USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 7
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Mr. Franck is a democrat in politics and has fraternal relations with the Modern Brotherhood of America, while his religious faith is that of the Congregational church. He has lived in Buchanan county from his birth to the present time and has won an extensive circle of warm friends here.
A. G. BEATTY.
A. G. Beatty, an honored veteran of the Civil war conducting a real estate, collection and insurance agency at Independence, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1842, a son of James and Grace (Stewart) Beatty, both of whom were natives of Ireland. The mother was born in 1819. The father, whose birth occurred in County Tyrone in 1818, was sixteen years of age when he came to the United States, making his way to Philadelphia, where he began learning the machinist's trade, which he followed for fifteen years. During eight years of that period he had a machine shop of his own. In 1849 he removed westward to Iowa, making the journey by water, rail and stage coach until he reached Jones county. Pleased with the prospects of the country and believing that he might earn a good living here, he sent for his wife and three children, who joined him in June, 1850. Mr. Beatty had entered land from the govern- ment in Jones county and was one of its pioneer settlers. There were no rail- roads west of the Mississippi and the entire country was wild and undeveloped. All around were Indians but they were peaceful, belonging to the tribes of Sac and Foxes and others who were leaving for reservations farther west.
James Beatty continued to engage in farming in Jones county until 1876, when he purchased land in Buchanan county, where he owned about four hundred aeres at the time of his death, which occurred in 1893 when he was seventy-five years of age. He was an active and exemplary member of the Baptist church and he and his brothers built a church of that denomination in Cascade, Iowa. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for aid and became corporal in Company I, Twenty-first Iowa Infantry. He participated in the battle of Helena, Arkansas, and various other important en- gagements until he was discharged on account of physical disability in 1864 due to eamp sickness and general breakdown in health from which he never recovered. His life was an active, busy and useful one, and his influence was always on the side of right and progress. His family numbered five sons, the eldest being James Beatty, deceased, who was a resident of Philadelphia and who served as commissary sergeant in a Pennsylvania regiment during the Civil war.
A. G. BEATTY
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Another of the five sons who did active duty in defense of the Union was A. G. Beatty of this review. In his early boyhood he pursued his education in one of the old-time log schoolhouses of Iowa and for one term he was a student in the Hopkinton Seminary, now Lenox College, at Hopkinton, Iowa. In early boyhood he began learning the mason's trade and after reaching the age of sixteen years gave his entire attention thereto until the outbreak of the Civil war. Responding to the country's call for aid, he joined Company D, Ninth Iowa Infantry, under the command of Captain David Harper of Anamosa and Colonel William Van Devere of Dubuque. He served for one year and was then honorably discharged. At the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, he was wounded twenty-three times and his right arm is useless. While lying injured upon that battlefield he would have given, had he owned it, the entire wealth of the United States for a drink of water. He had nothing to drink and no medical attention from six o'clock in the afternoon until ten o'clock the next day. He was passed by several times because the Red Cross attendants thought he was dead, but eventually he was picked up and his wounds cared for. He was also in the battle of Sugar Creek. He still has in his possession a Testament which is stained with blood, for he was carrying the little volume in his vest pocket on the battlefield when injured. He also has bullets which were extracted from his body.
For some time after the war and his return to Jones county Mr. Beatty was unfit for any work, but eventually he recovered from his many wounds. He then turned his attention to farming, which he followed in Jones county for two years or until 1870, when he came to Buchanan county. Here he again carried on general agricultural pursuits and he is now the owner of farm prop- erty in this county which he purchased in 1873. He continued to actively till the soil until 1882, when he removed to Independence and established a real estate, insurance and collection agency which he has since conducted with growing success. He also became pension attorney in the interior department and at different times he has held public offices, serving as justice of the peace of Sumner township, as overseer of the poor of Independence and as steward of the Buchanan county poor farm for three years.
Mr. Beatty has long been active in public affairs and is a stalwart advocate of the republican party, doing everything in his power to promote its growth and secure its success. He is equally active and earnest in his efforts to advance the upbuilding of the Baptist church, of which he is a most faithful member. For twenty years he served as clerk of the church, has been a member of the board of trustees and was moderator of the Dubuque Baptist Association for three years. For the past eleven years he has been commander of E. C. Little Post, No. 54, G. A. R., and his long continuance in that position indicates how highly he is honored by his fellow members. He likewise served on the staff of the national commander, Washington Gardner, of Columbus, Ohio, and is now on the staff of David J. Palmer, national commander of the G. A. R. He has been a member and chairman of various committees of the state encampment and has also been a delegate to the national encampment.
In 1863 Mr. Beatty was united in marriage to Miss Alice Cook Freeman, who was born in Missouri in 1841, a daughter of Sylvanus and Sophia (Cald- well) Freeman, natives of Canada and New York respectively. Her father came to the United States when a young man and followed farming in Wisconsin and Vol. II-4
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Missouri. After the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted for service in Company I, Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry. His health became greatly impaired during the time which he spent at the front, covering more than two years, and rendered him unfit for business after he was mustered out. He subsequently removed to Dubuque and he became an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mrs. Beatty is a prominent member of the Woman's Relief Corps, as are her three daughters. To Mr. and Mrs. Beatty were born eight children, but five of the number, all sons, died in infancy. Rosella, the eldest daughter, is the wife of R. S. Glenn, a general merchant of Oelwein, Iowa, by whom she has five children : Charles R., who is a graduate physician of the Johns Hopkins Uni- versity ; Alice; Violet; Martha; and Hetty. Grace, the second daughter, is the wife of K. B. Miller, a general merchant of Independence, and they have two children : Irene, the wife of Lloyd Harkness, a carpenter of Independence, by whom she has two children; and Myrtle, at home. Jennie V., the third daughter, is acting as stenographer in her father's office.
Mr. Beatty has no fraternal or club relationships save his connection with the Grand Army of the Republic. He was, however, at one time secretary of the Business Commercial Club, which has passed out of existence. He displays many sterling traits of character which have won him high regard. His enter- prise and energy have established him as a representative business man of Inde- pendence, while in many ways he has proven his loyalty and his patriotism in citizenship, remaining as faithful to his country in days of peace as he was when he followed the stars and stripes upon the battlefields of the south.
J. W. BIDDINGER.
Among the more important and profitable commercial enterprises of Quas- queton is the well appointed drug store owned and conducted by J. W. Bid- dinger, who has been continuously connected with the trade in this city since 1903. He is a native son of Quasqueton, born in 1862. His father, Henry Biddinger, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, July 9, 1826, and in early life learned the harness maker's trade in Marion, Iowa, having come to this state in 1854, the journey being made across the country in the primitive manner of travel in those days. He lived in Marion for several years and then came to Buchanan county, settling in Quasqueton, where he was engaged in business as a harness maker and dealer for forty-one years. People came from Dubuque to Quasqueton, driving over the prairies to trade with him. Conditions were those of pioneer life and on all sides were seen evidences of the fact that this was a frontier region. Quasqueton was then the largest town in the county. There was plenty of wild game to be had, for the unsettled condition of the prairies gave ample feeding ground for all kinds of wild game commonly found in this latitude at an early day.
Mr. Biddinger was united in marriage to Miss Melissa MeBee, who was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, February 27, 1832, and they became the parents of five children, of whom J. W. Biddinger is the eldest son and the only one now living in this county. The death of the father occurred in 1898. when he had
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reached the age of seventy-two years, and the mother passed away in 1895. They were consistent and active members of the Baptist church, in which Mr. Biddinger held various offices, while in the organization of the early church he took an active and helpful part. He was a man of high and honorable principles and throughout his life was ever loyal to the sterling characteristics of upright manhood.
J. W. Biddinger attended school in Quasqueton until fourteen years of age, when he entered a school of medicine at Des Moines, becoming a student in Highland Park College of that city. He afterward took up the study of pharmacy at Highland Park and was graduated therefrom when twenty-one years of age. He then secured a situation in Cedar Rapids, being employed in a drug store there for seven years, after which he spent three years as clerk in a drug store in Omaha, Nebraska. He afterward went to Thurman, Iowa, where he had charge of a store until 1898, when he took a trip to Alaska, being in the far northwest at the time of his father's death. He remained there for a year and a half and with a number of companions with whom he had journeyed to the northwest he laid out claims which they worked for gold. On one occa- sion a vessel on which he was a passenger was shipwrecked on a glacier. He tramped all over Alaska and is familiar with every phase of its pioneer develop- inent. In 1900 he returned to Iowa and in 1903 again came to Quasqueton, where he opened the drug store of which he is now proprietor and which for eleven years he has conducted with growing success. He also owns land in this county but devotes the major part of his attention to the drug trade.
In 1884 Mr. Biddinger was united in marriage to Miss Hermina Cooper and they have a daughter, Nellie J., who is the wife of C. Hanson, a music dealer of Oelwein. Mr. Biddinger takes no active part in politics nor is he associated with any lodges. When leisure permits, he spends his time in fishing and hunting and greatly enjoys those sports, but his attention is concentrated upon his commercial activities and he is today one of the leading and prosperous merchants of his native town.
JOHN MEYER.
John Meyer is a well known farmer, stock-raiser and feeder of Byron town- ship, living on section 3. He is numbered among the pioneer settlers of Bu- chanan county, having since 1855 resided within its borders. Pennsylvania claims him as a native son, his birth having occurred in Lancaster county on the 10th of November, 1848, his parents being Henry and Isadora (Sullivan) Meyer, of whom mention is made in connection with the sketch of their son- in-law, Colonel Jed Lake, on another page of this volume.
John Meyer was but seven years of age when the family came to Iowa and he shared with the others of the household in the usual experiences and hardships of pioneer life, for this was still a frontier region at the time of their arrival. At the usual age he entered the public schools, to which he is indebted for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. His training in farm labor was not meager and he remained at home until thirty-two years of age, although
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in the meantime he had become the owner of land which he was cultivating. When he attained his majority his father gave him eighty aeres and to his original holdings he has added from time to time as his financial resources have increased until he now has two hundred and eighty acres, while his wife is the owner of three hundred and fifteen acres, all in one body. This farm Mr. Meyer personally cultivated and developed until about three years ago, when he rented all of his fields save about forty acres, in the midst of which stands his home. He now raises cattle, horses and hogs and as a live stock raiser and feeder is doing a profitable business.
On the 29th of December, 1880, Mr. Meyer was united in marriage to Miss Emma A. Spangler, a daughter of Samuel T. Spangler, a leading citizen and honored pioneer settler of the county whose sketch is to be found on another page of this work. She was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, October 21, 1855, and when quite young was brought by her parents to this county, where her life has since been spent. In early womanhood she engaged in teaching school. Our subject and his wife have one son, Cliff Spangler Meyer.
In his political views Mr. Meyer has long been an earnest republican, never failing to east his vote in support of the men and measures of the party. For fifteen years he has held the office of road supervisor and has done much to improve the public highways. For a similar period he served as school director and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion. He has recently erected a handsome residence upon his farm, built in a modern and attractive style of architecture. He and his wife occupy an enviable position in the regard of their fellow citizens and the hospitality of their home is greatly enjoyed by their many friends.
GEORGE CECIL.
'George Cecil, a resident farmer of Liberty township. is a self-made man who, starting out in business life at the early age of twelve years, is today a pros- perous agriculturist owning and cultivating two hundred and fifteen acres of valuable and productive land in the township where his entire life has been spent. He was born in Liberty township in 1866, a son of Abraham and Rachel (MeBane) Cecil, both of whom were natives of Tuscarawas county, Ohio. The father, who was born in 1832, passed away in 1871. In early life he engaged in farm work in his native state but heeded the advice of Horace Greeley : "Go west, young man, go west," and made his way over the country to Buchanan county, where he arrived in 1850. He found here a section of the state in which the work of modern civilization and improvement had scarcely been begun. In fact there were all the evidences of pioneer life. There were no schools, no churches and but few houses and those were mostly built of logs. He took up government land and the property which thus came into his possession as a claim is now owned by his son George. He had to break the sod and perform other ardnous tasks incident to the development of new land and as the years went on he achieved a measure of snecess which was most gratifying, coming to him as it did as the reward of persistent, earnest and arduous effort. He
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was the owner of one hundred and twenty acres and through his labors his farm became very productive. He was a man of sterling worth but of retiring disposition.
George Cecil was the youngest in a family of ten children, five of whom are vet living in Buchanan county. He attended the district schools but his educa- tion opportunities were quite limited owing to the fact that his services were early needed upon the home farm. He began to work as a farm hand in the neighborhood when twelve years of age and was thus employed until he attained his majority, when he began farming on his own account. He now owns the old homestead property which his father entered as a claim from the govern- ment but to this has added from time to time until he is the possessor of a valuable farm of two hundred and fifteen acres in Liberty township, constituting one of the good farms of that locality. He cultivates the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and is also successfully engaged in raising stock, deriving a substantial income from both branches of his business.
On the 19th of March, 1889, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Cecil and Miss Jennie Roberts, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of John and Esther (Bateman) Roberts. The father was born in the north of Ireland in 1813 and died in 1882, while the mother, a native of New Brunswick, was born in 1830 and is still living at the advanced age of eighty-four years. When only a boy John Roberts crossed the Atlantic from Ireland to New Brunswick and there lived until 1865, when he came to the United States, settling first in Ohio. The year 1878 witnessed his arrival in Buchanan county, where he continued to engage in general farming and stock-raising, which had hitherto occupied his attention. He became a naturalized American citizen and, though never a politician, he supported those measures and movements which he deemed of benefit to his community. He was an active member of the Methodist church.
Mr. Cecil holds membership with the Modern Woodmen of America in the camp at Independence. He is well known in the county where his entire life has been spent and where he has so directed his efforts as to win success. He certainly deserves great credit for what he has accomplished. Denied advan- tages which other boys enjoy, he nevertheless has cultivated the substantial qualities of industry, enterprise and integrity which lead to success and is today one of the substantial farmers of Liberty township.
PHILLIP J. HENDERSON.
Phillip J. Henderson is the owner of a farm of one hundred and twenty acres on sections 11 and 15, Homer township, and that he thoroughly under- stands modern methods of farming is indicated in the excellent and well kept appearance of his place. He was born in Brandon, Buchanan county, April 25, 1865. a son of Phillip and Olive (Howe) Henderson, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Canada. Phillip Henderson, Sr., arrived in this county in 1856 and was drafted for service as a soldier in the Civil war, becom- ing a member of the Fourth Iowa Infantry, with which he went to the front, being on active duty until the close of hostilities. He then returned to Buchanan
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county, where he engaged in farming for some time. Eventually, however, he removed to the southwestern part of the state, where he purchased land and carried on general farming for several years. Finally he returned to Buchanan county and bought land in Jefferson township, bending his energies to the further development and improvement of that place, upon which he lived for an extended period. His life's labors were ended in death on the 11th of February, 1897. His widow survives and is now a resident of Cono township.
Phillip J. Henderson, whose name introduces this review, at an early age started to earn his own living by work as a farm hand. His leisure hours were few and indolenee and idleness have been utterly foreign to his nature through- out his entire career. He continued in the service of others until he reached the age of twenty-five years and then began farming on his own account, cultivating rented land for a long time. However, he carefully saved his earnings until his labors had brought him sufficient capital to enable him to purchase a farm in 1899. He afterward sold that property and invested in one hundred and twenty acres on sections 11 and 15, Homer township, whereon he has since resided. He at once began to develop and improve the property according to modern ideas of farming and has since successfully managed the place, save for two years, which he spent in the northwestern part of the state. The farm presents a well kept appearance, there are good buildings upon the place and these in turn are surrounded by well tilled fields, which give every evidence of the careful supervision of the owner.
On the 10th of April, 1888, Mr. Henderson was united in marriage to Miss Minnie E. Patterson, a daughter of Nelson H. and Margaret (Gates) Patterson, natives of New York and Pennsylvania respectively. The father was an engi- neer and worked in the oil fields of Pennsylvania through the greater part of his life. He lived for one year, however, in Buchanan county, Iowa, and then went to the Wisconsin pineries to work and was never heard from again. His wife passed away January 6, 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson have become the parents of one son, George I., who was born December 24, 1892. and is now engaged in farming in Sumner township.
The religious faith of the parents is that of the Methodist church, and the politieal allegiance of Mr. Henderson is given to the republican party, which he has supported sinee age conferred upon him the right of franchise. The greater part of his life has been spent in Buchanan county and, while there has been nothing spectacular in his entire career, it is that of an enterprising agriculturist and reliable business man and a citizen whose interest in the publie welfare has been manifested in many tangible ways.
R. G. SWAN.
R. G. Swan is a representative of a group of citizens whose lives are con- spicuous for ability, force of character, integrity and generous aims. It is impossible to be with him half an hour without recognizing his capacity and his moral vigor. He is a financier and man of affairs, whose identification with business interests is of distinet valne to the community, his efforts being of a character that contributes to public prosperity as well as to individual suceess.
R.S. Swan.
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He was born at Birkenhead, England, November 4, 1860, a son of Joseph and Martha Laura (Owen) Swan, the former a native of Liverpool, England, born in 1826, while the latter was born in Wales in 1832. In early life Joseph Swan pursued a course of instruction that was intended to fit him for a career as an artist, but following his marriage he and his brother became managers of the Tranmere ferries, which they conducted for about twenty years. On the expiration of that period Joseph Swan was elected overseer of Tranmere, a position similar to that of county treasurer in the United States. He held that office until his retirement from active life, at which time he had been in the government service for about thirty years. He never came to the United States and passed away in his native country in 1909. His wife, however, visited America before her marriage, coming on a sightseeing trip to the United States -something that comparatively few in those days enjoyed-and during the trip she visited Niagara Falls. The religious faith of the family was that of the Church of England. Mr. Swan held various offices in the church.
R. G. Swan began his education in private schools and later attended the Armstrong Academy at Tranmere, England, while subsequently he became a student in the Roslyn Villa Academy at Tranmere. When fifteen years of age he accepted the position of clerk in a brewery at .Tranmere and in the Queen's Brewery was advanced from one position to another until he occupied the head clerkship and the cashiership in the office. He resigned his position in connection therewith to come to the United States in 1880. He crossed the Atlantic merely for the purpose of visiting the country. Having met a man from Independence, Iowa, he was induced to come to this city and here remained for ten years. He became associated with Thomas Coghlan & Sons in the furniture business and has since made his home in Independence, although he has gone back to England for brief visits. He became a citizen of the United States and is fully alive to its interests. Since 1881 he has occupied the same store in Independence and is now senior member of the furniture firm of Swan & Leytze. Theirs is today one of the leading furniture establishments of this section of the state. A large and carefully selected line of goods is carried and the business methods employed by the house win for it the confidence of the public and gain for it a liberal patronage.
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