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 72

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 72

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).

Joseph M. was reared in Illinois, and re- ceived his educatien in the common schools. He was married January 4, 1872, to Miss Ida L. Greene, a native of Peoria County, Illinois, and a daughter of Calvin P. and Emeline J. (Dodge) Greene, natives of New York and New Hampshire respectively. Mrs. Darby was reared in Peoria and Marshall counties, Illinois, and was educated there and in the State of New York.

When Mr. Darby settled on his place in Page County it was new and all the improve- ments have been made by him, and are first- class in every respect; he has planted a fine grove, an orchard, and evergreen trees, and has been engaged in general farming. He and liis estimable wife are the parents of two children: Perry C., born June 25, 1876, and Alice E., born September 28, 1879.

In politics Mr. Darby is a stanch Demo- crat; he has held the office of Justice of the Peace, discharging his duties to the satisfac- tion of all concerned. He was reared in the Methodist faith, while his wife is a Baptist.

The Darby family is counted among the leading families of Washington Township; they have ever worked in the interest of

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

good society and for the general up building of the community in which they reside.

ARL HENN, one of the most pains- taking farmers of Washington Town- ship, will form the subject of this per- sonal notice. He came to Page County in 1873, when the hand of civilization liad inade little impression upon the far stretching prairie. He was born in the famous Rhine Province, Germany, April 23, 1848, and is a son of Philip and Philip Bena Henn. There were ten children in the family, of whom he is the third. Wlien he was eight years old his parents sailed from Havre de Grace, France, for America, landing at Castle Gar- den; thence they continued their journey to Monroe, Green County, Wisconsin. There the father died, and the mother still resides there. Karl was reared after the usual fash- ion of farmers' sons and received his education in the common schools of Wisconsin. In 1873, in company with his brother Philip, he drove a team through to Page County, Iowa, and settled near Braddyville, Buchanan Township; but shortly after lie saw a better location and removed to Washington Town- ship, where he purchased eighty acres of wild land in 1876. He now owns one of the best improved farms in this section, having a comfortable dwelling, barns, sheds, a wind- mill, and many modern conveniences for the pursuit of agriculture. The land lies along the West Tarkio River and is as richi soil as can be found in Page County. He pays special attention to the raising of live-stock, for which branch of farming liis place is par- ticularly adapted. He has added to the beauty and value of his farm by planting a fine vari- ety of fruit trees.

Mr. Hem was married January 23, 1881, |

in Green County, Wisconsin, to Miss Clar- issa E. Swartz, a native of Center County, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Philip and Anna M. (Dutwhiler) Swartz, also natives of the " Keystone" State. Mr. and Mrs. Henn have three children: Anna Bena, Martha Belle and Franklin Orlando. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Northiboro, Iowa. Politically Mr. Henn is a Democrat. He is a man firm in his con- victions of right and wrong, and stands in the front ranks of the leading mer: in his township, and is in every way worthy of the esteem in which he is held by all who know him.

EORGE CATO, SR., one of the early settlers of Page County, now a resident of Washington Township, was born in Scotland, January 1, 1832, and is a son of John and Mary (Baird) Cato. When he was twenty three years of age he emigrated to America, settling in Hamilton, Ontario. Thirteen years later, in 1868, he came to Page County, Iowa, first locating on section 20, Washington Township; the land was wild with no improvements, and the family were compelled to undergo many of the privations of pioneer life. Mr. Cato now owns 320 acres of well-improved land in Page County, and 240 acres in Atchison County, Missouri. He is a carpenter by trade, and has been promi- nently identified with the building interests of Page and adjoining counties since his residence there; he has erected five school- houses in Page County, three in Fremont County, and three in Atchison County, Mis- souri.

Our worthy subject was united in marriage in his twenty-fourth year in London, Ontario, to Miss Mary Eliza Mason, a native of Scot-

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY,

land. Four children were born of this union: John, a resident of Wyoming Territory; George, a notice of whoin will be found else- where in this volume; Lizzie, Robert, and Mary and James, both deceased.

Politically Mr. Cato is a Republican. He has represented the people of his township as a member of the school board, and has been treasurer of the township for four years. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith, and is numbered among the representative men of the township.

EORGE CATO, JR., owns a fine farm of 360 acres in Washington Township, where he is one of the prosperous and well-to-do farmers. He was born October 23, 1860, in Kanaka, Canada, and is a son of George and Mary E. (Mason) Cato. He is the second son living, and when he was eight years of age his parents removed from the Dominion of Canada to the United States. His youth was spent in assisting on the farın and in attending the district school, and was not more eventful than that of most western lads. The first tract of land he owned was forty acres in Page County ; as his means in- creased he invested in land until he has the handsome total of 360 acres; it is as good land as can be found in southwestern Iowa, and is finely improved; it is watered by the West Tarkio Creek, and is thus especially adapted to the raising of live-stock, to which branch of agriculture Mr. Cato gives particular attention, and in which he has been remark- ably successful.

Mr. Cato was united in marriage February 28, 1886, to Miss Effie A. McGogy, of Fre- mont County, Iowa. She is the daughter of Daniel Harper and Cordelia Arletta McGogy, who came from Indiana and settled in lowa.

Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cato: Bessie Nattalia and Arletta. Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party, to which he gives his undivided sup- port. He is a young man of excellent busi- ness qualifications, industrious and economical, and has attained a position of financial in- dependence. His methods of dealing are strictly upright, and has won the confidence and respect of a wide circle of acquaintance.

HOMAS J. RICHARDS, now a resi- dent of section 28, Washington Town- ship, came to Page County in 1866. He was born in Cecil County, Maryland, Au- gust 28, 1815, and is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Morgan) Richards. Thomas J. is one of a family of seven children, and when he was six years of age his parents removed to Chester County, Pennsylvania, and later to Delaware. When he was twenty years of age he decided to try his fortunes in the great West, and accordingly emigrated to Edgar County, Illinois, where he remained one year. At the end of this time he returned to Penn- sylvania.

Mr. Richards was united in marriage, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, January, 1847, to Miss Elizabeth Supplee. She was born, reared and married in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and is the daughter of John and Eliza (Hovan) Supplee. In 1862 Mr. Richards removed to Olinsted County, Minnesota, where he resided three years and a half. He then came to Page County and took up wild land, which he has converted into one of the most charming and product- ive farms in the community. He has planted a grove of two acres and has a fine bearing orchard with an abundance of small fruits.

Mr. and Mrs. Richards are the parents of

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

seven children: Curtis E., John R., Emma, wife of John Wheeler; Charles H., who man- ages the home farm; Anna and William Lin- coln, Thomas W., deceased at the age of six years, and an infant deceased.

Politically our subject is a Republican of a radical type.

Mrs. Richards has been an acceptable mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church since her childhood days.

Charles HI. Richards is a native of Illinois, born September 26, 1854. He was twelve years old when the family removed to Page County, where he lias since resided. He was united in marriage February 4, 1885, to Miss Mary A. Safford of Atchison County, Mis- souri, the daughter of Thomas Benton Safford. Four children have been born of this union: William Leo, Wesley Supplee, Earl Safford and Frank Harrison.

B C. FREEMAN, the oldest settler of Washington Township, is justly enti- tled to a space in the history of the county to whose border he came in March, 1856. He is a native of Indiana, born in Lawrence County, December 22, 1828. His father, John Freeman, was a native of Ken- tncky, and he was a son of John Freeman, Sr. The Freemans are of English ancestry. The mother of our subject was Hila Camp. bell, a daughter of Hugh Campbell, of Irish extraction. Jolin Freeman, Jr., married his wife in Indiana, and they reared a family of eight children. B. C. is the oldest, and when he was ten years of age the family removed to Clay Connty, Illinois, and remained there until the spring of 1852, when the parents went to Oregon, making the trip overland; there they passed the remainder of their days.

Mr. Freeman was reared on a farm and

received a common-school education. When he was nineteen years of age lie moved to Morgan County, Illinois, and resided there until 1850. In that year he started overland for Californa. He remained on the coast about eighteen months, and was during that time engaged in mining. When he returned he came by the way of the Isthmus of Panama to New Orleans, and thence up the Missis- sippi River to Morgan County, Illinois. In 1855 he removed to Buchanan County, Mis- sonri, and the same year, October 26, he was married to Mrs. Mary Jane Baker, a native of Ross County, Ohio, and a daughter of Da- vid Clowser.

The following spring Mr. Freeiuan located in Washington Township, Page County, Iowa, where he has now resided over a third of a century. He purchased a claim and some deeded land, the only improvements being a log cabin and fifteen acres of breaking: In this, as in inany other pioncer homes, hospi- tality was unstinted, and the stranger and friend were made welcome alike. A good dwelling has been erected, and the farm has been developed into as fine a stock-farm as can be found in Page County. It is on the West Tarkio, and is especially adapted to the raising of live-stock.

Mr. and Mrs. Freeman are the parents of eight children: William, a physician living in Oregon; Katie, wife of Charles Merklin; Eliza, wife of David Sherman; Ruth, wife of Ralph Skinner; Hila, wife of Robert Wal- lace; Zina Almetta, wife of Sam Roub; Ro- bena and Elizabeth. Mr. Freeman affiliates with the Democratic party, and has repre- sented his township in the various local offi- ces, discharging his duties with much ability. He is a man plain of inanner and speech, candid and fair-minded, and thoroughly up- right in his daily walks. He came to the county at an carly day and has lived to see the

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

prairie wilderness transformed into a bloom- ing garden spot. His farm on section 32 consists of 270 acres.

Mrs. Freeman is a worthy and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

OBERT McKIE, a representative man of Washington Township. forms the sub- ject of another one of the personal sketches contained in the history of Page County. He has been a citizen of this sec- tion of Iowa since March,| 1874, when he came from Knox County, Illinois. He was born in Scotland, October 3, 1838, and is tlie son of John aud Jessie (Stuart) McKie. His paternal grandfather was Gilbert McKie.

John McKie and wife reared a family of three sons and six daughters. Robert is the oldest of the children, and when he was ten years of age his parents emigrated to Ameri- ca, settling in Knox County, Illinois, where they were among the earliest pioneers. The father died there at the age of seventy-three years and the niother still resides there. Robert was reared to the life of a farmer and attended the common schools. July 7, 1859, lie was united in marriage to Miss Jeannette Sweeney, a native of Scotland and a daughter of Miles and Mary (McCready) Sweeney.

Mr. McKie remained in Knox Connty, Illi- nois, until the spring of 1874, when he camne to Page County and settled in Washington Township, where he now owns 234 acres of most excellent land, all well improved. He has a good farm-house, situated on a natural building site, surrounded with beautiful sliade and ornamental trees; there are a fine grove and orchard that add not alone to the attract- iveness of the place but very materially to its value; the barn is large and well arranged and the cribs and sheds afford ample protec-

tion to the grain and live-stock. Mr. McKie follows general farming, paying special atten- tion to the raising of live-stock and handling short-horn and other high grades.

Mr. and Mrs. McKie are the parents of five children: Mary E., wife of Robert E. Peck; Jolın M. F., Lilly Alice, wife of John Berry, and Robert S. V .; one child, Jessie Stuart, died in infancy. Politically Mr. Mc- Kie is a Democrat; his first vote, however, was cast for Lincoln in 1860. He and his wife and son Francis are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Blanchard. He has given his children all a liberal educa- tion; Mary E. was a teacher before her mar- riage; Lilly Alice was educated at Amity College and is proficient in both music and painting; Robert S. V. was also a student at Amity. Mr. McKie is a well posted man and has always done his part toward all religious and educational enterprises.

Mr. McKie has one art of which he is master that we have not as yet mentioned: he is a marked success as a public auctioneer, and followed the calling both in Illinois and since he lias come to reside in Page County.

AVID A. PECK, one of the best known and carliest pioneer settlers of Wash- ington Township, and a resident of sec- tiou 21, will form the subject of this bio- graphical sketch. Hc is a native of Toronto, Canada, born November 22, 1829. He is a son of Washington and Sophia (Wilcox) Peck, natives of Massachusetts. Caleb Peck, the paternal grandfather, was a New Englander by birth, of English origin. The parents of our subject were married in Canada, and soon after located near Toronto, where the family remained until 1840; in that year they emi- grated to Kendall County, Illinois, and set-

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

tled two miles fromn Oswego, where they were among the earliest pioneers. In 1847 they went to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, residing there two years; at the end of that period they returned to Canada and settled in Lon- don, Middlesex County, Ontario. There David A. grew to manhood; he was reared a farmer and attended the common schools. He is of a family of seven children, five of whom are still living, three sons and two daughters. In 1850 the father and mother went to California, making the trip over- land; they remained there some time and later went to Washington. Mr. Peck was elected a member of the Legislature from the last namned State. After a long and eventful pilgrimage he died, December 26, 1889, aged eighty-eight years. In political belief he was a Republican, and in early times he was a conductor on the " Under- ground railway." His wife died when our subject was an infant.

David A. Peck was married March 13, 1850, to Miss Eliza Jane Carey, a native of the State of New York, and a daughter of Francis K. Carey. He left his wife in Canada and went to California in 1852, inaking the trip by team and consuming six months in the journey, including a ten days' stop in Salt Lake City. He landed at Placerville, California, where lie began dealing in cattle. In April, 1854, he returned via the Ishmus of Panama to New York city. He remained in the East until the spring of 1862, when he came by teain to Page County, Iowa; this trip required five weeks for its comple- tion. He selected his present farm, and at once began to improve it. This was a slow process but it has been a satisfactory one, and to-day he has one of the finest farms in Page County. Tlic building spot is a delight- ful one and is ornamented with beautiful evergreens, and near by is an artificial grove

of eight acres, planted by Mr. Peck at an early day; it now affords abundance of wood for fuel.

Mr. Peck's first wife died in 1885 and he married for his present wife, Sadie J. Mc- Clellan of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. By his first marrige eleven children were born; four sons and two daughters still survive: John L. E., Edward W., Robert E., Anna Eliza, wite of Alonzo McWhinney; Minnie H., wife of George Blanchard, and David Ar- thur; four children died in infancy and Ida M. died at the age of seventeen years.

Politically our subject is a Republican. He has served as township trustee and assessor, and took the census in 1880. In his religious belief he is a devout Methodist and for many years has been a local preacher. He organ- ized the early church in Lincoln Township and has preached more or less ever since; in 1863 he organized the first Sabbath-school in his township, and is a strong advocate of free schools.

But few inen can be found who are ofmore moral value to a community than Mr. Peck; he lias ever been on the side of right, and to his memory there need be no marble shaft erected, as his good works shall indeed be living monuments of a well rounded Christian life.

E. MADDOCK, dealer in furniture and upholstering goods, Blanchard, Iowa, has been closely connected with the business interests of the place since 1885. He purchased the stock of J. E. Win - ney, who had been the pioneer dealer in that line. It is the only business of this kind at Blanchard, and the annual sales run from $2,700 to $3,500. The store-room is large and well arranged for the display of the

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

nicely selected stock of goods which is con- stantly on hand.

Mr. Maddock is a native of Northamp- tonshire, England, born September 23, 1853, and is the son of John and Ann (Fretter) Maddock. When he was three years of age his parents settled in Lorain County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. At the age of seventeen years he went to learn the carriage and wagon maker's trade, which he followed until 1883. He then removed to Atchison County, Missouri, and resided there until 1885; he then came to Blanchard.

On October 1, 1878, occurred the marriage of Mr. Maddock and Miss Anna Davies, a native of Lorain County, Ohio, a daughter of David and Mary (Spriggs) Davies. This union has been blessed with one child, Olive, born October 10, 1885.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Republican party, and is a strong supporter of its principles. He is a inan in the prime of life, full of energy and vigor, and by his strict integrity of character has the confidence of all with whom he lias any dealings.

OUVERNEUR BURNET JENNINGS, attorney at law, Essex, was born near Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky, January 13, 1850. Hecomes of historical fam- ilies, on both his father's side and his mother's. His father, Charles P. Jennings, a prominent clergyman in the Episcopal Church, was born in New Jersey, and was the son of Dr. Caleb Jennings, who was a noted character in the war of 1812, and his grandfather taking an active part in the war of the Revolution, in the Colonial army; his ancestry is of English origin. Gertrude G. Burnet, the mother of our subject, comes from an equally famous ancestry. Isaac G. Burnet was for twelve

years Mayor of the city of Cincinnati, where his daughter, Gertrude G., was born. His brother, Judge Jacob Burnet, served Ohio for several years as United States Senator; another brother, David S. Burnet, became the first provisional President of Texas, pre- ceding Sam Houston in that office.

Mr. Jennings' mother's grandfather was William Burnet, M. D., one of the surgeons in the Colonial army in the Revolutionary war, and we find that there is a direct con- nectiou with the historical Bishop Burnet when James II. succeeded to the throne.

When our subject was two years old the family removed from Kentucky and subse- quently settled in Springfield, Illinois, where the father was pastor of a church. In a few years they went to La Fayette, Indiana, and thence in 1869, Gouverneur B. came to Ben- ton County, Iowa. Meeting with little suc- cess he returned to Indianapolis, Indiana, and engaged as a clerk in a book store. He re- mained there until the antumn of 1870, when lie again came west, this time to Columbia, Missouri, the seat of the State University ; there he managed to take a special course in literature, and in 1872 he took up the study of law, while he was at work on a farm in Pike County. In 1875 he entered the law office of Faggs & Biggs, Louisiana, Missouri, with whom he read until he was admitted to the bar before Judge Porter at Bowling Green, Missouri, in 1876. In February of the following year he located in Essex, Page County, Iowa, .when that point had good prospects for getting the " Wabash " Rail- road and becoming an important railroad center, and has since been actively engaged in his profession; and to-day no attorney in Page County has a more satisfactory practice. He is looked upon by the entire bar as one whose judgment upon law and equity is sel- dom at fault. He is a close student, and has

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HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY.

accumulated a library of several hundred vol- umes of standard works, covering all the principal Reports of the State and National Courts. He has been repeatedly urged to locate in a more pretentions city, but he per- sists in his faitlı in Essex and her people:

Mr. Jennings is a pleasant and forcible speaker at the bar or upon the stump.

On October 11, 1882, occurred the mar- riage of G. B. Jennings and Miss Nellie Snyder, the daughter of John and Belle (Con- nell) Snyder, at Riverton, Iowa. They are the parents of two children, Carrie Cotsworth, born December 31, 1883, and Staats Burnet, born November 13, 1889. Mrs. Jennings is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while her husband belongs to the Episcopal Church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity.

ELKIRK S. LINGO is one of the in- fluential and representative men of Page County, where he has resided since the year 1875. He is a native of Bel- mont County, Ohio, born December 28, 1849. His parents, Gideon and Naomi (Bolen) Lingo, were natives of Delaware and Vir- ginia respectively. Gideon being the son of Samuel, and Samuel the son of John, and John being the son of Samuel, which Samuel with a brother Henry came to this country from Wales in 1765 or 1775 and settled in Delaware. They reared a family of thirteen children, five sons and eight daughters. They are still living on the old homestead in Ohio, which has been in the possession of the Lingo family seventy years. Selkirk S. was reared to the life of a farmer and ob- tained his education in the district schools, the terms of which lasted three months dur- ing the winter season.

In 1875, he came to Lincoln Township, Page County, Iowa, and engaged in the live- stock business, and buying and shipping in large numbers, and was the first man to ship a load of stock on the H. and S. Railroad. In February of that year he bought 240 acres of choice land on section 9, Lincoln Town- ship, which he improved.

March 9, 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Martha A. Martin, of Belmont Coun. ty, Ohio, a daughter of Amos and Mary (White) Martin. He then settled on his land in Lincoln Township, and he has inade further investments in farm land nntil he now owns 834 acres, which is under good cultivation. He has continued his interest in the industry of live-stock feeding and raising, in which he has been more than ordi- narily successful.

Mr. and Mrs. Lingo are the parents of four children: Walter M., Ernest Selkirk, Mary Mabel and Otis Allen. Politically our sub- ject is a Republican and a strong supporter of that party. He has held numerous town- ship offices, discharging his duties with much ability. He is a member of Mountain Lodge, No. 360, A. F. & A. M., at Essex, Iowa, and he also belongs to the chapter. Mrs. Lingo is also connected with the Ma- sonic order, being a member of the Eastern Star Lodge. She belongs to the Christian Church, having united with that denomina- tion in Ohio. Mr. Lingo is a man yet in the prime of life, full of vigor and possessed of great industry. He is well and favorably known throughont western Page County,

OHN DOWDELL, proprietor of " Dow, dell Block " and owner of other valuable real estate, is the subject of this bio- graphical notice. The building above men-

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tioned is on the north side of the public square of Clarinda, and is one of the best in the city. It is a two story structure, the lower floor being divided into two store-rooms and the upper portion being finished as a fine hall; it was erected at a cost of $12,000.

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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