USA > Iowa > Cedar County > A topical history of Cedar County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 6
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
For over a third of a century the family have been prominently identified with the development and improvement of Cedar county and have ever borne their part in any work calculated to advance the interests of this section of the state. They are people of the highest respectability and well merit the high es- teem in which they are universally held. In politics Mr. Jackson is a democrat.
E. S. ARMSTRONG.
A valuable and well kept farm of one hundred and sixty-seven acres in Center township is the visible expression of the success which has come to E. S. Arm- strong as the legitimate and logical result of well directed efforts and intelligently applied labors. He is one of Cedar county's native sons, his birth occurring in Fremont township on the 31st of May, 1874, his parents being Thomas and Nancy E. (McAfee) Armstrong. The former, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 2, 1843, was a son of James and Bessie (Moffit) Armstrong, both natives of Ireland, where they were reared. Later, however, they came to the United States and were married in Philadelphia, where both passed away, their deaths occurring in 1849 but three weeks apart. Their son Thomas was but six years of age when left an orphan, and with his sister Lucinda, then four years old, was brought to Cedar county in 1850, where he spent the period of his boyhood and youth in the home of his grandparents. The sister is now a resi- dent of Napa City, California.
Thomas Armstrong remained with his grandfather until eighteen years of age, when, in 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil war, he enlisted from Cedar county as a soldier in Company E, Eleventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, for three years. Later he reenlisted for another term of three years, or until the close of the war, thus serving throughout the entire period of hostilities. With his regi- ment he was present at all of the principal engagements of the war, was dispatch carrier for a time and throughout his term of service was never wounded nor in the hospital. He accompanied Sherman on the famous march to the sea which proved the weakness of the Confederacy, and participated in the grand review at Washington, the greatest military pageant ever witnessed in this country. He was finally mustered out with a splendid record, and, returning to Cedar county, Iowa, devoted the rest of his life to agricultural pursuits. For eight years he resided on a farm two miles south of Mechanicsville, and then, selling that prop- erty, purchased a farm in Mason Grove, Cass township, consisting of three hun- dred acres. This he operated for twenty years, after which he again sold out and removed to a farm in Center township, three miles west of Tipton, which is now owned by his son E. S. Armstrong, who operated it for the father until the latter's death, which occurred November 20, 1900. Thomas Armstrong was a stanch supporter of the republican party, although he never sought nor desired public office, and was a faithful and consistent member of the Methodist Epis- copal church at Bethel. He belonged to the Loyal Legion and also to the Mod-
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
ern Brotherhood of America, while he maintained pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic at Tipton.
Thomas Armstrong was married in 1868 to Miss Nancy E. McAfee, a native of Perry county, Pennsylvania, where her birth occurred February 7, 1846. She was a daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Wilson) McAfee, who were also born in the Keystone state and were the parents of four sons and six daughters. They came to Iowa about 1853, Mr. McAfee preempting a quarter section of land three miles northeast of Cedar Bluff, and there the family resided for twelve years, after which a removal was made to Mechanicsville. In the latter town Mr. McAfee and his wife both passed away, the former's death occurring in October, 1873, at the age of seventy-five years, while the latter was seventy-two years old at the time of her demise in 1880. Their daughter Nancy E. was but seven years old when she accompanied her parents to Iowa, and she remained a resident of Mechanicsville until her marriage, while two years after her hus- band's death she became a resident of Tipton, where she now resides.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Armstrong were born eleven children, who were as follows: Bessie, residing in Davenport; Jessie, the wife of E. G. Filson, of Burlington ; William Moffit, of Red Oak township; Nellie McAfee, a twin sister of William M., who became the wife of C. A. Smith, of Tipton; Edward S., of this review ; one who passed away when only twelve days old; Frank B., also residing in Red Oak township; Lucinda, the wife of Charles Cottrell, of Tipton ; John T., making his home in Tipton; Arabell, the wife of A. P. Hebstetter, residing in Tipton with the widowed mother ; and Ursula B., the wife of Lester Blackman, of Tipton. All of the children were born in Cedar county.
E. S. Armstrong, whose name introduces this review, was reared amid the busy activities of rural life and in the work of the home fields gained a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the occupation which he was to follow as a life work. He also learned many lessons concerning the value of industry, perse- verance and self-reliance which well prepared him for an independent business career. The age of twenty years found him eager to enter the business world, which he did in the capacity of farm hand, remaining as such for one year. He then rented a farm for three years, at the expiration of which time, in connection with his brother William, he purchased two hundred and sixty acres in Cass township, which they operated in partnership for seven years. The brothers then sold their interests, after which E. S. Armstrong bought his present farm from his father, consisting of eighty-seven acres located on section 28, Center township. Three years later he purchased an adjoining tract of eighty acres on section 27, and is now operating both farms. He has greatly improved both places, erecting substantial barns and outbuildings, and is devoting his attention to general farming and stock-raising. He has been most successful in both branches of his business-the raising of grain and the raising of stock-and his wise management, close application and unfaltering industry have been important elements in the attainment of a prosperity which now ranks him among the pro- gressive and substantial farmers of his section of the county.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
On the 25th of November, 1896, Mr. Armstrong was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Lahmon, who was born in Red Oak township on the 25th of Jan- uary, 1874, her parents being John and Harriet Lahmon, of Linn township. Unto this union have been born five children, Donald, Pearl, Bertie, Lulu and Genevieve.
Mr. Armstrong holds membership with the Modern Woodmen of America at Tipton and is widely known throughout the locality in which his entire life has been spent. His life has ever been honorable and upright, governed by high principles, and the fact that many of those who know him best are numbered among his warmest friends is an indication that his salient characteristics are such as inspire confidence and respect in his fellow citizens.
GEORGE F. MILLER.
No record of Cedar county would be complete without extended mention of George F. Miller, a prominent and well known stock-raiser who is meeting with most gratifying success as the result of well directed efforts and keen business management. He was born in Graham township, Johnson county, Iowa, May 17, 1857, a son of Henry C. and Mary A. (Hemsted) Miller, the former born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on the 11th of August, 1830, and the latter in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, August 25, 1834. Henry C. Miller came to Iowa about 1854, ten years after the arrival of the Hemsted family, who established their home near Iowa City. He was married in this state and here carried on agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred July 9, 1872. His widow still survives and makes her home in Colville, Washington. Their family consisted of three children, all of whom are yet living, namely: George F., of this review; W. B., of Colville, Washington ; and Lucy E., the wife of F. C. Hoy, also of that city.
In the county of his nativity George F. Miller was reared to manhood and there amid the busy activities of rural life he gained thorough knowledge of that occupation which he later chose as a life work. He continued to make his resi- dence in Johnson county for a period of thirty-seven years, spending a year, however-1884-in Pratt county, Kansas. In 1895 he arrived in Cedar county and since becoming a resident of this county has attained high rank in stock cir- cles here. His landholdings consist of a well developed farm of two hundred and forty-three and a half acres located on section 25, Cass township, known throughout the locality as Walnut Dale Stock Farm, and here he is extensively engaged in stock-raising in connection with general farming. He breeds reg- istered shorthorn cattle and at the head of his herd is a fine bull, Thick Set, who was the champion junior yearling at the Iowa State Fair in 1909. One of his cows also, Lady of the Lake, was the winner of the fourth prize at the same fair. He is a breeder of Poland China hogs and also raises high grade poultry. In addition to his other interests he has, since 1880, operated a threshing ma-
GEORGE F. MILLER
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
chine, and he has so wisely managed his various business affairs that his efforts have been crowned with most gratifying success.
On the 30th of January, 1889, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Finetta B. Schley, who was born in Johnson county, Iowa, on the 8th of March, 1869. Her parents, Frederick and Finetta (Miller) Schley, were natives of Ger- many and Iowa respectively and are both now! deceased, the former passing away in 1884, while the latter survived until 1908. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born eight children, as follows: Hazel G., a student in the Tipton high school; Frederick C .; Lillian May; Gladys Iowa; Grace Hope; Finetta Blanche ; Henry Virgil, and Walter Everett.
Preeminently a business man, Mr. Miller has had little time or inclination to participate in matters not directly connected with his business affairs, and his success in his undertakings is doubtless due in no small degree to the fact that he has never permitted outside interests to interfere with the conduct of his business. He makes a close study of the conditions of the market and keeps abreast of the progress which has characterized farming and stock-raising quite as much as other channels of industry through his membership in the Corn Belt Meat Producers Association, the Cedar County Poultry Association and the Cedar County Farmers Institute. Unfaltering industry, wise management, clear judg- ment and keen business discernment have proved forces in his career which have compelled success, and he justly merits the position to which he has attained in business circles in Cedar county.
DANIEL EHRESMAN.
For more than a half century Daniel Ehresman was identified with the farm- ing interests of Cedar county, and during that period his efforts were in harmony with the spirit of progress which has ever been manifest in agricultural lines here. He was of German origin, his birth occurring in Rheinberg, Germany, on the 24th of July, 1830. He was reared to manhood in his native country and there acquired his education. Upon attaining manhood he decided to seek his for- tune in the new world, where the opportunity for business advancement was said to be greater than that offered in the old world. Accordingly he came to the United States in 1855, landing in New York, where he tarried for a period of two years. He then made his way west, spending one summer in Illinois, after which he came to Cedar county, arriving here in 1858, and has since made this his home. His entire time and attention were devoted to agricultural pur- suits, in which he was most successful, the prosperity which was his being the result of well directed effort and intelligently applied labor. He was the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres located on sections 26 and 27, Cass township, which is a well improved property, equipped with all modern accessories for facilitating farm labor, and is now in charge of his son-in-law.
On the 7th of September, 1858, Mr. Ehresman was married in Muscatine,
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Iowa, to Miss Magdalena Miller, who was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsyl- vania, December 15, 1837. She is a daughter of Thomas and Mollie (Brown) Miller, also natives of the Keystone state, and by her marriage to Mr. Ehresman became the mother of twelve children, ten sons and two daughters, as follows: Henry, Jacob and William, all residing in Nebraska; John, of Garfield county, Nebraska; Daniel, living in Texas; Charles, of Lisbon, Iowa; Alexander, resid- ing in Cass township; Edward, who passed away at the age of twenty-four years ; Joseph, who died in infancy ; Frank, also deceased; Lizzie, the wife of Henry S. Brown, of Cass township; and Mary, the wife of Frank Achey.
Throughout the many years of his residence in Cedar county Mr. Ehresman was interested in the growth and development of the community in which he made his home, his influence and activity being always on the side of progress, reform, improvement and advancement. He was well known throughout the county and was held in high esteem and regard by a large circle of warm friends. After a useful and well spent life he passed away June 19, 1910.
FRANK ACHEY.
Frank Achey is numbered among Cedar county's native sons, his birth occur- ring in Linn township, Cedar county, on the 23d of March, 1876, his parents being Thomas and Sarah (Owen) Achey, both natives of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. The father was twice married, his first union being with Miss Magdalena Zerbey, by whom he had six children, and after the death of his first wife was united in marriage to Sarah Owen, who became the mother of Frank Achey, of this review. He lived to the venerable age of eighty-three years, his demise occurring on the 25th of January, 1899. Mrs. Achey had been twice married ere her union with Mr. Achey, her first husband being a Mr. Schrope, by whom she had one daughter and two sons. After his death she became the wife of Mr. Hartsug, who is deceased, and in 1875 she married Thomas Achey, whose death, in 1899, again left her a widow. The last years of her life were spent in the home of her son, Frank Achey, her demise occurring on the 14th of December, 1903.
Reared on a farm, Frank Achey spent the period of his boyhood and youth amid the busy activities of rural life, and in the home fields early became familiar with the tasks that fall to the lot of the country lad, learning lessons concerning the value of industry, energy and perseverance. Upon attaining his majority he did not at once enter upon an independent business career but remained upon the home farm, caring for his parents in their old age. In 1898 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ehresman, after which he took up his abode on his father-in-law's farm, which he has continued to operate in the capacity of renter for the past seven years. Energetic and up-to-date in his methods, he has so managed his interests that his efforts have been crowned with most substantial success and he is numbered among the progressive and prosperous farmers of his section of the county.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
With the passing years the home of Mr. and Mrs. Achey has been blessed with six children, namely : Esther, Mearl, John, Fred, Homer and Harold. The latter passed away at the age of two years. The parents are well known through- out the community in which they reside and are held in high regard and esteem by all who know them. Placing his dependence upon the safe and substantial qualities of energy and wise management, Mr. Achey has attained a most gratify- ing degree of prosperity, which has come to him as the legitimate and logical result of a life of perseverance, intelligence and integrity.
W. R. WELTY.
W. R. Welty, one of the prosperous and progressive agriculturists of Fairfield township, whose home is on section 4, claims Ohio as his native state, his birth occurring in Ashland on the 30th of March, 1855, but he did not long remain there, for the following year he was brought to Cedar county, Iowa, by his par- ents, Henry and Elizabeth (Beech) Welty. The father was born December II, 1819, on the boundary line between Pennsylvania and Maryland and spent several years of his life in the Buckeye state. In 1856 he brought his family to Iowa and on reaching the Mississippi river found that there was no bridge, so they crossed on the ice at Davenport. They first located about five and a half miles south of Tipton in Cedar county, where they remained until our subject was twelve years of age and then removed three and a half miles southeast of the city. Seven years later they took up their residence upon the farm now owned and operated by our subject, the father finally retiring, selling out to his sons, W. R. and G. F. Ten years later the former purchased his brother's interest and is now engaged in farming alone. The father spent his last days in Tipton, dying there February 7, 1907. His wife, who was born in Germany, January 8, 1822, had departed this life while residing on the farm, December 26, 1877. She was only eleven years of age when she accompanied her parents on their emigration to America, the family locating in Ohio, where she resided until coming to Iowa. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Welty were: Margaret Ann, now the wife of A. A. Knott, of California; Mary Jane, the widow of Josiah Owen, a resident of Tipton; W. R., whose name introduces this sketch; Jacob Hudson, of Colo- rado ; G. F., also a resident of that state; and Sarah Elizabeth, the wife of Wil- liam Bader, of Loveland, Colorado.
Since 1875 W. R. Welty has resided upon his present farm and in its culti- vation and improvement he has met with marked success. He is now the owner of three hundred and sixty acres of land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation, a quarter section of this having been previously owned by his father. The buildings standing upon the place are substantial and commo- dious and include a large fine residence, erected in 1900. Besides his home prop- erty he has another farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on which there is also a good set of farm buildings. His time and energies have always been devoted
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
to farming and stock-raising and he displays sound judgment in purchasing and selling stock. His careful management of his business affairs has brought him a measure of success that places him with the men of affluence in this part of the state.
Mr. Welty was married in 1879 to Martha Sipple, who died in 1880, and he was again married December 17, 1891, his second union being with Miss Lou S. Simpson, by whom he had four children, namely : Ada Roberta ; Agnes Adelaide ; Donald Owen; and one who died in infancy. Mrs. Welty was born in Fairfield township, November 5, 1867, and is a daughter of William and Jane (Sisler) Simpson. Her mother now resides near Clarence, Iowa, but her father, who was born in County Down, Ireland, died in Tipton, this state, on the Ist of Octo- ber, 1875, at the age of forty-two years. Mrs. Simpson is a native of Blair county, Pennsylvania, born March 15, 1847, and was in her infancy when brought by her parents to this state. During the gold excitement on the Pacific slope Mr. Simpson went to California, where he remained for a time, and during the Civil war he served as veterinary surgeon. His life, however, was mainly devoted to agricultural pursuits and he became the owner of two fine farms, one of two hundred and eighty acres and the other of eighty acres, which he was operating at the time of his death. In his family were six children, namely: David Louis, who is now with his mother; Lou S., the wife of our subject; William Henry, who died at the age of six months ; Agnes Adelaide, who died at the age of seven years ; William George, a resident of Dayton township; and Emma Jane, who died at the age of six months.
Mr. Welty keeps well informed on the political questions and issues of the day and by his ballot usually supports the democratic party at national elections, but in local politics is independent, voting for the men whom he believes best qualified to fill office regardless of party ties. He has been called upon to serve as township trustee and as president of the school board, serving in the latter position for a number of years. He and his family are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Clarence, and his upright, honorable life has gained him a host of warm friends, who appreciate his sterling worth.
HON. HORACE RAY CHAPMAN, M. D.
Unto few men throughout this entire country has there come success and honor so early in life as has to the Hon. Horace Ray Chapman, a physician of Bennett and Cedar county ; state senator; ex-mayor of two towns; organizer of the Independent Telephone Company and one of the heaviest of stockholders as well as being its president and general manager. But thirty-seven years of age, he has become an important factor in the development alike of county and state ; has held positions of honor and trust; is identified with every progressive movement that has for its accomplishment the advancement of the conditions of his fellow citizens, and has accomplished all this while attending to his professional duties as a surgeon and physician with a large town and country practice.
MR Chapman
Pearl W. Chapman
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Beginning life in his own behalf at the age of seven years-a time when the average child is thinking only of play and school-Dr. Chapman has worked and striven as few men ever have. His birth occurred June 30, 1873, in Monti- cello, Jones county, Iowa, his parents being William H. and Mary (Bishop) Chapman, who were among the early settlers of Jones county. His father was born in New York state and came to Monticello in 1870. A miller by trade, he operated the Monticello Flouring Mills, later becoming interested in the Dubuque City Steam Flouring Mills. He owned a farm in Jones county, just outside the town of Monticello, and was one of the active men of the county. With his wife he was a life-long member of the Presbyterian church and both took an active part in church work. His political beliefs found expression in the policies of the republican party and he served as township trustee and was also a member of the Monticello school board, of which he was for some time treasurer. He was connected with both the Odd Fellows and the Masons, and his life was an exemplification of the teachings of these orders. He passed away in Monticello, November 13, 1888, at the age of fifty-two years. His widow, born in Germany, is yet living, making her home with some of her children at Waterloo, Iowa.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. William H. Chapman were born five children, namely: Horace R., of this review ; Adeline, now deceased; Frank De Witt, a conductor on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad; Janette, the wife of P. H. Murphy, harbor surveyor in the employ of the government at Portland, Oregon ; and Lewis Dwight, engineer on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, residing at Council Bluffs, Iowa.
As previously stated, Dr. Chapman began work at the age of seven years. He worked right along as he attended school, maintained himself in clothes, and at the age of fifteen years had saved enough money out of his earnings, besides clothing himself, to enable him to purchase two town lots in Monticello. He also bought a pony and two cows, which he turned over to his father, al- though having the use of them when required. He had attained the age of seventeen years when his father passed away and from that time on until they were in a position to care for themselves he helped provide for his mother and his younger brothers and sisters. His labors in their behalf were strenuous in the extreme, as may be shown by the statement that at one time he had to walk seven miles, night and morning, to get to his work, being one of a crew of wood-choppers. In school he excelled all his mates as student and logician. In the senior year of his high-school course he entered into an oratorical contest with a class of twenty-two and secured the first prize which enabled him to enter the state oratorical contest. On April 23, 1893, at Grinnell, Iowa, he con- tested for the gold medal first prize, winning it without a dissenting voice. His subject was "Mob and Law" and was founded upon the questions of the justice of either of the contesting forces in the great Homestead strike. The prepara- tion of this discourse involved a vast amount of study and laborious effort upon his part, and the announcement of his having won the contest was the signal for a public demonstration upon the parts of his townsmen at Monticello that will linger long in the recipient's memory. The town and county turned out en masse to welcome the high school boy who had brought signal honor to their
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