USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 52
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HARLES P. FOSTER, one of the prom- inent citizens of Layton Township, was born in St. Lawrence County, New York, March 12, 1836, a son of Simeon Fos- ter, a carpenter by trade, and of old Puritan aneestry. William Foster, grandfather of our subject, was born in Connecticut, and was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and also of the war of 1812. He was the father of four children, namely: William, Simeon, Samnel and Olive. He was a prom- inent farmer and also ran a steamboat on Lake Champlain. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and was a man of integrity
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and character. Simeon Foster, a son of the above and the father of our subjeet, was born in Vermont, and was married to Phoebe Foss, and they were the parents of seven children, viz .: Almon, William, Matilda, Richard, Francis, Charles and George. Mr. Foster lived for a time in St. Lawrence, Franklin County, New York, and then moved to Akron, Ohio, in 1837, where he died at the age of forty-two. Ile was also a member of the Methodist Church, and an industrious and upright eitizen.
Charles P. Foster, our subject, eulisted in Company II, Forty-third Regiment, Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry, and served one year. He was in the battles of Stone River, John- sonville, and Nashville, and was neither taken a prisoner nor wounded, but did good and faithful service, and was honorably discharged at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After the war Mr. Foster resumed the peaceful pursuits of agriculture. In 1876 he came to Pottawatta- mie County, where he settled on a farm. Both Mr. and Mrs. Foster were meinbers of the Methodist Church, of which Mr. Foster was a class-leader and steward, and is a mem- ber of the U. S. Grant Post, G. A. R., of Avoca. He served his country when it needed his services, and when he was required to leave his wife and children to endure ex- posure and fight the battles of the Union. He is descended from good American parent- age, and men who fought our battles for lib- erty and founded a Government, and his children should be proud of the sterling ancestry from which they spring. For many generations they have been soldier citizens, who honorably fought for their country.
Mr. Foster was married, September 5, 1857, to Elizabeth Garthwaite, who was born in England August 16, 1842, and was but four years of age when she was brought to America. She was the daughter of Edward
and Margaret (Blenkinsop) Garthwaite. The father was an Englishman, born in County Durham, England, and was a shoemaker by trade. They were the parents of nine children, viz .: Elizabeth, Ann, Mary, George, Alonzo, Melissa, Ellen, Ida and Fred. Mr. Garthi- waite came to America in 1846, and first set- tled in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he remained seven years, and then, in 1853, he settled on a farm in Wisconsin, where he is yet living, at the age of seventy-three years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Garthwaite were members of the Methodist Church. He has filled the office of Justice of the Peace, and is an honor- able and upright citizen. To Mr. and Mrs. Foster have been born seven children, three of whom died in infancy. The living chil- dren are: Jennie, Wesley, Maude and Floy. Jennie married Mr. Stevenson, a farmer of Lincoln Township, and they have one child, Delmer; Maude is a successful teacher in this county ; and the remainder of the family are at home.
FRA L. MARTIN, Silver Creek Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, is one of the well-known and successful men of the township. He has made his home here since the spring of 1874, and is highly esteemed by all who know him. An outline of his life is as follows:
Mr. Martin was born in Darke County, Ohio, August 21, 1840, son of Ira and Jane (Woods) Martin, natives of Pennsylvania. He was a youth of sixteen years when his family moved to Logan County, Illinois, and settled ten miles north of Lincoln. The mother died in that county in 1879, and the father subsequently carne to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where he died in 1885, at Macedonia. The latter was a farmer all his
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
life; was a member of the Christian Church, and cast his vote with the Democratic party. They reared five children, four of whom are now living: Ira L., John, Harriet Jane and W. J. Montgomery served three years in the late war. He was a member of the One Hundred and Sixth Illinois Infantry Volun- teers, and died of disease contracted while in the service.
In 1871 Ira L. Martin moved to Gentry County, Missouri, where he was married to Miss Barbara Kerr, a lady of much intelli- gence and refinement, who was born in Dane County, Wisconsin, and reared in Fayette County, Iowa. Her parents, John and Eliza (Haney) Kerr, were both born in Pennsylva- nia State, and her father was one of the early settlers and pioneers of Fayette County. Mr. Martin remained in Gentry County, Mis- souri, until 1874, when he came to Pottawatta- mie County, Iowa, and bought eighty acres of wild land on which he now resides. He was one of the early settlers of this part of the county. Since he took np his residence here he has met with prosperity, and has added to his first purchase, now being the owner of 200 acres of land, as good a farm as there is in the neighborhood. He has a comfortable modern home, built in 1890, at a cost of $850. The main part is 16 x 26 feet, 14 feet high, with an L, 14 x 20 feet, and a summer kitchen, 14 x 18 feet. His farm is divided into five fields, and is supplied with stables, cribs and other buildings. He has a grove and an orchard of three acres.
Mr and Mrs. Martin have eight children, namely: Edward Clarence, Albert Meerton, Alfred, Artellia Belle, Carrie, Emma, Oscar, Cora Elizabeth and Lawrence. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. IIe is a friend to education, good morals and religion, and any movement that has for its object the
advancement of the best interests of his com- munity is sure to find in him an earnest sup- porter.
LEXANDER R. PRENTICE, a farmer of Crescent Township, was born in Air- drie, Lanarkshire, Scotland, December 21, 1829, the son of Adam and Margaret (Rennie) Prentice. His mother was born in Kilsythe, Sterlingshire, Scotland, 1800, and his father in Lanarkshire, in 1805. The lat- ter was a stone-mason by trade, but followed mercantile business about twenty years. In 1850 his wife died, and two years later he went to Australia where he had friends, and remained there until his death.
In 1852 Mr. Alexander R. Prentice mar- ried Miss Agnes Kirkwood, who was born August 20, 1832. In 1857 he came to America, with family and friends, landed in New York City April 17, and came direct to Pottawattamie County, by way of Pitts- burg and the rivers, landing at Florence, Nebraska, May 22, 1857, on a dark and stormy night. The captain charged them an ontrageous price for remaining on the boat until morning. Early in the morning Mr. Prentice's goods and family were set upon the bank until he could find a place for them. Hle crossed the rough prairie over to Mr. Kirkwood's, his brother-in-law, and made arrangements for settling temporarily. He followed the trade of carpentering, which he had learned in the old country, and this voca- tion he has pursued ever since, more or less, in connection with farming. His first pur- chase of property was a house and lots in Crescent City, from the mother of James Gording.
By the way, this Gording went to Pike's Peak, " struck it rich," but, not being able to
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stand prosperity, became dissipated, and was finally hanged. The money that was paid his mother for the property mentioned was used by her in attendance at his trial.
After remaining in the village of Crescent six years Mr. Prentice sold ont house and lots and bought forty acres of wild, rough land of a Mr. Dunsmore. On this place he built a house 40 x 50 feet, barns, sheds, a brick milk-house, etc., planted a fine orchard and made many other valuable improvements. He has added to his first purchase nntil he now has a fine farm of 280 acres, on sections 25, 27, 23 and 26. Eighty acres is in cultiva- tion, while the rest is hay, pasture and timber land. His residence, a neat and comfortable house, is on a tract of 140 acres on seetion 26.
Mr. Prentice is a Republican on national questions, and has been a delegate to many State and county conventions; he has been a member of the Good Templars order for twenty-five years, holding the various offices of the lodge; and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Cres- cent City, of which society he has been Re- cording Secretary for three years. He has been a reporter for Crescent Township to the State Agricultural Society for five years. During the war he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, but was discharged when it was discovered that the retina of his right eye had been injured ; the injury had been inflicted by the cut of a chisel. He received a certificate of his citi- zenshin by proof of his disposition to serve his country in the war, and proving an honor- able discharge.
His children are: Margaret R., wife of Isaac M. Barrett, born in Scotland, February 12, 1855, and resides in 'Fresno, California; Agnes, børn also in Scotland, March 27, 1853, is now the wife of Charles W. Caldwell, and resides in Council Bluffs; Mary, born in this
county, June 7, 1857, resides in Missouri Valley, Iowa; Adam A., born November 14, 1859, is a farmer on section 25, on land be- longing to his father; Isabella C., born April 8, 1862, is the wife of Charles W. Atwood, . of Council Bluffs; Robert L., born November 3, 1864, resides on a farm on section 25.
ENRY PARKER, section 25, Silver Creek Township, is another one of the representative citizens of Pottawatta- mie County. He has made his home here since 1880. Mr. Parker was born in Lin- colnshire, England, December 4, 1848, son of George and Elizabeth (Beet) Parker, both natives of Lincolnshire. His mother died when he was eighteen years old. He was reared on a farm in his native county, and was educated in the common schools of England. At the age of twenty-one lie came to America, landing at New York. From there he came to Iowa, and for three years worked by the month in Mills County. Then he bought a team and rented land, remaining there until 1880. In that year he came to Pottawattamie County, and bought 160 acres of land, which had been broken and fenced, paying for it fifteen dollars per acre. This he has improved until it now ranks with the best farms in the township. Ile erected a good frame house on a desirable building spot, planted an orchard and a grove of eatalpa trees, consisting of three acres, be- sides building stables, cattle sheds and mak- ing many other improvements. His farm is fenced into four fields. Mr. Parker has had an experience of many years in farming and stock-raising, and is making a specialty of Poland-China hogs, having thoroughbred registered stock, the best in the county. He
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
also devotes his attention to raising the pure Plymouth Rock chickens.
Mr. Parker was married in Mills County, lowa, Jannary 14, 1873, to Miss Mary E. Foxworthy, a lady of intelligence and refine- ment, and a native of Indiana. Her parents were Joseph and Mary Foxworthy. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have eight children, as fol- lows: Louisa and Minnie Stella, James Henry, Frederick William, Bertha Ellen, Robert Lincoln, Elva May and John Sherman. Mr. Parker's political views are in harmony with Republican principles. He has served the public as Township Trustee, and as a member of the School Board. He is an active mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lone Star, and is a steward of the same. He has also served as superintendent of the Sabbath-school. Mr. Parker is an enterpris- ing and worthy citizen, and every movement that favors education, good morals or religion is certain to find in him an earnest supporter.
H. FOSTER, one of the prominent business men of Council Bluffs, is owner and proprietor of the Council Bluffs Paint, Oil and Glass Company. Mr. Foster has been a resident of this city since 1875, at which time he formed a co-partner- ship with his brother, A. D. Foster, nnder the firm name of A. D. Foster & Co. This partnership continned until April, 1889, when the subject of this notice became sole proprietor of the business. The brother re- ferred to above came to Council Bluffs in 1870, and engaged in the drug and paint business. Mr. Foster has an extensive trade. He has this year erected a fine block of tene- ment houses on the corner of First avenue and Eighth street, at a cost of about $1,600, the best structures of their kind in the city. He
has done considerable other building, amount- ing in all to about $30,000.
He was born in Sackett's Harbor, Jefferson Connty, New York, in 1843. His father was Derley Foster. In 1846 the latter re- moved with his family to Waukesha County, Wisconsin, where they resided until 1871, when the family removed to Walworth Conn- ty, same State, where the father soon after- ward died, the mother surviving until 1882. Derley Foster was a farmer by occupation. He was twice married. The maiden name of his first wife was Diana Enos. She was the second wife of her husband, and died as above stated, in 1882, at the home of her son, S. H. Foster. Derley Foster was the father of nine children, seven of whom are living. The subject of this notice en- listed in the summer of 1862, in Company B, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteer In- fantry, and served till the close of the war. The date of his enlistment was August 17, 1862, and of his discharge September 17, 1865. He was in active service during the whole of his enlistment. After the war Mr. Foster remained upon the home farin for a year and a half. He then went to Colorado, and was engaged in mining about three years, when he returned to Waukesha County, Wisconsin, and in 1877 became a resident of Council Bluffs.
He was married in November, 1872, to Miss Adda L. Green, a native of Walworth County, Wisconsin. This union has been blessed with four children, two of whom are living: Roy H. and Minnie M. They lost their oldest child, Albert, at the age of nme- teen months, and Mabel, their third child, at the age of eight years. Mr. Foster was be- reaved of his wife by death, September 8, 1887, his daughter having died on the fourth of July of the same year. October 3, 1888, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Minnie S.
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Couchman, at Waukesha, Wisconsin. Mr. Foster is one of the representative business men of Council Bluffs, and one of its enter- prising and progressive citizens.
OIIN BOOK .- In sketching the lives of the pioneer settlers and prominent citi- zens of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, the writer finds the name of John Book among the early residents of Waveland Town- ship. lle has made his home here since 1865.
Mr. Book was born in Clarke County, Ohio, April 5, 1843, son of William H. and Mary (Leffel) Book, natives of Botetourt County, Virginia, and Ohio respectively. Both his paternal and maternal grandfathers, John Book and Daniel Leffel, were natives of Pennsylvania. The subject of our sketch was reared in Ohio and Indiana, as his father moved back and forth two or three times. IIe was brought up on a farm, and educated in the common schools of those States. His father was a carpenter by trade, for a time was in the mercantile business, and later in life turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits. He died in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, October 11, 1884. His wife died when John was five years old.
In 1865 Mr. Book came to this county, and, in partnership with his father, bought some wild land. Some time later he sold his interest to his father, after which he bought 200 acres where he now lives, and since has sold ten acres of timber. In 1889 he pur- chased eighty acres more, now owning 270 acres of well-improved land. He has a good frame house, the main part a story and a half, and a one-story L. Other improvements are a beautiful grove and orchard of three acres, a barn, 36 x 50 feet with sixteen-foot posts,
eribs, granary and good fences. His farm is divided into several fields, and every thing is arranged with reference to convenience. He is engaged in general farming and stock- raising.
Mr. Book was married May 15, 1872, to Miss Sally Maria Potter, daughter of H. C. and Caroline (Parmley) Potter. Her father is one of the prominent citizens of Waveland Township. Mr. and Mrs. Book have four children: Arthur Benton, Orrin Orlando. John Ray and Ruth. In his political views Mr. Book is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican. He has served in some of the township offices, always with credit to himself and for the best interests of the public. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Walnut Valley, in which he has served as steward. Broad and progressive in his views, he favors education, good morals and religion, and gives an earnest support to all worthy causes.
NDREW HELLMANN, a prominent and reliable citizen of Walnut, was born in Schleswig, Germany, the son of John P. Hellmann, a farmer by occupation. He was the father of six children: John L., Gars- ten, Andrew, Hama, Lena, and one who died in infancy. The father lived to the age of sixty - five years, dying in Germany. Andrew Ifellmann, his son and the subject of this sketch, was born March 5, 1844, and was reared to farm life. He came to America at the age of twenty-seven years, in 1870, landing at Que- bec. He then went to Chicago, and next to Pennsylvania, where he worked for the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. In 1873 he came to Iowa, and worked on a farm in Clinton County, and in 1880 came to Wal- nut, where he has since remained.
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
In 1885 he was married to Dora Hansen. In his political opinions he is a staunch Dem- ocrat, and is well-known as a straight-forward man, a believer in personal liberty, and is a good American citizen.
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OLONEL D. B. DAILEY, an attorney at Council Bluffs, Iowa, was born in Ireland, November 15, 1840, and when six years old came to this country with his parents, who settled in Ohio. He was edu- cated chiefly at New Richmond, Ohio, at the Southwestern State Normal School, at Leb- anon, and at Antioch College, same State, when the celebrated educator, Horace Mann, was the president of that institution.
he was retained in the service at his own re- quest, by order of the War Department, and was appointed Provost-Marshal, and placed upon the staff of General Cutler, Division Commander. In addition to his duties as Provost-Marshal, he also commanded the Wisconsin Independent Battalion, composed of veterans and recruits of the Second Wis- consin, whose term of enlistment had not expired with the old regiment. He also com- manded. for a short time, the first battalion of New York Sharpshooters. and at the battle of Hatcher's Run was assigned to the tem- porary command of the One Hundred and Forty-Seventh New York Volunteer Infan- try. He served on the staffs of Generals Henry A. Morrow, Cutler, Bragg, Crawford and Major General G. K. Warren. During his period of service he commanded the Sixth Wisconsin Veteran Volunteer Infantry, an- other of the regiments of the famous Iron Brigade, and was conspicuously at its head at the grand review of the Army of the Potomac, after which he was assigned to the command of a provisional brigade, with orders to report to General Logan, at Louisville, Kentucky, which he did.
At the breaking out of the great Rebellion, he enlisted, April 19, 1861, in Company B, Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and served over a year in the ranks; was promoted to Second Lieutenant, Septem- ber 16, 1862; First Lieutenant, June 2, 1863; Captain, May 25, 1864; and to Major of the Sixth Wisconsin Veteran Volunteer Infantry. December 21, 1864. August 1, 1864, he was brevetted Major by the President of the Following is a list of the principal engage- ments in which Colonel Dailey participated: Battle of Blackburn's Ford, July 18, 1861, where he was wounded; First Bull Run, July 21, 1861; Cedar or Slaughter Mountain, Au- gust 12 and 13, 1862; White Sulphur Springs, later in the same month; Gainesville, August 28, 1862; Second Bull Run, August 29 and 30, 1862; South Mountain, September 14, 1862; Antietam, September 17, 1862; eam- paign under Burnside against Fredericks- burg, and the battle of Fredericksburg, December, 1862; battle of Chancellorsville, May, 1863. United States, with the approval of the Senate, for continued and meritorions services in the Army of the Potomac up to that time; and on the 21st of that month he was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel, for gallant conduct in the action of that date, at Yellow Tavern on the Weldon Railroad, in Virginia. March 8, 1865, he was appointed president of a military commission. March 31, samne year, he was brevetted Colonel for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of White Oak, or Boyd- town Plank Road, Virginia, and for continued good conduct during the war. June 11, 1864, at the expiration of the term of enlist- The winter and spring of 1863, Colonel ment of his regiment, the Second Wisconsin, i Dailey was on independent duty, during
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which he participated in, and conducted several successful expeditions, through the counties lying between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers in Virginia, for the success of which he was highly complimented in general orders. For the crossing of the Rappahannock, at Fitzhugh Landing, Colonel Dailey was thanked in general orders, by bri- gade and division commanders, for gallantry and skill, displayed at the crossing aforesaid, in face of the enemy, and was afterward recom- mended for promotion on account of same.
He was in the campaign through Mary- land, Pennsylvania, and in the battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, and was conspicu- ous for gallantry in the charge of the Iron Brigade against Archer's Confederate Brigade, and in this engagement received the surren- der and sword of the Confederate General Archier, which sword he still retains. Later in the day of that battle he was severely wounded and fell into the hands of the enemy. but escaped from their guard on the night of July 5, and rejoining his command July 11, was assigned to the staff of General Henry A. Morrow, which position he retained until February, 1864; was with the army at the battle of Mine Run, and all of its en- counters with the enemy at Rappahannock Station and Brandy Station. He was with General Morrow at the capture and destruc- tion of Raccoon Ford, on the Rapidan, Vir- ginia; was wounded May 5, 1864, in the first day's battle of the Wilderness, but did not leave the field. He served through the Wilderness campaign, and wasagain wounded in battle in front of Petersburg, June 18, 1864. He was chief of General Crawford's staff in the expedition of the Fifth Army Corps to the Maheran River, in its effort to destroy the Weldon Railroad, and with General Merrow conducted the retreat of that campaign.
In the battle of Weldon Railroad, August 21, 1864, he was on General Cutler's (Division Commander) staff, and in the execution of an order of that General was dangerously wounded by the Confederate General John- son Hagoed, who commanded a brigade in Mahone's division; but, just before being shot by General Hagood, Colonel Dailey secured the colors of one of the Confederate regi- ments which surrendered to him; and at the time of being shot he was holding the Con- federate regimental colors and flag. In this transaction and dash of Colonel Dailey, great danger was averted to the union lines, behind which the gallant Confederate General Ha- good had carried his brigade. This incident in the history of the war has become so famnous that we here give it in the language of General Hagood, who shot Colonel Dailey:
" This officer (Colonel Dailey, of General Cutler's staff), had galloped out of a sally- port, seized a color from the hands of its bearer, and demanded a surrender. Some offieers and men surrendered, but were not carried in; others refused, but just around him ceased fighting. General Hagood called to the men to shoot him and fall back in retreat. They either did not hear him or, bewildered by the surrender of part of their number, failed to obey. It was a critical moment, and demanded instant and decided action. In a few moments the disposition to surrender would have spread, and the whole brigade have been lost. Making his way across the intervening space as speedily as he could, exposed to a regular fire by file from the enemy's line scarce thirty yards off, and calling to his men to fall back, which they did not do, General Hagood approached Colonel Dailey and demanded the colors, and that he should go baek within his own lines, telling him that he was free to do so. Colonel Dailey commenced arguing the hope-
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