Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume II, Part 108

Author: Brigham, Johnson, 1846-1936; Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1464

USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume II > Part 108

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On the 28th of October, 1894, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Lynch was married to Miss Laura Ferneau, of Ohio, who survives him and is yet a resident of Des Moines. The death of Mr. Lynch occurred July 11, 1909, when he had reached the age of fifty-one years. He was of the Catholic faith and a generous contrib- utor to the church. A man of magnificent physique, his personal appearance commanded attention everywhere, but it was his kindly and generous spirit that most endeared him to his friends. He was at all times genial and his social qualities rendered him popular with many of Des Moines' citizens.

ALBERT P. CHAMBERLIN.

Albert P. Chamberlain, counsel of the interurban railway at Des Moines and for many years prominent in affairs connected with the city and with central Iowa, was born at Wheelersburg, Scioto county, Ohio, December II, 1853, and is a son of Oliver and Clarissa (Backus) Chamberlin. The father engaged in the milling business at Wheelersburg, but removed with his family to Story county, Iowa, in 1857, and devoted the remainder of his life to farming. The ancestors on the maternal side came from Germany and settled in Pennsyl- vania. The great-grandfather on the paternal side was a native of England and settled in Vermont. Captain Chamberlin of this family was an officer in the patriot army at the time of the Revolutionary war and performed distin- guished services in the struggle for freedom. The father of our subject was a soldier in the Mexican war and three brothers wore the uniform of the blue at the time of the great rebellion.

At four years of age Albert P. Chamberlin arrived with his parents in Iowa. He attended the district schools of Story county and later became a student of Iowa State College from which he was graduated in 1875. In the meantime he had taken up the study of law and matriculated at the Iowa Col- lege of Law, receiving the degree of LL. B. in 1876. Starting as a poor boy, he had been obliged to borrow money to meet his college expenses and upon graduation was five hundred dollars in debt. Nothing daunted, he set himself bravely to work to discharge the obligation and in a few years succeeded in doing so. In May, 1877, he began the practice of his profession in East Des Moines, first associating with P. B. Tollds, who is now living in Denver, Colo- rado. He was four years a member of the firm of Chamberlin & Harrison and later associated with A. K. Stewart, in the firm of Chamberlin & Stewart, con- tinuing for about eleven years. He then entered the city solicitor's office and Vol. II-45

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for four years served as assistant in that department. After this he practiced alone, with offices in the Goode block, in West Des Moines. About twelve years ago he became interested in the promotion and construction of interurban railways and during a large part of the time named has been connected in a legal capacity with the Polk traction interest, and since the incorporation of the Interurban Railway of Des Moines and the Des Moines City Railway Com- pany has filled the position of counsel for those organizations. Mr. Chamber- lin is now a member of the firm of Chamberlin & Parsons. He is a good rea- soner, a clear and forcible speaker and has long been acknowledged as a leader at the bar of Polk county. Professionally he is identified with the Iowa State Bar Association. the Polk County Bar Association and the Drake Lawyers' Club. During the session of the fifty-first congress Mr. Chamberlin was ap- pointed by Governor Larrabee as a commissioner to represent the state of Iowa, to urge the passage of a bill at Washington for a deep water port on the northwest coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This agitation resulted in a convention of representative citizens of the west and southwest, which met at Denver, Colorado, and Mr. Chamberlin was named as one of a committee of three to keep up the agitation of the subject at Washington. As a result of this move- ment Galveston was selected by the government as a deep water harbor and an appropriation of six million two hundred thousand dollars was made to build jetties, thus developing at Galveston a depth of twenty-seven feet in the har- bor. permitting all ocean-going vessels to enter.

On the 9th of November, 1882, Mr. Chamberlin was married to Miss Augusta Puls, a daughter of Christian and Johanna Puls, who were early set- tlers of Scott county. One son, Albert L., came to bless this union, his natal day being January 20. 1888. He is devoting attention to mechanical and elec- trical lines and gives promise of unusual attainments, especially in inventions and discoveries pertaining to electricity.

Mr. Chamberlin has been a lifelong republican and is an earnest supporter of the platforms and candidates of the party. He is prominent as a campaign speaker and has done considerable effective work, especially in Des Moines and Polk county. For a number of years he served as chairman of the Polk County Republican Club. Fraternally Mr. Chamberlin is identified with the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. He has filled all the chairs, including that of chancellor commander, in Lodge 68. K. P., and has served as a representative to the Grand Lodge. He is thoroughly energetic and efficient in anything he undertakes and has met with success which is the reward of wisely directed energy. He is a great lover of flowers, animals and nature and owns a beautiful ful tract of twenty acres near Des Moines, where he indulges his taste for horticulture, having also planted a fine orchard. Ultimately he expects to locate upon his farm and there pass his declining years in the peaceful pursuits of country life.

BARRETT BROTHERS.

The mercantile interests of Mitchellville have shown a remarkable growth during recent years. This desirable condition has been accomplished through the energy and efficiency of progressive men of the community and among those who occupy a high standing should be named John W. and Stewart W. Barrett. members of the firm of Barrett Brothers, large dealers in live-stock, grain and coal.

John W. Barrett of the firm of Barrett Brothers was fifth in order of birth in the family of Benjamin and Mary T. (Walker) Barrett, record of whom appears elsewhere in this work. His natal day was January 12. 1870. He

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received his early education in the district schools and for three years was a student in a college at Shenandoah, Iowa, but left that institution when it was partially destroyed by fire. After his return home he devoted his attention to clealing in stock and also to feeding cattle. He was naturally attracted toward those lines and became quite prominent in this section, attaining a gratifying degree of success. In 1905, possessing a laudable ambition to increase his business, he bought out the Denniston & Partridge Company, dealers in grain and lumber at Mitchellville, and later erected two elevators, with a capacity of twenty-one thousand bushels, which are fully equipped with modern machinery for shelling and handling corn. He also deals extensively in live-stock and coal. The firm keeps in touch with the great central markets as to quotations, movements of grain, etc., and reliable information is thus available for patrons. Mitchellville is also an important depot for shipments of live-stock driven to this point from farms in Jasper and Polk counties. Mr. Barrett has had con- siderable experience as a coal operator, having owned the local coal bank at Colfax for six years, and the sales of coal since 1905 have been very large. He is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of well improved land and also of a handsome residence east of the depot at Mitchellville.

In December, 1896, Mr. Barrett was united in marriage to Miss Wilda Clark, of Marion county, Iowa, a daughter of Thomas and Belle (Gore) Clark, and of this union four children have been born, namely, Mary, Harold, Mar- garet and Howard, all of whom are now attending school. Mr. Barrett and his wife are members of the Congregational church and politically he gives his support to the republican party. Fraternally he is connected with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Rebekahs, and the Modern Woodmen of America.

Stewart W. Barrett, the fourth in order of birth in the family of Benjamin and Mary T. (Walker) Barrett, was born in 1868 on the home farm two and one-half miles southeast of the town of Mitchellville. He attended the district schools and subsequently received advantages of education in a college at Shenandoah, Iowa. After laying his books aside he engaged in farming in Tasper county and later bought a quarter section of land in Saskatchewan, Canada, upon which he took up his residence. He was living upon this farm in 1909 when his father was taken with his final illness and he still owns the property. In May, 1910, he entered into partnership with his brother, John W. Barrett, under the title of Barrett Brothers, and now devotes his entire atten- tion to the branch office of the firm at Tucker Station, which is located on the interurban railway west of Mitchellville. An elevator was erected by the firm at Tucker Station in 1910, with a capacity of five thousand bushels, and under the capable management of Mr. Barrett the business has increased to such an extent that he is enabled to secure cars enough to meet the demand only through urgent solicitation. The prospects for a still larger development of the busi- ness are very flattering.

On the 15th of March, 1893, Mr. Barrett was married to Miss Anna Had- sall, the youngest daughter of George Hadsall, a farmer of Jasper county, now living retired at Mitchellville. Four children have come to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Barrett, Roland, Carl, Morris and Harry. The family lives at Mitchellville, where the children have excellent opportunities for education in the public schools. Mr. Barrett and his wife are active members of the Congregational church and he is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Rebekahs and the Modern Woodmen of America. As a public-spirited citizen he is greatly interested in the progress of the community and has served as a member of the school board.

It requires exceptional business ability and untiring energy to build up and keep going an important enterprise such as that which is presided over by the Barrett Brothers. Fully alive to the possibilities of growth, they have provided

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excellent facilities and by their enterprise and geniality have attracted a stead- ily increasing patronage. They justly enjoy a high reputation for prompt and straightforward dealing and their prospects are exceedingly bright for the future.

JAMES THORNTON.

Among the citizens of Des Moines now deceased who contributed their share toward the development of the city it is doubtful whether any deserve a more honored place than James Thornton. The record of his career is no ordinary story. His life was one of ceaseless and unselfish effort and many there be who call him blessed, for few have made greater personal sacrifices in behalf of others. He was born at Edlington, England, May 1, 1832, a son of James and Susan (Croft) Thornton, the latter of whom was born at Little Asby, England, in 1783, and died in 1871, at the age of eight-eight years.

The first ancestor of the Thornton family of whom there is any record was James Thornton, a wealthy merchant in Ireland, who had several children, among them a son named James Thornton. The son ran away from home at eleven years of age and never again saw his parents or his old home. He went to sea and was a sailor and soldier during the wars of Napoleon I. It was his custom to go ashore when convenient in the harvesting season and reap with a sickle. During one of these seasons in England he became acquainted with a widow named Rollinson, who was binding in the field, the mother of ten . children. Her maiden name was Susan Croft. Her father at one time owned a farm near Little Asby but he mortgaged it to start his son Allen Croft in the milling business and lost his entire possessions. His daughter married quite young and after the death of her husband found it necessary to go out and work in the harvest field, as was the custom at that time. Her meeting with James Thornton proved of mutual interest and they were married soon after- ward. At the time of their marriage they were each about forty-eight years of age. James was the only child born to this union.

In his diary James Thornton has the following to say concerning his parents and his early life: "My father was intelligent, more from contact with men and scenes than from an acquaintance with books, yet he was a reader and took pains to teach me and I learned more from him than at school. He seemed to have lived in every clime. His conversation greatly interested me and im- pressed my mind with a love for travel. I do not remember the time when I did not long to see a foreign land. My father died when I was nine years of age. My mother was an upright, pious woman and her economy, prudence and foresight were remarkable. How we lived on a mere pittance is more than I can understand, but I was well fed and warmly clothed. I always had a pair of everyday boots and also of Sunday boots. The summer I was nine years old I worked out for two cents a day herding hogs and boarded at home. At thir- teen I received sixty-two and one-half cents per week and boarded with my mother. My wages at fourteen and fifteen were ten dollars and board per year. At sixteen it was twenty dollars and board; at eighteen, thirty dollars ; and at twenty I received thirty-seven and a half dollars per year. I then worked by the day one winter and boarded with my mother, being paid sixty-two and one-half cents per day, which was considered good wages."

Mr. Thornton in his boyhood had no school advantages but his mother read to him from the Bible and other books that came into her possession, thus creat- ing in him a desire to be of service in the world. He worked hard many hours each day and had little time for the improvement of his mind. However, he was determined to study and, finding that he would fall to sleep if he sat down to read, he nailed a shelf against the wall on which he placed his book

MR. AND MRS. JAMES THORNTON

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and candle and by standing up he was able to carry forward his studies. He was delighted when told that there was such a book as a dictionary in which he could find all the words of the English language. He took an active interest in Sunday schools and as a boy began speaking in public as an exhorter. Later he became a local preacher of the Wesleyan Methodist church and was assigned to a circuit having about forty preaching places and nearly as many preachers, so that each might have a new congregation each Sunday. He often walked eight or ten miles Sunday morning and after preaching walked several miles to another appointment for the afternoon and filled the third appointment at a place some miles distant in the evening. At that time little progress had been made in the holding of Sunday school conventions and he suggested to his fellow preachers the possibility of calling together a number of Sunday schools and having a special train made up at Lincoln, England, to bring to the place of assemblage prominent speakers and Sunday school workers. His idea was declared ridiculous, the other preachers taking the position that promi- nent speakers had no time for such an undertaking. However, Mr. Thornton was not willing to give up easily and later he was present when a large and appreciative audience was addressed by speakers from Lincoln who had come out on a special train for that purpose.

In the spring of 1858 Mr. Thornton emigrated to Canada sailing from Liver- pool to Quebec, April 20, on the Colodin, and was placed in charge of a Methodist church near Ottawa. He learned the Chippewa Indian language and served for a short time as missionary among the Indians. He also passed a very creditable examination in the common branches and engaged as a school teacher. In 1864, having in the meantime been married, he arrived with his family at Monona, Iowa, where he bought a farm on credit and set to work with a will to clear it of timber and also of indebtedness, in both of which he was successful. He drove to church Sunday mornings in an ox cart and in speaking of his experiences in after years he laughingly remarked that the people whom he met in more pretentious equipages always seemed pleased to give him his full share of the road. About this time he joined the conference of the United Brethren in Christ and was placed in charge of a church at Cas- talia, Iowa. He was very active in his work and preached in about forty coun- ties in Iowa, being often obliged to drive long distances and undergo great hardships. He always kept his appointments regardless of inconveniences to himself, feeling that it was his duty to do so. He was greatly interested in foreign missions and gave five hundred dollars toward the African missions. He much regretted the attitude of England toward the Boers, as he was thor- oughly in sympathy with the latter in their troubles with the mother country.

In 1890 Mr. Thornton took up his residence at Des Moines, purchasing forty acres of land inside the southern limits of the city, for which he paid one hun- dred and twenty-five dollars per acre, which was considered at the time an extravagant price. He had great faith in Des Moines and predicted large de- velopment for the south side, proving one of the important factors in this work. When he purchased the land it was covered with crab apple and wild plum trees, bushes and weeds, the only habitable building upon it being a log cabin which was about to fall down. Along the west side of this tract was Norris avenue, now West Fourteenth street, this being the only street within a quarter of a mile. The bridges that now stand at Ninth street, Eighteenth street and Valley Junction were not then erected and the travel from the south and southwest crossed the old Seventh street bridge. The cuts and fills on Southwest Ninth street today give evidence of the grades that existed twenty years ago. The coal mines on Ninth street caused a large traffic and during the rainy season it was essential that drivers should know which ruts to take, as they were obliged to follow through to the end, there being no possibility of turning out. Although the outlook was, indeed, unpromising, Mr. Thornton said: "We shall have

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paved streets and street cars some day." He contributed liberally toward the building of the Park Avenue Christian church and when the Army Post was located he assisted generously, believing that it would hasten the coming of the cars and other much needed improvements.

He had original ideas as to disposing of the land and settling up the south side. He sold .lots upon easy terms, with a small cash payment down, as he felt great interest in families struggling for a livelihood and obliged to deny themselves many of the comforts of life. It was this class that he determined to assist. He helped many to build their homes and to those that felt it was impossible to erect a structure of any importance he said: . "Just set four posts in the ground, board up around them, put a roof on and move in. You will have a better house some day." His cheerful advice led many to take an op- timistic view of life and to find that it was possible to begin even without a dollar and by perseverance and economy to secure a home. Thus many new dwellings sprung up on the south side and men who previously had little faith in themselves became landowners and reared their families in their own homes. Thornton Place received its name in honor of Mr. Thornton and Thornton street, about a mile in length on the north side of Thornton Place, was also named in his honor. His neighbors, perceiving that his ideas were practical, asked him to take charge of the sale of their homes, and thus he became a successful real-estate dealer and one of the important agencies in the development of Des Moines.

Mr. Thornton was three times married. His first wife was Bessie Lightfoot, a native of Yorkshire, England, and they became the parents of six children : Henry A., born March 20, 1862, who married Elizabeth Hickman; Christopher C. and Rollinson J., twins, born May 14, 1863, the former of whom married Ida Harvey and the latter of whom married Miss Mary Yarroch; Lucinda, who was born June 5, 1864, and died in infancy; Susan L., born August 5, 1866, who married Alpheus P. Banks; and William O., who was born June 10, 1868, and married Jane Gordineer. Mrs, Thornton died February 2, 1872, and Mr. Thornton was married, March 10, 1875, to Mrs. Mary Richardson, who was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, January 15, 1815, the widow of William Richard- son, a minister and physician of Castalia, Iowa, who had also served as presiding elder. The second wife of Mr. Thornton had no children of her own but had raised several orphan children, proving to them a faithful mother. She died July 6, 1888. On July 30, 1889, Mr. Thornton was married to Miss Mary Bachelder, a native of Castalia, born October 15, 1857. She is a daughter of G. W. and Cynthia (Barto) Bachelder, who came to Iowa from Fayette Corner. Maine. Her mother was a daughter of Horace and Humility (Evans) Barto and her grandfather on the maternal side was of Revolutionary fame, and was one to make up the Boston Tea Party. Two children came to bless this union : Bessie May, who was born May 10, 1890; and James Robert, born August 6. 1892.

As the health of Mr. Thornton failed through advancing years his wife, Mary B. Thornton, assumed charge of his real-estate business, gradually re- lieving him entirely of care and responsibility. He took great pleasure in books and flowers, of which he was very fond during his entire life, and left a well selected library for his children. Among his books is a small volume of Russell's Sermons, which was bought by him when he was nine years of age with money he earned while herding hogs at two cents a day. This book he held as sacred, as his mother read it through to him many times. He was always thankful that he was born of poor and upright parents and especially that his mother was a devout woman and a true Christian. He often. declared that he had been vouchsafed his full share of blessings from the great giver of all gifts. After carefully arranging his business affairs and making known his wishes concerning his burial he passed from this life April 17, 1906, having almost

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completed his seventy-fourth year. His remains were interred in the cemetery at Monona, Iowa, by the side of his first wife, Bessie (Lightfoot) Thornton. At the time of his death Mr. Thornton left his widow, Mary B. Thornton, well established in the real-estate business, which she has since conducted with marked success. She is greatly interested, as was her husband, in charitable and mis- sionary work and is recognized as one of the intelligent, progressive and helpful women of Des Moines.

JAMES A. ALEXANDER.

Iowa draws her wealth from the soil. Her splendid agricultural interests constitute the source of her revenue and the real builders and promoters of her greatness and prosperity have been those who have been active in promoting the work of the farm along progressive lines .. Of that class James A. Alex- ander was a representative, for the greater part of his life was given to general agricultural pursuits in Polk county. He was born in the middle west and the spirit of enterprise, which has ever dominated this section of the country, was manifest in his life. A native of Hancock county, the year of his birth was 1838. His parents, James and Mary (McMichael) Alexander, with their family of four children, came to Polk county, Iowa, in 1856, and passing through Des Moines, continued their journey to the northern part of the county, where the father secured a tract of land which they broke, developed and improved, con- verting it into a good farm property. For many years the father resided there, but at length put aside the work of the fields and purchased property on Buchanan street in Des Moines. He was not satisfied, however, with residence in the city, so purchased a farm near Polk City, upon which he and his wife took up their abode and spent their remaining days. One of their daughters, Mrs. Julia Anderson, is still living in Polk City.

James A. Alexander pursued his education in the schools of his native county and was a youth of eighteen years when he accompanied his parents on their removal from Indiana to Iowa. Becoming one of the early settlers here, he aided in the difficult and arduous task of developing a new farm, often walking behind the breaking plow as the first furrows were turned and later continuing the cultivation of the fields according to the most modern methods of farm life. In 1866 he resolved to have the comforts of a home and to this end was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte Smith, a native of Hancock county, Indiana. Following his marriage with his bride, he removed to Des Moines, where for one year Mr. Alexander engaged in the contracting business, but like his father, found agricultural life more attractive and congenial to him, and at the end of that time purchased forty acres of land on Scott street, south of the fair grounds, where he lived with his family sixteen years. He then removed to a farm near Rising Sun, purchasing one hundred and twenty acres and later added to his holdings until his landed possessions aggregated about five hundred acres, constituting a very valuable and desirable property. This he improved, maintaining his residence upon his Rising Sun property until his death. In the work of the farm he manifested a most practical as well as progressive spirit. He always secured the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields and made a close study of the crops best adapted to soil and climate.

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Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume II, Part 108

Author: Brigham, Johnson, 1846-1936; Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Brigham, Johnson, 1846-1936; Clarke (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1464