USA > Iowa > Clarke County > Biographical and historical record of Clarke County, Iowa > Part 32
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ETAMES IUMISTON, one of Wood- burn's active business men, was born at Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut, August 16, 1835. His par- ents, Charles and Lucy (Bronson) Hum- iston, were natives of Connecticut. His father died in that State in 1842. His widow and her four children, James, John, Ann E. and Lucy A., emigrated to Iowa in 1845, six months before its admission into the union, and settled upon a farin in Louisa County. James left home when eighteen years of age, and learned the tin- ner's trade at Wapello and Muscatine. In 1857 he established himself in the hard- ware business at Wapello. One year later he was carried by the gold fever to Cali-
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Cutchon, by whom he has had one child. Mr. Huff returned to Clarke County in the fall of ISSi, settling on the old homestead, on section 21. Doyle Township, where he has 100 acres of choice land, and has since been successfully engaged in his agricultural pursuits. He is a member of the Christian church. He also belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic. While living in Ringgold County he held the office of con- stable.
T. MATHEWS, one of the enter- prising and successful pioneers of Ho Clarke County, living in Green Bay Township, on section 24, was born in Murray County, Tennessee, July 18, 1827. His parents, Charncall and Sarah (Shinall) Mathews, were both natives of Virginia. Eight children were born to them, as fol- lows-Mary Ann, W. T. (our subject), Elizabeth, Jackson, Elisha F., George, Charles and John Felix. The parents re- moved to Washington County, Illinois, when our subject was.an infant, and there he was reared, his youth being passed in assisting on the farm and in attending the common schools. In July, 1847, he enlisted in the Mexican war, in Company II, Sec- ond Illinois Infantry, and after serving one year was honorably discharged. He was 1 married December 13. 1849, to Catherine Logan, of Washington County, Ilinois, and to this union were born seven children -Martha R., Hiram W., Harriet E., Lewis E. C. C., George M. and Frankie B. Mr. FIMMOR J. MOORE, one of the most. enterprising and successful raisers of thorough bred cattle, and a public- spirited citizen of Washington Township, is a native of Delaware, born November 16, 1852, a son of Enoch and Hannah Moore. his parents to Chester County. Pennsyl- Mathews came to lowa in 1851, locating in Poweshick County, where he remained about four years. In 1855 he came with his family to Clarke County, buying ISO acres of land, on which he resided thise years. He then exchanged his land for . When two years of age he was taken by mill property ou section 24, Green Bay Township, where he operated a mill for ' vania, and there his boyhood days were four years. Mr. Mathews enlisted in the passed on a farm, and in attending the
late war August 13, 1862, in Company D, Thirty-ninth Jowa Infantry; and partici- pated in the engagements at Parker's Cross- Roads, Snake Creek Gap, Little Ogeechee River, Columbia, Bentonville, near Golds- borough, besides a number of skirmishes. During the war he was appointed First Lieutenant, and served as such till his dis- charge at Clinton, Iowa, June 5, 1865. Hc then returned to Clarke County and set- tled on his present farm, where his wife died October 8, 1869. llc was again united in marriage June 23, 1874, to Mrs. Catherine (Rainy) Meachum, and of the two children born to this union only one is living-a daughter, Minnic L. Molly is de- ceased. Mr. Mathews has met with suc- cess in his general farming and stock-rais- ing, and is now the owner of his fine farm which contains 230 acres of highly-culti- vated land, with good residence, well fur- nished and commodious, barn and out- buildings. Mr. Mathews was elected county supervisor in 1876, and served three years to the best interests of Clarke County. He hasalso filled the offices of clerk and trustee of Green Bay Township,and has been a member of the School Board. Ile is a member of Jacinth Lodge, No. 443, A. F. & A. M. of Weldon. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, being class-leader and trustee of the same. In politics he is a staunch Republican.
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common schools of his neighborhood. He then attended Eaton Institute three and a half years, after which he entered the State Normalat Millersville, Pennsylvania, where he pursued his studies for twoyears. After finishing his education he began teaching school and followed the teacher's profes- sion successfully for two years. He then became manager for a coal and lumber yard, and later was employed as ticket and freight agent, bookkeeper and telegraph operator by the Wilmington & Western Railroad Company. He then began trad- ing in stock, shipping from the southern and middle States to eastern cities. His father being an extensive shipper and trader, imbued him with the same enterprising spirit, and for three years he devoted his time to this enterprise. In the spring of 1876 he came to Clarke County, Iowa, and liking the country he determined to settle here permanently. He then began farming and raising cattle, and from time to time added to his original small farm till he now owns 592 acres of choice land, located on sections 1, 2 and 11. He is now devoting his attention to raising short-horn cattle, and has on his farm some fine thorough breds, his herd numbering seventy-five head, most of them being recorded, and some being imported. Ile is also engaged in raising fine horses of the Norman grade, and for this enterprise Mr. Moore deserves much credit. His cattle sheds are extensive, and afford the best of shelter for his cattle dur- ing the winter months. He is a thorough, practical farmer, and has on his farm all the latest improved machinery. Nearly all of the grinding and shelling of his corn is done by. a large wind mill which he had built on the top of his granary. Mr. Moore was united in marriage in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1878, to Miss Lucy Ben- nett, a daughter of Charles Bennett, a resi- dent of that county. They are the parents of two children-Lucy, A. and Leona. Mr.
Moore has always taken an active interest in every enterprise calculated to promote the public welfare. He has always taken a prominent position in the community, and has gained the confidence and respect of all who know Inm.
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B. H. HUTSINPILLER, one of the active and enterprising busi- ness men of Osceola, is a native of Kentucky, born in Hardin County, Feb- ruary 6, 1826. At the age of three years he was taken by his parents, Jacob and Susan (Bunger) Hutsinpiller, to Monroe County, Indiana, and some five years later removed to Brown County, Indiana, where the father died in 1838. The father having gone security for his friends, at his death his property was all swept away, and his family being left in limited circumstances, broke up housekeeping and became sepa- rated. The mother returned to Monroe County, where she died three years later. Our subject lived with an uncle till attain- ing the age of nineteen years, when he began life on his own account. He went to La Porte, Indiana, where he worked on a farm for Sio per month, remaining on the same farm for twenty months. He then returned to Monroe County, and during the winter attended school. In the spring of 1847 he went to Greenbrier County, Virginia, where he was employed on a farm, receiving for his services $12 per month. Ile went to school in that county about six months. He then began driving . a six-horse team on James River Tuin Pike for Henry Burger, which he contin- ued till the fall, when be was employed on a farm for one year, receiving $15 per month. By this time he had accumulated S325, and in the winter of 1850-'51 he came West, locating in Van Buren County, Iowa, where he taught school for one term.
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He then went to Illinois, where he taught one term of school, when he returned to Virginia and married Elizabeth Burger. They are the parents of six children -- Henry A., Joseph R., Harvey E., Lucy M. a teacher; Edmund E. running a small store at Leslie ; Maggie M. (wife of Elmer Reeder, of Custer County, Nebraska. Soon after his marriage Mr. Hutsinpiller returned to Monroe County, Indiana, where he settled on a tract of land on which he resided ten years. In the fall of 1862 he came with his family to Clarke County, Iowa, and made his home in Knox Town- ship till the fall of 1876. He was then engaged to take charge of a store for an incorporated joint stock company, which position he has since filled with much credit to himself, giving entire satisfaction to his employers, and by his strict atten- tion to business has gained the good will of his customers. Mr. Hutsinpiller still owns his farm in Knox Township, which contains 270 acres of choice land, nine acres of which is timber land. Mr. Hut- sinpiller has served Knox Township as clerk, and has been treasurer of the School Board, and mayor of the city of Osccola. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, of which he has been elder for the past fourteen years.
was born. Both father and mother died in that State. Freeborn W. grew to matu- rity in his native State, receiving such edu- cational advantages as the common schools of that carly day afforded. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, his father being a farmer by occupation. He was married in his nineteenth year to Electa Barrows, a native of Indiana. They have six children living-Mattie, wife of Adam Kerns; Mo- ses T., Thomas A., Freeborn W., Cord S., Viola, wife of John Ream. After his mar- riage Mr. Johnson settled on land which lic brought from a wild state toa well-improved farm, on which he resided till the spring of 1854. He then moved to Clarke County, Iowa, and entered a fract of land contain- ing 200 acres, four miles northwest of Os- ccola, and at once began improving his farm, which was then entirely unimproved. His first house was made of rails, the roof being covered with hay, but later he built a more comfortable residence out of hewed logs, in which he lived until 1857, when he traded a part of his farm for a stock of goods, moved to Osceola, where he carried on a general mercantile business for twenty years. At the same time he also dealt largely in stock, and at one time drove over 100 head of fat cattle to Chicago. In 18So he retired from active business life, since which time he has lived somewhat retired, but still owns considerable stock. FREEBORN W. JOHNSON, a promi- nent agriculturist and an carly settler of Clarke County, is a native of Indi- ana, born near Spencer, in Owen County, October 7. 1821. Ilis father, David John- son, was a native of Virginia, born in 1782, of English descent, and his mother, Patsy (Cutler) Johnson, was born in the State of New York, but removed to Virginia before her marriage. She died when our subject was a child. After their marriage the parents went to Ohio, and later removed Ilis present fine residence was erected in 1860, this being the first brick house in Os- ceola, and the second which was built in Clarke County. Mr. Johnson came to Clarke County with limited means, but being a man of great energy and persever- ing industry, he has by his own efforts gained a good competency for his declin- ing years. Ile is an ardent temperance man and a strong advocate of law and order. Both he and his wife have been members of the Methodist Protestant to Indiana, where the subject of this sketch | church for the past forty-seven years.
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Their son, Frederick, enlisted in the Union army in 1862, a member of Company F, Sixth Iowa Infantry. He received a gun shot wound at the battle of Missionary Ridge, from the effects of which he died in 1868. Ile was a special favorite with all his acquaintances, and his death was a source of universal regret.
¿T. CLAIR POWELL, one of the en- terprising and prosperous farmers of Liberty Township, residing on sec- tion 35, was born in Marion County, Indi- ana, January 31, 1842, a son of Lewis B. and Jane (Smith) Powell. His parents were born and reared in the State of Virginia, living there till after their marriage. They were carly settlers of Marion County, In- diana, where they made a home out of the dense forest, both dying at their pioneer " home. Their family consisted of four sons and.four daughters, of whom our subject was, the seventh child. Only two besides our subject are now living : Mrs. Frances Morcin, living in Hiawatha, Kansas, and John B., the youngest of the family, living in Grundy County, Iowa. St. Clair Powell was united in marriage in June, 1862, to Miss Savilla Shinn, in Henry County, Hli- nois, and to this union were born two chil- dren-Merrick, who died at the age of thir- teen years, and Adella. In August, 1862, Mr. Powell enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Second Illinois Infantry, and in November, 1862, was broken down by a forced march of his regiment, going to the relief of Frankfort, Kentucky. After an attack of bilious fever he rejoined his regi- ment, but failing health necessitated his discharge at Gallatin, Tennessee, in March, 1863. Mr. Powell located in Grundy County, lowa, in 1865, buying property there with the intention of improving and making a home, but his wife's health
failing made a change necessary. He then sold his property and went to Coffey County, Kansas, where his wife died in October, 1867. Mr. Powell then returned to Grundy County, lowa, with his two children, where he remained till coming to Clarke County, Iowa, in March, 1871. He has brought his land from a wild state to a well-cultivated farm, and has made all the improvements on his place. Not a tree had been planted nor a furrow turned. Now his buildings are sheltered by a fine maple grove, raised from seed planted twelve years before, the trees being now fully twenty feet in height. Ilis fine farm contains 400 acres of as good land as can be found in the township, and the prod- ucts of the farm are used for feeding his stock, his attention being devoted to stock- raising. September 8, 1872. Mr. Powell married for his second wife Miss Maria J. Barnes, and to them have been born seven children-William J., Lottie M., Annie B., Charles, Frank E., Bertie and Hattie. In politics Mr. Powell is an ardent Repub- lican. IFe is a member of Unity Lodge, No. 212, A. F. & A. M., of Woodburn, and is a highly-respected citizen of Liberty Township.
AMES F. SWITZER, the eldest son of Samuel and Margaret (Lowery) Swit- zer, is a native of Wyandotte County, 3 Ohio, born August 12, 1846. When he was five years old his parents removed to Des Moines County, lowa, and there he was educated in the schools of that county, re- maining with his parents until reaching his majority. He was married in his twenty- fourth year to Sarah J. Crawford, a daugh- ter of William Crawford, of Des Moines County. They have seven children living -Ida, Eddic. Maggie, John, Jessic, Alonzo and Ada A. After his marriage Mr.
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Switzer lived on a farm in Des Moines County for one year, when he came to Clarke County. He lived four years in Osceola Township, and in 1874 removed to the farm in Washington Township, on section 26, where he has since resided. He has been very successful in his general farming, and besides his home farm, which contains fifty-five acres, he owns another farm in the same township. on section 34. His farm is well stocked with cattle and horses. In' connection with his farming pursuits he has run a threshing n.achine for several years. Mr. Switzer has held the office of assessor of Washington Township for five years with satisfaction to his con- stituents.
AMUEL L. LANDIS, physician and surgeon, residence Murray, is a native of West Virginia, born in Augusta County in December, 1837. His father, Samuel Landis, was among the pioneers of Clarke County, locating in Doyle Town- ship as early as 1856. He subsequently removed to Westerville, Decatur County, Iowa, where he lived till his death. Samuel L., our subject, passed his youth on the home farm, his father being engaged in agricultural pursuits, and received good educational advantages, attending Asbury College, at Greencastle, Indiana. He canic with his father to Clarke County in the spring of 1856, the rest of the family fol- lowing in the fall of the same year. June 19. 1866, he was united in marriage to Mar- garet E. Emery, a daughter of Dr. Jesse Emery, of Murray. They have three chil- dren -- Jesse E., Samuel E. and Bertha May. Dr. Landis graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Keokuk, Iowa, in February, 1874, having practiced four years previous. He continued the practice of medicine at Hopeville, Clarke County,
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till December, 1870. when he removed to Murray, where he has since built up a large and lucrative practice. Being unusually skilled in the knowledge of his profession, he has been a successful practitioner, his services being called upon both day and night. The doctor has served efficiently as a member of the town council. He be- longs to both the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders.
7-7.ILLIAM B. F. EMARY, of section 3, Knox Township, is one of the enterprising and successful citizens . of Clarke County, where he has made his home since 186S. He is a native of Sussex, England, born April 22, 1852, a son of F. J. and Martha Emary. They had a family of six children-Newton H., Alice Maud, F. J., William B. F., Susan Amelia, and Walter. Our subject was an infant when his parents came to America with their family ; they immigrated in July. 1852. The family first located in Mercer County, Illinois, remain- ing there till 1868, when they removed to Clarke County, lowa, and settled in Knox Township. W. B. F. Emary was united in marriage February 8, 1875, to Henrietta Hennesey, a daughter of John and Ellen Hennesey, of Clarke County. Five chil- dren have been born to this union, whose names are as follows: Helen, Llewellyn, Jessie Maud, Thomas R. and Charles Fos- ter. Mr. Emary is located on a good farm of 200 acres, where he is extensively en- gaged in raising, feeding and dealing in stock. His farm is under excellent culti- vation, and his improvements among the best in his neighborhood. He has a very fine residence, erected in 1885, and fur- nished throughout in a comfortable man- ner. His farm buildings are comfortable and commodious, and are well adapted for the accommodation of his stock. Although
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but a young man, Mr. Emary has gained a good position, both socially and finan- cially, among the best citizens of the county.
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&BNER K. UILL, proprietor of the Woodburn House, Clarke County, Jowa, was born in MeNary County, Tennessee, April 20, 1834. llis father, Thomas Ilill, was a native of Virginia, born February 14, 1797, and was reared in his native State. He married Matilda Shrob- shier, a native of North Carolina, of Ger- man ancestry. He was by trade a house- carpenter and also followed agricultural pursuits. In 1827 he moved to Tennessee, where he lived nine years, and in 1836 took his family to Red River County, Texas, where he was one of the first set- tlers, and received a settler's right to 1,200 acres of land, which he intended as a home for himself and children, but improved only enough to support his family. Ile was op- posed to the institution of slavery, but by marriage came into possession of several slaves, which he carried to Texas with him. His principles not- allowing him to sell human beings and the laws of the South not permitting him to free them, he finally moved North, selling everything except his real estate and slaves, and located in Fulton County, Illinois, and shortly after moved to Mercer County, the same State, where he entered Government land and improved a farm. A few years later he retired from active farm life and February 8, 1880, died at the residence of his son, William, near Norris, Fulton County, Illi- nois, aged cighty-three years. His wife survived him two years and died at the home of her daughter, Catherine, in Cherry Vale. Montgomery County, Kansas, May 27, 1885. They had a family of thirteen children, seven of whom are living-Will- iam A. of Norris, Illinois : T. W., of Bur-
lington, lowa ; G. R., of Bourbon County, Kansas; Catherine, of Cherry Vale, Kan- sis : Martha Jane Thompson, of Allen County, Kansas; Cynthia C. Birdwell, of Austin, Texas, and Abner K., the subject of this sketch. Abner K. Hill was married April 6, 1856, to Amanda Martin, a native of Warren County, Illinois, born August 17, 1838, a daughter of Jesse and Sarah Mar- tin. Iler father died when she was four years old and she was taken to the home of her grandfather, Secly Mitchell, near Oquawka, Illinois, where she remained un- til sixteen years old, when she returned to her mother, who was living near Oncida, and there she was married. After his mar- riage Mr. Hill lived on rented land two years, and then bought a small farm in Mercer County, where they lived a num- ber of years, and in the fall of 1368 sold out and moved to lowa, settling near Chariton, Lucas County, where he bought 120 acres of land, which he improved, butafter living on it four years lost nearly all he had paid, together with his improvements, owing to failure in crops and inability to get money due him in Illinois. He then took the little he had left and moved to Clarke County, and after many years of toil succeeded in getting a small farm of 120 acres in Liberty Towhship, where they lived till iSS1, when they rented their farm and moved to Wood- burn, where they rented the first year and subsequently bought the Woodburn House, which under their care has come to be re- garded as one of the best hotels in South- ern lowa. Mr. and Mrs. Will have a fami- ly of five children. Their eldest son, A. F., married Miss lowa Ann Marquis, February 12, ISSo, and now lives at Tyrone, Monroe County, lowa, where he is telegraph oper- ator and agent for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad ; Sarah Matilda was married October 15, 1880, to W. E. Young, a fariner of Liberty Township; J. L. was married April 23, 188.1, 10 Miss Lucy Hum-
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iston, of Woodburn ; he is telegraph opera. tor and agent for the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy Railroad, at Woodburn ; W. A. is unmarried, and at present is agent for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, at Lu- cas, lowa. The youngest, Minnie, is still at home. Mr. Ilill has held several local offices of trust, and has proved a reliable public servant. He was constable four years in Mercer County, Illinois ; has been justice of the peace in Liberty Township and mayor of Woodburn. Ile is a man of good moral character and stands high as a citizen in the community where he resides. Although a Southerner by birth, he is a strong Republican in politics.
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EVI REAM was born near Somerset, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, No- vember 28, 1816, His father, Samuel Ream, was a farmer and also a blacksmith, and of German ancestry. His mother was Mary Ream before marriage, although not related to her husband. They reared a family of twelve children, six boys and six girls. Levi remained upon the farm with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age, when he married Hila King, of Som- erset County, and settled on the farm where he was born and which had belonged to his great-grandfather, Andrew Ream, before the Revolutionary war. His grand- father, John Ream, served as a soldier in that war. On this farm Levi resided until 1868. then sold the old homestead for $25,000 and removed to Osceola Town- ship, which was then the terminus of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. Here he engaged in wagon-making for six months. Ile would often send freight for citizens many miles. He has made and sold over 300 wagons in one year, often shipping five car loads every day for months. Two of his sons, John and
N. B., dealt largely in cattle and hogs, but the price went down and they lost heavily. N. B. then settled up his busi- ness and went to Chicago, where he worked in the stock yards thice years. He then went to dealing on the Board of Trade, and is now reported to be worth over $2,000,000. lle and Armour gave each $500 to aid the police who suffered from the effect of the bomb thrown at the Ilaymarket meeting, May 4. John owns a good farm in what is now Long Creek Valley. C. K. Ream resides in McLean County, Illinois, and Frank is at the Isthmus of Panama. Of the three daughters, Mary is the wife of Aus- tin Ganelson, Ida married J. Mills and re- sides in Kansas, and Samantha is the wife of M. T. Johnson. Mrs. Ream died in March, 1864. Mr. Ream has been an ex- tensive traveler, having visited twenty- nine States and Territories. He is nearly seventy years of age, and is hale and hearty. Ilis father died at the age of eighty-cight, and his mother at eighty-one, she being just seven years younger than her husband.
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