USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > Historical and biographical record of Black Hawk County, Iowa > Part 20
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Thus made free to choose for himself William decided to emigrate West. In 1853, accordingly, he came to Iowa. His elder sister, Hannah, wife of E. H. Williams, was then living at Garnavillo, Clayton County, and there he went first. In that way he selected Northeast Iowa as his
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future home. After teaching one winter at Hardin, he was for three years employed as a sort of foreman on the Grand Meadow farm of his brother-in-law, Judge Williams.
In 1857 he bought a one-third interest in the Clermont Mills, and located at Cler- mont, Fayette County. He soon was able to buy the other two-thirds, and within a year found himself sole owner. He oper- ated this mill until 1874, when he sold to S. M. Leach. On the breaking out of the war he offered to enlist, but was rejected on ac- count of the loss of his right cye. Being informed he might possibly be admitted as a commissioned officer he raised a company and received a commission as First Lieu- tenant, but was again rejected for the same disability.
After selling the mill Mr. Larrabee de- voted himself to farming, and started a private bank at Clermont. He also, ex- perimentally, started a large nursery, but this resulted only in confirming the belief that Northern Iowa has too rigorous a cli- mate for fruit-raising.
Mr. Larrabee did not begin his political career until 1867. He was reared as a Whig, and became a Republican on the or- ganization of that party. While interested in politics he generally refused local offices, serving only as treasurer of the School Board prior to 1867. In the autumn of that year, on the Republican ticket, he was elected to represent his county in the State Senate. To this high position he was re- elected from time to time, so that he served as Senator continuously for eighteen years before being promoted to the highest office in the State. He was so popular at home that he was generally re-nominated by ac- clamation, and for some years the Demo- crats did not even make nominations. During the whole eighteen years Senator Larrabee was a member of the principal committee, that on Ways and Means, of which he was generally chairman, and was
also a member of other committees. In the pursuit of the duties thus devolving upon him he was indefatigable. It is said that he never missed a committee meeting. Not alone in this, but in private and public business of all kinds his uniform habit is that of close application to work. Many of the important measures passed by the Legislature owe their existence or present form to him.
He was a candidate for the gubernatorial nomination in 1881, but entered the contest too late, as Governor Sherman's following had been successfully organized. In 1885 it was generally conceded before the meet- ing of the convention that he would be nominated, which he was, and his election followed as a matter of course. He was inaugurated January 14, 1886, and so far has made an excellent Governor. His position in regard to the liquor question, that on which political fortunes are made and lost in Iowa, is that the majority should rule. He was personally in favor of high license, but having been elected Governor, and sworn to uphold the Constitution and execute the laws, he proposes to do so.
A Senator who sat beside him in the Senate declares him to be "a man of the broadest comprehension and information, an extraordinarily clear reasoner, fair and conscientious in his conclusions, and of Spartan firmness in his matured judg- ment," and says that " he brings the prac- tical facts and philosophy of human nature, the science and history of law, to aid in his decisions, and adheres with the earnestness of Jefferson and Sumner to the fundamental principles of the people's rights in govern- ment and law."
Governor Larrabee was married Sep- tember 12, 1861, at Clermont, to Anna M. Appelman, daughter of Captain G. A. Appelman. Governor Larrabee has seven children-Charles, Augusta, Julia, Anna, William, Frederic and Helen.
HISTORY
OF
BLACK HAWK
COUNTYO
ALLBARRELZY
.
BIOGRAPHICAL
O
SKETCHES
Matt. Parrott
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
ON. MATT. PARROTT .- Matt Parrott, as everybody in Iowa calls him, is a native of Schoharie, Scho- harie County, New York, and was born on the 11th of May, 1837. He is a son of William and Maria (Beck) Parrott, who were natives of England and came to this country in 1833, locating in Albany, New York, where they remained two years, and then settled in Schoharie. William Parrott was a baker by trade, with quite as many children as he could supply with bread, there being ten in all, our sub- ject standing third from the head. To all these children the father gave a fair educa- tion-all the fortune he had to bestow. Matt attended a district school until ten years of age, then the Schoharie Academy about three years, paying his way by build- ing fires and sweeping the school-rooms, thus acquiring a fair English education. He had no especial relish for hard study, and exhibited no signs of superior genius by keeping uniformly at the head of his classes. At thirteen, in the autumn of 1850, Matt entered the office of the Schoharie Patriot, then published by Peter Mix, and received his first lessons in the art of print- ing. He liked the business from the start, because there were always plenty of news- papers to read in the office, while there had been a dearth at home, his father receiving
only a county paper, a church monthly and an anti-slavery monthly. In the Patriot office Matt was compositor, job printer, pressman, mailing clerk and almost every- thing else. In 1854 he left this office a full- blown journeyman printer and took his first tramp. Obtaining a situation in the job department of the Troy, New York, Traveler, he remained a few months; re- turned to his native town and worked in the Republican office until early in 1855, then went to Utica and obtained a situation on the Morning Herald. In July, 1856, started for the West ; spent a few weeks on the Chicago Democrat, published by John Wentworth; went to Davenport, Iowa, in August, and worked in the Evening News office until about the Ist of February, 1857, when he connected himself with the office of Luse, Lane & Co., who were then printing the debates of the new Constitution. The following summer Mr. Parrott visited sev- eral new Iowa counties hoping to find an opening for a newspaper in some destitute yet ambitious town, but failing to find such a place, he found a situation on the Bur- lington Hawkeye. In December, of the same year, he went to Anamosa, Jones County, and entered into partnership with C. L. D. Crockwell, in the publication of the Eureka, a paper then in its first year. A year or two later Edmund Booth bought
20
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
the interest of Mr. Crockwell in the paper, and Mr. Parrott continued one of the pub- lishers until December, 1862, when, having received flattering promises from citizens of Morris, Grundy County, Illinois, he sold out and started the Morris Advocate early in 1863. The help promised never came, and after a few months' hard struggle, oc- casioned by the lack of sufficient working capital, the paper "breathed its last," and the unfortunate publisher returned to Iowa a poorer and, perhaps, a wiser man. He learned that promises are not the most re- liable assets on which to found business. In the autumn of 1863 we find Mr. Parrott once more in the office of Luse, Lane & Co. (this time in the position of foreman), then the largest job printing and publishing house in the State. He remained in that situation until 1869, perfecting himself in book-work, and giving unqualified satisfac- tion. In February of the year just men- tioned, in company with J. J. Smart, he purchased the office of the Iowa State Re- porter, at Waterloo, Black Hawk County, a paper originated as a Democratic organ, and which had died of the political measles at the end of about eight months. Two months later the Reporter was revived as a Republican paper, a bindery was added in June, and the business of manufacturing blank books for counties actively com- menced. The prospects were good at the start ; business has grown rapidly, and hardly a county in the northern half of the State but has books with the imprint of their house on them. Their work is honestly and substantially done, and gives the best satisfaction. The Reporter, too, has thrived. It has increased in size and beauty as well as circulation, and is a credit to the newspaper press of Iowa, which is noted for its many first-class journals. In
1872 James L. Girton became a member of
the firm, and the name was changed to Smart, Parrott & Co. In January, 1876,
Mr. Smart retired, and J. P. Sherman took an interest and the firm name was changed to Parrott, Girton & Sherman. March 1, 1880, Sherman retired, leaving the firm Parrott & Girton. Mr. Girton died March 1, 1883, and on the 21st of February, 1884, Mr. Parrott associated his sons, William F. and Louis G., into the business, and the firm name is Matt Parrott & Sons. The Reporter has a spacious and inviting home of its own, 40 x 80 feet, and has all the necessary fa- cilities for business-steam, gas, power- presses -- its outfit being perfect. No office in the interior of the State is better equip- ped. Mr. Parrott was a member of the City Council of Waterloo two or three years, was President of the School Board of East Waterloo independent district in 1873 and 1874, and was elected Mayor of Water loo in March, 1877, and re-elected on the 4th of March, 1878, after a unanimous nom- ination and an almost unanimous vote. He was re-elected again March 5, 1879, receiv- ing every vote except nine in a poll of 1,050. These positions all came to him unsought and were accepted only after repeated so- licitations from his neighbors and towns- men. In January, 1878, Mr. Parrott was a candidate for State binder before the Gen- eral Assembly, and after a lively canvass with two competitors in the field, he was nominated on the first ballot. His official term commenced the Ist of May, 1879. Was re-elected by the eighteenth and nineteenth General Assemblies, serving un- til May 1, 1885. At the Republican County Convention for Black Hawk County, held September 19, 1885, he was nominated for State Senator by acclamation, and elected at the November election by a majority of 743. At the organization of the Senate he was made chairman of the committees on municipal corporations and of printing, was also a member of committees on ways and means, railroads, insurance, highways, la- bor, congressional districts, agricultural col-
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lege, orphans' home'and enrolled bills. He was president of the Building and Loan As- sociation four years, and at the organization of the Union Mutual Aid Association in the fall of 1881 was elected its president and is still serving; has also been vice-president of the street railway company from its or- ganization. In local enterprises Mr. Par- rott has promptly lent the aid of his hand and pen, and in all respects is an enterpris- ing citizen. Mr. Parrott has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1860, and has held various official positions. He was a charter member and the first junior warden of Victory Lodge, No. 296, of Waterloo; was afterward senior warden, then treasurer, then worshipful master, serving as such until 1879, when it was consolidated with Waterloo Lodge, No. 105 ; also served as master of the consol- idated lodges; is also a member of the chapter, commandery and consistory. Served as commander of the commandery two years, and one year as grand treas- urer of the Grand Commandery of Iowa. He is a member of the Episcopal church and was one of the organizers of Christ Church parish, donating freely toward the building of the church now occupied, and has been an officer of the vestry ever since the parish was organized. He is a firm believer in practical Christianity and charity and always ready to relieve the necessities of the destitute, or to extend a helping hand to those who need such en- couragement. Politically he was a Whig like his father in youth, and shouted for Scott and Graham in 1852. Since old enough to vote he has affiliated steadily with the Republicans, but while a party man he is not one of those who believe a party is of more importance than right and honesty. On the 25th of October, 1859, he was married at Davenport, to Miss Frank M. Field, youngest daughter of Isaac N. Field, and they have three sons.
AMES Q. ROWND, one of the early settlers of Black Hawk County, Iowa, was born June 19, 1810, and was the first child born in Barnesville, Belmont County, Ohio. His parents, James M. and Martha Rownd, were among the first settlers to locate in the western part of . Belmont County, Ohio, emigrating from Pennsyl- vania in 1808. He was reared and edu- cated in his native town, and at the age of sixteen years went to Wheeling, Virginia, to learn the potter's trade, which he fol- lowed for nearly twenty-five years, with the exception of some time spent in teach- ing school. He was married in 1832 to Miss Mary Ann Lawrey, and of the four children born to them three are living- Mary E., John H., Martha M. P. Mrs Mary A. Rownd died in 1840, and in 1842, he married for his second wife Miss Caro- line Brown. This union has been blessed with nine children. Mr. Rownd left Ohio with his family in the year 1856, coming through with wagons and teams, and be- came a resident of Black Hawk County, Iowa. He settled on 240 acres of prairie, two miles from Cedar Falls, where he and his sons carried on farming and stock-raising. At the beginning of the late war two of his sons enlisted for three years; one, John H., now living in Kansas, served two years participating in the siege of Vicksburg and other important battles. By the acci- dental discharge of his musket he lost two of the fingers of his right hand. George W. served his country two and a half years, a member of the First Iowa Battery, bravely participating in many of the most important engagements of the war. While in the service he contracted a disease, and was discharged, but died before reaching home. Mr. Rownd remained on his farm till the fall of 1875, when he retired from the active duties of life and moved to
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Cedar Falls. Of his seven living children William S. is on the home farm; Esther A. married a farmer and is living near home ; Charles W. is a groceryman in Cedar Falls: Walter W. is on the home farm; Albert M. is a carriage maker in Yankton, Dakota ; Oscar V. is a carpenter in Minne- apolis, Minnesota, and Jennie M. is a teacher in the public schools 'of Cedar Falls. Mr. Rownd is one of the respected citizens of Cedar Falls, where he has lived so many years. He has served his town- ship as assessor and school director for a number of years, treasurer of the town- ship school fund for ten or twelve years, and for twelve years has been a director of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Com- pany of Black Hawk County. He affili- ates in his political views with the Repub- lican party. His wife is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
UDGE CARLTON F. COUCH was born in Chautauqua County, New York, May 25, 1845. He was reared on a farm in his native State, his father, Warren Couch, be- ing a farmer by occupation. His primary education was received at the dis- trict schools, and later he attended the Westfield and Jamestown academies. In the spring of 1866 he came to Waterloo, Iowa, and in the fall of the same year he began reading law, entering the office of Bagg, Allen & Miller. He completed his law studies under the firm of Boies & Allen, and in the fall of 1868 was admitted to the bar. In the spring of 1869 he became a member of the law firm of Boies & Allen, the firm of Boies, Allen & Couch continu- ing till January, 1874, when Mr. Allen re- tired. The firm of Boies & Couch then continued till 1882, when Mr. Couch was elected Judge of the Ninth District which is composed of five counties-Dubuque,
Delaware, Buchanan, Black Hawk and Grundy-and is still holding the same po- sition. The Judge was married in 1873 to Jessie E., the eldest daughter of Robert Manson, of Waterloo, who died May 29, 1879. To this union has been born one daughter-Gertic A.
ANDAL CHURCHILL, de- ceased, one of the pioneer set- tlers of Black Hawk County, was born in New York State, No- vember 2, 1809. His parents were William and Jane (Dell) Churchill, the former born in 1770, of English de- scent, and the latter in 1775, of Irish and German descent. His grandfather, Will- iam Churchill, was born about the year 1730, and was twice married, having three sons-David, Lemuel and William by the first marriage, and three daughters and one son by the second. The mother of our subject died in 1840, and his father, after clearing four farms in the heavy tim- ber of Ohio and Michigan, and raising a family of twelve children, and standing a bulwark of the Baptist church for more than sixty years, died in 1862, aged nearly ninety-two years. Randal Churchill ac- companied his parents to Ohio in his boy- hood, and there grew to manhood. In the early settlement of Ohio their mode of transportation was by what was termed a " flat-boat," a large boat capable of carry- ing several tons of produce, but rowed by hand. These boats or barges were manned and allowed to float down the Ohio River, and then the Mississippi to New Orleans, where the cargo was placed upon the market. Randal made the trip to New Orleans in this manner, when but seventeen years of age. He was married May 14, 1834, to Catherine J. Hamilton, who was born in Pennsylvania, March 3, 18II. Immediately after their marriage,
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they moved to St. Joseph County, Michi- gan, where they resided for twenty years, Mr. Churchill clearing and improving a heavily timbered tract of land. In 1854 they sold the farm in Michigan and moved to Black Hawk County, Iowa, purchasing 517 acres of land, part of it from the Gov- ernment. He was well and favorably known in the county, held numerous town- ship offices, being many years a justice of the peace, several times assessor and al- most constantly school director. He was frequently impaneled on the jury at the county seat, and sat on one case where the defendant was convicted of murder. His family consisted of seven children, all of whom grew to maturity and usefulness, except one that died in infancy. Joshua P., the fourth son, who now resides on the old homestead, and Loren E., the youngest, are more nearly related to Black Hawk County history than any of the rest. Loren E. took the full course of the Iowa State Normal School at Cedar Falls, be- came a successful teacher, held the office of county superintendent of schools of Black Hawk County for four years, edited the Iowa Teacher, won for himself quite a reputation as a writer and thinker, and took high ground among educators gener- ally, but died in his thirty-fourth year, March 12, 1886. Few men, if any, in the county enjoyed a larger or more ardent circle of friends than Loren Edward Churchill. Randal Churchill endured all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, coming as he did when the wolves were boisterous watchers of his premises at night and the red deer can- tered in full view in the daytime. The financial crash of 1857, when State Banks was the bane of our country, made close times for Mr. Churchill, but being free from debt he passed through safely. 1858 was known as "the wet summer," and as the rivers were not bridged yet the
high water placed him in perfect quaran- tine so he could not market any of his produce. The vast amount of rain dam- aged 600 bushels of wheat so he could not sell it at any price, but he " saved it " by feeding it to hogs and selling the hogs at $2 per hundred, dressed. Mr. Churchill was a zealous supporter of President Lin- coln's administration and gave him his last ballot. He died October 5, 1865.
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HOMAS CASCADEN, one of the enterprising business men of Wa- terloo, is a native of the North of Ireland, born June 23, 1835. When about fifteen years of age his parents, David and Mary E. Cascaden, im- migrated to America, landing at Quebec, from there going to London, Canada, where they resided till their death. Thomas was reared to manhood in London, Canada, and attended the schools of that place till his seventeenth year. He then entered a foundry where he learned his trade, serving an apprenticeship of four years, after which he worked at his trade as a journeyman in the United States for a time. He then re- turned to Canada and conducted a foundry at South Hampton until 1870, when he came to Cedar Falls, Iowa, remaining there two years. He then removed to Waterloo, this county, and established his present foundry, in connection with which he was extensively engaged in dealing in agricult- ural implements until 1885, when he dis- posed of that business. He was married in 1873 to Anna Mayes, of Waterloo, a na- tive of Ohio. They have three children- John, David and Kittie. Mr. Cascaden, by a previous marriage, has one son whose name is Thomas. No man has done more to build up the town of Waterloo than Mr. Cascaden. He came here without a dollar, but in all his undertakings he has met with
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success, owing to his industry, frugality and good business management. He built the Frank block which is now occupied by Frank Brothers, clothiers, this block being one of the last he built in the city, and cost $20,000. He also built the Lamb & Lathrop block, corner of Fourth and Jefferson streets, north of the Irving Hotel on Bridge street, which hotel he assisted in building. He also built the four blocks opposite his office and the fine Tinner block. Around his fine, imposing residence, which is situ- ated on an elevation, he has four and a half acres of ground, and all his surroundings betoken comfort as well as prosperity.
AMUEL A. BISBEE, section 13 Mount Vernon Township, was born in Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, New York, November 26, IS26, a son of Elisha and Mary A. (Cottrell) Bisbee. When he was an infant his parents removed to Delaware County, New York, where they followed farming. Our subject was reared to man- hood in Delaware County in the towns of Delhi and Meredith, and for some time worked by the month on a farm. He was first married March 4, 1852, to Catherine Palmer, who was born October 28, 1834, at Courtwright, Delaware County, New York, a daughter of John Palmer. She died at Applington, Iowa, October 19, 1859, leav- ing two children-William H., born Feb- ruary 23, 1853, now living in Tennessee, and Mary E., born February 22, 1855, mar- ried Hiram Elliott and died at Applington, Iowa, January 24, 1877. Mr. Bisbee mar- ried for his second wife Nancy H. Swart- hout, March 14, 1863. She was a daughter of James and Nancy (Hunt) Swarthout, her mother dying in 1827, when Mrs. Bisbee was but three days old. She was born at Romulus, New York, August 30, 1794.
James Swarthout was born in Seneca County, New York, in 1792, and was three times married, Mrs. Bisbee being a child by his first marriage. His third wife is living in Kansas. He had a family of twenty children. His death occurred at Aurora, Illinois, March 2, 1863. Mrs. Bisbee is of Dutch and Irish descent, her Great-grand- father Swarthout coming from Holland, and her Great-grandfather Joseph Hunt emigrating from Ireland before the Revolu- tionary war. Mrs. Bisbee has in her family a chair which belonged to her Great-grand- father Swarthout. Mr. and Mrs. Bisbee have had born to them one child-Ada, born July 20, 1864, on the old homestead in this county. Mr. Bisbee left Delaware County, New York, in 1856, and located in Polo, Illinois, where he was employed in a freight office during the first winter, and in April, 1857, he started with his family for Iowa, making the journey by ox team in about two weeks. When he came to Waterloo there were not more than three or four log houses to be seen on the east side of the river. He first settled in Applington, Butler County, lived there six years, and March 4, 1863, settled on section 13, Mount Vernon Township, and commenced improving his land, of which only five acres were broken, building a small frame house, which is now the kitchen part of his present substantial residence. On coming to Iowa he pos- sessed but 50 cents beside his few household goods. He has been an industrious and hard-working man and through his own efforts has acquired a competency, and is a highly respected citizen of this community. His farm, which is located south of his first settlement in this township, contains 100 acres of well-cultivated land. Mr. Bisbee was reared a Baptist, but is now an attend- ant of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican. Elisha Bisbee, father of our subject, was born in Massa- chusetts and is now deceased. His widow
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