History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 90

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574

USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 90

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John Cameron was born in Lancaster county, Ohio, in 1811; came to Iowa in 1850, locating in Perry town- ship, where he bought a farm, and in 1862 sold it, pur- chasing a farm south of Jesup. He remained there about eight years, when he sold it and bought a grocery store in Jesup. This business he continued three years, when he traded it for the farm now owned by William Slaughter. On this farm he lived two years, then moved to Otterville and again engaged in the grocery business. He continued it only two years, when he sold it, and buying a farm, rented it and remained in town two years. Then he sold his farm, and again went into the grocery business at Jesup. At the end of two years, he closed out his stock and moved to the farm where he now re- sides. Mr. Cameron's first wife was Miss Mary Rine- hart, of Indiana. She died in 1849, leaving six children. In 1852 he married Mrs. Rachel Rinehart, of Indiana. They have two children-Anice, aged twenty-three, wife of F. E. Randall, harness maker at Jesup; and W. T., who married Miss Cora Hines, and lives with his father, farming the place. Mr. Cameron is one of the first set- tlers of Buchanan county, and has been familiar with its history and rapid development.

Sarah C. Little was one of the first who settled in Buchanan county. Her husband, Moses Little, came to Iowa from La Salle county, Illinois, in the year 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Little were formerly from New Hamp- shire. Mr. Little purchased a section of land when he came to this county, it being the ground that Lit- tleton now occupies, and his name the town bears. Mr. and Mrs. Little came to this county with a fam- ily of six children: Martha, who is now forty-one years of age and the wife of B. C. Hale, living at Quasque- ton; Ebenezer, aged thirty-eight, married and farming the home place; Electa B., aged thirty-six, married to

T. K. Hovey and living at Littleton; Edmund C., who died in the year 1874, at the age of twenty-nine (was captain in company C, Ninth Iowa infantry, receiving his commission when lacking three days of eighteen years of age, and died from the effects of a wound re- ceived while serving his country); Charles H., aged thirty-four, married and living on his own farm; Moses, aged thirty-two, married, and in the mercantile business at Lowell, Massachusetts. The Little family, as will be seen in different parts of this history, have been con- nected very conspicuously with the interests of Buchan- an county. They now own about six hundred acres, besides C. H.'s farm of two hundred and thirty-six acres. They are among the prominent citizens of the county, and are honoring the good name left by Moses Little.

William N. Comfort was born in Canada in the year 1827, and came to the United States at the age of eigh- teen, locating in Cook county, Illinois. In 1855, he purchased a farm of eighty acres. In 1869 he sold his farm, and coming to Iowa, he purchased the farm of two hundred and forty-four acres where he now resides, in Perry township. He built the nice house and barn, and set out the fine shade and fruit trees, that now make this one of the fairest farms in Buchanan county. Mr. Comfort was married in 1849 to Miss Matilda Blackman, of St. Charles, Illinois, and they have seven children. Z. A., aged thirty, married and lives on his own farm, about one mile east of his father. W. J., aged twenty- eight, is married and lives on a farm south of Jesup. George Nelson, aged twenty-six, is married and lives on a farm opposite his father's. E. W., twenty-two, is sin- gle and lives at home. Elmer Ellsworth, seventeen, and Mary M., fourteen, both live at home. Mr. Comfort is one of the leading men of Buchanan county, and has by his own exertions accumulated quite a handsome property. He is very extensively engaged in the stock and dairy business. Mr. Comfort, though well off in this world's goods, does not allow that to occupy his en- tire time and attention; he is an ardent Christian and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He al- ways has a word of cheer for the depressed in spirit, and is ever ready to turn his fellow man from the paths of vice and sin to the way of life everlasting; and though he has one of the finest houses in the county, he gave liberally when his society built the Lord's house in Jesup.

Russell Andrews was born in Broome county, New York, in 1812, and moved to Chicago at the age of twenty-three, which was before the now famous city was an incorporated village. Mr. Andrews lived in the same county and watched its growth up to its present mam- moth proportions. In those days Indians infested that neighborhood. In 1874 he came to Iowa and pur- chased a farm in this county. Since that time he has visited the mines of Colorado and several of the terri- tories. In 1878 he purchased the beautiful farm where he how resides. Mr. Andrews was married April 23, IS37, to Miss Hulda Martin, of Massachusetts. She died July 27, 1874, leaving seven children living. Lydia M., aged forty, wife of Murat Sayles; Jessie I)., thirty-

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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.

six, married and living in Denver, Colorado; Mary E., thirty-four, wife of D. A. Spearin, who also lives in Col- orado; Cardine F., thirty-two, single and living in Mon- tana; Willis E., twenty-six, married, and farming the home place; Stephen R., twenty-four, single and living in Michigan ; and Betsy A., twenty, single and living in Lead- ville. We find Mr. Andrews one of the go-ahead, har- dy, energetic men who have developed the great re- sources of Buchanan county. Though he is now an old man, he is yet full of life and business. Mr. Andrews is living with his son Willis, who has two nice twin boys, seven months old. They are the first grandchildren of the Andrews name, and it is hoped they will grow up with the business ability of their grandfather.

William H. Gates was born in Lebanon, New Hamp- shire, in 1819. At the age of twelve he moved with his parents to Canada, but returned in two years to New Hampshire. At the age of twenty he moved to Brad- ford, Vermont, where he engaged in the carriage bus- iness. In 1857 he came to Iowa and purchased a farm of one hundred and thirty-four acres in Perry township, where he still resides. He built a fine residence and set out fruit and shade trees and improved his farm general- ly. Mr. Gates has been the choice of his fellow citizens at several elections. He has held the offices of township trustee, and clerk, and at the last election was elected supervisor. Mr. Gates was married in October, 1841, to Miss Mira A. Hyde, of Bradford, Vermont. This sketch is written on the twenty-ninth anniversary of his mar- riage. They have eight children living: Wille H., aged thirty-six, married and lives in Osceola county, Iowa; Jane H., aged thirty-four, married to W. N. Har- rison, and lives in Sterling, Illinois; Katie E., single, and at home; George W., aged twenty-six; Charles H., aged twenty-four; Edward F., aged seventeen; Harry W., aged fifteen. Mr. Gates is very comfortably situated in this world's goods, and is one of Buchanan's model farmers and men, and has contributed largely to its growth and welfare. He has friends wherever he is known and is enjoying life as he has a right to. Mr. Gates invented the first patent ever patented in this county-it being a well auger, which has proved quite a success and has been a source of profit to a considerable extent.

Alexander Boyack was born in Foifershire, Dundee, Scotland, in the year 1829. He came to this country at the age of twenty-three, locating in Rockford, Illinois, where he remained in the grain business about four years. He came to Iowa in 1854, locating in Indepen- dence. He opened a stone-quarry, and furnished a gen- eral line of building material. He furnished the material for the erection of the court house, and the school- houses east and west. He hauled the first load of rock to build the new magnificent asylum before the ground was surveyed for its erection. In 1872 he bought the farm in Perry township, where he still resides. He is engaged in the stock-raising and dairy business quite ex- tensively. Mr. Boyack was married in 1851, to Miss Sarah Thompson, of Glasgow, Scotland. They have seven children, all of whom make their father's house their home. Mr. and Mrs. Boyack have been members

of the Presbyterian church ever since their marriage. They are now the possessors of a splendid farm, a good home and are among the substantial people of Buchanan county.

W. S. Richmond was born April 5, 1841, in the Do- minion of Canada. At the age of four he came to the United States, locating in Cain county, Illinois, where he attended school and worked on the farm until he was thirteen years of age, when he moved to Brema county, Iowa, and worked in a mill and on a farm until he was eighteen years of age. Shortly after he went to Pike's Peak and engaged in the mining business; but returned in about one year with some success in his pocket. Soon after his return he enlisted in the three months' service. After fulfilling this agreement he again enlisted in com- pany H, Second Iowa cavalry, and was under the doc- tor's care, flat on his back, about one year afterwards. As soon as he was able to be about, his patriotism again manifested itself by reenlisting, but was not accepted on account of disability. He engaged in the milling bus- iness in Littleton as soon as his health permitted. He continued at this about six years, when he purchased, and moved on, the farm where he now resides, in Perry township. Mr. Richmond is a heavy farmer and feeder. He has on hand about one hundred head of hogs and forty head of cattle, and is at present largely engaged in the dairy business. Mr. Richmond was married on March 7, 1863, to Miss Betsy M. Hovey, of Perry town- ship. They have four children: Alice A., aged sixteen; Adda M., age fourteen; Albert G., aged twelve; Alta H., aged eight months. Mr. Richmond is serving his second term as township trustee. He has a fine farm and all that the heart of man can ask for.

J. D. Dobell was born in Otsego county, New York, in 1840. At the age of three he moved with his parents to Chemung county, where he resided until sixteen years of age, when he moved to St. Charles, Illinois, and went into the baking business, but soon after changed his plans and engaged in farming and teaming, until he en- listed in company C, Nineteenth Illinois infantry. He served his country three and one-half years. In the bat- tle of Chickamauga he was severely wounded, from the effects of which he lay in the hospital seven months. He was a faithful soldier, but will be a disabled man all his days. He returned home in 1864, and engaged in teaming and carried on a restaurant about one year, when he sold out the restaurant and engaged in the butchering business, which he continued about one year, and then clerked five years in a dry goods store. In 1876 he moved to Jesup, Iowa, bought a city block and built a fine residence, where he still lives. Since com- ing to Jesup he has been engaged in merchandise and farming. One thing we wish to add to Mr. Dobell's army history, is that though he lost the ball of his right shoulder, he tried to join the army four months after his wound; and though he was not admitted till seven, he served his country eight months. The time he was wounded he lay three days on the field. Mr. Dobell was married August 20, 1865, to Miss E. M. Whitcomb, of Palatine, Illinois. They have one child, Leroy, aged

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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.

nine. Mr. Dobell is now very pleasantly situated, with friends on every hand, and seems prepared to enjoy life in the future.

Charles Hoyt was born in Essex county, Vermont, in 1839. He, in company with an older brother, came to lowa in 1857, bought a saw-mill in Fayette county, and run it until 1861, when Charles enlisted in company F, Third lowa infantry. He served his country through the war, making in all about five years. He was in about twenty different engagements, and was never wounded or taken prisoner, in all the conflicts. After his return from the army, he returned to Manchester, lowa, where he engaged in the grain business until the year 1869, when he moved to Jesup. Here he built an elevator and again engaged in the grain business. He bought as high as one hundred and fifty thousand bushels of grain a year. He was married, in 1866, to Miss B. F. George, of Fayette. They have six children: Eva, aged twelve; Minnie E., aged ten; Jesse H., aged eight; Charles E., aged six; Elwell E., aged four; and an infant, not named, all of whom are at home, and constitute a very nice, happy family. Mr. Hoyt is one of Jesup's prominent business men. By his own exertions he has accumulated quite a handsome little fortune.

T. F. Kenyon was born in Oneida county, New York, in the year 1844. His father, O. L. Kenyon, was a merchant in Rome, New York. Mr. T. F. Kenyon's early days were spent in school. Clerked eight years for the firm of R. V. Yates, of Utica, New York. In the year 1862 he entered the army, enlisting in company G, One Hundred and Seventeenth regiment, New York in- fantry. After serving his country faithfully two years, he came to Buchanan, and located in Jesup, in the year 1868, where he commenced the general dry goods busi- ness, and continued it very successfully for four years, when he sold his entire stock to C. M. Newton, and en- gaged as travelling salesman for the firm of Boies, Fay & Co., of Chicago. This business he followed three years, and then returned to Jesup, and again engaged in the general mercantile business, which he is carrying on still and very successfully. Mr. Kenyon is one of those sub- stantial business men who are the pillars of trade in their community. His gentlemanly bearing and easy manners command at once your respect and admiration. Is a jolly bachelor, and enjoys life hugely.

F. E. Randall was born in Broome county, New York, in the year 1856. His father, Nelson Randall, died when F. E. was but four years old. He lived with his mother, and attended school most of the time until he was about fifteen years of age, after which he worked on the farm and helped his grandfather, Augustus Randall, at the shoe trade. In the year 1874 he moved to this county, and resided near Independence about one year, when he came to Jesup and commenced the harness and saddle business, with Mr. Thomas Styer. He soon bought out his partner, and has ever since run the busi- ness alone ; keeps hired help, and does all the business of the town in this line. Mr. Randall was married in the year 1876, to Miss Anice C. Cameron, of Jesup. They have two children: Bertha, age 3-birthday on the third

of October, same day as that of her father ; Fannie, aged one year. Mr. Randall has a new and beautiful home. Is doing a good business. Is a gentleman in every sense of the word, commands the respect of the community, and has friends on every side.

George S. Murphy was born in Delaware county, Ohio, in the year 1846. His father, James Murphy, was a farmer, and moved to Iowa, Black Hawk county, in the year 1856, where he purchased a farm. Mr. G. S. Murphy lived at home and attended school until the year 1869, when he went to Dakota territory, and re- mained two years. Returned to Sibley, Osceola county, Iowa, and engaged in the agricultural implement busi- ness. In the year 1873 he was employed as cashier in the Osceola County bank, which position he held five years, when his health failing, he had to spend several months in recruiting. In 1879 came to Jesup, and or- ganized the bank of which he is cashier. Mr. Murphy was married in the year 1872, to Miss Hattie Franklin, of Black Hawk county, lowa. Have one child, Mary, aged six years. Mr. Murphy was the youngest son of a family of seven children. Has had a wide experience in the world. He is one of Jesup's foremost business men, and, as a cashier, is a grand success.

H. G. Wolf was born in Monroe county, Pennsyl- vania, in the year 1844. His father, John Wolf, moved to Wisconsin in the year 1855. He lived at home and in his father's family till he was seventeen years of age, when he enlisted in company B, Thirty-first Wisconsin infantry. Served his country nearly four years ; was wounded at Peach Tree Creek, Georgia. Received six gunshot wounds in the left side from his ankles to his neck, losing middle finger on left hand at same time. Was taken prisoner in same battle, and was held in the prison pens four months, when, by a daring effort in com- pany with thirty-five others, escaped at the peril of their lives, and rejoined Sherman's army at Savannah, on the twenty-third day of December, 1864. They then drove Johnston's army to Raleigh, where he surrendered. Was soon after mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky (on January 21, 1865). Then settled in Brandon, lowa, and worked at the carpenter trade two years, when he engaged in the furniture business in Vinton. In 1870 he came to Jesup, and engaged in merchandise, and is still in that business. Mr. Wolf was married in 1872, to Miss Bertha A. Smith, of Jesup ; has four children : Ransome L., aged nine ; Cora Ea, aged seven ; Howard H., aged five. The fourth is a little daughter of two months, unnamed. Have a fine home,and, though they do not keep the wolf from the door, are a happy family. Mr. Wolf is a lover of fine stock, and makes it a branch of his farming.

Jacob Hohl was born in Germany in 1844; lived with his father in Canada, and attended school till about four- teen years of age, when he started in the butcher busi- ness with William Head, and remained with him fifteen years. He then commenced the business of buying and shipping cattle to eastern markets, at the same time car- rying on the butcher business. This he continued until 1870, when he came to Iowa, locating in Jesup, where he

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has since resided and where he still carries on the butch- ering business, and shipping stock east. Mr. Hohl was married October 3, 1877, to Miss Jane Bocard, of Elora, Ontario. They have two children-Frederick, twelve, and Barbara, six years old. They constitute a happy family, and live in a nice home. Mr. Hohl is one of Jes- up's wide-awake business men, and has fought the battles of life without inherited money to help him. He has a nice farm and home, and much other property, to show what can be done when a man works with a purpose.

Mary E. Grattan was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1820. Her father, Richard Wilcox, died when she was nine years old. She attended school, and se- cured her own livlihood till she was twenty-eight years of age, when she married M. A. Grattan, who proved a kind husband and provided a good home. He is a black- smith by trade and worked at it in Yorkshire for eight years. They then moved to Waterloo, Black Hawk county, Iowa, where Mr. Grattan worked at his trade four years, when they moved to Jesup and engaged in farming four years, after which he again returned to work at his trade, and is still one of the village blacksmiths. By their united industry they have bought a nice home and are well prepared to spend their last days happily. While Mr. and Mrs. Grattan are seventy-one years of age, they are very active, and so full of life that they appear twenty years younger than they really are.

R. S. Searls was born in Ohio, in the year 1823. He lived with his father, Richard Searls, on the farm, till he was twenty years of age, after which he attended school three years in Kirtland, Ohio; taught school one term, and clerked in his brother's (O. C. Searls) store two years ; made a visit to Illinois, and, on his return, in the spring of 1848, was shipwrecked on Lake Michigan; paid his last twenty-five cents for his breakfast at Paines- ville, Ohio, having lost everything on the lake ; engaged in the stock business two years, after which he moved to Mc- Henry county, Illinois, where he continued the stock business three years. He moved to Iowa in 1855, bought a section of land in Fayette county, and built a house and improved the farm. Stock and grain were so low that he rented his farm and engaged in merchandising in Jesup. He was Jesup's first postmaster. He continued in business four years, when he went to buying and ship- ping stock. He bought the farm he now owns in 1865; has built fine buildings, set out trees, and improved the farm, until it is now among the best in Buchanan county. Mr. Searls was married August 29, 1852, to Miss C. A. Damon, of Ohio. They have two children-Arthur R., married and living in Jesup; Letta Bell, aged nine years. As will be seen by this sketch, Mr. Searls has risen by his own exertions from the starting point to a position of independence.

R. R. Miller was born in Westminster, Windham county, Vermont, in 1832. He lived with his father, Robert Rodgers Miller, on his farm, and attended school until he was twenty-one years old. (The man Rodgers who skated away from the Indians on the Hudson river, was a great uncle of Mr. Miller's father, and for him he was named Rodgers.) At the age of twenty-one Mr.

Miller went to work in the insane asylum at Providence, Rhode Island ; was overseer of a ward in that institution two years, when he went to Livingston county, Illinois, and purchased a farm. He came to Iowa in the year 1866, and purchased a farm of three hundred acres, one hundred and sixty of which is situated on the eastern edge of Black Hawk county, and the balance on the western edge of Buchanan county, all lying in one body, being only divided by the county line. The first cost was ten dollars per acre, and was raw prairie, without the first improvement upon it. In the year 1867 he built a house twenty-two by twelve, where his present house now stands. In 1869 he built the very fine house that now adorns the farm, which cost about three thou- sand dollars. The same year he built the horse barn, across the road from the house. In 1877 he built an- other fine large barn just south of the horse barn. Dur- ing this time Mr. Miller set out fruit and shade trees, planted wind breaks, and put his farm under a splendid state of cultivation. Mr. Miller has always made stock- raising a business in connection with his extensive farm- ing, and has as high as fifty head of cattle, one hundred and twenty hogs, and eight horses at a time. He is at present quite extensively engaged in the dairy business- milks thirty-nine cows-has a third interest in a large creamery on his farm, known as the Big Spring creamery, a full account of which will be found in another part of this history. Mr. Miller was married March 23, 1857, to Miss Amanda Wright, of Westminster, Vermont. They have no children of their own, but have adopted a bright girl-Florence W .- six years old. Though Mr. Miller's house and part of his farm is situated in Black Hawk county, his Buchanan county friends wanted him lecog- nized in the history that contained their interests. We find Mr. Miller one of the drive-wheels of the commu- nity, and, as will be seen by this sketch, he is one of the big farmers of Iowa. Both Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Baptist church.

Eli Cutshall was born in Maryland, Frederick county, in the year IS13. At the age of eight he emigrated with his father, Samuel Cutshall, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, to Ohio, locating within two miles of Dayton, which was at that time a very small town. Here Mr. Cutshall lived upon a rented farm for fifteen years, when they moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father entered a quarter section of land, which Mr. Cutshall farmed till the year 1839. He came to Iowa in 1855, and purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Perry township, where he still resides. He has since bought land so that he now owns two hundred and thir- ty-nine acres. When Mr. Cutshall came to this county his nearest neighbor was one mile off, and only two houses between him and Waterloo, long before the city of Jesup ever was thought of. Mr. Cutshall built his house in 1866, planted fruit and shade trees, and put his farm under good cultivation. Mr. Cutshall was married in September, 1841, to Miss Dorcas Price, of Indiana. They have eleven children living: Anna M., aged thirty- seven, married Mr. James Thayer in 1872, and lives in Nebraska; Samuel L., aged 35, married Jennie Moyer

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in 1870, and lives in Clay county, Iowa; Thomas J., aged thirty-three, married Katie Wolf in 1871, and lives in Osceola county, Iowa; Mary Jane, aged thirty-one, married David Whitney in 1871, and lives in Osceola county, Iowa; Sarah M., aged twenty-nine, married Ankney Buckmaster, who died in 1879, and Mrs. Buck- master now resides in Nebraska ; Kallie, aged twenty- seven, single, and lives at home; Joseph H., aged twen- ty-five, single, and lives in Nebraska; George W., aged twenty-one, Hester L., aged nineteen, Eli G., aged six- teen, C. W., aged fourteen-all of whom make their father's house their home. As will be seen by this sketch Mr. Cutshall has always been a frontiersman, but as his reward he is now very pleasantly situated in regard to this world's goods. They are a fine family, and friends to everybody. We are pleased to say that Mr. Cutshall is a Republican. They are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Cutshall's son, Samuel, enlisted in com- pany B, Fourth Iowa cavalry, in 1863, served his country over two years, and was in several engagements, and helped drive old Forrest off his roost. He was never off duty, nor wounded, nor taken prisoner.

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History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 90

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers Number of Pages: 574

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574