USA > Iowa > Boone County > History of Boone County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 45
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THOMAS E. TOMLINSON.
Thomas E. Tomlinson, a popular restaurant proprietor of Pilot Mound, is a well known and enterprising young business man of the town. He is numbered among the worthy native sons of Boone county, his birth having occurred in Pilot Mound on the 15th of December, 1892. His parents, Thomas and Maggie ( Bishop) Tomlinson, were both born in this sate. The mother, a pioneer resident of Boone county, is now fifty-one years of age and has won an extensive ac- quaintance and many friends in the community. A sketch of her father, who
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is now living retired in Pilot Mound at the age of eighty-nine years, appears on another page of this work.
Thomas E. Tomlinson was reared and educated in this county, attending the public schools of Pilot Mound. After putting aside his text-books he worked in a cement tile factory for three years and then learned the barber's trade, being thus engaged for about one year. On the expiration of that period he became proprietor of a restaurant in Pilot Mound and has thus been engaged in business to the present time. It is liberally patronized by a desirable class of people and Mr. Tomlinson is meeting with well merited success in this connection. On the 9th of February, 1914, the restaurant was destroyed by fire, but its proprietor is now erecting a cement and brick building on the main street in which to continue the business.
Mr. Tomlinson makes his home with his mother in Pilot Mound. He is the oldest of three children, the others being Gertrude, an embalmer and undertaker of Boone; and Clyde, at home. The family residence is an attractive abode on Main street. Mrs. Maggie Tomlinson is a devoted and consistent member of the Methodist church, exemplifying its teachings in her daily life. Thomas E. Tomlinson is a republican in politics and is identified fraternally with the Modern Woodmen of America. He enjoys an extensive acquaintance in his home com- munity and has many friends who esteem him as a young man of enterprise, ability and promise.
ARTHUR M. BURNSIDE.
Arthur M. Burnside, of Boone, Boone county, not only rendered conspicuous service to the public as auditor of his county but also was for a number of years intimately connected with financial affairs as assistant cashier of the Boone Na- tional Bank, which office he held until March 1, 1914. He was born in Ames. Iowa, December 14, 1869, and is a son of John A. and Margaret P. (Smyth) Burnside, who are mentioned at length on another page of this work.
Arthur M. Burnside was reared in Iowa and Ohio, in which latter state he spent seven or eight years. He received a good public-school education, com- pleting his schooling with a business course at Des Moines. He afterward remained for some time on his mother's farm and also taught school in Boone county for several years. In 1898 he was elected county auditor and so well did he fulfill his duties that in 1901 he was reelected, serving in all two terms. In 1905 Mr. Burnside turned his attention to banking, becoming assistant cashier of the Boone National Bank. His activities in this connection have been a factor in the growth and prosperity of this financial institution, with which he remained until March 1, 1914. Mr. Burnside is an able and shrewd business man and par- ticularly well informed upon all banking and financial matters. He enjoys in full measure the confidence of the general public and stands high in the commercial and social life of his community.
On the 5th of October, 1905, in Wooster, Ohio, Arthur M. Burnside married Miss Jennie M. Funk, a native of Iowa and a daughter of I. N. Funk, formerly of Chariton, Lucas county. Mr. and Mrs. Burnside have one son, John Newton.
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who is seven years of age and has just entered school. Politically Mr. Burnside is a republican, ever in accord with the principles of his party. He is conversant with all the issues of the day and interested in the progress and welfare of his city and section, ever ready to give material and moral support to valuable enter- prises. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, being connected with the local lodges of Boone. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church and takes part in its religious and charita- ble work. Mr. Burnside is numbered among the substantial citizens of Boone, having attained this position entirely through his own efforts. He is esteemed for what he has achieved and those qualities of his character which have made possible his success.
JAMES BROWN.
Farming interests have claimed the attention of James Brown since reaching man's estate, and he is today numbered among the leading agriculturists of Jack- son township, his home being on section 27. He was born in Woodsfield, Monroe county, Ohio, November 13, 1844, and on both the paternal and maternal sides is of Irish extraction. His paternal great-grandfather, Josias Brown, came to. this country from Ireland at an early day and died in Virginia. His son, Alex- ander Brown, resided in Ohio county, West Virginia, for some years and then removed with his family in 1815 to Monroe county, Ohio, settling in what is now Summit township, along Sunfish creek, where he owned large tracts of land entered from the government. There he spent his remaining days. He first married a Miss McCoy, and after her death he wedded Elizabeth Whitam. He reared a large family in which were nine sons and several daughters.
The oldest of these was Josias Brown, father of our subject. He was born in Ohio county, West Virginia, in 1803 and throughout life followed the occupa- tion of farming, his last days being spent in Boone county, Iowa. He wedded Mary Daly, whose ancestors also came from the Emerald isle and settled in Virginia. They, too, removed to Monroe county, Ohio, and made their home on Wills creek, twelve miles from the Brown homestead. John Daly, our subject's maternal grandfather, was a hunter and trapper in Ohio at a very early day and was an expert at that business. He frequently made trips to Wheeling, West Virginia, to sell his furs, and he manufactured many of the shoes and other articles of clothing worn by the family from the hides of the animals which he trapped. His daughter, Mrs. Brown, died in Boone county at the age of ninety years, having been born in 1808. She was the mother of the following children : Benjamin W., a farmer, who died in West Virginia; Joseph O., who died in infancy ; Nancy, the wife of William Smyth of Des Moines, lowa; Ruth, who married Samuel Hunter and died in Manning, Iowa ; Maria, the wife of Anthony Hunter, of Monroe county, Ohio; Josias, who makes his home on section 26, Jackson township, this county; John D., who served in the One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war and died in Salem, Kan- sas ; James, of this review ; Wilbur F., a resident of Boone; Absalom, who died
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at the age of twelve years; Mary A., who died in infancy; and Vincent, who is living retired in Boone, Iowa.
During his boyhood James Brown pursued his education in an old-fashioned log schoolhouse near his home and as opportunity afforded continued to attend school until the age of twenty-one years, after which he engaged in teaching for two terms in Monroe county, Ohio. It was in 1869 that he accompanied his brother, Wilbur F. Brown, on his removal to Boone county, Iowa, and here he has since made his home, his time and attention being devoted to agricultural pursuits. After his marriage he located upon his present farm, on section 27, Jackson township, and to its further improvement and cultivation he has since devoted his energies. He had purchased the land on first coming to lowa.
On the 2d of May, 1886, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Mrs. Juliette (Briley ) Fezler, widow of H. N. Fezler and a daughter of Elisha and Mary ( Foster) Briley. They hold membership in the Prairie Center Methodist Epis- copal church and are devout Christian people who are held in the highest esteem by all who know them. Mr. Brown is serving as trustee of his church and sub- stantially aided in the building of its house of worship. His political support is given to the republican party, and he served as justice of the peace for one term. He is well known throughout the community and is regarded as one of its leading citizens.
WILLIAM STORRIER.
William Storrier, who now lives retired at No. 1128 Boone street in Boone, Iowa, was for thirty-seven years foreman of the car department of the North- western Railway here, always discharging his duties faithfully and to the general satisfaction of his superior officers. He was born at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scot- land, in 1833, and is now in his eighty-first year. His parents were Charles and Jessie (Cowgill) Storrier, the former a laborer who spent all his life in his native land, in Forfar, where he died at the age of sixty-five. Both parents were men- bers of the Presbyterian church. Their children, besides our subject, were : David, James and Andrew, who died in Scotland; Charles, who still makes his home there ; and several who died in infancy.
William Storrier was educated in the public schools, laying aside his text- books when about sixteen years of age. He then did railroad work on the Cale- donia Railroad from Glasgow to Aberdeen for twelve years and subsequently was foreman of the passenger department for a similar period. He was married in 1855 and in June, 1866, left his native heath and landed in New York on July 4th, participating for the first time in the joyous demonstrations of Independence Day. He came to America with his wife and five children and they made their way direct to Fulton, Illinois, where he entered the employ of the Northwestern Railroad, being in charge of the railroad woodyard there. At the end of four months he was sent by the company to Boone to take charge of the car depart- ment, and he remained in the employ of the company here until he reached the age limit of seventy years, when he retired and is now enjoying the comforts of life. to which he is well entitled by long years of faithful labor.
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On April 8, 1855, Mr. Storrier married in Forfar, Scotland, Miss Margaret Taylor of that city, a daughter of William Taylor. To this union were born the following children : Mary, now a resident of Omaha, Nebraska, and the widow of George Harriman, who was killed in a railroad accident ; James, who is mar- ried and resides in Council Bluffs ; Mina, the widow of Thomas Hunter, of Den- ver, Colorado; William, deceased ; and Jessie, who resdes at home.
Mr. Storrier and his wife are devout members of the Presbyterian church, to which they make generous contributions. He has been a lifelong republican and is thoroughly in accord with the aims of that party. He also has in past years earned quite a reputation as a performer on the violin, having studied that art in Scotland and played in an orchestra. Mr. Storrier has always been ready to promote public enterprise and has contributed toward the development of his city and county. He has many friends in Boone and all are agreed as to his high qualities of character.
SCOTT A. NORTON.
Scott A. Norton, a retired farmer and railroad man living at No. 123 Tama street, Boone, Iowa, was born on the 12th of October, 1846, in Lebanon, New York, and comes of a good old New England family. His paternal grandfather was Andrew Norton, a native of Massachusetts, where his ancestors located at a very early day. The Nortons were well known for their patriotism and honor and participated in the country's struggle for independence. Joseph A. Norton, our subject's father, was born in Massachusetts, but was quite small when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Madison county, New York, where he grew to manhood and was married to Miss Elizabeth Hoppin. She was born in that county and belonged to an old and highly esteemed New York family. Upon leaving the Empire state Joseph A. Norton removed to Sangamon county, Illinois, and made his home in Chatham until our subject was eighteen years of age and then came to Boone county, Iowa. He died in Worth township, this County, in 1865 at the age of sixty-two years, and his wife passed away here in the spring of 1887. They had eleven children, six sons and five daughters, of whom two sons served in the Civil war, these being Talcott and Freeman, who were both members of the Third Illinois Cavalry.
Scott A. Norton was nine years of age when he left his native state and removed with the family to Chatham, Sangamon county, Illinois. There he attended the public schools and early became familiar with agricultural pursuits while assisting his father on the farm. In connection with general farming the father engaged in the raising of sheep. Removing to Boone county, Iowa, they secured a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Worth township and later ex- tended its boundaries until it comprised three hundred and twenty acres. Our subject continued to assist in its cultivation until twenty-three years of age. when he entered the railroad service of the Northwestern as brakeman, running between Boone and Council Bluffs. Shortly afterward, however, he returned to the farm but in 1879 became a railroad fireman and remained in the service of the
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company for about thirty-one years, being pensioned five years ago. He is now living retired in Boone and is enjoying a well earned rest.
In this city on the 5th of January, 1873, Mr. Norton married Miss Mattie Ballard, a native of Hamilton county, Iowa, and a daughter of John and Martha (Murphy ) Ballard. Nine children blessed this union, namely : John, an engineer on the Northwestern who married Coralie Paine and lives in Boone; Dana, who married and died in Texas; Robert, a resident of Boone; Bessie, the wife of Dan- iel Fitzgerald of Boone; Emma and Lola, both trained nurses; Grace, who is teaching in the public schools of Boone; Isabelle, the wife of Roy Wiltamuth, and Richard O., an engineer on the Northwestern. The mother is a faithful member of the Seventh Day Adventist church, but Mr. Norton is not connected with any religious organization. For the last few years he has been a socialist in politics. He is a man of earnest convictions who is not afraid to stand by what he believes to be right and in so doing commands the respect of all who know him.
JOHN T. ALBAN.
John T. Alban, the period of whose residence in Boone county covers nearly a half century, is now living retired in Pilot Mound and is widely recognized as one of the prominent and respected citizens of the community. His birth occurred in England in March, 1840, his parents being Thomas and Margaret Alban, likewise natives of that country. The father, an agriculturist by occupation, emigrated to the United States in an early day, locating in Michigan, where he operated a farm for four years and then passed away in 1853. The demise of his wife occurred the following year.
John T. Alban acquired his education largely in Michigan. In 1861, when a young man of twenty-one years, he enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of Company F, Second Illinois Cavalry, remaining with that command for four years and five months and making a highly creditable military record. After the war he took up his abode in Lyons, Clinton county, Iowa, securing employment as engineer in a sawmill. In 1867 he came to Boone county and here operated a sawmill for three years, on the expiration of which period he purchased a tract of land in Pilot Mound township. He at once began clearing and improving the property and continued its operation successfully until 1892, when he took up his abode in Pilot Mound and for six years was engaged in the grain business. For the past sixteen years he has lived retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil in well earned ease.
In November, 1868, Mr. Alban was joined in wedlock to Mrs. Mary Scott, nee Petty, a daughter of Zacharia and Lucinda (Runyan) Petty, who were natives of Indiana and became pioneer settlers of this county. Mr. Petty, who carried on general agricultural pursuits here for many years, passed away in 1866, while his wife was called to her final rest in 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Alban became the parents of five children, as follows: Hattie, who passed away on the 5th of September, 1908; W. C., a resident of Des Moines, lowa; Roy, who makes his home in Boone: Arthur, of Pilot Mound ; and Harry L., of Mitchell, South Dakota. The demise of the wife and mother occurred on September 5,
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1907, at the end of a year's illness. Mr. Alban enjoys a wide acquaintance in the community which has so long been his home, and his strongly marked char- acteristics are such as commend him to the trust and friendship of his fellowmen.
DR. EDWARD L. MERRIAM.
Dr. Edward L. Merriam has been successfully engaged in practice as a veter- inary surgeon of Ogden for more than two decades and since 1902 has also de- voted his attention to the real-estate business in association with William E. Van Meter. His birth occurred in Leavenworth county, Kansas, on the 22d of March, 1859, his parents being Alva and Julia A. (Douglas) Merriam, the for- mer born in Summit county, Ohio, on the 7th of August, 1825, and the latter in New Haven county, Connecticut, on the 2d of October, 1827. Alva Merriam, a carpenter by trade, removed to Kossuth county, Iowa, in 1866 and there gave his attention to agricultural pursuits until 1873, when he abandoned his prop- erty because of the grasshoppers and went to Winneshiek county. There he fol- lowed farming until 1879 and during the remainder of his life he was engaged in agricultural pursuits in South Dakota, passing away near Tripp, Hutchinson county, that state, on the 18th of March, 1888. The demise of his wife occurred in Wisconsin in February, 1890.
Edward L. Merriam was reared and educated in Kossuth and Winneshiek. counties of Iowa and when seventeen years of age went to Illinois, where he was employed as a farm hand for some time. Subsequently he spent a year in the employ of the Henney Buggy Company in Freeport, Illinois, and then removed to South Dakota, where he followed farming for a time. He afterward spent three years on the road as a traveling salesman and in 1888 went to Nebraska, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits for four years. On the 17th of February, 1892, he came to Ogden, Iowa, and throughout the intervening twenty-two years has been successfully engaged in practice as a veterinary sur- geon, being accorded a large patronage. In 1902 he also embarked in the real- estate business and has since successfully carried on his interests in this connec- tion in partnership with William E. Van Meter.
On the 19th of January, 1880, Dr. Merriam was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary E. Van Meter, a daughter of Chrineyonce and Linda ( Emmons) Van Meter, natives of New Jersey. The father, a miller by trade, removed to Illinois in an carly day and throughout the remainder of his life devoted his attention to gen- eral agricultural pursuits in Lee and Whiteside counties. He passed away in 1898, but the mother still survives and now makes her home in Ogden, Iowa. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Merriam have been born twelve children, as follows: Stella M., who is the wife of George Sparks and resides in Boone county, this state; Emma G., the wife of Andrew Baker, of Boone, Iowa ; Wilbur A., who follows farming near Mitchell, South Dakota; Edward J., a resident of Ogden, Iowa ; Emery R., Melvin E., Ethel T., Ortiz W., Deltha L., Mildred U. and Isabelle G., all of whom are still under the parental roof ; and one who died in infancy.
Dr. Merriam gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is now serving for the third term as justice of the peace, in which connection he has
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made a highly commendable record. He has likewise held the office of constable. His religious faith is that of the Free Methodist church and he exemplifies its teachings in his daily life. His life has been well spent and those who know him entertain for him warm regard by reason of the fact that he has made good use of his opportunities and has always been fair and honorable in his relations with his fellowmen.
PETER D. SWICK.
Peter D. Swick, editor and proprietor of the Independent, a weekly paper pub- lished at Boone, was born on the 14th of December. 1847, in the town of Bennets- ville, Schuyler county, New York. The Swick family was founded in America by two brothers who came here from Germany in the seventeenth century and settled in New Jersey, where one was killed in a mill. The other became the father of sixteen sons. Our subject's paternal grandfather, John Swick, was born in New Jersey, but when a young man removed to New York and later became a resident of Palatine. Illinois, where he died in 1864 at about the age of seventy years. He married Sarah Van Valkenberg, who was of Dutch descent. Their son, Charles W., was the father of our subject. He was born in New York and died at Dundee, Illinois, in 1904 at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife, the mother of our subject, bore the maiden name of Hermia R. Garrison. She was also a native of New York, and her death occurred in Dundee, Illinois, in 1907, when she had reached the ripe old age of eighty-two years. In the family were nine children.
IHis father being a farmer, Peter D. Swick was reared to agricultural pur- suits. He was only six years of age when the family removed to Palatine, Cook county, Illinois, and there he acquired his education in the public schools, being graduated as he says by running away at the age of sixteen to enter the armny during the Civil war. At the age of fourteen he tried to enlist, having at that time several cousins and uncles at the front, but was rejected. The following year he was again refused, but in March, 1864. he succeeded in entering the service as a private of Battery H, First Illinois Light Artillery. He joined his command at Kenesaw Mountain and only sixteen hours after arriving at the front participated in battle. He took active part in the siege of Atlanta and on the 22d of July, 1864, when, with a loss of fourteen, the battery was captured nine men were sent to Andersonville prison, where they were incarcerated for ten months. At Jonesboro his command assisted in capturing the railroad over which the Confederates got their supplies. They were with Sherman on the march from Atlanta to the sea and went from Savannah to Raleigh, North Car- olina, where Johnston surrendered to Sherman, and when hostilities ceased Mr. Swick returned to Springfield, Illinois, where he was discharged, June 14, 1865.
For a time thereafter he worked with his father at the carpenter's trade and then began learning printing at Dundee, Illinois, in the office of the Dundee Star, where he was employed for a year or two. He was next connected with the Northwood Pioneer, which was the first newspaper started in Worth county, Iowa. Leaving Northwood in 1875, he went to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he
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worked at his trade, and from there to Lovilia, this state, where he established the Lovilia Gazette, conducting that paper for two years. Subsequently he pur- chased the Iowa National at Newton and was in charge of that paper for several years, after which he removed to Colfax, Iowa, where, in connection with H. W. Robinson, he was publisher of the Clipper for some time. For seven years he was with the G. A. R. Advocate at Des Moines, and after leaving that office re- mained in that city for six years longer. It was in 1896 that he came to Boone, where he was employed first as job printer, then as reporter on the Daily News and later as city editor for two years. In connection with C. W. Alexander he then founded the Independent, the first issue appearing July 8, 1899. It is a six column quarto and from the beginning has been devoted to the labor interests. Of the many editors who were publishing papers in Iowa when Mr. Swick took charge of the Northwood Pioneer, only two are now in active service, these being Tommy Rodgers of the Newton Record, and Mr. Swick of the Independent.
On the 17th of October, 1869, in Dundee, Illinois, was celebrated the mar- riage of Mr. Swick and Miss Amanda Mitchell, of that place, a daughter of Joseph and Jeanette (Walker) Mitchell. The children of this union were : Ella, who died in childhood : Maude, the wife of D. W. Kelley of Newton, Iowa : and Bert D., who was born in Colfax, lowa, January 3, 1884, and is now in partnership with his father as proprietor of the Independent. He was educated in the public schools of Des Moines and Boone and at the age of eighteen years entered the office of his father as a printer's devil. Socially he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and the Mystic Workers, while the father belongs to the Im- proved Order of Red Men; W. C. Crooks Post, No. 329, G. A. R., of Boone; and Mount Olive Lodge No. 79, A. F. & A. M., of this city. He joined the latter fraternity in 1873, becoming a member of Northern Light Lodge, No. 266, A. F. & A. M., at Northwood. As a newspaper man he is widely known throughout the state, and as a soldier and citizen justly deserves the high esteem in which he is held by all. For more than fifteen years he has taken an active part in labor affairs and is a stanchi supporter of the socialist party. On that ticket he has run for coroner, a member of the city council, mayor and congressman from the tenth district.
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