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 28
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 28
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He was married in Cass county, Iowa, to Miss Esther L. Cain, a native of London, England, and a daughter of James and Esther (Thomas) Cain. She was twelve years old when she came with her parents to America. By this marriage there have been six children, as follows: Esther Elba, now the wife of George Carl, of Prescott
township; Anne; Charles F. lives in Quincy township; William, who was married in No- vember, 1891, to Netty Balentine, of Scotch parentage; and Alfred, Lulu and David W. Five children were lost by deatlı, namely: Elizabeth, at the age of seven years; John W., in his fourth year; Peter W., in his second year; an infant boy; and George, at the age of thirteen years. Charles F. has two sons,-Malvern and David Howard; and Esther E. Carl has two children,-Mabel and Dorthula.
AMES A. MASON, a farmer of section 5, Nodaway township, was born May 11, 1842, in Venango county, Pennsylvania, in which county his father, William Mason, was one of the first settlers. He was a tailor by trade but resorted to farmning as soon as his sons were old enough to assist He was a descendant of that intelligent and sturdy race, the Scotch-Irish. Several of the ances- tors of our subject served in the wars of the Revolution and 1812. James' mother's name before marriage was Juliette Webber. She was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Andrew Webber, of German descent. Mr. William Mason, on his first settlement in Pennsylvania, had to carry flour for his family on his back for seventy- five miles. He had six sons and six daugh- ters, of whom eleven are still living. In 1856 he moved to Dubnque, Iowa, where he for a time engaged in lead mining. He died at the age of seventy-three years, and his surviving wife resides at Fontanelle, Adair county, Iowa. Two of his sons were in the armny: Joseph A., in the Eighth Iowa Cav- alry, and John S., in the Twelfth Iowa In- fantry.
The subject of this sketch was reared to farm work, and in 1871 he came to Adams
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county, locating upon a tract of wild land. He has now a fine farm of 140 acres, well improved, a good one-and-a-half story honse, twenty-eight feet square, an orchard of 500 trees, a vineyard, a plat of small fruits, fifteen stands of bees, etc. Although forty-nine years of age, Mr. Mason looks ten years younger, is an affable, jovial gentleman and highly respected. His first presidential vote lie east for Abraham Lincoln.
He was married, in Dubnque, Iowa, at the age of twenty-six years, to Miss Mary I. Elwell, who was born in 1849, the daughter of Joseph Elwell, one of the oldest settlers of this State, eoming here in April, 1834. Mr. Mason was acquainted with, and often talked with him after the war. He was born in Warren County.
KRETCHMER, manufacturer of and dealer in beekeepers' supplies, and importer and breeder of Italian bees, has near Red Oak one of the largest estab- lishinents of the kind in the United States, and is therefore one of the best known bee men in this eonntry. He imported the first Italian queen bee west of the Mississippi river, in 1861, and is the author of four standard works on the honey bee. His "Bee- keepers' Guide-Book" was one of the first published in the United States, and is still a popular and valuable work. In 1864 he manufactured supplies in Des Moines county, Iowa, and in 1866 he came to Coburg, Iowa, and was engaged in the bee business there for years, with great snecess. That village was laid out on his farm, and at that place he was postmaster for a time. He came to Red Oak in 1890, with a plant which cost $12,000. The main building is two stories high, is 60 x 86 feet in ground area; one
other building, also two stories high, is 30 x 80 feet; and the store house or ware- room is 24 x 45 feet. Mr. Kretehmer's sales are made by correspondence, and he issues annually, a fifty-two-page catalogue to parties in every State and Territory of the Union Great Britain. Germany, Australia and South America. He employs eighteen men in the wholesale department alone.
Mr. Kretehmer was born on a United States vessel on the ocean, received his edu- cation in Prussia, became a cadet in the Prussian army and breveted Lientenant. At the age of seventeen years he came to this country and settled at Pleasant Grove, Des Moines county, this State. For some time he was elerk on a steamboat. During the war he was one of the first to enlist, comning out with the first Iowa Infantry Regiment; he afterward enlisted in the Eleventh Illinois Ca alry, where he served two years. He was captured by the enemy near Corinth, Mississippi, and was confined for a time at Jackson, and at Vieksburg for two or three months, when he was exchanged. On ac- count of disability he was honorably dis- charged, when he was First Lieutenant of Company H, and he returned to Pleasant Grove; but sinee 1867 he has been a resi- dent of Montgomery county. His present ·place comprises 189 aeres, near the town of Red Oak, a large part of which is within the incorporation, with a residence which cost $10,000. It is, indeed, one of the best resi- denees in the county, while the premises and surroundings are both tasteful and command- ing.
Mr. Kretehmer was married, in 1864, in Des Moines connty, Iowa, to Miss Iowa Clark, a daughter of Justus Clark, and they had four sons and three daughters, namely: Justus C., Elizabeth Eleanor, now the wife Charles Collard, of Kearney, Nebraska, and
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a graduate of Red Oak high school; Charles W., of New Mexico; May Adelina, Viola M., Bernard E. and Raymond. In 1880 Mr. Kretchmer married for his present wife Miss Caroline, daughter of Peter Smith, and by this union is one daughter, named Valen- cia. Mr. Kretchmer is a Republican in his political views, being one of the wheel- horses of the party. He has served three years and a half as county Supervisor, has had all the township offices, filling every position with credit and satisfaction. He is a member of the G. A. R .. Has taken every degree in Odd Fellowship and has held every prominent office in all its branches. He is also a very accomplished Mason and has held the highest offices in that order from the blue lodge to the Mystic Slirine not forgetting the Eastern Star, which mainly through his efforts, was organized here.
OHN W. HOUCK, one of the highly re- spected and well-to-do citizens of Adams county, Iowa, was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, August 19, 1844. His father was John Houck, deceased, one of the prominent early settlers of this county, and his mother was nee Ernestine Amdor. John W. was the second born in their family, and was five years old when his parents moved to Marion county, Iowa. In 1852 his father came to this county, bought a large tract of land and improved one of the best farms in that part of the State.
In 1859 young Houck went with his father to Pike's Peak, returning in the fall of 1860. He was reared to farm work, and his educa- tion was obtained in the common schools of the county. It was not until he was twenty- nine years old that he left the parental home and settled on a farm of his own-the one
on which he still resides. Prosperity has at- tended his efforts, and from year to year he has added to his landed estate until he is now one of the largest property owners in the county. His home farm is in section 6, Quincy township, and consists of 219 acres of well-improved land. He owns sixty acres in section 1 and 520 acres in sections 15 and 22, Douglas township. His home, a com- fortable and commodious residence, built in modern style and well furnished and finished throughout, is beautifully located and sur- rounded by a variety of shade and orna- mental trees, orchard, grove, etc. Substan- tial and commodious barn and outbuildings, stock scales, wells and good fences and other improvements and conveniences indicate at once the thrift and enterprise of the owner. A portion of his land in Douglas township is bottom land, set to blue grass, and rivals the blue-grass regions of Kentucky, the rest of his holdings in that township being up- land, and well improved, with buildings, etc. Mr. Houck has given much attention to the stock business, and is one of the most suc- cessful and extensive stock men in the county. The past year lie sold $4,000 worth of cattle and $2,000 worth of hogs.
He was married March 4, 1873, to Miss Sarah J. Falconer, a native of Ohio and a daughter of John and Harriet (Thorn borough) Falconer, both natives of Ohio. Her father died in that State, and her mother is now a resident of Carl, Iowa. Mrs. Houck received her education in Belmont county, Ohio. They have three children,-Harry, Amy Daisy and Nettie E. Their youngest, Percy, died at the age of eleven months.
Mr. Houck is a Republican. He and his family are attendants of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, of which he is a liberal sup- porter. Always interested in the promotion of educational and religious matters, adhering
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to the strictest integrity in all his business dealings, ever frank and cordial in his inter- course with his fellow-men, he is a popular and highly esteemcd citizen.
W. HARLOW, dealer in general mer- chandise, dry-goods, clothing, boots and shoes, groceries, etc., has been en- gaged in business in Carl, Adams county, Iowa, since October, 1889. The year after he established his business here he purchased the store of his competitor, E. Rice, and con- solidated the stocks. Mr. Harlow is a man of fine business ability, and is one of the most successful merchants in the county. Located in the center of a rich agricultural district, he now does a business that amounts to $16,000 per annum, and has a trade that is constantly increasing.
Mr. Harlow was born in Quincy, Adams county, Iowa, when that hamlet was the county seat of Adams county, and before the steam whistle had been heard in the vales of Western Iowa, his birthi occurring Septem- ber 1, 1865. His parents, B. W. and Lydia (Kelly) Harlow, came to this county in 1856, and were among the early settlers of Quincy. The father was engaged in business there for a time. He subsequently went to Corning, where he did a hardware business. From there he moved to Spivey, Kingman county, Kansas. C. W. Harlow was reared in Corn- ing, and received a good education. At the age of eighteen he engaged in business. In 1885 he went to Kansas, where he was in business four years. Returning to Adams county, he established himself in his present location. He is the Nasby of the Cross Roads. In November, 1890, he was ap- pointed postmaster of Carl, and has proved himself an efficient and popular officer.
Near Mt. Etna, Iowa, on the 4th day of September, 1887, Mr. Harlow was nnited in marriage with Miss Edna Davis, an estimable young lady, and the daughter of Thomas H. Davis, one of the pioneers of Adams county, prominent mention of whom will be found on another page of this work. They have two daughters, Lealı and Lois.
He is a member of Mount Etna Lodge, No. 382, I. O. O. F., and of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically he is a Re- publican.
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SAAC O. MEANS .- This gentleman is one of the worthy citizens of Adams county and is justly deserving of bio- graphical mention on these pages. Briefly, an outline of his life is as follows:
Isaac (). Meaus was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, August 6, 1821, son of William and Sarah (Evans) Means. William was a son of Jolin Means, a soldier of the war of 1812. The father of Sarah Means, Samuel Evans, dropped dead at the breakfast table, of heart disease. His wife died in 1851. William Means and his wife had eleven children, namely: William C., Samuel B., who was instantly killed in a runaway, aged about fifty years; Robert G., who died at the age of sixty-five; Jolin H .; Elizabeth, Mrs. C. Hall, who died at the age of forty; James J .; Isaac O., the subject of our sketch ; Mary M., Mrs. James Steward, deceased at the age of thirty; Amanda M., Mrs. S. Long, deceased at thirty-two; Charles B., who died at the age of four years; and Sarah, at the age of two years. Charles and Sarah and their father all died the same week, in August, 1830.
Isaac O. left Kentucky with his parents in 1830 aud went to Jefferson county, Indiana, where the parents and two children sleep side
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by side. In that county, February 17, 1845, Mr. Means wedded Susan Snider, and their union has been blessed with eleven children, as follows: William F., who died at the age of two years; James S., a sketch of whom follows this; Sarah C., who died in the bloom of young womanhood, aged sixteen years; Mary J., Mrs. Oliver Cooper; George R., Isaac B, Daniel P., Amanda M., who died at the age of four years; Thorison W., Zoa A., Mrs. Simpson Robison, and Melvin A.
In 1855 Mr. Means moved from Indiana to Missouri; thence a year later to Henry county, Iowa; seven years afterward to War- ren county, Illinois ; thence to Missouri again; two years later to Nebraska; in 1880 to Adams county, Iowa, where he has since resided.
Mr. Means is a member of the State Alli- ance, generally votes the Democrat ticket. and he and his wife are both worthy mem- bers of the Evangelical church. In the Means home is found that generons hospi- tality which characterized their Kentucky ancestors.
AMES S. MEANS, a prominent farmer residing in section 17, Washington township, Adamns county, was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, December 11, 1848, son of Isaac O. and Susan (Snider) Means. He has been engaged in farming all his life. He came to his present location in 1880. Here he owns 160 acres of choice land, and but few farmers of his age in the county have a more encouraging outlook than he. His home is located on a truncated cone and commands a most magnificent view of the surrounding country. His land is well adapted for general farming and stock-raising, and to the latter Mr. Means has given special attention, raising cattle and hogs. He has a
nice orchard and an abundance of small fruits.
Mr. Means was married, December 28, 1876, to Miss Caroline Bunting, daughter of John and Mary (Waters) Bunting, of War- ren county, Illinois, now honored and re- spected citizens of Adams county, Iowa, living near Prescott. Their children are eight in number: Caroline, Mrs. Means, Orville D., Mary L. E., now Mrs. Frank McCabe; Fran- cis M., John Thomas, Anna E., died at the age of one year, nine months; two died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Means have one child, Mary Bertha. Politically Mr. Means is a Democrat. He is also a member of the Farmers' Alliance.
JOHN BROWN resides on section 12, Nodaway township, where he settled in
5 1874. His farm, which is on sections 11 and 14, contains 125 acres. He was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in February, 1826, the son of John H. and Mary (Mc- Pheren) Brown, the former a native of Seneca county, New York, and the latter of Pen- sylvania, and both were early settlers of Mus- kingum county, Ohio. The father was of Scotch descent, and the son of Alexander Brown, a native of Scotland. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was George McPheren, a native of Ireland.
John Brown, onr subject, has been three times married. His first wife was Levina Libbie. The second was Mary James, who died in Nodaway township in April, 1875. His present wife was Mrs. Sarah E. Myers; her maiden name was Sarah E. Purdnm. She was born in Perry connty, Ohio, in 1841, and is the daughter of Levi B. and Sarah (Harrison) Purdum. Sarah Purdum was the danghter of Nathan and Mary Harrison, natives of England. The paternal grand-
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parents were natives of Wales. Mr. Brown is the father of twelve living children, and the brother of James H. Brown, of Jasper township.
AMES M. GLADSON, who resides on section 29, Quincy township, is one of the pioneers of Adams connty, having arrived here in 1855. He was born in Put- nam county, near Greencastle, Indiana, in 1834, the son of Nathan Gladson, a native of North Carolina, where he was reared. He removed with his father's family to Indiana, where he married Ilenrietta Campbell, a native of East Tennessee, who removed with her parents to Indiana. Nathan Gladson removed from Putnam county to Carroll county, where he died, when his son, the subject of this notice, was a child of about four years. The mother survived until 1885. They were the parents of three children, all of whom were sons. Jeremiah, the second son, was a soldier in the Tenth Missouri Regiment, in the war of the Rebellion. He marched with Sherman to the sea, but was killed in the taking of Fort McAllister, in North Carolina. The third child died in early infancy.
When nineteen years of age Mr. Gladson, our subject, left bis mother's home in Indi- ana to make his own way in life. He con- templated going to California, but on reach ing this portion of Iowa he decided to continue no farther west, and, with others who accompanied him, decided to settle here. The first land that he owned was adjoining the present village of Brooks. He settled on his present farm and began making improve- ments the same year, in 1865. He has 120 acres under a good state of improvement. He was married January 13, 1856, to Miss Almira Newcomb, a native of Maine, and |
daughter of William and Elizabeth (Sides- parker) Newcomb. The father was of Eng- lish descent, his father having emigrated from England and settled in Massachusetts previous to the birth of his son. There the parents of William Newcomb passed the re- mainder of their lives. William removed from Massachusetts to Maine, and died in Burnham, Waldo county. The mother after- ward married Zachariah Lawrence, and came to Iowa in the fall of 1856. The family settled in what is now Douglas township. The wife and mother returned to Maine in 1865, on a visit, and died while there. Mr. Law- rence lived several years after the death of his wife. Mrs. Gladson was one of thirteen chil- dren, four daughters and nine sons, several of whom are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Gladson have had nine children, seven of whom are living, five sons and two daugh- ters, viz .: Frank M., Viola C., Henrietta E., William N., Charles N., Levi W., Arthur N. The deceased were Lolo and Freddie, both having died in early childhood.
Mrs. Gladson is a member of the Congre- gational Church. While taking no active part in polities, and not strongly partisan in his views, he affiliates with the Democatic party. Thus have we given a brief sketch of one of Adams county's old and respected families, who, have lived here for more than thirty-five years, and are well worthy a place in the record of the old settlers of Adams county.
EORGE COOPER, one of the promi- 392 nent farmers and business men of Adams county, resides on section 36, Lincoln township.
Mr. Cooper is a native of Lincolnshire, England, born September 15, 1838, a son of John and Ann (Curtis) Cooper, both
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MONTGOMERY AND ADAMS COUNTIES.
natives of that country. In early life his father made a trip to America, remained three years at Montreal and then returned to England, where he spent the rest of his days. He was a farmer all his life. He and his wife were prominent members of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. The father went from labor to reward November 27, 1878, at the age of seventy-eight years; the mother died January 20, 1885, aged eighty-two. This worthy couple were the parents of five children, George being the third born.
Mr. Cooper received his education in Eng- land, and there began farming for himself at the age of twenty-two years. This business he has since followed. In September, 1871, he landed in the United States and came direct-to Adams county, Iowa. For six years he lived on a farm three miles northwest of Corning. In 1877 he moved to Quincy. The following year he rented land a mile and a half northwest of Corning. From there he came to his present location in March, 1883. In 1881 he purchased this farm, 248 acres, which is now ranked with the first-class farms of the county. It is substantially improved with good fences, two-story residence, other buildings, etc. Mr. Cooper does general farming and is extensively engaged in stock- raising.
November 23, 1860, on the twenty-first birthday of his bride, the subject of onr sketch was united in inarriage with Miss Dinah Hesselby, daughter of William and Jane Hesselby, of England, their marriage occurring in that country. Their family con- sisted of five children when they emigrated to America. Sailing from Liverpool on board a vessel with 1,500 passengers, they landed. safely in New York after a voyage of eleven days. Since coming here other chil- dren have been added to their household, making ten in all. John W. resides on a
farm in Kansas. He married Miss Estella Wadley and has three children,-Forrester, Gertie and William F. Jane A. is the wife of William Humphrey, has one daughter, Lelah H., and resides in Montgomery county, Iowa. Emma, wife of R. A. Lawrence, also lives in Montgomery county. She and her husband have three childreu,-Carl, Eddie E. and Albert I. Alice married Ramer Jones, has one child, Gertie E., and lives on a farm in Douglas township, Adams county. Robert died November 1, 1884, at the age of seven- teen years. The following named are mem- bers of the home circle: Fred, Louisa, Nel- lie, Ralph G. and Ella M. Bothi parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Churchlı as are also several of the children. Politi- cally Mr. Cooper is an Independent.
It may be further stated that Mrs. Cooper's father died January 15, 1867, at the age of sixty-six years; her mother passed away at the age of eighty. She was the ninth born in their family of eleven children, eight of .. whom are still living.
HOMAS CAMPBELL, a farmer of section 25, Grant Township,-whose postoffice address is Lenox,-is one of the intelligent and enterprising citizens who came here in 1878. He was born in Peel county, Canada, February 18, 1843, a son of William Campbell, who was born at Dum- fries, Scotland. His mother, whose maiden name was Jane Murray, was also a native of Scotland. Mr. Campbell's parents came to Canada when young, were married there, and they still live in Peel county, in that Domin- ion, the father now being aged eighty-tive years and the mother eighty-two. They had seven sons and two daughters.
Thomas, the fifth born, was reared to farm
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life. In 1863 he came to Muscatine, this State, and in a short time moved to Rock Island county, Illinois, and engaged in coal- mining, which he followed until he came to Adams county. He now has a fine farm of 120 acres of well-improved land, a good frame house 16 x 26 feet and one and a half stories high and well situated near a cross roads. He has all the appurtenances of a well-equip. ped farm.
July 11, 1866, at, Rock Island, Illinois, he was married to Anna Howell, who was born at Ironton, Ohio. She was thirteen years of age when she came to Rock Island. Her father was William Howell, and her mother's maiden name was Magdalena Evans, and both were natives of Wales, where they were mar- ried. Her father died when she was eight years old, and her mother is still living, at the age of seventy-two years, in Henry coun- ty, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have had nine children, namely: Robert W., Elsie, Susie J., Frank J., Mort L., Ira J., Artie, Wilfred and Ethel M. Two sons died in infancy. On national questions Mr. Camp- bell is a Republican. He lias creditably served as Assessor of Grant township four years, and he has also been a member of the School Board. Mrs. Campbell is a member of Prairie Star Church (Presbyterian), Union county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are honored members of the community.
ILLIAM A. MCINTYRE, another one of the prominent citizens of Washington township, Adams coun- ty, Iowa, was born in Cayuga county, New York, February 1, 1838. His parents, Peleg and Elizabeth A. (Mason) MeIntyre, were both natives of the Empire State. His father was a farmer all his life. In 1842 he came
West and settled in Carroll county, Illinois, where he entered 240 acres of land until 1871. That year he moved his family to Cass county, Iowa, and took up his abode three miles north of Atlantic, where he owned an eighty-acre farm. IIe subsequently moved to Audubon county, this State. At the latter place he owned a farm of 120 acres, and there lie lived until his death, which occurred Jan- mary 28. 1874, at the age of sixty-nine years. His wife is still living, and is an honored resident, well and favorably known in Adams county. She is a member of the United Brethren Church, as also was Mr. McIntyre. The latter was well informed on general topics, was a great Bible student, and in him was found the purest type of Christian life. To this worthy couple nine children were born, William A. being the fourth and one of the five who are now living.
Like his father, William A. MeIntyre, has been engaged in farming all his life. At the age of twenty-one lie began farming for him- self in Jo Daviess county, Illinois. He came to Iowa in 1871 and settled in Cass county. There lie owned a small farm ten miles west of Atlantic. This he sold and in 1876 bought the eighty-eight acres in section 19, Wash- ington township, Adams county, where he now resides. His farm is well improved and highly eultivated.
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