USA > Iowa > Calhoun County > Past and present of Calhoun County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress, and achievement, Volume II > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34
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PAST AND PRESENT OF
CALHOUN COUNTY IOWA
A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement
BIOGRAPHICAL
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME II
CHICAGO THE PIONEER PUBLISHING COMPANY 1915
100354B
2 ..
BIOGRAPHICAL
LEWIS WARREN MOODY.
Lewis Warren Moody was one of the earlier settlers of Calhoun county and there was no resident of the county who played a more important part in its material development than he. As a member of the real-estate firm of Moody & Davy he opened up immense tracts of land in the county for settlement and it was in a great measure due to his influence that the law was passed making possible the assess- ment of taxes to provide funds for the drainage of the extensive swamp areas of the county. Although many people in the county at first objected to the drainage proposition, all were at length forced to admit that it did more than any other one thing to increase land values. Mr. Moody was likewise prominent in financial circles as president of the First National Bank of Pomeroy and he had other extensive interests, as he owned a great deal of land in various western states.
Mr. Moody was born on the 9th of August, 1856, in the moun- tains of Virginia and there he spent his early boyhood and acquired the rudiments of an education. In 1867 he removed to Medina county, Ohio, with his parents, George and Mary B. (Harvey) Moody, who were natives respectively of Connecticut and of Nova Scotia. The father was born in 1815 and was descended from an old Puritan family. He received his education in New York and in carly manhood became a minister of the Church of Christ. Not long after his marriage he removed to Carroll county, Virginia, on account . of ill health and from 1856 until 1867 devoted his time to farming and preaching the gospel. As he was a northern sympathizer and as the people around him were bitter against the north, he was twice arrested and was at one time confined in jail for six weeks, the charge for which he was incarcerated being that a domestic had reported that in family prayers he had prayed for the north to succeed. At his hear- ing he testified that he had merely prayed that the right might pre- vail, and on cross examination the servant admitted that that was
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probably what he had said, but added that she had heard him say that slavery was wrong and that the north was in the right. He was acquitted and returned home. In 1867 he emigrated with his family to Medina County, Ohio, making the trip of about four hundred and fifty miles in a covered wagon. The following year he journeyed westward by wagon to Calhoun county, Iowa, and early in 1869 he filed on eighty aeres of land in Sherman township. In the spring of 1870 his family arrived in this county and at once took up their resi- denee in a shaek on the homestead. The father continued to culti- vate his land until his demise, which occurred in 1876. His widow resided upon the home farm until 1883, when she removed to Spo- kane, Washington, where some of her sons were then living. In their family were six children: Lewis Warren, of this review; Georgina, who died in infancy and was buried in Virginia; Harvey L., a resi- dent of Wendall, Idaho; Ida M., who married J. W. Osborne; W. G .; and O. D., who died of a gunshot wound in 1897 near Spokane, Washington. Harvey L. is the only one of the family now living.
Lewis Warren Moody attended the publie schools in his neigh- borhood when his time was not taken up by work upon the home- stead, which was just west of Twin Lakes. When he was eighteen years of age, however, his father died and he was compelled to become the head of the family. It was necessary to make a living for not only himself but also for his mother and the younger children and there were still many of the hardships of pioneer life to be endured. The tract of land which the family owned had not been brought to its highest state of cultivation and prices for farm produets were often low. He took a man's place in carrying on the work of the farm and during the winter months added to the family income by trap- ping. In those days various fur-bearing animals abounded in the marshes and he often realized a considerable sum by the sale of skins. Later he was able to continue his education, although under a disad- vantage. During the daytime he attended school at Lake City and during the evenings set type for the Graphie, thus earning money to pay his expenses. Later he taught school for some time and in 1881 located in Pomeroy, where he established himself in the real-estate business. For a considerable period he devoted his leisure hours to the study of law and for a part of that time his reading was directed by J. A. Gould. of Pomeroy, whose library he had the privilege of using. In his preparation for the bar he manifested the qualities of concentration and determination that characterized his life and sue- ceeded in gaining an accurate and broad knowledge of law. He was admitted to the bar by Judge E. R. Duflic at Pocahontas, February
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13. 1882, and not long afterward opened an office for the practice of his profession at Pomeroy. In the fall of that year, in connection with J. A. Gould, he established the Exchange Bank of Pomeroy, which they organized with less than three thousand dollars total assets. The following year our subject sold his interest in the insti- tution to R. C. Brownell and the business was conducted by Brownell & Gould for a number of years, after which Mr. Gould sold his inter- est to A. A. Horton. Brownell & Horton owned and conducted the bank until Mr. Brownell sold out to F. L. Kenyon on the 1st of Jan- uary, 1890. The financial affairs of the bank being in a bad condition, Mr. Moody and J. A. Davy purchased the institution and conducted it until January 1, 1899, when Mr. Moody became the sole owner of the bank. From the time that he and Mr. Davy took over its man- agement it prospered and gained a larger and larger place in the con- fidence of the community. In 1902 the Exchange Bank was reor- ganized as the First National Bank of Pomeroy, with Mr. Moody as president of the new institution. He continued to hold that office until his demise and was recognized as an astute and conservative bank head, while at the same time he was ready to promote the legiti- mate expansion of business by a wise extension of credit. His advice was often sought on matters of investment and his opinion on any matter relating to banking was listened to with respect. He was also president of the State Bank of Selby, South Dakota.
After disposing of his interests in the Exchange Bank in 1883, Mr. Moody opened a law, loan, land and collection office in Pomeroy and in the following year he succeeded in getting a sub-agency under George R. Pearsons, who was agent for railroad land. The railroad had been granted every odd section in the county and held the land at ten dollars per acre. Practically all of the other land in the county was in the possession of the American Emigrant Company, who had made Edmund Briggs and Henry Sifford their agents. Up to 1884 but little land had been sold in the county and there seemed little prospect of much business for a real-estate agent. However, as he- fore stated, Mr. Moody secured a sub-agency from George R. Pear- sons and within the next two years sold practically all of the land around Pomeroy belonging to the railroad. In the fall of 1886 J. A. Davy became connected with Mr. Moody and two or three years later lie was admitted to a partnership in the business, which was con- ducted under the firm name of the Moody & Davy Land Company. Not long after Mr. Davy became a member of the firm they pur- chased about three sections of land that were sold at a referee's sale and within a month they had disposed of the entire tract at a hand-
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some profit. The following year they purchased about five seetions of land south of Pocahontas and within eight months had disposed of that extensive tract. A year later they bought more land in that locality, which they had little trouble in selling, and later bought the Wellington ranch southwest of Pocahontas, which comprised about twenty-two hundred acres and to which they immediately added two hundred and forty acres adjoining on the north. They sold the greater part of it but retained eight hundred aeres, which they con- dueted as an experimental farm, proving to skeptical eastern buyers that land in this county was adapted to raising good erops and also to stoek-raising by actually raising excellent crops and thoroughbred cattle and hogs. Some time in the late '80s Mr. Moody and Mr. Davy decided to secure a diteh law, as it was evident that the county could not be developed properly until there was some adequate system of drainage. Mr. Moody drafted such a law and it was finally passed without much change. Although there was considerable opposition at first, ditehes were dug and in time all of the marsh land in the county was reclaimed for cultivation and it is now recognized that Mr. Moody was working for the best interests of the county in securing the drainage law. Although the Moody & Davy Land Company was dissolved in 1897. Mr. Moody continued to deal in land on an extensive scale until his demise. He owned large tracts in Iowa, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Washington and Oregon and also in Old Mexico, and he was probably the wealthiest man in Calhoun county. During his life he was also interested in a number of other enterprises aside from those mentioned and in all that he did he dis- played unusual insight and acumen.
Mr. Moody was married September 3. 1882, at Lake City to Miss Mary R. Fleece, a daughter of James and Louisa ( Yeates) Fleece. the former born in Danville, Kentucky, May 10, 1825, and the latter February 18, 1837, also in the Blue Grass State. Their marriage occurred on the 26th of May, 1859, at Bainbridge, Indiana, and four years later they removed to Calhoun county, Iowa, loeating at Lake City on the 30th of April, 1863. There they resided until November, 1907. when they visited at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Moody. The mother was in failing health at the time but it was hoped that her life would be prolonged by rest and loving eare, but it was not so ordered, for on the 11th of December, 1907, she passed to her reward. The father spent the following several months visiting his children, really making his home at Pomeroy until shortly before he died. his demise occurring on the 8th of February, 1909, at Pipestone. Minnesota. He carly united with the Christian church and soon
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CALHOUN COUNTY
after loeating in Lake City he and his wife and three other persons organized the church of that denomination there. Both were greatly interested in all phases of church work and in their lives exemplified the teachings of Christianity. Mr. Fleece was a member of the Masonie order. To him and his wife were born the following chil- dren: Mrs. Moody; Mrs. Amanda Ridgway, of Pipestone, Minne- sota; and Elizabeth Heptonstall, of Sae City, Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Moody became the parents of five children: Charles and Ray, who died in childhood: Walker, who resides on a farm near Bentonsport, Iowa; Lou, who is now Mrs. H. J. Colburn, of Pomeroy; and Marcella, who lives with her mother. Mr. Moody was a devoted husband and father and gave to his children the edu- cational advantages which were denied him in his youth.
For many years Mr. Moody was an active figure in polities and did much to secure the sueeess of his party and the election of his friends. He never cared to hold offiee himself and, although he might have been state representative or state senator, refused to become a candidate. As a boy he found much pleasure in hunting, fishing and trapping, and throughout his life he continued to take a great interest in all forms of athletics and outdoor sports, making many extended fishing and hunting exeursions to the mountains and elsewhere. He was also a great lover of books, especially poetical works, and as the years passed added to his library, which was one of the best in his city. Atlhough he did not admit many to terms of intimacy, he found a great deal of pleasure in the society of those whom he honored with his friendship. It was characteristic of him that in aiding people he sought always to help them to help themselves and there are many in the county who owe their present prosperity to his timely assistance and wise counsel. Whenever he determined to accomplish a certain thing he made a careful study of conditions, laid his plans carefully and after due deliberation, and then worked energetieally and unfalteringly until his objeet was accomplished. In his youth it was necessary for him to struggle to secure a livelihood and education, later he met the competition of the business world, and the last years of his life were a constant conflict between his will and disease, and by following a careful regimen in his daily life he lived and was active in business for twelve years after his physicians had told him that death would come in six months. The end eame on the 9th of October, 1914, at the Hotel Leamington, in Minneapolis, as he was on his way home from the Paeifie coast, where he had gone to visit his brother and to take medical treatment. His youngest daugh- ter. Marcella, who was attending a Minneapolis school of musie at
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CALHOUN COUNTY
the time, was the only one of the family with him when the end came. The place which he held in the respect and esteem of his fellow citi- zens can perhaps be best expressed in the words of a local paper: "Pomeroy has never suffered a greater loss in the death of an indi- vidual than that which came to her when Lewis Warren Moody died."
Mrs. Mary R. Moody was made president of the First National Bank at the time of the demise of her husband, and is still serving in that capacity. She has spent practically her entire life in this county and has always taken a great interest in its development, and the esteem in which she is generally held is well deserved. She has the distinction of being the first white girl born in Calhoun county.
EVAN C. STEVENSON.
Evan C. Stevenson, the mayor of Rockwell City, is giving the municipality an administration characterized by efficiency and devo- tion to the public welfare and has won the commendation and support of the people of the city. He is by profession a lawyer and has won high rank at the bar of Calhoun county. His birth occurred in Georgetown, Kentucky, on the 30th of November, 1858, and his par- ents were Milton and Nancy (Griffith) Stevenson, also natives of that state. The father was born in Germantown in 1814 and the mother was born on the 28th of August, 1823, in Scott county. The paternal grandfather, Reuben Stevenson, was a native of Maryland but emigrated to Kentucky in 1814, at which time the Indians were still numerous. He was a harness manufacturer and was very suc- cessful in that business. He served during the War of 1812 and dur- ing the Mexican war as well. The Stevenson family is of English descent. On his mother's side our subject is a grandson of Clement Griffith, who was born November 2, 1785, in Maryland, whence he emigrated to Kentucky when that state was still a pioneer district. He passed away September 9, 1870. He was an Indian fighter of note and knew Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton well.
Milton Stevenson was educated in Georgetown College in his native state and for fifty years engaged in the practice of law at Georgetown. He was recognized as one of the leaders of the bar of that city and for one term after the Civil war served as judge. He was a candidate for the state legislature on the abolition ticket in 1856. During the Civil war he was a strong Union man and from that time until his demise he supported the republican party. His
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CALHOUN COUNTY
religions faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married on the 28th of August, 1829. His wife lived to the advanced age of almost eighty-one years, as her demise occurred ou the 4th of August, 1904. To them were born four children: Mary, who is the widow of Henry Stevenson. and resides in Marysville, Ohio; T. F., an attorney of Des Moines, who was formerly judge of the district court: John M., who is in the government revenue service at Lexing- ton, Kentucky: and Evan C.
The last named was graduated from the Georgetown College in 1879 and subsequently studied law under his father, being admitted to the bar in 1881. He removed to Page County, Iowa, and there began the practice of his profession, but after a time returned to Georgetown. Kentucky, where he remained until his removal to Rock- well City, Iowa. He arrived here on the 31st of August, 1883, and immediately opened an office for the general practice of law. He soon gained a good clientage and has met with gratifying success in his chosen profession. He is careful in the preparation of his cases and convincing in argument and the court records show that he has won a large percentage of the cases in which he has appeared as counsel. For three terms he was county attorney and is now serving his third term as mayor of Rockwell City, his continuance in office proving that his fellow citizens have complete confidence in his abil- ity and uprightness. He is vice president of the local telephone com- pany and director of the Savings Bank and of the First National Bank.
Mr. Stevenson was married on the 31st of August, 1880, to Miss Sarah Manly, of Louisville, Kentucky, a daughter of Basil Manly, who was for years a professor in the Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville and at one time was president of the Georgetown Col- lege. To Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson were born seven children: Nancy L., the wife of John S. Buttner, who is engaged in the abstract busi- ness in Rockwell City: Charlotte, who is her father"s stenographer; Sarah, the wife of Earl E. Cooper, superintendent of the Central Telephone Company of Rockwell City: Evan C., Jr., who is a me- chanical engineer located in Rockwell City; Basil, who is studying veterinary surgery at the State College at Ames; David S., who graduated from the local high school with the class of 1915; and William W., who is still in school. Mrs. Stevenson passed away on the 8th of June, 1912, and on the 2d of July, 1913, Mr. Stevenson married Mrs. Jennie G. Reidy, of Wyoming, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Stevenson is a republican in polities and works loyally for the snecess of his party at the polls. Fraternally he is a member of
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CALHOUN COUNTY
the Masonie blue lodge, of which he is past master: of the Royal Areh chapter; of the Knights Templar eommandery; and of the Mystie Shrine; and both he and his wife belong to the Order of East- ern Star, in which he is past worthy patron. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. Although his professional work has required the greater part of his time and attention, he has never failed to cooperate with movements seeking the advancement of his city, and when holding publie offiee his first eoneern has in- variably been to discharge the duties devolving upon him in a capable manner.
THOMAS CLARKIN.
Thomas Clarkin, who passed away on the 16th of July, 1898, was for a number of years actively identified with general agrienl- tural pursuits in Calhoun county, owning and operating an excellent farm of one hundred and twenty acres on seetion 31, Elm Grove township. His birth oceurred in Fayette, Lafayette county, Wis- consin, on the Ist of August, 1858, his parents being Peter and Bridget (Gavin) Clarkin, both of whom were natives of Ireland. Emigrating to the United States, they took up their abode in Wiscon- sin, where the mother passed away. In 1875 the father eame to Cal- houn county, lowa, with his son Thomas, the youngest in a family of nine children.
Thomas Clarkin was a youth of seventeen years when he eame to this eounty and spent the remainder of his life within its borders. In 1884 he started out as an agrienlturist on his own account, eultivating rented land for three years. Subsequently he lived on other farms until in 1898, when he took up his abode on seetion 31. Elm Grove township, and there he passed away soon afterward. The property was sold by the widow in 1904, and she bought her present farm on seetion 32, the same township, which embraees one hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive land. In the operation of his farms Mr. Clarkin won a gratifying measure of success, enltivating the cereals best adapted to soil and elimate and also raising eattle, hogs and other stoek. His widow and son William now manage the farm and are also stockholders in the Farmers Grain Company of Yetter. They erected a commodious and modern residence in 1913 and their home is attractive in all its appointments and surroundings.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CALHOUN COUNTY
On the 16th of February, 1885, in Sae county, Iowa, Mr. Clarkin was joined in wedloek to Miss Mary Howard, who was born in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, in June, 1861, her parents being Thomas and Ellen ( Grant) Howard. The father, who emigrated from Ireland to the United States when eighteen years of age, first took up his abode in New York and subsequently removed to Wis- consin, while in 1878 he eame with his family to Calhoun county, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Clarkin were born four children, namely: Francis P., William T., Leafy I. and John Howard.
Mr. Clarkin was a staneh democrat in polities and served for sev- eral terms in the capacity of school director, the cause of education ever finding in him a stalwart champion. He was a devout Catholie in religious faith, belonging to the church of that denomination at Auburn, Iowa, and in his demise the community lost one of its sub- stantial agrieulturists and highly esteemed citizens. His son William is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America at Yetter and the Knights of Columbus at Auburn. Mrs. Clarkin, who still sur- vives her husband, has now lived in this county for a period of thirty- seven years and has a host of warm friends here.
OTTO W. BECKER.
Otto W. Beeker, a prominent agrieulturist and esteemed eitizen of Calhoun county, within the borders of which he has resided during the past thirty-seven years, makes his home on seetion 15, Butler township, and is the owner of four hundred and twenty aeres of valuable land. His birth occurred in Elmhurst, Dupage county, Illi- nois, on the 17th of December, 1870, his parents being Henry and Mary ( Reish) Becker, who were born, reared and married in Han- over. Germany. Crossing the Atlantic to the United States, they landed at New York on the 9th of May, 1869, and made their way at once to Dupage county, Illinois, where the father worked by the day for eight years. In 1871 he aequired one hundred and sixty aeres of land in Butler township, Calhoun county, but did not take up his abode thereon until the spring of 1878, working in Illinois in order to get the necessary funds to pay for the property. There were no buildings on the place, but a part of the land was under cultivation, and he set himself resolutely to the task of further development and improvement. Subsequently he augmented his landed holdings by an additional purchase of eighty aeres on seetion 16 and also bought
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a tract of similar size on section 22. He met with gratifying success in the conduct of his agricultural interests and in 1891 put aside the active work of the fields and took up his abode in Pomeroy, turning over the management of his farms to our subject. He is still living in Pomeroy at the advanced age of eighty-four years and enjoys an en- viable reputation as one of the esteemed pioneers and representative citizens of the county. Politically he is a liberal republican, while his religions faith is indicated by his affiliation with the German Evangelical Lutheran church at Pomeroy, of which he is one of the cleven charter members. His wife, who also belongs to that church and has now attained the age of seventy-eight years, is highly es- teemed as one of the worthy pioneer women of this section. They are the parents of three children, as follows: Elizabeth M., who is the wife of John N. Engelbrecht, of Des Moines, Iowa; Otto W., of this review; and Matilda L., who gave her hand in marriage to Mein Johnson and resides in Rockwell City, Iowa.
Otto W. Becker was about seven years of age when he came to this county with his parents and within its borders he has resided continuously since. He attended the public and German schools of Pomeroy and as the only son of the family assisted his father in the work of the home farm, thus early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. On attaining his majority he was married and undertook the management of the home- stead place, purchasing the property when his father retired. In 1910 he made an additional purchase of one hundred acres on section 22. Butler township, paying ninety dollars an acre for land that is now worth two hundred dollars per acre. He has tiled his fields and otherwise enhanced the value of his property, which brings him rich returns in bounteous harvests that find a ready sale on the market.
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