USA > Iowa > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 23
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actively identified with agriculture and the raising of live stock. For a number of years he has been in charge of the home place, which he has managed with excellent results, the appearance of the farm indicating that he understands his business thoroughly and is making a success of it.
On the 10th of November, 1887, Mr. Dickson was married to Miss Hannah M. Eilts, a daughter of Henry and Mary Eilts, both of whom were born in Germany. They had ten children: Mary; Hannah, who is now Mrs. Robert Y. Dickson; Minnie, John, Henry, Bertha, Lizzie, Annie, Tillie and Albert. All of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Eilts are living and they are all married. Four children came to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dickson : Mabel, who is married; and Clarence, Ernest and Opal.
Politically Mr. Dickson is in thorough sympathy with the republican party, whose candidates he has supported ever since lie cast his first ballot. He is friendly to all religious organizations but is not connected with any of them; his wife, however, is a sincere member of the Lutheran church. He has been an industrious, straightforward and public-spirited citizen and has set an example in life that is well worthy of emulation. He is re- spected by all who know him and can claim many friends throughout a wide section in Iowa.
FRANK VONNAHME.
Frank Vonnahme, a prosperous agriculturist and highly respected citi- zen of Kniest township, Carroll county, where he engages in general farm- ing and stock-raising, was born in this township on the 29th of Novem- ber, 1874, a son of Bernard and Gertrude (Ehrig) Vonnahme. The pa- rents were both natives of Germany, but were married in eastern Iowa, to which state the father came in 1868. Later they took up their abode in Carroll county on a farm on section 16, Kniest township, upon which their son Henry now resides, and there the father engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1905. He was one of the prominent and influential residents of this community and was highly re- spected and esteemed for his sturdy manhood and sterling worth. He was one of the founders of the Mutual Fire Association and served as its first president and also helped to build three Catholic churches in Car- roll county. His wife passed away in 1896, and both were laid to rest in the cemetery at Mount Carmel. Their family consisted of seven children, namely : Joseph, a resident of Kniest township; Anton, living on his own farm in Kniest township; Mary, a sister of the La Crosse Order, at La Crosse, Wisconsin; Frank, of this review; John, whose home is in Wheat- land township; Henry, operating the old homestead, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume; and Agatha, residing with her brother Henry.
The period of his boyhood and youth was quietly passed by Frank Vonnahme on his father's farm in Kniest township, and in the public
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schools of Mount Carmel he received a good education. Thorough prac- tical training also came to him, for at an early age he began working about the farm, and therefore, when he attained his majority, his preparation well qualified him for entrance into the business world. He remained at home until twenty-three years of age, and then took up agriculture on his own account, removing to the farm upon which he now resides, consisting of two hundred acres located in Kniest township. The soil of his farm is very fertile and his place is highly improved and provided with every convenience with which to successfully carry on his occupation, and aside from doing a general farm business he pays considerable attention to his live-stock interests, being widely known throughout this locality as a raiser of blooded stock. He has been successful in both undertakings and his industrious habits and good business ability have enabled him to attain a place of independence in the business world.
Mr. Vonnahme was married, in 1900, to Miss Elizabeth Stork, and unto them have been born five children: William, Edward, Mary, Leonard and 'Albert, all at home. The parents are both members of St. Mary's church at Mount Carmel, while in politics Mr. Vonnahme gives stalwart allegiance to the democracy, having served for five terms as assessor of Kniest township. For four years he has held the position of secretary of the Mutual Protective Association, insuring against fire and lightning, and is himself insured in the New York Life Insurance Company. He is num- bered among the progressive and wide-awake business men of Kniest town- ship, always on the alert for and ready to incorporate modern methods in the conduct of his affairs, and his industry and enterprise have not only enabled him to attain prosperity but have won him a high place in the respect and confidence of his neighbors.
THOMAS D. PARKHOUSE.
Thomas D. Parkhouse, who for the past six years has been engaged in the automobile business in Manning, was born in Tama county, Iowa, on the 6th of May, 1873, and is a son of Thomas and Sarah (Scobel) Park- house. The parents are natives of England, from which country they emigrated to the United States, locating in Tama county in the early days of the war. The father was for many years identified with agricultural pursuits there, but is now living retired. Ever since he became a natural- ized citizen of the United States Mr. Parkhouse has given his political support to the republican party. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Parkhouse numbers four : William, who is a resident of Trayer, Iowa; Thomas D., our subject ; Charles, who is living in Redfield, Iowa; and Anna, the wife of John McFarlan, of Wisconsin.
Reared on the homestead of his parents Thomas D. Parkhouse acquired his education in the common schools of Tama county. When he had at- tained to such knowledge as was deemed essential to enable him to assume
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the heavier responsibilities of life he left his studies and entered a harness shop to learn the trade. He served his apprenticeship in Trayer, where he remained until the spring of 1895 when he came to Manning and en- gaged in the harness business. He continued in this line with growing success until 1905 when he became agent for the Auburn automobile. Soon thereafter he established a garage and repair shop which he is still conducting.
On the 16th of February. 1898, Mr. Parkhouse was married to Miss Pearl Parish, a daughter of Henry and Emma (Cooley) Parish, residents of Manning, Iowa, and beside Mrs. Parkhouse parents of the following : Effie, who is the eldest member of the family; Clarence, who is a resident of Omaha, Nebraska; Earl, living in Manning; George, also of Manning ; Floyd and Wilbur, both at home; Emma, who is living in Omaha; and Campbell. of Manning. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Parkhouse has been brightened by the advent of four sons: Ralph; Floyd, who is deceased; Harold; and Lyle.
Fraternally Mr. Parkhouse is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, while his political support is given to the republican party.
FRANK H. HILLEMEYER, D. D. S.
For eleven years past in the active practice of dentistry at Carroll, Dr. Frank H. Hillemeyer has gained a reputation throughout a wide section in this part of the state and is one of the acknowledged experts in his spec- ialty. He is a native of Shellsburg, Wisconsin, and was born August 27, 1873. a son of Frank and Mary (Luening) Hillemeyer. The father was born at Potterborn, Germany, and the mother at Galena, Illinois. He came to America at the age of thirteen and grew to manhood at Galena. He then moved to Shellsburg and engaged in the grocery and dry-goods busi- ness, being a resident of the town about thirty years. He died in 1887, at the age of forty-eight, his wife surviving until 1907 when she passed away at the age of sixty-three years. They were both members of the Catholic church. He was one of the prominent citizens of Shellsburg and served as a member of the city council and also as mayor of the town. There were ten children, five sons and five daughters, in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Hillemeyer, namely : Regina, the wife of Edward Meller, of Webster City, Iowa; Mary, the widow of James Roberts, of Shellsburg; Minnie, the wife of J. J. Jammieson, a resident of Shellsburg and president of the First National Bank of that place; Carrie, one of the Franciscan Sisters, of Zanesville, Ohio; Frank H., of this review; William, who is now engaged in the practice of medicine at Chicago; August, of Minneapolis, Minne- sota ; Joseph, an electrician of St. Louis, Missouri; Louisa, who is now living at Shellsburg; and Albert, of Janesville, Wisconsin. The grand- parents on the maternal side were Anton and Theresa Luening. They came to America and settled at Galena where the head of the family en-
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gaged in farming. He died at the age of ninety and his wife passed away in her eightieth year. They had seven children, 'Anton, Herman, Frank, Mary, Emma, Louisa and Regina.
Frank H. Hillemeyer was reared at Shellsburg and received his early education in the parochial and public schools. In 1885 he graduated from the high school and then for several years engaged in clerking in one of the stores of the town. Having decided to follow a professional career, he took up the study of dentistry and in 1900 was graduated at the Chi- cago College of Dental Surgery with the degree of D. D. S. He came to Carroll and has since practiced with marked success in this city.
On the 23d of August, 1903, Dr. Hillemeyer was united in marriage to Miss Hannah T. Mauger, who was born at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, a daughter of Joseph and Theresa Mauger, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in America. They were pioneers at Mineral Point and both are now deceased. There were five children in their family, Thomas, William, Joseph, Hannah and Fannie. Three children have come to bless the union of Dr. and Mrs. Hillemeyer, Frank J., Mary and Lois.
Dr. Hillemeyer and his wife are members of the Catholic church in whose teachings they were both reared. He is identified fraternally with the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Order of Foresters and is chief ranger of the latter order in Carroll. Politically he is not identified with any party, preferring to vote for the man rather than in support of any political organization. His clientage is not restricted to Carroll, as he is well known in Carroll and adjoining counties, and through his skill, high character and excellent social qualities has attracted many friends who repose in him their unreserved confidence.
CLAUS J. GRUBE.
Claus J. Grube, a well known retired farmer now living in Manning, was born in the province of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, on the 24th of February, 1845. He is a son of Detleff and Anna (Miller) Grube, natives of the same province, the father having been born in 1817 and the mother in 1813. The father, who was a laborer, emigrated to the United States with his wife and family in 1865, locating in Davenport, Iowa, where he died the same year. The mother continued to make her home there until 1873 when she accompanied her son Christian to Carroll county, where she was residing at the time of her demise in 1878. The parents were both members of the Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Grube were the parents of the following children: Christian, who was born in the province of Schleswig-Holstein on the 18th of March, 1842, now a resident of Man- ning ; Claus J., our subject ; Henry, who is deceased; Mary, also deceased ; and Sophia, the wife of William Kusel, of Manning.
Claus J. Grube, who was a young man of twenty years when he set foot in the United States, acquired his education in the common schools
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of his native province. During the early years of his residence in lowa he worked as a farm hand in the vicinity of Davenport, during which time he managed to save sufficient capital to enable him to set out for himself, so he rented a farm which he operated for several years. In 1874 he went to Crawford county, purchasing some land which he cultivated until his retirement in 1888, since which time he has made his home in Manning.
The 20th of September, 1867, was the wedding day of Mr. Grube and Miss Catherine Struve, a daughter of Hans and Margaret Dorothea (Kuchl) Struve. Mrs. Grube was born in Schleswig-Holstein on the 22d of Janu- ary, 1850, and there she was also reared and educated. Her parents passed their entire lives in that province, where the father followed the trade of wheelwright in connection with which he farmed, his entire attention being given to the latter activity during the later years of his life.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Grube hold membership in the Lutheran church, while fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. Ever since granted the right of franchise by naturalization Mr. Grube has given his support to the men and measures of the democratic party, and has held various township offices. He and his wife are now en- joying in the evening of life the ease and comfort which is the well merited reward of their earlier toil and self-denial, by which means they acquired a competence which now provides them with all of the necessities and many of the luxuries of life.
AUGUST T. STAAK.
August T. Staak, who came to Carroll in 1875, remained one of the substantial and esteemed citizens here until called to his final rest on the 12th of July, 1909. His birth occurred in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Ger- many, on the 4th of April. 1844, and his parents passed away in that coun- try. He crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1861 and a few months after his arrival in the new world enlisted for service in the Civil war, joining the Fifty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry when not yet eighteen years of age. He served as a private for over four years and while in the army did a good deal of nursing. He had obtained a good education in the schools of the fatherland and also became an excellent English scholar. After returning from the war he began work as a farm hand and while thus employed lost one of his feet, the accident being caused by a threshing ma- chine. Settling in La Salle county, he was married in Ottawa and subse- quently removed to Iroquois county, spending several years in Chebanse. He next resided at Papineau for a few years and then came to Carroll county, Iowa, in 1875, making his home in Carroll until he passed away on the 12th of July, 1909, at the age of sixty-five years, three months and eight days.
On the 28th of December, 1867, at Ottawa, Illinois, Mr. Staak was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Catharine Collison, who was born on the
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5th of October, 1843, twelve miles from Paris, France. Though her par- ents were English people, she first learned to speak the French language and afterward became familiar with the English and German tongues, both of which she speaks fluently. Her father, William Collison, was born on the 24th of May, 1817, within five miles of Leeds, England. He wedded Miss Ann Chappel and they emigrated to America in the winter of 1846- 7, settling in Cook county, Illinois, on the old plank road, eight miles north of Chicago, where they purchased a farm of forty acres. Later William Collison removed with his family to La Salle county, Illinois, and began farming near Ransom, where his wife passed away on the 24th of August, 1864, her remains being interred at Ottawa. In 1876 Mr. Collison came to Iowa, settling five miles west of Carroll, where his demise occurred in 1903, when he had attained the age of eighty-seven years. Unto him and his wife were born the following children: John, who is now a resident of Ottawa, Illinois; Mrs. Staak; Joseph and Frederick, living in Carroll county, Iowa; Sarah, the wife of William Hamilton, of Grand Ridge, Illi- nois; Jane, the wife of John Higgins, of Brayton, Greeley county, Ne- braska; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Hugh Morgan and resides four miles west of Carroll; and Frank, living four and a half miles west of Carroll.
Mr. and Mrs. Staak were the parents of eleven children, six of whom are yet living. William, a drayman of Carroll, wedded Miss Ida Yegge, by whom he has a son, Harold A. On the 3d of August, 1895, he enlisted in the army and served throughout the Spanish-American war, reenlisting twice and spending fourteen months in the Philippine Islands. Clara, living in Boone, Iowa, gave her hand in marriage to John F. Yegge, by whom she has six children : Arthur, Raymond, Genevieve, Agnes, Paul and Jo- seph. Frank T., a baker of Marseilles, Illinois, wedded Miss Mary Ragan, and has one son, Charles James. Sarah J., who makes her home at Fort Jones, California, is the wife of John Kehrer and the mother of four chil- dren : Paul, Augustine, Louisa and Joseph. John, a baker living at Sioux Rapids, Iowa, married Miss Lillian Hodge and has one daughter, Irene. Joseph, proprietor of a bakery at Carroll, married Miss Agnes Hines, of Marseilles, Illinois. Mrs. Mary C. Staak has now made her home in Car- roll for thirty-six years and enjoys a wide and favorable acquaintance here.
MANLEY TURNER.
The ranks of Civil war veterans are fast becoming decimated. Year by year many respond to the last roll call, and it is fitting that while some of the boys in blue survive they should be honored by their fellow towns- men for the service which they rendered to the country during the darkest hour in all its history. Mr. Turner is among those who for more than four years did active duty on southern battlefields, and in days of peace he has been equally loyal to his country. At present he is living retired but for many years was a progressive farmer of Richland township, and is num-
MR. AND MRS. MANLEY TURNER
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bered among the oldest settlers in this district. He was born in Rochester, New York, on the ist of May, 1843, a son of Charles M. and Hannah (Tiney) Turner, both natives of Scotland. Mr. Turner's great-grandfather served under Admiral Paul Jones in the Revolutionary war. The father, who was by trade a mechanic, came to America in early life, locating first in Rochester, New York, and in 1844 removed to Toledo, Ohio. The sub- sequent history of himself and his wife are unknown. Their family con- sisted of six children of whom the subject of this review was the only son.
Manley Turner was reared under the direction of Ephraim Hinkle, the period of his boyhood and youth being passed for the most part on a farm in Lucas county, now a part of the present site of Toledo. At an early age he took his place in the fields, as soon as he was old enough to handle the plow, and when the crops were all harvested in the autumn he had the opportunity of attending the district school, the session of which covered little more than the winter months. He was but eighteen years of age at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war but, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, enlisted in the Union army, becoming a private of Company I, Forty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He took part in all of the engagements of his regiment, participating in the battles of Vicksburg, Jackson, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta and the campaign of Atlanta, while he also accompanied Sherman on his memorable march to the sea. After four years and two months of loyal and brave service, dur- ing which period he was slightly wounded two or three times, he was hon- orably discharged, and after being mustered out of the regiment returned home.
In the winter of 1865-6 Mr. Turner came to Iowa, first locating at Sioux City, whence he later removed to Marshall county, and in May, 1878, ar- rived in Carroll county, within the borders of which he has since main- tained his home. His first purchase made him the owner of forty acres in Richland township, to which he later added eighty acres, and upon that tract of one hundred and twenty acres resided for thirty years, concentrat- ing his energies upon its cultivation and development. He greatly im- proved that property and the abundant harvests which he annually gath- ered as a result of the care and labor which he bestowed upon his fields soon made him financially independent, so that later he was able to withdraw from active business life. In 1909 he sold his farm and moved to Glidden, where he purchased what was known as the Culbertson property. Here he and his family have since resided, and their home, which is ever the abode of a warm hospitality, has become a favorite resort with their many friends.
On the 7th of April, 1874, Mr. Turner was united in marriage to Miss Ione G. Webster, a native of Connecticut and a daughter of Charles F. and Sarah (Scranton) Webster, also natives of that state. Mrs. Turner's great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The parents came to Iowa in 1864, locating in Tama county, and there the father passed away in February, 1864. The mother survived until 1906, when her death occurred at the age of eighty-seven years. In their family were seven chil- Vol. II-13
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dren, Alice, Mary, Ione, Charles, Emanuel, Edward and Lillian. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Turner have been born three children, as follows: Fred, who is a farmer of Richland township and who married Edna Ruark, by whom he has two children, Lethyl and Ruby; Charlie, a farmer of southern Idaho, who married Alice Arnold and now has two children, Wendell and Doris; and Alice, a student in Drake University. Politically Mr. Turner is a republican, stanchly supporting that party which was the aid of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war, and maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his membership in Scranton Post, G. A. R. Mr. Turner is now in the sixty-eighth year of his age and in a review of his past it is seen that his life record has been an honorable and useful one, characterized by thorough and progressive business activity that has resulted in bringing to him a comfortable and well merited competency. Moreover he has borne his full share in the work of general development and improve- ment here since he took up his abode in this county, which was at that time sparsely settled. It was rich in its natural resources but its opportunities had not yet been fully utilized. Mr. Turner is numbered among those who believed in the value of the land and its possibilities-the wisdom of his opinions being evidenced as the years have gone by.
PETER J. ORTNER.
Peter J. Ortner needs no introduction to the readers of this volume. The family name has figured conspicuously in connection with substantial progress in Carroll county for many years and the subject of this review is now classed with the representative agriculturists of Kniest township. He is a native son of Iowa, his birth occurring in Carroll county on the 2d of August, 1871. His parents are Joseph and Theresa (Wingert) Ort- ner, natives of Austria and New York respectively.
The father came to the United States in youth, locating first near Free- port, Illinois, whence he removed to Blackhawk county, Iowa, and thence to Carroll county in 1871. Here he located upon a farm in Kniest town- ship, which remained his home throughout the rest of his active life. When he arrived in this district there was but one shanty in Kniest township and much of the land was yet unbroken and unimproved. He was progressive and enterprising and became one of the prosperous farmers and large land- owners of this locality, being the owner, at one time, of eleven hundred and eighty acres in Carroll county and also extensive tracts in Texas. In 1909 he withdrew from business life and took up his abode in Carroll, where he still makes his home. He gives his political support to the dem- ocratic party and has served as trustee and in other township offices. He is well known throughout Kniest township and this part of the county, occupying a prominent place in the regard of his fellow citizens. His wife also survives and their family included three sons and seven daughters, as follows: Kate, who married Martin Reinhart, of Kniest township; Peter
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J., of this review ; John ; residing upon the old homestead; Rosa, the wife of Frank Schap, of Gainesville, Texas; Mary, who married Anthony Von- nahme, also of this township; Lizzie, who passed away at the age of three years; Frank, also deceased; Theresa, who wedded John Hermsen, of this township : Frances, the wife of Joseph Chapman, of Kniest township ; and Clara, yet at home.
On the home farm in Kniest township Peter J. Ortner was reared and the public schools of Mount Carmel afforded him his educational advantages. He remained at home until twenty-two years of age, when he removed to his present place and began agricultural pursuits on his own account. He had been reared to farm work and had therefore gained a thorough knowl- edge of the best methods of cultivating the soil and caring for the crops, which well equipped him for the conduct of an independent venture. His farm, comprising one hundred and sixty acres, located in Kniest township, has under his careful supervision been greatly improved and developed and is one of the desirable properties of this locality. Mr. Ortner is an active, wide-awake and alert farmer and like his father manifests notable enterprise in carrying forward to successful completion whatever he under- takes. He has made a specialty of raising high grade Hereford cattle, and his stock is known throughout the township for its excellent quality.
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