USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 38
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He was married in 1867, in Council Bluffs, to Mary Hansen, who was born in Denmark, October 10, 1849, and was brought to this country when seven years of age. They have nine children, namely: Lena B., Andrew M., Harvey P., Rose M., Nellie M., Evarts 11., Floy M., and Viva and Vera (twins),-all at home. Mr. Wind's parents were Andrew I and Magdalin K. (Erickson) Wind; the mother is deceased.
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F. JONES, of section 3, Carson Town- ship, was born in Ross County, Ohio, July 12, 1846, the son of Joseph and Mary Elizabeth (Diekcy) Jones, the former a native of Bedford County, Virginia,
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an old Virginian settler, who was the son of Jesse Jones, who served in the war of 1812; the latter was born in Bedford County, and was also the daughter of an old Virginia settler. They had nine children, all of whom are now living.
R. F. Jones, the eighth child of seven sons and two daughters, was three years of age when he moved with his parents to Davis County, Iowa, where he grew to manhood, engaged at farm work and attending school. At the age of nineteen he came to Pottawat- tamie Connty, where he lived for four and a half years. He first bought land in this county, in 1872, in Carson Township, section 11, which consisted of forty acres, which he afterward broke and sold. In 1874 he bonght 120 acres of wild land, which he suc- cessfully broke, and built a good frame house. This was part of his present farm, and he now has 310 acres in rich bottom land along the Nishnabotna River, adjoining the town plat of Carson, and is second to none in loca- tion in the castern part of the county. Shadeland, the home, is a beautiful place, and will compare favorably with any in western Iowa. Here Mr. Jones raises trotting and road horses of the Hambletonian breed, and he also has a fine herd of red-polled cattle. He was one of the pioneers in the raising of fine horses and cattle in the county, and his herds are as fine as any that can be found in this part of the State.
Mr. Jones was married to Miss Cora Crain, of Macedonia Township, at Council Bluffs, Jowa, September 13, 1870, the daughter of John E. and Talitha (Thompson) Crain: the former was born in Ohio, and was reared at Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa, and was educated at Philadelphia; the latter was a native of Lancaster, Ohio, and died when Mrs. Iones was eighteen months old. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have six children: Edith,
Laura, James Arthur, Robert Franklin, A]- bert Lea, Lulu Way and Rolland Roscoe. Politically Mr. Jones is a Republican, and in 1884 was elected Supervisor of the county by a large majority; the court- house was built during his term. He has also been Township Trustee for six years, and is a member of the I. O. O. F., Carson Lodge, No. 444. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Jones has been Trus- tee, and is a supporter.
D. HOOKER, of section 11, Carson Township, was born in Chautauqua County, New York, July 10, 1837, the son of HI. M. and Nancy (Palmeter) Hooker; the father was a native of Genesee County, New York, and a relative of the General, "Fighting Joe Hooker." The family were of English ancestry, and descendants of two brothers, who were among the early cmi- grants to the northeastern States. The parents reared a family of ten children. The father was born in 1810, and came to Iowa, settling in Delaware County in 1854. being one of the first settlers in that county. IIe lived there until his death, which took place in March, 1874. The mother resides in this county, at the age of seventy-four years.
J. D. Hooker first worked in a saw-mill in Pennsylvania, having been brought up in the lumber regions of sonthern New York, and was well fitted for that situation. Ile came to Iowa in the spring of 1855, when quite a young man, and his experience in the saw- mill made him quite a desirable man to serve in the capacity of foreman, and he easily ob- tained a situation. Ile remained here tive years and then purchased a farm in Delaware County, Iowa, which he sold in 1869. Flere
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he first commenced the study of veterinary surgery, practicing occasionally while he car- ried on his farm. He removed to Webster County, south of Fort Dodge, where he lived for two years, and in May, 1871, first came to Pottawattamie County, and settled on prairie land, when all was new and wild in that county. Mr. Hooker now owns a valu- able farm situated about one mile from Car- son. He has a blacksmith shop run by his sons, and his home, called Pleasant Valley, is a beautiful place.
Ile carries a full line of instruments of all kinds, especially those required in horse dentistry and surgery, having over $200 worth altogether. He is also the inventor of Hooker's Cure for Flatulent (" wind") Colic, one of the most prevalent and fatal diseases of the horse, and he contemplates beginning soon to manufacture the medieinc.
He was married in Delaware County, Iowa, July 10, 1861, to Miss T. J. Wilson, the daughter of John and Jane (Crelling) Wilson ; the former was born of Scotch parents, who had settled in Ireland, where he was born; and the latter was born in Northumberland, England; the family came to the United States in 1848, and settled in Iowa County, Wisconsin, and in 1858 came to Delaware County, Iowa. The father died in 1876 in Delaware County, and the mother still lives at Sioux City, Iowa, at the age of seventy- three years. Mr. and Mrs. Hooker have nine children, namely: J. M., a contractor and bnilder in Chase County, Nebraska; C. M., at home; Edward D., residing in Chase County, Nebraska; James D., residing at the same place; Jenny L., the wife of Frank Perry, of Washington Township; Lewis J., at home; Shockey E., Jennie E., Frederick S. They lost one child, Leander Vern, by death, when two and a half years old. Politically Mr. Hooker is a Democrat, and has served
in some of the minor offices of the township. He is a skilled veterinary surgeon, having had about thirty years' experience, and is considered one of the leading authorities in the eastern part of the county.
- OIIN A. FRANK, a prominent farmer of Lincoln Township, was born on a farm in the mountains of Switzerland, De- cember 18, 1845, the son of Jacob Joseph Frank, who was a farmer of Tyrol, Switzer- land. Ile was married to Ursula Platz, and to them were born five children: Marion, Frank, Joseph, John A. and Ursula. The grand- father was in the war with Napoleon. The ancestors of the family were natives of Swit- zerland, where they have resided for gen- erations, and they possess the sterling characteristics of the liberty-loving Swiss people in a marked degree. Mr. Frank was a member of the Catholic Church, and lived to the age of sixty-five years.
John A. Frank, a son of the above and the subject of this sketch, was reared to farm life, and in 1866, at the cage of twenty-one years, came to America. He landed in New York, and then went to Washington city, where he worked in a brewery for two years. In 1868 he went to LaFayette County, Wis- consin, where he worked on a farm, and where he remained until 1873. He then came to Pottawattamie County and bought 240 acres of wild land, which he has since improved, and to which he has wisely added until he now owns a magnificent farm of 915 acres. He was married in Wisconsin, July 5, 1870, to Elizabeth Hart, who was born in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, February 6, 1840, the daughter of August and Kate Hart, who were natives of France. The father was a Clarion County farmer in comfortable cir-
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cumstances, and was the father of six chil- dren: Martha, Mary, Elizabeth, Kate, Harry and Louise. Mr. and Mrs. Frank are the parents of two children: Joseph, born April 20, 1872, in Grant County, Wiseonsin; and Jessie E., born August 1, 1876, on the home- stead in Pottawattamie County, Lineoln Town- ship. Joseph is attending the Drake Univer- sity at Des Moines, Iowa, and is obtaining a liberal education. Mr. Frank believes in giving his children a liberal education. He has the respect and the confidence of the people; has held the office of Township Trustee for nine years; has also been Sehool Eirector for a number of years, and has also held the office of Road Supervisor. In politics he was a Republican for years, but now votes for the party who believes in the greatest good for the greatest number-the Democratic.
Mr. Frank can truly be said to be a self- made man, as he began life with nothing, and by hard work, economy and wisdom has made his handsome farm. He has set out fine trees, and his grounds and house present a tasteful and attractive appearance. He is yet a young man, of strong constitution, in- herited from an ancestry of good stock, and the children inherit from both mother and father their sterling traits of character. Mrs. Frank is a worthy lady, and has faithfully assisted her husband in every way to make a success in life. Mr. Frank is the founder of a new family in America, and the coming generation should take an honest pride in handing down his name to other generations.
B C. SCHMOOCK, architect and super- intendent of building, came to Conn- cil Bluffs in March, 1889, and opened an office in rooms 3 and 4, Marcus block, and in Angust following he established an
office also in Hunt's block, South Omaha. He has erected some very fine buildings, among which we may mention the double residences of Mrs. S. A. Stillman, and the residenees of O. W. Butts, L. Hendricks, C. L. Gillette, M. Callahan, J. Strock, Mrs. E. Wegener's bloek, Porter Bros.' fruit warehouses, the residenee of C. M. Ilunt in South Omaha, the cottages of J. L. Paxton, the residence of P. Cockrell, South Omaha, and William Kelly, etc., ete.
Mr. Schmooek was born in Detroit, Michi- gan, August 3, 1864, the son of William and Lonisa (Otto) Schmooek, natives of Ger- many, who are still residents of Detroit. He was reared in that city. For two years he studied drawing under the instruction of Mr. Melchers, the sculptor of Detroit, and while in that city he made the charts for the school statistics and institutions of the State of Michigan, which were exhibited at the New Orleans exposition in 1884, and are now in the State library at Lansing, Michigan. He was only nineteen years of age when he drew these charts. He spent five years in the office of Hess & Racemen, architects and superintendents in Detroit. In July, 1888, he came to Council Bluffs. He is Democratie in his politics, is a member of the I. O. O. F., and is destined to make his mark in the business circles of this city.
ENRY RISHTON, one of the promi- nent citizens of York Township, was born in Lancashire, England, April 21, 1838, the son of Henry and Mary (Bland) Rishton, both natives of Lancashire, England. The father was born April 4, 1810, and died in Couneil Bluffs in 1885. He was the son of James Rishton, who died in England at a ripe old age, and was a chemist by occupa-
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
tion. His son learned the block-printer's trade when a young man, which he followed until he came to America in 1844, where lie, in company with eleven others, was induced to come to Rhode Island and start a print works. He was one of the very first block- printers to come to America, and in fact he and his companions were the very first. The family remained a year and a half in Rhode Island, and then went to Fall River, Massa- chusetts. In 1850, with his family, he came to Council Bluffs, which was then known as Kanesville, and which was then a very small hamlet or trading post, made up of a few shanties. He bought a claim on Little Mos. quito Creek, then called Macedonia Camp, five miles east of Conneil Bluffs. In 1857 he and his family came to where our subject now resides, and enclosed a half' section of wild land, which he afterward improved. He was trustee of York Township, and when a young man in England he was a member of the Odd Fellows' Lodge. He and his wife were members of the church of the Latter- Day Saints, but on coming to Council Bluffs he changed his religion on account of po- lygamy. In polities he was a stanch Demo- erat, and since reaching their majority his sons have all voted the Democratic ticket.
His wife, Mary (Bland) Rishton, was born May 9, 1815, and is still living in Council Bluffs, and not over a year ago daneed with the subject of this sketch at a party given at his house. Her father was Miles Bland, who died in England. He was a dealer in boots and shoes, and died in the same house where he was born, when eighty-one years of age. The family were members of the Bap- tist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Rishton have eight children living, viz .: Edward, a farmer of Riverton, South Jordan, eighteen miles from Salt Lake City; Bland, a merchant of Council Bluffs; Thomas, a merchant of Coun-
cil Bluffs; Emma, wife of William II. Max- field; Jaines, a farmer and stock-raiser of York Township; Eliza Jane, wife of William Alton, a rancher of Denison, Iowa; John, a rancher near the city of Spokane.
Henry Rishton, our subject, spent his school days in Massachusetts and a short time in Pottawattamie County. He remained at home until twenty-one years of age, and then rented a farm in this township for a number of years. In 1866 he bought 120 acres of the land where he now lives, to which he has since added the remainder of 280 acres, of as good land as lies in the county. It is improved with a good residence, barns, and surrounded with shade and ornamental trees, fruit and flowers, and all that tends to make a home happy. He has served as Justice of the Peace three years and a half. twelve years as Road Supervisor, one year as Trustee, twenty years as School Director, and in 1884 was elected one of the County Commissioners, during the time the court-house was built, which is one of the finest in the State. He is now Clerk of this township. His success in life is the result of his energy and business ability.
March 1, 1860, he married Miss Adeline Clough, a daughter of Calvin Clough. She was born in Lorain County, Ohio, May 5, 1842, and died September 19, 1884. IIer father was one of the first settlers, and came from Cleveland, Ohio, to Council Bluffs, where he kept a grocery store in 1853. Ile was a native of New Hampshire, and died in this county when sixty-three years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Rishton have seven children, of whom six are still living: Fred, the eldest; Belle, a teacher in York Township; Alpha, Howard H., Lida, and Corinne, at home. Florence May died when sixteen years of age, September 17, 1877. April 8, 1886, Mr. Rishton married Agnes Forsyth, a daughter
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of John and Susan Forsyth. She was born in Dundee, Scotland, October 17, 1841, and came with her parents to Manchester, Eng- land, and when ten years of age came to the United States, loeating in St. Louis one win- ter, and in 1851 came to Council Bluff's. She taught school in Council Bluffs over twenty years, and was principal for fourteen years. She has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for quite anum- ber of years. Mr. Rishton is a Mason in good standing of Neola Lodge, No. 423. He has crossed the Rocky Mountains six times, and in 1864 had a number of hair- breadth eseapes from the Indians.
M. AXTELL, a farmer of Boomer Township, was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, July 4, 1838. (For par- entage and ancestry see sketch of L. S. A.x- tell.) Being the youngest child, he remained at home until his father died. In 1857 he married Miss Sarah Franklin, daughter of Leander and Sarah (Barker) Franklin, natives of New York State who after her birth moved to Pennsylvania. Mr. J. M. Axtell after his marriage moved to Sparland, Mar- shall County, Illinois, where he took charge of a farm for Lewis Burson two years, and there his wife died, February 19, 1866, leav- ing five children, namely: Samnel Albert, who resides in Harrison County, Iowa; Leona, wife of G. W. Howland, residing in Harrison County, also; Charles and Oscar died in infancy. June 6, 1867, Mr. Axtell married Miss Mary, daughter of Daniel and Maria (Erwin) Graham, natives of Pennsylvania, who afterward moved to Illinois and finally to Missouri, where they both now live. The Grahams were the parents of twelve children, viz .: Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Elliott, and resid-
ing in Illinois; Mary, the second in order of birth; Luther and Henrietta, deceased; Find- lay, at home; Ann, wife of Dr. Sherman, re- siding at Coffeeville, Kansas; Jesse, living in Harrison County; Ervin, in Shell City, Mis- souri; Laura and Emma, twins, the former at home and the latter in Colorado; Albert and Alice, twins, the latter the wife of Richard Newton and both residing in Colorado. Mrs. Axtell was born October 9, 1845, brought up as a farmer's daughter, and was married at the age of twenty-two years. After his see- ond marriage Mr. Axtell came to Pottawatta- mie County and purchased sixty acres of un- improved prairie and began to make the necessary improvements thereon, and also, in connection with his farm work, continued at his trade as carpenter, which he had learned in younger days. At the end of five years he sold out, bought forty aeres elsewhere, built a house and made valuable improve- ments upon the tract, and remained there ten years, dealing also extensively in live-stock. Selling this place, he finally bought his pres- ent farm, of eighty acres of wild land, on see- tion 10, and this now is the third home he has made. Sixty aeres is under enltivation, while the remainder is in meadow and pas- tore. He has a comfortable residence and surroundings, with shade trees, orchard, etc. While his sons manage the farm he is engaged by the Pottawattamie County Mutual Insur- ance Company, for whom he began to operate about three years ago.
He is an active and influential Republican. Has held the various offices of his township, especially in school matters, and is now Jus- tiee of the Peace. He is also a member of the Mutual Protection Association of Hazel Dell, and of the I. O. O. F. In Pennsylvania and Illinois he and his wife were members respectively of the Methodist Episcopal and Baptist churches. They are the parents of
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
ten children, namely: Milton, born Septem- ber 8, 1868, resides in Harrison County ; John, October 7, 1870; Lutellis, September 20, 1872; Gertrude, October 20, 1874; James, August 25, 1876; Daniel, November 22, 1878; Mary Alma and Maria, twins, born March 28, 1881: Maria died a month after- ward; George, born September 9, 1883; and Blanch, born January 20, 1886, died March 20, 1886. All those who are living, except the first mentioned, are still at their parental home.
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R. JAMES CARSON ROBERTSON, M. D., was born in Washington Conn- ty, Iowa, June 6, 1845, the son of John D. and Eliza (Carson) Robertson. The former was born in the State of Pennsylvania, but the latter is a native of County Tyrone, Ire- land. John D. Robertson is of Scotel de- scent, his father having been a native of Scotland. The father of our subject went to Stark County, Ohio, with his parents when a child, where he was reared and married. In 1842 he settled in Washington County on a farm, where he still lives. They were the parents of six sons who grew to maturity, four of whom are still living. The eldest brother, William H., was a member of Com- pany H, Seventh Iowa Infantry, in the war of the Rebellion, and served during that war. He then married and settled on a farm in Washington County. He was several years a Justice of the Peace, and was well known throughout the county, taking much interest in politics. He died in June, 1875, leaving a wife and danghter, who still survive him, and both are engaged in the ocenpation of teaching. The other son was Samuel A., who died in 1879, at the age of about thirty years, leaving a wife. He was a merchant
and druggist at the time of his death, and a resident of Bull City, Kansas. The subject of this sketch is the second in order of birth. John D., the fourth, is a farmer of Washing- ton County; George F. resides at the old homestead with his parents; De Witt C., the youngest, also resides in Washington County.
Dr. Robertson was reared on the old home- stead farm. He received his education at the public schools, and in 1868, at the age of twenty-two years, he entered the State Uni- versity at Iowa City, and remained a student in the literary department of that institution tor three years. He thien entered the medi- eal department of that institution, and took his medical degree in March, 1873. He tanght several terms of school during his college course, and also taught a term before entering college. The Doctor at once located at his old home in Washington County, and continued in practice until he came to this city. In 1883 the Doctor went to New York city, where he took a course at the Bellevue Hospital, and where he also received the de- gree of M. D. Dr. Robertson is getting a good practice, and is a member of the Iowa Medical Society and of the American Medi- cal Society. He owns a pleasant home at 1006 Fifth avenne.
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He was married in Washington County to Miss Helen Houck, who is a native of that county, and they have two sons,-Andrew A. and Ralph D.
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OSEPHI HEADLEE, the oldest living settler of Valley Township, is deseended from an old American family, who came to Pennsylvania from England in an early day. Joshna Headlee, the grandfather of Joseph, was a pioneer settler in Greene
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
County, Pennsylvania, and was the father of four children: Elisha, Thomas, Amnos and Susan. The father moved to Indiana about 1830, settling in Rushville, where he bought a farm and remained twelve years. In 1840 he settled in Lee County, Iowa, where he died at the age of eighty years. He was an industrious and honorable man, and was re- spected by the community in which he lived. His son Elisha, the father of our subject, was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and in early life became a farmer, but like most American farmers was accustomed to the use of tools, and could do ahnost any kind of work. He was married in his native State to Dorothea Johns, daughter of James Johns, ot Greene County, and of Scotch-Irish ances- try. Mr. Johns was a wealthy farmer of Greene County, and was a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Elisha . Headlee were the parents of eight children: George, Joseph, James, Jackson, William, Sarah J., Nancy A. and Dorothea. The father moved to Indiana with his father and their family, and settled on a farm near Rush- ville, where they remained until 1840, when they came to Iowa.
Joshua Headlee, the subject of this sketch, was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1826, and was but eight years of age when his father moved to Indiana, and about fifteen years old when they came to Lee County, Iowa, then a wilderness. He became accustomed to all the vicissitudes and hardships of pioneer life, and was brought up on a farm. In 1852 he came to Pottawatta- mie County, settling in Valley Township, which was then unnamed, and the whole country was a wilderness. There was one store at Council Bluffs, and Omaha was still in the "State of Nature." Joshua Lewins settled in Knox Township about six months before Mr. Headlee. Joshua Headlee and
his son George, and Wash Lewins were the three first settlers in Knox Township; Mr. Headlee preceded Mr. Lewins about two weeks. The Indians frequently visited Mr. Headlee's log cabin, which was built on Jim Creek, Knox County, where he lived about two years. Deer, elk and smaller game fur- nished these families with plenty of meat during the winters, which were long and cold. The first season after leaving Jim Creek, Mr. Headlee plowed np eighty acres of land on the farm now owned by William Pierce. He settled on his pres- ent farm in 1855, which contains 160 acres, and which is now in a fine state of cultiva- tion. He has lived to see the whole of Pot- tawattamie County thickly settled, with a population of 140,000, in a radius of five miles from Omaha. He is truly an old pio- neer citizen, has brought up a large family of children, and has the reputation of always being interested in every good work and canse. The first school was established in 1856, at a place ealled New Town, two miles from the present site of Avoca, in a log school- house, where preaching was also held by John Wilson, a Methodist Episcopal minister. Mr. Headlee always went to Council Bluffs to market, a distance of thirty-five miles.
Ile was married in Lee County, to Esther Lewis, daughter of [Ingh and Phoebe (Bailey) Lewis. The father was a native of Kentucky, of Irish descent, and was an early pioneer of Johnson County, Indiana. He died in that State, and is remembered as an honorable and upright citizen. They were the parents of nine children: Jacob, George, Levina, John, Esther, Prndenee J., the re- mainder dying in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Headlee have had eleven children: William, deceased in infancy; Sarah, Martha, Mary, who died at the age of fourteen; Andrew, Maggie, Alice, Frances, Abraham, Joseph
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