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 58

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 58


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).


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Mr. and Mrs. North are the parents of two children, Lyman and Garfield. Mr.


North is largely engaged in stock raising, and feeds about one hundred head annually. His farm now consists of 1,580 acres, divided into six farms, which are tended by tenants; he also owns 120 acres in Wright County and 160 acres in Noble County, Minnesota. He gives his personal attention to his busi- ness and derives therefrom a handsome in- come He is identified with the Republican party and is an ardent supporter of the prin- ciples of prohibition; he is also a member of the Masonic fraternity.


Mrs. North is prominently connected withi the W. C. T. U. work and is superintendent of legislation and petition work in Page County; she attends the national and State conventions and takes an active part in every movement. She is a well-read woman and has a fluency of language and originality of ideas seldom found in one whose life has been so largely devoted to family and busi- ness cares. She has gone into the woman's work with her whole soul, and is of an emi- nently practical mind. May the good work go on unimpeded to lasting success and uni- versal recognition!


EV. A. K. MYATTWAY, pastor of the Baptist Church, Clarinda, Iowa, is a native of Burmah. He was born in the city of Rangoon, and belongs to the tribe of Sgau Karen. His parents were converted to Christianity nnder the labors of the Rev. J. H. Vinton and wife. His father was one of the Karen chiefs before the English posses- sion; and his family remained prominent and respected under the English government. Of special note was his oldest brother, Ko Engike, who was accounted the richest and most in- fluential of the merchant princes of Rangoon. Mr. Myattway is the youngest of liis


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.


father's twelve children by his first wife. He, as well as the other children, were given tlie best school privileges from early childhood. Most of his school days in Burmalı were spent in the Rangoon Pegu High School. He also attended Mr. Mark's school in the city and the Rangoon Baptist College, devoting three years to these two institutions. His oldest brother, who was his guardian after his mother's death, desiring to give him the best education possible, sent him to the care of Rev. J. B. Vinton, son of the missionary un- der whom his parents were converted, to Amer- ica in 1875. Dr. Vinton being an alumnus of the Madison University, took him to Ham- ilton, New York, the seat of the univer- sity, the Hamilton Theological Seminary, and Colgate Academy. There he spent nine years in school. He graduated from the academy in 1879, and from the university in 1883, having taken the full classical course of both. On his graduation from the latter he was awarded the highest prize, known as the Lewis Prize, for excellence in oratory. He remained two years in the Theological Sem- inary, and took the last year of his theologi- cal course at Morgan Park Seminary, finislı- ing in the class of 1886. His brother paid his passage to America and supported him for two years, but business failures compelled him to cease sending funds. Thrown upon his own resources, Mr. Myattway worked his way through the rest of his course.


After his last graduation lie preached three months for the Baptist Church in Fairfield, Nebraska, and five weeks for the Lincoln Baptist Church in the same State. In Jan- uary, 1887, he was called to the pastorate of the church at Wahoo, Nebraska, where he remained a little over two years. From Wa- hoo he came to Clarinda and settled with tlie Baptist Church May 1, 1889.


While preaching at Lincoln, Mr. Myattway


met a school-teacher named Frances T. Hunt, a young lady of marked ability and superior graces. The acquaintance matured into at- tachment and in October, 1887, they were united in marriage. Mrs. Myattway is a na- tive of Great Britain. . Her parents came to America when she was seven years old. Af- ter her common-school training she left home and worked her way through and graduated from the High School in Marengo, Illinois, in 1880. She is a person fitted in every way for the position she holds.


B. CARROLL, A. M., Superintendent of the Public Schools of Shenandoalı, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, January 4, 1853. The family emigrated from Ohio to Iowa in 1853, and located near Troy, Davis County, where he grew to manhood surrounded by such influences as are incident to farm life and country associations. He was started to school when he was four years old, but found the alphabet a terrible obstacle in his path. When he was nine years old his father became a confirmed invalid, and after five years of suffering passed away. The family consisted of thirteen children, and the lingering disease of the father and repeated failure of crops left Mrs. Carroll in debt; but she was resolute and determined, and man- aged the farm with so inuch ability that she liad the satisfaction of placing herself beyond the danger of indebtedness, and of seeing lier children grown and settled in various occu- pations, industrious and respected citizens.


At the age of fifteen, the subject of this sketchi proposed to his mother and brothers that he would start out in life on his own responsibility. He accordingly hired to a neighboring fariner, but in doing some heavy work was injured so that he found it necessary


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.


to abandon hard manual labor. He secured a school, and at the age of sixteen years began his career as a teacher. In order to fit him- self better for his profession he attended Troy Academy, and in 1876 entered the State Normal School at Kirksville, Missouri, from which he was graduated in 1880, receiving the degree of A. M. Since that time he lias been engaged as principal of graded schools; he is an excellent disciplinarian, an admirable superintendent and a thorough teacher. At no time in their previous history have the schools of Shenandoah been in so prosperous and healthy a condition.


Prof. Carroll has for several vacation sea- sons been engaged in institute work, in which he is a decided success.


He was married January 4, 1888, to Miss Lizzie Bailey. One child has blessed this union-Alta Burdena.


OLONEL THOMAS NEWSOM PACE, the present Postmaster and one of the most highly respected citizens of Shen- andoalı, was born on a farm in Cumberland County, Kentucky, August 17, 1831. His parents, Wyatt and Sarah S. (Barton) Pace, were both born in Henry County, Virginia, where the father's ancestors lived for many generations. The Colonel's grandfather, Newsom Pace, was a native of Scotland, and settled in Virginia with his parents when a boy; he was one of the last survivors of the Revolutionary war, in which he served seven years. His death occurred at his home in Virginia in 1842, at the age of ninety-seven years. Colonel Pace's mother was a daughter of William and Sarah (Alexander) Barton, natives of Virginia, who settled in Kentucky about the year 1810. Thomas is the young- est of four children, Joseph, John, and Mary,


wife of G. E. Skaggs, being the others. The mother was left a widow when the youngest child was an infant, and after eight years of struggle in Kentucky she removed to Warrick County, Indiana; there, in 1845, she was again united in marriage to J. B. Miller, and there she continued to reside until her death, which occurred in September, 1874, in her seventy- fourth year. Her husband survived her until 1883.


Young Thomas Pace early became inured to the labor of farm life, and until his eight- eenth year he liad but limited educational advantages; at that time he began life for himself, his first efforts being in the direction of growing a crop of tobacco. From this he realized $250, with which he paid his way through a two years' course at the Delaney Academy, Newburgh, Indiana. When he left this institution he was prepared to assume the duties of a pedagogue, and for two years he taught school near his old home. Upon leaving the school-room he entered a dry-goods store at Newburgh, in which he was employed as salesman for two years. Having saved a small amount of money, in 1858 he became a partner in a similar business at Millers- burgh, Indiana, in which he continued until the spring of 1861; he then disposed of his inercantile interests to offer his services to the Government, which had made such an urgent call for troops. He enlisted at Boonville, Indiana, July 21, 1861, in Company G, First Indiana Cavalry, and was unanimously elected Captain. Each soldier had furnished his own horse and outfit, and this regiment soon became known as the best equipped and drilled in the command. After a few weeks spent at Evans- ville the regiment was sent to St. Louis, Mis- souri, to join Fremont, and it was the first regiment of cavalry to cross the Mississippi River. Until October of that year the St. Louis fair grounds were their headquarters,


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.


and Colonel Pace was kept busy drilling his men and preparing them for inore active inilitary life. During the winter of 1861-'62 he was stationed with his command at Pilot Knob, Missouri, and participated in more than a dozen skirmishes against the noted Rebel commander, Jeff. Thompson. In March, 1862, Captain Pace, with his company, under con- mand of General Steele, marched to Helena, Arkansas, where they remained until August, 1863. The office of Major becoming vacant by death, Captain Pace was promoted to that position in February, 1863; his service as such was of short duration, however, as he was soon promoted to the position of Lieu- tenant-Colonel. July 4, 1863, he participated in the battle at Helena, Arkansas, where much of the hard fighting fell to the cavalry. In September he took part in the capture of Little Rock, in which his command was no unimportant factor; upon reaching the Ar- kansas River below Little Rock, General Steele ordered Colonel Pace to reconnoiter; he sent his aide in advance, who reported the place abandoned. When Colonel Pace mnade this report, General Steele retorted, " It's a lie; go, see yourself, sir." Colonel Pace went, and inade a personal inspection and found that the place had been evacuated but an hour before; he at once took possession, and soon after the city of Little Rock fell. After this he was stationed at Pine Bluff, where he was attacked by General Marina- duke with a force of 4,000 men, but the enemy was repulsed and he held his position.


In March, 1864, he returned to Indiana, having been appointed Colonel of the Tenth Indiana Cavalry. On April 1 lie assumed his new command, and May 6, while en route to Nashville with 700 unmounted men, a collision occurred to his train, in which ninety-three were either killed or wounded. He was stationed at Pulaski and remained


there until November; he afterward took part in the battles of Columbia and Franklin. In the battle at Nashville he commanded a brig- ade consisting of his own regiment and a part of the Thirteenth Indiana and the Sixth Ten- nessee; he was then ordered to the Department of the Gulf, and on this trip suffered the loss of many brave men who were being trans- ported in an unsafe vessel which he had employed under protest. After the fall of Mobile Colonel Pace was on duty in Alabama and Mississippi until the surrender of Lee, after which he was stationed before Vicks- burg until September, 1865, when he was mustered out.


After all these years of active service in the cause of his country, Colonel Pace was glad to return to the ordinary pursuits of life. He sought a business opening at Boonville, Indiana, and engaged in the grocery and to- bacco trade for two years. He then engaged in the tobacco commission business at Evans- ville, Indiana, in which he continued six years. Believing that the State of Iowa pre- sented excellent business opportunities, he decided to cast his fortunes with the people of Page County; he settled in the rapidly growing village of Shenandoah, where he embarked in the dry-goods trade as a member of the firm of Pace, Wilcox & Co., a firmn that is still doing a thriving business. To this enterprise he has given his time and attention, and is widely known as a reliable and careful business man, one whose opinions on finan- cial, social and political questions is highly respected.


Colonel Pace has not aspired to public prominence, and the position that he now occupies has been accorded him at the earnest request of his numerons friends; it is a just recognition of his business ability, his years of faithful military service, his steadfast man- lood, and his loyalty as a citizen. He assumed


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IIISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.


the duties of the office August 1, 1889, and has made numerous changes to the advantage of the patrons.


Colonel Pace was married August 12, 1863, while on a furlongh, to Miss Mary E. Wil cox, a daughter of Samuel S. and Sarah E. (De Forest) Wilcox, pioneers of Fremont County, Iowa. The marriage took place at the Wilcox home a few miles from Shenan- doah. Mrs. Pace was born in Boonville, In- diana, September 15, 1842. One child was born of this union, Sarah Emily, who died October 15, 1867, aged three years.


The Colonel is a member of Burnside Post, No. 56, G. A. R., and of Senandoah Lodge, No. 261, I. O. O. F.


EUBEN BROOKS CROSE, sen- ior member of the popular mercantile firm of R. B. & C. F. Crose, is one of the most favorably known business men that the city of Shenandoah numbers among its numerous progressive merchants. He is one of the few inen who started with the infant village, and has contributed as much to its growth and prosperity as any other citizen. Few men in any community enjoy a more extended acquaintance and none have the pub- lic confidence more implicitly than the gentle- man whose life we are reviewing. Square in every transaction, his word has been relied upon and no man can say that this confidence has ever been betrayed by depending upon Mr. Crose. " Fair Dealing " has been his motto and as a result he has become the possessor of a competency of no mean dimensions.


William F. Crose, the father of Renben B., is one of the pioneers of southwestern Iowa, having settled at Sidney, Fremont County, in June, 1854. He was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, December 20,


1824, and is a son of Jonathan and Susan (Utterback) Crose. The Crose family caine from German ancestors, but more directly from Virginia, from which State Michael Crose, the father of Jonathan, emigrated to Kentucky at an early day. In 1830 the family removed to Tippecanoe County, Indi- ana, and after a few years settled permanently in Boone Connty.


William Crose was married March 23, 1845, to Miss Eliza J. Van Eaton. In 1854 when he settled in Iowa bnt three families were living between Clarinda and Sidney. He was engaged in farming until eight years since, when he left his farm and came to Shenandoah. His wife was born in Indiana and is the daughter of Joshua Van Eaton, who was also a pioneer of Iowa. The parents of W. F. is from a family of eleven and his wife twelve children, and they have had born to them ten children: three died in child- hood, and Carrie, the only daughter, wife of George Boyd, died in 1882, at the age of twenty-seven years. Six brothers are now living: Reuben B., Isaac Cook, Andrew Jackson, Shelton Langdon, Charles Ferdi- nand and William Hutchinson; all except- ing Isaac and Shelton are residents of Shen- andoah, and they are in Colorado.


Reuben B. was eight years of age when he was brought to Iowa and experienced the life usual to improving a new farm in a new country. He received such school advanta- ges as the new town of Sidney afforded, and being naturally quick and attentive lie rap- idly acquired a fair education; he afterwards entered the Bryant & Stratton Commercial College and took a thorough business course. At the age of seventeen years he became a clerk in the general store of Tootle & Wood at Sidney, with whom he remained several months; he then went into a store at Ham- burg, but after six months he returned to Sid.


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.


ney and entered the store of A. F. Metelman, now a banker of Sidney. Meeting with flat- tering success they opened a branch store at Manti, with Mr. Crose in charge. Manti is now a defunct village but at that time was in a flourishing condition.


Soon after the platting of Shenandoah Mr. Crose bought a lot and as soon as convenient began thic erection of a store room, being among the first to embark in business. He opened his stock to the public in October, 1870, and the partnership with Mr. Metel- man continued for five years, when Mr. Crose became sole proprietor. He continued the business alone until 1881, when his younger brother, Charles F., who had been clerking with him was taken into partnership. Mr. Crose devotes his attention to the general management of the business, and his long years of experience in supplying the public wants enable him to buy just such goods as are demanded and at an advantage over most competitors. The business is conducted in a commodious brick block erected in 1880, to which an addition was made in 1885. An idea of the extent of the business can be gained when it is known that the aggregate of the sales since 1870 largely excced $1,000. 000.


Mr. Crose is a close student of human nature and is ready and willing to lend a helping hand to any truly worthy young man, and more than one individual has rec- ognized in him a benefactor. After erecting his present store he started a hardware busi- ness in his old stand, and the sales of this concern have already reached nearly a quar- ter of a million dollars. Other enterprises of Shenandoah have felt Mr. Crose's influence. He became a director of the First National Bank upon its organization and has contin- ucd as such to the present time. He is a stockholder in the Shenandoalı National


Bank, and owns a farm of 160 acres four miles from the town. Politically he is iden- tified with the Republican party and does not hesitate to express his matured opinions on public questions. He has ever been active in educational matters, and the present promi- nence of Shenandoah as an educational center is largely due to his untiring efforts and faith in the future of the place. The relig- ious advantage; of Shenandoah are unsur- passed, and to the crection and support of every church edifice in the city and surround- ing country Mr. Crose has contributed lib- erally. He and his estimable wife are men- bers of the Baptist denomination but work in harmony with the sister churches.


Mr. Crose was united in marriage July 14, 1870, at Sidney, to Miss Clara Jane Penn, daughter of Dr. J. N. and Emily J. (Rickey) Penn. She was born at Waynesburgh, Greene County, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1849. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Crose: Clara May, the oldest child, died at a little over two years old, and Josiah died in infancy; those living are Walter Penn, Newton William, Reuben Brooks, Alfonso Charles and Carrie Emily.


ILLIAM CLINTON MATHEWS, real estate dealer, Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. There are but few men living who have had similar ex- periences to those of Mr. Mathews, and it is the writer's regret that limited space will not admit of an extended review of his life.


William C. Mathews was born November 20, 1827, at Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York, and is the sixth and only surviv- ing one of seven sons. His father, David Mathews, was born in France, and his mother, Clarissa (Berry) Mathews, is of German par-


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.


entage. When he was five years old the fam- ily removed to Medina County, Ohio, where they lived four years; thence they went to Farmington, Lee County, Iowa, and resided there three years; at the end of this period they removed to Nauvoo, Illinois, the head- quarters of the Mormon Church, to which they belonged; soon after they removed to Ap- panoose, where the parents died, leaving three sons, four having passed away previous to this time.


William was now thrown upon his own re- sources; until the spring of 1845 he made his home with one brother, who was living at La Harpe, Illinois; he then went to work on the farm of Mr. Eggelston, who was in after years his father-in-law. Mrs. Eggleston was a meniber of the Mormon Church, and when the family joined the exodus from Nauvoo in 1846, Mr. Mathews went with them. They passed through all the trials and hardships which every one knows who is familiar with the history of the Mormon Church. When it was decided to investigate the teachings of the leaders at Florence, Mr. Mathews and James Steele were chosen to represent the Silver Creek Camp. They were soon satisfied that their worst suspicions did not approxi- inate the true state of affairs; they journeyed many weary miles with the caravan, on their their way west, but finally asked permission to return to their home. Mr. Mathews had been married April 20, 1847, to Miss Aman- da M. Eggleston, and had left her behind when he set out on his mission of investigation. He and his friend, Mr. Steele, arrived in the community in November, and the report of the embassadors was sorrowfully received. This band of wanderers decided to remain in Iowa, and so set about making homes for themselves. A few years later they formed he Reorganized Church of Latter-Day Saints in Page; Fremont, Mills, Montgomery and


Taylor counties; there were 358 cominuni- cants, and the church was divided into six branches.


Mr. Mathews located on Silver Creek and improved two or three farms, the last one ly- ing where the village of Silver City now stands. In 1857 he removed to Manti, Fre- mont County, Iowa, where he conducted a popular hotel until 1875; he was known as a genial and most obliging host. Fourteen years ago he came to Shenandoalı, Iowa,and has since been engaged in his present business. He handles improved and unimproved lands, town property, and makes exchange business a specialty. He is also agent for fire, light- ning, tornado and life insurance. He has been four times elected Justice of the Peace; he has been mayor of the city one term, and has been a member of the city council, where his judgment and sagacity have been given due weight. He is a Democrat in politics and gives considerable attention to public questions.


Mrs. Mathews departed this life Septen- ber 23, 1883. She was the mother of six children, four of whom had died previous to this time; those living are Nelson and Elvira M., wife of E. C. Blake. Mr. Matlı- ews was married a second time Septem- ber 13, 1884, to Mary M. P., widow of S. II. Kriddlebaugh, M. D. They have a pleas- ant home on Thomas Avenue and Pear Street, and are passing down the "river of time " peacefully and tranquilly. Mrs. Mathews is connected with the Presbyterian Church, while her husband clings to the faith of his youth. He is the clerk of the district of the Reorganized Church. He assisted in making the first survey of Mills County, and in 1852 he took up a claim where the city of Red Oak now stands; he was, in many ways, connected with the early settlement of the southwestern part of the State. He has


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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.


a vivid recollection of may interesting ex- periences of early years, and is an exceedingly entertaining talker.


LISHA CHARLES WHITING, M. D., is well known as one of Shenando- ah's inost skillful and popular phy- sicians. For a number of years he has labored to relieve the sufferings of mankind and repel the destroyer death, and his min- istrations have met with an unnsnal degree of success. He was born in Caldwell Conn- ty, Missouri, July 14, 1838, and is a son of Charles and Maria (Hurlbert) Whiting, na- tives of Vermont and Massachusetts respect- ively. When he was abont three years old they removed to Schuyler County, Illinois, where the father died two years later. The family then removed to Hancock Conn- ty, Illinois. The mother was a believer in the Mormon faith and joined the great body of Mormons in 1846 to seek a home in the far West. After months of waiting and disap- pointinent she was taken ill and died near the present site of Council Bluffs. She left three yonng children dependent upon their own efforts: Cordelia, Martha Jane and Eli- sha. Soon after the death of their mother the children were separated, going in differ- ent familes. Elisha went with a Mormon family of the name of Snyder to St. Joe, Missouri. The following year this family joined the great company journeying to Salt Lake, bnt Elisha decided to remain in Mills County, where both liis sisters were living. Thrown upon his own resources at eleven years of age he found rough sailing, but he worked at anything likely to turn an honest penny, and finally learned the chair-makers' trade and worked in a shop for four years.


While engaged in this occupation le be-


gan to read medicine; at an early age he conceived the idea of being a physician, and the more familiar he became with the sub- ject the more determined he was to master it. He entered the office of Dr. William Hamilton at Hamburg and remained with him until 1864. He then located at Red Oak, Iowa, and entered into active practice. He went to Minnesota the following year, thence to Boone, and again returned to Hain- burg. Realizing the need of a more thor- ough knowledge of his profession he entered the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, and was graduated in the class of 1867. He returned to Iowa. and located at Bartlett, where he built up a satisfactory practice, but in the fall of 1876 he concluded that Shenandoah offered a more inviting field and so removed to that place.




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