USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 83
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M. IIUFF .- This is an old and promi- nent American family of German and French descent, the remote ancestors being natives of Germany, and early settlers of Stokes County, North Carolina. John Huff, the grandfather of our subject, was born in that State, and was a prominent farmer, owning 200 acres of land. He was the father of twenty-two children, by two wives: Daniel, John, Wells, Charity, Mel-
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
vina, David, Jordan and William are all that our subject remembers. Lewis Huff, the father of our subjeet, was born on the old homestead, and when a boy went to Indiana with one of his neighbors, where he remained and was married to Susan Palmer. They had twelve children, viz .: Martha, Mary, Margaret, Edith, William, Alexis, Phoebe, Alice, Hermanda, Arthur, Lnella and Charity. After his marriage, in 1840, Mr. Huff settled in Henderson County, Illinois, where he re- mained until 1853. In that year he came to Conneil Bluffs, and settled on a farm on the bottoms, now covered by the court-house and park. At that time there were but five houses and five stores there, which were cov- ered with earth. At Omaha there was not a building, and Mr. Huff had a claim of 160 aeres now in the heart of the city. He, was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, and both he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church, in which Mr. Huff was a deacon for many years. In 1855 he came to Center Township, where he was one of the pioneer settlers, there being but three others,-Joshua and Joseph Layton and Mr. Belknap. Mr. Huff was born in 1809, and died on his farm in 1885, at the age of seventy-six years.
Alexander M. Huff, the subject of this sketch, was born in Henderson County, Illi- nois, May 17, 1845, and was reared to farm life. When but eight years of age he came with his father to Council Bluffs, and he well- remembers the trip to this State. He came with his father to Center Township, and was married in Omaha, in 1866, to Ella Doran, daughter of John Doran, a native of Nova Scotia. To Mr. and Mrs. Huff were born six children: Mary, Lewis, Ford, Eva. Katie and Daisy. The next year, in August, 1869, Mr. IIuff moved to his present farm of 160 acres, on which he has made many improve- ments. ile has taken an active interest in
the cause of education, has been School Di- rector for many years. In his political prin- eiples he is a Republican, and takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to his town- ship.
In 1863 Mr. Huff enlisted in Company C, Twenty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and served two years, or until the elose of the war. He was in the siege and capture of Mobile, at the battle of Jenkins' Ferry, and was sixty days on one march, on Red River, which was a continnal skirmish. He was in the hospital five weeks with small- pox, and was honorably discharged at New Orleans. As a soldier of the great civil war, his descendants will honor his memory.
OHN H. DAVIS, residing on section 27, Garner Township, is one of the well- known and early settlers of the county, having settled here July 4, 1853. He is a native of Wales, born May 2, 1825, the son of James and Martha (Harris) Davis, also natives of Wales. John II. was reared in his native land, engaged in mining most of the time. December 28, 1852, he was mar- ried to Miss Mary Griffeys, who was born in Wales. In February, a short time after their marriage, they went to Liverpool, where they sailed for New Orleans on the sailing vessel the Old Jersey. They made the voyage in six weeks, and after landing in New Orleans they went to St. Louis, then to Keokuk, Iowa, where they camped for six weeks on the banks of the Mississippi River. They traveled over the plains of Iowa with an ox team, and on the Fourth of July ar- rived at Council Bluffs. Mr. Davis removed from here to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he arrived in October, 1853, after riling over the plains and prairies. He reside.] in Salt
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Lake until 1861, when he moved his family back to Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Coun- ty, on his present farm, in 1865. It consists of 187 acres, situated four and a half miles from the city limits. He is engaged in gen- eral farming, fruit-raising and gardening.
In his political views Mr. Davis is a Democrat, and although he is growing old he yet bears his years very lightly. He has traveled extensively and is well informed. He has three sons and two daughters: Ben- jamin, living at home; William, residing on Keg Creek; Mary, wife of C. Herrick, and living on Keg Creek; James, at home; Sally, the wife of Fred Paup, and residing in Shelby County. A great loss to Mr. Davis was in the death of his wife, in 1867, who had shared his trials and hardships with him.
SAAC G. CARTER, of Hancock, Valley Township, is one of our old soldiers who served his country in her time of need, and after her victory was secured returned to his home and resumed the peaceful pursuit of agriculture in Valley Township. Mr Carter is from an old American family, who were among the early settlers of Virginia. llis grandfather was born in Virginia, and moved to Ohio, settling in Muskingum Coun- ty, as a pioneer, and became a successful farmer, owning 200 acres of land. He lived to the great age of eighty-two years, and died on his old homestead in Ohio. He was the father of eight children: Ezekiel, Mar- cus, John, Joseph, Matilda, Hulda, Jane and Alvin. The youngest son, Alvin, was the father of Isaac C., our subject. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, and married Nancy Clark, of the same county. To them were born six children: Isaac G., Ilenry B., Washington, William, Hugh and Mary A.
Mr. Carter died very suddenly at the early age of thirty years from exposure. His wife died within two weeks from exposure in taking care of the stock on the farm.
Isaac, their oldest son, and the subject of this sketch, was born February 20, 1830, and was but twelve years of age when he was left an orphan, and the little family of six orphan children were scattered. Isaac was brought up by William Evans, a wealthy Irishman, who treated him kindly. He received a com- mon-school education, and at eighteen years of age he began to learn the carpenter's trade, serving a four-years apprenticeship, the old- fashioned plan of thoroughly learning a trade, and followed his trade until after the close of the war.
He married Lucinda Dowell, daughter of George and Grace (Helms) Dowell. Mr. Dowell, an American of German descent, was a farmer of Muskingum County, Ohio, and the father of thirteen children: Mary, Harri- son, Isabel, Amanda, George, Malinda, Ln- cinda, LaFayette, George W., Thomas, Henrietta, Mahala, and an infant who died unnamed. Mr. Dowell was born in Vir- ginia. His father, George Dowell, moved to Muskingum County, Ohio. John Dowell, an uncle of Mrs. Carter, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. All her uncles were large men, weighing over 200 pounds.
After marriage Mr. Carter settled in Dres- den, Ohio, for one year, and in 1853 went to Chicago with his family, where he followed his trade and became a contractor and builder. In 1859 he moved to MeDonough County, Illinois, where he continued his business of contracting and building. Here he enlisted August 12, 1862, when Abraham Lincoln made his first call for 300,000 men to defend the Union. Joining Company C, Seventy- eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry he went immediately to the front with his regiment,
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
and was soon promoted Commissary Sergeant of his company. After three months he was transferred to the Engineers' Corps, Company A, Second Regiment, and worked at bridge- building. His principal service was in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia. While with the Seventy-eighth Illinois, he was in the battle of Munfordville, Kentucky, and the whole regiment was captured except Mr. Carter and one boy. The Ninety-first Illinois and Seventy-sixth Indiana were cap- tured at the same time, by the famous Con- federate raider, John Morgan. Mr. Carter and the boy returned to the Union line. His regiment was paroled and exchanged. While connected with the Engineer Corps he was in the battles of Murfreesboro, Frank- lin, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and Nashville, all in Tennessee. In the fall of 1863 he was injured by a falling bridge tim- ber, and was in the hospital for nine months, part of which time he was Commissary Ser- geant of the hospital at Lonisville, Kentucky; and then was assigned to act as Commissary Sergeant by the Provost- Marshal at Lebanon, Kentucky, and remained there until the close of the war. Ile was sent to Clinton, Iowa, with supplies, and was mustered out and honorably discharged July 7, 1865, at Clin- ton, Iowa, having served his country during three years of the great civil war. The fol- lowing is endorsed on Mr. Carter's discharge paper:
HEADQUARTERS Co. B, 23D V. R. C.
The bearer, Isaac G. Carter, was formerly a private of the Seventy-eighth Illinois In- fantry, and afterward transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, U. S. A., on account of disability incurred in the discharge of his duties. Since his connection with this company he has acted as Commissary Ser- geant, and has proved himself in every way a good and faithful soldier, and a sober, reliable and intelligent inan. Should he ever
have occasion to use this endorsement I hope his application may be favorably considered. J. W. BEEBEE, 1st Lieut. Commanding Co. B, 23d V. R. C.
After the war, like most of the surviving soldiers, Mr. Carter came to the West and settled in Iowa, which was then a new State. He lived on a farm in Jasper County for four years, and then went to Platte County, Ne- braska, where he lived a year, and in 1872 came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and settled in Valley Township, where he still resides, an honored citizen. Mr. Carter owns a fine farm of 120 acres, which he has nicely improved. Both himself and Mrs. Carter are life-long devout members of the Methodist Church, and Mr. Carter has always taken an active interest in his church, has filled all its local offices, and has held them most of the time since the war. He is now class-leader, trustee, steward and Sunday-school superin- tendent. He enjoys the respect of his fellow- citizens in a marked degree. Has held the offices of Justice of the Peace and Constable, filling one or the other for the past seventeen years. He is Chaplain of William Layton Post, No. 358, Oakland, Iowa; also Chaplain of the Anti-Horse-Thief Society at Hancock, Iowa. Mr. Carter has taken an active inter- est in the cause of education and the schools in his community, having been School Direc- tor. Two of his daughters have been teach- ers-Jennie and Florence. Mr. Carter is a man of honorable and upright character, whose word is taken for its full meaning. As a soldier and a citizen he has served his country, in war and in peace, by faithfully doing his duty to his country and his com- munity. He is a man of strictly temperate habits and correct moral principles, and has striven to instill right principles in his family. His record as a soldier will descend to his children for generations, and as one who
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fought for the preservation of his country. The family descended on both sides from good, old American pioneer stock, than which there is no better.
Mr. and Mrs. Carter are the parents of ten children, seven of whom lived. Harry A., Charles, deceased; George W., Henrietta, Eva, Ida, deceased; Jennie, Howard, de- ceased; Flora and Hugh. Harry A .. now an engineer at Hancock, married Miss Hale, and his children are Arthur, Charles, Blanche, Amy and Ruby M .; Henrietta married George Payne, now deceased, and has one child, Rollo; George, now on a cattle ranch at North Canyonville, Oregon, married Win- nie Pickett, and has four children: Ida, Irmie, Hugh and Pattis; and Eva married Willian Tibbetts, a farmer of Ilardin County, Iowa, and has one child, Minnie.
ILLIAM C. ACKER, a prominent farmer of Pottawattamie Connty, is the son of John Acker, who was born in Sandy Hill, New York, near the head of Lake Champlain. IIe studied surveying, and also received a good education, and later be- came a school-teacher. In 1830 he went to Illinois, where he ran a steam saw-mill at Beardstown, and where he was married to Eliza Elmore, a widow lady, formerly a Miss Early, and they had seven children: David, John, William, Mary, Nathaniel, Sarah and Samnel. In 1837 Mr. Acker settled in Ore- gon, Ogle County, Illinois, where he ran a ferry for some years, and was also a trunk- inaker. About 1852 he bought a farm, where he remained some time, and then en- gaged in the mercantile business at Ashtown, remaining five years. In 1876 he came to Pottawattamie Connty, lowa, where he was in business at Avoca for some time; next he
lived in Marysville two years, and then re- tired from active life. He is now living with his son, William O., and has always enjoyed the respect of the community in which he lived. He was an industrious man, and was entrusted with many public offices in Illinois, having been County Commissioner, Trustee and Clerk of the county. He had three sons in the civil war: John, Nathaniel and Samuel. The two former were in the army of the Po- tomac, were on General Mcclellan's body- guard, and were in many battles. Samuel was in the Army of the West. Mr. Acker is still living, at the age of ninety, and bids fair to live to the age of 100. His eyes are still bright and his health firm.
William C., the subject of this sketch, was born March 5, 1835, in Beardstown, Illinois, and learned the carriage and wagon-maker's trade in Chicago, where he worked for twen- ty-five years. After his marriage he settled in Ashton, Ogle County, Illinois, and estab- lished a wagon and carriage shop, where he remained five years. He then went to Am- boy, same State, remaining until 1869, when he settled in Boone, Boone County, Iowa, where he had the first carriage shop, and also was one of the founders of the town. He lived there about six years, and then came to l'ottawattamie County, settling on his pres- ent farın of 160 acres in Valley Township, which is well improved. Mr. Acker takes an active interest in the schools. He built the first school-honse in his district; has been School Director and Township Supervisor, and has always commanded the respect of the community. He has ornamented his place by setting out fine trees, and now has a bean- tiful home, in which he has been assisted by his sons. His father is a stanch Republican, and has always been an active temperance man; and William C. is also very earnest and active in the cause of temperance, assisting to
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
enforce the law in his county and advocates the cansc.
Mr. Acker was married in Ogle County, Illinois, to Sophia Van Loon, daughter of Isaiah and Isabel (Reeder) Van Loon. The father was born in New York, and went to Ohio when a boy, and then moved to Illinois, where he is now a well-to-do farmer of Ogle County. They were the parents of seven children, viz .: Harriet, Elsworth, Jane, Phoebe, Clarissa, Sophronia and Rachel. Mr. and Mrs. Van Loon are members of the Methodist Church, and the father is now sev- enty-six years of age. The children of Will- iam C. Acker married as follows: William C. married Emma Bilger, and is now a farmer in Valley Township. They have three chil- dren: Frank, Ray and Cottie. Estella mar- ried B. B. Brown, a farmer of Valley Township, and they have three children also: Mabel, Bert and Clarence.
MA ARION PALMER, a substantial farmer of Valley Township, is de- scended from an old American family of English origin. His grandfather, Will- iam Palmer, was a farmer of Indiana. His son, M. T. Palmer, the father of our subject, was born in that State, and was reared to farm life, but in the latter part of his life he became a physician. Ile was married in In diana, to Caroline Tuel, and to them were born seven children who grew to maturity: Marion, Sumner, Abraham L., Mary M., Alexander R. (who died in 1889, at the age of twenty-five years), Hiram T. and Della. After marriage the father moved to Mercer County, Illinois, where he lived on a farm about three years. In 1852 he came to Conneil Bluffs, remaining one year, and then came to what is now Big Grove, Belknap 49
Township, where he remained until his death in- August, 1882, at the age of sixty-one years. Both himself and wife were members of the Baptist Church, and politically he was a Republican. Ilis widow is still living on the old homestead.
Marion Palmer, the subject of this sketch, was born in Mercer County, Illinois, April 5, 1851, and was early inured to farm life. lle was but two years of age when he came to Council Bluffs with his parents. After his marriage he settled on his present farm, which then consisted of forty acres of wild land, but which he has since converted into a fine fertile farm of 200 acres. He is en- gaged largely in the stock business. He has taken an active interest in the cansc of edu- cation, and has been School Director and also Road Supervisor. Politically he is a Repub- lican, and stands deservedly high among his fellow-citizens for his sterling worth.
November 24, 1883, Mr. Palmer was mar- ried to Lizzie J. Scott, daughter of William and Jane (Jeffries) Scott. The father is an old settler of thus county, and is still living on his farm near Oakland. He came from Ohio in 1869, and is the father of six chil- dren: Lizzie J., Lydia, Charles, Lillie, Theo- dore and Mary. The father was a soldier in our great civil war, and is respected in the community in which he lives. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer are the parents of four children: Myrtle, Gertrude, Ernest, and an infant nnnamed.
ENRY P. GERTZ, of Shelby, Iowa, is one of the sturdy German citizens who has shed his blood for his adopted country in the great civil war. ITis father, Henry, was a weaver in the village of Aben- vale, Holstein, Germany, and served during
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a period of peace in the army. He married Lena Beck, and had five children: Christina, Catharine, Christian, Henry and Lena. IIe came to America with his family in 1846, from Hamburg, Germany, to New Orleans, by a sailing vessel. The first three years in this country he resided at Quincy, Illinois, working at his trade. He then went to Davenport and became a farmer, owning 298 acres of good land, but he lost his property during the financial troubles of 1859. He died on a farm six miles north of Davenport. His first wife died on the voyage to America and was buried at sea; and about ten years afterward, in America, Mr. Gertz married Mrs. Hannah Schroeder, and Mr. Gertz, our subjeet, was brought up by Henry Beck, his grandfather, who came to America at the same time. Mr. Gertz died at the age of fifty-six years, a member of the Lutheran Church. He was an industrious and honor- able man, taking extraordinary care of his children.
Mr. Gertz, the subject of this sketch, was born in the village of Abenvale, Holstein, November 5, 1840, and was about six years of age when he came to this country, and obtained here a limited education. When Lincoln made his first call for 300,000 inen, Mr. Gertz, then of age, enlisted August 7, 1861, in Company E, Twentieth Iowa Vol- unteer Infantry, and served through the war, being honorably discharged July 8, 1865, at Mobile, Alabama. He was in the battle at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, and was shot through the left thigh, December 7, 1862. After being in the hospital three months at Fayetteville, Arkansas, be returned to active service, engaging afterward in the battle at Vieksburg, siege of Fort Morgan, Alabama, siege and assault at Fort Blakely, and in a great many skirmishes. He served under Captains Chester Barney and Edward E.
Davis, and his Colonel was Mac. E. Dey, and his Lieutenant-Colonel J. P. Lock. ITis regi- ment charged three times across a field at Prairie Grove, under a heavy fire, each time repulsed with heavy loss. The regiments in the charge consisted of the Twentieth Iowa Infantry, Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry, Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry, and the Twenty-sixth Indiana Infantry, the line of battle being three miles in extent. The last time the repulse was very severe, and the field was covered with the dead and wounded. On the last retreat the Twentieth Iowa was ordered to lie down behind a staked and ridered rail fence, and here they remained about half an hour, keeping up a round of fire. When the order was given to retreat, Gertz, Richards and Pickards were lying on their breasts in a fence corner, and firing on the enemy. They were so absorbed in their work, and the noise of the artillery was so great, that they did not hear the command to retreat; and when they discovered the rebels were upon them their regiment was half a mile away. The ground gently sloped from the woods where the rebels were in force, and the charge was made across an open field, in the face of a severe fire of artil- lery and musketry. At thirty paces a ball struck yonng Gertz, passing through his thigh, and he exclaimed, "I am shot." Richards stopped and Gertz placed his arm around his shoulder, and they ran as one man under a heavy fire, the balls falling around them as thick as hail, one striking the bayo- net scabbard of young Gertz. One ball passed through his cap and one through his blouse at his waist, and Richards had a ball through his haversaek, canteen and clothing. They ran rapidly toward the Tenth Illinois Cavalry, who opened ranks to receive them on the order of the officer commanding, who asked what regiment they belonged to, and
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being answered, exclaimed, " You are brave men." Mr. Gertz was one of those soldiers who did not shrink from battle, and his record shows that he was indeed a brave man. He will carry to his death the honor- able scar which he received in battle for his country. His record as a soldier will be pre- served and handed down for generations to his descendants, and they may well take an honest pride in their soldier ancestor, who gave the best years of his life to his coun- try's cause, and shed his blood on the field of battle to preserve the Union.
He returned from the horrors of war to the delights of a farmer's life of peace. In 1876 he married Lena, daughter of Hans and Lena (Bowden) Snickloth. Her father died in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and when but thirteen years of age she came with her mother and family to America, in 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Gertz are the parents of twelve children, namely: Henry (an in- fant, leceased), Annie, Edward, Henry, Will- iam, Gustave (an infant, deceased), Minnie, Vinnie, Albert, Grover, Lonis (died an in- fant), and Benjamin H. (also died in infancy). Annie married Gustave Haas, a farmer of Pleasant Township.
After marriage Mr. Gertz settled in Scott County, Iowa, where he lived for thirty years, and in the spring of 1874 he came to Pottawattamie County, and settled upon his present farm, which was then a wild prairie, covering 160 acres of land, and assisted by his faithful wife has converted it into a fine and fertile farm, to which he has since added until he now owns 240 acres of well-culti- vated land. On the place are excellent im - provements, including the comfortable, taste- ful and well-furnished residence. Our old soldier has been prospered in the land for which he fought, while he has done a vast amount of hard labor. He ran a threshing-
machine for seventeen years. Ile has accu- mulated all his property by his own indus- try, and may well be called a self-made man. Ile is regarded by his neighbors as upright and honorable. In politics he is a Democrat. Is a member of Dick Yates Post, No. 364, G. A. R., at Shelby, Iowa. He is also a member of Canopy Lodge, No. 401, I. O. O. F., at Shelby.
Mr. Gertz is yet a strong and rugged man. Was one of the best shots with a rifle in his regiment, and has a diploma from the Shelby County Agricultural Society for the best score at the Pigeon Shoot at the Annual Fair in 1882. He is a credit to the sturdy Ger- inan race from which he springs, one of those pioneers who have greatly aided in the material progress of this country. As a class, no better settlers are to be found. Their sons and daughters are the race of American people who will do well to emulate the virtues of the sturdy pioneers who founded their race in this line of liberty.
The name by which Mr. Gertz was enlisted in the army, and in which his papers are made ont, is Henry Gates, the enrolling offi- cer, being an American, not knowing how to spell the German name.
OHN N. YOUNG, one of the old soldier citizens of Pottawattamie County, was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, February 5, 1844, the son of John Young, formerly a farmer of that county, who moved to Iowa in 1846 when our subject was but two years old, and engaged in the mercantile business in Washington. After one year he bought a farm in that county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was married in Kentucky, to Mary Adams, and they had eight children: James A., Robert S., John
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