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 31
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 31
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AMUEL G. BROWN, a well and favor- ably known farmer of section 28, Nod- away township, was born in Highland county, Ohio, near Hillsboro, the county seat, December 5, 1855, the son of Rev. Thomas D. Brown, a highily esteemed, early settler, who did much for the cause of Chris- tianity. He married Mary E. Williams, a native of Virginia, of which her father was also a native. Rev. Thomas D. Brown was a native of Virginia, a son of John Brown, who served in the war of 1812. He was in early life a saddler and harness-maker; at length he came to Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his days farming and preaching the Gospel. The Brown family lived in Ohio until 1866, when they came to Adams coun- ty, Iowa, and in 1872 to the place where they still reside, near the subject of this sketch. They had twelve children-six sons and six daughters. One son, John, was a inember of Company A, Eighty-Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infautry, in the late war, and is now a dentist at Clarinda, this State. An- other son, James, was the Recorder for Page county for eight years.
Mr. Samuel G. Brown, whose name intro- duces this sketch, was the youngest child in the above large family. He grew up to manhood on the farm near here, remaining
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with his parents until his marriage. He first bought, in 1887, forty acres of land, of Samuel Kennedy, and has purchased more since then, so that he now owns 180 acres. It is rich land and well improved. His dwelling is 15 x 30, with an L 12 x 14. The yards and premises generally are neat and well equipped. Mr. Brown devotes his attention to general farming and stock-rais- ing. On national questions he is a Republi- can. but never aspired to office. Both himself and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are active in its Sun- day-school.
He was married in this county, in Decem- ber, 1878, to Miss Hattie Larison, a well- cultured lady from Ohio. Their three chil- dren are Wilma E., Jesse B. and Ray W.
W. CRAMER, proprietor of "Shade land," section 28, Jasper township (postoffice Corning), was born March 16, 1845, in Clermont county, Ohio, near Cincinnati, a son of Joseph Cramer, a Penn- sylvania German, who served in the war of 1812. His wife's name before marriage was Elizabeth Binkley, and she was a native of Pennsylvania. They lived in Clermont county, Ohio, until their death, the father dying at the age of seventy-one years; he was a farmer all his life; was an active Republican and a zealous Methodist, being steward, class-leader, etc., in that religious body. They had twelve sons and two daugh- ters; six of the sons served in the late war, one of whom, Alexander, died in Libby prison, after he had been confined there nine months. He was a member of the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Mr. C. W. Cramer, the eighth born in the above family, was reared to farm life. In
August, 1861, at the age of sixteen years, he enlisted in Company C, Second Ohio Infan- try Volunteers, and served over three years, taking an active part in the battles of Stone river, Nashville, Chickamanga, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain (under General Thomas), Missionary Ridge, Perryville, Crab Orchard, etc. At Missionary Ridge he was wounded, losing the middle finger of his left hand from a buck shot. This confined him to the hospital at Nashville, at Camp Dennison, Ohio, and still later with the Invalid Corps at Washington, District of Columbia. Au- gnst 22, 1864, he was honorably discharged at Washington, and he returned to Clermont county, Ohio.
In 1865 he went to Knox county, Illinois, near Galesburg, where he made his home until March, 1886, when he came to Adams county, and settled upon his present farm. It had been entered from the Government by Isaac Mather, and afterward owned by W. Stahl. There are 240 acres in the place -- good land and well improved, and liere Mr. Cramer devotes his attention to the rearing of short-horn cattle and Chester white hogs. He has spent much time and money in ob- taining the best specimens of cattle, and he now has a herd second to none in the coun- ty. His swine he received from Cleveland, Ohio-the best that money can obtain. He has a fine frame house, modern style, 28 x 32 feet and two stories high, surrounded with tastefully arranged ornamental trees and shrubs, an orchard of fonr acres, barn 30 x 56 feet, with stone basement, and other barns and miscellaneous buildings in sufficient number and conveniently arranged. "Shade- land" is a beautiful place. In reference to national questions Mr. Cramer is a Repub- lican, and he is a member of Llewellyn Post, G. A. R. Both himself and wife were brought np as Methodists in religion.
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He was married in October, 1867, in Knox county, Illinois, to Miss Elizabeth Mather, daughter of Isaac Mather and a native of Connecticut, of an old New England family. Her mother before marriage was Mary Ann Faulkner, born in Virginia. Her parents died in Knox county, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer have seven children, namely : Emory, who lives in Knox connty, Illinois; Lewis, at home; Jerry, in Knox county; Marion, Nettie, Lettie and Martha.
A. PEASE, the pioneer jeweler of Corning, was born in Franklin county, Maine, in 1844. He learned the jew- eler's trade in his native county, and in 1866 camne West, settling in Quincy, Adams county, Iowa. In 1867 he began business with simply a set of tools as his only capital. In 1869 he located in Corning and has ever since been a resident here.
His stock now consists of a complete line of jewelers' goods; also a full line of fancy goods, stationary and wall paper. He has built up an extensive business and is the leading jeweler of the city.
During his business career he has seen Corn- ing grow from a village of thirteen buildings to its present size, and no man has taken a deeper interest in its development and wel- fare, or more nearly kept pace with its com- mercial importance. In his political principles he is a Republican and has held office as member of Town Council, president of School Board, and now fills the office of county Supervisor.
In 1872 he married Miss Elvie Dunbar, a native of Vermont, whose parents came to Corning in 1869, where they were married. Mr. and Mrs. Pease have three children. They are influential members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, contributing freely to all its beneficiaries.
LARK D. LAWRENCE, who resides in section 26, Douglas township, Adams county, Iowa, dates his arrival in this county April 24, 1855.
Mr. Lawrence made his appearance on this mundane sphere, in Morgan county, Ohio, December 2, 1839. His father, Thomas H. Lawrence, a native of Maine, was a son of Zachariah Lawrence, who was of English descent and a soldier in the war of 1812. Thomas H. was five years old when his par- ents moved to Ohio, where he was reared and lived until 1855, and where he was united in marriage with Patience Devol, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Presberry Devol. Her father, a native of Rhode Island, was also of English descent. In 1855 Thomas H. Lawrence came from Ohio by steamboat on the Ohio and Missouri rivers to St. Josephi, thence by ox teams to Adams county, Iowa, and settled on section 5, Jasper town- ship. He died at Quincy, in February, 1865, aged fifty-four years. By trade he was a mechanic, stone mason and plasterer; in politics a Republican; and in his life exem- plified the truths of Christianity. His wife died at the age of sixty-two. She was a member of the Baptist Church. They had thirteen children, seven sons and six daugh- ters, of whom Clark D. was the third born and oldest son. He was fifteen years old when the family came to Adams county.
July 13, 1861, Mr. Lawrence enlisted in Company H, Fourth Iowa Infantry, Captain E. Y. Burgan, and served three years, one month and twenty-one days. At Pea Ridge, Arkansas, he was wounded in the right thigh, and was confined in the hospital until April
25
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
16, when he was granted a furlough and re- turned home for a time. July 14 he rejoined his regiment at IIelena, Arkansas. He par- ticipated in a number of important engage- ments, and on September 4, 1864, was honorably discharged at Joncsborongli, Geor- gia, after which he returned to Adams county.
Mr. Lawrenee subsequently spent four ycars and a half on a farm (homestead) in Sherman county, Kansas, being among the early settlers of that place. He came to his present farm in 1880. Here he has eighty acres of well improved land, with good orchard and fine grove, comfortable cottage home, outbuildings, etc. He has a good mule team that has done him service for twenty- four years.
November 2, 1864, Mr. Lawrence was married to Sarah R. Clark, who was born in Henry eonnty, Iowa, daughter of Manly and Mary E. (Bell) Clark. Eight sons have been born to them, six of whom are living, viz: Thomas H., Horace C., Frank D., Walter E., Doc B. and Jolin L. Manly C. and Zaelia- rialı Presberry are those deceased.
Mr. Lawrenee is in politics a Repuliean, and as township trustee has made an efficient officer. He is a member of the Llewellyn Post, G. A. R., of Corning, Iowa. James Llewellyn was the first man killed in the Rebellion, from Adams county; he was a member of Company H, Fourth lowa.
EORGE TULLY, of section 26, Grant township, Castle Brae Farm, came to this county in 1881, and, like many of Iowa's successful and honored citizens, is a native of Scotland, born on the banks of the Tweed, in Roxburghshire, November 8, 1822, a son of Andrew and Catharine (Diekie) Tully, also natives of Seutland. The father
was a son of Andrew Tully, Sr., who was a man of note in Seotland; the mother was a daughter of Jolin Diekie. Our subject's parents came to Peterborough county, Can- ada, when that country was yet new, and they had to carry their grist to mill on their baeks. They lived there until death, the Inother dying at the age of seventy-four years, and the father at the age of ninety. They reared a family of six sons and two daughters, and two of the sons were promi- nent elergymen in the Presbyterian Church. One son, Dr. Tully, located near Philadelphia, and another, Rev. Andrew Tully, at one time in early days owned 240 acres of land in Adamıs county.
George, our subject, was reared on a farm, receiving his education in the conimon schools. At the age of twenty-eight years, in 1850, he married Jane Fowler, a woman of intelligence, who has been a devoted wife and helpmate to her husband. She was born January 29, 1830, in Peterborough county, Canada, a daughter of William and Ann (Ingles) Fowler, the former a native of Roxburghshire. Scotland, and the latter of Yorkshire, England. The parents were mar- ried in Canada, and reared a family of eleven children, eight daughters and three sons. They lived until death in Peterborough county, the father dying at the age of eighty- four years, and thic mother at the age of eighty-three. After his marriage Mr. Tully improved a farm in his neighborhood, where he built a good briek house and barns. He sold this place in 1880, and the next year bought a farm of 320 acres in Grant town- ship of Areh Casteel, where he has a good house, 14 x 24 feet, with an addition 14 x 14 feet, one and a half stories high, sitnated on a natural building site four miles from Lenox, and surrounded by a fine grove and orchard of six acres.
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Mr. and Mrs. Tully have eight children, six daughters and two sons, all born in Peterborough county. namely: Andrew, born December 28, 1851, was married February 6, 1883, to Miss Mary Agnes Davidson, who was reared and educated in Peterborough, a daughter of Donald and Sarah (Robinson) Davidson; they have three sons,-George M., Herbert D. and Wellington Brnce; Ann is the wife of W. C. Smith, principal of the schools at Peterborough, and they have eight children,-Lottie S. L., Florence A. L., Lavina A. G., Mary E., Etta H., Clarence M., Keneth Maxwell and an infant daughter; William F. married Rachel Kane, and they have one son,-Robert; Mary Jane is the wife of Duncan McFee, of Union county, Iowa, and they have four children, -George A., Robert W., Mabel J. and Willmer; Mar- garet is the wife of John McFee, also of Union county, and they have two children,- George A. and Louis W; Elizabeth Ellen is the wife of Thomas Kane, of Grant town- ship, and they have one child,-Gertrude Zepherene; Agnes Georgia is the wife of George McFee, of Grant township, and they have one child, --- Agnes Luella; Ada Louise Dickie is at home, and has been enlisted as one of Adams county's teachers. Mr. Tully is a Republican politically, and has served as Justice of the Peace of Grant township. Religiously he is an active worker in the Presbyterian Church, in which he is also an elder.
SAAC I. HOMAM, grocer at Corning, was born in Putnam county, Indiana, in 1838, a son of Mark Homan, who was born in Virginia, and Elizabeth (Stout) Homan, who was born in North Carolina. His mother died in 1842, and his father afterward was married again, and many of his descendants are
intelligent citizens of this State. Mr. Homan was brought up to farm life. He arrived in Adams county in October. 1864, settling in Carl township, upon a farm where the im- provements were very meager. Going to work with definite aims, in three years he was able to build a new house, 16 x 26. After- ward he engaged to some extent in other business, and in 1882 he sold his farm and opened a grocery in Corning, which he is still conducting, enjoying a good trade. His genial manners and obliging methods of deal- ing have won for him many of the best people for customers. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty-five years, a faithful worker. As a citizen no one ranks higher.
In 1858 he married Miss Nancy E. Wilson, a native of Indiana, and they have had seven children, two of whom are living in Corning; the others are dead.
OHN MERCER, farmer and stock-raiser of section 11, Jasper township, Adams county, since 1882, was born in Highland county, Ohio, June 30, 1840, the second son and third child in a family of six sons and three daughters of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Cochran) Mercer. His father was a native of Virginia, of English ancestry, and moved to Ohio when sixteen years of age. There he married the daughter of Andrew Cochran, who came from Ireland and settled in Adams county, Ohio, as a pioneer, and was finally killed in the war of 1812. The parents passed the remainder of their lives in High- land county.
Mr. Mercer of this sketch was reared to farm life, remaining with his parents until he was twenty-four years old. November 11, 1865, lie married Miss Mary Ann Murphin
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
a native of the same county in Ohio, and a daughter of Eli Murphin, who was reared also in that county, his parents being among the first settlers there. Her father came to Iowa in 1858. Mr. Mercer was married in Lucas connty, Iowa, and followed farming until he came to Adams county in 1882. He owns eighty acres in Jasper township, his farını being one of the finest in the vicinity. Mr. Mercer is allied to the Democratic party. His children are D. N., Sadie, Charles A., Mary, Mand, W. W. and Ida. His wife died August 20, 1880, and he was again married October 26, 1882, to Miss California Mitchell, a daughter of George Mitchell, and by this marriage there have been three children, --- one who died in infancy, Lura Belle, and Jessie Bernice.
- ILLIAM M. SCOTT, a merchant at Corning, was born in this State, in 1862. His father, Hamilton Scott, was a soldier who gave his life in defense of his country in the last war as a member of Company L, Eleventh Iowa Volunteer In- fantry. Ilis mother's maiden name was Sarah McDowell. In the family were two sons and one daughter, all of whom are living in Adams county. William M., the youngest of these, made good use of his opportunities in the public schools. Entering the house of A. B. Turner, a merchant, he continued with him four years, and then entered bnsi- ness for himself, engaging in the general merchandise trade. At the present time he carries a line of boots and shoes and groceries, and has the largest stock of boots and shoes in Adams county. His honesty and ability are beyond question and his success is due entirely to his own talent. Socially he holds a membership in the orders of F. & A. M.,
I. O. O. F. and K. of P. For his wife he married Miss Effie Neighbors.
YLVESTER SNYDER is a pioneer of Adams county. He has been a resident of the county since the spring of 1855, is well known here, and a resumé of lıis life will be found of interest to many. Briefly it is as follows:
Sylvester Snyder was born in Cattarangus connty, New York, Angust 10, 1835, son of Peter Snyder, a native of Montgomery county, same State. Grandfather Jacob Snyder was born in Holland and was among the first Holland Dutch settlers of New York State. He was a Revolutionary soldier. Peter Snyder was married in Montgomery county to Hannah Cornwell, a native of that place and also of Dutch extraction.
The subject of our sketch was a lad of eight years when his parents moved to Jo Daviess connty, Illinois, and settled two miles and a half west of Warren. Here yonng Suyder grew up on a farm and received his education in the common schools. He helped to build the first railroad through the county, and also worked on the Mineral Point railroad north of Warren.
In 1855 the Snyder family came to Adams county, Iowa, being among the earli- est settlers here. They first located in Wash- ington township and in 1875 moved to Carl township, where the parents passed the rest of their days and died, the father at the age of eighty-one years and the mother, seventy-five. Both were worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The father was a Demo- crat before the war, but a Republican after the organization of that party. Their family consisted of five children. One son, Fred, entered the service of his country as a mem-
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ber of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and died at Keokuk in 1864. Sylvester offered his services, but was rejected on account of a crippled finger. Another brother, Mark, also enlisted and was not accepted into the service.
In 1861 the subject of our sketch settled on eighty acres of wild land in section 17, Carl township. This he sold in 1870 and bought his present farm of 160 acres, then wild land. He now has a good farm, well adapted for. stock or grain, and improved with buildings, orchard, grove, etc.
Mr. Snyder was married in Adains county, Iowa, in 1858, to Miss Elizabeth Hamon, a lady of intelligence and culture and an efli- cient teacher before her marriage. Her father, Lewis Hamon, of Corning, Iowa, is one of the pioneers of Adams county. Mrs. Snyder was born in Illinois and reared in Jones county, Iowa. They have had sixteen children, thirteen of whom are living, viz .: Frank W., Lane S., Cora V., Grant W., Avanelle M., Jennie R., John R., Ada S., Nanny A., Minerva E., Ethel E., Irene B. and Lola M. Lilly, John and an infant son are deceased.
Mr. Snyder's political relations are with the Greenback party.
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AJOR W. L. PARKER was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, February 22, 1820, son of John and Elizabethı Parker, natives of Pennsylvania and Vir- ginia respectively. His father was eighteen years old when he went to Kentucky with an older brother, Samuel, and settled in Shelby- ville, where they engaged in working at their trade, that of cabinet-making. This busi- ness John followed for about five years, until he married. He and his wife, nee Elizabeth Weaver, had ten children, of whom Major
Parker is the youngest. Four are still living, John Parker was a local minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and his brother Samnel, was a regularly ordained minister and a member of the Kentucky Conference. The latter volunteered as a missionary to the South and died in Mississippi in 1818. John died in the triumphs of the Christian faith in 1846. His wife died in 1822. She also was a devoted Christian.
The subject of our sketch began life for himself at the age of ten years by working in a brick-yard in St. Louis, at twenty-five cents a day, off-bearing from the moulder. He subsequently served for a time as cabin boy on a steamboat. . At fourteen he com- menced learning the trade of bricklayer in St. Louis. This he followed with contracting until the war opened.
In 1862 lie enlisted as a private in Com- pany C, Fourth Missouri Mounted State Militia Cavalry, and was soon promoted to Second Lieutenant. In the fall of that year he was promoted to Captain of his company, and while acting in that capacity took a gal- lant part in the battle of Springfield, Mis- souri, against General Marmaduke. In 1864 he recruited out of the Fourth and they vet- eraned and formed a part of the Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry, of which Parker was Cap- tain of Company K. Later, he was promoted to Major in the same regiment. He was dis- charged in January, 1866. His regiment was sent out on the plains to Fort Larned, Major Parker being commander of the fort. Later, his battalion (two companies of cav- alry and two of infantry) was sent to Fort Au- burn, on the boundary between Colorado and Kansas. They marched from Auburn to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, some 300 miles, encoun- tering several hard snow storms; while on the march they slept on and under the snow every night. From there they were ordered
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home, and at St. Louis were paid off. He was never wounded or taken prisoner, but on more than one occasion did good running. While in the army he contracted disease from which he will probably never recover.
After the war he returned to the business of bricklaying and contracting in St. Joseph, Missouri. This he continued at that place until 1870, when he located in Evansville, Indiana, and engaged in the same business. In 1873 he began the manufacture of brick by hydraulic pressure, turning out 35,000 brick per day of ten hours, rain or shine. In 1875, his health failing, he moved to New Albany, and the following year, seeking still further change, he came to Adams county, Iowa. Here he has since resided, engaged in agricultural pursuits. His farm, consist- ing of 440 acres, is located in section 20, Quincy township, and is six miles northwest of Corning.
Major Parker was first married, in 1844, to Frances Dixon. Her death occurred in 1872. She was a Christian lady and a mem- ber of the Methodist Church. In March, 1875, he wedded Mrs. Fanny C. Montgomery, widow of the late Captain James Montgom- ery and a daughter of William and Abigail (Tower) West, her father a native of Virginia and her mother of Massachusetts. She is the third born of their twelve children, seven of whom are still living. Her . father died during the war at about the age of seventy years, and her mother, in August, 1873, at the age of sixty-eight. Most of their mar- ried life was passed near New Albany, In- diana. Mrs. Parker's first husband, Captain James Montgomery, was one of the leading river men of his day. He arose from a poor boy to a position of influence, and at the time of his death was one of the most prom. inent men of New Albany. He held official positions in the Methodist Episcopal Church;
was associated with the Masonic fraternity, and was in politics a Republican. While on the river, he commanded a number of boats, being president of the mail line between Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, for seven years. While in this position, lie was credited withi breaking up gambling on all boats of that line.
During the civil war, lie served for about two years in the Union navy, being the first pilot of the gunboat Monarch, next of the flagship Hartford and afterward of the gun- boat Switzerland. While on the last, he was one of the first to volunteer to run the blockade at Vicksburg, piloting the first boat through.
After the war he was never engaged in any active business. His death occurred February 3, 1872.
By her first marriage, Mrs. Parker had two children, Fanny E. and James B. Mont- gomery.
Major Parker is a member of the G. A. R. Post; politically is a Republican; fraternally a member of the I. O. O. F., and religiously, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Parker is also a Methodist. She is a lady of taste and refinement and shows much of that culture which comes from an acquaintance with books. Her library is composed of se- lect volumes and the latest works of the most popular anthors.
OYD CHAPMAN, liveryman at Corning, was born in Washington county, Ohio, in 1845, and was but two years of age when his father died, and eleven years old when his mother followed to the other world, after having removed to Davenport, this State. Loyd therefore practically brought up himself on a farm. He came to Adams county in 1874 and engaged in farming. He
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was also engaged in veterinary practice for nine years here, and then in the country and adjoining places. In his present livery busi- ness he has been engaged also for nine years, and is well known as an accommodating, hon- est and charitable gentleman. He owns a farm in Carl township, where he has reduced the original wild prairie, being a pioneer in tliat section. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Churchi. At the age of twenty-three years, in Scott county, this State, he was married to Miss Emily C. Pope, a native of this State, and they have had five children, as follows: Belle, engaged in a store; Isaac Justis, Bertha, Carrie M. and Edna M. In his politi- cal principles Mr. Chapman is independent.
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