Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa, Part 45

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Goodspeed
Number of Pages: 484

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every pursuit in which he has engaged he has shown wonderful activity, strength and per- severance. In 1860 he was taken with the Pike's Peak fever, and started across the plains, reaching Denver, Colo., in the spring of that year, thence to Nevada City in the mountains to the gold diggings, where he practiced medi- cine successfully for two years. While in Nevada, Colo., the town was destroyed by fire, but was afterward rebuilt. The Doctor re- turned East in 1862, and July 1, 1862, was married at Harrisburg, Penn., to Miss Julia Bombaugh, who died in Denver in 1864, leav- ing a son who died in infancy. Mrs. Grafton was a refined and cultivated lady, having grad- uated at the Harrisburg Female College. After their marriage they returned to the mountains, and thence removed to Denver in 1863, where the Doctor continued the practice of his profession till his wife's death, when he returned to Baltimore. In 1874 he was married to Miss Sarah B. Livingston, a native of Ohio, and to their union six children have been born: William D. (aged fifteen years), Francis McH. (aged thirteen), Edward L. (aged twelve), Albert Kurtz (aged ten), Engene Hill (aged seven) and Mary (the baby of the home, aged five years). Dr. Grafton was in the late war as an acting assistant sur- geon for about two years, serving in common with about twenty other physicians at the Annapolis Hospital, from which he was sent to Lincoln Hospital in Washington, thence to Douglas Hospital, and from there to a local hospital. Here he resigned, and after a short stay in the State of Georgia he returned home to Baltimore, and was again offered a position in the Post Hospital at Washington, D. C., which goes to prove that he had been signally successful in the practice of his profession. He has always identified himself with the |Democratic party and supported Jeffersonian

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principles until recently, when he became a Prohibitionist. He has held the office of county superintendent of schools for Story County, and, in fact, has always filled some important post in the township since he located as a resident in Cambridge. He is an earnest and enterprising citizen, a gentleman com- manding the respect of all parties in his place of residence, has a beautiful and comfortable home in the town of Cambridge and a sufficient amount of this world's goods to place him be- yond the reach of want. He is, or has been, an Odd Fellow and a member of the Masonic fraternity. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having joined the church in 1871, and he now holds the position of trustee and steward. They are active sup- porters of all benevolent and religious enter- prises, and cheerfully contribute what they can of their means in the support of the same.

A. J. Graves, farmer and stock-raiser, Ames, Iowa. The agricultural interests of Washing- ton Township are ably represented by the sub- ject of this sketch, a man whose life has been passed in the calling which now receives his at- tention. He was born in Vermont on October 13, 1830, and is the son of Rufus and Deborah (Whitcombe) Graves, natives of Massachusetts and Vermont, respectively. The father was born in 1799, and died in 1867, in Vermont, while the mother, who was born in 1799, died in 1869, also in Vermont. The paternal grand- father, Gad Graves, was a native of Massachu- setts, and died in that State. A. J. Graves, the third of six children, four of whom are now liv- ing, was reared in Vermont, and his education was acquired at the district school, with the ad- dition of a few terms in the high schools of those days. In 1853 he went to California, and after remaining there for over three years returned to Vermont, and moved from there to Iowa in 1858. He first settled in Cedar Falls, Black

Hawk County, and in 1864 came to Story Coun- ty, locating in Washington Township, where for four years he had charge of the College Farm. In April,, 1868, he removed to his present farm, two miles southwest of Ames, which consists of 327 acres, and is now a repre- sentative farmer. He has been a member of the board of county supervisors. He was married in 1858 to Miss Mary M. Meredith, a native of Ohio, whose birth occurred in 1837, and to them were born three children: Edwin H. (born in 1864), Frank J. (born in 1870) and Zebina K. (born in 1874). Mr. Graves is one of the charter members of Arcadia Lodge No. 249, A. F. & A. M., at Ames, and was made a Mason in Nevada Lodge No. 99. He is one of the leading men of Washington Township, and while he is an agriculturist of advanced ideas, he does not lose sight of stock-raising, being engaged in breeding Short-horn cattle and Chester-white hogs, which he commenced in 1868. For the same length of time he has been engaged in nursery and horticultural pur- suits, as his home will attest, being surrounded by fine orchards, vineyards, and valuable groves of both native and ornamental timber. In these surroundings he has reared lasting monuments of his industry and skill.

Joshua B. Grove, Among the many emi- nent and enterprising agriculturists of Story County, Iowa, worthy of mention in these pages, is Mr. Grove, who has been identified with the farming interests of the community since 1856. His birth occurred in Frederick County, Va., on April 2, 1830, he being a son of Jolin and Nancy ( Waln) Grove, both of whom were Virginians by birth. The father was a son of Jacob and Catherine (Lonis) Grove, the former of German descent, and the latter a native of Germany. Nancy (Waln) Grove was the daughter of Joseph Waln and wife, nee Bonard, and her maternal grand-

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father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. They reared a family of six children-five sons and one daughter-three of whom are still liv- ing: Joshua B. and W. H. H. are residents of this county, and Jolin S. resides in Burnett County, Wis. When Joshua B. Grove was but six months old his parents moved to Ohio, and located on a farm in Highland County, where they made their home for a number of years. The mother, who was a devoted mem- ber of the Baptist Church, departed this life in that county in 1840, and nine years after her death the father moved with his family to Linn County, Iowa, being among the very first settlers in that locality, and there he received his final summons in 1858. The early educa- tional advantages of our subject were extremely limited, he only attending school about seven months in his life. He remained with his father until he had attained his majority, and when his twenty-first birthday rolled around, allured by the tales of gold, he, in 1852, went to California, and for the following three and one half years he was there occupied in min- ing and farming and then returned home. For the first year after his return home he was engaged in buying stock for Stephen Naper. October 22, 1856, witnessed his marriage with Miss Elizabeth Green, and immediately after that event the young couple immigrated to Story County, Iowa, settling on a farm of 100 acres, paying at the rate of $4.50 per acre for the same land that is now worth $40 per acre. To the original farm they have since added the balance of 210 acres, and 150 acres of this is under cultivation, and the re- mainder in pasture, thus making one of the finest farms in the county. Ten children have been born to their marriage-seven sons and three daughters, viz .: Alwilda (wife of E. C. Doolittle, of Story County), John (now a resi- dent of Sumner County, Kas. ), Elmer E. (also

of Sumner County, Kas. ), Effie L. (born May 11, 1863, died November 23, 1867), Charles U. and Jacob W. (residents of Sioux County, Neb.), Willard (living in Story County ), and Joseph B., Eva M. and Lee, at home. Both Mr. and Mrs. Grove are worthy members of the United Brethren Church. In his political views the former is a Republican, and has held several local offices of trust and honor, among them being those of township trustee, school director and road supervisor. He is one of the early pioneers of this county, having come here ten years before the railroad was built, and when there was not a house in sight, and he has seen its conversion from a low, wet, overflown, sloughy country to one of the richest farming counties in the State, his farm being well improved with substantial and commodi- ous buildings, and one of the finest residences in the county. Mr. Grove is extensively known throughout the county and is univer- sally honored and respected. As a farmer and business man he is among the first, and his success as such and as a stock-breeder has been the subject of newspaper comment on many occasions.

Mons C. Grove. The present sketch will give a brief outline of the life of him whose name is mentioned. In the cold, far-away clime of Norway, his parents lived and died, and there, for many years, he gave his attention to tilling the ground. Tiring of the country, where, for centuries, his ancestors had dwelt, he emigrated to the broad, free land of Amer- ica, "the liome of the brave." Mr. Grove was still quite young when he located in Kendall County, Ill., and there turned talents to farm- ing successfully. After accumulating a fort- une, he moved to Story County, Iowa, being among the original settlers here. In 1859 our subject purchased the farm upon which he now resides, and has proved himself to be a model

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farmer, by the excellent way in which his land is cultivated, and the many improvements about the place. April 20, 1860, Mr. Grove married Miss Anna Sheldall, sister of E. R. Sheldall, whose sketch appears in this history. They have six children living, viz .: Martin, Loranda, Oscar, Ed., Mary Ann and Emma. They had the misfortune to lose four children. Mr. Grove's political opinions are Republican in nature, but he has been at no time an aspirant for official positions, being thoroughly engrossed with his agricultural pursuits. Himself and family are members of the Lutheran Church.

A. H. Grimm. If the old country had not contributed to the population of the new, Iowa would not have reached its present high state of development. Germany has furnished her full quota of excellent men, and among them Mr. Grimm, a resident of Richland Township, honored and respected by all his acquaintances. He was born in Holstein, Germany, in 1849, being the eldest child born to C. H. and Cath- erine (Schlichting) Grimm, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father emigrated to this country in 1855, and located in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, but after a residence there of eight years, moved to Louisa County, and from there to this county, where they are now residing. The school days of A. H. Grimm were passed in Scott County, Iowa. At the early age of twelve he began life's battle for himself, as a clerk in a clothing and gents' fur- nishing store, at Davenport, Iowa, but after three years of clerking, he removed to Louisa County, and went on a farm with his father. When he was twenty-one years old, he bor- rowed money with which to buy a team, rented a farm, and commenced farming for himself, and two years later, in 1873, he was united in marriage, in Louisa County, with Miss Matilda Stoltenberg. Her parents were natives of Ger- many, and she was born on the Atlantic Ocean,

while they were en route to America. The same year Mr. Grimm purchased a farm, then raw prairie land, and in 1876 he moved on it, and after bringing it to a high state of culti- vation, he sold it to Mr. T. O. Thompson, and purchased 280 acres in Lincoln Township, on which he is now living. Here he is extensively occupied in farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of Clydesdale and Percheron horses. He also raises a good grade of cattle and hogs. He is an active Republican in politics, and has never missed a caucus since old enough to vote. He has held the office of township trustee, and has served on the school board for a number of years, being at present secretary of the town- ship school board. He and wife are the parents of the following children: Louis, Melinda and Clara. They are both active members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and have the confidence and esteem of all who know them.

John Groseclose, farmer and stock-raiser, Elwell, Iowa. Agriculture and stock-raising have formed the principal occupation of this gentleman, and the wide-awake manner in which he has taken advantage of all methods and ideas tending to the enhanced value of his property, has had a great deal to do with ob- taining the competence which he now enjoys. Born in Johnson County, Ind., in February, 1826, he was the fifth of ten children-four sons and six daughters-who are named as fol- lows: Peter (single, and died at the age of twenty-four years), Jemima (married Samuel Dillman, a native of Virginia, and she died when about seventy years of age), an infant, Sarah (single, and resides in Johnson County, Ind. ), John, Jacob (resides in Hendricks County, and is a carpenter and joiner by trade; he married Miss Stuard, a native of Indiana ), Katharine (married a farmer by the name of Charles Smith and now resides in Story Coun-

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ty), Elizabeth (married, and resides in John- son County, Ind.), William (single, and died when about fifty-three years of age ) and Mollie (who is single and the youngest in the family ). Both parents were natives of West County, Va., and the father was an agriculturist. He died at the age of fifty, and the mother at sixty years. John Groseclose received his early education in the old subscription schools, and he and such old settlers as Amos Ball and Oliver Cham- berlin were the ones who first started the schools in Union Township, Mr. Groseclose being present at the first school meeting. He really commenced life for himself, and helped rear the family which was left in his care, at the age of sixteen. Farming has been his principal occupation, but for a short time he was engaged at the carpenter's trade. He was married, on the 15th of November, 1849, to Miss Eliza Sells, a native of Indiana, born on the 10th of April, 1831, and whose education was also obtained in the old subscription schools. Eight children were born to this union -three sons and five daughters: Emeline (resides in Story County, and is the wife of Augustus Warner, a painter by trade), Caro- line (resides in Des Moines, Iowa, and married Emmile Shavannes, who is a groceryman ), Har- riet (died in infancy ), an infant, Howard (single and died at the age of twenty-four years; he received a good common-school education, and was an agricultural implement dealer in Cam- bridge, Iowa, at the time of his death), Louisa (resides in Washington and married Herman Martin, who was formerly a school teacher, route agent, and is now in the loan and real estate business in Oysterville, Wash.), William (is engaged in agricultural pursuits on the homestead, and is single) and Anna (resides on the homestead with her parents; she has a good common-school education). Since the Rebellion Mr. Groseclose has identified him-

self with the Republican party, and has filled a number of local positions. He has been a school director for almost sixteen years, and he and Mrs. Groseclose are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are work- ers in the Sunday-school. They emigrated from Jolinson County, Ind., during the fall of 1855, to Story County, Iowa, at the time when Nevada had but three or four buildings (two used as stores) and Cambridge was but a hamlet. The general appearance of the sur- rounding country was very uninviting to the pioneers who came here the same time that Mr. and Mrs. Groseclose located, as ponds and sloughs were to be seen on every hand. At the present time Story County is converted into one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the State. Mr. Groseclose is the owner of 300 acres of finely improved land, all in a body, in the old homestead, and also has 160 acres in Section 13, and a fractional eighty in Section 1, Elkhart Township, Polk County, which make altogether 540 acres. He has a commodious and lovely farm residence and good out-buildings on the homestead, rendering it one of the most valuable and desirable farms in Story County, and the main point about this is that it is all the result of his own energy and perseverance, for he commenced life with very limited means. He is a living example of what a poor boy can accomplish who com- mences life without a dollar.

Andrew J. Hainline is a farmer, stock-raiser and resident of Section 23, Union Township, Story County, Iowa, and was born in McDon- ough County, Ill., July 19, 1843, being the eld- est of twelve children born to Jesse and Merica Hainline, both of whom were born in Kentucky, and are living in Illinois, at the ages of sixty- eight and sixty-nine years, respectively. The former is a worthy tiller of the soil, and is es- teemed and respected by all who know him.

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He and his wife became the parents of the following children: Thomas (who is a stock- raiser of Colorado), Hiram (who died at the early age of eighteen years, and is buried in Illinois ), Jacob (was married and farming in Texas at the time of his death, at the age of twenty- four years), Henry (who was married and died when twenty-five years of age), Lu- cinda (the wife of William Burfit, a carpenter and joiner, resides in Illinois), Celia (is the wife of Albert Hingate, a farmer of Illinois), Elizabeth (who was married, died in Illinois at the age of twenty-two years), Jesse (who is a gold miner of Colorado), Merica (the wife of Elijah Dill, a farmer of Illinois), Charles ( who is married and engaged in tilling the soil in Illinois ) and Andrew J. The subject of this sketch, and the eldest of the family, ob- tained his early education in the old subscrip- tion schools, acquiring a sufficient knowledge to fit him for the practical duties of life, and he has always been a stanch supporter of schools, serving twenty years as a school direct- or in his district, a considerable portion of this time acting as president of the board. When nineteen years of age he bravely entered the service of " Uncle Sam," becoming a mem- ber of Company D, One Hundred and Twenty- fourth Illinois Infantry Volunteers, Third Di- vision and Seventeenth Army Corps, and was mustered into service at Camp Butler, Spring- field, Ill., September 10, 1862, being assigned to duty under Gen. U. S. Grant, of the Army of the Mississippi Valley. His regiment was act- ively engaged in the following battles and ac- tions: Port Gibson, Champion's Hill, siege of Vicksburg, charge of Fort Hill, Miss., and was in several severe skirmishes under Gen. Mc- Pherson during the campaign of 1863-64. His regiment was awarded the Excelsior Prize January, 1864, presented by Brig .- Gen. Leg- gert, then commander of the Third Division,

and was afterward in the engagements at Ben- ton, Jackson Cross Roads, and after being transferred to the Sixteenth Army Corps Feb- ruary 25, 1865, he was at the siege of Spanish Fort, and was held in reserve at the charge of Fort Blakeley. His company was mustered out of service August 15, 1865, at Chicago, Ill., and Mr. Hainline immediately returned home, where he was engaged in farming until June, 1866, when he came to Story County, Iowa, and has here identified himself with every good work. His farm comprises 120 acres, all of which is capable of being tilled, and all this has been brought about by his own earnest and consistent endeavor. He has always been a Republican politically, and so- cially belongs to Tabernacle Lodge at Cam- bridge of the A. F. & A. M., being a Master Mason. He is a member of Ersland Post No. 234, of the G. A. R., and holds the position of "officer of the day." He has always contribut- ed of his means to worthy enterprises, such as schools, churches, etc., and has ever proved himself a man of sound judgment and strict integrity. He was married to Miss Sarah Groseclose, who was born in Indiana, and reared and educated in Iowa, their marriage taking place on the 7th of November, 1866, and to them a family of eight children were born: Luna (a teacher in the public schools of Story County ), Charles (who died at the age of three years), Samuel (who is living at home with his parents, and is following the life of an agriculturist), Minnie (is at home), Elizabeth (who died at the age of six months), Jesse (who assists his father on the farm and is thirteen years of age), Mary (aged eleven) and Willis (aged eight). The mother of these children died on September 5, 1884, having been an invalid for about three years, and now sleeps in Center Grove Cemetery by the side of her two children.

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Thomas Hall, farmer and stock-raiser, Max- well, Iowa. Every community is bound to have among her citizens a few men of recognized influence and ability, who, by their systematic and careful thorough manner of work attain to a success which is justly deserved. Among this class is Mr. Hall, a man esteemed to be a prominent and substantial, as well as progres- sive farmer of Clay County. He was born in Kosciusko County, Ind., on January 5, 1850, and is the son of Thomas Hall, Sr., a native of Virginia, born in 1810, near Harper's Ferry. The elder Hall moved to Ohio with his father, John Hall, when but four years of age, or in 1814, and located in Ross County. There he attained his growth and married Miss Eliza Rosenbarger, also of Virginia birth, but who was reared in Ohio. They resided for several years in the last-named State, and then moved to Indiana, being among the first settlers of Kosciusko County. There the father tilled the soil until 1854, when he moved to Iowa, settled in Story County, and there his death occurred on February 22, 1879. His wife died on Jan- uary 27, 1883. Thomas Hall, Jr., the youngest of a family of five sons and one daughter, all of whom lived to mature years and were mar- ried, was reared in Story County, and remained with his parents until twenty-nine years of age. On January 6, 1870, he married Miss Mary Ann Marshall, a native of Pennsylvania, and the daughter of Andrew Marshall, and after- ward carried on the home place until the death of his parents. He then bought out the heirs, and is now the owner of 150 acres of fine land, the result of industry and perseverance. He has a good residence, barn and ont-buildings and a small bearing orchard. In connection with farming he is also engaged in stock-rais- ing, and is quite successful in this. . Mr. and Mrs. Hall have one son, John Clinton, who was born August 1, 1880. They lost one son,

Edmond J., who died on March 13, 1889, at the age of five years and six months. Mrs. Hall is a member of the Evangelical Church, and Mr. Hall is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Maxwell Lodge.

William Handsaker, a successful farmer and stock-raiser of Richland Township, is a native of Staffordshire, England, born in 1828, third of a family of four children born to John and Ellen (Billings) Handsaker. Of these chil- . dren, the eldest, Ralph, is deceased, John is deceased, and James is now living in North- ampton County, England. The father of these children died in 1860, and the mother about 1838. William Handsaker was reared to farm life in his native country, where he also received a limited education. He left school at the age of ten years to take care of his mother in what proved her last illness, and from the age of twelve to twenty-five years, he was employed as a farm laborer in England. In 1853 he came to America, and for the following year worked on a farm in New York, then came far- ther west, and spent one winter in Illinois. He came to this county in 1855, and purchased eighty acres where his house now stands, and worked out for a year or two before he was able to begin improvements on his place. By his energy, thrift and enterprise he has now accu- mulated a fine property. He has a farm of 400 acres lying in one body, and two tracts, one of 142 and the other of twenty acres, lying in this township. He paid $1.25 per acre for his first eighty acres, $700 for the second eighty, $1,100 for the next eighty, and so on up to $3,000 for 160 acres, and his farm will now bring $35 per acre. He has erected a neat and commodious residence, containing about twelve rooms, a large bank barn 46x46x29 feet, besides other valuable out-buildings, and his land is all fenced and cross-fenced. He keeps on an average 120 hogs, and about eighty head of

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cattle, the latter being mostly Red Polled stock. He is a fine butter-maker, his product having brought recently on the Chicago market, where he ships most of his produce, half a cent more than the finest creamery. His mar_ riage with Miss Emily F. Wyatt, daughter of Reuben and Mary (Elsworth) Wyatt, was con- summated on the 25th of December, 1858. Mrs. Handsaker was born in Indiana in 1838. Their union was blessed with eight children, seven of whom are still living: John T. (married Miss Margaret Lawman, of this county, and they make their home in Sherman Township; they have three children: Ethel, Ralph and John W.), Mary E. (deceased), William H. (at home), David P. (married Miss Della Cook, and lives on Section 5, this township; they have one child, Howard), Sabina (is now Mrs. Day and resides in this township; she has one child, Leroy), and Horace G., Joshua H. and Nona, all at home. None of these sons use either coffee, whisky, tobacco or bad language, and all of the children have received a good common-school education. Mr. Handsaker is an active Republican in politics, and has served as treasurer of the school funds for a number of years. He belongs to the Farmers' Associa- tion. His wife is a member of the Lutheran Church.

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Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa, Part 45

Author: Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Goodspeed Number of Pages: 484

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Goodspeed
Number of Pages: 484