USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 38
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John J. and Fannie (Mitchell) Dimick were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are now living, and in the order of birth were as follow : George G., Elvira, Horace, Mary, Calvin I., John M., Julia, Jesse, Ella and one who died in infancy. George G. is living on the old home farm in Ham- lin township owned by John M. Dimick; Elvira is living in Syracuse, New York: Horace is deceased : Mary is the wife of Edward Dryden, a farmer of Hamlin township: Calvin I. lives in Exira township: Julia is the wife of Walkup M. Crees, of Hamlin township: Jesse and Ella live at Boone, Iowa.
John M. Dimick entered the public schools of Johnson county, Iowa, and was enabled to secure a good education, which has been of great assist- ance to him in all of the business of his life. He was married on July 20, 1889, to Maretta Cook, the daughter of Charles Cook, and to this union three children were born, Clyde J .. Ellowene and Frank. Clyde is manager of the Tabor Lumber Company, of Winfield. Iowa, and is married to Pearl Sewel of Henry county, Iowa ; he has built a fine residence at Winfield at a cost of
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three thousand dollars: Ellowene is in attendance at Ames University and Frank is also a student at Ames University.
Mr. Dimmick has always been more or less active in Republican politics, and has served in several offices. He has served as trustee of Hamlin town- ship for six years, discharging the duties of this office in a very satisfactory manner to his fellow citizens. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Maccabees. Mr. Dimick is not a member of any church, but his wife holds membership in the Congregational church, in which she takes an active interest, and of which the family are regular attendants.
JOHN SMITH DENNIS.
Many elements enter into the growth of a community, or into the development of a small community into a larger one. . A city does not just happen ; it exists because certain conditions have brought it into being. The majority of cities and towns are located largely according to the adaptation of natural resources and the population, an instance of this being found in the fact that many towns have grown up around a mill. Assuming this to be true, there are other causes for the growth of cities and towns, and these are found in the efficiency, enterprise and courage of its business men. For unless there are unusual and overwhelming natural advantages, no com- munity will thrive, unless its business men are far-sighted, energetic and progressive. In Audubon, Iowa, there are a number of such men, none of whom is better known than John Smith Dennis, who was born on March 17, 1848 in Oberlin, Ohio. The life of Mr. Dennis has been more varied than that of the average man. He was a dutiful son, and for a time was a soldier, and later a railroad employee and, finally, a business man and member of various organizations, and worthy, therefore, of record in a volume such as the present one.
John Smith Dennis is the son of John and Lucy (Smith) Dennis. The paternal grandfather was John Dennis, the first member of this family to come to America from Ireland. He and his wife located on a farm in New Brunswick, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Their children were two in number: John, father of the subject of this biographical notice, and a daughter who died in a fire on board a Mississippi river packet boat. The son studied dentistry in Oberlin, Ohio, and practiced there until 1856, when he went to live in Muscotine. Iowa. After a residence of five years in
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Muscotine, he removed to Irontown, Missouri, where he remained for one year. Hearing of Cincinnati as a growing commercial center, he started there to seek a suitable location when he was stricken with ship fever, and died on the boat. He had been a Democrat, a member of the Odd Fellows lodge, and a Catholic. His wife was Lucy Smith, a daughter of Rev. Henry Smith of New York state, her father being a Presbyterian minister.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis were nine in number. The eldest daughter, Tillie, is deceased. The first-born son, Henry Page, enlisted in the army in 1861, and served until 1865. He distinguished himself by being a member of Company A, Yates Sharp-shooters, later enlisting in another company. At the close of the war, he went to work on the Missouri Pacific railroad, first as conductor, and afterwards as yard-master at Kansas City. His death in 1870 was due to an accident. While an employe of the railroad, he was caught in a "frog," and his foot so badly crushed that it resulted in his death. John was the third child born in this family. Then came Albert, now a farmer in Hutchinson, Kansas, and Bell, widow of Sid- ney Whittmore of Anamossa, Iowa. Bird, the next daughter, married Charles Damon of Mason City, Iowa. Lucy passed away in Chicago, and two sons died while young. The mother passed away in February, 1898, at the age of seventy-four.
Because of the death of his father. John had little opportunity for obtain- ing the education which he desired. After his father's death in 1859, when the boy was only eleven years old, he continued to live at home with his mother, until his enlistment on April 10, 1864. Although he was mustered in at Quincy, Illinois, he enlisted from La Salle county in Company K. One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment. The company were sent first to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and later to Springfield, Illinois, but they rebelled, and wanted to go to the front, but were sent to St. Louis barracks. However, they were sent out for a distance of about fifty miles on the Iron Mountain railroad to guard a bridge. When the company was mustered out later at Springfield, Illinois. John Dennis obtained employment as a brakeman on the Rock Island railroad, and later worked for the Missouri Pacific. He returned to the employ of the Rock Island railroad where he worked until 1869, when he went to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to work for the Union Pacific railroad. He remained with them only a short time, going back to his former employ- ers of the Rock Island road, his headquarters then being Stuart, Iowa. In 1885, he took up residence in Audubon, Iowa, and was conductor between there and Atlantic, the same state. After serving in this capacity for three years, he bought out a dray line and an ice business, and since that time, has
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been engaged in these enterprises, together with his interests as owner of a confectionery and cigar store.
Mr. Dennis became the husband of Nettie J. Dunham, of Benton county, Iowa, on April 2, 1874. Mrs. Dennis, who was born on September 20, 1851. was the daughter of John Addison and Lucinda ( Birdsell) Dunham, of New York state. Both were natives of that state, and came of Quaker stock, arriving in Benton county in the pioneer days of 1850. Besides owning and running a farm, Mr. Dunham kept a hotel in Iowa City, called the "half-way house." Later, they lived in Merango, and then made their home success- fully in Grinnell, Newton, Desota, Casey, Avoca and Stuart. In these vicin- ities, they were the pioneer hotel people of those days. Their children were Ella, widow of John Ripp of Canyon City, Colorado, and Mrs. Dennis. Mr. Dunham died in 1898, in Canyon City, Colorado, his wife having died in 1873 while they lived in Stuart, Iowa.
Since 1913, Mr. Dennis has been engaged principally in looking after his confectionery and cigar store, in which he is ably assisted by his son Will, and daughter, Mattie, who is the youngest child born to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis.
The other children are: Charles H., of Carroll, Iowa, cashier for the Chicago & Northwestern railroad : Robert Page, a carpenter in Los Angeles, California ; John, the husband of Abbie Prepley, and who was drowned July 5, 1913; Lucy, who died while single; George, agent for the Great Northern railroad at Sea Side, Oregon ; Frank B. who lives at home, and who manages the transfer and ice business which his father started ; Ella, now Mrs. George Cummings of Atlantic, Iowa.
Evidence of the trustworthiness of the subject of this sketch, as an employee, is shown by the fact that for twenty-five years, he has been on the pay-roll of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad in the express and mail department.
Mr. Dennis is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic at Audubon, Iowa ; a Mason, blue lodge, chapter and commandery ; a charter member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and a strong Republican. Mrs. Dennis is, like her husband, interested in patriotic societies, and has been for years an active worker in the Relief Corps No. 38.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Dennis are popular people, which accounts for their large circle of friends and acquaintances. Both are remarkably well pre- served, this being due perhaps to the fact that their interests in life have been varied. They have been among those whose energy and activity along prac- tical lines have helped materially to build up the substantial growth of the town in which they have made their home.
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SOREN C. PEDERSEN.
Of the well-known bankers and prominent business men of Audubon county, Iowa, Soren C. Pedersen, the president of the Kimballton-Danish Savings Bank, of Kimballton, lowa, must not be overlooked. "Mr. Pedersen has been one of the influential factors in the commercial and financial develop- ment of this part of Audubon county, and associated with him in the active management of the bank, is his brother, Math Nissager, and his son, Alfred M., the former of whom is cashier and the latter is assistant cashier. John Pedersen is vice-president of the bank, which has a capital of twenty thou- sand dollars. Since the organization of the bank in 1907, it has enjoyed a wonderful growth and now has a substantial patronage, not only from the business men of Kimballton and community, but from many different parts of Audubon county.
Soren C. Pedersen, the president of this institution, was born in Novem- ber, 1868, at Mariager, Denmark, and came to America in 1892, locating at Ruskin, Nebraska, where he farmed for about seven years. In 1899 he located at Elk Horn, where he engaged in the hardware and implement busi- ness.
Previously, in 1892 he had organized and started the Elk Horn Bank, of which he is the cashier and John Pedersen is the president. Since 1907 Mr. Pedersen has divided his time between the bank at Elk Horn and the bank at Kimballton, and he is also treasurer of the Elk Horn & Kimballton Lumber Company and of the Marne and Elk Horn Telephone Company. As president of the Atlantic Northern Railroad Company, he has had much to do with the development of this section. He is interested in the Danish Lutheran College at Elk Horn, and a director in the Dana College at Blair, Nebraska.
Mr. Pedersen's wife, who bore him four children, died on March 26, 1914, at the age of thirty-eight. She was a good woman of broad and intel- ligent sympathies and one who had been of great assistance to her husband in his battle for success. Of their children, Alfred M., born December 8. 1894, at Elk Horn, Iowa, was educated at Elk Horn and at Dana College at Blair, Nebraska ; he is now assistant cashier of the Kimballton-Danish Sav- ings Bank, which position he has occupied since October, 1914; Edith A., Ejnar and Sigurd, the other three children, are all at home.
Mr. Pedersen's brother, Math Nissager, is somewhat older than Soren C., having been born on November 30, 1861, at Mariager, Denmark. The parents of these two well-known business men of Audubon county were Math and Anna ( Peterson) Moller, who were natives of Denmark. The
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father was a carpenter and farmer and came to America in 1892, settling first at Ruskin, Nebraska, where he was a farmer for thirteen years. He then located at Elkhorn, Iowa, and later returned to his native land, remain- ing for thirteen years. Not long after his return to this country, he passed away quietly at Elkhorn in June, 1911. His wife, the mother of Math and Soren C., is still living. They had one other child, the second born, Mrs. Mary Miller, who is the wife of Jerry Miller, of Elk Horn.
Math Nissager was married November 23, 1891, to Anna Jensen, of Skive, Denmark. They have had two children: Esther Anna, of Des Moines : and Freda D., of Ames, Iowa.
Ever since coming to America. Soren C. Pedersen and Math Nissager have been associated together in business. That they have prospered exceed- ingly in their adopted country goes without saying. In a way it seems that everything to which they have turned their hands has resulted favorably and today they are among the best known business men of Audubon county.
WILLIAM H. HOYMAN.
The life of the scholarly or professional man seldom exhibits any of those striking incidents that seize upon the public feeling and attract atten- tion to himself, but when such a man has so impressed his individuality upon his fellow men as to gain their confidence, and through an expression of that confidence be elevated to an important public position, he becomes a con- spicuous figure of the body politic. The subject of this review is one of the scholarly and able men who have made striking successes in their work as educators. He has succeeded as an instructor and executive, and has kept abreast of the times in educational matters to such an extent that he has raised the schools of Exira, this county, to a high and definite standard of efficiency.
William H. Hoyman, now superintendent of the Exira public schools, was born on November 27, 1883, at Clarence, Cedar county, Iowa, son of Henry S. and Mary (Maley) Hoyman, the former a native of Holmes county, Ohio, born in 1848, the latter of Warren county, Illinois, born in 1853. Henry S. Hoyman was the son of John Hoyman, born in Westmore- land county, Pennsylvania, who migrated to Holmes county, Ohio, where Henry was born. John Hoyman left the Buckeye state and moved to Iowa in the early fifties, traveling on foot the greater part of the distance; walking
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to Fort Dodge and thence to Des Moines while looking over the country and seeking a location. He had saved about three thousand dollars, and this sum he invested in Cedar county land, on which tract he erected his home and established the nucleus of a famous stock farm which the son, Henry S. Hoy- man, developed into what is now widely known as "Stanwood Stock Farm." This fine farm consists of three hundred and sixty acres and is noted for its fine thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle, Percheron horses, and Duroc-Jersey swine. Not long ago, Henry S. Hoyman disposed of this farm and his live stock and retired to a residence in the town of Stanwood, Cedar county. It was in Stanwood that Henry S. Hoyman was married, his wife having moved from Warren county, Illinois, to Cedar county, Iowa, with her parents, S. H. Maley and wife, in the early sixties. S. H. Maley platted the town of Stan- wood in the fall of 1869, and it is a matter of note that Henry S. Hoyman hauled the first load of stone used in the building of that now thriving little city.
ยท To Henry S. and Mary (Maley) Hoyman were born eleven children as follow : C. E., a farmer living in Stanwood, Iowa; Mrs. Mary Davidson, also of Stanwood; F. S., a missionary at the head of the United Presbyterian missions in Egypt : Mrs. Joseph O'Brien, of North English, Iowa ; Dr. H. J., of St. Joseph, Missouri ; Mrs. Henry A. Warmuth, wife of Doctor Warmuth, of Stanwood; Prof. William H., of Exira, this county; Mrs. H. H. Hamil- ton, of Stanwood, and Avis, a teacher in the Tipton, Iowa, public schools.
William H. Hoyman received his elementary education in the public schools of his native locality and studied for four years in Monmouth Col- lege. In preparation for undertaking the profession of teaching, he com- pleted his education in the Iowa State Teachers' College, at Cedar Falls, from which he was graduated in 1909, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, following which he pursued post-graduate work in the Chicago University and began teaching in the fall of 1909, for two years serving as superintend- ent of the public schools at Clarksville, Iowa. In the fall of 1911 Professor Hoyman was called to take charge of the Exira public schools and has been very successful in the performance of his duties as superintendent of that excellent educational plant. He has placed the schools in the front rank of the public schools in the county and his administration has been marked by progress, harmony among pupils and patrons, and the high class of the student work being done in the schools.
In August, 1913, Prof. W. H. Hoyman was married to Deana. Merrick, daughter of H. N. Merrick of Floyd county, Iowa. Professor and Mrs. Hoyman are members of the United Presbyterian church and are warmly
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interested in all good works hereabout. Professor Hoyman is independent in his political views, casting his ballot for the men who seem to be best fitted to serve the people. This successful educator comes of an intellectual family. every child in the Hoyman family of nine members who grew to manhood or womanhood was educated in the high school. Four of the sons are college graduates and three daughters of the family were college students.
CHARLES TUNMANN.
The best title one can establish to the high and generous esteem of an intelligent community is a protracted and honorable residence therein. Charles Tunmann, one of the best-known and most highly respected farmers of Audubon county, now living retired, has resided in this locality most of his life. His career has been commendable in every respect and well deserves to be recorded in the pages of such a work as the one in hand. He has always been a man of well-defined purpose and has never failed to carry to successful completion any work or enterprise to which he has addressed him- self. Knowing that Audubon county was destined to take high rank among the rich and productive localities of the state, Mr. Tunmann applied himself very closely to his work and waited for the future to bring its reward, with the result that today he is one of the substantial citizens and farmers of Audubon county.
Charles Tunmann was born in Germany on July 7, 1841, the son of Fred and Millie (Markvardt) Tunmann, natives of that country, the former of whom, now deceased, was a laborer on a big estate in Germany. Charles Tunmann was married in 1865 and worked as a teamster on an estate. He saved his money and in 1869, with his wife and two small sons, came to America, landing in New York City on October I, of that year, having left Germany on September 16. He immediately came to this state and located in Iowa county, where he worked as a farm laborer for two years, at the end of which time he rented a farm on which he lived for seven years, later pur- chasing one hundred and twenty acres, which he improved and sold back to its former owner. After again living on rented land for two years, he came to Audubon county and purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres of raw prairie land at nine dollars an acre. On this farm Mr. Tunmann built a small house sixteen by twenty-two feet, which in 1907 he replaced by a fine house, twenty-eight by twenty-two feet. Mr. Tunmann owned two hundred
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and forty acres at the time of his retirement, of which he gave eighty acres to his son and still owns one hundred and sixty acres in section 27. Mr. Tunmann retired to Audubon in May, 1914, after having spent thirty years on the farm.
On November 15, 1865, Charles Tunmann was married to Fredericka Keakbush, who was born in Germany on September 18, 1838, the daughter of John Keakbush, to which union five children have been born, namely : William, born on September 1, 1866, who lives on the home farm; Charles, October 18, 1868; Minnie, June 19, 1871, who married Fred Sundberg and has four children, Carl, May, Mildred and an infant ; Mary, August 2, 1877, died on November 12, 1910, and John, December 12, 1878, who married Mary Law and lives in Melville township.
Charles Tunmann is a Republican and for years has been more or less active in the councils of his party. For twelve years he was trustee of Mel- ville township and for ten years served as a school director. He also served as road supervisor for many years.
Although Mr. and Mrs. Tunmann were reared in the Lutheran faith, they and their family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and are promin- ent in the work of this church and Sunday school. Few men in this county are more highly respected than Charles Tunmann and few men, within the same length of time, have accomplished more.
JENS PETER HYEN.
The occupation of farming, to which the major part of the active life of Jens Peter Hyen has been devoted, is the oldest pursuit for a livelihood known to mankind, and the one in which he will ever be most independent. Mr. Hyen has been connected with the general growth of Audubon county for many years, although he is a native of the little kingdom of Denmark. He is a well-known and popular citizen of Hamlin township, Audubon county, Iowa. While primarily attending to his agricultural interests, his life has been somewhat devoted to his fellow men, and he has been untiring in his efforts to inspire a proper respect for law and order. He has been ready at all times to uplift humanity along civic and social lines.
Jens Peter Hyen, whose name in his native country was Jens P. Peter- son, was born September 18, 1871, in the part of Denmark known as Ven- sysel, Jylland. He is a son of Peter and Mary Ann (Nelsen) Paulsen, who were born at the same place where Jens Peter, their son, was born. The
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father was a laborer and he and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom Jens Peter was the fifth.
Jens Peter Hyen received a good education, attending school during the week days in the winter and during the summer he herded cattle. He took up farm work later in life and was able to finish his education. He fol- lowed farming until he came to America, with the exception of one year which he was compelled to spend in the army. In 1903 Jens Peter Hyen came to the United States, bringing his family with him. He landed at Quebec, Canada, first, and came from Quebec to Audubon county, Iowa. He first worked by the month from June 20, 1903, when he arrived in Audubon county, to October of that year. After this he purchased a milk route and hauled milk to a creamery for two and one-half years. In the meantime he purchased some calves and pigs and rented a small farm. He received his first two pigs for two days work in helping a man put up hay. The pigs were small and sickly and he thought they would die. That winter Mr. Hyen killed one for his meat and the other one he kept for a brood sow, and in the next spring he had eight pigs from this sow. Mr. Hyen rented land only two years and then purchased a hundred and twenty acres of land in 1908. This land was located in Hamlin township, and he was compelled to pay a hundred dollars down as a first payment. One year later he bought forty acres more, and now has a hundred and sixty acres. When Mr. Hyen left Denmark he had only a hundred dollars in money. He has lived here for twelve years and done more in that period than most men do in forty years.
On November 8, 1898, Mr. Hyen was married in Denmark to Anna Kattrina Madsen, who was born on September 13, 1879, in Himmerland, Denmark. She is the daughter of Ole and Susanna Mary (Fredricksen) Madsen, who were also born in the same place as their daughter, whose father was a farmer and shoemaker by trade.
Mr. and Mrs. Jens Peter Hyen are the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living. Four of the children were born in Denmark. They are as follow : Magner, born' on October 20, 1899; Olga, September 27, 1901; Mary, September 26, 1902; Pauline, December 25, 1903, died in infancy ; Elmer, May 4, 1905; Violet, April 12, 1907: Ester, June 12, 1909; Nels P.,' October 4, 1912; Mamie, February 4, 1915. All of the children live at home with their parents.
Mr. Hyen assisted in the organization of the Farmers Savings Bank at Hamlin and is one of the stockholders of this bank. He is also a stock- holder in the West Hamlin Creamery Company. Mr. Hyen does general
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farming and stock raising. He owns a gas engine with which he shells his corn, saws wood, grinds feed, etc. He also has an interest in the Elkhorn Telephone Company.
Mr. Hyne is a Democrat, though he has never been active in political affairs and has never held office. The family are all members of the Danish Lutheran church.
JACOB F. WAHLERT.
Jacob F. Wahlert, for many years a farmer in Greeley township, and one of the prosperous and highly-respected citizens of Audubon county, was born on July 4, 1846, in Schleswig, Holstein, Germany, the son of John and Arsby (Starmann) Wahlert, natives of the same place. The father was a laborer in the old country, who came to the United States some ten years after the arrival of his wife, and both spent their last days in the home of their son, Jacob F. They were the parents of nine children, of whom Jacob F. was the fifth child.
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