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 39
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 39
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in Ohio and six in Illinois,-thirteen in all,- ten sons and three daughters. He died in 1874, and his wife in 1885.
Of the above family of children the ninth in order of birth was Mr. B. L. Brown, our subject. In 1862 he enlisted in Company H, Eighty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Beech Grove, Manchester, Look- ont Mountain (under General Thomas), Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and all the engagements as far as Atlanta, including those of the Atlanta campaign. At Stone River he was wounded by a gunshot in the left shoulder, and also at Chickamauga by a minie-ball in his leg; but he remained with his company until scurvy set in and com- pelled him to go to the hospital for five months; and then he returned home.
In 1880 he came to Adams county and purchased the Lorin C. Hughes farm of 247 acres, one of the best in the county for the raising of grain and live-stock. He has built a fine house, 24 x 34 feet, two stories high; and he also has one of the best orchards in the county, on which he has taken all the prem- iums and sweepstakes, and the prizes at the county fair of 1889. He, of course, devotes luis attention to general farming and stock- raising. On national questions he is a Repub- lican. He has served as assessor and presi- dent of the School Board for ten years. He is a member of Llewellyn Post, No. 284, G. A. R. With wife and several of the chil- dren he is a member of the Christian Church at Brooks.
He was married December 24, 1856, before he was eighteen years of age, to Miss Helen Preston, at Aledo, Mercer county, Illinois. She was the daughter of Lewis Preston, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, of English ancestry, and settled in Freeport in 1838, as a pioneer, and died in 1863. His widow is
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still living, having now made her home with B. L. Brown, our subject, for the last twenty- five years. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have had thirteen children, eight of whom are living, namely: Lewis, Laura, Amanda, Essie, Lydia, Harry, Charles and Willie. Two children died in infancy; two, Fannie and Melissa, when several years of age; and one, Lizzie, in her twenty-fourth year.
HILIP MAHR, a farmer and stock- raiser, residing on section 20, Jasper township, is a native of the State of Ohio, born in Franklin county, February 5, 1843. He is a son of Peter Andrew and Mary Magdelene (Schroodt) Mahr. When he was five years of age the family removed to Fulton connty, Illinois, where he grew to manhood, receiving a common school edn- cation. He assisted his parents in maintain- ing the family until he reached his majority. He was married, in November, 1866, to Miss Elizabeth Fullmar, a native of Ger- many; she was bronght to this country when she was seven years old. By this marriage two children were born, both of whom are deceased. After his marriage Mr. Mahr set- tled on a farm in Fulton county, Illinois, for a time, and afterward removed to McLean county, Illinois, where he resided for a period of four years. It was during this period that Mrs. Mahr was taken ill and died at the home of her parents in Fulton county, Octo- ber 31, 1873. Mr. Mahr was again married, January 8, 1874, to Mrs. Anna M. Fengle, a native of Germany, who removed to Amer- ica with her parents when she was a child twelve years old; the family settled in Ful- ton county, Illinois, where she was reared to womanhood.
After four years' residence in McLean
county, Mr. Mahr returned to Fulton connty where he followed agricultural pursuits until 1882; then he came to Adams county, and for three years rented the farm he now owns. In 1885 he purchased the entire tract which consists of 120 acres in a high state of cul- tivation. The improvements compare favor- ably with any other in the township; the barn, erected in 1890, is 48 x 56 feet, and is one of the best constructed buildings in Jas- per township.
Mr. and Mrs. Mahr are consistent mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party, and he is also a member of the Farmers' Al- liance. Our subject and his wife have three children: George II., John L. and Mary M. By a former marriage Mrs. Mahir had five children: Henry, Catherine, Charles, Fred and Frank, the two last named being twins.
OSIAH YOUNG, a farmer residing on section 14, Prescott township, was born July 20, 1823, in Connecticut, and be- gan life for himself at the age of eighteen. For fifteen years he worked in a cotton- mill, at $1.25 per day, and saved np $1,000. He then married, in March, 1847, Miss Mary A. Corbin, who was born in Massachusetts in 1825, and whose paternal ancestors were French and maternal, English. She was the seventh child in a family of eleven. Her father was a stone-mason. Both her parents died abont 1864, and were buried at Oxford, Massachusetts. Mr. Yonng's three older children were born in Connecticut, and the others in Clinton county, Iowa, whither he had emigrated in 1855, and where he resided nineteen years. In May, 1874, Mr. Young moved to Adams county, purchasing lan dand proceeding to establish a comfortable home;
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and in this he has succeeded well, without the assistance of any one. He is a good rep- resentative farmer and a useful citizen. He has served as school director and for a year as supervisor.
J. BOLLER, a prominent farmer of Washington township, residing on sec- tion 35 (postoffice Mt. Etna), was born in Butler county, Ohio, February 7, 1851, son of Joseph and Catharine (Schmucker) Boller, the father a native of Ohio and the mother of Lorraine, Germany (formerly a province of France). His father, who has been a farmer all his life, came to Iowa in 1853, settling in Johnson county, where he and his good wife still reside, each aged sixty-six years, with powers both physical and mental well preserved. The father has been particularly active in educational mat- ters, giving his children a good schooling. He has held inany of the minor offices of his community, although no office-seeker. He and his wife are both prominent members of the Mennonite Church.
Mr. Boller, the eldest in the above family of children, began life for himself at the age of twenty-one years, working on a farm. He attended high school in lowa City for a part of two years, then the Washington training and normal schools for one term, then taught seven terms, his teaching being of a high order and giving excellent satis- faction. In 1878 he embarked in farming, in Jolinson county. He arrived in Adams county March 1, 1884, and began opening his farm where he now resides. He owns 120 acres, all highly improved. His house is nicely located on a pleasant elevation, where is the nucleus of a good orchard of one and a half acres, and small fruits of all kinds grown in this locality. His surround-
ings indicate thrift, comfort and a happy home. He lives two and a half miles from Mt. Etna and seven iniles from Corning, the county seat.
He was married, in 1878, to Miss Maggie B., a daughter of J. G. and Eliza (Saylor) Myers, of Kalona, Washington county, this State. Mrs. Boller was born in that county. Her father was born in Greene county, Penn- sylvania, and was favorably know as a breeder of fine stock,-hogs and cattle. Twelve of his sixteen children grew up to years of ina- turity. Both the parents are still living in Washington county, this State, highly re- spected and widely known. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Boller are ten in number, as follows: an infant, deceased; Mabel, Nor- man, Lulu M., Edwin, Lora V., Lillian P. and Julius E. (twins), John G. M. and Mary.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Boller are members of the First Baptist Church of Washington township, this county; and Mr. Boller be- longs also to the Farmers' Alliance, and is a highly respected citizen, such as gives charac- ter to a community.
UGH L. KIRKPATRICK came to Adams county, Iowa, in 1883, purchased 120 acres of land in section 16, Carl township, of I. T. Homan, and has since inade this place his home.
Mr. Kirkpatrick hails from the Buckeye State. He was born in Athens township, Harrison county, Ohio, September 16, 1829. His father, William Kirkpatrick, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, son of James Kirkpatrick, the family being of Scotch-Irish extraction and members of the Presbyterian Church. William Kirkpatrick was reared in Pennsylvania, and when a young man came West with his father and settled in Harrison county, Ohio, becoming
/
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BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY OF
a pioncer of Athens township. He married Sarah Guthrie, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Robert Guthrie, and had eleven children, ten of whom grew to adult age. Both parents died in Harrison county, the father at the age of eighty-six years. He cleared a farm and passed his life in agri- cultural pursuits. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church for more than forty years, and for sixty years attended the same church.
The subject of our sketch grew to inan- hood on his father's farm, and received his education in the common schools of Ohio, and continued to reside in his native State until 1882. That year he disposed of his in- terests there and came to Iowa. After living in Adair county one year, he came to his present location. His place here, with its neat cottage, attractive lawn, orchard and grove, presents the appearance of a well-kept Ohio farm.
Mr. Kirkpatrick was married in Harrison county, Ohio, September 28, 1854, to Miss Malinda Moore, a native of that place. Her father, Samuel Moore, was born in Dublin, Ireland, and when six weeks old was brought by his parents to this country, and was reared in Pennsylvania. He married Christena Leinard, a native of Maryland, and by her had six children. Both parents died in Ohio, the father at the age of ninety-six years and the mother, eighty-six. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick have seven children living, six sons and one daughter, viz .: James M. is married, has two children, and lives in Har- rison county, Ohio; Amanda F. is married, has eight children, and lives in Carl town- ship, Adams county, Iowa; John M:, also married and a resident of that place; Will- iam S. is a resident of Belmont county, Ohio, is married and has two children; Samuel M. is married and lives in Carl township, this
county, and Alvin G. and Robert Walton arc at home with their parents. One daugli - ter, Ann Eliza, died at the age of fifteen months.
Mr. Kirkpatrick is a staunch Democrat, as were his father and his wife's people. His sons are also all Democrats.
HARLES C. NORTON, cashier of the 216 First National Bank of Corning, was born in 1846, at Phelps, Ontario county, New York, a son of S. E. and A. B. (Crane) Norton. His father, also a native of the State of New York, was a business man who came to Iowa in 1873, and is now living in Corning, aged seventy-four years; the mother is aged sixty-eight; and they are living in the serene enjoyment of the fruits of a life of industry and honesty and as mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church for half a century.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the excellent public schools of his native town, supplemented by a course in Temple Hill Academy, Geneseo, New York. He be- gan life for himself as a bank clerk. In 1872 he made an extended tour through the Northi- west and finally settled in Corning, entering the employ of George W. Frank, banker. In connection with banking they also do a large loan and insurance business; but Mr. Norton had charge of the banking business proper, in which he was eminently successful. July 12, 1883, the First National Bank of Corn- ing was organized with L. E. Darrow, presi- dent, and Mr. Norton as cashier; capital stock, $50,000. The building is a beautiful three-story structure, of pressed brick and white trimmings and symmetrical propor- tions. The interior is artistically finished in
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oak, and well arranged for the purposes of a bank.
Mr. Norton married Miss Loa McLeod of New York, but she died shortly afterward, in 1873, which event was soon followed by the death of their only daughter, Edna May. For his second wife Mr. Norton inarried Wilhelmina Frances, formerly of New York. and the names of the children by this matri- inonial union are Chiarles Frances, Emily Crane and William Augustus.
Mr. Norton is widely and favorably known throughout southwestern Iowa. To the bank his name has always been a bulwark of strength. He resides just outside of the town, on a handsome estate, where lie makes a specialty of raising the finest strains of pure- bred shorthorn cattle and Clydesdale horses, and he and his partner, Mr. Joseph T. McFee, are importers of Clydesdale, English Shire and English Hackney horses, their horses be- ing noted for their fine quality, strength of bone and good action coupled with substance.
RA PERCY CLARK, teacher, Corning, was born in Geneseo, New York, in 1838, a son of Elias and Mary Clark, natives also of that State and of English descent. The father died in 1849, but the mother is still living, hale and hearty. Slie is, as was hier husband, a member of the Presbyterian Church. The senior Clark was a classical scholar.
Mr. Clark, our present subject, was trained in Temple Hill Academy and Princeton Col- lege, at the latter of which he was graduated in the class of 1859, with the degree of A. B. His self-dependent career he began as a teacher, going South and establishing an academy. A few years afterward lie began the study of law and was admitted to the bar
in 1872. The same year he came to Corning and began tlie practice of his profession. At length he was elected Justice of the Peace, and such was the extent of his business in that office that lie was almost entirely ex- cluded from practice as an attorney. On the expiration of liis term he refused re-election and returned to practice; was once chosen a member of the School Board, and was pre- vailed upon to take charge of the public schools, and under his management they rose to the first position. The average attendance was 450, including forty-five non-resident pupils, and there were ten teachers. The course ended with four years of high-school studies. Mr. Ciark excels in school discip- line, making it appear almost as if the har- mnony among thie pupils was a mutual agreement among philosophers.
In 1869 Mr. Clark was married to Miss Hattie M. Maxwell, and their children are Maud, a graduate of Painesville (Ohio) Col- lege; and Ira P., in school. The family are Presbyterians. Mr. Clark is still a classical student, having one of the finest private libraries in the State, which includes works of ancient liter ture, on history, theology, philosophy, education, etc., besides many valuable works of reference. Politically he is a stalwart Republican.
RED MOSER, deceased, late a farmer of Nodaway township, was born in can- ton Berne, Switzerland, in February, 1837, a son of Christ and Frederika Moser. After attending s hool until he was fourteen years of age he was employed on a farm. Emigrating to America when a young man, he settled in M_ oe county, Ohio, where he went to school . a . He was afterward mar- ried, and live ' hat county till 1877, when
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
he came to Adams county, purchasing the place where he now lives. At present it con- tains 293 acres, a good frame house, barn, granary, cribs, etc., besides beautiful shade trees and every feature for making a good home.
Mr. Moser was married in Monroe county, Ohio, October 25, 1860, to Rosina Bruny, a native of that county and a daughter of John and Anna (Mary) Bruny, natives of Switzer- land, who came to America before their mar- riage-the father at twenty-five years of age and the mother at twelve-settling in that county. Mr. Moser, had thirteen children as follows: John Albert, Henry Fred, Lesetta Basela, Alfred, married and living in Nod- away township; David Rinehart, Charley, Mary Ida, Fred William, Herman, Joseph, Emma Louise, William Grover and Edward, who died when ten days old.
Mr. Moser died November 19, 1887. He was a Democrat in political faith, a church member and an honest, respected citizen and a kind father and husband ..
P. ESSLEY, one of Grant township's well-known and popular citizens, came to this county in 1874, where he has since resided. He was born in the Hawkeye State, in Washington county, December 21, 1846, a son of John and Jane (Mickey) Essley ; the former was born near Muncie, Indiana, and the latter in Pennsylvania. The parents were married in Washington connty, Iowa. The father was married previous to this in Indiana, of which State he was a pioneer. Our subject was nine years of age when his father died, and the mother was afterward married, and now lives in Washington county, Iowa.
O. P. Essley was reared on a farm in Mer- cer county, Illinois, by relatives, and received
his education in the common schools. Dur- ing the great Rebellion he enlisted, in Octo- ber, 1864, in the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company G, and participated in the battle of Mobile. Alabama. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war, and returned to Mercer county, where he engaged in the more peace- ful pursuits of agriculture. In 1874 he came to Grant township, Adams county, where he bought eighty acres of wild land, to which he has since added until he now owns 200 acres of Adams county's best soil, well improved. He has a good cottage, an orchard, groves, sheds, cribs, yards and feed lots.
Mr. Essley was married February 27, 1873, to Averilla Pratt, who was born, reared and educated in Mercer county, a daughter of John and Mary (Furgeson) Pratt, the former a native of Pennsylvania, Fayette county, and the latter of South Carolina. They were married in Mercer county, where the father died, in 1889, at the age of 73 years. Mr. and Mrs. Essley have four children- Jennie, Mary, Ruth and Martin C. Politi- cally Mr. Essley is a Republican. He is a member of the G. A. R., Lenox Post, and also of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is a trustee. Mrs. Essley and daughter Jennie are members of the same church.
P. AMDOR, M. D., of Carbon, Iowa, is one of the prominent and successful physicians of Adams county, and as such is justly entitled to honorable mention in this volume.
He was born in Dearborn county, Iudiana, January 16, 1851, son of Bennett and So- phrona Amdor. His father was born in Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Germany; was reared
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MONTGOMERY AND ADAMS COUNTIES.
and educated there, and at the age of eigh- teen came to America and settled in Dear- born courty, Indiana. He died at the age of sixty-five years, His mother, a native of Olio and a daughter of James and. Mary (Vaun) Monley, is still living in Dearborn county. Dr. Amdor was the sixth born in their family of nine children, four sons and five danghters. He grew up in his na- tive county, attending the common schools and assisting his father on the farm. He finished his education at Moore's Hill, Indi- ana. At the age of sixteen he engaged in teaching and at the same time commenced the study of medicine under Drs. Kyle and Craig, eminent physicians of Manchester, Indiana. He completed his medical course in the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati in 1871. Returning to Dearborn county, he at once engaged in the practice of his pro- fession.
In 1873 he came to Adams county, Iowa, and settled on 160 acres of land in section 23, Lincoln township. For a number of years he resided on the farm, continning his medi- cal practice. In December, 1889, he located in Carbon where he could better attend to his professional duties. As a skillful physi- cian he has won for himself an enviable po- sition, and enjoys an extensive and lucrative practice.
Dr. Amdor has been twice married. At the age of twenty-three he wedded Miss Rhoda Givan, daughter of William Givan of Dearborn county, Indiana. She died in June, 1885, leaving a son William, now sixteen years of age and a member of the Carbon band. In July, 1886, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Mira Sterns of Lincoln town- ship, Adams county, Iowa. She was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, daughter of M. M. Sterns, late of Adams county. She, how- ever, was reared in Shelby county, this state. 29
Her mother is now a resident of Cumber- land, Iowa. Their union has been blessed with four children, Jessie and Jennie (twins) and Charles and an infant daughter.
Mrs. Aindor is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. In politics the Dec- tor affiiliates with the Democratic party.
M. BELDING was born in Fulton county, Illinois, March 4, 1840. His father, Moses S. Belding, was a native of Saratoga Springs, New York, of Scotch descent; and his mother, who before her mar- riage was Miss Mary Ann Conneby, was born in Washington county, New York, February 5, 1806. Moses S. Belding located in Ful- ton county, Illinois, in 1838, and two years later moved to Mercer county, that state, and settled near Keithsburg. He died in Henry county, Illinois, in his fiftieth year. His wife is still living and is now eighty-six years old. Their family was composed of eight children, four sons and four daughters. The father was by trade a carpenter and contractor, and for a number of years carried on farming op- erations; in politics a Whig; and in religion a member of the Methodist Protestant Church.
The subject of onr sketch spent his youth in Mercer and Henry counties, working on the farm and attending the commnon schools. During the late war he enlisted in March, 1865, in Company E, Eighteenth Illinois In- fantry Volunteers, and served ten montlıs. After being honorably discharged he returned to his home in Illinois and worked at the car- penter's trade and farming there until 1868. That year he moved to Poweshiek county, Iowa, and settled near Grinnell. In 1878 he came to Adams county and took up his abode on his present farm, 160 acres in sec-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
tion 34, Carl township, then all wild land. He has devoted much time and energy to improving his property, and now has a fine farm with good buildings, orchard, grove, etc.
Mr. Belding was married September 14, 1862, to Miss W. L. Rogers, who was born in Ripley county, Indiana, daughter of Elijalı and Nancy (Beach) Rogers. Her father was reared in Indiana, and is now a resident of Holstein, Ida county, Iowa. Her mother, a native of Kentucky, died in Kansas in 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Belding have six children, as follows: Charles N., who is married and has two children, lives in Carl township, this county; Clara E., wife of John N. Brown, Corning, Iowa, has two children; Albert L. is married, lias one child, and lives in Wash- ington township, Adams county; and Bernice R., Christopher C. and Blanchie D. They lost two by death, a son and a daughter.
Mr. Belding is a member of the G. A. R., and in political views is an Independent. He and his wife and daughter Bernice are members of the Evangelical Churchi, of which he is one of the trustees. He is also super- intendent of the Sabbatli-school.
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EORGE W. ANTHONY, contractor and builder at Corning, was born in Bureau county, Illinois, near Wyanet, the son of M. D, a farmer, and Jane (Kin- ney) Anthony, natives of the State of New York, and still living, now in Adair county, Iowa, whither they moved when George was fourteen years old. After completing his school days at the academy at Fontenelle, this State, he resumed farming on his own account, but soon began to learn the carpen- ter's trade. In 1882 he located in Corning and has since followed his trade here, but has added to it the taking of contracts for build-
ing and the lumber trade. In both these lines he has had eminent success, as he is so re- liable. The lumber trade he began this year (1891), and he is carrying a complete stock of all that is needed in this section of the country.
In 1880 he married Miss Mary I. Madison, of Madison county, Iowa, and they have two girls, Luella and Edna Pearl. Mr. and Mrs. Anthony are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and in his political views Mr. Anthony is a Republican.
ERBERT T. GRANGER, lawyer at Corning, was born in the Province of Canada, the son of John L. and Laura J. (Taylor) Granger, natives of New York, who moved to the Province for a brief period, and thence to Illinois when their son was two years old. The father is a Con- gregational minister of twenty-five years' standing.
Mr. Granger, whose name heads this sketch, was educated at Knox College, Gales- burg, Illinois, and at Oberlin (Ohio) College. Ilis first employment thereafter was in the capacity of bookkeeper for three years by the Sandwich Manufacturing Company, of Sandwich, Illinois. He then took up the study of law at Hennepin, Illinois, and after a further course of study at Bunker Hill, that State, was admitted to the bar by the Illinois Supreme Court. In 1883 he estab- lished himself here in Corning, in connection with W. O. Mitchell, but he is now prac- ticing alone. His steadily growing practice and the increasing confidence of the public in his ability indicate that he is a man of industry and integrity. His future is full of promise. Clear and concise in statement, comprehensive in comparison of anthorities,
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