USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 41
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During the great Rebellion, Mr. Campbell enlisted in the service of his country, Novem- ber 15, 1864, in Company B, Thirteenth Iowa Infantry. He took an active part in the battle of Nashville, Tennessee, and the battle of Kingston, North Carolina; his regiment passed through a large portion of this State. He was honorably discharged at the close
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of the war. Mr. Campbell has resided in Pottawattamie County since 1854, and on his present ların since March, 1883. It was formerly wild prairie land, but he has since broken it out, planted a grove and made many other improvements.
He was married August 31, 1856, in Pot- tawattamie County, to Miss Caroline Mary Louisa Hartwell, who was born in Genesee County, New York, November 15, 1833, the daughter of Renben and Lucinda Ahne- da (Merritt) Hartwell, both natives of Massa- chusetts. They came to Pottawattamie County in April, 1847, and afterward re- moved to Holt County, Missouri, and in 1853 returned to this county. The father died here in 1862, at the age of fifty-three years; and the mother, who is eighty-one years of age, is living with her danghter, Mrs. L. Campbell. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have six children, namely: George William, a carpenter by trade; Almeda Lovisa, Joseph Nephi, Lyman Everett, Robert and Caroline Almira. They lost their first child, Lucinda Maria, by death, when an infant. The fam- ily are members of the Reorganized Church of the Latter-Day Saints. Politically Mr. Campbell is a Republican. He is a strong man, weighing 277 pounds, and is one of the prominent citizens of the county.
ORMAN GREEN, in 1883, erected his present livery, feed and sale stable, at 513 East Broadway, Council Bluffs, where he enjoys a large business, buying and selling horses on commission, and doing the street sprinkling, of which he has had control since 1862.
Mr. Green was born in Otsego County, New York, June 20, 1830, the son of John and Polly Green, of Puritan and German an-
cestry. At the age of twenty years he went to Pennsylvania, where he became acquainted with and married Rachel A. McCarthy, who died about a year and a half afterward, at the age of twenty-two years. After a sojourn of three years in the Keystone State, Mr. Green returned to New York, and eight years afterward eame West to Council Bluff's, where he has since made his home. He is a self-educated and a self-made man. Politi- cally he is a stanch Democrat, is a represent- ative man and a highly esteemed citizen.
About two years after his arrival here he married Hattie Devol, who died in February, 1889, at the age of fifty-five years. Four children blessed this union, namely: Charles C., a resident of Council Bluffs, who is in the hardware business; Louis N., employed by the Motor Company in Council Bluffs; Will- iam M. and George B., who are still in college.
ASMUS CAMPBELL, of section 50, Keg Creek Township, has been a resi- dent of Pottawattamie County since the summer of 1853. He was born in Wayne County, Indiana, May 28, 1840, the son of William and Maria (Cross) Campbell, both natives of New York; the Campbells were of an old family in the East, some of the ances- tors taking part in the Revolutionary war, and were originally from Scotland; the Cross family were of Irish ancestry. The parents were married in New York, but afterward moved to Ohio, in the vicinity of Cincinnati, and afterward settled in Wayne County, In- diana, in 1838, where they lived until 1846. when they came to Holt County, Missouri, and remained until 1853. The mother died in Pottawattamie County in the year 1865, and the father in Monona County, Jannary 28, 1880.
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Heury A. VanSant
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
Rasmus, the fourth in a family of thirteen children, was a lad of thirteen years when his parents settled in this county, and here on the frontier he grew to manhood, passing his youth at farm work. His first purchase of land in this county was on section 29, which farm he improved and sold. He then bought the land where he now lives in 1868, which consists of 127 acres on sections 21 and 20. A large portion of the land consists of rich, second bottom, on the west side of Keg Creek, which flows through the eastern por- tion of the farm, furnishing an abundance of water for stock purposes. Mr. Campbell is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He has served as Assessor seven years, when Silver Creek and Keg Creek townships were one, as Justice of the Peace for two ternis, dispensing justice in an impartial manner to all who were called before his court, and also as president and member of the school board. Politically he is a Republican, and is an active and zealons worker for his party. He was a delegate to the State Convention at Sioux City, Iowa, in June, 1890, and is a member of the Farmers' Protective Alliance.
He was married in Atchison County, Mis- sonri, June 8, 1862, to Miss Martha M. Motlitt, a native of North Carolina. She was four years of age when, in 1849, her parents came to Jefferson County, Iowa, and seven years of age when they came to this county. Her parents, Thomas Moffitt and Nancy Craven, were natives of North Carolina, and lived in this county from the time they came until their death. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have three children: Alma W., who resides on the old farm, and has also been engaged in mercantile business since 1886; he carries a good stock of staple goods, and has a good trade; he was married to Minerva Orine; Ed- win N., who resides in Keg Creek Township, was married to Josephine Forbes; and Wini-
fred, at home. They have lost three children by death: Pearl, the fourth child, died when nine years of age; Paralie, the third, died when eight months old; Henry, the sixth, died when four days old.
ENRY II. VAN BRUNT, one of the successful jobbers in carriages, buggies, etc., of Council Bluffs, first established his business here in 1878, at Nos. 12, 14 and 16 Fourth street. He makes a specialty of vehicles of all kinds at wholesale and retail. He also has the largest retail trade in agri- cultural implements in the city. He does an extensive business in the storage and trans- ferring of agricultural implements for manu- facturers of the East; this branch of his busi- ness is second to none in this city or Omaha, having first-class facilities. IFis warehouses are located on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad tracks, on First avenue, and are large and especially adapted for the business, having a capacity of 25,000 square feet. He occupies the Bennett block on Fourth street for his office and retail store.
He was born in Jefferson County, New York, and was seven years of age when his parents removed to Wisconsin, and was twenty years old when, in 1868, he came to Council Bluffs. His parents, W. H. and Julia A. (Palmer) Van Brunt, were natives of New York State and of Holland ancestry on the paternal side. He was brought up to farm life. Since his arrival here he has been a leading and successful business man. He has dealt in considerable real estate in the county, and'now has one of the finest farms in the county, consisting of 520 acres in one body, on sections 2 and 3, Keg Creek and Hardin townships. The farms are well stocked, the improvements are of the best,
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and have been made under his direct super. vision. He owns also a number of lots, and has just completed for himself one of the finest residences in the city. He is mainly self-educated and self-made in his business attainments. In his political views he is a Republican; is a member of the Board of Trade, and chairman of one of the important committees, and also a member of the ex- executive board of the Council Bluffs and Omaha Chautauqua Assembly.
Ile was married in Council Bluffs, to Miss Lillie M. West, who was born in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, the daughter of E. West, and they are the parents of two children: Harry and George.
C. UTTERBACK, the proprietor of the Broadway Livery Barn, at 228, 230 and 232 Central Broad Street, assumed control there August 24, 1889, and keeps a stock of about $2,000, doing all the kinds of business usually transacted at such establishments, and also has a wholesale and retail feed store, delivering sold goods to all parts of the city.
He was born September 28, 1851, in Illi- nois, a son of Charles and Rachel (White) Utterback, of German descent. He moved to Mills County, lowa, and next to Holt County, Missouri, and then back to Mills County, where Mrs. Utterback died. W. C. was then given in charge of his grandmother, who died three years afterward, bequeathing the boy a small amount of live-stock; but it was never delivered to him by his grandfather. Charles Utterback (W. C.'s father) married again; the boy returned to live with him. They moved to Nebraska a few months after- ward, and the boy was employed on a shingle-
machine one winter in the Missouri River Bottom, at $6 a month. When nine years old he chopped cord-wood for making char- coal, at 75 cents a cord. Next he was em- ployed on a Nebraska farm at $8 a month, for one summer. The next year he worked on the Missouri River seven miles above Nebraska City. When he was ten years of age he was bound out till of age to a Mr. Wood, who in the course of two years became so abusive that the lad was obliged to leave him to save his life. The fellow would sometimes come home drunk and threaten to kill the boy. One time he actually got him down, sat himself upon him and endeavored to choke him to death!
After spending another summer with his father, his step-mother died, and he was once more thrown out upon the cold world. His father now told him that he could keep all he made. Returning to Mills County, he was employed upon farms until he was nineteen years of age. He then married, rented a farın, worked it during the summer and la- bored for his father in his brick-yard during the winter. After four or five years thus employed he made brick on his own account two years at Malvern, Mills County. Then he moved to Council Bluffs, in 1881, taking charge of brick-yards for James Wickham one seasou, and then for Henry Delany and Richard Foxley one season. Next for a short time he was engaged in sinking wells and cisterns, taking contracts for the same for six years longer, when he settled down to his present situation. He is a representative business man of Council Bluffs, a Republican and a member of the V. A. S. Society, and also, with his wife, a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.
March 3, 1871, he married Miss Harriet C. Hubbard, who was born in 1852, and they are the parents of nine children: Eva,
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
Ora, Eddie, Mellie (deceased), Amos, Minnie, Bertha, Thomas and Agnes.
ARGARET STOKER, of Pottawatta- mie County, was born May 29, 1822, in Wilkes Connty, North Carolina, the daughter of John and Rhoda (Judd) Stoker, the former a native of North Caro- lina. Mrs. Stoker was in her seventh year when her parents moved to Wayne County, Indiana, where they lived until after her father's death, which took place when she was about seven or eight years of age. Ile left a widow and nine children, of whom Mrs. Stoker was the youngest. In 1838, when she was sixteen years of age, the family moved to Iowa, on the Des Moines River, when the State was still a Territory, and where they lived until the mother's death, which occur- red one year later. In 1839 Mrs. Stoker was married, at the age of seventeen years, to Eller Stoker, who was born in Jackson County, Ohio, the son of Michel and Cathe- rine Ella Stoker, the mother a native of North Carolina and the father of Germany. Eller Stoker was reared in Ohio, and when about twenty-one years of age moved to Missouri, where he lived two years and then came to Iowa, and afterward removed to Nanvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, where he became a member of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, in 1846. He then came back to the old homestead, where Mrs. Stoker still lives, and cultivated a portion of the land before his death, which occurred July 18, 1855, lacking but a few days of being thirty nine years old, and leaving a widow and seven children, viz .: Orson Hyde, who lives near Yorkshire, Harrison County, Iowa, is mar- ried, and has seven children: Allen, who lives near Union Grove, Harrison County,
and has five children; Michel E., lives near Union Grove, Harrison County; Lavina, the wife of William Spears, lives in Pottawatta- mie County, and has six children; Mary, wife of William Shene, of Garner Township, has three children; Calpernia, lives in Min- den Township, the wife of George Spears, and has four children; and Lucretia, who lives in Garner Township, the wife of Williamn Heileman. Mrs. Stoker has had a wonderful experience of living in Iowa, and she has witnessed the growth and prosperity of the State.
- Da -gama
ILLIAM HIEILEMAN is one of the prominent and snecessful citizens of Garner Township, who came to Pot- tawattamie County, thirteen years ago, and has resided on his present farm ever since. He was born Angust 22, 1857, in Saxony, Germany, the son of William and Wil- helmina (Marker) Heileman, natives of Sax- ony. William attended school until fourteen years of age, and then commenced farm work. When sixteen years of age lie bade his father, mother, six brothers and one sister, good-bye, and came to this country with his uncle, Carl Heileman, who settled in Web- ster County, Iowa. William afterward came to Humboldt County, where he worked at farm work by the month, and remained un- til the spring of 1877, when he came to Pottawattamie County. He purchased eighty acres of land in Minden Township, which lie afterward sold and bought his present farm of Margaret Stoker. It was an old, enlti- vated farm, situated about fonr miles from the city limits, and consists of 243 acres, 120 acres being enltivated, and the remainder in valuable timber and pasinre lands. He has some four acres in a vineyard, about two
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
acres in blackberries, and six aeres in orehard. The farm is well adapted for fruit-growing or stock-raising.
On the 16th of April he was married to Miss Lueretia Stoker, who was born on this homestead, and the daughter of Eller and Margaret Stoker, early and well-known set- tlers of the township. Mr. and Mrs. Heile- man have two children: Ralph Earling and Minnie. Politically Mr. Heileman is a Dem- ocrat, and is a member of the Farmers' Pre- tective Alliance of Garner Township. He is a man yet in the primo of life, frank, intelli- gent and cordial in his manner.
OHN C. DAVIS, a farmer of Neola Township, was born in Menard County, Illinois, June 26, 1860, a son of George H. and Emma Jean (Shephard) Davis, natives of Illinois and of Kentucky parentage. George was brought up on a farm, married in 1855, in Illinois, and came to Cass County, Iowa, and two years later to Pottawattamie County. Here he purchased 182 acres of land in Knox Township, erected a good frame house 18 x 26 feet and one and a half stories high, barns, sheds, ete., and made many other improvements. He also dealt in live-stock to some extent, but took especial pleasure in raising fine horses, such as the Hambletonian, and he planted about two acres of both large and small fruits and an ornamental grove. Was active in the publie welfare. His wife died leaving five children: Elijah, John C., Mary E., Cora L. and Amos A. After her death he married his second wife, a native of Indiana; and by this marriage there were two children: Emma, Jean and Clara; the latter died in infancy.
Mr. Davis, our present subject, was brought up to farm life, and at the age of twenty-two
years left home and married Mary F. Ruckle, July 4, 1882. She was the daughter of Peter Ruckle, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, who eame to Iowa about the spring of 1863, lo- cating on 100 acres of land in Knox Town- ship, Pottawattamie County. He had four children, namely: Mattie, who resides at home and is teaching school in Avoca; James G., who is also a teacher, residing in Knox Township; Mary F., who is fourth in order of birth; and Charles, who resides in Echo, Umatilla County, Oregon. Mrs. Davis was born Angust 26, 1861, was reared as a farm- er's danghter, and received a good education in the Avoea high school.
After their marriage Mr. Davis remained in Knox Topnship for a half year and then located upon forty acres of land in Neola Township, which he purchased and owned for two years. Selling out, he made a pros- peeting trip into Nebraska, but returned and bonght eighty acres of land on seetion 21 in Neola Township, where there were some im- provements; but he has added many more, building fenees, planting fruit trees, etc., and inade a neat home, where he is enjoying the comforts of life.
On national questions he is a Demoerat; in local matters he votes for the best man. He takes special interest in the temperance question, is a publie-spirited citizen, doing much for the benefit of the community. Has held the various township offices: has been a member of the Board of Education, of which he was once the president; and has been Jus- tiee of the Peace two years and re-elected in 1890, receiving in his election to that office more votes than any other man has ever re- ceived. Hc and his wife are among the representative families of the community, taking an active part in both its social and its moral advancement. Their children are three in number: Bertha May, born August
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
30, 1883; Floyd Orville, June 20, 1886, and Leta M., May 25, 1889.
RANK G. WEEKS, the present editor and publisher of the Carson Critic, was born near Dixon, Illinois, March 29, 1857, the son of George P. Weeks, a native of New Hampshire, and later a resident of Illinois. Ilis wite, Philena (Potter) Weeks, was born in Kennebec County, Maine, but previous to her marriage had resided in New Ilampshire. In 1872 the family removed to lowa, settling in Macedonia, now Carson Township, where they still reside. At the time of settlement the county was still in its pioneer period, and the settlers were com. pelled to undergo many of the hardships and privations of a frontier life. The family still reside on the home farm, which is located two miles directly east of Carson. One son, Osmon B. Weeks, is one of the progressive and successful farmers of the county, and two daughters, May and Janet, also reside at home.
An attendance of two or three months of each year at the district schools constituted the entire educational advantages afforded the subject of this sketch. This he supple- mented, however, by the reading of such books and papers as he was able to borrow, or as his limited means would enable him to buy. When his services were not needed at home, he herded cattle on the prairies, worked for neighboring farmers, and in fact followed the routine life of a boy on a farm. In 1880 the building of the railroad from the Botna Valley, and the location of the towns of Car- son, Oakland and Macedonia opened a new era for that country, and in the advantages thus afforded he shared equally with all others. In that year he assisted Julian &
Mc Manima in the establishment of the Car- son Fairdealer, working in their interests until he became convinced that the personal policy of the publishers was decidedly at variance with the somewhat pretentions title of the paper. His father's death occurring in the spring of 1881, he assumed charge of the farm, in which he continued until the winter of 1886-'87, when he purchased an interest in and assumed the management of the Carson Critic, in the publication of which he is still engaged. The success in this, while in no way phenomenal, has been very satisfactory, the paper enjoying an unusually good local patronage, and maintaining an ex- cellent standing with the press of the district.
While in no sense a politician, Mr. Weeks has always taken an active interest in polit- ical matters, both of a local and general nature. Always an avowed supporter of the principles of the Republican party, his polit- ical efforts have been along the line of its advancement.
AMESON BROS. (W. J. and C. O.) are the successors of James & Yaneey in the proprietorship of "Hotel Jameson " since October, 1889. The hotel has thirty- five rooms, is nicely furnished throughout and is under the direct management of C. O. Jameson.
This gentleman was born in New Bruns- wick, March 7, 1857, the fifth of six chil- dren of Charles S. and Jane (Mcintyre) Jameson, and of Scotch and Irish extraction. His parents are both still living in that prov- ince. In his youth he learned the carriage trade, and followed it until he entered his present business. He first engaged in that trade in Council Bluffs in 1873 for one year, then in Creston, this State, for five years, and
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
then three years at Hastings, Nebraska; since then he has been in his present position. He has recently taken the general agency for the State of Maine for the United States Masonic Benevolent Association of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Hle is a live, energetic business man, fully understanding his vocation. In his political sympathies he is a Republican, and in society he is a member of Bluff City Lodge, No. 71, F. & A. M.
He was married in 1884, to Miss Minnie Boslough, of Mendota, Illinois, who was born October 1, 1861. Their courteous manner and genial disposition evinced their fitness as managers of one of the best hotels in Council Bluffs.
M. ALLEE, one of the substantial farmers of Lincoln Township, was born in Parke County, Indiana, June 25, 1844, the son of Limns Allee, who was of American birth. His parents were Quakers, who came from the north of Ireland at an early day, settling on a farm in Hancock County, Indiana. Limus Allee was born in that county, but removed to Parke County, same State, when a young man. He was a carpenter by trade, and was married to Sarah A. Warner, and they had seven children: F. M., John, William, Mary E., Martha, Susan and Etta. The mother died in Parke County, from an accident cansed by her clothes catching fire. Mr. Allee was again married, to Ruth Higgins, and in 1857 moved to Vermillion County, Illinois, where he bought a farm. He died in 1859; he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and had served as Assessor of his township. He was a man of sterling integrity and in- dustrions habits.
Francis M. Allee, the subject of this sketch,
enlisted at the early age of seventeen years in the Ninth Indiana Battery, and served three years and seven months, or through the war. He was in the battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7, and many skirmishes. Ile was on the steamer Eclipse at Jonesville, Tennessee, January 25, 1865, when the boiler exploded, and he received a severe wound, and was thrown into the river. He served all his time, however, with no hospital record, and no other wounds. Mr. Allee was also under Rosecrans, and his corps, the Sixteenth, was commanded by General A. J. Smith. They followed General Price, the noted Confederate General, from St. Louis, across the State of Missouri to Kansas City, where a battle was fonght at Big Blue River, and thence from Kansas City into Kansas, then back to Glas- gow, Missouri, where the army went into camp for election; was in the battle of Nashi- ville. He was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Indiana, June 26, 1865, being then just twenty-one years of age. Thus the days of his earliest manhood were spent in defense of his country.
Mr. Allee lived on a farm in Parke County, Indiana, until 1880, when he came to Pot- tawattamie County. Iowa, and settled on his present farm of 150 acres of fine land. So- cially he is both a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and politically is a stanch Democrat. He is serving his second time as Township Trustee. Hle stands deservedly high as an honest and upright man. He has descended from old Revolutionary stock, his grandfather having fought in the battles for our independence, and he fought to preserve the Union. He was married in Parke County, Indiana, to Nancy C. Wolfe, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Wolfe, and by this marriage there were two children: Preston and May. The former was married to Ora Ratcliff, and settled on a farm in Indiana, and had one daughter,
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
Nellie; the latter died in infancy. Mr. Allee's first wife died, and he was married to Mary E. Huxford, nee Griffith, the daughter of William R. and Edith Griffith. The father was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1824, and was the son of Mahlon Griffith, who died in Muskingum County, Ohio. IIe was a farmer, and was the father of three children: Mahlon, William R. and Leahann. He was a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. and Mrs. William R. Griffith were the parents of nine children, viz .: Mary E., William W., Mahlon, Theodore (who died at the age of twelve years), Almon, John R., Perry, Edgar G. and Leahann. Mr. Griffith lived in Bel- mont County for some years; then mnoved to Muskingum County, and in 1865 settled in Parke County, Indiana. In 1877 he came to Pottawattamie County, and settled on a farm in Valley Township. where he still resides, at the age of sixty-seven. Both Mr. and Mrs. Griffith are members of the Methodist Church. Politically he is a Democrat. He was of Welsh descent, and is a man of great force of character and upright morals, and has labored hard to lead a just and honorable life.
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