Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Part 79

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 79

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. Peck was married in Grove Township. January 2, 1876, to Miss Ella Barr. She was born in Massachusetts and lived there until twelve years of age, when she came to Ogle County, Illinois. She is a lady of in- telligence and refinement and was before her marriage a successful teacher. Her father, R. H. Barr, is a resident of Grove Town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Peck have five children, viz .: Walter Frank, Ida E., Ethel Clara, Dor- cas Bessie and an infant son. They lost their second child, Cora, who died at the age of eight years. Politically Mr. Peck is a Re- publican. He and his wife are both men- bers of the Evangelical Church, of which he is a trustee. He is an active worker in the church and Sabbath-school, being snperin- tendent of the latter. He is also interested in educational matters and anything tending toward the advancement of the community where he resides.

Mr. Peck's father is a resident of York, Nebraska. His mother died in York County, that State, in 1888, at the home of her son,

where she had gone on a visit with the hope of regaining her health.

HOMAS J. JOHNS came to this county in 1863, and has since made it his home. He was born in Polk County, Iowa, August 26, 1852. He is a son of Peter S. Johns, one of the early set- tłers of Polk County, and nee Sarah Fisher, his wife. In 1863 the parents came to Pot- tawattamie County, and settled in Belknap Township, where the father rented land for some time. During the Rebellion he was one of the Iowa soldiers. From exposure in the war he contracted a chronic disease, and died from its effects abont the year 1865. He left a wife and six children, five of whom are now living, viz .: Angeline, wife of M. S. Gillespie, Valley Township; Thomas J., the subject of this sketch; Menton, a resident of Washington; A. B. and II. F (twins), the former at Oakland and the latter at home, a teacher and a law student. Lucretia is de- ceased. The father was a farmer all his life. His political views were those of the Repub- lican party. The mother still resides on the farm.

Mr. Johns was a lad of eleven years when his parents located in this county. Ile was reared on the farm and his education was obtained in the public schools of Pottawatta- mie County. In 1872, with his mother and brothers, he came to the land he now owns, which at that time was wild prairie. He has sinee improved it, and now owns two farms of 160 acres cach, separated by the highway. He has two good frame houses and other modern farm improvements. A spring on his place furnishes a bountiful supply of water for his stock. Mr. Jolins is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, feeding

662

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

from one to two ear-loads of cattle and a large number of hogs annnally.

He was married in Center Township, Jan- nary 6, 1886, to Izora B. Butler, danghter of W. B. Butler, one of the prominent citizens of Center Township. This union has been blessed with two children, namely: Franees J. and Grace E. Mrs. Johns is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pleasant Ridge. Politieally Mr. Johns affiliates with the Republican party. At present he is a member of the Board of Township Trustees; is associated with the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 442, of Oakland.

LFRED FRAZIER, of Rockford Town- ship, was born in Indiana, March 13, 1837, the son of James C. and Malinda (Fuller) Frazier, natives of Tennessee and Indiana, respectively. The father, in pioneer times, moved from Tennessee to Indiana, locating upon a farm and lived there until his death, leaving a wife and nine children, of whom Alfred, our subject, is the fourth in order of birth. Remaining at the paternal home until he was married, he, in 1854, located at his present residence, purchasing about 300 acres of prairie, a small portion of which had been broken by Mormons, and there was a log house on the premises. With Mr. Frazier eame also his mother (the young- est child of ten in the family of John and Esther Fuller, natives and farmers of Vir- ginia), who died a few years afterward. Mr. Fuller had also a mill and a distillery, which he ran here until he died.

Mr. Frazier was married at the age of nine- teen years, in May, 1857, to Juliana Wild, daughter of William and Sarah Wild, natives of England, who emigrated to America and located on Pigeon Creek, this county, and

died there. Their three children were John and Nancy, now residing in California, and Juliana. The latter was born in November, 1837. Mr. Frazier now has 500 acres of ex- eellent land on seetion 35, of which about 260 aeres are in cultivation and the rest in meadow and pasture; he also owns a lot in the village of Honey Creek. He ships three or four ear-loads of cattle annnally and two ear-loads of hogs. He superintends the cnl- tivation of the large farm while he is also Postmaster at Honey Creek, which office he has held ever since 1868. Coming here in the early day, he has witnessed all the changes that have been made to redeem this country from its original savage state to its present high standing. Politically he is a decided Republican, and as such has been an active worker; has been Township Clerk, etc. His five children are: James W., residing at home; Nettie, deceased; Mary, wife of J. E. White; Eunice, at home; and John F., deceased.

REICHART, grain-dealer at Neola, was born June 4, 1845, a son of Henry and Catharine (Gaytross) Reichart. The father was born in Pennsylvania, of Gerinan parentage, the fourth of eight ehil- dren, was reared to farm life and continued at his parental home until he was twenty- five years of age, and then for fifteen years he was engaged in the butcher's trade. In 1869 he came to Pottawattamie County, set- tling upon eighty acres on section 16, Nor- walk Township, and there he resided until his death, November 4, 1885, when he was about eighty-six years of age. His wife died in September, 1871, aged fifty-five years. They had six children, namely: Caroline, Sarah E., the subject of this sketch was the the third, George, Samuel and Jacob.

663

OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.

Mr. Reichart, our subject, was also brought up as a farmer's son. At the age of nineteen he left home and soon, May 22, 1861, en- listed in Company C, One Hundred and Forty-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was taken with a detached force to Harris- burg, that State, and through New York to enforce the draft. They then joined the army of the Potomae, first under General Mcclellan and then under General Meade, engaging in the celebrated battle of Gettysburg, the hard- est-fought battle of the war. Mr. Reichart was captured and held two days. Rejoining his regiment at Fairfax, he was afterward en- gaged at Culpeper, where he remained in camp some time; he was also at Laurel Hill, where he received a wound in the leg. He was then sent to a hospital in Philadelphia. Two months afterward he obtained a furlough. Four months after that he rejoined his regi- ment at Petersburg. At the surrender of that place he was detailed with others to convey prisoners to New York, and while on their way between Washington and Baltimore they received the news of the assassination of President Lincoln, and they were consequently stationed four days at Washington. After delivering the prisoners at New York they returned to Washington and were placed in review. They then visited White Haven, Pennsylvania, and were taken to Harrisburg, where they were mustered out, June 19, 1865. In 1863, just after the battle of Gettysburg, Mr. Reichart was promoted Orderly Sergeant.

After visiting home a short time he landed at Council Bluffs, August 12, in company with four other young men, and for a year worked for Mr. Garner, of Garner Township, for $25 a month. In June, 1857, he married and moved upon a farm of 120 acres on sec- tions 16 and 21, Norwalk Township, which he had purchased the preceding year, and 47

here he began life anew. At that time there were no improvements on the place, and the nearest neighbor was four miles distant. IIc put up a frame house 14 x 24 feet in dimen- sions and the necessary farm buildings, fences, etc., and planted a grove. Here he raised grain and stock, dealing in the latter con- siderably, with success. In 1879 he moved into Neola and engaged in the hardware business, renting his farm; in 1871 he sold the farm and bought the hardware store and three lots, on which he built a residence and where he now resides. The hardware trade he conducted for about eleven years, transact- ing an annual business of $35,000 to $40,000; and then he exchanged the stock and busi- ness for 320 acres of land in Nebraska, with the live-stock and grain that was upon it. A year subsequently he disposed of this and went into the grain business, which he car- ries on extensively, handling about 265.000 bushels a year, his crib having a capacity of 100,000 bushels.

Mr. Reichart is a thorough Demoerat; has held the varions offices of Neola and Norwalk townships; was elected the first Justice of the Peace of Norwalk Township, a member of the first Board of Supervisors, a member of the first town council of Neola, the third Mayor of the town, a member of the first Board of Education of the independent dis- trict, and for the past eight years has been Township Clerk. During his mayoralty bonds for water-works were issued.

Mr. Reichart is a breeder of fine horses, the Norman and Clydesdale; of these he has twenty-seven head. He deals also exten- sively in pure-bred Poland-China hogs, and in agrienltural imp'ements. In the latter he is in partnership with his brother.

June 19, 1867, Mr. Reichart married Eliza Jane Ritter, of Pottawattamie County, who was born in 1850, danghter of Adam and

664

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Nancy (Ward) Ritter, natives of Virginia, who came to Iowa in 1837, and were the parents of nine children. Mrs. Reichart, the fifth in the above family, was reared as a farmer's daughter. By this marriage there have been four children: Laura, deceased; Caroline, who resides at home; and Sarah and Lizzie, deceased.

LFRED BYBEE, a prominent farmer of Crescent Township, was born No- vember 4, 1810, in Barren County, Kentucky. His father, Lec Bybee, a native of Virginia, moved after his marriage to Kentucky and subsequently to Clay County, Indiana, upon 240 acres of rongh, unim- proved land in a wild country among Indians, dangerous beasts and wild game. About twenty years afterward his wife died, leaving the following named children: Betsie, who married Nebil Gee, resided in Kentucky and is now dead; Nancy, who married Oliver Cromwell and is now deceased; Lucinda, who resides in Utah; Loramer, in Kansas; Maria, in Indiana; Jerusha, deceased; Absalom, in Ogden, Utah; Alfred, the subject of this sketch; John, Lee and Jo, all three deceased; Mr. Bybee then came with his children to Nanvoo, whence he was driven with the rest of the Mormons, with whom he came to Pottawattamie County and lived here five years. Then he went West to Salt Lake and remained there until his death. Here Alfred was detailed, before his father's death, to take a train to California, and he remained there ten years. In 1861 he returned to Potta- wattamie County and purchased a farm. He now has 230 acres of good land, lying in Hazel Dell, Boomer, Rockford and Crescent (section 1) townships.

In March, 1832, he married Mary Walker,

who was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, whence her parents afterward moved to In- diana, where they remained until they died. After his marriage Mr. Bybee settled upon his present place. His wife died in 1835, at the age of sixty-six years, leaving two chil- dren: Alfred A., residing at Honey Creek, and Mary M., wife of John Ranson of Boomer Township. December 10, 1876, Mr. Bybee married Miss Ann Arthur, daughter of Peter and Catherine (Sillers) Arthur, natives rc- spectively of England and Scotland, who came to Canada East about 1817; they had eight children, the sixth of whom is Mrs. Bybee; she was born September 19, 1833. After her father's death she with her three children came to Pottawattamie County, where she died in June, 1875.

Mr. Bybee is a reliable Republican and a member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, zealously active in former times. Although he has suffered many of the hardships of pioneer life and has labored hard to establish and maintain a comfortable home, he is lib- eral and does much for the promotion of Christianity and morality. He is enjoying a happy period in his declining years, which he so well deserves.

ILAS L. STEPHENS, a farmer of Cres- cent Township, was born in Utah Territory, November 7, 1854, a son of William C. and Lydia S. (Ballard) Stephens, natives of Tennessee. The father was reared on the farm, and in 1859, after having gone to Utah during the great Mormon emigra- tion, was married. About 1866 he returned to Council Bluffs and some months afterward went to Crescent City, bought forty acres near by, made a number of improvements, and about five years afterward he sold it, and

665

OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.

was in different places until he bought eighty acres of partly improved land, which he now occupies. He has put the place in good condition, and has been successful in his enterprises. He makes his home partly in Council Bluffs. He had eight children: James, born in 1859, anl now residing in Council Bluffs; Francis, deceased; George W., born in Utah, in 1862, now residing in Council Bluffs; Silas L. was the next; Philip and Robert are both dead; Samuel U., born in 1874, is in Council Bluffs; and Bert, born in 1873, lives also in that city.

Mr. Silas L. Stephens, January 2, 1887, married Alice Gideon, the daughter of V. M. and Rosanna (Baum) Gideon, who had four children: Alice, just mentioned, was born in Madison County, Iowa, September 12, 1868. After his marriage Mr. Stephens worked with his team on the grade, then rented a farm for two years and since then he has been follow- ing agricultural pursuits on the old home place, where he is enjoying the pleasures of a well finished residence. His two children are Ernest R., born October 17, 1888; and Lydia Rosanna, September 19, 1889.

Mr. Stephens is a stanch Democrat, well principled and energetic. Is a good violin- ist and a favorite in social circles.

A. HUTCHINSON, a farmer and stock-raiser of Crescent Township, was born near Providence, Rhode Is- land, May 6, 1842, the son of Matthew and Jenette (Anderson) Hutchinson, natives of Scotland, who came to America in 1842. The father was a dealer in general merchandise and engaged in the fisheries. He died No. vember 8, 1867, his wife having died four years after their emigration to America. On her death, Mr. Hutchinson abandoned house-

keeping, while the subject of this sketch, the youngest of his seven children, was taken charge of by an older brother until he was eight years old, when his father married his second wife. At the age of sixteen years he went to Providence and served two and a half years learning the trade of jeweler; then he came to Council Bluffs, and thence went to St. John's, near the site of the Missouri Val- ley, and was engaged there on a farm until the next spring; next he was on a farm on Pigeon Creek one season; returning to Coun- cil Bluffs, he learned photography and after- ward traveled extensively in the practice of this art until his health failed, and he re- sorted to hanling goods across the plains, which enabled him to recover his health. For four years of this time he practiced photography in connection with his other business. Coming again to Council Bluffs, he bought a farm of 132 acres, sold it the next year and purchased seventy-two and a half acres, and in three years sold that. Meanwhile he was married, and afterward he bought eighty acres of land on section 23. Of this tract he has made a comfortable home, with all the usual farm appurtenances, in good condition. Much may be said in his praise, as he started with nothing in pioneer times and by pluck and energy has stood all the expenses of travel, changes and many little losses, and yet has the possessions he now enjoys. He has now an aggregate of 500 acres of good land. He deals also in live-stock to a considerable extent.

Politically Mr. Hutchinson is a zealous Re- publican, and locally independent. He is efficient in the promotion of education, Christianity and the scope of modern benovo- lent institutions. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Crescent City, of which class he is leader, and was virtually one of its founders.

666

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

November 18, 1867, he married Martha Green, daughter of Rowland and Ruth (Haskins) Green, natives of Vermont. Mr. Green, a carpenter by profession, still resides at Wallingsford, in his native State. His wife died at the age of thirty-four years, leav- ing four children: Edward, deceased; one died in infancy; Smith, also deceased; and Martha J. After the death of Mrs. Green, Mr. Green married Mrs. Wheeler, now de- ceased, and by that marriage there were five children. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson have six children: Arthur M., who was born May 3, 1869: Ada, September 9, 1871; Lillie, September 20, 1872; Lonie A., September 5, 1876; Mand, June 7, 1881; and Rnth May, October 26, 1889. All these are still with their parents.

ILLIAM BEEZLEY, of seetion 22, Macedonia Township, was born in Clarke County, Ohio, two miles east of Springfield, in January, 1818, the son of John Beezley, who was born in Brown County, Ohio, and was one of the earliest settlers of that State, and whose father, William Beezley, came there with Daniel Boone, and built the first grist-mill on the Little Miami River. The Beezleys were a patriotie family, and John Beezley, William's father, though a boy, was with his father a short time in the war of 1812. His grand- father was made Captain under General William Harrison, and the subject and his father both lived to vote for General and Ben Harrison. The father lived to an advanced age, being born in October, 1797, and died in Clarke County, Ohio, March 7, 1889, at abont ninety years of age. Our snbjeet's mother was Elizabeth (Ellsworth) Beezley, who was born in Martinsburg, Virginia, of

an old Virginia family; Colonel Ellsworth of the late war was her second cousin.

William Beezley, our subjeet, was reared in Ohio, engaged in farming and stock-rais- ing until 1857, when he removed to Logan County, Illinois. When the war broke ont he enlisted in the first Illinois regiment that went out, and he again enlisted in 1862, in the One Hundred and Sixth Illinois Infantry, Com- pany F, and served until the close of the war. He was at Island 62, siege of Vicksburg, the taking of Little Rock, Arkansas, and went up the Red River with General Steele as far as Jenkins' Ferry, and was in many other engage- ments. Ele then went out as Captain, and after the death of the Major he was elected to fill liis place, and was made Lieutenant, Colonel, and had charge of the regiment dur- ing the last year. He had three sons and two boys he had raised in the war: John T., in the Thirty-eighth lllinois Infantry, serving nearly five years, and came out with a Cap- tain's commission; he lives in Crawford County, Kansas, near Gerard; Cassins C., who served in the One Hundred and Sixth Regi- ment Illinois with his father, was killed at Island 62, and was buried near there; William James, in the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Illinois Regiment, and now lives in southern Nebraska, near Orleans. The two boys Mr. Beezley took to raise were James Ferguson, in the Seventh Regiment, and now resides in southwestern Kansas, near Wichita; and Charles Russum, in the Thirty-eighth Regi- ment, and died at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Our subject resided in Logan County un- til 1876, when he came to this county, and bought 320 acres of land on the Nishnabotna River. He now owns 510 acres of good land on sections 21, 22 and 15, which is partly improved. He was first married in Miami County, Ohio, when twenty-five years of age, to Polly Ann Castle, who was born in Mary-

667

OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.

land. They had six children, of whom five are now living: John, at Gerard, Kansas; Emeline, the wife of Newton Boyles, of Gra- ham County, Kansas; Cassius C., who was killed on Island 62; William James, residing in southwestern Nebraska; and Jenny, the wife of Cornelius Stockton, of Hanson County, Dakota. Mrs. Beezley died in 1880, and Mr. Beezley was again married Decem- ber 20, 1884, to Miss Anna Fawcett, who was born in England. By this union there were three children: Benjamin Roscoe, George Fawcett and Elmer Smith. Polit- ically he is a Republican, and is a member of the G. A. R., Updegraff Post, Macedonia charter. He was made a Mason in Ohio nearly half a century ago. He was raised in the old-school Baptist Church, but joined the Methodist Episcopal Church over fifty years ago.

ILLIAM TOMPKIN, proprietor of the Macedonia Breeding Farm, has one of the leading establishments of the kind in southwestern Iowa. Mr. Tomp- kin was born in Derbyshire, England, near Yorkshire, April 25, 1829, a son of Thomas and Anu (Pilkington) Tompkin. His father was a dealer in and breeder of good horses, and he therefore learned of him a great deal in that line. In early life he also learned the butcher's trade, which he followed some years. In 1855 he came to America, settling at Peru, LaSalle County, Illinois, and a short time afterward at Mendota, same county, where he lived nine years, engaged in butcher- ing, shipping stock and deallng in horses. In 1864 he went to Central City, Colorado, where he conducted a grocery and meat market four or five years. Then he located at Council Bluffs and here engaged in the

horse trade, in company with Rev. William Armstrong. He also bought the Star Meat Market, which he ran for a time. In 1867 he made a trade for 160 acres of land where he now lives. He has bought and sold otlier land, and has now 320 acres of good land, adjoinining the town of Macedonia. He has spent thousands of dollars in stocking his farm with the best specimens of the horse genus. On his place are some mares and fillies that would make a " blue-grass " horse- man of Kentucky proud to own; and he has forty or fifty head that are bred most royally. In 1884 he purchased " International," which was bred at the Meadows Farm near Carlin- ville, Illinois. He took the first premium at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1882, over thirty-four competitors, from ten different States. His sire was the sire of Stockines' dam, and was at the head of Mr. Tompkin's herd for four seasons.

Among Mr. Tompkin's best mares are Mary G., sired by Pat Malloy; Beeswing, sired by Council Bluffs and from the dam Mary G .; Lady Tompkin, a full sister to Bees- wing; Lady O'Neill; Nettie Bray, full sister to the two last. All these are thoroughbred, and are as fine as can be found in Western Iowa. Copper Glance, a standard-bred trot- ting horse, was at the head of the herd in 1889. No. 8,888, from a half-sister to Isaac, was sired by Mambrino Patchen, No. 58. Copper Glance's colts, seven of which are upon the farm, give good promise. For him Mr. Tompkin gave $5,000. Vidal, a thoroughbred, is the son of Vandal, Jr., by the dam Ida B., which was sired by Mon- archist, bred at the Preekness stud at Lex- ington, Kentucky. Vidal is now at the head of the thoroughbred stud. Ironwood, No. 3,819, standard, and registered in Wallace's American Trotting Register, volume 6, was sired by Iron Duke, a Hambletonian sired by

668

BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY

Dexter. Ironwood is one of the best bred horses in the West. His first dam was Lady Dixon, by Vermont Hero, and his second, Nellie F., by Young Consternation. Mr. Tompkin bought Ironwood at Ellis' Grove, near Janesville, Wisconsin. Delavan, No. 6,575, is a remarkable, well-bred horse, hav- ing the popular Hambletonian-Mambrino Chief cross that has produced so many fast horses, such as Phallus, Onward and Guy Wilkes.

Mr. Tompkin has a good half-mile traek upon his farm, where he can train and inter- cross his stock. Every animal on his place is thoroughbred, even to the swine, poultry and dogs. His fine residence cost $3,000. In orchard there are five or six acres, of all kinds of fruits. Mr. Tompkin was first mar- ried to Mary Ann Goddard, in New York State, and had three children: George, Wal- ter and Emma. Secondly he married, at Mendota, Illinois, Mrs. Eleanor Miller, whose maiden name was Frank. She was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. By this marriage there are two sons: Jacob and Aaron.

ULLIVAN & VIRTUE are the pro- prietors of the only livery, sale and feed stable in Macedonia. It is located on Main street, near the principal hotel and con- venient to the business portion of the town. They keep in stock a good class of driving and road horses, and vehicles of all kinds that are needed in that community. The livery business in this village was inangu- rated ten years ago by Mitchell Brothers, on the north side of Main street, and since then there have been several changes in proprietor- ship, etc .: Bryant Brothers, Neil Stockton, Charles Murphy and Mr. Mains,-the last of whom sold ont to Mr. J. B. Sullivan, the

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Part 79

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