USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 51
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Southern States, buying furs from the In- dians for an American company. Following this business for a number of years he be- came widely known among the various In- dian tribes. He next engaged in the lead mines near Galena, Illinois, and made quite a fortune. Disposing of his mineral claim there, he went to Hazel Green, Wisconsin, and engaged in speculations by which he lost heavily. After visiting St. Louis he came to Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, abont 1850, engaging in mercantile business in partnership with Blake & Spooner. At the same time be owned a number of grist and saw mills abont the conntry, and also a farm of 120 acres in Hazel Dell Township, known as the Meneray farm. During this period he lost money in the failure of a bank in Florence, Nebraska. This so crippled him financially that he had to dispose of his busi- ness. Coming to Crescent City he traded for the property whereon he made his home until his death, March 10, 1878. Being a shrewd manager, he after all left his family in good circumstances.
He married his wife March 1, 1846, at Nanvoo, Illinois, to which place she had come when very young. She is now living on the old home place, keeping house for herself, now aged about sixty-two years. She bad eleven children, as follows: William H., who resides at Springville, Utah; Eliza, wife of Dr. M. Don, and residing at Nephi. Utah; John R., at Springville, same Terri- tory; James W., living in Crescent City; R. C., in Springville; P. A., at Louisville, Ken- tucky; Joseph H., deceased; F. W., the next in order; Lulu L., wife of William Dntro in Crescent City; Sophia A., who married Will- iam Curry and is now deceased; and E. D .. who is with F. W., the subject of this sketch.
Mr. F. W. Meneray was reared at home in farm life, and also in the business of
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
raising fruit and nursery stock; in the latter interest they had thirty-six acres, which was left to R. C., F. W. and J. R. Meneray, and which onr subject has brought up to its present state of development. He has forty- five acres devoted entirely to nursery, and twenty-five acres exclusively to fruit-raising, doing an annual business of $12,000 to $15,- 000, and employing agents throughout the country. Thus Mr. Meneray is a prominent business man in the world of fariners and orchardists.
In his political views he is a Republican, and as a citizen and business man he is highy honored. For his wife he married Sarah Meginness, of Pennsylvania parentage and English ancestry on her mother's side. Her father came West with his parents, went to Utah and returned in 1858 to Iowa and mar- ried Hannah Nixon, who was born May 3, 1835, near Pittsburg, and came to Iowa with her parents in 1848, locating in Hazel Dell Township, where he was married. She was the second child in her parents' family of six children, born March 31, 1864; was educated for the teachers' profession, and served in that capacity until she was married, March 20, 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Meneray have two children: Lnemma A., born January 1, 1886, and Albert O., November 23, 1887.
ILLIAM D. HARDIN, whose father was one of the pioneers of Pottawat- tamie County, is engaged in the real- estate and loan business in Council Bluffs. Mr. Hardin is also City Assessor, to which position he was elected at the spring election of 1890. Ile is a native of Council Bluffs, where he was born in October, 1856. He was edneated in the public schools of this city. He began business for himself as a 34
messenger boy, for the Omaha Bridge Trans- fer Company. With this company he con- tinued two years. Ile was then employed by J. P. and J. N. Casady, real-estate agents and abstracters, for about two years and for about six years was employed as one of the Deputy County Treasurers of Pottawattamie County. He then engaged in his present business, in which he has since continued.
He is one of the representative young men of Council Bluffs, and is an esteemed and worthy citizen.
OHN C. BLOOM, one of the prominent merchants of Minden, dealing in hard- ware, furniture, agricultural implements, etc., and also an undertaker, was born near Berlin, Prussia, the son of Christian Bloom, who was a farmer by occupation. He came to America in 1861 with his wife, whose maiden name was Fredrica Schmidt. He settled in Scott County, Iowa, and is the father of seven living children, namely: John C., Herman, William, Robert, Ferdinand, Christian and Matilda. Mr. Bloom is still living, on his farm, at the age of fifty-nine years. Politically he is a Democrat, and is a straight-forward and honorable citizen.
Mr. J. C. Bloom, a son of the above and the subject of this sketch, was born July 24, 1856, and was but five years of age when he was bronght by his parents to America. He learned the trade of carpenter, and in 1880 bought a farm three miles north of Minden, which he conducted for three years. In 1883 he bought the hardware store of J. C. Gar- mong, which was then a small stock of $4,- 040, but which he has since increased to over $9,000, and is doing a flourishing business.
Politically Mr. Bloom is a Republican. lIe is a self-made man, having obtained his
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property by his own unaided efforts. He is a prominent and reliable business man, who owes his success in life to his own method of dealing and personal character. He was married in 1880, to Miss Margarita Engler, who died in May, 1881. He was again mar- ried in 1884, to Teresa Geiger, and they are the parents of three children : Matilda, Teresa and Ida.
ESSE D. GAULT, one of the well- known citizens and successful farmers of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, came here in 1879, and is located in section 36, Washington Township. He was born in Worcester County, Maryland, near the Vir- ginia line, July 8, 1828. His father, Obed Gault, was born in Maryland, son of Archi- bald Gault, a Scotchman. Archibald Gault was a sea captain. Retiring from the high sea he married and settled in Maryland. Mr. Gault's mother was Nancy (Burroughs) Gault, daughter of Henry Burroughs, a de- scendant of Scotch-Welsh ancestry. She was born and reared in Maryland. Obed and Nancy Gault were the parents of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters. They removed from Maryland to Ripley County, Indiana, where they spent the residue of their lives, the father dying at the age of seventy-five, and the mother at the age of ninety-one years. Mr. Gault was a farmer all his life; cast his vote with the Republican party, and worshiped with the Methodist Church, of which he was an honored member.
Jesse D. Gault received his education in the common schools of his native State, and remained in Maryland until he was twenty- three years old. At the age of thirty-five he married Isabella Ilaynes, and by her had two sons. The older, Albert Morton, was born
in Ripley County, Indiana, August 28, 1865. He married a lady of Des Moines, Iowa, and is now residing in Sacramento, California, where he has an excellent position as freight agent. He recently built a home in that city, which cost him $3,200. The second son, James E., was killed by accident Nov- ember 4. 1890, at the age of twenty-two years and five months. Ile was an expert mechanic and received good wages. Ile left a wife and one child. In 1870 Mr. Gault married Rebecca Sulton, who was born in Ripley County, Indiana, daughter of William Sulton. Her death occurred in Mills County, Iowa. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Church. December 4, 1884, Mr. Gault wedded Mrs. Eliza M. Hanks, a native of Union County, Indiana, and a lady of in- telligence and refinement, who is his present companion. Her father, Andrew Dunbar, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, and died in Indiana at the age of seventy-two years; her mother, nee Sarah Stover, was born in Carter County, Tennessee, and is still living at the age of eighty-two years. Mrs. Gault was first married in Decatur County, Indiana, to Albert G. Hanks, a native of Woodford County, Kentucky. By him she had two children, viz .: Lellye Huffer, of Decatur County, Indiana, and Menter O. Hanks, of Silver City, Iowa. Mr. Hanks died in 1873, in Decatur County, Indiana.
In 1879 Mr. Gault came to his present location from Mills County, lowa. Forty- five acres of his farm had been broken, but there was not a building on the place. With the characteristic energy of the western pioneer he went to work to make improve- ments. Ile now has a good cottage home, a grove and orchard, stables and other neces- sary out-buildings and good fences. Ile is making a specialty of stock-raising, having seven herses and yearlings of a good breed,
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
some fine cows and swine. Politically Mr. Gault is a Republican. Mrs. Gault has been a member of the Christian Church, from which she now holds a good letter.
UGENE W. PETERSON, a native of Galesburg, Illinois, was born Angnst 26, 1857, son of Lewis M. and Caroline Peterson, natives of Sweden. The father came to America when about ten years old, in the year 1843 or 1844, with his parents, locating at Galesburg with a colony, remain- ing there for a time. Lewis Peterson was married in Galesburg and lived three for a number of years. In 1861 he entered the United States' service in the Quartermaster's Department, serving until the elose of the war. During the latter part of that time he was stationed at St. Louis, where he removed his family and where he died about 1880. Previous to the war he was a druggist, but afterward he engaged in the grocery business at St. Louis. He went back to Galesburg and lived there until a short time before his death, when he returned to St. Louis. His widow still resides in the latter eity. They reared a family of four children: Frank, who is a teller in a St. Louis bank; Eugene, the subject of this sketeh, a resident of Conneil Bluffs; and Albert and Roy, deceased.
Mr. Peterson was educated in the common schools and also in the high school of Gales- burg, Illinois. He went to St. Louis, where, at the age of fourteen, he entered the employ of R. G. Dun & Co., and has constantly been employed by that company since, with the exception of a few months. He started in as a messenger boy, but was soon promoted to the corresponding department, where he remained nntil he was twenty-one. He then took field work, traveling for the company
until 1885. In May of that year he took charge of the Lincoln, Nebraska, office, re- maining there until July, 1887. In the fall of the same year he assumed charge of the Omaha corresponding department, from which he came to his present offieo in April, 1888.
He was married April 1, 1879, to Carrie S. Kerr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kerr, of St. Louis. She was born in Canada, of Scotch origin, June 15, 1857. Their family consists of two children: Eugene Willie, Jr., born April 14, 1880; and Winni- ford M., born March 25, 1883. They lost an infant daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are members of the Brethren Church. Politically he is non-partisan. He has purchased a fine property on Park avenue, Council Bluffs, and also owns property in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. Peterson has made his own way from the bottom, and his success is due to his elose application to business and his ability to transaet the same. He is to-day con- sidered one of the ablest men in the employ of R. G. Dun & Co.'s commercial agency, of which business a short sketch is appended.
The Conneil Bluffs office occupies rooms 205 and 206, Sapp block, with Mr. Peterson as manager. This business was established in 1841 by B. Donglas & Co., and in 1850 was transferred to R. G. Dun & Co. It is now considered the oldest and largest mer cantile agency in the world. It publishes its reference books in Jannary, March, July and September of each year. The Jannary edition of 1890 contained 1,176,988 names of traders, ete., of the United States and Canada. The average added ratings, new names and changes will agregate 2,619 for each business day. The office in this city was established in 1883 by W. H. Myers, who was sneceeded by J. H. Hubbard, then by O. S. Stanbro, the present manager taking charge in 1888. Under his management the business has pros-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
pered, and his ability is fully appreciated by the company. Mr. Peterson is a genial, whole-souled fellow and will make friends wherever he goes.
J. CHAMBERS, lawyer, is a resident of Council Bluffs, and has been iden- tified with the interests of Pottawat- tamie County since the year 1878; is a native of Michigan, born at Utica, Macomb County; is the son of Rev. W. A. and Sarah M. (Wright) Chambers, natives of New York, and of Seoteh-Irish ancestry. Mr. Cham- bers came to Iowa in the fall of 1865 with his parents, who located at Osage, Mitchell County, at which place the father filled the position of elergyman to the Methodist de- nomination. A graduate of the State Uni- versity at Iowa City, in both the elassies and law, the former in 1876, and the latter in 1878; came to Avoea in the year 1878, en- gaged in the practice of his chosen profes- sion, and continned the practice until the fall of 1884, at which date he was elected to the office of Recorder of Deeds and Mortgages for Pottawattamie County, in which he served one term; in the fall of 1888, Mr. Chambers was elected to the office of Clerk of the Dis- triet Court of his county, which office he now fills.
He was married December 2, 1880, to Miss Ida Fitch, a native of Newton, Iowa, and daughter of Edward and Clara (Sloan) Fitch, who were formerly from New York, and of English deseent. Mr. and Mrs. Chambers have two children: a daughter Claribel, aged five years, and Fred, a little boy aged three years; they have lost one child, Eddie W., aged four years. Mr. Chambers is a member of several seeret
orders, and in politics affiliates with the Re- publican party.
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ON. B. F. CLAYTON, of Macedonia, Iowa, is one of the prominent and favorably-known men of Pottawattamie County, his works having been of an exten- sive nature both in private and publie life, and he has done much to build up the best interests of the community where he resides. He was born in Nicholas County, Kentucky, January 10, 1839, a son of William M. Clayton, who was born in Virginia in 1788. The father went to Kentucky when a boy, and in 1812 enlisted as a soldier under Cap- tain Metcalf, ex-Governor of Kentucky, and served through the war. He died in 1852, in Robinson County. His wife, nee Mary Adair, was born in Nicholas County, Kentucky.
B. F. Clayton, our subject, went to Decatur County, Indiana, when sixteen years of age, where he worked by the month until 1873, during which time he also served as County Supervisor for three years. In October 1873, he arrived in Pottawattamie County, where he bought 320 acres of partly improved land, and to which he has since added until he now owns 500 aeres in one body. This farm, which is called " Sunnyside," is situated west and in sight of Macedonia, and is one of the best ranches in this part of the county. IIe also owns several other farms and traets of land in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, one of which consists of 8,000 acres. Mr. Clayton has held most of the township offices, and has served in the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and Twentieth General Assemblies of the State of Iowa, being chairman of the Agricultural Committee of the Eighteenth General As- sembly, and Speaker pro tem. of the House in the twentieth session. He has been con-
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
nected with the National Farmer's Congress, and is one of its most active and zealous workers. He has been delegate to its con- ventions at Nashville, Tennessee; Montgom- ery, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Now Orleans; Topeka, Kansas; Washington, Dis- trict of Columbia; and Chicago, Illinois, and it was through his influence that it was secured for Council Bluffs in 1890. He has been Secretary for this Assembly for six years. He was one of the prime movers in having the delegation go to Denver in 1890, and is one of its most active and efficient members. He is a Master Mason, is trustee of Simpson's Centenary College, of Indian- olia, and is an active member of the Methi- odist Episcopal Church. Mr. Clayton is one of the prominent agriculturists of the State, and at this time is being strongly urged as the Republican candidate for Governor of Iowa, which will beelected in Novemberof this year.
Mr. Clayton has been twice married, first to Miss Priscilla Martin, who was born March 2, 1862, in Decatur County, Indiana, and died in 1868; and he was then married September 22, 1869, to Miss Nannie M. Hamilton, who was born in Decatur County, the daughter of D. N. Hamilton, a native of Harrison County, Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Clayton have one daughter, Mona Blanch. They lost their only son, William N., who was killed in the fall of 1890 by an accidental discharge of a gun. He was a young man of much promise, and had received an excellent education at Simpson's College, and was loved by all who knew him.
ARTIN HUGHES is a native of County Mayo, Ireland. He was born October 15, 1836, son of John and Mary (Welchi) Ilughes. When a lad he was
sent to England, and in 1854 he crossed the Atlantic to America, locating in Upper Canada, where he remained eight months. Then he came to Iowa, and, after spending two years in Des Moines, in the fall of 1856 he took up his abode in Council Bluffs, where he has since continued to reside. He began to learn his trade, that of a mason, while in England, which he completed in every detail after coming to this country. In 1868 he formed a partnership with the Wickham Bros., with whom he was associated a num- ber of years. He also turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, as he owned a farm of 500 acres in Lewis Township, the inost of which he has disposed of.
Mr. Hughes owns a brick-yard on North Eighth street, the output being about 3,500,- 000 brick annually and the average number of men employed being sixty-five. Some of the principal buildings erected by him are the Merriam block, Sapp building, Episcopal Church, Brown building, the Third street nd Pierce street school buildings, besides many fine structures in Omaha. He is one of the oldest contractors and builders in the city, and has been one of the most success- ful. He has an elegant brick residence, No. 903 Third street, which was erected in 1888, at a cost of some $25,000, and is one of the finest homes in the city. Hc owns a valuable block on the corner of Broadway and Park avenue, also a block on Main street, in which his son is engaged in business, gents' furnish- ing goods. Besides the buildings already mentioned Mr. Hughes owns thirteen resident properties. All this property is the result of his own industry and skillful management. He is eminently a self-ınade man, as he had comparatively nothing when he came to this city.
Mr. Hughes was married in 1858, to Miss Mary Wickham, who was born County Lei-
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BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY
trim, Ireland, March 23, 1837, daughter of Patrick and Celia (Prior) Wickham. The eleven children born to them are as follows: Ida, wife of Charles Fox, a resident of Coun- cil Bluffs; George, a member of the firm of Hughes & Son, Council Bluffs; Thomas, en- gaged in the mercantile business, above re- ferred to; John J., the third son, is now junior member of the firm of Martin Hughes & Sons, and is a late graduate of St. Bene- dict's College, Atchison. Kansas, and Celia, Mamie and Martin, at home. All the above mentioned have have had a thorough colle- giate education, all having graduated except the youngest. Four of their children are deceased: James, John, Mary and James. The family are members of the Catholic Church, and in his political views Mr. Hughes is a Democrat.
The firmn of Martin Hughes & Son was formed in 1881. They do an annual business of some $300,000, and their average monthly pay roll is about $6,000. George F. Hughes is a practical mechanic, having learned his trado under his father. He now assumes the management of the business. The son fol- lows his father in political views as well as in trade. He is a member of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association and carries $5,- 000 insurance. His father has an insurance of $20,000.
HOMAS TOSTEVIN, civil and city engineer for the city of Council Bluffs, resides at No. 209 Park avenue. He is now serving his third term in this office, and has had a large experience in surveying many of the western roads and lands.
Mr. Tostevin was born on Guernsey (one of the group of islands south of England, known as the Norman Isles, which became a
part of the British Empire at the time of the Norman Conquest), December 21, 1830, and is the son of John and Martha (Le Provost) Tostevin, also natives of that place. They trace their origin to the date of the early - Norman occupation. The father of our sub- ject came to America when a young inan, and resided in Germantown, Pennsylvania for several years, after which he returned to his native isle. He there married and reared a family of seven children. When Thomas was four years old he returned to the United States, bringing his family with him and locating in New York city. He was a firm and faithful member of the Friends' Church, and settled in that city in order to educate his children in the Quaker schools. In 1849, with his wife and two youngest children, he removed to Salem, Henry County, Iowa, that place being composed largely of the Quaker element, In 1856 he and his wife returned to New York, and died soon afterward at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Rachel L. P. Alexander, in Brooklyn. They both rest in the old burial ground of the Quakers, now enclosed within the limits of Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Their children are as follows: Martha L. P., wife of George W. Davies, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; John, who lives in New York city; Alfred, deceased; Rachel L. P., wife of George Alexander, Brooklyn, New York; Peter L. P., formerly an architect of New York city, now deceased; Thomas and David, residents of Council Bluffs.
The subject of our sketch was educated in the Friends' College, Dutchess Connty, New York. In 1849 he came to Iowa with his parents, and at once commenced the practice of civil engineering. In 1854 he removed from Henry County to Pottawattamie County, where he has since made his home. He was married in Henry County, Iowa, October 31, 1852, to Miss Harriet Gibbs, a native of
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
Sunnit, Scoharie County, New York, daugh- ter of Friend and Lneinda (Wetmore) Gibbs, natives of Vermont and New York, also Quakers Mrs. Tostevin is now a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She was born June 17, 1832. To them nine children have been born, viz .: Clara, Charles and Alice, deceased; Alfred and Alida; Walter J., a resident of San Francisco, Cali- fornia; Lou, wife of E. E. Harvey, Denver, Colorado; Albert T., assistant city eivil en- gineer of Council Bluffs; and Ida, wife of W. H. Wakefield, Council Bluffs.
When Mr. Tostevin came to Council Bluffs, it was by Government appointment to make the survey of the original squatter claims within the corporate limits of the city. He was then elected County Surveyor and served several terms, but previous to this he had been appointed Deputy United States Surveyor of public lands in northwestern Iowa. In 1861 he was appointed both Coun- ty Treasurer and Recorder to fill a vacancy one year. After that he was retained in the Treasurer's office three successive terms by election, seven years in all. He was after- ward elected Mayor of Council Bluffs, and the next year was elected Alderman. From 1867 to 1870 he operated a planing mill and furniture factory, which proved unprofitable. In 1870 he went to central Utah, and en- gaged in mining gold and silver. While there he was appointed United States Deputy Mineral Surveyor, remaining in that field until 1874. In that year he returned to Council Bluffs. In connection with his work as surveyor it should also be stated that, prior to his appointment to the County Treasurer's office, he went in 1857 to South- eastern Nebraska and laid out the town of Rulo, after which he was appointed by the Nebraska Legislature as Surveyor and Com- missioner to locate and establish a Territorial
road from Rulo to Fort Kearney. In 1876 Mr. Tostevin engaged in the manufacture of a reclining chair of his invention in the city of New York, which he continued until 1879. Sinee then his whole time has been devoted to his profession in Pottawattamie County. He is a stanch Republican; was a candidate for Treasurer and Recorder on the first Re- publiean tieket placed before the people in this county. He was one of the first to organize the Union League in Council Bluffs, acting as president of the same. He was a delegate to and assistant secretary of the first railroad convention held in this State, at the capitol building in Iowa City in 1851, for a proposed railroad along the Mississippi River. It was then thought impraetieable to eon- struct a railroad running west, as the country was supposed to be too wild and barren. He was rodinan on this first Iowa railroad. He made surveys on the site of Omaha, Nebraska, before anything in the form of a house had been erected there. During the war Mr. Tostevin was Captain of Artillery of State militia. Such, in brief, is a review of the life of one of Council Bluffs' worthy citizens.
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