USA > Iowa > Adair County > History of Adair County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 12
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most commendable, his name being placed on the roll of honor. After Vicksburg was captured he took part in the siege of Jackson, Mississippi, and later he was detailed to the recruiting service and went to New Orleans, where he assisted in recruiting the first New Orleans regiment, in which he was mustered in as second lieutenant of Company B. He continued to serve with that command until June, 1866. At different times during his military experience he was with the commands of Generals Banks. Sherman, Canby and Sheridan. His regiment was the last white regiment mustered out of the service. He was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and later was commissioned captain of his company. His own loyalty and courage inspired the men who served under him and his military record was at all times most commendable.
After receiving an honorable discharge Mr. Dunlap returned home and took up the occupation of farming. which he followed until 1873, when he became a grain merchant of Warrensburg. Illinois. There he lived for eight years and in 1881 came to Fontanelle, where he again engaged in the grain trade, with which he was prominently identified until 1913, when he retired from active business. He had also been connected with the lumber business of Fontanelle for ten years and his activities and interests constituted an important element in the material advanee- ment of the community in which he lived. Aside from his trade interests he acquired extensive holdings of farm lands in Adair county, having at the time of his death fourteen hundred aeres, which still forms part of his estate. His business career was most honorable, landable ambition and intelligently directed energy leading him to success, while.at all times his efforts were of a character that contributed to publie prosperity as well as to individual accomplishment. In Masonic circles Mr. Dunlap was well known. having attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, while as a member of Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine of Davenport he crossed the sands of the desert. He died in December, 1914, honored and respected by all who knew him. His widow survives and occupies the old home at Fontanelle.
D. L. Dunlap attended school in Fontanelle and supplemented his high-school course by study in Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois. Prior to enter- ing upon his college course. however, he pursued a commercial course in the Gem City Business College at Quincy. Illinois. When his studies were completed he returned home and went to work in his father's office, thus receiving the initial busi- ness training which has well qualified him for his later responsibilities and duties.
In 1898 Mr. Dunlap was united in marriage to Miss Mable Freeman, of Fonta- nelle, and soon afterward they removed to his father's farm, where they lived for a year. On the expiration of that time, however. they returned to town and Mr. Dunlap was again in his father's office and later engaged in the live-stock business, with which he has now been prominently identified for the past sixteen years. He handles a large number of cattle annually, making extensive shipments to the city markets, and being an excellent judge of stock is enabled to make judicious pur- chases and profitable sales. In 1912, in connection with his brother-in-law. F. O. Welch, he organized the Dunlap Grain Company. a partnership coneern, now con- trolling one of the leading enterprises of Fontanelle. As in the live-stock business. he has built up an undertaking of large proportions.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap has been blessed with a daughter, Dorothy M. Fraternally, Mr. Dunlap is connected with Fontanelle Lodge, No. 138, F. & A. M., St. John's Chapter. No. 73, R. A. M., Des Moines Valley Consistory. No. 3.
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A. & A. S. R., and Za-Ga-Zig Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Des Moines. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap are identified with the Order of the Eastern Star and he is likewise a member of Fontanelle Lodge, No. 350, I. O. O. F. Mrs. Dunlap belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and he contributes generously to its support. In politics he is a democrat but without aspiration for office. Much of his life has been passed in Fontanelle and through the capable conduct of legitimate business enterprises he has worked his way steadily upward and is today one of the active and honored representatives of commercial interests in Adair county. His plans are carefully formulated and promptly executed. He has strong will power, joined to everyday common sense and a genius for devising the right thing at the right time.
CHARLES T. LAUNDER.
Business interests of Adair county find a worthy representative in Charles T. Launder, an attorney at law and the president of the State Savings Bank of Fonta- nelle. He was born in Marietta, Ohio, November 14, 1865, his parents being Henry and Susan R. (Robinson) Launder, natives of Zanesville and of Marietta, Ohio, respectively, and representatives of old Connecticut families. The father was a harness maker by trade and for some years acted as superintendent of a saddlery manufacturing concern in Cincinnati but on account of ill health he was advised by his physician to leave factory work and as his family numbered eight children he determined to go west, where perhaps he might have better opportunities. Making his way to Iowa, he cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of Orient township, Adair county, in 1869, and entered the employ of E. B. Andrews, president .of Marietta College, who owned an extensive tract of land in Adair county and sent Mr. Launder west to look after his property interests in Iowa. Mr. Launder pur- chased eighty acres of this land, saving the money from his salary. A portion of the town site of Orient is on land owned by Mr. Andrews. He was an attache of the court of St. James under President U. S. Grant and his son C. W. Andrews married a sister of Charles T. Launder. Henry Launder was one of the first trus- tees of Orient township and one of the leading citizens of his community. He was never a farmer but was a natural-born mechanic and erected many of the houses in Orient township in pioneer times, thus becoming closely associated with its carly development and improvement.
Charles T. Launder devoted his youth largely to mastering the branches of learning taught in the district schools and at eighteen years of age he became a teacher in the local schools, following that profession until 1892, when he took up the study of law, matriculating in the law department of the State University, from which he was graduated with the class of 1894. He was admitted to the bar on the 13th of June of that year and following his graduation he returned to Adair county, settling in Fontanelle. At that time he was without capital; in fact his condition was worse than that, for the expenses of his university course had made it necessary for him to seek financial aid to some extent. For two terms he taught school in winter to gain the funds necessary to discharge his indebtedness, after which he established himself in the practice of law. Industry is just as essential in law
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practice as in commercial or industrial pursuits and Mr. Launder applied himself diligently to the care of the legal business intrusted to him. As the years passed and his praetice increased he prospered financially and became a stockholder in the First National Bank of Fontanelle. Subsequently recognizing the need for another finan- cial institution in the town he assisted in the organization, in 1905, of the State Savings Bank, of which he was made president, and in that capacity he has sinee served.
On the 5th of August, 1896, Mr. Launder was united in marriage to Miss Alice A. Baker. of Fontanelle, who was for several years a teacher in the Fontanelle schools and at the time of her marriage resigned a position in the high school at Emerson, Iowa. To them has been born a son, Charles Reid, a graduate of the Fontanelle high school of the class of 1915.
Politically Mr. Launder is a republican but has often refused publie office, pre- ferring to give his time to his profession and his business interests. He has served, however, for twenty years as secretary of the school board and has labored dili- gently and effectively for better schools and higher educational standards. In 1910 he was elected to the office of mayor of Fontanelle, in which he served for two years and in that connection he exercised his official prerogatives in support of various plans and measures for the public good but as a private citizen as well as an office holder he continually works for the general welfare and the advancement of his community. In the line of his profession he has also held office, serving for four years as county attorney. He is a member of the Masonie lodge of Fontanelle and Fontanelle Lodge, No. 250, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed through all of the chairs. Much of his life has been spent in this state and he early became imbued with the spirit of enterprise and progress which has been a dominant factor in the upbuilding of the west. His entire career has been characterized by advancement that has come as the immediate result of intelligently direeted industry and unfal- tering determination.
N. S. NEWTON.
N. S. Newton is a representative citizen and prosperous agrieulturist of Adair county, with holdings on scetions 15 and 20, Washington township. His birth occurred in Bureau county, Illinois, on the 2d of December, 1861, his parents being S. S. and Eliza (Scranton) Newton, both of whom were natives of New York. They removed to Illinois in the '30s, taking up their abode on a farm in Bureau county, but subsequently established their home in Wyoming. where the father passed away. The mother is still living and has now attained the age of eighty-three years. They became the parents of ten children, nine of whom yet survive.
N. S. Newton acquired a common-school education in his youth and remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority. Then he made his way ta Cass county, Iowa, and was there employed as a farm hand for four years. On the expiration of that period he bought three hundred and twenty aeres of land in Cass county and was actively engaged in its cultivation for thirteen years, at the end of which time he leased the property and came to Adair county, here purchas- ing his present home farm of two hundred and forty acres in Washington township.
ON & Newton
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Subsequently he bought a tract of eighty acres' in Adams county, Iowa, so that his landed holdings now embraec six hundred and forty aeres of rich and productive land. The well tilled fields annually yield golden harvests in return for the care and labor which he bestows upon them, and he also devotes considerable attention to the raising of high-grade stoek, this branch of his business adding materially to his income. He owns two handsome residences in Massena, Iowa, and is widely recognized as one of the snecessful and enterprising citizens of the community. Sinee coming to Iowa he has won a gratifying competenee that has aecrued as the result of his untiring industry, energy and capable management.
Mr. Newton is a republican in his political views but has never sought nor desired the honors and emoluments of office as a reward for his party fealty. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is serving as a steward and also as Sunday-school teacher. He has now lived in this part of the state for about a third of a century and enjoys an extensive and favorable acquaintance here.
JOHN METZGER.
John Metzger has devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits throughout his entire business eareer with excellent success and is now the owner of a well improved farm embracing two hundred acres on seetion 18, Jaekson township. His birth occurred in Bureau county, Illinois, on the 4th of November, 1869, his parents being George H. and Margaret (Farber) Metzger, both of whom were natives of Ger- many. They emigrated to the United States in young manhood and young woman- hood and were married in New York. Some time in the '50s they removed westward to Bureau county, Illinois, and in the spring of 1873 eame to Iowa, loeating on the farm in Jackson township, Adair county, which is now in possession of our subjeet. George H. Metzger owned two hundred and forty aeres of valuable land and won a gratifying measure of success in his undertakings, so that when he passed away in 1896 the community lost one of its substantial and representative citizens. Mrs. Metzger died in 1912 and her demise was the occasion of deep and widespread regret throughout the locality in which she had made her home for almost four decades.
John Metzger was brought to Adair county by his parents when in his fourth year and has remained within its borders continuously since. He attended the dis- triet sehools in the acquirement of an education and continued under the parental roof after attaining his majority, operating the home farm in association with his father. Two years prior to the latter's demise our subjeet took charge of the place and two years after the death of his father purchased one hundred and sixty aeres thereof, while after his mother's death he bought the remaining eighty aeres. Sub- sequently, however, he sold a forty-aere traet, so that his holdings now embrace two hundred acres.
In 1903 Mr. Metzger was united in marriage to Miss Mathilda Kuester, of Cass county, Iowa, by whom he has six children, namely: Earl L., Roy H., Glenn E .. Viola G., Dean C. and Clair Wesley. Mr. Metzger gives his politieal allegianee to the republican party, while his religious faith is indieated by his membership in
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the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife also belongs. A resident of this county for forty-two years, he has gained an extensive acquaintance and many friends who hold him in high esteem.
CHARLES H. QUECK.
Charles H. Queck is numbered among the young and enterprising farmers of Jackson township, where in connection with his brother, Fred C. Queek, he is operating three hundred and eighty acres of land which they rent from their father. He was born in Mendota, Illinois, October 17, 1885, a son of Paul Queek, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.
The son was a little lad of five years when he was brought by his parents to Adair county and here he was reared to habits of thrift and industry, while in the distriet schools of the neighborhood he acquired his education. From an early age he assisted in the work of the home farm and gave his father the benefit of his services until he had reached mature years. In the spring of 1912 he became asso- ciated with his brother Fred C. in farming three hundred and eighty acres of land which they rent from their father, this traet being located on section 1, Jackson township. They are alert and enterprising and follow the most modern methods of agriculture, so that their labors are bringing to them a most gratifying annual return.
On the 17th of October. 1911, Charles H. Queck was united in marriage to Miss Otillie Sieg, who came from her native land of Germany about 1900 or 1901. They now have three sons, Walter. Harold and Ervin. The parents hold membership in the German Lutheran church, and Mr. Queck gives his political support to the republican party. Both he and his wife have many warm friends in the locality in which they make their home and all admire them for their many sterling qualities.
G. E. SLOCUM.
G. E. Sloeum has conducted a general mercantile establishment at Bridgewater since August. 1908, and is accounted one of the town's leading and wide-awake business men. His birth occurred in Kewanee, Henry county. Illinois, on the 18th of January, 1867, his parents being George P. and Adaline (Ackley) Sloeum, who were natives of New York and Connecticut respectively. Their marriage was ecle- brated in Princeton. Illinois, to which state the mother had removed with her par- ents as a girl and where the father had taken up his abode in young manhood. George P. Slocum served during the period of the Civil war as a member of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, remaining with that command for a little more than three years. After being honorably discharged he returned to Kewanee and was there variously engaged until 1871, when he came to Adair county, Iowa, purchasing a farm in Washington township which he operated successfully until the spring of 1903. He then took up his abode in Bridgewater and there spent his remaining days in honorable retirement, passing away on the
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4th of April, 1909. The period of his residence in Adair county covered nearly four decades and in his passing the community mourned the loss of one of its sub- stantial agriculturists and esteemed citizens. His widow survives, residing in the Bridgewater homc.
G. E. Slocum was rcared under the parental roof and supplemented his early education, obtained in the district schools, by attending the Adair County Normal School. He continued at home after attaining his majority and assisted his father in the operation of the home farm, their interests being common. On the 22d of February, 1894, he wedded Miss Maud M. Williams, of New York, and following his marriage located on an eighty-acre farm adjoining the home place, which he had previously purchased. This he operated and after his father's removal to Bridgewater he also rented and cultivated the home farm of two hundred and forty acres, subsequently purchasing the property. In 1906 he took up his abode in Bridgewater and during the following three years conducted a dravage business, while in August, 1908, he established the mercantile enterprise which he has car- ried on successfully to the present time. He has built up an extensive and well merited patronage and is classed among the foremost and prosperous merchants of the community.
To Mr. and Mrs. Slocum have been born four children, three of whom survive, as follows: Olive M., who is the wife of Albert Odem, of Bridgewater, Iowa; Ilah M., who is engaged in teaching school; and Gladys, at home. Mr. Slocum gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has held local office for a number of years past. At present he is serving on the board of township trustees and also as a member of the town council. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Bridgewater Lodge, No. 271. His wife is a devoted and consistent member of the Baptist church. Mr. Slocum has lived in Adair county since the age of four years and is widely and favorably known within its borders, the circle of his friends being almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances.
MICHAEL J. PALMA.
Among the progressive and prosperous farmers of Richland township is Michael J. Palma, who owns and operates one hundred and sixty acres of good land on sec- tion 32, Richland township. He was born in Bohemia, Austria, December 13, 1862, and his parents, Jacob and Anna Palma, were lifelong residents of that country.
Our subject was reared under the parental roof and attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education. In the spring of 1881 he was examined for the army and soon afterward sailed for the United States, thus avoiding the necessity of giving some of his best years to compulsory military service. He arrived in New York in June, 1881, and making his way. westward, stopped at Chicago, where he remained for three weeks. Thence he continued his journey to Creston, Iowa, where he secured a position with the Burlington Railroad. He began in a humble capacity as a coal shoveler and section hand but worked his way up to a lucrative position in the car repair shops. He remained in Creston for ten years but in 1891 came to Adair county and turned his attention to farming. For eleven years he operated
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rented land but in 1902 he purchased eighty acres, to which he subsequently added an adjoining traet of equal size, so that he now holds title to a quarter seetion of fertile land. He follows general agricultural pursuits and is recognized as one of the substantial farmers of his section.
On October 7, 1886, Mr. Palma married Miss Mary Smedil, also a native of Bohemia. She came to this country with her parents as a child. Mr. and Mrs. Palma have four children: William M., who is farming in Adams county, this state; Alice M., the wife of Fred Slezak, of Adams county; and George and Jennie, both at home.
Mr. Palma easts his ballot in support of the democratic party and has served ably as road overseer. Both he and his wife belong to the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Palma has thoroughly identified his interests with those of his county and is always willing to do anything in his power to further the publie welfare. He is well spoken of and has many personal friends.
W. S. EWING.
Business enterprise in Fontanelle finds a worthy representative in W. S. Ewing, now proprietor of a furniture and undertaking establishment. He has one of the modern and well equipped stores in this part of the state, carrying a large and eare- fully selected line of goods, while the tasteful arrangement of the store and the honorable methods of the house are elements in his growing success. Adair county numbers Mr. Ewing among its native sons as he was born in Richland township on the 13th of April, 1857. His parents, James S. and Margaret (Evans) Ewing, were natives of Ohio and of Wales respectively but came to Iowa in the year 1855, settling on a farm in Adair county which the father entered from the government. This was then a wild frontier region in which the work of progress and improve- ment seemed scareely begun. Mr. Ewing built a log cabin which was covered with a clapboard roof and had a puncheon floor and door, from which hung the customary latchstring. There was also a mud and stick chimney. In that house Mr. Ewing lived for several years while carrying on the work of breaking the sod and trans- forming the raw prairie into productive fields. He died, however, after a compara- tively brief residence in Adair county, in February. 1883. his widow long surviving him, her death occurring in 1913. In their family were nine children, of whom six are yet living.
W. S. Ewing remained at home until he attained his majority and gave his time to the work of the fields and to the mastery of such branches of learning as were taught in the pioneer schools of the community. After reaching man's estate he began farming on his own account by renting land, on which he lived for three years. On the expiration of that period he purchased eighty acres in Richland township and thereon resided for eleven years, during which time he wrought a marked transformation in the appearance of the place through the care and labor which he bestowed upon his fields. He then sold that property and next bought one hundred and sixty aeres which he occupied for three years. At the end of that time he rented his farm and took up his abode in Fontanelle, where he became identified with commercial interests, opening a furniture and undertaking establishment. He
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now has a well appointed store which he carefully manages, and an attractive line of goods and thoroughly reliable business methods are bringing to him growing sue- cess. He also does a good undertaking business and is a graduate of the Hohen- 'sehuh-Carpenter School of Embalming at Des Moines, in which he completed his course in 1898.
In 1882 Mr. Ewing was united in marriage to Miss Mollie Evans, a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of William E. and Mary Evans. They became the parents of four children: Frank O., deceased; James C., now living in Arizona ; Addie L., who is the wife of Walter Jones, of Grant, Iowa; and Glenn A., who is associated with his father in business. The wife and mother died in 1894 and her remains were interred in the Pleasant Grove cemetery. In 1895 Mr. Ewing was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Sadie Ellis, a native of Illinois and a daughter of A. W. Averill.
Mr. Ewing is a member of Fontanelle Lodge, No. 255, I. O. O. F., in which he has filled all of the chairs and is most loyal to the teachings and purposes of the organ- ization. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is serving as one of the stewards. while in the work of the church they are actively and helpfully interested. They oeeupy a pleasant residence in Fontanelle and their home is justly celebrated for its warm-hearted hospitality. In addition to that property Mr. Ewing owns the store building which he occupies and three hundred and twenty aeres of land in Wyoming, a part of which is irrigated. His suecess is attributable entirely to his own labors. He has worked hard, making industry the basis of his advancement, and as the years have gone by his prosperity has inereased and he has gained for himself a creditable place in commercial circles.
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