USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 12
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In Greene, in 1904, Dr. Nevins was united in marriage to Miss Bessie Haggerty, who was born in the vicinity of that city. Dr. Nevins is independent in his political views, supporting men and measures rather than parties. He has never sought public office. however, for his attention is centered upon his profession, in which he has won that distinction and prominence which come only as the result of unusual merit and ability and which are especially praiseworthy when, as in the case of Dr. Nevins, they have been gained by one who from early youth has been compelled to rely solely upon his own powers and resources.
MURRY P. JONES.
Among the citizens of Butler county who have been identified with her agricultural interests, but have won success sufficient to enable them to now live retired is Murry P. Jones, of Allison, who at one time was the owner of an excellent tract of land in this
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section which he brought under a high state of cultivation, convert- ing it into a model farm. He was born in Erie county, New York, August 3, 1839. His father, Nathaniel Jones, was a native of Mont- gomery county, New York, and became a pioneer of Erie county, to which he removed in 1814. He had previously served for one year as a soldier in the War of 1812. He was married in Erie county to Miss Adaline Spaulding, a native of New Eng- land and their remaining days were passed on a farm in that county, the mother only being about forty-four years of age at the time of her demise, while the father reached the advanced age of seventy-four years. They had a family of four sons and six daughters, of whom Murry P. Jones is the youngest son, although three of the daughters were younger members of the family. Four of the daughters are still living and two of the sons, the brother of our subject being J. M. Jones of Anamosa, Iowa.
No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Murry P. Jones in his boyhood and youth. He worked in the fields through the summer months and attended school in the winter seasons, and after reaching manhood he engaged in farming in Erie county, New York until 1879, when at the age of forty years, he came to Butler county, and has since resided within three miles of his present home. He made farm- ing his life work, but retired about twelve years ago. He was the owner of a quarter section of rich land which he brought under a high state of cultivation, transforming it into productive fields from which he annually gathered good harvests.
On the 14th of November, 1867, Mr. Jones married Miss Amelia Horton, who was born in Erie county, New York, July 17, 1847, a daughter of Hiram and Jane (Underhill) Horton, who were natives of New York and spent their entire lives upon farms in Erie county, where their parents had located in pioneer times removing from the eastern part of the state to Erie county, where they experienced the usual hardships and privations incident to pioneer life in a forest country. Mrs. Jones was the third in a family of five children and by her marriage has become the mother of five children. Dr. Perry Horton Jones, the eldest, is a dentist and farmer living near Fort Meyer, Florida; Lenora J., is the wife of Grant Hardman of Park Rapids, Minnesota; Ward Murry has been a teacher in the agricultural college at Ames since his gradu- ation therefrom in 1897; Ira Weston, who was graduated from Ames in 1903, studied law for two years in Des Moines and then went to Yale, completing his course there in 1906, since which
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time he has practiced his profession at Clear Lake, Iowa; and Helen M., who is a graduate of the domestic science department of the Ames agricultural college, is now teaching in the State Agri- cultural College of Kansas at Manhattan. The eldest son is a · graduate of the dental department of the State University at Iowa City. The youngest daughter is a native of Butler county, but the other children were born in Erie county, New York, although reared in this state. The son, Ward M., now has a leave of absence for one year and is giving his time to alumni work in Iowa. He has edited and managed the paper called the Alumnus for several years.
Mr. Jones was reared in the Universalist faith and has led an upright, honorable life. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he has always given his political support to the republican party since casting his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He has never sought nor desired office, however, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, which have been capably managed and have brought him the success that now enables him to live retired.
M. F. STANTON.
M. F. Stanton, familiarly known as Colonel Stanton, is one of the most successful farmers and stock-raisers of Coldwater town- ship, owning and operating a fine farm of one hundred and twenty- two acres on section 8. He is moreover an auctioneer of considerable reputation, and he has made this branch of his activity very important. He has lived in Iowa since 1867 and in Butler county since 1884, but he was born in Washington county, Wiscon- sin, December 27, 1865. His father, Thomas Stanton, was a native of New York and there grew to manhood and married Miss Anna Martin. After his marriage he moved west to Wisconsin, settling in Washington county where he resided for a few years. In 1867 he moved to Iowa, locating in Chickasaw county, where he pur- chased land and opened up a farm, engaging in agricultural pur- suits in that locality for many years.
M. F. Stanton was reared in Chickasaw county, remaining upon the homestead until he was seventeen years of age. He then moved to Butler county where he worked as a monthly farm laborer for seven or eight years. In 1893 he located in Greene and turned his
MR. AND MRS. M. F. STANTON
ARY!
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attention to the livery business, conducting a profitable enterprise of this character for three years. He later purchased a farm in Coldwater township, but sold this property in 1899, buying a farm in Bennezette township of one hundred and twenty acres, which he farmed for five years, selling this in 1904. He then bought the place upon which he now resides. Upon it he has erected sub- stantial buildings and he has installed modern labor saving ma- chinery, keeping everything about the place up-to-date in every particular. He engages in general farming and is also extensively interested in stock-raising, keeping graded cattle, horses, hogs and sheep. The farmers' annual picnic, an occasion of much impor- tance to the community, is held in the beautiful walnut grove situ- ated on Mr. Stanton's present farm. In 1909 he took a course in auctioneering at Trenton, Missouri, and in a class of sixty-five students, passed his examination with a very high average grade, reaching as high as ninety-eight in some departments. Since com- pleting this course he has conducted a number of sales in Butler, Floyd, Bremer and other counties and is well known as a suc- cessful auctioneer.
On the 23d of May, 1893, in Greene, Mr. Stanton married Miss Teresa Downing, a daughter of J. E. Downing and a sister of P. J. Downing, of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Stanton was born and reared in Butler county and was for some years engaged in teaching. She and her hus- band are the parents of four children: Catherine Anna; Ella Marie; Leo Ambrose; and Teresa Genevieve. Politically Mr. Stanton is a stanch democrat and is interested in public affairs, although not active as an office seeker. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Greene Catholic church and are people of exemplary character, commanding and holding the respect and warm regard of all who come in contact with them.
JAMES P. MARTIN.
James P. Martin is a self-made man and as the architect of his own fortunes has builded wisely and well. He knows what hard labor means and he also knows that success will crown earnest, persistent and honorable effort. He is today the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, one-half of which lies on sec- tion 25, Jackson township, and the remainder across the division
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line, in Butler township. It is, however, all in one farm. Mr. Martin is a native of Northamptonshire, England. He was born October 1, 1850, and is the eighth in a family of fifteen children, whose parents, John and Hannah (Perrin) Martin, spent their entire lives in England, where the father was a shepherd. Three of the children, William, James and Mrs. Katharine Shannon, now of Kansas, came to the United States.
James P. Martin spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his native country. He had few advantages but he was ambitious to make the most of his opportunities and believed that he might more rapidly win success in the United States. Accordingly, in June, 1871, he crossed the briny deep and made his way direct to Clarksville, coming by stage from Waverly to this place. He has resided in this county continuously since and throughout the entire time has been connected with farming interests. He did not have a dollar when he arrived and, in fact, was in debt for most of his passage. He was industrious, however, and did not fear earnest, persistent labor. He worked out by the month for five years and six months and then rented land for about ten years, during which time he carefully saved his earnings until his perseverance and industry enabled him to purchase land. He has since owned two other farms and his possessions now comprise one hundred and sixty acres of rich and arable land lying in Jack -. son and Butler townships. The place is well improved and he has brought his fields to a high state of cultivation. This farm was secured from the government by Douglas Marquand, who sold it to his son, from whom James P. Martin was the pur- chaser.
On the 13th of March, 1877, Mr. Martin was united in marriage to Miss Hattie R. Shadbolt, who was born in Clarksville, April 17, 1850, and is a daughter of Jerome and Louise Shadbolt. Her father is now deceased but the mother resides in Clarksville and the family history is given on another page of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are the parents of five children: Lulu Hannah, the wife of W. J. Sutcliff, of Waterloo, Iowa ; Anna Margaret, the wife of Robert Burroughs, of Jackson township; John J., at home; Orin William, of Waterloo; and Charles Levant, also of Waterloo.
Politically Mr. Martin has always been a republican until the last election, when he became identified with the progressive wing of the party. He is now serving for the fifth year as township trustee and has made a creditable record in public office. He has
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also filled a number of school offices and is a stanch believer in the cause of public education as one of the bulwarks of the nation. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic lodge and religiously with the Methodist Episcopal church at Clarksville. His life record may well serve as a source of inspiration and encourage- ment to others, showing what may be accomplished. One seeing him comfortably situated upon his pleasant farm in Butler county can hardly realize what a period of toil was encompassed in his youth and early manhood. For a few years he worked on a farm with teams in England and his last four years in that country were spent as a gamekeeper on an estate of five thousand acres in Northamptonshire. During the first two years and a half of his residence in America he worked in Coldwater with his brother William, who now resides in Jackson township, and during sev- eral succeeding years he was employed by his uncle, Jeremiah Perrin. He always held to the laudable ambition of one day becoming the owner of a farm and he never lost sight of this pur- pose, which he ultimately realized, winning a foremost place among the substantial and prosperous farmers of his community. He and his wife made their first trip back to their old home in England in 1912 and it was a most pleasurable occasion, renewing the friendships of early youth and looking upon the scenes amid which his childhood was passed.
JAMIN B. TRACY.
Jamin B. Tracy, who has been engaged in the nursery business for about twenty years, during the past ten of which he has main- tained his nursery in Greene, is a native son of Butler county, born in Coldwater township, November 12, 1870. His father, Edward Tracy, was born in New York state, May 16, 1835, and was reared and educated there. On February 25, 1856, he married Miss Hannah B. Backus, a native of Genesee county and soon afterward they moved west to Iowa, arriving in Butler county, March 18, 1857. The father preempted land in Coldwater town- ship, securing one hundred and seventeen acres, to which he later added eighty acres, which he purchased. Upon this property he made substantial improvements and he continued to carry for- ward the work of its development until 1910, when he sold the place and purchased a home in Greene, where he has since lived
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retired. For a number of years he was identified with the local republican organization and he has held various positions of pub- lic trust. He supported John C. Fremont in 1856 and since the organization of the republican party, has voted for every repub- lican nominee, until 1912, when he joined the ranks of the pro- gressives. He and his wife became the parents of five children: Rachel Ann, who married R. Palmatier, and who died April 13, 1913, leaving one son; Charles H., residing in Greene; Carrie. the wife of Frank Harlenske, of Pratt, Kansas; Jamin B., of this review; and Nettie, who lives at home.
Jamin B. Tracy was reared upon the home farm and acquired his education in the country schools. His advantages along this line, however, were limited and he is largely self-educated. He remained upon his father's property until he was twenty-five years of age, and then turned his attention to the nursery busi- ness, establishing a nursery upon the farm in 1893. In partner- ship with his brother, Charles H. Tracy, he acquired about twenty acres which he planted in nursery stock and evergreens, build- ing up a large and representative patronage and continuing in his original location for about eight years.
There are numerous farms throughout Butler county which have excellent fruit trees, which were supplied from the Tracy nursery. There are also a number of groves of white and Scotch pines and Norway balsam firs, which came from the same source. In 1903 the nursery stock was moved to Greene, Jamin B. Tracy purchasing a tract of land on the west side of the city. His suc- cess has continued uninterrupted and he is today numbered among the progressive and substantial business men of the city. In 1905 he established a lumberyard in connection with his nursery, putting in a good supply of lumber and building material, and he now controls an important and growing trade along this line.
On the 3d of July, 1895, in Elma, Iowa, Mr. Tracy married Miss Elcina McDonnell, who was born and reared in Howard county, but later moved to Floyd county. She was educated in Marble Rock and was a teacher for a number of years. She is the daughter of John and Christina (Fallgatter) McDonnell, na- tives of Canada and Wisconsin respectively and early settlers of Howard county, Louisiana. Mrs. McDonnell died February 17, 1895. Mr. McDonnell is now a resident of Roberts, Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Tracy became the parents of three children: Mearl V .; Edward Daniel; and Lucile E. Mrs. Tracy is a poultry fancier of considerable reputation, and breeds white Plymouth Rock
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chickens and white Pekin ducks and white Embden geese. She has entered exhibits at numerous poultry shows and has taken a number of premiums. Mr. Tracy is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he has served through all the chairs and is now past grand. He and his wife are members of the Rebekahs and they attend the Methodist Epis- copal church. They are people of the highest respectability well known and greatly esteemed throughout Coldwater township where they have a representative circle of friends.
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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.
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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