Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Part 77

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 828

USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 77

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Godfrey was married in Warren County, Illinois, Marchi 14, 1868, to Miss Ellen E. De IIart, a lady of education and culture and a successful and popular teacher. She was born in Brown County, Indiana, but was reared in Warren County, Illinois.

In 1873, as already stated, Mr. Godfrey eame to his present location. lle first bought

160 acres of wild land in section 19, Wave land Township, and became one of the early settlers of the neighborhood. His efforts have been rewarded with prosperity. More land has been added to his first purchase, and he now owns 565 acres of well-improved land. Four hundred and forty acres are in a body in Waveland Township, and 125 acres are in Grove Township. He has three good tenant honses on his land, and his own house is a comfortable story-and-a-half frame cot- tage, pleasantly located on a natural building site. Ilis home is surrounded by a grove and orehard of five acres. Other improve- ments on his farm are a good barn, 26 x 48 feet, cattle sheds, feed lots, modern wind pump, etc. Mr. Godfrey is engaged in stock-raising, and is one of the most exten- sive farmers in the township, and it would be difficult to find a better large tract of land in the township than his.

Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey have seven children : Mand, Isabelle, Franklin, Albert, Nellie, Ernest and Emma. They have lost three by death: their first born, an infant son; Charlotte Jane, at the age of six months; and a baby girl. Mr Godfrey is a Republi- can, and has served the public as Township Trustee. lle is a man in the prime of life, is well posted on the topics of the day, is out- spoken and affable in manner, and is regarded as one of the popular citizens of Waveland Township. Mrs. Godfrey is an active mem- ber of the Evangelical Church, of which her husband is one of the most liberal supporters.

ILLIAM QUICK, an enterprising and successful young farmer of Wright Township, has been a resident of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, since he was a

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small boy. He was born in Ohio, in An- gust, 1865, son of Jasper and Jane Quiek, na- tives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. When quite young he came with his parents to Waveland Township, this county, where he grew up on a farin and received a limited education. He early learned habits of indus- try, honesty and perseverance-factors in a young man's character which will always in- sure success. ITis parents had eight children, three sons and five daughters, he being the first born. For some time he worked ont by the month.

March 10, 1887, Mr. Quick married Eme- line Pierson, a native of Pottawattamie County, daughter of Granville and Elizabeth Pierson. Her father is an old settler of this county, and a veteran of the Mexican and civil wars. After his marriage Mr. Quick lived in Waveland Township one year. The farm on which he now lives, eighty acres on section 12, Wright Township, he purchased from E. R. Pierson. With his characteristic go-aheadativeness he set about improving the farm at once: finished the house, built stables, cribs, granary, made stock-lots and put up a modern wind-pump, besides many other im- provements in the way of fencing, etc. He is cultivating 320 acres, having rented a large tract of land. He has sixty-five head of cat- tle, 100 hogs and four horses. Mr. Quick is a good judge of cattle and a successful breeder of the same.

He and his wife have one daughter, Flor- ence May.

ILLIAM STIDHAM is one of the well known carly pioneers of Grove Township, having first come to this county when a lad, in 1847.

He was born near Wilmington, Delaware. 46

February 18, 1837, the son of George David and Esther Stidham, both natives of Pennsyl- vania. He was only a babe when his parents moved to Fountain County, Indiana, and when he was seven years old his mother died. Then for a time he made his home with an unele. His father was subsequently married, in Vermilion County, Illinois, to Susan Ann Winegar, by whom he had one daughter, now Mrs. Esther Williams, a widow of Grove Township. After his father's marriage Will- iam returned to him. Mr. Stidham came to Garden Grove, Iowa, with the Latter-Day Saints, in 1846, where he spent the winter, and the next season went to Salt Lake. IIe was a bold and fearless man. Ile loved new scenes, new country and plenty of game, and the adventurous life of the West was con- genial to his tastes, but he would not obey the Mormon laws. He was threatened with death if he continued to disregard their laws, so the next season, with two other families, he left Utah to return to Iowa. On his way back he met Brigham Young, to whom he told why and where he was going, but Mr. Young, seeing he was in the vicinity of friends, did not offer to molest him. Upon his arrival in Iowa he located in Monroe County, where he remained two years. At the end of that time he came to Pottawatta- mnie County and settled in Grove Township, where he spent the rest of his life, and died at the age of seventy-six years. Previous to his death he united with the Christian Church. In politics he was a Republican. His wife was a Methodist. She lived until 1889, and died at the home of her step-son, the subject of this sketch.

William Stidham grew to manhood in this pioneer country, received a limited education in a log school house, and early in life did farm work, breaking and clearing land. In 1869 he went to California, going across the

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

plains with ox teams. He engaged in mining, prospecting, and freighting goods, which at that time was a profitable business, and spent ten years on the Pacific coast, after which he returned to Iowa, and for two years lived in Grove Township, Pottawattamie County. Then he went to Big Horn River, the head of the Missouri, on a prospecting tour, but the Indians were so troublesome, killing some of the men, that the search for minerals had to be abandoned, and the prospecting party re- turned to civilization. Mr. Stidham came back to his old home in Grove Township. Here he owns 186 acres of land, on section 21, well watered, and comprising both timber and prairie land. The farm is well adapted for grain or stock.

Mr. Stidham has in his make-up many of the characteristics of the Western pioneer. He is firm in his convictions of right and wrong, is plain in his speech and is frank and fearless in his manner. He has the confi- dence and respect of all who know him,

AMES WICKHAM, of Council Bluffs, is a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and a son of Patrick and Sisela (Prior) Wickham. James remained in his native country until 1855, when he came to Amer- ica, loeating in New York City, where he joined his mother and two brothers, who had come to this country in 1854; the father and remainder of the family came via New Or- leans and joined the family at Council Bluffs. They had a family of ten children: Edward, deceased; Mary, wife of Martin Hughes, of Council Bluffs; James, our subject; Patrick, a resident of Montana; Bernhard, deceased; Thomas, deceased; John, deceased; Francis, deceased; Owen P., a resident of this city, and Ann, deceased. The parents made their

home in Council Bluffs until their death, the father dying in January, 1872, and the mother on March 4, 1889.

Our subjeet was born January 12, 1837, and after attaining his majority commenced work for himself, having learned the stone and brick-mason's trade, at which he worked in the summer, and in the winter seasons turned his attention to anything that pre- sented itself. He commenced contracting and building in 1863, under the firm name of Hughes & Wiekham Bros., which partner- ship continued until the former withdrew from the company, which then continned business under the name of James & O. P. Wickham. They do an immense amount of business, and are among the oldest contract- ors and builders in the city, the partnership having been established in 1865. They do an annual business of some $150,000, and employ about 200 men during the summer seasons. In 1888 Mr. James Wickham erected a handsome brick mansion on Frank- lin avenue, No. 400, at a cost of some $10,- 000, where he and his family reside in peace and comfort.

He was married, in June, 1859, to Mary Lacy, who was born in Ireland in 1835. She died in Council Bluffs November 9, 1867, and Mr. Wickham was then married, in Sep- teinber, 1873, to Miss Bridget Keating, a native of Clare, Ireland, born February 2, 1853. They have eleven children, namely : Bernhard P., Edward A., Kate, Nell, John, Anna, Veronica, James, Nora, Loretta and Leo. The family are members of the Catho- lic Church.

E. A. Wickham, of the firm of Wickham & Co. composed of E. A. Wickham and J. E. Riley, have their office at 502 Broad Street, Council Bluffs. They also have an office at 4 and 5 Granite Block, Omaha, under the firm name of J. E. Riley & Co., and also an

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office at Denver, Colorado, in Room 17, Gran- ite Building, also under the name of J. E. Riley & Co. They are the leading contraet- ors of public work. and do ar annual busi- ness of $550,000, employing abont 400 men. They do business in Council Bluffs, Omaha, Plattsmouth, Burlington, Denver and Ne- braska City. They did their heaviest con- tracting in Denver in 1889-'90, amounting to $280,000.

E. A. Wickham was born in Council Bluffs, November 6, 1864, and was educated in the public schools of this city, and three years in the Benedictine College at Atchison, Kansas. In 1884, after completing his studies, he took charge of the business of Wickham Bros., as manager, which position he is still holding, but will withdraw in January, 1891. Polit- ically he is a stanch Democrat, and is associ- ated with the Catholic Church. He is also one of the Directors of the State Savings Bank of Council Bluffs,

L. TEMPLETON, Marshal of Council Bluffs, was elected to his present posi- tion in March, 1890. She is a native of Missouri, born April 11, 1855, son of James M. Templeton. Ilis parents came to Council Bluffs in 1863, where he was reared and educated in the public schools. While a youth he learned the cigar business, with which he has since been connected. In 1882 he established a cigar manufactory and store, No. 550 West Broad Street. He carries a full line of manufacturers' supplies, and is doing a fine business. In 1871 he joined the city fire department, and was Chief of the saine during the years 1882, '83 and '84 and also during 1887 and '88. He was one of the organizers of the paid fire department, and was the first Chief. Mr. Templeton has

been considered one of the most successful chiefs of this order in the West. He is a inember of the National Association of Fire Engineers, and was a delegate to the conven- tion of the same held in Detroit, Michigan, in 1890. He is also a member of the State Firemen's Association, being its Viee-presi- dent. Mr. Templeton is associated with the I. O. O. F., Hawkeye Lo ige, No. 184. Politically he is a stanch Democrat and takes an active interest in political matters. When he was elected Marshal he received the largest majority ever cast in Council Bluffs.

March 2, 1880, Mr. Templeton married Miss Ella Lamb, a native of Wisconsin. Her death occurred in November, 1882, at the age of twenty-four years.

HE WESTERN LUMBER AND SUPPLY COMPANY, of Council Bluffs, was established in 1888 by Jacob Martinson, Lewis Hammer and Ed Mott. In 1889 Mr. Mott withdrew. They first established with a cash capital of $35,- 000, which was afterward increased to $45,- 000. The annual amount of dnes is $100,- 000, wholesale and retail. They deal in all kinds of building material and deliver at any point The yards and office are at the corner of Third avenue and Thirteenth street, and are managed by Mr. L. Hammer. This gentleman is also interested in another lum- ber yard, at the corner of Second and Vine streets, under the firm name of L. Hammer & Co., established by them in 1867, with a eash capital of $25,000, afterward increased to $35,000. The annual amount of business there is $65,000, and the scope is the same as at the other place already mentioned.

Lewis Hammer was born in Lorain County, Ohio, September 4, 1847, the son of Godfrey

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and Catharina (Dochtler) Hammer, and of German ancestry. The parents both died in Ohio. Mr. Hammer, one of their six chil- dren, was reared in his native State, to farm life, and at the age of twenty-one struck ont in the world for himself, first working at the carpenter's trade seven years,-two years in Ohio. In July, 1857, he came to Council Bluff's and followed his trade here five years, when he engaged in the lumber trade, pur- chasing a saw-miil, which he operated two years. He furnished the first ties for the Union Pacific Railroad. The ties and lum- ber were rafted down the river to Omaha. After running that mill -located on the Banyo River in Harrison County -two years, he came to Council Bluffs, where he has since been engaged in the lumber trade. He is also carrying on farming and stock-raising extensively, under the firm name of Hammer & Wood. They have a farm of 2,500 acres, and rear high-grade cattle, horses and hogs; 600 acres are under cultivation. The grazing lands are in Dawson County, Nebraska, on the Fort Kearney and Black Hill Railroad. Mr. Hammer has assisted largely in build- ing up Council Bluffs in all its interests, especially in the line of mannfactories, etc. In 1859 he went by ox team to Pike's Peak, being on the road thirty days from Council Bluffs to Denver, and spent a year there.

Politically he is a stanch Republican; has been Alderman for the city two terms. He is a member of Conncil Bluffs Lodge, No. 49, I. O. O. F .. in which he has passed the chairs; and he is also a member of the en- campment. He was married in March, 1869, to Rhoda A. Wood, daughter of T. K. and Deema (Mann) Wood, of Kentucky, where she was born in 1858; and four of their five children are living: Etta, wife of Henry Brier, of Council Bluffs; Lewis II., at home;

Elmer Arthur, deceased; Hazel J. and Bessie L., at home.

HEODORE BRAY, proprietor of the Pacific Livery, Sale and Feed Stables, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, February 19, 1841, the son of John and Eliza J. (Struble) Bray, of Irish and German origin. Was reared to farm life in his native State, educated at the public schools and in a private college at Deckertown, that State, graduating April 10, 1861. Four days afterward he enlisted in Company I, Harris' Light Cavalry, under General Kilpatrick, and served four years and nine days, being mnstered out at Washington, District of Columbia. He was taken prisoner in the Shenandoah Valley, and nine days after this was exchanged; but he was again captured at Inka, Mississippi, and was in prison eight months at Vicksburg. The principal battles in which he was engaged were those of Fair Oaks, Fairfax Court Honse, Corinth, Shiloh, Lookout Mountain, and skirmishes.

After the war he spent a year in Chicago as foreman of a livery barn; then was a year in the same business at St. Louis; and then ten months for himself at Rockford, Illinois. Selling ont at the latter place, he came to Bowen, Iowa, where for one winter he ran a pack line. In Angust, 1877, he came to Council Bluffs, where he has since made his home. Here he first engaged in railroading on the Sioux City & Pacific line, contracting and making the first grade into Sionx City. Two years afterward he returned to Council Bluffs, and since then he has been engaged in the livery business, in which he gives general satisfaction and is doing a prosper- ons business, having now a stock of about thirty-tive horses, with a good number of

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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.

vehicles, etc. He is a Republican, and a member of Lodge No. 166, F. & A. M .; of Abraham Lincoln Post, G. A. R., and also of the Veteran Firemen's Association, he being one of the charter members in 1868.

He was married in 1866 to Cynthia A. Allen, at Hamilton, Canada, who was born in that province in 1843, and they have two children: Charles, engaged in real estate and loans in Omaha, but residing in Council Bluffs; and Nettie A., a graduate of 1890 at the Sisters' School. The family are Catholics.

T. COLE, proprietor of the Ogdeu Livery Stables, at No. 158 West Broad street, assmned control there in January, 1887, carrying now a stock of about $8,000. He also ruus a line of car- riages, and supplies hearses for funerals. The first business of the kind he had here in Council Bluffs was as manager of the St. Joe Barn, from 1883 to 1886; and next he had control of the Rink Barn, which he ran in conjunction with the Ogden establishment a year. He was born in Henry County, Iowa, in 1858, the son of Robert and Mary (Hut- ton) Cole, and of English origin. IIis father is dead, and his mother is living at Mount Pleasant, this State. His school education was completed at the Wesleyan University in that town. In 1869 he went to Hamilton County, this State, and opened up a farm of eiglity acres, and in 1881 he came to Council Bluffs, where he has since resided. He was als , engaged as collector and in other pur- suits nntil 1883, when he commenced in the livery business, as already stated. He pos- sesses a valuable patent wire-stretcher, for stretching all kinds of wire. He is an ener- getic business man.

Ile was married in November, 1883, to Miss Anna Maxwell, of this county, who was born in Rock Island, Illinois; and they have one son, Robert, who was born in March, 1885. Mr. Cole is a Republican on national questions, is a member of the Royal Arcannin and Modern Woodmen societies, while Mrs. Cole is a member of the Baptist Church.

OSEPII F. YOUNG, JR., dealer in live- stock, Council Bluffs, was born in this city, June 2, 1868, the son of J. F. and Mary A. Yonng; was educated three years at the Western Iowa College here. At the age of fourteen he commenced handling live- stock for his father, and at eighteen years of age he entered into partnership with S. HI. Bullard, and for a year was engaged with him in buying and shipping stock. Then he again entered partnership with his father, and was with him until June, 1890, when he once more continenced upon his own hook, and he is now doing an extensive business dealing in cattle and horses. He is a Re- publican in his political sympathies. For his wife he married, May 14, 1890, Miss Lil - lie B. Garner, who was born in this city, June 3, 1870.

IEL STABLES, at the corner of Fourth street and Fifth avenue, Council Bluffs, are managed by Mr. Fred Davis as livery, feed and sale stables. He carries a good stock and has an extensive business, keeping two large barns. He also deals some in real estate. He began here as pro- prietor of the Ogden Stables on Broadway for a year; next he was owner of stables on North First street for eighteen months; then

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

for two years conducted stables on North Main street, and since 1888 he has been at his present place.

Ile has been a resident of the city since 1863, having come here with his parents, William II. and Rebecca (Neal) Davis, from Oskaloosa, this State. His father is dead, while his mother is still a resident of this city. They are of Welsh and Irish extrac- tion. Mr. Davis was born in Peoria, Illinois, in May, 1853; was five years of age when the family removed to St. Joseph, Missonri, where they resided until 1861; then they moved to Oskaloosa, and thence to Council Bluffs. At the age of nineteen or twenty years he entered the employ of Thomas & Jackson, wholesale grocers, for something over two years in the house and a year as traveling salesman for them. Next he was traveling salesman for Steele & Johnson two years, and finally engaged in the livery busi- ness, which he has since followed. He is a live, enterprising business man, Republican in his politics, and a member of the order of Modern Woodmen.

M. ELLIS & CO., architects, rooms 243, 244 and 245, Merriam building, Council Bluffs, and the main office in the Bee building, Omaha, is a company formed December, 1889, and consisting of F. M. Ellis, H. C. Cook and J. H. Kent. The office in Council Bluffs is under the super. vision of H. C. Cook. Some of the prin- cipal buildings of Omaha and other cities have been erected by this firm, such as the Commercial National Bank, residence of H. W. Yates, Alfred Millard, Hon. II. C. Clark's building, of Omaha, and the first Presbyterian Church of Council Bluffs;

also the State Insane Asylum of New York, Nebraska, the McDonough County (Illinois) Asylum, the court-house at Lincoln, Ne- braska, Wesleyan University at Bartley, Nebraska, Grand Opera House at Peoria, Illinois, opera house at Huron, Dakota, Opera House and Masonic Temple at Oska- loosa, Iowa, hotel at Waterloo, Iowa, and numerous other fine buildings at different points of the West and Central States.

Mr. Cook came to Council Bluffs in De- cember, 1889, where the branch office was formed. Previons to his coming to Council Bluffs he was located in Omaha, Nebraska, where he had been five years. He was a student of H. P. Sedding, of London, Eng- land, in architectural work. After having completed his schooling he went to Rome, where he did his first work. He also trav- eled through Italy and France, in the pursuit of his studies, after which he returned to London, England, where he remained but a short time. In 1875 he came to America, locating at Boston, Massachusetts, where he was engaged at his trade, and in 1884 he removed to Kansas City, where he spent one year. In 1885 he came to Omaha, Nebraska. His entire life has been devoted to his busi- ness, having entered the study of architecture at the age of fifteen.

He is a native of Boston, Massachusetts born in 1851, the son of Edward and Mary (Howard) Cook, of English ancestry. He was married in November, 1874, to Miss Elizabeth Founton, daughter of Joseph Founton, a native of France. They are the parents of five children: Edward, Will- iam, Mary, John, Frank, all at home. Mr. Cook is a member of the Royal Arcanum, the Modern Woodinen and the A. F. & A. M. The family are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Cook being President of the M. M. A., a society

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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.

of the same church, and is one of the rising business men of the city of Conneil Bluffs.

OHN EVANS, of Garner Township, seetion 6, is one of the well-known and early settlers of Pottawattamie County. Ile was born in Wales, June 14, 1844, and eame to this country in 1856. (For parents. emigration, etc., see sketch of Joseph Evans.) He passed his youth engaged in farming, which oeenpation he has always followed. Ilis first purchase was his present farm, where he has lived for many years. He has 145 aeres of Pottawattamie Creek land, where he is engaged in general farming, stock-rais- ing and gardening, five miles from the city limits of Council Bluffs. He is a man yet in the prime of life, frank and cordial in his mauner, honorable in his business, and is one of the enterprising citizens of Garner Town- ship. Politieally he is independent.

He was married in Pottawattamie County, October 10. 1866, to Miss Sarah Reeee, who was born in Wales, the daughter of John and Mary (Davis) Reeee, also natives of Wales. The father died in Couneil Bluffs in 1875. and the mother in Garner Township in 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have six children, viz .: Mary, wife of William Strang, of Couneil Bluffs; Margaret, Franeis, Sadie, John and Eva. The family are members of the Re- organize l Church of the Latter-Day Saints, of which Mr. Evans is a Priest.

to Potta vatta'nie County, where he has since made his home. He has therefore been brought up to farm life. He made his home with his parents most of the time until he was twenty-six years of age, excepting three sminmer seasons spent in freighting from Council Bluffs to Denver.

He was married April 25. 1869, to Sarah Hall, daughter of A. J. and Nancy Hall. Mrs. Hough was born in Lee County, Iowa, May 31, 1847. They have had seven chil- dren, namely: Charles A., Lee J., Richard M., David M., Samuel A., Oscar H. and Ernest W. After his marriage Mr. Hough eame to the farm where he now resides, then comprising eighty aeres of unimproved land on seetion 3, Hazel Dell Township; and here, where there was nothing but prairie grass, he and his new bride began life's journey together, and here they have steadily resided for twenty-one years. In the meantime he had added to his estate, until he now has 320 acres in one body, on seetions 2, 3, 10 and 11, Hazel Dell Township, and twenty acres in section 5, and 160 in Neola Township. He first erected a small frame, 14 x 16 feet, in which he commenced life and which he occupied until 1882, when he ereeted his present handsome frame residence, 16 x 28 and 16 x20, one of the neatest houses in this part of the country. He has of course also good barns for stoek and grain, as general farming and stock-raising is his business. He takes special interest in introducing the better grades. Of eattle he has the short- horn breeds. He was instrumental in having brought to the county one of the finest im- ported Clydesdale horses-Napean by name- which he keeps upon his farm. He was sired by Prinee Harold, and is a splendid specimen of the horse genns. Mr. Hongh stands in the front ranks as a progressive and prosper-

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Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Part 77

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 828

Author: Lewis publishing company, Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 828