USA > Iowa > Adams County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 20
USA > Iowa > Montgomery County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 20
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Thus made free to choose for himself William decided to emigrate West. In 1853, accordingly, he came to Iowa. His elder sister, Hannah, wife of E. H. Williams, was then living at Garnavillo, Clayton County, and there he went first. In that way he selected Northeast lowa as bis
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future home. After teaching one winter at Hardin, he was for three years employed as a sort of foreman on the Grand Meadow farm of his brother-in-law, Judge Williams.
In 1857 he bought a one-third interest in the Clermont Mills, and located at Cler- mont, Fayette County. He soon was able to buy the other two-thirds, and within a year found himself sole owner. He oper- ated this mill until 1874, when he sold to S. M. Leach. On the breaking out of the war he offered to enlist, but was rejected on ac- count of the loss of his right eye. Being informed he might possibly be admitted as a commissioned officer he raised a company and received a commission as First Lieu- tenant, but was again rejected for the same disability.
After selling the mill Mr. Larrabee dc- voted himself to farming, and started a private bank at Clermont. He also, ex- perimentally, started a large nursery, but this resulted only in confirming the belief that Northern Iowa has too rigorous a cli- mate for fruit-raising.
Mr. Larrabee did not begin his political career until 1867. He was reared as a Whig, and became a Republican on the or- ganization of that party. While interested in politics he generally refused local offices, serving only as treasurer of the School Board prior to 1867. In the autumn of that year, on the Republican ticket, he was elected to represent his county in the State Senate. To this high position he was re- elected from time to time, so that he served as Senator continuously for eighteen years before being promoted to the highest office in the State. He was so popular at home that he was generally re-nominated by ac- clamation, and for some years the Demo- crats did not even make nominations. During the whole eighteen years Senator Larrabee was a member of the principal committee, that on Ways and Means, of which he was generally chairman, and was
also a member of other committees. In the pursuit of the duties thus devolving upon him he was indefatigable. It is said that he never missed a committee meeting. Not alone in this, but in private and public business of all kinds his uniform habit is that of close application to work. Many of the important measures passed by the Legislature owe their existence or present form to him.
He was a candidate for the gubernatorial nomination in 1881, but entered the contest too late, as Governor Sherman's following had been successfully organized. In 1885 it was generally conceded before the meet- ing of the convention that he would be nominated, which he was, and his election followed as a matter of course. He was inaugurated January 14, 1886, and so far has made an excellent Governor. His position in regard to the liquor question, that on which political fortunes are made and lost in Iowa, is that the majority should rule. He was personally in favor of high license, but having been elected Governor, and sworn to uphold the Constitution and execute the laws, he proposes to do so.
A Senator who sat beside him in the Senate declares him to be "a man of the broadest comprehension and information an extraordinarily clear reasoner, fair and conscientious in his conclusions, and of Spartan firmness in his matured judg. ment," and says that "he brings the prac- tical facts and philosophy of human nature, the science and history of law, to aid in his decisions, and adheres with the earnestness of Jefferson and Sumner to the fundamental principles of the people's rights in govern. ment and law."
Governor Larrabee was married Sep. tember 12, 1861, at Clermont, to Anna M. Appelman, daughter of Captain G. A. Appelman. Governor Larrabee has seven children-Charles, Augusta, Julia, Anna, William, Frederic and Helen.
Marque Baies
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HORACE BOIES.
HORACE BOIES.4
()RACE BOIES, Governor of Iowa, is a lawyer by profession, and a resident of the city of Waterloo, of which city he has been a resident, engaged in the active practice of his pro- fession, since 1867. Governor Boies is a son of Eber and Hettie (Henshaw) Boies, and was born in Aurora, Erie County, New York, on the 7th day of Decem- ber, 1827. His father was a farmer by occupation, and in moderate circumstances, and Horace was reared under the healthful influence of fari life. He attended the public schools as op- portunity afforded, until sixteen years of age, when, being inspired with an ambition to see more of the world than had been possible for him within the narrow limits of his native town, with the added variety of an occasional visit to Buffalo, he persuaded his father to consent to his departure for the West. Pass- age was secured on a steamer at Buffalo, which was bound up the lakes, and in due time he landed at the little hamlet of Racine, Wisconsin. This was in the spring of 1843, five years before Wisconsin was admitted into the Union. The total cash assets of the youthful emigrant amounted to but 75 cents,
which required on his part strict economy and immediate employment.
Not finding a favorable opening at Racine, he struck out on foot in search of work among the farmers, which he secured of a settler near Rochester, and about twenty miles from Racine. His employer proved a hard task-master, and put the boy at the laborions work of ditch-digging, while he gave him the poorest kind of food, and even that to a very limited amount. After a month spent in a half-starved condition, and having been greatly overworked, he received the sum of $10 for his services. Broken in health, he left liis employer, and soon for- tunately fell in with a family that had re- cently come from the vicinity of his home in the State of New York. These people proved trne friends, and kindly cared for him through a long illness that followed, whichı was the legitimate result of his month of hardship and starvation. Ou recovering his health, young Boies continued at farm work until a year had elapsed since he left his home; lie then returned to his native town, having learned the useful lesson of self- reliance, wliich in after years enabled him to more easily overcome the difficulties that beset the way of him who has to hew out his own road through life. On his return to Anrora, Mr. Boies pursued a course of study
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at the academy of that village, and later spent one winter in school-teaching in Boone County, Illinois.
Returning to the State of New York, he was married in Aurora, on the 18th of April, 1848, to Miss Adela King, a daughter of Darius and Hannah King. Mrs. Boies was a native of Erie County. They had three children, of whom only one is now living, a daughter, Adela, who is now the widow of John Carson. Mrs. Carson resides at Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
In 1850 Mr. Boies began the study of law in Aurora, and was admitted to the bar at Buffalo at the general term of the Supreme Court in November, 1852. He pursued the practice of his profession in Buffalo and vicinity with marked success, and in the fall of 1857 was elected to represent his district in the New York House of Representatives for the session of 1858.
Mrs. Boies died in November, 1855, and he was married the second time in Decem- ber, 1858, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Miss Ver- salia M. Barber, who was born in Boston, Erie County, New York, a daughter of Dr. P. J. Barber. Mrs. Boies had removed to Iowa six months previous to her marriage. She died in April, 1877, leaving three chil- dren, a daughter and two sons. Earl L., the eldest, was graduated at Cornell College, studied law with his father, was admitted to the bar in 1886, and became the partner of his father. Jessie, the daughter, is her fatlier's companion and housekeeper. Her- bert B., the youngest, is a law student in his father's office at Waterloo.
After pursuing the practice of his pro- fession at Buffalo and vicinity for fifteen years, Mr. Boies removed to Iowa, settling at Waterloo in April, 1867. He at once formed a law partnership with H. B. Allen, and for a time the firm was Boies & Allen. Then
Carolton F. Couch, the present District Judge, was admitted to membership, and the firm name became Boies, Allen & Couch. That connection was continued till 1878, when Mr. Allen, on account of failing health, was obliged to withdraw, the firm becoming Boies & Couch until 1884, when Mr. Couch was elected Judge of the Ninth Judicial Dis- trict. Mr. Boies was then alone in business for a short time, when he was joined by his eldest son. In 1886 Mr. James L. Husted was admitted to membership in the firm, which has since continued under the name of Boies, Husted & Boies, and is widely known as a leading law firm of eastern Iowa.
Governor Boies was a Whig in early life, and on the disruption of that party and the formation of the Republican party, he joined the latter. He was never ambitious to serve in official position, and with the exception of his one terin in the Legislature of his native State and one term as City Attorney of Waterloo, he held no office of importance till elected Governor of Iowa in the fall of 1889. He maintained his connection with the Re- publican party until 1882, since which time he has affiliated with the Democrats. Gov- ernor Boies enjoys the distinction of being the first Governor of Iowa elected by the Democratic party for thirty-five years, and was the only successful candidate of his party on the State ticket at the late election. Considering the fact that the State was car- ried the year previous, in the Presidential election, by a majority of 35,000 in favor of the Republicans, the success of Governor Boies may be said to have been a compli- ment to him as a man and leader, without disparaging the splendid campaign work of his party managers, or ignoring the effect of the evident change in popular political senti- ment in Iowa.
Im Davis
MONTGOMERY AND ADAMS COUNTIES.
RANCIS MARION DAVIS, attorney at law and farmer of Adams county, was born near Columbus, Ohio, Angust 13, 1831, a son of Joseph and Editlı (De Ford) Davis, the father a native of Maryland and the mother, of Delaware. He is a descend- ant of Jolin Davis, an aide of La Fayette in our Revolutionary war. His grandmother was Ann Simpson, a near relative of Han- nah Simpson, the mother of General Ulysses Simpson Grant. Our subject still has in luis possession a musketthat was used in the battle of Trenton. Joseph Davis is a farmer, still residing on the old homestead, now aged ninety years; but his wife has been dead about sixteen years. They had six children, of whom three are still living.
The subject of this sketch, the second child and eldest son, was brought up on a farm and attended Blendon College (Presby- terian), and finally graduated at the Ohio Wesleyen University at Delaware, in the class of 1852. Then he took a trip to the South, but owing to the social ostracism of all Northern men existing at that day in the Sonth, he was not encouraged to remain there. In 1853 he returned from the Southi to Columbus, and for two years studied law in the office of Dennison & Carrington, Dennison afterward becoming Governor of Ohio, and Carrington, a Brigadier in the Fed- eral army. In 1855 he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Ohio. Soon thereafter he came to Iowa traveling on the cars to Rock Island, and from thence by stage to Des Moines, and from there on foot
to Adams county, carrying a surveyor's com- pass and staff, where he arrived at Quincy on the 5th of August. Here he immediately opened out in the practice of his profession of law and surveying, having at the first term of court thereafter thirty-seven cases and a large business, entering land for the early settlers, working night and day. The first three months after his arrival he earned $1,500, which he was able to invest in land; of this he still retains 200 acres. When at the Sonth he was fully impressed with the belief that a great slavery war would soon be inaugurated, and in 1856, during the Fre- mont and Buchanan campaign made several speeches in his neighborhood in which he told the people that the election of Buchanan would terminate in war between the South and North True to his convictions, as soon as Buchanan was inaugurated, in 1857, he organized a company called the Quincy Guards, which during the following years was thoroughly drilled in the duties of sol- diers. After Fort Sumpter was fired on the whole company was mnstered into the United States service for three years and became Company H, Fourth Iowa Infantry. This company became specially noted for efficiency in the years of the war that followed. In the spring of 1862 he organized Company D, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry and was chosen its Captain. This company saw active service in Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Texas. At Fort Pemberton, on the Yazoo, he was leading a charge of the regiment across a
20
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bayon against the fort, and received a wound in the stomach, which resulted in per- manently disabling him from the service; and he was discharged by order of the Secre- tary of War, for in incurable disability, in 1864. The wound is still a source of great disability to him, for which he receives a pension.
In 1876 he built the elegant residence which he now occupies, and his landed prop- erty now amounts to 2,000 acres; and he is also largely interested in stock. As a farmer he is one of the most extensive in the county. He is a member and commander of Lewellyn Post, G. A. R., which post was named for one of the original Quincy Guards, which he organized. He was made a Freemason as long ago as 1852, in the South, being a mem- ber of the same lodge with the noted rebel, Jolın B. Floyd. For many years he has been a pillar in the Congregational Church. In personal habits he is a model man. During his life he has practiced in all the courts, having many of the most noted cases in the United States Supreme Court, winning the Adams county swamp land case, the Hun- ter defalcation case, etc.
In politics Mr. Davis has always been anti- slavery and Union, taking part in favor of the anti-Nebraska (Republican) party of 1854, at Columbus, Ohio, and opposing the Dong- las doctrine of giving opportunity to the ex- tension of slavery. He has been county Attorney and county Judge; was a member of the Legislature of 1871-'73, aiding in the enactment of the Code of 1873.
He was married in 1857, to Miss Julia Clark, a native of Michigan, and of their three children two are living, one having died in infancy. Mrs. Davis died in 1880, and Mr. Davis was married again in 1883, to Miss Sarah Brown, the daughter of one of Adams county's prosperous farmers, by whom
he has two children, a boy and a girl, who are the present associates of his declining years. in their happy home.
F. PARMER, of section 6, Carl town- ship, was born in Washington county, Maryland, October 28, 1826, a son of Perry Parmer, a native of East Maryland, who served in the war of 1812. He married Susan Kitzmiller, a native of l'ennsylvania, and moved to Ogle county, Illinois, in 1846, where he died the same year, at the age of seventy-five years; his widow (second wife) survived until 1875, dying at the age of seventy-three years, a worthy member of the Church of God. By his first marriage he had three children, and by his second six. He was a farmer all his life.
Mr. Parmer, whose name introduces this sketch, was reared upon a Maryland farm, and at the age of nineteen years moved to Ogle county, Illinois. In 1852 he went to California, overland with an ox team, being about half a year on the journey. Was in the Golden State five years, engaged in mining and farming. In 1857 he returned by way of the Isthmus and New York city. In 1861 he purchased 120 acres of raw prai- rie where he now lives, and five years later he came and settled upon it, as a pioneer in that vicinity. It was then one mile, to the southeast and southwest, to the nearest neigh- bors. To the northwest there was but one family in the township of Victoria, Cass county, six miles distant. And here he has made one of the neatest, cosiest and finest improved farms in Carl township, appropri- ately called " Sunnyside." He has a good frame house, nicely furnished, an orchard of 100 bearing trees, a vineyard, a substantial Pennsylvania barn, 30 x 48 feet, with a stone
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basement, etc., etc. It now embraces 120 acres, and Mr. Parmer has also 120 acres in Washington township. Politically Mr. Par- mer is a Democrat; has never sought office, but has served his township as Trustee. He is a popular man, being a faithful citizen and good neighbor.
S. FICKEL, section 9, Carl township, Adams county, is one of the enter- prising and successful citizens of this vicinity.
He was born in Adams county, Pennsyl- vania, December 6, 1841, near the historic spot where the battle of Gettysburg was fought. His father, George Fickel, and his grandfather, John Fickle, were both natives of that county, and the latter was a soldier in the war of 1812. His great-grandfather, William Fickel, was born in Germany, emi- grated to America and became one of the first settlers in Adams county, Pennsylvania. George Fickel was reared in his native county and at the age of twenty-one was united in marriage with Elizabeth Schriver who was born and reared in that place, daugh- ter of Benjamin Schriver, of Pennsylvania. In 1865 they moved to Henry county, Iowa, where they lived eight years. In 1873 they moved to Adams county, Iowa, where, a year later, the wife died, leaving five sons and two daughters. George Fickel now resides with his son, T. S. The latter was reared on his father's farm and educated in the common schools.
.
During the late war Mr. Fickel enlisted, August 7, 1862, in the Pennsylvania Volun- teer Infantry, Company I, Regiment One Hundred and Twenty-seven, and served nine months. He took an active part in the battle
of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and other minor engagements.
After receiving an honorable discharge, lie returned to his home in Pennsylvania where he remained until 1865. That year he moved to Henry county, lowa, and made his home there till 1873, when he located on his pres- ent farm in Adams county. Here he owns 200 acres of well-improved land, has a nice cottage home and other substantial improve- ments.
Mr. Fickel was united in marriage, at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, June 23, 1867, to Miss Lealı J. Chronister, a native of Pennsylvania and daughter of John and Catherine Chron- ister. Their family is composed of nine children, namely: Warren C., Dora M., wife of W. E. Hofmeister, of Carl township, this county; and Cora A., Sadie E., Laura J., Harry A., Theressa S., John S. and Ruby C. Their first born, David, died at the age of three years.
The Fickels, father and son, are strong radical Republicans, and are numbered, so- cially, politically and financially, among the best citizens of the township.
ENNIS DONNELLY .- This gentle- man, who resides in section 22, Douglas township, is another one of the honored pioneers of Adams county, and as such is deserving of prominent mention in this volume.
He was born in Ireland, March 8, 1824. His father, Francis Donnelly, was a native of England, and for many years served as a soldier in the British army. He was stationed for some time in Ireland, and while there wedded Miss Mary Madegan, a native of the Emerald Isle. Dennis was quite young when
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he went to England, where he grew to man .- hood.
With his brother James, Mr. Donnely came to America and settled at Cincinnati, Ohio. He then spent some years in Ken- tucky, after which he returned to Cincinnati. For five years he was in the employ of Levi Folk, a milk dealer, and had entire charge of the business for that time. This gentleman was much interested in young Donnelly, and it was throngh his influence that the latter came West and purchased 160 acres of wild land, for which he paid $1.25 per acre. At first he pre-empted forty acres of land and lived on it a few months before settling on his present farm. His primitive log cabin, 12 x 14 feet, which served as a happy home for many a day, was replaced in 1870 by the two-story residence in which he now resides. His farm is well improved with good barn, fences, etc., and is one of the best in the township. An abundance of pure water is supplied from springs. Mr. Donnely gives his attention to general farming and stock- raising.
At the early age of eighteen he was mar ried in England, to Anna Stott, who has proved herself a worthy helpmate and com- panion to him. She was born in England, daughter of Thomas and Deborah Stott. Mr. and Mrs. Donnely have had four children born to them, two of whom are living, namely: Henry McClean and Elizabeth Aliee, wife of Joseph Lyman, all residing at the old homestead. Mrs. Lyman has two children, Mary Pearl and Anna. Those deceased are John, who died at the age of three years and eight months, and William, at the age of twenty-one. The latter was a bright young man of much promise and his death was a sad blow to his parents and many friends. Mr. Donnely has given his children the bene- fit of good educational advantages. Politi-
cally he is a radical Democrat; religiously, a believer in the teachings of the Gospel, though not a church member.
On the Donnelly homestead is a tree, planted in 1857, that has attained a wonder- ful growth, being now eleven feet in circnm- ference.
AMUEL S. DAY, deceased, was one of Douglas township's honored and esteemed citizens. He came here in 1874 and made this place his home until the time of his death, in 1883.
Samuel S. Day was born in Dearborn coun- ty, Indiana, Angust 14, 1834, son of Stephen M. Day, a native of Morristown, New Jer- sey, and a descendant of English ancestry. One of his ancestors, Mahlan Day, was a Quaker minister, and was lost at sea when on his return from England. Stephen M. Day married Emily O. Wilson, who was born in Maine, and was taken to Ohio when a child two years old. Her parents, Ira and Sarah (Clark) Wilson, both died in Ripley county, Indiana.
The subject of our sketch grew to man- hood on a farm in his native county and re- ceived a good education at Manchester Acad- emy, after which he engaged in teaching and proved himself a successful and popular teacher. August 12, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-third Indiana Infantry Volunteers, and August 19 of the following year was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. He served until the close of the war, and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, July 5, 1865. Returning to Dearborn coun- ty, he remeined there nntil the spring of 1867, when he went to Fayette county, Illi- nois. The latter place he made his home until 1874. At that time he located on eighty acres in Adams county, Iowa, im-
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proved a farnı and resided here until the time of his death.
Mr. Day was married, November 15, 1865, to Miss Mary S. Amdor, also a native of Dearborn county, Indiana. Her father, Ben- nett Amdor, was born in Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Germany, and was eighteen years old when he came to this country and located in In diana; her mother, Sophrona (Manley) Amdor, was a native of Ohio, and a daughter of James and Mary (Vaughn) Manley, natives of Ver- mont. The three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Day are Fannie L., Frank P. and Eda May. Both the daughters are efficient and popular teachers and the sou conducts the farming operations.
Mr. Day was a man whose influence was felt for good in the vicinity where he lived. He was a worthy and active member of the Baptist Church from his youth up, and was superintendent of the Sabbath-school at Middle valley schoolhouse. Politically he was a Republican and for a time served as Justice of the Peace. Always interested in educational matters, he was a member of the School Board for many years. Few men stood higher in the estimation of the com- munity than he. His death occurred July 9, 1883.
Mrs. Day and her family reside at the old homestead.
I. HAMILTON, of section 17, Grant township, came to this county in 1884,
6 where he is one of the intelligent and popular citizens. He was born in Preble county, Ohio, a son of Andrew M. Hamilton, who was a son of Andrew Hamilton, Sr .; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was born of Scotch parents. The mother of our subject was Margaret Ann (Hewitt) Hamil- ton, who was born on the ocean while her
parents were on their way to America from the North of Ireland; they settled in Preble county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were married in that county, and were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom grew to maturity. The father died in 1871, in McDonongh county, Illinois, at the age of fifty-three years; the mother is still living in Henry county, Iowa, at the age of seventy-three years. She has been an invalid for years. The father was a farmer all his life; a Democrat in his political views, and religiously a Protestant, and his children were reared in that faith.
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