USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 65
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about one hundred and seventy-two dollars a head. Mr. Clark has spent about twelve thousand dollars on improvements, which have been placed upon his present farm holdings.
On November 25, 1885, Riley P. Clark, Jr., was married to Hattie J. Reed, daughter of William and Mary (Rose) Reed. To this union the fol- lowing children have been born, Rhea, Ethel, Curtis, Hobert, Leilae, Thomas, Josephine, Hardy, Benjamin, Helen, William and Ponde. The last two are deceased. Rhea married Frank Mesching, and they have one child, Genevie. Ethel married Benjamin Whitmore, and they have one child. Mrs. Clark was born in Guthrie county, Iowa. Her parents were natives of Ohio, where she grew to womanhood. In 1859 her parents moved to Guthrie county, Iowa, where they remained the rest of their lives. William Reed was a soldier in the Civil War, and served his country valiantly during that great period of civil strife. He and his wife were the parents of four children, E. E., Benja- min, Hattie and Millie.
Mr. Clark is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, at Atlantic. He is a member of the board of supervisors, and in politics is identified with the Republican party. He is a prominent and influential citizen of Exira township and one of the best-known farmers of Audubon county.
JOSEPH L. WHEELER.
Joseph L. Wheeler is a well-known farmer of Audubon township and the proprietor of three hundred acres of land in that township. Mr. Wheeler received his early education in Cook county, Illinois, and after leaving school farmed with his father until he was thirty-two years of age. He then bought the old homestead farm and began farming for himself. Mr. Wheeler bought two hundred acres of land. He is one of the large farmers of Audubon township. He feeds about three carloads of hogs a year. Mr. Wheeler also raises heavy draft horses. He raises about ninety-six acres of corn, although last year he had a hundred and thirty-five acres. He raises from fifteen hundred to five thousand bushels of small grain, and is entitled to rank as one of the influential and prominent agriculturists in Audubon county.
Joseph L. Wheeler was born on July 4. 1861, in Cook county, Illinois. He is the son of George and Salina (Royer) Wheeler. George Wheeler was
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born in Canada. His wife was a native of New York state. Although George Wheeler was born in Canada, he was reared in New York. He was a small child when the family moved to Illinois. They located in Cook county. At the time they were offered forty acres of land where the Cook county court house now stands, in exchange for a cook stove. After his marriage George Wheeler continued to live in Illinois until 1882, when he came to Audubon county and settled on a farm where his son Joseph L. now lives. He bought the land from Nathaniel Hamlin, the first settler in Audubon county. He purchased a hundred and sixty acres at first at twenty dollars an acre, and increased his holdings until he owned two hun- dred and eighty-eight acres. Early in life he had learned dentistry and during the time he lived in Illinois he practiced this profession. While liv- ing in Illinois he owned eighty acres of land. During the period of the Civil War George Wheeler tried to enlist, but was rejected. He and his wife had six children, Fernando, James L., Sarah, Oscar, George and Victoria. George and Victoria are deceased. Fernando lives in Wyoming. Sarah married Robert Hamlin. Oscar is a resident of Audubon county.
Joseph L. Wheeler was married on July 4, 1883, to Clara Barchard, daughter of Ira and Annie (Flannery) Barchard. To this union nine children have been born, as follow: Clarence Earl, Clara Ethel, Ira Verne, Royal Leonard, Elda Evelyn, Frank Raymond, Robert Russel, Vivian Irwin and Joseph Lauren. Of these children, Clarence Earl died when young. Clara Ethel married Elmer Boehme, and they have two children, Earl and Evelyn. Ira Verne married Myrtle Johnson, and they have one child, Gerald. Royal Leonard died when small. Ethel Evelyn married J. E. Walker. Frank Raymond died when small. The remainder of the children are single and live at home.
Mrs. Wheeler was born in Cook county, Illinois. Her parents were natives of Cook county and Pennsylvania respectively. Her father grew to manhood in Cook county, and lived near Chicago. He was a detective. For a number of years he was connected with the office of United States marshal. Later in life he worked as a private detective. He was deputy sheriff of Cook county between 1875 and 1880. Ira and Annie (Flannery) Barchard were the parents of eight children, Emilie, Clara E., Clarence C., Ira, Frank, Anna, David and Mamie. Frank and Mrs. Wheeler are the only members of the family who are still living. Mrs. Wheeler's father died in 1906. Her mother died in 1875.
Mr. Wheeler's father died on February 1, 1901. His mother died in August, 1910.
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Mr. Wheeler is a member of the Masonic lodge at Exira. He is also a member of the Eastern Star. Mrs. Wheeler is likewise a member of the Eastern Star. Joseph L. Wheeler is identified with the Republican party. Mr. Wheeler considers himself a Republican of the stand-pat faith, and has been loyal to the traditional principles of this party.
WILLIAM D. DAVIS.
William D. Davis is the proprietor of a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Exira township, Audubon county, Iowa. He began life for himself after having reached his majority by starting on a farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres, which he purchased at that time. In 1912 he pur- chased the old home place of his father, W. E. Davis, in Exira township, and immediately moved to this farm. Altogether he has invested about five thou- sand dollars in permanent improvements on the farm. The farm itself is an indication of the vocational zeal which has characterized all of Mr. Davis's efforts.
William D. Davis was born on January 1, 1869, in Henry county, Illi- nois, the son of William E. and Martha J. (Davis) Davis, both natives of Wales. They were both formerly married. William E. Davis was five years old when he came to America with his parents. They located first in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, but only remained in that city a short time, removing to Ohio, and there William E. Davis received his education and grew to man- hood. He served in the Civil War. From Ohio the family moved to Illi- nois, where Mr. Davis farmed for a number of years, and in 1874 came to Audubon county, Iowa, and purchased a farm of eighty acres in Exira township, and continued to add to this farm until he owned four hundred and eighty acres of land. He was engaged in general farming, and was also extensively engaged in stock raising. By his first marriage he had one son, David E., living at Collinsville, Illinois. Mrs. William E. Davis died on March 14, 1912, after having reared a family of children to lives of honor and usefulness. Two of her six children died in infancy, and Lucy, a third child, is deceased. William D., Frank and Leona are still living. Frank is living in Audubon township. Leona is the wife of Fred Kline, a farmer of Audubon township. She also leaves one daughter by her first marriage, Mrs. H. A. Hill, living near Exira.
William D. Davis was educated in the schools of Henry county, Illinois,
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attending the district schools during the winter months, and assisting his father on the farm during the summer seasons. After leaving school he farmed in partnership until he purchased a farm of his own.
William D. Davis was married on September 14, 1892, to Blanche Mar- tin, the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Goforth) Martin, and to this union have been born four children, Schuyler A., Wayne Denzil, Ai, and Zilpha, all of whom are living at home with their parents. Mrs. Davis was born in Audubon county, her father was born in Virginia and her mother was a native of Kentucky.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis are active and influential members of the Christian church, to the support of which they are liberal contributors. Mr. Davis is a Republican, and has served as a school director in his township. Throughout his life he has been interested in educational affairs, and has done what he could to raise the educational standard of the country schools. Mr. Davis has believed that these schools are the hope of the country, since upon them depends the education of the next generation.
WILLIAM ALT, JR.
William Alt, Jr., who owns a well-improved farm of two hundred and ten acres in Audubon township, Audubon county, Iowa, was born in Carroll county, Illinois, August 4, 1882, the son of William and Elizabeth (Lang) Alt, the former of whom was a native of Germany, and the latter of whom was a native of the state of Illinois. William Alt came to America when a mere lad and settled in Illinois, where he grew to manhood and where he married. He was a farmer and was engaged in this occupation during his entire life. In 1880 he removed to Audubon county, Iowa, and located in Hamlin township, where he purchased eighty acres of land, for which he paid eight dollars an acre. This land was raw prairie, and William Alt broke the sod for the first time on the tract, gradually improving his land, and adding to his original purchase from time to time until he was the owner of two hundred and eighty-four acres. He died in 1906, after having reared a family of ten children, nine of whom are still living. Philip, the eldest child, is deceased. Those living are Albert, William, George J., Nancy, Viola, Clara, Alma, May and Lena.
William Alt, Jr., having received his education in the public schools of Hamlin township, began farming after leaving school and was engaged in
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this occupation with his father until twenty-three years of age, at which time the father died. William then worked for his mother on the home farm for two years, and after his marriage at the age of twenty-five, rented land for five years, when he purchased the place upon which he now lives, con- sisting of two hundred and ten acres. He has invested about three thousand dollars in various kinds of improvements on the farm, and his farm is one of the best in this section of the county. He raises annually fifty acres of corn and fifty acres of small grains, and feeds altogether one hundred head of hogs and twenty-five head of cattle.
On February 26, 1908, William Alt, Jr., was married to Nina Bell Hays, the daughter of F. Hays, and to this union two children have been born, a daughter, Ruth, and a son, William Raymond. Mrs. Alt's parents are living in Greeley township, Mr. and Mrs. Hays having been early settlers in that community. Mr. Hays is engaged in general farming and stock raising. Mrs. Alt is one of nine children, the others being Laura, Jennie, Mary, Win- nie, Emma, Lee, Bert and Lennie.
William Alt, Jr., is an enterprising young farmer, a man who, although he has not yet reached the prime of life, has accumulated a considerable com- petence, and who is already established in his chosen vocation. Mr. and Mrs. Alt are popular socially in the neighborhood where they live and are highly respected as citizens of Audubon township.
JOHN E. WULF.
John E. Wulf is one of the promising young farmers of Exira town- ship, Audubon county, Iowa. For several years Mr. Wulf was engaged with his father in farming. In fact, he has been managing the home farm ever since his father's retirement about 1900. He has had practical charge of the management of the home place until 1914, when he began farming for himself on one hundred and thirty acres of land in Exira township. Mr. Wulf is one of those farmers who fully appreciate the advantages of stock raising and he expects to feed practically all of his grain to hogs and cattle.
John E. Wulf was born on January 28, 1878, in Davenport, Iowa. His parents were William and Sophia (Herning) Wulf, both natives of Germany. William Wulf came to America when he was quite a young man, and after arriving in this country he located temporarily in Davenport,
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Iowa, where he worked in a saw-mill most of the time. He also worked as a farm hand. He was married at Davenport and, in 1883, he removed to Audubon county, settling in Audubon township, where he rented land for five years. At the end of this period he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in Exira township, and began farming for himself. Later he became an extensive stock raiser and farmer until about 1900, when he retired from active farm life. He is, however, still living on his farm in Exira township.
William and Sophia (Herning) Wulf were the parents of eight chil- dren, Carrie, Mattie, Minnie, Henry, William, Fred, John E. and George. Carrie and Mattie are unmarried and live at home. Minnie was the wife of Reuben Strothers, and is now deceased. Henry, William and Fred are unmarried. George married Katherine Killen.
John E. Wulf received his education in the public schools of Audubon and Exira townships, and after leaving school he took up farming pursuits with his father, assisting his father on the home farm until 1914, when he engaged in farming for himself on a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, where he carries on a general system of crop and stock raising, and makes a specialty of feeding his grain to hogs and cattle.
On February 18, 1914, John E. Wulf was married to Gertrude Killen, the daughter of Hobert and Margaret (Hengen) Killen. Gertrude Killen was born in Illinois, to which state her parents immigrated after their arrival in this country from Germany, where they were both born and reared. Her father worked as a farm hand in Illinois after settling there, and dur- ing the last two years of his residence in that state he rented land. In 1893 he came to Audubon county, Iowa, locating near Brayton, Iowa. Here he purchased a farm and operated it until 1902, when he sold out and returned to Illinois. Robert and Margaret (Hengen) Killen were the parents of eight children, Margaret, Kate, Gertrude, Barbara, Mamie, Chris, Peter and Anna, the last named being deceased. Kate is the wife of George Wulf, and Gertrude is the wife of John E. Wulf, with whom this narrative deals. The rest of the children are unmarried and living at home.
Mrs. Wulf is a member of the Catholic church. Mr. Wulf is not iden- tified with any church. He is an advocate of the principles of the Republican party, but has not taken a very active part in politics, although deeply inter- ested in all movements which have for their object the welfare and advance- ment of his township and community. Mr. Wulf is a promising young farmer who is really just beginning his career, and he is highly esteemed by all his neighbors.
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JOSEPH GILMAN GILROY.
Joseph G. Gilroy is a farmer of Exira township, Audubon county, Iowa, where he is the owner of two hundred acres of fine farming land. Mr. Gil- roy farmed with his father until 1902, when he took over the farm owned by his father. This farm is well situated and is highly productive and well improved. Mr. Gilroy has invested about five thousand dollars in improve- ments on the place since he purchased it.
Joseph Gilman Gilroy was born on November 12, 1868, in Exeter, New Hampshire, and is a son of Patrick and Anna (Connoly) Gilroy. Patrick Gilroy was a native of the Emerald Isle, as was his wife also. Patrick Gil- roy came to America when he was fourteen years of age and located at Exeter, New Hampshire, and here he worked as a farm hand, and as an overseer on a large farm. He moved to Illinois in 1870, and located at Genesee, in that state, where he was engaged in farming for eighteen years, at the expiration of which time he moved to Audubon county, Iowa, and pur- chased three hundred and sixty acres in Exira township. He was especially interested in stock raising, and made a considerable success of this business. He died on September 12, 1907. His wife had preceded him in death in 1894. They were both loyal and devout members of the Catholic church. They were the parents of two children besides Joseph G., Thomas L. and Mary Dorothy.
Joseph G. Gilroy was educated in the schools of Genesee county, Illinois, and after leaving school he farmed with his father and accompanied the family when they moved to Iowa. In 1902 he took over his father's farm and has made a specialty of raising hogs and cattle for the markets, and has done general farming, raising all the crops common to this section of Iowa.
Joseph G. Gilroy was married on March 30, 1902, to Nellie M. Tracy, the daughter of John and Mary (Butler) Tracy, and to this union two children have been born, who are now living. Anna Laura and May Dorothy. Nellie M. Tracy was born in Henry county, Illinois. Her parents were natives of Ireland, who came to America when they were young. Her father located first in New York state, where he was employed on a farm. Subsequently he was a farmer in Canada, and after living there for about ten years, came back to the United States, and located in Illinois. In 1854, he purchased a farm in Illinois, where he lived until his death in 1891. His wife died on January 30, 1899. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are living, Richard, Henry, John, Kate, Jennie and Mrs. Gilroy.
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Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gilroy are members of the Catholic church, in which they take an active interest, and to the support of which they are liberal con- tributors. Mr. Gilroy is a Democrat, but has not taken an active part in political matters, owing to his extensive farming interests, which he gives all his time and attention. However, he is interested in all public movements which have for their object the advancement and welfare of his community, and is ranked among the earnest and enterprising men of his community.
GILBERT PETER NELSON.
Gilbert Peter Nelson is a farmer of Audubon county, Iowa, and owns two hundred and forty acres of land in Oakfield township. Mr. Nelson received a good education in the common schools and supplemented his training received there with a term in the Danish Lutheran College at Elk- horn, Iowa. He is an extensive raiser of cattle and hogs and is well known in Oakfield township.
Gilbert Peter Nelson was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, September 18, 1867. His parents were Peter and Marie (Peterson) Nelson, natives of Den- mark.
Peter Nelson was a carpenter in his native land, and followed this trade until twenty years of age, when he came to America. He located in Michi- gan and worked in the pineries of that state for a short time. After a time he removed to Chicago, and was employed in constructing the first union stock yards in Chicago. After working in Chicago for some time, he removed to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and worked at his trade in that city. The elder Mr. Nelson followed the carpenter's trade until 1870, when he removed to Cass county, Iowa. Here he bought forty acres of land at eleven dollars an acre. He sold this farm at the end of eight years, and purchased a hun- dred and sixty acres in Audubon county, which he farmed until 1908. At that time he retired. He is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Harry Traum. The elder Mr. Nelson increased his farm holdings until he owned eight hundred acres of land. When he came to Michigan he had only fifteen dollars.
Peter and Marie (Peterson) Nelson were the parents of twelve children, ten of whom are living, as follow: Gilbert P., the subject of this sketch; John C., a farmer in Oakfield township; Julius, lives in Cass county ; Edward, lives in Oakfield township; Ludwick, lives at Atlantic; Alma, married Harry
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Traum and lives in Oakfield township; Alfred; Christina, married Evans Markenson, of Audubon; Rosa, lives in Audubon; and Martha, also lives in Audubon.
Gilbert Peter Nelson received his education principally in Audubon county, and after completing the course here he attended the Danish Lutheran College at Elkhorn for a term. He was married at the age of twenty-six years, and after renting land for one year, he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land. Gradually he has increased his holdings to two hundred and forty acres. He raises sixty acres of corn, and feeds about fifty head of hogs a year.
Gilbert Peter Nelson was married on March 3, 1894, to Anna Christina Nelson, daughter of L. P. and Marie (Peterson) Nelson. Seven children have been born to this marriage, Theodore H., Gerald, Ernest, Gladys, Lela, Ethel and Edna. Mrs. Nelson was born in Des Moines, Iowa. Her parents were natives of Denmark. Her father came to America and located in Des Moines, where he remained for five years. They had nine children, Anna, Rosa, Hans, Ida, Martha, Marie, Ray, Arthur and Albert.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are members of the Danish Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Nelson is a Republican.
CHRIS ROED.
The compulsory military service of many European countries has driven young men, who dislike to perform that service, to America. Many young men, during the period of their service, have become so thoroughly discouraged with the European militarism that they have come to America immediately after serving their enlistment. Chris Roed, a prominent farmer of Exira township, and the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land in that township, came to this country in 1884, immediately after having served one year in the Danish army.
Chris Roed was born on March 16, 1859, in Denmark. His parents were Chris and Carrie (Christensen) Roed, both natives of Denmark. The former was a farmer and farmed there all of his life. He served in the Danish-Prussian War of 1848. Mrs. Roed, the mother of Chris, Jr., died in 1910. She and her husband had eight children, seven of whom are now living: Anna, Lars, Jens, Peter, Jens, Stena, Elizabeth and Chris. All of them are now living in Denmark except Chris, the subject of this sketch.
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Chris Roed was educated in Denmark and after leaving school, worked for his father on the farm. Coming to America in 1884, he located at Audubon county, where he worked as a farm hand for two years. Mr. Roed then traveled through Nebraska and Minnesota, doing farm work. In 1890 he returned to Iowa and after his marriage, located in Atlantic, where he worked for three years. He again went to Nebraska and there rented a farm and farmed for two years. At the end of this period, he returned to Audubon county, and, in 1894, rented a farm for three years. After this he bought a farm of one hundred and five acres in Hamlin town- ship and farmed that for five years. He then bought the farm where he now lives, in Exira township, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, later he added eighty acres, making two hundred and forty acres; a farm upon which Mr. Roed has placed improvements amounting to more than five thousand dollars. Mr. Roed raises eighty acres of corn every year and seventy acres of small grain. He feeds between seventy-five and one hundred head of hogs each year.
Chris Roed was married on April 26, 1890, to Mary Hansen, the daugh- ter of Anders and Christina (Hansen) Hansen. To this union four chil- dren have been born: Anna, Elmer, Martin and Henry, all of whom are unmarried and live at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Roed attend the Danish Lutheran church. Mr. Roed has served as school director, a non-partisan position in this section. Mr. Roed is an independent voter.
CALVIN I. DIMICK.
Calvin I. Dimick is a well-known farmer of Exira township, who not only owns one hundred and ninety-four acres of land in Exira township, but who owns a quarter section of land in Canada. Mr. Dimick has not fol- lowed farming all of his life. For some time he was engaged in ditching in Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas. He was also engaged in conducting a hotel at Brayton for some time, but eventually returned to the farm.
Calvin I. Dimick was born on December 3, 1867, in Johnson county, Iowa. His parents were John J. and Fannie (Mitchell) Dimick, both natives of Erie county, New York. The former was born on January 5, 1825, and the latter was born on March 31, 1837. John J. Dimick grew to manhood in Erie county and lived on a farm there. Before his marriage, he made a trip to California during the gold discoveries of 1849 and 1850, and was
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fairly successful. After three years he moved to Wisconsin and remained there until 1858, when he moved to Johnson county, Iowa. While in Wis- consin, he conducted a hotel. He first purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Johnson county and increased his holdings by one-half. Eventually he engaged in the lumber and stock business and was in that busi- ness for five years when he sold out. He came to Audubon county in March, 1881. He located four miles northwest of Exira, where he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres and there he was engaged in general farming until 1901, when he moved to Exira and took up cattle buying. He followed this business until his death in 1910. His wife had died many years pre- viously, March 1, 1879.
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