USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa: a record of settlement., Volume 2 > Part 13
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MISS GRACE E. DREHER.
Miss Grace E. Dreher is filling the office of recorder of Butler county and the record she has made in this position is a refuta- tion of the statement that a woman will lose her womanly quali- ties if in office. Thoroughly capable and competent, the duties of the position are discharged in a prompt and businesslike way and at the same time Miss Dreher is socially one of the attractive young ladies of the county seat. She was born near Warner in Brown county, South Dakota, April 1, 1886, a daughter of Frank and Clara (Bernard) Dreher. The father was born in Naper- ville, Illinois, August 14, 1855, and the mother in Helena, Wiscon- sin, August 26, 1863. They were married at Aberdeen, South Dakota, November 19, 1884. In 1888, owing to the hard times in that state they drove across the country to Iowa and settled on a farm between Dumont and Bristow. When their daughter, Grace, was seven years of age they removed to Allison, where they have since resided and here the father followed the carpenter's trade, being actively identified with building operations in the county seat and through the surrounding district.
Miss Dreher, an only child, has resided in Allison since seven years of age. She passed through consecutive grades in the pub- lic schools until graduated from the high school of Allison in May, 1902. In the following August she entered the county recorder's office as assistant under John Hunt and so continued until Janu- ary 1, 1906. She spent the next year in the county treasurer's office and the following four years was deputy county auditor. At the primary in 1910, she was nominated for her present position and in the fall of 1912 she received indorsement of her first term's service in a reelection, being given a large vote on both occasions.
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In 1910 she had no opposition and in 1912 had no opposition in the primaries but had an opponent in the election. She was the candi- date of the republican party and her course has justified the con- fidence and trust reposed in her. She had had thorough training in the work of the office and she has made an excellent official, qualified in every particular to discharge the duties devolving upon her.
She belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and is highly esteemed socially in the county, having a very large circle of warm friends.
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W. S. MONTGOMERY.
A citizen of high repute, well known and widely respected throughout Butler county is W. S. Montgomery of Allison. He was born in Dubuque county, Iowa, February 16, 1853, a son of James and Sarah (Glew) Montgomery, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, the former born September 8, 1819, and the lat- ter February 28, 1825. The father became a resident of Dubuque county in 1836 and the following year the mother arrived in com- pany with her parents. It was in that county that they became acquainted and in 1840 were married. Mr. Montgomery contin- ued to reside there until September 3, 1886, when he was called to the home beyond and the mother died in Ledyard, Iowa, No- vember 27, 1909. She was for seventy-two consecutive years a resident of this state and few of Iowa's citizens lived to watch her growth and progress for a longer period. Mr. Montgomery was a farmer by occupation and in 1848 secured land which he devel- oped into a fine farm on which he made his home until his death. It was situated sixteen miles northwest of Dubuque in Concord township, Dubuque county, and he led the life of the usual pio- neer settler who takes advantage of the early opportunities offered and eventually wins success. Unto him and his wife were born eleven children, of whom three died in childhood, while six, three sons and three daughters, are yet living. W. S. Montgomery had five brothers and five sisters and he was the middle one of the family. His eldest brother, Joseph, enlisted in August, 1861, in the Ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry and died in the service in November, 1863. All of the other sons of the family became farm-
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ers save the youngest, who is a traveling salesman and the daugh- ters all married farmers.
W. S. Montgomery was reared in his native county which remained his place of residence until 1880. For a time he worked on the farm and taught school in the winter months, but he regarded this merely as an initial step to other professional labor and took up the study of law, being graduated from the law depart- ment of the Iowa State University at Iowa City in 1875. Being without money, he resorted to school teaching to supply his imme- diate wants and was thus engaged until 1879, when he went to Dubuque and spent a year in the law office of J. C. Longueville. He then came to Clarksville, Butler county, where he entered upon the practice of law in connection with C. A. L. Roszell, but after a year and a half the firm of Roszell & Montgomery was dissolved. The latter practiced alone until September, 1882, when he was elected clerk of Butler county and entered upon the duties of the office January 1, 1883. He served for four years or two terms, at the end of which time he bought an interest in the abstract and law business of Lathrop & Levis, with whom he continued until 1893, under the firm name of Lathrop, Levis & Montgomery. In that year they sold out to the Craig-Ray Abstract Company and Mr. Montgomery concentrated his energies upon the practice of law in which he is now engaged. He is an able member of the bar, easily recognizing the salient points in a case and presenting his cause strongly and logically, his arguments seldom failing to win favorable verdict.
In November, 1884, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Mont- gomery and Miss Florence Peet, who was born near Clarksville, Iowa, April 24, 1863, a daughter of G. R. and Sarah (Parsons) Peet, who were natives of New York state. They came to Iowa after their marriage, casting in their lot with the pioneer set- tlers of Butler county. The father was killed in a railroad acci- dent near Cedar Rapids in 1879 and the mother died in Allison in' 1901. After coming to Iowa, Mr. Peet began farming and eventu- ally became known as a dealer in fine stock. He brought the first blooded cattle and horses to this county and was a prominent stock man. He was very energetic and persistent in his business affairs and he built and conducted a hotel at Clarksville, of which he was proprietor at the time of his death. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mont- gomery were born two children: James I., who died at the age of four months and Sarah Ruth, the wife of H. W. Mercereau of Long Beach, California. In 1902 Mr. Montgomery went to Long Beach
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for the benefit of his wife's health, remaining there for five years.
Mrs. Montgomery passed away in 1907 and he then returned to Allison, where he still makes his home. He has been a life long republican and in 1911 was appointed county attorney to fill a vacancy. The following year he was nominated and elected, but resigned the office in January, 1913, to resume the private prac- tice of law. For a short time he served on the city council, but public office has had little attraction for him. In May, 1884, he was made a Mason, his membership being in Opal Lodge, No. 417. F. & A. M., Allison. The same year he joined the chapter and commandery and is now a Knight Templar, loyal to the teachings of the order and exemplifying in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. Few of the native sons of Iowa have longer resided within her boundaries. He has made a creditable record as a member of the bar and as a citizen, and enjoys in high degree the confidence, good-will and respect of his fellow townsmen.
EPHRAIM TOWN.
The name of Ephraim Town is closely associated with the his- tory of Shell Rock, where he established the first hardware store in 1873. He has since been identified with other lines of business and at all times has been a progressive citizen, his labors con- tributing to general prosperity and advancement as well as to individual success.
Born in Franklin, Vermont, April 15, 1832, he is a son of Ephraim and Jane (Willis) Town, the former a native of the Green Mountain state, while the latter was born near Queenstown, Canada, just across the Vermont border. Both died in Frank- lin, Mr. Town on the 13th of March, 1864, at the age of seventy- three years, nine months and twenty-two days and Mrs. Town March 18, 1884, at the age of eighty-three years, one month and twenty-nine days. The Town and Willis families are both of Eng- lish origin. Ephraim Town, Sr., was a soldier in the War of 1812 and in days of peace followed agricultural pursuits. He was twice married and by the first union had three daughters, while the children of the second marriage were eleven in number, two daughters and nine sons.
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EPHRAIM TOWN
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Ephraim Town, whose name introduces this review, pursued his education in the schools of Vermont and remained in that state until twenty-two years of age. He spent the winter of 1854 in Chicago, hauling grain to the boats, and in the spring of 1855 he arrived in Shell Rock. The following year he began work at the carpenter's trade in connection with the construction of mills here. He followed carpentering for a number of years and with Hiram Ross operated a planing mill and made the first coffin used for an interment in the Shell Rock cemetery. Later Mr. Town became actively connected with merchandising as one of the proprietors of the first hardware store of Shell Rock, being in partnership with J. D. Powers. The business was established in 1873 and was conducted for three years when the firm became Town & Murray. Mr. Town next engaged in the lumber and grain business as a member of the firm of Phillips, Town & Com- pany, continuing in that line for three years and subsequently he spent a number of years in the creamery business. He has always manifested enterprise, energy and determination in car- rying on his business affairs and has ever been found thoroughly reliable as well as progressive. He always enjoyed good health until 1912, when he suffered a slight stroke of apoplexy. He is a man of splendid physique, being six feet and two inches in height and weighing usually two hundred pounds.
Mr. Town has some valuable land holdings, consisting of con- siderable town property and three hundred and sixty acres of valuable farming land. In 1895 he retired from active business, having sold out his creamery and now lives a retired life in his beautiful home on the banks of the Shell Rock river. He is a fine type of highly successful business man, entirely self-made, coming here without a dollar and now one of the most prosper- ous men in the county.
In 1860 in Shell Rock, Mr. Town was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Adair, who was born in Linn county, Iowa, Oc- tober 6, 1841, and came to this county with her parents, George W. and Elizabeth Adair. She died in Shell Rock, June 29, 1895, leaving five children; Charles, who is engaged in the hardware business with his brother, Willis, at Dumont, this county; Ella L., the wife of Arthur Austin of Shell Rock; Willis, of Dumont; Dana E., a resident farmer of Shell Rock township; and Flora E., the wife of Fred G. McInroy. Since the mother's death Mr. and Mrs. McInroy have resided with Mr. Town. In fact she has acted as her father's housekeeper from the age of thirteen. Vol. II-9
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In politics Mr. Town has been a life long democrat. He was elected the first mayor of Shell Rock and has served for three terms since then. His administration has been characterized by needed reforms and improvements and his public record is a most creditable one. For many years he was justice of the peace and his decisions have ever been strictly fair and impartial. He has also been a member of the school board for many years and for twenty years served as its president and was a member of the building committee at the time of the erection of the new school. He has been identified with the school board altogether for thirty years and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion, whose labors in its behalf have been effective and far-reaching. Since the organization of the Methodist Episcopal church in Shell Rock his name has been on its membership roll. In fact he was a member of the official board when the church was organized and he was a member of the building committee at the time of the erection of the present house of worship. He belongs to Es- callop Lodge, No. 261, A. F. & A. M., of which he has been treas- urer for many years; Jethro Chapter, R. A. M., of Waverly; Baldwin Commandery, K. T., of Cedar Falls; and El Kahir Tem- ple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Cedar Rapids. He has also attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and belongs to the Eastern Star. His life exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft and throughout his entire career he has closely followed the principles which he has adopted. He is now a venerable citi- zen of eighty-one years and receives the respect and honor which should ever be accorded one of his years whose life has been well spent. Every one in Shell Rock knows Ephraim Town and none speak of him except in terms of praise.
GEORGE BARNETT.
George Barnett, who is one of the active and prosperous farmers of Bennezette township and one of the influential and representative citizens of this locality, was born in Dubuque county, Iowa, September 21, 1851. He is a son of Longridge and Sarah (Lowen) Barnett, natives of England, the father having been born and reared in the vicinity of London and the mother being a native of that city. Longridge Barnett came to America in 1845 and settled in New York, whence after a short time he
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moved to Pennsylvania and there engaged in farming. He after- ward came west to Iowa, locating in Dubuque county, where he remained until 1866. In that year he moved to Butler county and for thirty-four years thereafter was prominently connected with agricultural interests of this locality. When he disposed of his holdings here he moved to Nebraska, where he spent the last years of his life.
George Barnett accompanied his parents to Butler county in 1866, when he was fifteen years of age, and he aided his father in improving and developing the farm in Bennezette township. After reaching maturity he remained upon the homestead for a short time, but in 1873 purchased a farm on section 11. This com- prised one hundred and sixty acres and Mr. Barnett cultivated it for a number of years, making it a valuable and productive prop- erty. About 1883 he moved to Vancouver, Washington, and there spent four years in the lumber business, moving from that city to Portland, Oregon, where he conducted a sawmill and engaged in the manufacture of lumber for some time. He later returned to Vancouver and was connected with a large lumber manufacturing ยท company there as a log buyer for four years. In 1895 he returned to Iowa and, settling in Butler county, bought the property upon which he still resides. He owns a well improved farm of three hundred and twenty acres in sections 22 and 27, Bennezette town- ship, and upon this has erected substantial buildings and set out a grove of forest and pine trees, which forms an excellent wind- break for his buildings. In connection with general farming Mr. Barnett is also a stock breeder and dealer, keeping a herd of thirty head of pure-blood and high-grade Aberdeen Angus cattle. He raises also Duroc Jersey hogs and heavy work horses. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company of Aredale and was one of the promoters of the Bennezette Tele- phone Company, of which he is president.
Mr. Barnett has been twice married. He wedded first, on No- vember 25, 1883, Miss Elvira J. Alexander, who was born and reared in Canada, coming to Butler county when she was eighteen years of age. She passed away in 1899, leaving one son, Clarence E., who is aiding in the operation of the home farm. On the 13th of January, 1900, in Bennezette township, Mr. Barnett married Mrs. Katie (Reed) De Armoun, who was born and reared in the vicinity of Dumont. Mrs. Barnett has one daughter by her former marriage, Eula, who is now the wife of E. C. Miller, a farmer of Bennezette township. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Barnett have been born
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four children, Raymond R., Ruth R., Florence May and Alice Cora.
Mr. Barnett gives his political allegiance to the republican party and stands high in its councils, having served as delegate to numerous county and state conventions and having held various positions of public trust and responsibility. He has rendered excellent service on both the grand and petit juries and is now in his fifth term as assessor, discharging the duties of this office in a creditable and able manner. He and his wife are members of the Wesleyan Methodist church, of which Mr. Barnett has been trustee for years, and they are people of exemplary character, highly esteemed and respected wherever they are known.
THOMAS BETTESWORTH.
Thomas Bettesworth is numbered among the pioneers in Iowa, his residence in this state dating from 1865. He has lived in Butler county since 1872 and during the entire period of his residence here has been closely connected with agricultural inter- ests, winning success, which places him among the men of marked ability and substantial worth in the community. He was born in England, August 24, 1837, a son of George and Mary (Marchant) Bettesworth, both natives of England. The son acquired his edu- cation in the public schools of his native country. As a young man he emigrated to America, coming directly to Iowa and settling in Lyons, Clinton county, in 1865. He made his home with his brother and sister for two years and then in 1867 moved to Jackson county, where he engaged in gardening. He later estab- lished a nursery in which he raised a variety of fruit trees as well as evergreen and ornamental trees, having at one time fifteen acres planted in nursery stock. In 1872 he moved to Butler county and purchased three tracts of land in Coldwater township, his entire holdings amounting to one hundred and thirty-two acres. He later sold portions of this property and by buying adjoining pieces has his farm now all in one tract. He has added to and remodeled his house and fenced and cross fenced his fields, erected substantial buildings and set out an orchard and a grove. The farm is today one of the most attractive and valuable in this sec- tion of the state and it reflects everywhere the many years of care and labor which the owner has bestowed upon it. In addition to
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general farming, Mr. Bettesworth engages in stock-raising, keep- ing a good grade of cattle, a number of horses and some Duroc Jersey hogs, which he considers the best species for fattening for the market.
Mr. Bettesworth has been twice married. He wedded first in Jackson county, Miss Abbie Wright, who passed away in 1890, leaving two sons; the elder, Lyman resides in Texas where he is connected with a lumber company. Walter is married and engaged in farming in Butler county. Mr. Bettesworth had another son by his first marriage, who died in childhood. In 1894 Mr. Bettesworth wedded Mrs. Louisa France, a native of Ger- many, but reared in the United States. They have become the parents of a son, George L., who is aiding in the operation of the homestead.
Mr. Bettesworth was for several years road supervisor of Cold- water township and he was for some time closely identified with school affairs. He is a progressive, public-spirited and able citi- zen and is well and favorably known in Coldwater township, with the development and growth of which he has identified his inter- ests for over forty years. Although he has reached the age of seventy-six, he is still active in the world's work and seems yet in his prime in spirit and interests. A man of high character and sterling worth, he enjoys the confidence and warm regard of all who know him.
F. H. VOSS.
F. H. Voss is engaged in the grain and live-stock business at Clarksville and close application and energy are constituting the foundation upon which he is building his success. Like many substantial citizens of the county, he is of German birth, the place of his nativity being Nienberg, Hanover, while the date is April 27, 1876. His parents, Fritz and Wilhelmina (Nordmann) Voss, were also natives of Hanover, the former born January 27, 1854, and the latter on the 4th of February, 1853. They came to But- ler county, Iowa, in 1882, and settled on a farm six miles north- east of Clarksville, in Fremont township, where they resided until they retired about five years ago, taking up their abode in Clarks- ville. The father is a carpenter by trade, following that pursuit in his native land, but after coming to America he devoted his
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energies to farming. The family numbered four children: F. H .; Louise, who is the widow of H. W. Miller, of Fremont township; Millosine, the wife of F. A. Nordmann, of Butler township; and William J., who is living on the old homestead in Fremont town- ship. The two eldest came with their parents to the United States and the two youngest were born in this county.
F. H. Voss remained under the parental roof until the time of his marriage, when he began farming on his own account, establishing his home five miles northeast of Clarksville, in Butler township. After devoting three years to the tilling of the soil he removed to the town and opened a meat market, which he con- ducted for a year. He then began buying and shipping stock, which business he has followed for the past decade. He conducted a dairy for five years which he sold out in 1910. He owns a half inter- est in the Rock Island grain elevator at Clarksville in connection with a partner, C. P. Christensen, under the firm style of Voss & Christensen, the partnership having been in existence for two years. His property interests likewise include two farms in this county, one of two hundred and forty acres and the other of one hundred and sixty acres. He also has two farms in Minne- sota, one of eighty acres in Chippewa county, together with a tract of land of two hundred acres in Yellow Medicine county. In all of his business affairs he seems to prosper. His judgment is sound, his sagacity keen and his enterprise unfaltering. He seems ever to recognize the possibility for success and discrimi- nates readily between the essential and the non-essential in all business transactions. His father had only enough to buy furni- ture and two cows when the family arrived in America and F. H. Voss has made all that he has with little assistance from his father. His determined purpose has enabled him to carry for- ward to successful completion whatever he undertakes and in man- aging his private business interests he has also contributed to the general prosperity.
On the 4th of October, 1900, Mr. Voss was united in marriage to Miss Millosine Nordmann, who was born in Hanover, Ger- many, February 4, 1880, and in 1892 was brought to Butler county by her parents, Henry A. and Caroline (Frietag) Nordmann, who are now living retired in Clarksville. Mr. and Mrs. Voss are members of the German Evangelical church and this is also the faith of the family. Throughout his entire life Mr. Voss has dis- played the sterling traits of character of the German race and has made himself a valued citizen, contributing largely to the com-
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mercial enterprise and agricultural development of this part of the state. He has a circle of friends almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintance and no history of Clarksville would be complete without mention of him.
LEMUEL WYGLE.
Lemuel Wygle, one of the well known farmers and progress- ive and influential citizens of Dayton township, owning and oper- ating a valuable farm of two hundred acres on section 34, was born June 17, 1854, and is a' son of Corbin Wygle. The father was a native of Union county, Ohio, and grew to manhood there. He moved to Iowa in 1854, purchasing a tract of land in Dayton township, Butler county. This he cleared, fenced and improved and for many years thereafter carried forward the work of its development and cultivation, becoming one of the well known and substantial farmers of this locality. He died in February, 1898.
Lemuel Wygle was reared upon his father's farm, acquiring his education in the district schools. He made his first purchase of land in Jackson township, where he purchased eighty acres, which he was obliged to break before beginning the work of cul- tivation. At the end of five years he sold this property and bought one hundred and eighty-nine acres on Shell Rock river, in Day- ton township. He located upon this place and farmed it for twelve years, after which he sold his holdings and bought the farm which he now owns. He has two hundred acres on section 34, Dayton township, and this he has improved with a neat resi- dence, a large barn, a granary, cribs and other convenient out- buildings. He has fenced and cross fenced his fields and has a fine natural grove of native timber, making an effective wind- break around the house and buildings. He raises a good grade of Durham cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs and heavy work horses, and is also interested in dairying, all departments of his activities being important and profitable.
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