USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 2
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PETER C. THEDENS.
Peter C. Thedens is a self-made man and an analyzation of his life record shows that industry and perseverance have been salient features in his career in the attainment of the success which has made him one of the prosperous farmers of Homer township, where he owns two hundred and eighty-seven acres of good land situated on section 12 and 14. His residence stands on the latter section and nearby are good barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. These in turn are surrounded by well tilled fields and in harvest season the farm is indeed a busy place. Mr. Thedens was born in Germany, October 22, 1864. a son of John and Maggie (Reimers) Thedens, who were also natives of that country. The father was a farmer by oceupation and followed that pur- suit in his native country until 1883. when. attraeted by the opportunities of the new world, he crossed the Atlantic and made his way to Ford county, Illi- nois, where he carried on general farming throughout the remainder of his days. He died January 21. 1913, having long survived his wife, who passed away on the 8th of May. 1887.
Peter C. Thedens spent his youthful days in the fatherland and acquired his education in the public schools there. When eighteen years of age he accom- panied his parents to the United States and remained with them until he had attained his majority, at which time he started out in life on his own account. He rented land in MeLean county and there carried on general farming for eleven years, after which he came to Buchanan county, lowa, and purchased one hundred and seventy-five aeres on section 14. Homer township. He at once began to bring the fields to a high state of cultivation and has since systematically
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
and energetically carried on the farm work. The rich crops which have rewarded his labors have enabled him to add to his land from time to time until he is now the owner of two hundred and eighty-seven acres constituting a valuable property, of which one hundred and twelve acres is in section 12, Homer town- ship, and the remainder in section 14. The place is lacking in none of the equipments of the model farm.
On the 27th of February, 1892, Mr. Thedens was united in marriage to Miss Annie Schleeter, a daughter of John and Annie (Straw) Sehleeter, who were natives of Germany and came to the United States in 1867. Making their way into the interior of the country, they settled in McLean county, where Mr. Schleeter purchased land and carried on farming until his life's labors were ended in death on the 25th of March, 1910. The mother passed away June 14, 1899. To Mr. and Mrs. Thedens have been born ten children, namely: Rose and Frank, who are twenty-two and twenty years of age respectively ; Rudolph, who died in February, 1896, when but ten months old; Hulda, who has reached the age of sixteen years: Edward, a youth of fourteen; Anna, who is twelve years old: and George, Anthony. Ida and Francis, who are nine, seven, five and two years of age respectively.
Politically Mr. Thedens is a republican and is now serving as a township trustee, which office he has filled for four years. He belongs to the Masonie fraternity and in his life exemplifies its beneficent teachings concerning the brotherhood of man. He is also connected with the Eastern Star chapter at Rowley, while his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church. High and honorable principles have guided him in all of his relations and in his daily conduct he deviates not from the high standards which are set up as guiding posts on life's journey. In the years of his residence in this county he has become widely and favorably known and has a large circle of warm friends here.
WILLIAM H. HERMANN.
William H. Hermann, the owner of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 28, Newton township, was born in Dubuque county, Iowa, in March, 1869. His parents were Phillip and Anna (Launspach) Hermann, both of whom were natives of Germany, the former born in Hesse-Darmstadt on the 15th of June, 1829. Phillip Hermann emigrated to the United States in an early day, locating in Pennsylvania, and in that state worked in the coal mines for some time. He afterward removed to Dubuque county, Iowa, where he purchased and improved a tract of land which he cultivated. Ile then came to Buchanan county and bought and developed property in Newton township, where he carried on agricultural pursuits for many years. After disposing of that place he made his way to Louisiana but at the end of two years' residence in that state returned to Iowa, taking up his abode in Iowa City, Johnson county, where he spent the remainder of his life. His demise occurred on the 16th of April, 1902, while his wife was called to her final rest in the year 1889.
William H. Hermann was reared and educated in Dubuque and Buchanan counties and completed his studies at Vinton, in Benton county, Towa. He
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
remained under the parental roof until twenty-three years of age and then started out as an agriculturist on his own account, cultivating rented land for five years. On the expiration of that period he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 28, Newton township, improved the place and subsequently bought a forty-acre tract adjoining, so that his farm now embraces one hundred and sixty acres. He raises both grain and stock, making a specialty of high grade Durham cattle, and in both branches of his business has met with gratifying success. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Walker, Iowa, and the Farmers Land Company of Waterloo, this state.
In March, 1893, Mr. Hermann was united in marriage to Miss Anna Reece. a daughter of David and Anna (Connor) Reece, who were natives of Ohio and New Jersey respectively. In 1851 the father took up his abode in Linn county, Iowa, where he secured a tract of government land which he cultivated through- out the remainder of his life. He passed away in January, 1914, and his wife died the following day, so that the remains of both were interred in the same grave. Mr. and Mrs. Hermann have five children, as follows: Carl E .. who is nineteen years of age; Claude 1., a youth of seventeen; Norval C., who is four- teen years old; and Nellie V. and Elma P., who are twelve and six years of age respectively.
Mr. Hermann gives his political allegiance to the republican party and now holds the office of trustee, having served in that capacity for four years. Fra- ternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Brotherhood of America at Troy Mills, Iowa. while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist church. He is a man of high purpose and honorable principles, and during the long period of his residence in Buchanan county has won a large cirele of warm friends who hold him in high esteem and regard.
ROBERT R. PLANE.
While many years have come and gone since Robert R. Plane was called from this life, he is yet well remembered by those who knew him while he was still a factor in the world's work and who recognized in him the possession of those qualities which characterize honorable manhood and progressive citizenship. He was a pioneer hardware merchant of Independence and contributed much to the early commercial development of that city.
His birth occurred in England in June, 1829, and when he was seven years of age he came to the United States with his parents, who settled in New York state, where they remained for three years. They then journeyed across the country by team and took up their abode upon a farm in Illinois. Through the period of his early youth Robert R. Plane was acquiring an education or receiv- ing thorough home training in the work of the fields. When he was seventeen years of age his father gave him his time and, entering the employ of a merchant at a salary of twelve dollars per month, he engaged in hauling the goods from Chicago and in assisting in making sales in the store. The following year his wage was increased to thirteen dollars per month. He remained in that connec-
Q.Q. Olavs
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
tion for several years, during which time he carefully and economically saved his earnings. He then purchased land and about the same time he entered the employ of a brother who was engaged in the hardware business at Belvidere, Illinois, acting as a clerk there until 1853. In that year he sold his Illinois land, purchased a team and a stock of hardware and drove across the country to Independence, Iowa. The following year he returned to Illinois and was married, after which he brought his bride to his new Iowa home.
Mr. Plane wedded Emaline Ryder, of Illinois, who died in Independence in early womanhood, leaving four children : I. C., who is now conducting the hard- ware business established by his father; Elmer and Ida, both deceased; and Purling J., who is a traveling salesman in the hardware trade, his territory being northwestern Iowa. In 1882 Mr. Plane was again married, his second union being with Miss Julia L. Kinney, a native of New York, who arrived in Iowa in the spring of 1869 in company with Miss I. S. Tame, with whom she engaged in the millinery and fancy goods business. She continued in that con- nection for several years and then became the wife of Mr. Plane. She reared the younger son of her husband's first marriage, who was only five years of age when Mrs. Plane entered the home. He was a delicate little fellow whom she soon learned to love as a mother. She ever called him her boy and the deepest affection has always existed between the two.
Mr. Plane from the time of his early arrival in Independence continued in the hardware business until his later life, when he sold his hardware stock to his son, thus retiring about a year prior to his death. He left the store building, his residence and a good farm of two hundred and forty acres to his widow. At the time of the great fire in Independence his store was destroyed and he lost everything, but with unfaltering energy and courage he set to work to retrieve his possessions and in the course of years became a prosperous merchant.
Mr. Plane was a republican in his political views but never desired to hold office. He devoted his life to his business and his home and was a most loving and considerate husband and father. He died in 1895, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was an active, helpful and consistent member. Mrs. Plane also belongs to that church and has led an earnest Christian life. She is now seventy-five years of age. She has possessed many accomplish- ments, including that of painting, and in her younger days she did notably fine fancy work. Since the spring of 1869 she has lived in Buchanan county and is today one of the best known among the older residents of Independence, enjoying the high esteem of all with whom she has been brought in contact.
STEWART BEATTY.
Stewart Beatty, residing in Rowley, is a retired farmer and merchant whose business enterprise and activity brought him in the course of years a well earned and well merited success. He was born in Jones county. Iowa, May 27, 1854, a son of James and Grace (Stewart) Beatty, who were natives of Ireland. The father came to America in 1834, when sixteen years of age, settling first in Phila-
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
delphia, where he learned the machinist's trade, which he there followed until 1849. In that year he sought the opportunities of the growing west, making his way to Cascade, Iowa, where he purchased forty acres of land from the govern- ment at a dollar and a quarter per aere, easting in his lot with the pioneer settlers of that region. With characteristic energy he began the development of the farm and continued the improvement and cultivation of the place until 1876, when he came to Buchanan county and invested in seventy-two aeres of land in Sumner township. Later he purchased one hundred and eighty acres and still later an additional tract of eighty aeres, making in all three hundred and thirty-two acres. He bent his energies to the development of the fields and throughout his remaining days gave his attention to his farm, which became one of the valuable properties of the district. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting as a member of Company I, Twenty-first łowa Infantry, with which he served for one year, when he was honorably discharged on account of disability. He died on the 19th of March, 1893, having for but a few months survived his wife, who passed away in No- vember, 1892.
Stewart Beatty was reared and educated in Dubuque county, Iowa, remain- ing with his parents until seventeen years of age, when he started out in life to earn his living as a farm hand. After being thus employed for two years ile went to Caseade, where he learned the shoemaker's trade and then came to Inde- pendenee, where he followed shoemaking for a year. At the end of that time, however, he resumed agricultural pursuits, renting land in Homer township which he developed for eight years. He carefully saved his earnings during that period, so that at the end of the time he was able to purchase sixty acres in Homer township. This he at onee began to improve and after selling that property five years later he became the owner of another farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Homer township, near Rowley. This he also developed and improved, continuing its cultivation until September, 1904, when he rented his farm and took up his abode in Rowley, where he purchased a general store which he conducted for three years. He then retired from aetive business and has sinee enjoyed a well earned rest. In the meantime he has made extensive investments in town property and the supervision of his realty interests keeps him pleasantly busy, while his holdings return to him a very gratifying annual ineome.
On the 11th of April, 1883, Mr. Beatty was united in marriage to Miss May H. Davis, a daughter of Thomas and Abigal (Hayes) Davis, the former a native of England and the latter of New York. Her father was a farmer in England and after coming to America in 1841 learned the stonemason's trade in Quebec. Subsequently he removed to Albany, New York, and in 1857 made his way westward to Illinois, where he worked at his trade and also followed farming. Later he returned to New York state and in 1865 came to Iowa, pur- chasing land in Homer township, Buchanan county. His time was then given to the cultivation of his farm until his death, which occurred on the 1st of November, 1896. Ilis wife survived him for about six years, passing away in June, 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Beatty are the parents of a son. LeRoy Henry, now a real-estate dealer of Rowley, who was married in December, 1906, to Miss Eva Hand, a daughter of M. E. and Sarah Hand. Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy H. Beatty
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
have become the parents of a son, Kenneth Clark, who was born in November, 1909, and is a great favorite with his grandparents.
Mr. Beatty gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has been called to local office, serving for four years as assessor of Homer township. He belongs to Holman Lodge, No. 593, A. F. & A. M., of Rowley, and is also connected with the Eastern Star. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is serving as chairman of its board of trustees and is also chairman and treasurer of the cemetery association of Rowley. His interest in matters relating to the welfare and upbuilding of the community is deep and sincere and has been manifest in many tangible ways. He has been a lifelong resident of Iowa, and while he now ranks among the more prosperous citizens of Rowley and Buchanan county, his success is attributable entirely to his own efforts. He has worked diligently and persistently as the years have gone by and has made judicious investments in property, so that he is today one of the substantial residents of Buchanan county. Moreover, he has for many years lived in this part of the state and is largely familiar with its history, being an interested witness of events which have left their impress upon the development, growth and material improvement of the county.
MILTON A. SMITH.
Among the able members of the Independence bar and one of the native sons of the eity is Milton A. Smith, who was born on the 19th of January, 1867, a son of Alexander and Electa (Young) Smith. The father was born at Lang- ford, Berkshire, England, on the 20th of February, 1820, and the mother's birth occurred at Fort Ann, Washington county, New York, on the 25th of September, 1837. In early life the father engaged in business in connection with the over- land stage freight and passenger line antedating the period of railroad building. He had come to America with his parents in the year 1830, the family home being established in New York, and later a removal was made to Michigan, where his father died. When sixteen years of age Alexander Smith left home and was residing in Chicago at the time he attained his majority. He removed from that city to Iowa, settling in Independenee, and until the completion of the railroad to this point was connected with a stage line. Subsequently he turned his attention to farming, alhough he continued to reside in the city, where he made his home to the time of his death, which occurred on the 1st of January, 1892. His widow resides in Independence in a house which he erected in 1857. They were indeed among the pioneer residents of the city, taking up their abode here when Independence was a small town and when the county was but sparsely settled. With its development and growth Mr. Smith was actively identified and at all times cooperated heartily in movements for the general good.
Milton A. Smith is the only survivor in a family of four children, the other three having died in infancy. He attended the public schools of Independence until graduated from the high school and afterward entered the Northwestern University as a law student, completing his course in that institution with the
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
class of 1899. His first step in the business world, however, was not in the path of his present profession, for when eighteen years of age he was employed in the engineering department of the railroad companies, spending three or four years in that way. He was with the Illinois Central for one season in western Iowa and for one year was with the Chicago, St. Louis & Paducah Railroad, now the Southern Illinois & Kentucky. He afterward became associate editor of the American Trotter, a paper which was owned by Mr. Williams, and after three years spent in that connection he went to Chicago, where he attended law school for about three years or from 1896 until 1899. Following his graduation he returned to Independence and entered upon aetive practice in October of the latter year. On the 1st of June, 1900, he entered into partnership with L. F. Springer for the general practice of law. That relationship was maintained for about twelve years or until physical disability eaused Mr. Springer's retire- ment from the firm in 1912. Since that time Mr. Smith has practiced alone and is accorded a liberal clientage that connects him with mueh important litiga- tion heard in the courts of the district. He is one of the directors of the First National Bank of Independence and is also one of the landowners of Buchanan county.
On the 16th of April, 1895, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Ida Cooper, who was born near Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. a daughter of Sylvanus Cooper, who was a farmer owning a tract of land in Pennsylvania that has been in possession of the family for one hundred and sixteen years, Mrs. Smith's grandfather having entered it from the government in 1798. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith has been born one child, Marion H., whose birth occurred September 15, 1900, and who is now attending school.
In his political views Mr. Smith is a stalwart republican and for four years filled the office of county attorney. He is now serving for the fifth year as a member of the school board and the cause of public education finds in him a stalwart champion. He belongs to the blue lodge of Masons, to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and to the Golf and Country Clubs. His has been a well spent life and in a profession where advancement depends entirely upon indi- vidual merit and ability he has steadily worked his way upward until he now oeeupies an enviable position.
OREN M. GILLETT.
Oren M. Gillett, the organizer of the Commercial State Bank of Independence and now its president, is a foreeful and resourceful business man whose ability seems to qualify him to meet any emergeney and direct any condition that may arise in the course of his active earcer. What he undertakes he accomplishes- not by reason of the possession of uncommon qualities but because he makes good use of his time, his talents and his opportunities.
HIe was born at Bergen, Genesee county, New York, March 12. 1850, a son of John M. and Mabel (Lee) Gillett. The father's birth occurred in Kinder- hook, New York, in 1809, and the mother's birth occurred in Bergen in 1815. In early life John M. Gillett was a steamboat captain on the Hudson, and for
a.m. Fillet.
.
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
a number of years he was also engaged in merchandising in Troy, New York. In the year 1867 he came to the west, making his way direct to Buchanan county, Iowa, settling on a farm near Independence, now known as the Shady Grove Farm, upon which he lived for two years. In 1870 he took up his abode in Independence, where he lived retired from active business to the time of his death, which occurred in 1883. His widow long survived him and passed away in 1907. Their family numbered four children, of whom three are living: Hannah A., the widow of O. S. Throop and a resident of Cherokee, Iowa; D. L., who resides at Denison, Iowa, where he is engaged in farming; and Oren M. The other member of the family was B. F. Gillett, who made his home in Buchanan county. He entered railway circles in the employ of the New York Central and was employed by the government during the Civil war. Later he became a passenger conductor on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad and subsequently established his home in Buchanan county, continuing in rail- way service as a conductor. His death occurred May 29, 1913.
Oren M. Gillett was a pupil in the public schools of Batavia, New York, and became a student in the academic department of the Union school at Batavia. When eighteen years of age he began teaching and thus he earned the money with which to pay the expenses of his later education. For four terms he followed the profession of teaching. He became a law student in the office of his uncle, E. S. Lee, of Independence, who was the first mayor of this city, and in 1875 Mr. Gillett was admitted to the bar. Several years later he was elected clerk of the court, taking the office in 1880. His capability is plainly indicated in the fact that he was five times chosen for that position, which he continued to fill until January, 1890, when he resigned and assisted in organiz- ing the Commercial State Bank, of which he became the first cashier. He filled that position for a year and a half and was then elected to the presidency, since which time he has been at the head of the bank, which is recognized as one of the strong moneyed institutions of this part of the state. The policy which he has inaugurated is one which commends itself to the support and confidence of the public at large and the bank has enjoyed a steady growth from the begin- ning, its deposits and its business along other lines constantly increasing. Mr. Gillett also owns land in this county and is today numbered among the prosperous residents of Independence-a position to which he has attained entirely through his individual'effort and ability.
On the 3d of November, 1873, occurred the marriage of Mr. Gillett and Miss Emma L. Dyer, a native of Independence, who in early life was brought to Iowa by her parents, James A. and Jane (Minton) Dyer. Her father assisted in building a mill at Independence and here engaged in the milling business for a time. To Mr. and Mrs. Gillett was born a daughter, Mabel, who is now the widow of Dr. Carl W. Rummel and resides with her parents. She has one child, Marion.
In his political views Mr. Gillett is a stalwart republican and has filled various local offices, the duties of which he has discharged with promptness and fidelity, making an excellent record in that connection. He has served on the city council, is a member of the library board and a trustee of the Munson Industrial School, and was a delegate to the national convention that nominated Theodore Roosevelt for president. Fraternally he is connected with the blue lodge, chapter Vol. II-2
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