USA > Iowa > Keokuk County > A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa > Part 9
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two hundred forty-eight acres of fine farming land. The children by his first wife are : Ernestine, widow of Charles Nauman; Hannah, wife of Fred Just. By his second wife he had the following children : Jolin A., living in Adams county, Iowa; Frederick T., of Keokuk county; Her- man, of Washington county ; Henry, living in Keokuk county ; Ferdi- uand L., living at Sigourney; Alvina, who lives at home with her par- ents ; Mary V., widow of Herman C. Axthelm; John G., who died at the age of sixteen ; and Rosa, who is still at home. He is a Republican ; religiously he and his wife are of the Lutheran persuasion, both being prominent members of the church and highly respected and esteemed by friends and acquaintances.
Ferdinand L. Goeldner has had better educational advantages than his father, in fact better advantages than most men of his age and com- munity, and his life has been more eventful than ordinary and marked with singular success. He was born on a farm in Clear Creek town- ship, this county, on March 5, 1864. Ilis early education began at the little country school near his home. Later he attended the Keota high school and graduated from that institution in May, 1884. At Ames he attended the Iowa Agricultural College for two years. His was not a consecutive course of training, for at intervals he taught in the public schools. In the spring of 1889 he became deputy clerk of the district court and for four consecutive years he filled that office with universal satisfaction. In the meantime he studied law with the Hon. G. D. Woodin and on May 11, 1892, he was admitted to the bar before the supreme court of Iowa. The next day he was admitted to the United States circuit court, southern district of Iowa, at Des Moines. January 1, 1893, he opened an office in Sigourney and began the practice of law. Mr. Goeldner is a Republican and an active man in his party. In 1893
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he was chairman of the Republican central county committee and in the fall of 1894 was elected county attorney for Keokuk county. His party kept him in office for a second term and at the expiration of that time he resumed his law practice. Mr. Goeldner is a member of the Knights of Pythias and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is still a young man and has already met with that degree of success which indicates a brilliant future.
A. M. ASHCRAFT.
A. M. Ashcraft was born in Carmi, White county, Illinois, March 5. 1871. He was the son of Thomas and Cornelia 1. (Rice) Ashcraft. The mother was born and reared in White county; the father was of southern extraction. Thomas F. Ashcraft was born in North Carolina and at the age of ten moved with his parents to Mississippi. Here he learned the harness-maker's trade. When the secession spirit in the southi grew strong Thomas found it uncomfortable, for he was a strong southern Union man. He was forced to leave the south and made his way to St. Louis. But even Missouri could not tolerate him, so he started for Illinois and finally settled in Carmi. There he followed his trade for many years and married and reared a family.
A. M. Ashcraft, the son, was born and bred there. At the age of sixteen he began teaching. In the spring of 1881 he entered the ranks of the traveling salesman and followed that occupation until January 1. 1896. He had married Miss Ida Jessup, daughter of John Jessup of Sigourney, on September 19, 1894, and henceforward that city became his home. In January, 1896, husband and wife went to Iowa City, where both entered the law department of the University of Iowa. They grad-
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uated in June, 1897, and were together admitted to the bar that same month. They returned to Sigourney and Mr. Ashcraft at once opened a law office and began practicing, being ably assisted by his wife, who is a practical stenographer and who does the office and reference work with precision and ability. Mrs. Ashcraft formerly taught school for a number of years. She and her husband are members of the Presby- terian church.
Mr. Ashcraft is certainly one of the rising young men of this coun- iy : as an indication we mention his recent election to the office of county attorney; in 1898 the Republican party nominated him for the office but he was defeated. His party has had such confidence in his ability and merit that they renominated him in 1900 and this time with success, and he was renominated by acclamation in 1902. He is filling the position with honor to his party and credit to himself, and without doubt there is much in store for this ambitious and honorable young man.
FRED D. STROHMANN.
One of the progressive and successful farmers and old settlers of Keokuk county, Iowa, is Fred D. Strohmann, who has been one of the important factors in the agricultural development of German town- ship, where in section 7 he owns a fine farm of one hundred and seventy- one acres. By birth and ancestry Mr. Strohmann is German, his par- ents Diederich and Doretta (Buckhous) Strohmann being natives of Hanover. Germany, where he also was born on September 26, 1848.
Diederich Strohmann was born in 1819 and served for six years in the German army, three years as a volunteer. He married and brought his wife and four children with him to America, in 1856, landing at New
FRED D. STROHMANN AND FAMILY.
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Orleans. Following the Mississippi they finally landed in Iowa and at once located in Keokuk county, on section 5, in German township. Here Mr. Strohmann died in 1884, but his widow still survives at the age of eighty-four years.
Our subject was the eldest of the family of children born to his par- ents and was eight years of age when they came to Keokuk county. His primary education in the German schools has been very thorough and lie was not able to add much to his knowledge of books in the little log schoolhouse in German township, for in those times the hours of work were early and continued long. The land was unimproved and he was needed to assist in its clearing and cultivating. Until his marriage on October 21, 1870, to Christine Voltmer, he remained at home. Mrs. Strohmann was born August 13, 1851, in a little log cabin on the farm which is now the family home. She is the eldest of fourteen children and has lived her whole life in German township. Her father David Voltmer was a pioneer in this county of 1846.
Mr. and Mrs. Strohmann after marriage located on this farm, and for two years lived in a log cabin, ereeting then the handsome, modern resi- dence which is now the comfortable family home. This contains ten rooms and is fitted up with taste and regard to comfort. The thirteen children of our subject and wife were born here and all survive with three exceptions,-Fred, Edward and Ella. The others are : Deitrick, a prominent farmer of this county; Minnie, a popular teacher for eight years, educated at Highland College, Dixon, Illinois ; Matilda, the wife of Albert Blaise, a prominent farmer of German township; Dora, the wife of Louis Goldner, a prominent farmer of Clear Creek township; Sophia, a graduate of the Sigourney high school, a successful teacher ; and Lucy, David, Lewis, Walter and Mable, at home. 15
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Mr. Strohmann has long been regarded as one of the most pros- perous farmers of the county, and is also one of its most intelligent and progressive men. Formerly a Republican, he has in later years been identified with the Democratic party and was its candidate for super- visor, running far beyond his ticket on account of public confidence. He has always been a leader in all movements looking to the best interests of German township and is one of the most substantial as well as reliable and upright citizens of this section of the county. Almost all of his life has been devoted to the advancement of this locality and it is a matter of comment that some of the best educated and most influential citizens have been born and reared in this vicinity.
CURTIS G. JOHNSTON.
Among those of this county who are prominent in the legal profes- sion we mention Curtis G. Johnston of Sigourney. Although he had the advantages of a college training, his advancement is due largely to his own efforts and private study. He was born on a farm in Jefferson county, Ohio, June 17, 1837. His father, William, was the son of John Johnston, a native of Ireland and one of the very early settlers of Jeffer- son county, Ohio. It is very probable that William was born in the Buckeye state. He was a carpenter by trade but also engaged in farm- ing and in connection therewith operated a saw and grist-mill. He mar- ried twice; by his first wife he had three children, and he had several more by the second wife, who was the mother of Curtis. She was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and traced her ancestry back to one Hugh Scott, a native of Scotland. Her maiden name was Rosanna Todd. She and her husband were members of the Protestant Meth-
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odist church. William Johnston belonged to the Whigs. Both he and his wife died in Ohio.
After finishing the common school Curtis Johnston attended a col- lege in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He taught school several terms and then went west, arriving at Davenport, January 13, 1858. He secured a clerical position in a law office at that city, and thus his law studies began. In March, 1859, he was admitted to the bar upon examination before Judge John F. Dillon. In April of the same year lie left Daven- port, returned to Ohio, entered a law office, continued his studies and in January, 1860, was admitted to the bar of Ohio. He opened an office in Steubenville, but soon after left for Washington, D. C., where he secured a position in the treasury department under Secretary Chase. Ile held the position four years. In September, 1867, he went west un- der leave of absence, visited Sigourney and decided to locate in that city. He resigned his position at Washington and moved to Sigourney Decent- ber 16, 1867. He opened a law office and has continued his practice ever since. Mr. Johnston is not an office seeker ; he belongs in the ranks of the Republican party.
On February 26, 1867, Mr. Johnston married Hannah Updegraft in Ohio; she is a native of that state. They have four children : Edward A .. an attorney-at-law ; Josiah M., a physician at Des Moines, Iowa : Zella, wife of S. Carl Quinby, of Des Moines; and Thomas K., who lives at home. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are members of the Adventist church. In the summer of 1864 Mr. Johnston joined a party of volun- teers in the noble service of the hospital corps. They cared for the sick and wounded through the campaign of the Wilderness under the sur- geon general of the United States army.
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A. G. BROWN.
Abner Gregg Brown was one of the founders of this county. His unexcelled business ability, his progressive spirit and public mindedness made him one of the moving forces of the community. He was born near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in October, 1823. In 1833 his parents moved to Xenia, Greene county, Ohio. Abner's early training was that of the farm and common country school. At Xenia he held a clerical position for a mercantile house and became the station agent for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. In 1855 he came to Iowa, settling in Sigourney and engaging in the general merchandise business for a number of years. When the increasing business of the city demanded a local bank, A. G. Brown was among the first to arrange for the or- ganization of the First National Bank. He became one of the directors and continued in that office for years. He purchased land near the southeast limits of the town, engaged extensively in stock raising and met with such success in all his business enterprises that he became the owner of eleven hundred acres of fine land. He was a member of the Republican party and for years served on the school board of Sigourney. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In 1862 he married Miss Etta Verger, a native of Pennsylvania. She died in 1880 at the age of forty-three. Abner G. Brown died in Sigourney March 13, 1890. They had two children : Harry G., and Ber- nice A., wife of W. G. Jordan of Ottumwa, Iowa.
Harry G. Brown was born in Sigourney, December 29, 1865. He was reared and educated in his native city and in 1893 he married Miss Grace G. Harlan. Mr. Brown has gone into the business of stock rais- ing and in that line is proving himself a worthy successor to his father.
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He is a Republican in politics. Fraternally he belongs to the Knight Templar Masons and is a Shriner of the Kaaba Temple at Davenport.
JOHN HOGE.
The close of the great Civil War marked the beginning of an unpre- cedented emigration to the west, the spirit of unrest seeming to affect all classes of society, but being especially strong among the agricul- turists. Iowa's fertile prairies and shaded woodlands proved an irresist- ible attraction to the larger number of these homeseekers and the young state was soon the scene of an enormous activity.
The honored name which appears at the head of this sketch is a familiar one to residents of Keokuk county, for though his life was passed in the traditional peace and quiet of the Quaker, John Hoge, by his consistent and upright Christian life, and his fair dealings with friend and neighbor, made for himself a lasting monument in their affections. His death, in 1900, was a distinct loss to the people among whom he spent his life.
Mr. Hoge was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1820. His par- ents, William and Sarah ( Wright) Hoge, were carly settlers in the Buckeye state, being Pennsylvanians by birth. They were of that sturdy class of pioneers which early made Ohio famed in song and story, and they lie buried in the state of their adoption. Three boys and the same number of girls composed the family they reared. At the age of twenty-two years John Hoge was united in marriage to Lydia Brant- son, a native of the same county. She passed to rest but a few months prior to her husband, aged seventy-eight years. To them a family of nine children were born, three of whom dicd in infancy. They lived
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in Belmont county until 1865, when removal was made to Prairie town- ship, Keokuk county, where for many years Mr. Hoge was a successful farmer. He and his wife were of the Quaker faith, exemplifying its beautiful tenets in their daily lives. While a strong Republican in poli- tics, Mr. Hoge had no taste for official life.
Smith B. Hoge was the third son of this family and was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 14, 1852. He was a wide-awake lad when the family removed to the west, and as he grew to manhood contributed mich to his father's success by his manly qualities. The ordinary coun- try school education was supplemented by a course at Penn College. Oskaloosa, after which he returned to the farm and began the battle of life for himself. Until 1895 Mr. Hoge cultivated his farm exclusively, following in his father's footsteps and establishing for himself a repu- tation for absolute honesty and integrity. In this year the Repub- lican party, attracted by the solid character of the man, selected him for a place on the ticket as county treasurer, to which office he was easily elected. Two years later he was again successful and at the close of his four years' service turned the office over to his successor without the loss of a penny. Mr. Hoge did not return to the farm but bought an interest in a clothing business in Sigourney, where he is now en- gaged, the firm name being Hoge & Kadel.
Mr. Hoge was married in 1875. Eliza Mead, his wife, is a native of Ohio, the daughter of Oscar and Catherine (Crouder) Mead. also pioncer settlers of Keokuk county. They have three children-Marie, Sidwell and Anna. Mr. and Mrs. Hoge are members of the Methodist church, he being also a chapter Mason.
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WILLIAM PFANNEBECKER, M. D.
The medical fraternity of Keokuk county has an active and honored member in the gentleman named above. He is proud to date his birth among the solid farming element of the county, the time being May 31, 1863, his parents, Henry and Eva ( Hofmann) Pfannebecker, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. Dr. Pfannebecker passed the life of the average country boy, securing a rudimentary education in the schools of his neighborhood, and later attending an academy in Iowa City. For a period of four years following he taught country schools in his home county with success. During the last year he formally began preparation for his life work by beginning the reading of medicine with Dr. W. A. Dorman, of Sigourney. Selecting Missouri Medical College, of St. Louis, he continued his studies, and in 1891 finished the course. He immediately began practice of his profession in Sigourney and has more than realized the expectations of his friends by the splendid char- acter of his work. The Doctor is a close student of his profession, and has supplemented his former course by post graduate work at his alma mater. He is a Republican in politics, and a worthy member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Miss Margaret Hensler, of Monroe county, Missouri, became Mrs. Pfannebecker in 1891, and their home is brightened by the presence of two lovely children.
CHARLES A. NAUMAN.
There must be something ennobling in the life of the agriculturist, else why does urban society recruit so largely from the ranks of country- bred men and women? In these latter days, when so many prove vic- tims to the allurements of city life, and forswear the place of their birth
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and rearing, it is refreshing to record the life of a man who lived out the measure of his days on the farm, proud always to be known as one of the "sons of toil."
Charles A. Nauman ( deceased ) was born in Saxony, Germany, Janu- ary 29, 1833. After passing nearly a lifetime in the old country, his parents emigrated with their family to America, Charles A. being at that time twenty years of age. Another son and three daughters made up the family, two of whom now live in Sigourney. This family came direct to Keokuk county and settled on a farm in Clear Creek township, where the parents continued to reside until their death.
Charles A. Nauman was of that thrifty class of Germans who give solid strength to any community in which they may settle .. His parents had given him a liberal education in the fatherland, even adding the accomplishment of speaking the English language. When he came to America he was therefore better equipped than the average foreigner, and he was not alone proficient in the spoken language, but wielded a facile pen as well. During his lifetime he was a frequent and valued correspondent for the local press. Following the custom of middle-class Germans his parents had apprenticed him to a trade, and he was pos- sessed of a good knowledge of blacksmithing as a result.
When the war for the preservation of the Union began, Mr. Nan- man was one of the first to offer his services, becoming a private in Com- pany F, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for a year. The rigors of army life were too great, however, and a chronic weakness of the throat developing into bronchitis, as a result of which he secured his discharge. It was this disease, together with other complications, which finally caused his death in February of 1893. In 1863 Mr. Nau- man married Miss Mary Goeldner, daughter of John G. Goeldner, who
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has mention elsewhere in this volume. To the union eight children were born, all now living but one.
Mr. Emil D. Nauman, eldest son of the above, was born in Keokuk county, December 19, 1864. He was given a liberal education in the common schools and at Iowa City Academy and Commercial College. For five years thereafter he taught successfully in the schools of the county and for several years engaged in farming, but is now a book- keeper. Mr. Nauman is quite active in Republican circles, his first en- trance into politics being in 1895, when he was elected assessor of Prairie township, and also the following year. In 1900 he was selected to take the census of Prairie township. In school affairs he has always taken a keen interest and has served as secretary of the school board of his district for five years. In 1890 he was married to Miss Emma Goodman. of Keokuk county, who has borne him one child, a daughter, named An- na. Since January, 1902, the family have resided in Sigourney.
GEORGE L. BARTOW.
AA school man of unquestioned ability, both in the schoolroom as principal and in official life as superintendent of Keokuk county schools : an honored member of the newspaper fraternity, fearless and able as an advocate of Democratic principles ; a lawyer of undoubted ability; and above all, a gentleman! George L. Bartow receives and merits the con- fidence and esteem of a very large circle of Keokuk county citizens. The family of which Mr. Bartow is an honored member dates back to the time of the French Huguenots, those fearless disseminators of civil and religious liberty, whose progeny inherit to a large extent their sterling qualities. Our subject takes the name of his grandfather Bartow (the 10
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French spelling of which was Barteau), who lived in Harrison county, Ohio, from an early day until 1851, when he settled his family in Jeffer- son county, Iowa.
George P. Bartow, the father of our present subject, was born in Ohio and educated in the New Market Academy. To this literary founda- tion he added a course in medicine at the John M. Scudder Eclectic Med- . ical College, of Cincinnati. He engaged in the practice of his profes- sion in Jefferson county, Iowa, until 1880, whe he removed to Richland, Keokuk county, where he lived until the time of his decease, in 1885. He was a physician of fine attainments and a man who was very suc- cessful in his business ventures. At the time of his death he had accum- ulated a comfortable competence. He was not covetous of political pre- ferment, but always stood for what was best in the Democratic party. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Knights of Pythias, and both he and Mrs. Bartow, who still survives him, were faithful and consistent members of the Meth- odist church. Unto his marriage were born four children, as follows: Albert C., Sigourney ; George L .; Alpheus M., dry goods merchant of Sigourney ; Mary J., deceased.
The literary education of the subject of this review was obtained in the country schoolhouse and the Pleasant Plains Academy, where he was graduated in 1886. For a period of fourteen consecutive terms Mr. Bartow then gave his attention to disseminating knowledge in the school- room, a period in which he demonstrated conclusively that he not only had the knowledge, but the ability to impart it to others-not always co- existent. His success was such in the schoolroom that when his political party needed the attraction of an unusually strong name they found it in that of George L. Bartow, and for two successive terms he served
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acceptably the school interests of the county. While in the schoolroom he was principal successively at Thornburg, Richland and Martinsburg. His residence at Richland was also the date of a year's experience with Uncle Sam, he having served that period as postmaster. At the close of his service as superintendent of schools Mr. Bartow secured control of the Sigourney Review and for three years thereafter the Democratic party of the county and state had an organ upon which it could depend for the faithful exposition of its most cherished principles, while the people were given a paper which fearlessly printed the news, without equivocation. Previous to his election to the office of county superin- tendent of schools he served for two years in the United States railway mail service.
During his public life as superintendent and editor Mr. Bartow had become much interested in the law as a profession, and it was therefore a comparatively easy matter for him to enter upon its practice, which he did after passing a brilliant examination at the local bar. During the comparatively short period of activity in the profession he has demon- strated that the human mind, at least some human minds, are of so facile a nature as to do many diverse things equally well. His standing at the bar is without question, and he is rapidly building up a splendid practice. It is probably unnecessary to state that Mr. Bartow is a simon- pure, uncompromising Democrat. He is affiliated with the order of Odd Fellows and he and his family are communicants of the Methodist church. Mr. Bartow was joined in wedlock to Miss Belle Pfaff, of Sigourney. Two children, Vora S. and Vera A;, have come to add delight to their pleasant home.
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