USA > Iowa > Monroe County > Biographical and genealogical history of Appanoose and Monroe counties, Iowa > Part 27
USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Biographical and genealogical history of Appanoose and Monroe counties, Iowa > Part 27
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fancy and a son, Adam, was killed on the western plains in 1863 by the Indians.
James Wilson was the oldest son and was born in Inveresk parish, Mid-Lothian county, Scotland, on the 22d day of September, 1834. All the school training that was afforded him was such as he could obtain in the first ten years of his life; at the end of that period he be- gan his career as a coal miner. In 1854, when twenty years of age, he came to America; he landed in New York city; from there went to Philadelphia, then on to Baltimore, finally obtaining employment in a coal mine in Frostburg, Allegany county, Maryland ; after spending a short time here he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and worked in a mine, then was employed in Warren county, Illinois, and in the fall of 1861 located in Monmouth, Illinois, where he engaged in mining for twenty- one years. He made his arrival in Centerville, Iowa, in 1882, and he here bought a local coal mine, which he developed and operated for some time, and for a year ran a butcher shop. After this venture he bought another mine in Centerville and operated it in connection with the Star Coal Company; later, selling his interest, he became a stock- holder in the Anchor Coal Company, in which he only recently dis- posed of his interest. From 1889 he has served as superintendent of the mines, his wide experience in mining making him invaluable in operat- ing and developing the affairs of the company.
In 1862 Mr. Wilson celebrated his marriage in Monmouth, Illinois, to Miss Elizabeth Welsh, who is also a native of Scotland. Six chil- dren were born to them: His son, James M., whose sketch also ap- pears in this work, is a leading lawyer of Centerville; a daughter, Janet, has been for several years a successful teacher in the schools of Center- ville; another daughter, Isabell, was a private stenographer for Gover-
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nors F. M. Drake and Leslie M. Shaw during their administrations, and now occupies an excellent position in the treasury department under the present secretary of the treasury. About 1856 the widowed mother of our subject came with her children to America and here spent the re- maining days of her life, passing away at the age of eighty-three. Mr. Wilson stands high in the Masonic order, having taken the thirty-second degree. He is in every sense of the word a self-made man, and this has come to be the very highest distinction that can be conferred upon a democratic, liberty-loving American.
JAMES M. WILSON.
Marked success has been the attendant of James M. Wilson throughout his brief but brilliant career, and when we consider the fact that he is not yet at the meridian of life it is not difficult to predict still greater achievements for him in the future. As the history of his father's family has been reviewed above, it will not be here necessary to recapitulate.
James M. Wilson was ushered into the world on September 8, 1866, near the city of Monmouth, Warren county, Illinois, the son of Scotch parents, James and Elizabeth ( Welsh) Wilson ; he is one of four living children. His first training was gained in the common schools, and when his father came to Centerville in 1882, he was employed as weigh-master in the coal mine with which his father was connected, but he later attended the Centerville high school and graduated in 1885; he then entered and spent two years in Monmouth College. Upon his return home he was engaged in several occupations before his mind was fully centered; for a time he railroaded, for one year was clerk in 25
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United States railway mail service, then took up teaching for awhile, being employed near home one winter and for a year taught in Ver- sailles, Illinois ; in all these pursuits he displayed much versatility, thor- oughness and ability. He then began the study of law under Hon. T. M. Fee; in 1896 he graduated in the law department of the Iowa State "University as president of a class of one hundred and three members. He had been admitted to the bar in 1895 and has since carried on a good practice in Centerville. Mr. Wilson has taken an active part in politics and for fifteen years has been one of the popular speakers at the various political meetings. In 1896, as the candidate of the Republican party, he was elected county attorney and received a re-election in the fall of 1898; previously he had served two years as city attorney of Centerville. In 1901-1902 he was reading clerk of the state convention held in Iowa. His official record was an excellent one.
Mr. Wilson is prominent in the fraternal orders, being a Knight Templar, Royal Arch Mason. having served as high priest of Euclid Chapter No. 43, and a Mystic Shriner; also a Knight of Pythias, and he is a member of the judiciary committee of the state Knights of Pythias grand lodge. On December 24. 1891, he married Flora M. White, a daughter of J. A. White, a prominent citizen of Centerville. They have two children, Eva, born October 13, 1892, and Jean, born July 12, 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of the Methodist church and stand high in the regard of their many friends and ac- quaintances.
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY.
HENRY GAULT.
The Gault homestead, situated a short distance north of Cincin- nati, is one of the most attractive as well as valuable of the many beau- tiful estates in Appanoose county. Consisting of seven hundred and fifty acres of the fine farming land for which Iowa is noted, cultivated by the most modern methods known to scientific agriculture, and orna- mented with a variety of buildings of tasteful architecture, it is difficult to imagine a more alluring picture than that presented by this superb country seat. At this happy home dwell the widow and children of the man by whose industry and wise management the property was accum- ulated and improved within less than thirty years, and concerning whose life and work it is the intention to communicate a few particulars in this brief biography. The late proprietor was not a man of show nor in any sense a spectacular or sensational character, his achievements being all wrought out by quiet means and never with sound of trumpets. So his story presents no dramatic incidents or details out of the ordinary such as might be expected in the peaceful pursuits characteristic of a farmer's life.
Henry Gault was born in Ireland, October 6, 1833, and as sketches of his parents, Francis and Deborah (McCall) Gault, appear in another part of this volume, in the biography of E. J. Gault, it is not necessary to repeat the particulars here. They emigrated to this country when Henry was quite small and settled in Philadelphia. The boy remained at home until seventeen years old and in 1850 went to Wisconsin, where he remained for six years. From that state he proceeded on west until he reached Appanoose county, Iowa, where he took possession of the farm which proved his place of residence until the end of his life. He engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and from the beginning
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made a success of these pursuits, which in its general results partook of the phenomenal. In fact, he seemed to have a natural turn for the business, and all his moves prospered. He had attained but a limited education in youth, but had one of those minds and dispositions that are quick to take advantage of opportunities, knowing how to master details as well as how to group the latter so as to control general re- sults. When his work seemed practically done and an elegant home had been provided for his last days, he was called suddenly away from the scenes of earthly care and endeavor in such a way as made his death a peculiarly sad one. On the 25th of March, 1885, while standing on the platform at Moulton and in the act of boarding a train for his home, the threads of life suddenly broke asunder and he dropped dead in his tracks, from what the physicians pronounced heart failure. So ended a useful and, in its way, a remarkable career, which reflects credit of the highest order on him who gave it direction and controlled its forces.
In December, 1855, Mr. Gault was married to Hester, daughter of Thomas and Mary Jane McClure, both of whom were natives of Ireland. Mrs. Gault's mother died in 1848, and her father in 1878, when eighty- two years old. The eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Gault are thus re- corded in the family register: Francis, deceased; James R., Debbie, Jennie, Harry and William T .; Frank and Thomas, deceased. Of those living, Harry is the only one married, and he and the other chil- dren reside with their mother. Mr. Gault, during his lifetime, was a member of the Presbyterian church, and his wife also has long affiliated with that denomination. His only fraternal connections were with Masonry, of which ancient and honorable order he was long an es- teemed member.
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY.
E. C. HAYNES.
One of Centerville's public-spirited citizens is Colonel Haynes, who is now the popular postmaster and has an excellent record as soldier in the war of the Rebellion, has filled several public offices and has a good reputation as a leading lawyer. Colonel Haynes' father, Cyrus Haynes, was a native of North Carolina and removed from that state to Tennessee in 1811, when only six years old; in that state he grew to manhood and then came north to Illinois, where he was married. Ma- hala Smith, who became his wife, was born in Kentucky, and in girlhood was brought to Illinois by her parents, who went on to Iowa in 1837 and settled in Van Buren county, before the admission of the territory to statehood. After his marriage Cyrus Haynes lived in Illinois till 1851 ; his wife died in 1850 and in the following year he came to Iowa and located in Appanoose county, where he resided until his removal to Missouri about 1868. He died in 1871.
The birthplace of E. C. Haynes was in McLean county, Illinois. where he came into the world on the 11th of May, 1844: at the death of his mother he came to Iowa and lived with his grandparents in Van Buren county; in 1852 he went to his father's home in Appanoose county, where he has made his home ever since. He enjoyed the ad- vantages of the common schools and was in attendance at the Troy (Iowa) College, when the Civil war spread its fury over the land. Among the first, in May, 1861, he enlisted in the state military service, and his company afterwards became Company D, Sixth Iowa Infantry ; his service lasted through the war to July, 1865. At Atlanta, in 1864, he was wounded and thereby lost an arm. He entered the war as a private and was discharged as first lieutenant. He now retains mem-
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bership in the John L. Bashaw Post No. 122, Grand Army of the Re- public.
At the close of his army service Mr. Haynes took a course in the Birmingham (Iowa) College and prepared for his chosen profession of the law by attending the Iowa State University. Upon his admission to the bar in 1868 he at once began his practice in Centerville, where he con- tinued for several years and soon evinced his ability. Because of his active participation in politics he was elected in 1868 to the position of county recorder and served two terms. He was also chosen mayor of Centerville. In the nineteenth general assembly he was chief clerk of the Iowa house of representatives. He was first appointed to the place of postmaster by President Arthur and has held that office under every Republican president since that time. Mr. Haynes is familiarly known as "Colonel," which title he has derived from serving as lieutenant col- onel under several of the state governors.
Fraternally Mr. Haynes is connected with the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. The maiden name of his wife was Elma M. Felk- ner, and she is the mother of nine children : Two of the sons served in the Spanish-American war. H. C. Haynes being captain of Company E, Fiftieth Iowa Infantry, and Glenn C., first sergeant of the same com- pany; the former is now lieutenant colonel of the regiment, while the latter is captain of Company E; three sons are privates in the company ; Leo R., E. C., and Fritz: the oldest daughter, Bessie, is a teacher in the public schools; Helen is a mailing clerk; the other two children are Wilma and Marian. The family is a happy one and add much to the social life of the city, being highly esteemed by all.
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY.
EMERY MELVILLE PROBASCO.
The legal profession is the lodestone that attracts many a man of keen, brilliant intellect, for in that field lie boundless opportunities for wealth, social position and fame. And one of the devotees of the law in Appanoose county and one to whom marked success has come while still young, is the attorney whose name heads this article.
Grandfather Peter Probasco was a native of New Jersey and later came west and made a permanent settlement in Putnam county, Mis- souri, where he entered land and devoted almost all the rest of his life to farming; toward the end of his life he started to California to spend his last years, but while visiting in Wayne county, Iowa, he passed away, being about seventy years of age. He reared a large family, and of this was Edward Probasco, the father of our subject. The latter was born in New York, came west to Missouri and was a pioneer merchant of Mendota, that state; about 1880 he came to Appanoose county, Iowa, and here pursued farming for ten years; in 1890 he removed to Moul- ton, where he engaged in the lumber business for a time, but is now retired. During the Civil war he served in the Union army for two years. While living in Missouri he was married to Malinda R. Mc- Connel, a native of Iowa and of Scotch descent; only three children of this union arrived at years of maturity.
Of this parentage Emery Melville Probasco was born in the village of Mendota, Putnam county, Missouri, September 20, 1871. His child- hood and youth were spent on a farm and in the common schools; he graduated at the high school at Moulton and also the Highland Park Commercial College. Having determined unon the study of law, he was graduated in 1897 in the law department of the Iowa State University and in June of the same year was admitted to the bar. He then opened
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up his office in Moulton and was soon enjoying a good practice. In politics Mr. Probasco's lot has been cast with the Republican party, and as the candidate of that party he was chosen to the office of county at- torney in 1900; on the first day of the following year he entered upon his duties, at the same time removing to Centerville. He has shown much ability in the conduct of this position and now ranks as one of the rising lawyers of the county. Mr. Probasco was happily married in 1901, Miss Anna Nelson of Indianola, Iowa, becoming his wife.
WILLIAM P. DAVIS.
William P. Davis, the efficient and popular sheriff of Appanoose county, began life as a poor boy and by industry, perseverance, and thrift has succeeded in building up a modest competence against old age, and has so well shown his capacity for action that the people of the county have raised him to one of the important offices of trust. His parents were Thornton and Nancy Ann (Vestel) Davis, now deceased; the father was born in Ohio and the mother in Indiana, in which state they were married. After coming to Iowa they settled in Monroe county and followed farming the rest of their lives. Nine children were born to them, of whom two are now deceased.
William P. was born on his father's farm in Monroe county, Iowa, March 22, 1859. He lived at home until twenty-four years old, helping his father with the arduous labors of farm work and attending the dis- trict school in the winter. After his marriage he settled on a farm in Independence township, Appanoose county, and continued with good success in this occupation until he was elected by his Republican par- tisans to the office of sheriff in November, 1901 ; he is now serving in
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that office to the fullest satisfaction of the people. Mr. Davis now owns an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Independence town- ship, which is under a fine state of cultivation and has many improve- ments.
In 1883 Mr. Davis was married to Miss Alma Grance Linch, and six children have been born to them; one son, Delbert, is now acting as deputy sheriff. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Wood- men. He is a member of the Baptist church, while his wife belongs to the Christian church. The family are held in high regard in society, and the position that Mr. Davis has gained for himself by his efforts is the worthy reward of his unimpeachable character.
JOSEPH W. BASHAW.
Joseph W. Bashaw, now deceased, was one of the representative business men of Centerville, Iowa, and what he had accomplished in life was due to his own efforts and to his persevering industry. In his veins there was a liberal mingling of English, French, Irish and Scotch blood. His parents were William and Mary Jane (Hull) Bashaw, both natives of Virginia; they had nine children and in 1854, when the subject of this sketch was but nine years old, they came west from Vir- ginia by wagon to Blakesburg, Wapello county, Iowa, where for several years he followed Iris trade of wagon maker. He died about 1872, being fifty-six years old, and his wife survived him about twenty years, dying at the age of seventy-five.
The birth of Joseph occurred in Culpeper county, Virginia, Jan- uary 23, 1845, and in the town of Blakesburg he was reared and given
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a common school education. Up to his nineteenth year he worked in his father's shop and then went to Ottumwa, Iowa, where he engaged in carriage making for four or five years. On returning to Blakesburg he married and in 1870 came to Centerville, which place he made his home for the remainder of his life. He at once opened a carriage shop and built up a fine trade; a few years before his death he took his son Ernest as partner, and he now conducts the prosperous firm of J. W. Bashaw & Son. Mr. Bashaw's life was ended on February 3. 1902. Beginning as a poor man. he was able to lay down his life's work with the satisfaction that he had fought a good fight and that he well de- served the competence he had earned.
Politically he was a Democrat; he was prominent in the Methodist church, being one of its officers, and was also identified with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. In April, 1867, he was married to Nancy Gaston, born in McConnelsville, Morgan county, Ohio, in 1848; her parents, Alexander and Mary (Cohagan) Gaston, the former a na- tive of Ohio and the latter of Virginia, settled in Davis county, Iowa, in 1854, and in 1861 located in Blakesburg; her father was a physician and surgeon and died in 1882 in Newbern, Marion county, Iowa, but the mother is still living and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Bashaw. Of this marriage there are now five children living: Wil- liam is a jeweler in Centerville, J. Ernest is the manager of the firm of J. W. Bashaw & Son, Clara L. is an osteopath student at Kirks- ville, Missouri, Frank C., and George Elton. Mrs. Bashaw is a de - vout member of the Methodist church, and the family is one of the most respected in the city.
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY.
JOHN LAZELLE SAWYERS, M. D.
This name has been made familiar to every inhabitant of Appanoose county by the long continued prominence of father and son in the medi- cal profession. It seems to be a case of heredity, but at any rate the father's great and widespread celebrity has been equalled if not sur- passed by his talented son. The two lives together cover a period of one-half a century, during which there never was a time when "Dr. Sawyers" was not a familiar sound to every citizen of the county. This family, now so well known, had its beginning with a poor boy of Ten- nessee, who was buffeted by all the waves of "outrageous fortune" in youth and early manhood, but eventually triumphed after a series of struggles that challenged the highest powers of manhood to cope with them successfully.
Elisha Sawyers was born near Nashville, and being left an orphan was forced to undergo the hardships as well as humiliations usually con- nected with the conditions described as "bound out." During this pe- riod he mastered the tailor's trade, married after he regained his busi- ness freedom and came with his family to Iowa about 1850. For awhile he kept a hotel at Centerville and later one at Unionville, to which place he had removed for the prosecution of his trade. He lost his wife by death in 1854, but lived himself to the extreme age of ninety-five years and closed his arduous but blameless career at Unionville in 1901. His children, in order of birth, are thus recorded in the family register : Sylvester H., deceased; Lizzie, deceased; Eugene, Iona, David, Allen and Mattie J.
It was Sylvester Hartwell Sawyers, the oldest of the above men- tioned children, who became the famous physician and father of physi- cians. He was born during the hard years before his parents left
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Tennessee, but despite narrow circumstances the father managed to give his promising boy a fair literary education. He early developed an ardent ambition to become a doctor and was still a boy when he took up the study of medicine. After his parents came to Appanoose county he entered vigorously into the practice and soon acquired a local, fol- lowed by a state reputation, in the profession. This distinguished phy- sician married Mary F. Miller, by whom he had ten children: John Lazelle. Mary Lillian, Kate C .. deceased: Sylvester H., Ralph, de- ceased ; Clyde E., Emma, Ada, Zelma and Frank. The father died in 1890, but the mother still presides over the hospitable home in Union- ville, an object of devoted affection from her loving children and esteem from her numerous friends.
John Lazelle Sawyers, oldest of the children and destined successor of his father in medical fame, was born at the ancestral home in Union- ville, July 18, 1856. His early education was obtained in the local schools and under a private tutor, with which groundwork he began the study of medicine in his father's office when eighteen years old. It is needless to say that he made rapid progress under such able preceptor- ship and was soon qualified to grapple with the higher branches taught only at the special schools for this purpose. He first went to the Chi- cago Medical College, but in 1876 entered the Kentucky School of Medi- cine at Louisville, where he obtained a degree in the following June, and received the prize for surgery and a gold medal for general pro- ficiency in all the branches of medicine. After his graduation he prac- ticed in partnership with his father at Unionville until the fall of 1877, when he returned to the Chicago Medical College and was graduated in that institution in the class of 1878. During the winter preceding his graduation he had been appointed physician at the Cook County Hos-
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pital, where he remained for twenty-two months and derived much ad- vantage from the medical training to be derived from such a position. In 1879 Dr. Sawyers returned to his old home at Unionville, where he resumed and continued practice for about one year. In 1880 he went abroad and spent nearly two years in the old world. most of his time be- ing occupied in attending clinical lectures at the various hospitals of Vienna, Austria. During his absence Dr. Sawyers visited many parts of France and Germany and spent some time also at the most celebrated resorts in Italy and Switzerland. His tour was suddenly interrupted and he called home by the severe illness of his father, which was at first thought to be fatal. But he recovered and in partnership with his son, after the latter's return from Europe, practiced medicine until 1883. In that year the younger Dr. Sawyers separated from his father and located at Centerville, where he soon gained a large and lucrative practice and rose rapidly to prominence in his profession. In fact, his fame soon spread beyond the confines of his native county, his skill as a physician and surgeon attracting many patients from a distance, and he has often been called into consultation in important cases over a wide territory, both in Iowa and Missouri. The Doctor is a member of the Des Moines Valley Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society and the Ameri- can Medical Association.
In 1883 Dr. Sawyers was united in marriage with Miss Jennie, daughter of Ex-Governor F. M. Drake, of Centerville, and to this union three children have been born. The parents are members of the Chris- tian church and the Doctor is prominent in Masonry, having reached the Knight Templar degree. After the foregoing details it is hardly neces- sary to add that Dr. Sawyers and his family enjoy a warm welcome in the best social circles at Centerville and other cities of the state.
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