History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 77

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316

USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 77
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 77

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

T. M. Early, farmer and justice of the peace, resides on section 35. He was born April 3, 1840, in Florence, Stephenson county, Illinois. His parents were both natives of Kentucky, who came to Illinois about the year 1830. They remained there until 1854, then came to Iowa, and bought

180 acres of choice land near where the village of Bristow now stands. The sub- jest of this sketch remained with his parents, on the farm, until he was twenty- one years of age. On September 10, 1861, he enlisted as a soldier in Company E, Twelfth Iowa Infantry. He remained in the army until February 23, 1862, when he was honorably discharged for disability. After partially regaining his health he commenced farming for himself, and we now find him owning 160 acres of choice farm land, with good buildings. He is do- ing general farming. On December 16, 1863, he was united in marriage with Rhoda A. Overturf. She was born Marclı 7, 1844, in Elk county, Pennsylvania. They have seven children-Alma E., born Sep- tember 15, 1864; Clara F., born April 8, 1866; Ornell J., born May 29, 1868; Nor- man A., born March 23, 1879; Vernon C., born April 5, 1881. Mr. Early belongs to the Order of Odd Fellows, and is also a member of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic. He has held the office of justice of the peace for the past ten years. During these ten years of actual service, he has had but a single case reversed in the higher courts. Politically he is a republi- can. His post office address is Bristow, Butler county, Iowa.

James Harlan, another of the pioneers, was born in Richland county, Ohio, in August, 1829. He was married to Matilda Crissinger, a native of Pennsylvania. Her parents were John and Catherine Cris- singer, who removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio. They had sixteen children, and Mrs. Harlan is the only one of whom set- tled in. this State. James Harlan's father,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

John Harlan, was born in Virginia in 1792, but removed to Ohio with his par- ents when twelve years of age. He was married in the latter State to Susannah Moore, born in 1807. They resided for many years after marriage in Richland and Crawford counties, and came to But- ler county July 3, 1855. The old gentle- man purchased 80 acres of W. R. Jamie- son, which he intended for a homestead, but died the following December. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church and an upright, honorable man. His wife survived him fifteen years, and both died at the age of sixty-three. They had fifteen children, eight of whom are still living- Esther, James, George, Jehu, Elizabeth Allen, Susannah Allen, Nathan, and Clar- inda, now Mrs. Elias Bell-all born in Ohio. James came here at the time of his parents, and has owned the 80 acres upon which lie now lives ever since his first advent to the county. His entire farm contains 176 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Harlan have six children-Jehu, Cather- ine, now Mrs. Jasper Cannon, Hannalı J., John C., James T. and Olie Day. They have lost three children. Mr. and Mrs. Harlan are members of the Presbyterian Church at Bristow, he being an elder in that organization. He is one of the town- ship trustees, and has been for several years; was one of the first constables of the town; was justice of the peace two years, and was second lieutenant of the Home Guards in war times. Mr. Harlan was a delegate to the General Association of the Presbyterian Church which met at St. Louis in 1874. He is also vice presi- dent of the Old Settlers' Association for Pittsford township.

Jehu Harlan, son of Jehu Harlan, senior, resides on section 19. A part of his farm was entered by his father in 1855. The north part he purchased of Greenbury Luck. He has 150 acres. Mr. Harlan was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1834. He was brought up in Crawford county; came to Butler county with his parents in 1855. He has been a resident of this township since that time, except a few years, which he spent on the Pacific coast. In fact, he has been quite an ex- tensive traveler in the territories of the west. He went overland to California in 1860, his journey consuming 135 days. He engaged in mining; also spent some time in mining and prospecting in Idaho and Montana. He returned in 1866. He went to the Black Hills in 1874; but the Indian troubles prevented his remaining there; this was about the time of the mas- sacre of General Custer and his command. He went to Leadville in 1879, but was ab- sent but a short time. He married Isabelle Hartgraves, daughter of J. R. Hartgraves, an early settler of Ingham township, Franklin county. Mr. and Mrs. Harlan have six children-Carrie A., James E., Cora A., John R., May, and Maggie Belle.

Samuel R. Dearmoun resides on section 19, and is one of the pioneers of Butler county, his residence here dating from July 3, 1855. He entered his present farm a few days after arriving, coming with his father-in-law, Mr. Jehu Harlan, Sr. Mr. Dearmoun put up a temporary residence near his claim, of forked stakes and poles, which he covered with clap- boards or "shakes." In this house liis family and that of James Harlan resided until the following October, when he put

B. C. Metham.

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

677

up a log house on the site of his present residence, which he occupied for twenty- four years, although he built a frame addi- tion in 1871. His present house was erec- ted in 1879. Mr. Dearmoun was born in Huntington county, Pennsylvania, in 1819, and his father, William D., was also a native of Pennsylvania. The subject of our sketch went to Ohio about 1844, where he was married in 1848, to Esther Harlan daughter of Jehu Harlan, and they have been blessed with seven children-Cin- derella, now Mrs. Oscar Chambers; Wil- liam J., who married Laura Richard; Nancy Ann, wife of John Harper; Alice A., wife of George B. Sutton; J. Harvey, Ida Belle, and Alva M. The old home- stead contains 120 acres, of which he entered 80. They are members of the M. E. Church.

Benjamin C. Needham is one of the well- known old settlers of Pittsford township. His date of arrival was June, 1856. Mr. Needham was born in the town of Wil- mington, Essex county, New York, in 1814. His parents were Benjamin C., and Achsah (Thair) Needham. His father was born in the town of Pittsford, Rutland county, Vermont. His mother was a native of Essex county, New York. B. C. Needham, Sr., was a soldier in the war of 1812. He came to Butler county in 1856 with his son, and settled on section 9. He died at Parkersburg, in this county, September 17, 1880, in his eighty-seventh year. He lost his first wife, and married again. His sec- ond wife is also deceased. Mr. Needham, Jr., was married to Charlotte Bowers, born in Addison, Addison county Vermont. They removed from Vermont to Kane county, Illinois, and thence to DeKalb

county. They came to Butler county, as stated above, in 1856. Mr. Needham has resided where he now lives since he first came to the county. He made all his im- provements, being the original settler on the place where he now lives. His first wife died here in July, 1859. His present wife was Mrs. Harriet Barrett, born in Addison county, Vermont. Her maiden name was James. Her first husband was Richard Barrett. Mr. Needham had eight children by his first wife, only two of whom are living-Perrin and Charles W., both of whom live in Nebraska. He has a daughter by his present wife-Emma Alice, now Mrs. T. U. Dubois. Mrs. Needham has a daughter by her former marriage-Ellen, now Mrs. Albert Austen. Mr. Needham's farm contains 145 acres. He and his wife belong to the M. E. Church.

Silas Needham, a brother of B. C., re- sides on section 15. He was born in Es- sex county, New York, in 1817. He, also, came here in 1856. His wife was Susan Dunning, daughter of Loam Dunning, a Butler county settler of 1856.

Henry Ahrens resides on section 30. His father, Jacob Ahrens, bought the claim of this farm, where he settled, in 1855. Henry came in 1856, and has lived on this farm since that time. His father died here in 1859; he was born in Ger- many in 1800, and came to the United States with his family in 1853. He lived at Davenport, this State, two years before he came here. His wife still lives with her son. The parents of Henry had five children, two of whom are living- Louise, a sister, wife of George Miller, of Cedar Falls. Mr. Ahrens was born in

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Germany, in 1830; he was married at Davenport, to Louise Dahl, born in Ger- many. Mr. and Mrs. Ahrens have four children-Theodore, James, William, and George. They have an adopted daughter, Louise. Mr. Aherns has 400 acres of land, on which he has made all the improvements. He and wife belong to the German Evan- gelical Church.

Silas Needham resides on section 15. He is a brother of B. C. Needham, and came to the township at the same time. He was born in Essex county, New York, in 1817; was brought up in Addison county, Vermont; married Susan Dun- ning, a daughter of Loan Dunning. He settled on his present farm the same year he came to the county-1856. The log house, which was his first residence here, was the first dwelling on the prairie, and the first election held in the township was held at that house. Mr. Needham has four children-Edward E., Melville S., Leslie B., and Lillian. His farm contains 120 acres.

James Logan resides on section 13. He owns one of the very earliest located farms in this township. He purchased his place of Madison Parks, in 1856. Mr. Logan was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1812. His parents were John and Jane Logan, natives of Virginia. Mr. Logan was married in Ohio, to Margaret Ann Icenoggle. His settlement in Iowa dates from 1845. In that year he started for Buchanan county to locate on a farm which he had entered two years previous. He took a steamer at Wheeling, West Vir- ginia, for St. Louis, where he changed steamers and in due time landed safe at what is now Muscatine. But he was des-

tined to meet with a sad misfortune at the beginning of his career as a pioneer of Iowa. At Muscatine, he started with his family in a wagon for his future home in Buchanan county, but on the second day of the journey, his wife and child, an in- fant one year old, were attacked by that dreadful disease cholera, and both died in about forty-eight hours after being taken sick. They were.buried near the place where they died, which is somewhere on the site of the present city of Marion, Linn county, but the exact spot is unknown. Mr. Logan with the remainder of his fam- ily, continued his journey to Buchanan county. He was married to his present wife in Buchanan county. Her maiden name was Clarinda Powell, daughter of William and Elizabeth Powell. She also was born in Ohio; her father died in Ind- iana. Her mother, with her family, went to Buchanan county in 1850, and came to Butler county and settled in this township in 1856. She died about 1863. Mr. Lo- gan had five children by his first wife, four of whom are living, viz: David, who lost his sight when a 'boy; Eliza Jane, now Mrs. John Jamieson; Sabina, Mrs. L. J. Austen ;- the last two named are twins, --- his youngest daughter, by first marriage, was a twin sister of the child that died of cholera, she is now Mrs. Ross Jamieson. Mr. Logan has a daughter by his present wife-Lizzie, now Mrs. McCormick.

Thomas Demoss settled in this township in June, 1857. He bought a part of _ his farm of Daniel Parker; the north .

eighty of Melvin Rush. Mr. Demoss was born in Vermilion county, Illinois, in 1836. He came to Butler county from Fulton county, in that State. Mr. Demoss was

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

married in this county to Miss M. Powell, born in Indiana. They have two children -Charles L. and Thomas Addison. Mr. Demoss' farm contains 160 acres. He enlisted in 1861, in the Twelfth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served in the army two years. He participated in many important engagements, including Forts Henry and Donelson, battle of Corinth, etc. His brother, James, enlisted at the same time in same company, and was mortally wounded at the battle of Corinthi, serving the engagement but eight days.

Alexander Cline resides on section 1, and his residence in this township dates from August 24, 1858. He was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, in 1829. His parents moved to Lycoming county of that State when he was a child, and here he was brought up. His parents, John and Margaret Cline, resided in that county until their decease. Alexander was mar- ried in Pennsylvania to Elizabeth McCol- lum, also a native of Columbia county. Her parents, Ephraim and Ann McCollum, were born in the same county, where they died. Mr. Cline came here with his family, as stated, in 1858, and entered a fractional quarter on sec. 3, and another on sec. 1, embracing :09 acres, which constituted his original farm. In 1864, he purchased 40 acres, which was the first addition to his original farm, having now 569 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Cline have been blessed with eight children, who are yet alive-Francis M., John C., Ephraim E., Martha J., West- ern M., Milan S., Mary A. and Lilly A. They have lost two children, their oldest -Esther, and the youngest, an infant.

Albert Austen resides on section 9, where he located in March, 1866. He was

born in England in February, 1842. His father, Peter Austen, came to this country with his family in the fall of 1844, locating at Cleveland, Ohio, where he resided until his death. The family consisted of seven- teen children, eight of whom are living. Two of these, Lewis and Alfred, served during the war in Company A, Seventh Ohio Infantry, enlisting the second day after the firing on Fort Sumpter, the lat- ter losing his life in the battle of Ringold. Lewis served over two years, and came to Butler county in December, 1874. Albert bought his farm of 160 acres in 1865. He was married to Ellen A., daughter of Richard Barrett, a native of Vermont. Her mother is now Mrs. B. C. Needham.

William P. Woodworth was one of the early settlers of Bennezette township. He. now resides on section 22, Pittsford town- ship, on the farm formerly owned by Gil- braith Hazlett, which he has owned since November, 1877. He was born in what is now Cameron county, Pennsylvania, in 1828. He came to Iowa from Bennezette township, in that county, with Samuel Overturf, and settled in what is now Ben- nezette township, in this county. They named the township, then known as Cold- water precinct, from Bennezette, Penn- sylvania. Mr. Woodworth entered the southwest quarter of section 35, Benne- zette township, which he improved, and where he lived for ten years. He then re- moved to Marble Rock, Floyd county, and soon after to Nora Springs, where he built a store and was engaged in the mercantile business about six months. He then came to Pittsford township and settled on sec- tion 23, where he was for a time engaged in the nursery business. He sold his

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

nursery stock to Mr. Ferris and returned to his native county in August, 1873, where he remained four years. He re- turned in 1877 and settled where he now lives. His wife was Jane Miller, born in Pennsylvania. They have two adopted daughters-Mary S. and Lucy Brockway.

Lewis J. Austen resides on section 14, of Pittsford township, where he owns a farm containing 120 acres, which is one of the old- est settled farms in the township, having been settled by Ephram Mckinney, in 1854, from whom Mr. Austen purchased it, in March, 1882. Mr. Austen was born in county Kent, England, in December, 1846. His parents, John and Helen Aus- ten, with the family, emigrated to the United States, in 1849, and located at Cleveland, Ohio. The family consisted of the parents and three sons, and, at the latter place, the parents and one son, Dan- iel, died of cholera the following summer. After this, Lewis J. Austen made his home with relatives until 1866, when he came to Butler county, arriving here in March. He has been a resident of this township since April 2d, of that year. He lived on section 9 for two and one-half years; then on section 13, with his father-in-law, for thirteen years, and then purchased eighty acres, on section 10, where he built a good house and made other valuable improve- ments, and sold out to John Morford and bought his present farm. He married Sabine Logan, daughter of James Logan. They have two children-Mary J. and Josephine. Mr. Austen is the present as- sessor of Pittsford township, and is now serving his fifth year in that capacity. His brother, George, returned to England, after the death of his parents, and is now

a resident of Gravesend, England, where he owns an extensive brick manufactory.

S. W. Ferris resides on section 26, where he located in June, 1866, and is the first settler upon this farm. He was born in Broome county, New York, in 1841. His father was John Ferris, who removed with his family to Kane county, Illinois, in 1846. Here the subject of our sketch grew to man- hood, and on the 1st of January, 1862, en- listed in the Second Illinois Light Artil- lery, and served for about six months, when in May, 1863, he was discharged for disa- bility, and came to this township the same year. He has a farm of about 520 acres, and is also extensively engaged in stock raising. For a number of years he devoted considerable attention to the nursery busi- ness. An account of his nursery appears in connection with the article upon indus- trial enterprises. His wife was formerly Maude Hazlet, a daughter of S. K. Hazlet. Their marriage has been blessed with one son-Earle, who is yet living, and daugh_ ter-Conchita, who died at the age of twelve years.

William R. Johnson is one of the ar- rivals of 1869, and resides on section 11. His father, Job Johnson, was a native of Pennsylvania; his mother was formerly Margaret Ray. They were married in Philadelphia, and lived at Schuylkill Falls, near that city, for many years, his father doing business in Philadelphia. He died there about 1864. His mother came here with her family in 1869, and purchased the farm on section 11, which is now owned by the subject of our sketch. His mother, Margaret Johnson, had four children, two of whom are living-William R., and John

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

R. One son-Jerome, died in Philadel- phia, and the other-Joseph, died here.

John Miles was born in Caledonia county, Vermont, in 1827; his parents being Mar- tin and Mary (Jennings) Miles. His mother died in Vermont, and his father removed to Massachusetts. The subject of this sketch, in the fall of 1850, came to Linn county, Iowa, and shortly after went to Bremer county and made a claim in Jeffer- son township, where he removed his family the following spring, and were among the first settlers of that county, and was one of the judges of the first election held in the county, at which there were twenty-five votes cast. He sold that claim the follow- ing fall, and entered a farm in Washing- ton township, near the present city of Waverly. In 1855 he went to Rice county, Minnesota, where he made a claim, which he purchased when the land came into market, and remained there for about twelve years, when he removed to Missouri, and after three years came back to Bremer county; but settled in Shell Rock in 1871. He lived in this vicinity for about eleven years, and in August, 1881, he purchased his present farm of William Brett. Mrs. Miles was a native of Rensselaer county, New York, where she was born in 1824; her father died while she was yet in infancy, and in 1838, her mother removed to Adams county, Ill., with her family, and to Johnson county, Iowa, in 1842. Several of Mrs. Miles' brothers had settled in that county some years prior to this, one of whom still resides there. Mr. and Mrs. Miles have four children-Calista, now Mrs. R. A. DeWitt, of Mason City; Char- les H., John M. and Ida J. Besides they have lost four children.

Samuel Overturf resides on section 9. He was one of the early settlers of Benne- zette township. Mr. Overturf was born in Union county, Pennsylvania, 1812. He removed with his parents, Henry and Ma- ria Overturf, to Clearfield county, when a boy, where his parents lived until their decease. His father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War; in which he served from the age of sixteen to' twenty-one. Mr. Overturf came to But- ler county in the spring of 1857, and set- tled in what is now Bennezette township. Mr. Overturf and Wm. P. Woodworth called the township Bennezette, from the name of the township where they formerly lived in Pennsylvania, Mr. Overturf has lived in Muscatine county, Iowa, and in Will county, Illinois, for about eight years since his first settlement in Bennezette. He was married to Olivia Woodworth, a sister of Wm. P. Woodworth. She was born in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, March 23, 1821. They have had seven children, five of whom are now living, -- Alonzo, Rhoda, Ann, Helen, Isaac, Osler and Willis.

TOWN OF DUMONT.

This pleasant little town is situated in the southern part of Pittsford township, on section 28, on the line of the Dubuque and Dakota Railroad, the plat containing about 80 acres. It is admirably laid out with streets 80 and 102 feet wide, and alleys not less than 30 feet. It is located high and dry upon a beautiful knoll be- tween the two streams described in the township history. During the past year many trees have been set out, and as time flies and they grow up and mature the

682 HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

place will each year grow in beauty. The surrounding country is about the : best farming and stock locality in the county, and this being tributary, Dumont can truthfully be said to be one of the best of trading points, while its future is assured. Good water is within easy reach, and a water power of thirteen-foot fall can at a moderate expense be brought right to the town by means of tail-races. A project is now on foot to secure and make this avail- able, which, if carried out, will be of ma- terial benefit to the town.

Dumont was named after its founder, Hon. S. B. Dumont, who still owns one- half interest and makes this his home. Each alternate lot is owned by the rail- road company.

The land upon which Dumont stands was originally entered by a man named Young, about 1856, but who never did anything toward improving it. In 1864 S. B. Dumont arrived from Dubuque, bring- ing his family, and purchased this land and much land adjoining, being a man of means. Shortly after his arrival he erected the first house upon the site, in which he still lives, it being located directly in the center of Main street. The place remained as a farm until 1879, when the Dubuque and Dakota Railroad was constructed through the township, and then Mr. Dumont had the village platted and recorded.

The first business started was by the same gentleman, who, in the fall of 1879, erected an elevator and commenced busi- ness. In 1882 he sold this to A. A. Rob- ertson, of Iowa Falls, who still conducts it in a business-like manner. About the same time Mr. Dumont commenced the

lumber business and that fall sold one hundred car loads.

From the time the village was platted, in the fall of 1879, until the close of the year, about thirteen buildings were erected. Mr. Dumont furnishing nearly all of the means. His son T. A. Dumont, M. D., opened the drug store which he still runs.

The Smith Brothers opened their gen- eral merchandise store about the same time, and are yet doing a thriving busi- ness.

Martin Griffith put up a building, which S. B. Dumont occupied with a stock of hardware.

O. A. Chambers erected a dwelling in the fall of 1879, and opened a small stock of groceries in a building which S. Mc- Mannes had erected. He has gone to his farm in Franklin county.

William Schulnborg, the carpenter; John Ryan, J. Kruse, A. N. Arnold and James Stewart, all put up dwellings, while Nic. Hess put up a building for a saloon, and A. L. Bickford, son-in-law of Mr. Dumont, put up a store building-all in the fall of 1879. .

During the year 1880, the advance was very rapid. Early in the spring, William · Francher removed an elevator from Wa- terloo, which he still manages.

S. McMannes opened his furniture store. W. T. Scott erected a dwelling. Hotch- kiss & Eikenbery, A: L. Bickford, and Mr. Lutz, were all instrumental in building up the place; while S. B. Dumont put up a fine brick block, with eighty-four feet front, arranged for a hotel and two store rooms-public hall over head.

Patterson & Cole came in the fall of 1882, and now do a fair business.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Dr. T. A. Dumont is still running the drug store.

Smith Brothers also in the general mer- chandising business.

S. B. Dumont still manages the lumber trade and does an annual business of $25,000.

S. McMannes in the furniture trade.

W. T. Scott, meat market.

A. A. Robertson handles grain and stock.

Moses Barnes and S. E. Allen do the blacksmithing.

Charley Coryell attends to the livery business.

D. W. Williamson and Philip Pfaltz- graff represent the hardware trade.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 77

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1316

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316