USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 22
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
Mr. Wilson is pleasantly situated in his home life. He was married July 26, 1883, to Miss Mary Renning, who was born in McHenry county, Illinois, October 8, 1863, and came to Butler county in 1864 with her parents, Charles and Christina (Linnen- beck) Renning, who were natives of Germany and were married there. Arriving in the new world, they settled in Illinois and thence came to Iowa, where the father died in December, 1907, at the age of seventy-three years, while the mother now makes her home in Jefferson township with her son Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Renning had five children, all of whom are residents of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson also have five children: Frank E., at home; Lottie M., the wife of Tracy Scott, of Clarksville; Fred and For- rest, at home; and Nellie, the wife of Ray Scott, of Jefferson township.
Mr. Wilson has held some school and road offices and has been township trustee. He is an earnest republican in his political views, supporting the principles of the party from the time he attained his majority. He is a Yeoman, and he belongs to the Evangelical church. These associations indicate much of the nature of the principles which govern his life, constituting him a man of sterling worth. He regards the attainment of success as but one feature of life and is ever ready and willing to perform his duties of citizenship and to meet his obligations to his fellow- men.
JOHN HOWE.
During the long years of his residence in Butler county John Howe was closely associated with farming interests until a few years prior to his death, when he removed to Shell Rock, there spending his remaining days. He was in the seventy-eighth year of his age when he passed away, his birth having occurred in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1832. His parents were James and Margaret Howe. The father died when our subject was a small boy and the mother passed away in 1866.
Mr. Howe remained a resident of his native state throughout the period of his boyhood and youth and in 1855, when about twenty-three years of age, removed to Ohio. He did not tarry long in that state, however, but continued on his westward way to Mus- catine, Iowa, from which point he walked to Shell Rock. He
JOHN HOWE
UNS
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
entered a tract of land in Butler township, this county, and then returned to Ohio, but in 1859 again came to Butler county, where he made permanent settlement. Not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made upon his land when it came into his pos- session. With characteristic energy he began to develop it and the remainder of his active life was devoted to farming. He brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and as the years passed on he gathered good harvests as a reward for his labors. He then retired to Shell Rock, where his remaining days were passed. He was the owner of two hundred and forty acres while actively engaged in farming, but shortly prior to his retirement he sold one hundred and sixty acres and afterward disposed of the remainder. He came to this county a poor man and as the years passed he made steady progress along the path of success.
In February, 1882, Mr. Howe was united in marriage to Miss Harriett Smith, who was born in Indiana, January 6, 1853. She was left an orphan in early age and in 1872 came to this county to live with a sister, Mrs. Mary Ann Williams, who is now deceased. The death of Mr. Howe occurred March 7, 1910, and was the occasion of deep regret to many friends. He held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which Mrs. Howe still belongs, and he was also a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Shell Rock. In politics he was a republican but did not seek nor desire office, preferring to live a quiet home life.
He lost his father when a small boy and from an early age was dependent upon his own resources, becoming a self-made man in the truest and best sense of the term. While he won success, it was never at the price of another's failure. In all of his busi- ness career he followed constructive methods and his industry and integrity were the salient forces that gained for him his pros- perity.
JACOB KINGERY.
Jacob Kingery, a representative and valued citizen of But- ler county, familiarly known as "Jake" to his many friends, was born in Bennezette township, March 25, 1862. He is a son of William and Mary M. (Etter) Kingery, the former a native of Pennsylvania and a pioneer in Iowa. More extended mention of his career may be found elsewhere in this work.
Vol. 11-15
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Jacob Kingery was reared on the home farm in Coldwater township, acquiring his education in the district schools. He remained with his father until he was twenty-two years of age and then worked out on a neighboring farm as a monthly laborer. He later rented land which he farmed for six years, after which he purchased an eighty acre tract, a portion of the farm upon which he now resides. When this land came into his possession only a portion of the soil was broken and there was an old house upon it. With characteristic energy Mr. Kingery cleared more land, fenced the property into convenient fields, set out a grove of forest and evergreen trees, built a new house and erected a number of other substantial buildings. He afterward added to his holdings an adjoining tract of sixty-five acres on section 8, across from the home farm, and later bought a tract of one hun- dred and sixty acres on section 6 and upon this farm has just built a new house, a corn crib and a number of outbuildings. He has fenced and cross fenced the fields and set out an orchard form- ing a windbreak north and west of the buildings on the home farm. He has also tiled all of his land, greatly increasing its value thereby. In addition to the operation of these farms Mr. Kingery has other important business interests, being a stockholder in the Greene Cooperative Creamery Association and in the Farmers Elevator Company.
On the 30th of March, 1884, in Coldwater township, Mr. Kin- gery married Miss Eva A. Burkholder, a native of Virginia and a daughter of Henry Burkholder, who moved from that state to Butler county, when Mrs. Kingery was still a child. Mr. and Mrs. Kingery became the parents of ten children. Lewis H. is a farmer in Floyd county. He is married and has two children. Frank C. is operating his father's one hundred and sixty acre farm on section 6. He is married and has one son. The other members of this family are: Mary; Gertrude, the wife of Leland Ray, of Butler county ; Katie; Anna; Albert; Beulah; Delmar; and one child, Raymond, who died at the age of seven months.
Mr. and Mrs. Kingery are members of the Church of the Brethren of Greene, and Mr. Kingery has been a deacon for many years. He is active in church and Sunday-school work. having served as superintendent of the Sabbath school and also as assist- ant. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is now serving his third term as township trustee, having been first appointed to this office to fill a vacancy. He has also been identified with school affairs for a number of years. His record
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shows conclusively what may be accomplished by perseverance and industry, for he started out in life with comparatively no resources and as a result of his hard work and good management is now the owner of two valuable farms. The spirit of progress actuates him in all that he does, and he keeps continuously abreast of the trend of the times, a fact indicated in his recent purchase of a new 1912 model Oakland touring car. He is known as a man of exemplary character and high principles and holds the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens.
GEORGE A. HAHN.
Various business and public interests have profited by the cooperation, enterprise and sound judgment of George A. Hahn, one of the enterprising farmers of Ripley township, living on section 5. He is a native of this county, his birth having occurred in Jefferson township, March 28, 1866, his parents being Fred and Mary (Yarcho) Hahn, both of whom were natives of Ger- many, the former of Saxony and the latter of Mecklenburg. When young people they crossed the Atlantic and became resi- dents of Harvard, Illinois, where they were married. About 1863 they removed to Butler county, Iowa, settling in Jefferson township, where the wife and mother passed away on the 19th of December, 1885. The father afterward married again and re- moved to Muscatine county, Iowa, where he died January 8, 1900, at the age of seventy-two years. Throughout his entire life he was a farmer, and although he came to the United States empty- handed, he won success as the years went on and became pros- perous. He had six children, all born of the first marriage: Augustus, now living in Allison ; Mary, the wife of Louis Yarcho, of Waterloo, Iowa; Charles, who followed farming near Shell Rock and died March 19, 1908; George A .; Ernest, of Jackson township; and Amelia, who died at the age of two years.
George A. Hahn has spent his entire life in this county where he has followed farming and carpentering. He made his home in Jefferson township until he came to his present farm in Rip- ley township in 1900. He began here with one hundred and sixty acres of land but now has two hundred and forty acres, con- stituting an excellent farm, upon which he has placed most of the improvements, doing all the carpenter work himself. The:
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farm presents a neat and thrifty appearance and, in fact, con- stitutes one of the attractive features of the landscape. He raises high-grade stock of all kinds and in addition to his farm interests is president of the Fairview Telephone Company and a stock- holder in the Cooperative Creamery Company.
On the 6th of May, 1891, Mr. Hahn was united in marriage to Miss Anna Reisewitz, who was born in Berlin, Germany, March 4, 1873, and in 1883 went to Holland, Grundy county, Iowa, with her parents, Joseph and Paulina (Fritche) Reisewitz. Her father was a truck gardener and died in Cedar Falls in March, 1912, at the age of seventy-five years, and the mother still resides there. The family remained at Holland only a few weeks and then went to Cedar Falls, where Mrs. Hahn lived to the time of her marriage. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hahn, namely: Ray, born March 22, 1892; Fred, born Septem- ber 22, 1894; Rachel, whose birth occurred February 21, 1896; Mary, born October 14, 1900; Clara, born September 6, 1902; George, whose birth occurred June 7, 1905; Lee, born December 19, 1906; and John, born September 26, 1908. Of these all are living, except Fred, who died at the age of six years and George, who died in infancy.
In his political views Mr. Hahn is a republican and served as township trustee for six years. He has also been president of the school board and the cause of education finds in him a stal- wart friend. In fact, he takes an active and helpful interest in all that pertains to the welfare and progress of the community and is a most loyal and progressive citizen. As a native son, he has long witnessed the development and progress of the county, and he has a wide acquaintance in this section of the state, where his friends are many.
JOHN LEEPER.
John Leeper is living retired in Clarksville but for thirty years was busily engaged in the development and cultivation of a farm of four hundred acres, which he owns in Jackson township. He ranked with the leading and representative agriculturists of the community and has made an excellent business record, his his- tory proving conclusively what may be accomplished when one has the will to dare and to do. He was born in McLean county, Illi-
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
nois, December 19, 1856, and is a son of Charles and Isabel (Oliver) Leeper, who were natives of Kentucky and Ireland respectively. They went to Illinois with their parents in early childhood and were married in that state. The father died upon the old home- stead in McLean county in October, 1906, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, and the mother is still living there. They had a family of eight children, seven of whom yet survive, William, the sixth in order of birth, having died when about ten years of age. The others are: Thomas, who is living with his mother, at Heyworth, Illinois; John, the second in order of birth; Mary, the wife of J. B. Buck, also of Heyworth; Margaret, the wife of C. H. Hunt, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Charles O., whose home is in Heyworth; A. J., a resident farmer of DeWitt county, Illinois; and Elizabeth Jane, who is with her mother.
John Leeper acquired his early education in the public schools of his native county and afterward spent three years as a student in the Wesleyan University at Bloomington, completing the academic course by graduation. In 1881 he became identified with Butler county, where he entered the live-stock business and also engaged actively in farming. This was not his first trip to Iowa, for he had spent the summer of 1877 here before he entered the university, his father owning a half section of land, which John Leeper cared for through that summer. In 1881, however, he started in business independently and gradually worked his way upward. To his original possessions he added until within the boundaries of his farm are comprised four hundred acres. His place is situated on section 35, Jackson township, and he conducted it successfully until the spring of 1911, when, satisfied with his possessions, he put aside further business cares to live retired in Clarksville, giving his attention now merely to the supervision of his invested interests. His success did not come to him without effort; in fact, he has lived the life of a most energetic and persistent business man and it has been through the capable control of his farming and live-stock interests that he has won the prosperity which he now enjoys.
In 1883 Mr. Leeper was united in marriage to Miss Margaret A. Tilford, who was born in Benton county, Iowa, June 13, 1864, and arrived in Butler county in the spring of 1881. Her parents were John and Mahala (Harper) Tilford, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Iowa. The mother died at Vinton, while the father passed away in Clarksville. Mr. and Mrs. Leeper have become the parents of four children. Charles Young, who
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operates the home farm, married Edith Bohner and has one son, Donald. John St. Clair, living in Waterloo, wedded Mabel Smith. Le Roy, also of Waterloo, wedded Maude Walz. Mahala com- pletes the family. J. S. and L. R. are attorneys in Waterloo and were graduated from the liberal arts course at Iowa City and from the law department of the State University. They are now practicing under the firm style of Leeper & Leeper. All of the sons are graduates of the high school at Clarksville and the eldest son, Charles, spent two years in the mechanical engineering depart- ment of the State University.
In his political views Mr. Leeper is a democrat, well informed on the questions and issues of the day. For four years he served as assessor of Jackson township and was twice the democratic nominee for county clerk. He has served as county committee- man and does all in his power to further the interests of the party, in the principles of which he firmly believes. Working his way steadily upward, he has made good use of his time, talent and op- portunities, and his even paced energy has carried him into im- portant relations.
HERMAN JOHNSON.
Herman Johnson, a highly respected and enterprising farmer of West Point township, living on section 13, was born in Ost Friesland, Hanover, Germany, February 16, 1853. His parents were John and Grace (Hagemeyer) Johnson, also natives of Hanover. Their last days, however, were spent on this side of the water, the father passing away in Ogle county, Illinois, in 1880, when fifty-six years of age, while his wife died at the home of her son, Herman, December 26, 1890, at the age of sixty-five years. Their family numbered six children: Herman; Jennie, the deceased wife of Charles Rolfs; A. W., mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Frank H., whose home is in Terril, Iowa; Henry, living in Minnesota ; and John A., of Lake Park, Dickinson county, Iowa.
Herman Johnson spent the first eighteen years of his life in his native land and attended school until fifteen years of age, after which time he worked as a laborer in Germany until he came to the United States in 1871. Making his way into the interior of the country he settled at Rochelle, Illinois, and sought immediate
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employment, for he brought no capital with him. He worked as a farm hand for four years and during that period sent back such favorable reports concerning America, its conditions and its oppor- tunities, that his father and the family came in 1873. Herman Johnson began farming in connection with his father in Ogle county, Illinois, in 1876, the business association being maintained for four years. In 1880, however, Herman Johnson was married and began farming on his own account, following agricultural pursuits in Ogle county through the succeeding decade. He arrived in Iowa in 1890 and purchased his present farm of two hundred acres, for which he paid thirty dollars per acre. He immediately began its development and has placed upon it all of its present improvements which include fine buildings-a commo- dious and attractive modern home and substantial barns. A good grove had been set out and an orchard had been planted by I. M. Fisher, the former owner. He makes a specialty of stock raising, feeds all of the grain which he raises and also buys some.
The place is called the Ash Lane Farm, its name being taken from the fact that there is a lane leading to the house bordered on each side by a row of fine ash trees. There is also an evergreen growth surrounding the home and upon the place are fruit trees of all kinds for the family use. The farm is now splendidly equipped with all modern conveniences and accessories and pro- gressive methods are followed by Mr. Johnson in raising and handling stock, so that his labors are crowned with a very gratify- ing measure of success.
In 1880 Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Kate Rippentrop, who was born in Hanover, Germany, near the birth- place of her husband, on the 25th of February, 1860, and in 1864 was taken to Illinois by her parents, John and Minnie (Dutcher) Rippentrop, who now reside north of Rochelle, Illinois. They are a most venerable couple, the father having reached the age of ninety-three while the mother is eighty-six years of age. Although now so far advanced in years, they live alone on the old homestead on which they first located in 1874. Mr. and Mrs. John- son have three children : George H., of Portland, Oregon; Minnie Grace, also living in that city; and Genevieve, at home.
In his political views Mr. Johnson was a stalwart republican for many years and is now identified with the progressive party. He never fears to announce and support his honest convictions and seeks ever the welfare of the community. He has served as township trustee and also in road and school offices. He belongs
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to the Masonic fraternity, exemplifying in his life its teachings concerning mutual helpfulness and brotherly kindness. He is also a consistent member of the Congregational church. Whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own efforts. He reached Chicago on the Sunday following the great fire which broke out on the 9th of October, 1871. He made his way into the interior of Illinois and empty-handed started out in life there, possessing no capital save determination and ambition. He has made good use of his time and opportunities and the labors which he has wrought have given him place among the prosperous farmers of West Point township.
D. A. MCGREGOR.
D. A. McGregor follows farming on section 2, Jefferson town- ship. It was upon this place that his birth occurred, September 1, 1867, his parents being Duncan and Janette (Stewart) Mc- Gregor, both of whom were natives of Perthshire, Scotland. The former was a son of James and Christiana (McCowan) McGregor. The grandmother died in her native land but the grandfather came to America and passed away at the home of a daughter in March, 1865, at the age of sixty-three years. He had four children by his first marriage and two by his second, namely: James, a venerable citizen of Butler county : John, who died in Kentucky; Peter, who died in Australia ; Duncan; a daughter who died in childhood; and Christina, who became the wife of Noble Thompson and passed away in this county.
Duncan McGregor was born in Perthshire, Scotland, Septem- ber, 1836, and remained in his native country through the period of his minority but in 1857 crossed the Atlantic and made his way to Ohio, where he joined his brother, James. There they worked in a sawmill and on a. farm. Duncan McGregor afterward worked in Butler county for two years for his brother, receiving payment in a tract of land of eighty acres. After seven years in the United States. he went to New York to meet his intended bride and had to wait for an entire month before the sailing vessel on which she had taken passage arrived. At length, however, the voyage was ended and the young couple met and came on to Dubuque, Iowa, where they were married. This was in 1864. They began their domestic life on the eighty-acre tract of land previously mentioned
D. A. MCGREGOR AND FAMILY
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and as his financial resources increased he kept adding to his hold- ings until he had three hundred and twenty acres on sections 2 and 3, Jefferson township. This farm he still owns and was ac- tively engaged in agricultural pursuits until his wife's death, on the 1st of January, 1906, since which time he has spent the winter months in San Diego, California. He has led the life of an indus- trious, energetic, hard-working man and well deserves the rest which has come to him. He has ever been a great reader and has kept informed concerning the leading questions, interests and issues of the day.
He has always voted with the republican party, and his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church. Unto him and his wife were born seven children, of whom five died in 1880 of diphtheria ; Margaret at the age of sixteen; Janette at the age of eleven; Jemima, John and Charles. The second of the family, James Mc- Gregor, is now living in Oskaloosa, Iowa, while D. A. McGregor, the third of the family yet makes his home here. They were to have a fine dairy of forty cows to milk in order to keep all the children busy and were to ship butter to Boston, this being one of the first dairy enterprises of Butler county, but the children became ill at the time of a diphtheria epidemic and one after another passed away until five graves had been made side by side in the family burial lot.
D. A. McGregor has always resided upon the old homestead farm, save for one year which he spent upon a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres on section 11, Jefferson township, which he owned. He has chased cattle over the prairies when there were no fences here. Looking back to that period it seems that the work of development and improvement had scarcely been begun then, so many have been the changes which have since occurred. Mr. McGregor has improved the farm according to modern meth- ods and he has made a specialty of bee culture, keeping about one hundred colonies. He is the only farmer of his locality who is engaged in feeding cattle. He buys and feeds cattle on quite an extensive scale, and the business adds materially to his income.
In 1901 Mr. McGregor was married to Miss Marion Lindsay, who was born in Scotland, June 1, 1866, and in 1878 went to Bur- lington, Iowa, with her parents. After residing there for about twenty years she was married. She is a daughter of William and Agnes (Brown) Lindsay. The father died in Burlington in 1903, when seventy-four years of age, and the mother passed away at the home of Mr. and Mrs. McGregor in April, 1910, at the age of
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seventy-four years. Mrs. McGregor is a graduate of the high school of Burlington, Iowa, and of the city training school for teachers. She secured a state teacher's certificate and for twelve years was a successful teacher in the Burlington city schools. Mr. McGregor attended the Breckenridge Institute in Decorah, Iowa, and both are greatly interested in education, it being their purpose to provide their children with excellent advantages in that direc- tion. They have three sons: Duncan, William Lindsay and John Stewart.
The name of McGregor has long figured in connection with the history of northern Iowa. The mother of our subject spent many lonely days here when her husband was gone to Cedar Falls, the nearest trading point and the railroad terminal. Settlements were few in those days. It was only here and there that one would come upon a pioneer home as he rode over the almost trackless prairie, but the fertility of the soil naturally won the attention of progress- ive men, who were willing to brave the privations and hardships of pioneer life in order to enjoy the advantages that could be se- cured in this rich prairie country. Duncan McGregor was of this class and the work which he instituted has been taken up and car- ried forward by his son, D. A. McGregor, who is today one of the leading and representative farmers of Jefferson township.
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