USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 54
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After the war he attended the Hartsville University for a time, and January 1, 1866, he began reading law under the preceptorship of Colonel J. S. Scoby, of Greensburg, In- diana. He attended the Law Department of the University of Michigan, where he grad- uated in 1868, and the following year came to Council Bluffs, and began the practice of
his profession, which he followed successfully until he was elected, on the Republean ticket, as a Representative from Pottawattamie County in 1877 and re-elected in 1879. Hle was elected to the State Senate in 1883, for a term of four years. In 1886 he was elected Judge of the Fifteenth District for a term of four years and has served the full term.
Judge Carson was married October 5, 1871, to Miss Rachel L. Boyce, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, a danghter of John and Priscilla (Vinning) Boyce; her father is of Irish and her mother of English descent. By this union there were seven children, six of whom still survive: Hannah L., Rachel B., George D., Grace S., Janette R. and Hiram J. Mary P. died when six months old. Judge Carson is a member of the F. & A. M., Ex- celsior Lodge, No. 259, and of the G. A. R., Abe Lincoln Post, No. 29; and Union Vet- eran Legion Encampment, No. 8. Mrs. Car- son is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Politically lie affiliates with the Republican party.
EORGE H. CHAMP, of the firm of Kimball & Champ, bankers, and vice- president of the Kimball & Champ In- vestment Company, was born November 13, 1856, at Rockford, Illinois, whither his par- ents, Frederick and Frances (Lucas) Champ, natives of England, had moved in their younger days. He was their second son, and is the only member of the family now living. As he grew up he received a liberal educa- tion in the public schools of his native village, and completed a commercial course of in- struction in Chicago. In the spring of 1879 he came to Omaha in quest of a business position, and in July he came over to Council Bluffs. Here he met his present partner,
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John F. Kimball, a young man in pursuit of the same object. Forming a partnership, they purchased the old abstract books of J. P. & J. N. Casady, and began to lay the foundation of their present large and grow- ing business. They have since added money- lending, and finally banking, and to-day their investment seenrities are well and favorably known even in the East. They are now do- ing the largest business in their line in the Missouri River Valley. They have built two of the finest blocks in the city. One, the Grand Hotel Block, a ent of which appears on page 476, is probably the finest pri- vate building in the State of Iowa. Mr. Champ has also a half interest in the Bank of Minden, at Minden, this State; and he is also a member of the firm of Kimball, Champ & Ryan, bond-brokers in Omaha. He is known as one of the leading young business men of the State. Unaided and alone, he has risen from a small begining to an eminence in the social and business world that is rarely attained in a long and successful business life. The firm are indeed examples of what young men may accomplish by ad- hering to the principles of integrity when they have natural ability and untiring energy.
OBERT KIRKWOOD, a farmer of Crescent Township, was born in Fife- shire, Scotland, July 27, 1827, a son of Robert and Agnes (Strang) Kirkwood; the father died in his native country, and the mother in this county, in 1858. In June, 1847, he married Mary Mnir, a native of Fifeshire, Scotland. In March, 1848, he emi- grated to America, landing, after a voyage of seven weeks, at New Orleans, with other members of his family and that of his wife's. They reached Florence, Nebraska, May 20.
An anecdote here. The next morning after they landed here, Mr. Kirkwood was the subject of a little joke. He and his brother- in-law were out taking a little stroll when they met some young men, who accosted them with the remark that they " had found a hog's head last night." He asked them why they didn't find the " hog," too. He then discovered that it was a " hogshead" of sugar that had been stolen!
A day or two afterward they crossed the river into Pottawattamie County, locating within a short distance of where Mr. Kirk- wood now lives. He settled temporarily upon public land that had not yet come into market, and made some improvements, not expecting to remain, and experienced many privations, 'mid Indians, wild beasts, etc., common to the frontier. When the land came into market he purchased eighty acres on section 24, Crescent Township, at $1.25 per acre. He erected a log cabin, fourteen feet square, which he made his home for a number of years. The first marketing he did was to sell a load of corn, which he hauled to Florence, Nebraska, at that time Indian Territory, with three yoke of oxen, through sloughs and over prairies, having no road. On the way he had to unload three times and carry the corn over the muddy ground some distance in baskets. The $25 he received for the corn was the first money he made by his farming here. In early times he did con siderable work by the day, laboring some- times for wages as low as forty cents per day. To his first purchase of land he has added others until he now has 507 acres, in Crescent and Norwalk townships. His residence is on on section 26, Crescent Township. He has always turned his attention to farming and stock-raising until about five years ago, since which time he has retired from active labor. By his honesty and integrity he has won a
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
good reputation, and he has done much to build up the interest of the community in which he resides. As early as 1849 he was one of five who went into Harrison County and erected a number of log cabins for the early settlers there. He is a solid citizen and a solid Democrat; has been a member of the Board of Supervisors, of Pottawattamie County, three terms; Township Trustee, and Treasurer of the School Board for sixteen years continuously ; was one of the organizers of the Council Bluffs Savings Bank, and is now a stockholder; was once nominated by his party for Representative to the State Legislature, but declined. He has been a member of the Crescent City Mutual Pro- tection Association since its organization in 1872, being now president of that society. He is also a member of the Grange. He and his wife are both members of the Church of Latter-day Saints.
His children are: Jennett, wife of William MeKeown, of Boomer Township; Agnes, now Mrs. Hans N. Ilansen, of Hazel Dell Town- ship; Isabel, deceased, wife of T. F. Finch, of Hancock County, Iowa; John, a resident of Norwalk Township, this county, and mar- ried to Agnes Lapworth; James, Thomas and Lizzie, at home. Three of the children are deceased.
OSE COMPANY No. 3, Council Bluffs. James G. Bradley, Superintendent of the fire and police electric departments, of Council Bluffs, has served in this capacity since 1884, and previous to this he served in the volunteer fire department from 1879. He came to Council Bluffs in the spring of 1878, where he has since been a constant resident. He was born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, May 1, 1858, the son of Charles and Mary
Ellen (Creveling) Bradley, natives of Con- neeticut and of Irish and English descent. He was brought up in his native State, and in early life was engaged in painting and paper-hanging, which he followed nntil 1884, when he took the position he now occupies. He has the electric department under his con- trol, and is a live and energetic man in his position. Politically he is a Democrat, and socially is a member of Twin Brother En- campment, No. 42, I. O. O. F .; Canton No. 21; subordinate No. 49; and of the Red Men, Pottawattamie Tribe, No. 21; and also a mem- ber of the Council Bluffs Veteran Firemen's Association. He is a man of worth and experience.
N. B. Wicks, Captain of Hose No. 3, has been connected with the fire department of Council Bluffs since 1876. He was born in Shelby County, Iowa, February 28, 1858, a son of Mansel and Electa M. (Bradley) Wicks, natives of New York and Connecti- cut, and of English extraction. Mr. Wicks was reared in Council Bluffs since 1865, and when but sixteeen years of age was engaged at steam engineering, which he has followed more or less since that time. In 1876 he joined the volunteer department of firemen of this city, and in 1888 was made Captain of Hose No. 3. Politically he is a Democrat, and is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 49, and also of Red Men, Pottawattamie Tribe, No. 21.
F. G. Hitchroek, a member of Hose House Fire Department, No. 3, Council Bluffs, was previously a member of the volunteer de- partment from 1879 to 1888. He was born in 1860, in New York State, a son of G. C. and Mary (Smith) Hitchcock, natives of New York State, and of English and Puritan de- seent. Mr. Hitchcock was reared in his native State until 1876, when he came to Pottawattamie County. He was employed
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in the railroad service for abont four years, and in 1888 was elected as fireman in Hose House No. 3. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party. He was married in 1883, to Miss Eva Cochran, a native of this county, and they have two children : Cora and Richard.
Charles Sanderson, who has been connected with the fire department of Council Bluffs since 1872, is now a member of Hose No. 3. He was born in Sweden in 1839, and was reared to farm life in his native country until seventeen years of age, when he came to America, locating at Princeton, Illinois. He remained there until 1861, when he entered the services of Company D, Seventh Kanaas Cavalry, serving four years, after which he came to Iowa. In 1868 he came to Council Bluffs, where he was engaged at teaming until he entered the service of the fire de- partment of this city. Politically he is a staunch Republican, and is a member of the K. of P., No. 17, also of the G. A. R., Abe Lincoln Post, No. 29.
Samuel Morrison, one of the oldest mem- bers of the city fire department of Council Bluffs, was born in Leicestershire, England, June 15, 1828, the son of James and Eliza- beth (Harris) Morrison. Samuel was reared in his native country until seventeen years of age, when he came to America, locating in Upper Canada, where he remained three and a halt years. He then came to the United States, and was engaged in traveling for nine years, after which he was employed as a stage driver in Ohio. IIe then came West and engaged in freighting across the plains, which he followed four years.
In 1865 he came to Council Bluffs, and became a member of the volunteer fire department of this city, with which he was connected until 1886, when he was com- pelled to give up his duties on account of
losing his eyesight, and is now totally blind, but he still hovers around his old haunts, the engine honse. He is a Republi- can politically, and is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 49.
OHN SCHLICHT, one of the prominent land-owners of Lincoln Township, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, November 7, 1842, the son of Jurgen Schlicht, a farmer and land-owner of that country. He was married to Anna Obitz, who died in the year 1881 in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and they had two children: John and Cath- crine. Mr. Schlicht came to America in 1870, and settle ! on land owned by his son John, our subject. He lived to the age of sixty-five years, and died in this county. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, and was a hard-working and honest inan.
John Schlicht, the subject of this sketch, was reared to farm life, and remained at home until he was twenty-seven years of age. In 1868 he came to America to improve his ' circumstances, landing in New York. He came to Clinton County, Iowa, where he worked for his father-in-law, who had come to this country at the same time, and who had brought with him $3,000, which he in- vested in land in Clinton County. Mr. Schlicht remained with him one year, and then went to Tama County, where he rented a farm and remained seven years. In 1875 he came to Pottawattamie County and bought eighty acres of wild land, which, by industry and economy, he has converted into a fine, fertile farm, and to which he has since added until he now owns 775 acres. He came to this country with nothing but his hands and a strong desire to make a success here, and
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he has worked and saved until he now owns a fine, large farm. Ile is one of our most substantial farmers, a man of integrity of character, who stands high as an honest and upright citizen. He is a large stoek- raiser, and owns three stallions and two im- proved Belgians, eosting $2,000. He has worked all his life that his children might have an inheritance that would enable them to become independent eitizens.
Mr. Schlicht was married in 1868, in Ger- many, to Margaret Michaelson, and to them have been born eleven children: Jurgen, Hans, Anna, Jane, Phoebe, Margaret, Mary, Catherine, John, Lizzie and William.
IMEON GRAYBILL, deceased, was one of the well-known pioneers of Pot- tawattamie County. Born in Jackson Connty, Ohio, March 26, 1816, he was a son of Michael Graybill, a native of North Caro- lina, and of German ancestry. His mother's maiden name was Polly Stocker, and she was born in the Carolinas. Mr. Graybill was reared to manhood in Ohio, on a farm, but for a time he was engaged in mining at Mt. Vernon, that State. He was first married March 16, 1837, in Jackson County, Ohio, to Amanda Hill, who died in Adams County, Illinois, February 21, 1848. In the fall of that year Mr. Graybill came to Pottawatta- mie County, and he was afterward married to Mrs. Franees (Graliam) Downs, who was born in Kemper County, Mississippi, a daughter of Thomas and S. Ann (MeCrary) Graham. Her parents eame to this county in 1846; her mother died in the eastern part of this State; in 1852 her father went to Utah, where he was some time afterward killed by a grizzly bear, which was afterward
captured and found to weigh 800 pounds. Mrs. Graybill was first married to Ezekiel Downs, at Downsville, who was born in North Carolina, and came to this eounty in 1846. By this marriage there was one child, John W. Mr. Downs died in 1860.
Mr. Graybill settled on his present farm in 1848, where he resided until his death, Jnne 27, 1889. By his first marriage there were four children, three of whom grew up to years of maturity, viz .: William, who now resides in New Yorkshire, Harrison County : Andrew, who is living near the same place; and Aaron L., who was killed at Camp Creek, Georgia, Angust 31, 1864, as a member of an Iowa regiment. By his second marriage the subjeet of this sketeh has had six children, four of whom are living: Emily Jane, Willis M., Amanda M. and Mary Ellen. Politieally Mr. Graybill was a Republican. He had a landed estate of 320 well-improved acres, on which he lived for over forty years. His death was lamented by all the community.
ILLIAM L. CHANEY, one of the intelligent and enterprising citizens of Washington Township, eame to this county in 1881, where he has since re- sided and made his home. He was born in Montgomery County, Missouri, March 3, 1853, a son of Samuel and Ellen (Parmer) Chaney. William L. was two years of age when his father died in Montgomery County. His widow and the six children removed to Seott Connty, where the mother died two years later. William was reared by James Henry after the death of his mother. 1Ie was reared on a farın in Princeton Township, Seott County, Iowa, where he remained until 1868, when he came to Mills County, Iowa. His first purchase of land was eighty aeres
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
of wild railroad land, at $9 per acre, but this he has since improved in a good manner. Two years later he purchased forty acres one- fourth of a mile north of his home for $25, and he now owns 120 aeres of well improved land.
Mr. Cheney was married December 31, 1877, in Mills County, Iowa, to Florence Hodgin, who was born in Cedar County, Missouri, a daughter of Valentine and Harriet (Council) Hodgin, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Chancy have six children, viz .: Anna L., Georgia D., Lottie I., William O., Henry Clyde and Earl. Politically Mr. Chaney is a strong and radical Republican. He is a member of the Evangelieal Church, as is also his wife; and in the church he is a stew- ard and superintendent of the Sabbath-school. He is a man yet in the prime of life, frank and cordial in his manner, and is honorable in all his business dealings.
OSEPH A LOUDENBECK, one of the old soldier citizens of Pottawattamie County, was born on a farm in Hancock County, Indiana, June 22, 1842, the son of Renben Loudenbeck, who was a native of Pennsylvania and of German descent. IIe was married to Margaret Earl, and to them were born eleven children, three of whom died in infancy. The living are: Isaac, Mary, Jolın, Joseph, David, Sarah, Emma, William. Mr. Loudenbeck lived ou a farm in Hancock County several years, and then moved to Jasper Connty, Iowa, in 1854, and then, in the spring of 1869 removed to Madison County. Ile was too old to participate in the civil war, but enlisted three times before he was accepted in the "Grey Beards," Thirty-seventh Iowa, where he served until
he was discharged on account of sickness. 'He is still living, at the age of seventy-fonr years ; is a member of the Methodist Church, and an honest, upright man. He had three sons in the civil war: Isaac, Joseph and David. Isaac and David were in the Fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry ; the former enlisted in 1861, and the latter some time afterward, and they were both taken prisoners at the battle of Mission Ridge and confined in Libby and Andersonville prisons eleven months, and both died from starvation at Anderson- ville !
Joseph A., our subject, was but twelve years of age when his father moved with teams to Jasper County, Iowa, and was but twenty years old when he enlisted, March 22, 1862, in Company G, Seventeenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served until June 10, 1865. He was in the battles of Vicksburg, Mission- ary Ridge, Port Gibson, Jackson (Miss.), Corinth, Champion Hill, and many skir- mishes. He was taken prisoner at Tilon, Lonisiana, and confined at Andersonville six months lacking thirteen days. His brothers had died before he entered the prison. When he went to Andersonville he weighed 200 pounds, and when he came out he was re- dneed to 135 pounds! He had been starved almost to death from the poor and insufficient food, which consisted principally of corn meal, ground coffee and old rotten mule meat! The drinking water was impregnated with filth, and he slept on the ground with no covering; his clothes were taken from him, except his shirt and drawers, which were re duced to a few rags, which scarcely covered his emaciated form. He was finally ex- changed. He was wounded at Missionary Ridge, being shot through the right thigh, and he still carries the bullet. He was in the field hospital two weeks at Missionary Ridge, and was then sent home. He rejoined
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
his regiment within two months, and thus the young Western soldier endured all the vicissitudes of war, and was honorably dis- charged at Davenport, Iowa.
After the war Mr. Loudenbeck came to Pottawattamie County, and in October, 1870, settled on his present farm. He is well- known as an honest and industrious man, and is one of the oldest settlers of Lincoln Township. Lewis Painter, his brother-in- law, came at the same time, and they were the only settlers in this township. Mr. Londenbeck is a pioneer, an old soldier eiti- zen, and a typical American, and his de- seendants will do well to remember his good record. Politically he is a Republican, and is a member of G. A. R. Post, No. 201, of Lewis, Iowa.
He was married in Jasper County, Iowa, to Miss Emily Painter, a sister of Lewis Painter, whose sketeh appears elsewhere in this work, and they have two children, viz .: Maggie, who married Ed Young, a son of Adam Young, of Lincoln Township, and they have two children: Reuben and Nellie; and Carrie, who married George Derniger, of Lincoln Township, and they have one child, Maggie.
ILLIAM A. McMILLEN, contractor and builder, resides at. No. 1103 Fourth avenue, and has his offices at the corner of Seventh street and Broadway. He established his business here in 1881, and since that time has erected a number of fine buildings. Among them we note the resi- denees of Tom Cavins, J. Withrow, Dr. McCrae and C. Stephens. In Omaha he built the Robert Purvis residence, and in Lead City, Dakota, he put up a fine business bloek for Senator Hurst, one of the finest in the West. He also built an elegant business
block in Missouri Valley for Mr. Kearnes. He built five houses for J. G. Tipton in Council Bluffs. We might name a number of other buildings erected by him in this city and vicinity, but space forbids.
Mr. MeMillen was born in St. Johns, Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1848, son of John and Jane (Brownigg) MeMillen, natives of Scotland and Ireland. He spent his youth at his native place and when he was fourteen he began a five years' apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade. At the age of twenty-one he came to the United States and located in Albany, New York, where he remained five years. From there he went to Boston, Massa- chusetts, and also spent five years there en- gaged at his trade. At the end of that time he returned to Canada East and engaged in the furniture business. Six years later, in 1879, he sold out and came to Council Bluffs, where he has since resided. July 2. 1890, he opened an office in Omaha, room 842, New York Life building. He is one of the pushing business men of Council Bluffs. Politically he is a stanneh independent. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 49, Bluff City Lodge, and also of the Red Men, Potta- wattamie County Lodge.
He was married, in 1874, to Miss Mary Brownrick, a native of Canada. By her he had three children: Mary, Lney and Carrie. lle was again married, in 1886, to Amelia Stephens, who was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1855. They have one child, Fran- ces. Mr. and Mrs. McMillen are members of the Episcopal Church.
OHN THAYER, a well-known and prom- inent farmer of Washington Township, was born near Brookville, Indiana, in July, 1825, a son of Noah Thayer, a native
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of New Hampshire. IIis grandfather was a teamster in the Revolutionary war, and at one time had his wagon riddled with bullets, and also had a narrow escape. The mother of our subjeet was HIannah (Reed) Thayer, who was born in Vermont. John Thayer was eight years of age when his parents moved to Marion County, Indiana, where the inother died, at the age of sixty-five years; the father also died, in his sixty-fifth year. They reared a family of three ehildren, all of whom grew to maturity, but our subject is the only one now living. The father was a farmer during his whole life, and in his politi- eal views was a Whig.
John Thayer, our subject, was reared on a farm in Indiana, and was early taught to chop wood and grub and clear the land, which formed the foundation of his future sueeess- ful life. IIe remained in his native State until 1856, when he came by wagon to Iowa, settling in Jefferson County, where he was among the early settlers, and where he re- mained five years; next, in 1861, he went to Monroe County, remaining five years ; in 1870 he moved to Mills County, where he lived until 1876, and in that year he came to Pottawattamie County, settling on a farm near Council Bluffs. In 1878 he came to his present farm, which was then wild land, but which he has since improved until he now has 360 acres of well cultivated land.
Mr. Thiyer was married when he was twenty-six years of age, to Margaret Splen- field, and by this union there were two chil- dren: Hiram, who resides in this county; and Luey Ann, the wife of Scott Sueather, who lives in Troy, Kansas. After the death of his first wife he was again married, in Hamilton County, Indiana, to Tamar Miche- ner, a daughter of Thomas and Susan (Phipps) Michener, natives of Pennsylvania. By this marriage there are five children, viz .: George
A., who is married and resides on the farm ; Hattie, wife of James Tooley, of Neola; Luel, wife of Frank Cleveland, of Washington Township; J. W. Thayer, who is in partner- ship with George Thayer in the management of the farm. Politically Mr. Thayer is a Republican, having voted that tieket since 1856. Mrs. Thayer is a member of the Evangelical Church.
LVIN L. WEAK, a substantial farmer of James Township, Pottawattamie County, is descended from an old American family of Duteh deseent. George Weak, grandfather of Alvin L., was of En- glish descent, and moved from Pennsylvania to Ross County, Ohio, at a very early day. His son, Benjamin Miller Weak, the father of our subject, was born on a farm in Ross County, Ohio, and was married to Julia A. Staggs, and they were the parents of thirteen children, viz .: Melissa A. and Meli- tia, twins; Alvin L., our subjeet; Theresa, James A., Emma, Maria H. and Sarah E. (twins); Franeis and Georgie (twins); Lewis; and two twins who died in infancy. Six of the children grew to maturity, the remainder dying in infancy. James A. was in an Iowa regiment in the late war, and died at Little Rock, Arkansas. The father lived in Ross County, Ohio, for many years, and then removed to Fulton County, Illinois. In 1854 he came to Clin- ton County, Iowa, where he was among the early settlers. He is still living in Mills County lowa, at the age of seventy years. Ile has served as Justice of the Peace, and has the respect and confidence of the people. The mother of these children died in 1860, in Clarke County, Iowa.
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