USA > Iowa > Mills County > A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa > Part 49
USA > Iowa > Fremont County > A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa > Part 49
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then made his way to Omaha, Nebraska. where he entered the service of the Creigh- tons as a teamster on the plains, for the United States government, driving a four- mule team to Laramie and Kearney. This work he continued until May. 1866, receiv- ing thirty-five dollars per month and his ex- penses. Hle was next engaged in the con- struction of the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Burlington Railroad, driving a team until the winter of 1866-7, which he spent in Eureka, lowa. He afterward worked on the rail- road for two seasons and in 1869 he re- moved to Benton township. becoming one of the pioneer settlers of this locality. He began farming as a tenant, but afterward purchased eight lots and erected a house in 1872. In the flood of 1881 he suffered a heavy loss occasioned by the water and. like many others, he went to Kansas, where he engaged in railroad building.
On again coming to Iowa Mr. Bradley located in Percival and opened a little stock of groceries in his present store. His trade grew and he enlarged his facilities to meet the growing demand. He sold all of his town lots with the exception of the one upon which stands his store building. Here he is successfully carrying on business, his well directed efforts bringing to him a good re- turn. In March, 1900, his niece, Mrs. Sarah Peterson, and her son, a lad of fourteen years, came to Percival to keep house for Mr. Bradley and are now living with him. In his political views he is a stalwart Re- publican and has served as road supervisor and constable. He was reared a Scotch Presbyterian, but does not hokl member- ship in the church. Socially he is a Master Mason. His has been a somewhat varied experience and now he is successfully en-
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gaged in the conduct of a mercantile busi- ness in Percival, where he is widely and fa- vorably known.
FREDERICK CRABB.
A prominent, well-known and enterpris- ing farmer and stock-raiser of Fremont county, Iowa, is Frederick Crabb, the sub- ject of this sketch. He is a southerner by birth, both he and his father, George Crabb, having been born in Maryland, the former in 1837. The mother of our subject, Mary (Reck) Crabb, was born in Pennsylvania of Dutch ancestry, and died in Maryland, where she married and passed the greater portion of her life. George Crabb was well and favorably known in his locality and was a distinguished soldier 'in the war of 1812, holding the position of captain at the close of the war.
In 1867 our subject moved to eastern Iowa but located in Sidney in 1872, where he became the popular and genial host of the Cromwell House, then the leading hotel in the town, remaining in that connection until eleven years ago, since which time he has been settled upon a fine farm a short distance northwest of Sidney.
The marriage of our subject was cele .. brated in 1869, when he wedded Miss Mar- garet Van Scyoc, a native of Pennsylvania. She was a daughter of John and Julia (Winters) Scyoc, the former of whom died four years ago, in Sidney; the latter, who was born in Maryland, also passed her last years in this place. Isaac Scyoc, a brother of Mrs. Crabb, was a soldier in the Union army and served gallantly during the Civil war. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Crabb; Birdie, a charming young
lady, a graduate of the Sidney high school ; and John, an educated and enterprising young man who displays traits of character which promise success for him in the fu- ture.
In politics our subject is an advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, be- lieving them to be the best for the country. With his estimable wife he is a regular at- tendant at the Methodist church of Sidney, where he is most highly regarded.
CHARLES MUNSINGER.
We are now permitted to touch briefly upon the life history of one who has re- tained a personal association with the affairs of the state of Iowa for a number of years, whose connection therewith covers much of the period of development and progress of Mills county. His life has been one of in- terest and earnest endeavor and due success has not been denied him. He has reached the venerable age of eighty years but time rests lightly upon him, and though eight decades have passed since first his eyes opened to the light of day, he is still hale and hearty, a type of the active old age, which, like fruit, grows better as time passes.
Mr. Munsinger is a native of Muhl- bach, Germany, born December 17, 1820, his parents being Chris and Eve (Kirk) Munsinger. The father was a wealthy farm- er and came to America in 1824, locating first in New York, whence he removed to Lorain county, Ohio. There he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, but was deceived in the property, as he found in the following spring that the land was en- tirely covered with water and was worthless for farming purposes. He had made a small
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payment on the place, but concluded to abandon it. His next venture in the pur- chase of a farm was also rather unfortunate, as he found soon after the contract had been made that there was a mortgage of five hun- dred dollars against the place. He then went to work in a ship-yard and made enough money to clear off the indebtedness. after which he sold the property and bought a farm in the southern part of Lorain coun- ty. Some time later he made a trip to Ger- many for the purpose of looking after a dowry interest in the estate. Returning to America, the family accompanied him on his removal to Mills county, lowa. Here the parents spent their remaining days, the fa- ther dying at the age of sixty-two years, the mother in April, 1878, when eighty-nine years of age.
On coming to Iowa with the family. Charles Munsinger took up his abode upon the farm which he has since occupied. He was married on the 23d of October, 1849, to Miss Electa Northrop, a daughter of John Wesley and Almira ( Knight ) Northrop, na. tives of New York. Throughout the period of his active business career Mr. Munsinger has been continuously engaged in agricult- ural pursuits, and his life has been one of in- dustry and usefulness. He started out for himself with very limited capital, but has prospered in his undertakings, his unflag .. ging perseverance and energy enabling him to continually add to his capital. He has met with two very serious accidents on the farm which have disabled him to a consid- erable extent, but at the age of eighty years he is still active and aside from his farm- ing operations he represents five different insurance companies, among which are the North British, the Continental and the Hart-
ford. His life shows forth the power of in- dustry in gaining success, and his example should serve as a source of encouragement to others. Since becoming an American citi- zen he has always voted the Republican tick- et, supporting each presidential nominee of the party. He is a member of the Congre- gational church, and Christian principles have permeated his life, making his career an honorable one which has gained fer hin! the unqualified regard of his fellow men.
AMAZON BADILAMI.
The subject of the present sketch, A na- zon Badham, bears a well-known and much respected name, as he was the son of one of the pioneers of the state, one of the first settlers of Mills county. Amazon Badham was born on the farm which he now owns. January 22, 1853. and was the son of Sam- uel Badham, who was born in Hereford- shire, England, in 1815. He married Mary Bishop before leaving England to try his fortune across the ocean. After a long and tiresome trip in a sailing vessel the little En- glish family reached the promised land, and soon located in Hancock county, Illinois. Here they remained for three years, when re- moval was made into the wilds of Iowa, the home selected being at Trader's Point, on a stream of water. The only neighbor int the section was a man by the name of Wat- son, who had located in Pottawattamie county. Privations were expected and brave- ly endured : but when Mr. Samuel Badham died, May 20, 1868, his will prairie farm had become a valuable piece of property, worth twenty-five dollars an acre, and he also possessed a thousand dollars' worth of other property. All this had been accu-
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mulated by the time he was fifty-three years old. giving one a sure basis upon which to estimate his character. He was energetic. persevering and laborious : was a man of judgment, having been long in the offices of school and township, and a veteran of the Mexican war, his wife receiving a pension for the same, he having served fifteen months. Mr. Badham voted the Republican ticket and took a vital interest in the affairs of the nation. In religious life he was a mem- ber of Latter Day Saints church. Before leaving Illinois his wife died, and about 1845 he married Mary Richards, the mother of Amazon Badham and a native of Highand county, Ohio, and they had a number of children, viz. : Milvern, an infant ; Frances, who became the wife of William Gaylord and died at Shenandoah, Iowa, leaving two children: our subject; Violet, who became the wife of William James and died at Pleasant Hill. Missouri, January, . 1877. leaving three children : Juan, who died at the age of two years; and Mary, who married Charles Wilson and died in western Nebras- ka, leaving two children. The mother of our subject died April 2, 1898, at the age of seventy-seven, lamented by all with whom she had been associated.
Although the parents of Mr. Amazoni Badham were obliged to endure many hard- ships, they succeeded in giving him a very fair education, which he put to practical use, teaching a short time both before and after marriage. On May 30. 1875. he led to the altar Miss Melvina Peck, of Glenwood, a daughter of Hezekiah and Jemima (Smoot) Peck, and seven children have been born to them, whose intelligence and superior at- tractions naturally cause a pardonable pride. Mable Mercy is the wife of Archie Ander-
son, at Macedonia, Iowa, and has one son, Paul: Clara Alice is the wife of Joseph Rob- erts, at Tabor, Iowa, and has one daughter, Christine: Luella, who died at the age of six: Edith Grace; Ella Delphine: Myron Verne; and George Walter, a lad of eight years ; and last but by no means least, the pet of the family, Melvina Gail, just seven months old when she was taken away by dleatlı.
Mr. Badham has one hundred and twen- ty acres in his farm, upon which he carries on extensive operations, making corn his greatest crop, as he finds that cereal pays him best. He also has from sixty to eighty head of Poland China hogs, and of high- grade cattle from sixteen to twenty head.
Like his respected father, Mr. Badham votes the Republican ticket, remembering the pride with which his parents remem- bered his vote for Abraham Lincoln. In the affairs of his district he is always in- terested, serving constantly as a school direc- tor. In religious matters he adheres to the beliefs of the church of the Latter Day Saints. Socially his family is prominent and enjoys the esteem and kind feeling of the whole neighborhood, and he takes the place of a son of the early pioneer.
T. O. MORGAN.
Among the honored pioneers of Fre- mont county is numbered Mr. Morgan, whose residence in this portion of the state covers a period of more than half a century. The traveler to-day as he views the country covered with farms, thriving villages, the many cities and commercial concerns, the schools and churches, indicating the mental and moral development of the people, can
T. O. MORGAN
THE KYA 1355 PUBLIC LIBRARY
ADJUN MANCA AND LILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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scarcely realize that a few decades ago this was an unsettled region, its lands in their primitive condition and the work of pro- gress and improvement scarcely begun. The most far-sighted could not have dreamed that within a comparatively brief period the county would be crossed and re-crossed with a network of railroads connecting it with all parts of the country, that telegraph and telephone lines would be covering the country, and that all of the comforts and conveniences known to the older east would here find a place : but a brave band of pio- neers took up the work of development and progress here and the progressive Fremont county of to-day is the result.
With the work of advancement Mr. Morgan has been actively identified through more than fifty years. Ile was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, near the capital city of Springfield. December 16. 1833. His father, Evan Morgan, was a native of Ohio, and a son of Thomas Morgan, who was of Scotch descent and spent his last days in Illinois. Evan Morgan was reared to man- hood in Ohio, and on emigrating westward cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of the Prairie state. He married Elizabeth Ditson, who was born in New York and was a representative of one of the old New Eng- land families. She prove.l to him a faithful companion and helpmeet on life's journey. When the Indians rose up against the white settlers in Illinois in the Black Hawk war. the father of our subject took up arms and served as a soldier. He died in early man- hood, leaving a widow and four children. namely: Lyman, who died at the age of twenty-one: Thomas O., of this review : Mrs. Anna O'Neal, of Fremont county ; and Mrs. Jane Wolf, who died in this coun-
ty. After the death of her first husband the mother became the wife of M. K. Skid- more, and in 1849 they came to Fremont county, bringing with them her children.
Mr. Morgan of this review, was but fifteen years of age at the time the re- moval was made. His early life was a period of industry, for in his youth he be- gan work by the month, receiving from six to seven and a half dollars per month in compensation for his services. He en- gaged in breaking prairie with an ox team and in hauling brick and farm produce to Council Bluffs for the Mormons and for emigrant parties en route for Colorado. In this way he got a start in life. As a companion and helpmeet on the journey of life he chose Miss Eliza Simmons, their marriage being celebrated on March 17. 1857, since which time they have traveled life's journey happily together. She was born in Ohio, a daughter of a widow. Mrs. Sarah Simmons. At the time of his mar- riage Mr. Morgan took up his abode on the Bartlett farm, which he operated for two years and then purchased forty acres of land, which was the first property he ever owned. He lived in Madison township and successfully engaged in farming and stock- raising until 1899. when he purchased the Woods farm, just west of Hamburg-one of the best farming properties in the county. It is improved with a substantial and at- tractive residence and with all modern con- veniences. As the years have passed and his financial resources have increased, Mr. Morgan has extended his realty possessions until the aggregate is nearly forty-nine hun- dred acres. He is indeed a self-made man. for, depending upon no outside aid or in- fluence, he has steadily worked his way up-
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ward, prompted by a laudable ambition, earnest purpose and unfailing perseverance. To provide for his family has been an added incentive, for unto Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have been born eight children, namely : Sarah Elizabeth, now the wife of John Finell, of Fremont county; Lina A., who is the widow John West and resides with her parents ; Martha J., the wife of Fountain Finell, of the same county; John E., who is the president of the Hamburg Banking Company: Thomas A., who resides in Mad- ison township, Fremont county; Marcena, of the same county ; Charles E., who is liv- ing in Hamburg; and Fannie A., who is with her parents. The children have been provided with good educational privileges, fitting them for life's practical duties. The daughters are ladies of refinement and the sons are intelligent and enterprising busi- ness men, occupying inportant positions in trade circles.
In his political belief Mr. Morgan is a Democrat, but has never sought or desired office, preferring to give his entire attention to his business affairs. He belongs to that class of representative American citizens who, while promoting individual success, also contributed to the general welfare by hearty co-operation with all measures for the public good. He is a man of unques- tioned integrity, his word being as good as his bond, and among the honored pioneers of southwestern Iowa he well deserves mention.
HENRY A. GREEN.
One of the most prosperous farmers of Mills county, Iowa, and a veteran of the Civil war. is Henry A. Green. the subject of this sketch. He is a son of Jurgren and
Dora (Goldstedt) Green, both of Germany, where they both died. They had a family of eleven children, our subject being the third in order of birth. Like so many of his coun . trymen, Mr. Green early cherished a desire to emigrate to America, carrying this out in 1858. He made the voyage in three weeks and made his first home in Davenport, Iowa, where many of his old neighbors had located, six months later coming to Mills county, by way of St. Louis, Missouri.
Farming was the choice of our subject as a means of livelihood, and he had no dif- ficulty in securing employment, although wages were very small. However, he pos- sessed the thrifty ways of his native land, practiced strict economy, and before very many months had passed he was able to see his savings increasing in a satisfactory way, and finally bought with them a small tract of land. To ride over Mr. Green's finely cultivated farm of four hundred and eighty-six acres and to note the substantial improvements, together with his cattle and stock, is a valuable lesson for any young man who starts out in life with small means. It shows the reward of steady. plodding in- dustry, and must be an encouraging ex- ample.
On September II, 1864, our subject en= listed in the Union army, entering the Thir- teenth Iowa Infantry in Company F. and went from Davenport with his regiment to Marshall, Tennessee, where he took part in the great battle between Generals Hood and Thomas. He became so ill soon after this engagement that it was found necessary to send him to a hospital, and two months were passed in the army hospital at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was transferred to Welling- ton, North Carolina, and from thence to
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Raleigh, and finally to Washington city. where he took part in the grand review. He was discharged at Davenport, lowa, August 1. 1865.
The marriage of Mr. Green and Mrs. Christianna Frohardt took place about thir- ty-five years ago, and seven children have been born in their family, all of them still living. They are: Gustave Otto, who is married and lives on a fine farm in Harri- son county, Iowa : Christoph ; Wilhelmina. who is now Mrs. William Weedman and re- sides on a farm in Harrison county, this state; and Charles, Louis, Sarah and Will- iam.
In politics Mr. Green is a Democrat and ably upholds the principles of that party. Both he and his wife are valued members of the German Lutheran church, where they are highly esteemed for their many fine traits of character. Mr. Green has been a very suc- cessful farmer, and no one in this part of the county knows more about stock and cattle-breeding than he does.
JOHN VAN KIRK.
Old Pennsylvania families, such as have given strength to American character throughout the west, produced the subject of this sketch, a prominent, retired farmer of Silver City, Mills county, Iowa, who has for many years been a leading dealer there in live stock and lands.
John Van Kirk was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1835, a son of Hamilton and Eliza (Snodgrass) Van Kirk. Hamilton Van Kirk was born in Pennsylvania about 1800 and died in Mills county, Iowa, in 1885. He was a son of John Van Kirk, who was born in Philadel-
phia about 1775 and died in Pennsylvania about 1838, leaving one son, Hamilton Van Kirk, and three daughters. He was a stone and brick mason and contractor and builder, prospered well at his business and became the owner of about five hundred acres in Washington county, Pennsylvania. Many stone and brick buildings erected by him are still standing there, including his own large two and one-half story brick residence, which was his last work.
John Van Kirk was the first born of Hamilton and Eliza ( Snodgrass ) Van Kirk's four children. Samuel died at the age of four years. Sarah Mary died in her thir- tieth year. Mrs. Van Kirk, the mother of these children, survived her husband some years and they and their daughter are buried in the cemetery at Silver City, Iowa. John Van Kirk obtained a fair, common-school education and was thoroughly instructed by his father in everything pertaining to farm- ing. He remained at home with his father until his marriage, which occurred when he was about twenty-one years of age. . \ year later, in the fall of 1857. he came to lowa to look at a thousand acres of land for which he had made an exchange, and in 1869 he became a resident of Mills county, where he settled permanently with his family. He bought the old stage station farm, consist- ing of a half section, partially improved, but some fifty acres of it timber land, at fourteen dollars per acre. Since then he has bought and sold lands extensively, and at this time he owns twelve hundred and twen- ty acres, mostly in a body. He early turned his attention to stock and fed the first lot of cattle in his vicinity. In those days he fed about one hundred head, but more re+ cently he and his sons have fed about two
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thousand head each year. Formerly he bred short-horns and black polled Angus cattle, but his sons now buy up cattle wherever they are able to buy good cattle to advantage. He and his sons are all settled in their own homes at Silver City and they are among the prominent men of the town.
Mr. Van Kirk is a Democrat, butt voted for William McKinley in 1900, because of a sense of his duty to his country and his fel- low citizens as he understood it. Too busy to give much attention to public affairs, he has held aloof from public office and man- aged to escape service on the grand jury.
Mr. Van Kirk was married May 15.1856, to Miss Anne Van Kirk, whose grandfather was a half-brother of his own grandfather V'an Kirk. They have had eight children, only three of whom grew up, namely : E.H., who is married and has four children ; M. J., who became a resident of Silver City and died January 15, 1901, leaving a young daughter ; and Anne Laura, who is the wife of Walter Hostetter, and has a daughter.
JOHN HALE.
John Hale, the proprietor of the Hale fruit farm in Washington township, Fre- mont county, has occupied this place since 1895. He was born in Monroe county, Ohio, August 14, 1840, a son of Levi Hale, whose birth occurred near Little Washing- ton. Washington county, Pennsylvania, The grandfather, O. N. Hale, was of Ger- man descent and was born in Switzerland, while his wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Mowder, was a native of Scotland, and both died in Athens county. Ohio. Levi Hale, the father, was reared upon an Ohio farm and after attaining man's estate he
married Sarah Johnson, who was born in Monroe county, a daughter of Joseph and Rosa Johnson. He was a native of Ire- land and her parents were from Scotland, so that the blood of four nations-the Swiss, the German, the Irish and the Scotch- flowed in the veins of John Hale. The fa- ther became a well-known agriculturist and followed agricultural pursuits in order to provide for his family. He died in Craw- ford, Illinois, at the age of fifty-six years, and his wife passed away in Athens county, Ohio, at the ripe old age of eignty-three years. They were the parents of nine chil- dren, six sons and three daughters, namely : Simeon, who was a soldier in the Civil war and is now living in the Buckeye state; Jo- seph, who also served with the "boys in blue" and now makes his home in Illinois; Owen, who was a member of the Union army and is located in Tarkio, Missouri; William, deceased; John, who likewise aided his country in the Civil war; Fred, who has passed away; Rosa, who is living in West Virginia: Christina, a resident of the same state: and Sarah, now deceased.
John Hale was reared in Athens county, Ohio, upon the home farm and acquired his education in the public schools. He after- ward secured a situation on a steamer on the Ohio river, being employed in that ca- pacity until after the inauguration of the Civil war, when, at the President's call for aid to suppress the rebellion, he enlisted as a member of Company I, Twenty-first Illi- nois Infantry. This was General Grant's regiment. He served for four years and was in the Army of the Tennessee, with the Twentieth Corps, First Division and First Brigade. He was for some time under command of General Rosecrans. At the
MR. AND MRS. JOHN HALE
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battle of Chickamauga he was taken pris- oner and held as such for seventeen months, being incarcerated at Belle Isle. Libby prison in Richmond, Danville, Anderson- ville, Charleston, Florence, Wilmington and Goldsboro. He was many times transferred and experienced all the hardships incident to southern prison life. A part of the time he was engaged in out-door work, having charge of sixty other prisoners, who were employed in cutting wood in Florence. At length, after almost a year and a half spent in captivity, he was paroled for exchange and went to Wilmington and thence to An- napolis, Maryland, after which he was sent to his home and later received an honora- ble discharge, having spent four years as a defender of his country. His was a most honorable military record, one of which he has every reason to be proud.
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