USA > Iowa > Keokuk County > A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa > Part 22
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LEVI ATTIG.
A representative of the agricultural interests of Keokuk county for many years, Levi Attig is now living retired. He is one of the early set-
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tlers of this portion of the state and has therefore been an interested wit- ness of the growth and development which have wrought a marvelous transformation here. He was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, Janu- ary 22, 1831, and is a son of George and Susan (Gable) Attig. The father, also a native of the Keystone state, spent his entire life there and throughout his business career worked at the tailor's trade, following that pursuit until he reached an advanced age. In his political views he was a stalwart Democrat in early life, but on the organization of the Republican party joined its ranks and continued one of its faithful followers until his death. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Winebrennerian church, or Church of God. He died in 1870 at the age of sixty-seven years. He had married in 1828 in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Susan Gable, was, like him, a native of the Keystone state. They became the parents of six children, five sons and one daughter. Mrs. Attig had been previously married and had one son by that union, Samuel Mclenicon. The children born of the second marriage were: Valentine G., now deceased; Levi, the subject of this review ; William, deceased; Peter; Lydia, who is also deceased ; and Henry H.
Levi Attig spent his early childhood days in Perry county, Pennsyl- vania, and from the age of fifteen years was dependent upon his own resources for a living. He was first employed as a farm laborer and about 1851 secured a position as a boatman on the Pennsylvania canal, following that pursuit for two years. He afterward worked at rail- roading for about twenty-two years, but at the time of the Civil war he put aside all business and personal considerations and offered his services to the government, enlisting in August, 1862. He became one of the boys in blue of Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-third Pennsyl-
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vania Infantry, and was at the front for nine months, after which he was mustered out at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He took part in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville and was ever found at his post of duty as a loyal defender of the old flag. After his discharge he again fol- lowed railroading until March, 1875.
In the meantime Mr. Attig was married, his wedding being cele- brated on the 23d of December, 1852, in Perry county, Pennsylvania, when Miss Barbara Kunkle became his wife. The lady was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters : George, William D., Mary C., Elsmore, Harry S .. Laura A., the wife of Charles Leathers; and Cora, the wife of George Sides. Of the above named, George and Mary C. are now deceased. All of these children were born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and with their parents came to Iowa.
On emigrating westward Mr. Attig took up his abode near Talley- rand, Keokuk county, where he remained for about two years and then removed to Washington township, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres of improved land, which he still owns. This is under a good state of cultivation and annually returns to Mr. Attig a good income. He has followed farming since he came to Iowa until a recent date and now is practically living retired from further labor. In 1898 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the Ioth of Jan- uary, of that year, at her home in Washington township when sixty-seven years of age. On the 12th of September, 1899, Mr. Attig was again married, his second union being with Elizabeth M. Earnest, a native of Perry county. Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John H. Earnest, a resident of that county. She was the widow of Theophilus Miller and by her first marriage had three children, all of whom are yet living,
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namely : Emery E .; Josephine L., the wife of William Fickes; and Edward A.
Mr. Attig belongs to Chicago Lodge No. 385, Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Delta, and is a stanch advocate of the Republican party, having supported its men and measures from the time it was formed. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Springfield and is ever loyal to its interests, contributing liberally to its support and doing all in his power to promote its growth and extend its influence. He has now passed the Psalmist's span of three-score years and ten and in the evening of life he receives the respect and veneration of his fellow-men because his lias been an honorable and upright career.
SAMUEL E. HEATON.
Prominent among the business men of Webster is numbered Samuel E. Heaton, an enterprising hardware dealer. No one in the locality is better known, for here his entire life has been spent, and all of his interests from boyhood have been closely associated with those of the locality. In business he has met with good success, and by the energy and zeal which he has manifested he has won the confidence and esteem of the public.
A native of this county, Mr. Heaton was born in English River township, July 27, 1862, and is a son of Lemuel H. Heaton, whose birth occurred in Tiffin, Ohio, in 1830. At the age of seven years the latter accompanied his mother on her removal to Greene county, Penn- sylvania, his father having died when he was quite young, and there lie was reared and educated, making it his home until coming to lowa in 1859. He took up his residence in English River township, Keokuk
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county, where he first purchased a tract of eighty acres and later bought one hundred and twenty acres which he still owns. To the improvement and cultivation of this land he devotes his energies, being successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Miss Charlotte Bell, a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania, where her early life was passed and where her education was obtained. She is the daughter of Canada Bell, a farmer of that county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Heaton were born four children, three sons and one daughter, as follows: John, William, Sammel E. and Laura.
Samuel E. Heaton lived at home with his parents in English River township until twenty years of age and is indebted to the schools of the neighborhood for the educational advantages he enjoyed. Later he engaged in carpentering for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, remaining in the employ of that corporation for five years, and then bought a hardware stock in Webster, Iowa, where he has since carried on business along that line with marked success, having by fair and honorable dealing built up a good trade. Since casting his first pres- idential vote he has supported the men and measures of the Republican party and takes an active interest in political affairs, as every true American citizen should. He is one of the wide-awake business men of the town of Webster and is highly esteemed. On the 29th day of April, 1894, Mr. Heaton married Lizzie Hurst, daughter of A. S. Hurst, of whom mention appears elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Heaton was born and reared in Keokuk county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Heaton were born two children : Fern and Roy.
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WILLIAM II. YOUNG.
The above named gentleman has been prominently identified with the growth of the enterprising town of Hedrick since its inception. Ile is responsible for much of its material growth and prosperity. He is at the present time president of the First National Bank and is also president of the Hedrick State Savings Bank, both of Hedrick. His nativity dates in the Hoosier state, where he was born in Clark county, April 11, 1842. He is the son of James B. Young, also a native of Clark county, Indiana, who brought his family to Keokuk county, Iowa, in 1854, locating at Twin Groves, in Steady Run township, where he continued to reside until his death at the age of seventy-one years. He, in his earlier years, was a stanch Whig and later became a prom- inent supporter of the Republican party. He always took an active interest in matters pertaining to the advancement of his immediate community and served on the school board of his district for many years. He was a blacksmith and wagonmaker in his early manhood, but after coming to Iowa followed agricultural pursuits in connection therewith. The grandfather of our subject was John A. Young, a native of the Keystone state. He became an early settler of Clark county, Indiana, where he lived until his death. On the maternal side of the family our subject's mother was Evaline Nugent, she being a native of Clark county, Indiana, where she was reared and married. She lived to the extreme old age of eighty-five years. Her father before her had been born in the Blue-grass state and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He also was one of the very earliest settlers of Clark county, Indiana. and was a weaver by trade and also farmed.
Mr. Young is a member of a family of ten children, three daugh-
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ters and seven sons, all of whom grew to maturity and married. He is the second child. He came to Keokuk county in 1854 with the family, he at that time being twelve years of age. His early education was acquired in the elementary schools of the district. He remained at home engaged in the labors of the farm until the rumblings which had been heard all during the fifties burst in the storm of the Civil war in the sixties. He watched the progress of events with a great deal of interest, and when the call was made for troops liis inherent patriotism was signally exemplified in his enlistment in September, 1861. in Company D, of the Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, as a private soldier. He went immediately to the front and arrived in time to take part in that sanguinary conflict which the northern army denominated Shiloh. This was followed by Corinth and by the operations about Vicksburg. Upon the fall of Vicksburg his company became part of the troops which were sent to take part in the Atlanta campaign. During this campaign, on the 22d of July, 1864, he, together with a number of liis comrades, was taken prisoner, and they were sent to the famous prison of Andersonville. He remained in this prison until October of the same year, when he was taken to Florence, South Carolina, where he remained until February 24, 1865, when he was removed to Richmond, Virginia, and there paroled. After a short furlough at home he returned to his regiment and was present at the grand review of the troops in Washington, D. C. He received his discharge in August of 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky, where his regiment was mustered out, having been in the service four years lacking one month.
Upon his return home he took up the life of an agriculturist, in which pursuit he engaged for several years. He later engaged in business in Martinsburg, and in 1877 sold out and bought the farm 38
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which he now owns, and on which he lived until 1880. In that year he was elected county treasurer and moved to the county seat, Sigour- ney. After serving one term, he, in company with Hon. J. T. Brooks, bought in 1882 what was known as the Waugh farm, on which they laid out the present town of Hedrick. In 1883 he and Mr. Brooks estab- lished the Bank of Hedrick, a private institution, which was merged in 1899 into the Hedrick State Savings Bank. In 1900 Mr. Young be- came interested with others in the organization of the First National Bank of Hedrick, with Mr. Young as president. He is also interested in company with Hon. John Morrison and Mr. Brooks in a large flouring mill at Hedrick. He has served one term as member of the county board of supervisors of the county, and has always taken a very prominent interest in the political life of the county as a Republican.
Mr. Young was married in October of 1869 to Elizabeth M. Hursey, a daughter of William and Margaret (Honald) Hursey, a family who are pioneers in Keokuk county. Mrs. Young was born in Tus- carawas county, Ohio, and is the mother of a family of three children. One of them died in infancy. Hattie, the eldest daughter, is the wife of Rev. L. C. Clark, Methodist minister. Waldo W., the son, is a student at Cornell College, of Mount Vernon. Mr. Young is a genial and social gentleman, and is a prominent and worthy member of Gar- field Lodge No. 485, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a member of the J. M. Hedrick Post, No. 424, of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a public spirited and progressive citizen, a man of sterling worth and high moral character, and he and his good wife are esteemed by a very large circle of friends and acquaintances.
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SAMUEL GILLFOY.
Samuel Gillfoy, a retired mine operator, living in What Cheer, lowa, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on the 4th of January, 1828, and bears in his veins some of the best blood of our early colonists. His paterna! grandfather, Samuel Gillfoy, served with distinction as an officer in the Revolutionary war under General Washington. He was a native of Virginia and was of Scotch-Irish descent. Our subject's father, who also bore the name of Samuel Gillfoy, was born and reared in Maryland, removed to Illinois in 1840, locating near the city of l'eoria in Peoria county, but later settled in Havana, Mason county, that state, where his death occurred in 1857. By occupation he was an engineer. He held membership in the Methodist Protestant church and took quite an active part in its work. Politically he was a Douglas Democrat and was honored with various city offices, being quite active and prominent in municipal affairs. He was twice married, his first wife being Mary Clements, who was also a native of Maryland and died when about twenty-seven years of age. She was of Irish lineage. The only child born of this union was our subject. For his second wife the father married Mary A. Carver, by whom he had two daughters.
When the subject of this sketch was but three years old his father removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and ten years later the family took up their residence in Illinois, where our subject grew to manhood, re- maining with his father until he had attained the age of twenty. He thien started out in life for himself, being first engaged in the sawmill business near Peoria for about three years. On the expiration of that period he was appointed general manager of the Kingston coal mine, which at that time was the largest in Illinois, and he filled the position
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of superintendent for ten years. He next engaged in the coal mining business on his own account at Mapleton, continuing there until his removal to Keokuk county, Iowa, in 1879, at the solicitation of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad Company. Locating at What Cheer he opened a mine called Shaft A, and later became general manager of all the principal mines of the place, operating them until the supply of coal was exhausted, which took about nine years. In the meantime Mr. Gillfoy had been appointed general agent for the lot association, which owned a large part of the present site of What Cheer, and he held that position until most of the lots were disposed of. He then opened another coal mine as general manager for C. D. Ives, but resigned at the end of nine months and retired from active business to enjoy a vell earned rest.
On the 3d of October, 1350, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Gill - foy and Miss Margaret J. Thaty, who was born in Pekin, Illinois, where her childhood was passed; they . ave become the parents of twelve chil- dren, namely : Edward C., Hiran. Mary A., Rosa M., George, Laura, Emma, and Margaret, who are still living, while Samuel, James, Frank and Samuel, second, are now deceased. The Democratic party has always found in Mr. Gillfoy a stalwart supporter of its principles, and while residing in Illinois he held a number of local offices. He has also served as a member of the school board in What Cheer for twelve years, and lias ever given his support to those enterprises calculated to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of his community. For half a century he has been connected with the Masonic fraternity, having attained to the twentieth degree, and he has filled all the chairs in the Blue lodge, of which he is a prominent and active member. He eminently deserves classification among the purely self-made men of the
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county, who have distinguished themselves for their ability to master the opposing forces of life and to wrest from fate a fair measure of success and an honorable name.
HENRY CRANDALL ROSECRANS.
Among the prominent and representative citizens of Keokuk county is numbered Henry C. Rosecrans, who is now engaged in merchandising at What Cheer. He was born in Delaware county, Ohio, on Christmas day. 1824, and is descended from an old and honored Pennsylvania family of Holland origin, his ancestors having come to this country from Amsterdam in colonial days. His paternal grandfather was Daniel Rosecrans, a native of the Keystone state. His father, Crandall Rosecrans, was born in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, August 16. 1794. and when a boy of nine years removed from that state to Delaware county, Ohio, with his parents. It was there that he was reared and educated and after reaching manhood he engaged in farming and in contracting on the Ohio canal. He was one of the most prominent and influential citizens of his community and was appointed captain of the Ohio militia by the governor of the state. He also served as justice of the peace and associate judge of the district court of Licking county, Ohio ; he proved a most popular official, his decisions being fair and impartial. He died at Homer, that state, at the age of fifty-two years, honored and respected by all who knew him. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Jamima Hopkins, was also born in Pennsylvania, in 1797. and died in 1868. She was a second cousin of the Hopkins who signed the Declaration of Independence, and her ancestors were probably of English descent. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rosecrans were born five sons,
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one of whom died in infancy. The others were General William S. Rosecrans, whose fame as an officer in the Civil war is excelled by but few of those who were in command of our Northern army during the dark days of the Rebellion; Charles Wesley; Henry Crandall ; and Syl- vester H.
Of this family the subject of this review is now the only one living. He grew to manhood in Licking county, Ohio, whither his par- ents removed when he was about four years old, his early life being mainly passed in the town of Homer. His education was somewhat limited, as he was only able to attend school for about three months during the year for five years, and as Homer, at that time, had only a population of one hundred the schools were not of the best. He remaind with his father, assisting him in his business until after the Mexican war broke out. In 1846, on the second call of the government for volunteers, Mr. Rosecrans enlisted as a private in Captain John R. Duncan's company. The governor had offered to give the company that presented itself first for duty the privilege of being mounted on their own horses, and Mr. Rosecrans' company was the one to receive this honor. He remained in the service for fifteen months or until the the close of the war, and after receiving an honorable discharge he re- turned to Licking county, Ohio, where he engaged in farming and school teaching for a year.
In 1849 Mr. Rosecrans married Miss Elizabeth Dickey, who was born in Licking county, October 24, 1823, the only child of Joseph and Catherine (Sillins) Dickey, who were from Virginia and were pioneers of licking county. By occupation her father was also a farmer and teacher. After receiving a good common school education she, too, taught school for about six years in her native county. She is still
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living and has been to her husband a faithful companion and helpmate for over fifty-three years. They are the parents of four children who are still living, namely: Menga Oveda, wife of Richard Burke of Oska- loosa, lcwa; Adrain D., a telegraph operator for the Chicago & North- western Railroad at What Cheer; William J., at home; and Henry S., a resident of Oskaloosa.
Ten days after his marriage Mr. Rosecrans came to lowa on horse- back, leaving his bride in Ohio, and he located a land warrant in Sigour- ney township. Keokuk county, where he remained during the winter. The following spring he crossed the plains with ox teams and after a long and tedious journey arrived on the Pacific slope in September. He spent about a year in California, and in September, 1851, returned east by way of Panama and New York, and spent the following winter at his old home in Ohio. In the spring of 1852, in company with his wife, hie again came to lowa, traveling this time by team and wagon, and they took up their residence in Washington county, where Mr. Rosecrans engaged in farming until 1882. The following year he was engaged in the lumber business and then resumed farming, which he continued to carry on until 1889, when he sold his place in Washington county and bought a mill in Sigourney, which he conducted for about eight years. After disposing of his mill property Mr. Rosecrans embarked in merchandising at What Cheer, where he still carries on business with good success, having by fair and honorable dealing built up a good trade.
Politically Mr. Rosecrans has been a life-long Democrat, never wavering in his allegiance to that party, and he has been honored with a number of local offices. He is a member of the Catholic church, having been converted to that belief, and is a brother of Rev. S. H. Rosecrans,
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a prominent clergyman of that denomination, who was bishop of the diocese of Columbus, Ohio. His life has been manly, his actions sincere and his example is well worthy of emulation.
O. D. LAWRENCE, M. D.
Dr. O. D. Lawrence is engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery at What Cheer, Iowa, and has that love for and devotion to his profession which have brought to him success and won for him a place among the ablest representatives of the medical fraternity in Keo- kuk county. The Doctor was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, July 5, 1844, and on the paternal side is probably of English descent, though the family have resided in this country for several generations. His grandfather, James Lawrence, was a native of Vermont and died in Wisconson at the advanced age of ninety years.
James R. Lawrence, the Doctor's father, was born in Addison county, Vermont, December 13, 1807, and throughout life followed the occupation of a farmer. On leaving his native state he removed to New York and in 1845 took up his residence in Morrow county, Ohio, where he made his home until coming to Keokuk county, Iowa, in 1854. Settling upon a tract of land in Washington township, which he entered from the government, he there improved a farm, continuing its cultivation until his death, which occurred on the 20th of December, 1879. Politically he was at first a supporter of the Whig party and later the Republican and he always took a commendable interest in public affairs. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Claramon Spaulding, was also a native of the Green Mountain state, born in Rutland
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county, Vermont, June 22, 1813, and died June 22, 1884, at Uinta, Utah. Her father, was Stephen Greeley Spaulding, his mother having belonged to the noted Greeley family. On the paternal side his family was of German origin, and his ancestors settled in Boston, Massa- chusetts. in 1626. He was born in that city on the 28th of October, 1766, and died in Essex county, New York, October 19. 1853. Dur- ing the Revolutionary war he entered the Colonial army at the age of twelve years as a cook and at fifteen shouldered a musket, serving as a private soldier during the last three years of the struggle for in- dependence and participating in the battle of Yorktown. Dr. Lawrence is the youngest son and third child in a family of five children, the others being as follows: Coral S., who died in Kansas in 1901 ; Miles, now a resident of Glenns Ferry, Idaho; Malinda, wife of John J. Smith of Bonner Springs, Kansas; and Joanna, who died October 21, 1868.
The Doctor was only a year old on the removal of the family to Morrow county, Ohio, and the fall after he had attained the age of ten years they came to Keokuk county, lowa. He began his education in the former county and later attended the district schools of this county, though his literary education was principally acquired by reading and study at home. Until twenty years of age he gave his father the benefit of liis labors in the operation of the home farm and the following two years worked on the farm of W. W. Thomas. On leaving the employ of that gentleman he made a trip to Indiana by team.
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