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 27
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 27
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Mr. and Mrs. Curtis are the parents of four children, three of whom survive: William Albert. Francis and George; the fourth child died in infancy, The mother of these child- ren died in Taylor county, May 27, 1878. Mr. Curtis was again married April 4, 1888, to Miss Olive Jackson, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Isaac Jackson of Jasper township. By this union two children were born: Helen and Isaac.
Politically our subject is identified with the Democratic party.
HARLES LIEGEROT, a prominent farmer of Adams county, first came to the State of Iowa in the year 1855. Ile is a native of France, born April 3, 1844, and a son of Dominick and Marie Catherine (Villemain) Liegerot, natives of France. The father followed the trade of a carpenter in the old country; he emigrated to America in the summer of 1854, landing at New Orleans; thence he continued his journey up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to St. Joseph, Missouri; from that point he came to Adams county, Iowa, and located in Quincy township; he entered forty acres of Govern- ment land and forty-eight acres of swamp land, and in connection with his agricultural pursuits he engaged in the manufacture of lumber, sawing out almost all of the material used in the building of the old town of Quincy, which was then the county seat. In
1857 he removed to Hancock county, Illinois, where he resided until his death which oc- curred in October, 1865, at the age of fifty- seven years; his wife survived him until October, 1885, aged seventy-two years. They were the parents of four children: Emile, Marie Catherine, Irma, and the subject of this notice.
Charles Liegerot was ten years of age when he came to this country with his parents. He was reared to the occupation of a farmer, and attended the common schools. When he was eighteen years old his father gave him his time, and he became the archi- tect of his own fortunes. He first went to learn the wagon-maker's trade, but remained only eight months, during which time he learned enongh of the trade to make both the wood and iron work, and this knowledge was of great worth to him in after years. He afterwards was employed in various callings until his marriage which occurred in Han- cock county, Illinois, January 1, 1866; he was then united to Miss America Eveline Jackman, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Permeno and Catherine (Golden) Jack- man, old settlers of Hancock county of Puri- tan ancestry.
In 1866 Mr. Liegerot removed to Adams county, arriving on May 13th. He pur- chased 160 of land on section 28, Jas- per township; he improved this and made his home there until 1871, when he sold ont and moved to Nodaway county, Missouri; at the end of a year and a half he sold his farm there and again returned to Adams county. He and his wife had born to them four children; the oldest one died in infancy ; Irma Iola is the wife of E. P. Smith of Corn- ing; Charles Permeno survives, and Leon died at the age of three months. The mother of these children died November 6, 1872. Mr. Liegerot was a second time married, be-
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ing united November 8, 1874, to Miss Einma Stratton, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Daniel E. and Hannah (Luce) Stratton; the former was a native of New York, and the latter of Pennsylvania; they came to Adams county in 1871, and still reside there. Six children have been born of this second marriage; Birdie, deceased, Ern- est, deecased, Louie, deceased, Leo, Lois, and Grace.
Mr. Liegerot has a landed estate of 295 acres; he has made inany improvements and las the land under excellent cultivation. Politically he a'liliates with the Republican party.
R. CULVER was born in Cedar coun- ty, Iowa, in 1863, son of Orace and. Catherine (Hairry) Culver, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. Orace Culver pre-empted Government land in Cedar county forty years ago, and still resides on it. D. R. Culver was reared on the old homestead, passed his youth in farm work, and received his education in the pub- lic schools of his native county. In 1882 he came to Carl township, Adams county, and bought a farm of 160 acres in section 4, where he has since lived. His place is well improved with buildings, etc., and his atten- tion is given to general farming and stock. raising.
Mr. Culver was married in Adams county, Iowa, in April, 1887, to Miss Eldora Conard, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Polsen) Conrad, natives of Ohio. Two children, Eldora Blanchie and Clinton, have been born to them. Mr. Culver was reared in the faith of the Methodist Protest- ant Church, his parents being worthy inem- bers of that denomination. He votes the Republican ticket.
H. SCHOOLING, one of the pioneer settlers of Adams county, and resid- ing on section 23, Washington town- ship (postoffice Mt. Etna), was born in Bullitt county, Kentucky, February 13, 1813, the son of Joseph and Polly (Frame) Schooling, his father a native of Virginia and his mother of Kentucky. His father, a farmer by occupation, was a captain in the war of 1812, although he never saw active service. He was brought by his parents to Kentucky at the age of sixteen years, and after his marriage there he moved to Ver- million county, Indiana, in 1822, locating upon a farm. In 1837 he removed to Barry county, in the southwestern part of Mis- souri, settling again upon a farm, and lived there until his death, in 1850, at the age of about seventy-four years. His wife died while in Indiana, about the year 1823. He married again in that State, Miss Margaret Wilson, by whom he had five children; he had had eleven by his first marriage, of whom five are still living.
The subject of this notice, the third-born in the above family, began business for him- self at the age of twenty years, mining lead at Galena, Illinois. A year afterward he be- gan farming, in which he has ever since con- tinued, with fairly good success. Beginning without other means than his own brain and muscle, he pushed himself on to victory.
In 1852 he came to Iowa, entering 160 acres of land, to which he has since added until.he now owns 500 acres, half of which is now well improved. It is mostly fertile bottom land, susceptible of raising good crops of corn, hay and oats. He lias a good orchard, raises also small fruits, and has all the comforts a good farm life can bring.
Publicly he has been a county Supervisor, Justice of the Peace, etc. He is a substan- tial and prominent citizen. He was married
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in 1835, to Miss Susan Ireland, danghter of William Ireland, of Vermillion county, Indi- ana, and they had nine children, as follows: P. G., a merchant at Mt. Etna, who married Caroline Ireland; Joseph, who enlisted Angust 13, 1862, in Company A, Twenty- Ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and died of sickness contracted in the service April 9, 1863, at the age of twenty-four years, was born April 17, 1839; William F., who en- listed the same day as his brother, in the same company, took the same disease and died in the same hospital, at the same honr; he was born October 5, 1841. Mary A., wife of J. N. Fisher, a farmer of Washing- ton township. Martha A., the wife of F. M. Thompson, of this county; R. N., a mer- chant of Massena, Iowa, who married Marga- ret Cummins. The other children died in early childhood. Their mother died in 1880, at the age of sixty-three years. She was a dutiful wife, a model mother and a good neighbor.
Politically Mr. Schooling has acted with the Republican party. Coming here, as he did, as early as 1852, he is one of the oldest pioneers of the county, in which there were bnt seven families at the same time, who had to go to Savannah or St. Joseph for their trading.
H. PALMER, the present postmaster of Red Oak, was born in Northfield township, Summit county, Ohio, Octo- ber 8, 1840, the son of Resolved Palmer, a native of Rensselaer county, New York, born in 1808. He was of Quaker parentage, bnt later in life became identified with the Methodist Church. He married Mary Sweam, a native of New Jersey, and both parents re- moved with their parents to Salem, Ohio, and later to Summit county, where they
passed the remainder of their lives. Our subject was one of a family of ten children, five of whom, four sons and a daughter, are still living.
Mr. Palmer was reared on a farm, and at the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion he resolved to enter the service, and enlisted as a member of the Second Ohio Cavalry. This was one of Ohio's many famous regiments, and did valiant and important service to the cause of the Union. The first expedition of the regiment was through the Southwest, spending considerable time in traversing the State of Missouri, and thence to Arkansas and Indian Territory. In less than a year, as the result of hard marching and fighting, the regiment had become reduced from 1,200 to 700 men. Returning to Ohio and recruit- ing, they went thence to Tennessee and Ken- tucky. At the battle of Columbia, Kentucky, Jnly 3, 1863, Captain Palmer was severely wounded, and fell into the hands of the Con- federates, by whom his leg was amputated. Being left by the Rebels he was cared for by a loyal family, and as soon as able returned home, where, after a short stay, he obtained a cork leg and rejoined his regiment in front of Petersburg, Virginia. Mr. Palmer is thus without a hospital record ! He was mustered ont at Harper's Ferry, September 25, 1864, by reason of the expiration of his term of service.
Returning to Ohio, he soon afterward went to Binghamton, New York, where he spent a year attending school, after which he accepted a position as bookkeeper and cashier in a large dry-goods house in Cleveland. His health failed, however, from overwork and close confinement, and he returned to the Ohio farm. Being elected connty Assessor, he improved in health by the exercise which the duties of that office afforded, being re- quired to spend much of his time in riding
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about the country. Later he engaged in the live-stock business and also in the grocery trade at Macedonia, Ohio, and at the same time filled the positions of Justice of the Peace and postmaster. He came to Red Oak in 1870 and engaged in the livery business, in which he still continues, having one of the most complete and extensive livery establish- ments in this part of the State. In 1873 Mr. Palmer was elected Clerk of Montgomery county, serving two terms. He was a mem- ber of the City Council for five years, and has been largely engaged in shipping stock. He has served as Sheriff four terms, his last term expiring January 1, 1889, and January 30, 1889, he assumed the duties of post- master, to which he was appointed by Presi- dent Harrison.
In 1866 Mr. Palmer was married to Miss Frances S. Griffis, of Edinburg, Ohio, and they have had seven children : Blanche, Dean, Mary, Louise, Charley, Resolved and Minnie. Mr. Palmer, as already stated, is widely known. His long and successful official career, together with his pronounced views on all the leading issues of the day, have given him an extended reputation, and in his social and political relations is numbered with the foremost citi- zens of Montgomery county.
L. ELLIS, Nevinville, Adams county, Iowa, is a Nova Scotian by birtlı, lıav- ing first seen the light on the 23rd of November, 1826. When a mere lad he went to Massachusetts, and lived in that State un- til he was twenty-nine years old. He came to Adams county, Iowa, and settled where he now resides in the fall of 1856. His father, J. A. Ellis, also a native of Nova Scotia, was born March 10, 1803. He, however, spent the greater part of his life in Massachusetts,
where he died April 15, 1887. His family consisted of twelve children, seven daughters and five sons, J. L. being the eldest son.
In 1857 Mr. Ellis commenced farming near Nevinville, and in June of that year was united in marriage to Miss Theresa M. Trask, who came from Nova Scotia to join him. They have been blessed with eight children, five of whom are living. Among their number are two pairs of twins. Their oldest son, Walter M. Ellis, is a Congrega- tional minister, now stationed in Wisconsin; George R. Ellis is engaged in gold-mining in the Black Hills, South Dakota; Elizabeth M. Ellis is engaged in teaching in the public schools of Fontanelle, Adair county, Iowa; her twin sister, Miss Theresa A., is a teacher, stenographer and typewriter, at present resid- ing in Denver, Colorado; Robert W. is a student of Tabor College, and is also a teacher.
Mr. Ellis, like his father before him, has always been a farmer. He owns 135 acres of fine, well-improved land in sections 3 and 2, Colony township, and is engaged in gen eral farming and stock-raising, giving especial attention to the breeding of Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs. He has a beautiful home, two large barns, numerous outbuild- ings, fine orchard and groves, and every thing necessary for successfully carrying on agri- cultural pursuits.
Mr. Ellis served one term as connty Sur- veyor, and for fifteen years as Justice of the Peace in Nevinville; has also hield, on various occasions, the offices of Township Trustee, member of the School Board, etc. He has ever taken an active part in the promotion of the educational interests of the community in which he lived. In politics he is a Repub- lican. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis have been con- nected with the Congregational Church of Nevinville ever since its organization thirty- three years ago, and he has served in the ca-
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pacity of Deacon for fifteen years. Their family are also members of the same church. For the past forty-three years Mr. Ellis has kept a record of daily events.
S. BARKER, an enterprising farmer of section 22, Nodaway township, was born in Perry county, Ohio, January 30, 1835, the son of Samuel Barker, who was born at Cayuga Lake, New York, the son of John Barker, a native of New England. John married Miss Chamberlain. His grand- father was one of three brothers who emi- grated from England to New England. The maiden name of the mother of C. S. was Elizabeth Straight; she was a daughter of William Straight; and her inother's name before marriage was Miss Immel, and she was of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. Sam- nel Barker had six sons and five daughters, eight of whom are now living. Three of the sons were in the army; James and John were in the Sixty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; James died in June, 1866, from disease con- tracted in the United States service. Joseph was a member of the Thirty-first Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, and now lives in Crawford county, Illinois. John lives in Mercer county, Ohio. The parents resided in Ohio until their death, both past sixty years. The father was a farmer all his life. In politics he was a Democrat until the war, since which time he has been a zealous Republican. In reli- gion he was an active member and class- leader of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. C. S. Barker, our subject, was brought up on an Ohio farmn. In 1859 he moved to Crawford county, Illinois; in 1871 to Van Bnren connty, Iowa, being on the road dnr- ing the great Chicago fire of October 9-11, that autuinn; and in 1872 he came to Adams
connty and located upon the place he now ocenpies, which was then land entirely wild. It now contains 120 acres. He has a new residence, 16 x 24 feet in dimensions and built on a stone foundation. The Lis 14 x 16 feet.
Mr. Barker was married in Fairfield county, Ohio, to Miss Lucretia Siniff, who was born and reared in that county, a daughter of Ja- cob Siniff, and they have three children liv- ing, viz .: Dora A., Charles O. and Silus W., -all at their parental home. Besides, two children died,-Cora Ellen and Alice Belle, both of whom died at the age of three years. The great loss of Mr. Barker's life has been that of his beloved life companion, which oc- curred July 8, 1888. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a kind wife and mother. Mr. Barker lias been a member of the church for over forty years, and for several years was class- leader. Dora and Charles O. are also worthy members of the same church. In politics Mr. Barker is a Democrat.
OSEPH FISHER, postoffice Nevinville, is one of the enterprising and successful farmers of Carl township, Adamns county, Iowa. IIe was born in Austria, March 19, 1857, son of Joseph and Mary (Svejkovska) Fisher, natives of Bohemia, in Austria. He was one year old when his parents came to America. After residing two years in Chi- cago they eamne te Iowa and settled in John- son county. They subsequently removed to Keya Paha county, Nebraska, where the father died and where the mother still makes her home; but Joseph moved to Adams county, Iowa.
The latter grew up on a farm in Johnson county, Iowa, and owing to the poor cir-
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cumstances of his parents he was unable to receive even common school education, but in later years he acquired a good education by home study in both languages. In 1880 he came to this county, and three years later purchased his present farm from Alonzo Keezler. It is one of the best improved farms in the neighborhood; has an attractive cottage with bay window and porch, and is surrounded by shade trees, orchard and grove; outbuildings, windmill, good fences, and other improvements all combine to make it a desir- able property, and indicate at once the suc- cess which has attended its owner.
Mr. Fisher has been twice married. At the age of twenty-three he was married in Johnson county, Iowa, to Miss Josephine Patera, also a native of Austria. Their union was blessed with five children-Delia, Aggie, Molly, Clara and Edward. Aggie died from the effect of a burn. Mrs. Fisher's death occurred January 4, 1890. October 18, 1890, Mr. Fisher wedded Miss Minnie Seeley, daughter of W. B. Seeley, of Carl township.
AVID BENNINGHOFF was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, De- cember 9, 1832, a son of George and Elizabeth (Dovenspec) Benninghoff, both of German extraction. His paternal grand- father was a Revolutionary soldier.
Mr. Benninghoff was quite young when his parents moved from Pennsylvania to Ashland connty, Ohio, where he was reared on a farm. At the age of eighteen he began to learn the trade of blacksmith, and served an appren- ticeship of three years. Then, at Mansfield, Ohio, he worked as a journeyinan for some time, and in later years as proprietor of shops at other places. In 1852 he moved to Allen county, Iudiana, where he worked at
his trade for two years. In 1854 he made the journey, via the Panama route, to Cali- fornia, and for four years was engaged in work at his trade on the Pacific coast. At the end of that time he returned to Indiana. Eighteen months later, however, he again went to California. where he spent the fol- lowing five years, working at his trade and mining, being successful in his operations. Going back to Indiana again, he engaged in farming in Allen county, near Ft. Wayne, which he continued until 1885. That year he came to Adams county, Iowa, and bought his present farm in section 24, Carl township. This place was known as the D. E. Moore farm, and has the reputation of being the best farm in Adams county. It contains 240 acres and is well adapted for stock or grain. The residence, a commodious two-story one, built on the Southern style, was erected in 1890, and is located some rods back from the highway. An attractive feature of this farm is the fifteen-acre grove of maples and black walnuts, which for beauty and value is un- rivaled by any in the county. A good barn, windmill, fences, etc., are among the other improvements on Mr. Benninghoff's farm.
Mr. Benninghoff was married in Allen county, Indiana, at the age of thirty, to Miss Elizabeth Hoffman, who was born and reared in Crawford county, Ohio, daughter of George and Elizabeth Hoffman. They have six chil- dren, viz .: Alice, wife of Allen Compton of Corning, Iowa; Ed D., at home; William H., a stenographer in the employ of a railroad company in Texas; Charlie, stenographer in a law office in Corning, Iowa; and Daisy and Jesse, at home. Their fourth child, Clarra, died at the age of eighteen months.
Politically Mr. Benninghoff affiliates with the Democratic party. He was made a Mason at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, while a resi- dent of Allen county. Well informed on the
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general topics of the day, stored with remi- niscences connected with his extensive trav- els, possessed with a cordial manner and a pleasing address, Mr. Beminghoff is a man who makes many friends, and who is most respected by those who know him best.
OSEPH ELLIOTT COWLES, a farmer of section 15, Nodaway township (post- office Nodaway), was born in Geauga county, Ohio, September 19, 1835, a son of Benjamin Cowles, a native of New York State. His father was Elliott Cowles, a native of New England and of English an- cestry. Joseph's mother, whose name before marriage was Lodisa King, was a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Samuel King, an early settler of Geauga county, that State. Benjamin Cowles had four sons, one of whom, Frank, was a member of the Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service at Camp Ashland, Kentucky. Ben- jamin and wife lived in Geauga county, Ohio, until their death,-he dying at a little past sixty years of age, and she past fifty. He was a Democrat in his political principles, and in religion a Universalist.
The subject of this sketcli, the eldest son in the above family, was reared to farm work. In the fall of 1855 he came to Black Hawk county, Iowa, where he spent the winter with a brother-in law, John Murphy. In the spring he came to Adams county and pur- chased 160 acres in Nodaway valley, which he proceeded to convert into a good farın. In 1865 he sold it, returned to Geauga county, Ohio, and engaged in merchandising for three years, returning then to this county. Here he now owns 240 acres of well-improved land. Ilalf of it is bottom land, and some is in timber. The farm is well adapted to both
grain and stock-raising. Upon the premises are a good frame house, 20 x 40 feet and one and a half stories ligli, a barn 44 x 52, a poultry house 12 x 52, fitted up with all the modern improvements, etc. Every feature of the place is an evidence of the thrift and good judgment of the proprietor." He is a Republican. He was made a Mason in 1867, and is now a member of Lodge No. 93, at Chardon, Ohio.
Ile was first married in Geauga county, Ohio, in 1859, to Miss Anna Bushmell, a daughter of Elijah Bushnell. They had one daughter, Jesse J., now the wife of L. L. Bullock, of Nodaway township. Mrs. Cowles died in 1875, and Mr. Cowles, in February, 1878, married Mrs. Flora Chase, a native of Ashtabula county, Ohio, and a daughter of Seth and Olive (Beverly) Lobdell, natives of Steuben county, New York.
AVID VAN HOUTEN, a farmer re- siding on section 7, Prescott township, was born in New Jersey, April 14, 1833, a son of Jolin and Elizabeth (Kent) Van Hou- ten, natives also of that State. His father was a descendant of Holland Dutch ancestors, who were early settlers in New Jersey; and his mother was the daughter of William Kent, a native of New Jersey and of German an- cestry. David was a babe when his father moved with the family to Columbus, Ohio, where they lived two years. Then they joined the Latter-Day Saints at Nauvoo, Illinois; two years afterward they went to Missouri, and two years later still to Madison county, Iowa. John Van Houten came to Adams county in 1867, and lived there until his death. His wife is now living in Fremont county, Iowa, seventy-six years of age. David has three brothers living: Peter, in Wyoming
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Territory; George A., in Lenox, Iowa, a prominent horticulturist; and Oscar, in Fre- mont county, this State.
Mr. Van Houten, whose name introduces this sketch, grew up to manhood during the pioneer times of Madison county, this State, when deer and wolves were plentiful, and Frink & Walker Concord stages were the " fliers" that carried the passengers overland. Des Moines was only a Government fort. In 1860 he went to Pike's Peak in search of gold, and returned to Iowa. In 1863 he went to the Rocky Mountains and to the Pa- cific coast, and even to South America, pros- pecting and mining. In 1866 he was in Ne- vada, engaged in the mines there; in 1867-8 he was on the Pacific coast again. Return- ing again to Iowa, lie settled in the neigh- borhood where he now lives, and has one of the best farms in that section, consisting of 160 acres of well-improved land. He has a new residence, 26 x 32 feet in dimensions and one and a half stories high, a barn and all other outbuildings and improvements necessary to a good farm, and well arranged, and an orchard, etc.
In his political sympathies Mr. Van Houten is a "Greenbacker." Has served as Justice of the Peace three years, with entire satisfaction to the public. He is now in the prime of life, and by his extensive travels he - has a general knowledge of the world, and is therefore liberal in his views. He is frank and genial, as is characteristic of Western hospitality.
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