USA > Iowa > Keokuk County > A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa > Part 25
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Mr. Smith is still one of the leading members of this congregation and is a man highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.
Mr. Smith has kindly furnished some of his recollections of the thirty-eight years which he has spent in the county and township, and these will certainly be of interest to the many old residents. He is able to pick out pieces of land in various parts of the county which he, with the help of his sons, first turned with the plow and made fruitful ; these tracts contain mostly from five to ten acres each. As supervisor of the public roads he placed the first bridge across South English creek north of Thornburg, which served its purpose well and although under water several times always reappeared unharmed. He was one of those who selected tlie site and procured the title to the land on which school- house No. 16 stands, and he also made the first wagon track on a part of the public road running east and west through Prairie township. At one time it seemed desirable that the boundaries of section 16 should be better known, and Mr. Smith devised the means of finding these. He knew of one corner that had been marked by the government surveyor in the customary way, a pit with the earth thrown up in a mound shape. After measuring the exact circumference of the wheel of his wagon and calculating the revolutions it would make in going a half-mile, he started from this mark and drove in as direct a line as possible for a half a mile: here another boundary mound was easily found, and this process was repeated until the whole section was practically re-sur- veyed.
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JOSEPH EDGERTON.
Prominent among the citizens of Keokuk county who have wit- nessed the marvelous development of this section of the state in the past thirty-eight years, and who have, by honest toil and industry, suc- ceeded in acquiring a handsome competence and are now able to spend the sunset of life in quiet and retirement, is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, and who resides on section 20, Prairie township.
Mr. Edgerton was born in Belmont county, Ohio, November 18, 1830, his parents being Joseph and Charity ( Doudna) Edgerton. His paternal grandfather was James Edgerton, who was born in North Caro- lina of English ancestry and became one of the pioneer settlers of Bel- mont county, Ohio. Religiously he was connected with the Society of Friends. The father of our subject was also a native of North Carolina and with his parents removed to Ohio at an early day, his boyhood and youth being mainly passed in Belmont county, where on reaching man's estate he followed farming for many years. He subsequently came to Iowa, where he died in 1865 at the age of sixty-eight years. His wife was about fifty years old at the time of her death. In the family of this worthy couple were nine children, five sons and four daughters, all of whom reached man and womanhood.
Joseph Edgerton was the second son in this family. He was reared in the county of his nativity, and his primary education, which was obtained in a Friends school there, was supplemented by a course at a Friends boarding school in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. He remained at home with his parents until his marriage, which was celebrated April 4, 1853, Miss Lydia S. Mitchell becoming his wife. She was born on the Island of Nantucket, October 4, 1831, a daughter of Isaac
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and Lydia (Gifford) Mitchell, the former also a native of Nantucket and the latter of Westport, Massachusetts. The father was three times married and Mrs. Edgerton was his only child by his first wife. To Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton have been born seven children, five sons and two daughters, namely: William; Mary, the wife of Jacob Whisler ; Edward; Sarah, deceased; Nathan; Joseph J .; and Frederick M.
For some years Mr. Edgerton was engaged in farming in Belmont county, Ohio, but in 1857 came to Iowa and first located near Spring- ville in Linn county, where he spent two years, and then removed to Taylor county. There he was also engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1864, when he came to Keokuk county and took up his residence in Prai- rie township, purchasing a farm north of Nassau, to the improvement and cultivation of which place he devoted his time and attention until 1875. During that year he removed to a quarter-section of land south of Nassau, where he still makes his home, and now has four hundred and forty acres under a high state of cultivation and supplied with the latest conveniences and accessories known to the progressive farmer. Besides this place he now owns property in Louisiana; is one of the directors and stockholders of the First National Bank at What Cheer ; and a stockholder in the co-operative store at Nassau.
On coming west Mr. Edgerton was in rather limited circumstances, but being a man of untiring industry, perseverance and integrity he has met with success in his undertakings and is to-day the owner of much valuable property. At different times he has had in his possession con- siderable Iowa land, including one hundred and twenty acres in Linn county, one hundred and sixty acres in Taylor county, and about one thousand acres in Keokuk county. At present he rents his farm in this county and is practically living retired, enjoying the fruits of former
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toil. He is a prominent member of the Friends church, and he cham- pions every movement designed to promote the general welfare of the community in which he lives, supports every enterprise for the public good, and materially aids in the advancement of all social, educational and moral interests.
HENRY T. DILDINE.
Coming to Keokuk county at the age of twenty-three years, as a young man without capital, wishing to take advantage of business oppor- tunities in the west, Mr. Dildine to-day occupies a creditable position as a banker in Kinross and is also the mayor of the town. Prominent in business and political affairs, he justly deserves mention among the representative citizens of Keokuk county. He was born in Louisa coun- ty, Iowa, November 16, 1857, and comes of a family of French origin. His father, Abraham T. Dildine, was a native of New Jersey and was there reared. By occupation he was a farmer and in 1856 he emigrated westward to Iowa, locating upon a farm in Louisa county. There he lived for a time, after which he removed to Muscatine county, Iowa, and in 1881 came to Keokuk county, where he died at the age of seventy years. He was a life-long Democrat and was ever found faithful to the principles in which he believed. Ilis wife, Mrs. Sarah E. Dil- dine, was also a native of New Jersey and died when more than seventy- eight years of age. They were the parents of two children, the daughter being Anna M., the wife of E. B. Brown, of Keota.
Henry T. Dildine, the only son of the family, obtained his educa- tion in the graded schools near his home and arrived in Keokuk county at the age of twenty-three years. He then became connected with farm-
4.5
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ing interests in Liberty township and successfully carried on agricul- tural pursuits until the spring of 1901, placing his land under a high state of cultivation, so that he annually garnered rich harvests and upon the market he found ready sales for his products. On leaving the farm he took up his abode in Kinross and erected the only brick business block in the town, being associated in this enterprise with M. A. Fisher. In 1900 the Kinross Savings Bank was established and Mr. Dildine be- came its vice-president, in which capacity he has since been acting with the institution. The bank has behind it other business men of reliability, who give it an excellent standing in financial circles, and already a large patronage has been acquired. Mr. Dildine is one of the extensive land- owners in this locality, having a very valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres in Keokuk county and one hundred and sixty acres in John- son county, in addition to his property interests in Kinross and his stock in the bank. The bank building comprises the hotel, the bank and three other business rooms, which are now occupied by two general stores and one drugstore.
A popular and valued member of the Masonic lodge at Kinross, Mr. Dildine exemplifies in his life the teachings of the craft. In politics he was a Democrat until 1896, when, being unable to endorse the free- silver plank of the Democratic and Populistic platform, he joined the ranks of the Republican party, of which he is now a stanch adherent. At the present time he is serving as mayor of the town, and his adminis- tration is practical and business-like, so that it promotes the best inter- ests of Kinross along substantial lines of improvement. Mr. Dildine is widely known as a man of genuine worth in business, political and social circles, and well deserves mention in the history of his adopted county.
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JOHN H. BRISTOW.
This worthy and honored retired representative of the agricultural interests of Keokuk county is distinguished by being the oldest living native of the county. He was born in Richland township on the 14th of November, 1842. He was for long years connected with the devel- opment of the county and is well known by a large number of its citizens, having succeeded in making a sufficient competency to pass the re- inainder of his life in less rigorous labor. He is now living in the town of Richland, where he purchased a home and is enjoying a less strenu- ous life.
He is a son of William Bristow, who was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, on the 8th of September, 1806. He died in Richland town- ship, September 13, 1898, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. This gentleman removed with his parents in 1807 to Ohio, where he continued to reside until the year 1837, when a change was made to Franklin county, Indiana, and later removal was made to Warren county of the same state. It was in this county that he married his first wife, Mrs. Celia Frame, the date of the marriage being Septem- ber 29, 1829. This lady died after three years, and in 1836, on the toth of January, Mr. Brisow was married to Miss Phoebe Marchel, who became the mother of three sons and one daughter, the daughter dy- ing in infancy and the sons being deceased except our subject, Mr. John H. Bristow. Samuel died February 1, 1857, aged eighteen years. Mar- tin L. died at the age of fifty-four, February 19, 1898. This family settled in Richland township in the year 1839, and the father was for fifty-nine years a prominent figure in the development of this section of the county. His wife passed away on the 15th of November, 1886;
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she was born in Indiana June 24, 1806. They were worthy members of the Christian church, and were held in high esteem by a very large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Our honored subject was reared in Keokuk county, and drew in- spiration in the matter of education from the rude log schoolhouse of those pioneer days. His education was quite limited on account of the fact that his help was needed on the farm. He was to be found in the furrow at an age when he could scarcely reach the plow handles. He worked dutifully on the farm until his marriage, when he built himself a residence on part of the old homestead and continued to live there till he moved to Richland in 1897. His marriage occurred on the 10th of May, 1866, his wife's maiden name having been Catherine J. Ward, she also being a native of Ohio, born Dec. 13, 1845, and a member of one of the old pioneer families of Keokuk county. From the date of his marriage until 1897 Mr. Bristow was very actively engaged in farming and stock raising, during which time he did a very large and successful business. His farm consisted of a beautiful tract of land containing three hundred and twenty acres, furnished with all improve- ments necessary for the conduct of a large stock ranch. In the year stated he concluded to retire from the active conduct of the ranch and build himself a residence in Richland, where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Bristow are the parents of two living children, Norrine, now the wife of Fred Bray, a farmer of Richland township, and Pearl, a single lady at home. Two children are deceased, Fred, who died aged twenty-two years, and Clara, who died aged six years. In a fraternal way Mr. Bristow is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and he and his family are worthy members of the Methodist church, of which organization he is a trustee. He has always supported
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the policies of the Republican party, but his life has been of too busy a nature to admit of his accepting any of the local offices. Mr. Bristow has been a forceful character in the business life of Keokuk county, and his sterling worth and high moral character being universally recog- nized and honored, the authors of this volume gladly give him represen- tation in company with the worthy families of the county.
WILLIAM WAGAMON.
From an early epoch in the development of Keokuk county William Wagamon has been numbered among its residents and he is now living on section 21, Liberty township. He was born in Darke county. Ohio, March 14, 1836. His father, Christopher Wagamon, was a native of Pennsylvania and became a pioneer of Darke county, Ohio, settling there in the midst of the green woods when his nearest neighbor lived three miles away and when the work of progress and improvement seemed scarcely begun. He wedded Catherine Miller, a native of the Buckeye state, while her mother was a native of Germany. Mr. Wagamon was three times married, however, the mother of our subject being his third wife. His death occurred in 1852 and his widow survived him until she was about seventy years of age.
William Wagamon was their eldest son and second child, and was sixteen years of age at the time of his father's death. He remained with his mother until about twenty-two years of age, asssisting largely in carrying on the home farm. He was then married to Catherine Marker, a native of Darke county, Ohio, and they began their domestic life upon a small farm of twenty acres. Coming to Iowa, they located first in Cedar county, where they remained for four years, and then re-
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moved to Keokuk county, settling upon the farm which has since been the home of our subject. The year 1864 witnessed his arrival in this state and since 1868 he has resided continuously in Keokuk county. He first purchased eighty acres of land, to which he afterward added another tract of eighty acres. He likewise owns another farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, on which his son is now living. He also possesses twenty-eight and a half acres of timber land, and this with another eighty acre tract makes his property possessions aggregate three hundred and ninety-three and one half acres, the greater part of which is under a high state of cultivation and well improved, the owner being recognized as a progressive, industrious and intelligent farmer.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wagamon have been born seven children: Mary, the wife of George Herr ; William H., who wedded Minnie Bergi- bine: Martin V., who married Elizabeth Griffith; Thomas W., who wedded Lena McDowell; Charles, Eliza Ellen, and Perry Edward, all at home. Mr. Wagamon is a Democrat in his political views. He was at one time a director in the Savings Bank at Kinross and is now one of its stockholders. His residence in the county covers more than a third of a century and he has become widely known here.
DAVID G. CLYDE.
David G. Clyde is a prominent farmer and stockman whose home is on section 4, Lafayette township, where he owns and operates one hundred and sixty acres of valuable land. He is also engaged in the raising of thorough-bred horses. His business interests are returning to him a good income, making him one of the substantial residents of the community.
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Mr. Clyde was born in Washington, Tazewell county, Illinois, August 19. 1846. His father, D. F. Clyde, was a native of Scotland and in 1846 came to America, locating in Keokuk county, Iowa, in 1858. He was one of the early settlers of this locality and became identified with farming interests, which he carried on until old age incapacitated him for further labor in this direction. He died in his eighty-second year. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Hannah Greigg, was also born in the land of hills and heather and died in 1861. when forty-five years of age.
David G. Clyde was the third child and the eldest son in a family of six children born to his parents and was but twelve years of age when brought to Keokuk county. No event of special importance oc- curred to vary the routine of farm life for him in his early youth. He pursued his education in the district schools and in the months of summer worked in the fields, following the plow and har- row and later aiding in the work of harvesting the crops. The occupation to which he was reared he has always made his life work. Remaining upon the old homestead lie began farming and stock rais- ing on his own account and he now has here a quarter section of land which is highly improved. In his pastures are also seen fine horses and his stock dealings have been quite extensive and have returned to him a fair profit.
In 1870 Mr. Clyde was united in marriage to Miss Zelda Glenn, a native of Pennsylvania, who was reared in Washington county, Jowa, where her parents located when she was but one year of age, her father. Moses Glenn, becoming one of the honored pioneer settlers of Washing- ton county. Five children graced the union of our subject and his wife, but Mary is now deceased; William and David, twins, Zelda and Zebuda, are
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all at home. Mr. Clyde exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy, and he is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is well known in Lafayette township and in Keokuk county, where he has always resided with the exception of his first twelve years. Therefore, in enumerating the men who best repre- sent the farming interests of the county the list would not be complete without mention of David G. Clyde, who is accorded recognition as a leading agriculturist and a man of genuine worth.
JOHN SCHROEDER.
From Germany, the land of his nativity, in 1835, Dedrich Schroeder, the father of the subject of this sketch, emigrated and came to Keokuk county, Iowa; in 1845 with his step-father and mother he settled on a farm of one hundred and thirty-seven acres in German township, land which they improved and increased by addition of one hundred and forty-seven acres. Dedrich Schroeder, who was born in 1819, still lives on this farm and takes an active interest in all the affairs of life; is a Republican, and a member of the Methodist church in German township, which he helped to build and has always supported. Our subject's mother was Caroline Neibomer; at an carly day she came from Ger- many to Keokuk county, and there was married to Mr. Schroeder. They had two children, of whom John was the youngest ; the other was named Henry.
John Schroeder was born in German township, Keokuk county, on the 28th day of February, 1860, and there his school days were passed. He remained on the home farm with his father until he was thirty years of age and in 1890 he occupied his present place of one hundred and
John Holz warth
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forty acres of well improved land, to which he has since added forty acres.
In the same year he was married in Lafayette township to Anna Hoelscher, who was born in German township, Keokuk county, Novem- ber 16, 1867; her father, Henry Hælscher, was born in Burlington, Iowa; her mother, Barbara, was a native of Switzerland; they came to Keokuk county about 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder had three bright children: Edith, born February 28, 1892: Glenwyn, born July 10. 1894: and Mildred, born June 8, 1899. Mrs. Schroeder died March 21, 1902. Mr. Schroder has always been identified with the Republican party, and as a member of the school board, seeks to promote the cause of education. His church membership is in the Methodist church of German township, and the family, being among the oldest of the county, has always enjoyed an excellent reputation.
JOHN HOLZWARTH.
John Holzwarth, a capitalist who is now living retired in Harper. is a worthy representative of the German element of our American citi- zenship-an element which has done much to promote substantial up- building and material progress in this land. He was born in Baden, Germany, November 10, 1831, and was reared in his native country. there remaining until twenty-one years of age. According to the laws of his native land, he attended school until fourteen years of age and at that time began learning the miller's trade, which he followed until he had attained the age of twenty-six years. In 1852, severing the ties which bound him to the fatherland, he sailed for America, landing at New York. He then made his way to Rochester, that state, where 44
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he remained for about one year, after which he came to Keokuk county, Iowa, locating in Lafayette township, a mile and a half north of the present site of Harper, although the town had not been founded at that time. Here he improved a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. For forty years he was extensively engaged in stock raising and was compelled to give it up on account of ill health. He shipped from many different points in this and adjoining counties and is as well known all over Keokuk county as any other resident. He placed his land under a very high state of cultivation, so that it yielded to him an excellent financial return, adding to his farm all the in- provements and accessories of a model place and securing the latest machinery to facilitate the work of field and meadow. As his finan- cial resources increased he added to his property until his realty posses- sions at one time reached eight hundred acres of good land, which he has since divided among his children.
In 1857 Mr. Holzwarth was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Kill- mer, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1838. Her father, John Killmer, was a native of Germany and came to Amer- ica about 1836, locating in Philadelphia, where he followed his trade of blacksmithing. Mr. and Mrs. Holzwarth have become the parents of eleven children: George; Caroline, who is the wife of Nick Hors; Christine, the wife of Levi Smith; Elizabeth, the wife of John Kauf- man ; Henry, who married Ella Clarahan and is living on the old home- stead: William, deceased ; Lucy, who died at the age of twenty-five years; Johnie; Rosa, wife of Thomas Flaharty, deceased ; Emma, and another child who was named Emma and died at the age of two years. All were born in Keokuk county.
Mr. Holzwarth is a Democrat in his political views. He was
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reared in the faith of the German Reformed church and has contributed to the support of many measures for the public welfare. He is now living a retired life and his present financial condition is in marked contrast to his circumstances at the time of his arrival in America. He had no capital when he reached New York, but he possessed strong purpose, sterling integrity and untiring industry, and these have en - abled him to overcome all difficulties and obstacles in his path and steadily work his way upward to prosperity. He has never had occa- sion to regret his determination to make his home in the new world and there is no more loyal citizen of Keokuk county than this adopted son furnished by the fatherland.
MICHAEL ADAM.
Among the many farmers of the grand Teutonic stock who live in Keokuk county and have helped to make it one of the foremost agri- cultural counties of this commonwealth, is Michæl Adam, a representa- tive farmer of Lafayette township. Peter Adam, father of Michæl, be gan his life in Germany in the year 1837; he was educated there and spent his life in the cultivation of his land in that country. He became the husband of Magdelena Ludwig, who was born in 1839 and was reared amid the industrious life of her home. Peter Adam died Novem- ber 8, 1873, and ten years later Mrs. Adam emigrated with her family to America and bought a farm of sixty-six acres in German township, this county. In 1883, when Mrs. Adam came to Keokuk county, she married Matthew Fell, who after spending his early life in Germany, came to this county at an early date. He was a farmer of consider- able property, owning several large farms in the neighborhood. His
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