USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > Historical and biographical record of Black Hawk County, Iowa > Part 38
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
Township, where he has since made his home. He is a thorough and practical farmer, and in his agricultural pursuits has been very successful. His farm, which contains 400 acres of land under a high state of cultivation, is well adapted to stock-raising. Mr. Thomas was married in Minnesota to Fannie Williams, and to this union has been born five children- William A., Edwin D., Paul H., Mary E. and Charles R. In politics Mr. Thomas is identified with the Republican party. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.
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R EV. WILLIAMPINKNEY THOMPSON, who has been a resident of Black Hawk for the past twenty years, is a native of McMinn County, Tennessee, where he was born February 1, 1837, a son of John and Martha (Chapman) Thompson, natives of Virginia and North Carolina re- spectively. His youth was spent on a farm, and in attending the common schools, and being of studious habits and a great reader he became a well-educated man. At the age of nineteen years he began teaching school which he followed for eight terms. October 21, 1858, he was married in Mc- Donough County, Illinois, to Miss Eliza A. Pennington, who was born in Schuyler County, Illinois, November 17, 1835, a daughter of Allen and Hannah Penning- ton. They have seven children-George A., a teacher in Chickasaw County, Iowa ; Ida J., wife of Robert H. McNally, of Lin- coln Township; William F. married Mattie J. Strayer, and is a resident of Chicka- saw County ; Mary A., wife of Jay L. Ma- bie, of Chickasaw County ; Abbie I., a stu- dent at Waterloo College; Charles M. and James R. Mr. Thompson visited Black Hawk County in 1865, seeking a location for his future home, and since May, 1866,
he has been a prominent citizen, active in promoting the religious, social and material welfare of the county. Soon after coming here he engaged in Sabbath-school work, organizing the third class in the township. In March, 1879, he engaged in the work of the ministry. He first had charge of the Zion Baptist Church in Lincoln Township for near three years, and beside this charge he preached twice each month at Eagle Center, in Eagle Township, for five and a half years, commencing to preach in the school-house. The school-house not being large enough to accommodate those seek- ing divine instruction, a church was erect- ed, largely through his influence and assist- ance, at a cost of about $1,600, including cemetery grounds, this church being open to all of evangelical faith. In August, 1884, he organized the First Baptist Church in Hudson, and supplied that church as min- ister for seven months. Mr. Thompson has met with gratifying success through life, and is now the owner of a fine farm of 240 acres in Lincoln Township, which is under excellent cultivation. His fine residence, which is located on section 1, and his build- ing improvements are among the best in his neighborhood. In politics Mr. Thomp- son is a Republican, affiliating with the Prohibition party. He has served his township as assessor two years, trustee one year, sub-director ten years, and for almost ten years was township treasurer. John Thompson, his father, was a carpenter and millwright by trade, but most of his active life was spent in agricultural pursuits. He was married in Tennessee to Martha Chap- man, by whom he had ten children-Lem- uel H., a Baptist minister, now residing in Pottawattamie County, Iowa; Nancy A., wife of W. H. Thompson, of Eagle Town- ship, this county ; Mrs. Elizabeth Byler, of Hancock County, Illinois; Madison, of Johnson County, Nebraska; William P., our subject ; John W., an evangelist of the
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Baptist church; Pleasant H., deceased ; Mary L., deceased ; James A., of Johnson County, Nebraska, and Mrs. Martha Pen- nington, deceased. The mother died in Tennessee in January, 1847, and in June, 1849, the father married for his second wife Miss Elizabeth Campbell, a native of Ten- nessee, and to this union were born three children-Sarah M., wife of Robert M. Thompson, of Jesup, Iowa ; Lewis C., of Harper County, Kansas, and one who died in infancy. The father removed with his family to McDonough County, Illinois, in the fall of 1854, where he was bereaved by the death of his second wife in January, 1859. He was subsequently married to Mrs. Martha S. Champion, with whom he is still living in McDonough County, Illi- nois, he having passed his eighty-eighth birthday August 12, 1885, and is still in the enjoyment of health and vigor remarkable for a man of his advanced years. By his present wife he has had a family of six chil- dren born to him of whom five are living -- Missouri S., wife of Dr. John Griswold, of Umatilla County, Oregon; Jacob C., Lucy E., Joseph and Eli M. Berry is de- ceased.
A DAM CLOS, of Cedar Falls, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in Sep- tember, 1830, a son of Peter and Catherine Clos. He left his native country in 1852, emigrating to Amer- ica in a sailing vessel and after an ocean voyage of eighty-four days landed at New Orleans. He remained at New Orleans one year, and for two years follow- ing lived at St. Louis. He then located in Southern Illinois where he bought eighty acres of land and followed farming for a few years. He came to Cedar Falls in the fall of 1861 and for many years was en- gaged as a teamster. In 1882 he established his flour and feed store where he has since
carried on a successful trade, his store be- ing centrally located on Main street. For his wife he married Miss Caroline Marx, by whom he has had seven children, of whom only five survive-William, George, Frederick, Artie and Ada. Mr. Clos has been a member of the Oddfellows order almost eighteen years, and has passed all the chairs of his order. He is also a mem- ber of the Legion of Honor. Mr. Clos be- gan life in America on very limited means, but by his industrious habits and good man- agement he has met with the success he so well merits, and is now classed among the prosperous merchants of Cedar Falls. In politics he is a Democrat.
ENRY WALTERS, a resident of Cedar Falls, Iowa, is a native of Hanover, Germany, where he was born September 22, 1829, a son of Henry and Hannah Walters. To his parents were born six children, four of whom are yet living-Bernard, Henry, George and Catherine. Henry remained in his native country till 1852, when he im- migrated to America, landing at New Or- leans. He then made his home in the State of Illinois, where he lived for several years. He then removed to Bremer County, Iowa, and after a residence in that county of fif- teen years he came to Black Hawk County and in the spring of 1881 settled in Cedar Falls where he has since resided. He has been quite successful through life and is now the owner of 480 acres of valuable land which he has acquired by his own in- dustry and economy, having commenc- ed life in America in limited circum- stances. For his wife he married Mary Messerly, a native of Switzerland, but at the time of her marriage a resident of Bre- mer County. Of the eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Walters nine survive-
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Henry W., John C., William, Mary, Ellen, Charles, Benjamin, George and Harvey. In politics Mr. Walters affiliates with the Democratic party. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and a respected citi- zen of Cedar Falls Township.
AVID B. WASHBURN was born in Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York, September 3, 1835, a son of Harvey and Jan- ette (Bradshaw) Washburn, hisfather a native of Vermont and his mother of New York. His mother died in Pots- dam in the year 1853, and the following year the father settled in this county where he made his home until his death. David B. received a good education in his youth, and at the age of twenty years he came to this county. He was one of the pioneers of Black Hawk County, making his residence here in the fall of 1855. He was energetic and ambitious and soon became well and favorably known. The first few years after coming here he worked at the carpenter's trade and soon became a contractor and master builder. In the summer of 1856 he was employed on the construction of the Grundy County court-house, and the following winter he taught the first school ever held at Grundy Center. He followed teaching during the winters until after his marriage, and dur- ing the summer months was engaged in contracting and building. He has erected school-houses in Black Hawk, Grundy, Tama, Butler, Hardin and Franklin coun- ties, beside many private residences and busi- ness houses. In 1864 Mr. Washburn bought the propery where he now resides from his brother, J. H. Washburn. His farm, which is located on section 24, Black Hawk Township, contains 116 acres of choice land, and his residence is on the Waterloo and
Eldora road about a mile and a quarter northeast of Hudson. Mr. Washburn was married February 28, 1865, to Mary C. Southard, who was born in North Carolina, February 20, 1843. She came to Iowa in 1851 with her parents, Levi W, and Keziah (Reece) Southard, they being the third fam- ily to settle in Hardin County, In Decem- ber following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Washburn moved to their present home, and there their four children-Jessie, Ja- nette F., Mary S. and Hal B. were born. The family are members of the United Brethren church. Since the opening of the Diagonal Railroad Mr. Washburn has been very successfully engaged in the lumber and coal trade at Hudson, carrying large stocks in both lines. Mr. Washburn has filled many positions of trust since coming to this county. In 1874 he was elected to the Board of Supervisors and re-elected in 1876. In the latter year he was nominated on the Republican ticket county treasurer, to which office he was elected by a hand- some majority, when he resigned the posi- tion of supervisor. He held the office of county treasurer six years by re-election, and has also served his township as clerk. Mr. Washburn is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the lodge and chap- ter of Waterloo.
URLIS FORD, proprietor of liv- ery, feed and sale stable, at Cedar Falls, Iowa, is a native of Wyan- dot County, Ohio, where he was born January II, 1842, a son of David and Catherine Ford, of whom his mother is now deceased. They were the parents of ten children, their names being-Matilda, Sarah A., Mary A., Ellen, Eliza, Curlis, Nirum. Lydia, Reuben and Nancy, of whom Nancy is deceased. Cur- lis Ford has lived in Black Hawk County,
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Iowa, since 1852, in which year his parents settled in Washington Township, where his father still makes his home. He was mar- ried to Julia M. Streeter, a daughter of the late Hon. Zimri Streeter, who was an early settler of Black Hawk County. Of the five children born to this union only one son, James W. is living. Linus E., George W., Harry and Jennie are deceased. Mr. Ford is an enterprising business man, and by his excellent business management has been successful in all his undertakings. Beside his livery and sale stable in Cedar Falls, he owns 450 acres of choice land. In politics he casts his suffrage with the Re- publican party.
EREMIAH S. WEST, section 2, Lester Township, was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, November 9, 1826, and whenhe was nine years old his parents, James and Julia A. West, removed to Kane County, Illinois, locating near Elgin in 1835. Here he was reared to manhood, remaining in Kane County till the fall of 1854, when he came to Iowa, and after liv- ing one year in Buchanan County he came, in October, 1855, to Black Hawk County. He received but a limited education in his youth, but after he had reached his twenty- first year he attended school six months. He has resided on his present farm since coming to the county, which at that time was an unimproved tract of land. He has now one of the best farms in his neighbor- hood, and has in all 200 acres of land, 160 acres on section 2, and the remainder on section II. He has seventy-five acres un- der high state of cultivation, the rest be- ing pasture and meadow. He has a very comfortable house which was built in 1867 at a cost of $1,200, his barn and shed being built in 1863, costing $1,000, and in 1883 he erected a new shed, his farm buildings be-
ing large and commodious. This he has made by industry and good management, being obliged to borrow $50 when he came to Iowa with which to make a start. Mr. West was married September 21, 1854, to Abigail Potts, daughter of Jacob H. and Catherine (Huntsman) Potts, her father born in Knox County, Ohio, June 22, 1813, and her mother in Richland County, Ohio, September 25, 1813. They were married in Knox County, February 25, 1834, and about three years later moved to Noble County, Indiana, where they remained two or three years. They then moved to Mis- souri, where Mrs. West was born; thence to Kane County, and after living there about fifteen years came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, where they made their home in Lester Township till the fall of 1885, with the exception of one year spent on a farm in Buchanan County, Iowa. They then, in 1885, went to Cherry County, Ne- braska, where they have taken a homestead of 160 acres. Mr. and Mrs. West have a family of six children-Sytheria, born May 24, 1857; Arista, born November 29, 1859; Theresa, born October II, 1861; George B., born June 11, 1864; Frederick A., born December 17, 1872, and Lurena E., born January 4, 1879, all natives of Black Hawk County. In politics Mr. West affiliates with the Democratic party. James West, father of our subject, was born November IO, 1801, in Genesee County, New York, and in early life moved to Cattaraugus County with his parents. During the war of 1812 he ran away from home and served in that war. He was a waiter for General Brock. He was married in Cattaraugus County to Julia A. Jolls, who was born May 8, 1803, in Boston, Massachusetts, and when quite young came with her parents to Cattaraugus County. James West wasa son of Thomas P. and grandson of Rufus West, who was of English descent. Our subject's Grandmother Jolls was a native of Scot-
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
land, and came to America with her parents in an early day. His grandfather, Gar- dener Jolls, was a native of England, and followed the sea the greater part of his life. Mrs. West's father was a justice of the peace for twenty years, holding that office while living in Lester Township. He has a good farm, well improved, where he resides, beside owning 320 acres of land in Lake County, Dakota.
ZRA J. FRENCH, deceased, Les- ter Township, was a native of England, born May 7, 1837, a son of Edward and Ann (Humphries) French, who were also natives of England, the father born in 1803 and the mother in 1804. When he was eight years old his parents immigrated to Ameri- ca, and after remaining a short time in New York State they located in Trumbull County, Ohio, where they resided many years, and in 1854 came to Black Hawk County, Iowa. The father was a shoe- maker by trade, which occupation he fol- lowed in connection with farming all his life. Ezra J. French learned the shoe- maker's trade from his father but never followed it, his principal avocation through life being farming. He came to Black Hawk County in 1855, and first located on a farm on section 25. In 1883 his widow sold the farm and bought eighty acres on section 22, Lester Township, where she now lives. He was married September 13, 1858, to Mary M. Siple, who was born in Oxford County, Canada, Sept. 24, 1838, and in 1854 came with her parents, George and Rebecca Siple, to Black Hawk County. Mr. French died July 28, 1872, leaving a widow and four children-Achsah, born August 5, 1859, wife of Clarence B. Everet; Rebecca A., born January 1I, 1861, wife of Edwin C. Gates ; Charles E., born January
8, 1863, and Mary M., born April 28, 1865. Clarence B. Everet was born in Buchanan County, lowa, September 5, 1855, where he has resided all his life with the excep- tion of one year spent in Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Everet have two children -- Ed- win, born June 4, 1881, and Bessie, born October 7, 1882. In politics Mr. French was a Republican. He frequently held the office of school director, and also served as road supervisor. Mr. Siple, father of Mrs. French, was born in New York State, on the Susquehanna River, August 22, 1801, and when he was ten years old his parents moved to Oxford County, Canada. There he grew to manhood and was married to Rebecca Malcolm, who was a native of Canada, born February 11, 1815, her grand- father, Daniel Malcolm, being a native of Scotland. In 1852 Mr. Siple came to Black Hawk County, the family following two years later. He died in Lester Township, July 9, 1885. John Siple, grandfather of Mrs. French, was a native of Holland. He came to America in an early day, and died in Oxford County, Canada, in August, 1848.
TEPHEN PALMER, farmer, sec- tion 35, WaterlooTownship was born in England, November 27, 1820, a son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Vooden) Palmer, his parents living in England till their death. Our subject was reared to agricultural pursuits, and for many years carried on his father's farm in England. He was married in his native country to Mary Evely, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Cowles) Evely. After coming to America Mr. Palmer spent two years in Canada, after which he came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, and settled in Waterloo City, where he resided three years. He then was employed on the farm of Samuel Fields for a year, when he rented
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a farm from Mr. Fields, which he worked on shares for two years. He then bought ten acres of land on section 36, Waterloo Township, where he was engaged in farm- ing for five years, when he settled on his present farm, buying then eighty acres of unimproved land. Since locating here he has built a commodious brick residence and good farm buildings, and now has his farm under fine cultivation. Mr. Palmer has a brother and two sisters living-Roger Palmer, Mrs. Grace Hicks and Mrs. Charity Weeks.
ILLIAM M. AND CHARLES J. FIELDS, president and cashier respectively of the First Nation- al Bank of Cedar Falls, and pro- prietors of the Cedar Falls stock_ farm, are natives of Yorkshire, Eng- land, the former born February 22, 1841, and the latter November 9, 1844. When very young they were brought to America by their parents, John and Isabella B. Fields, they locating in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The brothers were reared to manhood in Luzerne County, and both were well educated in the schools of Penn- sylvania, the father being possessed of con- siderable means. After the late war the parents removed with their family to the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, where the father died November 8, 1870. In 1873 they came to Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, and established the now well- known Cedar Falls stock-farm, consisting of 1,460 acres, and which has not only gained a State but a national reputation. In 1878 the Fields brothers erected what is known as the Fields' Methodist Episcopal Church, a neat, substantial house of worship, for which they provide a minister. The First National Bank of Cedar Falls was organ- ized in September, 1874, with a capital of $50,000, and a surplus fund of $20,000,with
W. M. Fields as president, and C. J. Fields as cashier; the greater part of the stock of the bank is owned by the Messrs. Fields. William M. Fields is at present one of the directors of the Iowa State Normal School located at Cedar Falls, having been elected in 1882 for a term of six years. He was married February 13, 1866, to Violetta Cass, daughter of John and Margaret Cass, who were originally from England. They have six children- J. Cass, William M., Charles A., Harry E., Emily H. and James S. Charles J. Fields was married in June, 1866, to Isabella Cass, sister of Mrs. W. M. Fields, and of the eight children born to this union five are living-Albert M., Isabella F., Violetta M., CharlesJ. and Emily E. The Fields Brothers and their wives are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In poli- tics the brothers are Republican. Both brothers are also members of the Masonic fraternity. The Fields brothers annually import from Europe choice blooded stock consisting of Cleveland Bay and English draft horses, and are endeavoring to have their stock-farm rank second to none in the West. The farm is located a short dis- tance southwest of Cedar Falls to which place it is connected by telephone. In ad- dition to the large stud of above breeds of horses there are also large herds of short- horn and Holstein cattle on the farm.
ARVEY E. JONES, a native of Chautauqua County, New York, was born December 5, 1833, a son of Samuel and Catharine Jones, both being natives of New York State. When a child his parents removed to Craw- ford County, Pennsylvania, and a short time later settled in Stephenson County, Illinois, where he was reared to manhood. He was united in marriage to Jenna A.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
White, of Freeport, Illinois, February 1, 1857, she being a native of Canada. Seven children were born to this union-Amelia E., Dexter M., George L., Josephine, Katie F .. Eva B., and Jennie, of whom the last four are deceased. In 1865 Mr. Jones came with his family to Black Hawk County, lowa, where he has since made his home, his wife dying here March 5, 1880. Mr. Jones is an industrious and enterprising citizen, and in his agricultural pursuits has met with success. He is now the owner of a good farm of 160 acres in Cedar Falls Township, where he resides. He is a con- sistent member of the Baptist church, of which he has served as deacon for many years. In politics he is a Prohibitionist. Samuel Jones, father of our subject, was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in 1861, in Company L, First Wisconsin Infantry. He was in active service most of the time till his death, which occurred in June, 1862.
R OMAINE ADRIAN WHITA- KER .- There are few men yet residents of Waterloo who came here over thirty years ago, and are still occupying places of usefulness and influence, and of those few our subject should be given a leading place. During these long years he has been closely, but in an unostentatious way, iden- tified with the material prosperity of the city and county. He is eminently Yankee in his antecedents, his ancestry on both sides tracing back to the early settlement of the New England colonies, and belong- ing to the hardy, long-lived yeomanry class of that time. The family, upon his father's side, were of English origin, and first set- tled at Haverhill, Massachusetts, about 1648. Portions of the family soon after settled in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, where his great-grandfather, William Whitaker, was born in 1743. He rendered some serv-
ice, while a mere lad, in the French and Indian war, and was a soldier in the Revo- lution. He married Amy Clemence and settled in Cheshire, Massachusetts, where he died in 1830. Clemence, his son, grand- father of Romaine, was born in Cheshire, Massachusetts, December 18, 1779. At the age of twenty-one he settled in Oneida County, New York, then comparatively a wilderness, where he cleared and opened up a farm. Desiring more land, in 1835 he- sold his homestead to his second son, who still owns and occupies it, and removed to Lewis County, New York, where he pur- chased a large farm, partially improved, near the village of Martinsburg, the county seat, and resided there until his death, February 28, 1872. This farm is now owned by his son Daniel. He married Alice Hall, who was born in Lanesbor- ough, Massachusetts, April 16, 1777, and died in Martinsburg, New York, May 4, 1847. Their children were-Jerome, Anna (who married Ransom Salmon), George, Samuel, Winfield S., William, Daniel and Romaine, of whom three, Jerome, George and Daniel, are still living. Jerome, the eldest, was born at South Trenton, Oneida County, New York, May 25, 1806. In April, 1836, he removed to Jefferson County, New York, where he continued to reside until May, 1885, when he came to Waterloo, and now resides with his son. His long life has been devoted solely to agricultural pursuits. He married Lydia North Demming, August 27, 1827. She was born at Holland Patent, New York, October 19, 1807, and died at Carthage, New York, November 12, 1875. Their children were-Romaine Adrian, born August 26, 1828; Reuben Adolphus, born April 4, 1830, died December 25, 1860; David Demming, born September 27, 1831; Clemence Jerome, born September 23, 1833; Welcome Abbott, born August 21, 1836, died October 7, 1860, and Luama Ann,
RAWhitaker
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born September 8, 1843, married George Fredenburg, died December 17, 1881. Ro- maine A. Whitaker, the first born of Jerome and Lydia N. Whitaker, first saw light August 26, 1828, at Holland Patent, Oneida County, New York, and when seven years of age his father's family moved into Jeffer- son County, New York, where he resided until he was twenty-one. His boyhood days were spent on his father's farm. Like the rest of the farmer lads, he attended the district school during the winter months, and, on reaching manhood, became himself a teacher, completing his education at Lowville Academy, New York. In 1853 he came to Iowa, and in April, 1856, set- tled in Waterloo. Soon after coming here he purchased an interest in a saw-mill, which he operated for two years, after- ward engaging in farming until January, 1860, when he became employed as clerk in the office of the county treasurer and recorder, which position he filled for sev- eral years. In 1864 and 1865 he was em- ployed in D. B. Stanton's hardware store on the west side, and returned to the county treasurer's office as deputy, in January, 1866. In 1867 Mr. Whitaker was elected treasurer of Black Hawk County, and as- sumed the duties of that office in January, 1868, serving four terms of two years each by re-election. In 1876 he formed a part- nership under the firm name of Whitaker & Edgington, dealers in agricultural imple- ments, which he continued until February, 1878, when he was elected grand recorder of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, which office he still holds. He was united in marriage September 17, 1856, at Great Bend, New York, to Mary E. Clarke, who was born at Evans' Mills, New York, April 17, 1832. They have had three children, one daughter and two sons, both the latter dying in infancy. The daughter, Ardelle Genevieve, was born June 29, 1858, mar- ried George A. Goodell, October 12, 1881, 37
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