Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, 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 Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships, Part 47

Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar
Number of Pages: 946

USA > Iowa > Page County > Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, 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 Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships > Part 47

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Loranz is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Nodaway Lodge, No. 140, A. F. & A. M., Clarinda Chapter, No. 29, R. A. M., and Pilgrim Com- mandery, No. 20, K. T. He has passed all the chairs of the blue lodge and chapter, and has been Grand Marshal of the Grand Consistory of Iowa. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge, No. 109, and of the en- campment, having passed all the chairs in both. He belongs to Union Lodge, No. 38, A. O. U. W., and has represented that body at the Grand Lodge eight years. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Clarinda Lodge, No. 139, and of Uniform Rank, No. 19.

The Loranz family have always been highly

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

esteemed wherever they have lived. By ref- erence to the sketch of Antony Loranz it will be seen that the family is of excellent ances- try, and that Raymond Loranz comes very naturally by the estimable traits of character wlicli he possesses. But few men of his age have done more for the county than he has. Whether in the law office midst books and legal documents, in political campaigns, in the secret chambers of the various societies to which he belongs, in educational matters, or in society at large, he is the same vigorous man whose whole life is one of noble impulses and progressive spirit. No charitable object ever applied to him in vain, and in sickness and sorrow no man in Page County has a more practical sympathy than he. By these many virtues he has won a host of friends.

ASSIUS M. TAYLOR .-- This solid and reliable farmer has been identified with the interests of Page County since 1868. He was born in Warren County, Ohio, No- vember 18, 1846, and is the son of Lewis Taylor, a native of the State of New York, and of Welsh ancestry.

At the age of eighteen years the father removed to Ohio, and about 1835 lie went to the Territory of Iowa, locating near Burling- ton, which at that time consisted of three or four log cabins. The Indians then held do- minion over that portion of the territory, and it required a brave and courageous heart to attempt any settlements. Lewis Taylor was married in Iowa, in 1842, to Miss Eliza Street, who was born in Ohio. This union was blessed with five children, three sons and two daugliters. Cassius M. was a lad of seven years when his mother died. His father was married a second time, to Margaret Hampton, who bore hiin four sons and one daughter.

Cassins. M. was early inured to the trials and hardships of pioneer life; he received his education in the early public schools, which did not then afford the opportunities of those of the present day. Arriving at the age of manhood he was married July 7, 1868, to Miss Eliza Coleman, a native of Muskingum County, Ohio, and a daughter of Sidney and Nancy (Estinghansen) Coleman, natives of the State of Ohio and early settlers of Lee County, Iowa. The father died in 1849 of cholera, leaving a wife and fourteen children, of whom Mrs. Taylor was the youngest. Her mother died in Lee County, Iowa, in 1884.

In 1868, soon after his marriage, Mr. Tay- lor came to Page County, making the trip with a team and wagon. He settled on eighty acres of wild land and built a log cabin 14 x 16 feet, which afforded a comfortable shelter for many years. In 1879 this humble dwelling was replaced by a more pretentious one, a honse built in modern style and sitil- ated in the midst of shade and ornamental trees. As his means have increased he has added to his farm until he now owns 200 acres of as good land as lies in Page County. The place is stocked with high grades of cat- tle, horses and hogs, and some as fine sheep as can be found in the State.

Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are the parents of three children: Lewis Clyde, Laura Eliza and Dorr Coleman.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Republican party, and is a strong supporter of its principles.

AMES McCOWEN, who lias lived and labored in Page County for more than a third of a century, is justly entitled to the subjoined notice. He came to the county and

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

tramped down slough grass where a portion of Clarinda now stands, when there were but few lionses in the village. He was born in Warren County, Ohio, August 24, 1822, and is a son of John McCowen, a native of New Jersey, but of Scotch-Irish descent. The mother was Mary Briney, who married her husband in Ohio. Their children are five in number: George, James, Thomas, Jackson, and Catherine, wife of R. Leslie.

James, our esteemed subject, was reared on a farm, and enjoyed the advantages af- forded by the common schools. He was mar- ried in Darke county, Ohio, March 7, 1843, to Miss Huldah Nealeigh, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Rice) Nealeigh. The father was born in Pennsylvania, of German ances- try, and the mother was a native of Virgi- nia. They had a family of seven children: Barbara, deceased, wife of Jacob Schaar, Nancy, deceased, wife of John Schaar, Ca- therine, wife of Archibald Little, Huldah, Tillinan, Henry, and Levi. The mother died in Darke County, Ohio, and the father, in Savannah, Missouri.

Mr. McCowen remained in Darke County, Ohio, until September 3, 1857, when he started for Iowa in company with two other families, those of Mr. Little and Mr. Nea- leigh. The journey consumed twenty-six days, as the railroads had not then pierced the heart of Iowa, and the streams were yet unbridged. They arrived in Page County October 7, 1857, and Mr. McCowen located in Nodaway Township, entering forty acres of Government land; he bnilt a log cabin in which they lived, and fed and lodged the weary travelers for three years; he then re- moved his family to his present farm, six- teen acres of which were broken out. He went to work with a will, and as the years rolled by acre was added to acre until the farm now contains three hundred and forty

acres in a splendid state of cultivation, finely improved with good, substantial buildings.

Mr. and Mrs. McCowen are blessed with four children : John, Sylvester, and Noah, all of whom are married and living on farms in Nodaway Township, and Mary, wife of Alex- ander Shum, a full notice of whom will be found in this volume.

Mr. McCowen has ever been a stanch sup- porter of the Democratic party, but has never sought public office. Although sixty-seven years of age he is spry and energetic, show- ing the temperate liabits of a life-time. He is a plain man, frankly speaking his convic- tions, and his word is considered as good as his bond.

AMES STEELE, of section 6, Nodaway Township, has been a resident of Page County since 1870. He was born in Van Buren County, Iowa, August 4, 1843, and is a son of James and Margaret (Hamil- ton) Steele. The father was born in Ohio, and the inother in Ireland, where she grew to womanhood. They were married August 10, 1838, in Ohio, and removed to Iowa when it was yet a Territory; they settled at Birming- ham and opened a hotel and engaged in mer- cantile business. James, Jr., was one of the first white children born in Birmingham, and he lived there until he was twelve years of age, when his father settled on a farm near West Point, Lee County. His father died Septem- ber 18, 1869, in Lee County, and his mother now resides in Fillmore County, Nebraska.

James Steele was reared to farm life and received a fair education in the common schools. At one time he was engaged in boating and lumbering along the Mississippi River.

September 28, 1870, he was united in mar-

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

riage to Miss Isabelle Jarrett, of Lee County, Iowa; she was a student at the Fort Madison Commercial College, and a successful teacher for many terms before her marriage. Her parents were Elias and Fanny (Lantz) Jarrett.

Soon after his marriage Mr. Steele came to Page County, locating three miles west of Clarinda. In 1874 he purchased 140 acres of wild land, which he improved and after- wards sold; he then bought his present farm, containing eighty acres, well improved. For several years he has been a successful stock- grower and breeder.

Mr. and Mrs. Steele have one child, Elma C., born January 15, 1882. Politically our worthy subject is a Democrat; he has held the office of township assessor, one of much responsibility, and gave the taxpayers a satis- factory administration. He is a man whom it is a pleasure to meet, as he is candid, frank and thoroughly practical in his business transactions. No man stands higher in the estimation of his neighbors, which is the true test of manhood.

ORRIS SPANGLER, who is one of Page County's young and progressive farmers, will form the subject of this biographical notice.

There was a time in the history of the world when the idea prevailed that any sort of a man was possessed of brain enough to become a successful agriculturist, but that day has long since passed by, and to-day this vo- cation calls forth as good blood and brain as this nation produces. To be a good farmer now means that the man be a close student, not only of weather signs, the moon's phases, and how deep to plant corn, but it also re- quires that the holder of the plow be a con- stant reader of agricultural journals and a

reasoner in the sciences of chemistry and geology. To grow the best crops from a given soil, and to put the most beef and pork into the market at the least expense are im- portant problems, and are only solved by the reading and thinking farmer. Such is the man of whom we write.

Morris Spangler was born August 23, 1858, in Polk County, Iowa, and is the son of Charles and Mary (Foster) Spangler, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. When he was nine years of age his father died, but his mother is now living and resides in Ne- braska. He was reared on a farm in the county in which he was born, and there re- ceived a good, common-school education. He was united in marriage February 28, 1883, to Miss Della Mooney, who was born, reared and educated in Page County. Her parents are Peter and Sarah (Scott) Mooney, pioneers in their portion of the county. They both died during her childhood, leaving tive chil- dren, three of whoin are living: Oello, wife of Samuel Henderson, Della and Nancy.

Mr. and Mrs, Spangler are the fond par- ents of one son and one daughter: Clarence and Mary Minerva.

In political understanding Mr. Spangler is a follower of Republican principles, believing that party most likely to secure good govern- ment. He owns 236 acres of land on section 9, Nodaway Township. He is a man well- read in the current publications of the day, and he and his little family are an ornament to any community.

HOMAS A. EDMONDS has been an honored resident of Page County since 1856; he came to Iowa with his parents, who were among the pioneers seeking new homes in the West. At that time nature was

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

the supreme ruler, as man had accomplished but little towards making this goodly land what we now find it. It was in the beautiful montlı of October that the family gazed out over the charming landscape now comprising one of Iowa's banner counties.

Before going into the details of Mr. Ed- monds' life in Page County it is best to ac- quaint the reader with his boyhood home and earlier days. He was born October, 30, 1838, in Clermont County, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas and Elizabetlı (West) Edmonds, na- tives of the State of Ohio. He is the seventlı of a family of twelve children, ten sons and two daughters. He removed, with his family, to Clay County, Indiana, and remained there until September, 1856, when they started for the West. They moved in good, old emi- grant style, driving four teams and camping by the wayside at night; they enjoyed muclı of the romance at first, but it soon became very laborious. In making that long-to-be- remembered trip they had to cross many un- bridged streams, and found but few reminders of home. The father settled on land now occu- pied by Thomas A. There was a log cabin on the place, and about twenty acres had been broken out; here, both father and mother passed the remainder of their days. The father died in 1861, while the mother survived him until May, 1885.

Five sons of the family went out in defense of their country's flag during the dark days of the Rebellion. Wilkinson B. died soon after his return from the service, leaving a wife and four children; Isaac died in the army near Memphis, Tennessee; Ellis died in camp, leaving a wife and five children; Eitelbert died at St. Louis, Missouri. These brave he- roes all served as members of the Twenty- third Iowa Volunteer Infantry.

Thomas A. Edmonds was but eighteen- years of age when lie came to Page County,

Iowa. He had been reared on a farm and received a good, common-school education in Clay County, Indiana; since coming to Iowa he has always lived on the land taken by liis father in 1856. He was married, July 17, 1866, to Miss Sarah Jane Wallace, who was born in Ohio. She came to Iowa at an early day with her parents, Thomas and Eliza (Devore) Wallace. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds: May, wife of William Annan; Bishop, Effie and Nina, who live at home; and Cora and Della who died in infancy.

Mr. Edinonds was greatly bereaved by the death of his wife, which occurred December 23, 1886. She was kind and loving, and was not only mourned by her own household, but the entire community. Mr. Edmonds is a prosperous farmer, owning 180 acres of land well improved; he carries on a general farm- ing and stock-growing business. Politically he is Republican, but does his work by voting instead of hunting office, having no aspira- tions in that line. He is yet in the prime of life and has gathered around him most of the comforts of life.

LIZA LA PORT, a most highly es- teemed woman, has been a resident of Page County since 1855. She was born in Virginia, April 1, 1833. Her parents were William and Letitia (Smith) Devore, the father being a native of Maryland, and the mother of New Hampshire. When Eliza was a babe her parents removed to Jefferson County, Ohio, and settled in the vicinity of Richmond, where she was reared and edu- cated. Her father and mother both died in Ohio. In 1848 slie was united in marriage at Hagerstown, Ohio, to Thomas Ager Wal- lace, and remained in Ohio, living in Harri-

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

son and Monroe counties, until 1854. At that time, the family, which consisted of hus- band, wife and two children, emigrated to Iowa; they came overland and met with inany adventures. The first winter was spent in Keokuk County at Sigourney, and the fol- lowing spring they came to Page County, settling at Hawleyville. The husband first found employment in the steam mill, and he also worked for the Blair and Frazier mill; for two years he was operator of the Clarinda Woolen Mills, which at that time was little more than a carding mill propelled by means of ox-power. In the autumn of 1858 he set- tled on his wild land, and in 1858-'59, in company with Mr. La Port, he erected a mill and for several years did an extensive busi- ness. This mill was sold and removed about 1879.

To Mr. and Mrs. Wallace were born four children: Sarah Jane, deceased, wife of T. A. Edmonds; Elizabeth Ann, deceased, wife of George W. Skinner, and Mary Lucinda, and a babe, who died in infancy. Our sub- ject was just beginning to know what sorrow is, when in March, 1860, her husband died. Mr. Wallace was an exemplary, christian inan, leaving behind him an untarnished name.

For her second husband Mrs. Wallace mar- ried December 25, 1860, Frank H. La Port, who had the honor of being a Page County pioneer and a comrade of her former lius- band. He was a machinist and engineer; he located in the county in 1855, coming from Logan County, Ohio, where he had grown to manhood. In October, 1873, he passed to his reward. He was an acceptable member of the Universalist Church and be- longed to the I. O. O. F. at Clarinda, Iowa. He was an npright and honorable citizen and a kind husband.

For her third husband Mrs. La Port mar-

ried Enoch J. La Port, in 1874. He had been a resident of Page County for about fourteen years, and was a cousin of lier for- mer husband. He was born in the State of Ohio, in which commonwealth he grew to inanhood. When he left his native State he went to Indiana and thence to Dowagiac, Michigan. He was a farmer by occupation. His death occurred September 22, 1885. He was a believer in the Universalist faith and lived a life of good deeds.

Mrs. La Port still lives on her farm, which contains eighty-four acres, all well improved and carefully cultivated.

When we contemplate the afflictions through which Mrs. La Port has passed, we are, indeed, convinced that nothing but a firm will and good judgment guided by a higher power could have preserved her to the enjoyment of life. She has always made the best of her trials and has tried to see a silver lining to every dark cloud.

AMES H. ABBOTT, a thoroughgoing farmer of Nodaway Township, has been an honored resident of Page County since 1859. He was born in Kosciusko County Indiana, August 24, 1844, and is a son of David and Francinkey (Hankinson) Abbott. The father was a son of James Abbott, a na- tive of North Carolina. When James H. was fourteen years of age his mother died in Wabash County, Indiana, and in 1859 the father and eight children removed to Iowa, settling in Nodaway Township, four miles northwest of Clarinda. In 1883 the father removed to town, and there he died, in Octo- ber, 1885.

James H. was reared to farni life and re- ceived his education in the common schools. In 1874 lie located on his present farm, only

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

a portion of which had been improved at the time he bought it. In 1885 lie erected a residence, at a cost of eighteen-hundred dol- lars; it stands upon a solid foundation and is built after the modern style of architect- ure; near by is a fine bearing orchard of two acres, an important item on a western farm. Mr. Abbott also owns seventy acres west of Clarinda; he is extensively engaged in farm- ing, stock-raising, and stock-feeding, all of which he makes a success.

He was married May 2, 1872, in Page County, to Miss Phebe J. Pfander, a daughter of Charles Pfander. She was born in Darke County, Ohio, where she lived until five years of age; then her parents removed to Page Connty, where she grew to womanhood; slie received a good education, and taught school for a time in Page County. Four children have been born of this union: Grace D., Da- vid C., Daisy J. and Mary S.

Politically Mr. Abbott is a Republican, though of independent type. He is the pres- ent township trustee, and for fourteen years a member of the School Board. He is one of the county's best and most highly respected citizens; he is firm in his convictions of right and wrong, and is honorable and upright in all his business transactions. His residence in the county, covering a period of thirty years, has proven him a man to whom honor is justly due. Whether in the daily walks of life, on the farm, in business, or seated at his own hearthstone, one finds the true elements of a man.

COTT M. ELRICK, the subject of this biographical notice, came to Page Coun- ty, Iowa, in 1868. He was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, January 18, 1832, and is a son of Adam and Jane (Mar-

shall) Elrick, also natives of the old "Key- stone" State. He was reared in his native State, and spent much of his youth boating on the Pennsylvania Canal. In the spring of 1855 he came to Rock Island County, Illi- nois; he lived there and in Henry County, Illinois, until 1860, when the western gold fever struck so many ambitious young men; he then went overland by team to California, taking his wife and child with him. He spent the first winter in Utalı at Salt Lake City, arriving there in the month of October. This was during the terrible Indian outbreaks; there were eighty wagons in the train, and when they arrived at the Rocky Mountains, Mr. Elrick was the only one who refused to continue the journey; the other seventy-nine wagons, loaded with their human cargo, pro- ceeded on the way; at the Fort south of Walla Walla the savages met the train, and every individual was slain.

Mr. Elrick finally went on to California, and remained there four years engaged in mining. In the fall of 1864 he returned to the East by the way of the Isthmus of Pana- ma and New York city. He remained un- til 1868, in his old home, and then he came to Page County as before stated. The land on which he now lives was raw and unculti- vated. He first purchased one hundred and twenty acres, to which he afterward added two hundred acres, all of which is excellently improved with good buildings. The resi- dence was erected at a cost of twelve linndred dollars, and is surrounded by a fine orchard of apple trees and evergreens; near by is a good grove of timber, the whole presenting a, very attractive appearance.

Mr. Elrick is extensively engaged in stock- growing, and lias a fine hierd of short-horn cattle; he has been very successful in this branch of husbandry.

As to his family relations, it may be said

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IIISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

that he was married November 25, 1858, to Miss Maggie Feirling, a native of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. Her parents were George and Elizabeth Feirling, and when she was eleven years of age they removed to Illinois.

Mr. and Mrs. Elrick are parents of seven living children: Scott. M., Harry C., Fred T., John C., Clyde H., Pearl Inez and Nellie Irene; three sons and one daughter died in infancy.

In politics onr subject adheres to the prin- ciples of the Republican party, but occasion- ally votes an independent ticket. In his business relations lie is frank and strictly honest, and is a man of whom the county may well be proud.

ICHARD HERZBERG AND JOSEPH DRIFTMEIER are members of the firm of Herzberg & Driftmeier, dealers in farm machinery at Clarinda, Iowa. January 1, 1887, they bought the well-established trade of Hartford, Beal & Co., one of the oldest firms dealing in this line of goods in Clarinda. They have done an extensive and successful business, and are numbered among the most popular and progressive firms of the place. They occupy a building on Fifth street, northeast from the court-house square; it was formerly erected for a skating rink, and is 50 x 120 feet, affording ample room for their large and growing trade. They are the agents for a full line of standard farm goods, and also carry a fine assortment of carriages, buggies and wagons. Their sales in 1889 aggregated $25,000.

Richard Herzberg, the senior member of the firm, has been a resident of Clarinda for nineteen years, and is well known throughout Page County. He came from Cook County,

Illinois, and was engaged in agricultural pnr- suits in Nodaway Township until 1887.

Joseph Driftmeier was born in Jackson County, Indiana, and came to Page County twenty-five years ago with his parents, who settled in Nodaway Township, where he grew to manhood.

Both of these gentlemen are thorougly ac- quainted with the farmers in the northern part of the county, from which section they draw a large trade.

LPHONSO EDMONDS, a highly re- spected citizen of Nodaway Township, is among Page County's pioneers, hav- ing arrived here as early as October, 1856. He was born in Clermont County, Ohio, April 12, 1880; his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth (West) Edmonds, were natives of Virginia and Kentucky respectively; the father was a soldier in the war of 1812.

There were ten children in the family, eight sons and two daughters, Alphonso being the fourth child. When he was ten years of age his parents removed to Clay County, In- diana, where they remained until 1856. He was reared in the good, old pioneer way, ob- taining his education in the common schools. He was married September 28, 1856, in Clay County, Indiana, to Miss P. F. Samson, who was born in Virginia in 1833. Her parents John and Clara (Jollett) Samson, Virginians by birth, settled in Clay County, Indiana, in 1849, and resided there until death.

In October, 1856, Mr. Edmond's parents came with teams and a drove of live-stock to Iowa. They were a month on the way, camp- ing at night and cooking by a camp-fire. Alphonso settled in Nodaway Township, built a log house by the river, and began making improvements; lie afterward sold this place

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

and owned one or two different farms; in 1887 he bought 160 acres, watered by the stream of Nealy Branch, rendering it very valuable for stock pasture; it is well improved, and is one of the finest stock farms in the county.

Mr. Edmonds owns eighty acres in section 7, 108 acres in section 6, and ten acres of timber land near the river. Ile has a family of four children: Seth Warren, re- siding in Nodaway Township; Amanda, wife of Henry Stafford; Almira, a successful teacher in the public schools of the county, and Charles, who is still at home. In politi- cal belief he is a Republican. He is a man bearing the good will of all his neighbors, and has trained up his children in the way they should go, and they reflect honor and credit upon the parents.

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Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar Number of Pages: 946

Author: Lewis and Dunbar, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis & Dunbar
Number of Pages: 946