USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 25
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Politically Mr. Smith is a Republican; re- ligiously a member of the Congregational Church; and socially a member of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 17, K. T .; also a member of the Scottish-rite order of Masonry.
H. SCHULTZ, a farmer of Lewis Town- ship, is a native of Schleswig, Germany, born January 13, 1838, the son of J. F. and A. M. (Rasacker) Schultz. The parents came to this country in 1866, to Seott County, Iowa. The father, a shoemaker by trade,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
died in Cass County, Iowa, in 1886, and the mother in Chariton County, Missouri, in 1876. They had a family of seven children, viz .: Maggie, wife of Chris Leekbent, resid- ing in Cass County, Iowa; J. Il., our subject; Fred, a resident of Council Bluffs, Rudolph, of Cass County, Iowa; Nicholas, a farmer of Pottawattamie County; Dora, wife of Henry Koch, residing in Nebraska, and Augusta, deceased; also Christ, residing in Pottawat- tamie County.
J. II. Schultz, our subject, was reared in his native county until he was nineteen years of age. Ile received his education in the common schools, and learned the trade of car- peuter, after which he came to America and located at Davenport, Iowa, where he spent about twelve years. Ile first worked in a machine shop one year, and was then engaged in farming and carpenter work. He had a farm of 190 acres about twelve miles from Davenport, which he sold, and in 1870 re- moved to Missouri. Here he purchased a farm of 160 aeres in Chariton County, where he made his home for ten years, but owing to a failure of crops he disposed of his farm and came to l'ottawattamie Connty in 1880. Hle rented land for about two years, and then purchased his present farm of 160 acres, on section 15, Lewis Township. When Mr. Schultz took possession of this place it was in a wild condition, but he went to work with a will to make a comfortable home, and to- day has one of the best farms in this part of the county. Ilis home is surrounded with shade and ornamental trees, and he has erected good barns for stock and grain. He has a double granary for corn, capable of holding 5,000 bushels of corn, and be also has a barn which will shelter 100 hogs, built on the latest improved plan, furnished with a fur- nace and cook-pan for cooking feed. Ile has, in connection with his farming, done con-
siderable carpenter work in the county; he now devotes most of his time to the raising of cattle and hogs. In political matters he is a stanch Democrat.
Mr. Schultz was married January 13, 1860, to Mary Hansen, who was born in Schleswig, Germany, December 14, 1830, the daughter of Dudley and Sophia (Nachdigall) Hansen. The father died in Germany about 1863, and the mother died in Scott County, lowa, in 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Hausen were the par- ents of eight children, of whom six died in the old country, and two came to America,- George, born in 1833, and is a resident of Cass County, Iowa, and Mrs. Schultz, the wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz are the parents of eight children, viz: John F., born October 19, 1859, and is a resident of Council Bluffs; Julius, born July 17, 1861, and is a farmer of Pottawattamie County ; George, born November 15, 1863, and is a farmer of Mills County, Iowa; Anna, born September 15. 1865, and is the wife of Charles Schnor, residing in Pottawattamie County; Edward, born December 17, 1866, residing at home; Margaretta, born November 25. 1869, at home; and Henry, born June 28, 1872, also at home. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz are members of the German Lutheran Church, and are among the worthy and most respected citizens of the county.
LEXANDER VALLIER, of Ilazel Dell Township, is a native of Lobor- ough Township, London District, Up- per Canada, and was born June 26, 1807, the son of Alexander and Mary (Marion) Vallier, natives of France. When young they came to Upper Canada, where they were married, lived and died. The father was a mannfaet- urer of potash. They had a family of seven
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children, of whom our subject was the eldest. He and his brother Lewis are the only ones surviving. Mr. Vallier was reared in his native country until he was seventeen years of age, when he came to New York, where he spent some five years, and where he received his naturalizition papers. He thien visited Canada, where he spent three years, and then came to Ohio, where he spent five years, en- gaged in farming. He afterward removed to Pike County, Illinois, where he was en- gaged five years in farming. He then moved to Decatur County, Iowa, where he also spent five years. He moved a man from that county to Florence, Nebraska. In 1849 lic was on the Nishnabotna, and while there at- tended an Indian war dance, when, not being acquainted with their customs, he feared every moment that his scalp would be taken. They had just killed seven Omaha Indians.
In the spring of 1851 he came to Potta- wattamie County, Iowa, which he has since made his home. When he first came to this county he farmed one year on the Little Mos- quito, in Garner Township, and then removed to Hazel Dell Township, where he also en- gaged in farming one year. Mr. Vallier then removed to his present farm on seetion 28, Hazel Dell Township, where he entered forty acres, and erected a log house, 14 x 16 feet, where he lived for several years. He then built a good frame house, 30 x 34 feet, which was afterward destroyed by fire, and he built his present home 18 x 24 feet. Ile has added to his first purchase of land until he now pos- sesses 300 acres, the most of which is in sec- tions 27 and 28, and nearly all under good cultivation. He has always devoted himself to farming and stock-raising, and in con- structing his buildings he has assisted in the carpenter work. His home and surround- ings denote thrift and prosperity. He strug. gled through the carly days of Pottawatta-
mie County with the other pioneers, and withistood the storms and hardships and is now reaping his reward. He has always labored hard for the best interests of this county, and in its social and moral welfare, and has by his honesty and integrity won a large circle of friends. He was instrumental in organizing the first district school in Hazel Dell Township, and has always been a lover of law and order. He is a stanch Re- publican, having wheeled into line from the old Whig party. He at one time, with R. Bortan, east the only Republican vote in the township. He has represented his township as School Director.
Mr. Vallier was married in October, 1830, to Mary Draper, who was born in 1810, in Earnestans, Canada, and died in Pottawatta- inie Connty, May 20, 1886. They had a family of eight children, namely: Jane, wife of Virgil Mefford, residing in Harrison County, Iowa. They have a family of five children; Thomas, a resident of Hazel Dell Township, who has a family of five children; Hannah, wife of Alex. Ellison, residing in Harrison County: they have a family of seven children; Ruth, wife of Gus Fillmore, also residing in Harrison County, and have a family of eight children; Emily, wife of James Robinson, residing in Monona County, Iowa; they have a family of eight children ; Rozilla, wife of Amasa Bybee, residing in Rock Township: they have a family of nine children; Daniel, a resident of Harrison Connty, and has a family of four children; and Lewis, residing in Pottawattamie County, and they have a family of two children Mr. Vallier again married, for his present wife, March 15, 1887, Mrs. Maggie Wootton, who was born in St. Louis, Missouri, May 29, 1848, the daughter of George W. and Mary (Hayes) Martin, natives of England; they are both deceased. The mother died in 1848,
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and the father in 1860. They had a family of four children: Hannah M., Maggie, Isa- belle and Joseph. Maggie was reared in St. Louis, Missouri, and was first married to Henry Roberts. They had one ehild, Thomas Roberts, a resident of Hazel Dell Township. She was again married to John Wootton, and they have three children, namely: Anna, Emma and Harry.
LEXANDER L. FRIZZELL is one of the well-known pioneers of Center Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Hle eame to his present loeation in 1870, when this country was in its wild estate, and has sinee eontinned his residenee here. As an early settler and a worthy citizen of this part of the county, a sketch of his life will be found of interest to many.
He was born in Vermont, May 6, 1833. Ilis father, Michael Frizzell, a native of Essex, Massachusetts, was a son of Elijah Frizzell, a descendant of French ancestors and a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The mother of our subjeet was nee Orpha Cree, a native of Vermont. His parents were mar- ried in the Green Mountain State, and when he was eighteen months old they removed te Medina County, Ohio, where the mother died in 1837. In 1839 his father wedded Char- lotte Deen. They removed te Bureau County, Illinois, in December, 1845, before there was any railroad there, making the journey in a wagon in the dead of winter, and were among the early settlers of that county. The father's second wife died in 1881. In 1883 he mar- ried Louisa Seely, and lived there until a short time before his death. He died at Firth, Laneaster County, Nebraska, at the age of eighty-three years. He had been a farmer all his life. In polities he was a Republican,
and in religion a member of the Christian Church
Alexander grew to manhood on his father's farm and received his education in the publie seheols of Bureau County. In 1860 he eame to Iowa and for some time was variously em- ployed in Mills County. He operated a threshing machine, ran a saw-mill and, being a natural mechanic, was never at a loss for work. It was in Mills County that he be- eame acquainted with Miss Annie MeNurlin, whom he married August 20, 1863. She was born in Huntingdon Connty, Pennsyl. vania, in 1836, the daughter of James and Rachel (Jeffrey) MeNurlin, both natives of Pennsylvania, the former of Irish extraetion and the latter of English. Mrs. Frizzell was an infant when her parents moved to Ohie. From there they went to Indiana and settled in Wabash County, where they lived some years and where Mrs. Frizzell was edueated and reared. The family subsequently re- moved to Mills County, Iowa. The parents afterward went to Cass County, Nebraska, where they spent the rest of their lives, beth dying at the age of seventy-five. The father was an active member of the Methodist Church and a class-leader in the same. Polit- ieally he was a Demoerat.
In 1867 Mr. Frizzell moved to Cass County, Nebraska. Three years later, however, he returned to Iowa, and settled in Center Town- ship, Pottawattamie County, en eighty aeres of wild land, where he continues to reside. He bought a log house which had been built by Mormons. The logs are oak, the best quality in the county. Mr. Frizzell moved this house to its present loeation, and here he has a home which for comfort and convenience is not surpassed by many a more pretentious looking structure. Here he and his good wife dispense hospitality in a generous way to friend and stranger, regardless of creed or
1
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
doctrine. Mr. Frizzell has a fine orchard and grove, good stables, eribs, etc., and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. His farm comprises 160 acres, all under a splen- did state of cultivation.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Frizzell are as follows: Richard Ellsworth; Caroline, wife of Hugh Brown, of Center Township, has two children; Minnie, wife of Warren Newton, Mills County, Iowa, has one child; Rachel Charlotte, who makes the old home more pleasant by her presence.
Politieally Mr. Frizzell is a Democrat. For four years he has serve l as Justice of the Peace, dealing ont justice in an impartial manner to all who come before his court. Ile has also served the public as a member of the School Board. He is noted for his in tegrity, his cordiality and his hospitality.
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L. ALDRIDGE, a prominent farmer of Rockford Township, was born in Put. nam County, Indiana, November 23, 1846, a son of John Sanford and America (Jones) Aldridge, also natives of Indiana and of English and Welsh ancestry. The first immigration to this country was in an early day, locating first in North Carolina and then in Indiana; were farmers. In the family of the father of John S. Aldridge were six chil- dren: Ruth, John, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Betty and Josiah. John S., the second child, was born in North Carolina, June 15, 1819, but when young his father died. In the winter of 1846 he moved to Illinois, taking with him his mother, who afterward died, in 1880, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. Her husband, John S. Aldridge, had died March 16, 1849, leaving two children: II. L., our subject, and Mary E., now the wife of George Frazier. Mrs. John S. Aldridge,
in 1853, after her husband's death, married Josiah Skelton, a native of Tennessee. In 1854 they came to Pottawattamie County, and located npon Honey Creek, where they lived until his death in 1885, and are the parents of eleven children: John, Lewis; Josiah, Jane, Albert, Alice, Allen, Margaret, Jonas and Eddie, the two last deceased.
Mr. Aldridge, our present subject, was brought up by his mother to farm life. A little after he was twenty years of age. April 14, 1867, he married Margaret E. Selvy, a daughter of William and Mary (Foster) Selvy, natives of Tennessee and of Irish and German extraction. Iler parents came to Missouri, and after some years moved to this county (Pottawattamie), and finally to Har- rison County, this State, where the father died, April 10, 1885, leaving eleven children : Frank M., George W., Martha, Margaret E., Eliza Ann, Susan, Mary, Amanda, William, James Edwin, and one who died in infaney. Margaret, the fourth child, was born in Mis- souri, July 6, 1850, brought up as a farmer's danghter, and was married at the age of seventeen years. After his marriage, Mr. Aldridge purchased forty acres of rough, wild land in the Missouri River bottom, in Harrison County, erected a log house 14 x16 feet in dimensions, and began to make the improvements essential to a complete home; bnt at the end of eight years, in 1875, he sold out and came down to Pottawattamie County and bought 150 acres of wild land, except- ing that there was a small farm house upon it; remained there eight years also, and then purchased forty-four aeres of land on section 1, Rockford Township, where he now resides. At that time some improvements had been made here, but they had greatly deteriorated. Ile went to work and has made out of the place a fine home. Ile has now a good frame house, two stories high, 24 x 38 feet in ground
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area, including porches, verandas, etc., a good orchard containing both large and small fruits; indeed it is one of the finest orchards in the county. He has dealt also in live stock to a considerable extent, taking special interest in horses and in Poland-China hogs. He has added to his first purchase of land until he now has 290 acres, all but ten of which is in fine cultivation, 100 acres being in pasture. He has also a quantity of bees, doing well. He first started out in life here with almost nothing, but his ambition and energy has won for him success. Both his mother and his wife's mother are living with him, at an advanced age. Willis A. Selvy, a nephew of theirs, was born Angnst 3, 1868, and left an orphan when young, was brought up by Mr. Aldridge and now resides upon an eighty-aere farm in Harrison County. Also a niece, Annie Jones, born August 26, 1872, was reared by him. Mr. Aldridge is a reli- able gentleman, independent on local issues. He has been Township Trustee twelve years, and is now Road Supervisor. He is an honored member of Missouri Valley Lodge, No. 232, F. & A. M .; also a member of the Mutual Protective Association, of St. John, of which he has been treasurer ever since its organization.
ILLIAM WHITNEY, one of the representative citizens of Center Township, Pottawattamie County, came to his present location in 1881. He was born in Ontario, March 25, 1836. His father, William E. Whitney, was born near Rochester, New York, the son of Jeremiah Whitney, a native of New England The mother of our subject, nee Mary Scott, was born in Niagara County, New York, Septem- ber 7. 1815. Her father, William Scott,
was born in Connectient, and her mother, Joanna (Crane) Scott, was a native of Eliza- beth, New Jersey. Mrs. Scott was a daugh- ter of Colonel Jacob Crane, an officer under Washington in the Revolutionary war. Mr. Whitney has in his possession a pewter pan that was owned and used by Colonel Crane during the struggle for independence. It has been handed down to him by his ancestors, and is highly prized. Colonel Crane had a son-in-law, Crowell Wilson, a Captain in the British army, who received a grant of land in Ontario, where he settled and where others of the relatives also located. Colonel Crane also had a son-in-law in the American army.
Mr. Whitney lived in Ontario until thir- teen years of age, when the family moved to Jackson County, Michigan, and later to Ingham County, same State. His father and mother had ten children, two of whom died in childhood. The names of those who reached adult age are Lney A., William, Martha, F. S., Hannah E., Joanna C., D. A. and Sarah G. The father was a mechanie by trade. He was a minister of the Gospel in the Free-will Baptist Church, and was a zeal- ous and faithful worker in the cause of his Master. He enlisted in the service of his country during the late war, and at the siege of Savannah lost a leg, having been shot through the knee. From the effects of the wound he died, in September, 1873, at the age of seventy-three years. His widow now receives a pension.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of St. Thomas, Ontario, Jackson and Ingham counties, Michigan. When a young man he went to Whiteside County, Illinois, where, in 1862, he entered the service of his coun- try, enlisting in Company B, Seventy - fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He participated
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
in the battles of Perryville, Chickamauga, Lookont Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Re- saca, Marietta, Kenesaw Monntain, Atlanta, Georgia, Franklin, and Nashville, Tennessee, and many other battles and skirmishes, After a service of three years he was honor- ably discharged at Camp Harper, Tennessee, He then returned to Illinois and settled in Burean County, where he lived until 1867. In that year he moved to Franklin County, Iowa. After a residence of six years there he went to Cass County, same State; in 1881, he came to Pottawattamie County. Here he bought eighty acres of wild prairie land, on which he has since made many im- provements. He has a good house and barn and suitable buildings for grain and stock, and a fine orchard and grove. In fact, every- thing about the place indicates the push and enterprise of the owner. Mr. Whitney has a good graded stock of cattle, horses and hogs.
In Whiteside County, Illinois, October 3, 1858, Mr. Whitney wedded Miss Elizabeth C. Berry, a native of Darke County, Ohio, and a lady of intelligence and refinement. Her parents were Joseph and Jane (Harbi- son) Berry, the former a native of New Jer- sey and the latter of Ohio. They subse- quently removed to Burean County, Illinois, where the father died, November 5, 1876, at the age of sixty-three years. The mother re- turned to Darke County and died there, in 1883, at the age of sixty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney have three children: Ada L., Mary A., a successuful teacher of Center Township, and William B.
Politically our subject affiliates with the Republican party. He is a member of Rob- ert Provard Post, No. 414, of Carson, and has served as chaplain of the post. He and his wife and two daughters are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Spring Creek. He has served as class-leader and
also as superintendent of the Sunday-school. Mr. Whitney takes an active interest in both religions and educational matters. He is one of the esteemed citizens of the township.
W. SCOTT, of Hazel Dell Township, is a native of Cambridgeshire, Eng- land, born July 16, 1843, the son of George and Ann (Cooper) Scott, both natives of England. They were married in their native country, came to America in 1856, and located in Kane Township, Pottawatta- mnie County, where they made their home for twenty years, but died in Hazel Dell Town- ship. The father was a farmer by occupa- tion, having improved 160 acres of land in this county. They were associated with the Reorganized Church of the Latter-Day Saints. They had a family of twelve chil- dren, only five of whom still survive, and of whom G. W. is the second oklest child liv- ing.
Ile was reared on a farm, and received his education in the common schools. He came to this connty with his parents, and has since made it his home. He has assisted largely in building up and developing this section. When he was nineteen years of age he started ont in life for himself, working ont by the month. Mr. Scott made his first purchase of real estate in 1873, on section 22, Hazel Dell Township, consisting of eighty acres of raw prairie. He then took up eighty acres ad- joining, on the same section, as a homestead, and on which was a small frame residence, which now does duty as a poultry house. In 1883 he erected his present handsome resi- dence, a dwelling 28 x 16x18 feet, and also erected good barns for stock and grain and made many other improvements. He has planted three acres of grove and two and a
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half acres of orchard, and the entire place denotes thrift and energy. He has added to his first purchase until he now owns 2453 acres of the best land in the county. He devotes himself to farming and stock-raising, and takes an interest in all the better grades of stock. Politically Mr. Scott is a stanch Republican, taking an active part in the polit- ical work of the county, State and nation. He is also a member of the Mutual Protec- tion Society of Ilazel Dell Township, and of the Farmers' Alliance. He is one of the wide-awake men of the county, and has by his honesty and integrity won a large circle of friends, and his life is a good example of what a man can accomplishi who has the pluek to carry him through.
Mr. Scott was married, December 31, 1863, to Miss Frances G. Horn, who was born in England, July 22, 1844, and who came to America when quite young. They have a family of nine children, viz .: Anna R., deceased; Ida B., at home; Olive G., Lillie I., May E., Walter G., deceased, Henry T., at home, John F., Ivy Pearl. His grand- daughter, Bessie F. Barnes, the danghter of Anna R., resides with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Scott.
ILLIAM S. EDIE, section 32, Center Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, is one of the enterprising and popular citizens of his section of the country. He came here in 1873, and has since made this place his home.
Mr. Edie was born in Lewis County, New York, November 29, 1838. His father, William Edie, was born in New York State, of German extraction, and his mother was nee Onor Hinkston, also a native of New York. When William S. was a lad of eight years
his parents moved to Lake County, Illinois, near Waukegan. The father improved two farms in that county, and died there at the age of forty-six years. Mr. Edie's mother is now eighty years old, and is a resident of Wankegan. They reared three children, viz .: Sarah Sanders, of Friend, Nebraska; William S., the subject of this sketch, and Marcellus Brenton, who died in Ohio. The father was a cooper by trade, but a farmer the greater part of his life. He also worked some at the carpenter's trade, being a natural mechanic. Politically he was a Democrat, and religiously a Baptist.
William S. was reared on his father's farm in Lake County, and educated in the public schools. During the great Rebellion he en- listed, in 1864, in Company D, One Hundred and Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry, and served to the close of the war. When the conflict ended he returned to Lake County, and re- mained there until 1873. In that year he came to Iowa, and settled in Center Town- ship, Pottawattamie County. He bought his present farm of 110 acres, which at that time was wild prairie land. It is now under a good state of cultivation, and is devoted to general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Edie has a comfortable frame house, good barn, other suitable out-buildings, and a thrifty orchard. A modern wind-mill furnishes the power by which water is forced through pipes to the barn and feed lots, a distance of 550 feet. In fact, everything about the place indicates the prosperons and enterprising farmer.
Mr. Edie has been twice married. He first wedded Miss Lotta Synn in Lake Coun- ty, Illinois, March 2, 1874. She was a daughter of Abram Synn. By her he had three children : Jay Sylvester, Monning Abrain and Cora Louisa. Mrs. Edie died March 21, 1881. February 12, 1885, Mr. Edie married
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