he  has  been 
depende' 11  upon  his  own  resources  and  what- 


ever he  has  achieved  in  life  is  therefore  the 
merited  reward  of  his  own  labors.  When 
a  young  man  he  came  to  Iowa,  in  1805.  and 
purchased  land  here.  Later  he  sold  that 
property,  and  in  1868  bought  a  portion  of 
the  tract  upon  which  he  now  resides, 
becoming  owner  of  eighty  acres  on  which 
was  an  old  log  house  and  some  of 
the  land  had  been  broken,  but  the  work  of 
improvement  had  scarcely  been  begun.  It 
is  his  labors  that  wrought  the  transforma- 
tion, which  made  the  farm  a  tract  of  rich 
fertility.  As  time  passed  he  added  to  his 
firsl  purchase  until  he  now  has  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  surrounding  a  new  and 
attractive  farm  residence  and  good  outbuild- 
ings Shade  and  fruit  tree  of  his  own  plant- 
ing are  found  upon  the  place  and  all  mod- 
ern accessories  are  indications  of  the  prac- 
tical and  progressive  spirit  of  the  owner. 
1  le  makes  a  specialty  of  the  raising 

graded  Stock  and  usually  feeds  and  fattens 
from  one  to  four  carloads  of  stock  annually, 
shipping  them  to  the  city  markets. 

In  Kendal!  count}-.  Illinois,  on  Christmas 
Da)    of   [867,  was  celebrated  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  Kennison  and  Mrs.   Kuretta  Story,  a 
She    was    Kirn    and    reared    in    I. a 
Salle  county,   Illinois,  and  is  :l  daughter  of 
William  Badwell,  a  native  of  Kentui 
lur  nist  marriage  she  had  two  children,  who 
reached   mature  years—  II.    I',   and   William 
I'..  Story.     The  former  resides  in  California. 
The  latter,  a   farmer  of  Polk  count},    [owa, 
Nellie  \  an  .Zandt.  a  daughter  of  J. 
W.  Van  Zandt,  and  the)  have  four  children 
I  a) .    Ra) .    Rex   and    Bud   E.     The  mar- 
riage of   Mr.  and   Mrs.    Kennison 

■  ah  eight  children  <  le  >rge  is  mar- 
ried and  lives  in  Grimes,  low,,.  Wealthy  is 
the  wife  of  R.   A.   Frise  and  has  three  chil 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


dren — Guy,  May  and  an  infant  while  their 
other  son  met  death  by  accident  at  the  age 
of  four  years.  Delbert  is  married  and  is  a 
fanner  of  Garden  township.  He  has  one 
child,  Crystal.  Claudie  is  the  wife  of  Ed- 
ward Kendall,  a  business  man  of  Luther, 
Iowa.  Villa  is  a  student  in  the  Dixon  Col- 
lege, of  Dixon,  Illinois.  Pearl  met  death  by 
accident  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years. 
Tirzah  and  Virgil  are  at  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kennison  hold  member- 
ship in  the  Congregational  church  of  Gar- 
de:: Prairie.  He  has  always  voted  with  the 
Republican  party,  never  faltering-  in  his  al- 
legiance to  its  principles  or  failing  to  give  his 
support  to  its  candidates.  He  has  served  as 
township  trustee  for  six  years,  has  also  heen 
on  the  school  hoard  for  a  number  of  years 
and  has  ever  labored  to  advance  the  welfare 
and  progress  of  his  community.  During 
thirty-seven  years'  residence  in  Boone  coun- 
ty he  has  become  familiar  with  its  history, 
has  witnessed  the  growth  and  development, 
has  seen  the  prairies  broken  anil  the  swamps 
reclaimed  for  purposes  of  civilizatioi 
cities  and  towns  have  been  builded,  railroads 
have  heen  constructed  and  all  of  the  busi- 
ness inten  sts  i  if  the  cast  are  n<  <v 
in  the  development  of  this  portion  of  the 
state.  Mr.  KLennison  is  \  er\  widel}  known 
as  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  integrity  and 
is  honored  and  respected  by  those  who  have 
tlk  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance. 


RICHARD  JONES. 

Richard    [one-  is  numbered  among   the 

eterans  i  if  the  (  T  il  war.  who  al 

the  time  the   Union  was  threatened  by  re- 


bellion in  the  south  went  to  the  front  in  de- 
fense of  the  starry  banner  of  the  nation  and 
the  cause  it  represented.  He  is  now  an 
honored  and  worthy  citizen  of  Boone,  but 
is  a  native  of  Ohio,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Wayne  county,  that  state.  October 
[3,  1838,  his  parents  being  T.  F.  and  Jane 
(Culbertson)  Jones.  The  paternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject  was  Richard  Jones, 
who  was  born  in  Maryland  in  1762,  and 
had  two  brothers,  Daniel  and  William,  both 
of  whom  died  in  Pennsylvania.  The  fam- 
ily 1-  of  Welsh  origin.  At  an  early  day  the 
grandfather  went  to  Pennsylvania,  and  from 
there  removed  to  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  in 
[828.  In  [852  he  became  a  resident  of  Val- 
paraiso, Indiana,  and  died  in  that  state  in 
1855.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Margaret  Forsythe,  was  also  a  native  of 
Maryland.  Their  children  were  Thomas 
F.,  Richard  W.,  Peter,  David,  Elizabeth, 
Malinda,  Hannah.  Polly  and  Sarah. 

Thomas  F.  Jones,  our  subject's  father. 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  [802,  and  was 
married  in  (  >hio  about  1831  to  Jane  Culbert- 
son, also  a  native  of  the  Keystone  state,  b  >rn 
in  Allegheny  county  in  [813,  and  a  daugh 
ter  of  Alexander  and  Mary  Culbertson,  who 
were  of  Irish  descent.  By  this  union  were 
born  thirteen  children:  Robert  (.'..  now  de- 
ceased; George,  who  is  living  in  Ston  comi- 
ty, Iowa;  Mary  Al..  wife  of  William 
Thompson,  of  Bloomington,  Illinois;  Sa- 
phronia,  deceased;  Richard;  Milen,  de- 
ceased; one   who   died   in   infancy;    Esther 

\  .  widow  of  P.  II.  Sawyer,  of  Story  coun- 
t\  ;  Mrs.  Sarah  S.  Hammond,  of  Meadville, 
Pennsylvania;  and  Giles  \..  Paul  F,  Al- 
beit 1,    and  Zachar)   T..  all  now   deceased. 

I  h<  parents  resided  in  Wayne  county, 
Ohio,    until     [8^S.    "ben    they    removed    to 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Story  county,  Iowa,  the  father  purchasing 
a  farm  there.  The  mother'?  death  occurred 
in  1867.  J'"r  three  years  longer  the  father 
remained  on  the  farm  and  then  removed  to 
Ames,  Iowa,  where  he  died  in  1882.  Both 
were  consistent  members  of  the  Baptist 
church, 

Mr.  Jones  of  this  review  is  indebted  to 
the  public  school  system  of  Wayne  county, 
Ohio,  for  the  early  educational  privileges 
which  lie  enjoyed.  Reading,  experience  and 
observation,  however,  have  added  largely 
to  his  knowledge  and  he  is  now  a  well  in- 
formed man.  He  continued  under  the  pa- 
rental roof  until  i860,  when  he  began  farm- 
ing for  nimself  in  Story  county,  there  re 
maining  until  the  spring  of  1892.  I  h.u 
year  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Boone  county 
and  here  he  retired  from  active  business,  for 
his  well  directed  labors  in  former  years 
have  brought  him  a  comfortable  compe- 
tence. 

( )n  the  20th  of  May.  i860,  Mr.  Jones 
v .as  united  in  marriage  to  Henrietta  Ross, 
of  Story  county,  who  was  hum  ne; 
paraiso,  Porter  county,  Indiana,  July  21, 
{841,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  1  Now- 
lan)  Ross,  the  former  of  whom  was  a  na 
i     1  Virginia,   the  latter  of   Kentucky. 

Uei  father  was  horn  in  [786  and  died  in 
1864,  while  her  mother,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  [801,  passed  awaj  in  [868.  Mrs. 
Junes  was  one  of  eight  children,  namely: 
Granville,  who  is  living  in  Hawarden, 
Iowa:  Kmeline,  Calvary  and  Jesse,  all  dc 
ceased;  William,  who  also  makes  his  home 
in  Hawarden,  Iowa;  fames,  a  resident  of 
South  Dakota:  Mary,  wife  of  I  laniel  Mc- 
Carthy, of  Ames  fowa;  and  Mrs.  Jones. 
The  home  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  has 
been   blessed   with   four  children. 


L.,  born  November  18.  1866,  began  his  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Story  county,  and 
aU  attended  college  in  Des  Moines,  after 
which  he  came  to  Boone  and  is  now  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business  as 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Herman  &  Jones. 
He  married  Bertha  Jones  and  they  have 
three  children  :  Bernice,  Ethel  and  Edith. 
Edward  W.,  born  May  3,  1868,  was  also 
educated  in  Story  county  and  in  Des 
Moines,  and  is  now  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness m  Crookston,  Minnesota,  lie  wedded 
Mire  Johnson  and  they  have  two  children: 
Noble  King  and  Lowell  Edward.  James 
V.,  horn  November  24,  1870,  was  educated 
in  Stmy  county,  Ames  College  and  at  Des 
Moines.  Later  he  attended  lectures  at  the 
1  imaha  Hedi<  al  I  1  illege  and  the  Iowa  City 
Medical  College,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the 
>f  medicine  at  Fargi  <.  Ni  irth  I  >a- 
kota.  lie  wedded  Mamie  Clapp.  Wilbur 
( 1  .  born   Ma_\   9,   [880,  received  his  educa- 

•  i    oi    Bi  'one.   and    now 

occupies   the   position   of   material   clerk    for 

the  Northwestern   Railroad    at    Verdegris, 

I  le  married  Myrtle  Graham  and 

•  hiid.  Wilbur  I 

M  the  time  of  the  I  \\  il  war  M 

manifested  Ins  loyalt}  to  the  government  by 

enlisting  in  (  ompany  A,  Twenty-third  towa 

1  'ii  the  29th  1  if  July.   [862,  under 

of   I  aptain    I..    B,    1  [ouston   and 

Ci  ilonel  I  )ewe\ .    He  participated  in  the  cam- 

Vlissi  atri  in  the  winter  of   (862-3 

and  later  in  the  Vicksburg  campaign,  taking 

part    in    the    siege  of   that    city.      After   its 

ill  he  was  sent  to  Xew   (  Means  and 

th<   expedition  went  to  Texas,      lie  was  in 

Texas,  in  the 

Red   river  expedition  under  General    Banks 

and   participated   in   the   siege   of    Spanish 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


623 


I  >n  Alabama,  which  continued  for  four- 
teen da)^.  He  was  present  during  the 
i  Fort  Blakely,  which  was  the  last 
battle  of  the  war,  and  in  which  the  killed 
and  wounded  numbered  four  hundred  and 
sixty-five.  This  was  only  six  miles  from 
Spanish  Fort,  near  Mobile.  Later  the 
troops  were  sent  to  Houston,  Texas,  where 
Mr.  Jones  was  mustered  out  August  1. 
1865.  Immediately  afterward1  he  returned 
to  Stor}  county  and  for  a  long  period  was 
identified   with    agricultural    interests   there. 


JACOB  J.  CLINE. 

Few  residents  of  Boone  o  unity  win")  have 
sn  long  made  their  home  here  can  claim  to 
be  native  suns  of  this  locality,  hut  the  birth 
of  Jacob  J.  Cline  occurred  in  Yell  township 
August  3,  [856.  I  lis  parents,  Joseph  and 
Rebecca  (Jones)  Cline.  had  settled  here  in 
1855.  I  lie  mother  was  a  native  of  Indiana. 
On  coming  to  thi-  county  the  father  secured 
a  tract  of  land  on  section  4,  Yell  township, 
being  one  of  the  first  residents  of  this  part 
of  th(  county,  lie  at  once  began  the  work 
of  cultivating  his  fields  and  placing  them  in 
a  1  onditii  »n  to  yield  good  crops.  Thn  >ugh 
out  his  remaining  business  life  he  carried 
on  farming  and  was  one  of  the  respected 
and  honored  agriculturists  of  his  commun- 
ii  y.  He  is  m  >w  .  In  >\\  e\  er,  In  ing  retired,  al 
1  seventj  eight  years  and  makes 
his  home  with  his  children.  I  lis  wife  died 
in  March.   [900 

This  worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of 
lildren  :  S.  ( iilgreth.  who  is  li\  ing 
as;  Nancy,  the  wife  of  John  Mo- 
1    t  lay    ci  >unt)  ,    low  a  :    Sarah,    the 


widow  qf  James  Mann,  a  resident  of  Han- 
cock, [owa;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Hiram  Vance, 
who  is  In  ing  111  Calhoun  county.  Iowa; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Moriarty,  of 
Centerville,  Iowa;  A.  X.,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Hancock,  this  state;  Jacob  J.,  of 
this  review;  Harriet  E.,  now  deceased; 
Hulda,  the  wife  of  John  Phipps,  of  Yell 
township;  Florence,  the  wife  of  Ben  J  lick- 
man,  of  Yell  township;  and  Rebecca  \Y., 
the  wife  of  Parris  Phipps,  who  is  living  in 
Jackson  township.  The  children  were  all 
given  good  educational  advantages  and  were 
thereby  well  titled  for  life's  practical  and  re- 
sponsible duties. 

Jacob  J.  Cline.  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  was  educated  as  were  the  others 
and  was  trained  to  farm  work  upon  the  old 
family  homestead,  gaining  experience  in  all 
the  departments  which  constitute  agricult- 
ural life.  On  starting  out  for  himself  he 
followed  the  pursuit  to  which  he  had  been 
reared,  cultivating  the  fields  and  raising  the 
Stock  on  the  old  homestead.  He  needed  an 
assistant  and  companion  for  life's  journey 
and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Martha  Cad- 
well,  a  native  of  Illinois  and  a  daughter  of 
Sherman  \Y.  Cadwell,  who  came  to  Boone 
county  in  1865,  spending  his  remaining  days 
within  its  borders,  his  death  occurring  in 
Yell  township  in  [902.  Mr.  Cline  has  al- 
ways lived  in  this  township,  his  home  being 
now  on  section  10,  where  he  owns  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  valuable  land.  This 
constitutes  a  well  improved  farm  and  in 
connection  with  the  cultivation  of  the  grains 
best  adapted  to  the  climate  he  is  carrying  on 
stock  raising  and  stock  feeding,  having  a 
largi    business  in  that  line. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cline  has 
beni  blessed  with  eight  children:     Ella,  the 


624 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


wife  of  William  Fair.child,  a  resident  of 
Veil  township;  Sherman,  who  married  Anna 
Hays  and  is  also  living  in  that  township; 
Edith,  the  wife  of  William  Harris,  a  resi- 
dent of  Des  Moines  township:  Herman, 
Clinton  ami  Vernon,  all  at  home;  Sylva, 
deceased;  and  one,  who  died  unnamed. 

Mr.  (dine  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  Repuhlican  party.  I  [e  sen  ed  for  two 
years  as  constable  in  his  township  and  for 
twelve  years  tilled  the  position  of  trustee. 
Foi  eighteen  years  he  has  served  as  school 
director  and  the  trust  reposed  in  him  has 
never  been  betrayed  in  the  slightest  degree, 
lor  he  is  always  loyal  to  public  dutj  as  well 
as  to  the  obligations  of  private  life.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  connected  with  the  Odd  bel- 
lows lodge  of  Fraser.  lie  is  regarded  is 
tme  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  Yell  town- 
ship and  is  a  worthy  representative  of  an 
honored  pioneer  family.  The  county  was 
ju>t  emerging  from  pioneer  conditions  when 
the  C'line  family  was  established  within  its 
borders.  The\  found  here  large  tracts  of 
unbroken  prairie  and  unclaimed  land  and 
as  the  years  have  pa  ■ 
the  family  have  borne  their  part  in  making 
this  one  of  the  rich  agricultural  districts  of 
this  portion   of  the   state. 


TlloMAS  I).  McGR  \  111 

Thomas  1  >.  Mel  Jrath,  whose  honn 
section    m,    Colfax    township,    was  born    in 
the  neighboring  state  of   Illinois,   | 
Irr  ing  '  iccurred  in  Jo  1  >a\  iess  o  mill  •  .    \pril 
[6,    [851.      His    tather.   William    McGrath, 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  was  a  representative 


of  one  of  the  old  families  of  the  Keystone 
state  that  was  established  near  Pittsburg, 
his  youth  having  been  passed  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  when  a  young  man  he  made  his 
way  westward  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Jo 
Daviess  county  about  1834.  There  he  en- 
tered land  from  the  government  and  im- 
proved  an  excellent  farm.  In  early  days  he 
took  a  very  active  and  influential  part  in 
promoting  the  progress  and  improvement  of 
the  count)  and  was  elected  treasurer  of  his 
township  upon  its  organization,  lie  tilled 
thai  iftice  for  many  years,  or  until  he  de- 
clined to  further  serve.  I  [e  was  quite  active 
in  pi  ilitics  and  was  alsi  >  km  >v  n  as  1  n 
leading  agriculturists  oi  his  township  for 
man}  years.     I  ipon  the  home  farm 

and  there  he  spent  his  remaining 
days,   being   called   to   his   final    rest    in    Au- 
gust,   [899.      I  lc   was  married   in     \ 
county,   Pennsylvania,  to  Mary  Ann  Simp- 
si  hi,  who  w  as  bi  irn  in   I  'ittsburg, 
count;- .       She  e  prior  to  her 

-  death,  passing  away  on  the  17th 
1  •    August,    (895. 

Thomas    McGrath,    the    immediate    sub- 
Ilis  h  \  lew  .  spent   his 
1  p  the  old  home  place  in  Jo  l>a\iess  county 
and  during  the  period  of  his  youth  pursued 

In-  educatii  hi  in  the  0 i<  «n   schi  n  P  near 

and  in  tin-  high  school  of  Mount 
Carroll.       He    also    received    ample   training 

work,  for  during  the  pen 
cation  he  labored  in  the  fields  am!  n 
In    l8~6  he  came  to  Ii 

year  he  purchased  lam!  upon  which  he  now 
:i  -ilcs        I  le    boughl     o;k'     hundred     sixty 
acres  at    Kelle)  .  and  there  spent  the 
soil,    after    which    he    sold    his 

1  ■  iv  net  -1.1  quat  ter  51    ti  m  "f  the 
present  farm.     Returning  to  Illinois  he  spent 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  winter  season  in  his  old  home  there, 
again  assisting  his  father  in  farm  work,  but 
in  the  fall  of  the  succeeding'  year  he  once 
nr, re  came  to  Iowa  and  to  took  up  his  abode 
on  section  11.  Colfax  township.  Upon  the 
place  a  few  improvements  hail  heen  made, 
hut  those  were  of  rather  a  primitive  char- 
acter. He  afterward  bought  eighty  acres 
of  land  adjoining-  his  first  purchase  and  to- 
day has  a  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  under  a  very  high  state  of 
cultivation.  In  December,  1900,  Air.  Mc- 
Grath  bought  six  thoroughbred  Shorthorn 
cows  and  one  bull,  all  registered,  and  has 
at  the  present  time  fourteen  head  and  is 
making  quite  a  specialty  of  the  raising  and 
breeding  of  this  class  of  cattle. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1881.  Mr.  Mc- 
Grath  was  united  in  marriage  to  Eliza  An- 
derson, whose  birth  occurred  in  Clinton 
county,  Iowa.  She  was  horn,  reared  and 
educated  in  Lyons  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Xels  Anderson,  a  native  of  Sweden  and  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Clinton  county,  where 
he  located  in  [S54.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McGrath 
began  their  domestic  life  upon  the  home 
farm,  and  in  order  to  provide  a  better  place 
for  his  wife  he  erected  a  large  and  attract- 
ive residence.  He  has  also  built  a  good  barn 
and  a  carriage  house,  has  put  up  good  out- 
buildings oJ  ali  kinds  necessar)  for  the 
sheltei'  of  grain  and  stock  and  altogether 
his  place  is  a  model  one.  There  is  a  good 
bearing  orchard  and  a  beautiful  growth  of 
pines;  tin-  latest  improvements  are  used  and 
everything  is  neat  and  attractive. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McGrath  are  the  parents 
of  eight  children,  of  whom  seven  an-  ve1 
li\  ing,  as  foil,  iw  s :  l  tarry  II..  Bertha 
Viola,  Nellie  Myrtle.  Ear]  Wesley,  Frank 
Deming,  Charles  Byron  and    Mice  Blanche. 


They  also  lost  one  son,  Edwin  "\M.  who  died 
at  the  age  of  nine  months.  The  family  at- 
tend the  services  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  and  Mr.  McCrath  is  known  as 
an  active  and  earnest  supporter  of  the  Re- 
publican party.  He  has  never  failed  to 
vote  at  a  presidential  election  since  casting 
his  first  ballot  for  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  in 
1876.  He  has  been  called  to  public  office. 
having  served  as  township  trustee  and  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board.  His  interest  in 
the  welfare  and  progress  of  his  community 
is  deep  and  sincere  and  has  been  manifest 
by  bis  hearty  co-operation  in  many  move- 
ments and  measures  for  the  general   good. 


DANIEL  E.  BAKLEY. 

Daniel  E.  Bakley,  farmer  and  stuck  man 
living  on  section  3,  Amaqua  township,  a 
representative  of  an  old  and  prominent  fam- 
ily of  Boone  county,  was  born  in  Canton, 
Ohio,  in  September,  1859,  and  is  a  son  of 
Paul  and  Catherine  (Agney)  Bakley,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  The 
father  came  to  America  in  the  year  [852, 
and  settled  in  Ohio,  residing  there  for  sev- 
eral wars,  after  which  he  removed  to  \\  ick- 
liffe.  Indiana,  making  his  home  at  that  point 
until  1871,  when  be"  came  to  Boone  county, 
Iowa.  Making  his  home  in  the  village  of 
Boonesboro,  he  there  was  employed  as  a 
laborer  in  a  brickyard  for  about  three  years, 
after  which  he  took  up  his  abode  upon  a 
farm  in  1  )es  Moines  township,  which  was 
e  of  residence  for  two  years.  |  [e 
next  removed  to  Amaqua  township  and  was 
engaged  in  farming  on  section  9,  for  several 
years,  renting  that  land.     lie  next  purchased 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


his  present  farm  on  sections  3  and  4,  Ama- 
qua  township,  where  he  still  owns  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  valuable  land,  also  personal 
property  in  Boone  and  at  Renner,  Grant 
township.  He  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  within  the  last  few  years,  when 
on  account  of  his  old  age  lie  retired  from 
active  work,  but  still  lives  upon  bis  farm, 
his  youngest  son  assuming  the  management 
and  care  of  the  property. 

In  the  family  were  eleven  children,  six 
of  whom  are  yet  living,  as  follows:  Will- 
iam, born  August  7.  1856,  married  Emma 
Adcock  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  grain 
business  in  (  (gden.  He  is  a  very  prominent 
and  influential  man  there  and  at  present  is 
serving  as  mayor  of  the  town.  Daniel  E. 
is  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  Carrie  is 
the  wife  of  Peter  Farley,  a  leading  farmer 
oi  Amaqua  township  Man  is  the  wife  of 
Berl  Lass,  a  resident  farmer  of  Amaqua 
tov  nship.  Lizzie  is  the  w  ife  of  <  !hris1 
Hardin,  who  is  living  in  Emmett,  Iowa. 
John  resides  upon  the  old  homestead  with 
his  father. 

Daniel  E.  Bakley  received  but  limited 
educational  privileges,  for  his  servici 
needed  upon  the  home  farm  and  his  youth 
■  of  unremitting  toil,  but  he  gained 
there  the  practical  experience  concerning 
farm  work  that  has  enabled  him  to  success- 
fully carry  on  agricultural  pursuits  on  his 
'iii  "i  later  war-  I  U-  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Essie  Kerns,  a  native 
of  Ireland  and  a  daughter  of  Sarah  ECerns, 
w  In  1  he  ame  1  me  1  if  the  early  settlers  >  if  Ama- 
qua township,  but  is  now  deceased.  They 
now  have  seven  children,  all  yet  at  home, 
namely:  Eva,  Charlie,  .Mabel.  Willie. 
Macie,  Nellie  and  Bertie. 

\fter   his  marriage   Mr.    Baklev   settled 


upon  his  present  farm,  known  as  the  old 
Bridgman  property  on  section  3.  Amaqua 
township.  Here  he  owns  and  operates  one 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  acres  of  rich  land. 
The  place  is  particularly  arable  and  the 
fields  annually  return  to  him  good  crops. 
It  is  'lie  of  the  best  improved  farms  of  the 
township.  He  has  erected  a  new  residence 
and  a  fine  large  barn,  and  also  added  other 
improvements  which  stand  as  monuments 
to  the  thrift  .and  enterprise  of  the  owner, 
wlin  is  successfully  engaged  in  the  tilling 
nf  the  soil  and  is  1  me  of  the  extensive  stock 
raisers  of  his  community.  He  is  indeed  a 
self-made  man,  for  he  did  not  have  a  dollar 
when  he  began  business  on  his  own  account. 
He  rented  land  until  his  economy  and  in- 
dustry hail  enabled  him  to  purchase,  and 
from  that  time  he  has  gone  steadily  forward 
on  the  road  to  prosperity,  lie  voted  with 
tin  Democrac}  for  some  years,  hut  i-  now 
a  stanch  Republican.  He  has  never  soughl 
^r  desired  office,  yel  in  matters  of  citizenship 
is  deeply  interested  in  everything  pertaining 
t.  the  general  welfare  and  co-operates  in 
man)  movements  for  the  public  good.  His 
business  record  is  unassailable  and  he  enjoys 
a  wide  reputation  fur  integrity  and  straight- 
f  irward  dealing. 


PHILANDER  WELLS 

A  most  creditable  and  commendable  rec- 
ord is  that  of  Philander  Wells,  who  upon 
the  battle  fields  of  the  south  manifested  his 
loyalty  to  the  Union,  while  in  public  office 
he  has  displayed  his  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  his  state  and  in  business  life  has 
shown  that  hi-  methods  are  honorable  arc: 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


629 


straightforward,  his  whole  record  being'  an 
open  scroll  inviting  the  closest  scrutiny.  It 
is  with  pleasure. therefore,  that  we  present 
a  history  of  his  career  to  our  readers,  know- 
ing him  to  be  a  representative  resident  of 
Boone.  He  was  born  September  9,  1837, 
in  Lisbon,  St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York, 
his  parents  being  Peter  and  Alary  Ann 
(  Shaw  )  Wells.  The  father  was  a  native 
of  Washington  county,  New  York,  and  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation.  About  1779  he 
removed  to  St.  Lawrence  county,  in  the  Em- 
pire state,  and  there  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits  for  some  time.  He  first  married 
Elizabeth  Fulton,  of  Lisbon,  St.  Lawrence 
county.  She  was  born  November  11,  1795, 
and  died  April  _>S.  1831.  The  children 
born  of  this  union  were:  Polly,  David, 
Benjamin  and  William,  all  now  deceased; 
Sarah  Ann,  who  is  the  widow-  of  William 
Gardner;  Charles  and  Samuel,  who  have 
also  passed  away;  and  Elizabeth,  the  widow 
of  George  Lun.  For  his  second  wife  Peter 
Wells  chose  Mary  Ann  Shaw,  who  was 
born  January  22,  1803.  She  too,  was  twice 
married,  her  first  husband  being  a  Mr.  Getty. 
They  became  the  parents  of  six  children : 
Nancy,  James,  David,  Elizabeth,  Mary 
Jane  and  Isabella.  Of  these  two  are  living: 
Elizabeth,  born  January-  16,  1825.  is  the 
widow  of  David  Wallace;  and  Mary  Jane, 
born  September  3,  [826,  is  the  widow  of 
fames  Brown.  David  Getty  ~born  Jul)  27, 
1823,  died  September  24.  1900.  The  other 
three  died  at  middle  age.  The  marriage  of 
Peter  Wells  and  Mary  Ann  Shaw  was 
blessed  with  four  children  :  Philander  of 
this  review;  Clara,  the  wife  of  C.  E.  Mack- 
i  New  York  cit)  ;  Alexander,  who  died 
in  Prescott,  <  Ontario,  in  July.  1899;  and  Le- 
ander,  who  was  burned  in  the  wreck  on  the 


Denver  &  Rio  Grande  Railroad  at  Colorado 
Springs,  January  26,  1901,  when  about  six- 
ty-seven years  of  age,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  1833.  The  father  of  this  fam- 
ily was  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1800  and 
the  mother  passed  away  October  4,  [869,  in 
Boone,  Iowa.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a 
Universalist  and  in  political  belief  was  a 
Whig  until  the  organization  of  the  Republi- 
can party  when  he  joined  its  ranks.  Polit- 
ical meetings  in  those  days  were  held  in  his 
hotel  at  Wellshill,  town  of  Lisbon.  New 
York.  He  conducted  the  hotel  of  the  b  >wn- 
ship  for  many  years  and  was  a  well  known 
factor  in  political  circles. 

In  i857,when  twenty  years  of  age.Philan- 
der  Wells  of  this  review  came  to  the  west  lo- 
cating first  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  He  af- 
terward went  to  Hastings,  that  state,  and  in 
April  of  the  same  year  removed  to  Havana, 
Illinois,  where  he  continued  until  1861. 
There  he  attended  the  reception  given  to 
Abraham  Lincoln  after  his  election.  In  the 
same  year  he  returned  to  St.  Lawrence 
county,  New  York, — -his  boyhood's  home — 
and  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company  D, 
One  Hundred  and  Sixth  New  York  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  The  regiment  left  Camp 
Wheeler  in  July,  1862,  and  went  to  the 
front  by  way  of  Lake  Champlain,  proceed- 
ing thence  to  Virginia.  In  the  winter  of 
1863  the  command  joined  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  and  was  present  at  the  surrender 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  they  having  proceeded  to 
the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  took  part  in 
the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  under  Grant. 
Tluv  crossed  the  James  river,  proceeding 
to  a  point  s,  ,11th  of  Petersburg,  and  took 
part  in  the  battle  1  if  Weldofi  Railn «  ''  ii 
ginia.       Subsequently    they    proceei 

ts  to  Baltimore  and  were  iii  the  im- 


630 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


portant  fight  which  prevented  the  Rebels 
from  advancing  on  Washington.  Later  they 
participated  in  engagements  at  North  Moun- 
tain and  Cedar  Creek,  and  on  the  19th  of 
October,  [864  Mr.  Wells  was  wounded  in 
the  left  shoulder,  on  which  occasion  General 
Ricketts  tied  up  his  arm.  He  was  then  sent 
to  the  lmspital  at  York,  Pennsylvania, 
whence  he  returned  home.  In  January,  1 81  >5, 
however,  he  returned  to  Petersburg  and  did 
guard  duty  until  April,  when  Richmond  and 
Petersburg  were  captured.  On  the  9th  of 
April  his  command  was  in  the  charge  against 
the  forces  of  General  Lee.  at  Clover  Hill,  the 
surrendering  point,  and  the  regiment  to 
which  Mr.  Wells  belonged  acted  as  escort 
to  General  Grant  when  he  went  to  the  place 
agreed  upon  for  the  formal  surrender,  and 
saw  General  Lee  hand  his  sword  to  General 
Grant.  He  afterward  returned  to  the  camp 
in  the  field  and  remained  with  his  company 
until  the  14th  of  April.  The  Sixth  Army 
Corps  had  orders  to  report  to  Sherman's 
army  but  only  reached  Danville  at  which 
p<  hit  a  counter  order  came  causing  the  corps 
to  proceed  to  Washington,  and  it  was  in  the 
second  splendid  military  review  which 
marched  through  the  streets  of  the  capital 
city,  being  reviewed  by  President  Johnson. 
Mr.  Wells  was  then  discharged  to  report  to 
Ogdensburg,  New  York,  for  mustering  out, 
and  in  July,  1865,  his  military  service  was 
ended.  He  had  joined  the  army  as  a  pri- 
vate, but  won  promotion  to  the  rank  of  first 
lieutenant,  and  was  later  brevetted  captain 
and  then  quartermaster,  acting  in  that  ca- 
pacity until   discharged. 

After  his  return  to  New  York,  Mr. 
Wrells  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade,  having 
been  connected  with  that  line  of  commercial 
activity  from  the  age  of  eleven  years.      [11 


this  enterprise  he  joined  his  brother-in-law. 
Edgar  N.  Fulton,  and  they  went  to  Morley, 
St.  Lawrence  count}'.  New  York,  where  our 
subject  remained  until  the  fall  of  1868  when 
he  came  to  Boone.  Iowa.  In  May  of  the 
following  year  he  embarked  in  the  grocery 
business,  conducting  a  store  at  No.  704 
Story  street  until  1883,  when  he  retired. 
He  lias  been  a  director  of  the  Iowa  State 
Fair  Association,  filling  the  office  from  1887 
until  JSS9,  and  helped  lay  out  the  fair 
grounds  and  construct  the  buildings.  He 
was  also  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the 
II.  .one  District  Fair,  and  has  contributed 
not  a  little  to  the  improvement  of  the  city 
through  the  erection  of  good  buildings  here, 
including  the  Union  block.  He  was  also 
one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  East  Linn- 
wi  <'>'\  cemetery. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  1865,  Mr. 
Wells  was  united  in  marriage  to  Laura  N. 
Fulton,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Laura 
(Burlingame)  Fulton.  She  was  born  Jan- 
uary 10.  1839,  and  died  in  1868,  her  re- 
mains being  interred  in  Ogdensburg,  New 
York.  She  left  one  child,  Mary  M.,  the 
wife  of  Daniel  W.  Barrett,  of  Boone,  by 
whom  she  lias  two  children — Floyd  Wells, 
born  (  >Ctober  14.  1891  :  and  Laura  Mildred, 
born  July  19,  1893.  After  the  death  of  his 
tii  si  wife  Mr.  Wells  was  again  married,  in 
the  autumn  of  1869,  his  second  union  being 
with  Alma  Sophia  Cooke.  Her  death  oc- 
curred  July  15,  1898. 

M  Wells  lias  been  a  very  prominent 
factor  in  public  affairs  in  Boone.  Five 
times  has  he  been  elected  alderman  of  the 
city,  and  from  1889  until  1891  he  tilled  the 
office  of  mayor,  being  the  first  person  ever 
1  hat  office  in  Boone  for  a  two 
years'  term.     In  1893  he  was  again  chosen 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


631 


alderman  and  once  more  was  elected  in  1901. 
so  that  he  is  now  filling  the  office.  He  has 
ever  exercised  his  official  prerogatives  for 
the  general  good  rather  than  for  personal 
aggrandizement.  Socially  he  is  connected 
with  W.  C.  Crooks  Post  No.  329,  G.  A. 
R.,  and  is  also  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  belonging  to  the  bine 
lodge,  chapter,  commandery  and  order  of 
the  Eastern  Star.  He  is  also  identified 
with  the  Za-Ga-Zig  Temple  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  at  Des  Moines.  He  commands  the 
respect  of  all  who  know  him,  and  in  the 
state  of  his  adoption  where  he  is  best  known, 
he  inspires  personal  friendships  of  unusual 
strength.  All  who  know  him  have  the 
highest  admiration  for  his  good  qualities  of 
heart  and  mind. 


JOHN  W.  VAN  ZANDT. 

All  states  of  the  Union  have  sent  rep- 
resentatives to  Iowa  and  the  subject  of  this 
review  is  one  furnished  to  Boone  county  by 
Ohio,  lb-  was  born  in  Highland  county, 
that  Mate.  July  11,  [845.  His  father, 
Joshua  Van  Zandt,  was  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, bom  in  1S1S.  The  grandfather  of 
our  subject  removed  from  the  Old  Dominion 
1  me  1  it'  the  early  set: 
tiers  of  Highland  county.  There  the  father 
was  reared  and  married,  the  lady  of  his 
choice  being  Mary  Vnn  Thayer.  He  was  a 
carpenter  b)  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit 
in.-  I  [e  remained  in  ( )hio  until 
after  the  birth  of  all  of  hi-  children  and  in 
1850  went  with  his  family  1"  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Kendall  county,  where  he  purchased 
land  and  developed  a  farm,  the  work  of  im- 


proving the  place,  however,  being  largely 
carried  on  by  his  sons,  while  the  father  con 
ducted  carpentering.  There  he  reared  his 
family  and  spent  his  remaining  days,  pass- 
ing awa\  in  May.  [899,  while  his  wife  died 
about  j Si;  1. 

John  W.  Van  Zandt  was  a  little  lad  of 
but  five  years  when  his  parents  removed  to 
Kendall  county  and  upon  the  old  home  farm 
there  he  was  reared,  pursuing  his  education 
in  tiie  public  schools.  He  remained  with 
hi-  father  until  after  arriving  at  years  of 
maturity  ami  was  married  in  that  county,  in 
May,  1876,  to  Addie  Kennison,  a  native  of 
Vermont,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  Kenni- 
son. who  was  also  horn  in  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state.  He  died  when  Mrs.  Van  Zandt 
was  a  little  child  of  only  five  years,  enlist- 
ing in  1864  as  a  member  of  Company  H, 
One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  then  a  young- 
man  of  nineteen  years  and  joined  the  army 
for  one  hundred  da_\s'  service,  but  was  out 
for  about  six  months  in  Missouri  guarding 
railroads  and  protecting  government  prop- 
erty. He  participated  in  some  skirmishes 
and  was  then  honorably  discharged  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  in  November,  1864.  In 
an  early  day  he  removed  to  Illinois,  where 
he  spent  his  remaining  years,  and  Mrs.  Van 
Zandt  was  there  reared,  .shortly  after  the 
marriage  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  the 
former  rented  her  father's  farm  for  a  year. 
He  continued  the  operation  of  rented  land 
for  about  ten  years  and  in  1879  ,K'  came  to 
Boone  county,  Iowa,  locating  in  Garden 
township,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred 
•hi  1  1  we'll;  acres  of  raw  land.  I  le  then 
lo  ited  npi  11  the  trad  and  placed  the  land 
under  the  plow .  also  divided  it  into  fields  <~\ 
convenient    size   by    well    equipped     fences. 


632 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Later  he  erected  a  good  residence  and  barn, 
planted  trees  and  developed  an  excellent 
property,  which  he  continued  to  improve  for 
ten  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  sold  the  land  and  purchased  the  farm 
upon  which  he  now  resides.  This  had  slight 
improvements,  but  with  characteristic  en- 
ergy he  began  its  cultivate  hi.  His  residence 
is  a  large  substantial  home  and  in  the  rear 
stands  good  barns  and  outbuildings,  which 
in  turn  are  surrounded  by  well  kept  fields. 
He  has  a  good  bearing  i  ►rchard  ami  is  to-day 
the  owner  of  a  valuable  property,"  upon 
which  he  raises  some  graded  stock  as  well 
as  the  various  grains  adapted  to  this  soil  and 
climate. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Zandt  have 
been  born  five  children,  four  of  whom  were 
born  in  Illinois:  \Y.  II..  who  is  married,  is 
now  filling  the  position  of  postal  clerk  on 
the  Milwaukee  Railroad;  Nettie  Ma)  is  the 
wife  of  W.  B.  Story,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Polk  county.  Iowa.  Ernest  is  married  and 
living  in  Bonne;  Cora  is  the  wife  of  ( lharles 
Vailine,  of  Boone,  employed  on  the  North- 
western Railroad;  and  Joshua  completes  the 
family.  Politically  Mr.  Van  /audi  has  been 
a  lifelong  Republican  and  his  first  vote  was 
cost  for  General  U.  S.  Grant  in  [868.  He 
has  voted  for  each  candidate  of  the  Repub- 
lican party  since  thai  date  and  lias  taken  an 
active  interest  in  local  politics.  He  was 
elected  and  served  on  the  school  board  in 
Garden  township,  has  also  been  school  di- 
rector and  was  assessor  for  two  years.  He 
was  likewise  township  clerk  for  ■  ei 
\  ears  and  has  been  a  member  of  t]  i 
In  i. ml  i  f  Madrid.  I  Le  sen  ed  a 
Douglas  township  for  several  terms  and 
has  frequently  been  a  di  e  count) 

and  state  conventions  his  opinions  carrying 


weight  in  the  councils  of  his  party.  In  pub- 
lic office  he  has  been  most  loyal  and  true 
to  his  duty,  regarding  a  public  office  as  a 
public  trust.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Madrid  Christian  church,  and  while  he  is 
not  identified  with  the  organization  he  has 
been  a  generous  supporter  of  the  cause  and 
contributed  toward  the  building  of  the 
Christian  and  Methodist  Episcopal  churches. 
He  belongs  to  Madrid  Post.  G.  A.  R.,  served 
for  one  year  as  commander  and  with  the  ex- 
ception  of  that  year  has  been  quartermaster. 
From  the  time  when  he  established  his  home 
in  this  county  down  to  the  present  he  has 
been  loyal  to  its  material,  social,  intellectual 
and  moral  welfare  and  commands  respect 
as  a  citizen  of  value. 


J.  HENRY  HERMAN. 

Of  the  younger  men  in  financial  circles 
of  Boone,  none  stand  higher  in  public  con- 
fidence than  J.  Henry  Herman,  cashier  of 
the  First  National  Bank.  Boy  and  man  he 
has  spent  his  life  in  this  place  and  his  rep- 
utation has  been  fairly  won  in  a  position 
where  the  strong  lighl  of  publicity  is  thrown 
upon  its  occupant.  He  was  born  October 
t8.  1864,  in  Monroe,  Greene  county,  Wis- 
conson,  eldest  son  of  John  M.  and  Anna 
l  Spring)  Herman,  natives  of  Germany  and 
Switzerland,  respectively,  and  removed  with 
his  parents  when  two  years  of  age,  to 
>wa,  arriving  here  August  16, 
[ere  his  youth  was  that  of  any  lad 
town.  He  attended  the  public 
schools,  and   worked   steadily  and  0 

ting  in  the  high 
school  class     in      [882.        From  the  home 


J.   M.  HERMAN. 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


635 


school  he  entered  Elliott's  Business  Col 
lege  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  taking  the  pro- 
scribed course  and  in  1SK5  was  given  the 
position  of  book-keeper  in  the  National  Bank 
of  Boone,  with  which,  and  its  merger,  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Boone,  he  has  since 
been  continuously  connected.  On  January 
10,  [888,  he  was  promoted  to  assistant  cash- 
ier and  in  the  hill,  .wing  year  became  its 
cashier.  This  hank  was  originally  organ- 
ized under  the  title  of  the  National  Bank  of 
Boone,  in  1  Si  14,  with  a  capital  of  lift)  thous- 
and dollars,  beginning  business  January  1, 
1885,  with  the  following  officers:  S.  L. 
Moore,  president;  J.  M.  Herman,  vice-pres- 
ident; James  Hazlett,  cashier;  J.  Henrj 
Herman,  bookkeeper.  The  directors  were 
S.  L.  Moore,  D.  F.  Goodykoontz,  John  T. 
Nelson,  J.  Stevens,  T.  11.  Moore  and  Watt 
Webb.  On  the  ;th  of  April.  1888,  the  in- 
stitution was  re-organized  under  the  name 
of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Boone.  The 
presnt  officers  are  S.  L.  Moore,  president; 
J.  Henry  Herman,  cashier;  S.  J.  Jayne,  as- 
sistant cashier;  and  the  following  directors: 
John  F.  Herman,  D.  F.  Goodykoontz,  A.  F. 
Westberg,  T.  B.  Moore,  W.  II.  Crooks, 
Sam  J.  Jayne  and  J.   Henry   Herman. 

<  >n  .March  14.  [899,  Mr.  Herman  was 
married  to  Miss  Caroline,  daughter  of 
Henry  Gceppinger,  of  Boone,  signalizing  the 
evenl  i.\  a  trip  to  Europe,  accompanied  by 
Mis-  Emma  Herman,  and  paying  a  visit  to 
relatives  and  enjoying  the  scenery  in  the 
land  of  their  fathers.  One  child  was  horn 
of  this  union,  Paul  Henry,  November  26, 
[900.  A  pleasant  dwelling,  in  a  desirable 
e  quarter  of  the  city,  shelters  them 
and  the  warm  friends  whom  their  hospitality 
and   genial    address   calls   to   their    fireside. 


Mr.  Herman  has,  so  far  as  human  foresight 
can  predict,  a  long  lift.'  of  usefulness  and 
business  success  before  him.  the  just  recom- 
pense of  diligence,  fair  dealing  and  per- 
sonal   courtesy. 

John  M.  Herman,  father  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  born  at  I  lengstfeldt.  in 
1I1..  kingdom  of  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  De- 
cember  31,  1830,  and  came  to  America  in 
1846,  settling  at  first  in  Ohio.  The  gold 
fever  of  the  later  '40s  infected  him  in  1850 
and  he  made  the  long  land  journey  from  his 
home  to  California.  The  perils,  hardships 
and  adventures  of  this  long  march — one 
hundred  and  five  days  in  his  case — formed 
the  subject  of  many  conversations  in  the 
company  of  his  friends,  and  as  he  was  an 
observant  man,  these  were  intensely  inter- 
esting to  his  listeners.  He  remained  three 
years  in  the  gold  fields,  and,  being  a  prudent 
man,  brought  home  sufficient  capital  for  his 
endowment  in  business,  making  the  return 
journey  by  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  He  re- 
mained a  few  years  in  Ohio,  then  sought  the 
promising  west,  setting  his  stakes  at  Mon- 
roe. Wisconsin,  in  1857.  He  tarried  there 
until  1866,  when  he  again  set  the  course  of 
his  travels  still  farther  towards  the  setting 
sun.  and  camped  down  in  Boone,  Iowa,  Au- 
gusl  10.  [866,  which  became  thereafter  his 
permanent  residence. 

While  residing  i 
he  contracted  a  mai 
B,    Spring,   who   was 
erland,  and  came  to  Ai 
marriage  was  si  Jemi 

Six    children    were   I 
now    residing  with  b 


lb 


•y,  tli 


d  and 


1   .Mo 

tin 

ie,  Wist 

•onsin. 

-iage 

wi 

th   Mrs. 

Anna 

born 

in 

Thun, 

Switz- 

unen 

in   [857. 

Tbe 

zed. 
irn   ti 

An 

1  tl 

gust   10. 
tern :     I 

[860. 

•'.mma. 

r  mot 

lie 

r  in  Bo 

me;  I. 

'   this 

sk 

etch;  lo 

hn    1'., 

:sidin 

i  i 

n  Boone 

:  Otto 

636 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


C,  also  married  and  residing  here;  Julia. 
who  died,  aged  three  years;  and  Anna,  who 
died,  aged  thirty. 

His  arrival  in  Boone  was  the  sec  aid 
year  of  its  founding,  and  then  bore  the 
name  of  "Montana."  His  judgment  indi- 
cated the  advantages  of  the  location,  and  he 
early  took  an  active  part  in  it-  development 
and  secured  desirable  property  interests 
therein.  He  did  not  crime  empty-handed, 
as  was  the  case  with  so  many  of  its  early 
inhabitants,  yet  his  business  judgment  and 
prudent  foresight  enabled  him  to  largely  in- 
crease his  store  during  his  stay  within  its 
borders.  His  first  venture  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Boone  Brewery,  with  a  wide 
range  of  territory  for  its  product.  This  he 
conducted  successfully  until  "Prohibition"' 
became  the  policy  of  the  state.  Then,  in 
obedience  to  the  law,  he  promptly  1  I 
doors  and  faithfully  obeyed  it-  mandates  as 
became  a  good  citizen,  though  the  act  cosl 
him  his  business  and  many  thousands  ol 
dollars.  He  always  held  that  this  regula 
tion  of  the  general  asserribl}  of  [owa,  un- 
coupled with  compensation  to  those  whose 
means  were  confiscated  by  the  act,  was 
injustice  to  those  in  his  line  of  manu- 
facture, and  in  this  belief  he  had  the  corn- 
party  of  many  "prohibitionists."  <  >ne  of  his 
business  energy  was  not  long  idle,  and  he  de- 
voted his  attention  to  the  care  of  his  other 
properties,  finding  abundant  occupation 
in  the  same,  lie  had  secured  realt)  in  the 
days  when  it  was  cheap  and  this  he  devel- 
oped by  building  and  otherwise  improving, 
thus  adding  to  his  wealth  and 
community  at  the  same  time.  He  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  First  National  Bank. 
of  which  he  was  the  vice-president;  had 
large  interest  in  the  Security  Savings  Bankj 


and  developed  his  large  interests  in  farming 
properties.  He  was  gathered  to  his  fathers 
January  15,  1898,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight. 
Mrs.  Herman  survives  him  to  enjoy  the  re- 
spect of  all  good  citizens  and  the  love  and 
care  of  her  affectionate  children. 

In  manner  Mr.  Herman  was  quiet  and 
reserved,  but  most  genial  when  approached, 
especially  in  the  company  of  those  whom  he 
had  chosen  as  his  friends.  He  was  a  just 
man.  a  public  spirited  citizen — not  in  the 
sense  of  rushing  madly  after  every  new  fad 
or  so-called  improvement,  but  liberal  in  all 
that  commended  itself  to  his  mind  as  being 
proper  and  desirable  in  a  developing  com- 
munity  and   which   gave   promise   of   doing 

g 1  and  bearing  its  own  expense.      He  was 

justlj  esteemed  for  these  and  other  good 
qualities  of  a  model  citizen,  his  loss  was  sin- 
cerely mourned  and  his  memory  held  in  re- 
spect by  all.      He  leaves  the  best  heritage  to 

endants— that  of  a  g 1  man  and 

true. 


HENRY   C.   MYERS. 

^.mong  the  well   known  and  prominenl 

farmers  ol   B e  county,  who  have  had  an 

1  influence  and  taken  an  active  part 
in  the  progress  and  growth  of  the  cnimnn- 
uy  in  which  he  has  lived,  and  where. 
through  those  attribute-  which  will  always 
later  achieve  success,  Ik-  has  gained 
for  himself  an  enviable  position  in  the  busi- 
m  »s  interests  of  Yell  township.  Henry  C. 
Myers  is  well  deserving  of  mention,  for  he 
has  witnessed  the  advance  of  civilization  in 
the  county  which  he  has  made  his  home  for 
the  past  forty-eight  years  and  has  taken  no 
inconsiderable  pan  m  its  upbuilding,  having 
resided  here  since  the  \ear   [854. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


637 


Mr.  Myers  was  born  in  Logan  county, 
Ohio,  January  i_\  iSjj,  and  is  a  son  of 
Jac  ib  and  Anna  Catherine  1  Kepple)  Myers, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
moving  thence  to  (  Ihio,  where  the  father  en- 
gaged in  fanning,  the  mother  bearing  her 
share  in  the  work  of  rearing  the  family  and 
making  a  home.  The  parents  remained  in 
Ohio  until  1854,  when,  thinking  to  find  a 
more  suitable  abode,  they  turned  their  faces 
westward  and  settled  in  Webster  county, 
Iowa,  but  only  remained  there  for  three 
days.  They  then  removed  to  Yell  township, 
Boone  county,  and  settled  at  the  place  now 
called  Pilot  Mound.  There  the  family  lived, 
the  father  engaging  in  cultivating  the  field 
and  stock  raising,  and  also  conducting  a 
flour  mill,  lie  lived  an  active,  industrious 
life,  which  was  rilled  with  energj  and  enter- 
prise. He  died  January  [9,  1891,  while  the 
mother  passed  away  in  September,-  [890.  In 
their  family  woe  live  children:  Henry  C. 
is  the  fn'st  in  order  of  birth;  Sarah  Ann  he- 
came  the  wife  of  John  Buttolph,  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  and  they  reside  in  Pilot 
Mound  township;  Mary  M.  is  the  wife  of 
Hiram  Alsever,  and  the}  also  reside  in  Pilot 
Mound  township,  her  husband  being  en- 
:  1  agricultural  pursuits;  George  re- 
sided "ii  the  old  homestead,  but  is  now  de- 

\niia  died  in  1866.  The  children 
all   received   their  education   in   the    public 

[  the         iship. 
Our  subject   remained  on  the  old   farm 
and    assisted    his    father    in    tilling    the   soil 
and   improving   the   land,    placing   it   under 

m  and  raising  si,  ,rk  until  the  fathei 
boughl  a  flour  mill  at  Centerville.  He  then 
operated  the  same  for  his  father,  and  from 
an  early  date  in  his  life  e\  inced  a  I  ee  1  in 
sighl  into  business  possibilities,  and  was  a 


very  efficient  assistant  to  his  father  audi  aft- 
erward through  habits  of  honesty,  sobriety, 
integrity  and  diligence  he  attained  to  a  flat- 
tering degree  ol  prosperity  and  is  new  the: 
possessor  of  one  hundred  and  forty-two 
I  rich  land  in  the  farm  which  he  oc- 
cupies, on  section  11.  and  ten  acres  on  sec- 
tion 22,  Yell  township,  together  with  hotel 
propertj  in  Fraser,  Iowa.  In  1855  he  re- 
moved i"  his  present  farm,  and  in  [895  re- 
moved to  Fraser,  Iowa,  where  he  became 
the  owner  and  proprietor  of  the  Hotel 
Myers,  of  that  place.  This  he  conducted 
for  six  years,  renting  in  the  meantime  the 
farm.  He  then  returned  to  the  farm,  but 
stili  owns  the  hotel,  although  he  prefers  to 
make  the  farm  his  home. 

In  1867  Mr.  Myers  was  united  in  mar- 
ri  ige  to  Miss  Barbara  I.  Cline,  a  native  of 
South  Bend,  Indiana.  She  was  burn  on  the 
5th  of  August.  [846,  a  daughter  of  George 
\\  .  and  Harriet  (Moon)  'Mine,  the  former 
a  native  of  Ohio,  the  latter  having  been 
born  in  the  Empire  state.  Mr.  Cline  was  an 
early  settler  in  Boone  county,  having  re- 
si  led  here  since  1S55.  The  parents  have 
spent  a  long  and  useful  life  and  are  now 
living  in  Pilot  Mound  township,  the  mother 
being  now  in  her  sixty-seventh  year,  while 
the  lather  is  eighty-two.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Myers  became  the  parents  of  four  children: 
Eva  L.,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Thompson,  re- 
sides on  the  home  farm.  (  Hiver  died  at  the 
age  of  two  years.  Ira  L.  married  Gertie 
Burns  and  is  a  resident  farmer  of  Yell  town- 
ship. Ruben  E.  resides  ai  home  with  his 
p  irents. 

Although  Mr.  Myers  has  been  a  very 
active  man.  with  many  business  interests  to 
engross  his  attention,  he  has  never  forgot- 
ten that  each  worth}   member  of  a  commun- 


638 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ity  should  add  something  to  the  general 
welfare  and  improvement.  He  has  ever 
been  public  spirited,  never  failing  to  do  all 

in   his  power  to  advance  the  public  g 1. 

In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  is  strong 
in  advocacy  of  the  principles  of  that  party. 
In  the  educational  development  of  the  county 
he  has  taken  great  interest,  and  on  the  sch<  *  1 
board  has  been  director,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer lor  the  pas!  twenty-five  years.  He  was 
also  justice  of  the  peace  for  four  years  while 
residing  at  Fraser.  Air.  Myers  lias  done 
much  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  county 
in  which  he  has  50  long  resided,  and  the 
family  is  highly  esteemed  for  the  genuine 
Wi  >rlh  of  its  member-. 


R.  V.  VENEMAN. 

Although  Professor  R.  V.  Veneman  has 
been  a.  resident  of  Boone  county  for  a  com- 
paratively brief  period,  he  has  been  so  close- 
ly and  prominently  connected  with  the  edu- 
cational interests  of  the  county  during  this 
time  that  no  history  of  the  community  would 
be  complete  without  a  record  of  his  career. 
It  is  a  widely  acknowledged  fact  that  the 
most  important  work  to  which  a  man  can 
direct  his  energies  is  that  of  teaching. 
whether  it  he  from  the  pulpit,  from  the  lec- 
ture platform  or  from  the  schoolroom.  Its 
primary  object  is  ever  the  same — the  devel- 
opment of  one's  latent  powers  that  the  du- 
ties of  Hie  may  he  bravely  met  and  well  per- 
formed. It  is  to  the  work  of  instructing  the 
young  that  Professor  Veneman  has  largely 
devoted  his  time,  energy  and  thought,  an  1 
now  lie  is  serving  as  county  superintendent 
of  schools  of  Boone  count v,  in  which  posi- 


tion he  has  done  much  to  advance  the  intel- 
lectual  standard. 

A  native  of  Polk  county.  Iowa.  Mr. 
Veneman  was  born  July  4.  1867.  His  fa- 
ther, W.  J.  Veneman,  was  a  native  of  Indi- 
ana, born  June  5,  0^44,  and  was  a  son  of 
Lemuel  Veneman.  After  arriving  at  years 
of  maturity  the  father  wedded  Margaret 
Kirbey.  who  was  horn  in  Pennsylvania  in 
December,  1N43.  and  is  of  Scotch-Irish  de- 
scent. From  io-i<)  the  father  was  a  resident 
of  Polk  county,  Iowa.  He  became  a  well 
known  and  prosperous  fanner  of  thai  por 
tion  of  tiie  state.  By  his  marriage  six  chil- 
dren were  born:  R.  \  ..  of  this  review; 
Lemuel  and  Nelson,  who  are  living  in  Story 
county;  Hattie.  the  wife  of  J.  R.  Black,  of 
Scranton,  Iowa;  Alberta  and  Ward,  both  at 
home.  The  family  reside  in  Maxwell. 
Ston  county,  which  has  been  their  place  of 
residence  since  1S71.  During  the  Civil  war 
the  father  manifested  his  loyalty  to  the 
cause  by  enlisting  in  the  spring  of 
1862  as  a  member  of  Company  !>.  Thirty- 
ninth  Iowa  Infantry,  with  which  he  served 
until  honorabh  discharged  on  the  5th  of 
June,  [865-  the  war  having  ended.  He 
was  with  Sherman's  army  and  was  capture  1 
at  All ia   Pass. 

Mr.  veneman  of  this  review  pursued  his 
early  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Ston  count)  and  later  continued  his  studies 
in  Maxwell,  [owa,  where  he  was  graduated. 
He  next  matriculated  in  the  [owa  State  t  ol- 
lege  .i  Ames,  and  in  [891  began  teaching, 
following  that  profession  continuously  until 
he  left  it  for  his  present  position.  In  1806 
la-  removed  to  Boone  county  and  in  1899 
was  elected  superintendent  of  schools,  en- 
tering upon  the  duties  of  the  office  in  Jan- 
uary,   [qoo.      So  capabl)    did   he  serve  that 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


639 


in  the  fall  of  1901  he  was  re-elected  and  is 
therefore  the  incumbent  for  a  second  term. 
Hi-  methods  are  practical  and  progressive 
and  he  is  introducing  many  needed  reforms 
and  improvements  in  the  school  system. 

(  in  the  2d  of  July,  1  s. ,  1 .  Professor  \  en- 
eman  was  united  in  marriage  to  Cora 
Houser,  who  was  born  in  Wisconsin,  Au- 
gusl  6,  [868,  a  daughter  of  William  Houser, 
of  Richland  Center.  Wisconsin.  Her 
mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Virginia 
Waddell,  and  in  the  family  were  five  chil- 
dren: Eliza,  the  wife  of  Frank  Perry,  of 
Colo,  Iowa;  .Mrs.  Veneman ;  Martha,  the 
wife  of  I".  ( ..  Gilger,  of  Colo,  Iowa ; 
Myrtle,  the  wife  of  W.  F.  Shaw,  of  the 
same  place;  and  Orval  ('..  who  makes  his 
home  there.  The  home  of  Professor  and 
.Mrs.  Veneman  has  been  blessed  with  one 
sin:.  Roscoe,  wlin  was  born  August  22, 
[892.  The  parents  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  the  Professor  belongs 
t<  the  Masonic  lodge,  the  Independent  Or- 
der i'i  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fraternity.  Politically  he  is  a  Re- 
publican, lie  has  given  his  unfaltering  sup- 
port tn  the  principles  of  the  party  because  of 
hi  -  linn  belief  therein. 


!■"..    B.   SELLARD. 

I-;,  i',.  Sellard  is  one  of  the  leading  farm 
ers  of  \mamia  township,  his  home  being  on 
section  18  and  since  [883  he  has  lived  in 
Bi  ione  county,  Iowa.  I  le  is  a  native  of 
unty.  Illinois,  1"  >rn  Jui  e  20,  [856, 
his  parents  being  James  and  Judith  Sellard. 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  mother  was  born  March  8,   [813,  and 


was  a  daughter  of  John  Simpkins,  whose 
birth  occurred  May  28,  [782,  and  who  lived 
to  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety-nine 
years  and  six  months.  James  Sellard  was 
born  in  the  Keystone  state.  Novembei  20, 
lid  there  resided  until  [883,  when  he 
came  to  west  with  his  family,  settling  in 
Boone  county,  Illinois.  Pie  there  engaged 
in  farming  until  1883,  when  he  came  to 
Boone  county,  Iowa,  taking  up  his  abode 
upon  the  farm  where  his  son,  E.  B. 
Sellard,  is  now  living.  There  he  remained 
until  he  had  reached  the  end  of  life's  jour- 
ney, passing  awaj  November  24,  iN<)7.  Mis 
wife  survived  him  until  November  28,  [9  1. 
when  she.  too,  was  called  in  her  final  rest. 
They  were  the  parents  of  fifteen  chil- 
dren: Mary  A.,  born  December  i_\  [833, 
became  the  wife  of  John  W.  Warner  and 
1.  ith  are  now  deceased,  Mrs.  Warner  having 
died  <  Ictober  20,  [897;  Jane,  burn  March  8, 
[834,  is  the  widow  of  Edmund  Bishop  and 
is  living  in  Rolla,  Missouri;  Luis  E.,  born 
September  .:j.  [836,  is  the  widow  of  John 
Mack,  ami  makes  her  home  in  Oregon,  Illi- 
nois; Viola,  born  January  -'.  [838,  is  the 
widow  '■:  1>.  Gate,  a  resident  of  Belvidere, 
Illinois;  Eudora,  born  March  30,  1839,  died 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  years;  George  S.. 
hum  September  28,  1840,  is  engaged  in  the 
coal  business  in  Rockford,  Illinois;  Loretta, 
born  March  30,  1842,  is  the  wife  of  A. 
Mack,  a  retired  citizen  of  Rockford,  Illinois; 
Emily,  bom  September  .},  (843,  is  the  wife 
nf  |,.hn  Gray,  who  is  now  living  retired  in 
Belvidere,  Illinois;  Gustavia,  born  <  Ictober 
4.  1S44.  is  the  wife  <>f  P.  Wies,  a  retired 
implement  merchant  and  now  one  nf  the 
wealthiest  citizens  of  Council  Bluffs',  Iowa : 
Julia,  born  June  25,  [846,  is  tin'  wife  of 
\\  illiam  Gray,  who  is  living  retired  in  Belvi- 


640 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


clere,  Illinois;  Electa,  born  February  25, 
1848,  is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Rogers,  who 
is  also  a  retired  citizen  of  Belvidere,  Illinois; 
James,  born  January  25,  [850,  is  conducting 
a  feed  store  in  EHvidere;  Flora,  born  Au- 
gust 5.  1851,  is  the  wife  of  Dan  Keller,  who 
is  engaged  in  the  furniture  business  in  Coun- 
cil Bluffs,  lowa:  Ella  A.,  born  May  24, 
1853,  is  the  wife  of  C.  Richards,  who  is 
agent  for  musical  instruments  at  Harvard, 
Mini  is. 

Edmund  1!.  Sellard,  who  completes  the 
family  of  fifteen  children,  came  west  with 
his  father  in  1883  and  located  in  Boone 
county,  lowa.  He  remained  under  the  pa- 
rental rout  and  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
farm  for  some  time  and  ultimately  assumed 
the  management  of  the  property  and 
trol  of  the  work  necessar)  to  its  cultivation. 
After  his  father's  death  he  became  the  o\\  ner 
of  the  old  family  homestead  on  which  he  and 
his  family  are  now  living.  lie  has  here  two 
hundred  acres  of  valuable  land  on  sections 
17  and  r8,  Aniaqua  township.  This  is  well 
improved  with  good  buildings  and  all  mod- 
ern improvements  in  the  way  of  equipments 
found  upon  a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth 
century,  lie  carries  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits,  in  the  fields  raising  the  crops  best 
adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate  while  in  his 
pastures  he  keeps  a  good  grade  of  stock. 

Mr.  Sellard  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mis  Pleasie  Inompson,  who  were  horn  in 
Linn  count}-.  Iowa,  and  for  fifteen  years  en- 
gaged in  school  teaching.  Three  children 
graced  this  marriage:  I  >ora,  horn  February 
i".  [889;  Park,  born  September  [6,  [892; 
and  Floy,  born  March  8,  [894.  Fraternally 
Mr.'  Sellard  is  connected  \\  ith  the 
Woodmen  of  Beaver,  and  in  his  political 
views  he  is  a  Republican,      lie  has  never 


been  an  office  seeker,  nor  has  he  held  posi- 
ti'  ns  of  political  preferment.  He  is  a  farm- 
er, and  a  prominent  and  successful  one,  care- 
fully managing  his  business  interests  and 
gaining  through  diligence  and  capable  man- 
agement a  well  merited  competence.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  well  known  throughout 
tliis  part  of  Boone  county  and  the  circle  of 
their  friends  is  almost  co-extensive  with  the 
circle  of  their  acquaintances. 


JOHN  W.  HALLIDAY. 

John  W.  Halliday  is  the  senior  member 
of  the  firm  of  Hallidaj  &  Company,  general 

ol  Bo  me  I  fe  has  {>■• 
psalmist's  span  of  three  score  years  and  ten. 
hut  old  age  is  not  necessary  a  synonym  of 
weakness  and  inactivity.  There  is  an  old 
which  grows  stronger  mentallj  and 
morall)  1  and  gives  out 

of  the  rich  stores  of  its  wisdom  and 

ich  has  been  the  record  of  Mr.  I  lal- 
liday  and  his  example  should  put  to  shame 
1   of  younger  years   who.   grown 
wear)  of  the  struggles  and  trials  of  business 
Fe,  would  n  1  burdens 

should  hear. 
Mr.  Halliday  was  horn  in  Guernsey 
1  ihio.  September  1  ;.  [828,  and  is  of 
Scotch,  lineage,  for  both  his  father  and 
mother.  James  and  Man  (Wallace)  Halli- 
day, >>erc  names  ,  if  the  land  of  the  heather 
ami  can  1  ed  States  in  the  spring 

"i    [828.     The   father  died  in    [833 
wile  had  passed  away  the  year  previous.    In 
their    family    were    four   children:      George, 
now  dec  !  of  this  re\  iew  :  Joseph, 

who  lias  .also  passed  awa\  :  and  Alexander, 
is  living'  in  \ew  Comerstown,  Ohio. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


"41 


Mr.  Halliday  of  this  review  pursued  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
county  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  began 
learning  the  shoemaker's  trade  in  Seneca- 
ville,  <  'hi",  where  he  remained  for  two  )  ear-. 
He  then  removed  to  Adamsville,  Ohio, 
where  he  resided  during  the  greater  part  of 
t It.  nine  to  [853.  Thai  year  witnessed  his 
arrival  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  but  soon  he  re- 
turned to  Adamsville,  which  was  his  place 
of  residence  until  1856.  He  then  came  to 
Boone  county  and  soon  went  to  Hamilton 
county.  Lowa,  where  he  remained  for  three 
years  upon  a  farm.  Upon  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  located  in  Webster  City  where 
he  resided  until  (867,  removing  thence  to 
Boonesboro.  In  the  latter  place  he  worked 
at  his  trade  until  he  turned  his  attention  to 
erj  business  about  [876,  that  line  of 
mercantile  activity  claiming  his  attention  un- 
til 1 S -  1,  Me  then  retired  from  business  and 
was  not  actively  associated  with  any  com- 
mercial or  industrial  enterprise  until  [898, 
when  lie  entered  int.)  partnership  with  his 
son,  as  a  dealer  in  merchandise  under  the 
firm  name  of  Halliclay  &  Company. 

Mr.  Halliday  was  married,  in  1S54.  to 
Caroline  Stanger,  who  was  born  in  Adams- 
ville, 1  i'm-.  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jacob  Stanger,  loth  of  whom  were  natives 
(if  I  iermany  and  are  now  deceased.  Mr.  and 
Mr-.  Hallidai  had  four  children,  but  two  of 
the  number  died  in  infancy.  Those  still 
li\  ing  are  :  <  >rlando,  who  was  born  in  [855  : 
and  Joseph  F.,  whn  is  in  his  father's  store  in 
Bi  onesb  to.  The  mother  was  called  to  her 
final  resl  ^.pril  5,  1890.  Her  loss  was  deeply 
mourned,  nol  only  by  her  immediate  family 
hut  h_\  many  friends.  Mr.  Hallida)  cast  his 
first  presidential  vote  for  Winfield  Scotl  and 
upon  the  organization    of    the    Republican 


part\  joined  its  ranks  and  has  since  been  one 
of  it>  earnest  advocates,  lie  is  a  member  of 
t'ne  Baptist  church  and  his  life  has  ever  been 
in  harmony  with  its  teachings  and  prin- 
ciples, so  that  his  example  is  one  well  worthy 
of  emulatii  >n. 


I.   F.   HALLIDAY 


J.  F.  Halliday,  who  is  well  known  as  an 
enterprising  and  progressive  merchant  of 
Boone,  was  horn  on  the  12th  of  February, 
1859,  in  Boonesboro  and  its  schools  af- 
forded him  his  early  educational  privileges. 
Throughout  his  entire  business  career  he  has 
been  connected  with  mercantile  interests. 
In  [875  he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  the  dry- 
goods  store  of  L.  1  >.  Cook  &  Company,  of 
Boonesboro,  where  he  remained  for  three 
years,  lie  then  went  to  Missouri  Valley, 
where  he  continued  for  a  short  time,  after 
which  he  became  a  resident  of  Boone  and 
spent  a  year  and  a  half  as  a  salesman  in  the 
dry-goods  store  owned  by  \Y.  I".  Wilson. 
lie  was  next  connected  with  Henry  James, 
and  mi  severing  his  connection  with  that 
gentleman,  engaged  in  business  with  J.  R. 
Patterson  under  the  firm  name  of  Patterson 
&  Halhday.  In  1888  he  removed  to  Per- 
kins county,  Nebraska,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  farming  business  for  four 
years,  after  which  In-  went  to  Grant,  Ne- 
braska, and  devoted  his  energies  to  conduct- 
ing a  hotel.  1  le  was  also  m  a  hardware 
1  re  until  [897  when  he  returned  to 
B<  onesboro  and  became  associated  with  his 
In-other  in  the  grocerj  business.      Vfter  two 

lOwever,    he    entered    the    dry-goods 
business  in  connection  with  his  father  under 


642 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  firm  name  of  Halliday  &  Company.  Mr. 
Halliday  has  a  genial,  pleasant  manner, 
which  renders  him  popular  as  a  salesman 
and  has  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  his 
success. 

(  >ur  subject  married  Lottie  Bascom,  who 
was  hum  in  Boone  county  a  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Frances  (Burton)  Bascom.  He 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity, 
and  is  a  popular  and  highly  esteemed  citizen 
having  a  large  circle  of  friends  in  this  his 
native  county. 


ORLANDO  J.  HALLIDAY. 

Orlando  J.  Halliday  is  a  native  of  Jones- 
vilie.  Ohio,  his  birth  having  occurred  there 
on  the  22d  of  October,  [855.  His  parents 
becoming  residents  of  Boonesboro,  1"  al 
tended  the  public  schools  there,  thus  acquir- 
ing an  education  which  fitted  him  for  life's 
practical  and  responsible  duties.  In  the 
spring  of  1875  he  engaged  in  thi 
business  in  <  >gden,  Iowa,  where  lie  remained 
for  two  and  one-half  years  and  then  sold 
out,  removing  to  Colorado  in  [878.  While 
in  the  west  he  prospected  in  the  silver  mines 
for  three  years  and  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  returned  to  Boone  where  he  1 
in  the  grocery  business  with  his  fat! 
has  since  continued  in  this  line  of  trade,  the 
store  comprising  both  a  grocer)  and  dry- 
goods  department.  A  liberal  patronage  is 
accorded  by  reason  of  the  honorable  business 
methods  of  the  proprietors,  their  earnesl  de- 
sire to  please  their  patrons  and  their  uniform 
courtesy  and  reliability. 

On  the  25th  of   .March.    [S80,  I  Irlando 
J.   Halliday  was  married  to   Rosetta    lames. 


who  was  horn  in  Marietta.  Iowa,  in  May. 
[856,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Frances 
1  Farr)  James,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
<>i  England  and  are  now  deceased.  Six  chil- 
dren have  come  to  the  home  of  our  subject 
and  his  wife:  J.  Farr.  who  was  1"  n  '  >cto- 
ber  25,  [881,  audi  1-  now  employed  in  his 
father's  store:  William,  who  was  born  April 
-'.v  1883;  Calla,  who  was  born  July  31, 
1889;  John,  born  in  September,  1891  :  Gail 
and  Lucy. 

The  family  holds  membership  in  the  Bap- 
tist  church  and  Air.  Halliday  has  member- 
ship relations  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
the  Independent  Order  "t"  Odd  Fellows  and 
sters.      I  lc  exercises   his   righl   of 
franchise  in  support   of  the  men  and   meas- 
k    Republican  party  and  for  twelve 
been  secretan  of  the  scho  >1  board. 

■  live  interest   in  every 
til   t'ni  the  hcnet'i  of  his  city,  and  his 
efforts  in  its  behalf  have  resulted  largely  in 
pri  >ni'  iting  its  pri  >gress. 


ANDREW  J.  Jl  >I1\S<  IN. 

Andrew  J.  Ji  fhnsi  >n.  win.  is  a  well  known 
fanner  living  on  section  17.  Garden  town- 
ship, is  familiarly  called  "Chicago  Johnson" 
by  his  numerous  friends,  lie  has  qualities 
and  characteristics  which  have  gained  for 
him  the  confidence  and  regard  of  many  with 
win  >m  he  has  been  associated.  1  lc  owns  and 
cultivates  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acre-  which  returns  to  him  a  good  income. 
A  native  of  Sweden,  he  was  horn  December 
28,  1838,  and  was  reared  and  educated  there. 
In  earl)  life  he  learned  the  carpenter  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  a   few  years  in  his  na- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


643 


tive  land  and  then,  believing'  that  lie  might 
better  his  financial  condition  in  the  new 
world,  lie  bade  adieu  to  home  and  friends 
and  -ailed  for  the  United  State-  in  18(14. 
lie  was  first  in  the  employ  of  the  govern- 
ment at  Nashville,  being  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  wagons  to  be  used  in  the 
ani'w  He  was  thus  employed  fur  six 
months.  With  others  he  was  engaged  in 
drilling  two  times  a  week  and  participated 
in  the  last  battle  of  Nashville,  in  the  com- 
which  he  was  a  member  and  which 
was  being  held  in  reserve.  In  the  spring  of 
[865  he  made  his  way  mirth  to  Chic- 
there  worked  at  his  trade  of  carpentering  on 
railroad  w^rk.  [:,,y  fifteen  years  he  was 
with  the  American  Bridge  Company,  being 
employed  in  Illinois.  Iowa.  Missouri.  Min- 
nesota, Wisconsin.  New  Hampshire,  Penn- 
sylvania and  also  in  Canada. 

In  the  year  [NS4.  Mi-.  Johnson  arrived 
in  Boone  county  and  purchased  the  land 
whereon  he  now  resides,  lie  began  to  build 
upon  it  ami  improve  the  fields.  While  his 
sons  have  been  engaged  in  farming,  he  has 
carried  on  carpenter  work  and  ha-  erected  a 
number  of  residences  and  barns  in  Boone 
county,  thus  contributing  to  the  substantial 
upbuilding  and  improvement  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  state. 

In  1869  occurred  the  marriage  of  An- 
drew J.  Johnson  to  Miss  Clara  Johnson,  who 
was  also  a   native  of   Sweden,   the   wedding, 

however,  being  celebrated  in  Princeton,  llli- 

nois.      five  children   have  keen  born   ol   this 
marriage  :     Minnie,  the  wife  of  Swan  John- 
son, w  ho  i-  a  contract.  >r  and  builder  of  <  >kla- 
homa;  Fred,  who  is  engaged  in  fa 
( iarden  township;  Ed,  Emma  and  I 

ire  identified  through 
membership     relation-     with     the     Garden 


Prairie  Congregational  church  and  are  peo- 
ple of  worth  in  the  community,  enjoying  the 
high  esteem  1  if  a  large  circle  of  friends.  Po- 
litically Mr.  Johnson  is  a  stanch  Republican 
and  his  first  presidential  vote  was  cast  for 
U.  S.  Grant,  in  1872.  lie  has  never  yet 
tailed  to  support  a  presidential  candidate  of 
that  party.  His  fellow  townsmen,  recog- 
nizing his  worth  and  ability  and  his  interest 
in  the  public  welfare,  have  elected  him  to 
positions  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He  has 
served  as  supervisor  of  road-  and  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board  for  fourteen  years. 
In  the  latter  office  he  has  done  all  in  his 
power  to  advance  the  cause  of  the  schools 
and  raise  the  standard  of  education,  lie 
came  to  the  new  world  a  poor  man;  in  fact. 
was  in  debt,  but  here  industry  and  energy  are 
more  potent  factors  in  success  than  in  any 
other  land  and  through  the  possession  of 
these  qualities  be  has  steadily  worked  his 
way  upward  until  he  is  to-day  one  of  the 
substantial  farmer-  of  his  community.  He 
own-  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
Garden  town-hip  and  the  place  is  now  well 
improved  ami  under  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation. In  early  spring  the  work  of  plowing 
and  planting  i.-  carried  on  and  in  the  golden 
autumn  he  reaps  good  harvests  as  a  reward 
of  his  labors. 


DALANDER. 


■Ive 


■s  Mr.  Dalander  has  been 
proprietor  of  a  drug  -tore  in  Madrid  and  is 
classed  among  the  enterprising  and  progres- 
sive representatives  of  commercial  circles  in 
that  town.  He  is  numbered  among  the  na- 
of  the  county,  bis  birth  having  oc- 
curred July    10.    [864.       Hi-    father,    Erick 


644 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Dalander,  was  a  native  of  Sweden,  born  in 
1814,  and  was  there  reared  and  educated. 
He  came  to  the  new  world  in  1846,  making 
his  way  direcl  to  Iowa  with  his  mother  and 
her  family.       They  located  on  the  present 
town  site  of  Madrid,  and  were  the  first  peo- 
ple of  Swedish  birth  to  establish  a  home  in 
Boom    county:     The  first  iletd  recorded  in 
this  county  was  given  to  Mrs.  Dalander  and 
her   sons    for   the   land   which   they   entered 
from  the  government  at  the  time  of  their  ar- 
rival.     Here   Erich   Dalander  aided 
veioping  and  improving  the  farm  which  is 
now  the  town  site  of  Madrid.     A  fe 
later  he   and   his   brother   purchased   a    saw 
and  grist  mill  which  they  located  in  Madrid 
and  there  engaged    in   the  manufacture   of 
lumber  and  flour,  carrying  on  the 
successfully   for  several   years,   thei 
prise  proving  one  of  importance  to  the  com- 
munity.    In  t866  Erick  Dalander  withdrew 
from  the  mill  and  established  his 
the   farm   near   the   town,   where  lie  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuit-   for  a   Ion-   period. 

1  \N  ice  married,  his  first  win 
one  son,  John  J.,  who  is  m  i\v   a    fa 
Edwards  county,  Kansas.     I  lis  second  wife, 
who  bore  the  name  of  1  n,  was  a 

native  of  Sweden  and  in   [846  came  to  the 
new  world,  being  then  a  ten  sum- 

mers.     Since   that   time   she 
1!<  one  county  upon  the  farm  w  hii  h 
chased.     Mr.  1  >alander  reared 
spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  hen 
awaj    at    the   old    home    farm    111    I 
1893.     His  wife  still  survives  him  and  iv  w 
resided  in   Madrid,  making   her  fa  >me  w  ith 
the  members  of  h<  1    family. 

E.    P.   Dalander  is  one  of  eight  children 
horn  of  the   father's   i&  ond   marri 
the  fourth  in  order  of  birth 


to  manhood  upon  the  old  homestead  and  ac- 
quired his  primary  education  in  the  common 
schools.  This  was  supplemented,  however. 
urse  at  the  Augustana  College  in 
Rock  Island.  Illinois,  and  after  three  years' 
stud_\'  there  he  returned  to  Iowa,  spending 
three  years  as  a  salesman  in  a  drug  store  in 
Madrid,  during  which  time  he  gained  a 
broad  and  practical  knowledge  of  the  busi- 
ness in  all  its  departments,  lie  then  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  store,  continuing 
as  a  partner  therein  until  [885,  when  he  be- 
since  conducted 
th.e  establishment  alone.  I  [e  carrii 
stuck  of  1  tl  er  sundries,  paint  and 

wall  paper,  and  has  gained  a  very  desirable 
!  for  the  excellence  of  his  g, ,  J., 
and  his  fair  dealing.  lie  is  a  practical 
pharmacist  and  his  knowledge  of  the  busi- 
ness, combined  with  his  earnest  desire  to 
customers,  has  yvon  him  verj  de- 
sirable success. 

Air.  Dalander  was  married  in  Boone 
county  in  September,  1892,  to  Alma  Ander- 
son, a  n;  a,  b  'in  in  this  county 
and  a   daughter  of  John    \i. 

tantial   farmers  and  prominent  men 

of  this  '  cality.     lie  is  now  the  president  of 

dricl  State  Bank  and  a  gentleman  of 

mnked  influence  and  business  ability.     He 

one  of  the  early   settlers,  coming 

to  this  county  in    [846.     Mrs.  Dalander  was 

reared  and   educated   in  this  count}'  and  by 

me  the  mother  of  two 

en  :     Martin  and  Edna. 

In   his  political   belief  our  subject   is   a 

Republican,  hut  the  honors  and  emoluments 

e  no  attraction  for  him  although 

-t  loyal  to  the  principles  in  which  he 

1  [e  and  his  wife  are  members  of 

A,-  Swedish   Lutheran  church  of  this  place. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


645 


I  hey  have  alw  aj  s  lived  in  Bi m >ne  o  miity  ami 
have  a  ven  wide  acquaintance  with  which 
their  circle  of  friends  is  almost  co-extensive. 
Mr.  Dalander  is  genial  in  manner,  a  gentle- 
man of  unfailing  courtesy  ami  his  social 
qualities  have  rendered  him  popular  thr<  >ugh- 
cut  the  town  and  county  of  his  residence. 


|()1  IX  E.  LI  XI). 


The  country  of  Sweden  has  done  much 
inward  giving  to  America  a  population  of 
vigorous  and  physically  well  developed  men 
and  women,  having  also  the  attributes  of 
high  character,  honesty  and  uprightness. 
To  the  venturesome,  brave  and  indomitable 
spirits  who,  not  being  content  to  pass  their 
lives  where  opportunities  ami  energy  are 
hampered  by  caste  or  da--,  have' sought  a. 
new  field  for  their  further  development  and 
improvement,  do  we  owe  the  flourishing 
condition  of  this  -rand  and  -real  country 
tod  ;,-.  The  subject  1  t  tin-  -ketch,  j  tin  i 
Lind,  now  located  on  section  27,  in  Yell 
township,  has  for  twenty-two  years  been  a 
ol  Boone  county,  where  he  has  been 
engaged  in  the  important  pursuits 
culture.  lie  was  born  in  Sweden.  April 
[6,  [852,  and  is  a  son  of  Erick  and  Kat- 
trina  Lind.  I  [is  father  was  a  tailor  by  trade 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  lived  and  died  in 
Sweden.  John  E.  land  was  the  onh  one  1  E 
the  family  that  came  t"  America,  lie  first 
settled  in  Moingona,  this  county,  and  there 
iged  in  coal  mining.  As  the  result  of 
hi-  incessant  and  well  directed  labors,  at  the 
end  nf  nine  year-  he  had  acquired  consider- 
uiey  which  he  invested  in  his  farm 
whereon  he  ha-  since  lived. 


Our  subject  married  Miss  Josephine 
Johnson,  of  Sweden.  Their  home  was 
blessed  with  -even  children:  Johanna, 
Conrad,  Jennie.  George,  Edward,  Robert 
and  Leonard.  Both  Mr.  Lind  and  his  wife 
arc  members  of  the  Swedish  church  of  Og- 
den.  In  politics  lie  supports  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  Republican  part}-.  Mi'. 
Lind.  through  industry,  honesty,  sobriety 
nest  effort,  has  acquired  for  himself 
and  family  a  comfortable  home,  where  they 
arc  the  recipients  of  all  the  advantages  af- 
forded to  citizens  of  America,  and  never  has 
he  had  1  ccasion  to  regret  crossing  the  briny 
deep  to  the  new  world.  It  is  with  pleasure 
lira  we  present  to  our  readers  the  name  of 
John  L.  Lind,  as  a  representative  citizen  of 
I'n  i'  me  count  v. 


SWAN  AUGUST  BENGSTON. 

in  this  age,  when  so  many  men  are  seek- 
ing public  office,  its  honors  and  its  emolu- 
ments, it  is  exceptional  to  lind  one  who  is 
tilling  a  position  of  public  trust  which  came 
to  him  unsolicited.  It  was  only  after  the 
earnest  persuasions  of  many  friend-,  how 
ever,  that  Mr.  Bengston  would  consent  to 
become  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  county 
treasurer,  in  which  capacity  he  is  now  so 
acceptably  and  faithfully  serving. 

Hi  was  born  in  Sweden.  May  1.  1  So  1. 
and  i<  a  -mi  of  Sven  Gustav  and  Caroline 
Bengston.  The  father  is  now  living  in  Ma- 
drid, Iowa,  hut  the  mother  died  in  October, 
C897,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  Peter 
August  Bengston,  a  younger  brother  of 
S\  en  1  ..  Bengsti  >n.  came  to  the  United  Slates 
and   located    in    Boone  count  v.    low  a,   where 


646 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


he  secured  a  tract  of  land  and  for  many 
years  followed  farming,  passing  away  in 
1900  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  year-.  The  fa- 
ther of  1  >nr  subject  came  to  the  United  States 
a  year  after  the  arrival  of  his  brother,  Peter. 
Mr.  Bengston  is  a  tailor  by  trade.  He  began 
following  that  pursuit  when  but  a  boj  of  ten 
years  and  carried  on  business  along  that  line 
for  fifty-four  years.  Almost  a  quarter  of  a 
century  ago  he  located  in  Madrid,  which 
has  since  been  his  place  of  residence  and  al- 
though he  is  now  living  retired,  he  was  for 
a  Ion-  period  connected  with  the  commercial 
interests  of  the  town  as  a  leading  tailor.  He 
has  also  been  prominent  in  public  offic,  and 
in  other  lines.  He  was  the  originator  of  the 
Swedish  Mission  church  in  Madrid,,  and  has 
done  everything  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
moral  development  of  the  community.  In 
politics  he  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  giving 
earnest  support  to  the  political  principles  in 
which  he  believed.  He  is  a  man  of  fine 
sensibilities,  a  genial  temperament,  kindly 
disposition  and  his  qualities  of  an  upright 
manhood  have  gained  for  him  many  warm 
friends.  Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born 
nine  children  and  those  still  living  art1: 
Christina,  the  wife  of  S.  A.  Swanson,  of 
Madrid;  Anna  L. ;  and  Swan  August. 

The  last  named  is  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view. In  the  public  schools  of  Sweden  In 
began  his  education,  attending  school 
through  the  winter  months,  while  in  the 
summer  seasons  he  worked  upon  the  home 
farm.  His  father  purchased  timber  land  ami 
the  trees  were  cut  down  and  converted  into 
posts,  winch  were  then  placed  upon  the 
market.  After  coming  to  America  the  father 
followed  this  business  until  [881,  when  Mr 
Bengston,  of  this  review-,  in  connection  with 
his  brother,  John  G.,  succeeded  the  father  in 


business  and  carried  on  the  enterprise  until 
1887.  They  also  operated  a  hay  press, 
which  materially  increased  their  income.  In 
1887  Mr.  Bengston  disposed  of  his  business 
interests  in  the  lines  mentioned,  and  became 
connected  with  mercantile  interests  in  Ma- 
drid as  a  dealer  in  farm  implements, 
conducting  his  store  until  1892.  All 
of  this  time  he  was  associated  with  his 
brother,  but  the  latter  died  on  the  2nd  of 
December,  [892,  ami  was  succeeded  in  the 
business  b\  the  father  of  our  subject.  This 
relation  was  maintained  until  the  1st  of  No- 
vember, [900,  when  Swan  A.  Bengston 
withdrew  from  the  firm  and  organized  a 
f  ni  in-  mill  company,  of  which  he  was 
ary,  treasurer  and  general 
3  nization  was  effected 
n  1  in  a  short  time  the 
mill  was  put  in  operation  and  has  since  been 
conducted  with  good  success,  the  output 
tin  ling  a  ready  sale  upon  the  market,  because 
of    the    excellence    of    the     product    and     the 

reasonable  prices  of  the  firm. 

In  May,  omu,  Mr.  Bengston  was  nomi- 
nated i.n  the  Republican  ticket  for  the  office 
<-\  treasurer  of  Boone  county.  This  was 
inst  his  wishes  and  request,  hut  his 
friends  brought  all  the  pressure  of  their  in- 
0  hear  upon  him  and  he  finally  de- 
cided to  accept  the  nomination  and  was 
elected  b]  a  very  large  and  complimentary 
majority  of  fourteen  hundred  and  forty- 
three.  Me  succeeded  1'..  M.  Hunt  lev  in  the 
duties  of  which  he  is  now  promptly 
and  abl)  discharging.  Me  is  a  practical 
business  man  and  the  same  keen  insight  into 
affairs  is  manifested  in  his  official  work.  In 
his  borne  town  of  Madrid  he  has  tilled  the 
1  fu  .  .a  reci  1  der  se\  eral  terms,  has  been 
mavor  for  t\\  0  years,  and  has  also  keen  coun- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


647 


cilman,  justice  of    the    peace    and     notary 
public. 

In  [896  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Bengston  and  Miss  Ida  F.  Carlson,  of  (  )ma- 
ha,  Nebraska,  and  their  children  are  GustaA 
Waldemar,  Gideon,  Olga,  Nelga  and  .Ma- 
rian. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bengston  have  a  wide 
acquaintance  in  this  county  and  have  gained 
many  friends  here.  He  is  a  director  in  the 
Swedish  Mutual  Association,  having  thus 
served  since  1892,  and  in  1900-1  he  was  its 
president,  lie  belongs  to  the  Swedish  Mis- 
sion church  and  as  a  citizen  is  public  spirite  1 
and  progressive,  withholding  his  aid  from 
no  movement  for  the  general  good.  In  busi- 
ness circles  he  sustains  an  unassailable  repu- 
tation, and  over  the  record  of  his  political 
career  there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong,  his 
course  being  such  as  to  commend  him  to  the 
confidence  ami  respect,  not  only  of  the  men 
of  his  own  party,  but  of  the  opposition  as 
well. 


SMITH  PUGSLEY. 

In  the  midst  of  an  active,  useful  and  hon- 
orable business  career  Smith  Pugsley  was 
called  to  his  final  rest.  His  death  was  oc- 
casioned bj  accident  and  the  community  lost 
a  valued  citizen  and  his  family  a  husband  and 
lather,  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  wife  and 
and  children,  lie  was  the  owner  of  a  farm 
m  -- .  \  ell  township,  where  he  made 
his  home,  having  lived  in  the  cbunty  since 
[874.  He  was  a  native  of  Cattaraugus 
county,  New  York,  born  October  15.  [850, 
his  parents  being  I  George  and  Jane  |  Moore) 
Pugsley,  both  of  whom  were  natives  ,,f  the 
Empire  state.  In  June.  1N71.  the  entire 
family    came    to    the    west,    where    the    fa 


ther  purchased  the  farm  on  section  20, 
Yell  township,  Boone  enmity,  where  he  con- 
tinuously engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  21st 
of  August.  1896.  His  wife  has  also  passed 
away.  In  the  family  were  thirteen  children, 
one  of  whom  is  now  living  in  Boone  county. 
— Wyman,  a  resident  farmer  of  Yell  town- 
ship. 

Smith  Pugsley  spent  the  first  twenty- 
four  years  of  his  life  in  his  native  state.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
there  and  also  became  familiar  with  farm 
work.  He  assisted  his  father  until  he  had 
attained  his  majority  after  which  he  worked 
at  any  >u\<\  jobs  which  would  yield  him  an 
honest  living.  In  this  way  he  was  employed 
until  he  had  saved  em  nigh  to  buy  his  farm 
of  thirty-three  acres  on  section  27,  Yell 
township.  Upon  this  he  built  a  house  and 
made  good  improvements  so  that  he  left 
a  comfortable  little  home  to  his  family.  He 
carried  on  general  fanning  and  stock-rais- 
ing and  in  both  branches  of  his  business  met 
with  good  success. 

Mr.  Pugsley  was  twice  married,  his  first 
union  being  with  Mary  Chamberlain,  of 
Boone  county,  who  died  August  2,  1896. 
By  that  union  there  were  four  children: 
Clarence,  who  died  when  two  years  of  age; 
Frank,  who  married  Nellie  Summers  and  is 
now  living  in  Carroll,  Iowa;  Albert,  who 
married  Etta  Ackers  and  is  a  painter  living 
in  Ogden,  Iowa;  and  Harry,  who  married 
Amanda  Zencr  and  is  living  in  Boone,  Iowa. 
For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Pugsley  chose  Mrs. 
Cynthia  Brown,  of  this  state,  and  unto  them 
was  bom  one  child.  Floyd. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Pugsley  was  a 
Republican.  When  he  was  sixteen  years  of 
age  he  was  confirmed  and  joined  the  United 


648 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Brethren  church,  remaining  a  member  until 
a  few  years  ago.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
one  of  the  local  papers  said :  "Smith  Pugs- 
lev  was  a  large-hearted  and  tender-hearted 
man,  one  easily  touched  by  those  who  were 
in  trouble.  Many  will  remember  his  untir- 
ing efforts  to  hell)  them  in  sickness  and 
death."'  He  possessed  many  excellent  quali- 
ties, was  reliable  in  business,  was  devoted  to 
his  family  and  was  faithful  to  his  duties  of 
citizenship.  He  passed  away  June  8,  190.2. 
at  the  age  of  fifty-Mix-  years,  seven  months 
and  twenty-four  days  and  aside  from  his 
immediate  family  there  were  many  friends 
to  mourn  Ids  loss. 


HOWARD  LUND. 

Howard  Lund,  a  resident  fanner  of  Col 
Fax  township,  his  home  being  on  section  [6, 
where  he  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land,  is  a  native  of  England,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Lancastershire  near 
Liverpool,  August  jo,  1852.  There  he  was 
reared,  pursuing  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  and  afterward  working  in  tin-  cotton 
mill.  He  mastered  the  business  in  its  vari- 
ous departments,  becoming  an  expert  spin 
ner,  and  for  smue  years  he  followed  that  pur- 
suit, but  the  advantages  and  opportunities 
of  the  new  world  attracted  him  and  in  1S74 
he  sailed  for  America.  He  spent  about  nine 
months  in  Chenango  county,  New  York. 
where  he  was  employed  by  a  shoe  linn,  and 
in  1875  he  made  his  way  westward 
county,  Illinois,  settling  in  Wyoming,  until 
he  could  make  arrangements  b 
farm.  This  was  his  first  experience  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits.     In  the  fall  of  [876  he  re 


turned  ti  >  England.  While  on  the  way  to 
the  Atlantic  coast  he  spent  four  days  in  visit- 
ing the  Centennial  Exposition,  in  Philadel- 
phia, proceeding  to  New  York,  where  be 
took  passage  on  a  vessel  bound  for  the  old 
world.  There  he  again  secured  emplc  lyment 
in  the  mills  and  later  he  left  the  factory  and 
conducted  a  hotel  for  seven  year--.  This 
hotel  belonged  t"  his  family  in  Heywood, 
but  the  new  world  had  strung  oattraticn  for 
him  and  in  1890  he  once  more  came  to  the 
United  States  lie  spent  the  succeeding 
winter  in  Stark  county,  Illinois,  and  then 
went  to  Kewaunee,  where  he  worked  in  the 
factory  of  the  Weston's  Tube  Wcirk^  Com- 
pany, continuing  in  that  employ  for  seven 
years.  During  that  time  he  purchased  a  Int. 
buill  a  house  upon  it  and  kept  bachelor's 
hall  for  two  years. 

In  [896  Mr.  Lund  arrived  in  fowa  and 
purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  occupies. 
He  then  returned  to  Kewaunee  and  a  year 
ain  came  n>  Boone  county  and  took 
up  his  abode  upon  hi--  land,  having  now  a 
well  improved  farm  on  which  is  a  gi 
barns.     Ther 

1    g ii'  »rest 

and  e  ergreen  trees,  and  the  place  is  one  of 
the  bi  st   in    Colfax    township.       I  [ere   Mr. 
I. mid  i-  carrying   on    general    fanning  and 
stock-raising  and    hi-  efforts    are    attended 
with  a  high  degree  of  success.     The  Repub- 
lican part_\    finds  in  him  a  stanch  champion. 
!    for   President   Mckinley  111    [896 
ing  become  an  Amer- 
:en  through  naturalization  processes. 
Mr.    Lund   is  an   Episcopalian   although  he 
was  reared  in  the    faith    of    the    Methodisl 
Episcopal  church,      lie  has  ii"W   been  a  resi- 
lient of  1  blfax  township  for  five  years  and  is 
widel)    known   as  a   progressive  and   enter- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


649 


prising  farmer  and  one  worthy  of  the  esteem 
of  his  fellow  men. 

Il  will  be  interesting  in  this  connection 
to  know  something  of  the  family  to  which 
Mr.  Lund  belongs.  His  father,  Enoch 
Lund,  was  also  a  native  of  Lancastershire, 
England,  born  near  Liverpool,  where  he 
spent  the  days  of  his  childhood  and  youth. 
After  reaching  man's  estate  he  wedded 
Anna  Chadwick,  who  was  horn  in  the  same 
locality.  He,  too,  was  a  cotton  spinner  and 
in  his  business  career  followed  in  the  foot- 
steps of  his  father.  John  Lund.  From  early 
youth  he  became  familiar  with  the  business 
and  in  the  county  of  his  nativity  be  reared 
his  family  and  spent  his  entire  life,  passing 
away  there  about  1879.  In  the  family  were 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living 
in  England,  while  two  reside  in  ibis  coun 
try.  the  eldest  being  George  A.  Lund,  a 
minister  of  die  Episcopal  church.  The 
1  thers  are — William  W.,  a  practicing  den- 
list  of  Stockford,  England;  Enoch,  who  is 
a  station   agent  in   Manitoba;    Howard,  of 

ievv;  Elizabeth  Ann.  the  wife  of 
fames    II.   Collins,   of   Exeter,    Devonshire, 

I  ;  Bertha,  now  Mrs.  \\  idgery,  of 
Exeter;  and  Ada.  the  wife  of  Edward  Bar- 
li  iw,  of  1  leywi "  id,  England. 


W.  1.  TODD. 


\Y.  J.  Todd  is  the  owner  <<i  •  <ne  I 
and  sixly  acres  of  lanl  constituting  the 
northwest  quarter  of  section  jo.  Amaqua 
township,  and  here  he  has  lived,  devoting  hi- 
energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  for  fully 
rs.  1  li-  is  a  native  1  if  Ma-  lison  a  mn 
lick}  .  bi  'in  Jul)    3  1.    [847,  and  is  a 


son  of  William  l'.  Todd,  also  a  native  of  thai 

state.  The  father  engaged  in  farming  in 
Madison  enmity  and  is  still  residing  there. 

Mr.  Todd  of  this  review  is  the  only 
member  of  the  family  that  ever  came  to 
Iowa,  lb-  first  located  in  McLean  county, 
.ml  was  there  married  to  .Miss  Mary 
]•'..  Campbell,  also  a  native  of  Madison  coun- 
ty, Kentucky,  and  a  daughter  of  David  and 
Emily  J.  Campbell,  who  were  farming  peo- 
ple of  that  1'icality.  lint  are  now  residents  of 
McLean  county,  Illinois.  The  home  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Todd  has  been  blessed  with  five 
children,  all  of  win  mi  are  under  the  parental 
roof,  namely:  Rachael,  William  D.,  Julia, 
Eddie  and  Charlie. 

Aflei  his  marriage  our  subject  resided  in 
McLean  county,  Illinois,  for  a  time  and  was 
there  engaged  in  fanning  hut  in  [893  came 
to  Boone  count}-,  Iowa,  and,  settled  upon  his 
present  farm  on  section  jo,  Amaqua  town- 
ship, known  as  the  old  Andy  Yal.ee  farm, 
lias  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
rich  land  and  in  connection  with  his  sons 
lie  is  carrying  on  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  having  placed  his  fields  under  a  high 
.in  oi  cultivation,  while  exerything  about 
the  place  indicates  his  thrift  and  enterprise. 
Neatness  characterizes  the  entire  farm  and  a 
glance  indicates  to  the  passerby  that  the 
owner  is  progressive  as  well  as  practical. 
Mr.  Todd  is  a  stanch  Republican  who  al- 
ways casts  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  party,  hut  has  never 
been  an  office  seeker  and  has  never  held  po- 
litical per  fennel  it.  I  lis  w  ife  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Beaver 
am'  both  are  highh  respected  amid  a  large 
circle  of  acquaintances  and  during  their  nine 
years  residence  in  Boone  county  thej  have 
nanv  friends. 


650 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


CHARLES  GOETZMANN. 

Five  years  have  passed  since  Charles 
Goetzmann  was  called  to  his  final  rest,  but 
in  this  period  his  memory  has  been  en- 
shrined in  the  hearts  of  his  friends.  He  was 
known  as  a  reliable  citizen,  as  one  ever 
trustworthy  in  business  and  true  to  all  the 
relations  of  social  life.  lie  won  sin 
the  years  passed,  thus  providing  comfort- 
ably for  his  wife  and  children.  His  record 
was  indeed  in  many  respects  worthy  of  emu- 
lation and  all  who  knew  him  entertained  for 
him  the  high  regard  which  in  every  land  and 
in  every  clime  is  given  to  sterling  worth. 

Mr.  Gcetzmann  was  born  in  Alsace.  Lor- 
aine,  France,  now  a  pan  of  Germany,  <<n  the 
21st  of  July,  1833  and  was  a  son  of  Earn- 
hardt and  Mary  E.  Gcetzmann.  The  father 
was  a  saddler  by  trade  and  after  coming  to 
America  in  1839  followed  farming.  He 
took  up  his  abode  near  Zanesville,  Ohio,  and 
there  remained  until  about  [854,  when  he 
came  to  Boone,  Iowa,  here  spending 
maining  days.  Unto  him  and  hi-  wife  were 
In  Tii  eight  children  :  I  lenry,  (  Carle-.  Can  >- 
line.  Mary,  Magdalene,  George,  Dorothy 
and  Catherine. 

Mr.  Gcetzmann  of  this  review  was  a 
little  lad  of  -iv  summers  when  brought  by 
bis  parents  to  the  new  world.  In  the  city  of 
Zanesville.  Ohio,  he  was  reared,  pursuing 
his  education  in  the  public  school-  and  also 
receiving  a  business  training  there.  After 
pul tint;-  aside  bis  text  books  he  learned  the 
harness-maker's  trade  which  he  followed 
throughout  his  entire  life.  In  [855  he  came 
to  Boonesboro,  Iowa,  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  all  kinds  .if  harness.  He 
alsi    conducted  -tore-  in  which  he  disposed 


of  bis  harness  and  saddlery  and  in  his  mer- 
cantile and  manufacturing  efforts  he  pros- 
pered. In  1S78  be  removed  to  Boone  and 
was  identified  with  the  business  interests  of 
the  count}-  -eat  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  loth  of  January.  1897.  He 
was  also  a  very  successful  farmer,  owning 
e  lime  three  valuable 
farms,  but  afterward  he  sold  one  of  these. 
Hi;  business  interests  were  capably  con- 
ducted, his  enterprise,  unremitting  diligence 
and  keen  business  discernment  enabling  him 
to  carry  on  his  work  in  a  manner  that 
brought  to  him  an  excellent  return  for  bis 
labors,  lie  was  one  of  the  originators  of 
die  Boone  County  Bank  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  it-  vice-president. 

On  the  29th  of  September,  [858,  Mr. 
Gcetzmann  was  united  in  marriage  with 
.Mi--  Perthina  K.  McCall,  the  daughter  of 
Zachariah  S.  and  Eliza  I-:.  1  Hodge)  McCall. 
.She  was  born  in  eastern  Tennessee  Septem- 
ber 3.0.  [840,  and  is  .if  Sctcb  descent,  al- 
though the  famil)  has  been  established  in 
America  through  many  generations.  Her 
grandfather  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  Her  grandmother  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Katherine  Shields  and  her 
great-grandmother's  name  was  Harrison. 
That  family  was  also  represented  in  the 
.in  1  ii  .in  army  during  the  war  of  the  Revo- 
lution, ddie  father  of  Mrs.  Gcetzmann 
was  a  farmer  b\  1  ccupation  and  was  born  in 
eastern  Tennessee.  He  there  married  Eliza 
1.  Hodge.  The;,  had  seven  children:  Ber- 
tha K.  :  Perthina  K. ;  Annette,  the  deceased 
wife  of  Dr.  Grimmell;  Helen,  the  wife  of 
George  Goetzmann,  a  resident  of  Boone 
county:  William  1'...  who  is  living  in  this 
county:   John    Montgomery,   deceased;  Jen- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


651 


nie,  the  deceased  wife  of  Dennis  Lucy;  and 
Charles   I.,  who  is  living  in  limine  county. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Gcetzmann 
was  blessed  with  ten  children  :  Wallace  H., 
who  is  conducting  the  Denver  Storage 
House,  of  Denver.  Colorado,  and  is  also  in- 
terested m  gold  mining-  in  that  part  of  the 
country;  May  L..  the  wife  of  Clarence  E. 
Kiev,  who  is  living  in  Boone;  Florence,  the 
wife  of  J.  J.  Anderson,  of  Chicago,  Illinois; 
Albert  I...  who  resides  in  Winona,  Minne- 
sota, where  he  is  assistant  superintendent  of 
the  Northwestern  Railroad;  Charlotte,  who 
is  a  librarian ;  Katherine,  who  is  living  with 
her  mother;  Texa  L..  a  kindergartner ;  ami 
Beatrice  B.,  who  is  now  a  student  in  the 
Northwestern  University,  of  Evanston,  Illi- 
nois. Those  who  have  passed  away  are: 
Daisy,  who  died  March  24,  1884,  at  the  age 
o;  four  years,  and  William,  who  died  in 
1865  at  the  age  of  two  months. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Gcetzmann 
was  a  stalwart  Democrat  and  his  fellow 
townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth  and  abil- 
ity, frequently  called  him  to  public  office. 
For  many  years  he  was  identified  with  the 
school  board  and  did  everything  in  his  pow- 
to  advance  the  cause  of  education.  Socially 
he  was  a  Mason.  He  joined  the  Mount 
Olive  Lodge,  A.  F  &  A.  M.  in  1859.  He 
attained  the  thirty-second  degree  and  was  a 
Knight  Templar  and  a  member  of  the  M  j  stic 
Shrine.  Jn  religious  faith  he  was  connected 
with  the  German  Lutheran  church.  Mr. 
Gcetzmann  was  very  prominenl  and  popw 
lar  in  Masonic  circles,  lie  was  a  man  who 
won  friends  wherever  he  went,  lie  enjoyed 
in  a  high  measure  the  regard  and  esteem  of 
th  whom  he  associated  and  through 
out  Boone  count)  he  gained  many  friends 
pi)  deplored  his  loss  when  he  was 


called  to  his  final  rest.  I  lis  life  was  honor- 
able and  upright  and  throughout  his  busy 
and  useful  career  he  was  enterprising  and 
energetic,  so  conducting  his  affairs  as  to 
win  creditable  success. 


\\  1 1. 1. 1AM  WOLF. 


Among  the  residents  of  his  county  win  >m 
Germany  has  furnished  is  numbered  Will- 
iam Wolf,  the  owner  of  the  southwest  quar- 
ter of  section  9,  Yell  township,  Boone  coun- 
ty. Lie  was  born  in  the  fatherland  May  12, 
1849,  his  parents  being  B.  and  Eva  Wolf, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany  and 
there  spent  their  entire  lives,  but  are  now 
deceased.  The  father  devoted  his  energies 
to  agricultural  pursuits  and  upon  the  old 
family  homestead  William  Wolf  became 
familiar  with  farm  work.  He  came  to 
America  with  his  brother  Lawrence,  who 
also  resides  upon  a  farm  in  Yell  township. 
The  year  of  their  emigration  was  1878  and 
they  landed  at  New  York,  whence  they  be- 
gan working  their  way  westward,  finally 
reaching  Boone  county  where  Mr.  Wolf  of 
this  review  worked  as  a  laborer  until  1  SS  1 . 
In  that  year,  with  the  money  lie  had 
gained  through  industry,  economy  .and  care- 
ful management,  he  purchased  his  present 
farm  in  Yell  township  and  has  since  been 
an  active  factor  in  agricultural  circles  here. 
I  le  now  owns  two  hundred  and  twenty 
acres,  all  in  this  township,  but  he  makes  his 
home  on  section  c,.  where  he  has  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres,  carrying  on  general 
fanning.  His  land  ha-  assumed  the  ap- 
pearance 1'  being  on.-  of  the  best  cultivated 
districts,  in  his  pari  of  tin-  county. 

In    1SS1    Mr.    Wolf   was  united   in   mar- 


652 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


.Mrs.  J.  Ehlers.  and  to  them  were 
born  four  children,  of  whom  two,  Mina  and 
Anna,  survive  their  mother  and  live  with 
the  father  on  the  home  farm.  The  wife  and 
mother  died  in  tgoi.  and  in  December  of 
the  same  year  Mr.  Wolf  married  Miss  Ber- 
tha Adix,  a  native  of  Boone  count}-  and  a 
daughter  of  Louis  Adix,  a  retired  farmer 
who  is  living'  in  Des  Moines  township.  By 
tins  union  one  daughter  has  been  born. 
Louise.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  faith- 
ful members  of  the  German  Lutheran 
church  of  Ogden.  In  his  political  views  he 
is  a  Republican  and  a  number  of  township 
offices  have  been  conferred  upon  him,  but 
political  honors  have  no  great  attraction  for 
him.  He  is  content  to  do  his  duty  as  a  pri- 
vate citizen  and  thus  have  more  time  for  bis 
individual  business  affairs,  whereby  he  has 
provided  a  comfortable  home  for  his  family 
and  secured  a  good  competence  for  old  age. 


JOHN  PEACHEY. 

John  Peachey.  who  ha-  extensive, farm- 
ing interests  in  Boone  county,  living  in  Ama- 
qua  township.  He  is  numbered  among  the 
self-made  man  of  this  locality,  for  his  ad- 
vancement in  business  circles  is  due  to  his 
own  well  directed  and  enterprising  efforts. 
Mr.  Peachey  is  a  native  of  England,  bis 
birth  having  occurred  in  Suffolk,  on  the  8th 
of  February,  1N40.  His  parents  were 
Charles  and  Elizabeth  Peachey.  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  the  same  country  in 
which  they  spent  their  entire  lives,  the  father 
devoting  his  energies  to  the  work  of  tilling 
the  -oil.  Both  he  and  his  wife  have  now 
passed  away.  Three  of  their  children  came 
to  the  new  world,  namely:  John,  of  this  re- 


view; Emma,  the  wife  of  Edward  Fincham, 
a  resident  of  Pratt,  Kansas,  and  James,  who 
is  living  in  Sawyer,  Kansas. 

John  Peachey  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  the  land  of  his  nativity, 
acquiring  his  education  there  in  the  public 
schools.  He  was  twenty-one  years  of  age 
when  in  1871  he  bade  adieu  to  friends,  fam- 
ily and  native  country  and  sailed  for  the 
United  States.  After  reaching  the  Atlantic 
coast  he  made  his  way  three!  across  the 
country  to  Delavan,  Illinois,  where  he  was 
employed  in  various  ways  for  two  years. 
He  then  removed  to  Sangamon  count}",  Illi- 
nois, where  he  secured  employment  in  a  dis- 
tiller} and  while  there  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Martha  Lang-field,  of  Spring- 
field. Illinois.  She  was  born  in  that  state 
but  her  parents  were  natives  of  England. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peachey  have  been  born 
eight  children:  Lizzie,  wife  of  Orville  Van 
Gundy,  who  is  living  in  Grand  Junction 
township,  Greene  count}-:  Mattie,  at  home; 
John,  who  married  Etta  McGregor,  and  re- 
sides upon  a  farm  in  Amaqua  township. 
near  bis  father:  Albert.  Charlotte.  Walter, 
Mabel  and  Bertha,  all  at  home. 

After  bis  marriage  Mr.  Peachey  con- 
tinued to  work  in  the  distiller}-  in  Sangamon 
county,  Illinois,  for  four  years  and  on  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to 
Tazewell  county.  Illinois,  where  he  turned 
his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits,  there 
following  farming  for  six  years.  <  >n  the  e\- 
piratii  m  of  that  period  he  rent'  >\  ed  t<  >  1  Cam- 
paign count}-,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming-  for  nine  years  or  until  iN<)_\  which 
year  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Boorie  count}-, 
Iowa.  On  coming  to  this  state  he  settled 
on  his  present  farm  on  section  iS.  Atnaqua 
township,  and  he  anil  his  sons  ha 
devoted  their  energies  to  agricultural   pur- 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


653 


suits,  their  iabors  contributing  to  the  splen- 
did reputation  which  this  state  enjoys  as  an 
agricultural  center.  Mr.  Peachey  lias  led 
a  life  of  unremitting  diligence  and  as  the 
result  of  his  perseverance  and  industr)  lie 
has  been  very  successful.  I  le  first  purchased 
a  small  tract  of  land  but  has  since  added 
adjoining  tracts  to  this  until  he  is  now  an 
extensive  land  owner,  having  four  hundred 
and  ninety  acres  of  good  fanning-  land,  all 
in.  Amaqua  township. — a  very  rich  anil 
arable  tract  on  sections  18  and  [9.  He  also 
owns  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Hand 
county.  South  Dakota.  Called  to  public 
office  by  his  fellow  townsmen,  who  recog- 
nized his  worth  and  ability.  Mr.  Peachey  has 
served  as  trustee  of  Amaqua  township  for 
three  years.  He  always  exercises  his  right 
of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  party,  believing 
firmly  in  its  principles.  In  his  business 
career  he  has  proved  the  force  of  industry 
and  enterprise  and  is  to-day  one  of  the  most 
extensive  farmers  in  his  part  of  Boone 
county. 


ORSAMUS  TURNER. 

amus  Turner  is  now  living  a  retired 
life  upon  his  farm  on  section  3,  Garden 
township.  Tie  came  to  the  west  from  New 
Yorl  .  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Seneca 
county,  of  the  Empire  state,  December  31. 
[819  His  father.  Josiah  P.  Turner,  was 
was  horn  in  Xew  York  in  [793,  while  the 
grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Nathan 
Turner,  a  native  of  England.  Crossing  the 
b  1  the  new  world  he  became  oik-  of 
settlers  of  New  York.  Josiah  I  . 
Turner  was   reared  to  manhood  in  the  state 


of  his  nativity  and  there  married  Catherine 
Rolfe,  a  native  of  Xew  York,  horn  in  Mon- 
mouth, and  a  daughter  of  Moses  Rolfe, 
"ne  of  the  early  settler-  of  thai  Id- 
eality. The  battle  of  White  Plains  was 
fought  near  his  home.  Air.  Turner,  the  fa- 
ther of  our  subject,  was  a  veterinan  sur- 
geon, following  that  profession  in  connec- 
tion with  farming,  in  New  York.  In  1825, 
however,  he  left  the  east  and  made  his  way 
to  Michigan,  settling  in  Washtenaw  county, 
where  the  city  of  Ypsilanti  now  stands.  He 
there  cleared  away  the  trees  in  order  to 
plow  the  land  and  develop  a  farm.  His  re- 
maining days  were  spent  upon  that  place, 
his  death  occurring  on  the  25th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1841,  while  his  wife  was  called  to  her 
final  rest  on  the  1st  of  December,  1839. 

Orsamus  Turner  grew  to  manhood  in 
Michigan,  where,  amid  the  wild  scenes  of 
frontier  life  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth  were  passed.  The  schools  of  that  lo- 
cality were  not  of  a  very  superior  order  and 
his  services  were  also  needed  upon  the  home 
farm,  so  that  his  educational  privileges  were 
limited.  In  later  years,  however,  he  has 
largely  broadened  his  knowledge,  through 
reading,  experience  and  observation.  The 
year  1S42  witnessed  his  removal  from  Mich- 
igan to  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  and  there 
again  he  became  a  pioneer  settler.  I  le  pur- 
chased land,  and  developed  three  farms  in 
the  county,  making  his  home  there  until 
1877.  when  he  came  to  Boone  county.  Iowa, 
arriving  on  the  8th  of  December.  I  le  had 
previously  visited  the  county  in  October  of 
till  same  year  and  had  purchased  the  place 
where  he  now  resides.  Locating  thereon  he 
at  once  began  the  work  of  the  fields  and 
meadows  and  as  the  years  have  passed  has 
placed    In'-    land    under   a    \  er\    high    slate   of 


654 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


cultivation  and  has  added  to  the  farm  good 
buildings  and  modern  equipments.  On  the 
17th  of  June,  1882.  his  buildings,  however. 
were  swept  away  in  a  tornado,  but  no  one 
was  hurt  in  the  family  although  some  stock 
upon  the  place  was  killed.  Mr.  Turner  later 
erected  his  present  attractive  residence,  a 
good  barn  and  other  buildings  upon  the 
place.  He  planted  a  row  of  black  walnut 
trees  upon  his  land  and  made  other  valuable 
improvements.  He,  too,  is  acquainted  with 
the  methods  of  the  practice  of  veterinary 
surgery  and  to  some  extent  has  followed  the 
profession  both  in  Illinois  and  in  Iowa. 

Mr.  Turner  was  married  in  McHenry 
county.  Illinois.  May  21,  1845.  to  Clarinda 
M.  Sanborn,  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in 
Attica.  Her  father,  John  T.  Sanborn,  be- 
came one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Illinois,  re- 
moving to  that  state  from  Xew  York  in 
1841.  In  1870  Mr.  Turner  was  called  upon 
to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife  who  died  in 
McHenry  county,  on  the  i<)th  of  February, 
of  that  year,  leaving  two  children:  Lydia. 
who  for  the  past  three  years  has  been  an 
invalid;  and  John  Pell,  who  remained  with 
his  fathtr  until  his  death,  December  3,  [900, 
when  fifty-one  years  of  age. 

Politically  Mr.  Turner  was  originally  an 
old  line  Whig.  Mure  than  sixty  years  have 
passed  since  he  cast  his  first  presidential 
vote,  for  in  1840  he  supported  William 
Henry  Harrison,  when  the  rallying  <t\  of 
the  Whigs  was  "Tippecanoe  ami  Tyler,  too." 
In  1856  he  supported  John  C.  Fremont,  the 
first  candidate  of  the  new  Republican  party, 
and  has  voted  lor  each  of  its  candidates  for 
the  presidency  since  that  time.  That  he  is 
1. ne  of  the  valued  citizens  of  the  community 
is  indicated  by  tin-  fact  that  for  twenty 
consecutive  years  he  has  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace.     His  .1  ciskms  have  been  strictly 


fair  ami  imparital  and  thereby  he  has  gained 
high  commendation  and  has  the  honor  and 
confidence  of  all  concerned.  He  has  served 
as  a  delegate  to  numerous  conventions  of 
his  partv  in  Illinois  and  has  filled  the 
office  of  county  supervisor  for  six  year;?. 
He  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  with  which  he  has  been  identified 
since  1852.  His  life  has  ever  been  in  con- 
sistent harmony  with  his  profession,  and 
whether  in  office  or  out  of  it  he  is  true  and 
loyal  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him  and  to  the 
principles  of  an  upright  manhood. 


MICHAEL  E.  JUDGE. 

Among    the    self-made    men    of    Boone 
counts-  who  are  now  prosperous  as  a  result 
of  indefatigable  labor  and  keen  discernment 
in  business  affairs  is  Michael  E.  Judge,  who 
is  now  the  owner  of  an  excellent  farm  of  two 
hundred  acres  on   section   23,   Colfax  town- 
ship.    1  le  has  made  his  home  in  Boone  coun- 
t\    since    1872,    a    native  of   Wisconsin,   his 
birth  occurring  in  Jancsville.   Rock  county, 
October  18,  i<s.s.s.    His  father,  James  Judge, 
was  .mi  early  settler  of  Rock  county,  where 
he  followed  farming  for  some  time.      \hoiit 
[865  he  removed  to  Green  county,  Wiscon- 
sin,   where  he   followed     farming     for    two 
(,-ears,  and  in  1872  came  to  Iowa,  settling  on 
;.  1  olfax  township,  Boone  county. 
The  land  which  he  secured  was  wild  and  un- 
ed,  bul   w  nh  the  aid  1  if  his  suns  he 
d  .in  excellent  farm  of  one  hundred 
■  -   and   there  successfully  car- 
agricultural    pursuits    for    several 
K.emi  \  in-    ilic  u   to    I-  one,  he  lived 
retired  in  thai  cit)    for  a  few  years  ami  then 
ti  11  ik  u)i  his  ah<  n]i-  in    \incs.  Iowa,  a 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


655 


the  death  of  his  wife,  in  August,  1890,  has 
resided  with  his  son  in  Auk-..  He  is  now  a 
hale  and  hearty  old  man  of  seventy-two 
rears  and  is  one  of  tin*  respected  and  hon- 
ored citizens  of  this  p  irtion  of  the  state. 

Michael  E.  Judge  spent  the  first  seven- 
teen years  of  his  life  in  the  state  of  his  na- 
tivity and  no  event  of  special  importance  oc- 
curred to  vary  the  routine  of  farm  life  for 
him  in  his  youth.  He  attended  the  common 
schools,  worked  in  th«  fields  and  enjoyed 
tin  pleasures  of  the  playground  as  he  found 
opportunity.  He  remained  with  his  father 
until  he  attained  his  majority  and  aided  him 
in  developing  the  old  home  farm  in  Boone 
county.  On  the  31st  of  March.  1891,  he 
was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Mis-.  Maggie  J. 
Kirby,  who  was  born,  reared  and  educated 
in  Monroe  county,  a  daughter  of  John  Kir- 
by, one  of  the  early  settlers  of  that  locality. 
Their  marriage  lias  been  hlessed  with  rive 
daughters:  Mary  Agnes,  Helen  T..  Mar- 
garet ]..  Frances  B.  and  Adnah  V. 

After  their  marriage  .Mr.  and  Mrs. 
ludge  came  to  the  farm  upon  which  they  are 
now  living.     He  first  purchased  eighty  acres 

m  section  22,  breaking  and  fencing 
this  and  over  the  plowed  fields  scattering 
grain  which  in  due  course  of  time  brought 
forth  rich  harvests.  After  placing  his  first 
purchase  under  cultivation  he  bought  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  where  he 

now    resides  and  has  since  lunlt  a  g 1   resi- 

b     ,  and   has  added  all   the  1111 
provements     of     a     model     farm     of     the 

h  centurj  He  11  e  the  latest  ma- 
chinery in  carrying  on  his  farm  work  and 
is  also  engaged  in  the  raisin-  of  good 
graded   stl,ck.   being   numbered   among    the 

us  agriculturists  and  stock-raisers 
of  Colfax  township.     He  finds  little  lime  to 


take  an  active  part  in  political  affairs,  but 
strongl)  endorses  Democratic  principles  and 
has  \oted  for  each  presidential  candidate  of 
the  party  since  casting  his  first  vote  for  Sam- 
uel J.  Tilden  in  [876.  \i  local  elections. 
however,  he  is  independent,  thinking  only 
of  the  capability  of  the  candidate  without 
regard  to  parl\'  tics.  He  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  church  in  Ames. 
During  thirty  years  Mr.  Judge  has  resided 
m  l'.o., ne  county,  this  covering  the  entire 
pet  iod  of  his  manhood.  I  le  has  seen  the 
wild  land  broken  and  fenced,  while  the  dis- 
trict has  been  so  splendidly  cultivated  that  it 
is  1  low  -  -ne  of  the  richest  farming  portions  of 
[owa.  Mr.  Judge  is  well  known  in  Boone 
count)  as  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  have  many  friends  in  this 
part  of  the  state. 


J.  X.  KIRKENDALL. 

J.  V  Kirkendall,  who  is  more  familiarly 
known  to  his  friends  and  acquaintances  as 
"Jasper",  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
families  who  early  settled  in  Boone  county, 
casting  their  lot  with  the  courageous  pio- 
neers who  sought  homes  in  the  west,  that 
they  might  gain  a  comfortable  competence 
for  themselves  and  pave  the  way  for  the  fu- 
ture prosperity  of  the  commonwealth,  which 
their  descendants  would  participate  in. 

Mr.  Kirkendall  was  horn  in  Hamilton 
county,  Indiana.  September  r6,  1852,  and 
1.  a  so,,  of  Uriah  and  Mary  1  Weese)  Kirk- 
endall, the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the 
lattei  of  the  Keystone  state.  \fter  their 
marriage  they  moved  to  Hamilton  county. 
Indiana,  where  the  father  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  1854,  when,  think- 
ing to  better  his  prospects  he,  with  In-   fam- 


656 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ilv,  removed  to  Boone  county  and  settled 
on  section  16,  Yell  township,  on  what  is  now 
a  part  of  the  farm  owned  by  our  subject. 
Here  he  resided  until  a  few  years  ago.  when 
he  went  to  Oklahoma  to  spend  his  remain- 
ing days  with  his  daughter.  He  is  now  liv- 
ing, at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four, 
while  his  first  wife  was  taken  from  him  by 
death  at  the  age  of  forty-four  years.  After 
she  died,  he  was  united  in  marriage  for  the 
second  time,  to  Mrs.  Nancy  Lawrence,  who 
is  now  also  living.  By  his  first  marriage  he 
became  the  father  of  eight  children,  three 
of  whom  are  now  living:  John,  who  resides 
in  Kansas:  Mahala,  who  married  William 
Thompson  and  lives  in  Pilot  Mound,  this 
county;  Jasper  X..  the  youngest  child  by  the 
first  union.  By  his  second  marriage  Uriah 
Kirkendall  became  the  father  of  four  chil- 
dren, only  one  of  whom  is  now  living: 
Belle,  who  is  the  wife  of  Noah  Fe;  g 
siding  in  Oklahoma.  The  children  recer  ed 
their  educational  privileges  in  the  common 
schools  of  Boone  county. 

On  arriving  at  years  of  maturity.  Mr. 
Kirkendall.  whose  name  introduces  this  re- 
cord, chose  a--  a  helpmate  tot  the  journey 
of  life  Miss  Cornelia  I'ugsley.  a  native  of 
the  Empire  state,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  twelve  children,  eighl  of  whom  are 
still  living,  and  they  are:  Alvin,  Laura, 
George,  Myrtle.  William,  Henry,  Alice 
and  Flossie.  Those  «  ho  are  m  v  i 
are  as   follows:  Maude.  Austin.  Lieura  and 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Kirkendall  re- 
moved to  Kansas,  where  lie  remained  for 
one  year  only,  lie  then  returned  to  Boone 
county  and  settled  on  a  part  of  the  old  home- 
stead. Here  he  lived  for  two  j  i 
later  removed  to  Nebraska,  living  there  for 
one  year,  when  he  returned  to  his  , 


in  Yell  township,  the  ties  of  association  be- 
ing too  strong  to  keep  him  long  a  wanderer, 
and  has  ever  since  made  it  his  home.  He  is 
now  a  landed  proprietor  on  cptite  an  exten- 
sive scale  on  section  16,  Yell  township,  also 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  river  land, 
w  hich  is  a  source  of  substantial  income  to 
him  well  repaying  him  in  golden  harvests 
Ins  life  of  industry  and  toil.  The  work  of 
tilling  the  ground,  and  cultivating  the  fields 
has  been  his  life  occupation — and  to  what 
one  industry  does  the  township,  county  and 
state  owe  more  of  its  prosperity  and  ad- 
vancement than  to  the  useful,  important  but 
unobtrusive  toiler  in  the  industrial  and  com- 
mercial fields  of  the  world — the  farmer? 
I  o  s.i\  that  Mr.  Kirkendall  is  a  highty  hon- 
ored and  respected  citizen  of  his  township 
is  hut  repeating  a  well  known  fact  which  is 
cordially  acknowledged  among  his 
ciates.  In  early  years  he  was  a  Republican 
in  his  political  views,  but  having  i 
desire  to  lend  his  aid  to  measures  that  will 
tend  to  make  this  country  temperate  he 
joined  the  ranks  of  the  Prohibition  party 
rnesl  in  his  advocacy  of  its  princi- 
iii  he  and  his  wife  are  valued  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Brethren  church 
el.  Mr.  Kirkendall  is  one  of  the 
tial  citizens  of  Boone  county,  esteemed  by 
him. 


mike  Mclaughlin. 

Mike  McLaughlin,  who,  since  [865,  has 
made  his  home  in  Boone  county  and  is 
therebj  n  mg  the  earl] 

w  a?   born  January  3,    [844,  his  pai  i 
ing  ( (wen    and     Mar]     McLaughlin.     <  In 
the  Atlantic  to  America  the  father 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


657 


first  sealed  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was 
employed  in  the  smelting  works  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  also  engaged  in  farming 
m  the  east  and  afterward  removed  to  Wis- 
consin, where  he  carried  on  agricultural  put- 
suits  until  his  death.  His  wife  also  died  in 
that  state. 

Mike  McLaughlin  of  this  review  is  the 
only  member  of  the  family  that  ever  came 
to  Boone  county.  He  was  reared  under 
the  parental  roof  and  at  an  early  age  began 
to  earn  his  own  living.  When  a  young  man 
of  twenty-one  years  he  arrived  here  and 
worked  as  a  laborer  on  the  construction  of 
the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  at 
Boone,  in  1807  there  came  to  him  a  new 
impetus  for  active  and  earnest  work,  for  lie 
married  and  established  a  home  of  his  own. 
He  wedded  Miss  Sarah  Crawley,  of  Marcy 
township,  a  daughter  of  John  Crawley,  who 
was  one  of  the  earl}-  settlers  of 'this  county 
ami  is  now  deceased.  Eight  children  have 
been  born  unto  our  subject  ami  his  wife: 
Mary,  the  wife  of  Fred  Lurch,  a  resilient  of 
Wyoming;  Eliza,  the  wife  of  Dan  ["homp- 
1  of  Wyoming;  Sadie,  who  married 
( jeorge  Mcil.  and  is  lh  ing  in  the  same  state: 
Ann.  Agnes.  Margaret  and  Mike,  junior,  all 
under  the  parental  roof:  ami  John,  who  is 
li\  ing  in  South  I  )akota. 

After  his  marriage,   Mr.  McLaughlin  of 
this   review    took  up  his  abode  in    Mo 

ivas  employed  in  the 
coal  mines,  lie  then  settled  upon  a  farm 
which  he  rented,  making  his  home 

.I  years.  (  In  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  removed  to  his  presenl  farm  1  m 
si  1  til  'ii  8,   Marcy  t'  >w  nship.     I  fere 

OWllS  eight}-  acres  of  good  land,  which  is 
well  improved,  lie  has  placed  it  under  a 
very  high  state  of  cultivation  and  his  thrift 


and  enterprise  have  been  the  means  of  bring- 
ing to  him  a  very  desirable  prosperity.  In 
politics  he  is  independent,  supporting  the 
men  whom  he  thinks  best  qualified  for  office 
regardless  of  party  affiliations.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  church 
of  <  Igden.  His  life  has  Keen  one  of  untiring 
industry,  for  he  has  realized  that  if  a  man 
succeeds  in  life  it  must  come  through  dili- 
gence and  perseverance.  His  example  in 
this  regard  is  certainly  worthy  of  emulation 
and  he  deserves  great  credit  for  what  he  has 
accomplished. 


FRED  A.  ZUNKLE. 

Fred  A.  Zunkle  is  a  native  of  tin  greal 
state  of  Illinois,  for  his  birth  occurred  in 
Henry  county.  May  iC  [862,  his  parents 
being  William  and  Christina  (Nanstell) 
Zunkle.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many, whence  they  came  to  America,  taking- 
tip  their  abode  in  Wisconsin.  After  a  short 
tune  spent  in  that  state,  however,  they  re- 
moved to  Henry  county.  Illinois,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  farming  until  May,  (866. 
lie  then  removed  to  Boone  county  and  lo- 
cated i  'ii  a  farm  in  I  'ilol  M>  >und  ti  >w  nship, 
where  he  carried  on  the  work  of  tilling  the 
soil  as  the  years  passed  until  his  life's  labors 
ended  in  death.  I  [e  passed  awav  1  m  the 
23d  ol  February,  [902,  having  for  several 
years  survived  his  wife,  who  died  on  the 
17th  of  August.  [899.  In  their  fanulv  were 
ten  children  :  Anmc.  1  le  ,\  ife  -1  Ji  ''in  Mil- 
id*  in  farmer  •  if  I  'ilot  Mound  town- 
ship; IU  nha.  the  w  1  fe  1  if  Mathew  I  Yitchard, 
of  \  ell  township;  Fred  A  ;  Etta,  deceased  ;. 
Fohn,  who  is  living  in  Pilot  Mound  town- 
ship; \\  illiam  \.  and  Louis, 


6s8 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


farmers  of  Yell  township;  Emma,  whore- 
sides  on  the  "1.1  homestead  in  Pilot  Mound 
township:  Alice,  the  wife  of  <  .rant  Good,  of 
Yell  township;  and  Orlando,  who  also  occu- 
pies the  old  family  homestead. 

In  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads  Fred 
A.  Zunkle  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth.  He  worked  in  the  fields  and 
meadows  through  the  summer  months  and 
in  the  winter  season  he  attended  the  com- 
mon ^h-.'l>.  After  putting  aside  his  text 
books  he  devoted  his  entire  attention  to  farm 
work  until  he  was  twenty-one  yeai  - 
when  he  engaged  in  the  coal  business  in  the 
mines  al  Fraser,  Boone  county,  following 
that  pursuit  for  eight  years.  During  that 
time  he  was  married  in  [888  to  .Miss  Linda 
Wolf,  of  Henry  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter 
of  Bernhardt  Wolf,  a  farmer  of  Henry 
canity,  who  died  there  in  1896.  The  chil- 
dren born  unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  arc- 
as  follows:  Sylva,  Elsie,  Pearl,  Ethel, 
Mabel,  !  tazel  and  William.  <  If  this  number 
Elsie  and  Ethel  are  now  deceased. 

In  1894  Mr.  Zunkle  abandoned  the  work 
in  the  mines  and  resumed  farming,  remov- 
ing to  ln>  present  farm  .m  secti.ni>  16  and 
ij.  Yell  township.  Here  he  has  made  the 
investmenl  of  his  earnings  until  he  now 
owns  two  hundred  and  eight  acres  of  the 
rich  land  of  Yell  township  and  upon  his 
farm  lie  has  made  some  ver)  m.e  improve 
merits.  He  cultivates  the  fields,  planting  the 
crops  hot  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate, 
and  in  addition  to  this  work  he  is  raising 

stock  of  a  g 1  grade,  and  as  the  years  pass 

he  finds  diligence  and  enterprise  are  potent 
factors  in  winning  success  and  he  is  now 
numbered  among  the  substantia]  citizens 
and  leading  agriculturists  of  his  community. 


He  votes  with  the  Democracy,  having  al- 
w  :i\  >  been  allied  with  that  party  since  he  at- 
tained his  majority  and  at  the  present  time 
he  is  serving  as  school  director  of  the  town- 
ship. 


GEORGE  J.  RINKER. 

George  J.  .Rinker,  a  representative  of  the 
farming  and  stock-raising  interests  of  Ama- 
qua  township,  living  on  section  30,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Shenandoah  count),  Virginia,  his 
birth  having  occurred  on  the  1st  of  Nbvem- 
.9  He  i>  a  son  of  J.  H.  and  Sarah 
rer)  Rinker,  who  are  also  natives 
of  Shenandoah  county.  Virginia.  They 
went  to  Illinois  in  the  '70s  and  later  came 
1..  Iowa,  'lite  father  secured  a  large  tract 
.if  land  in  Beaver  township,  Boone  county, 
and  1-  i.-w   extensively  engaged  in  its  eul- 

ge  _i.  Rinker  of  this  review  is  in- 
debted t<>  tin-  common-school  system  of  Illi- 
nois for  the  educational  privileges  which  he 
ception  of  one  term 
spent  as  a  student  in  Simpson  College,  In- 

l  iwa.  In  [892  he  and  his  brother, 
H.  Ik  Rinker,  came  to  the  west,  settling 
upon  Farm  in  Beaver  township,  where 
led  for  three  years.  1 1c  then  re- 
moved with  hi>  father,  March  I.  [895,  to 
what  is  known  as  the  old  Rattray  farm  in 
\in.ii|ua  township,  there  renting  a  larger 
tract  i~\  land  on  which  they  continued  their 
work  as  agriculturists.  During  that  time 
-Mr.  Rinker  of  this  review  was  married  and 
after  ins  marriage  he  took  up  hi>  abode  with 
Ins  father,  where  he  remained  three  years. 
He  then  located  on  his  present  farm,  known 
as  tin-  I).  B.  Casey  farm,  which  is  situated 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


659 


m    30,  Amaqua    township,    being 

pleasantly  located  about  a  mile  and  three- 
quarters  northwest  of  the  village  of  Beaver. 
Here  he  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty-two 
acres  of  land,  which  is  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation  and  annually  he  garners  rich 
harvests  from  his  well  tilled  fields,  while 
the  stock  which  he  raises  brings  good  prices 
mi  tin-  markets  and  materially  adds  to  his 
income. 

On  the  9th  of  October,  1895.  Mr.  Rinker 
was  united  in  marriage  to  .Miss  Edith  M. 
.  a  native  of  Boone  county.  Iowa, 
born  April  u,  1874,  and  a  daughter  of 
Francis  ami  Amanda  (Bass)  Wheelock, 
who  were  early  settlers  of  Boone  county. 
Here  the  father  engaged  in  fanning  and  was 
a  successful  agriculturist.  The  mother  is  now 
living  in  Polk  City,  Iowa.  The  home  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rinker  has  been  blessed  with 
three  children:  Ethel  1:'...  born  July  28. 
1S96;  Sarah  Mabel,  bom  <  October  22,  [898; 
and  Lucy  Amanda,  hum  January  11.  1901. 
The  parents  are  identified  through  member- 
ship relations  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Beaver,  and  in  his  political  views 
Mr.  Rinker  is  a  Democrat.  Although  he 
started  out  in  life  empty-handed  when  he 
entered  upon  his  business  career  in  this 
county,  he  is  now  a  well-to-do  and  prosper- 
ous farmer  and  hi-  suco 

Estimate  business  lines  and  is  there- 
fore well  merited. 


CHARLES  J.   PI 

Charles  J.  Price,  who  carries  on  general 
farming  on  section  C3,  Colfax  township, 
was   born   in    Di  Lee  1  ountj .    Illinois. 

March  20.  t86o,  his  father.  Michael   Price, 


removing  from  Illinois  to  Iowa  in  1867,  set- 
tling in  Story  county,  on  the  B 

line,    the    land    which    he   owned    extending 

across  the  border  into  both  counties.     He 

I  a  good   farm  there,  devoting  his 

igricultural  pursuits  until  called  to 

his  final  rest,     it  was  in  May,  [897,  that  lie 

way.  ha\  ing  reached  tin-  ripe  "Id 
age  of  seventy-five  years.  J  lis  wife  still 
survives  him  and  yet  resides  on  the  old 
homestead.  In  their  family  were  three  sons 
and  three  daughters  who  reached  mature 
years  and  are  yet  living  with  the  exception 
of  one  daughter. 

Charles  J  Price,  the  eldest  of  this  family, 
early  became  familiar  with  farm  work  in  all 
its  department-;.  He  was  hut  seven  years 
of  age  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to 
Iowa  and  was  therefore  reared  amid  the 
wild  scenes  of  the  frontier,  and  from  actual 
experience  is  familiar  with  pioneer  life  in 
both  the  phases  of  its  hardships  and  its 
pleasures.  He  assisted  in  the  operation  of 
the  home  farm,  remaining-  with  his  father 
until  he  had  reached  mature  years.  lie  was 
then  married  in  Story  county,  December  21, 
[882,  to  \iin;i  i ,.  Black,  who  was  born  in 
Illinois,  but  spent  the  greater  part  of  her 
girlhood  in  Store  county.  Her  father, 
George  I  .  Black,  died  when  Mrs.  Price  was 
only  two  years  of  age.  The  mother  after- 
ward removed  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Story 
county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Price  began  their 
ife  upon  a  rented  farm  which  was 
their  hom<  ear,  and  then  removed 

to  tin-  place  which  he  had  previously  pur- 
chased on  section  1.  Colfax  township.  They 

!  acre,  of  land  there  and  .at  that 
place  they  continued  to  make  their  home  un- 
til [900,  when  the)  took  up  their  abode  on 
section  [3,  Colfax  township.  Mr.  Price  hav- 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ing  bought  this  place  in  July.  1899.  He  is 
now  operating  both  tracts  of  land  with  the 
aid  of  his  sons  and  is  engaged  in  raising  a 
good  grade  of  stock  as  well  as  cultivating 
the  fields,  which  are  planted  to  the  cereals 
best  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate. 

Mr.  Price  lost  his  wife  in  1901.  She 
passed  away  on  the  8th  of  October,  of  that 
year,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Olive  Branch 
cemetery,  leaving  four  children :  Alvin. 
Michael,  Frank  and  Noble.  Frank  is  farm- 
ing for  himself,  but  the  other  sons 
ciated  with  their  father  in  the  operation  of 
his  land. 

Politically   Mr.    Price   is    a    Republican. 
When  he  attained  his  majority  he  p 
cast  his  first  vote  fur  James  ( i.  Blaine,  the 
celebrated  Maine  statesman.    He  has  served 
as   supervisor  of  highways  but   the  honors 
and  emoluments  of  office  have  bad  little  at- 
traction for  him.     For  eight  years  hi 
member  of  the  school  board  and  along  edu- 
cational lines  his  efforts  have  been  effective 
in  promoting  the  intellectual 
young.     Fraternally   hi  ected   with 

Ontario  Lodge,  No.   [33,  I.  <>.<).  P.,  while 
in  his  religious  faith  he  1-  ci  «ne<  ted  with  the 
Dunkard  church.     Thirty-five  yeai 
the  period  of  his  residi 
His  iii'e  has  been  one  of  untiring  industry, 
-11  to  the  general  gi  n  id  and  1  if  faith- 
fulness in  pi  isitii  mi-  1  -1  public  trust 
in .inlv  principles,  he  enjoys  in  a  high  degree 
the   confidence   and    good    will    of    all    with 
w  1"  im  he  1-  u-M  iciatel. 


C.  O.  CARTER. 


C.  (  ).  Carter.  1  me  of  the  1 1\\  ners  and 
publishers  of  the  Mews,  oi  Boone,  was  born 
March   2.    [869,   in    Marion   county,   Iowa, 


and  is  a  son  of  Dr.  William  H.  and  Mary 
(Elledge)  Carter.  The  paternal  grandfa- 
ther, Enos  Carter,  was  born  in  181 1  in 
Richmond  county,  Virginia,  but  his  last 
years  were  spent  in  Russell  count}-,  Ken- 
tucky. He  was  a  son  of  John  Carter,  a  na- 
tive of  the  Old  Dominion,  who  afterward 
removed  to  Kentucky.  The  great-grand- 
father was  born  in  the  year  1780  and  died  in 
1874,  while  the  grandfather  of  our  subject 
died  in  1885  at  the  age  of  seventy-five 
years.  The  former  bad  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farming  in  Kentucky,  while  the 
latter  not  only  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits but  was  also  a  wagon-maker  ami  fol- 
lowed that  trade  for  some  time. 

Dr.  William  11.  Carter,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Russell  county, 
Kentucky,  and  in  the  year    [863  arrived  in 

1  d  in  Marion  1 
i-.  now  Altoona.     He  i-  a  physician  of  the 
school   and   is   very  prominent   and 
influential    in   that   branch    of    the    medical 
science,  present  time  as  presi- 

dent of  I  lie  was 

bwm  in  the  year  [839  and  is  therefore  sixty- 
1  le  wedded  Mary  Ell- 
edge, w  !  inied  in  Pike  county, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  forty  years.    A-  a  life 
[llinois.      Her   father,    Henry    Elledge,   was 
also     a      name     of      Pike     comity,     and 
id  the  . iccupation  of  farm- 
ing.     I  [<                    andnephev     of    1  )aniel 
Boone,  the  noted  pioneer,  explorer  and  hun- 
ter of  Kentucky,  and  was  a  son  of  Daniel 
Elledge,    and      grandson     of     Xed 
er  of  Danii 
ninet)   years  of  age  am  rthy  pio- 
neer who  did  much  to  aid  in  impr 
reclaiming  the  wild  land   in  the  district   in 
which  he  located. 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


66 1 


Unto  Dr.  Carter  and  his  wife  were  born 
eight  children,  of  whom  six  are  yet  living: 
Charles  Otis,  of  this  review;  Irma,  the  wife 
of  Dr.  Afnoss  Lenty,  of  Hull.  Iowa:  .Marie 
Belle,  the  wife  of  E.  H.  English,  of  Valley 
Junction,  Iowa,  who  is  editor  of  the  Express 
of  Polk  county;  A.  R.,  who  is  editor  of  the 
Spirit  Lake  Herald,  of  Spirit  Lake,  Iowa, 
and  in  this  enterprise  is  associated  with  his 
younger  brother,  Edwin  E. ;  and  Anna  E., 
the  wife  of  Arthur  G.  English,  who  is  a 
conductor  on  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  and 
makes  his  home  at  Valley  Junction,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Carter  of  this  review  pursued  his 
preliminary  education  in  the  public  schools 
and  afterward  attended  Drake  University 
at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  He  then  began  teach- 
ing school  and  followed  that  profession  in 
Jasper,  Marion  and  Polk  counties.  In  1889 
and  1890  he  was  principal  of  the  school  in 
Moingona  and  at  different  times  has'  been 
principal  of  the  ward  school  at  Creston, 
Ohio,  and  superintendent  of  the  schools  of 
Paris  City.  Iowa.  He  was  also  superintend- 
ent of  the  independent  district  schools  of 
1  >c<  Moines.  Turning  his  attention  to 
new-paper  work  he  spent  a  few  months  in 
that  line  in  Perry,  Iowa,  and  in  1898  he  pur- 
chased the  Boone  News,  in  which  he  sold  a 
half  interest  to  Charles  Olson,  who  .-old  his 
interest  to  Mr.  Carter's  present  partner,  S. 
G.  Goldthwaite.  Their  business  has  great- 
ly increased,  their  circulation  growing  from 
six  hundred  to  twenty-seven  hundred  and 
sixtv-six,  while  the  daily  circulation  in- 
cieased  from  six  hundred  and  ninety  to 
twelve  hundred  and  fifty.  In  politics  his 
paper  is  Republican,  The  News  i^  an  eight- 
page  journal,  six  column-  each.  It  i-  neat- 
ly and  ably  gotten  out.  i-  well  edited  and 
treats  with  fairness  the  many  questions  of 


public  interest.  "While  it  is  firm  in  support 
of  Republican  principles,  it  is  also  given  to 
the  dissemination  of  general  and  local  news 
and  is  found  as  the  champion  of  all  meas- 
ure- for  the  public  good. 

On  the  4th  of  April.  1893,  Mr.  Carter 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Erne  Lena  Jame- 
son, a  daughter  of  R.  B.  Jameson,  of  Des 
Moines,  Iowa.  Their  children  are:  Lowell 
Jameson,  born  June  3.  1895;  and  Elledge 
Huston,  born  August  5,  1901.  The  par- 
ents hold  membership  in  the  Central  Chris- 
tian church  of  Boone,  in  which  Mr.  Carter 
is  serving  as  a  trustee.  Fraternally  lie  is 
connected  with  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  Order  and  in  the  latter 
is  serving  as  past  chancellor.  He  is  also 
.T  member  of  the  executive  committee  of  the 
Republican  organization  and  takes  an  act- 
ive interest  in  campaign  work,  doing  all  in 
his  power  to  promote  the  growth  and  insure 
the  success  of  his  party. 


WILLIAM  W.  LOOMIS. 

William  W.  Loomis,  who  i-  associated 
as  the  partner  of  J.  H.  Boy-  in  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Evening  Republican  of  Boone, 
was  1  rn  in  Fayette  county,  Iowa.  He  is 
a  graduate  of  the  State  Uhiversit}  of  Iowa, 
of  the  class  of  [899,  and  since  [900  has 
sociated  with  Mr.  Boys  in  new  -pa- 
per work. 


W.  L.  POLLO(  K.  M    D. 

Successfully   engaged  in  the  pr; 

11    in  Boone,  I  >r.  1  '•  >\h  ck  has  a  large 
■   w  hidi    1-    an    indicati  n    1  1    the 


662 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the  public.  He 
was  horn  in  Logan  county,  Ohio,  in  1850. 
his  parents  being  John  and  Ellen  J.  1  Fer- 
guson) Pollock.  The  family  is  of  Scotch 
lineage  and  was  founded  in  America  by 
four  brothers  who  came  from  the  land  of 
the  heather  to  the  new  world.  Many  gen- 
erations prior  to  this  time  the  family  had 
lived  in  Scotland,  the  ancestors  of  our  sub- 
ject having  fought  with  William  Wallace 
for  the  liberty  of  that  land.  Hugh  Pi  Hock, 
one  of  the  brothers  who  came  to  the  United 
States,  was  drowned  in  the  Schuylkill  river. 
All  settled  in  Ohio,  and  they  were  uncles  of 
John  Pollock,  the  father  of  our  subject.  Me 
was  a  lawyer  by  profession  and  became  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Harrison  county. 
Ohio.  He  successfully  engaged  in  practice 
in  Logan  county,  where  he  moved  after  mar- 
riage, winning  distinction  as  one  of  the  lead- 
ing members  of  the  bar  of  that  state.  For 
fourteen  years  he  served  as  county  attorney 
of  Logan  county.  In  1S66  he  mi  wed  t<  1  Fi  >rd 
county.  Illinois,  and  served  as  a  member  of 
legislature  several  terms,  leaving  the  impress 
of  his  individuality  upon  the  acts  which 
were  passed  during  his  connection  with  the 
state  assembly.  He  took  an  active  pari  in 
politics  as  an  organizer  and  his  efforts  con- 
tributed in  large  measure  to  the  successful 
conduct  of  his  party's  affairs.  He  was  a 
man  of  broad  general  information  and  had 
a  remarkable  knowledge  of  the  Bible.  In 
his  home  he  was  hospitable,  genial  and  cor- 
dial, and  the  circle  of  his  friends  was  al- 
most co-extensive  with  the  circle  of  his 
acquaintances.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy-six  years  and  his  wife  passed  away 
at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years  in  1899, 
upon  the  anniversary  of  her  husband's  birth. 
She  was  a  lady  of  even  temper  and  kindly 


spirit,  devoted  to  his  family,  and  wa^  a  con- 
sistent Christian.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pol- 
lock were  tx  >rn  fi  >ur  children  :  Robert,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years;  John 
E..  an  attorney  of  Bloomington,  Illinois; 
Mary  E.,  the  widow  of  Henry  Marlow,  of 
Helena.  Montana:  and  William  Leander, 
whose  name  introduces  this  review. 

Dr.  Pollock  spent  the  first  seventeen 
vears  of  his  life  in  Belief ontaiue.  Ohio,  and 
in  1866  became  a  resident  of  Bloomington, 
Illinois.  Having  determined  to  make  the 
practice  of  medicine  his  life  work,  he  ma- 
triculated in  the  Jefferson  Medical  College 
in  I&71,  and  for  eighteen  years  thereafter 
was  a  successful  practitioner  of  McLean 
county,  Illinois.  During  that  time  he  spent 
fourteen  months  in  Chicago  engaged  in  spe- 
cial study.  On  leaving  Illinois  he  removed 
to  Racine.  Wisconsin,  and  for  the  past  eight 
years  has  resided  in  Boone,  where  his  pat- 
ronage has  steadily  increased.  He  ha-  dem- 
onstrated his  ability  to  successfully  cope 
witli  the  intricate  problems  which  continu- 
ally confront  the  physician  in  his  effort  to 
prolong  ln'e  and  restore  health.  That  he 
occupies  a  high  position  in  professional  cir- 
cles  1-  indicated  by  his  election  to  the  presi- 
dency of  the  Central  District  Medical  So- 
ciety of  Iowa.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
State  Medical  Association,  and  through  the 
discussii  ms  held  in  this  1  organization  be  keeps 
in  touch  with  the  advanced  thought  of  the 
day.  He  is  also  interested  in  all  reliable 
books  concerning  the  practice  of  medicine 
and  1-  quick  to  adopt  any  measure  which  lie 
believes  will  contribute  to  his  efficiency. 
In  [872  the  Doctor  was  united  in  mar- 
Miss  Lillie  Bingham,  a  native  of 
Indiana  and  a  daughter  of  John  ami  Mary 
(Eldridge)    Bingham,    and    they    have   one 


THE   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


663 


daughter,  Mabel.  Socially,  the  Doctor  is 
connected  with  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  with 
the  Modern  Woodmen,  and  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  For  two 
\  ears  he  has  served  as  president  of  the  school 
board  of  Boone  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  the  schools,  doing  everything 
in  his  power  to  promote  educational  advance- 
ment. As  a  citizen  he  is  valuable  because  of 
the  aid  which  he  renders  to  all  movements 
tending  toward  progress  and  improvement; 
as  a  man.  he  is  respected  by  reason  of  his 
genuine  worth ;  as  a  friend  he  is  liked  because 
he  has  kindly  consideration  and  deference 
for  the  opinions  of  others  ;  and  as  a  physician 
he  is  esteemed  because  of  his  superior  ability 
in  the  line  of  his  chosen  profession. 


FREDERICK  M.  STOWELL. 

For  only  a  comparatively  brief  period 
was  Frederick  Mason  Stowell  a  resident  of 
Boone,  but  few  men  have  ever  occupied  a 
more  honorable  or  honored  position  in  pub- 
lic regard  than  he,  both  because  of  his  up- 
right life  and  his  activity  and  enterprise  in 
business  affairs.  It  was  therefore  natural 
thai  at  the  time  of  his  death  Boone  county 
mourned  the  loss  of  one  of  it1-  valued  men— 
a  man  whose  historj  forms  no  unimportant 
chapter  in  the  annals  of  this  city. 

Mr.  Stowell  was  born  in  Davis  Junction, 
near  Rockford,  Illinois,  on  the  25th  of  Sep- 
tember. 1851,  and  was  one  of  the  eight  chil- 
dren whose  parents  were  Daniel  and  Eliza 
I.  Stowell.  His  mother  died  when  he  was 
only  six  years  of  age,  after  which  \\\-  father 
again  and  by  the  sec  >nd  unii  m  bad 


five  children.  Mr.  Stowell  of  this  review 
spent  his  boyhood  days  near  his  childhood's 
home  and  attended  the  county  schools,  but 
a1  length  put  aside  his  text  books  in  order  to 
provide  for  his  livelihood  and  from  that  time 
until  his  death  was  dependent  upon  bis  own 
resources.  He  deserved  great  credit  for 
what  he  accomplished,  for  his  course  was 
ever  straightforward,  self  reliant  and  enter- 
prising. He  went  to  Miller,  South  1  >akota, 
and  there  he  secured  a  homestead  claim  lo- 
cating thereon  until  he  had  secured  a  clear 
title.  In  its  cultivation  he  manifested  energy 
and  diligence  and  the  value  of  the  land  was 
thereby' greatly  increased  so  that  he  after- 
ward sold  at  a  good  profit.  His  first  invest- 
ment therefore  proved  a  successful  one.  In 
1883  he  disposed  of  his  realty  interests  in 
that  state  and  came  to  Iowa  settling  in  Ida 
countw  where  for  several  years  he  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits.  Later  on  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Parkersburg,  Butler  o  >unty. 
This  was  the  year  1892  and  throughout  his 
remaining  days  he  w~as  a  factor  in  mercantile 
circles,  establishing  a  furniture  store  in  But- 
ler. He  successfully  conducted  this  enter- 
prise until  July,  1896,  when,  desiring  a 
broader  field  of  labor  he  came  to  Boone  and 
afterward  organized  the  firm  of  F.  M.  Sto- 
well &  Company.  Gradually  his  trade  in- 
creased here  until  his  business  was  equal  if 
not  superior  to  any  furniture  enterprise  of 
central  Iowa.  Mr.  Stowell  possessed  quali- 
ficatii  'Us  essentia]  to  the  successful  merchant; 
a  kindliness  and  courtesy  of  manner,  com- 
bined with  deference  for  the  opinions  of 
others,  and  his  earnest  desire  to  please  were 
essential  factors  in  his  prosperity.  More- 
sustained  an  unassailable  reputation 
for  honestj  and  the  growth  of  the  house 
therefore  continued  steadily  until  the  busi- 


664 


THE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


1  reached  extensive  and  profitable 
proportions.  Mr.  Stowell  did  not  confine 
his  efforts  alone  to  this  line,  however,  but 
.Tiade  judicious  investments  in  realty,  mining 
id  plantation  stocks  which  returned 
to  him  a  good  income. 

While  residing  in  Ida  county,  on  the  26th 
of  March.  1889.  Air.  Stowell  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Zilpha  McCreery,  of  Rock 
Island.  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Robert  D.  and 
Marian  G.  VTcCreery.  She  was  the  fourth 
in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren, and  by  her  marriage  she  has  become 
the  mother  of  five  children:  Lyle,  Harold, 
Paul,  Robert  and  Marian,  all  of  whom  are 
still  with  the  mother  and  are  a  great  comfort 
to  her  in  Iter  bereavement. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Stowell  was  connected 
with  the  Masonic  order,  with  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  the 


World  and  with  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  and  his  life  was  in  harmony 
with  the  benevolent  principles  of  these  or- 
ganizations.    He  took  a  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  and  progress  of  his  adopted  city  and 
erous  and  liberal  in  his  contributions 
to  measures  for  the  general  good.     He  was 
the  president  of  an  organization  known  as 
the     Boone     Business     Men's     Association, 
which   flourished    under    his    direction  and 
1  benefit  to  the  city.     At  the  time  of 
his  death  he  was  president  of  the  Iowa  State 
Association    of    Funeral    Directors,    having 
been  elected  to  the  p.  siti<  >n  after  two  years  of 
ervice  as  vice-president.     His  busi- 
iciates  speak  of  him    in    terms    of 
highest     commendation     and     praise.       He 
passed  away  in  March.  [902,  and  his  death 
was  deeply  mourned  by  all  who  knew  him. 


*j>