USA > Iowa > Cherokee County > Biographical history of Cherokoe County, Iowa : Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state ; engravings of prominent citizens in Cherokee County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. A concise history of the county, the cities, and townships > Part 55
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
was a premature discharge in blasting some rock, of which he was the unfortunate vic- tim. He returned to McHenry County, Illi- nois, in December, 1860. In 1862 he was married to Miss Mary Ryan, a daughter of John Ryan, then a resident of McHenry County, Illinois, but now of Cherokee, Iowa. Her mother's maiden name was Nancy Lan- non. After his marriage he settled in Mc- Henry County, and resided there until his removal to Butler County, Iowa. In May, 1869, he came to Cherokee and took a home- stead in Rock Township, returned to Butler County and removed his family to the new home. Times were hard, and he had little money to carry his family through the com- ing winter. He secured a job of putting the roof on a mill, and labored to great disad- vantage, having lost his hand. However, he was able to complete it, and received for his labor the munificent sum of $10. He was also a subject of the grasshopper raids for two seasons, and after that time he was more successful. He sold his homestead and moved into Cherokee, and he began working at the carpenter's trade and gave somne attention to honse-moving. For this latter enterprise he has fully equipped himself, being supplied with all the modern appliances. His services are in demand in adjoining counties, where he has moved stores, churches and other large buildings. He moved the conrt-house from the old town to its present site near the railroad station. Mr. Durkee is also a skill- ful stone-mason, and has built many of the foundations in Cherokee; he was employed to do this work on the first brick building erected in Cherokee. Politically he is iden- tified with the Republican party, and when a candidate for the office of sheriff he was de- feated by only fifty-five votes. He owns a good residence on Third and Elm streets, and several valuable houses and lots in Cherokee.
He also holds the deed to a little farin of forty acres near the town, which is well im- proved. Mr. and Mrs. Durkee are the par- ents of six children: Hattie A., Oscar Oel, Ida E., wife of Frank Hinman; R. A., an engineer; George M., Charles H. and Mamie A. Mr. Durkee is an active, industrions man, and has accomplished a wonderful amount of work in his life-time, notwith- standing the loss of his hand. He is a good violinist, and plays many of the tunes which carry the oldest back to their youthful days. Many a night has he played for the young people of Cherokee, and at the same time called off for the merry dance, and to that time inany refer as the happiest hours of life's young dream.
ATES M. FOBES was born in Ontario County, New York, in the town of Gor- ham, August 25, 1826. His father, Enoch Fobes, was a native of Massachusetts, born in 1786. of Scotch descent; he was a farmer by occupation and an early settler of Western New York. He married Sabra Gates, who was born in Western New York, a daugh- ter of Perley and Orpha Gates. They were the parents of one child only. Gates M. Fobes remained in his native State until he had grown to manhood. He attended an academy, and afterward entered Lima Col- lege, pursning his studies in that institution for two years. He returned to his home and assisted his father, who did an extensive farin- ing and milling business; he remained with his father until he reached his twenty-fourth year, when he was united in marriage to Miss Emily Blodgett, a daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Catlin) Blodgett. Mr. and Mrs. Fobes are the parents of six children : Sabra E., wife of Henry Maltby; Orson B., clerk of the
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County Courts of Cherokee; Linda E., wife of Frank E. Robinson; Lncy G., a teacher of music; Agnes M. and Susan E., school teach- ers. On the mother's side of the house there have been several generations of teachers, and the mantle has not fallen on unworthy shoulders in the present generation. After his marriage Mr. Fobes settled in Ontario Connty and took charge of his father-in-law's mills, remaining there five years. In 1855 he removed to Winneshiek County, Iowa, and settled on a tract of Government land which he cultivated for six years; he then removed to the town of Decoral, in order to give his children better educational advantages; there he resided seventeen years. At one time he owned large farming interests, but sold out to engage in the business of packing pork; lie entered into partnership with G. F. Fran - cis and Morgan Howard, and the business was continued fonr years. At the end of this time he sold ont and came to Cherokee, lowa ; this was in the year 1876. He purchased a tract of 320 acres in Amherst Township, which is now occupied by his son-in-law, Mr. Maltby. Mr. Fobes is living on his little farm of forty-six acres within the corporate limits of Cherokee. He has turned his at- tention to the breeding of fine trotting horses, and has sold one animal for 82,700. He owns several, nine at least, standard-bred fine Hambletonian horses, and other trotting breeds. Mr. Fobes is a member of Oakfield Lodge, No. -- , I. O. O. F., of Genesee County. New York, and organized by Horace Greeley in 1846.
HARLES H. STEVENS is a member of the firm of C. Il. Stevens & Co., suc- cessors to William Whipple, dealers in farm machinery, Cherokee, Iowa; this firm
is among the largest in this line of goods in the county, and this, together with the fact that Mr. Stevens was one of the early settlers in Sheridan Township, entitles him to a place in this work which treats of the representa- tive men of the county. He is a native of the State of Wisconsin, born in La Fayette County, near Benton, August 8, 1846, and is the youngest of a family of twelve children, nine of whom are yet living. The parents were William and Jane (Mann) Stevens, na- tives of England. The father died in Grant County, Wisconsin, and the mother in Iowa County, Wisconsin, in 1868. Charles H. passed his boyhood in La Fayette and Iowa connties, Wisconsin, where his father was an early settler; there he attended the common schools and worked on his father's farm until he was eighteen years old; he then clerked in his brother's hotel for a period of four years. May 20, 1869, he came to Cherokee County, and took np a homestead in Sheridan Town- ship, consisting of eighty acres; he improved this and lived upon it for five years, when he sold ont and purchased a half section of land in Tilden Township, upon which he lived for seven years; he then rented his farm and re- moved to Cherokee. In February, 1885, he purchased an interest in the implement bnsi- ness of William Whipple, after which the firm was known as Stevens & West for eight months; then Mr. West sold to A. Polking- horn, and the firm name was changed to C. H. Stevens & Co. Their place of business is on Main street, west of the railroad track, and they have a two-story warehouse and office 40 x 60 feet, with additional shedding; they carry a full line of all sorts of agricult- ural implements, including the J. I. Case threshing-machine, for which they have a large demand. Mr. Stevens was married to Miss Ena L. Porter in 1875; she is a daugh- ter of Charles M. Porter, a native of the State
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of New York, and was born in Ohio, but was brought to Iowa when a small child. By this union six children have been born: John W., Cora D., Henry E., Charles E., Arthur Blaine and Albert L. While Mr. Stevens lived in the country he held numerous local offices, inchiding that of president of the School Board, which he retained two years. He is an acceptable member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 188, Cherokee, Iowa. Politically he is a Republican. He commenced life in this county on small means, but by prudent. management he has come to be possessed of a good property ; he owns a farm of 320 acres, aside from his large business interests in Cherokee.
RED KLUDAS, a retired farmer of Cherokee, Iowa, was born in Prussia, in the village of Helle, October 18, 1829, and is the oldest of a family of four children, all of whom are living. The parents, John and Elizabeth (Hans) Kludas, emigrated to America, landing in the city of New York in 1854. They continued their journey to Chicago, and thence to the State of Minne- sota. Fred Klndas entered school at the age of six years, and pursned his studies until he was fourteen years old. He then went to work on a farm, and until he was twenty years old followed the peaceful pursuit of agriculture. He then entered the Prussian Army and served his conntry for two years. In the spring of 1854 he sailed with his parents for America. From New York City he proceeded to Schenectady, New York, where he remained three months; thence lie went to Chicago, Illinois, in which city he staid a short time, and then went to Elgin, Illinois. He went to work on a farm, re- ceiving for his services $22 in the summer,
and in the winter $9 per month. He after- ward went to Minnesota, but the Indians proving troublesome, he returned to Illinois, and began farming on his own account. He rented land for four years, and at the end of that time he bought ninety-six acres, on which he lived until he came to Cherokee County in 1870. There he located on land in Afton Township, which was new and nul- cultivated and nnimproved. He first owned eighty acres, to which he afterward added 160 acres. He built a good honse and barn, and inade many valnable improvements. He was one of the successful wheat-raisers, but in later years he turned his attention to the raising and fattening of hogs. He has also been unusually fortunate in raising and feed- ing cattle. Mr. Klndas was married Noven- ber 3, 1857, to Miss Ernestine Arndt, a native of Prussia, and a danghter of Gottlieb Arndt. At the time of her marriage she was living in Minnesota. Four children have been born of this nnion: Albert W., a farmer in Afton Township; Emina M., wife of Philip F. Fass- ler, of Stockton, California; Willie (deceased), and Fred J., at home. In 1888 Mr. Kludas removed from his farin to the city of Cherokee, Iowa, and has since lived there a somewhat retired life. He owns a comfortable home in the Addition. Politically he has cast his lot with the Democratic party, although for twenty years he affiliated with the Republi- cans. He is a worthy member of the Lutheran Church.
ATHANIEL BRUCE, retired farmer of Cherokee, is one of the men to whose energy and industry Cherokee Connty owes its present state of development. He was born in England in November, 1842, and is the oldest son of George and Catherine
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Bruce. The family emigrated to America, taking passage on a sailing vessel, which landed them in the city of New York after a voyage of eight weeks. They journeyed thence to Clinton County, Iowa. The father and mother afterward settled in Jones County where they lived three years; then they came to Cherokee County, and located on a farm in Pilot Township. Nathaniel had attended the schools of England, and during two win- ters he pursued his studies in Clinton County, Iowa. He then went to work on a farm by the month, and followed this ocenpation until he was married in September, 1871, to Miss Ellen Shintaffer, the oldest danghter of Samuel and Rebecca (Stratton) Shintaffer. Her father was shot by a highwayman and horse-thief at 3 o'clock in the day; he had been iu- strumental in bringing some of the outlaws to justice, and this was the penalty he paid. His wife removed to Kansas, where she died in 1880. After his marriage Mr. Bruce set- tled in Diamond Township, Cherokee Connty, on a tract of fifty-five acres which he after- ward sold; he then purchased another tract of 135 acres, and selhng that, removed to Silver Township, where he had bought 240 acres; to this he added forty acres more, and made many excellent improvements in the way of buildings; he also brought the land to an advanced state of cultivation. He was very successful in the raising of small grains, and made most of his money in this branch of husbandry. He continued farming until 1888, when he removed to Cherokee, locating near the Fountain House, where he has a good residence with meat and comfortable sur- roundings. He has rented his farin in Silver Township; he commenced life withont means, and has not won his present position of ease and independence without labor and economy; his first house was one twelve feet square, and in that he and his wife lived happy and
content until they were able to afford some- thing better. Mr. and Mrs. Bruce have had born to them two children: Stella L. and Rosella.
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ETER MATTHEW is one of the farm. ers of Cherokee County, Iowa, who has retired and is now enjoying the fruits of his labors. He is a native of Scotland, born in Aberdeenshire, August 12, 1828, and in that country grew to man's estate. His parents were James and Elizabeth (Marr) Matthew, the father being a weaver by trade; also holding a farm; they both remained in Scotland nntil death. Peter was sent to the parish school from six to fourteen years of age, and then went to learn the blacksmith's trade; he served an apprenticeship of three years, and then worked at the business in dif- ferent cities for four years. At the end of this period he started a shop of his own in Rosehearty, which he had for twelve years. During this time he was quite successful, and was wise iu that he saved his earnings. He removed to New Deer and operated a shop for fonr years, and in the spring of 1867 he sailed away from his native land for New York City, and thence continued his journey to Al- lamakee Connty, Iowa, stopping at Post- ville. In 1869 he removed to Cherokee Township, Cherokee County, and located five miles north of the city; he took up a home- stead of eighty acres, and entered forty acres of Government land. The first three months he lived in a tent, and then built his home and made other improvements. His toils and labors can be imagined when it is stated that he hauled his Inmber partly from 'Sioux City and Denison. He remained on this place until 1889, having settled there twenty years before ; he then removed to Cherokee. Mr.
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Matthew was married in 1857 to Miss Chris- tina Smart, a native of Scotland and a daugh- ter of William and Jane (Bruce) Smart. Ten children have been born of this union, seven of whom are living: Jane, wife of Joseph Montgomery; William S., Mansfield B., Har- riet, wife of George Wilkie; and Ann W., wife of Edwin Wilkie; Eliza J., and Alice S. Two boys died in infancy, and Alfred died in 1888, in his twenty-first year. Mr. Matthew advocates temperance and free trade, and was a member of the Freemasons and of the Free Church while in Scotland.
ILLIAM JORDAN, Postmaster of Larrabee, Iowa, was born in Mus- kingum County, Ohio, June 23, 1823. He is a son of John and Temperance (Edwards) Jordan, natives of the State of Maryland. The parents were among the early settlers of Muskingum County, and saw many of the hardships and endured the trials of pioneer days. When William was four years old his father died, and at the age of eight years his mother removed with her family to Morgan Connty, Ohio, and later to Washing- ton County, of that State. Our subject is the fifth of a family of seven children; he was reared to the occupation of a farmer and received his education in the common schools of that day. Mr. Jordan was united in mar- riage March 18, 1845, in Morgan County, Ohio, to Miss Sarah A. Sharp, a daughter of John and Sarah Mary (Anderson) Sharp. The following year lie decided to make a home for himself in a new, untried country, as his father and inother before him had done. So he emigrated to Iowa and located in Linn County, three miles from Marion, where he was among the earliest settlers. There he resided until 1868, wlien he removed 87
to Tennessee, where he spent one year. Thence he came again to Linn County, and in 1873 he settled in Cedar Township, Chiero- kee County, where he now resides. He has a good residence, and is surrounded with all the comforts of life; liis barn and other farm buildings are good, substantial structures. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan are the parents of five children: Addison, a resident of Linn County, Iowa; James H., of Washington Territory; John A., of Cherokee County; Kate, wife of Joseph Whitehead, and Ettie. Politically Mr. Jordan affiliates with the Democratic party. He has served his township as trus- tee for ten years, and lias been president of the School Board for several terms. He was appointed postmaster in 1887, and has been a most efficient and faithful officer. He is sixty-six years old but bears his age lightly, and is yet a young man in spirit. He takes an active interest in educational affairs, and gladly supports any measures tending to the advancement of the community in which he lives.
H. WHITEHOUSE has been identified with the interests of Cherokee County, Iowa, since the year 1870. He was born at Smithfield, Somerset County, Maine, May 29, 1853, and is the third son of Isaac and Mary C. (Rankins) Whitehouse. Isaac Whitehouse, a retired farmer of Cherokee, was born at Smithfield, Maine, November 11, 1816, and is the son of Robert White. house, a descendant of an English family, who for many generations were farmers. Robert Whitehouse married Betsey Farnhanı, a native of New Hampshire, and a daughter of Benjamin Farnham, of Hollandish descent. Mary C. (Rankins) Whitehouse. mother of our subject, was a native of Maine, and the
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
daughter of Joseph and Johanna (Perkins) Rankins. Isaac Whitehouse and family re- moved from Maine to Boone County, Iowa, about 1867, and in the spring of 1869 they came to Cherokee County. The father bonght a homestead and added more land to it, on which he lived until he removed to Cherokee in 1882. E. H. Whitehouse was abont four- teen years old when his parents went to Boone County, Iowa. He passed his school days in Smithfield, Maine, and when the family removed from Boone County to Chero- kee County he started out in life for himself. That he found it a royal road does not appear from his experience. He began by breaking prairie with a three-horse team, sleeping in a tent at night. He purchased 160 acres in Silver Township, and carried on a general farming business until he came to Cherokee, in 1888. IIe had had some training in the nse of carpenter's tools, and after settling in town he formed a co-partnership with Frank Jones and they engaged in the manufacture of wagons, bnggies and sleighs; they opened a general repair shop in connection with the business, to which they added a blacksmith shop. In December, 1879, Mr. Whitehonse was married to Miss Emma Little, a daughter of William and Rebecca Little, who removed from Pennsylvania to Cherokee. Mr. White- house owns a good farm in Silver Township and a comfortable residence in the town of Cherokee. He has traveled extensively through the States and Territories of the West, but has come to the conclusion that Cherokee Connty is the enchanted spot.
EVERETT JAY, agent for the Amer- ican Express Company, Cherokee, Iowa, was born in Bremer County, Iowa, near Waverly, June 11, 1857. He is
the youngest of a family of five children of William M. and Jane M. (Richi) Jay; the parents were natives of England and emi- grated to the United States soon after their marriage; they first stopped in the State of New York, and removed thence to Illinois, settling for a time in Saint Charles; they re- turned from this place to New York, and afterward his father took a trip to California, mining for several years; then they came to Iowa and settled in Bremer Connty, where the father died in March, 1881; he was born July 16, 1815; the mother died in Decem- ber, 1888; she was born March 13, 1816. E. Everett Jay, the subject of this brief biogra- phy, passed his boyhood in Bremer County, where he received a good common-school education. After leaving the Waverly High School he entered a book and jewelry store as clerk, and served in that capacity for five years. He then clerked in the postoffice un- der Ed Knott, Esq., as postmaster, and L. M. Sholes, express agent and assistant postmaster; the express office was kept in the same build- ing; this service extended over a period of fonr and a half years, after which he entered the employ of the American Express Com- pany, running on the Milwaukee & Illinois Central Railroad as messenger, rendering faithful service for a period of three years and a half. October 18, 1888, Mr. Jay was trans- ferred to Cherokee, where he took charge of the American Express business, in which he has made himself popular and has given en- tire satisfaction to the public as well as to his employers. He was united in marriage June 6, 1881, to Miss Maggie Connell, of Wa- verly, Iowa; she was born in Charles City, Iowa, and is a daughter of C. Connell, Esq., a prominent citizen of Waverly. This union has been blessed by the birth of one child, Anna Evelyn. By his long term of service and the careful manner in which he has cared for
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the business of the company, he has rendered himself in every way worthy of the position which he holds.
L. BROOKFIELD, an enterprising and highly esteemed member of the farm- ing community of Cedar Township, has been a resident of Cherokee County since March, 1878. He was born in Her Majesty's Dominion of Canada, September 17, 1829, and is a son of Mahlon and Marilla (Willson) Brookfield, also natives of Canada. His pa- ternal grandfather was born in the State of New Jersey. In Angust, 1842, the family removed to the Territory of Iowa and settled in Jackson County, and there our subject was reared and educated in the common schools. Mr. Brookfield was married June 27, 1860, to Miss Helen F. Morse, of Jones County, Iowa, a daughter of John and Phoebe (Flint) Morse. By this marriage five children were born, three of whom are living: Lillian F., Marion H. and Abbie M .; the two deceased are Willie H. and Phoebe L. Mrs. Helen F. Morse Brookfield died February 24, 1870, mourned by her family and a wide circle of friends. Mr. Brookfield was again united in marriage March 6, 1878, to Miss Harriet N. Tebo, a daughter of Henry and Mary V. Tebo. Four children have been born of this union: Edwin L., Lulu Maud, Lena Leota and Huon. Mr. Brookfield lived in Jackson County until 1860, when he went to Michi- gan, where he remained two years, engaged in the grist-mill business. He then returned to Jones County, Iowa, where he resided until 1878, when he came to Cherokee County, as before stated. He located on the tract of land known as the Eagle farm, and lived there four years, when he bought his present farm. This he has improved in good
style, his buildings being of the best class. He has a neat, comfortable residence, erected at a cost of $850; this is surrounded by a grove of three acres, and is a very attractive place. Mr. and Mrs. Brookfield are worthy members of the Presbyterian' Church of Lar- rabee, and are numbered among the leading citizens of the county.
A. LIBBY, an enterprising and rep- resentative citizen of Cedar Town- ship, has been a resident of Cherokee County since 1882. He is a native of Cum- berland County, Maine, born August 21, 1826, and is a son of Jaines and Emma (Chase) Libby, also natives of the State of Maine, and of English ancestry. The father died at the advanced age of eighty-nine years, and the mother, when our subject was two years old. He is one of a family of fourteen children, and was occupied with farin work until he was twenty-two years old; he then went to Waltham, Massachusetts, and worked at tlie carpenter's trade until 1853. Caught in the tide of emigration, he journeyed to the West, and located at Cascade, Dubuque County, Iowa, where he had two older broth- ers; there he remained seven years, employed at his trade; at the end of this time he re- moved to Delaware County, and settled near Delhi, where he lived until 1882, when, as before stated, he came to Cherokee County. For a short time he lived in Afton Township, and then purchased his present place, which is known as the Hilton farm; it contains eighty acres with a good house, barn, and many other improvements. The land lies very near the town plat of Larrabee. Mr. Libby is engaged in general farming, and he also works at his trade. In 1856, in Cum- berland Connty, Maine, occurred the marriage
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.
of S. A. Libby and Miss Angeline Riley, a native of Oxford County, and a daughter of David and Sarah (Farnham) Riley. By this union nine children have been born: Wil- bur, assessor of Cedar Township; Eugene, Alvra, Roselle, Florence, Mabel, Evelyn, An- nette, and Melvin (deceased). In political thought and action Mr. Libby is a Republi- can. He is now in his sixty-third year, and is one of the respected and highly esteemed men of the township.
E. WEAVER, of Cedar Township, is one of the well-known citizens, hav- ing been identified with the interests of the county of Cherokee since 1875. He was born in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, February 3, 1841, and is a son of William and Rietta (White) Weaver, natives of the State of Connecticut. He was reared in his native county and was trained to the occupa- tion of a farmer, receiving a fair education in the common schools. During the late Re- bellion he was one to go to the defense of his nation's flag. In August, 1862, when Lin- coln called for 300,000 more men, he re- sponded, enlisting in the One Hundred and Forty-first Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company G; he served faithfully until the close of the war, taking an active part in the following noted engagements: The battles of Gettysburg, Chancellorsville and the Wilder- ness. He was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness by a ball in his left arm and was confined to the hospital for two months at Baltimore, and Little York, Pennsylvania. He was also slightly wounded by a gun-shot in the battle of Gettysburg. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war, and re- turned to his home in Pennsylvania. Mr. Weaver was married in 1866 to Miss Pamela
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