USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > Historical and biographical record of Black Hawk County, Iowa > Part 28
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in Company I, One Hundred and Fifty- third New York Infantry, being mustered in at Fonda, Montgomery County, New York. In December, 1862, he was sent to Alexandria, Virginia, where he was on pro- vost duty till February, 1863. His regi- ment was subsequently assigned to the Nineteenth Army Corps, and participated in the battles of Sable Cross Roads, Pleasant Hill, Cane River Crossing and Red River Dam. Mr. Call was then sent with his regi- ment to the Shenandoah Valley, where he was engaged in the battle of Opequan Creek, under General Sheridan, and also partici- pated in the battle of Fisher's Hill, Vir- ginia. October 7, 1864, he was captured at Edinburgh, Virginia, when he was wounded in the right thigh by seven buckshot. He was taken to Richmond and incarcerated in Libby Prison till February, 1865, when he was sent to Annapolis, Maryland, for exchange. He was exchanged in April and returned to his regiment, which was encamped near Washington. He then went with his regiment to Savannah, Georgia, and was on provost duty till November, 1865, when he was discharged, being mus- tered out at Albany, New York, after which he returned to Keysville, New York, living there and in Vermont till 1870. He then came West and farmed near Winona, Min- nesota, for two years. He then came to Cedar Falls, Iowa, and for two years served as foreman of the Burlington & Northern Railroad, after which he was in the employ of L. N. Fabrick, of Cedar Falls, and for . the following three years he was employed by G. W. Clark, of the same place, when in September, 1878, he was employed by E. W. Babcock, a wealthy merchant of Edger- ton, Wisconsin, and is still in his employ. He has full control of 650 acres of land in this township, 250 acres being under culti- vation. Since becoming manager of this land he has improved and fenced it, and has raised considerable stock. He is a
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thorough-going, practical farmer, and is meeting with success in his agricultural pursuits, having since coming here bought eighty acres of land, beside paying Mr. Babcock $4,000. Mr. Call was married November 4, 1873, to Martha R. Baker, who was born in Cook County, Illinois, April 2, 1853, a daughter of John J. and Eliza J. (Baker) Baker, residents of Butler County, lowa. This union has been blessed with one child-George Clarence, born in Cedar Falls, September 28, 1874. Mr. Call is a Republican in politics. He has served four years as constable, and is at present serving as township trustee. He is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a comrade of James Brownell Post, No. 222, G. A. R. Mrs. Call's father was born in Michigan, April 17, 1819, and her mother was a native of Connecticut, born August 25, 1824. After their marriage they lived a few years in Cook County, Illinois, when they came to Union Township, Black Hawk County, Iowa, where they resided till 1861. They then lived in Butler County six years, when they came to Cedar Falls, and a year later returned to Green, Butler County, where they have since made their home.
AMUEL MURPHY was born in Staffordshire, England, Septem- ber 6, 1823, a son of Lawrence and Elizabeth (Harley) Murphy. When he was three years old his parents moved to County Wexford, Ireland, and at the age of eight years he came with them to America. They first settled near St. Thomas, Canada, residing there till the spring of 1840, when they removed to Win- nebago County, Illinois, and a year later removed to Stephenson County, where the father died in 1849, aged sixty-five years, his mother also dying in that county. The father spent about thirty years of his life in
the English army, three years of that time being in the navy. He was the father of four sons and two daughters, who accom- panied him to America Samuel Murphy has supported himself since he was ten years old, at first working for the farmers in his neighborhood. In 1848 he bought a farm of sixty-eight acres in De Kalb County, Illinois, paying for the same on time, living there till 1854, when he sold his land and came, in May of that year, to Black Hawk County, Iowa. He at once settled on the place where he now resides, which at that time had no improvements. He lived in a small log house, 14 x 16 feet in dimension, till 1856, when he built a small house in which he lived about twelve years. In 1877 he erected a large frame house at a cost of $1,500, which was burned down in 1877, and in the fall of the same year he built his present residence. The small log house, 12 x 12 feet, at first used as a stable, has now given place to a substantial barn, and the other farm buildings are good. He has now a well-cultivated farm of 125 acres, eighty acres being on section I, and forty- five on section 2, Washington Township. Mr. Murphy was married September 20, 1846, to Parnel Abiah Cory, a daughter of Samuel and Parnel (Bockaway) Cory, na- tives of Vermont, where they were reared and married. Shortly after their marriage they removed to Madison County, Indiana, where Mrs. Murphy was born, February 22, 1826, and when she was eight years old her parents settled in Kane County, Illi- nois. They subsequently moved to Kirk- land, De Kalb County, Illinois, where Mrs. Murphy lived till her marriage, her parents residing there till their death. Her mother · died in the fall of 1853, at the age of sixty- four years. Her father was one of the first settlers of Kane County, and did much toward helping new settlers who came after him. He was a prominent man in De Kalb County, and was an extensive dealer
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in stock. While living in Madison County, Indiana, he held the office of sheriff. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have three children, all born in De Kalb County, Illinois, and all now living in Washington Township --- Francisco F., born August 5, 1847, married Lucy Booner, Laura C., born April 20, 1849, wife of David Booner, and Oscar C., born June 4, 1850, married Susan Miller, In his political views Mr. Murphy is a Greenbacker.
LONZO HELM was born in the State of Michigan, July 5, 1835. He was reared by his grandfather, who was a farmer, and on reaching manhood he chose that vocation for his lifework. He accompanied his grandfather to Illinois, and thence to Iowa, living first in Benton and then in Tama County. When twenty-one years old he commenced life for himself, his grand- father giving him forty acres of land, and to this he afterward added forty acres. He was married September 7, 1857, to Emily Rexstrew, a native of Auglaise County, Ohio, born September 7, 1837, a daughter of Joshua and Delilah (Starlen) Rexstrew, natives of New Jersey, who died when she was a child. She grew to wom- anhood in her native county, and in 1855 came to Iowa and located in Tama County. In 1862 Mr. Helm enlisted in Company D, Twenty-eighth Iowa Infantry, and was mus- tered into the State service. While in camp at Iowa City, before being mustered into the service of the United States, he was taken with the measles, and was discharged from the service. He was sick eighteen months, when, in November, 1862, he'started overland for California for his health. The party reached Walla Walla Valley, Wash- ington Territory, in September, 1864, and he remained there till August, 1865, when, his health being fully recovered, he started
for home. He was variously employed while in the West, sometimes on a ranch and sometimes in the mines. While en route for home the company he was with were robbed and their horses were stam- peded, all but thirty-five, however, being recovered. Of the five owned by Mr. Helm but one was lost. He tells of many amusing and thrilling experiences while in the West, which space forbids us to repeat. While away his family moved to Bremer County, Iowa, and in the spring of 1865 he exchanged his place there, in part payment, for his present farm. He has improved his farm and now has 144 acres of the best land in Washington Township, sixty-four acres being on section 10 and eighty acres on section II. He is one of the prominent and progressive farmers of Washington Township, doing all in his power to ad- vance its material and social interests. Mr. and Mrs. Helm have eleven children- Mary A., born February 19, 1859, is the wife of Daniel Hanner, of Fonda, Iowa; William E., born December 17, 1860; Sarah K., born December 7, 1862; Lucretia J., born December 27, 1864, is the wife of James Mapes; Lillie E., born August 8, 1867,is the wife of Hiram H. Hargrove; Nettie C., born December 6, 1869 ; Charles F., born February 9, 1872 ; Alonzo R., born April 17, 1874; Frank V., born January 23, 1876; Clarence T., born June 14, 1878, and Nina R., born January 12, 1881. In poli- tics Mr. Helm affiliates with the Repub- lican party.
HOMAS DOBSON, the eldest son of John and Ann (Webster) Dob- son, was born in Clinton County, New York, June 28, 1835. When he was quite young his parents removed to Ohio, and there he was reared and educated till his fifteenth year, when, in 1851, he moved with his parents to Mont-
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gomery County, Indiana, and in 1854 the family came to Black Hawk County, lowa. He was married in this county in 1863 to Lucinda C. Streeter, who was born in Will County, Illinois, May 16, 1837, the seventh of a family of twelve children of Zimri and Lucinda Streeter, who were among the early settlers of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Dobson have one daughter-Jessie C. Af- ter his marriage Mr. Dobson settled on his present farm on section 4, East Waterloo Township, where he has 268 acres of choice land, with a good residence and farm build- ings. In connection with his farming pur- suits he is also largely engaged in raising stock, making a specialty of cattle and hogs, having at present on his farm a herd of seventy hogs. He was elected justice of the peace but did not serve in that ca- pacity.
EWTON HIGBY was born in Lewis County, New York, May 27, 1812, a son of Jeduthan and Florinida Higby, his father being a Presbyterian minister. His grand- father, Jeduthan Higby, was for forty years a clergyman in the Free-Will Bap- tist church. Newton Higby began to work at the early age of twelve years, helping to support his father's family until he reached his majority. He then began working for himself, farming in Lewis and St. Law- rence counties, New York, for many years. He came to lowa in, the year 1867, and after living in Butler County a short time, removed to Grundy County where he made his home for about twelve years. He has spent the past several years in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, and during his resi- dence here has won the respect of all who come in contact with him. He may be called a self-made man, having commenced life without capital, but a stout heart and determination to succeed, and by his in-
dustrious habits and excellent management has become one of the well-to-do citizens of this township, and owns land in both New York and Iowa. Mr. Higby was married February 9, 1853, to Miss Alice M. Cole, and of the three children born to this union two are living-Seward and Jesse. Mr. Higby, in his political views, is a Rc- publican. He has been identified with the Masonic fraternity for over thirty years. In religious faith he is a Free-Will Baptist.
EREMIAH MOSHER was born in Steuben County, New York, May 5, 1827, a son of Jeremiah and Delana (Haskins) Mosher, who were both natives of Rhode Island. They settled in Western New York, and both died in Steuben County. They had born to them five sons and four daugh- ters, our subject being the youngest son living. His grandfather, Jonathan Mosher, was of English ancestry, and his maternal grandfather, James Haskins, was of. Scotch descent. Jeremiah, our subject, lived on a farm till his seventeenth year, and received a common-school education. At the age of seventeen he began learning the carriage maker's trade, which he followed till 1856. He then came West, locating in Rockford, Illinois, where he remained nine years, dur- ing which time he was engaged in the butcher's trade. In March, 1865, he came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, and ran a meat market at Cedar Falls and was also engaged in the insurance business until 1870, since which time he has lived at Wa- terloo. He followed the butcher's trade till 1878, when he was elected justice of the peace, which office he has since held con- tinuously by re-election, and in connection with attending to the duties of his office he has an insurance and collective agency. He was married in 1848 to Mary A. Sylvester,
Jerry mother J. P.
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a native of New Hampshire. To them have been born five children-Delana, died in infancy ; Herbert L., a hardware merchant of Waverly, Iowa; Leon, deceased ; Lizzie E., wife of Henry Jacoby, and living in Waterloo; Spencer, died at the age of three years. Mr. Mosher is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is one of the representative men of Black Hawk County. We take pleasure in presenting the portrait of Mr. Mosher, which will be found on the opposite page.
OHN A. FABRICK, farmer and stock-raiser of Cedar Falls Town- ship, residing on section 27, was born in Paines' Hollow, New York, August 29, 1823, a son of John and Harriet Fabrick, and is of French and German ancestry. Of nine children born to his parents seven are yet living-Lewis N., Delos H., Jane, Harriet, Adelia, George and John A. When he was six years old his parents removed to Washington County, Michigan. A short time later they removed to Calhoun County, Michigan, and there our subject was reared to man- hood. His father was a pioneer of Cal- houn County, he having built the first log cabin in Albion Township, that county, in which building the first election in that township was held. He is still living at the advanced age of ninety years. John A. Fabrick, our subject, has been three times married. By his first wife, whose maiden name was Betsy Ansterburg, he had three children-Frank H., Mary J. and Hattie A. For his second wife he married Amanda Howard. For his third wife he married Miss Mary A. Benham, and to this union five children have been born-Thomas, Dora, John, Fannie and Joseph. Mr. Fabrick spent part of the years 1852 and 1853 in the gold mines of California when he re- turned to Michigan, remaining in that State
till 1866. He then came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, settling on his present farm in Cedar Falls Township, where he is the owner of 200 acres of choice land. Since coming here Mr. Fabrick has held the of- fice of township trustee, and has also served as school director. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
SCAR VIRDEN, farmer, section 32, Waterloo Township, was born in Barren County, Kentucky, June 19, 1819, a son of William and Martha Virden. He was married to Love C. Powell, a native of Berk- shire County, Massachusetts, born in 1822. She is a daughter of Norman and Jerusha (Hoyt) Powell, her father being of Welsh and her mother of Irish descent. Of the six children born to this union four are liv- ing - George D .; Charles, living on the homestead, assisting his father on the farm; Elizabeth, married Orville Bly, a farmer of Sioux County, Iowa, and Emma, wife of Jacob Coons, who is also farming in Sioux County. George D. married Rebecca Walker and has a family of four children- William, Della, Leah and George. The names of the deceased are-Norman and William. Mr. Virden commenced life for himself on a very limited capital, but by his persevering industry and strict economy he has acquired a good property, and is classed among the well-to-do farmers of his township. He was one of the first settlers of Black Hawk County, there being but two houses in Waterloo when he located there, one on each side of the river. He first set- tled on a claim of 160 acres of Government land which he afterward pre-empted, adding to this till he now has 205 acres of choice land, worth $60 per acre. Both Mr. and Mrs. Virden are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Virden has served as school director and township trustee, and has held
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several other minor offices of his township, always giving satisfaction to his constituents His father died in this county in 1855, his mother surviving him till February 25, 1886, dying at the advanced age of ninety-three years. They were the parents of nine children-John; America, widow of Charles Mullen : Oscar, our subject; William, died in the army ; James ; Daniel; Martha, widow of John Bunting; Thomas and Frank.
EROME MILLS, one of the early settlers of East Waterloo Town. ship, is a native of Massachusetts, born in Berkshire County, August 24, 1817. His parents, Alson and Sarah (Dupec) Mills, were both na- tives of Connecticut, but removed to Mas- sachusetts in an early day, remaining in that State till their death. They had a family of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, all of whom are living but three, and of this family our subject was the seventh child. Jerome was reared to manhood on the home farm and attended the schools of his native county. In Octo- ber, 1859, he came to Black Hawk County, lowa, and the following spring settled on the farm where he has since resided. Here he bought 128 acres of raw prairie which he proceeded to improve, and to the origi- nal purchase he has added from time to time till he now has 303 acres of choice land in a high state of cultivation, and the improvements on his house and barn have also been done by Mr. Mills. He was married in 1845 to Sarah Cook, born in Connecticut, February 18, 1820, the eld- est of eight children of Lemuel and Fannie (Coe) Cook, who were born and reared in Connecticut, removing to Massachusetts when Mrs. Mills was quite young. Her father came West in later years and made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Mills till his
death, at the age of eighty-four years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mills are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. To them have been born two children-Charles E. and Lewis L., both living in East Waterloo Township. Mr. Mills began life on a small capital, but by his energy and perseverance he has accumulated a good property.
DWARD CAMP, head salesman of the Daniel and Nauman Com- pany, was born in Litchfield County, Connecticut, April 20, 1837, the fifth child of Samuel S. and Betsy (Mallory) Camp. His maternal grand- father, Amassa Mallory, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years. Our subject's parents had a family of ten children, of whom eight still survive. The father died in 1884, in his eighty-first year. The mother is still living, and is now in her eighty-second year. Edward was reared on a farm and educated in the schools of his native county. In 1856, at the age of nineteen years, he came West and located at Rockford, Illi- nois, where he was employed by a manu- facturing firm. In 1860 he was married to Harriet A. Lawrence, of Rockton, Illinois, and to them have been born four children, two of whom are living-William L. and Fannie, both at home. In 1863 Mr. Camp crossed the plains to California, taking with him a drove of horses, returning from there to Connecticut. He subsequently came with his family to Black Hawk County, Iowa, and clerked in a store in Waterloo for about six months. He then, in company with an uncle, purchased land nine miles south of Waterloo, where he was extensively engaged in raising and trading in sheep, having at one time 1,100. Dis- posing of his flock he became salesman for the firm of Daniel & Sladc, manufacturers and dealers in furniture, in 1868, and still
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continues in the business, the firm being now styled the Daniel and Nauman Com- pany. As a salesman Mr. Camp has a natural talent, and is possessed of excellent business qualifications. He is the owner of a fine farm containing ninety acres, on which he has a good selection of dairy cows, and at his home in this town he has a choice herd of fifteen thoroughbred Jersey cattle. Mr. Camp is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
HRISTIAN F. BRANDHORST is a native of Germany, born October 8, 1840, a son of Chris- tian F. and Louisa Lübking Brand- horst, both of whom died in Ger- many. He was reared on a farm, and received a good education in the schools of his native country. At the age of fifteen years he left his native country and immi- grated to America, landing at New York City, October 20, 1855. He went immedi- ately to the home of his uncle, Henry Rut- ter, in Dane County, Wisconsin, and the second and third winters spent in this country he attended school. He remained in Dane and Columbia counties till the spring of 1864, working on farms for others, and saving his earnings with the intention of gaining a home for himself. In April, 1864, he became a resident of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and soon after bought 120 acres where he now resides. He returned to Dane County for his bride, Mrs. Mar- garet (Bailey) Klinefelter, to whom he was married August 3, 1864, and to this union seven children have been born-Albert, Charles, Ida, Hattie, Mollie, Maud and Ruth, all living at home. Mrs. Brand- horst was born in the State of Maine, April 30, 1843. Her first husband died after ten months of married life. She had one child by her first husband-Horace G.,
who now lives in this county. Mr. Brand- horst has been prosperous through life, and now owns a well-cultivated farm of 37I acres where he resides. His farm is one of the best in the county, and his resi- dence and other farm buildings are sub- stantial and comfortable. Mr. Brandhorst is one of the representative farmers of Black Hawk Township, and since coming here has filled many of the. offices. He has served several terms as township trustee, and has also served as school di-
rector, and was secretary of the School Board one year. He is now serving as township assessor, and as school treas- urer, holding the former office five years, and the latter six years. Mr. Brandhorst is an attendant and his wife a member of the Congregational church. Mr. Brandhorst was the eldest of thirteen children, all of whom remained in Ger- many but our subject, his two brothers, Henry and Ernest, and one sister, Mrs. Louisa Rodefeld, the last one living in Dane County, Wisconsin.
SAIAH VAN METRE, editor and publisher of the Waterloo Tribune, is a son of John E. and Josina Van Metre. They were natives of Virginia, and were married in Berke- ley County, in that State. They re- moved to Ohio in an early day, and in 1855. came to Benton County, Iowa, where Mr. Van Metre died in 1862. Mrs. Van Metre is yet living in that county. Of eleven children seven grew to be adults and four are now living. Isaiah was born Novem- ber 21, 1838, in Fairfield County, Ohio, and lived during most of his boyhood in Pick- away County. He lived with his parents until twenty years old, receiving a public- school education. In the spring of 1856 he commenced the study of law in Cedar
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Rapids, and after two years' study he was admitted to practice. Not having much of a taste for the law, he took charge of the Vinton Democrat, which he ran a short time. On the breaking out of the war he enlisted in the First lowa Infantry, and afterward he joined an independent battery in Colo- rado. Altogether he was in the service thirty-eight months. He was then vari- ously engaged until 1871, when he em- barked once more in journalism, and to this he has since devoted his time. He was married in 1872 to Miss Ellen I. Thompson, and they are now the parents of three chil- dren.
HOMAS POYNER was born in Preble County, Ohio, near Eaton, in 1812, a son of Nathan Poyner, a native of North Carolina, born in 1792. When he was seven years old the family moved to Vigo County, Indiana, where he grew to manhood. In 1838 he went to Brown County, Illinois, and eight years later to Linn County, Iowa, where he lived five years. In 1851 he and his father came to Black Hawk County and settled on the farm where he now lives, on Indian Creek.
AMES POYNER, section 25, Poy- ner Township, has been a resi- dent of Black Hawk County, Iowa, since the spring of 1855, when he settled on his present farm. He first entered 200 acres of prairie and forty acres of timber land, then bought from the Government two claims of eighty acres each. On each of the claims a small part had been broken, and a log shanty built. Into one of these log houses he moved with his wife and four children, but a few months later he built a good log house for them. His present fine substan-
tial stone house was erected in 1860, and his barn, which is also of stone, was built the year previous. He now owns 400 acres where he resides, which is now under a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Poyner was born in Preble County, Ohio, May 16, 1819, a son of Nathan and Nancy (Johnson) Poy- ner. His father was born in North Caro- lina in 1791, a son of Peter Poyner, who was also American born. He removed from his native State to Georgia, thence to Preble County, Ohio. His wife, Nancy, was born in Ohio, her father being born in America, but of Irish descent. She died in Black Hawk County, Iowa, in 1854, and is buried beside her husband in Raymond cemetery. James Poyner whose name heads this sketch, was married October 5, 1848, to Sarah Scott, a native of Boone County, In- diana, born July 2, 1831, a daughter of James and Mary (Wisehart) Scott, natives of Ohio. Her father was born March 4, 1804, and when a young man he moved to Boone County, Indiana, where he was mar- ried. He is now living on a farm in Linn County, Iowa. His wife died in Linn County at the age of forty-two years. She was of German descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Poyner have been born ten children-Mary E., born August 8, 1849, wife of Lewis Tee- ter ; James H., born February 4, 1852, married Olive Dixon, and is living in Poy- ner Township; Sarah E., born March 22, 1853, died in Black Hawk County, March 19, 1858; Frances M., born September 12, 1854, died March 12, 1858; both children dying of scarlet fever; Martin M., born October 27, 1856, married Theresa Peters, and is living in Barkley Township, this county ; John T., born March 30, 1858, mar- ried Annie Davis and is living near Janes- ville; Cinderella, born January 12, 1862, died March 28, 1862 ; Nancy J., born June 17, 1863, wife of William McChane of Spring Creek Township; Boone, born March 24, 1867; Seymour, born June 17,
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