USA > Iowa > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 29
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ert B. The daughter, now deceased, became the wife of John Sims, and they had two children, one of whom now survives, Mrs. Hattie Mayberry. The son, Robert B., is a resident of Glidden, lowa. He wedded Miss Mary Dillavou and unto them have been born four children, Ray, Erwin, Vera May and Ralph. Mrs. Loudenback has five great-grandchildren.
Recognizing the harm caused by the liquor traffic, Mr. Loudenback lias ever given his political support to the prohibition party, doing all in his power to assist the nation in overcoming this, one of the greatest evils against which is has to contend. He is a believer in the Christian religion but is not a member of any denomination. He has been a zealous worker against all forms of secret societies, believing that such organizations work harm to the people and especially to Christianity. A self-made man, Mr. Loudenback, with little education and without capital, started out in life for himself when only a lad and, being inspired by laudable ambition and possessed of aggressiveness and zeal, he applied himself energetically to the tasks set before him and on the strength of his own resources, rein- forced by hard work and honesty, found success and finally attained his present prosperity. He has almost reached the eightieth milestone on life's journey and can now spend his declining years in comfort amid the regard of friends who recognize his worth and justly account him one of the rep- resentative citizens of the county.
SIMON BURGAN.
Simon Burgan, who owns two hundred acres of land in Union and Newton townships, to the operation of which he devotes his entire atten- tion, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on the 8th of August, 1842. He is a son of Evans F. and Mary Ann (Connelly) Burgan, natives of Pennsyl- vania, who came to Ohio during the pioneer days. Whence they pro- ceeded to Muscatine county, Iowa, in 1844, remaining there for twenty- four years. In 1868 Mr. Burgan acquired a fine farm property of four hundred acres west of Carroll, his being the last residence between there and Arcadia. He settled upon this place where he continued to reside un- til his demise in 1885 at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Burgan survived for six years thereafter, her death occurring in Union township, after she had passed the eighty-second anniversary of her birth. They both held membership in the Methodist church, and Mr. Burgan, who was a repub- lican, always took an active and helpful interest in all local political affairs. During the period of his residence in Muscatine county he filled various township offices, and he also served for several years as supervisor. Mr. Burgan was a son of Finley and Sarah Burgan, both natives of Pennsyl- vania, to whom were born nineteen children, ten sons and nine daughters. The father was a veteran of the war of 1812. The maternal grandparents were also natives of Pennsylvania and they had four children, three sons and one daughter: Preston, Christ, Rant and Mary 'Ann.
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As he was only a child of two years when his parents located in Mus- catine county, Simon Burgan was reared there and educated in the district and select schools. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty years of age, when being seized with the restlessness, which char- acterizes the majority of youths at that period of their development, he went west. The following ten years were spent prospecting in the mining districts of Montana and Idaho. He returned to Iowa in 1872, taking up his residence with his parents on the old homestead. The management of the property virtually devolved upon him from that time until the demise of his father, when it came into his possession. He subsequently sold it and a year later bought his present farm of two hundred acres.
On the 12th of December, 1883, Mr. Burgan was united in marriage to Miss Willetta Baird, a daughter of William V. and Maria (Ouderkirk) Baird. Her birth occurred in Charleston, New York, of which city her parents were also natives. Her paternal grandparents were Christo- pher and Caroline (Van Doren) Baird, while her maternal grandparents were Cornelius and Mary (Scouten) Ouderkirk. In pioneer days her parents removed to Illinois, but the mother died in Carroll county, Iowa, and the father in New York state, both being buried in Carroll county. In their family were seven children, namely: Alexander, Andrew, Clay, Zachary, Willetta, Cornelius and William Wallace. The last named was a soldier of the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Burgan have no children of their own but have adopted a daughter, Ora Louise.
Mr. Burgan casts his ballot in support of the men and measures of the republican party and is now serving as school director. Both he and his wife attend the United Brethren church, of which she is a member, al- though they were reared Presbyterians. He is one of the prosperous and highly esteemed citizens of Union township and has a wide acquaintance throughout the county.
C. M. FERDINAND MESS.
'A' large number of the foreign-born residents of the United States who had their nativity in the fatherland have found excellent opportunities in the rich farming districts of Iowa for advancement along agricultural lines, in which number is included C. M. Ferdinand Mess. Born in Holstein. Germany, on the 28th of December, 1851, he is a son of Henry and Chris- tina (Reise) Mess, both natives of Germany, who came to the United States in 1867, locating first in Chicago. There the father followed his trade of wagon-making for a number of years, and the family were still making their home in the western metropolis when the great fire of 1871 swept over that city. At that time various members of the family were afflicted with smallpox, but in spite of their precarious condition were compelled to get up from their beds and walk out of their burning home. There is today in the possession of the family a ball of glass which was
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originally a window pane in their residence and which had been melted to its present condition by the terrific heat of that conflagration. In 1873 Henry Mess brought his family to Carroll county, locating in Arcadia township, where he took up farming, being thus engaged until his death, which occurred March 2, 1878. In 1879 his wife suffered a stroke of paralysis and was helpless up to the time of her death August 5, 1895. Both were laid to rest in Arcadia cemetery. In their family were four children, namely : Dora, who married Henry Tank, of Arcadia; Emilie, the de- ceased wife of Frank Brown, of West Side, Iowa, her death occurring Jan- uary 31, 1890; C. M. Ferdinand, of this review; and Henriette, residing with her brother.
Ere leaving his native country C. M. F. Mess acquired a good common school education, and was sixteen years of age when the family home was established in America. He remained with his parents until their death, and since 1890 has operated the old homestead, upon which he made many improvements. He planted all of the trees on the place and now has a fine grove of evergreens, has built substantial barns and outbuildings and in the fields are found modern equipment for facilitating farm labor. His farm now consists of three hundred and one acres of as valuable and well developed land as can be found in the township, his fields being under a high state of cultivation. He has not been afraid to work but on the con- trary his place indicates, by its neat and well ordered appearance, a life of industry, enterprise and thrift on his part. In addition to cultivating the soil he also engages in raising stock, the high grade of which commands ready sale and good prices on the market.
On the 20th of November, 1888, Mr. Mess was united in marriage to Miss Mary Waswo. Her parents, Claus and Margaret (Carson) Waswo, were born, reared and married in Kellinghausen, Holstein, Germany, which was also the birthplace of Mrs. Mess. In August, 1868, the family came to America and located in Chicago, Illinois, where the father conducted a tannery, making his home there for twelve years, and then removed to Wheatland township, Carroll county. Here he rented land and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died in Jackson, Minnesota, in 1909, but the mother of Mrs. Mess had passed away many years previously, dying in Chicago in 1876. In their family were four children, all of whom are liv- ing, Mrs. Mess being the eldest. Henry is a resident of Dakota. Anna is the wife of Lawrence Kelting, of Manning, Iowa, and Emma is the wife of Fred Wittmus, of Fairfax, South Dakota. The family were all members of the German Lutheran church and Mr. Waswo was a republican in poli- tics. To Mr. and Mrs. Mess were born five children, namely: Christine M. E., Henry C. and Willie A., all at home; and Fred and Emil, both de- ceased.
Mr. Mess holds membership in the Lutheran church and fraternally belongs to the Legion of Honor at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In politics he is a republican, having served as road master and also as assessor of the township, and in his citizenship has ever been most loyal to his adopted country and its institutions. He has long been a resident of Carroll county,
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coming to this district when there were only about nine buildings in the village of Arcadia, and his nearest neighbor was five miles away. Since that time he has witnessed the growth and development of the township, doing all in his power to further the work of improvement that has steadily been carried on within its borders, and by the consensus of public opinion he is given a prominent place among the enterprising, progressive and pub- lic-spirited citizens of this locality.
JOSEPH J. MEYERS.
Some men are so fortunate as to find the vocation for which they are by nature adapted early in life and they accomplish easily what requires years of patient application on the part of others. It is evident that Joseph J. Meyers, county attorney of Carroll county, belongs to the for- tunate class here mentioned. Although he has engaged in the practice of law only seven years, he has gained a place as one of the well established attorneys of the county. He was born in this county, September 25, 1880, a son of John and Catherine (Rosauer) Meyers, the former a native of Dubuque county, and the latter of Chickasaw county, Iowa. The father came to Carroll county in 1872 and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Roselle township. He applied himself with such good results that he is now the owner of a valuable place of four hundred acres and is one of the highly successful citizens of this section. Mrs. Meyers was called from earthly scenes June 8, 1895, when she was forty years of age. She was a devout member of the Catholic church, as is her husband. In their family were eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity, namely : Mary, who is the wife of P. V. Lenz, of Kimball, South Dakota; Edward C., who is engaged in the Christian ministry at Milford, Iowa ; Louis F., of Hartington, Nebraska; Joseph J., the subject of this sketch; Rose, who became the wife of Frank Gerber, of Randolph, Nebraska; Kate, who married Joseph J. Wolfe, of Carroll, Iowa; Margaret, who died aged nine- teen years; and Anna and John H., both of whom are at home. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Christopher Meyers, who was born in Luxemburg. He was a farmer and lived to a good old age, being the father of twelve children, Anna, Joseph, Catherine, Henry, Elizabeth, William, John, Christopher, Louis, Albert, Peter and Benjamin. The paternal grandmother was Mary Meyers. The grandfather on the maternal side is Joseph Rosauer, a native of Germany, who is now living at Hills- dale, Iowa, his wife being deceased and the maternal grandmother was Lena Rosauer. The names of their children were Peter, Joseph, Nellie, Mary, Catherine, Caroline and Elizabeth.
Joseph J. Meyers was reared on his father's farm and possessed ad- vantages of education in the district schools and in a parochial school at Hillsdale. He was a student for a year at St. Francis College of Quincy, Illinois, and after returning home, being then seventeen years of age,
J. J. MEYERS
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was appointed deputy county treasurer, which office he filled to the general satisfaction of the taxpayers for two years. Desiring to advance further in his studies and having already made up his mind to adopt the legal profession as his life work, he became a student of Iowa State College of Ames, where he continued for two years, at the end of which time he entered Notre Dame University at South Bend, Indiana, and took a three years' course at that celebrated institution, graduating in 1904 with the degree of LL. B. He was admitted to the bar shortly afterward and began practice at Carroll in partnership with C. E. Reynolds under the title of Reynolds & Meyers, the firm soon becoming recognized as one of the most prominent in the county. In the fall of 1910 Mr. Meyers was elected county attorney, a position which he assumed in January, 1911. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Carroll Muzzle Company and is actively identified with other business organizations in this part of the state.
Politically Mr. Meyers has, from the time of casting his first ballot, given his allegiance to the democratic party, and his religious faith is indi- cated by membership in the Catholic church. He is also connected with the Knights of Columbus and the Beta Theta Pi, a college fraternity. He takes an active interest in public affairs and has served as president of the Citizens Commercial Club of Carroll, being at all times ready to assist in advancing the permanent welfare of the city. He is a clear and attractive speaker and, having made thorough preparation for his profes- sion, which he has supplemented by close and conscientious study, he has a sound knowledge of law and is thus enabled to solve many intricate prob- lems arising in the course of an extensive practice. He has been con- nected with much important litigation affecting large interests in Carroll and adjoining counties and has made for himself a highly creditable name as an attorney and as a patriotic and progressive citizen.
PATRICK DORAN.
Patrick Doran, who owns one of the fine farms of Union township, in the operation of which he is meeting with much success, was born in Edgerton, Wisconsin, on the 24th of April, 1861, and is a son of Patrick and Mary (Pendergast) Doran. The parents were both natives of Ire- land, the father having been born in County Tipperary and the mother in County Waterford. Patrick Doran was reared in the county where he was born and when old enough to become a wage earner was employed on the public works. He emigrated to the United States in his early manhood and soon thereafter located in Rock county, Wisconsin, in the vicinity of Edgerton. In 1877 he came to Carroll county, purchasing a farm of eighty acres in Union township. This he improved and cultivated with such ex- cellent success that he was later able to increase his homestead by the ad- dition of another eighty acres. Both he and his wife passed away at the Vol. II-16
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age of eighty-four years, his demise occurring in January, 1901. and Mrs. Doran's in September, 1909. They were life-long communicants of the Roman Catholic church. To them were born six children, in the follow- ing order: John, who is a resident of Union township; Patrick, our sub- ject ; Mary, the wife of Frank Trullinger, of Guthrie county ; Maggie, who married John Christie, of Richmond township; Annie, the wife of James Christie of Zell, South Dakota; and Katie, the wife of George Trullinger, of Guthrie county.
The boyhood and early youth of Patrick Doran were passed on his father's farm in Wisconsin, in the surrounding district schools of which he obtained his education. He was sixteen years of age when his parents removed to Iowa in 1877, and he has ever since continuously resided here. Agricultural pursuits have always engaged his attention and he now owns one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 12, Union township, a portion of which he inherited after the death of his father. He is one of the progressive and enterprising agriculturists of the township, which means he is also one of the prosperous. His place is well improved and kept up and his fields given the capable supervision which always insures abundant harvests.
On the 26th of November, 1885, Mr. Doran was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Egan, a daughter of Jolin and Hannah (Martin) Egan, both natives of Ireland. from which country they emigrated to the United States, locating in Green county, Wisconsin. There they both passed away, the mother at the age of seventy-one, and the father at eighty-six. They were the parents of nine children: Catharine; Maria; Patrick, who is deceased; Celia; Margaret; Hannah; John; Nellie; and Agnes, now Mrs. Doran, who was born in Green county.
Mr. and Mrs. Doran have in their family eight children: Mabel, the wife of Edward Croake, who has one son, Harold; Harold, who is prov- ing up on a claim in Tama and Meade counties, South Dakota; William; Alice; Grace ; Helen; John and Celia.
All of the family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church, and Mr. Doran and two of his sons are affiliated with the Knights of Columbus. He is a democrat, but has never sought any office or political preferment in any way. He is one of the popular citizens of Union town- ship whose upright business transactions and incorruptible integrity have won him the esteem of all with whom he has had dealings.
DAVID HENRY PARK.
Among the men whose lives and personal efforts contributed materi- ally toward the upbuilding of Carroll it is doubtful whether any deserve a more honorable mention in this work than David Henry Park, now de- ceased. He was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, within a few miles of Edinburgh, May 28. 1850, a son of Andrew and Sophia (Milligan)
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Park, both of whom were natives of Scotland. They had eleven chil- dren all of whom grew to maturity, namely: George R., who is now living at Evans, Colorado; William R., of Fairfax, lowa; Jane, now Mrs. Charles Mallock, of Morning Sun, Iowa; Thomas, a minister of the gospel, who is located at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania; Jeannette, who married Charles Wheeler, of Newhall, lowa; David Henry; Belle, who became the wife of Dr. Stroud, of Ontario, Canada, and is now deceased; Sophia, who mar- ried J. R. Gordon, of Pueblo, Colorado; Ella, now Mrs. James Page, of Whitewater, Colorado; Andrew, who died in March, 1910; and Margaret, who is the wife of R. Darr, of Storm Lake, Iowa. Andrew Park, the father of our subject, was for many years foreman of a large woolen mill in his native country, having about five hundred workers under his supervision. He was a great reader and thinker, a natural poet and descriptive writer, a naturalist and an inventor-machinist. His father was William Park, a shepherd in Inverness, Scotland, and his mother was Janet Main. Seven sons and six daughters were born to them. The sons followed their father's occupation with the exception of David S. Park, for whom David H. Park was named, and who was a general merchant at Hawick, Scot- land. The youngest daughter of this large family died only three years ago, at the venerable age of ninety years, a woman like Dorcas full of faith and good deeds. David H. Park's mother, Sophia Milligan, was a woman of culture and special aptness in making herself helpful both to rich and poor. His maternal grandfather was George Milligan, was a cabinet-maker and undertaker in Hawick all his life, his son Robert succeeding to the busi- ness, which was conducted by the two for a period of nearly seventy-five years. His grandmother was Jane Patterson, a woman noted for her con- secrated Christian life. He had one maternal uncle, the one mentioned above.
In 1857 Andrew Park crossed the ocean with his family and, after a thirty-seven-day trip on the sailing vessel Pomona, they landed and took up their residence in Delaware county, New York, in July of this year. later arriving in Linn county, Iowa, where he engagd in farming. He died at the home of his son, in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, having ar- rived at the age of eighty-three years, while his wife passed away about 1880. They were both devoted members of the United Presbyterian church.
David H. Park arrived in America with his parents at the age of seven years and grew to maturity under the kindly influences of a peaceful home. He received his education in the public school and in the Academy of Andes, Delaware county, New York. His boyhood was spent on his father's farm. In 1869, in March, he came with his father's family to Iowa, where he attended business college in Cedar Rapids. He lived part of the time in Norway and part in Fairfax. Later he mastered the car- penter's trade and was a contractor for several years. In Fairfax he had a wagon repairing and blacksmith shop. Spending only a short time in business in Norway, he came after his marriage to Carroll, where he as- sociated with his brother Andrew in the implement business. The brother retired a few years later and Mr. Park of this review continued the firm
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until about 1902 when he sold out and entered the real-estate business. He was a man of excellent judgment and his efforts were blessed with abun- dant financial returns.
On the IIth of May, 1882, Mr. Park was married to Miss Edith C. Vette, a daughter of Charles O. and Ursula (Wilkins) Vette. To them three children were born, Marian Edith, Helen Ursula and Fairy Belle. Marian Edith was a student at Lake Forest, Illinois, and was graduated from Urbana University at Urbana, Ohio. She married Fred H. Culbert- son, of Carroll, and they have one child, Helen Adelaide. Helen Ursula. the second in order of birth in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Park, attended St. Mary's Episcopal school at Faribault, Minnesota, and was also a stu- dent at Lake Forest, Illinois, graduating later at Urbana University. Mrs. Edith C. Park is a member of the Church of the New Jerusalem, com- monly known as the Swedenborgian church. She was born near Norway, in Iowa county, Iowa. Her father was born at Bielefeld, Westphalia, Germany, and emigrated to America with an older brother at the age of fourteen, living in St. Louis, Missouri, for a number of years. He came to Iowa county, Iowa, where he met and married Miss Ursula Wilkins. She was born in Michigan and came with her parents to Benton county, Iowa, the family later moving to Marengo, Iowa, where the father died at the age of sixty-three years. The mother still survives and makes her home with her children. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Vette were nine children, as follows: Ella, who died at the age of twenty-one years; Edith C., who married David H. Park; Fairy Belle, the wife of Charles M. Power, of Omaha, Nebraska; 'Arthur and Victor, twins, the former of whom lives at Marengo, Iowa, and the latter at Indianapolis, Indiana ; Charles E., of Sioux City, Iowa; Bertha Adelaide, who married B. H. Stover, of Watertown, South Dakota; Frank J., of Omaha; and Marian, who died at the age of fifteen months. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Park was Josiah Wilkins, a farmer of New York state, and his wife was Locena (Foote) Wilkins. They had thirteen children, seven of whom grew to maturity, namely: Elizabeth, now deceased, who became the wife of William Taylor and afterward married Porter Johnson; Anson, deceased ; Elzora, the widow of Ethan Pritchard, of Waterman, Illinois; Alfred, who died in California; Ursula, who married Charles O. Vette and be- came the mother of Mrs. Park; Jennie, the widow of Nathaniel Hedrick, of Ainsworth, Nebraska; and Newton, who enlisted in the Union army and died in the service of his country.
David H. Park was one of the most popular citizens Carroll has known. He was a public-spirited man and a leader in every movement that aimed to secure the advancement of the city. He loved his wife, his children and his friends and was always kind, generous and true to others and mindful of the rights of his fellows, winning for himself a warm spot in the hearts of all with whom he came into contact. He died in 1910, as the result of a surgical operation. As the end approached he requested that the Twenty- third Psalm be repeated and then after kissing his wife and bidding his family a last farewell he gently fell asleep. The funeral was held Sat-
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urday afternoon in one of the busiest seasons of the year, yet the business houses of the city were all closed in honor of one whose departure was regarded as a loss to the entire community. He was a devoted member of the Masonic order whose beneficent teachings largely influenced his life and his name was upon the rolls of the blue lodge, chapter, commandery and shrine. The funeral services were in charge of the fraternity, a short ad- dress being also delivered at the house by Rev. Dudley of the Methodist church. Mr. Park was very largely instrumental in the erection of the Masonic temple which stands in Carroll, a fitting monument to a man whose name will long be revered and whose good works continue to shed their blessings, though the one who inspired them is no more.
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