USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 73
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were the parents of eleven children, all grow ing to maturity: Rosina, Charles, John, Mary, George, Frederick, Wilhelmina, Fran- cis, Anna, llenry and Jennie,-the last three born in Iowa and the remainder in Wheel- ing, Virginia. Mr. Hetzel lived to the honored age of seventy-nine years, and died at the old homestead, universally respected by his fellow townsmen, and greatly revered by his family. He was the founder of a new family in America, and his sturdy traits of character are yet marked in his descendants.
Frederick G. Hetzel, his son and the sub- ject of this sketch, was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, June 10, 1846. He was but five years of age when his parents came to the then new country of Iowa, and is an Iowan, as he there received his early educa- tion and those impulses which have made him one of our respected citizens. IIe re- mained on the old homestead until he was twenty-three years of age, and there became accustomed to farm life, and gained a practi- cal knowledge of agriculture and that steadi- ness of character, sound constitution, firmness of mind and love of truth which are best gained when young, in those peaceful pur- suits followed at home which give the vigor of nature to the growing man. His first step into the the world of business was at Daven- port, Iowa, where he acted as a clerk for about two years. He then engaged in the dry-goods business, in which he was success- fnl. After two years he went to Fulton, Iowa, and was engaged in the grain business for some time, and in 1874 he came to Avoca, and was again in the grain trade for a short time. He then began the hardware trade, which he has since followed successfully, In political opinions he has always been a stanch Democrat, as was his father before him. He has gained the confidence of his party in this county by his steadfast course as a conserva-
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tive member of the city council and four years Recorder. He has been County Com- missioner for six years, and President of the Board two years, an office which he holds at the present writing. He has an active in- terest in the canse of education, and was nine years a member of the Board of Education, and Secretary of the Board during that time. Mr. Hetzel is not a "politieian," but he be- lieves it the duty of a good citizen to take an active interest in all local affairs, and vote and act for the best interest of his county and town. By this course he enjoys the respeet and confidence of his fellow towns- men. He is a member of Avoca Lodge, No. 220, I. O. O. F., and of Avoca Lodge, No. 104, K. of P., and has passed through all the chairs of both lodges.
Mr. Hetzel married at Wilton, Iowa, April 8, 1875, Miss Arabella J. Boyd, daughter of James H. and Eliza (Phelps) Boyd. Both the families are of old American stock, who have been identified with the early history of our country, and thus blend with the sturdy blood of Germany the characteristics of the pioneers and soldiers whose patriotism made this land of ours a free and independent nation. Mr. and Mrs. Hetzel are the parents of five children, namely: Roy B., Clarence C., Ollie E., Minnie and Bell. Mrs. Hetzel is a member of the Presbyterian Church, where the family also attend. Mr. Hetzel is a man of qniet tastes and one of those ster- ling citizens who are the best element of our country.
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ARRY M. WILSON, of Walnut, is one of the prominent young grain-dealers in this thriving town. The firm name under which he operated is Negley & Wilson. Mr. Negley died Jnne 7, 1890, and Mr. Wil- son now carries on the business under the
firm name of Wilson & Toritze. He was born on a farm in Fulton County, Illinois, July 14. 1865. His grandfather was a prom- inent minister of the German Reformed Church in New Jersey. Being a man of power in his denomination, he was appointed to travel and preach the gospel in the wilder- ness and build up churches. He traveled in Indiana and Illinois, and met with good suc- cess. Like the eminent preacher George Whitefield, he carried the gospel among the hardy pioneers and early settlers. Hle estab- lished and assisted in building seven churches, and among the last the German Reformed Church at Fairview, Fulton County, Illinois, and was pastor of this church for many years, retiring on account of old age.
Ile married twice and was the father of seven children, five of whom are living: Abraham, Harry, John, Julia and Jane. Mr. Wilson lived to the great age of ninety-two years. He was a man of wide experience in life and one who did at an early day a great service, not only to his country but also in the canse of the Christian religion, which he assisted in planting in many pl ces in the wilderness.
Abraham Wilson, son of the above, and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1828, in New Jersey, and came West with his father in 1835, when but seven years of age. His father located near Fairview, and there he grew up and learned farming in his early life, and was also for a time in the mercantile business.
He married Mary E. Negley, daughter of John Negley, a native of Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were born eight chil- dren: Lolo (deceased), Kate, John (deceased in 1886, at twenty-eight years of age), Lulu, Maggie, Harry, Cornelius and Mamie. Mr. Wilson settled on a farm at Fairview, on which he lived for many years and then re-
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tired, and is now living, at the age of sixty- two years. He has enjoyed the respect and confidence of the people of his township and county, and held the nsnal offices. He is an upright and industrious man, and has ac- cumulated a handsome property. In politics he is a Democrat. Socially he is a Mason, being a member of the Blue Lodge.
Harry M. Wilson, son of the above and subjeet of this sketch, received an excellent education, attending for two years the scien- tific department of Knox College at Gales- . burg, Illinois. In 1855 he came to Walnut, Iowa, and engaged as a clerk for J. T. Spangler for one year, and then took charge of the grain business for W. H. Negley. In July, 1888, he bought a one-half interest therein, and the firm has enjoyed a successful trade. Socially Mr. Wilson is an Odd Fel- low, and has held the office of Secretary. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. In polities he is a Republican.
May 8, 1889, Mr. Wilson married Nettie Bailer, dangliter of Joseph B. and Julia (Dickinson) Bailer. Mr. Bailer is a native of Ohio, and is an extensive land-holder in this county, and now a resident of Walnut. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have had one son-Earl C. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Wilson is a young man of excellent moral character and good business abilities. He began business life yonng, and is making a success by his own efforts. His integrity is unimpeach- able, and a long and useful career is before lim.
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G. UNDERWOOD, of section 19, Keg Creek Township, has been a resident 0 of this county since March 7, 1854. He was born in Dumfrieshire, Scotland,
January 13, 1829, the son of William and Mary (Grierson) Underwood; the former was a son of James Underwood, a native of Scot- land, and the latter was a daughter of William and Margaret (Richardson) Grierson. They had seven children, three sons and four daughters. The father died in 1831, when our subject was only two years old, and the mother lived in her native place until her deatlı, which took place then she was eighty- five years of age.
S. G., the sixth child, attended school un- til fourteen years of age, being a schoolmate of the late Senator Beck, of Kentucky. He then went to sea on a sailing vessel, as cabin boy, going first to Gibralter, then to the Cape of Good Hope, St. Helena and other points on the African Coast. Starting from Glasgow he visited almost all parts of the globe, including France, Spain, America, Quebec, Montreal and St. John's, being on the water for three years. In 1846 he came from Montreal, where he had been residing, to Chicago, Illinois, when it was a small city of 35,000 inhabitants. From there he re moved to La Porte, Indiana, where he resided for five years, engaged in farming, and then moved to Kane County, Illinois, near Aurora. In the spring of 1852 he rode from Illinois on horseback to St. Joseph, Missouri, where the company fitted ont with ox teams, started for Sacramento on May 11, and arrived Sep- tember 16, having been four months on the road. Mr. Underwood resided in the vicin ity of Sacramento, California, for two years. engaged principally in farming. In 1854 he returned, by the Isthmus of Panama, to In- diana, then to Pottawattamie County, where he bonght land in Lewis Township, section 24. He resided there three years, but in 1856 he removed to Council Bluffs, where he lived from 1856 to 1873, engaged in selling machinery for C. H. McCormick, of Chicago
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
He was the pioneer machine man in Coun- cil Bluff's, and held all trade as far West as Salt Lake; north as far as any settlements on the Missomi River, and as far south as any one could banl it, and also built the first house ever erected in Curtiss Ramsay's addition to Council Bluff's in 1857, west of the Court-house on Fifth Avenue. In 1873 he moved on the land which he had purchased in 1865, but had never improved, consisting of abont 1,200 acres in Keg Creek Township, and he also owns 350 acres in Hardin and Washington townships. He has two or three wind-mills to force water to his stock build- ings. He fed 190 head of cattle in 1889, and has a fine herd of thoroughbred Ilere- ford cattle, one of the finest herds in Iowa.
Mr. Underwood was married, March 13, 1856, to Miss Helen McPherson, a native of Scotland, and a daughter of Captain John McPherson, a prominent citizen of Council Bluff's and Belle (Nichol) McPherson, a na- tive of Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Underwood have eight children, namely: William, in the stock business in South Omaha, Nebraska; Nelly, wife of Ed H. Benton, of Council Bluffs; Anna, at home; John M., Samuel G., Ninie, Ilerbert and Fay L. Politically Mr. Underwood is a Democrat, has served as As- sessor of Council Bluffs, and has also been County Supervisor six years. For thirty-six years he has been an important factor in help- ing the county, both in a business way and financially.
ILLIAM W. BUNKER, Walnut, Iowa. Mr. Bunker is of an old American family. His grandfather came from Wales and settled in Pennsylvania. IIis son, Andrew Bunker, father of William W., was born in Pennsylvania and settled on
a farm in Clarion County, that State. He married Sarah llowe, of old Pennsylvania- Dutch descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Bnuker were born thirteen children, named William, Melville, Elizabeth, George (deceased), Na- than, Thomas, James, Jnlia, John, Frank, Rob- ert, Andrew and Emma. Mr. Bunker lived on his farm in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, for fifteen years, and in 1857 he removed to Muscatine County, Iowa, twelve miles west of Davenport, and lived there until 1863; then he went to a farm two miles south, and there he still resides. IIe was born in 1814. Mr. and Mrs. Bunker were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She died in June, 1888, at the age of fifty-six years. Mr. Bunker is a man who has always been honest and industrions. IIe came to Iowa a poor man and made a fine property, consist- ing of 240 acres of fine farm land, and is now a substantial farmer. He has, since he came to Iowa, worked very hard, and is now living, at the advanced age of fifty-six years. In politics he is a Democrat.
William W. Bunker, son of the above and our subject, was born in 1845, in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and received a com- mon-school education. At the age of twelve he came to Iowa, and has since been a citizen of this State, becoming an adept at farming when quite young. At the age of twenty- three, in 1869, he married Miss Sarah C. Kirk, daughter of Robert and Martha Kirk, and they have had five children: Edward H., Harry K., Amanda E., Orion M. and Ray- inond. After marriage Mr. Bunker settled down to farming, in Muscatine County, Iowa, and after two years bought his farm and lived there for five years, and in 1876 he came to Layton Township, this county, and bought his present farm, consisting of 163 acres, of fine farming land, and is in prosperous cir- cmmstances. Mrs. Bunker is a member of the
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Presbyterian Church. Politically Mr. Bnn- ker is a Democrat. A man who has the re- spect of his fellow citizens, he has held the office of Assessor and School Director, has taken an active interest in the schools, was School Director and Township Clerk of Muscatine County, and is giving his children a good education. He stands high as an honorable public-spirited citizen, whose word is as good as bis bond. Mr. Bunker's brothers and sisters are: Eliza J., Matilda, Thomas, Sarah C., Robert, Emma, William and Martha.
ON. ALBERT WHITNEY WYMAN, of section 22, Keg Creek Township, is engaged in general farming, cattle-feed ing and stock-raising, and the proprietor of Maple Grove stock-farm, and a well-known and prominent citizen of this county, who came here March 29, 1871. He was born at Parma, Monroe County, New York, February 20, 1834, the son of Samnel and Betsey (Ateliinson) Wyman, who was born in Shef- field, Massachusetts, May 31, 1789, was a blacksmith, and served in the war of 1812, and whose father, Samuel Wyman, Sr., served in the Revolutionary war. The Wyman family were of English ancestry, and first settled at Sheffield, Massachusetts. Our sub- ject's mother, Betsey Atchison, was born January 21, 1799, at Parma, Monroe County, New York, the daughter of John Atchison, one of the very first settlers in that town and county, and Betsey was the first female white chill born at Parma. Her mother was Almira (Fuller) Atchihson, and her brother, Austin Atchinson, was in the war of 1812, and is now living in Spencerport, New York, at the venerable age of 100 years. The parents had eleven children, seven sons and fonr daughters,
of whom Albert was the youngest son. They lived in Monroe County, and the mother was buried in the same town where she was born, being eighty-five at her death, and the father, who was born in 1789, died at the age of eighty-seven. Ile was a blacksmith by trade.
Albert attended school until he was nine- teen years old, and then served an apprentice- ship at the carpenter's trade, and also worked as a journeyman. He was engaged in rail- road work, building bridges, taking and letting ont contracts, and acting as foreman and superintendent of a force of mechanics for several years in different parts of the State. Mr. Wyman was then engaged in farming near Troy and Fort Edward until 1871. He was Lieutenant of Company C, Twenty-fourth Regiment, New York. In 1871 he came to this county, when the near- est house was five miles distant east of him, and bought 160 acres, and increased his pos- sessions to 753 acres, which have been well improved and cultivated. He has set out 7,000 forest and 140 fruit trees. The farm, Maple Grove, is a beautiful home, and it is here Mr. Wyman is at home to all who wish to partake of his hospitality.
He was married November 10, 1857, to Miss Harriet M. Peck, of Half Moon, Sara- toga County, New York, the daughter of Abraham and Betsey Ann (Wood) Peck, the former a native of Dutchess County, New York, and the latter of Lansingburg, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Wyman have lost three children by death, two infants and one daugh- ter, Hattie A., who was twelve years of age; and they have one son living, Burton A., who was married in this county to Miss Le- ticia Flood, a daughter of James Flood, of this township. They have four children, two sons and two daughters: Charles Albert, James, Hattie and an infant daughter. They live in Council Bluffs, but
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
own a farm near their father's. Mr. A. W. Wyman is a Democrat, who has held many township offices in the last fifteen years. He was a representative of the Twenty-second General Legislative Assembly, with honor to both himself and his party. Mr. Wyman suggested and named the town of Keg Creek, in which he was its first Treasurer, Township Trustee and Justice of the Peace, and still holds the Treasuryship. He is a Royal Arch Mason, Excelsior Lodge, Council Bluffs, having been made a Mason in 1856, at Waterford, New York. He is a member of the Farmers' Alliance, is President of the Township Alliance, and Treasurer of the County Alliance.
Mr. Wyman lost his beloved wife by death, June 29, 1888. She was an estimable lady, of great intelligence, and always helped her husband in his business plans, and was a kind wife and mother.
OSEPIL ABEL, owning and occupying 240 acres of land as a farmer on section 7, Garner Township, is one of the well- known, enterprising early settlers of Potta- wattamie County, having located here as early as 1847. He was born in Lee County, Iowa, February 20, 1842, a son of David Abel, now a resident of Conneil Bluffs. His grandfather, William Abel, was a Revo- lutionary soldier. David was born in Canada, and married Ann Ewing, who was born near Perth, Scotland, and came with her parents to Canada when a girl. He removed to Illi- nois and to Missouri, and finally to this county. Of his two sons and one daughter, one son is a stock dealer in Conneil Bluffs; the daughter, Cordelia, is the wife of E. M. Hubbard, also of this eity; and the other son is the subject of this sketch.
He was a lad of seven years when his father moved to this county, with one of the foremost bands of Mormons under Brigham Young, and with many others decided to re- main in this county; and he has accordingly made this his home ever since, with the ex- ception of several years in Missouri. Ar- riving at the age of manhood, he went West and engaged in freighting from the Missouri River to Denver for five years, during the fearful period of Indian troubles and massa- cres on the plains, and stages were escorted by United States soldiers. He and others took twenty-one wagons in one train to Den- ver, not escorted by the military. He had many hairbreadth escapes from the savage cruelty of the Indians. For days he acted as scont, riding high divides to guard the train. Returning home, he purchased a por- tion of the present homestead, one mile from the city limits. The farm is well improved. The dwelling is a fine frame strneture, one and a half stories high, on an elevated plat of ground, in a natural grove, and built in modern style. Every feature of the premises denotes the thrift of the proprietor.
Mr. Abel is a man yet in the prime of life. He has traveled extensively, both in the East and in the West, and is well in- formed on western life. Frank and cordial in his manner, honest in all his dealings, he is connted a representative and successful farmer of this community. Politically he is a Democrat, and he is a member of the Pro- tective Alliance. Has served three years as Trustee of Garner Township.
He was married in Council Bluffs, January 9, 1866, to Miss Frances Winchester, a daughter of Benjamin Winchester, a promi- nent and well-known resident of this city, whose sketeh appears upon another page in this work. Mrs. Abel's mother's maiden name was Maria Stone. Mr. and Mrs. Abel
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have five children: Marvin H., Allura An, Allan R., Harvey J. and Ivan E., all of whom are still with their parents.
ENERAL EUGENE A. CONSIGNY, Avoca, Iowa .- General Consigny is one of our prominent soldier citizens, who was identified with Avoca in its infancy, and who is one of the founders of the business interests of this thriving town. He is from an old French Catholic family. Louis de Consigny, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and the founder of the family in America, was born on a farm in France. He married in his native land, and soon afterward, about 1790, left the shores of sunny France with his. bride to endure the hardships and privations of pioneer life in New France, or Lower Canada, as it was then called. Settling on a large farm near Mon- treal, he lived there for many years as an in- dependent Canadian farmer, surrounded at length by the solid comforts of life, and here he reared a large family of children. At his death he left a considerable estate to his de- scendants. The stock from which he sprang was strong and hardy, and from the name and prefix, "de," it is inferable that he was of more genteel blood than that of the com- mon French voyager to Ameriea. Be this as it may, good blood is best shown by long life and good deeds, and in this respect the Consigny family have always been promi- nent. Longevity marks the morals of a family as surely as the sand in the hour-glass marks the time. Lonis de Consigny lived to the patriarchal age of eighty years, and his good wife lived to see the sands of time mark the great age of ninety-eight years. The descendants from these pioneer voyagers
to a new world are to be found among our reliable and valued citizens.
Antoine P. L. Consigny, the second son of the above, and the father of Eugene A., was born on the old homestead near Montreal, in 1811. He had but one brother, the remain- der of the family being sisters. This brother, Louis, and himself were well educated, their father having liberal means. Antoine, having a taste for learning, at the early age of four- teen years entered the college at Montreal, receiving a thorough classical education, be- sides becoming a good French, Latin, Greek and English scholar, writing and speaking these languages with ease and fluency. Some of his letters are still extant, and the clear, old-fashioned hand looks like copper plate engraving, with so much skill and precision are the letters formed. He ranked at college as an able scholar, and graduated with honor. At the medical department of the same in- stitution he pursned his medical studies, and having a natural talent and love for his chosen profession he attained as high a de- gree in medicine as he had in the languages. Soon after completing his medical studies he began practice at St. Cesaire, Lower Canada, and with a slight interruption he remained here all his life, enjoying an extensive prac- tice and the confidence and respect of the community to an enviable degree. Possess- ing "the best gift of the gods," oratory, he took quite an active interest in politics and exerted a wide influence. IIis skill as an orator enabled him to hold an audience as if with a magic spell, and he molded their opinions. This enabled him to rank among the ablest orators of his day. National scenery exerts a strong influence over the minds of the people. The Egyptians, born and nurtured in a land of dull and somber surroundings, possessed the melancholy char- acter which made it natural for them to pass
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
years of time in erecting vast monuments to their dead. The Swiss, reared amid the grand scenery of their native Alps, and the soul-stirring music of their fierce winds, love liberty and cannot be enslaved. The mag- nificent natural scenery of Canada, its broad and mighty rivers, vast lakes, lofty moun- tains and almost impenetrable forests, gave Dr. Antoine Consigny the love of native land and liberty, which broadened with his mind and strengthened with his manhood. Reared amidst a brave and fearless race, who have been voyagers, pioneers and explorers from Montreal to Lake Michigan and New Or- leans, and who were born soldiers, trappers and hunters, the early influences thrown around him strengthened his character and prepared him to take a part in that struggle for liberty made by the Canadians and known as the Patriot war, and which, although unsuccessful in its principal object, involved the best blood and vigor of the en- tire British Canadas, and was ultimately the means of a great modification of the severe and tyrannical rule of England.
In 1837 the gathering clouds of discon- tent in Canada darkened into the storms of civil war, and Dr. Consigny was one of the first to respond to the call of patriotismn. His countrymen, fellow-patriots and compan- ions in arms were such men as General Papineau, and Dr. Allard, two of the most prominent meu in this patriotic movement. After a short bnt severe struggle and some fighting, the patriots, deceived by traitors and overwhelmed by the mighty power of England, were obliged to fly for their lives. Dr. Consigny fled to the neighboring and friendly State of Vermont, which indeed proved a haven of rest for his weary body as well as a solace for his heart, for here he met and won his wife, Miss Lucy L. Good- rich, in 1840. She was the daughter of
Ezekiel Goodrich, of an old American fam- ily, and among the defenders of our country in the war of 1812. Captain Valentine Good- rich, a brother of_Mrs. Consigny, gave his life to this country at the battle of Lundy's Lane, and the bullet by which he met his death is still in the possession of the family as a precious relic.
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