USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa: a record of settlement., Volume 2 > Part 29
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In Coldwater township, on the 22d of April, 1908, Mr. Schnee was united in marriage to Miss Ida Tinnemann, who was born, reared and educated in Butler county and who formerly engaged in teaching. Mr. and Mrs. Schnee have become the parents of a daughter, Martha Marie. Mrs. Schnee is a member of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Schnee is connected fraternally with the Knights of Pythias. He gives his political allegiance to the democratic party, but has never held office, preferring to concen- trate his attention upon his business affairs, which are capably conducted and have brought him a gratifying measure of success.
ANDREW J. MCELHANEY.
Agricultural pursuits have found a worthy representative in Andrew J. McElhaney, who resides on section 30, Butler town- ship. Busily employed in the development of his farm, he has little time for outside interests, and the success, which is reward -- ing his labors, is the direct result of his industry and enterprise. He was born in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1840, a son of George and Ann (Bolen) McElhaney. The father was also a native of the same county, born September 6, 1818, while the mother's birth occurred in Bedford county, Pennsylvania,
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October 15, 1813. She was the daughter of George Bolen, a sol- dier in the Revolutionary war, who served at Valley Forge and went through all the hardships of that memorable winter. He, too, was a native of the Keystone state, as was the paternal grand- father of our subject, who came of Scotch parentage. Mr. and Mrs. George McElhaney remained in Pennsylvania until the fall of 1852, when they removed to DeKalb county, Illinois, and there resided until 1857. In that year they settled in Bremer county, Iowa, and in 1858 came to Butler county, locating on a farm near Butler Center. Subsequently they went to Nebraska, where Mr. McElhaney died about fifteen years ago. His widow now makes her home with her daughter in Waverly, Iowa, and she was one hundred years of age on the 15th of October, 1913. While in the east George McElhaney was a boatman on the canal but after removing to the west followed farming. To him and his wife were born eight children: Andrew J .; Mrs. Mary Ann McGregor, of Butler county; Mrs. Sarah Sewell, of Waverly, Iowa; Wash- ington, who is living in South Dakota; Martha, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska; John; Jane, whose home is in Illinois; and James, of Wheatland, Wyoming. He served for three years in the Civil war, enlisting at Clarksville as a member of Company I, Third Iowa Infantry.
A similar spirit of patriotism prompted Andrew J. McElha- ney to go to the defense of his country during the dark hour in its history. He enlisted on the 24th of May, 1861, as a member of Company B, Fifteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until June 27, 1865, being mustered out at Springfield, Illinois. He was captured at Moon Station, Georgia, and held as a prisoner of war for seven months, being incarcerated at Andersonville. It was not until the 29th of April, 1865, follow- ing the surrender of General Lee, that he was released. He participated in many of the most hotly contested engagements, including the battles of Shiloh, Fort Donelson, Corinth, Bighatchie and the siege of Vicksburg, beside many others of less importance. The first year of his military experience was spent in Missouri, following Price. Later he was with the army of the west under Generals Grant and Sherman. He went through all of the experi- ences incident to army life, never wavered in the face of danger and by reason of his courage and loyalty, returned home with a most creditable military record.
When the war was over, Mr. McElhaney began farming in DeKalb county, Illinois, where he remained for three years and
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then came to Butler county. He has resided upon his present place for more than thirty-six years, having sixty-three acres on sections 19 and 30, devoted to general farming and stock-raising. His business affairs are capably conducted, and the neat and thrifty appearance of his place indicates his careful supervision and progressive methods.
In September, 1865, almost immediately after his return from the army, Mr. McElhaney was married to Miss Elida Scholl- maker, who was born in Boone county, Illinois, June 13, 1846, and is a daughter of Nicholas and Priscilla (Strawn) Scholl- maker. Her father was a native of New York, and her mother of Canada, and both died in Clarksville. Mr. and Mrs. McElha- ney have six children : Fred Albert, now living in Bremer county; Mrs. Julia Surfess, who died, leaving one child; George, of Nebraska; May, the wife of Bert Sturdevant, of South Dakota; Myrtle, the wife of Ed Roberts, living on a farm adjoining her father's; and John, who operates the old home farm.
In politics Mr. McElhaney has always been a stalwart repub- lican, exercising his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the party, yet he has never sought nor held office. His religious faith is evidenced in his membership in the Chris- tian church. This has been the guiding spirit of his life and has made him one of the respected citizens of Butler county, his integrity of character being acknowledged by all.
W. H. HICKLE.
W. H. Hickle, one of the substantial residents of Clarksville, has resided in the town for the past twelve years, prior to which time he was actively engaged in farming. He also bought and shipped stock for several years, and his carefully managed busi- ness affairs brought him a gratifying measure of success, that now enables him to live retired. He was born in Ross county, Ohio, December 10, 1842, a son of John and Hester Ann (Van Gundy) Hickle. Their family numbered seven children, of whom six are now living. Two of their sons, Jacob H. and John Alfred, enlisted from this county for active service in the Civil war, the former being a member of the Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry and the latter of the Eighth Iowa Cavalry.
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W. H. Hickle, the second in order of birth, was brought to this county by his parents from McLean county, Illinois, the fam- ily home having previously been in the vicinity of Bloomington, Illinois, for about eight or ten years. They arrived in Butler county on the 10th of May, 1856, and cast their lot with its pioneer settlers. Much of the land was still unclaimed and uncultivated, and the work of progress and improvement seemed scarcely begun. In June the prairies were starred with a million wild flowers and in December were covered with one dazzling and unbroken sheet of snow. One could ride for miles without coming to a fence to impede his progress, but as the years passed on the work of devel- opment was carried forward by a resolute, energetic band of pioneer settlers and Butler county has been brought to its present state of progress and improvement.
W. H. Hickle was fourteen years of age at the time of the removal to this county and was here reared to share with the family in the arduous duties of frontier life. After attaining his majority he began farming on his own account, remaining at home until the time of his marriage, after which he farmed in Jackson township until he put aside business cares. He had one hundred and twenty acres in the home place and at different times owned other tracts of land. In addition to cultivating the cereals best adapted to soil and climate he also engaged in buying and shipping stock for several years and his business affairs were so capably and successfully managed that he now finds it possible to live retired without further recourse to labor, in order to pro- vide himself and family with the necessities and comforts of life.
In 1867 Mr. Hickle was married to Mrs. Lydia Wilcox Hen- derson, a widow, who was born in New York, and at an early day became a resident of Dubuque county, Iowa. She died in But- ler county, May 2, 1905, at the of fifty-six years. There were three children of that marriage: Frank, who died in infancy ; May, who died at the age of two years; and Stella, the wife of George Atkinson, of Washington Springs, South Dakota, by whom she has two children, Lucile and Mary Ranelda.
In political views Mr. Hickle has always been an earnest re- publican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, and he cast his first presidential vote for President Lincoln at his second election. Mr. Hickle has been called upon to fill a num- ber of township offices including that of clerk and trustee, and he has also served in a number of school offices, the cause of edu- cation finding in him a stalwart champion. His religious faith is
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that of the Baptist church, and his life has been guided by its teachings. He is regarded as one of the substantial and respected citizens of Clarksville and well deserves mention among the rep- resentative men of this county, in which he has now lived for fifty-seven years, his memory forming a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present, while in the work of general development he has always borne his part.
REV. CONRAD WELTNER.
Rev. Conrad Weltner has for the past thirty years been pastor of the Lutheran St. John congregation of Vilmar and is also at the head of a new church which he has recently completed at Allison. He was born at Melsungen, Hesse-Cassel, Germany, on the 12th of April, 1862, and was baptized on the 30th of the same month. His parents, Martin and Margaretha (Riemann) Weltner, were married on the 19th of December, 1858, and became the parents of four children, namely: William, who acts as pastor of a church at Lizard, Iowa; Conrad, of this review; Carl; and Helen.
After his confirmation Conrad Weltner entered the Latin school of Pastor Kloeffler in his native city and a year later be- came a student in the Mission Institute of Metropolitan Vilmar at Melsungen. In June, 1880, he emigrated to the United States with four other students and entered the Theological Seminary of the Lutheran Iowa Synod at Mendota, Illinois, being there placed under the care of the well known Drs. Siegmund and Gott- fried Fritschel. In July, 1881, he became an assistant of the Rev. George Landgrebe at Toeterville, Mitchell county, Iowa. On the 6th of November of the same year he received his first call from the Lutheran congregation at Myrtle, Minnesota, and on the 14th of December, 1883, he accepted a call from the Lutheran St. John congregation of Vilmar, Butler county, Iowa, where he has re- mained as pastor throughout the intervening thirty years. He has ever labored with consecrated zeal and his efforts have been a potent element in the moral development of the community. The new church at Allison which was recently completed by him also receives his services as pastor.
, ·On the 8th of September, 1886, Rev. Weltner was united in marriage to Miss Dorothea Lehmann, a daughter of Fred and Auguste (Schwitzke) Lehmann, of Watertown, Wisconsin. They
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REV. CONRAD WELTNER
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have six children, as follows: Lillie, who was born on the 23d of January, 1890, and baptized on the 2d of February ; Carl, born Sep- tember 27, 1891, who was baptized on the 11th of October; William, who was born December 17, 1892, and baptized December 30th; Kurt, who was born on the 19th of October, 1894, and baptized November 4th; Paul, born January 15, 1898, who was baptized on the 6th of February; and Emma, whose birth occurred Decem- ber 5, 1900, and who was baptized on January 1st of the following year.
WILLIAM FOLKERS.
William Folkers is busily engaged in general farming on the old family homestead on section 14, West Point township, to which place his parents removed when he was but two weeks old. He was born in Freeport, Illinois, March 11, 1876, a son of Wil- liam and Halka (Jensen) Folkers, who were natives of Hanover, Germany, the former born October 12, 1833, and the latter Jan- uary 18, 1838. They were married in 1864 and in 1867 became residents of Freeport, Illinois, where they resided for nine years. On the expiration of that period they removed westward to But- ler county and for thirty-seven years have remained upon the farm which is now their home. The father has devoted his entire life to general agricultural pursuits. He arrived in the United . States empty-handed, but he believed this to be the land of opportunity and resolved to win success, if it could be secured through indefatigable industry and honorable methods. As time passed on he kept adding to his possessions until he became the owner of six hundred and eighty acres in West Point township, but he has since disposed of all of this to his children, except the home place, comprising a quarter of section 14. He carried on general farming and stock-raising for many years but during the past fifteen years has lived retired, leaving the active work of the fields to others. He is a member of the German Lutheran church of Vilmar, to which his wife and children also belong, and earnest Christian principles have actuated him in all of his life record. His political support has ever been given to the democratic party. To Mr. and Mrs. Folkers have been born eight children: Folkert, who is living in West Point township; Bertha, the wife of F. G. Brennecke of Sumner; Frank, a veterinarian, practicing his pro-
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fession in Allison; Katie, the wife of Henry Maas, of Coldwater township; Hikko, of West Point township; William, of this review; Helen, the wife of Herman Ladage, of Plainfield, Iowa; and Agnes, who is with her parents.
William Folkers was brought to the farm upon which he now resides when two weeks old and has since lived here, although he and his family now occupy a home separate from his parents. He was reared to farm life, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. Fifteen years ago he took charge of the old homestead and has since relieved his father of all care and responsibility in connection with its cultivation. He now owns eighty acres north of Allison, adjoining the corporate limits, which he rents. He is capable and energetic in his business affairs and is justly accounted one of the leading farmers of his community.
In August, 1898, Mr. Folkers was united in marriage to Miss Lena Schroder, who was born in Illinois, June 30, 1876, and in her childhood days was brought to Butler county by her parents, John and Dora (Bane) Schroder, natives of Germany. Her father died here, but her mother is now a resident of Allison. Mr. and Mrs. Folkers have two children, Flossie and John. The parents are members of the Lutheran church, taking an active and helpful interest in its work. Mr. Folkers gives his political allegiance to the democratic party but has no desire for public office. He feels that all of his time should be given to his busi- ness affairs, and he is an energetic man, persistent and reliable, who well deserves classification with the representative agricul- turists of the county in which he has spent practically his entire life.
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HENRY DE GROOTE, SR.
Henry De Groote, Sr., a well known farmer of Albion town- ship, was born in Germany, October 8, 1857. He is a son of John and Trena (Harmes) De Groote, also natives of the fatherland, the former born in 1833 and the latter in 1824. The parents came to Iowa in 1884, and the father worked as a farm laborer in this state until his death, which occurred January 12, 1912. His wife has also passed away, dying March 31, 1891.
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Henry De Groote, Sr., is one of a family of three children. He acquired his education in the public schools of Germany, attending until he was fourteen years of age, after which he worked upon a farm in his native land until 1882. In that year he crossed the Atlantic to America and settled in Grundy county, Iowa, whence after eight years he came to Butler county, where he has since resided. In 1902 he bought two hundred and seven- ty-eight acres of land on sections 24 and 25, Albion township, and upon this property raises small grain and hay and is also extensively interested in dairying and stock-raising, keeping one hundred hogs, sixty head of cattle and twenty horses.
In Germany, on the 27th of November, 1880, our subject mar- ried Miss Antje Jacobs. They became the parents of ten chil- dren. Henry, Jr., is a farmer in Albion township. He married ' Lezzie Van Hauen, and they had four children. Trena has passed away. Joe lives at home. Anna married William Hassman, a . . farmer in Albion township, and they have three children. Jacob has passed away. The other members of this family are, Jacob, the second of the name, Harry, Thomas, Andrew and Greta.
Mr. De Groote, Sr., is a member of the Reformed church and a republican in his political beliefs. He is one of the most highly respected citizens of Albion township, where he has resided for many years and where he holds the esteem and confidence of all who are associated with him.
JOHN KALKWARF.
John Kalkwarf, a progressive and able agriculturist of But- ler county, owning and operating one hundred and fifty acres on section 1, Monroe township, was born in Germany on the 28th of September, 1855. He is a son of Henry and Flora (Sanders) Kalkwarf, also natives of that country, the former born in 1815 and the latter in 1824. The father, who was a linen weaver by trade, died in 1896, having survived his wife six years. They were the parents of seven children, Gertrude, Trena, Rena, John, Reint, Flora, and Fannie.
John Kalkwarf attended school in Germany until he was fourteen years of age and afterward worked on a farm in that country until 1883. He then came to America, settling in Grundy county, Iowa, where he engaged as a farm laborer for six years.
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In 1890 he came to Butler county and after renting land for four years bought one hundred and fifty acres on section 1, Monroe township. He has operated this property since that time and has been very successful, his general farming and stock-raising interests being today extensive and important. Mr. Kalkwarf raises hay, corn and oats, all of which he feeds to his stock, keep- ing on an average thirty head of cattle, forty hogs and nine horses. His animals are sold in the local market, where they command a high price and a ready sale.
On the 1st of February, 1889, in Grundy county, Mr. Kalk- warf married Miss Fraukelena Kliege, a daughter of Ernest and Foske (De Vries) Kliege, the former a well known farmer of that locality. Mrs. Kalkwarf died in 1909, when she was about forty years of age, leaving nine children, Lena, Florence, Henry, John, Gertie, Dena, Ernest, Elsena and Fred. Lena married Cornelius Jurgens, who is engaged in farming in Ripley town- ship.
Mr. Kalkwarf attends the German Reformed church and is a republican in his political beliefs. For six years he was a mem- ber of the school board, and he is at all times interested in com- munity affairs, cooperating heartily in all measures and projects for general advancement and growth. He has an enviable repu- tation in Butler county, holding the esteem and confidence of an extensive circle of friends.
FRANK S. KILSON.
The Tall Pine Stock Farm, situated on section 29, West Point township, is the property of Frank S. Kilson. It bears an ap- propriate name because of the fine pine trees upon the place, which were set out by Lewis Kilson, father of our subject. Here the son is conducting a profitable business as a stock-raiser, making a specialty of black polled cattle, his herd at the present time num- bering ninety head. He has come to be recognized as an authority upon stock-raising in this part of the state and his success pro- claims his judgment to be sound and his methods enterprising.
Frank S. Kilson was born in McHenry county, Illinois, June 28, 1854, and is a son of Lewis and Carry (Nelson) Kilson, both natives of Norway, born on the 28th of November, 1807, and in
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MR. AND MRS. FRANK KILSON
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June, 1822, respectively. Both came to the United States about 1831 and after spending a winter in Cincinnati, Ohio, Lewis Kil- son removed to Illinois. The mother of our subject on crossing the Atlantic went to Dane county, Wisconsin, and there became the wife of Iver Nelson. There were several children by that marriage but the husband and the children all passed away in Wisconsin. Following the death of her first husband Mrs. Nelson became the wife of Lewis Kilson. He, too, had been married before when in Illinois and there were three children by that union. These were: Anna, now the deceased wife of Silas F. Woodworth; Albert M., of Garden City, Kansas, who is a pioneer of that state and has served in the Kansas legislature; and Martha A., the deceased wife of John Wilks, who has been a member of the senate of South Dakota. Following the marriage of the parents of our subject they established their home in Illinois, but in October, 1855, came to Butler county, Iowa, removing from Woodstock, Illinois, and taking up their abode upon what is now the old Kilson homestead. In June, 1855, Mr. Kilson had visited this section of the state and had secured a government claim. In fact, he had entered three eighty-acre tracts and he purchased other land until he was the owner of a half section. This he greatly improved, converting it into productive fields, and upon the farm he spent his remaining days, his life's labors being terminated in 1889. For eight years he had survived his wife, who died in 1881. In early life he was a mechanic, but throughout all his later years he followed farming. However, his labors ever displayed mechanical ingenuity and in the early days he made cutlery, after which he would go out and sell the knives. He also made candlesticks in Illinois before re- moving to this state and he was very ingenious in producing these different mechanical devices. He became a very well informed man, possessed ever a receptive mind and a retentive memory. After coming to the new world he adopted the customs of the country in every respect, even dropping the language of his native land and becoming thoroughly American. He never lost his love for his native land, but he had the strongest attachment for his adopted country and there could be found no native son whose loyalty was greater. In politics Lewis Kilson was a stanch repub- lican and he always kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day. His religious faith was that of the Presbyterian de- nomination and he assisted in the building of a number of churches. In a word, he was a good citizen, ever deeply interested in the material, intellectual, political, social and moral progress of
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the county. He won a fair measure of success for his day and he lived to see the district in which he located become the habitation of a prosperous and contented people. When he arrived here Dubuque was the nearest railroad point and later a line was built to Cedar. Falls, and it was not until after the war that Butler county had a railroad. From pioneer times to the present the name of Kil- son has figured prominently in connection with the history of the county, its bearers taking active part in the work of upbuilding and development.
Frank S. Kilson is the eldest of six children, the others being: George E., who for the past thirty years has lived in California, spending twenty-seven years of this time as station agent at Sati- coy; Alice, the wife of J. T. Thompson, of Norfolk, Nebraska, whose father, Charles Thompson, established the Iowa Central Stock Farm of Butler county; Charles Grant, living two and a half miles southeast of Allison; Walter L., who was born in 1866 and died in 1905; and Oscar, who died at the age of three years. A half-brother, Albert M., enlisted from Butler county in 1864, in the Second Iowa Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, while his son Charles was in the Spanish-American war, was shot in the Philippines and now resides in Scott City, Kansas.
Frank S. Kilson, numbered among the honored pioneer resi- dents of the county, has here resided since the fall of 1855, arriv- ing when a babe of little more than a year. He has always carried on farming, starting out in business life on his own account at the time of his marriage, and after his father's death he pur- chased the interests of the other heirs in the home place and is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres of rich and arable land on section 29, West Point township. It is an attractive place, con- stituting one of the pleasing features in the landscape, and most of the improvements upon the farm are tangible evidences of the thrift and enterprising spirit of the owner. The soil is very fertile and he raises large crops, which he cultivates according to the most modern methods. He also keeps good stock and is well known as a dealer in cattle, making a specialty of black polled cattle, of which he now has ninety head. Many of these are full-blooded animals, which he raises for beef.
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