USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 78
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ORRIS HOUGH, of Hazel Dell Township, is the son of Riley and Sedelia Hough, was born in Lee County, Iowa, April 20, 1843, and was but five years of age when his parents emigrated | ous farmer and stock-raiser of Pottawattamie
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County. He is a decided Democrat; has been Township Trustee, member of the School Board, and is now a member of the Farmers' Alliance.
ENRY F. PLUMER, a farmer of Lewis Township, is a native of Hanover, Ger- many, born October 8, 1828, the son of John Il. and Mary Plumer. The parents came to America in the year 1830, locating in what was then Cole County, now Monitean County, Missouri, and then removed to Mills County, Iowa, where their death occurred- the mother's in December, 1862, and the father's in April, 1885. The war record of Mr. Plumer's father is something to be re- membered by his children, as six years was spent in the English army. He was in the famous battle of Waterloo, and served in the French revolution under the Duke of Well- ington. They had a family of six children, viz .: Caroline, deceased; Sophia, wife of Win. Saar, of Mills County, lowa; IIenry F., the subject of this sketch; Frederick, residing in Kansas; William, residing in Pottawattamie County, and Christopher, residing in Mills County, Iowa.
Henry F. Plumer, our subject, was reared to farm life, and received his limited educa- tion in the schools of Germany and this country, but by close application he has se- cured a practical education. When he was twelve years of age he came to America with his parents, and since that time he has made his home in Missouri and Iowa. When he was about twenty-one years of age he com- menced to work for himself.
Mr. Plumer was married August 20, 1849, to Miss Sophia Kinning, who was born in Mercer County, Ohio, October 12, 1835, the daughter of John H. and Mary (Meyer) Kin-
ning. natives of Hanover, Germany, who came to America in 1829. The mother died in Missouri about the year 1843. They had three children: Henry, who died in the army at Jefferson Barracks, after having served two years; Sophia and Augusta.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Plumer located in Missouri for two years, after which they came to Iowa, locating in Pottawattamie County. They made a purchase of a claim from a man named Huston, for $250, who had made fine improvements, and as soon as the land came into market he purchased it from the Government. Mr. Plumer inade a pre-emption of 160 acres on section 25, Lewis Township, where he erected a small log house, 18 x20 feet, in which he made his home for some time. In 1861 he erected a frame residence, 18 x 38 feet, and in 1880 built an addition. He has a pleasant home surrounded with shade and ornamental trees, and everything bespeaks thrift, energy and prosperity. He has added to his first pur- chase until he now owns 1,200 aeres of as good land as lies in Pottawattamie County, Lewis Township and Keg Creek, and he also has 840 acres in Woodbury County, Bremner Township, and 1,280 acres in Ellis County, Kansas. He has always devoted himself to farming and stock-raising, buying, shipping, etc., in which he deals quite extensively. In 1870 he erected the Crystal Mills of Council Bluffs, which he disposed of to Thomas Evans. Mr. Plumer is a good example of what a man can accomplish who starts with nothing but pluck and energy, as he started with com- paratively nothing, but by good management amassed a handsome competency. He has been a public benefactor in various ways to the community at large. They are worthy members of the Evangelical Church, and do- nated the land to the society upon which to build the church, and also assisted largely in
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
its constructien. Politically Mr. Plumer is a Democrat, and is a strong advocate of law and order, and strives to promote the best interests of the community in general. Mr. and Mrs. Plnmer have twelve children living, namely: Mary J., wife of Fred Spetman, of Omaha, Nebraska; John, residing in Council Bluffs; William, of Woodbury County, Iowa; Emeline, wife of Fred Ludiek, of Woodbury County; Josephine, at home; Ferdinand, of Woodbury County; Edward, at home; Cor- nelius; Oscar; Augusta, deceased; Thomas, at home; Laura, Henry, and an infant daugh- ter deceased. Mr. Plumer has given quite generously to his children as they grew to manhood and womanhood, helping them to make a start for themselves in life.
ILLIAM II. DIAL, a farmer of Hazel Dell Township, is a native of Cabell County, West Virginia, born Sep- tember 21, 1833, the son of George and Ma- tilda (Stoakes) Dial, natives of North Carolina and Virginia respectively.
They were married in Virginia, where they resided a few years, and then moved to Mis- souri, where Mrs. Dial died in 1844. They had five children, namely: John B., deceased in 1848; William H., our subject; Mary, a resident of Oregon; Rebecca, deceased in 1843; and Francis Marion, a resident of Ore- gon. In 1847 Mr. Dial was again married, in Taylor County, Iowa, to Rachel Husbands, and they had two children: Thomas J. and Martha. His wife died, and he was again married, to Mrs. Wilson. He afterward went to his son's, where he died. He was a farmer by occupation.
William H. Dial, our subject, was but two years of age when his parents removed to Platte County, Missouri, and then to Andrew
County, where he was raised to the life of a farmer. His education was received by studying during his leisure moments, and by observation; on account of living on the frontier he was deprived of the advantages of schooling. When he was fourteen years of age, in 1847, they removed to Taylor County, in a wild and unsettled territory inhabited by wolves and Indians. This was the second time he was thrown on the frontier, but he again went to work and assisted in opening up the country. Here they endured many hardships and privations, such as are incident to pioneer life, making their home in a log cabin of that day, which had no windows, and they did their cooking at the wide. old- fashioned fire-place. In 1863 he came to Pottawattamie County, and spent the first winter east of Council Bluffs, and then moved to the vicinity where he now lives. Ile first rented a farm of raw prairie land for seven years of William Garner, but in 1870 he purchased a tract of forty acres of the Rock Island Railroad Company on section 25, Hazel Dell Township, which was also raw prairie land. In June, 1871, he removed to his present farm, where he erected a residence 26 x 14 and 16x 12, one and a half stories high. He has added to his farmi at different times, until he now possesses 120 acres of the best stock land in the county, and ten acres of timber land on section 17, Hazel Dell Township. He also has property in Weston, where he has resided since February 17, 1890. He has always turned his at.en- tion to farming and stock-raising, and also has a fine orchard on his farin, and one of the finest plum orchards in this section of the county.
In his political views Mr. Dial has always been a stanch Democrat, taking an active part in all political work of his county and State. He has represented his Township as a men-
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ber of the School Board, Road Supervisor, and is now acting as Justiee of the Peace.
Mr. Dial was married December 4, 1852, to Martha Ann Campbell, who was born in Kentneky, and the daughter of Isaae and Mary A. (Parker) Will. They have seven children, namely: John I., a resident of Gar- ner Township; Mary E., wife of John Garner, residing in Garner Township; Margaret A., wife of Mr. Price, residing in California; William Vallanding, deceased; Amanda, de- ceased; Russell F .. residing in Hazel Dell Township on the old home farm; Georgia M .. the widow of William A. Moore. Mr. Dial is a self-made man, having risen to his present position by pluck and perseverance, and he now stands among the well- to-do citi- zens of the eonnty.
J. HARTWELL, a business man of Oakland, was born in Rockford, Illi- nois, February 24, 1855, the son of George and Chloe (Dodge) Hartwell, the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of New York. The senior Hartwell was a millwright by trade, lived near Janes- ville, Wisconsin, some time, and was married there. After that he moved to Rockford, Illinois, and thence to Mnseatine, Iowa, where he bought a farm and erected a mill. Finally he went to Marshalltown to repair a mill, and there by accident met his death, at the age of forty-four years, leaving a wife and six children, namely: George W., now residing at Lincoln, Missouri; Helen, wife of George W. Welsh and residing at Boone, Iowa; T. J., the subject of this sketch; San- ford, editor of the News; Charles and Har- din, residents of Marshalltown.
T. J., the third child in the above men- tioned family, at the age of thirteen years
began to learn the trade of tinner. His mother, being left a widow, lost what money she had, and the education she gave her children was therefore very limited, and the boys were placed ont early to learn some trade. Thus by industry and economy they have won for themselves a comfortable home in Marshalltown, where she and two of her sons reside. After completing his term of apprenticeship. Mr. Hartwell spent a year in Des Moines; then was in several places; spent four years at Malcolm; after that he sold fruit trees and was in other employments until he came to Carson, Pottawattamie County, engaging in trade in agricultural implements, grain and coal. February 21, 1884, two years after he came to Carson, lie married a lady whose parents first emigrated to Illinois, settling upon a farm, and finally came to this county and settled near Carson, where the father about five years ago was ac- cidentally killed, leaving his wife and three daughters: Annie, wife of F. S. Coy, of Cen- ter Township; Libbie G. is the next, and Allie, a resident at home. Mrs. Hartwell was born in Illinois, August 16, 1863, and was brought up as a farmer's daughter. At length Mr. Hartwell disposed of his business at Carson and came to Oakland, buying his present establishment, where he is carrying on the same trade, in two large warerooms and a nice office adjoining. Here he has a large stoek of farming implements, farm ma- chines and apparatns of all kinds, also an extra repository for wagons, buggies, etc. Ile also deals to some extent in seeds for the farm. His gross income amounts to about $20,000 a year. The conduct of his business has been such as to win for him many friends, and favor among all his patrons. He is a fixed Democrat, being chairman of a central committee. He has been Assessor of his township two years, Recorder for a period,
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
and is now Mayor of the city, where he takes great interest in building up the material in- terests and moral standing of the commnn- nity. He is a member of Oakland Ark, No. 335, F. & A. M., also of Lodge No. 442 of I. O. O. F., at the same place, and of the lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah. Ilis two children are: Lottie Chloe, born Decem- ber 26, 1884, and Katie May, born August 16, 1886.
AMES B. FOSTER came to Wright Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 1880. He was born in Pike County, Ohio, April 8, 1858, a son of Andrew and Martha (Humphreys) Foster, both natives of that place. The Fosters are of English an- cestry. The six children born to Andrew Foster and wife are as follows: Hannah, James B., David, Nancy, Samuel and Jenny. When James B. was fourteen years old his mother died. She was a member of the Free- Will Baptist Church. The father is now seventy years of age and still resides in Pike County, Ohio.
James B. received a common-school educa- tion and was reared in his native county. At the age of twenty-two years he came West and settled in Iowa. He remained two months in the eastern part of the State, after which he came to Wright Township, Potta- wattamnie County. For two years he worked for James Boiler, a relative of his. Then he purchased his present farm of eighty acres, which at that time was wild land. Fifty acres of it. however, had been broken. He selected a natural building site on which he erected a story and a half frame house, and, surrounded as it is with shade trees, it makes a comfort- able and attractive home. Mr. Foster lias also made other improvements in the way of stables, other buildings and good fences.
lle was married January 30, 1882, to Miss Agnes Wimpenny, a native of Racine County, Wisconsin, and a danghter of Joseph Wim- penny, a native of England. Her mother was born in Edinburg, Scotland. Joseph Wimpenny, a weaver by trade, was for many years foreman of the inills at Burlington, Wisconsin. Mrs. Foster was reared and ed- ucated in her native county. She and her husband have three children, viz .: Grace Mabel, Charlie Joseph and Roy. Mr. Foster is in the prime of life, has a good physique, is frank and cordial in his manner, and is re- spected by all who know him. His political views are in harmony with Democratic prin- ciples. Mrs. Foster is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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A. HATSWELL is one of the prom- inent and successful stock-dealers of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. He came here in the spring of 1881, and has since made Grove Township his home.
Mr. Hatswell was born in Iowa County, Wisconsin, June 8, 1858, son of John and Mary (Collard) Hatswell, both natives of England. His father settled in Wisconsin in 1849. L. A. spent his boyhood days in Iowa County and when in his 'teens came with his parents to the State of Iowa and located in Montgomery County, where he grew to manhood. He received his education in the public schools, and was reared to the stock business from his youth up.
In 1881 he came to his present location and purchased eighty acres of wild land, to which he afterward added 160 acres more, making 240 in one body, in section 26. This farm is now well improved, having a good frame house, two barns, cribs, yards, wind- mill, feed-lots, and other modern convenien-
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ces. One of the barns is 26x 30 feet, and the other, which was built in 1890, is 36x 48 feet, with sixteen-feet posts, and with a rock basement. Mr. Hatswell also owns 103 acres of improved land in section 19. Last year he raised some 4,000 bushels of corn, feeding a large amount of it to his stock, having about 200 head of cattle and 300 hogs. Ile deals extensively in cattle, buying, feeding, shipping and selling, and has been very suc- cessful in his business undertakings. At different times he has been in partnership with William Lewis, in shipping stock. Mr. Hatswell is a Republican. He is a gentle- man of integrity and is frank and cordial in his manner. Although comparatively a young man he is numbered financially, socially, and politically, among the enterprising and successful business men of Grove Township.
AMES F. CONKLIN, a successful farmer of Wright Township, came to his present location in 1877. He is a native of the Buckeye State, born in Belmont County, No- vember 1, 1843. His father, J. D. Conklin, was born in Morris County, New Jersey, a son of Benjamin Conklin, who was of Scotch-Irish extraction. J. D. Conklin was married in Belmont County, Ohio, to Elizabeth Hill, a native of that State. The Hills are of Ger- man descent, but many generations of the family have been residents of Pennsylvania and Ohio. When the subject of this sketch was four years old his parents moved to War- ren County, Illinois, where they lived until 1877. In that year they came to Iowa and located in Wright Township, Pottawattamie Connty, where the father died July 21, 1888. He was a mechanic, brick-layer and plasterer, having learned his trade in New York city. In later life he turned his attention to agri-
cultural pursnits. Ile was a Republican and a Methodist. While in Illinois he was licensed to exhort in the Methodist Church, and was a zealons worker in the cause of his Master. He and his wife reared a family of nine children, four sons and five daughters. Mrs. Conklin is still living, and makes her home with her children.
James F. was brought up on the farm, educated in the public schools, and early in life was taught lessons of honesty and frngal- ity. Having arrived at manhood, he was married at Lewis, Cass County, Iowa, to Nelly Graham, daughter of Christie and Elizabeth Graham, the father a native of Ohio, and the mother of Wisconsin. Mrs. Conklin was born in Wisconsin, and at the age of thirteen years came with her parents to Iowa, locating in Pottawattamie County, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Conk- lin have six children: Fanny, Laura, Roscoe, William, Elnora and Minnie. They lost two infant sons. In politics Mr. Conklin is a Republican. He and his wife are consistent members of the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, and he has served as class-leader. They are also Sabbath-school members. Mr. Conklin owns 145 acres of well-improved land, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He is a man of broad and progressive views, and is regarded as an up- right and honorable citizen.
ILLIAM SIDENER came to Wright Township, Pottawattamie County, in 1880, and has since made his home here. Mr. Sidener was born in St. .Joseph County, Michigan, December 2, 1833. His father, Jacob Sidener, was born in Fay- ette County, Ohio, and his grandfather, Nicholas Sidener, was a native of Kentucky,
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
the Sideners being of German ancestry. Jacob Sidener married Sarah Fox, who was born in Fayette County, Ohio, a daughter of Andrew and Sarah Fox, natives of Pennsyl- vania, and of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. Both Mr. Sidener and his wife were reared in Ohio. Some time after their marriage they emigrated to St. Joseph County, Michi- gan, where they became pioneers. He en- tered a tract of Government land, and at one time owned 360 acres. They spent the re- mainder of their lives in St. Joseph County, the mother dying at the age of thirty-eight, when her son William was about fifteen or sixteen years old. The father died at the age of sixty-seven years. He was a farmer and a stock-raiser and dealer, and his prosperity in life was due to his own well directed efforts. Politically he was a Republican, formerly a Whig. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and an active and zealous worker in the cause of Christ. This worthy couple reared six children, William being the oldest of the family. Joseph, the second son, was a member of the Forty-first Iowa Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Shiloh.
The subject of this sketch was reared ou his father's farm in Michigan. Arriving at the age of manhood, he was united in mar- riage, in Lagrange County, Indiana, January 8, 1857, to Miss Catherine Roat, a native of New York State, daughter of William and Emina (Smith) Roat. Her father was born and reared in New York State, and died there at the age of forty-eight years, and her mother died in Lagrange County, Indiana, at about the same age. They reared a family of four sons and five daughters, Mrs. Sidener being the fourth born.
In 1859 the subject of this sketch and his wife removed to La Fayette, Illinois, where they resided until 1880. In that year they
came to this county, and he bought his pres- ent farm of Abel Gifford, who had improved it. It consists of 160 acres, has a good frame house and other farm buildings, and all the surroundings are in a flourishing con- dition. The school-house in District No. 9 is situated on the southwest corner of the farm, and the Asbury Church is only sixty rods east of Mr. Sidener's residence; so he is in close proximity to both school and church privileges. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Sidener and wife have three children, viz .: Ida B., Estella May, wife of Fremont Dewitt, Wright Town- ship, and Arthur G. They have three de- ceased: Roxelania, at the age of three years, and two who died in infancy.
Mr. Sidener's political views are in har- mony with Republican principles. He and his wife and daughter Ida are members of the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a man who has had much experience in the world, has traveled extensively, and is well informed on all general topics. He is a trustee of the church of which he is a member, and takes an active interest in re- ligions and educational matters.
B ENJAMIN G. HARDING, farmer at Crescent City, was born in Green County, Kentucky, December 20, 1820, son of Payne and Matilda (Reed) Harding, Datives of that State but of Virginia ances- try, and farmers. The parents moved from Kentucky to Hendricks County, Indiana, where they remained fourteen years, clearing two farms. The mother dying there, the father moved to Linn County, lowa, bought a farm on Cedar River and commenced im- proving it; and in December, 1859, married Mary Reynolds. Several years afterward he
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disposed of that property and purchased a faun in Decatur County, this State, and moved upon it, but shortly left that and set- tled in Chariton County, Missonri, where his second wife died. After residing there ten years he sold and came to live with his son, our present subject, and died March 22, 1883, at the age of eighty-three years. Ile had eight children, namely: Sarah and Elizabeth, deceased; Benjamin G., the third born; Emily, wife of James Kirk, of Missouri; Rowanna, deceased; Mary Ann, now the wife of George Daugherty, of Iowa; and Martha and Samuel, also both deceased.
Benjamin, brought up to farm life, left home at the age of twenty years and began life for himself by raising live-stock exten- sively and successfully. In five years he sold out and moved to Decatur County, Iowa, and bought ninety acres of unimproved land, lived upon it four years and was mar- ried there. He then located in Crescent City and engaged in farming and buying cattle, and turning them to sell to emigrants. This he followed for nine years and then bought forty acres of partly improved land on sec- tion 13, and this he has made a comfortable home. He erected a frame house twenty- eight feet square and one and a half stories high, the usual farm buildings, and planted a fine grove and orchard, etc., and the prem- ises denote thrift and prosperity. Ile has added to his farm until he now has 210 acres of fine land, of which 100 acres are in culti- vation; fifty acres are in Hazel Dell Town- ship. Ile has experienced many of the hard- ships of pioneer life, commencing with nothing, but has faced them bravely and won success.
Politically he is a stanch Democrat and takes great interest in the publie affairs of the town and county. He has held various township offices; is a lover of law and order;
a member of the M. P. Society of Crescent City, of which he is usually the spokesman, being deeply interested in the work. He and his wife are members of the Church of Lat- ter-Day Saints, of which he is an ordained elder; and he has officiated as pastor of the Crescent City and other congregations of this faith in the vicinity for twenty years. He is a representative citizen and farmer of this county, and has many friends.
February 19, 1857, he married Elizabeth Aun, daughter of Elsa and Mary (Hall) Has- kins, natives respectively of Virginia and Kentucky, who in 1838 moved to Missouri and afterward came to Crescent City, where they both died, he at the age of seventy-seven years and she at seventy-eight, spending her last days at the residence of Mr. Harding. Mr. and Mrs. Harding's children are ten in number, namely: Samuel P., at Crescent City; Oliver, in Crescent Township; Emma, wife of Charles Sapworth of Hazel Dell Township; Olive May and Jason, at home; George Jackson, at Council Bluffs; Don Car- los, Pearl, Charles and Mary , all at home. There are also two grandchildren, whom they are bringing up, named Myrtle M. and Wil- liam B.
EORGE W. PECK was born in Essex County, New York, January 18, 1852, a son of Scott and Betsey (Chamberlin) Peck, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Vermont. His maternal grand- father was of German descent. Mr. Peck's parents were married in Essex County. In 1863 the family moved from New York to Ogle County, Illinois, where George W. grew to manhood. IIis education was ob- tained in the common schools of his native county and in Illinois, and he was early
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
tanght industry, economy and -honesty. To his early training is due much of his success in after life. In 1875 he started West tc make his way in the world, coming with a team to Montgomery County, Iowa, where he settled. For several seasons he rented land, but afterward purchased forty acres in sec- tion 10, Grove Township, Pottawattamie County. After keeping it two years he sold it and bonght another farm, in company with R. H. Barr. Two years later he sold out to Mr. Barr, and bonght 120 acres of Mr. T. S. MeAlling, which he still owns and on which he lives. It is now under a good state of cultivation, is well fenced and divided into fields. Mr. Peck is extensively engaged in feeding stock, keeping an average of one hun- dred head of cattle and a large number of hogs.
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