USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 74
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On January 23, 1900, Mr. Reimers was married to Kate Wahe, who was born on August 25, 1882, in Rock Island county, Illinois, and is the daughter of John and Marguerite ( Meeder) Wahe, also natives of Hol- stein, Germany, the former of whom came to the United States in 1873, eight months before the remainder of the family. The father came first in order to earn money to pay the passages of his wife and one child, one other child having died a few days before sailing time. After landing in New York city, they came direct to Rock Island county, Illinois, where they lived until about 1887, when they moved to Adams county, Nebraska. After living here for about seven years, they came to Audubon county and located near Exira, where they lived for five years; subsequently, they moved to Adair county.
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Mr. and Mrs. Reimers are the parents of three children: Laura, born February 5, 1902 ; Lillian, August 25, 1905, and Elmer, July 14, 191I.
Although Mr. Reimers is a Republican nominally, he is a Socialist in principle, and leans very strongly toward the socialization of all industries. He is one of the best informed men of Audubon township, especially in matters of politics. The Reimers family are members of St. John's Lu- theran church.
Herman D. Reimers has proved a valuable citizen in the community where he lives. He is endowed with a natural capacity for leadership and is a man whose counsel and advice are sought freely on many questions. Naturally, he is a man of upright and honorable character.
T. C. KESTER.
T. C. Kester, who owns a fertile and highly productive farm of three hundred and sixty acres in Cameron township, Audubon county, Iowa, was born on September 8, 1856, in the state of Pennsylvania. Mr. Kester is the son of Hiram and Mary Kester, both of whom were natives of Pennsyl- vania. He was a farmer and farmed in that state all of his life. Both Hiram Kester and his wife died in 1862, after rearing a family of four children, two of whom are now living: William and T. C.
T. C. Kester received all of his education in the state of Pennsylvania and after leaving school, attended the Orangeville Academy for some time. He then taught school for one term in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and after finishing his term of school, he came to Audubon county in 1883 and located in section 19 of Cameron township, where he purchased eighty acres of land at twenty-six dollars an acre. Mr. Kester improved the place and farmed there for seventeen years. He then purchaser two hundred acres in section 22 where he is now living. In 1910 he bought an additional one hundred and sixty acres in section 27, where his son, Harry, now lives. He has not only acquired three hundred and sixty acres of land but upon this property, he has invested eight thousand dollars in various kinds of improve- ments. He raises one hundred acres of corn which yields an average of fifty bushels to the acre, and the balance in small grain and grass. He also raises horses, cattle and hogs.
On January 4. 1883, T. C. Kester was married to Susanna Heacock, the daughter of Jesse and Lydia Heacock. The marriage took place during
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the same year in which Mr. Kester moved from Pennsylvania to Audubon county. Mr. and Mrs. Kester are the parents of nine children: Bruce, Lulu, Harry, Raymond, Alice, Walter, Frank, Pearl and Mildred. Lulu married John Lacy and they have three children, Harold, Floyd and Doro- thy. Harry married Sena Hansen and they have three children, Cameron, Aaron and Charles. The remainder of Mr. and Mrs. Kester's family are single.
The Kesters have been prominent in the United Brethren church of Cameron township. Mr. Kester is a trustee in the church and was formerly not only superintendent of the Sunday school, but treasurer of the congre- gation. In politics, he is a Republican and has served as school director.
T. C. Kester is regarded in Cameron township by his neighbors as an intelligent and well-informed farmer and citizen. One of the oldest resi- dents of this township, he has gained many warm friends and is well known throughout Audubon county as one of its leading and enterprising citizens. T. C. Kester is a worthy citizen of Cameron township and one who enjoys the confidence of all the people of his neighborhood.
FRANK R. MCLAUGHLIN.
Frank R. Mclaughlin, one of the leading citizens of Lincoln township, Audubon county, Iowa, who owns a highly productive farm of two hun- dred and forty acres in this township, was born on August 27, 1853, in Newark, Ohio, the son of Charles and Rachel (Covall) Mclaughlin, both of whom were natives of Ohio.
After receiving an elementary education in his native state, Charles McLaughlin took up farming on a farm of one hundred and thirty acres in Licking county, Ohio. Here he farmed until 1861, when he removed to Illinois, where he farmed and teamed for more than twenty-five years. He then came to Audubon county, and made his home with his son, Frank R., living with him until his death, October II, 1903. Mrs. Rachel (Covall) Mclaughlin died on March II, 1874. They had eight children, four of whom are now living. Frank R., however, is the only one living in the state of Iowa.
Frank R. Mclaughlin received his education in Illinois, and after fin- ishing his education, he worked out as a farm hand for several years, and then purchased a team and rented a farm in Illinois for six years. In 1885
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FRANK R. MCLAUGHLIN
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Mr. Mclaughlin came to Audubon county, and located on the farm where he is now living. After renting it for five years he purchased the place, and during the time he has owned it has invested more than six thousand dollars in various kinds of improvements. Mr. Mclaughlin is an extensive farmer, and feeds more than two hundred head of hogs every year, as well as two carloads of cattle.
On March 19, 1885, Frank R. Mclaughlin was married to Cora Evans, who was born on October 21, 1862, a daughter of Oliver and Luta (Good- rich) Evans. To this happy union eight children have been born, as fol- low : Maude, deceased; Charles, of Manning, Iowa, auctioneer and real estate dealer ; Ray, Mae, Glenn, Gladys, Hazen and Grace. Glenn married Eliza- beth Schrumn, and they have one child, Imogene. The remainder of the children are unmarried and live at home with their parents. Mrs. McLaugh- lin died on June 27, 1911. She was a member of the United Brethren church.
Mr. Mclaughlin is a steward in the United Brethren church, and also a trustee. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a noble grand in that lodge, at Gray, having been through the chairs three different times. He has been a member of Utopia Lodge, No. 161, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, since 1887. He was formerly township trustee of Loncoln township for ten years, and also served for a time as school director. Mr. McLaughlin considers himself a progressive Repub- lican, although he is somewhat independent in his voting.
Frank R. Mclaughlin is not only a skillful, enterprising and highly successful farmer, but he is also a man who takes a worthy interest in pub- lic questions and praiseworthy public movements. He is well informed and keeps abreast with all modern political and civic currents and movements. Mr. Mclaughlin is popular in the community where he lives.
WILLIAM C. TIBBEN.
A native of Rock Island county, Illinois, an enterprising farmer of Audubon township, where he owns an excellent farm of two hundred acres, William C. Tibben was born on October 27, 1873, and is a son of John and Catherine (Schwenneker) Tibben, who were natives of Friesland, and Hol- stein, Germany, respectively.
Mr. Tibben's parents came to the United States when young people
(49)
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and were married in Rock Island county, Illinois, where they lived until 1881, at which time they came to Audubon county, and they made this county their home until their death. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, Henry, Amos, Anna, John, William C., Mrs. Minnie Carson, and Mrs. Emma Porter.
William C. Tibben attended school until about fifteen years of age in Audubon township, during which time he lived at home with his parents, assisting with the farm work until his marriage, at which time he rented a farm for five years. Subsequently, he purchased two hundred acres of land where he now lives, but at that time it was poorly improved, and the house, which was a small building, fourteen by twenty-four feet, had only two rooms; the barn, however, was a fairly good building. Mr. Tibben has since erected a large, eight-room house, equipped with gas lights, furnace, hot and cold water and other conveniences which make it entirely and thoroughly modern. At the time this house was erected in 1902, it was by far the best house in the community. In 1909 Mr. Tibben built a large barn and a corn crib with a capacity of five thousand bushels of ear corn and shelled grain. He has also erected a substantial machine shed, in which he keeps his stock of modern machinery with which his farmi is well equipped.
In December, 1894, Mr. Tibben was married in Audubon county to Catherine Bireline, who was born on March 21, 1874, in Johnson county, Iowa, the daughter of Fred and Julia ( Michels) Bireline, natives of Ger- many, who came to the United States before their marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Tibben are the parents of six children: Clarence, born on September 27, 1895; Charles, October 2, 1897; Walter, March 21, 1902; Arthur, November 10, 1906; Harry, August 4, 1909; Johnnie, June 23, 1913. All of these children are living at home with their parents.
A Republican in politics, William C. Tibben has served as township trustee of Audubon township for two years, and is the present secretary of the local school board. The Tibben family are members of St. John's Lutheran church.
A general farmer and stock raiser who feeds several hundred head of hogs and from one to two carloads of cattle each year for the markets, William Tibben is well known in Audubon township, where he has been successful in a large measure in his chosen vocation. Mr. Tibben is still a comparatively young man, but so diligently and wisely has he applied him- self to the business of farming that he has already accumulated a substan- tial competence, and at the same time he has not neglected his larger duties, and is today recognized as one of the foremost citizens of the community in which he lives.
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MATURON D. THOMAS.
Maturon D. Thomas is a well-known farmer of Exira township, who owns a farm of two hundred and thirty-nine acres and who enjoys the dis- tinction of having been born on the same place where he now lives. Mr. Thomas is well known, especially for the reason that he was a thresherman for approximately twenty years in this commnuity. For several years he was also the street commissioner and marshal of Exira and was well known in connection with these two offices.
Maturon D. Thomas was born on April 26, 1863. He is the son of Isaac and Mary (Hamlin) Thomas. Isaac Thomas was a native of Ohio and his wife a native of Mahaska county. Isaac Thomas grew to manhood and during the early part of his life worked on a farm. In 1860 he came to Audubon county and began working for Nathaniel Hamlin as a farm hand. He worked in this capacity for about ten years and then purchased a farm and began farming for himself. He owned at one time three hundred and eighty acres in Audubon county. Later, however, he moved to Colorado and lived there until his death in 1907. He was married on March 24, 1861. His wife died in October, 1910. They had eleven children: Lou Ann, deceased; Belle, who married Samuel Bloom; Jacob, who lives in Montana; Nathaniel, who lives in Colorado; Nannie, deceased; Rose, who is the wife of Harvey Huff; Bessie, who married Clarence Greenfield; Isaac, deceased; Orel, deceased; John, deceased, and Maturon, the subject of this sketch.
Maturon D. Thomas received his education in the public schools of the township and after leaving school, he farmed with his father until he was about twenty-three years old. At this time he was married and began farm- ing for himself by renting land for a short time. After this he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres and was engaged in general farm- ing until about 1895, when he moved to Exira and there served as street commissioner and marshal for some time. In the meantime, however, he operated a threshing machine for nine years. After serving for some time as street commissioner and marshal of Exira, he returned to the farm and has been living on the farmn since that time. Altogether he threshed grain for twenty years. He raises about eighty acres of corn and sixty acres of small grain. Mr. Thomas feeds about one hundred head of hogs each year and has been very successful with mixed farming and stock raising.
Maturon D. Thomas was married on February 25, 1886, to Lucy Davis, the daughter of W. E. Davis. Two children were born to this marriage,
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Guy and Florence. Guy married Lottie Florence Hinchman and has one daughter, Violet. Florence married George Schlater and has one child. Mrs. Thomas died on April 25, 1893, and after her death, Mr. Thomas was married on June 24, 1912, to Lavina Tyler, the daughter of O. P. Tyler. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are members of the Christian church in which Mr. Thomas formerly served as a deacon. He is now a trustee of this church. Mr. Thomas is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is also a member of the American Modern Reserve. He is a Republican.
ROBERT F. AIKMAN.
To the honest, hard-working, law-abiding citizen, there is bound to come the inevitable success which goes hand in hand with such a character, and no man has been more plentifully provided with these qualities than Robert F. Aikman, an outline of whose history is here briefly given. Being especially interested in agriculture and all that pertains to it, the task, if it might be called such, of writing a biographical sketch of a man who has been wise enough to live so near to nature, gives an unusual amount of pleasure, especially in view of the fact that the desired results are not ac- complished without a full share of discouraging obstacles.
Robert F. Aikman, general farmer and stock raiser, of Lincoln town- ship, was born in Clinton county, Iowa, March 29, 1866, the son of R. D. and Sarah Aikman. He attended the public schools in the county, quitting school at the age of eighteen years, to go to work for his father on the farm, and remained with him until he was twenty-one years old. He then rented a farm of eighty acres from his father for three or four years, when he gave this up and moved to Audubon county. When he was twenty-one years of age, his father gave him a farm of eighty acres, and Mr. Aikman has invested about five thousand dollars in improvements on his farm. His principal crop is grain, all of which he feeds to the stock on his place. He devotes his attention principally to thoroughbred Duroc hogs, of which he sells about two carloads annually, netting him about one thousand five hun- dred dollars. In 1914, he built a fine barn thirty-four by forty-six. which holds sixty tons of hay.
R. D. Aikman, father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, and his wife is a native of Canada. They were united in marriage in Clinton county, Iowa, where he owned and cultivated a farm of one hundred and
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sixty acres. After a time, he moved from this place to Illinois, about the year 1866, remaining there some twenty or twenty-one years. He bought four hundred and twenty acres in Whiteside county, Illinois, which he later sold and moved back to Iowa, where he bought two hundred acres in Audu- bon, where he spent the remainder of his life. They were the parents of seven children, as follow: James, Almeda, A. F., Nettie, Josephine, Irena, and Robert F.
Robert F. Aikman was married in 1897 to Jennie Andre, daughter of Harvey and Mary E. Andre, of Crawford county. They are the parents of the following children: Vera, Floyd, Olive, Donald and Myron, all of whom are still at home.
In religion, Mr. Aikman's views are of the Methodist belief, and he is a regular attendant of that church at Gray. Politically, he votes the Repub- lican ticket.
WORTH J. HARTZELL.
An an example of industry and perseverance in the face of apparently adverse circumstances and of the ability to rise superior to whatever adver- sity may lie in wait, the following interesting biography of one of the lead- ing farmers of Greeley township, this county, will prove of value to the thoughtful reader.
Worth J. Hartzell was born in Hermitage, Missouri, July 23, 1871, the son of Seth and Julia (Blair) Hartzell, both of whom were natives of Missouri. The Blairs were ardent adherents of the Union cause during the Civil War, their course being so obnoxious to their neighbors, the greater part of whom espoused the cause of the Confederacy, that they found it necessary to leave their home in Missouri and come north. Seth Hartzell and his wife came to Audubon county in the year 1876 and remained here one year, at the end of which they went back to Atlantic, in Cass county, Iowa, where they had settled after their flight from the south, but a year later returned to Audubon county, remaining here until about 1912, when they went to California, where they now are living. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom are now living, Worth J. being the eldest.
Worth J. Hartzell remained on the paternal farm until his marriage at the age of twenty-four. Though he started with nothing but a stout heart and a team of oxen when he came to Audubon county, Mr. Hartzell's father had acquired about two hundred acres of land in Greeley township by the
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time his eldest son was married and Worth J. began by renting from his father a portion of this farm. Apparent "bad luck" followed his tenant- farming venture, however, and after the first year Worth J. found it neces- sary to give up farming for the time. He built a small house on a wagon and for a year he and his wife lived in this movable home, going from place to place as opportunity seemed most propitious. He finally felt himself financially able to take up farming again and once more entered upon the business of tenant farming, during this time making several moves, a part of the time being spent in South Dakota. In 1900 Mr. Hartzell returned to his father's home and lived there, assisting in the work of the farm until 1908, in which year he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in sections 15 and 22 of Greeley township. In 1909 he added to this farm another forty in section 15 and in 1911 bought an additional tract of eighty acres in the same section, this giving him a farm of two hundred and forty acres, one of the most thoroughly-equipped places in the township. When Mr. Hartzell bought his farm there were some improvements on the same in the way of buildings, but these he has completely supplanted by new and modern buildings, his house being one of the most complete and modern in that part of the county, being equipped with gas lights, furnace, bath, water- works and all the conveniences that are required to add to the comfort of a modern home. His farm buildings are constructed on a similar scale, being designed for the utmost convenience and efficiency, his stock barns and pens being unusually complete. He annually feeds about one hundred head of cattle and two hundred head of hogs and has found this a very profitable phase of farming. He has about five miles of hog-tight fence on his place.
On March 10, 1895, Worth J. Hartzell was united in marriage to Mary E. Jaynes, of this county, who was born on April 29, 1877, the daughter of Edward P. and Veluma ( Patterson) Jaynes, natives, respectively, of Penn- sylvania and Iowa. Edward Jaynes came to Iowa when a boy of sixteen and at nineteen years of age enlisted in a company of infantry which was being recruited in Washington county for service in the Union's cause dur- ing the Civil War. He was wounded in service and was discharged and sent home, but immediately following his recovery enlisted again and was in the service until the close of the war, a period of three years of active service in all.
To Worth J. and Mary E. (Jaynes) Hartzell five children have been born, Wayne V., Wylie W., Donald J., Charles L. and Clarice E. Mrs. Hartzell is an earnest member of the Greeley Center Methodist church and
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is rearing her children to the faith of that church. Mr. Hartzell's parents were among the founders of this church. Mr. Hartzell is an ardent Republi- can, as was his father, and is keenly interested in local political affairs. He served his township as justice of the peace for a term of two years and is now the treasurer of the school board. He is public spirited and enterpris- ing and is a strong force for good in his community, where he and his wife are held in the highest regard, being looked upon as among the leaders in all good works thereabout.
N. P. CLEMSEN.
An industrious and enterprising farmer of Oakfield township, Audubon county, Iowa, who has made commendable progress as a farmer since com- ing to America at the age of eighteen, is N. P. Clemsen, who was born on July 28, 1871, in Jylland, Denmark, and who is a son of Nels A. and Anna C. Clemsen. His parents were farmers in their native land, although the father was a sailor for several years, and also served as a soldier in the Danish-Prussian War of 1864. The only members of the Clemsen family who have ever come to America, are N. P. and Andrew, of Sharon town- ship in this county.
N. P. Clemsen, after having received a fair education in his native land, worked at farm work after leaving school until he reached the age of eighteen years, when he came to the United States, and, after landing at New York city, came on directly to Audubon county, Iowa. Here he obtained employment on farms, and after continuing in this line for four years, rented land in Sharon township for two years. After his marriage Mr. Clemsen removed to Texas, where his father-in-law had given him a tract of land. After living four years in Texas, he returned to Audubon county and purchased eighty acres of land in section 17, Hamlin township, but he owned this farm only one year, when he traded it off and acquired eighty acres, where he now lives in section 10, of Oakfield township. Mr. Clemsen has built a house, barn and other outbuildings since he acquired this farm, and has planted many trees. Most of his fences are made of woven , wire, and altogether his farm has been improved and developed, until it is one of the best in the township. In the meantime, he has purchased eighty acres more land and rents forty acres in addition to that which he owns, farming in all two hundred acres.
On October 3, 1893, Mr. Clemsen was married in Audubon county to
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Nena Esbeck, who was born on January 29, 1874, in Guthrie county, Iowa, and who is a daughter of Andrew and Christina (Christensen) Esbeck, natives of Jylland, Denmark, who came to the United States soon after their marriage and who were among the very early settlers of Oakfield township. Their farm which was about seven miles west of Exira, was a lonely spot on the prairie at the time they moved there, as there were no other houses between their farm and Exira. Mr. Esbeck paid five dollars an acre for his first land. He was one of the charter members of the Elkhorn Danish Luth- eran church, and Mrs. Clemsen attended school in one of the private homes of the neighborhood for a year or two before a school house was built near her home.
Mr. and Mrs. N. P. Clemsen are the parents of seven children : Arthur H., born on June 15, 1895; Mabel A., March 20, 1898; Anna C., May 2, 1900; Henry, December 1, 1902; Bula A., August 30, 1906; Ethel M., September 13, 1909; Christena C., November 8, 1912. All of these chil- dren are unmarried and are living at home with their parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Clemsen and family are all faithful and earnest members of the Danish Lutheran church at Elkhorn. A Republican in politics, Mr. Clemsen has held only minor offices in Oakfield township. Having com- bined general farming and stock raising and by the profits from the dairy products of from six to fifteen cows annually, Mr. Clemsen has been enabled to realize most satisfactory results from his farm. He is progressive, broad- minded and industrious; a man who is well known in this community, and who has a host of friends in the township. The sterling reputation which he enjoys in Oakfield township is not a matter of accident, but is founded upon very proper relations with his neighbors and fellow citizens.
JOHN J. QUINBY.
The kindly nature and affable manner of John J. Quinby have endeared him to a large circle of friends in Clinton county ; and he is especially well known and esteemed in the vicinity of Ross, where he was postmaster for fourteen years.
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