USA > Iowa > Shelby County > Biographical history of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens in Shelby and Audubon counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. A concise history of the counties, and the cities and townships > Part 72
USA > Iowa > Audubon County > Biographical history of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens in Shelby and Audubon counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. A concise history of the counties, and the cities and townships > Part 72
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June 25, 1843. Mr. Andrews lived with his father until he was eighteen years of age, first at Lovell, then a few years at Stoneham, an adjoining town. The family then moved to Portland and lived four years, when in 1853 they returned to Lovell and remained until 1865. Mr. Andrews attended the com- mon district school, summer and winter, until he was twelve years of age; he then worked on his father's farm and in the tim- ber, his father being then engaged in farming and lumbering during the spring, summer and antumn months, and attending school in the winter. Thus he received an education in the common branches then taught in the distriet school. July 18, 1862, he enlisted as a private soldier, for three years, in Com- pany D, Sixteenth Regiment Maine Vohin- teer Infantry. Ife served through the war, and was discharged as a private at Washing- ton, D. C., July 13, 1865. Ile participated with his regiment in the following services: Antietam campaign, September, 1862; the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Decem- ber 12-15, 1862; Burnside's mud march, Falmonth, Virginia; battle of Chancellors- ville, Virginia, April 28 to May 4, 1863; march to point near Gettysburg, Pennsyl- vania, June, 1863; engagement at Rappa- hannock Station, Virginia, Angust 1, 1863; march from Culpepper, Virginia, to Center- ville, Virginia, October 11-17, 1863; skir- mish at Bristow Station, Virginia, November 26-30, 1863; Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House campaign, May, 1864. The last year of the war, from June, 1864, on account of ill-health, he was on detached service at Washington, D. C. In June, 1865, his parents, brothers, sister and grandfather Andrews removed to Exira, where he joined them October 3, 1865. The following year he taught school in Cass County, at Crooked Creek. The summer of 1866 he worked at
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farm labor in Audubon County, and the fol- lowing winter taught school in Nathaniel Hamlin's district, in the sonth part of Audu- bon County. At the general election in 1866 he was elected recorder of Andubon County, and served two years, and worked a portion of the time at carpenter work. In the sum- mer of 1868 he was appointed county judge of Audubon County, to fill a vacancy until the general election of that year. In the fall of 1866 his father purchased land, built a residence and opened a farm, now occupied and owned by J. J. Hensly and J. H. Basham, one-half mile sonth of Exira. This place Mr. Andrews made his home most of the time until his parents sold the farm and removed to their present farm and residence, two miles northeast of Atlantic, Iowa, in 1869. In 1870, as Deputy United States Marshal, lie took the census in Audubon County, and also Shelby County. In 1870 he was admitted to the bar of Audubon County, as an attorney and counselor at law, which profession he has since followed with short intermissions. Feb- ruary 25, 1871, at Atlantic, Iowa, he was married to Jennie Maria Norton, by Rev. M. Hughes. She was a danghter of Willian C. Norton and his wife, Ruth Harriet (Thayer) Norton, of Oakfield, born at Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 21, 1850. Her parents were formerly from Spring Water, Livingston County, New York. They settled at Oak- field in 1856. Mrs. Norton died in June, 1882; Mr. Norton died in November, 1884. Both are buried at the Oakfield Cemetery, and were at the time of their decease mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. The children of Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Andrews were all born at Exira, Iowa. They are- Charles Franklin, born April 24, 1872; Claude Norton, born March 10, 1874; Jessa- mine Julia, born April 16, 1877; Wallace Pearl, born July 28, 1879; John Hamblen,
l'orn October 15, 1886; Philip Stearns, born July 20, 1888. In 1872 Mr. Andrews at- tended one term of the law department of the Iowa State University. Aside from the school privileges above mentioned, Mr. Andrews has been a self-educated man. He has resided at Exira nearly continuously since his settle- ment there in 1865, the only exceptions being a residence at Iowa City four months in the latter. part of 1872, and a residence of one year at Atlantic, from October, 1874, and a residence at Andubon from March to Octo- ber, 1882. In politics he has always been a Republican. His grandfather, Isaac Andrews, died at ,Exira, December 31, 1868. Both his grandfather and sister are buried in the ceme- tery at Exira. Since March, 1882, the law office of Mr. Andrews has been located at Audubon. Mr. Andrews is a member of Exodus Lodge, No. 342, A. F. & A. M., Exira; Exira Lodge, No. 181, K. of P., Ex- ira; Allison Post, No. 34, G. A. R .; Andu- bon, Nishnabotna Tribe, No. 8, I. O. R. M., Audubon; Andubon Lodge, No. 115, I. L. II., Andnbon. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews are both members of the Eastern Star Lodge at Andubon. At this time he is associated in the law business with William HI. IIanna, Esq., county attorney of Andubon County, under the firm name of Andrews & IIanna.
EV. EDWARD B. COUSINS is a mem- ber of the firm of Cousins & McClure, editors and proprietors of the Audubon County Republican, Audubon, Iowa. The Republican was started in December, 1885, by Mr. Cousins and Sidney A. Foster. The paper was continned under the management of this firm for fifteen months. In April, 1887, W. II. McClure purchased the interest of Mr. Foster, and the paper has since been
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condneted by this firm. The Republican, as its name implies, is Republican in politics. It is an eight-column folio, issued Thursday of each week, and has a good circulation. It has done the county printing for three years, and it also does the city printing. The office is well organized and well equipped for this work, and the paper comes from the press a neat and clean sheet. Mr. Consins was born in Cedar County, Iowa, May 2, 1841. Hle is the youngest of ten children of Robert and Ann (Beattje) Cousins. Both the father and mother were born in Ireland, and emigrating to America they finally settled in Cedar County, Iowa, where they both died about six months apart. Edward B. was then six years of age. Ilis youth was spent on a farm and he had the advantages of the common schools until he was nineteen years old. Ile then went to Cornell College, Mount Vernon, where he pursued his studies for two years. In July, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry, as a private, serving three years. On the organization of his regiment he was sent sonth, and took part in the siege of Vicksburg, also in the Red River campaign. He then went, via New Orleans, around to the Shenandoah Val- ley, under General Phil Sheridan, and took part in the battles of Winchester, Fisher's llill, Cedar Creek, and other smaller engage- ments. Ile was then ordered to Savannah, Georgia, then to Angusta to guard the ar- senal at that place. Afterward his regiment was ordered back to Savannah, Georgia, where Mr. Consins was mustered out of the service in July, 1865. He returned to Davenport, where he received his pay and final discharge. Ile then resumed farming for a time, and then entered the State University at Iowa City, graduating in the academic department in the class of 1872. Going back to the farm, he remained but a short time, and then
went to Chicago and entered the Presbyterian Theological Seminary, graduating in 1875. In the spring of 1874, previous to his gradu- ation, Mr. Consins was licensed to preach at Wilton, by the Iowa City Presbytery. IIe was ordained by the Cedar Rapids Presbytery at Cedar Rapids, lowa, having preached at several places. In the fall and winter of 1878 and 1879 he was employed as historian by a history firm, having their headquarters at Adel, Iowa. In the spring of 1879 he came to Audubon as pastor of the Presby- terian church at that place, where he remained for four years. Ile then carried on farming for two years. Following this he was em- ployed as bookkeeper for Charles Stuart & Son for two years. Ile then became con- neeted with his present newspaper work. In 1876 Mr. Cousins married Miss Lon M. Post, of Clarence, Iowa, a daughter of E. E. Post. Mr. and Mrs. Cousins are the parents of one son-Charles Edward, who died at the age of six years. Mr. Consins is a member of Ver- itas Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Amity Chapter, and Godfrey Commandery, being one of the charter members of the last. Ile is also a member of Allison Post, No. 34, G. A. R.
B YRON S. PHELPS, of the firm of Naslı, Phelps & Green, attorneys at law, Au- dubon, Iowa, is a native of the State of Vermont. Ile was born in Milton, Chitten- den County, in November, 1854, and is the ninth of eleven children, eight of whom sur- vive. William E. Phelps, the father of Byron S. Phelps, is a native of Vermont, and was a farmer by occupation; he is now retired, living in Milton, in his eighty-fourth year; the mother, Ursula Phelps, is also still living. Byron S. Phelps passed his early boyhood in Milton where he received his first lessons in
Margaret Heavalin
Nathaniel Hamlin
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the common schools; he then entered the Underhill Academy, and afterward went to Plattsburg, New York, at which place he spent one year in school. In 1873 he came to Atlantic, Iowa, and entered the law office of his brother, with whom he read law for three years. He was admitted to the bar of the circuit court, Judge Stockton presiding. In 1877 he removed to Stuart, Iowa, and started what was called the Stuart Bank in company with E. C. Chapman; he continued the banking business until the fall of 1878, when he sold his interest in the bank. In June, 1878, he went to Exira, and on the starting of the town of Audubon came to that place; having formed a partnership at Exira with John A. Nash, both gentlemen removed to Audubon, where they have done a large and prosperous business in law, real estate, loans and insurance. In 1886 Mr. Green was taken into the firm, thus making up the firm of Nash, Phelps & Green. Mr. Phelps was married June 9, 1886, to Miss Sallie Forbes, a daughter of James Forbes, a promi- nent merchant of Audubon. Mrs. Phelps was born in North Carolina, and was brought to her western home when a little girl. They have one child-Lucia, born February 22, 1889. Mr. Phelps owns two good farms, which he rents. He started out for himself with limited means, but by industry and hard work he has accumulated a considerable property. He owns a business house, and his residence, which stands upon a high spot commanding a fine view of the town.
ATHANIEL HAMLIN .- It is a privi- lege that many years hence will not be vouchsafed to men to hear the history of pioneer days from the lips of the worthy old pioneers themselves. Nathaniel Hamlin,
the first settler of Audubon County, Iowa, was born in Lewis County, Kentucky, March 13, 1814. His father, William Hamlin, was also a native of Kentucky, and was one of the first settlers of Lewis County. His grand- father, John Hamlin, of Seotch deseent, emi- grated from New Jersey to Kentucky. His mother was Mary Smith, a daughter of James Smith, Esq., a native of England, a sailor by occupation. After her marriage to Willian Ilamlin they settled in Lewis County, Ken- tucky, and there dwelt until the death of William Hamlin, which occurred in 1836- the wife and seven children surviving. Some years after her husband's death Mrs. Hamlin came to Iowa, and made her home with her son Nathaniel. She died at the advanced age of 100 years, one month, and a few days. Nathaniel Hamlin was married in Vermillion County, Illinois, April 9, 1840, to Margaret Poague, daughter of Ellen and Margaret (Terrill) Poague. Mrs. Hamlin was born in Greenup County, Kentucky, August 12, 1824, but when she was two years old her parents removed to Vermillion County, Illi- nois. Nathaniel and Margaret Hamlin are the parents of twelve children-Mary M., wife of Isaac Thomas; Hannalı M., wife of C. C. Hawk; Sarah R., wife of B. F. Thomas; Malinda C., wife of William Radcliffe; Will- iam Allen, married Florence A. Lewis; Mar- tha J., wife of E. S. Calph; Eliza (deceased); Susan P., wife of John V. Plantz; Clarinda Il., wife of John M. Allen; Nathaniel D. married Elva Crane; Fernando B., married Emma E. Kilworth; Robert E., married Sarah Wheeler. Mrs. Hamlin's grandfather, Robert Poague, was a native of Scotland, and her grandmother, Rebecca Poague, was born in Ireland. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hamlin settled in Vermillion County, Illinois, and there resided until 1844; they then removed to Mahaska County, Iowa, and
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lived there seven years. September 10, 1851, they came to their present farm-being the first actual settlers in the county of Andu- bon. Mr. Hamlin first entered 160 aeres of land, seleeting that on the waters of Trouble. some Creek, which is skirted by a beautiful natural grove. To the south stretches a rich and fertile prairie, making an ideal farm- land. Here the pioneer settled and planned his future home. His first house was a double log cabin of two rooms, but these two rooms had the capacity of accommodating a good many persons. This honse was for many years the travelers' home, and numbers of people to-day remember the generous hos- pitality extended by the worthy host and his faithful wife. The first barn was ereeted the following fall. It and a corn-erib, erected at the same time, still stand as monmments to those early days. Mr. Hamlin went to work in earnest, broke out a part of his new farm, and proceeded to place it under cultivation. He found a ready market for most of his prod- uce, especially corn, among the emigrants who were journeying still further westward. During the years when the tide was at its height, Mr. Hamlin remembers many times when forty or fifty teams would camp in his grove on account of the high waters of Troublesome Creek. Mr. Ilamlin was elected the first county treasurer, an office he held for eight years. During a part of that time he acted as recorder. He was the first post- master appointed at Hamlin's Grove post- LEXANDER H. ROBERTS, pharma- cist, Audubon, Iowa, came to the place October 15, 1878, the day on which the town lots were first offered for sale. Ile is a native of the State of Iowa, was born August 26, 1848, in Des Moines County, twelve miles west of Burlington. Ilis father, James Dorsey Roberts, is a native of Virginia, and a farmer by occupation. He removed to Iowa ofliee, and held the position until the election of Abraham Lincoln. Hle has always been an old-style Jacksonian Democrat, and was appointed postmaster under General Taylor's administration. For two years he was county supervisor. Instead of Mr. Hamlin's seek- ing the office it songht him, and politics was in a healthier condition than it is to-day. During the eight years he acted as treasurer | in 1838, and is now a resident of Henry
of the county he kept his money in the house. On being asked by the writer if he were not afraid of having the money stolen, he replied that it was quite safe-people in those days being generally honest. Mr. Hamlin built the first school-honse in the county, and he and one of his neighbors furnished eleven children, and paid the teacher. Judge D. M. Harris held the first court of the conuty in this same school-house. Mr. Hamlin was fond of chasing deer and wolf, and always kept a good number of hounds for the purpose, and to this day he keeps three fine hounds for chasing wolves. From the modest beginning of 160 aeres Mr. Hamlin has increased his landed estate to 1,400 acres, besides having given to each of his children from ninety to 100 acres. This in itself is a record of in- dustry, thrift and wise management. Mr. Hamlin has been actively engaged in feeding live-stock, and has annually shipped from one to four car-loads of live-stock to the Chicago markets. Although in his seventy-fifth year he is sound in mind and body, and attends to all his business with the same energy and push as in younger days. Ile and his estima- ble wife have journeyed many years together, and peace and happiness have been their re- ward. They have sixty-three grandehildren and four great-grandchildren.
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County, Iowa, where he has lived sinee 1855. IIe was born in 1823. The mother of Alex- ander II. Roberts is Susan (MeDonald) Rob- erts, a daughter of Alexander McDonald. She was born in 1826, and is still living. The family consists of four children, of whom A. II. is the sceond. The subject of this brief sketch was seven years old when his parents removed to Henry County, Iowa. Ile at- tended the common schools, and later pur- sned a three years' course at Ilowe's Academy. After leaving school he taught for a time, and then went to Burlington, where he grad- nated at the Bryant & Stratton Business Col- lege, and where he was employed as mailing elerk in the Burlington Hawkeye office for six months. He then embarked in the mer- eantile business in Corning, Iowa, where he remained twelve months. Ile went from Corn- ing to Mount Pleasant, where he engaged in the drug business, in which business he has been engaged since that time. In the autumn of 1878 he eame to Audubon and opened a stock of drugs, books and stationery. IIe is well established in trade, and is a very efficient druggist and careful pharmacist. Mr. Roberts was united in marriage, September 14, 1871, to Miss Lizzie Pritchard, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, a daughter of Thomas Pritchard, Esq. Mrs. Roberts was born in Henry County, Iowa, where her father was one of the earliest settlers, coming to the county from Philadel- phia in 1834. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have two children-Ira Pearl and Ralph Pritchard. Mr. Roberts was a member of the first school board, serving six years. At present he is president of that body. Ile was also a mem- ber of the first city eouneil. He is a member of Mount Pleasant Lodge, No. S, A. F. & A. M., Mount Pleasant, Iowa; of Amity Chap- ter, No. 93, R. A. M., Audubon, and of God- frey Commandery, K. T., Audubon. He was the first treasurer of the Audubon County 45
Agricultural Society, serving four years, and has been elected secretary for the coming year. In political matters he is rather con- servative. IIe is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and has been sinee childhood. Ile is serving his tenth year as superintendent of the Sabbath-school, for the success of which he has been a faith- ful worker. Mr. Roberts has not only been an active spirit in all business enterprises in Audubon, but he has also been instrumental in elevating the morals of his adopted city. Reuben Roberts, grandfather of A. II. Rob- erts, came to Iowa at an early day. Ile made the journey via the Ohio River to the Mississippi, thence via the Mississippi to Burlington. He came from near Wheeling, West Virginia, and was the father of twelve children.
OIIN D. HOLMES, physician and sur- geon, Andubon, Iowa, is a native of Ohio, born in Tusearawas County, near New- commerstown, July 1, 1849. Ile was the fifth of a family of eight children, seven of whom were girls. His father was James Holmes, also a native of Ohio, born in Bel- mont County in 1818, a farmer by occupation. Ilis mother was Elizabeth Dillahay, a native of Maryland, who died in 1882; she and her husband were among the pioneers of Ohio. The family moved by wagon to Wayne County, Iowa, in 1858, where the parents passed the remainder of their lives. The boyhood of the Doctor was passed in Wayne County, attend- ing the district school and working on the farm, where he lived until he was seventeen years old. He then began teaching school in Lucas County, Iowa. Afterward he entered Simpson College, pursuing his studies three years. In 1870 he entered the office of Dr.
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C. W. Davis, under whom he read medicine three years. Ile then entered the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati, where he took a course of lectures. He then came to Andu- bon County and commenced his practice. The following winter he went to Keokuk, Iowa, and entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which he graduated in 1876. He returned to Indianola, where he formed a copartnership with Dr. J. D. Me- Cleary, which continued for one year. Hle then returned to Hamlin, Iowa, and resnmed his practice there. In the fall of 1878 he removed to the new town of Andubon, where he has been actively engaged in his profession ever since, with the exception of seven months spent in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ile is a mem- ber of the Botna Valley Medical Society, of the State Medical Society, and of the Ameri- ean Medieal Society. He was elected mayor of the town of Audubon, serving three years, and succeeding E. J. Freeman. He was one of the electors from the Ninth Congressional Distriet, and east the electoral vote for James G. Blaine and John A. Logan. Ile is a mem- ber of Veritas Lodge, No. 392, A. F. & A. M., of which he is now Master. He is a member of Amity Chapter, No. 93, R. A. M., and of Godfrey Commandery, No. 44, K. T.
HOMAS WINTERS, who may be num- bered among the pioneer settlers of Audubon County, Iowa, was born in Yorkshire, England, November 5, 1833. He is a son of Jolin and Mary Winters, who emigrated to America when Thomas was one year old; they landed on Long Island, where they were shipwrecked, having intended to land in New York City. They crossed the Eastern States to Upper Canada, and stopped in Brantford, where they settled permanently
and lived the remainder of their days. The father was a shoemaker by trade. At the age of fifteen years Thomas left home to learn the carpenter's trade, and served an appren- tieeship of five years. After this period of time he worked as a journeyman on the rail- road through Canada, building bridges on the Great Western. Ile then left the British dominion and came to the United States, spending two years in Michigan and one in Missouri; from Missouri he went to work on a farm in Mercer County, Illinois, and re- mained there one year. In the year 1862, when there was a call for men to defend this country's flag, he entered the army, enlisting in Company G, One Hundred and Second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Ile remained in Illinois some time; was then ordered south through Kentneky and Tennessee, and joined Sherman's army, participating in the cam- paign from Nashville through to Savannah; then back through the Carolinas on to Wash- ington, D. C., where he took part in the grand review. After being honorably dis- charged and receiving his pay he returned to his home and engaged in agricultural pur- snits for the three years following. In the fall of 1868 he removed with his family to Audubon County, settling on what was known as the swamp land. The following spring he bought of the American Swamp Land Com- pany eighty acres of land on the Nishnabotna River, in what is now Viola Township; the county had not been divided into townships at that time. Mr. Winters broke ont his land and built a shanty, into which he moved his family. Ile had no neighbors, and his near- est market-place was Glidden, Carroll County, Iowa, at a distance requiring two days to make the trip. All the hardships met by pioneers were endured by Mr. Winters and his family. The second winter they spent in Exira, returning to the farm in the spring.
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The farm is rich bottom land, finely located, and well stocked with hogs and cattle of high grades. Being a carpenter by trade. Mr. Winters built his own home, the Inmber for which was sawed at the mill of Nathaniel Hamlin, the first settler of the county. In 1861 Mr. Winters was married to Susanna Wheeler, a daughter of Caleb Wheeler; she was born in Ohio, but was a resident of Mercer County, Illinois, at the time of her marriage. Eight children have been born to this union-Eva, Blanche, Nora, Laura, Min- nie, Mary, Lois and George. Little Eva died at the age of four years. Death again came into the happy home and called away Lois, the youngest girl, a bright child of ten years. She died May 14, 1888. Mr. Winters has represented his township as treasurer, and as school director. He is a member of the G. A. R. Politically he affiliates with the Democratie party.
MIL BILIIARZ, an active business man of Audubon, has been identified with the town since the spring of 1879. He was born in Baden, Germany, October 20, 1845, and emigrated to America when he was nine years of age; his parents came to this country at the same time; they were on the water thirty days, and landed at the city of New York; from New York they went to Ottawa, Illinois, where they settled; here the father died two years later; he was a har- ness-maker by trade. The mother, Maria (Speas) Bilharz, died in Ottawa in her forty- third year; she was also a native of Baden, Germany. There were ten children in the family, six of whom survive. Emil was the fourth child. After coming to this country he spent his youth in Ottawa, Illinois. At the age of nineteen years he entered a store
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