A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa, Part 54

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 752

USA > Iowa > Mills County > A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa > Part 54
USA > Iowa > Fremont County > A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa > Part 54

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

MILTON J. MARTIN.

An old resident and prominent farmer of Mills county, Iowa, who has been estab- lished here since 1853, is Milton J. Martin, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Jackson county, Ohio, August 2, 1828, and was a son of William and Jane ( McClin-) tock Martin, natives of Virginia. The pa- ternal grandfather was George I. Martin, his ancestry being English-Scotch, and it was with him that our subject grew to man- hood. The maternal grandparents were William and Agnes ( Hanna) Mcclintock, natives of Virginia, who came to Wapello county, Iowa, at an early day and there founded a family which is respected through- out the state.

Our subject was deprived of his father when he was but a small boy, and in his grandfather's home he was reared and sent to school. Until 1848 he remained in Ohio, coming then to Wapello county. Iowa, and in this section of the state he lived until 1853, when he removed to Glen- wood, Mills county, and entered his farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Platteville township in 1854.

Our subject was married in 1854 to Miss Elizabeth Parnell, a daughter of William Parnell, a native of Pennsylvania, who lived

to the advanced age of ninety-five. Mr. Martin has one sister, Mrs. Cynthia Gib- bons, who is a resident of Des Moines, Iowa. He is a leading and valued member of the Methodist church, to which he has been a liberal and willing contributor, and was the founder of the neat little chapel which bears his name. This was erected in 1888 and is located near his home.

Mr. Martin has engaged extensively in general farming and in the raising of stock, becoming one of the substantial citizens of Mills county, but he will be best remembered on account of his personal character. His benevolence is known far and wide, the re- cipients of his charity numbering many who would have suffered had he not come to their rescue in true Christian spirit. He has been an industrious man all his life, but has never forgotten that it is more blessed to give than receive and has willing- ly divided his substance with those in mis- fortune. He has been a true Republican all his life, casting his first presidental vote, as a Whig, for William Henry Harrison.

THOMAS R. STEWART.

One of the prominent and successful farmers and stockmen of Anderson town- ship, Mills county, Iowa, is Thomas R. Stewart, whose well-cultivated farms and fine stock give evidence of great prosperity. Mr. Stewart was reared in Illinois and came to Warren county, Iowa, about 1872, his elder brothers, Robert and John, having located here a few years previously. His parents, Robert and Elizabeth Stewart, were born in county Antrim, Ireland, and married there. Mr. Stewart, the father of Thomas R., decided to find a new home for his fam-

THE NE. . PUBLIC L, 1

ASTOR . . TILLENFIN

レトー

martin

Mrs. No & Martin

PUBLIC LIBRARY

FILLIN MUNDI TIUNG

423

BIOGR. IPIIICAL IHISTORY.

ily across the ocean, and sailed for America in 1847. With many other emigrants he took passage in a large vessel named the Prince James, and, although they had a very rough voyage, finally reached New York, having been thirteen weeks on the ocean. During this time there had been forty-two deaths among the passengers. The next year Mrs. Stewart followed her husband, bringing two children with her, leaving one little grave in Ireland.

Mr. and Mrs. Stewart located in Liv- ingston county, New York, he engaging as a farm hand, but in the spring of 1856 he moved to Peoria county, Illinois, where he bought a small piece of new land, which he started to improve; but he was killed in ex- cavating a well in the fall of 1859, and thus died when only thirty-six years of age. Mrs. Stewart was thus left with four chil- dren, the oldest. Robert, only sixteen years old. However, she was a woman of great force of character and resolved to do her best, gave her children a fair education and struggled hard to keep her famliy together. The boys worked out on farms and assisted their mother in every possible way, grow- ing up fine specimens of the hardy stock from which they sprung. John Stewart learned the carpenter's trade and was the first one to leave home, going south in 1865. He had volunteered in 1862, but being a minor, his mother objected to his going into the army. In 1868 John came to Des Moines, Iowa, where he worked at his trade for some time and then went to Cca- tral City, Colorado, since which time his principal occupation has been mining. For eight years he lived on the Pacific coast, in Oregon and Washington, but returned to lowa in the fall of 1884, where he remained

for two years engaged in farming, and then went to Nebraska, where he purchased two hundred acres of land in Webster county. Three years later he sold this farm and went south again to Montgomery, Alabama, and in that locality, in partnership with P. P. Johnson, engaged in the cultivation of a cotton plantation of five hundred and twen- ty acres. Two years later he came back and remained on the farm of his brother Thomas, and then, feeling again the desire for change, went to old Mexico, where he took up mining claims and spent two sum- mers in gold-mining in the state of Sonora. In the spring of 1900 he went to Nome city, Alaska, where he has mining claims, from which place he returned home in Oc- tober, 1900. He and his wife are making their home with their son, a merchant of Henderson.

Mrs. Stewart's second son to leave home was Robert, who came to lowa in 1868, locating in Warren county, where he bought one hundred and twenty acres of new land, paying ten dollars per acre. He is an able farmer in Montgomery county and has a large family. The only daughter. Mary Elizabeth, married Floyd Shinn, a prosper- ous farmer of Montgomery county, and has two sons and one daughter.

. Thomas R. Stewart remained in War- ren county one year and then bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in Mont- gomery county, for which he paid ten dol- lars an acre, that same land now being val- ued at fifty-five dollars an acre. Mr. Stew- art still holds this land, having it under the care of a tenant. For five years Mr. Stewart was engaged in mining for gold and silver in Colorado, but not finding this satisfac- tory he returned to his farm in 1874. In

424

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

1878 Mr. Stewart purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in Montgomery county, settling there and engaging in farm- ing upon a large scale. His next purchase was three hundred and twenty acres in Mills county, in 1883, for which he paid forty dollars per acre, and this was followed by a further purchase of an adjoining tract of one hundred and seventy-five acres in the same county, for which lie paid the same price per acre. Mr. Stewart has improved this property, erecting a handsome house and barn, with all necessary buildings for stock. and the land has been fenced with wire and is under a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Stewart keeps a hundred head of cattle, four hundred Poland China hogs and twen- ty-eight horses. About three hundred and twenty acres are planted to corn, one hun- dred and fifty to wheat, Mr. Stewart feed- ing much of his abundant crop to his stock.

The marriage of our subject took place in Iowa in 1878, when Miss Augusta Shinn became his wife. She was the daughter of L. D. and Emily (Woods) Shinn, natives of Virginia. Mr. Shinn now resides in Red Oak, but Mrs. Shinn died in 1888, having been the mother of five children. Mr. Shinn was a major in the army during the Civil war and two sons accompanied him, but only one returned, the other giving up his life for his country. Mrs. Stewart wals taken from her family in 1888, leaving three children to the bereaved father : Pearl, now a young lady and the pleasant and capable housekeeper for her father : she graduated at Shenandoah College in 1897, is a fine scholar and accomplished musician: Stella May, also a graduate of the Henderson high school and proficient in music: she graduated at the same college as did her

sister, belonging to the class of 1900; and Augusta, now attending the Henderson high school. These young ladies, under the care of their faithful and devoted grand- mother, have developed many lovely traits of character and have made a pleasant home for their father, who takes a pardonable pride in them.

Although a prominent and progressive man, Mr. Stewart has declined all public office, consenting only to fill the position of school director, being much interested in educational matters. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party.

HARRY E. WOOD.

Harry E. Wood is numbered among the native sons of Fremont county, where his birth occurred April 22, 1864. He repre- sents one of the honored pioneer families that has been identified with the farming interests of this portion of the state front an early epoch in its deelopment. He is a son Elijah and Julia (Snelling) Wood, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Virginia, their marriage having been cele- brated in the Buckeye state. Robert Wood, the grandfather of our subject, was of Irish lineage, and became one of the pioneers of Ohio, erecting a log cabin where the city of Cincinnati now stands. He removed his family into it and while living on the wild western frontier was killed by the Indians. At his death he left two children, Mrs. Wat- kins and Elijah.

The latter was reared in Ohio and learned the miller's trade, which he followed for many years. At an early date he removed from that state to Burlington, Iowa, where he conducted a hotel, being numbered among

425

BIOGRAIPIIICAIL HISTORY.

the business men of that city for some time. Subsequently he cast in his lot with he pio- neer settlers of Fremont county and a num- ber of years later purchased a farm north of Sidney, while afterward he became the owner of the old Dean mill in Mills county. There he purchased grain and carried on his mill, which is operated by water power. The dam, however, washed out and gave him con- siderable trouble, so that the enterprise did not prove a success. After ten years passed there he exchanged the mill property for a farm in Mills county and took up his abode there, making it his home for eight years. after which he sold out about 1885 and re moved to California. In the Golden state he engaged in farming for two years and then returned to Pottawattamie county. lowa, locating on a farm belonging to his sons. Afterward he and his wife went to Oklahoma, where he died on the 18th of September, 1898. In his political views he was a stalwart Republican and for a number · of years he held the office of justice of the peace. He was enterprising and public- spirited, and in every community in which he resided he gained the respect and confi- cence of those with whom he was associated and won many friends. By all who knew him his death was deeply mourned. Since her husband's demise Mrs. Wood has re- turned to Fremont county and finds a good home among her children, spending much of her time with her son Harry E. Like her husband, she holds membership in the Cumberland Presbyterian church and is a most estimable lady. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wood were born eleven children, namely. James, who died in California: Sarah, the wife of Joseph Wilson : Robert, who is liv-

ing in Oregon : Samuel, a merchant of Car- son. lowa: Fanny, the wife of C. MeKeel. William 11., a druggist of Perkins, Okla- homa: Emma V., who died in California. Wesley, who lives in Knox county. Nebras- ka: Charles, of Iowa; Frank, whose home is in Council Bluffs, lowa : and Harry E., of this review.

Harry E. Wood was reared to farm life and acquired his education in the common schools. He accompanied his parents on their various removals until they started for California, at which time he remained in Mills county and engaged in farming. When nineteen years of age he went west and spent two years in Nebraska and South Dakota. being employed on a cattle ranch. He then returned to Fremont county. At the time of his marriage he took up his abode upon the farm which is yet his home, and in connection with general farming he feeds and handles cattle and hogs. He has also acted as agent for the Des Moines Life In- surance Company, but the greater part of his attention has been given to his farming, and he is particularly well known as a dealer in cattle.

In 1895 Mr. Wood was united in mar- riage to Mrs. Maggie J. Heaton, a widow. who was born in Bond county. Illinois. Jan- uary 23. 1853, and is a daughter of Jona- than and Margaret ( Hand) Gaby. the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Indiana, their marriage being cele- brated in the Hoosier state. The father was of German lineage and died in St. Louis, Missouri, while his wife passed away in Ili- nois. He was an architect and carpenter. following those callings through his busi- ness career. Mrs. Gaby held membership

426

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

in the Methodist Episcopal church, and like her husband was highly esteemed by many friends. This worthy couple had six chil- dren: Mrs. Elizabeth H. Carpenter; Will- iam, who is living in Salt Lake City, Utah; Sarah C., now the wife of J. Baker: Jona- than, who is living in Illinois; Maggie J .; and Edward, also a resident of Salt Lake City.

Mrs. Wood came to this county in 1859 and made her home with an aunt until 1872, when she gave her hand in marriage to William Y. Heaton, of Illinois, who came to Fremont county with his father. At the time of her marriage they located upon a farm and afterward came to the farm upon which Mrs. Wood is now living. Mr. Heaton was a leading and influential agri- culturist in the community and in connec- tion with the cultivation of the fields he en- gaged in raising stock, making a specialty of fine horses. In his political views he was a Democrat and held some minor offices. His death occurred in 1889, and to his fam . ily he left an untarnished name and a good estate. There were two children : Henry J., who was born January 28. 1873; and Hattie R., born March 14, 1876, and is the wife of Eber G. Haning. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have an interesting little daughter, Leah M., who was born January 6. 1896.

Mrs. Wood holds membership in the Presbyterian church and is widely known in Fremont county, where her circle of friends is very extensive. In his political views Mr. Wood was formerly a Democrat, but in 1900 he supported the Republican party. His fellow townsmen have called upon him to serve in local offices and in all he has discharged his duties with prompt ness and fidelity. He is one of the enterpris.

ing and energetic agriculturists of the com- munity, whose labors, well directed by sound judgment, are bringing to him a good profit.

NATHAN BROWN.

During his early boyhood, Nathan Brown came to Fremont county and is now numbered among the old settlers, for when he arrived here the county was in its prim- itive stages of development. He was born in Cedar county, Missouri, in 1846, a son of L. D. Brown, who was born in Ohio and in early manhood went to Indiana, in which state he was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Beson, who was born in Ohio. In 1850 they removed to Nebraska City, Ne- braska, and in that locality the father se- cured a claim. The Indians were still numer- ous and game of all kinds was abundant. The country was a tract of raw prairie and the work of progress and improvement seemed scarcely begun, for at that time there was not a single railroad in the state of Iowa. Shortly after his arrival in the west the father took up his abode in Wash- ington township, Fremont county, where he has since lived, being now eighty-one years of age. He owns a farm |near Harmony and is regarded as one of the venerable and useful citizens of the community, receiving the respect which should ever be accorded to old age. In his family were five chil- dren : James, who served as a soldier in the Civil war and is now living in Kansas City, Missouri: Nathan; Mrs. Jane Slusher ; Ed- ward, who is living in Washington town- ship; and Mason. The mother of these children died at the age of sixty-two years, and her death was mourned by many friends,

NATHAN BROWN Aged 19, while serving in Company A, First Nebraska Regiment.

THE NEW YORK PUB!IS UTFRARY

ASTON TILDYV /

1:000

427

BIOGRAPHIIC.IL HISTORY.

for she possessed those sterling qualities of character which everywhere awaken respect and regard.

Nathan Brown was only five years of age when he became a resident of Fremont county, and upon the old homestead farm he was reared. As soon as old enough to handle the plow he took his place in the fields and assisted in every department of the farm work, thus gaining that practical knowledge which enabled him to profitably carry on business for himself along the same line. His educational privileges were those afforded by the common schools. In 1864 he responded to the country's call, enlisting when eighteen years of age as a member of Company A, First Nebraska Cavalry, un- der Colonel R. R. Livingston and Major Thomas Majors. The company was com- manded by Captain E. P. Gillett, while General Thayer was in command of the division. He was a brilliant and gallant officer and later became a politician of note. The regiment saw active duty on the fron- tier, waging war against the Indians on the plains. That command was in several en- gagements and lost a number of its men in battle. They were on the march from Ne- braska City to Colorado, Wyoming and other points of the far west and were con- stantly on the alert to prevent the uprising of the Indians against the people on the frontier. In 1866 Mr. Brown was honora- bly discharged, after two years' service. and was mustered out at Omaha, Nebraska. · after which he returned to his old home and resumed the quiet pursuits of the farm.

At the age of twenty-two, in 1868, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Burrows, who was born in Union county, ! Ohio, near Marysville, in 1849, a daughter 26

of William E. Burrows, a native of Massa- chusetts. Her mother was in her maiden- hood Miss Pamelia Burrows. She was born in New York and was a second cousin of her husband. Her death occurred in Kan- sas when she was sixty-two years of age, and her husband passed away in Hamburg, at the ripe old age of eighty-four years. By occupation he was a shoemaker and fol- lowed that pursuit through a long period. He, too, served his country at the time of the Civil war, enlisting in the One IIun- dred and Twenty-first Ohio Infantry. Ile afterward became a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, gave his political support to the Republican party and held membership in the Christian church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Burrows were born eleven children, five sons and six daughters, and three of the sons aided in the defense of the Union when rebellion in the south threat- ened its destruction. Franklin and Horace were members of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio Infantry, and the latter laid down his life on the altar of his coun- try, while Leonard defended the starry ban- ner as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Infantry. Other chil- dren of the family are Frances, Harriet, Caroline and Mrs. Brown. The marriage of our subject and his wife has been blessed with eleven children, as follows: Lola, the wife of Charles McCracken, of Washing- : ton township, Fremont county : Mrs. Daisy Thorp, of Hamburg; Emma: Edward; Lillie, the wife of George Baker; Earl, Fay, Harry, Tracy, Kenneth and Gladys. The family reside upon a good farm of sixty acres of rich bottom land and Mr. Brown is recognized as an enterprising and suc- cessful agriculturist.

428

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

In early days he had an excellent reputa- tion for his skill as a hunter and many a game bird has fallen before the discharge of his trusty rifle. He maintains pleasant relationship with his old army comrades through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, and he also belongs to Ham- burg Lodge, I. O. O. F., while his wife is connected with the order of Rebekah. Dur- ing his long residence in Iowa he has wit- nessed the great transformation which has changed this section of the state from a wild region into one of the best counties of the commonwealth, and in this development he feels just pride. He has ever borne his part in the work of public improvement, giving his active co-operation to many measures for the general good.

SAMUEL A. HOLCOMBE.

Among the representatives of agricult- tral interests in Mills county is Samuel A. Holcombe, whose well developed farm in Center township stands as a monument to his enterprise and capable labors. He is numbered among the soldier boys of the Civil war, and since putting aside the uni- form of blue he has been found as true and faithful to his duties of citizenship as when he followed the stars and stripes on the battle-fields of the south.

Samuel A. Holcombe was born in Herki- mer county, New York, in 1847, and is a representative of one of the old families of Massachusetts. The Holcombes originated in Devonshire, England. One of the an- cestors was a crusader and a knight, and re- ceived large grants of land from the king of England, in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The name is composed of two Saxon words,-

"holt" and "combe." The first representa- tive of the family to seek a home in the new world came in 1630. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Bethuel Hol- combe, who was born in Granville, Massa- chusetts, on the 9th of September, 1763, while his wife, Desire Holcombe, was a na- tive of Southwark, Massachusetts, born in 1767. He served as an officer in the Co -. lonial army in the war of the Revolution. The grandparents had ten children, among whom was the Rev. Chester Holcombe. The others were: Hosea, who was born in 1787, Cynthia, who was born in 1789: Clarissa. who was born in 1791 ; Clarissa, the second, born in 1794; Silas, born in 1796; Edmond, born in 1800; Martin, born in 1802: Al- mond, born in 1806; and Amanda, born in 1 809.

The Rev. Chester Holcombe was born in Herkimer county, New York, and be- came a Presbyterian minister, devoting his entire life to the work of the gospel. He was twice married. He first wedded Cath- erine Beebe, who was born in 1800, and they became the parents of the following children : Edward Seymour, Charles Wilson, Edwin Clark, Andrus Hart, Julia Elvira, Henry Martin, Harmon Walton and Catherine Bee- be. All were natives of the Empire state, having been born in Oswego, Oneida and Herkimer counties. Of these, five of the sons, Edward, Andrus, Charles, Henry and Harmon, were soldiers in the Civil war and won distinction by reason of their valor at the battle of Gettysburg. Harmon was struck by a piece of a shell, which was de- flected by a Testament in his blouse pocket. He was not injured but the force of the blow knocked him temporarily senseless and he was carried off the field as dead. After

429

BIOGRAPIIICAL HISTORY.

the death of his first wife the Rev. Chester Holcombe married Miss Lucy Tompkins, who was born in Massachusetts and prior to her marriage was a successful teacher in the Female Seminary at Clinton, New York. The children of this marriage are : Chester. Gilbert T. and Samnel AA. The father died in Wayne county, New York, in 1865, and the mother passed away in the Empire state in 1861.

Their son Chester was born in Winfield. Herkimer county, in 1842, and is a very distinguished man, a diplomat and an author. whose opinions on Chinese matters are re- garded as authority. He prepared for college in the old academies in Webster and Sodus and was graduated in Union College in a class of one hundred and fifty-six. He ranked third in scholarship, won the much-coveted Phi Beta Kappa prize, and was graduated at the earliest age of any alum nus of that institution. After studying for the ministry he was ordained to preach the gospel in the Presbyterian church. During the war he went to the south as a teacher, but on account of ill health was forced to discontinue that work, and sailed for China as a missionary under the auspices of the American board. Soon after his arrival there Dr. S. Wells Williams, author of "The Middle Kingdom." and secretary of the American legation at Peking, resigned and induced Mr. Holcombe to accept the posi- tion of secretary, in which capacity he served until 1884. Since that time he has made various visits to China, going to the em- pire on commercial and financial business for people in this country. He is the author of a work entitled "The Real Chinaman." a fascinating and valuable treatise on the educational, social and commercial relations

of the Chinese. It was issued in a fine vol- ume two years ago by Dodd. Mead & Com . pany, and has had a large sale. Recently Chester Holcombe has completed another work which was published by the same house, in October. 1900, and is devoted more especially to the treatment of the govern- mental matters of the Chinese in China. military and otherwise. Hle is a constant contributor to the newspapers, magazines and periodicals. his articles being eagerly read. He has filled all the different posts in our diplomatic service in China. As a member of the commission for that purpose he assisted in the negotiations of two treaties between the United States and China. . 1.s- sociated with Admiral Shufeldt he also ne- gotiated the treaty between the United States and Corea.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa, Part 54

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 752

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 752