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 147

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 147

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Mr. Nelson .was married, on the 20th of September, 1866, to Miss Martha Ersland, a daughter of Knudt and Martha Ersland, natives of Norway, who came to the United States in 1854, locating in Kendall county, Illinois. A year later they removed to Story county, Iowa, and there Mr. Ersland purchased a farm to the operation of which he devoted his remaining days. He passed away in 1870, long surviving his wife, whose death occurred in 1856. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have been born seven children. Seward, the eldest, a record of whom appears elsewhere in this work, has six children: Matilda, who became the wife of Albert Hill, a merchant of Cambridge, Iowa; and Miller A., Clara H., Eldon L., Hazel J. and Selma C., all of whom are at home. Carrie married Severt Kalsem, a farmer of Story county, and became the mother of four chil- dren, Mabel, Martha, Joseph and Agnes. Jane became the wife of Ole Nelson, who carries on farming in Kendall county, Illinois, and has five children, Mildred, Mabel, Alta, Telford and Owen Jule. Annie wedded Ole J. Kalsem, of Story county, and has five children, Millie, Medelia, Alma, Geverna and Orville. Knute, who is mentioned on another page of this volume, has six children : Myrtle F .; Joseph A., whose demise occurred in March, 1901 ; Alice May; Nellie J .; Martha, who passed away in February, 1908; and Jessie N. Andrew is single and is connected with the Home Savings Bank, of Des Moines, Iowa. Martin, whose sketch also appears in this work, married Mollie John- son, by whom he has one son, Arnold Leroy. Mrs. Andrew Nelson passed away in January, 1908, and aside from her husband and children left a large number of friends to mourn her loss.

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Notwithstanding the heavy demands made upon him by his many business interests, Mr. Nelson found time and inclination to participate in community affairs and is interested in the various phases of public life. He belongs to the Lutheran church and politically is a stanch republican, while he maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. He is public spirited in his citizenship and his fellow citizens, recognizing his worth and ability, have called him to various positions of trust. He has served as township trustee and township assessor and also as a school director. He was county supervisor two terms and no matter pertaining to the material, intellectual or moral development of the county lacks his cooperation. Mr. Nelson has put forth earnest and inde- fatigable effort in his business affairs, which has resulted in winning for him the prominent place he occupies today among the successful and well known business men of Polk county.

REV. CHARLES SANDERSON MEDBURY, D. D.

Rev. Charles Sanderson Medbury, pastor of the University Church of Christ at Des Moines, was born in Warren, Ohio, on the 19th of November, 1865, his parents being Sheldon and Melinda (Sanderson) Medbury. The father's an- cestors came originally from Rhode Island, while the mother's people were from Pennsylvania. During his active business career Sheldon Medbury was identified with milling and mining interests, conducting a flour mill at Warren and having mining interests in Michigan. He has now attained the venerable age of eighty- three years and makes his home with our subject in Des Moines.

Charles S. Medbury obtained his early education in the public schools of Warren and Cleveland, Ohio, his parents having removed to the latter city in 1879. After a residence of seven years the family returned to Warren in 1886, continuing to reside there until they broke up housekeeping. The mother passed away at the home of her son Charles, who was at that time a resident of El Paso, Illinois. After putting aside his text-books Mr. Medbury became con- nected with the insurance business, being employed as a policy clerk at Cleveland for two and a half years. On the expiration of that period he won promotion, entering the office of the general agent of The Insurance Company of North America at Erie, Pennsylvania. Subsequently he went to Chicago as first assistant to the manager of the Royal Fire Insurance Company, serving in that capacity for one year.

At the end of that time Mr. Medbury began preparing for the ministry, entering Eureka College at Eureka, Illinois, and after leaving that institution he became pastor of the Church of Christ at El Paso, Illinois, where he remained for four years, 1893-1896. He not only left the church in a flourishing condition with about two hundred and fifty members but during his pastorate there erected a commodious new house of worship. From 1897 until 1903 he was pastor of a church at Angola, Indiana, which town is the seat of the Tri-State Normal College. There were about five hundred members in the church at the time he took charge and at the close of his pastorate the number had grown to nearly nine hundred. On the Ist of January, 1904, he became pastor of the University Church of Christ at Des Moines, which under his leadership has since enjoyed a wonderful growth, being now one of the strongest churches of the denomina- tion in the country. It has a membership of more than twenty-eight hundred and an average attendance of from eighteen hundred to two thousand. Since February, 1909, the congregation has occupied the present fine auditorium which was erected at a cost of eighty-five thousand dollars and adjoins the old church, which is still used as the Bible Schoolhouse. The new structure has a seating

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capacity of three thousand. The Rev. Medbury is also chaplain of Drake Uni- versity and a member of its board of trustees. In June, 1910, the university conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. He is a mem- ber of the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa branch of the Archæological Institute of America. His labors in Des Moines have proven a potent element in the moral development of the community. During the Spanish- American war he served as chaplain of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

On the 30th of December, 1890, in Chicago, Illinois, the Rev. Medbury was united in marriage to Miss Anna Laura Pickrell, a daughter of J. H. and Margaret (Bedford) Pickrell, of Springfield, Illinois. Her father, a cattle raiser and importer of shorthorn cattle, was for a number of years the secretary of the American Shorthorn Breeders Association. Rev. Medbury and his wife have two children, Margaret and Sheldon Pickrell.

ANDREW, CARL NELSON.

Andrew Carl Nelson, assistant cashier of the Home Savings Bank of Des Moines, to which position he has attained through unfaltering industry, adap- tability and fidelity, was born in Elkhart township, Polk county, Iowa, Novem- ber 9, 1878. His parents, who were pioneer settlers of the state, are mentioned on another page of this volume. At the usual age the son was sent as a pupil to the district schools, which he attended at intervals until he had attained his majority, pursuing his education in the winter seasons, while the summer months were devoted to the work of the farm, which brought to him a knowledge of the value of industry and determination as factors in business life. On attaining his majority he came to Des Moines, where he entered the Capital City Com- mercial College, but before completing his course he secured a position in the Home Savings Bank and has since gained his business training from practical experience. He was first employed as messenger boy but gradually has worked his way upward through intermediate positions until he is now serving as as- sistant cashier.

Mr. Nelson is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and in more strictly social connections holds membership in the Grand View Golf Club and the East Des Moines Commercial Club. His religious faith is manifest by his membership in the St. John's Lutheran church. He has a wide acquaintance in the county where his entire life has been passed and many of the comrades of his youth are today the friends of his manhood.

WILLIAM JOHN STEWART.

Among the prominent citizens of Grimes who have efficiently contributed to the commercial and financial development not only of Webster township but Polk county must be mentioned William J. Stewart, who has been identified with the organization of practically every notable business venture in the history of the town. He was born in Ogle county, Illinois, on the 23d of October, 1856, a son of Samuel and Ellen (Graham) Stewart, who were natives of Canada and of Scotch-Irish descent. The father migrated to Illinois with his parents when a lad of ten years, continuing to reside there until 1869, when he removed to Iowa with his family, locating on a farm of two hundred acres which he had bought one-half mile west of the present site of Grimes. He immediately set about clearing and cultivating this place, adding such improvements as he could

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from time to time and continuing its operation until his demise, which occurred on the 6th of August, 1904. The mother still survives and makes her home in Grimes.

William J. Stewart was only thirteen years of age when his parents located in Iowa, so that practically his entire life has been spent in Polk county, in the district schools of which he acquired his preliminary education, which was later supplemented by three terms at Simpson College, Indianola. After com- pleting his course he began teaching school, following that vocation in the win- ter and farming in the summer until 1882, at which time the town of Grimes was incorporated. Subsequent to this event he established a drug store in the new town, which he conducted most successfully for seventeen years and then he sold out and engaged in banking. After being identified with the latter business for seven years he organized the Grimes Savings Bank with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars and has been president of this institution ever since it was founded, while C. L. Weiset is vice president and A. B. Shawrer, cashier. For fourteen years while in the drug business Mr. Stewart was the secretary and general manager of the Grimes Butter & Cheese company, in which he met with most gratifying success, their yearly receipts being forty thousand dollars. During that period he originated the formula for Stewart's corrosive sublimate tablets, in the manufacture of which he is still engaged. These tablets are used almost exclusively by chemists throughout the United States and Canada for preserving composite milk samples for the Babcock test. He has a fine laboratory equipped with special machinery, and is prob- ably the largest consumer of corrosive sublimate west of the Alleghany moun- tains, his business being confined entirely to the jobbing trade.

In 1902 Mr. Stewart was instrumental in the organization of the Grimes Canning & Preserving Company, of which he was one of the directors until 1907, since which time he has also been secretary and general manager. They have a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars and did a business of one hun- dred and twenty thousand dollars in 1910, which figure will be equalled if not exceeded in 19II. They have already contracted for nine hundred acres of sweet corn, which product is sold. Last year they put out seventy-three car- loads of canned corn, twenty-one carloads of canned pumpkin and several carloads of kidney beans and hominy. Mr. Stewart has always devoted a great deal of time and energy to the promotion of this company, taking forty-eight thousand dollars worth of orders for canned corn one afternoon in Des Moines last fall.

Mr. Stewart also assisted in the organization of the Farmers Mutual Tele- phone Company in 1902, of which he has always been the secretary and gen- eral manager with the exception of two years. They have an exchange at Grimes and Waukee with six hundred and fifty members, four hundred and fifty of whom are stockholders in the company, which has a capital of twenty-six thou- sand dollars.

Mr. Stewart married Miss Ella A. McKee in September, 1884. Mrs. Stew- art is a daughter of John F. and Mary C. (Phoenix) McKee, the father a na- tive of Vermont and the mother of New York. Many years ago her parents removed to Wisconsin, where the father engaged in agricultural pursuits until his demise in 1895. Following this Mrs. McKee made her home in Grimes, where she passed away in 1898. Two children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Stewart: Harold, who died in infancy; and William Earl, born August 28, 1888, who has but recently graduated from the Iowa State University with the degree of B. A. and is now attending the Columbia University, New York city, from which he will graduate in law in 1912.

Mrs. Stewart is a woman possessed of most unusual ability and has been of very great assistance to her husband in the course of his career. She is a registered pharmacist and for twelve years devoted almost her entire time to the drug business, thus making it possible for Mr. Stewart to turn his energies

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into other channels. Despite her wonderful business acumen, however, she lacks none of the qualities a woman must, supply in the home and graciously meets all the requirements contingent upon her position in the social life of the community. She holds membership in the Presbyterian church.

Despite the exacting demands made upon his time by all his various busi- ness interests. Mr. Stewart has ever found the opportunity to fulfill his civic duties. He gives his support to the candidates of the republican party and was elected to the offices of mayor, justice of the peace and councilman, while he represented his county in the twenty-third general assembly of the state. Mr. Stewart has always been a champion of the cause of education and took a very active part in the establishment of a high school in Grimes. This in- volved a long hard battle of many years, which has been resultant in a lot of good to the community. Mr. Stewart was president of the school board for several years and this was a worthy fight in which he won. He has been most successful in all of his undertakings and in addition to his interest in various organizations owns farm lands in Minnesota and the Dakotas, as well as city property in Grimes. His financial progress has not been at all phenomenal but the steady and permanent development of well directed and capable effort, the achievement of which has been above question in either method or action.

WILLIS GILMORE TALLMAN.

Few business interests involve a greater multiplicity of details or are con- ducted upon a more carefully wrought-out system than is the insurance business, and he to whom is intrusted powers of management and executive control must, perforce, be familiar with the business in principle and detail. In Willis Gil- more Tallman is found one well qualified for the responsibilities that devolve upon him in the position of superintendent of agents for the Great Western Accident Association of Des Moines, to which position he was called in 1908. He was born in Western, Linn county, Iowa, in 1874, a son of Miller and Lizzie (Ault) Tallman, the former of English descent while the Aults lived for sev- eral generations in Connecticut during the pioneer epoch in the history of New England. The father was for almost four years a soldier of the Civil war, serv- ing with an Iowa company. During his active business life he followed farm- ing and is now living retired in Marshalltown, Iowa.

Willis G. Tallman acquired only a common school education, most of which was received at Kingsley, Iowa, after which he engaged in teaching school for several years in Woodbury and Plymouth counties, Iowa. After leaving school he traveled for several years for the Plano Harvester Company of Chicago, his territory being in the state of Nebraska, and in that connection he proved his business ability and the spirit of enterprise and progressiveness which has at all times actuated him since he started out in business life. He came to Des Moines as secretary of the National Health & Accident Association in 1901 and when that company, in 1906, consolidated with the Great Western Accident As- sociation, he remained with the latter and was made manager of the industrial department, which position he filled for two years. In 1908 he was promoted to the position of superintendent of agents. This called for keen discrimination in judging human nature to determine the ability of those who have charge of the agency work in the county, together with marked executive force in systema- tizing the interests which came under his control. Early in the year 1911 Mr. Tallman was elected vice president of the company. In every capacity Mr. Tallman is well equipped and his efforts constitute a valuable asset in the suc- cessful conduct of the business. Aside from insurance interests Mr. Tallman

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is president of the Farrar State Savings Bank of Farrar, Iowa, and vice presi- dent of the Citizens Bank of Cordova, Iowa.

In Kingsley, Iowa, on the 6th of June, 1898, Mr. Tallman was united in marriage to Miss Edith A. Dean, a daughter of Alonzo and Ellen Dean. Mrs. Tallman is a graduate of the Kingsley high school, class of 1891, and after her graduation engaged in teaching to the time of her marriage. Their children are: Richard Dean, born on the 27th of October, 1899, at Grand Island, Ne- braska; and Evelyn Lenore, born November 1, 1908, at Des Moines, Iowa. The parents are members of Grace Methodist Episcopal church and are prominent in the social circles in which they move.

Mr. Tallman belongs to Grant Club and has attained high rank in Masonry, holding membership with Pioneer Lodge, No. 22, 'A. F. & A. M .; Corinthian Chapter, No. 14, R. A. M .; Des Moines Consistory, A. A. S. R .; and Za-Ga-Zig Temple of the Mystic Shrine. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party but without desire for office, and his activity in that direction is only that of a loyal and public-spirited citizen. He prefers to concentrate his energies upon his business in which he has made steady progress, using every oppor- tunity to its best advantage and so directing his native talents and forces that he has made constant progress.

JESSE W. STRONG.

Jesse W. Strong, who is engaged in the automobile business in association with his son, C. F. Strong, owns a fine garage, salesroom and repair shop at No. 917-919 Grand avenue in Des Moines. His birth occurred in Adel, Iowa, on the Ist of February, 1857, his parents being J. Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Moffat) Strong, both of whom were born in Orange county, New York. The father, whose natal day was December 25, 1827, began farming as soon as he became old enough and followed general agricultural pursuits in New York until he had attained the age of twenty-seven years. In 1855 he came to Iowa, locating at Adel, where he engaged in the milling business, erecting a grist- mill and operating the same from 1856 until 1870. In 1874 he brought his family to Des Moines with the intention of retiring from active business life but found idleness foreign to his nature and therefore accepted a position with the Hawkeye Insurance Company as copyist, remaining with that concern for about three years. On the expiration of that period he formed a partnership with J. C. Vaughn for the conduct of a grocery business, purchasing the store of Adam Dickey on Walnut street. The firm of Strong & Vaughn was suc- cessfully engaged in business for three years, at the end of which time Mr. Strong sold his interest to his partner and retired. In 1876 he was elected alderman of Des Moines, serving for one term. He is now eighty-three years of age and makes his home with our subject. The period of his residence in Des Moines covers thirty-seven years and he enjoys an enviable reputation as one of the representative and esteemed men of the city.

Jesse W. Strong was reared in Adel, Iowa, and attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education. He remained under the parental roof until 1872, when he came to Des Moines to learn the jewelry and watchmak- ing business, serving an apprenticeship of five years with Julius Parmelee. For the first year's service he received twenty-five dollars and his board, and thereafter his remuneration was increased by twenty-five dollars each year. He worked at his trade in Des Moines for a period of thirty-one years, being successively in the employ of S. Joseph, Henry Plumb and Theodore L. Rogg. Subsequently, because his health had been impaired by too much confinement, he accepted a position as traveling salesman for the wholesale jewelry firm of

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M. A. Lombard Company, holding that position for six years. On the Ist of April, 1909, in association with his son, C. F. Strong, he' engaged in the sale of automobiles at No. 917-919 Grand avenue, in which connection he has since built up an extensive business. The father and son have a splendidly equipped garage and salesroom and also conduct a repair department. They handle only the Winton Six machines and the Apperson Jack Rabbit.

On the 8th of November, 1882, Mr. Strong was united in marriage with Miss Marie Johnson, a daughter of John and Carrie (Johnson) Johnson, both of whom were natives of Denmark. On coming to the United States in 1868 they settled on a farm three miles east of Story City, Iowa, which Mr. Johnson cleared and improved and in the operation of which he was successfully en- gaged until 1905. The remainder of his life was spent in honorable retirement at Story City, where he passed away in the fall of 1909. His widow yet re- sides at that place. Mr. and Mrs. Strong have one son, Chester F., whose birth occurred on the 3Ist of August, 1883, and who is now in business with his father.

Mr. Strong is a republican in politics and a Presbyterian in religious faith. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, belonging to Des Moines Lodge, No. 18, of the latter or- ganization. He owns a fine residence at No. 828 Seventeenth street.

JAMES HETHERSHAW.

A well cultivated forty acre tract in Bloomfield township pays tribute to the supervision of James Hethershaw, who is devoting his entire time and atten- tion to gardening and fruit-growing. His birth occurred on the Ist of Janu- ary, 1841, in England, in which country his parents, John and Sarah (Matthews) Hethershaw, spent their entire lives. The father, who was a vestryman in the Church of England, engaged in agricultural pursuits until his demise in 1903, two years after that of his wife.

The boyhood and youth of James Hethershaw, which were spent on the home farm, were occupied in the acquirement of an education and such assistance as he was able to render his father in the cultivation of the fields. He remained a member of the paternal household until he had reached the age of twenty- seven years, at which time he decided to satisfy himself regarding the excellent advantages which were said to await young men in America. Arriving in the United States in 1867, he made his way westward to Wisconsin, where he obtained employment in the lead mines. Four years were spent in this occu- pation and then having married, he removed to Buchanan county, Iowa, where he rented a sixty acre fruit farm, which he cultivated until 1875. In the latter year he came to Polk county, where he rented another fruit farm almost en- tirely devoted to the cultivation of apples, peaches and pears. After spend- ing two years on this he rented what was known as the Alf. Hammer farm, which contained forty acres, and another tract of the same size which was across the road, and engaged in general farming. During the nineteen years he operated this land he acquired the means to enable him to become a property holder and in 1896 he bought his present homestead. Many improvements have been effected by Mr. Hethershaw during the period of his occupancy, the most notable of which has been the erection of a fine modern residence, substantial barns and outbuildings, all of which have added greatly to the appearance and value of the property.

By his marriage, on the Ist of January, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth Muxlow, Mr. Hethershaw made his final arrangements for a home of his own. Mrs. Hethershaw is a daughter of George and Sarah (Colbeck) Muxlow, natives

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of England, who lived upon a farm in Wisconsin for several years and then removed to a place near Lemars, Iowa, which the father cultivated until he passed away in 1901, having survived his wife five years. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hethershaw, as follows: George W., who is liv- ing in Canada; Fred, a resident of Polk county; Lew, living in Wyoming; Hess V., who is at home; Jeannette S., also at home; John H., a farmer in Bloomfield township ; and Nellie M., May H. and Lillian P., all of whom are at home. The three eldest sons and the youngest son, John, are married.

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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 147

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