USA > Iowa > Monroe County > Biographical and genealogical history of Appanoose and Monroe counties, Iowa > Part 35
USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Biographical and genealogical history of Appanoose and Monroe counties, Iowa > Part 35
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His parents were William and Angeline ( Nadenbush ) Vanpelt, the former a native of Washington county, Virginia, and the latter born in Franklin county, Ohio. William Vanpelt lived in his native state until sixteen years of age, and then went to Ohio and located in Franklin county, where he was married. He later came to Monroe county and purchased a farm of eighty acres; he was also a carpenter by trade and followed this occupation as long as he was able to do active work. His first wife died at the birth of the subject of this sketch, and he was again married, his second wife becoming the mothier of twelve children.
The birth of J. N. Vanpelt occurred in Franklin county, Ohio, October 18, 1835, and after spending his boyhood in Ohio he came, at the age of sixteen, to Monroe county and was then engaged as a farm laborer until the outbreak of the Civil war. His fighting blood was kindled, and on the patriotic day of the Fourth of July, 1862, he en- listed in Company D. Twenty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in at Iowa City. He was first sent to Raleigh, Missouri,
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under Colonel Stone, and his regiment participated in twenty-five en- gagements throughout the war, among them the siege of Vicksburg; Jackson, Mississippi; Baton Rouge; Champion Hills; Winchester, Virginia; in this last named battle Mr. Vanpelt was wounded by the explosion of the last shell fired by the Confederates in the engagement, and one part of the shell took off a thumb and another lodged in his hip, which fragment lie still has in his possession. After lying in the hospital for several months he recovered from his wounds and was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, February 3, 1865, having spent three and a half years in the service of his country. He easily went back to the peaceful pursuit of farming again and continued to live on his farm until 1899, when he retired and moved to Melrose, where he now lives in a comfortable home.
Mr. Vanpelt was married December 17, 1868, to Amanda Cobb, who is a native of Missouri and the daughter of Joseph Cobb, a pioneer settler of Marion county, Iowa; she left the state of her birth when five years old and went with her parents to Marion county and later to Monroe county, where she remained till her marriage. Eight children were born, six sons and two daughters: William A., Tula, Scott, Julia, Lee, Wylie, Lewis and Sherman. Mr. Vanpelt is a stanch Re- publican and keeps up his connection with old army comrades by his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church.
RALPH M. DAVIS.
Ralph M. Davis, a cigar manufacturer, is acceptably filling the office of mayor of Moulton, and is one of the wide-awake and enter- prising men of the city, who exemplifies in his life the progressive spirit 32
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which has led to the rapid upbuilding of the west. He is also con- nected with the commercial interests of the town, having been formerly a member of the Davis Brothers Manufacturing Company, but he now conducts the business alone and in his own name. He set at naught the old adage that "a prophet is never without honor save in his own country," for Mr. Davis is a native son of the town in which he has been honored with the offices within the gift of the people. He was born in Moulton on the 23d of April, 1874, and is a son of Levi and Martha (Willett) Davis and a grandson of Richard Webb Davis, who was born in Delaware in 1805, but was reared in Maryland. In 1833 Richard Webb Davis was married to Almira Landfier, a native of Dayton, Ohio, and a short time afterward they moved to Lewistown, Fulton county, Illinois. He was a stonecutter by trade, having per- formed much work of that kind, and he also followed farming. In 1839 they removed to Adair county, Missouri, where they spent one winter, and then took up their abode in Schuyler county, but in 1842 came to Appanoose county, Iowa. In 1846 he moved to Bloomfield, Davis county. His wife died in Bloomfield in 1862 at the age of fifty- two years. They became the parents of thirteen children, namely : Adriel B., who was born September 2, 1835; Levi, who was born February 23, 1837; Mary, Lucy, Nancy, James Price and Sarah Jane, twins, who died at birth; Julia, Webb and two who died in infancy.
Levi Davis, the second of the above enumerated children, was born in Illinois, February 23, 1837, and shortly afterward, in 1840, was taken by his parents to Schuyler county. Missouri. Subsequently they took up their abode in Bloomfield, Davis county, Iowa, and in 1857 moved to Orleans, now a deserted village north of Moulton, and there Mr. Davis met and married Miss Martha J. Willett, their wed-
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ding being celebrated April 14, 1858. To this union were born eight children, as follows: Fannie B., Homer E., Eva L., James A., Fer- nando C., Willie W., Ralph M., Ray L., all of whom are living with the exception of Eva L., who died in March, 1871. The family came to Moulton in 1869, and for many years the father was the express agent at this place, and when it was first incorporated he was elected the town marshal. He was a citizen of prominence, and for fifteen years was honored with the office of chief executive, also acting as a justice of the peace. He had an excellent knowledge of the law and often met learned counsel at the bar, when he often floored his oppo- nents. He was a stalwart Democrat in his political views, was an active and consistent member of the Christian church, and filled an important niche in the pioneer days of the locality and will long be remembered as one of the landmarks of Moulton. After nearly a month's illness his death occurred on the 16th of December, 1902, leaving an aged wife, who is still living in this city, and seven children.
Ralph M. Davis spent his boyhood days in his parents' home and at the usual age was sent to school, acquiring a good English educa- tion. After leaving school he went upon the road as a traveling musi- cian, and for ten years was thus employed, visiting various parts of the country. In the year 1896 he returned to Moulton and entered into partnership with his brother, Ray L., a practical cigarmaker, under the firm name of Davis Brothers Cigar Manufacturing Company, this relationship being continued until our subject purchased his brother's interest, January 26, 1903. The business has steadily grown, and he now manufactures a number of brands of cigars which have become favorites on the market. The enterprise was established on a small
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scale, but has steadily increased, until the business now pays an excel- lent annual dividend.
In 1898 Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Ella M. Clink- enbeard, of Moulton, and the young couple enjoy the hospitality of many of the best homes of the city, their circle of friends being exten- sive. Mr. Davis is a member of the American Benevolent Association, the Iowa State Traveling Men's Association, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Masonic fraternity, and in addition to being a Master Mason is connected with the order of Eastern Star. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and in the spring of 1902 was elected upon that ticket to the position of mayor of the city, in which position he is now acceptably serving. He has already manifested deep regard for the public welfare, and his efforts in behalf of the general good have been effective.
CHARLES M. MARSHALL.
Charles M. Marshall, the postmaster of Moulton, Iowa, is a mem- ber of a large family of men noted for their public spirit and enterprise, and his excellent career as a business man and as the incumbent of the most important public office of his city makes him specially deserving of a place in this volume. His parents are William and Arminda (Hayes) Marshall, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Ohio. They were married in Ohio and in 1872 came west, first locating in Missouri, where for a time he ran a hotel in Coatsville. In 1873 he removed to Iowa, since which time they resided in Moulton. For many years he was in the real estate business, and for twenty-one years was assessor of his township. His long and blameless career
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was ended in death on December 17, 1902. He was a Republican and in religion a Methodist. William Marshall was married three times, and our subject is the son of his third wife. There are five living chil- dren of the first marriage, one of the second and four of the third. Those living are as follows: W. J. Marshall is a prominent banker of Sardinia, Ohio, the original home of the family; Mrs. Dr. W. W. Glenn, of Hillsboro, Ohio; Judge H. L. Marshall, of Eufaula, Indian Territory; Robert L. Marshall, of Cincinnati, Ohio, an employe of the Big Four Railroad; James Q. Marshall, also in the railroad business; WV. L. Marshall, a farmer in Indian Territory; our subject; Guy Mar- shall, in the employ of the rural free delivery service at Moulton; Cam. G. Marshall, assistant postmaster of Moulton; and Booze Marshall, at home in Moulton.
Charles M. Marshall claims Brown county, Ohio, as his native home, having been born there February 5, 1864. He has spent most of his life in Moulton, where he was reared to manhood and given a common school training. After reaching manhood he entered the clothing house of Wooldridge & Pulliam at Moulton and continued in their employ for eleven years. In 1898 he was appointed postmaster of Moulton and took charge of the office on the anniversary of his birthday of that year. Four years later he received a reappointment and is still filling this position. That Mr. Marshall has been faithful and progressive in the performance of the duties of this office is sub- stantiated by the fact that under his administration three rural free delivery routes have been established, and that the salary of the office, which depends upon the receipts, has been raised from twelve hundred dollars to fifteen hundred dollars a year, and through his efforts the office is now located in a new brick building, heated with steam and
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provided with conveniences such as few towns the size of Moulton have.
Mr. Marshall is a thorough believer in the principles of the Re- publican party. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar Mason and a Knight of Pythias. He is active in church work and is chorister in the Methodist church. In 1885 he was united in marriage to Miss Jennie D. Gale, of Moulton, and they have two bright children, Olive and Lucile. The family occupy a prominent place in the society of the town and are held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and ac- quaintances.
SAMUEL RICHMOND.
More than a half century has passed since Samuel Richmond arrived in Monroe county, and his residence in the state dates from 1845. Most of this time he has carried on farming and is to-day the owner and occupant of a good farm in Cedar township. He was born in Morgan county, Kentucky, on the 20th of November, 1822, a son of John and Alice Richmond, the former a native of Virginia, while the latter was born in Tennessee. John Richmond carried on general farming and also made a specialty of the raising of tobacco. In his early life he devoted his energies to the advancement of the interests of the Whig party, and when the Republican party sprang into exist- ence he joined its ranks and continued to give to it his support until he departed this life. He died in 1882 and his wife passed away five years later. To their marriage were born six children: Lizzie; Samuel; William, who is deceased; Silas; and Henry and David, twins. From the time when he located upon the farm where our subject was born until his death the father resided continuously in that place, and was a well known resident of his portion of Kentucky.
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When Samuel Richmond left his birthplace in the Bluegrass state he went to Indiana, where he remained for three years, and during that time he was engaged in farming and in working in a mill. In 1845, however, he left Indiana and came to Iowa, settling first in Bur- lington, where he remained through one winter. In 1846 he took up his abode in Wapello county, where he continued until the following September, when he removed to Monroe county, with which section of the state he has since been identified, covering almost fifty-seven years. He has made his home throughout this period in Cedar township. where he now owns four hundred and eight acres of land, constituting one of the good farms of the locality, well tilled fields surrounding sub- stantial barns, and a comfortable frame residence.
In March, 1842, in Johnson county, Indiana, Mr. Richmond was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Bell, of that county, a daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Bell. Mrs. Frances Cooper, a sister of Mrs. Rich- mond, is the only surviving member of the Bell family, and she now re- sides upon the Richmond farm. Ten children were born to our subject and his estimable wife: Byron, now deceased; William Perry; James H., who has also passed away: Crates C., John, Frank D., Columbus, Tilt. Jane, and Major S.
In 1897 Mr. Richmond was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away in that year at the age of seventy-three. As man and wife they had traveled life's journey for fifty-five years, sharing with each other the joys and sorrows, the adversity and prosperity which come to checker the careers of all. Mrs. Richmond was a mem- ber of the Baptist church and Mr. Richmond belongs to the Methodist church. He is an earnest, consistent Christian man, who has ever en- deavored to live at peace with his fellow men and to treat them hon-
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orably and fairly in all business transactions, and therefore in the evening of life he is honored and respected, receiving the veneration which should ever be accorded to those of advanced years. As he looks back along the vista of the past there are many incidents in his career in the county of which he has reason to be proud. He walked twelve miles to the election to vote for the adoption of the state constitution, and helped to organize Cedar township. He never missed an election up to date; helped build the first cabin, the first school and church in the township, and has done his part in making rails, building fence, breaking prairie, killing rattlesnakes and wolves; and now he is ready to pay his last tax and with it go home with 10 one left behind but his friends to mourn.
GEORGE T. PULLIAM.
The most that can be attempted in a brief sketch of this kind is a recital of the main facts of the outward life of a man, and from these details posterity must judge the character of him who lived and wrought in the past ; but surely it does not always require the scer to scan the history of the individual to judge his fitness for the higher rewards of the world, for the book of man's life lies open and there the deeds done here show the fruit of his best endeavors. And while the career of the prominent citizen of Moulton, Iowa, whose name heads this article, may be summed up in a few lines, there is evidence therein of hard, conscientious, well directed effort, ever lifting the life of today a step above that of the yesterday.
The father and mother of George T. Pulliam were James and Charity (Hinch) Pulliam, both natives of Kentucky; they were taken to Illinois in youth and there they grew up and married. In 1853
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they came to Iowa and first settled near Eddyville; the next year they removed to Davis county, and in 1856 moved to Orleans, Appanoose county. He was a farmer, a merchant and a stock dealer, and was one of the pioneers of the village of Orleans. He was a pioneer Republican, joining that political organization at its inception; in religion he and his family were members of the Christian church. He died in 1868 at the age of fifty years. In 1858, while living in Orleans, his first wife died, aged thirty-six years, having borne him six children. The oldest son, William H., served in the Twenty-first Missouri Infantry and later in the Eighth Iowa Cavalry ; during the siege of Atlanta he received a wound and from its effects died August 1, 1864.
The birth of George T. Pulliam occurred in Pike county, Illinois, November 1, 1849. His boyhood was spent on the farm and he was given a common school education. At the age of twenty he was thrown upon his own resources and soon started upon his career as a merchant in Moulton; he was one of the successful retailers of that town for more than twenty-five years, but in 1898 he retired; his principal line was clothing. For twenty years J. F. Wooldridge was his partner, first under the name Wooldridge, Pulliam & Deupree, and then Wooldridge & Pulliam, and later Geo. F. Pulliam.
In 1885 Mr. Pulliam was married to Miss Ollie M. Gates, who was at the time a very popular and successful teacher in the Moulton schools. In politics he is Republican ; is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and a great friend of the public schools, of which they are so justly proud. His success is due to his own efforts, and he is justly ranked as one of the leading business men of Moulton and Appanoose county.
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JOHN C. PHILLIPS.
One of the largest land owners and most extensive agriculturists in Appanoose county is John C. Phillips. His father was Theophilus Phillips, whose wife was Mahalia Ann Moore; they were both natives of Adams county, Ohio, and were married in that county. Mr. Phillips was throughout his life a tiller of the soil, and his life labors were ended in death in 1879, when at the age of sixty-four years. Mrs. Phillips died in 1853. aged thirty-nine years. Mr. Phillips came west in 1863 and after residing in Appanoose county for two years returned to Ohio; in 1871 he spent one year in Missouri and later removed to Appanoose county, where he passed the remaining days of his useful life. This worthy couple were the parents of ten children, of whom six are now living.
One of these children was John C., who was born in Adams county, Ohio, January 5, 1841, and was reared to a farmer's life, spending his youth in work on the farm and in attendance at the country schools. He had arrived at manhood when the Civil war spread its blight over the land and in 1862 he enlisted in Company F. Ninety-first Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, and gave three years of faithful service to his country. At the battle at Buffalo Gap he received a wound which compelled him to spend some time in the army hospital. Shortly after his return from the army, in 1868, Mr. Phillips followed the example of his father and came to Cooper county, Missouri, where he engaged in farming for a few years. In the spring of 1872 he moved to Wayne county, Iowa, and continued farming for twelve years. His residence in Ap- panoose county dates from 1884, and here he has met with most gratify- ing success in farming and stock-raising. For ten years his stock opera- tions were conducted on a large scale in partnership with Mr. B. Bowen,
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of Centerville. That he possessed much business ability was shown in his being chosen to act as cashier of the Farmers' and Drovers' Bank of Seymour, but after a year he resigned, preferring the free and interest- ing life of the farm. At the present time Mr. Phillips owns on his home place fourteen hundred and eighty acres of fine land, which is one of the most extensive farms in the state.
In 1862 Mr. Phillips was married to Miss Clementine Drake. Her parents were James H. and Caroline (Marshal) Drake, who were resi- dents of Licking county, Ohio, coming to Iowa in 1878, where the father died in 1900 in his ninetieth year, and the mother passed away in 1893, aged seventy-seven; the wife of Mr. Phillips was born in Licking county, Ohio, November 27, 1843. Thirteen children were born and all but one are now living: Charles E., Emma A. Stewart, James F., Hosea M., Joseph Walter, Carrie A. Richardson, B. Bowen, Kennedy Kendall, Herbert H., John J., Oscar Orville, and Roscoe C .; the last three live at home with their parents. Mr. Phillips retains his connection with his old army comrades in the Grand Army of the Re- public at Seymour, and he has membership in the Methodist church at Genoa. It is through such men as Mr. Phillips that the solid and noble calling of agriculture as been brought to its high state of per- fection, which in no other country of the world has been so highly de- veloped and attracts such a high class of men.
D. C. KENWORTHY.
The subject of this sketch is a man who has been prominent in many of the affairs of life, has fought on the battlefields of the south in defense of the Union, has been a leading farmer of the county for
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nearly half a century and has taken an active part in public, social and religious matters of the community. His grandfather was Elisha Ken- worthy and was a native of Pennsylvania; he and his wife Sarah both died in Indiana. Thomas Kenworthy, the father of D. C. Kenworthy, was born in Ohio, where he was reared on a farm. In 1844 he went to Miami county, Indiana, and until 1853 ran a grist and saw mill. Then coming to Monroe county, lowa, he bought a farm near where the sub- ject of this sketch now lives; selling this place a few years later he re- moved to Ringgold county, but soon sold the farm he had acquired there to the Burlington railroad, and then went to Oregon, where he died at the age of eighty-five. He was a successful medical practitioner in Iowa for a number of years and was a man of sterling traits of character. He lived during the heat of the slavery strife and was an uncompromis- ing abolitionist Republican and was an active supporter of John C. Fre- mont in the first campaign of that party ; he was also a friend of Colonel Jim Lane of Kansas. He was a Methodist in religion. He was mar- ried in Montgomery county, Indiana, to Sarah Beesley, a native of Pennsylvania ; she was the mother of twelve children: Sirena, Irnada, Delitha, Louisa, Mary, Saphrona. Martha, David C., and four others. Thomas Kenworthy's second wife was Minerva Jackson, by whom he had seven children; she died in Oregon.
David C. Kenworthy was born at Crawfordsville, Montgomery county, Indiana, July 13, 1839, and was fourteen years old when he came to Monroe county, in November, 1853, and here he was reared and completed his education in the common schools. When he was twenty-two years old he enlisted, in July, 1861, in Company H, First Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, under Colonel F. Warren and Captain D. Anderson. He saw much active service in the campaign in Missouri,
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Arkansas and Mississippi; he was in the engagements with General Price's army, also Quantrell's raiders and Bill Anderson's troopers. He was in the battle at Jackson, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; Cam- den, Missouri; and he started to assist General Banks in the Red River expedition, but his regiment failed to reach him in time; they then went on a forced march up the Saline river to meet General Price and after crossing on pontoon bridges engaged in a hard fight which lasted all day; he took part in the battle of the Poison Springs on the Little Mis- souri and then received a veteran's furlough for thirty days. He was stationed at Mexico and St. Joseph, Missouri, and fought bushwhackers all over the state; he was sent to Jefferson City to support the Union forces against Price and received his final discharge in November, 1865, returning home with a most enviable war record.
While on his veteran's furlough Mr. Kenworthy was married, May 29, 1864, to Alice Harris, who was born in Delaware county, Ohio, in 1845, being the daughter of R. B. Harris, a native of New York, and of Mary Bains, a native of Wales. Morris Bains, the father of the latter, is now one hundred years old and was born in Wales, where he married Alice Jones ; in 1835 they came to Delaware county, Ohio, and in 1856 came to Monroe county; they had two children, Edward, de- ceased, and Mrs. Harris; Mr. Bains has eight great-great-grandchil- dren, thirty-six great-grandchildren, and eighteen grandchildren, and he is known and respected as one of the patriarchs of the county. R. B. Harris and wife had fourteen children: William, who was a soldier in the Civil war in the First Iowa Cavalry and died while in the service; Alice, who became Mrs. Kenworthy; Zilia, deceased; Morris; Albert; Edward, deceased; Clinton, deceased; Emily McGinnis, living in this county ; Mary; Losinia, the wife of the Rev. William Potter, of the
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Methodist church at Ainsworth, Iowa: Hattie; and three others. The father of these children passed away at the age of eighty and the mother at the age of seventy-seven, the former being a member of the Republi- can party, and both devoted members of the Methodist church. Mr. and Mrs. Kenworthy are the parents of five children: Florence, the wife of Henry Payne, of Albia; Mattie R. Barnhill, of Franklin town- ship, a former teacher of the county; Arthur, who married Myra Searcy, of this county ; Hattie, of Albia: and Maud Richardson, residing in this county.
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