USA > Iowa > Keokuk County > A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa > Part 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
Mr. Etter's parents were John and Lydia ( Koser) Etter, who were natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and were descended from German ancestors. Mr. Etter himself was born in the same county as his parents on January 25. 1860, and was the youngest of seven children. He was a farmer boy, attended the country schools, and being ambitious to gain more than a common school education, he entered the Cum- berland Valley State Normal School and later was a student in Cornell
562
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
College at Mount Vernon, Iowa, from this latter institution being graduated in 1889. He had come west to Iowa in 1883 and was one of the successful teachers of the state. In i889 he was elected superintendent of the schools of Cedar county, and so popular was his administration of this office of trust that he was re-elected and held the position for six years. For the next three years he was superintendent of the Tipton schools, and it was at the conclusion of this term of service that he determined to enter the journalistic work, and came to Sigourney and purchased the Review, which he has conducted with success that is gratifying to himself and his subscribers. In 1894 Mr. Etter married his estimable wife, Miss Flora Cotton, and they are now among the popular residents of Sigourney.
A. W. CARMICHAEL.
A. W. Carmichael, who is a representative of the farming interests of English River township and one of the old residents of this locality, was born within the borders of the township December 10, 1857. His father, Emsley Carmichael, was a native of Ohio and when about thirty- five years of age sought a home beyond the Mississippi, taking up his abode near White Pigeon in English River township upon a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, all of which was raw land when it came into his possession. He at once began the task of making it fertile and productive and his efforts resulted in quickly working a transformation. It became one of the fine farm of the locality and continued to be his home until his death. Mr. Carmichael was married in Washington county, Iowa, to Avarilla Moore, a native of Ohio, who removed to Washington county during her early girlhood, remaining there with her .
.
563
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
parents until her marriage. They became the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters, of whom our subject is the fourth child and third son. The record of the family is as follows : Martha, a widow residing at White Pigeon, Iowa ; Francis M .; Sarah, deceased; A. W., of this review: Rebecca A., deceased; one who died in infancy; and Perry. The father followed the occupation of farming until his death, which occurred in 1864. on the old homestead near White Pigeon, when he was about sixty years of age. He always voted with the Dem- ocracy and was unswerving in his advocacy of the party. He held membership in the Christian church near White Pigeon.
A. W. Carmichael early became familiar with farm work upon the old homestead, assisting in the labors of field and meadow during the months of summer, while in the winter season he attended the public schools. After attaining his majority he was married to Myra Morgan. on the 5th of May, 1878, and her father, Thomas Morgan, was one of the early settlers of Keokuk county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael were born four children, but they lost one in infancy. There are three daughters living : Iva Maude, Nellie A., and Verna, all at home. The second daughter, Nellie A., was graduated with high honors in the Sigourney high school at the age of eighteen years.
Mr. Carmichael spent the first year after his marriage upon a farm in Adams township and then purchased ninety acres of land in English River township. Later he was given forty acres more in the same town- ship and he has since purchased fifty acres, so that he now has a valuable farm of about two hundred acres, all under a high state of cultivation. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge at South English, being a third de- gree Mason, and in his life he exemplifies the beneficent spirit of his craft. In politics he has always been a Republican and keeps well informed
564
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
on the issues and questions of the day, but has never sought or desired public office for himself. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Webster and his life is in harmony with his professions.
THEODORE L. GOELDNER.
Throughout his active business life Theodore L. Goeldner has been actively identified with the agricultural interests of Keokuk county, and is to-day numbered among the prominent farmers and stock raisers of English River township. He was born in Clear Creek town- ship, this county, on the 17th of August. 1855, and is of German descent.
His father. John W. Goeldner, was born December 4. 1820, in the village of Breslau, Silesia, German, and there he grew to man- hood, receiving a good practical education in the public schools of his native land. In early life he worked as a farm laborer and later was proprietor of an inn. Before leaving Germany he was married in 1846 to Miss Dora Schnered, who was also born, reared and educated in Breslau. They became the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters, of whom three are still living, our subject being the fourth child and second son in order of birth. After his marriage the father continued to reside in Germany for six years and three of his children were born there. In July, 1852, he crossed the broad Atlantic in com- pany with his family, and on landing in the new world came at once to Keokuk county, lowa, taking up his residence in Clear Creek township, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of wild land. That place be improved and cultivated, being engaged in its operation throughout the remainder of his days. After a useful and well spent life he died at the home of his son Theodore in English River township at the age of
565
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
sixty-six years. On becoming a naturalized citizen he joined the ranks of the Republican party and was ever afterward one of its ardent sup- porters, taking an active part in political affairs.
On the old homestead farm in Clear Creek township Theodore L. Goeldner gained an excellent knowledge of all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist, while his literary education was received in the district schools of the locality. He remained at home assisting his father in the operation of the land until twenty-five years of age.
On his twenty-fifth birthday-August 17, 1880-Mr. Goeldner married Miss Barbara Smith, who was born in German township and was there reared and educated. Unto them was born one child, who chied in infancy, and the wife and mother died at her home near Webster in English River township on the 31st of January, 1884. Our subject was again married, June S. 1886, his second union being with Miss Sarah J. Boehne, a native of Washington county, Iowa, where her childhood was passed and her education received. Her father, William Boehne was born in Germany and on coming to this country became a farmer of Washington county, Iowa. Two children were born of the second marriage of Mr. Goeldner, a son and daughter. The latter is still living but the son died in infancy.
After his first marriage Mr. Goeldner bought a farm in English River township, consisting of one hundred and fifty-one acres of im- proved land, and he subsequently purchased ninety-eight acres more, all of which he still owns, it being his home at the present time. He has placed this land under a high state of cultivation and has made many improvements thereon which add greatly to its value and attractive ap- pearance.
On attaining his majority Mr. Goellner became identified with the
566
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Republican party, but is now a pronounced Democrat. He is widely and favorably known throughout the county where his entire life has been passed, and commands the respect and confidence of all with whom he comes in contact either in business or social life. Since 1891 he has been interested in the raising of fine stock, making a specialty of Aber- (leen Angus cattle and at present has a herd of about thirty head of pure blooded stock. He also owns a thoroughbred Shire stallion.
ERASTU'S P. SCOTT.
Iowa is indebted to the eastern states for much of her population. Her broad acres and beneficent institutions attracted a body of immi- grants in the early days, who for various reasons were dissatisfied with the crowded east. in whose blood coursed the intrepid spirit of their pioneer ancestors. Among those who came to the state from the land of the Buckeye just after the Civil war, was the gentleman whose name forms the heading for this article. He is a leading representative of the agricultural interests of Benton township, where he cultivates a farm of one hundred forty-eight acres. Mr. Scott is of Irish descent, his father Andrew Z. Scott having been a native of Guernsey county, Ohio, where he was born May 18, 1826. When quite young he removed to Pennsylvania, where he was reared to man's es- tate. His father was Charles Scott, who came to America from Ireland with his parents when he was six years of age. Upon arriving at manhood our subject's father left the Keystone state, and settled on a farm in Ohio, taking with him his newly married wife, whose maiden name was Susan Mccullough. After a residence of some years in Ohio his parents removed to Wapello county, Iowa, where they settled with their family of eight children on a farm. This was in the
567
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
year 1869, and they continued to cultivate the farm in that county until 1893, when they moved to Hedrick, Keokuk county, where the parents still reside. Fourteen children were born to our subject's parents, thie same number that was born to his paternal grandparents. Mr. Scott is the eldest child, the names of the other living children being-Samuel C., Charles A., Thomas M., Debidee, Alice and \nice, (twins), Susan, Grant, Jennie, Narado, Josiah, Andrew. Mr. E. P. Scott, the imme- cliate subject of this sketch, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, Noven- ber 24, 1847. He accompanied his family on their various moves and was twenty-two years of age when they arrived in Iowa. He continued to reside at his home, and aided in the education of his parents' large family until 1873, when he began life for himself, choosing as a companion Miss C. W. Buchanan, a native of Illinois, where she was reared and educated. She is the mother of seven children, five of whom are living, viz. : Nellie, Cameron, Lloyd, Charles and Raymond; two dead, Forest and Harrison ; and all born in Keokuk county. Mr. Scott has a beauti- ful farm of one hundred and forty-eight acres which he is cultivating successfully together with forty acres in another tract in Wapello county. He is a good farmer and has his land in a highly cultivated state. He is regarded in his community as being a man whose word is as good as his bond, and he merits and receives the respect of a host of friends and neighbors. In politics he adheres to the principles promulgated by the Republican party and takes an active part in its campaigns.
S. H. BOWMAN.
The above named gentleman is one of the progressive men of Hedrick. He belongs to that class of representative citizens who, while 86
568
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
promoting their individual success, also contribute to the general wel- fare, and he enjoys an enviable position in the business circles of his section of Keokuk county. Samuel Bowman, his father, was a native of West Virginia, removed after his marriage to Illinois and came from there to Jefferson county, Iowa, about 1836. As this was before the organization of Iowa as a territory and ten years before its admission as a state of the Union, Samuel Bowman is justly entitled to rank as one of the earliest of the pioneers. He located in Jackson township, where he preempted land, but some years later removed to Keokuk county, where he settled on a farm in Jackson township, but spent his last days at Ioka, where he died in the ninetieth year of his age. He was a life-long Democrat, and had voted for Jackson and every Dem- ocratic candidate up to the time of his death. He was a son of Adam Bowman, also a native of the Old Dominion, who came to Jefferson coun- ty, Iowa, late in life and found his grave there. Samuel and Elizabeth Bowman became the parents of ten children and the mother died after the removal to Keokuk county, when she was sixty-five years old. She was a daughter of Peter Bowman, a native of Germany, who settled in West Virginia early in the nineteenth century. S. H. Bowman, youngest of the ten children of his parents, was born in Jefferson county, Iowa. March 9. 1845, and was about one year old when the removal was made to Keokuk county. He was reared on a farm and was taught lessons of economy and industry as he grew to manhood, laying the foundation of a very practical latter day education in the county schools of Jackson township. He remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-two years of age, and then went into business with his father at Ioka, where they ran a general store for several years. This business was sold out in 1869, and for two years after our subject was
569
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
engaged in farming in Jackson township. In 1871 he entered a store at Ioka as a clerk, where he remained until about 1874, and after another period of farming, took up the business of a collector, which he continued for two years. Again returning to the store-room, he engaged with Mr. Mccullough at Ioka, and in the meantime became interested in a drug business for himself. In 1881 and 1882 he clerked for F. M. Israel, at Ioka, and afterward until 1888 was engaged at the trade of wagon-making in the same place. He was in business at Pekin in 1891 and 1892 and later was connected with the firm of Bowman, Haynes & Sherdon at Ioka, where they did a general merchandise business. He sold out his interest in this firm in 1895. and during the following year was engaged in settling up his father's business in that locality. He then came to Hedrick, and began the business in which he is now en- gaged, that of loaning money. In 1900 he was married to Miss Ida Shook, a native of Keokuk county, and a daughter of W. J. and Cathe- rine ( Clarkson ) Shook, one of the pioneer families of the county. who came here about 1857. Until 1896 Mr. Bowman had been prominently identified with the Democratic party in Keokuk county, and was re- garded as one of its valuable workers, but since then he has ceased to interest himself in political matters. He has held a number of local offices in the different localities where he has resided. Fraternally he has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1869. He is well known throughout the county. is familiar with its resources and needs, and takes a deep interest in its welfare. His genial nature and pleasant address. united with his business ability and general information, make Mr. Bowman a welcome guest in every social circle and valued as an adviser in all matters of importance.
JAV-1105
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
0 016 086 602 0
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.