USA > Iowa > Keokuk County > A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa > Part 26
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politics had always been Republican until shortly before his death, when lie adopted the tenets of the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Peter .Adam are the parents of four children, all born and reared in Germany and came with their mother to this country: Michael, Peter, Nicholas and Rev. John Nicholas Adam, who is the priest in the Lee county Catho- lic church.
Michæl Adam, the oldest son, was born March 1, 1863, and was about twenty years old when he came to this country. For two years he worked on the farms in the neighborhood and for one year helped on the home farm. In 1886 he married, and leaving German township settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of improved land in Lafayette township, where he remained for two years. In 1888 he took up his residence on his present place, and to the original farm of one lmindred and forty acres he has since added until he now has a splendid farm of two hundred and forty-six acres.
We have already mentioned his marriage in 1886. His wife was Mary Huberger, who was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, in 1866, and is the daughter of Jacob and Anna (Linnakem) Huberger : the latter were natives of Germany and early took up their abode in Keokuk county. Mary Huberger was but two years of age when she came with her parents to this county, and she was here reared and educated. Five child- ren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Adam, two boys and three girls: Mag- clelena, Peter, Nicholas (deceased), Eleanor, and Anna. Mr. Adam supports the Democratic party, serves on the school board of his district and also takes an active part in the Catholic church, being on the church board. His whole life has been one replete with industry and his success has been well earned.
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NICHOLAS BESSER.
One of the prominent old settlers of Keokuk county is Nicholas Bes- ser, who is now living in Harper. He is a native of the fatherland, his birth having occurred in Germany on the 26th of June, 1833. His father, Peter Besser, was also born there and on severing the ties that bound him to his native country made his way to the new world, believing that he would have better business opportunities here. In 1844 he took up his abode in Quincy, Illinois, and thence came to Keokuk county, Iowa, arriving here on the 11th of October, 1844.
Nicholas Besser is the eldest of a family of five children ard was but twelve years of age when his father died. He was reared in Lafay- ette township and as soon as old enough to work began to assist his mother and aided her in caring for the other children and providing for their support. Nobly he took up the burden which devolved upon him, although it was a heavy one for young shoulders. He did not marry until he was twenty-six years of age, at which time he was joined in wedlock to Margaret Horris, also a native of Germany, who was brought to Keokuk county when a little maiden of ten summers and was reared in Clear Creek township. Mr. and Mrs. Besser began their domestic life in Lafayette township, where he developed and improved a farm from the raw land. His first wife left two children, Charles and Mary, and he later married again, at which time Mary Ann Schlitz became his wife. Four children were born: Albert, of Polk county, Iowa; Frank, who is living on the home farm; Edward, a practicing physician at Newton, Iowa; and Amelia, the wife of George Volz, of Polk county. By her first marriage Mrs. Besser had several children, namely: Dr. Nicholas Schlitz, who was educated by our subject and is now a promi- nent physician of Des Moines; Mary, the wife of Dr. Hentzman, a
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skilled physician of Matamora, Illinois; Elizabeth, the wife of William Kern, a merchant; and Margaret, who married Ceno Blaize, of Des Moines. These children were all educated by Mr. Besser, who provided for them as he did his own.
Mr. Besser is one of the pioneer settlers of Keokuk county and has been identified with its growth and development through many years. As he has continued his farm work he has found that prosperity has re- warded his labors and to-day he is the owner of three hundred and seventy acres of well improved land in the old homestead. He also had three hundred and seventy acres in Polk county, Iowa, which he divided among his children. Now he is living a retired life, merely superintending his farming interests. He has made what he possesses through his own industry, for he started out in the world empty handed. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat and has served as a trustee of his township. He is also treasurer of the Mutual Insurance Company of Keokuk, Iowa, of which H. P. Newton is secretary. In every relation of life in which Mr. Besser has been found he has ever been true to the duties and obligations which have devolved upon him and the trust reposed in him. Unremitting industry has been the keynote of his suc- cess and his life record should serve to encourage others who are not fortunate enough to have any material assistance when they start out upon a business career.
H. A. MILLHOUSE.
H. A. Millhouse is a pioneer carriage manufacturer of Keota and is also engaged in general blacksmithing. He realizes that industry forms the keynote of success and it has therefore been owing to his close appli-
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cation and unremitting diligence that he has gained a substantial compe- tence. Mr. Millhouse is one of the worthy citizens that Germany has furnished to Keokuk county, his birth having occurred in the province of Hesse-Cassel on the 2d of November, 1847. He came to America when twelve years of age, making his way direet to Muscatine, Iowa, and he learned his trade at Wilton Junction, in Muscatine county, serv- ing an apprenticeship of three years. He afterward went to Moscow, Iowa, where he worked for twelve months and afterward was employed for nine months by his old employer at Wilton Junction. Later he located in the city of Muscatine, where for twelve months he was engaged in shoeing horses, and then came west to Washington county, Iowa, where he assisted his father in building a house. For two years he worked at his trade in Washington and in Marshall. The latter town is now called Whalen, and is situated on the Illinois Central Railroad in Henry county. During the fall and winter Mr. Millhouse built a shop in Wash- ington county, chopping down the timber with which to build the struc- ture. He occupied that smithy for two years and when the town of Keota was established in 1872 he opened the first blacksmith shop in this town. He erected a little building eighteen by twenty-four feet and has added to this until he had a fine shop covering forty-seven by fifty-eight feet, which is equipped with all necessary machinery and im- plements for carrying on his work, and he has done a good business in both branches of his trade. He built the first buggy ever made in Keota and has manufactured as many as eighty-five vehicles in a single year. He is the pioneer buggy manufacturer of the town and has made and sold more buggies than any other man in Keokuk county. His patronage has been quite extensive and his trade profitable. As his financial resources have increased he has invested in land and he now
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owns four hundred acres in this state together with a good residence prop- erty in Keota. Ile has recently sold his business to Albert Hillhouse and will retire from active affairs.
Mr. Millhouse was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Rand and they have a pleasant home, which is noted for its genial hospitality. Mr. Mill- house is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He was formerly a Democrat in his political affiliations, but he voted for Mckinley and now endorses many of the principles of the Republican party, believing in sound money and expansion. As one of the pioneer business men of Keota he is well known and the part which he has taken in the upbuilding and improve- ment of this place entitles him to honorable mention in the history of Keokuk county. He was the first man to circulate a petition for a water system here. In this work he was defeated the first time, but he con- tinued to agitate the question until his efforts were crowned with success. Keota now has a good water system, which receives the endorsement of all public spirited men. He was also instrumental in having the cat- tle shut up and not allowed to run in the streets. When the town was established the owners of property paid all expenses for the improvement of streets, and Mr. Millhouse, being a very liberal man, did everything in his power to promote the growth and substantial development of Keota. He has spent much time and money for the up-building of the town and his efforts have been attended with excellent success. In con- nection with Mr. Wilson he took up a subscription to buy the first can- non of the town and he assisted in raising the first flag in behalf of the Democratic party in Keota. He was also the first boarder in the town, there being but one house when he located here, and Culps' drug store was the first business enterprise of the village. Mr. Millhouse's
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shop was the second business structure built in Keota and the lumber used in its construction was brought here by train and was the first unloaded at this place. Putting forth every effort in his power to contribute to the general welfare Mr. Millhouse certainly deserves the commendation and the gratitude of the public for what he has accomplished in behalf of this enterprising city.
ROSS S. WHEELER.
The late county auditor, Ross S. Wheeler, was a native of Preston county, West Virginia. He was born April 3, 1859, and came to Iowa in 1872, when his parents moved to West Liberty, Iowa. There the father long followed farming and helped to improve land in Musca- tine county. His parents were Alphias and Phoebe (Hanna ) Wheeler. The father was a native of West Virginia ; the mother was born in Penn- sylvania. The Wheeler and Hanna families have been in this country for years.
Ross S. Wheeler received a common school education, first in the country school and then in West Liberty. He lived on the farm until he was about sixteen years old and at the age of eighteen began to learn photography, working in West Liberty and other places. His first gallery was opened in West Liberty; he ran this for two years and then for two years more managed a gallery at Muscatine. In October, 1881, he transferred his business interests and activities to Whatcheer and for seventeen years worked at his trade with good success, gaining the esteem and confidence of the city, which he served as clerk for five years. In 1898 he was elected county auditor and two years later his party, the Republican, returned him for a second term. In 1883 he mar- 45
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ried Miss Lida Davis, daughter of Dr. A. . \. Davis, now of Whatcheer, and once auditor for the county. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler had two child- ren : June and Salome. Fraternally Mr. Wheeler was a member of the Knights of Pythias. His death occurred in the fall of 1902, while still an incumbent of the auditor's office.
DR. DANIEL C. McFARLANE.
Perhaps no one in Keokuk county exerted a wider influence in the affairs of Keota and the surrounding country and was more highly re- spected for his noble strength of character and his kindly, helpful dispo- sition, than was the late Dr. McFarlane. \ native of the hardy land of the Scots, reared under the moral and strengthening influences of a Scotch home and trained to his chosen profession in a university noted for its thorough, scientific teachings, it is no wonder that our subject de- veloped his natural talents to such an extent that he passed into the front rank of his profession.
The birth of Daniel C. McFarlane occurred on the 31st day of July. 1841, in Loch Gailhead, Argyleshire, Scotland ; his father, Hugh McFar- lane, was a large sheep farmer and grazier. Up to his fourteenth year young Daniel attended the school in the Highlands and in 1855 was sent to the high school at Glasgow, from which he passed into the university in 1856; there he studied his art curriculum and also had one term of anatomy and chemistry. He showed such natural fitness in these studies that he at once decided upon the profession of medicine as his life work, and in accordance with this desire his father sent him to the Edin- burg University ; the university had at that time among its corps of instructors Hughes Bennett, Sir Robert Christison, Sir J. Y. Simpson,
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and Sir James Lyme, and at the College of Surgeons Mathews Duncon was at the zenith of his career ; under such gifted men his young genius was expanded and he completed his studies in 1864. For two years he attended to the business connected with the settlement of his father's estate and at the same time did what practice he could find at home.
In 1866 he was advised, on account of his weak lungs, to go to Canada, and accordingly he made his home there for five years, coming to lowa in 1871 ; he made his advent in Keota in the following year on a construction train, which did not come quite so far as the present town site. Dr. McFarlane made Keota the choice of his residence after con- sulting Dr. William S. Robertson of Muscatine, who showed him great consideration and kindness and remained a life long friend. In Keota Dr. McFarlane enjoyed an excellent practice and held the confi- dence of the people and the friendship of his fellow physicians ; he had the faculty of cheering his patients when in their presence and his kind face will be missed by many whom he had helped. He was a member of the Washington county medical society, the Iowa Southeastern Dis- trict Medical Society, the State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. While engaged in the performance of the duties of his profession he passed away on the 10th of December, 1901.
While in Scotland the Doctor was made a Mason and in Keota was a member of the Adelphi lodge, No. 353. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in Sigourney belonged to the Joppa Chapter, No. 40, and the Bethlehem commandery, No. 45. Washington, Iowa. He was also an Odd Fellow. being elevated to the Grand lodge for 1899 and 1900, a Patriarch and a member of the Cretona lodge, No. 365, Knights of Pythias at Keota; also a member of the Legion of Honor and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics he was a stanch Re- publican.
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On July 22. 1874. Dr. McFarlane married Miss Mary Ellen Disor of Keota, and their married life was blessed with three children, all (laughters, one of whom, little Maude, died at the age of twenty-two months: the eldest, Sarah I., was married on November 14, 1894. to Charles A. Singmaster and is the mother of three children, Samuel C., Mary A., and Margaret S. : the youngest daughter, Margaret C., is the wife of Elmer S., Erdice, a prominent business man of Keota.
George Disor, Mrs. McFarlane's father, was born, reared and mar- ried in Virginia and came to Iowa as one of the early pioneers, locating in Keokuk county. He engaged in the tilling of the soil and had a farm in Lafayette township; during the war he was postmaster of Chandler. Mr. Disor held firmly to the principles of the Republican party and filled various local offices in the township: he was a member of the Christian church and took an active part in its work. He lived to an advanced age and died in this county. His wife was Rebecca McDonald, also a native of Virginia, where she passed her youth : she lived to be about seventy- two years old. Mr. and Mrs. Disor were the parents of seven children ; all of whom grew to maturity : Mary is deceased ; Lizzie is the wife of Wil- liam Cranston and resides near Frankfort, Kansas; William was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion and is now deceased; James was also in the war and has passed away; Henrietta is the wife of Thomas Hudson, living in Iowa county; Anna is deceased ; Ellen, who became Mrs. McFarlane, was the youngest of the family and was born on the oll homestead in Lafayette township, April 15, 1856.
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EDWARD EVANS.
Edward Evans, the genial proprietor of the Swayze House at Ricli- land, Keokuk county, Iowa, was born in Lancaster, Iowa, February 8, 1862, and was five years old when he came to Richland, where he was reared and obtained his education. While still a boy he proved his abil- ity to take care of himself ,his industry and honesty obtaining him em- ployment among the neighboring farmers and with others who needed his efficient services. In 1893 he engaged in the livery business and conducted this for eight years and then became interested in the buying, shipping and exchange of horses. In 1902 he embarked in the hotel business, for which his pleasant personality makes him well fitted.
In 1884 Mr. Evans was married to Minnie Leming, who was born in Jackson township, and is a daughter of Ellison and Rebecca Leming, old settlers of Keokuk county, coming hither from Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have two children,-Gilbert and Jessie. Mr. Evans is identi- fied with the Masonic order, Blue Lodge, No. 38, of Richland, and the Modern Woodmen of America of Richland. His whole life has been passed in this locality and he is well known and few citizens have a wider circle of friends. In political sentiment he is a staunch Repub- lican.
HON. JOHN C. CLARKE.
Hon. John C. Clarke is one of the old settlers of Keokuk county and through many years has been a prominent factor in business and public life, and that he has the confidence and good will of his fellow- citizens is shown by the fact that twice has he been chosen to act as their
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representative in the legislative councils of the state from lowa county. He has been an active factor in industrial circles of Keota, where as a member of the firm of Clarke & Leacox he was engaged until recently in the manufacture of tile.
Mr. Clarke was born in Landaff, Grafton county, New Hampshire, July 25, 1831, and his father, Elijah S. Clarke, was a native of the sarle county. The grandfather, John Clarke, was likewise a native of the old Granite state and was a Revolutionary soldier under General Washington. He came of English descent and was a prominent and influential member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he long served as a class leader. Elijah S. Clarke became a farmer and followed that occupation throughout his entire life in order to provide for his family. His political support was given to the Free-soil party in his early years and later he became a stanchi Democrat. He married Huldah Thurston, a native of Corinth, Vermont, and a daughter of David Thurs- ton. His death occurred when he was fifty-one years of age, but his wife reached the advanced age of seventy-one years. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom reached years of maturity.
john C. Clarke of this review was the first son in his father's family. At the age of seven years he accompanied his parents on their removal to Groton, Vermont, and was there reared upon a farm. His early educa- tion was acquired in the common schools and he later pursued an acad- emic course. Like most young men starting out for themselves, he de- sired a companion and helpmate for life's journey and in 1853 he was united in marriage to Mary E. Carson, a native of Bath, New Ilamp- shire, and a daughter of Alexander and Mary ( Cogswell) Carson. She was reared and educated in Bath and has proved to her husband a worthy helpmate. The day succeeding their marriage the young couple started
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westward and located in Wisconsin, near Milwaukee, where they re- mained for three months. They then removed to Peoria, Illinois, where Mr. Clarke engaged in teaching school for three years. On the expira- tion of that period he came to Iowa county, Iowa, and turned his atten- tion to farming, purchasing a tract of land on which he lived for twenty years, his attention being devoted to the raising of grain and of stock. When two decades had passed he took up his abode in Sigourney, Iowa, and there established a store, which he conducted for a year, after which he returned to his farm in lowa county, making his home thereon until 1876, when he came to Keota. As a factor in the mercan- tile circles of this place he was soon active, dealing in agricultural implements, and through eleven years he carried on business along that line. He also dealt in stoves, and in both departments of his trade met with excellent success. At length, selling out, he turned his atten- tion to the manufacture of brick and tile, which he continued in connec- tion with S. K. Leacox under the firm name of Clarke & Leacox. The output of their factory was quite extensive and of excellent quality, so that it found a ready sale upon the market. In the fall of 1902 lie dis- posed of his interest in this concern to his partner. Mr. Clarke owns a farm of two hundred acres in Lafayette township and another of eighty acres in Adams county. He has thus made judicious investments in land and from his farms he receives good rental.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarke has been blessed with three children who are yet living: James F., who is a dealer in horses in Keota : Genevieve, the wife of Rev. I. B. Schreckengast, a Methodist Episcopal minister of Washington; and Harry H., who is engaged in the tile busi- ness in Keota. The family is one well known in this portion of the county and their circle of friends is a very extensive one. Mr. Clarke
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has long been a recognized leader . [ public thought and action in his locality. In 1872 he was elected on the Republican ticket to represent the people of Iowa in the state legislature from Iowa county and filled the position so acceptably that he was re-elected in 1874. He has taken an active part in politics and has held other local offices. For twenty- three years he was a member of the city council of Keota, and exercised his official prerogatives for the good of the community in a way that was above reproach. His promptness and fidelity in office could not be better proved than by the fact that he was so long continued in the position by popular suffrage. He belongs to Adelphi Lodge, No. 353, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he has served as master, and he is also identified with the Eastern Star of Keota. Such, in brief, is the life history of the Hon. John C. Clarke. In whatever relation of life we find him-in the government service, in political circles, in business or in social relations, he is always the same honorable and honored gen- tleman and well merits the high regard which is uniformly given to him.
DANIEL DILL.
Among the active, energetic and enterprising business men of Kin- ross is Daniel Dill, the president of the Savings Bank here. He is num- bered among the old settlers of the county and was long classed among the prominent farmers, his home being yet on section 36, Liberty town- ship. He was born in Ohio, April 7, 1839. His father, John Dill, was also a native of that state and a farmer by occupation. The paternal grandfather, Peter Dill, was born in Pennsylvania, but at an early day in the development of the Buckeye state took up his abode there. John Dill remained in Ohio until 1846, when he, too, emigrated westward
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to become a factor in pioneeer settlement, establishing his home in Keo- kuk county east of the Black Hawk mill in Clear Creek township. There he transformed a tract of wild land into a richly improved farm. He lived in northern Iowa for about twelve years and died in Greenfield, Adair county, Iowa, at the age of seventy-four. In her maidenhood the mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Margaret Shires, and her death occurred during the early boyhood of Daniel Dill.
Daniel was the second son and the sixth child in a family of thir- teen children. During his infancy his parents removed from Ohio to Illinois, settling in Sangamon county, and he was a lad of seven sum- mers when the family came to Keokuk county, where his youth was passed amid pioneer scenes. He pursued his studies in a log schoolhouse and lived upon the home farm until nineteen years of age, assisting in the work of clearing and cultivating the fields. He then started out for himself, working by the month as a farm hand. Saving his money he at length acquired a little capital. As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life he chose Susan F. Greenlee, a native of Kentucky. She lived in Ohio during her early girlhood and when about eight years of age was brought to Keokuk county, Iowa, by her parents, John and Nancy (Blue) Greenlee, pioneers of this locality. She was reared in Clear Creek township and in 1863 gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Dill. The young couple located in Richland township, beginning their domestic life upon a farm which Mr. Dill rented for about three years. He then removed to Clear Creek township, where he resided until 1875, when he came to Liberty township and bough the farm which is yet his home. There were no improvements upon the place when it came into his possession, all was raw land, and he turned the first furrows in the fields and harvested the first crops raised on the soil. He divided the
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