USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 15
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Jones, the former having won his title by service in the Civil war. He was also sheriff of this county for three terms.
Fraternally Mr. McIntyre is a Mason, belonging to the lodge at Shell Rock and the chapter at Clarksville.
He is also connected with the Knights of Pythias and with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both at Shell Rock. His political support is given to the republican party, and he is ever interested in the welfare of county, state and nation. He is known as the father of the primary in Butler county, being a leader in the movement that secured its adoption. He used his paper to advo- cate the cause and his efforts resulted in the volunteer use of primaries in this county before the state law was passed requir- ing it. This was a protest against the wrongful manipulation of the old caucus system. Mr. McIntyre was a candidate for the office of state senator from the district comprising Butler and Bremer counties in a contest with E. W. Soesbe and later with Charles Gates of Greene. Mr. McIntyre took an active part in the formation of the Republican state league and was president of the third congressional district and was chairman of the national committee of league work. He represented the league in indorsing a presidential candidate for nomination in 1896. This was in the interest of Senator Allison and in accordance with the constitution of the league. This work took him to Washington and to New York city. He has always been more or less active in politics and at all times has been actuated by a spirit of devotion to the public good. Progress and patriotism might be termed the keynote of his character.
BAINBRIDGE LEAVENS.
Bainbridge Leavens, now in his eightieth year, is living on a farm on section 25, Butler township, not far from Shell Rock. He is the owner of three hundred and sixty acres of valuable land, and his holdings represent a life of industry and thrift, for all his pos- sessions have been acquired through his own efforts. Mr. Leavens was born in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, July 1, 1834, a son of Stephen and Juliet (Merrick) Leavens. The father was born in Massa- chusetts, August 16, 1802, and the mother's birth occurred in New York, August 20, 1809. When their son Bainbridge was two years of age they started for DuPage county, Illinois, but the
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father died while en route. The mother continued on her way to Illinois and while living in that state married again. She had three children by her first marriage, and there were two sons and a daughter by the second union. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Leavens were Stephen, who was born March 31, 1830, and is now deceased; Bainbridge; and Francis, born July 24, 1836, who has also passed away.
Bainbridge Leavens remained in DuPage county with his mother until he came to Butler county, in 1857, casting in his lot with the early settlers of this part of the state. He took up his abode upon the farm which is still his home, his stepfather having entered the land in his name. The patent issued in 1854 is signed by President Franklin Pierce, and gives Mr. Leavens title to the southwest quarter of section 25, range 92. It has never passed from his possession and is still occupied by Mr. Leavens, who now has three hundred and sixty acres, constituting a rich and produc- tive farm, while he and his sons have elsewhere in the township five hundred acres. His life has been devoted to general farming and stock-raising, and his business affairs have been capably inan- aged, bringing him a substantial and well merited return for his labors.
On the 22d of October, 1862, Mr. Leavens was married to Miss Adaline E. Wheeler, who was born in Chautauqua county, New York, April 22, 1838, and came with her parents to the middle west. She died in December, 1882, leaving three children: Eu- gene Le Roy, who operates the home farm for his father, and who was born September 15, 1863, and married Julia H. Wood, by whom he has three children, Adaline, Ethel and Bainbridge; Niles Wheeler, born May 14, 1865, who was accidently killed by the dis- charge of a gun in 1888; and Martin Bailey, born April 21, 1875, who married Ethel Corey. They reside in California and have one son, Martin Bailey, junior.
Since casting his first presidential ballot for John C. Fremont in 1856, Bainbridge Leavens has always voted for the candidates of the republican party until 1912, when he cast a ballot for Roose- velt, thus announcing his support of the progressive movement. For nine years he served on the board of county supervisors and his reelection to the office, in which he remained for three terms, indicated his capability, efficiency and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He is a Mason, belonging to Escal- lop Lodge, No. 261, A. F. & A. M., at Shell Rock and to Jethro Chapter, R. A. M., at Waverly. Mr. Leavens is truly a self-made
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man. He owes his success entirely to his persistent, earnest lab- o1'S. While he lost his father at an early age, his stepfather was kind and helpful to him, so that he did not recognize the loss of his natural parent. He was trained to habits of industry and economy and thus given an excellent foundation upon which to build success. Wishing to make his fortune on the frontier, he came to Iowa in a covered wagon drawn by oxen, reaching his destination after about a month's travel, the Mississippi river be- ing crossed by a ferry-boat. When they were in the middle of the river the cattle came very near sinking the ferry and some- thing had to be done. A man of much strength, who was a passen- ger on the boat, then pushed the cattle into the river and they swam across, the boat being thus saved from sinking. During the first year of Mr. Leaven's residence here five young wolves were dug out of a hole by his farm and he tamed one of them so that it became very gentle and played like a dog.
An old Indian trail crossed the farm from northeast to south- west and was from eight inches to a foot wide and where nothing impeded it was as straight as a line. Every phase of pioneer life is familiar to Mr. Leavens. The nearest railroad point was at Dunleath, opposite Dubuque. No roads were cut through at the time of his arrival in Butler county. He has witnessed the advance of land values from one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre to one hundred and seventy-five dollars per acre. His memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present, and he relates many interesting incidents of the early days when Butler county was on the frontier. He has lived to see wonderful changes and has borne his full share in the work of development.
DIRK ROTTINK.
Various countries have furnished citizens to Butler county and America has been termed a great melting pot where the na- tionalities have been fused into an American citizenship wherein are blended the strongest, most stable and most commendable characteristics of the different peoples. At all events, the sons of Holland, now living in Butler county, are recognized as a valu- able element here and to this class belongs Dirk Rottink, who was born in Holland, on the 5th of May, 1864, a son of Gerrit and Johan-
DIRK ROTTINK AND FAMILY
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nah (Buttega) Rottink, who spent their entire lives in their native land. Dirk Rottink is the seventh in order of birth in a family of nine children. His brothers, John and Herman, came to the United States, John being the first to cross the Atlantic, then Dirk and last Herman. All still reside in Butler county, and sketches of Herman and John Rottink are given elsewhere in this volume.
Reared in his native land, Dirk Rottink was employed in a weaving factory until he came to Iowa, in 1882, when a youth of eighteen years, his brother having sent him a ticket and sev- enty-five dollars in money with which to come to the United States. He traveled as a steerage passenger across the Atlantic, joined his brother in this county and began work on a farm at fifteen dollars per month. He was employed in that way for four years, after which he rented a farm for seven years. He next purchased eighty acres of land in Beaver township, which he cultivated for ten years and then sold that property, investing in his present farm of two hundred and eighty acres on sections 8 and 9 Rip- ley township. Here he carries on general farming and stock- raising and has been very successful since starting out in life for himself in the new world. He has recently completed a modern residence of eight rooms and is preparing to take life easy, let- ting his sons operate the farm. He prefers, however, to live in the country rather than in town as so many do who practically retire from farm life.
In 1886 Mr. Rottink was united in marriage to Miss Johannah Menkens, who was born in Holland, April 20, 1851, and came alone to the new world in 1883. They have four children who are living: Anna May, Henry D., Willie H. and Harry John, and they lost three children in infancy. The living children all yet remain at home and the sons are operating the farm, which will net them about five thousand dollars for the present year, of which sum they give their father one thousand dollars.
Mr. Rottink resided in a city in his native land and worked at the weaver's trade, but on coming to America he decided to de- vote himself to agricultural pursuits and has always remained upon the farm. He made two trips back to the old country, going first in January. 1908, and again in November of the same year, returning from the second trip in 1909. These trips made him more than ever satisfied with his home in Iowa, for in Hol- land he saw people who had worked harder than he and yet who had nothing, while he was in possession of a good property and
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a substantial income. In politics he has been a republican since the right of franchise was conferred upon him in 1887. He is a member of the Evangelical church in Ripley township, and his life has ever been actuated by high and honorable principles, never permitting him to take advantage of another. He has al- ways depended on industry and determination for his success and has therefore also won an honorable name.
CHARLES BORNEMAN.
For a number of years past Charles Borneman has been closely and influentially connected with agricultural and stock-raising in- terests of Butler county and is today one of the largest landown- ers in Madison township, his holdings comprising eight hundred acres. He is numbered among the early settlers in Iowa, his resi- dence here dating from 1877, but he was born in Germany in 1853. He remained in his native country until he was fourteen years of age and began his education in the public schools. In 1867 he came to America and joined his older brother, Fred, in Evansville, Indiana, where he worked on a farm during the summers and attended school in the winter months. In 1877 he came to Iowa and for a time worked by the month on a farm in Franklin county. After his marriage, which occurred in 1877, he rented land for several years and finally purchased one hundred and sixty acres on the county line in Butler county, a tract which forms a portion of his present farm. This was all wild land which Mr. Borneman broke, fenced and improved, providing the place with a com- fortable dwelling. From time to time he added to his holdings until his farm reached its present extensive proportions, making him one of the largest landowners in his locality. On the east side of his section, facing the road, Mr. Borneman has erected a two- story modern house and has provided the place also with a good barn, a granary and corn cribs, and convenient outbuildings shel- tered from the wind by a grove of forest and evergreen trees. In addition to general farming he also engages in stock-raising on an extensive scale and his interests, being carefully managed, have brought him an enviable degree of success.
In Franklin county, September 25, 1877, Mr. Borneman mar- ried Miss Sophia Nulty, a native of Germany, who was brought to America at the age of seven and reared in Franklin county.
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To this union were born eleven children, three of whom have passed away. Those living are: Minnie, born December 4, 1878; Adolph, born January 27, 1880; Sophia, born August 19, 1887; Fred C., born October 19, 1890; William, born February 10, 1893; John C., born September 15, 1895; Louie, born May 30, 1898, attending school; and Bertha, born May 4, 1908. Adolph, Fred C., William and John C. are all aiding in the operation of the home- stead. Charles, whose birth occurred December 6, 1884, died in 1910 at the age of twenty-five. Henry, born November 11, 1882, passed away at the age of one and a daughter, Lena, born June 7, 1904, died February 9, 1905.
Mr. Borneman is independent in his political views, support- ing men and measures rather than parties. He served as road master for a number of years and was for eighteen years school director, the cause of education finding in him an earnest and able champion. He has been a delegate to a number of county conven- tions and has served also on the grand and petit juries. He and his family attend the United Brethren church. His is a splendid example of the value of energy, perseverance and enterprise in attaining success, for he began his independent career upon rented land and by frugal living and intelligent management has worked his way upward to success, standing today among the large land- owners and representative farmers and stock-raisers of his locality.
JAMES ALLAN.
From bonnie Scotland came James Allan, who still has strong love for the land of his birth as well as an ardent attachment for the land of his adoption, which has afforded him advantages that have enabled him to win success and become one of the men of affluence of Jefferson township. He makes his home on section 4, and although he was practically empty-handed when he came to the new world, he is now the possessor of a farm valued at fifty thousand dollars. He was born at Callander, Perthshire, Scot- land, May 15, 1839, and is a son of Benjamin and Christina (Mc- Laughlin) Allan, who spent their entire lives in the land of hills and heather. James was the third in order of birth in their family of nine children, of whom but two are now living, his sister being Mrs. Christina McFarland, a widow residing in Cedar Rapids.
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James Allan, who is her junior and the only other living mem- ber of the family, spent not only his youth and early manhood in Scotland, but remained there to the age of forty-four years, com- ing to the United States in 1883. His investigations of the oppor- tunities offered in this land, led him to send for his family the following year. He had learned and followed the stone cutter's trade in his native country, and he took up work at his trade after coming to Iowa and only recently ceased to labor along that line. On bringing his family, however, he established his home upon a farm, which he yet owns and occupies. His first purchase com- prised eighty acres, but as his financial resources increased he ex- tended the boundaries of his farm until it now comprises three hundred and twenty acres on section 4, Jefferson township. James Allan now leaves the active work of the fields to others, his son having charge of a part of it. The place is the visible evidence of a well spent life, for he was but eleven years of age when his father, who was a practicing physician, passed away in Scotland at the age of forty-eight. It became necessary soon afterward for James Allan to earn his own livelihood and from that time forward he has been dependent entirely upon his own resources. He bought his first eighty acres for eighteen dollars per acre, but when the deal was completed he still owed eight hundred dollars on the transaction. He gave his wife eighteen dollars, all that he had left, with which to meet the family expenses and then sought work at his trade, while the farm work was conducted by his wife and children. As a stone cutter he earned money necessary to develop the farm and the family passed through hard times. When nec- essary to go to town on business, he would frequently be all day without a meal, but perseverance and energy conquered all diffi- culties and the farm property today is worth fifty thousand dol- lars. Mr. Allan has always regretted that he did not come to the United States earlier, but in the comparatively brief period of his residence here he has made rapid progress and is today numbered among the men of affluence in his community.
In 1864 occurred the marriage of Mr. Allan to Miss Mary Ann Leather, who was born in Cumberland, England, March 23, 1841. and there resided until her marriage, which was celebrated in her native land, Mr. Allan having gone from Scotland to England when twenty years of age. Five children were born unto them: David, who died at the age of two years; John, living in West Point town- ship; Sarah Jane, the wife of Burt Curtis, of Jackson township; William, also living in Jackson township; and Christina, the wife
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of Frank Beryls of Minnesota. The parents hold membership in the Presbyterian church, and their lives have been guided by high and honorable principles, which have won for them the warm and endearing regard of all who know them. Mr. Allan has never deviated from a course which he believed to be right between him- self and his fellowmen, but has endeavored to do unto others as he would have them do unto him and in his business career has demonstrated the truth of the old adage that honesty is the best policy.
WILLARD FREDERICK BROWN.
Willard Frederick Brown owns and operates two large grist- mills at Shell Rock and is thus prominently connected with indus- trial activity. He is also a representative of agricultural interests as the owner of an excellent farm of two hundred and forty acres in Shell Rock township. He was born in Delaware county, New York, August 14, 1864, and eight years later was brought to Shell Rock, Iowa, by his widowed mother and his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Wright. Mr. Wright was at that time pro- prietor of a mill at this place. Mr. Brown's parents were Fred- erick and Mary (Follett) Brown, natives of Otsego county, New York. The father died when the son was eight years of age. He had been identified with the manufacture of lumber and of doors, sashes and blinds. Following the death of her husband the mother came here to reside with her sister Mrs. Anna J. Wright, who was born in Otsego county, New York. Mr. Wright built the west side mill at Shell Rock. Two years after her arrival Mrs. Brown passed away, thus leaving the subject of this review an orphan boy. He continued to reside with his aunt and uncle until the lat- ter's death on Christmas day of 1891. He began working in the mill in 1885 and has continued in the business since that time, having charge of it since the uncle's death. In 1903 he purchased the east side mill and now operates mills both on the east and west sides. They were originally flour mills but they are now operated as merchant and customs grinding mills in connection with the conduct of a grain and elevator business. He buys and sells all kinds of grain and has done important work as a factor in promot- ing business activity in this section. His enterprise and energy have made him well known, and he is highly esteemed for his busi- ness integrity.
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On the 14th of December, 1905, Mr. Brown was united in mar- riage to Miss Lillian E. Carson, a native of Wisconsin, who was, however, reared in Iowa. She is the daughter of J. H. and Celesta Carson. Her father is now deceased, but her mother is a resident of California.
Mr. Brown served on the city council for about fifteen years and exercised his official prerogatives in support of many bene- ficial and public measures. His political allegiance was formerly given to the republican party, but he is now a stanch advocate of the progressive party. His fraternal relations are with the Elks and the Knights of Pythias and in those organizations he has many friends. He is ever a genial social gentleman, always cour- teous and always thoroughly reliable, and he ranks with the valued and representative men of Butler county.
HERMAN F. WILD.
Prominent among the energetic, capable and farsighted busi- ness men of Allison is Herman F. Wild, the vice president of the State Bank and vice president of the Craig-Ray Abstract Com- pany. Correctly judging of his own capacities and powers and of those things which go to make up life's contacts and experiences, he has so directed his interests and utilized his time that the re- sults have been most gratifying, his efforts contributing to gen- eral prosperity as well as to individual success. He was born in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany, November 23, 1864, and is a son of Abram and Caroline (Miller) Wild, who were also natives of that locality and spent their entire lives there as farming people. Herman F. Wild was the youngest of their seven children. He had two brothers and a sister who came to the United States: Abram, who died in Michigan ; Rudolph, of California ; and Katharine, the wife of Abram Wild, of Cedar Falls, who although of the same name was not a relative.
Herman F. Wild remained under the parental roof until six- teen years of age and then bade adieu to family, friends and the fatherland and came direct to Iowa, settling at Cedar Falls, in Blackhawk county, where he joined his sister, who had been in this country for six or seven years. During the succeeding winter he attended the public schools and thus learned the English lan- guage. In the following spring he worked in a brickyard and the
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next spring went to Waterloo, where he was employed in a grocery store. He thus continued until January 1, 1886, when with a cousin he came to Allison and here embarked in merchandising, in which they continued for seventeen years under the firm style of Wild & Company. They had a well appointed store and were accorded a liberal patronage to the time when the business was sold, in November, 1902. The following year Herman F. Wild en- tered the employ of the State Bank of Allison, in which he con- tinued until the fall of 1906, when he was elected county treasurer and entered upon the duties of the office January 1, 1907. That he was most competent and faithful is indicated by the fact that he was twice reelected and served in all for six years, or for three terms, ending on the 1st of January, 1913. In the preceding No- vember he purchased the interest of G. M. Craig in the Craig- Ray Abstract Company, Incorporated, of which he is now the vice president, and for a number of years past he has also been the vice president of the State Bank of Allison. He is a man of keen insight and unflagging energy and in business circles of Allison has made for himself a creditable and enviable position. He likewise has farming interests in Minnesota in connection with his cousin, George W. Wild. He never brooks obstacles and difficulties that can be overcome by persistent, earnest and honor- able effort, and his unfaltering determination and capable manage- ment have brought him a large measure of success.
Mr. Wild has been married twice. In 1886 he wedded Miss Emma Wild, a distant relative, who died in 1904, leaving two chil- dren, Lillian H., who is living with her sister; and Carrie F., the wife of John Wilson, of Cheyenne, Wyoming. In December, 1906, Mr. Wild married Eva F. Speedy, and they have a son, Carroll H.
Mr. Wild gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has been an active worker in its ranks. On various occasions he has been called to public office and at the present writing is serv- ing as a trustee of West Point township. He is also a member of the school board of Allison and does all in his power to advance the interests of public education. He served on the city council for a number of years and in all of these connections has conscientiously furthered the public good. At the present writing he is chairman of the republican county central committee, and his opinions carry weight among party leaders. He was one of the committee of appraisers on the collection of the inheritance tax, appointed by the district judge. Fraternally he is connected with Opal Lodge, No. 417, A. F. & A. M., of Allison and is a member of the First
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Congregational church. These associations indicate much of the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his conduct and show him to be a man of high principles.
ROBERT M. SKILLEN.
One of the most attractive and well managed farms in Cold- water township is the Oakland Shade Stock Farm, a fine property of three hundred and fifty acres lying on section 7. Its owner, Robert M. Skillen, has resided upon the property since 1890 and, having followed always the most progressive and practical methods in the management of his farm, has made it a valuable property and has secured for himself a position among the progressive and representative farmers and stock-raisers of this locality.
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