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 152

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 152

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decided to devote his attention wholly to this work he arrived at the conclusion in his young manhood that it would be well to see what was being accomplished on those lines in leading centers of the country. Accordingly he started out upon a tour of observation and study, going first to Chicago and then to Minnea- polis, where he continued for two years in connection with the business, then to New York for an equal length of time. His next experience was in Wash- ington, D. C., where he had the opportunity of taking note of horticultural work which was being accomplished by the government. In 1908, having covered the field very thoroughly, he returned to Des Moines and began in the florist business upon his own account. Since that time he has succeeded to the plant established by his father. He has a store at 410 East Sixth street and a farm at Grand View Park, where flowers and plants are produced upon an extensive scale. His greenhouse plant consists of forty-five thousand square feet of glass and he now gives employment to about twenty persons during the entire year, specializing in the handling of the very highest grades of cut flowers. As he is enabled to make a remarkably fine display and understands his business thoroughly from the ground up he now finds himself at the head of a concern which is one of the substantial and lucrative enterprises of the city.

On the 14th of June, 1910, Mr. Lozier was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Marie Geneva, who was born in Des Moines, September 26, 1889. She is a daughter of John and Irene (Cooney) Geneva, the father being at the present time clerk in the police court at Des Moines. In social circles Mr. and Mrs. Lozier are well known. His religious faith is that of the Episcopal church and he belongs to the Des Moines Lodge, No. 68, K. P., the Modern Woodman Camp, the Modern Brotherhood of America and the Brotherhood of American Yeomen.

CHARLES B. HARDING.

One of the citizens of Webster township who has materially aided in the development of the natural resources of Polk county is Charles B. Harding, who is living on a well cultivated farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He was born in New York on the 17th of October, 1855, and is a son of Nathan G. and Caroline A. (Burgess) Harding, natives of New York and Connecticut respectively. Removing to Illinois in pioneer days the father located on a farm near Monmouth, which he cultivated for many years, during which time he ac- quired considerable property. Removing to Monmouth in 1865, he engaged in the lumber business for three years and at the same time studied for the bar, to which he later was admitted, but owing to difficulty with his eyes never did much practicing. Coming to Iowa in 1878 he settled in Polk county, upon four hundred acres of land, which he purchased in Webster township and in the cul- tivation of which he engaged until a few years prior to his death, when he re- moved to Des Moines. At the end of a year's residence in the capital city he returned to the farm, where he continued to reside until he passed away in De- cember, 1905, at which time he was eighty-seven, being six years older than Mrs. Harding was at the time of her demise on the 21st of July, 1901.

Charles B. Harding acquired his education in the district schools of New York and Illinois, the public schools of Monmouth and Monmouth College, re- maining a member of the paternal household until he had attained the age of twenty-two years, when he came to Iowa. He first located in Des Moines, where he clerked in a store for a year and a half, but his health failing at the end of that time he went to Nebraska, where he worked in the lumber camps for six months. Going to Omaha, he next worked in a grocery store for a year, after which he opened a flour and feed business. Disposing of the latter at the end of a year, he began milling for the wholesale trade, continuing in this until

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1881, when he returned to Des Moines and joined his brother in establishing the first milk depot in the city. After engaging in the dairy business for two years he returned to Omaha for a similar period, and then returned to Polk county and assumed the management of the homestead, which he has ever since continued to cultivate. His father, two years previous to his death, deeded him one hundred and sixty acres of his land, upon which he is now living. He has effected many improvements during his occupancy, having erected a fine residence and made other changes, all of which have tended to add greatly to the appearance of the property. Mr. Harding generally keeps from forty to fifty head of cattle, fifteen head of horses and until recently he raised about one hundred and fifty hogs for the market every year, but he has now discontinued the latter business.

Mr. Harding's arrangements for a home had their culmination in his mar- riage on the 6th of April, 1884, to Miss Eva Bowlby, a daughter of John and Jane (Jackson) Bowlby. Her mother was a native of Ohio and her father of New Jersey. Removing to Illinois in the pioneer days they located upon a farm, in the cultivation of which the father engaged until the breaking out of the Civil war. Enlisting in Company K, One Hundred and Third Illinois Volunteers, he went to the front, where he remained two years, but his health succumbing to the hardships and privations incident to camp life he was sent home on fur- lough. He passed away, however, before reaching his destination and was laid to rest at Haines Bluff, Mississippi, in 1863, at the age of thirty-four years. Mrs. Bowlby married again, her second union being with J. P. Manning, who is now deceased. Mrs. Manning, who is now eighty-two years of age, has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Harding, ever since the latter's marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Harding have no children of their own, but are rearing two daughters of a niece of the latter: Eva Irene Camer, who is thirteen years of age, and Irma May Camer, who is eight.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Harding affiliate with the church of the Latter Day Saints, while his political support he accords the republican party. Not aspiring to public office, however, he does not participate in civic activities, preferring to devote his attention to the supervision of his private affairs. In addition to his homestead Mr. Harding owns a nice residence and three lots in Des Moines, which he rents most advantageously. He is a capable business man as well as agriculturist and has accumulated a very nice property during his residence in Polk county.

S. R. GAWTHROP.

The south is under great obligations to real-estate men of other sections of the country who have assisted most ably during recent years in bringing settlers into unoccupied districts. Among the energetic promoters of immigration is S. R. Gawthrop, who has for four years past maintained his headquarters at Des Moines.' He was born in Louisa county, Iowa, December 20, 1868, a son of James T. and Ruth A. (Jarvis) Gawthrop. The mother was born in Iowa, in 1839, and is now deceased. The father was born at Baltimore, Maryland, in 1830, and was a contractor and builder. There were seven children in the family, namely: C. Z., who is married and lives at Morning Sun; Frank, who is also married and lives near Mount Pleasant, Iowa; Emma, now the wife of S. G. Matthews, of Burlington; S. R. the subject of this review; E. D., who is married and lives at Burlington; Daisy, now Mrs. J. M. Sanchez, of Omaha, Nebraska; and Mary, the wife of A. J. Lee, of Batavia, Iowa.

S. R. Gawthrop received his preliminary education in the common schools of Louisa county. After laying his books aside he engaged in commercial life

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for one and one-half years and then for five years in the harness business, after which he conducted a general mercantile store on his own account for fourteen years at Oakville, Iowa. He then entered the real-estate business and in 1906, on account of superior advantages of location, removed to Des Moines, where he has since continued. His attention is mainly devoted to the encouragement of immigration to irrigated lands of Hidalgo county, one of the coast counties of Texas. These lands are disposed of mostly in small tracts of forty, sixty, eighty or one hundred acres and have proven highly satisfactory investments.

In 1888 Mr. Gawthrop was united in marriage to Miss Sallie Thomas, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Isham Thomas, who is a veteran of the Civil war and is now living retired. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gawthrop, namely: Eva, at home; Doyle, a student at Des Moines College ; and Dudley, Marie, Fay and Anita, all of whom are attending school.

Mr. Gawthrop is an enterprising and successful business man and has made many friends, who admire him for his generous and manly character. Politically he is not identified with any of the established parties, preferring to be inde- pendent. He takes an active interest in local affairs, although not a politician in the sense of seeking office. Religiously he is connected with the Methodist church and is a sincere believer in its teachings. He also holds membership in the Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Grant Club of Des Moines.

THEODORE FLITCRAFT.

Theodore Flitcraft, who for the past six years has been engaged in the meat business in Elkhart, is one of Polk county's native sons, his birth having occurred in Saylorville on the 7th of October, 1871. He is a son of George W. and Annie E. (McMean) Flitcraft, the mother a native of Indiana and the father of Ohio. At the age of eighteen years George W. Flitcraft came to Iowa and very soon thereafter he enlisted in Company E, Twentieth Iowa Volunteers, at Davenport and went to the front, serving all through the Civil war. After receiving his discharge he came to Des Moines, where he learned blacksmithing, following which he worked in the Skinner Plow factory. Subsequently he went to Saylorville and established a shop, which he operated until 1879, when he removed to Berwick and continued to be identified with the same occupation for two years. At the expiration of that period he came to Elkhart and opened a shop, which he was conducting at the time of his death on the 30th of Sep- tember, 1884. The mother, who is now fifty-nine years of age, continues to reside in Elkhart.

The elementary education of Theodore Flitcraft was acquired in the public schools of Saylorville, which he attended until he was ten years of age, when his parents removed to Elkhart and there he completed his schooling. After laying aside his text-books he worked as a farm hand by the month for three years. At the expiration of that period he accepted a position in a general store at Elkhart, where he remained until 1898, and then went to Des Moines to work for B. S. Schermerhorn in the butter and egg business. Eighteen months later he severed his connection with this company and removed to St. Paul, Minne- sota, entering the employ of the R. E. Cobb Commission Company. In 1905 he returned to Elkhart and established a retail meat market, which he conducted . for three years and then added groceries, and has ever since been conducting a meat market and grocery. He has met with favorable returns from his ventures, particularly in his market as there is no other in the village.

On the Ist of June, 1909, Mr. Flitcraft married Miss Ada B. Conner, a daughter of John and Ellen (Lint) Conner, the mother a native of Pennsyl-

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vania and the father of Ohio. Mr. Conner was for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits in Missouri, but removed from there to Iowa in 1873, lo- cating on a farm in Jasper county, which he cultivated for several years and then came to Polk county. He is still engaged in the operation of his farm although he is now sixty-six years of age, while Mrs. Conner is sixty.

The political views of Mr. Flitcraft coincide with those of the republican party, for whose candidates he always casts his ballot. He takes a keen interest in municipal affairs and has served as councilman for one term. Although not affiliated with any church he attends the Methodist Episcopal with Mrs. Flitcraft as she is a member. A man of purpose and enterprise, Mr. Flitcraft has succeeded in establishing a lucrative business in Elkhart, where he is re- garded as both capable and trustworthy.

ALBERT C. MILLER.

Citizens of Des Moines take just pride in the standing of its financial in- stitutions which rank fully as high as those of any other city of its size in Amer- ica. In the number of well established concerns is the Home Savings Bank, which was organized twenty years ago by Albert C. Miller, who served for seventeen years as its cashier and since 1908 has occupied the office of presi- dent. He is a native of Miami county, Indiana, born February 12, 1856, and is a son of Henry Clay and Savannah (Elwell) Miller, both of whom were born in Indiana. The father was a farmer and is now deceased, but the mother is still living and makes her home in Miami county. On the paternal side the ancestors were of Scotch-Irish descent, and on the maternal side they par- ticipated in the Revolutionary war and became settlers of Miami county.

Albert C. Miller possessed advantages of education in the public and high schools and later attended the Quaker Academy at Wabash, Indiana, and the Methodist Colleges at Fort Wayne, Indiana. At the age of twenty-three years he left college and entered business life in charge of a department in the store of J. B. White & Company, dealers in general merchandise at Fort Wayne, continuing in that position for one year. In 1880 he arrived in Des Moines and was appointed deputy county treasurer, a position which he filled with great acceptance for ten years lacking seven days. In 1891, after leaving the county treasurer's office, he organized the Home Savings Bank, of which he was elected cashier and, as stated above, is now serving as president. He is also president of the Citizens Savings Bank of Benton, Iowa, and vice president of the Farmers Exchange Bank of Ankeny.

On the 20th of December, 1883, Mr. Miller was married at Des Moines to Miss Mary E. Wood, a daughter of William W. Wood, a native of Ohio. The paternal ancestors of Mrs. Miller came to America with William Penn and her parents were settlers in Ohio. Two children came to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Miller; Virgil F., who was born October 30, 1884, and died October 15, 1891; and Leland Wood, born February 2, 1893.

In politics Mr. Miller gives his support to the republican party and at times he takes an active part in promoting the cause of its candidates. Fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Yeomen of America and the Iowa Traveling Men's Association. He also holds member- ship in the Grand View Golf Club. He is prominently connected with a num- ber of business organizations to which he has given much time and energy. He is a charter member of the Greater Des Moines committee and for a number of years he was a director and treasurer of the Commercial Club and of the East Des Moines Commercial League. Through his efforts the movement for the survey of the Des Moines river was started to determine whether it was

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possible to improve the stream for navigation and also to determine its value for water power. The committee, composed of members of all these different organizations, was appointed and Mr. Miller was made its chairman. After two years of strenuous work in gathering statistics, attending waterway conven- tions and also filing a report covering every phase of the subject, which report was approved by the Rock Island corps of United States army engineers and finally by the reviewing board of engineers at Washington, an appropriation was made by congress and the engineers began the work assigned them in Jan- uary, 1910. Up to this date the report of the engineers has not been made pub- lic but its publication is expected at any time. It will undoubtedly be a very interesting document, showing what are the possibilities through the improve- ment of the river. At the present writing, in the fall of 1911, Mr. Miller is the Iowa vice president of the national rivers and harbors congress, whose influ- ence is probably second only to the national rivers and harbors congress itself. He is also a member of the executive committee of the Upper Mississippi River Improvement Association and holds an official position in the Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterway Association. When the thirty-second general assembly of the state of Iowa created the commission known as the State Drainage Waterways and Conservation Commission, by the request of the commercial organization of Des Moines, the governor appointed him chairman of that commission. The commission performed its work and filed its first report to the thirty-third gen- eral assembly, which work received favorable comment. The offices held by Mr. Miller indicate that he possesses in a high degree the confidence of the business men of the city and also give evidence of his deep and abiding interest in the public welfare. He has for years been most generous in the expenditure of money and energy in the promotion of important undertakings which aim to protect the natural resources of the state and to enhance the comfort and happiness of his fellowmen. Starting in life upon his own resources, he has won recognition as one of the leading men of Des Moines and also as a public- spirited citizen, ever ready and willing to assist in forwarding movements which have for their object the general good.

WILLIAM M. SHEARER.

William M. Shearer, who has met with gratifying success in agricultural pursuits and is now living on one of the valuable farms of Madison township, was born in Missouri on the 10th of November, 1855. His parents, John R. and Lucinda (Runyon) Shearer, were natives of Kentucky and Missouri re- spectively. They came to Iowa and settled in Polk county in 1853 and are now living retired in Madrid, Boone county, this state, the father at the age of seventy-six years and the mother at seventy-two. Mr. Shearer enlisted in Com- pany B, Sixteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in 1863, and went to the front, where he engaged in active service until mustered out in July, 1865. He was wounded twice, having been shot through the leg at one time and at another losing his thumb. He engaged in all of the battles in which his regiment participated, the most important of which was probably that of Lookout Mountain and he was also with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. He is now a member of the Grand Army Post at Madrid. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Shearer, William M. being the eldest.

It was in the district schools that William M. Shearer obtained his education and when old enough to lay aside his text-books he assisted his father with the work of the farm, remaining under the paternal roof until his marriage at the age of twenty-six years. He subsequently engaged in farming on rented land for three years and then bought seventy-three acres of the old home farm, rent-

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ing the remaining seventy-seven acres, which he later bought. Careful manage- ment, persistence and unwearied energy brought the usual reward and Mr. Shearer was able to add to his original tract from time to time until he had acquired three hundred and twenty acres of land. Much of this he bought for ten dollars per acre and today it is held at one hundred and fifty. In 1908 he sold all of that tract except one hundred and sixty acres and bought one hun- dred and twenty acres on section 16, Madison township, upon which he is liv- ing at the present time. He continues to reside on his farm but is no longer en- gaged in active work, having rented his land.

It was in 1881 that Mr. Shearer was united in marriage to Miss Maggie J. Davis, a daughter of A. C. and Martha Davis, of Boone county, and they be- came the parents of five children. C. E., the eldest, married Miss Ethel Hunt, of this county, and is living with his father. J. A., who is living in Polk county, married Miss Ethel Stover, of Dallas county, and has two children. W. R., who is also a resident of this county, married Miss Mabel Acton and has two children. L. B. died in childhood. Jennie, who is now living in Boone county, married Will Murray of that county and has two children. The wife and mother passed away in 1890 at the age of twenty-eight years and was laid to rest in Hopkins Grove cemetery. In 1893 Mr. Shearer was married to Miss Dora Shiesel, a daughter of Timothy and Catherine (Arning) Shiesel, natives of Germany, who came to the United States in childhood and were married in Iowa and died in Missouri, the mother in 1902 at the age of seventy-one and the father six years later at the age of seventy-six years. He was a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted from Iowa in 1863 and serving until the end of hostilities.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Shearer hold membership in the Christian church of Madrid. The republican party has always received his political support since acquiring the right to vote. He takes an active interest in all municipal issues and was elected supervisor for five terms, which office he continues to hold. He has also been one of the school directors for many years. Mr. Shearer is well regarded in the community where he lives and is considered to be one of the substantial citizens of his township.

BARTHOLOMEW JOSEPH CAVANAGH.

Bartholomew Joseph Cavanagh is a well established attorney of Des Moines, where he has successfully practiced for the last ten years. He was born in this city, November 28, 1872, and is a son of Major Thomas and Mary (Gibbons) Cavanagh, the former of whom is deceased. Major Thomas Cavanagh was one of the earliest and most prominent and substantial citizens of Des Moines. He was born of prosperous parents in Ireland and there received a liberal education. The family passed through the terrible famine of 1847-8, during which the world's charity was invoked in behalf of the suffering people of Ireland, and they determined to emigrate to America, the son coming in ad- vance to this country in 1849. He arrived at Des Moines in that year bearing letters to Judge P. M. Casady and Hon. R. L. Tidrick, both of whom were then in the law and real-estate business. He was generously received by the pioneers who had preceeded him to old Fort Des Moines, and whose gospel of life was to help one another, Judge Casady being deeply impressed with his politeness, courteous manner and scrupulous neatness of apparel, for in those days the majority of the old settlers paid little attention to fine clothes. The new arrival had some money which he desired to invest in the most remunerative way, and the judge suggested corner lots, recommending the northwest corner of Fifth

B. J. CAVANAGH

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and Mulberry streets, where the Youngerman building now stands. Mr. Cav- anagh purchased the lot for thirty dollars, and received therefor the first original deed from the county supervisors, who had received the title direct by donation from the United States government. In 1891, when the cornerstone of the Youngerman building was laid, this deed was with other articles deposited therein. He also made other good investments in real estate. His mother hav- ing previously died, his father, John Cavanagh, soon arrived in Des Moines and decided to locate in Dallas county. The son joined him there soon afterward and. laid out and established the town of Redfield in Dallas county, where he lived for five years. While there he was given the title of "Major," which he carried by common consent during the remainder of his life. In the town at that time were two good-natured southerners, named Owens and Burns, and under the rule that all Southerners are "colonels," Owens was dubbed "Colonel" and Burns, "Judge," (a title which he later actually acquired), and Mr. Cav- anagh was called "Major." At the September term of the district court, in 1854, he was admitted to the bar of Polk county, and the next year returned to Des Moines and opened an office here as a lawyer, real-estate broker and emigrant agent. He was an ardent friend of the church and school and a strong temperance advocate, and in 1856, when Father Plathe was endeavor- ing to 'build the first Catholic church, at the corner of Sixth and Locust streets, Major Cavanagh rendered valuable assistance, being also prominent in the same line in 1863 when Father Brazil sought to build a larger and finer structure on the same spot. Major Cavanagh was the most intimate friend and associate of both of these priests.

In 1862, at the time of the Civil war, when the democrats were suspected of being rebels, Major Cavanagh was nominated for mayor of the city. He was a democrat but not a politician, and he knew very little of the chicanery of politics. His popularity was such, however, that he was elected to the office and performed the duties of mayor and police magistrate upon a higher plane than was the usual custom in the early days. He closed his term with much credit and was renominated, but on account of the opposition of the republican papers, and the high war spirit that prevailed, he was defeated by sixteen votes.

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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 152

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