USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > Historical and biographical record of Black Hawk County, Iowa > Part 43
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
William J., born January 18, 1853, is a blacksmith, of Waterloo, New York; George H., born March 22, 1855; Emma C., born May 24, 1858, was married Feb- ruary 25, 1885, to Charles H. Garrett, of East Waterloo; Joseph L., born March 13, 1860; Sarah A., October 13, 1862; Belle, July 10, 1868, and Katie M., April 16, 1872, are at home.
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LBERT G. BANNISTER, who died March 23, 1883, was born in the State of New York, Ontario County, March 27, 1809, and was one of Black Hawk County's most esteemed and most respected citizens, where he was for many years prominently identified, having been, literally speaking, one of the pioneers of the county of his choice, and especially of Spring Creek Township, where he resided from 1855 up to the time of his decease. While living in New York State he was married at the age of about thirty years to Antoinette Van Dyke, to whom were born two children, one of whom is dead, the other, a son, is living at Vail, Crawford County, Iowa. After moving to Indiana, and later to Naperville, Illinois, his wife died, and Mr. Bannister was married again, this time to Miss Lydia Glassner, of Belvidere, Illinois, who was born in New Jersey, October 18, 1830. To them were born five children, two of whom, Frank M. and Vinton A., died in infancy. Of those living Elizabeth L. is the eldest, born December 23, 1854, and is the wife of Charles E. Ashley, of Spring Creek Town- ship. The next, Ina, lives in Nebraska, and Charles B. is in Dakota Territory. Mrs. Lydia Bannister died in 1862, and Mr. Ban- nister was a third time married, this time to Miss Esther Dixon, daughter of James and Catharine Dixon, a native of Ohio, born in the year 1847. To them were born two children-Albert T. and Lisle S., who reside
with their widowed mother on the farm where their father lived during the whole period of his stay in the State-twenty-eight years. Mr. Bannister held for a number of years the office of justice of the peace, had held the office of president of the school board of the township, and also taught school, together with penmanship. He was a man of strict integrity, correct and steady habits, also of extended observation and travel, he having together with thousands of other men, of what is termed the early days, determined to try and better his fort- unes by seeking the Eldorado in the land of gold. Consequently, in 1850, while liv- ing at Naperville, Illinois, he went overland with a wagon train to California, where he worked in the mines and was fairly on the road to, as he thought, make lots of money when his health, at this, to him, most impor- tant and valuable time, failed, or nearly so, obliging him to stop mining, and after liv- ing in California one year and having made money enough to pay him for his time and trouble, he left the land of the setting sun for home, returning by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New York, thence by rail to Naperville, bringing with him many me- mentoes of his, to many minds, great and truly arduous undertaking, and not least among these were several bushels of Pacific ocean shells, a rarity for those times. His account of the homeward ocean trip would be calculated to make an impression on the minds of admirers of romance. When leav- ing for home his expectation was to go by way of Cape Horn, but the old sailing ship made such slow progress that when near Panama, becalmned for several days, he with a number of others decided to desert her, thereby forfeiting their passage money, and were rowed in a dugout to the city of Pan- ama, a distance of ten or twelve miles. Another cause for deserting their ship was the fact that she was sailed slowly to give gamblers aboard a chance to fleece the pas-
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
sengers. Arriving at Panama they crossed the isthmus by mules, and took passage on another ship for New York. Mr. Bannis- ter died leaving quite a property, consisting chiefly of a farm of nearly 600 acres of land, with good buildings and improvements.
ACOB MUELLER was born in Erlenbach, Canton Bern, Swit- zerland, January 28, 1827, a son of Jacob and Alice Mueller, both of whom died in their native country. His father died when he was twelve years of age, and he was thus left to the care of a widowed mother. He learned the trade of a miller and baker in his native country, working there till twenty-three years of age. In 1850 he left his native land and came to the United States, land- ing at New Orleans, April 13. From there via St. Louis to Madison County, Illinois, where he remained one season, and thence to Clinton County and engaged in farming two years. In 1853 he moved to Dubuque, Iowa, living in that city two years, when he bought a farm in Table Mound Town- ship, Dubuque County, where he lived un- til February, 1874, and then moved to Lincoln, section 15, on Mr. O. Kurner's farm, which he rented for two years, im- proving at the same time his present farm of 360 acres on section 13, having bought the same January 25, 1874. In March, 1876, he moved on his own farm. He was mar- ried in Switzerland to Miss Mary A. Schweingruber, and to them one child was born-John J., now of Lincoln Township. His wife died in January, 1852, aged twen- ty-five years. February 1, 1855, he mar- ried in Dubuque Miss Elizabeth Fern, daughter of Robert and Mary Fern. She was born in Dubuque, March 19, 1836, and is thought to be the first white child born in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Mueller have had nine children-two are deceased, Rosa and
an infant ; Mary A. is the wife of C. C. Cod- dington ; William N. is a farmer of Lin- coln Township; John R. lives in Dawson County, Nebraska ; Alfred C., Henry, Her- man and Franklin are at home. In politics Mr. Mueller affiliates with the Democratic party. In religious faith he is liberal. The parents of Mrs. Mueller came from Eng- land and were among the carliest settlers in the lead-mining region, locating near Sinsinaway Mound, in Grant County, Wis- consin, in 1829. In the early years Mr. Fern was with General Jones, of Dubuque, in smelting works. He died in 1842, his widow surviving until 1861. One son, John Fern, lives in Lincoln Township, and another, Benjamin, is a farmer and lead- miner near Dubuque.
OHN KING, farmer and stock- raiser, section 32, Big Creek Township, was born in East Ten- nessee, May 28, 1831, a son of Stephen and Mary (Etter) King, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Tennessee. In 1851 his father moved to Iowa, and located in Benton County, where he passed the remainder of his life. He was twice married, and had a family of fifteen children, our subject being the eldest child of his second marriage. He was reared in his native State, and was twenty- one years of age when he accompanied his father to Iowa. He has devoted his life to agriculture and has been successful, now owning a fine farm of 340 acres, valued at $35 an acre. The greater part of this he has made himself, the only help he had being about forty acres from his father's estate. He is one of the prominent and influential citizens of Black Hawk County, and has assisted materially in advancing the interests of his township. He has held the office of school director and has been president of
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the board, the cause of education being one in which he is much interested. He was married in Benton County, January, 1857, to Eliza Jane Lamer, a native of Pennsyl- vania, born in 1837, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca Lamer. They have had a family of fourteen children-Rebecca, wife of Enoch Fox, of Kansas ; Emma, wife of An- drew Wilson, of Clay County, Nebraska ; Alice, David, Ida, Estella B., Adella, Lu- titia, Burt, Maude, Nettie, Roy J., Charles and Clarence. Alice, Burt and Maude are deceased. Mr. King in politics is allied to no party, casting his suffrage for the men he considers best fitted for the office. In his religious views he is a Seventh Day Adventist. His Grandfather Etter was a hero of the war of 1812.
H. BROWN, retired farmer, was born in Clermont County, Ohio, in 1822, a son of John and Violet Brown, natives of Virginia. His father died in 1828, aged thirty-five years, and his mother in 1864, aged seventy-two years. They had a family of seven children, three of whom are living- Matthew, William and A. H., first two liv- ing in Oregon. A. H. Brown lived on a farm until fourteen years of age, and then began to learn the tailor's trade, at which he worked thirty years. He came to Iowa in 1854, and in 1855 located in Black Hawk County, on the land which now is his homestead. At that time it was wholly unimproved, but now is under a good state of cultivation, and he has a good residence and other farm buildings. Two cotton- wood trees planted by him twenty-five years ago are now eleven and nine feet in circumference. Mr. Brown's farm con- tains 120 acres of fine farming land, and he also owns a house and three lots in Water- loo. He was married in Logan County, 41
Ohio, February 2, 1844, to Mary E. Green, a native of that county, born June 25, 1825, daughter of William and Hester (Purdy) Green. They had two children born to them-Mary, wife of Isaac Boomhower, of Benton County, has one child - Mary ; Amanda, now the wife of James Sprague. The latter first married R. C. Hagenbaugh, who at the time of his death left one child- Nellie, now living with her grandparents. She has one child, Dora M., by her last marriage. In politics Mr. Brown is a Re- publican. He is a strict prohibitionist, and a member of the Good Templars order.
OHN OSBORN, farmer and stock-raiser, section 19, Big Creek Township, was born in Rutland County, England, April 20, 1827, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Yates) Osborn. May 2, 1852, he embarked for the United States in a sailing vessel, the British Crown, and after a very perilous voyage of storm and shipwreck landed in New York City, July 18. He remained in the State of New York two years, living in Aurora, Erie County, but met with many discouragements, incident to a life in a strange land. Being a stranger and alone he had little idea of the boundless extent of the agricultural interests of America, but learning of the Western country, he came as far as De Kalb County, Illinois, and from there in January, 1855, to Black Hawk County, Iowa, thus being among the pioneer settlers of the county. He has a fine farm of 287 acres, all well improved, but his special attention is devoted to rais- ing and dealing in fine stock. He has a herd of over seventy thoroughbred short horn cattle of good standard families reg- istered in the American Herd Book. Sires that have been used in his herd of late are Meadow Duke, 21,684, American Herd
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
Book; Roses Duke, 40,758, a Rose of Sharon and Major Jupiter, 42,209, the latter now at the head of the herd. He has constantly on hand and keeps for sale animals of either sex. He has four one-year-old calves that will weigh 1,000 pounds each. His cattle are among the finest in the State of Iowa, and will compare favorably with any in the United States. He has been a diligent and untiring worker in caring for and improv- ing the grade of his cattle, and is rewarded by seeing them come up to the high stand- ard of excellence that is unsurpassed by any in his county. Mr. Osborn is truly a self-made man ; his habits of industry and economy, added to his indomitable will and perseverance, have secured for him a fine property, and made him one of the promi- nent and prosperous business men of Black Hawk County. Mr. Osborn was married in 1861 to Amy Seamans, a native of New York, born in 1836, and to them were born five children-George ; Mary, wife of Will- iam Henby ; Amos, Ida and Janie. Mrs. Osborn died in 1870, and in 1871 Mr. Os- born married Sarah Seamans, his first wife's sister. They have two children- Lenora and Ettie. Mr. Osborn meeting with success in his adventures in a new country, brothers and relatives have fol- lowed after to this great land of promise, and all are doing well.
ARK BURNHAM, one of the enterprising young farmers of Big Creek Township, Black Hawk County, was born September 2, 1860, in Tama County, Iowa. His parents, Erastus and Louisa Burnham, were also natives of the same State, where they were reared and married, living there till they came to Black Hawk County, in 1865. The father died in this county in 1868, and his widow subsequently
went to California where she still re- sides. They were the parents of three children-Silas, Leslie and Mark. Mark Burnham was reared to manhood on a farm, his father being a farmer by occupation, his education being obtained at the common schools of Black Hawk County. He was united in marriage March 12, 1883, to Miss Ellie Pray, a daughter of R. J. Pray, a resi- dent of La Porte City. Mr. Burnham has lived in this county the greater part of his life, coming here with his parents when about five years of age. He has always followed agricultural pursuits, and is now the owner of eighty acres of excellent farm- ing land under a high state of cultivation, his home farm being on section 35, of Big Creek Township. In his political views Mr. Burnham casts his suffrage with the Republican party.
HURMAN DENNY, farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 2, Spring Creek Township, where he has a well-cultivated farm of 460 acres, was born in North Carolina, October 3, 1826, a son of Jesse and Oney (Bowles) Denny, who were natives of the same State. They subsequently re- moved to Preble County, Ohio, and after living there a few years they settled in Johnson County, Indiana, living there till their death, the father dying February 28, 1865, and the mother dying August 3, of the same year. 'They were the parents of seven children-Thurman, our subject ; Cilviria, died November 23, 1878 ; Lucin- da, of Benton County, Iowa ; Hepsy Ann, of Miami County, Indiana ; Thomas B., of Johnson County, Indiana ; Mary E., of Johnson County, Indiana, and Jacob, died December 27, 1864. Thurman Denny was reared on a farm, and has followed agricult- ural pursuits successfully through life.
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He was married in Johnson County, In- diana, February 21, 1850, to Rebecca E. Smith, daughter of W. K. and Elizabeth (Grossclose) Smith, natives of Virginia. Of the three children born to this union only one is living-Mary C., who married John W. Clark, of Spring Creek Township, and has one child-Oscea. Mr. Denny is truly a self-made man, commencing life without means, and on coming to this county in 1852 he was obliged to go in debt for a part of his land. His first house here was a rude log cabin, 12 x 14 feet, and his furniture was of the most primitive kind. By years of persevering industry and economy, aided by his amiable wife, he has acquired a good property, and is now classed among the prosperous farmers of the county. Mr. Denny was one of the stock-holders in the First National Bank of Jesup. He takes an active interest in all enterprises for the good of his county, and gives liberally of his means, to every worthy object. Mrs. Denny's father was born in Augusta Coun- ty, Virginia, in 1806. He left his native State for Fayette County, Indiana, in 1818, and was married there to Elizabeth Gross- close, by whom he had ten children. Sep- tember 9, 1827, he left Fayette County and settled in Johnson County, Indiana, where his wife died in 1865. He is still living in that county, at the advanced age of eighty years.
M. SMITH, farmer, section 17, Spring Creek Township, was born in Cayuga County, New York, September 13, 1830, a son of Canada and Rhoda (Hall) Smith, natives of New Jersey. The former died in Ohio and the mother now lives in Black Hawk County in the enjoyment of good health. In 1854 Mr. Smith came to Iowa and settled in Waterloo, where he lived
until 1859, when he located on the farm where he now lives, in Spring Creek Town- ship. He has a good farm of forty acres, and his residence and buildings are com modious and comfortable. He was mar- ried in 1859 to Harriet (Burnham) Merrill, who was born in Washington County, Ver- mont, in 1821, a daughter of James and Fanny (Hebard) Burnham, natives of Ver- mont, and widow of Roswell Merrill, who was born in New Hampshire, to whom she was married in McHenry County, Illinois, in 1843. Mr. Merrill died in 1857, leaving four children-Edgar M., Rush M. (who enlisted in the service when seventeen years old), David E. and Don J. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born two chil- dren, but one of whom, Byron R., is living. Mr. Smith was postmaster eight years and Mrs. Smith ten years, in Black Hawk County. Mr. Smith and his wife are, in religious belief, free thinkers. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party.
HOMAS P. McMANUS, residing on section 17, Lincoln Township,
M was born in Knox County, Ohio, July 2, 1843, his parents, John H. and Lydia (Pierson) McManus being born, reared and married in the State of Pennsylvania. Soon after their marriage they settled in Ohio, and in 1848 removed to Delaware County, Indiana, with their family. There the father died in 1855, the mother having died in 1854, leaving five children-Otho J., Lieutenant in Company G, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Infantry, was killed in battle at Selma, Al- abama, April 2, 1865; Hiram J., living in Cherokee County, Iowa; Thomas P., our subject; Millie, wife of Milton Finch, of Sioux County, Iowa, and John F., died in Delaware County, Indiana, in 1867. After the death of his parents Thomas P. Mc-
HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
Manus was taken into the home of Hon. Thomas Sumner, of Marshall County, Indiana, and to the lessons taught him by this good man he attributes much of his success in life. August 5, 1861, he enlisted in Company 1, Twenty-seventh Ilinois In- fantry. He was under Grant in that Gen- eral's first battle at Belmont, Missouri, at the capture of Island No. 10, siege of Cor- inth, three-days battle of Stone River, and Chickamauga, where he was wounded in the right hand; at Missionary Ridge, Resaca and Dallas. He was severely wounded in the left arm and shoulder at the battle of Dallas, May 27, 1864, and was in hospital at Nashville, Louisville and St. Louis. March 3. 1865, he was commis- sioned Second Lieutenant, under Thomas Sumner as First Lieutenant. He served until the close of the war when he was honorably discharged September 19, 1865, and is now receiving a pension for his serv- ices. After the war he returned to his home in Indiana, and in November, 1865, he became a resident of Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa. March 10, 1867, he was married to Mrs. Sarah McManus, widow of his brother, Otho McManus. She was born in Richland County, Ohio, July 15, 1839, a daughter of Henry and Sarah Rupp. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McManus have been born three children -George H., attending the State Normal school at Cedar Falls; Thomas L. and Oscar J., at home. Mrs. McManus had two children by her first marriage-Mary Alice, wife of Stephen P. Hicks, of Chicago, and Nettie, who died aged six months. Mr. McManus settled on his present farm in the spring of 1866, commencing on eighty acres. He commenced life in Iowa with very limited means, but being full of energy and good business management he has been prosperous in his agricultural pur- suits, and is now the owner of one of the best farms in his part of the township,
containing 400 acres of land with as good building improvements as can be found in his neighborhood. He is one of the enter- prising citizens of his township which he has served very acceptably as trustce, and has also served on the School Board. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church.
LOHN BARKER has been a resi- dent of this county since Decem- ber 1, 1861. He lived at Waterloo till March, 1862, when he settled on his present farm of eighty acres, on sec- tion 16, Lester Township. On his land a small log cabin had been erected, and a half acre of land broken when he first set- tled on it. His land is now under cultiva- tion, and his residence is comfortable and commodious. Mr. Barker was born in Essex County, New York, August 22, 1820, and when he was four years old his parents, Samuel and Parmelia (Henderson) Barker, moved to Georgia, Vermont, then to Mas- sachusetts, and three years later removed to Lower Canada. His father was born in England, and at the age of sixteen ran away from his home, coming to America, and was married in Shelburne, Vermont, his wife being a native of that place. He died in 1836. John Barker began to earn his own living at the early age of ten years. He was married in Randolph, Wisconsin, April 23, 1849, to Mrs. Sarah A. Presba, and to this union have been born two chil- dren-Frederick G., born February 9, 1850, died in Black Hawk County, May 24, 1874, and Alice J., born in Wisconsin, August 23, 1854, married Thomas Carns, of Lester Township, and has three children. Mrs. Barker was born in Lower Canada, May 2, 1821, and was there married to her first husband, John Presba, a native of New Hampshire, who died in Wisconsin in 1848, leaving four children-William, Ann,
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Betsey and James A., of whom William is the only one now living. Mrs. Barker is a daughter of William B. and Elizabeth Cory, who were natives of New Hampshire, liv- ing there till after their marriage when they removed to Lower Canada. Mr. Barker's Grandfather Henderson was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was one of the old settlers in Vermont, in which State he resided till his death. In politics Mr. Barker is a Republican. He has served his township as trustee for one year, and has also filled the office of school director and road supervisor. He and his wife are members of the Free-Will Baptist church.
ATHANIEL H. DU FOE, farmer, Cedar Falls Township, was born October 27, 1836, a native of New York State, and a son of Alexander H. and Sophia Du Foe, his father being a soldier in the war of 1812. His paternal great-grandfather, Charles Du Foe, was born in Quebec, Canada, but removed to Canandaigua, New York, when it was but a hamlet. Nathaniel H. was reared to manhood on a farm in his native State, receiving the benefits of a common- school education. His mother died when he was a child, and at an early age he was thrown upon his own resources. In May, 1861, he enlisted as a private at Dowagiac, Michigan, a member of Company E, and shortly after was commissioned Second Lieutenant. Their company was the first organized in Cass County, and the twenty- seventh in the State of Michigan. In the following June this company was accepted in the Douglas Brigade, which was then being formed at Chicago, Illinois, this bri- gade consisting mainly of men who had cast their first vote for Stephen A. Doug- las for President, and were known as the Forty-second Illinois Volunteers. He par-
ticipated in the battles of Island No. 10, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and Mis- sion Ridge. He subsequently re-enlisted as a veteran and took part in the Atlanta campaign, and many other battles of im- portance, and was honorably discharged in May, 1864. In 1865 he came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, and the following year set- tled on his present farm near Cedar Falls, where he has eighty acres of valuable land under good cultivation. January 1, 1865, he was married to Miss Eliza A. Beeson, daughter of Jesse G. and Anna Beeson, who were pioneers of Cass County, Michigan, the father being a native of Indiana and the mother of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Du Foe have two children-Nellie E., born October 5, 1871, and Rolla N., born Sep- tember 1, 1873. Mr. Du Foe is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and also of the Grand Army of the Re- public.
DWIN RODENBERGER was born in Lehigh County, Pennsyl- vania, December 31, 1837, a son of John and Hannah Rodenberger. To his parents were born six chil- dren-Edwin, Reuben, Emma, Ade- laide, Henry and Wilman, the two last mentioned being deceased. When nine years old our subject was taken by his par- ents to Waukesha County, Wisconsin, where the father died in 1879. Edwin Rodenberger was reared to manhood on a farm, and in his youth attended the com- mon schools. He is a natural mathemati- cian, and to this subject has devoted con- siderable time, and by his knowledge of this important subject he has become very proficient in his business, that of surveying and engineering. Mr. Rodenberger was married June 9, 1861, to Miss Hannah Mar- tin, daughter of James and Mary Martin, of Wisconsin. This union has been blessed
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
with five children, two of whom are the only survivors-Eddie, born July 24, 1873, and Frank, born August 11, 1875. Mr. Rodenberger was elected for four succes- sive terms, of two years each, surveyor of Black Hawk County, but resigned be- fore completing his last term. His duties in this capacity were performed in an able and efficient manner, gaining for him- self, by his straight-forward dealing, the confidence of the public. He has been a resident of Black Hawk County, Iowa, since 1865, when he settled in Cedar Falls. In the fall of ISSo he removed to the west- ern part of Cedar Falls Township, where he has a well-improved farm containing 170 acres of valuable land. Politically he is a Republican. He has served his district very satisfactorily as school director.
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