USA > Iowa > Union County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 31
USA > Iowa > Ringgold County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 31
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
intermediate grades. From Nebraska City he went to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to engage in the study of law. After a year's study he was compelled on account of his health to come back to Jowa and go on the farm again. In 1873 he married Miss Kate A. White, then a teacher in the public schools of Creston. Their marriage was the first one ever eele- brated in Creston. In 1877 be purchased the Afton Tribune, then a Republican paper, changed the name of the paper to Independ- ent American, and the politics to National Greenback. The paper has gradually grown in circulation and influence, until it is now one of the leading papers in Iowa. Politically, Mr. Robb was a born Abolitionist, his father being a radical anti-slavery man. Ilis first votes were cast for the Republican ticket, but in 1873 he joined in what was known as the Granger movement, and took a strong stand on the anti-monopoly question. His fist public speeches were made this year. In 1876 he became a very active supporter of Peter Cooper, then a candidate for President on the National Greenback ticket, and stumped the county for his favorite candidate. The result of the vote surprised the old politicians, who did not expect over 100 votes would be given to Cooper, but the poll showed over 400 Cooper votes, and Sand Creek Township had been carried by a sweeping majority. From this time on " Billy " Robb became an im- portant factor in Union County politics. In ISSO he moved his paper from Afton to Creston. In 18S4, after a fierce contest, he was elected alderman from the Second Ward, and in the fall of 1885 he was elected as member of the Twenty-first General Assembly of Iowa, after a political contest that will long be remembered as one of the most bitter and virulent that had over taken place in Union County. As a member of the Legislature the records show that he took a prominent part in all discussions on bills of importance, and he was the author of several measures which received marked attention from the press and
people. Chief among the measures introduced by him was the bill to prohibit non-resident aliens acquiring title to real estate in Iowa. This was one of the first bills of this charac- ter ever discussed in a Western Legislature, and it received prominent mention and disens sion in the editorial columns of the metropol- itan papers of New York, Chicago and Kansas City. It passed the lower branch of the Assembly by an overwhelming majority, but was defeated in the Senate. Mr. Robb is still the editor and proprietor of Independent American.
AMES RYAN, machinist, residing on section 9, Highland Township, is a na- tive of Scotland, born in Edinburgh, September 17, 1843. His father, James Ryan, was a native of London, England, and in the childhood of our subject returned to his na- tive country. James, Jr., was reared in Lon- don, and was well educated, attending the National School of St. Mary's, Southwark District. After leaving school he learned the trade of a machinist, and in 1861 went to Bulgaria and worked at his trade in Rustchuk three years under the railway contractor, De Brasse. IIe then went to Constantinople, and worked in the Government gun factory two years. In 1869 he went to Smyrna, in Asia Minor, where he was employed in the railway shops six months, and then returned to London, and in the fall of 1870 came to America, and worked for the Grand Trunk & Great Western Railway, in Canada, from 1871 until 1875. In 1876 he was sent to the Centennial Exposition, at Philadelphia, by the Canadian Government, to superintend the agricultural hall of the Canadian department. In 1877 he moved to Detroit, Michigan, and in 1878 to Jowa, and located at Creston, and since then has been in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, mun- ning the brass lathe in the machine shop. Mr. Ryan has been twice married. Ilis first
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
wife was Emma J. Mortimer, to whom he was married in London, October 11, 1867. She died in 1873, leaving one son, James, who is in London. In 1874 Mr. Ryan mar- ried Mrs. Elizabeth Green, a widow with three children -- John C., Herbert and Ar- thur. Mr. Ryan is a member of the Odd Fellows order. In religious faith he is a Unitarian, his wife being a member of the Episcopal church.
AMES F. McCORMACK, attorney and notary public at Creston, has been a res- ident of this city since 1872, and was the first practicing attorney of Creston. He was born at Tullamona, Kings County, Ireland, in October, 1829. He was educated at Rahan College, Kings County, and at St. Andrew's College, Scotland; he also attended Dion Col- lege, England. He studied law at the Temple in London, and was at one time a member of Parliament from the borough of Stockport. Mr. MeCormack was an Irish patriot of 1848, and was tried, with Thomas Francis Mahan, William Smith O'Brien, and others, for high treason, and sentenced to be hanged, qnar- tered and beheaded; but the sentence was commuted to transportation for life to Van Dieman's Land. After about a year he, with two others, McMahan and Thompson, made their escape to America on a French vessel. McMahan afterward becaine a General in the was drowned in the Missouri River near Fort Benton. Thompson died several years be- fore the war. After coming to America Mr. McCormack was engaged in various occupa- tions for several years. In 1863 he began the study of law at Ogdensburg, New York. Ilis previous education greatly facilitated his studies, and he was admitted to the bar in 1864 in Syracuse, the same State. He has been in constant practice ever since that time. He came to lowa in 1872, locating at Creston,
as before stated, and was admitted at Afton, May 4, of that year, Judge James W. MeDill, presiding. The following year he went to Kansas for the benefit of his health. He lo- cated at Topeka and was admitted by the Hon. John T. Morton, and was at the same time admitted to practice in the United States courts. After an absence of a year he returned to Creston and was admitted to the United States Court at Des Moines, March 9, 1882. He was married in Scotland to Miss Ann Quinn, a native of Kings County, Ire- land. They have no surviving children. Nr. McCormack was a Democrat for several years, but is now a Republican, and did good work for Blaine in 1984. In religion he is a Roman Catholic.
AZARD DUNN, a successful agricultur- ist of Lincoln Township, living on see- tion 34, was born in St. Joseph, Miehi- gan, July 29, 1834, a son of Nehemiah and Sidney (Hopkins) Dunn, the father a native of Kentucky, and of Scotch descent, the mother being of German ancestry. The par- ents now make their home in Linn County! Missouri. Our subject remained on the home farm till fourteen years of age, and received such education as the rude log-cabin subscrip- tion schools of that early day afforded. After leaving the farm he began learning the machinist's trade, which he followed until the year 1861. Ile was married in 1860 to Miss Union army in the war of the Rebellion. He : Rhoda Townsend, a native of Pennsylvania,
and of the seven children born to this union only three are now living-Nettie, a student at Drake University; Carrie and Charlie. Mr. Dunn was a soldier in the war of the Rebell- ion, serving his country about two years, and during his term of service participated in the battles of Hollow Springs, Jackson, Vicks- burg, Milliken's Bend. Champion Hill and others of minor importance. He came to Iowa in 1865. locating then in Story County, where he lived until 1572. Hle then came to
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Union County, and settled on the farm, where he has since followed agricultural pursuits. Ilis farm in Union Township had but one acre broken when he first settled on it, and to-day the farm contains 100 acres of fine land, all under cultivation. Mr. Dunn began life entirely without means, bat industrious habits, combined with striet economy and good man- agement have enabled him to prosper, and by his own efforts he has become the owner of his present fine property, and has been able to assist his parents in their declining years. Mr. Dann has served two terms as township trustee, beside holding other local offices. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
OSEPII M. MILLIGAN, attorney and counselor at law, Aften. The line of Union County possesses many excellent lawyers and men of more than average abil- ity, a number of whom have attained an ex- cellent reputation and a high standing in the profession solely by their own efforts. Prom- inent among this class is the subject of this notice, Joseph M. Milligan, of Afton, who has been a resident of this county since 1868. He is a native of Washington County, Penn- sylvania, born May 22, 1833. IIis father, Robert Milligan, was a native of the north of Ireland. His paternal grandfather, John Milligan, was a native of Scotland, and iuni- grated to America about 1790, when his son Robert was five years of age, settling in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Robert Milligan served five years in the Indian wars, and in the war of 1812. The maternal grand- father of Mr. Milligan, William Adams, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and at one time was a member of the body-guard of General Washington. Our subject was reared in his native State, and attended the common schools. When twenty-two years of age he entered Waynesburg College, in Greene
County, where he took a scientific course, graduating in 1861. In the meantime he had engaged in teaching to some extent, to enable him to continue his college course. Ile entered upon the study of the law soon after graduating, still teaching at intervals, and was admitted to the bar in 1866. He did not, however, enter at once upon the practice of law, but continned to teach. He has had a large experience as an educator, extend- ing over a period of thirteen years. For two years he was principal of the school at Afton. In 1869 he was appointed county superin- tendent to succeed Rev. Robbins, serving the unexpired term, and in 1870 he was elected to that oflice by the suffrage of the people, serving the full term. After an inter- val of one term he was again elected. IIe has been connected with the School Board at Afton eight years, and his experience as an cdacater has rendered him a valuable member of that body. In 1870 Mr. Milligan began the practice of law, and in 1873 formed a partnership with S. W. McElderry, which continued abont four years. From 1876 until 1SS4 he was associated with Judge N. W. Rowell, since which time he has been alone. He was mayor of Afton in 1873, and was for several years a member of the town council. Politically Mr. Milligan is a Republican. Ile cast his first Presidential vote for General Fremont, in 1S56. Ile has always been an ardent admirer of the principles of his party, and in the exciting campaigns of the past he has done good service for his party on the platform and elsewhere. Mr. Milligan was married in Greene County, Pennsylvania, in 1861, to Miss Sarah Throckmorton, and to this union have been born five children -- Albert J., Nancy T., Robert F., William and Fannie G. Mr. Milligan has three brothers and one sister living-John, who resides in Washington County, Pennsylvania, was a member of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment, Mounted Rifles, Pennsylvania, during the late war; Robert, a farmer in
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
Clarke County, was also a soldier in the war for the Union; James, residing in Washing- ton County, served in the One Hundred and Sixteenth, and was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg.
L. BELL, proprietor of a harness estab- lishment at Creston, W. R. Bell, man- ager, was born in Burlington, New Jersey, in 1844, son of Thomas and Rachel (Graham) Bell. The father was born on the ocean, of Seotchi-Irish ancestry, and the moth- er is of American birth. The subject whose name heads this sketch, enlisted in Company K, Fourteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served thirty-three months, being mustered ont in January, 1864. He participated in the battles of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, Tupelo, Mississippi, and Oldtown Creek, in the latter of which he was wounded in the right thigh; was also in many other engagements. After the close of the war he went to Chariton, Iowa, where he learned the harness trade, which he has sinee followed. He came to Creston in June, 1872, and now owns a house and lot, and a business block. Ile is a member of the Odd Fellows order, in polities a Repub- liean, and both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in 1868, in Adams County, Iowa, to Lovina S. Ennis, who was born in Ohio, in 1850. They have had three children -Ella M., Robert F. (deceased) and Daisy.
YMAN WATERMAN, JR., dealer in feed and produce at 116 South Union Street, Creston, was born in La Salle County, Illinois, November 20, 1837, and is a son of Lyman and Elizabeth (Wakefield) Waterman, the former a native of New York and the latter of Pennsylvania. They came with their family, in 1869, to this county, and still reside in Creston. Young Waterinan,
from eight to ten years of age, was in Bureau County, Illinois, and in 1869 came and settled in Douglas Towaship; was reared as a farmer boy. In 1883 he entered the real-estate busi- ness, which he indeed still continues in con nection with his other cares. IIe, in connection with G. B. Webster, owns half of section 23, in Lincoln Township, which they have under a good system of cultivation. Their stock is mostly of the graded varieties. They have 240 acres in grass, a fine orchard, and good farm buildings. He has also a house and lot in Creston and a large house and three acres of ground on Sonth Hill. Mr. Waterman started in life with small means, but is mak- ing money fast at present. He is an enter- prising gentleman ; votes the Republican tieket. He was married in Union County, in 1878, the day he was twenty-one years old, to Maggie Leith, who was born in Cedar County. Iowa, in 1858. They have three children-Earl L., Maggie M. and Blanche E.
AMES K. JOHNSTON, retired farmer, residing in Cromwell, was born in Pick- away County, Ohio, December 24, 1514. Ilis father, Samuel Jolinston, was a native of Pennsylvania, of Irish and German ancestry, and his mother, Elizabeth Kerr, was born in Kentucky, of Irish descent. Mr. John- ston, onr subject, lived near Circleville, Ohio, until he attained his tenth year, when he went to Hocking County, that State, and was there till 1872; he then came to this county. IIe was brought up in agricultural pursuits, and, although his early education was limited, and he had but $400 to start with, he has made such headway in the world by his industrious habits and good judgment that he has been able to give each of his children nearly $2,000 apiece, and he owns eighty acres of land in Lincoln. IIe has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is esteemed an exemplary citizen. In Ilocking County,
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Ohio, in 1841, Mr. Johnston was married to Sarah Patterson, who was born in Ohio in 1818, and of their eight children three only are living-George B., who was born in 1846 in the State of Ohio, in 1864 bore a portion of the hardships in the late war, in front of Petersburg and Richmond. He after- ward married Emma Reddick, of Hocking County, Ohio, and has one child, Bessie S., born June 11, 1883. S. M., who married Nancy A. Bellew, of Vinton County, Ohio, has two children-James W. and Samuel W., and Amy C., who became the wife of P. A. Swepston, Vinton County, Ohio, has four children-Mayo B., Enod A., Edna A. and Myrtie E. All are living in the vicinity of Cromwell, Iowa.
7AMETTLEY E. PRIDGEN, wagon and car. riage-maker at Afton, located at this place in September, 1868. He may be regarded as the first wagon-maker in the place, having established his business here in April, 1869; and manufactured the first wagon, on Kansas street, in the second block east of the southeast corner of the square. HIe had previously been engaged in bridge- building for the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad Company. Mr. Pridgen was born in St. Stephens, St. Clair County, Alabama, February 28, 1834. His father, Larkin M. Pridgen, was a native of France, and came to America when a young man. Ile lived in North Carolina a short time, then removed to Alabama, where he W. SLUTTS, farmer and stock-raiser, section 4, Pleasant Township, is a na- tive of Union County. His parents, Cyrus and Caroline Slutts, settled here as early as 1855, and remained residents of the county the rest of their lifetime, the father dying in 1864, at the age of thirty-three years, and the mother January 5, 1883, aged fifty- two. The subject of this notice was of course died, in 1863. at the hale old age of eighty- nine years. Mr. Pridgen's grandfather, Hardy Pridgen, came to America as a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and served under General La Fayette. At the close of the war he returned to France. The mother of our subjeet was Millie (Meyers) Pridgen, a native of Alabama and of French ancestry. She died at the age of forty-four years. There were | brought up to the vocation of farming, and
four children-three sons and one daughter. The oldest, Allen, was a soldier in the Mex- ican war under General Price; he died about 1857. Jesse died in Missouri in 1860. Mrs. Ann Kelp resides in Alabama. At the break- ing out of the Rebellion, Wiley E. and his father espousel the case of the Union. In 1860 they came North on account of the ex- cited condition of the country. Our subject enlisted at Greenfield, Greene County, Illi- nois, in 1862, as a member of Company K, Ninety-first Illinois, commanded by Colonel II. M. Day, and served until the elose of the war, being mustered out at Mobile, Alabama, July 13, 1865. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg, siege of Port Hudson, and the battle of Lookont Mountain. Soon after this last event his regiment was transferred to the Department of the Gulf, and while Banks was engaged in his Red River expedition, he, with his regiment, was in Texas, capturing Browns- ville. They then went to New Orleans, where they remained until the Mobile expedition, in which they took part. After the war Mr. Pridgen returned to Springfield, Illinois, thence to lowa, and in August, 1866, en- gaged in bridge-building, as before stated. He was married in Illinois, in March, 1861, to Miss Maria Cox, a native of Virginia. They have two children-Walter, a resident of Illinois, and Fannie, living in Afton. Politically Mr. Pridgen is a Republican. Ilis father was an old-line Whig.
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
when he purchased his present place there was seareely any improvement upon it; but by his diligence he has his 215 acres in a state of high cultivation, and well equipped with barns and other ont-buildings, a fine re- sidence, etc. He is considered a model farmer; is a member of the Christian church, and a Republican. It was in the year 1878 that Mr. Slutts was married to Mary E., daughter cf Peter and Polly Bolinger, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ohio, the former of German and the latter of German Irish de- scent. Mrs. Slutts graduated at Beverly (Ohio) College, with a credit of 100 on all the branches, and she afterward taught school for several years. The children in this family are Daisy, Floyd and Rose. Postoffice, Thayer. - AVID EADS, foreman of the block-smith shop of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, at Creston, came to this city February 14, 1870. He has occu- pied his present position since that time. He was born in Crawford County, Indiana, in 1828, and was reared in his native county, learning the blacksmith's trade. He has been continuonsly in the service of the above named company since 1858, being one of their oldest employes. He married Mary Merri- man, and they have five children-two sons and three daughters.
ALPH MORGAN, one of the old and honored pioneers of Union County, now deceased, was born in the State of Ken- tueky, March 22, 1822, and died at his old homestead on section 32, Platte Township, December 18, 1885. He was carly in life inured to hard work, and the lessons of in- dustry learned in his youth proved of lasting benefit to him. When but eleven years of age he began working for himself, being em-
ployed on a farm, in Ohio, he having left his native State at that age. le remained in Ohio till reaching the age of twenty-three years, when he went to Indiana, remaining in that State four years. He was married in Indiana, to Miss Nancy Yoker, who was born in October, 1819, she being a daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Yoker, natives of Ohio. To this union were born ten children -Mary A., William R, Daniel, Henry A., Andrew, Mattie E .. Frank R., Nancy J., Charles B. and Dora B. After his marriage Mr. Morgan removed to the State of Illinois, and after residing there four years he came to Union County, Iowa, and settled on the farm in Platte Township which is still owned and occupied by his family. As an agricult- urist he was very successful, having by his own exertions become the owner of 300 acres of as good land as Platte Township affords. He was an active, public-spirited citizen, and was identified with the growth and develop- ment of Umion County, and during his resi- dence here served as school director, besides holding other township offices. In politics he affiliated with the Democratic party.
ILLARD S. PINKERTON, an enter- prising farmer and stock-raiser of Grant Township, was born in Mercer County, Illinois, March 26, 1852, a son of William M. and Eliza (Carnahan) Pinkerton, natives of Trumbull County, Ohio, and Mer- cer (now Lawrence) County, Pennsylvania, the father coming to Mercer County, Illinois, in 1548, and the mother in the year 1538. Our subject was reared a farmer, and received his education in the common schools of his native county and at the academy at Aledo, Illinois. After completing his education he followed teaching for two years. He was united in i marriage July 2, 1874, to Miss Amanda Boyer, a daughter of Jeremiah Boyer, a resi- I dent of Mercer County, Ilinois. Of the five
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
children born to this union, four are living --- Mary E., William Jay, Violet A. and Ger- trude. Mr. Pinkerton came to Ringgold County, Iowa, in ISSO, and from there went to Taylor County, locating in Lenox, in 18$3. In the spring of 1884 he settled on his present farm on section 18, Grant Township, Union Connty, where he has 160 acres of good land, and in connection with his agricultural pur- snits he is successfuly engaged in running a sorglium factory. Mrs. Pinkerton is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church.
UDGE D. D. GREGORY, of Afton, has been connected with the bar and bench of Union County since June S, 1867. Ile was born in Otsego County, New York, April 23, 1932. Ilis parents were Ustal and Phila (Moffet) Gregory. The former, a native of Norfolk, Connecticut, was taken by his parents to Otsego when a child. There were twelve children in the family of Uriah Greg- ory, four sons and eight daughters, all of whom reached maturity. Several of them are now deceased. Judge Gregory was reared in his native county. Ilis education was ob- tained at Union College, Schenectady, in the class of '55. Several members of the class that gradnated with Judge Gregory afterward became prominent citizens of lowa, namely: M. M. Ham, of the Dubuque Herald; C. K. Peck, a prominent merchant of Keokuk, who died in 1879; Orrin H. Reynolds, of Sioux City, who died in 1855; Charles C. Smetzer, a State Senator, who died in 1872 at Fort Dodge; William W. Hungerford, a civil en- gineer at McGregor, Iowa; Almon G. Chase, a banker at Charles City; Henry D. Rice, at Bonne, and Thomas C. Woodward, of Ot- tuinwa. Judge Gregory was educated with a view of entering the ministry, and was or- daived as a minister of the Baptist church; but he afterward decided to adopt the profes-
sion of the law for his life work. He en- tered upon the study of his chosen profession in the office of Captain Nathaniel Merrill, of De Witt, Jowa, in 1857. He remained there two years, and was admitted to the bar at the District Court, Judge John F. Dillon, pre- siding. Soon after this he went to Chicago, and formed a partnership in the firm name of Breckett & Gregory. The firm established a successful practice in Chicago, but the sever- ity of the climate so affected the health of Judge Gregory that he resolved to make a change, and in 1867 came to Afton. Two years later he became associated with N. W. Rowell, which partnership continued several years. Jannary 1, 1878, he was appointed judge of the Third Judicial District of Iowa, a position he occupied seven years. In Jan- uary, 1886, he formed a partnership with Judson L. Wicks, of Creston. Judge Greg- vig was istlied in Illinois to Julia Etta Mer- ritt, who was born in Ulster County, New York, and removed with her parents, Nehe- miah and Belinda (Sinith) Merritt, to Illinois. Judge Gregory and wife have had no chil- dren. They have two adopted daughters- Mand and Grace. The judge is a man of excellent literary attainments. His superior judgment and knowledge of the law have been well attested by his eminent snecess, both on the bench and at the bar. Politically he is a Republican. His first Presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln, in 1860. He has a beautiful home at Afton, where are to be found evidences of culture and refine- ment.
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