USA > Iowa > Mills County > A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa > Part 59
USA > Iowa > Fremont County > A biographical history of Fremont and Mills Counties, Iowa > Part 59
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ability led him to be classed among the most progressive agriculturists of his community. His efforts, directed along the lines of hon- orable business methods, brought to him a comfortable competence. In Indiana Mr. Shepard was united in marriage to Miss Ella Miner, a native of Ohio and a daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary Miner. The fol- lowing children were born of their union, namely: Willard, Thomas, Walter, Lou, Charles, John, deceased, Richard, Clarence, Oscar and May. The mother died about twelve years ago, her death being mourned by all who knew her. The sons of the fam- ily are young men of sterling worth, highly respected in the county. Richard has served as the county recorder for two years, his term expiring in the fall of 1900. He joined the volunteer army at the time of the break- ing out of the Spanish war and was wounded at the battle of El Caney, July 1, 1898. John enlisted in the regular army at Fort Crook, Nebraska, in 1898, and served throughout the war in Cuba, being on the firing line in the engagements at El Caney and Santiago. Soon afterward he became ill and was sent to the liospital on Long Island, but recovered and rejoined his regiment, with which he went to the Philippines, and served with dis- tinction during his term of three years, when he was honorably discharged, reaching home on the 5th of March, 1900. Later he was taken ill, as a result of the hardships suffered in the tropics, and died on the 27th of April, 1900, at the age of twenty-six. He was one of the popular and highly esteemed young men of the community and his death was the occasion of deep regret throughout the entire county. He possessed many noble qualities, consideration and kindness as well a bravery being numbered among his charac-
teristics. Mr. Shepard's family is one of which he has every reason to be proud, and the members of the household occupy an en- viable position in the social circles in which they move.
RICHARD A. COX.
It would be difficult to find one who has a wider acquaintance in Fremont county, or is more favorably known than Richard A. Cox, who is affectionately and familiarly called "Uncle Dick." He was born in Estill county, Kentucky, February 12, 1830, a son of James and Sarah (Noland) Cox, who were also natives of the same state. The grandfather, John Cox, accompanied Lord Baltimore to the city of Baltimore, Mary- land, and served in the war of 1812. His wife bore the maiden name of Lucy R. Rich . ardson. The Cox family is of Irish and English descent. James Cox. the father of our subject, remained in Kentucky until 1834, when he removed to Jackson county. Missouri, and after a short time he went south to New Orleans, there spending two years. On the expiration of that period he returned northward, locating at Peoria, Ill- inois, where the succeeding two years were passed, after which he spent a similar period near St. Louis, Missouri, and then again be- came a resident of Jackson county, that state. In 1846 hie enlisted in the army and partici- pated in the Mexican war, dying while in the service. His death occurred in the land of Montezuma, when he was forty-six years of age. His wife, long surviving him, died in 1884 and was laid to rest in Inde- pendence, Missouri.
Richard A. Cox was only fourteen years of age when he started out in life on his own
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account. Since that time he has been de- pendent entirely upon his own efforts and certainly deserves great credit for the suc- cess he has achieved. He has met with many difficulties and obstacles, but by deter- mined purpose he has steadily worked his way upward. For a year and a half he was employed at the blacksmith's trade and in 1848 he went to Mexico where he remained for five months, after which he returned to Jackson, Missouri. In the spring of 1849 during the memorable gold excitement in California, he made his way to the Pacific coast where he was engaged in mining, which occupation he followed with varying success for ten years. One instance in his mining experience illustrates the enticing prospects with which the miners met. When with his partner one afternoon they accidentally came across what seemed to be a solid mass of gold just a few inches below the top of the ground. As they took away the earth more ! and more it seemed that they had made the richest find in the country. Night coming on, they threw back the dirt and staked out their claim, put up notices of their ownership and departed for camp. Mr. Cox thought smilingly that they were the richest men in all the world. Sleep scarcely visited his eyes through the long night. His mind was in an excited and feverish condition, busy with many plans of how he would spend his money. Hardships and toil were no longer to be a portion of his lot. Long before (lawn he and his partner left camp and were traveling back to their mine of gold. Soon after their arrival there a crowd began to gather, the news of their find having rapidly spread throughout the adjoining camps. All was excitement and as the gold was again reached it appeared to be almost a
solid mass of the precious metal. Mr. Cox was offered a big price for his share, but he replied that he was going to load the Nancy Young, go to New York and buy the city. but as the work was carried on they found that the entire amount of gold was only about five hundred dollars. After spending much time and money in digging and in trying to find other veins, they abandoned their claim entirely.
Mr. Cox remained near the coast for nearly twenty years, but finally located in Missouri where he engaged in farming. Coming to Fremont county in 1887. here ho also engaged in farming for about two years and then became the proprietor of a hotel in Tabor, conducting the enterprise until Au- gust, 1900, when he turned over the business to his son-in-law, Frank N. Cook.
In 1864 Mr. Cox was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary E. McClure, a daughter of Elisha and Nancy E. McClure, who were natives of Kentucky and removed from Har- din county, that state, to Davis county, Illi- nois. Her father died in 1864 at the age of sixty-four years, but the mother is still living at the age of eighty-one years and now makes her home in Harrison county, Missouri. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cox have been born two children : Sarah Viola, who was married in .August, 1889, to Frank N. Cook, by whom she has a son and daughter, Ray and Hazel : and Susan E., who in September, 1895. became the wife of R. C. Laird and resides on a farm near Tabor. They, too, have two children, Edna Viola and Mary Eleda. Mr. and Mrs. Cox hold membership in the Chris- tian church and are people of the highest re- spectability, their circle of friends being limited only by their circle of acquaintances. Mr. Cox now owns considerable property
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and is in very comfortable circumstances. Uncle Dick, as he is known by almost all, has a wide acquaintance among the traveling men who visit Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri, and they took great delight in being entertained at the Tabor House when the subject of this review was its proprietor. He is a man of genial nature, courteous and social disposition, a good conversationalist and an inimitable story-teller. One evening at his hotel a company of strolling minstrels was doing some clog dancing on the newly painted porch of the hotel. The proprietor was hugely enjoying the performance when some one remarked to him that it would ruin his paint. "Dad burn it," said Uncle Dick, "I'll build a new one," and the dance went on. It is not only his love of fun that has made him popular, for he is a man of genu- ine worth, honorable in business and faithful to every trust reposed in him. In politics he is a stalwart Democrat. He is one of the characters that brings into life much of its sunshine, and all who are in his company for a short time go away cheered and with a brighter outlook for the future.
CHARLES G. GREENWOOD.
There is in Iowa a sturdy class of busi- ness men, who, notwithstanding a familiar- ity with the vicissitudes of financial and com- mercial ventures, have always paid one hun- dred cents on the dollar, and stand a wall of probity and security against general business calamity by serving as an example to less able men and standing firmly in the path of more unscrupulous ones. Of this class is Charles G. Greenwood, of Silver City, Iowa, a prominent banker and lumber merchant.
Charles G. Greenwood was born at Guil-
ford, Piscataquis county, Maine, May 24, 1836-a day notable in history as that upon which Queen Victoria, of England, was born. His father, Horace Greenwood, was born in Hebron, Maine, in 1810, and died in Wood- ford county, Illinois, in 1861. His grandfa- ther, Alexander Greenwood, was well known in Maine as a surveyor, and was killed in the prime of life by a falling tree while engaged in the work of his profession. His wife prior to her marriage was a Miss Beree, and she also lived and died in Maine. They reared a large family which included Horace Greenwood, his brothers Otis and Alexander, and several daughters. Alexander died when a young man. Otis became a farmer and went to the western reserve in Ohio, thence to Illinois and afterward to Michigan. Hor- ace Greenwood married Cordelia Gower, a native of Industry, Maine, and a daughter of James Henry and Susan (Norton) Gower, the latter a relative of Nordica, the famous operatic singer. Mrs. Greenwood was born in 18II, and was married at the age of nineteen. Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood became well-to-do farmers in Piscataquis county, Maine, where their five children were born in the order in which they are here mentioned : Citoyenne, who is the widow of James Foss, lives at Minneapolis, Minne- sota and has one son living. Charles G. is the immediate subject of this sketch. Borre- dell, widow of Moses Buch, is the mother of eight children and lives at Cheboygan, Mich- igan. Horace A. is a land owner and spec- ulator at Wymore, Nebraska, and has two daughters. C. Davis died at the age of six- teen years, in Illinois, where the family re- moved in 1857. The mother of these chil- dren survived her husband thirty years and died at Wymore, Nebraska, in 1891, aged
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eighty-three. She was a woman of great energy and enterprise, which were not dim- med by the approach of old age. When she was seventy-five years old, she went to Col- orado and proved up a pre-emption on three hundred and twenty acres of land under the provision of the homestead law. The prop- erty she secured included a tree claim, and she maintained a legal residence there for the prescribed period and made the necessary amount of improvements, visiting her chi- dren from time to time as opportunity offered.
Charles G. Grenwood received his pri- mary education in the public schools in Maine and was for a time a student at an academy there. He came to Illinois in the fall of 1857 and that winter entered the Wis- consis State University as a sophomore and was there associated with Senator William F. Vilas who was graduated in that institu- tion. He began teaching school at the age of eighteen years and afterward taught three winter terms in Illinois, when he was a man of family and a school director. He was married January 17, 1861. to Apphia Trask. a native of Maine, who at the age of fifteen had gone to Illinois with her parents, Eben G. Trask and his wife who was a member of the family of Emery. Both are now de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Trask reared three sons and two daughters, all of whom are living except the eldest. Wayland Trask, who enlisted as an orderly for service in the Civil war, rose to the rank of first lieutenant and afterward became a captain in the regular army of the United States.
Mr. Greenwood came from Illinois to Iowa in 1880, and located at Silver City, Mills county, where he engaged in the lum- ber and grain trade. For a short time his
brother Horace was his partner, but after that he conducted an individual enterprise until 1889, when his son. C. D. Greenwood, arrived at his majority and acquired an in- terest in his father's business. For two years the younger Greenwood was engaged in the same line of business at Malvern, Mills county. He married Miss Lizzie Pullman, and has a son named C. G. Greenwood. There were also four daughters born to Charles G. and Apphia ( Trask ) Greenwood : Grace, the eldest, married George W. Haw- ley, and has a son and has lost a daughter by death. She lives at Hunnewell, Missouri. Sarepta is the wife of Moris Kehoe, of Silver City, lowa, and has a son and daughter. Cora is the wife of G. A. Spellbring, of Ster- ling, Nebraska, and has a son and a daugh- ter. AAda, who is a member of her father's household, was educated at Tabor College, in lowa, and is an accomplished pianist.
For the past five years Mr. Greenwood has been interested in gold mining at Cripple Creek, Colorado. He was one of the incor- porators of the Silver City State Bank, or- ganized in 1883, and has been its president continuously since that time. He is the owner of real estate in the Missouri valley and at Alvin, Texas, and of farm land in Kansas, Texas and Towa. He is a leading lumber dealer in his part of the state and his lumber yard is one of the largest and best stocked for many miles around. He began life poor and has made a notable success in an honest, straightforward way that com- mends his example to the emulation of all ambitious young business men. Standing five feet. eleven inches high and weighing two hundred and fifteen pounds, he is a note- worthy figure in any crowd, but his manner is quiet and retiring and he is not given to
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unnecessary talk. A well posted, practical business man of sound judgment and well balanced mind, he is equally well informed on questions of national importance and is a prominent Republican, who held the office of justice of the peace thirteen years in a Demo- cratic township in Illinois, and in the same township was several times elected to the office of township supervisor. He has been three times elected a member of the city council of Silver City. Mrs. Greenwood is a member of the Baptist church in which her father was a regularly ordained preacher laboring in the ministry in Maine, Illinois and Iowa.
JOHN GOY.
A well-known and prominent business man of Sidney, Iowa, is John Goy, the sub- ject of this sketch, who is a member of the firm of Hodges & Goy, merchants and deal- ers in clothing and general merchandise. Mr. Goy was born near Lincoln, England, in 1851. His father was William Goy, a na- tive of the same place, who now resides in Fremont county on a farm. He was a son of Richard Goy, who lived and died in his native land. The mother of our subject was Demarius (Asmon) Goy, who was born in England and died at the family homested near Tabor, Iowa, several years ago. The parents of Mr. Goy came to the United States when he was six months old, making the journey in a sailing vessel and were upon the ocean six weeks. They first located in Ohio, but later came to Fremont county. Iowa.
Our subject was educated in the public schools of this county and remained with his parents until he was about twenty-one,
coming to Sidney in 1873. He engaged as a clerk in the store of which he is now part owner. At this time his employer was A. F. Metalman, a banker of the town. In 188: Mr. Goy formed a partnership with Mr. Hodges, who had been in the employ of Mr. Metalman since 1870, and bought out the business. Since that time the firm has had a very prosperous existence, the proprietors just having built a fine brick structure, and now carry as fine and varied a line of gen- eral merchandise and clothing as can be found in the cities. One pleasant feature in connection with the establishment is its roominess, giving most desirable opportuni- ties for the display of goods. The arrange- ment is artistic and the whole place of busi- ness is one that does credit to the town of Sidney.
The marriage of Mr. Goy took place in 1879, to Miss Anna Cowles, a daughter of Giles and Lydia (Dovener) Cowles, both born in Ohio. The former died in Sidney, the latter is still living. Giles Cowles came to Fremont county in 1856, taught school for five years and was made county super- intendent for one term, also most acceptably filling the office of county treasurer for two terms, and was urged to accept another term, but declined. For several years he then en- gaged in the mercantile business. Perry Cowles, a son, now deceased, was the clerk of the county court for two terms, was coun- ty recorder and at the time of his death was a merchant. Three other children of Mr. Cowles still survive-Mrs. Sarah Samuels, Wesley and Mrs. Goy. Mr. Goy has one brother. W. R. Goy, and one sister. Mrs. Ann Omer. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Goy are : Raymond M., Giles D. and Carl B. In politics Mr. Goy is a stanch Repub-
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lican, upholding the principles of the party in a manly spirit. Both he and his esti- mable wife are valued members of the Pres- byterian church and are among the most highly esteemed residents of the town of Sidney.
OZRO C. GASTON.
Ozro C. Gaston, a well-known resident of Fremont county, was born in Tabor, lowa, February 10. 1863. The public schools afforded him his early educational privileges and he later pursued a partial course in Tabor College. Subsequently he engaged in teaching for six months, in 1883- 4. and then took up the study of stenography which he pursued without the aid of a teach er. In 1885 he accepted a position in Coun- cil Bluffs as an amanuensis and later was employed in a similar capacity in Omaha. In September, 1886, he was appointed dep -- uty reporter for Judge Mohaly and remained with his until April 21, 1887. when he was appointed official reporter in the thirteenth judicial district of Nebraska.
On the 12th of October, of that year, Mr. Gaston was united in marriage to Miss. May . \. Fetter. a daughter of J. L. and Mary ( Jones ) Fetter, of Oakland, Iowa. He theri located at McCook, Nebraska, and there re- sided until 1888, when he entered into part- nership with C. A. Potter, one of the oldest stenographic reporters of the state. This relationship was maintained until 1889. On the 3rd of September of that year Mr. Gas- ton was appointed, by Judge Thornell, to the position of reporter for the fifteenth judicial district of Iowa, and has since resided in Tabor. He is particularly proficient in his line, is extremely accurate in his work and
has the broad knowledge and sound judg- ment which enable him to make his services especially valuable. He was largely instru- mental in organizing the state association of stenographers in lowa and the National . As- sociation selected him to act as organizer for the middle west. In this capacity he has worked in thirteen different states. In Au- gust, 1886. he was elected first vice-president of the National Stenographers' Association, which has continually grown in strength, now numbering six hundred members. . \- mission to the organization is only secured by the most capable representatives of the profession. At the time the World's Con- gress was held at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 he prepared and read a paper on the subject of his profession and its possibilities.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gaston have been born three sons: George C .. Ozro F. and Robert H. Mrs. Gaston is a lady of high literary and artistic taste. She is a member of the Ladies' Union and was the organizer of the Woman's Club in Tabor. The latter is devoted to the study of classical authors and different topics of literary interest. while the Ladies' Union gives its time to church work. Mr. Gaston is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity, belonging to St. Albans Lodge No. 17. of Council Bluffs. and is also a member of the Congregational church.
JAMES IL. McDONALD.
One of the most prominent and respected citizens of Sidney, lowa, is James II. Mc- Donald, the subject of this review, who owns and conducts the Fremont County Bank. He was born in Canada, in 1853, a son of
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Harlem and Sarah J. ( Baldwin ) McDonald. Our subject's ancestors were Scotch, but his grandfather, John McDonald, was a native of Connecticut . whose death occurred in Oneida county, New York, whither he had removed, and where his son Harlem was born. The latter became a manufacturer of threshing machines, first in New York and later in Canada, as he removed to Toronto when a young man. About 1858 lie removed to Kilbourn, Wisconsin, where he lived many years and where his wife died. He spent his last days with a daughter in Omaha, Nebraska.
Our subject left his home to face the world alone at the age of sixteen. He had received the best education possible to be ob- tained in the public schools, limited means preventing any hope of a more extended opportunity. His first occupation was in a printing office in Michigan, but it probably was not very remunerative, for when he reached Malvern, on his way to Fremont county, Iowa, where he hoped to better his fortunes, he had just enough money to buy his breakfast. It is inspiring to read of the success of those who have earned it by un- aided effort, and the life of Mr. McDonald furnishes an example to others of what per- sistent perseverance will accomplish. He en- tered a printing office in Sidney, in the mean- time employing his spare moments and nights in study, this resulting in sufficient. preparation for the position of teacher. For three years he successfully followed this profession, still toiling at his books and strengthening himself by associating with educated people, until he was able to enter the law office of W. S. Long, later that of Judge Sawyer, where he finished the course.
Mr. McDonald has never engaged in the
practice of law, but considers it indispensable in his banking business, which includes a complete and exhaustive abstract depart- ment, also loans and insurance. He estab- lished this business in 1876 and by the same persistence that characterized his earlier ef- forts he has made it a success. He pos- sesses the confidence of the community and is one of the representative men of the county.
In 1880 Mr. McDonald was married to Miss Willie E. Gray, the daughter of John B. Gray, who was the county recorder of Fremont county for some time. His family consists of Edna P., Herbert H., Ollie and Carl H., both deceased, and Louise.
In politics Mr. McDonald is a Repub- lican, his judgment of national affairs car- rying with it much weight. Both he and his estimable wife are consistent members of the Presbyterian church, to which he has been a liberal contributor and supporter.
WILLIAM R. JOHNSON.
William Riley Johnson, who is now efficiently serving as trustee of Silver Creek township, is one of the most practical and enterprising agriculturists of Mills coun- ty, where he owns and operates a valuable and highly improved farm. His posses- sions have all been acquired through his own well-directed efforts, and as the result of his consecutive endeavor he has won a place among the substantial citizens of the community.
Mr. Johnson was born in Pettis county, Missouri, August 31, 1833, his parents be- ing William M. and Sarah (Long) John- son, natives of Kentucky and Maryland, respectively. In 1856 the family came to
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Mills county, Iowa, and settled in Silver Creek township, where the father made his Lome unti, called to his final rest at the age of eighty-three years. By occupation he was a farmer. The mother also died here at the age of eighty years. Of their four children our subject is now the only sur- vivor, though three reached years of ma- turity, married and reared families of their own. Our subject's paternal grandfather was William L. Johnson. He belonged to an old Kentucky family. In that state the grandmother died, but her husband's death occurred in Missouri.
On the home farm in Missouri William R. Johnson passed the days of his boyhood and youth, and acquired his education in the district schools of the neighborhood. He accompanied his parents on their re- moval to Mills county, Iowa, and remained with them until thirty-two years of age. On attaining his majority he continued to work on the farm for three years, and later was employed as a sawmill tender and car- penter for twelve years.
In 1865 Mr. Johnson married Miss Elizabeth Sloneker, a native of Iowa, and to them were born two children, namely : Alonzo, who is now engaged in mercantile business in Oregon ; and Jennie, who mar- ried Sherman Hickson and has three chil- dren. The parents of Mrs. Johnson were born in Pennsylvania, and in 1852 came to Mills county, where both died, the father at the age of sixty-five years, the mother at the age of seventy-one. After his mar- riage Mr. Johnson located upon his pres- ent farm, his first home being a little shanty fourteen by eighteen feet, in which he lived from 1865 until 1873, when he erected his present comfortable and substantial resi-
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