USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 6
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DR. FRANCIS A. BRYANT
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until called to their final home. Dr. and Mrs. Bryant had but one child, Vesta A. The father died September 4, 1910, and his wife passed away February 12, 19II
In politics Dr. Bryant was a stalwart republican, taking an active interest in the work of the party, and at one time served as mayor of Cedar Falls. He made such a creditable record in that position that he was three times elected to the office and in the exercise of his official prerogatives he largely promoted the wel- fare and upbuilding of the city. He also served as township trustee and as a member of the school board in the early days, and he attended the Congregational church. His life was ever upright and honorable and won for him the con- fidence, high regard and good will of all with whom he came in contact.
HERMANN MILLER.
Hermann Miller is the secretary and manager of the Iowa Manufacturers Fire Insurance Company of Waterloo, in which connection his efforts have been a contributing element to the substantial success won by the company. A native of Germany, he was born in 1861 and remained a resident of the fatherland until he reached the age of nineteen years, when he crossed the Atlantic to America. He had been educated in his native country and was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits there before making the voyage to the new world, having served a regular apprenticeship. On reaching the United States in 1880 he first took up his abode at Reinbeck, in Grundy county, where he was employed as a clerk in a store.
In 1881, Mr. Miller arrived in Waterloo and was associated with the firm of J. G. Hoff & Sons as a clerk for four years. He was afterward in charge of their store in Reinbeck, a fact which indicates that he enjoyed the unqualified confidence and regard of the firm. He then engaged in the insurance business and soon afterward left the mercantile field and devoted his time to the upbuild- ing and development of his insurance interests. He became one of the organizers of the Iowa Manufacturers Fire Insurance Company, which was incorporated with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, and their assets are now nearly two hundred thousand dollars. The officers of the company are: W. W. Marsh, president; Hermann Miller, secretary and manager; and A. H. Holt, treasurer. The business has been carefully planned and systematized and has been developed along the most modern lines. Each forward step in the insurance field has brought to Mr. Miller a wider outlook and his efforts have been directed by the highest business ethics, and his success is therefore well merited.
In 1887, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Josie Akers, of Iowa, and they have become the parents of four sons: H. C., who is a member of the Miller-McCartney Insurance Agency at Waterloo; Max F., a student of archi- tectural engineering at the Illinois State University at Champaign ; Milo H., who is studying agricultural engineering at Iowa State College at Ames; and Karl, a student in the Waterloo schools. The family are members of the Congregational church and in its teachings find the guiding motive of their actions.
Mr. Miller gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and was a candidate for representative on that ticket. He is a member of the board of
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directors of the Chamber of Commerce, also has membership in the Waterloo Club, is an Elk, a Knight of Pythias and a Mason. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for here he found the business opportunities which he sought and which are always open to an am- bitious, energetic young man. Gradually he has advanced through the wise use of his time and advantages and has been active in the upbuilding of what is today one of the important business enterprises of his adopted city.
JOHN BARO.
John Baro is now living retired in Waterloo, occupying a pleasant and attract- ive home at No. 408 Mulberry street. He was born in Germany in 1841 and came to the United States in 1856, settling with his parents on a farm in Illinois. He was a youth of fifteen when he crossed the Atlantic and, accordingly, he at once became an active factor in the farm work, assisting in the development and im- provement of the home place until 1869, when he came to Waterloo. Here he embarked in the brewing business, in which he continued for four or five years, and on the expiration of that period he conducted a bakery and restaurant. At two or three different periods he was engaged in the restaurant business and in time became one of the prominent and substantial business men of the city. As the years went on his strenuous efforts, close application and indefatigable energy brought to him a substantial measure of success and, with a handsome competence, he retired to private life to enjoy in well earned rest the fruits of his former toil, his property being more than sufficient to supply him with all of the comforts of life.
Mr. Baro was married in 1882 to Miss Anne Friedl, of Waterloo, who has indeed been a faithful companion and helpmate on life's journey. They are mem- bers of St. Mary's Catholic church and contribute generously to its support. Mr. Baro was a member of the volunteer fire department of Waterloo for a number of years and in various other ways has been connected with the advancement of the city, its upbuilding and progress during the forty-five years he has here resided.
GEORGE E. VIRDEN.
Through constantly developing powers George E. Virden has won for him- self a creditable place in the manufacturing circles of Waterloo, being now presi- dent and manager of the Hawkeye Glove & Mitten Company, which will shortly be reorganized as the United Glove & Mitten Company with J. B. Holz, presi- dent; Andrew Westberg, vice president ; and George E. Virden, secretary and treasurer. He is a man of determined purpose and as the years have gone by has demonstrated his worth in the business world and won success.
Mr. Virden was born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, December 24, 1884, and there spent the days of his boyhood and youth, his education being acquired in the public schools of that city. On leaving school he embarked in the grocery busi-
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ness with his father, but in April, 1909, turned from mercantile to manufacturing interests and established the Mount Pleasant Glove Manufacturing Company. There he continued in business until May, 1913, when he removed to Waterloo and established the Hawkeye Glove & Mitten Company, which was incorporated with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars. They have a well equipped plant, including the latest improved machinery for work of this character, and in the manufacture of leather and cotton gloves they turn out a large output which is widely shipped and which returns to them a substantial annual income. The officers of the company are: George E. Virden, president and manager; J. R. Hughes, of Mount Pleasant, vice president ; and W. F. Parrott, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Virden is a man of keen discrimination and sound judgment and in the conduct of the business instituted a policy which measures up to the highest standards of commercial honor.
Mr. Virden is a member of the Masonic fraternity and belongs to the Mystic Shrine. He also has membership with the Knights of Pythias and the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, is a member of the Commercial Club and Board of Trade, and attends the Presbyterian church. The nature of his interests and ·activities is thus indicated and it is the logical conclusion that he is guided in all that he does by a spirit of enterprise and progress.
JAMES J. RAINBOW.
James J. Rainbow, filling the position of county auditor of Black Hawk county for the seventh term, having been first elected in 1902, was born in Lima, New York, on the 24th of April, 1855, his parents being James and Eliza (Goody) Rainbow, both of whom were natives of England. They came to Iowa in 1856, settling at Iowa City, where they remained for twelve years and then took up their abode upon a farm in Iowa county, where they lived for eight years. On the expiration of that period they removed to a farm in Pottawattamie county, where their remaining days were passed, the father's death occurring in 1902, while his wife died in 1908. James Rainbow was just twenty-one years of age when he came to the United States about 1851 and for more than a half century he continued a resident of this country, becoming a most patriotic, loyal American citizen.
James J. Rainbow was only about a year old when brought to this state. He attended the schools of Iowa City to the age of twelve years and then had no further opportunity to advance his education until he reached the age of twenty- three years, when he became a, student in the college at Malvern, Iowa, in which he spent several terms. Still later he attended the normal school in Iowa City and in 1881 he was graduated from the commercial college at Iowa City. In Pottawattamie county he engaged in teaching school and he also followed that profession to some extent after he came to Black Hawk county in 1889. He took up the occupation of farming in this county and through the winter months con- tinued his work as a teacher. In 1902 he was elected auditor of Black Hawk county and so excellent has been the record that he has made in this office that he has been reelected again and again until he is now serving for the seventh term
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and has never had opposition in his own party save on one occasion. He is prompt, faithful and reliable in the discharge of his official duties and is justly accounted one of the foremost representatives of the republican party in his section of the state.
In March, 1889, in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, Mr. Rainbow was united in marriage to Miss Ida O. Knapp, by whom he has a daughter, Frances Willard. Fraternally Mr. Rainbow is connected with the Royal Arch Masons, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Modern Woodmen. He also has membership in the Commercial Club and his religious faith is evidenced by his membership in the Presbyterian church. His interests and activities have been along progressive lines and he has cooperated in many movements which have had direct bearing upon the welfare, progress and prosperity of the county in which he lives. He is widely known here as a representative citizen and has many warm friends.
VIRGIL BLACKLEDGE.
Virgil Blackledge is general agent for the northeastern part of the state of Iowa for the Union Central Life Insurance Company of Cincinnati and in this connection his well formulated plans, carefully executed, are bringing to him success and increasing the business of the corporation which he represents. He. was born in Newton, Jasper county, Iowa, on the 16th of July, 1875, and is a son of Oliver J. and Ernestine (Turck) Blackledge. The father was born in Indiana July 15, 1852, and was brought to Iowa by his parents in 1861. The mother was a native of Jasper county and her natal day was May 12, 1856. They were reared in Jasper county and were there married, and the mother passed away October 12, 1875. Oliver J. Blackledge early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops and after he had attained his majority continued to engage in farming. Year by year he tilled his fields in Jasper county until 1899, when he sold his farm of two hundred acres and re- moved to Oregon, settling in Corvallis, where he judiciously reinvested his capi- tal and has won a substantial measure of prosperity. Since taking up his abode there he has been engaged in the furniture and undertaking business and is one of the city's well known, enterprising and successful business men. He is the father of four children, those besides our subject being : Zeller O., who died at the age of twenty-one: Thaddeus L., in business with his father in Oregon, and Janet A., at home.
Virgil Blackledge was reared under the parental roof with the usual ex- periences and interests that constitute the life of the farm boy. He attended the public schools, dividing his time between the mastery of his studies, the pleasures of the playground and the work of the fields. As he neared manhood he felt no desire to change his occupation and continued to engage actively in farming until 1905, at which time his health became impaired, unfitting him for further heavy work on the farm. He then prepared himself for government service and went to Des Moines in order to take a civil service examination. While await-
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ing results he began selling life insurance and on his second day's work he secured his first policy, although the transaction was not closed until half past one in the morning. This spirit of indomitable perseverance has been the chief factor in making him the successful life insurance man that he is today and has been the chief element in winning him promotion until he has reached the im- portant and responsible position of general agent for the Union Central Life Insurance Company in northeastern Iowa. He has advanced steadily step by step, working his way upward from the bottom, and on the 4th of October, 1910, he was transferred from Newton to Waterloo to take his present position, in which connection he has given excellent satisfaction. He has carefully sys- tematized the work of his district, keeps in touch with the interests of the agents under him and is constantly broadening his plans for the benefit and develop- ment of the business. He ranks with the leading insurance men of his part of the state.
On the 18th of January, 1898, Mr. Blackledge was united in marriage to Miss Bernice Tool, of Reasnor, Iowa, and unto them was born a daughter, Lela. On the 4th of September, 1904, Mr. Blackledge was again married, his second union being with Miss Myrtle Hayes, also of Reasnor. This union has been blessed with six children, five daughters and one son, Ernestine, Imogene, June, Jesse V., Mary and Leah Maud.
Mr. Blackledge holds membership in Newton Lodge, No. 59, A. F. & A. M., and his political allegiance is given to the republican party, which he has sup- ported continuously since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, be- lieving firmly that the principles of that party are most conducive to good government. Both Mr. and Mrs. Blackledge are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church and their many sterling traits of character have gained for them the high regard of Waterloo's best citizens although they have been resi- dents of Black Hawk county for but a brief period.
S. J. HALL.
S. J. Hall is identified with several of the leading business concerns of Water- loo and in all has demonstrated his possession of qualities which are indis-, pensable in the attainment of success. He is at once a forceful and resourceful business man and his advancement is attributable entirely to his own efforts. He is the president and manager of the Waterloo Saddlery Company, secretary of the Waterloo Canning Company and treasurer of the Cement Machinery Com- pany. His residence in this city covers a period of thirty years and his activities have been a factor in the upbuilding of its citizenship along the lines of material advancement.
Mr. Hall was born in the north of Ireland in 1862 and was twenty-one years of age when he crossed the Atlantic to the new world. He made his way at once to this city, where he embarked in the dry-goods business, in which he engaged for about eleven years. Thinking to broaden the scope of his activities and heighten his success through the conduct of other interests, he, with others, organized in 1895, the Waterloo Saddlery Company, which was incorporated with
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a capital stock of twenty-two thousand dollars. This has been increased from time to time until the present capitalization is one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The officers at this time are: S. J. Hall, president ; L. G. Adams, vice president ; H. M. Reed, secretary ; and I. E. Larsen, treasurer. They manu- facture harness, horse collars and pads and their business has grown to extensive and gratifying proportions. They built their present quarters on Sycamore street, where they have a building seventy by one hundred and twenty feet and four stories in height with basement. They occupy the entire building and employ about sixty-five people in the plant. Their trade now extends over northern and western Iowa, eastern South Dakota, Nebraska and southern Minnesota, and their patronage is growing year by year. Mr. Hall has also become connected with various other business interests.
In 1887 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hall and Miss Sarah Derrick, a native of Canada, and they have become the parents of three children: Richard L., who is in the office of the Waterloo Saddlery Company : Kathleen A. : and Dorothy J. Mr. Hall is a member of the Universalist church. He also belongs to the Com- mercial Club and Board of Trade and is one of the directors of that organization. He holds membership in Helmet Lodge. K. P., and he is a very prominent Mason. He has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is the present grand commander of the Knights Templar of Iowa. In this connection he is widely known throughout the state and honored wherever he is known.
His business career is a notable one and worthy of emulation. Starting out in life without any vaulting ambition to accomplish something especially great or famous, he has followed the lead of his opportunities, doing as best he could any- thing that came to hand and seizing legitimate advantages as they arose. He has never hesitated to take a forward step when the way was open. Though content with what he attained as he went along he has always been ready to make an advance. Fortunate in possessing the ability and character that inspire con- fidence in others, the simple weight of his character and ability has carried him into important relations with large interests.
CARL C. BICKLEY, M. D.
Dr. Carl C. Bickley is one of the younger representatives of the medical pro- fession in Waterloo, but in practice proves himself the peer of many a man of older years and has gained considerable prominence as an obstetrician. He was born in 1882 in the city where he still resides and after completing the work of the grades continued his education in the Waterloo high school until graduated with the class of 1900. when eighteen years of age. The succeeding two years were spent as a student in the Iowa State Teachers' College at Cedar Falls and for four years he attended Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago, from which he was graduated with the class of 1906, having completed the regular course and thereby becoming well qualified for the practice of medicine. Still he was not satisfied and for nine months was a student in the University of Edinburgh, Scot- land, and for some months attended clinics in Vienna, Austria, where he did post-graduate work.
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Thus having improved every possible opportunity to increase his knowledge and promote his efficiency, Dr. Bickley returned to his native country and in 1907 opened an office in Waterloo, where he has since engaged in active practice. He is conducting a general practice, but makes a specialty of obstetrics and is well versed in that branch of the profession, reading broadly and thinking deeply along those lines, and at all times keeping in touch with the advanced work of the medical fraternity. He is attending physician and surgeon to the Presbyterian and the St. Francis hospitals of Waterloo and he is a member of the Waterloo Medical Society, the Black Hawk County Medical Society and the Iowa State Medical Society.
In 1906, Dr. Bickley was united in marriage to Miss Daisy Franklin, a native of Elgin, Illinois, and they have become the parents of two children, Donald and Betty. The parents are well known in Waterloo and the record of Dr. Bickley stands in contradistinction to the old adage that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country and among his own kin, for in the city where practically his entire life has been passed the Doctor has worked his way steadily upward and has attained a position of distinction, having passed beyond the ranks of the many until he now stands among the successful few.
W. H. LANGLAS.
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W. H. Langlas, whose business career has ever been characterized by the rules which govern indefatigable industry and strict, unswerving integrity, is now the secretary and treasurer of the Altstadt & Langlas Baking Company, which, selling to a wholesale and retail trade, is conducting the largest enterprise of the kind in Waterloo. Mr. Langlas is a native son of the city in which he makes his home, his birth having here occurred in 1879. His father, Ludwig Langlas, was born in Germany in 1844 and after spending the period of his boyhood and youth: in the fatherland bade adieu to friends and native country and sailed for America when a young man. He arrived in Waterloo about 1869 and here followed the wagonmaker's trade which he had previously learned in Germany. He was married in Waterloo to Miss Catherine Reimers, also a native of Germany, and for many years they continued residents of Black Hawk county, Mr. Langlas passing away in 1900 after thirty-one years spent in Waterloo. His widow sur- vived him for about eight years, dying in 1908.
W. H. Langlas is one of the four living children of his father's family, the others being C. F., now a resident of Newark, New Jersey; Elizabeth, the wife of C. F. Altstadt; and J. G., who is in Buford, Colorado. The subject of this review is the third in order of birth. He was reared and educated in Waterloo and after leaving school entered the dry-goods house of Weishaar & Fassig, with whom he remained for five years, his fidelity and capability being manifest in his long connection with that business. It was his desire, however, to engage in busi- ness on his own account that his efforts might more directly benefit himself, and at the end of that time he joined C. F. Altstadt in organizing the present Altstadt & Langlas Baking Company. From the beginning the business has grown steadily and its trade connections now cover a wide territory, for the company sells to
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eighty different towns and cities. It has a large plant, occupying a building one hundred and thirty feet square, which is splendidly equipped with all of the latest machinery for mixing, cutting and doing other work in connection with the bakery trade. The capacity of the mammoth ovens is twenty-five thousand loaves of bread, two thousand pies and fifteen thousand dozen of small goods daily. The excellence of the product has been the secret of the success of the company. Its goods have constituted a standard for other establishments of this character and the name of Altstadt & Langlas is a guarantee of quality.
In January, 1904, Mr. Langlas was united in marriage to Miss Thursnelda Zellhoefer, and they have one son, Reimers Ludwig. Mr. Langlas is a member of Helmet Lodge, K. P., of the Town Criers Club and the Commercial Club and Board of Trade. He also has membership in the Emanuel Evangelical church. He is a self-made man, who, as the architect of his own fortune, has builded wisely and well. He possesses natural ability and his success in business since he started in his present line has been uniform and rapid. As has been truly remarked, after all that may be done for a man in the way of giving him early opportunities for obtaining the requirements which are sought in the schools and in books, he must essentially formulate, determine and give shape to his own character, and this is what Mr. Langlas has done. He has persevered in the pursuit of a per- sistent purpose and has gained a most satisfactory reward.
P. H. PAULSEN.
No history of the bar of Black Hawk county would be complete without ex- tended reference to P. H. Paulsen, who came to Waterloo in 1911 and found in this growing and enterprising western city a splendid field for professional activity. He was born in Germany in 1872 and there spent the first sixteen years of his life. On crossing the Atlantic to America he located in Iowa, settling in the vicinity of Cedar Falls, where he engaged in farming. About three years after arriving here, when but eighteen years of age, he managed an eleven hundred acre farm in Grundy county, where he remained for several years. He was very successful as a farmer, but while he found that work congenial, he had a desire for a more advanced education, so he entered Cornell College, from which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1900, winning the Ph. B. degree. He then took up the profession of teaching and was superintendent of schools at Oxford Junction for three years. During that period and for some time prior thereto he devoted his vacations and the hours which are usually termed leisure to the study of law and successfully passed the required examination which won him admission to the Iowa bar in 1903. He then located at Estherville, where he practiced until 1911, when he came to Waterloo, where he has since followed his profession.
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