USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 72
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One son, William Reed, the father of our subject, was a farmer by occupation, and was married in Washington County, Pennsyl- vania, to Miss Roseanna Lyle, the daughter of Robert Lyle. The latter was a soldier in
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the Revolutionary war. In 1829 William Reed moved to Ohio, and settled in what is now Ashland County, near the present village of Mckay, where he cleared a farm, and where both he and his wife lived until death. They had three sons and three daughters who grew to maturity, namely: James O., a farmer in his youth, and later a teacher, and died on his farm in St. Landry Parish, Lonisiana; Sarah J., who resides with her brother, Judge Reed, in Council Bluffs; Hon. James R., onr subject; Elizabeth, wife of Rev. D. A. Newell, of Wooster, Ohio; William, a merchant at Londonville, Ohio; Rosanna, wife of Jesse R. Hissem, also of Londonville.
IIon. Joseph R. Reed was born on the old homestead in Ashland County, Ohio, March 12, 1835. Ile was educated in the common schools, and at the Vermillion Institute at Hayesville, Ohio. HIe removed to Iowa in March, 1857, settling at Adel, Dallas Coun- ty, where he taught school, and also studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1859, and immediately began practice at that place, continuing until the outbreak of the late war. He enlisted in July, 1861, as First Lieutenant in the Second Iowa Battery, and served until July, 1865; in 1864 he was promoted Captain of the battery.
At the close of the war Mr. Reed returned to Adel, Iowa, where he resumed the practice of law. He was elected a State Senator in 1865, and served in the Eleventh and Twelfth General Assemblies, and in the summer of 1869 removed to this city, where he has since resided. September 1, 1872, he was ap- pointed Judge of the District Court, and served as such until January, 1884; from January, 1884, to March 1, 1889, lie served as Judge of the Supreme Court, and in No- vember, 1888, was elected a member of the Fifty-first Congress.
Judge Reed was united in marriage, No-
vember 1, 1865. at Ashland, Ohio, to Jenette Dinsmore, a daughter of James A. Dinsmore, of Ashland County. Mrs. Reed died in July, 1887; she was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Politically Judge Reed has always been a Republican; socially a Mason, and a member of Excelsior Lodge of Council Bluffs.
ERY E. BRENEMAN, of section 30 Macedonia Township, was born in Han- cock County, Ohio, December 13, 1845, the son of Richard and Sarah (Clark) Brene- man, both born in Mercer County, Pennsyl- vania, and reared in Columbiana County, Ohio, and of Pennsylvania Datch ancestry. The parents were married in that county, and afterwar I removed to Hancock County, same State, and in the fall of 1854 to Iowa County, Iowa, settling ten miles south of Marengo. They were early settlers in that portion of the State. They came to Pottawattamie County, Washington Township, Iowa, in 1881, where the father died in the spring of 1883, and the mother still resides in Wash- ington Township.
Nery E. Breneman, our subject, came to Iowa in 1879, and bought his land in the spring of 1875, which was wild and uncul- tivated. He has, since residing upon it, im- proved it in a good manner, and his pasture and meadow is well adapted to general farm- ing and stock-raising. He was married March 1, 1882, to Miss Celia Kanke, who was born in Adams County, Illinois, the daughter of Christian and Anna (Weeks) Kanke, the former a native of Germany, and the latter of England. Mrs. Breneman was five years old when her parents came to Pottawattamie County. The parents now reside in Mace- donia. Mr. and Mrs. Breneman have two children: Howard, born July 31, 1885, and
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
Alma Frances, born August 11, 1888. Polit- ically Mr. Breneman is a Demoerat, but has never aspired for political distinction. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Macedonia Lodge, No. 421.
UGUST KAVEN, the pioneer settler and the man who erected the first build- ing in Minden, now the residence of James Crow, is the real founder of this city, having erected most of the buildings, and is now one of the substantial business men of the town. He was born in Holstein, Ger- many, September 14, 1842, the son of Henry Kaven, who was the father of three children now living: Henry, Dora and Angust. The father was a farmer by occupation, and lived to the age of eighty-six years. His wife lived to the extreme old age of ninety years. Her maiden name was Dora Westfall.
Angust Kaven, our subject, after visiting the principal cities of Germany, Switzerland and France, came to America, in 1866. IIe located in New York city, where he worked at his trade of cabinet-maker abont nine months. He then removed to the city of Philadelphia, where he remained four months. He next moved to Chicago, and was in that city during the great fire, after which he worked in rebuilding the city until 1873, when he came to Avoca, where he remained for a few months, working on the bank building. January 22, 1874, he came to Minden, having the contract to build the residence for Casper Foster, but on account of the deep snow he was unable to find the stakes marking the lots. He was next en- gaged in building the residence now occupied by August Dolen, and then the building now occupied by John Bloom, which was the first business block erected in this city. Since
that time Mr. Kaven has been one of the prominent builders and contractors in Min- den and the surrounding country, and has at times employed as many as fifteen men. Hle is now holding the office of Township Trustee and commissioner, and was also Justice of the Peace four years. He is now a member of the First Council of Minden. Mr. Kaven owns his residence, five lots and the store and lot now occupied by John Crow. He is a self-made man, having come to America with no knowledge of the English language and in a strange country made his own property. He came from Avoca to Minden by wagon, and brought with him food for himself and men. Henry Urbahns, a car- penter, came about four days after Mr. Kaven, bringing his family and one man, and all of the people lived in a shanty on the lot now occupied by the Minden House. Mr. Kaven built the first school-house in this city in 1874, and the first church, the Ger- man Lutheran, in 1880. He also built the Minden House, the Union Hotel, and all the places on the road, on which the Minden Honse now stands.
Socially he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and of the I. O. O. F. of Neola. Politically he has always been a Republican, but is now a believer of the great Democratic party. He was married in Frankfort, Illi- nois, in 1867, to Miss Margaret Klepper, and they have eight children, namely: Lena, Emma, Charles, Angust, William, Edith, Lucy and Minnie.
J. COLEMAN, of section 32, Car- son Township, is a well-known and honored citizen of the county, who came here in 1881, from Mills County, Iowa. He was born September 21, 1839, in Jo
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Daviess County, Illinois, the son of Joseph and Milly (Cozad) Coleman, the former a native of New Jersey, and one of the early settlers in Jo Daviess County, settling there about the time of the Black Hawk war; and the latter was a native of Ohio. In 1844 the parents removed to Fulton County, Illinois, where they were among the first settlers in that part of the county. They reared five children, four daughters and one son, W. J. being the third ehild and only son. The father died one year after the removal to Ful- ton County, at the age of forty-four years, and the mother died in 1884, at the advanced age of seventy-two years.
W. J. Coleman was reared in Fulton County until 1870, when he came to Potta- wattamie County, near Macedonia, and from here he returned to Mills County, near Hend- son, where he bought a small farm. In 1880 he returned to this county, and bought his present farm of 160 aeres. He was married February 21, to Miss Cynthia E. Anderson, who was born, reared and educated in Fulton County, and was a successful teacher before her marriage. She was the daughter of Henry R. Anderson, a native of Madison County, Kentucky, near the old capitol, the son of John Anderson, who was the son of an old Revolutionary soldier, who, with five uncles and fourteen cousins, were killed at the bat- tle of Cowpens, which nearly exterminated the whole Anderson race. His wife and aunts went to the battle field and pieked out their dead bodies and had them buried. The mother of Mrs. Coleman was Anna (Wolfe) Anderson, a native of Greene County, Ohio, the daughter of John Wolfe, the first white ehild born on the James River, and her mother was Mary (MeColey) Wolfe. They had nine children, of whom Mrs. Coleman was the eldest of five sons and four daughters. They moved to Mills County, where the
mother died in 1874, at the age of fifty-eight years and one month; the father died in May, 1885, at the age of sixty-seven years and three months. Mr. and Mrs. Coleman have one son, Joseph F., who was born in Fulton County, Illinois, February 18, 1868, and resides at home. Politieally Mr. Cole- man is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church , Pleasant View, of the Macedonia eirenit, and botlı are workers in the Sabbath-sehool, ot which Mrs. Coleman is a teacher.
OSEPH DOWTY, a substantial farmer of Valley Township, was born Septem- ber 11, 1837. Ilis grandfather, Joseph Dowty, was a farmer of Auglaize County, Ohio, near the town of St. Mary's, and was the father of nine children, namely: Amos, Michael. Thomas, Squire, Lavina, Melverda, Sarah, Levisa and Elizabeth. The father was a pioneer of Auglaize County, having eleared his farm from heavy timber. His son Michael, the father of our subjeet, was born in Ohio, and was married in Auglaize Coanty to Mary Hay, daughter of James and Lydia Hay, who were the parents of five children : Joseph, Levi, Jonas, Elizabeth and Mahala. The father moved to Montrose, Lee County, Iowa, at the time the Mormons were leaving Nanvoo, Illinois, for Salt Lake, and Mr. Dowty bought out a elaim of a Mormon, where he died about one year after reaching this State. His family lived on this farm about ten years. Mr. Dowty was an upright and industrious man, and was respeeted by all who knew him.
Joseph, a son of the above and the subjeet of this sketch, was reared to farm life, and was but ten years of age when his father moved to Montrose, lowa, abont 1847. After
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
marriage he settled on a farm in Mills County, where he lived until 1876, when he moved to his present farm of 160 aeres. He is a self-made man, having made all his prop- erty by his own labor. He was married in Mills County, Iowa, May 14, 1865, to Miss Mary Munds, daughter of John and Emily (Lafler) Munds. They were the parents of six children, who lived to maturity, viz .: Mary, James, William, Jane, Lona and John. The father came from Ohio, in 1859, and settled on a farm in Mills County, where he died at the age of sixty years. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and was a man of integrity and industry. To Mr. and Mrs. Dowty have been born one child- Jolm Franklin, who was born June 13, 1869, on a farm near Hastings, Mills County, Iowa, and is now a student of Tabor College.
IRAM C. HOUGH, a substantial farmer of Pottawattamie County, deseended from a prominent old American family. William Hongh, a remote ancestor, was one of the Pilgrims who fled from England on account of religious persecutions in 1620, and settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Samuel Hough was a farmer of Connecticut, and emigrated to the Western Reserve, Ash- tabula County, Ohio, where he was among the early pioneers. He settled on a farm about two and a half miles from Ashtabula Harbor, where he lived for many years. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was the father of four children: William, Silvia and Hiram are the only ones remembered. Hiram Hough, the father of our subject, was born near Litchfield, Connectient, and was a young man when he came with his father to Ohio. He was married in Ashtabula County, to a widow lady, formerly Naney Tucker, a daugh-
ter of Josiah Tucker, who was born near New Haven, Connecticut. He came to Ohio to visit his daughter, and was drowned at Lock- port, New York; he was a tailor by trade. Mr. Hough settled on a farm in Ashtabula County, and then went to Portage County, same State, where he remained about four years. In 1840 he went to Illinois, remain- ing six years, and then went to Grant County, southern Wisconsin, where he died in March, 1886, at the age of eighty-five years. He was a substantial farmer, and a member of the Baptist Church; his wife was a life-long member of the Baptist Church.
Hiram C. Hough, the subject of this sketch, was born October 5, 1831, on his father's farm in Ashtabula County, Ohio, and was nine years of age when his father moved to southern Illinois. October 21, 1852, he set- tled in Grant County, Wisconsin, where he remained until 1870. In that year he came to Pottawattamie County and settled on his present farm, which was then wild land; but, assisted by his faithful wife, he has since converted it into a fine, fertile farm. In his political views Mr. Hough is a stanch Republican. Ile has taken an active interest in the cause of education, and has been School Director. He is one of the founders and pioneers of this township, and as such stands deservedly high among the substantial citizens. He has 240 acres of fine farming land, and is in independent circumstances.
He was married in Grant County. Wis- consin, to Elizabeth Mathews, daughter of Hugh and Mary Mathews. The father was born in Ohio of Irish parentage, and- was a comfortable farmer in Grant County. The mother was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, as is also ths present Mrs. Hough. They were the parents of two chil- dren: Elizabeth and Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Hough were the parents of five children, all
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
bern in Grant County, namely: Melissa, the wife of George Bowers, and both are deceased; Charles, a farmer, married Josephine Patti- son, and they have two children: Florence and Carrie; Myron, who married Lottie Hackett, a native of Valley Township; Frank and Mary.
H. VANDRUFF, section 28, Center Township, is one of the enterprising and successful citizens of that part of Pottawattamie County. Ile came here in 1880, and has since made this place his home.
Mr. Vandruff was born in Rock Island County, Illinois, August 24, 1850, the son of Jacob and Louisa (Everhart) Vandrnff. The father was a native of Green County, Penn- sylvania, of Pennsylvania-Dutch ancestry, and the mother was born in New Jersey. His grandfather, Joshua Vandrnff, was one of the pioneers of Rock Island County. hav- ing settled there in 1828. Two of the Van- drnffs were in the Black Hawk war. The par- ents of our subject were married in Rock Island County. The mother still resides there, and the father made that place his home until 1880 when his death occurred. He was a farmer the most of his life, but for two or three seasons was a pilot on the Mis- sissippi River. He was financially a success- ful man and accumulated a good property. His political views were in accordance with Democratic principles. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as also is his wife, and in that belief their children were brought up. They reared a family of five sons and five daughters, all of whom are now living, the subject of this sketch being the oldest. Four of them are residents of Nebraska, one is in California, two are in
Rock Island, and C. H. and E. E. are located in Center Township.
C. H. was reared on his father's farm, and his education was received in the public schools of his native county, his studies be- ing completed at the Milan High School. In 1880 he bought his present farm of 160 acres, and has since improved it until it ranks among the best farms in the township. It is all now under cultivation. His residence was erected in 1890, at a cost of $1,500 be- sides his own labor. It is situated on a natural building site, is built in modern style with bay windows and porches, and is sur- rounded with evergreens and ornamental trees. His barn was built in 1884, at a cost ef $1,000. It is 28 x 40, with sixteen-feet posts, and has a basement of brick for shel- tering stock. There are feed-lots, a modern wind-mill, stock scales and other farm build- ings and improvements. Everything about the premises shows the thrift of the pro- prietor.
Mr. Vandruff was married, September 20, 1881, to Miss Laura B. Barr, of Mills County, Iowa, a lady of culture and refinement. She is a daughter of John and Martha Barr, and was born and educated in Mahaska County, Iowa. Her father is now a resident of Chi- cago, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Vandruff have four children: Archie C., Walter F., Anna Louisa and Leonard L. Like his father, our subject, is independent.
OHN SIDES, a real-estate, loan and insurance agent, one of the oldest estab- lished agencies in the eastern part of Pottawattamie County, is one of the repre- sentative business men of Carson, who has been a resident of this county since the spring of 1877. He was born in Dixon County,
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
Indiana, February 15, 1840, the son of James and Elizabeth (Thomas) Sides, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Tennessee. They reared five children, of whom James was the second child. The mother died in Logan County, Illinois, about 1870, and the father still resides in that county, engaged in farming. John Sides was a lad of thirteen years when his father settled in Logan Coun- ty, and here he grew to manliood, passing his youth upon a farm. Ile was at school when the war broke ont, and at the time of Lincoln's call for 300.000 more men he en- listed, August, 1862, in the One Hundred and Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Com- pany F. IIe served nearly three years, and was first under fire at Trenton, Kentucky, and Jackson, Tennessee. He was also in the siege of Vicksburg. His regiment went to Helena, Arkansas, and then to Little Rock, and from there to Duvall's Bluffs. After the regiment left Helena John Sides was de- tailed on cavalry service, serving on General West's staff, and served until the close of the war. He was honorably discharged at Mound City, Illinois, July 24, 1865, and then re- turned to Logan County, Illinois.
He first engaged in the mercantile busi- ness, but on account of failing health he engaged in farming. In 1877 he came to Pottowattamie County and purchased 128 acres of wild land on seetion 2, Carson Town- ship, situated one and a half miles from Carson, and part of it adjoins the town of Carson. Mr. Sides is an active business man, and besides his farm interests he is engaged in real-estate, loan and insurance business, representing ten standard and reliable com- panies. He has been engaged in this busi- ness eleven years, and his extensive acquaint- ance and his manner of doing the work have gained for him the confidence of the people. He is interested in Carson, and October,
1889, built the two-story brick block, 26 x 65 teet, which is the best business house in the place. The first story is occupied by stores, and the second is divided into pleasant busi- ness rooms; the cost of the building was $3,500.
Mr. Sides was married in Logan County, Illinois, September 7, 1866, to Miss Mary E. Chappell, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Charles Chappell. They have five chil- dren: William, who is a carpenter at Carson; L. F., at home; Charles, Emma, Orlando C. They have lost two by death: Ilallie and Coone. Politically Mr. Sides is a Republi- can, and is a strong advocate of the principles of that party. He has occupied many public offices, and is a member of the G. A. R., Robert Provard Post, of Carson, No. 414. Mr. and Mrs. Sides are members of the Pres- byterian Church.
EONARD EVERETT, a lawyer, and one of the large land-owners of west- ern Iowa, was born in Gainesville, Ala- bama, June 27, 1853. His parents, Hon. Horace Everett and Mary L. Everett, made their home in Council Bluffs in the year 1855. A sketch of the life of Hon. Horace Everett will be found in this volume.
On his maternal grandfather's side, Mr. Leonard Everett is a direct descendant of the Leonards of Taunton, Massachusetts, one of the prominent families of the early settle- inent of New England, and in the Revolu- tionary struggle. Ilis maternal grandmother was a daughter of Colonel Benjamin Reeves, of lToward County, Missouri. Mr. Everett's early studies were in the public schools of Council Bluffs. In 1868 and 1869, for one | year he attended the Cheshire Academy, near
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
New Haven, Connecticut, where he prepared for college. For one year Mr. Everett was a student of Dartmouth College, New Hamp- shire. For three years he studied at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and gradn- ated in the class of 1873.
Returning home Mr. Everett read law in the office of his father and was admitted to the bar in 1876. Mr. Everett has made a specialty of the study of titles and real-estate law. His experience in the management of his father's large landed estate has been of great practical benefit in his chosen branch of the law. Mr. Everett is now recognized as one of the leading lawyers in western Iowa upon all matters appertaining to land or land titles.
For many years Mr. Everett has taken an active interest in farming and the cause of the farmers. He has always been a sincere and earnest Republican, but has not hesitated to oppose and denounce the railroad wing of the party. In 1889, withont solicitation on his part, and while he was absent in Wash- ington, Mr. Everett was elected, by a large majority, Alderman from the Fourth Ward. Although the only Republican in the Conn- cil he was elected President of the Board of Aldermen. Mr. Everett declined a renomi- nation. He is now a member of the Board of Library Trustees and President of the Fairview Cemetery Association. He enjoys the confidence and respect of the public, and takes a zealous interest in the welfare of the community.
ENRY A. DONER, a farmer residing on section 29, Hardin Township, has been a resident of this county since 1876. He was born in Wayne County, Ohio, March 6, 1850, a son of IIenry A. Doner, Sr., and the latter was a son of Jacob Doner.
of Maryland, and of Swiss ancestry. The maiden name of the mother of the subject of this sketch was Amanda Johnson. She also was a native of Wayne County, Ohio, and her father was a native of Pennsylvania.
The subject of this sketch, the third-born in his parents' family of six sons and three daughters, was a small boy when they re- mnoved to De Kalb County, Indiana. In a short time they returned to Ohio, settling in Defiance County, and in 1867 they removed to Jasper County, where the father died the next year; the mother now lives at Silver City, Mills County, this State. Mr. Doner was reared a farmer. From 1871 to 1876 he was a resident of Bnrean County, Illinois; and then he came to Pottawattamie Connty and purchased a quarter-section of land on section 36, Hardin Township. Since then he has bought more, and now has altogether 439 acres of valuable land; 279 acres are in one body, on section 36, and on sections 29 and 30, where he resides, he has 160 acres. This is one of the best farms in the county. His dwelling, built in 1890, cost $2,500; and his barn, built in 1889, cost $1,500. Both are fine structures, in modern style.
In his political views Mr. Doner is a Re- publican. He has served on the School Board.
REDERICK G. HETZEL is one of the substantial citizens of Avoca who has been identified with the business in- terests of the town almost from its beginning. He is one of those men who have prospered by their own industry and business ability. His father, Charles F. Hetzel, was born Au- gust 19, 1807, at IIeidelberg, Germany, that city famed for its great university. The grandfather of our subjeet, Christian lletzel, was a wheelwright in Germany, an honest,
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industrious man with the material thrift of the German race. He was a Protestant in religious belief and is yet well remembered by tradition in the family. Charles F. Ilet- zel, the father of our subject, learned his trade of his father in Germany, in the the thoroughgoing, old-fashioned way. IIe possessed an adventurous disposition, and wishing to better his condition emigrated to America, landing in New York city in 1828, and here he worked at his trade. He mar- ried in New York city, Regina Bayha, of German parentage. She was born at Stutt- gart. Germany. Soon after marriage Mr. lletzel moved to Rome, New York, and en- gaged in the fur business. He resided there but a short time and then moved to Wheel- ing, West Virginia, where he was proprietor of a hotel, and remained there about fifteen years, and there most of his children were born. In May, 1851, Mr. Hetzel moved to Davenport, Iowa, and was one of the pioneers of Scott County, where he settled on a farm of 440 acres, buying his land of Judge James Grant, then a prominent lawyer and one of the carly judges of Iowa, and here he passed the remainder of his life; his widow is still living on the old homestead, surrounded by a goodly number of her descendants. Mr. Hetzel all through his life had practiced those virtues of industry and economy which are almost sure to bring their own reward, and in his later life he enjoyed the possession of a handsome property and the satisfaction of handing down to his children a valuable homestead. Both himself and wife are mem- bers of the German Lutheran Church, and in the early pioneer days Mr. Hetzel took an active part in aiding liberally with his time and means the church of his fatherland. People who knew him well had confidence in his judgment, and he was Justice of the Peace for some time. Mr. and Mrs. Hetzel
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