USA > Iowa > Wayne County > Biographical and historical record of Wayne and Appanoose counties, Iowa, containing a condensed history of the state of Iowa; portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state; engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose counties > Part 61
USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Biographical and historical record of Wayne and Appanoose counties, Iowa, containing a condensed history of the state of Iowa; portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state; engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose counties > Part 61
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until 1856, when they went to Adair Coun- ty, Missouri, buying a farm nine miles east of Kirksville. In 1864, to escape the ravages of civil war, they sold out at a great sacrifice and moved across the bor- der into Appanoose County, locating near Walnut City. In 1868 they moved to Cin- cinnati, where the father died April 10, 1876. He was a lineal descendant of Gen- eral Sevier, an officer in the Revolution, and the first Governor of Tennessee. The mother died in January, 1882. The family consisted of fourteen children, three by a former marriage, all of whom are dead. One daughter, Mrs. Parmelia J. McDowel, died in Jefferson County in 1883. The children born to the second marriage are -Thomas J., of Cincinnati ; James N .; Mrs. Margaret Morrow, of Cincinnati; Frank M., who served through the war a member of the Twenty-seventh Missouri, now lives in Smith County, Kansas; Jasper, a mem- ber of the Thirty-ninth Missouri Mounted Infantry, was killed at Centralia, Missouri, September 27, 1864 ; Mary A., Harriet E., Martha M. and John H. live on the old homestead, Cincinnati, Iowa. Mrs. Eliza- beth Gilbert lives in Lyons. County, Kan- sas ; William F. died in 1883. James N. May enlisted July 15, 1861, in Company D, Twenty-first Missouri Infantry, Colonel David Moore's command, and for many months saw hard service in Northeast Missouri, warring against rebel bands and guarding property. He participated in over twenty skirmishes, many of them quite sharp, but not historical. His regiment being sent to the front he was at the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, and was sent with a detachment of his command under Gen- eral A. J. Smith on the Red River expedi- tion. He was a faithful, gallant soldier and was honorably discharged at Nashville, Tennessee, in December, 1864. He joined his parents in lowa, and June 22, 1869, was married to Miss Mary L. Wentworth, who
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was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, January 9, 1847, daughter of Caleb Wentworth, late of Centerville. £ Mr. Wentworth was a judge in the Illinois courts when Lincoln practiced law there, and for many years mayor of Centerville, Iowa. He died Jan- uary 30, 1878, aged sixty-four years. His wife preceded him in January, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. May were both teachers in the pub- lic schools. They commenced housekeep- ing on section 18, Walnut Township, where they own a good farm of 120 acres. Rent- ing the farm in 1873, Mr. May moved to Cincinnati and bought a nursery, and con- tinued in that business six years, when he sold his town property and returned to his farm. Mr. and Mrs. May have a family of nine children-Lillie Esther, James Went- worth, J. Sevier, Grace W., Frederick N., Emel J., Edna E., Eugenia and William Forrest. Mr. May and his family are members of the Christian church. He is a member of John L. Bashore Post, No. 122, G. A. R. In politics he is a Republi- can.
APTAIN EPHRAIM CUMMINS, one of the enterprising and success- ful business men of Moravia, Appa- noose County, was born in Spencer County, Indiana, February 26, 1832, the second eldest son of Daniel and Mary (McKinn) Cummins, his father being a native of Ken- tucky. His grandfather was the first white child born in the then Territory of Indiana, for which he received 400 acres of land as a present from the Government. Our subject passed his boyhood in his native county, receiving a common-school educa- tion. In 1849 he came to Appanoose Coun- ty, Iowa, with his father's family. In 1864 his father removed to Washington Terri- tory, where he still resides. On attaining his majority Captain Cummins engaged in the mercantile business on his own account,
opening a small store in Moravia about the ycar 1854, and as his trade increased he added to his general stock till he became the leading merchant in the northern part of Appanoose County. In 1863 he helped to raise Company F, of the Eighth lowa Cavalry, and on its organization was ap- pointed its Captain. He served in the Army of the Tennessee until December, 1864, when he was honorably discharged. He then returned to Moravia, and engaged in the mercantile business, and at the same time traded extensively in cattle and hogs, shipping to the Chicago markets. Captain Cummins has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Theresa Stauber, who died in 1874, leaving six children. For his second wife he married Anna R. Stauber, sister of his first wife, and to this union has been born one daughter. In all enterprises tending toward the building up of his town or county our subject takes an active in- terest, giving both time and means to every laudable undertaking. He has carried on a private banking business for many years. He was appointed postmaster at Moravia in 1865, which office he held continuously by reappointment till 1885. He has been notary public for thirty years, and has served one term as clerk of Taylor Town- ship, filling these positions with credit to himself, and satisfaction to his constituents.
ILLIAM CLARK, one of the early settlers of Independence Town- ship, located on section 34, where he now resides, in the autumn of 1856. His homestead, which contains 160 acres, is one of the best farms in the township, and in addition to this he owns forty acres on section 27, a half a mile from his home. He has worked hard to make his farm valuable. He has four and a half miles of fencing around his home farm, and his building
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improvements are excellent and in good repair. He is one of the most practical farmers in the county, his farm showing the result of having a thrifty and pains- taking owner. He first visited Iowa in 1843 and entered eighty acres of Govern- ment land in Jefferson County, on which he located in 1846. He improved his land rapidly and soon had a fine farm of 150 acres, on which was one of the best orchards in the county. He sold his farm in 1856, and moved to Appanoose County. He came to Iowa a poor man, and his present prosperity but illustrates what can be ac- complished by industry and well-directed purpose, assisted by a good wife, man's best gift. In addition to prosperity he has gained the confidence and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances, which is more to be valued than riches. He and his wife are members of the United Breth- ren church, and live practical Christian lives, work and faith going hand in hand with them. In his early life Mr. Clark was in politics a Whig. In the days of Fre- mont he became a Republican, and in 1878 identified himself with the Greenback par- ty. Mr. Clark is a native of Pennsylvania, born near Philadelphia, May 15, 1816. His parents, John and Elizabeth Clark, were natives of Scotland, and came to the United States in 1816, landing in this country about three weeks before the birth of our subject, and a few years later established his home in New Lisbon, Ohio, where our subject was reared, and there they both died, the mother in 1835 and the father in 1839, both aged about ninety years. Of a family of thirteen children our subject is the sixth. Of the others only Mrs. Christie Baker, John, Mrs. Ann Gammel and Mar- garet are living. Mathew and David died while in the service of their country dur- ing the war of the Rebellion. Mr. Clark was married September 18, 1841, at New Lisbon, Ohio, to Margaret Wallace, who
was born in Ireland, June 16, 1818, and when six years of age accompanied her par- ents, Peter and Margaret Wallace, to the United States. They have a family of eight children-John, of Lucas County, Iowa; Margaret A., at home; George, of Kingman County, Kansas ; Eleanor, wife of Michael Haney, of Decatur County, Iowa; Sarah, wife of Hiram Haver, of Butler County, Kansas; Alpheus, of Wayne Coun- ty ; Laura, wife of James Carroll, of De- catur County, and William, at home. Their first-born died in infancy.
F. S. MURDY, M. D., residing at Moulton, Iowa, is a native of Pennsylvania, born near Ryer- son's Station, Greene County, Decem- ber 28, 1854, the eldest son in a family of nine children of Andrew J. Murdy. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, but is now a resident of Appanoose Coun- ty, Iowa. His wife, the mother of our subject, was born in West Virginia. Her death occurred in the year 1871. W. F. S. Murdy, whose name heads this sketch, passed his youth on his father's farm, receiving a good education in the public schools of his native county. He came to Appanoose County, Iowa, at the age of seventeen years, and entered the schools of Centerville where he studied three years. He then taught school for two winters, during which time he studied medicine with Dr. M. V. Howell, of Moulton. He attended his first course of lectures in 1875- '76, at the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, Missouri, from which institution he graduated in 1878. After receiving the degree of M. D. he returned to Moulton, where he entered upon the practice of his chosen profession. During the eight years of his residence at this place he has built up an unusually extensive practice, having
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in fact, more than he can do. His younger brother, W. C. Murdy, who is now read- ing medicine will, when fully prepared, share Dr. Murdy's labors. The Doctor is recognized throughout Appanoose and Davis counties, Iowa, and also in the adja- cent part of Missouri, as a skillful and relia- ble physician, and as a surgeon he has gained an enviable reputation. The Doctor was united in marriage in 1879 to Miss Laura Phelps, the eldest daughter of Alpheus Phelps, of Kirkville, Missouri. Three chil- dren have been born to this union-Serelda S., Lorain A. and Robert B. C. Dr Murdy takes an active interest in the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of Security Lodge, No. 317, A. F. & A. M. He is also a member of Moulton Lodge, No. 297, I. O. O. F.
OSEPH L. LAIN was born in Bar- tholomew County, Indiana, July 26, 1825, a son of Jacob and Polly (Guern- sey) Lain, the father a native of New York and the mother of Connecticut. They were married in the State of New York, and were among the pioneers of Bartholo- mew County, where they made their home the rest of their lives. Joseph L. was the fourth of seven children. He remained with his parents until manhood, making their house his home until 1860. In 1852 he visited Appanoose County, Iowa, and bought 160 acres on sections 25 and 26, In- dependence Township. He returned to Indiana, but spent a part of each year on his Iowa land until 1860, when he located on it, and has since made it his home, and has been prominently identified with the interests of Appanoose County. He is one of the county's prosperous farmers, and to the 160 acres purchased in 1852 has added until he now has in his homestead 360 acres, and also owns a good farm of 160
acres on sections 21 and 22, Johns Town- ship, near Plano, and a timber tract of fif- teen acres. This is the result of a life of industry and frugality, Mr. Lain being in moderate circumstances when he first came to Iowa. His property shows the re- sult of care and thrift, and his improve- ments are noticeably good. He takes es- pecial interest in the education of his chil- dren, counting nothing lost that in any way contributes to that end, feeling that knowl- edge is power. In politics he is identified with the Democratic party. IIe was mar- ried April 11, 1865, to Miss Sarah E. Brunson, a native of Lee County, lowa, born Decem- ber 28, 1845, daughter of David and Mary Brunson, pioneers of Lee County, but now residents of Finney County, Kansas. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. . Lain, five of whom are living-Mary, born January 10, 1866, died October 17, 1872 ; Cora B., born March 5, 1867; Lillie L., born August 22, 1869; Nannie, born De- cember 19, 1871 ; Flora W., born January 21, 1874, and Orville, born April 3, 1878.
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AVID C. CAMPBELL, President of of the Campbell Banking Company, of Centerville, Iowa, was born near Hollidays Cove, Brooke County, West Vir- ginia, January 14, 1834, the eldest of three sons. of Alexander and Martha (McConnell) Campbell, natives of Virginia and Penn- sylvania, of Scottish ancestry. In 1855 his parents came to lowa and settled near Winterset, Madison County, removing thence in 1868 to Appanoose County, to a farm in what is now Vermillion Township, where the father died in August, 1884, aged eighty-two years. The mother is still living, and is now eighty-two years of age. In 1852 David C. went to the gold regions of California, returning to Iowa in 1855. In 1856 he entered the employ of William
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Bradley, for whom he clerked until 1860, when he became associated with him under the firm name of Bradley & Campbell. In June, 1864, while still in the mercantile business, he with others organized the First National Bank, of Centerville, of which he was cashier until 1869, when he retired from the corporation, and in the fall of 1870 was one of the incorporators of the banking firm of D. C. Campbell & Co., which in 1874 was merged into the Farm- er's National Bank. In 1878 this bank was discontinued, and he organized the present Campbell Banking Company, of which he is president and cashier. In 1860 he was elected clerk of the Circuit and District Courts of Appanoose County, and served one term. He was married in Centerville ,in 1861, to Jane Bradley, who died in 1862, leaving one son- William Bradley, now of Chicago, Illinois. In 1865 he married Miss M. A. Shonts. They have two children- John A. and Charles P. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are members of the United Pres- byterian church.
OHN LANKFORD, undertaker and furniture dealer, Centerville, Iowa, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 27, 1827, a son of Robert and Sarah (Street). Lankford, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Kentucky, both of English ancestry. When eighteen years of age he began working at the carpenter's trade, and served an apprenticeship of three years. In May, 1850, he came to Iowa and lived at Ottumwa six months, thence removing to Centerville, where he worked at his trade until 1865, when he became estab- lished in his present business. Mr. Lank- ford is a member of the Masonic fraternity, lodge, chapter and commandery, and also of the lodge and encampment of the Odd Fellows order. He is in politics a Repub-
lican. He was married in September, 1852, to Nancy J. Henderson, of Centerville. They have eight children-William, Sarah (wife of W. G. Clark), Heber H., Beatrice, Grace, Carl, Roy and Leona.
EWIS MAIN, a prominent old settler and active farmer of Chariton Town- ship, Appanoose County, residing on section 12, was born in Monroe County, Ohio, August 14, 1830. He was reared on a farm and educated in the schools of Rip- ley County, Indiana, to which county his parents had removed when he was four years of age. He was married in February, 1851, to Mary E. Broshar, who was born and reared in Ripley County, and they are the parents of four sons and four daughters -Alice J., wife of Isaac McCoy ; John E., Zack L., Levi W., Mary E. (wife of Edwin Hoskinson), Reuben F., Flora E. and Stella, living at home. Mr. Main left Ripley County, Indiana, in the fall of 1855, coming with his family to Appanoose County, Iowa, when he located on his present farm which contains 275 acres of choice land. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and is one of the most suc- cessful hog-raisers in his neighborhood. He takes an interest in educational matters, and has served as school director. In 1862 he enlisted in the Union Army, in the Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and served faithfully for three years without receiving a wound, although he endured many hard- ships and privations. He participated in the battles of Little Rock, Helena, Elkin Ford, Mark's Mill, at which place he was taken prisoner, April 25, 1864. He was then taken to Texas and imprisoned at Camp Ford, where he was confined ten months, where his principal food consisted of corn bread and water. He was paroled while in prison, and sent to the mouth of
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Red River, where he was exchanged, after which he was sent to New Orleans, where he drew a suit of clothes. He was then furloughed for thirty days, when he re- turned to his regiment at St. Charles, Ar- kansas. He was mustered out at Duvall's Bluffs, Arkansas, and was discharged at Davenport, Fowa, in 1865. Our subject's father, Lewis Main, was a native of Wheel- ing, West Virginia, born October 14, 1800, and was married in 1820, to Elizabeth Fankhouser, mother of our subject. She was born in Pennsylvania, in 1802. They were the parents of eleven children, five sons and six daughters, of whom only one son is deceased. This son, Charles B., was killed during the late war, at the battle of Mark's Mill, in 1864. Lewis Main, the father, came to Appanoose County, Iowa, in the fall of 1861, where his wife died in 1867. His death occurred in Chariton Township, Appanoose County, January 18, 1885.
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¿MOS A. HAYS, an active farmer and stock-raiser of Taylor Township, Appanoose County, is a native of Giles County, Tennessee, where he was born March 28, 1840, the second son of Alex. and Priscilla R. (Andrews) Hays, who were natives of Tennessee and North Carolina respectively. The father died in his native State, February 28, 1843, and in the spring of 1853 the mother with her six children came to Appanoose County, Iowa, and settled on the farm which is now oc- cupied by our subject, the mother dying there August 11, 1879. Amos A. was about twelve years of age when he was brought to this county. He attended school in his native county, and after coming here he went to the schools of this county. Arriving at manhood he engaged in farming and has since devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits, which he has followed with 60
marked success, being now the owner of 200 acres of choice land, a large part of his farm being seeded down to timothy grass. He devotes considerable attention to raising of stock, making a specialty of cattle, and is classed among the enterpris- ing farmers of his neighborhood. He is quite an extensive reader, and is the owner of a good library.
¡ACOB RUMMEL, manufacturer and dealer in patent medicines at Center- ville, was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, in 1826. At the age of nine years he was brought by his parents to Richland County, Ohio, where he was reared to maturity on a farm. He left the home farm at the age of twenty, after which he clerked in Ohio in the towns of Newville, Mount Vernon and Lancaster. He came to Iowa in the spring of 1850, and was employed as a clerk in Keokuk until the spring of 1856, when he clerked for a year at Centerville, Appanoose County. He then became associated with William Clark in the general mercantile business, under the firm name of Clark & Rummel. In 1860 John L. Bashore became Mr. Clark's successor, when the firm name was changed to Rummel & Bashore, this firm continuing till 1864, when Mr. Bashore was killed while acting as provost marshal in the Union service. In November, 1864, Mr. Rummel, having been elected clerk of the County Courts, discontinued his mercan- tile pursuits to take charge of that office in January, 1865, serving as such one term of two years. He then resumed his mercan- tile business, which he carried on till 1872, after which he acted as agent of the Mis- souri, Iowa & Nebraska Railway, at Center- ville. In 1872 he moved his business to Unionville, Missouri, where he met with reverses by having too much confidence in
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a man with whom he had been associated. In 1881 he emigrated South and engaged in business at Siloam Springs, Arkansas, until 1883, when he sold out and returned to Centerville, when he became interested in his present business, acting as agent for the firm of F. Eells & Son. February 9, 1858, he was married to Mrs. Sarah Jane (Henkle) Cutler, of Appanoose County, who died at Centerville, July 9, 1874, leav- ing three children-Fanny E., Willie C. and Charles C. Mr. Rummel is an active and enterprising citizen, and has taken an in- terest in every undertaking for the ad- vancement of Centerville. While serving as county clerk he, assisted by Amos Harris and E. W. Henkle, planted the trees in the court-house park. He was also largely in- strumental in the erection of the soldiers' memorial monument in the court-house park. He was a director of the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Railway for seven years, two years of the time being secretary of the company. He was for several years a di- rector of the First National Bank at Center- ville. While serving as president of the board of education of Centerville, the first of the present school buildings was erected. Mr. Rummel also acted very efficiently as councilman of Centerville for several years.
ALVIN FINLEY SPOONER, jus- tice of the peace, Centerville, Iowa, was born near Paoli, Orange County, Indiana, June 24, 1825, a son of Benjamin and Martha (Ware) Spooner, his father a native of New York, of English descent, and his mother a native of Kentucky. His parents came to lowa in 1839, and settled on a farm near West Point, Lee County. Later they moved to Davis County, and from there to Appanoose County in the spring of 1845. The claim which they im- proved is a part of the original plat of Cen-
terville. The father died in 1873, aged seventy-one years. He was an extensive farmer, and also engaged in the mercantile business at Centerville several years. From boyhood he was a member of the Method- ist Episcopal church, and always took an active part in church work, for many years holding official positions. He also was much interested in the material progress of Centerville, always assisting liberally in the advancement of any enterprise of benefit, either socially or materially. The mother still survives, at the advanced age of eighty-one years, living with her sons in Centerville. She has also been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since her girlhood. She is the mother of seven children, but four of whom are living- Lindsey W., a farmer of Pleasant Town- ship ; Calvin F., James B. and Dexter A., of Centerville. Benjamin F. died in Center- ville; Lemuel L. was a Lieutenant of Com- pany G, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and died at Memphis, Tennessee, while in the service of his country, and Christina Ann, the only daughter, died in Centerville, in the sixteenth year of her age. Calvin F. Spooner remained with his parents till twenty years of age and then went to Wis- consin and worked in the lead mines. Re- turning home a year later he made a claim near his father, which is also a part of the site of Centerville, and followed farming till the fall of 1856. He became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in his sixteenth year, and upon leaving his farm in 1856, he joined the Southern Iowa Conference, and entered upon the work of an itinerant minister, and traveled in that connection six years. In the fall of 1862 he took a lo- cal relation to the conference, and has since lived in Centerville. When the county was first organized he was elected coroner, and by the resignation of the sheriff, A. J. Perjure, became sheriff, ex- officio. In 1880 he was elected justice of
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the peace, a position he still retains. In politics he adheres to the principles of the Republican party. January 4, 1849, he was married to Nancy, daughter of John Browning, a pioneer of Appanoose County. They have a family of six children-Fred- erick S., an engineer of the coal shaft at Tren- ton, Missouri ; Martha A., wife of William Higginbotham, of Brazil, lowa ; Sabina L., John B., a machinist, in the employ of the Wabash Railroad; Clara Belle and Will- iam F. Mrs. Spooner is also an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. C. F. Spooner is a member of Jackson Lodge, No. 42, F. & A. M.
ILLIAM JEFFERSON MARTIN, constable of Center Township, was born in Buchanan County, Mis- souri, January 8, 1841, but was principally reared in Sangamon County, Illinois, whither his parents had moved when he was about six years of age. His father died when he was about sixteen years of age, and he was then thrown on his own resources. He worked at farming in Ne- braska and Sangamon County, Illinois, till the breaking out of the Rebellion, when, in August, 1861, he enlisted in the defense of his country as a private in Company D, Thirty-third Illinois Infantry, known as the Normal Regiment, Colonel Charles E. Hovey, commanding. He was afterward promoted to Second Duty Sergeant. He participated in the battles at Fredericks- burgtown and Cotton Plant, and other skirmishes in Missouri and Mississippi. He was discharged at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri, in December, 1863, on account of ill health. After his discharge he returned to Sangamon County, Illinois, and worked on a farm until September, 1864, when he came to Iowa and lived in Delaware County till 1865, when he re-
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