USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 55
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E. F. IRWIN.
E. F. Irwin, conducting a profitable hardware business at Quasqueton, has built his success upon the sure and safe foundation of close application, indefati- gable industry and thorough reliability in all trade transactions. Born in this. county in 1862, he is a son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Clarke) Irwin. The father, who was born in Ohio in 1823, passed away in 1884, and the mother, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania in 1827, died in 1898. In early life Jere- miah Irwin followed general farming in the Buckeye state and on coming west to Iowa settled in Newton township, Buchanan county. He was drafted for service in the Civil war in 1863 and became a member of the Twenty-seventh Iowa Infantry, with which he was on duty for about nine months, being mostly en- gaged in provost duty. When the war was over he returned to Quasqueton and while living in the town engaged in farming. He filled the office of justice of the peace and other local positions and was an active, earnest advocate of the republican party and its principles. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church and passed away in that faith, his death occurring in Quas- queton, where for some time he had made his home.
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E. F. Irwin was a district school pupil in Buchanan county and when eighteen years of age began work as a farm hand. He was twenty-two years of age when his father died and upon him fell the responsibility of managing and settling the latter's affairs, which were badly involved. He eventually discharged all indebt- edness, however, and prospered in his undertakings, engaging in general farming from 1884 until 1912, when he disposed of his place of one hundred and eighty- four acres in Liberty township and retired. The success which has come to him is attributable entirely to his own well direeted industry, energy and perseverance. Indolence and idleness are utterly foreign to his nature and the year following his retirement from farm work he embarked in the hardware business in Quas- queton, now devoting all of his time and attention to the management of his store. He carries a large and carefully selected line of shelf and heavy hard- ware and his business has reached gratifying proportions, returning to him a substantial annual income.
In November, 1895, Mr. Irwin was united in marriage to Miss Martha John- son, of Cono township, a daughter of Lewis and Matilda (Paige) Johnson, natives of Ohio, the father born in 1836 and the mother in 1840. In early life Mr. Johnson was a blacksmith and after the war came to Iowa. He enlisted from Ohio and did valiant duty on a number of hotly contested battlefields. Follow- ing his arrival in this state he carried on general farming in Cono township until the time of his retirement from active business life, having in the meantime acquired a comfortable competence. He now makes his home in Quasqueton. For a long period he was active in township affairs. He has filled the office of justice of the peace and he served as postmaster of Quasqueton under President Mckinley-a fact which indicates his allegiance to the republican party. His wife has been married three times, and Mrs. Irwin was born of the third mar- riage. She is well known in the social circles of the city, is an active club woman and takes an equally helpful interest in church work. To Mr. and Mrs. Irwin have been born four children : Gladys, who is a graduate of the Quasqueton high school and is now a teacher of music; Wilda and Wilbur, who are attending school; and E. F., who was born in 1911 and completes the family.
Sinee age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Irwin has voted with the republican party and has never wavered in his allegiance thereto. On various occasions he has been called to public office, for his fidelity and progress- iveness in citizenship are well known. He served as township assessor for four years and is now township trustee. He was a member of the board of supervisors for six years and prior to his marriage was made a school director, in which position he continued for fifteen years, doing much to further the interests of the schools in his locality. He is now one of the trustees, also a steward and the treasurer of the Methodist Episcopal church of Quasqueton and his life largely exemplifies the Golden Rule. Every movement for the benefit and upbuilding of the city and county receives his indorsement and support and his name earries with it a weight of influence that secures the allegiance of others. He is a prominent Mason and a past master of the lodge at Quasqueton, belongs also to the Modern Brotherhood of America, of which he is the president, and to the Modern Woodmen of America, while both he and his wife hold membership in the Eastern Star, Mr. Irwin being a past worthy patron of the chapter. Theirs is one of the finest homes in Quasqueton, built in modern, attractive style
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of architecture and supplied with all the latest improvements and conveniences. It is tastefully furnished and one of its greatest charms is the spirit of warm- hearted hospitality which there reigns supreme.
JACOB LIVINGSTON WEART.
Jacob Livingston Weart is living retired in Brandon, but for many years was actively connected with agricultural pursuits. IIe is now interested in some important financial institutions and his judicious investments are bringing to him a gratifying annual income. He was born in Hopewell, Somerset county, New Jersey, on the 16th of July, 1860, a son of Jarod and Anna (Schenck) Weart. The parents were liberally educated and amid good home surroundings Jacob L. Weart was reared while he had the educational opportunities accorded by the public schools. He came to the west as he heard much of the splendid opportunities in this section and on starting out in life for himself concentrated his efforts upon farm work and as the years went on won success in his ehosen occupation, ultimately becoming the owner of a fine farm, which he carefully and successfully cultivated, being thus able to add year by year to his financial resources. He brought his fields to a high state of cultivation, while to his place he added many modern equipments and accessories, using the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields and erecting good buildings for the shelter of grain and stock. In time he became interested in the Brandon State Savings Bank as a stockholder and also beeame a stockholder and director of the Cooperative Exchange of Brandon and is serving as a member of its auditing committee. Mr. Weart continued to engage actively in farming for many years, but has now put aside the more strenuous work of the farm and taken up his abode in Brandon, where he is living retired, enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of his former toil.
On the 13th of November, 1887, Mr. Weart was united in marriage at Vinton, Iowa, to Miss Lida Nelson, a daughter of R. P. Nelson. Her father was born December 12, 1837, and in his boyhood days chopped wood until his earnings were sufficient to pay his expenses to the west. He was a youth of eighteen when he left home and started for Iowa. On reaching Dubuque he had but fifty cents. remaining, so that he walked the rest of the distance to Independenee, saving his half dollar in order to buy something to eat. On reaching his destination he entered the employ of Ager Noble, whom he assisted through the summer in putting on patent roofing. He then began teaching school, which profession he followed for eight years. As soon as his capital justified his eourse he purchased land and as the years went by he prospered, so that eventually he began loaning money. He was a notably capable and successful business man and was widely known for the uprightness and integrity of his dealings. When he was forty- eight years of age he turned the management of his business over to his wife, Mrs. Hannah (Fineher) Nelson, who was born May 24, 1842, and when nine years of age came from Indiana to Iowa in a covered wagon, erossing the Missis- sippi river on the ice when the water was hub deep, her father and brother John walking ahead of the horses. The next day the ice went out and several wagons
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went down. Mrs. Nelson proved a most capable business woman, carefully managing her interests and adding to the property, so that she was able to pre- sent each daughter and grandson with a deed to a farm. She was most generous to the poor and liberal in her support of the church, and her life was indeed a benediction to the community in which she lived. On one occasion she visited a home for the friendless in Chicago and brought back with her a tiny, puny little girl. It seemed doubtful if the child would ever reach any age, but through the tender care and nursing of Mrs. Nelson she developed into a fine young lady who was loved by the others of the household as one of the family.
As previously stated, the daughter, Lida Nelson, became the wife of Jacob L. Weart and to them were born five children: Claude, who passed away Sep- tember 5, 1907, at the age of nineteen years; Harold Nelson; Kathryn Bailey ; Jolin Everett ; and Raymond. In his political views Mr. Weart has always been a stalwart republican, unfaltering in his allegiance to the party. He was elected and served as mayor of Brandon for two years, has been a member of the township board of trustees and has been a director and president of the school board. Fraternally he is prominently connected with the Modern Woodmen camp of Brandon, of which he has been venerable counsel at intervals throughout a period of twenty-two years. He is now the only one living among twenty charter members who organized the camp. He likewise has membership with the Modern Brotherhood of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he belongs to the Booster Club. He is likewise a member of the Christian church and his entire life has been actuated by high and honorable principles that make him one of the worthy and valued citizens of this part of the state.
EPHRAIM LEACHI.
Although ninety-two years of age, Ephraim Leach still retains the vigor and clarity of mind which made him one of the leaders of his generation in various lines of endeavor. He was for many years vice president of the First National Bank of Independence, which he assisted in organizing, and was also the owner of immense traets of land, but he has now given the management of his extensive interests to others and is passing his days in ease. Although a native of the east, he has resided in the middle west for many years and knows by experience the life of the American pioneer. At one time he drove through by wagon from New York to Wisconsin, as that was long before the days of adequate railway connection.
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Ephraim Leach was born in Owego, New York, June 28, 1822, a son of Ephraim and Sophia (Jones) Leach. The father was born in New England and was a son of Caleb Leach, whose birth occurred in 1755 and who died in 1782. The mother of Ephraim beach, Sr., was in her maidenhood Miss Abigail Tink- ham, who was born in 1758 and passed away in 1818. She was a direct descendant of Miles Standish. Caleb Leach was the son of Peter, who was born in England about 1732 or 1733, and probably came from England. The records of the fam- ily covering this period in the history are lost but they show that in 1774 John Tilson, of Halifax, Massachusetts, was chosen as guardian for Caleb Leach and
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his brother Ebenezer. As nothing more is recorded concerning the latter it is probable that he died unmarried and that Caleb was thus left the sole heir. Caleb Leach was apprenticed to a watchmaker in early life and at the beginning of the Revolutionary war enlisted in Captain Keith's Company, which was a part of Paul D. Sargent's Twenty-eighth Massachusetts Regiment. After serv- ing for eight months he reenlisted for one year and in 1776 was one of the army that marched into Boston. He was stricken with smallpox and was sent to Brooklyn Hospital, where he was cared for. After recovering he returned to his regiment and fought at Hellgate but was again taken sick at White Plains and was sent to a hospital. He was later given a furlough and went home, but on the 10th of September, 1777, again entered the army at Halifax, this time becoming a member of the company commanded by Lieutenant Jesse Sturdevant. This command later went to Albany, New York, where it guarded military stores. Caleb Leach was afterward transferred to Captain James Cogswell's company, which was a part of the Eighth Massachusetts Continental line, commanded by Colonel James Wessens. They marched to the vicinity of Trenton, thence to White Marsh, Pennsylvania, and eventually to Valley Forge, where they joined Washington's army and spent the winter, the hardships and suffering endured there during the months of bitter cold being a matter of common knowledge. Mr. Leach was again taken sick and left there when the army began the cam- paign in the spring. He was discharged September 10, 1780, after having served three years in Colonel Wessens' regiment, being sergeant for the last ten months. He returned to Halifax and again worked at his trade of watch- maker. He was married on the 17th of January, 1782, to Miss Abigail Tinkham, a daughter of Ephraim and Sarah (Standish) Tinkham. Mr. Leach was a man of considerable mechanical skill and made the first orrery ever made in America, which he presented to Brownville. In 1796 he organized the Plymouth aqueduct, which is said to have been the first waterworks built in this country. He in- vented a pop anger for boring holes and received his patent for the same signed by John Adams, president. In 1798 he presented the sword of Miles Standish to the Massachusetts Historical Society. Two years later, in company with Aaron Burr, De Witt Clinton and others, he went to New York city and built the Man- hattan waterworks, on whose charter the Manhattan Bank was founded. He was superintendent of the water company and a director and stockholder in the Man- hattan Bank. He also built the Fairmount waterworks at Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania. He eventually removed to Owego, New York, where he became one of the leaders in the development of the business interests of the community. He built a grist mill, a woolen mill and a distillery, all of which he conducted successfully. He took a prominent part in public affairs and was also active in church work.
Ephraim Leach, Sr., father of our subject, assisted his father in the building of the waterworks in New York city and Philadelphia, and mills at Owego, New York. He was a civil engineer and a man of considerable note in his locality. ITis son Ephraim was reared under the parental roof and assisted in the opera- tion of the mills and woolen factory which belonged to the family and which were situated at what is now known as Leach's Mills. He pursued a civil en- gineering course at the Owego Academy and subsequently worked in the fields with his father for a year. When a young man of twenty-three years he went
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to Janesville, Wisconsin, which city was then, in 1845, a town of eighteen hun- dred people. He purchased four hundred aeres of wild land near the town, paying one dollar and a quarter per acre. He improved the land and rented the same on shares while he elerked in a store for two and one-half years. He then returned to his home in New York and assisted his father in the manage- ment of his property and upon the latter's death, in association with a brother, he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the various industrial concerns formerly owned by his father, and our subjeet managed the same for some time. In 1851, however, he went to California by the Nicaragua route, desiring to try his fortune in that Eldorado. For two years he assisted a friend who owned a store at Marysville, California, and then established a mercantile business of his own at Suckers Flat, upon the Yuba, where he also had mining interests. He remained there several months and then sold out and returned to Owego, New York, by way of Panama. When crossing the Isthmus he contracted Panama fever and did not recover from the effects thereof for eight months. He sub- sequently took charge of his business in New York but in 1855 sold his interests there. In December, 1856, he came to Independence, Iowa, which at that time had but eight hundred inhabitants. He engaged in loaning money for several years and also bought land extensively, purchasing about five hundred acres near the town and paying from five to six dollars per acre. Some of the tract is still in possession of the family. In 1860 he went to Michigan and purchased eight hundred sheep, which he drove through to this county, and for three or four years engaged in the raising of sheep, letting them out to others to care for them upon shares. About the time of the close of the Civil war he discontinued that business and in 1865 assisted in organizing the First National Bank of Independence, becoming vice president. For six months he was also the manager of the bank but at the end of that time the institution employed a cashier to handle administrative detail. Mr. Leach remained vice president for ahnost thirty-five years and was a potent force in determining the policies of the institution by reason of his foresight, his execu- tive ability and the lucidity of his mind. In 1900, he retired and has since lived in well earned leisure in the beautiful Leach home in Independence.
Mr. Leach was married on the 26th of February, 1868, to Miss Mary E. Traey, who was born in Cazenovia, New York, on the 1st of August, 1845, and came upon a visit to lowa, where she met her future husband. She also survives and is highly esteemed by all who know her. Her branch of the Traey family qualifies for the societies of Americans of Royal Descent and Colonial Governors. To them was born a son, Robert Ephraim, who became one of the leading attorneys of Independence, but who during the last years of his life devoted the greater part of his time to looking after his extensive business interests and those of his father. He met death by accident on the 30th of August, 1914. and his passing was a source of loss to the community at large. A sketch of his life appears elsewhere in this work.
Mr. Leach of this review has been a republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise but has never consented to hold publie office. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church and has taken an active part in its work for many years. The couple are widely known in Independence and its vicinity and are accorded the honor and esteem which they so richly deserve. their long
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lives of useful and honorable activity entitling them to the respeet of all. Inde- pendence and Buchanan county owe muel to the energy and wisdom of Ephraim Leach, as he aided in commercial expansion in many ways but most of all through his connection with the First National Bank. Through the years of his long life he has been intimately connected with many in business and in all of his dealings with his fellowmen has proved a man of unimpeachable honor and integrity.
ALFRED GERARD RIGBY.
No history of Independence and Buchanan county would be complete were there failure to make prominent reference to Alfred Gerard Rigby-so actively and helpfully has he been connected with the development and upbuilding of this section of the state. The true province of biography is not to give voiee to a man's modest estimate of himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave the perpetual record establishing his position by the consensus of publie opin- ion. Judged in this way, Mr. Rigby is, indeed, a foremost citizen of Buchanan county and many publie projects bear the impress of his individuality and ability. In business connections he is perhaps best known in the field of insur- ance and investments. He has not only handled extensive property interests in Buchanan county, but is also well known as the senior partner of the firm of Rigby & Deming, real estate, loans and investments, in Kansas City, Missouri.
Iowa is proud to number Alfred G. Rigby among her native sons. He was born in Cedar county, near Lowden, on the 5th of April, 1869, a son of Alfred A. and Naney Caroline (Gerard) Rigby, both of whom were natives of Ohio, born near Piqua, the former in 1839 and the latter on the 20th of April, 1843. The paternal grandfather, Joshua II. Rigby, was likewise a native of Ohio, born near Dayton, his parents removing to the Buckeye state from Virginia. In early life he learned the saddler's trade and in the early '50s came to Iowa, settling first near Red Oak and later, about 1858, taking up his abode at Mount Vernon. He became an extensive landowner of that locality and also operated a large stone quarry. IIe donated generously to and assisted in the building of the college at that place. He continued his residenee at Mount Vernon until about 1880, when he removed to Clarence, Iowa, where he passed away about 1888. He had passed the eighty-fourth milestone on life's journey, for his birth oceurred in 1804. He was at various times eonneeted with other busi- ness interests than those previously mentioned and he was active in support of measures and movements for the public good and for the development and growth of the church. Nature endowed him with splendid musical talent and he remained a beautiful singer even to the later years of his life. His wife sur- vived him for a number of years, passing away about 1906.
The Gerard family was of French extraction and was prominent in Pennsyl- vania. The representatives of the family are heirs of the Lloyd estate in Eng- land. The grandfather of Mr. Rigby was born in Pennsylvania, learned the carpenter's trade and became a contractor and builder. He invested heavily in property in Pennsylvania, but afterward suffered extensive losses and in the carly '50s eame to Iowa, settling near Marengo, before the building of the
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railroad to that place. About two years later he removed to Mount Vernon. where he followed his trade until he reached the age of seventy years. He then went to Walla Walla, Washington, where he passed away in 1902, at the vener- able age of eighty-two years. His wife died about 1911.
Alfred A. Rigby, the father of our subject, was but a young lad when he accompanied his parents to eastern Iowa, the family home being established upon a farm near Marengo. He assisted in the task of cultivating and developing the fields while his father conducted a harness business at Mount Vernon. He remained upon the old homestead until he reached adult age and following the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted as a private in Company E, Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry, with which he served for three years and four months. He was never wounded, but his health became impaired and he was never again in the same robust condition that he was before the war, owing to the exposure and hardships incident to life on the tented fields. He participated in the battles of Shiloh and Vicksburg and was a gnard at General Grant's headquarters. On leaving the service he returned to Cornell, Iowa, and entered the Methodist Episcopal ministry, continuing in active connection therewith to the time of his death. His final illness overcame him near Osceola, Iowa, and he passed away at the home of his parents in Mount Vernon in 1872. His wife afterward engaged in teaching school and resided at Mount Vernon. Later she removed to Clarence, where she also taught school. There she became the wife of Torrenee E. Dem- ing and they took up their abode upon a farm in Cedar county, but afterward removed to Sedalia, Missouri, where Mr. Deming passed away about 1909. By her first marriage Mrs. Deming had three children. but the first born died in infancy. The others are Alfred G. and Archie Edward. The latter spent seven years in Japan, where he taught in the Chenzii Seminary for boys, and he now resides upon a farm at Fonda, Iowa. By her second marriage Mrs. Deming had one son, Harry LeRoy, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, where he is engaged in the real-estate, loan and investment business as a partner of Alfred G. Rigby. He is also manager for the Eastern Kansas Oil Company and is the secretary of the Greeley Gas & Oil Company.
Alfred G. Rigby had hardly passed the period of infaney at the time of his father's death. He was, however, carefully reared by his mother and in early life he attended the country schools of Cedar county, while later he became a pupil in the high school of Clarence. He earned his first money, twenty-five cents, by picking raspberries and in his early boyhood he took care of a neigh- bor's cow for fifty cents per month. When ten years of age he began working on a farm for his board and clothing and he also worked as a printer's devil in Clarence that summer and at that early age he got off the paper at one time during the editor's absence. He worked in the printing office for two summers and he began working for wages as a farm hand when eleven years of age, being employed in that way for four years and attending school through the winter months. The period of his youth was divided between work in order to sup- port himself and attendance at school. At length he began teaching, which he followed for two years. He was ambitious to secure an education and dis- played special aptitude in his studies, completing the high school course of four years in two years. In 1887 he took the summer normal course at Tip- ton and won a first grade certificate, after which he taught for two years. He
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