Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Part 40

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 828

USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 40

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

Mr. Minahan in his political views is a straight Democrat. Ile has been Clerk of York Township for eight successive years, and School Treasurer two years. At present he is City Councilman, and takes great inter- est in the advancement of the interests of the town. He and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic Church of Neola, and stand high in the estimation of the com- munity-

C. ELSWICK, of section 36, Carson Township, is one of the enterprising and successful citizens of the county, and one who has heen a resident of Pottawat- tamie County all his life. Ile was born in Grove Township, January 18, 1859, the son of William Elswick, who was born in Rush County. Indiana, about 1826. He was the son of Andrew Elswick, of German descent, and Elizabeth (Castle) Elswick. The father was reared in Rush County, Indiana and came to Iowa some years before his marriage. He was among the early pioneers of Monroe County, Iowa. In 1851 he was married to Martha S. Sagers, who was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, March 4, 1833, the daugh- ter of Henry Sagers, a native of Pennsylva- nia. The same year they were married they came to Pottawattamie County, with an ox team. They had a serious time crossing the sloughs, rivers and streams. They settled in Grove Township, where Mr. Elswick resided until his death. In 1859 he went to Pike's Peak but returned the same year. He died in March, 1861. Politically he was a Dem- ocrat, and had served as member of Pot- tawattamie's first Board of Supervisors. Ile lett a widow, three sons and one daughter; his three sons-Marshall, Marion and John C., our subject-reside in Carson Township;

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and his daughter, Arabelle, is the wife of Charles Clise of Atlantic, lowa. Mrs. Els- wiek was married to O. P. Mace, March 29, 1864.

J. C. Elswick was reared at farm work in the early days of Pottawattamie County. Arriving at the age of majority he went to Colorado in 1880, where he spent three years engaged in mining. Hle was successful, and after he returned to this county he purchased his present farm of eighty acres. Its im- provements consisted mostly in the land be- ing broken out and one erop had been raised on it. All the buildings Mr. Elswick has since erected. Everything about the Els- wick farm shows the thrift of the proprietor.

He was married, February 22, 1883, in this county, to Miss Rhoda Durham, a dangh- ter of William Durham, a prominent and well-known citizen of Carson Township, whose sketch appears on another page. Mr. Elswick and wife have three children: Ira Carl, Mabel G. and Ethelinda M. Politically Mr. Elswick is a Democrat, and is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 444, of Carson Township. Both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Church of Christ.

EORGE A. HOLMES, attorney and counsellor at law, Council Bluffs, is one of the leading members of the bar of this city and one of its representative citizens. He became established here in his profession in December, 1873. He has been continu- ously alone in practice, and has ocenpied his present office at 332 Broadway during all the years of his residence here. Mr. Holmes is a native of Illinois, born in Tazewell County, that State, in 1849. His father, George W. Holmes, was a pioneer of that county, and a native of Charleston, West Virginia. The 29

mother of the subject of this notice, formerly Sarah A. Allen, was born in Schenectady, New York. Her mother dying when she was an infant, she was adopted into the family of Flavel Bascom, and taken by her adopted parents to the town of Groveland, Tazewell County, Illinois.

George W. Holmes and wife are now resi- dents of Council Bluffs. The former is a builder and millwright by trade. James W. Hol nes, the eldest brother of the subject of this notice, is a resident of Tulare County, California; he has a family of six sons. Henry H. Holmes, the second brother, is a resident of Council Bluffs. George A. is the next in order of birth, and a sister, Mrs. Laura A. Riddle, is the next. Fountain B died in Council Bluffs, in 1878; he left ne family. Charies T. Holmes, the youngest of the brothers, is also a resident of Council Bluffs. A sister, Emily, died in Page County, Iowa, at the age of about thirteen years. George W. Holmes removed to Iowa in 1857, and settled in Page County, and in 1862 the entire family went overland to California, and after a three years' sojourn on the Pacific coast returned to Iowa.

The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of Page County. He early conceived the idea of becoming a lawyer, and after acquiring, by earnest industry, sufficient education to enable him to teach a common school, he engaged in that occupation. He began the study of law at home. His first law book was a copy of Blackstone. He also obtained and carefully read Kent's Com- inentaries, Walker's American Law and Greenleaf on Evidence; these four books con- stituted his law library when he began his professional career in Council Bluffs in 1873. He was a student in the office of Messrs, Moor & McIntyre at Clarinda for a few months, and was admitted in that city in

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1872. Mr. IJohnes began his professional life in quite a modest way. His receipts for the first four months of his professional eareer were $2.45, not a very auspicions be- ginning.for the young lawyer, but he applied himself unremittingly to his profession, and ere long he enjoyed the success which ever comes from honest labor. In 1875 Mr. Holmes was made City Attorney, and eon- tinued to occupy that position uninterrupt- edly for fourteen years, or until 1889. He performed the duties of that position with marked ability, as is indicated by the long series of years that he occupied that office. Politically Mr. Holmes affiliates with the Democratie party, but was frequently ap- pointed to the office of City Attorney by Republican eouneils. He was twiee a can- didate for Legislative honors, but, the county being largely Republican, he was defeated by a small majority. Mr. Holmes is not only an able lawyer, but a progressive and publie- spirited eitizen, ever taking a commendable interest in whatever tends to promote the best interests of the publie.

HIARLES ALEXANDER, a prominent farmer of Boomer Township, was born in Philadelphia, April 2, 1837. His father, Alex. A. Alexander, a native of Seot- land, spent his youthful days on a farm in his native country and learned the millwright and carpentry trades. At the age of twenty- seven he was married to Elizabeth Moyes, who was born in the East Indies in 1797, her father being an English officer of war sent to that country, who remained in charge of a post there some fifteen years. He then returned to Scotland in ill health, where he soon died, leaving a wife and five children: Andrew, James, John, Walter and Elizabeth.

The latter was married at the age of twenty- five years, and by this nnion there were the following children: Maron, James, Elizabeth, Aun, Alexander, William, Charles and Mar- garet, and two died young. Their parents eame from Scotland to America in 1835, landing at Philadelphia, where they remained wo years, and then came to Dubuque, in 1837. Mr. Alexander built the first frame house erected in that city, and died there in September, 1845, leaving a wife and eight children: Marian, James, Elizabeth, Ann, Alexander, William, Charles (our subject) and Margaret. The mother spent her last days with her children on the farm in Jack- son County, which her husband had bought, dying in Jannary, 1877.

Mr. Charles Alexander, our present sub- jeet, inheriting forty acres of land, married, and three years afterward disposed of that land, and in 1861 came to Pottawattamie County and purchased another forty aeres of wild land, in Boomer Township, and com- meneed to improve it.

August 4, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, at Conneil Bluffs, was placed under General Steele in Western Kentucky, in the Army of the West. His regiment participated in several fierce battles. At Jenkins' Ferry on the Saline River he was wounded in two places, one ball passing through his arm below the elbow and then through his side and left hung. In this condition he was taken pris- oner, while his comrades were on the retreat, and he was held captive eight months at Camp Ford, Tyler, Texas and other places. In the camp where he was placed were eighty eases of yellow fever, of which but two re- covered, he being one of the two. Shortly afterward he was paroled, at Galveston, and he rejoined his regiment at Little Rock, Arkansas. After spending two months at

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home he again joined his regiment and was at the capture of Spanish Fort, next at the Rio Grande, and about the last of July the regiment was ordered back to New Orleans, where, August 10, it was mnstered out.

Returning to his farm, Mr. Alexander made many improvements and purchased forty acres more land, broke it and made a comfortable home. In 1871 he sold that place and purchased eighty acres of unim- proved prairie and made another home. Subsequently he sold this also, for $2,000, spent a year in California, buying property in San Jose. Returning to Pottawattamie County, he purchased the eighty acres where he now lives, on section 8, Boomer Township. Here he has erected a fine frame house, 32 x 44 feet, and the usual farm structures, and has devoted his attention to general farming and stock-raising. Considering the serious wound he received in the service of his country and the abuse while a prisoner in the hands of the enemy,-which was equally in the service of his country, -thus disabling him to a great extent, it is really a source of marvel to witness how much he has accomplished.

Mr. Alexander is a thoroughgoing Dem- ocrat. He has held nearly all the township offiees, been County Supervisor a year and a half, etc., and has always fulfilled his public duties with satisfaction to his fellow-citizens. He has taken an active and efficient part in all the movements that are of public benefit. He is a zealous member of the Mutual Pro- tection Association.

Of his five children, there are still four living, namely: Moyes, born January 1, 1860, and died February 5, 1863; Alice, born Feb- rnary 1, 1862, is the wife of Denver Hough in Crescent City; Henry Thomas, born No- vember 28, 1865, died August 22, 1867; Elizabeth A., born March 28, 1868, is now

Mrs. Edward Seabold, residing in Harrison County; Charles I., born November 28, 1870, and Nellie May, born March 7, 1873, are both at home; and William Edward, born March 19, 1879, died July 9, 1879. Mrs. Alexander's brothers and sisters are: l'hobe, the wife of Adam Heagney, in California; Han- nah, the wife of Dominick Heagney, residingin Missouri Valley, Iowa; Henry, in California; Henrietta, deceased; she herself (Catharine) was the youngest in order of birth. Their parents were Isaac and Catharine (Earl) Scott, natives of New York State. Mr. Scott was born in New York, June 10, 1805, and his wife October 2, 1802. Ile was a farmer all his life, removing first to Pennsylvania and then to Iowa in an early day. llis wife died in New York in 1841, and he was subse- quently married to Catharine Rice, whose parents were natives of England, and then he came to Dubuque and to this county in 1860, locating in Boomer Township, where he died October 27, 1877. His wife survived only one week.

- TACOB DONER is one of the enterpris- ing and successful citizens of Hardin Township. He was born in Wayne County, Ohio, November 16, 1846, the son of Henry Doner, a native of Pennsylvania, who was the son of Jacob Doner, also a Penn- sylvanian by birth, but of German descent. They trace their anceetors back to the time of the early settlement of Pennsylvania. Our subject's mother, Amanda (Johnson) Doner, was born and reared in Ohio; her father was of Irish ancestry. Jacob Doner, the eldest child, was about eight years of age when his parents settled in De Kalb County, Indiana, and then moved to Defiance County, Ohio. Ile was reared to farm life, and, although

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but a lad when the great Rebellion broke out, he enlisted in the Union army, and was assigned to the Third United States Cavalry. His regiment was stationed at Huntsville, Alabama; from there it was ordered to St. Louis, Missouri, and thenee to Little Rock, Arkansas, where they remained two years. After the close of the civil war the regiment was ordered to New Mexico, stationed first at Fort Bascom, thence to Fort Sumner on the Pecos River, now an abandoned fort. Mr. Doner was discharged at Fort Sumner, September 30, 1868, after serving nearly five years. By a special act of Congress they were discharged earlier, so as to have time to reach the States before winter.

Returning home he went to Iowa, where his family had moved during his absence, and where he remained only a short time; he then went to the following places; Ohio on a visit, spending the spring and winter of 1869; then to Burean County, Illinois, five years, until 1875; Lucas County, Iowa, until 1883, and then Pottawattamie County, Hardin Township, section 25. Mr. Doner resided here six years, and then bought his present improved farm of L. J. Kiser. The farm consists of eighty acres of good land, a comfortable frame house, on a natural and pleasant building site, with a large grove and an orchard of six acres. The farm is well-matured and readily adapted for stock purposes In his political views Mr. Doner is a Republican, and is a man just in the prime of life, well-informed on all topics. frank and cordial in his manners, and is a well-known and respected citizen of his township.

He was married July 4, 1870, at Prince- ton, Bureau County, Illinois, to Miss Genevra Caroline Folger, who was born, reared and educated in Bureau County, and daughter of Robert Folger, of Nantucket Island. The

family are relatives of the great statesman Folger. The father is now abont eighty years of age, and is living at Lebanon, La- clede County, Missouri; and the mother, whose maiden name was Melissa Cross, is a native of Wayne County, Ohio, and is still living, at the age of sixty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Doner have six sons, namely: Frederick, William, Charles, Isaac, Jesse and Frank.

B. NICIIOLAS, the second member of the firm of Mulholland & Nicholas (see sketch of Mulholland), was born in Morris County, New Jersey, November 22, 1842, the son of Amos S. and Mary (Jennings) Nicholas, also natives of that State. On the paternal side liis ancestry is traceable back to the sixteenth century and are of Welsh extraction; on his mother's side his ancestry is English. Both his parents are deceased. He was reared in his native State to farm life. At the age of sixteen years he began to learn the carpenters' trade, but before the expiration of his apprentice- ship he enlisted in Angust, 1862, in Com- pany C, Fifteenth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged June 22, 1865, at Hall's Hill, Virginia. He was on constant duty during his entire term of service, partic- ipating in some of the most noted battles, as the first and second Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, those of the Wilderness, Shenan- doah Valley, Petersburg, etc.

After the close of the war he returned to New Jersey, and engaged at his trade, which he followed until the spring of 1867, when he came to Council Bluffs, where he has since made his home, excepting eighteen months in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad. during its construction. In 1870 he established himself in the grocery busi-

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ness in Council Bluffs, and followed that until 1882, when he engaged in his present trade.

In his political sympathies he is a Re- publican. In 1878 he joined as a charter member of Fidelity Council, No. 156, Royal Arcanum, in which he has passed most of the chairs. In January, 1879. he married Miss Grace A. Wood, daughter of Amasa and Olive Wood, born in New York State, at Dutch Flats, July 12, 1854.

M. CRIPPEN, a merchant of Neola, was born in Great Barrington, Mass- achusetts, April 1, 1847, a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Foote) Crippen, of English origin on the mother's side. Their ancestry, which was of the agricultural class, can be traced back to the landing of the Mayflower. Michael Crippen had one child by his first wife, Andrew, who resides in Massachusetts, and he also had one by his second wife, namely, the subject of this sketch. Two months before his birth his father died; afterward an uncle resided with the family, and when C. M. was only a year and a half old his mother also died, and he was brought up by the uncle. At the age of eighteen years he graduated at Bacon Acad- emy at Colchester, Connecticut. Then he clerked in a general merchandise store until he was twenty-three years of age. In 1870 he came West with his uncle, locating npon a farm of 240 acres of wild prairie, which he had bought in Norwalk Township, this coun- ty. Here, owning a half interest, he erected a frame house and began improvements of all kinds, remaining upon it for nine years, and raising grain principally, and some live- stock. Then they disposed of the farm, moved into Neola, erected a store building

20 x 50 feet, and filled it with a stock of clothing, boots and shoes. In 1880 Mr. Crippen began business for himself. He now possesses a nice home, which he has earned by industry and economy, and a fine reputa- , tion, which he has won by promptness and honesty. He is a steadfast Democrat in his vote on national questions. He was the first Recorder of Neola after the town was incor- porated; since then he has been Treasurer of the town. He is a member of lodge No. 410, I. O. O. F., at Neola, lately elected Trea- surer of the same; is also a member of Crystal Lodge, No. 228, K. of P., of Neola, of which he was a charter member. In society he is a live man, as well as in business.

His children are: Bessie May, born July 10, 1881, and Carlton F., in April, 1883. April 22, 1880, during the year he began business for himself, he married Miss Mary A. Breckenridge, whose parents were natives of Illinois and of English ancestry. Hler mother is dead, and her father lives in Nebraska. In that family were four chil- dren: Lenora, wife of John Garrett in Neb- raka; Mary A., the second born, and Frank and Preston, both in Nebraska.

LFRED P. HANCHETT, M. D., homeopathic physician and surgeon of Council Bluffs, established himself in practice in this city in January, 1881. Hle was born at Aurora, Illinois, June 16, 1852. His father, David Hanchett, was a pioneer of Kane County, Illinois, where he settled in 1844. The Doctor is one of five brothers, all but one of whom are physicians in active practice.

The Doctor was reared on a farm, and graduated at the High School at Aurora, in |1873; took a scientific and literary course at

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Wheaton College, and began the study of medicine at Wheaton, with Professor E. H. Pratt, while a student at college. He gradu- ated at the Homeopathie Medical College in . Chicago, in 1878, and located first at Ma- rengo, Illinois, where he practiced three years, when he removed te Council Bluffs. The Doctor was married to Miss Grace MeMicken, a native of Aurora, Illinois, and they have two children.

Dr. Hanchett has a large and increasing practice. Ilis professional duties demanding an assistant, he associated with him in that capacity, in 1887, Dr. Sarah Smith, formerly his student, and a graduate of Hahnemann College, Chicago, in the class of 1887. He is a member of the Omaha and Council Bluffs Homeopathic Medical Association; Secretary of the Hahnemann Medical Asso- ciation of Iowa; member of the Examining Board of the Homeopathic Department of the Iowa State University; Physician and Surgeon to the Iowa State Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and member of the Ameri- ean Institute of Homeopathy.

ILLIAM II. MAXFIELD, one of the prominent and substantial farmers of section 24, was born in Prince Edward's Island, August 12. 1841, the son of William and Sarah Ann (Picketts) Maxfield. The father was born in Yorkshire, England, about 1810, and was a young boy when his mother moved to Prince Edward's Island, where he grew to maturity and learned the shoemaker's trade, but afterward turned his attention to farming. In 1850 he came to the United States and located at Council Bluffs, where he died about one month atter his arrival. He was a member of the church of the Latter-Day Saints. His wife was a

native of Prince Edward's Island, but her people were from Prussia. She died in this neighborhood, November 5, 1872, when fifty- two years of age. After her husband's death she married Benjamin Minturn, and resided here until her death. She was also a member of the Latter-Day Saints. Mr. and Mrs. Maxfield had five children, four of whom still survive: John P., a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of this township; William H., our subject; Barbara, the wife of Charles Fish, a farmer and stock-raiser of Jewell County, Kansas, and Alma, residing in Neola; Wilfred died when a child. By the last marriage of Mrs. Maxfield there were five children, four of whom are now living: Claracy, deceased; George T., a farmer near Sturgis, Dakota; Benjamin, residing in Neola, is traveling for Crane Bros. & Co. Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Illinois; Sarah, wife of George Williams, residing near Neola; Lewis, engaged in farming.

William II., our subject, spent his school days in this county, and remained with his mother until twenty-one years of age, when he commeneed to farm for himself. Hle rented a farm in the Missouri River bottom two years, and then bought forty acres of the land on which he now lives. He has sinee added the remainder of 209 acres, with thirty acres of timber, which he has improved in the most approved manner. He started only with a good constitution and a determination to make life a success, and with energy, economy and industry he has indeed suc- ceeded. He has been Township Clerk for four years, Assessor a number of years, and Trustee one term, and has also held other official positions.

December 18, 1862, he married Miss Emma S. Rishton, daughter of Henry Rishton. She was born in Manchester, England, in 1843, and when a child came with her father from

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England to Rhode Island, and afterward to the State of Iowa in 1850. They have thir- teen children, of whom eleven are now living, viz .: Lilly I., a school-teacher; William B., residing in Council Bluffs; Edward N., a farmer near his father; Alice, engaged in teaching; Jessie G., at home; Frederick, at home; Cora, Daisy, Emma S., Pearl, and Roy, at home; Henry died when an infant, and Grover C. was two years of age at his death. Mr. Maxwell has made an effort in life to educate his children, and rear them to be good and useful citizens. Politically he is a stanch Democrat.

IIICAGO LUMBER COMPANY, 716 Main street, Council Bluffs; M. T. Green, Chicago, and S. P. MacConnell, Council Bluffs, proprietors; stock between $60,000 and $75,000. Yard No. 2 is at the corner of Twenty-sixth and Broad streets. They deal in lumber and all kinds of build- ing material.

Mr. MacConnell was born in Ormond, Canada, April 5, 1861, the son of James and Elizabeth (McCormick) MacConnell, of Scotch and Irish ancestry; father is deceased and mother resides still in Canada. Our subject was reared at his native place to the age of fifteen years, when he went to the western part of Missouri. In 1880 he went to Chicago, where he was engaged by the Chicago Lumber Company until 1885, when he came to Council Bluffs and purchased an interest in the establishment already de- scribed. This was established in 1877. Mr. MacConnell is one of the most energetic young business men of the city. This branch of the business is under his sole supervision. He fills contracts and delivers material at all points. The wholesale lumber is principally

oak and other hard woods, for bridges and timbers. Le has large mills in Arkansas, on the Iron Mountain Railroad.

For his wife he married Miss Ella C. Clapp, of Chicago.

- YMAN CAMPBELL, who resides on section 12, Hardin Township, came to this county in March, 1854, where ho has since resided. He was born in Tioga County, New York, January 16, 1834, the son of William and Maria (Cross) Campbell, both natives of New York; the former was born February 15, 1812, and died in 1880, in Monona County, and the latter was born October 27, 1816, and died in 1865. They reared a family of thirteen children, of whom twelve grew to maturity. Lyman, the eldest child, was small when his parents moved to Ohio, where they lived for some time, and then went to Wayne County, Indiana. He was a lad of thirteen when they moved to Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, where they lived for six weeks, and in 1846 came to this county with a company of Mormons, arriving July 4. They then crossed the Mis- souri River and located at Florence, Nebras- ka, and in the fall of 1846 they removed to Holt County, Missouri, where they resided until the spring of 1854, when they came to this county. Lyman passed his youth on the farm, and received his education in the sub- scription schools.

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Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Part 40

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 828

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 828