USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 32
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It is a matter of record that Reuben Roberts removed from Maryland to Virginia in 1802 and settled in Marshall county, near Grave creek. In
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1838 he migrated to Iowa and settled on a farm twelve miles west of Bur- lington.
A recapitulation of the history of the Roberts family in America reveals the following authentic facts: Forty-two enlistments are recorded from among the members of the Roberts family in the American War of Inde- pendence, Continental army, from Virginia alone, and there were eighteen members of the family enlisted in the state of Maryland. Richard Roberts, the great grandfather of A. H. Roberts, was a Revolutionary soldier. His great-grandfather, Barton (on his mother's side), was also a Revolutionary soldier. The famous Bishop Roberts, of pioneer missionary fame, was a cousin of Reuben Roberts. Richard Roberts, from Anne Arundel county, Maryland, enlisted in the Continental army for a term of three years, in the First Maryland Regiment of Volunteers, and died during the same year of his enlistment. Additional genealogical facts, which will have a tendency to make clear some previous statements of this chronicle follow: Richard and Margaret Roberts were the parents of Reuben, who married Elizabeth, the daughter of John and Sophia Barton. Reuben was the tenth child of Rich- ard and Margaret Roberts. He was born in 1772 and died on March 9. 1850, and was the father of James Dorsey Roberts, the father of Alexander Holt Roberts, with whom this review is directly concerned. The grand- father of A. H. Roberts, on the maternal side, Captain Barton, fought in the War of 1812.
Reuben Roberts, as recorded, in 1838 settled on a farm twelve miles west of Burlington, Iowa, where he died. James Dorsey Roberts, his son, was born on July 25, 1823, and died on July 27, 1903. His wife was Susan, a daughter of Alexander and Mary McDonald. She was born in August of 1826, and died on October 18, 1894. The children of James Dorsey and Susan (McDonald) Roberts are as follow: William Barton, of Texas; Alexander Holt, of Audubon, Iowa; Theodore Lang, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa : Martha Malvina Weller, of Long Beach, California.
Alexander Holt Roberts was educated in the common schools of Henry county and Howes Academy at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He was reared to young manhood on a farm and learned to till the soil as had his forbears for generations before him. He was graduated from the Bryant & Strat- ton Business College at Burlington, Iowa, in 1869, and for some time there- after was employed in the office of the Burlington Hawkeye, and thereafter taught school for a time. For some time succeeding his work in Burling- ton, Mr. Roberts was engaged in the general merchandise business at New London, Iowa. In 1872 he embarked in the drug business at Mt. Pleasant,
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Iowa, and in 1878 he came to this county, locating at Audubon at a time when the country was a prairie and the city was in the embryo stage of development. He purchased a lot in the newly-platted town and erected a building in two months' time. Within three months from his advent there he was doing business. He is still conducting his business in Audubon and has the oldest established business in the city of Audubon. During his long residence in the county, Mr. Roberts has been closely identified with the pioneer life of the city and county and the later improvement and upbuild- ing of the city.
On September 14, 1871, A. H. Roberts was united in marriage with Elizabeth Pritchard, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Pritchard, who came from Philadelphia and settled in Henry county in 1834. She was born on a farm entered by her father. The patent given to Thomas Pritchard by President Tyler in 1841 is now in the possession of Mr. Roberts. To this marriage have been born two children, Ira Pearl, a practicing dentist of Sioux City, Iowa, and Ralph Pritchard, a practising dentist at Falls City, Nebraska, who is the father of two children, Thelma Millicent, aged fifteen years, and Ralph Pritchard. Jr., three years of age.
A. H. Roberts has always taken a great interest in church and Sunday school work and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is an active layman and has represented his church many times as a delegate to lay conferences, in 1900 having been a member of the general conference at Chicago, being widely known as one of the leaders in church and Sunday school work in the county. For the past thirty-six years he has been the efficient Sunday school superintendent in the Methodist school at Audubon. He is actively interested in civic affairs and is found in the forefront of all movements intended to advance the interests of his home city and county. For the past two years he has served as president of the Audubon Commer- cial Club, an organization which is "boosting" the city and pushing public improvements. In politics, he is a Republican. He is fraternally connected with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, having attained to the chapter and the commandery in that order, and has the distinction of being the commander of the local Knights Templar organization for sixteen years. His membership is with the Veritas Lodge No. 392. Amity Chapter No. 93 and Godfrey Commandery No. 44.
There are few more public-spirited citizens in Audubon county than Mr. Roberts. He was the first treasurer of the Audubon Agricultural Society, in which capacity he served for six years. He was a member of the first town council, also of the first city school board, in both of which posi-
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tions he has given years of active service. When the Belgian Relief Asso- ciation was organized for the purpose of extending relief to Belgian vic- tims of the European war, Mr. Roberts was elected chairman of the asso- ciation, and none worked harder than he to extend the cause of .this asso- ciation, there having been sent from this county, besides more than three hundred dollars in cash, one car of shelled corn, one car of flour and one car of canned corn, for the relief of the stricken Belgians.
There is a special satisfaction in offering in the foregoing life record justification for issuing such a compendium as the one in hand. It is not necessary to record that the career of men of the type of Alexander H. Roberts has been such as to gain wide reputation or the plaudits of men, but that such as he have been true to the trusts imposed in them and to such attributes of character as entitle them to the regard of all. Mr. Rob- erts has been a very useful citizen in his sphere of action, and has won the confidence and good will of all with whom he has come in contact.
ANSON S. CULVER.
The history of every man is an account of his life work, of his up-bring- ing, his youth, his early struggles to gain a livelihood, his successes and fail- ures and his rise to affluence and prestige in the community, in whatever vocation he has selected as best fitted to accord with his temperament and abilities. The gentleman of whom this chronicle is written seems to have been adapted to the trade of miller, from boyhood having followed that vocation from choice, and has made a success of his calling. Anson S. Cul- ver likewise enjoys the distinction of being the only Union naval veteran in Audubon county. Speaking of this important part of the life of Mr. Culver it can truly be stated that too much honor cannot be given the boys in blue who fought in the long and bloody struggle in the sixties. When they heard their country's call they forsook their ordinary vocations, enrolled under the Stars and Stripes, and with patriotic fervor and enthusiasm braved all the dangers of the battlefield in order that our beloved flag might continue to wave from the lakes to the gulf. The homage of a grateful people is theirs and we delight to accord them all the praise so justly due them. Among the few veterans left in Audubon county none is more deserving of a worthy place in this volume than A. S. Culver, only naval veteran of the county.
A. S. Culver and his son are the proprietors of the Audubon flour-mill,
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which began operations in August of 1887 and has continued to grind unin- terruptedly since that time. This mill was under the ownership and manage- ment of Kuhn & Culver until 1913, in which year the son of Mr. Culver, Vern Culver became his partner. The capacity of the mill is seventy-five barrels daily and the two principal brands are "A No. I" and "Straight."
Anson S. Culver was born on October 3, 1841, in New York state, son of Lemuel and Patience Culver, natives of Vermont and Massachusetts, respectively, agriculturists in New York state, in which state their last days were spent. They were the parents of seven children, of whom A. S. Culver is the only one now living. Mr. Culver learned his trade of miller in New York when a boy and worked at his trade in St. Lawrence county, New York, until 1872. In the meantime the great Civil War came on and it was not to be expected that a young and vigorous man of his calibre would fail to listen to the call of his country for assistance in quelling the rebellion. Anson S. Culver enlisted in the Union navy in 1863 and was detailed for duty on the "Susquehanna." His vessel participated in the five days' battle and bom- bardment of Ft. Fisher and in many blockades on the Southern coast. He served until the close of the war.
Mr. Culver came west from New York in 1872, locating for a time at Anita, Iowa, and in August, of the same year, journeyed to Nebraska, where, at Ft. Calhoun, he followed his trade of miller for nine years. In 1881 he became the proprietor of a flour-mill at Anita and operated the same for six years. In 1887 he disposed of his interests there and came to this county, locating at Audubon, where he engaged in the milling business and where he has since resided, being accounted one of the county seat's foremost citizens.
In 1866 A. S. Culver was married to Celeste Rose, who departed this life in 1900. To this union three children were born, namely : Vern, partner in the milling business with his father, the father of six children, Lucille, Edith, Catharine, Helen, Mary and Alice ; Genevieve, at home, her father's housekeeper, and Mrs. Emma Dickinson, of Saskatoon, Canada, the mother of one child, Ruth.
Mr. Culver is a Republican and is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is allied with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Grand Army post at Audubon. Mr. Culver is a man who by his own unaided efforts has worked from a modest beginning to a position of affluence in the community. His life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance and the syste- matic and honorable methods which he has followed have won for him the confidence of his fellow citizens of Audubon, whose interests he has ever had at heart.
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DAVID E. SOAR.
A review of the life of David E. Soar, a pioneer harness-maker of Audubon, Iowa, must of necessity be brief and general in its character. To enter fully into the interesting details of Mr. Soar's career, touching the ear- nest and persistent efforts of his earlier years and the successes of his later days, would far transcend the limits of this article. He has filled a large place in the ranks of the enterprising and public-spirited men of his day and generation and has been an important factor in the growth and development of Audubon county's industrial and commercial interests. He is a representa- tive of that type of the world's workers which has furnished much of the bone and sinew of the country and added to the stability of the county and its institutions. And yet, in spite of the multitudinous activities of his life, he has never allowed the pursuit of wealth to warp his kindly nature. He has preserved his faculties and the warmth of his heart for the broadening and helpful influences of human life and is a genial friend, a gentleman whom it is a pleasure to meet.
David E. Soar was born in Nottingham, England on August 15, 1843, the son of Charles and Sarah (Taylor) Soar, the former of whom was a lace manufacturer in Nottingham. The family came to America in 1850 and settled in Kanesville, Iowa, now Council Bluffs, Charles Soar there engaging in the mercantile business, the rest of his life being spent there, his death occurring in 1906, he being then ninety-six years of age. Charles and Sarah (Taylor) Soar were the parents of thirteen children, two of whom are still living, Ezra, who lives at Council Bluffs, and David E., the subject of this sketch.
David E. Soar received his primary education at Council Bluffs. His mother died when he was thirteen years old and he came to this county and began doing farm work near Exira, meanwhile continuing to go to school until he was eighteen years of age. He learned the harness-maker's trade in 1862, and in 1864 started out as a journeyman harness-maker. In 1868 he opened a harness shop in Exira, the first shop of its kind in this county. In 1879 Mr. Soar opened a harness shop in Audubon, the first shop of the kind in the new county seat, and in 1881 moved to Audubon and has since that time made his home there. He kept the shop in Exira until 1883. In the summer of 1902 Mr. Soar erected in Audubon a large brick building and has it completely stocked with products made both by hand and by machinery. During late years his assistants have done the work and he looks after the retail department of the business. Mr. Soar owns a fine farm of one hun-
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dred and twenty acres in Greeley township. He has seen Audubon county grow from a treeless prairie waste to a prosperous and thriving agricultural and industrial community.
On July 19, 1868, David E. Soar was married to Rebecca N. Harris, of Exira, who was born in 1848 and died on January 12, 1904. She was a native of Braxton county, West Virginia, the daughter of Adonijah Harris, a very early settler in Audubon county. To this union four children were born, Cecilia I., Charles H., Beulah O. and Edward W. Cecelia I. has been married twice, first to Walter Connrardy, by whom she had one daughter, Beulah. She is now the wife of L. A. Jensen and they have two daughters, Audrey and Lucille. Charles H., who is a bookkeeper, married May Murray and lives at Butte, Montana. Beulah O. is the wife of J. S. Small and resides at Hudson, South Dakota. Edward W. lives at Butte, Montana.
David E. Soar is an ardent Democrat, and served as township clerk at Exira and as a member of the city council at Audubon, the latter important service covering a period of nine years. Mr. Soar is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Atlantic and is well known throughout the length and breadth of Audubon county as an honored and respected citizen of this community.
ROBERT C. SPENCER.
It is generally acknowledged that journalism is one of the most impor- tant factors in twentieth century life, exerting as it does an influence in practically every department of society. This relation is just as actual and potent in the smaller cities and towns as in the large cities, and he who directs the policy of a newspaper or wields the pen which gives expression to that policy, exerts a control over local thought and action that is not equalled by any other profession. Among the newspaper men of Audubon county who have, by their progressive attitude toward local affairs, contrib- uted in a definite measure to the welfare of the community, is the gentle- man whose name appears above, who is successfully publishing the Audu- bon Advocate, in addition to his duties as postmaster of the city of Audu- bon. He is not only a successful editor and publisher, but is one of the most efficient and accommodating postmasters that the city has ever had.
Robert C. Spencer, son of William and Esther (Osborn) Spencer, was born in Jasper county, Iowa, on October 13, 1872. His father was a native
ROBERT C. SPENCER
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of West Virginia and his mother was born in the old Buckeye state. Will- iam W. Spencer was born in 1842 and died in 1897. He was the son of William Spencer, who moved to Indiana from his birthplace and there resided a while, but later migrated to Jasper county, Iowa. He was mar- ried in Jasper county and came to Audubon county in the spring of 1881.
William Spencer was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War and served for three years and three months in the Fiftieth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He responded to President Lincoln's first call for troops to serve three months, and at the expiration of his first enlist- ment he signed the roster for three years longer. He fought under General Rosecrans and his record as a brave soldier was an enviable one, of which his sons and daughters have the right to be proud. William Spencer set- tled in Hamlin township when he came to Audubon county and bought a farm of two hundred and eighty acres, on which he spent the rest of his life. He was the father of five children, namely: Madison, a farmer resid- ing north of Audubon city; Albert, proprietor of a farm near Audubon; Robert C., with whom this chronicle is directly concerned; Charles, a citi- zen of Audubun; Mrs. Arabelle Siemsen, wife of C. F. Siemsen, a resident of California. The mother of these children departed this life in 1899.
Robert C. Spencer received his early education in the district school of the neighborhood in which the family resided. After completing the courses afforded by the local school he studied for two years in the National Normal and Business College at Glidden, Iowa, and was graduated from this institution. He taught school in his home county for four years, or terms, and was elected to the office of county superintendent in 1897, enter- ing upon the duties of that position on January 1, 1898, and serving for one term.
Upon the expiration of his term as county superintendent of schools, R. C. Spencer purchased a half interest in the Audubon Advocate, or rather, while he was still serving his term as county superintendent he formed a partnership with J. A. Graham in the ownership of the Advocate. Four months after this partnership became an actuality, Mr. Graham retired from the editorial management of the newspaper, and S. C. Curtis became a third owner in the enterprise, which has since been conducted under the name of R. C. Spencer & Co. The Advocate is one of the flourishing busi- ness institutions of Audubon county and an ably edited and influential news- paper, which reaches practically every home in the county.
Robert C. Spencer is a member and a ruling elder of the Presbyterian (23)
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church and contributes of his time and means to the support of this denomi- nation. He is fraternally connected with the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica and the Knights of Pythias. He was married on September 13, 1899, to Clara Hansen, of Audubon, a daughter of Ivor P. Hansen, to which union two children have been born, Arnold H., born in 1901, and Roland E., born in 1904.
Mr. Spencer is a Democrat in politics and stands high among the lead- ers of his party. For the past seventeen years he has taken a very active part in Democratic politics and has served as chairman of the county cen- tral committee. During the campaign and election of 1908 he was the can- didate of his party for Congress and made a good race for the position. He served eight years as mayor of the city of Audubon and it can be said of him that he made a faithful and conscientious public official and in every way possible enhanced the reputation of the city. He was a strong advo- cate for public improvements during his term as mayor, and when he left the office the city was in excellent shape in every way. He received the appointment of postmaster of Audubon and took up the duties of that office on August 16, 1913. He is faithfully performing the duties of this office and is serving the public in a thorough and painstaking manner, which is a characteristic of his nature-to do everything he undertakes to the best of his ability, and to give the best service he possibly can give. Mr. Spencer is naturally gifted with those attributes of character which go far toward raising him in the esteem of his fellow citizens and enhancing his great per- sonal popularity. He is genial, kind and obliging, ever ready to do a friend or acquaintance a favor, and is held in high regard throughout the county.
JAMES HUNT.
In the following paragraphs specific mention is made of one of the worthy citizens of this county, who has figured in the growth and develop- ment of the agricultural and financial interests of this favored locality, and whose interests have been identified with its progress, he for years having contributed, in his particular sphere of action, to the well-being of the com- munity in which he resides and to the advancement of its normal and legiti- mate growth. Earnest purpose and tireless energy, combined with mature judgment and every-day common sense, have been among his most prominent characteristics and he has merited the respect and esteem which are accorded him by all who know him.
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James Hunt was born in New York state on December II, 1850, the son of Jonathan and Mary (Fletcher) Hunt, both natives of Lincolnshire, Eng- land, who came to the United States shortly after their marriage and located in New York, where they remained one year. They then came west, locating in Grant county, Wisconsin, where they lived for six years, after which they removed to Lafayette county, Wisconsin, where they spent the remainder of their lives, both dying of typhoid fever just one month apart, Jonathan Hunt's death occurring on August 26, 1862, his wife dying September 26, of the same year, their son, James, being then but twelve years of age. Jona- than Hunt was a farmer all his life and he and his wife were the parents of seven children, James, Mary, Robert, John, William, Albert and George, all of whom are living save the latter.
James Hunt received his early education in the schools of Lafayette county, Wisconsin, and after the death of his parents continued attending school until he was eighteen years of age, working in the summer seasons and doing chores during the winters for his board and room. Until he was twenty-one years of age he worked as a farm hand, receiving from twelve to twenty dollars a month for his labor. In 1871 Mr. Hunt came to Audubon county and purchased eighty acres of land in Melville township. When he first came to Iowa he had about eight hundred dollars, which he had man- aged to save from his labors while in Wisconsin. With this money he bought his first land in Audubon county, and has gradually added to his land hold- ings until he is now the owner of three hundred and eighty acres of fine land in this county, a part of which is in the corporation of Audubon. Besides this he owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in South Dakota.
On September 9, 1829, James Hunt was married to Elizabeth Leach, the daughter of James and Mary Leach, at that time residents of South Dakota. In later years James Leach and his wife came to Audubon county, where they remained one year, at the end of which time they returned to South Dakota, where James Leach died, his widow, still surviving him, mak- ing her home with her children. To James and Elizabeth (Leach) Hunt three children have been born, Nora and May, living at home, and one who died in infancy.
Besides general farming, Mr. Hunt has made a specialty of the breeding and raising of high-grade live stock, especially Shorthorn cattle and Poland- China hogs, and has been very successful in this line of endeavor. He has bred, fed and shipped two carloads of cattle and hogs each year, and still owns a fine herd of fifty-two head of Shorthorn cattle, and sells from twenty- five to thirty calves yearly, which add no inconsiderable amount to his yearly
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income from his farın. Mr. Hunt is still actively engaged in his agricultural work, at this time operating one hundred acres of land and personally looks after his live stock. Mr. Hunt decided to retire from active farm work at one time, but his health became impaired through lack of exercise, having always been a man of untiring energy and ceaseless activity, and upon his physician's advice he resumed his former active labors in the management of his farm, since which time his health has been perfect, and he is strong and sturdy today.
Mr. Hunt is a Republican and has always taken a keen interest in local public affairs. He has served his township as trustee and also as road supervisor, in both of which offices he discharged his duties to the entire sat- isfaction of the citizens of his township. He and his family are earnest and devoted members of the Presbyterian church, in whose welfare they are deeply interested and to the support of which they are liberal contributors.
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