History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history, Part 96

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918

USA > Iowa > Cass County > History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history > Part 96

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Daniel Bryan made a settlement during the summer of 1855, on a portion of see- tion 19. He was a native of Pennsyl- vania, but came to Iowa from Ohio. He was a good mechanic and carpenter and worked in all parts of the county. He had a large family by his first wife, which he raised to years of maturity. He en- listed in company I, Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, in 1862, but was discharged be- fore his term of service had expired, on account of disability. He returned to this township and took up the business of life. Some years ago he had the misfortune to lose his wife, and in due time was united in marriage with Eliza Wilson, of Edna township. In 1880 or 1881, he lost all his

property, and left this county, going to Kansas. From there he came back to this State, locating in Woodbury county, where he died in 1882.

Joseph Turner came to Cass county in 1855, and entered a quarter section of land in Pymosa township, and in the spring of 1858, settled down upon it and began some improvements. In 1862, he exchanged this land for a farm in Franklin township, on section 3, which he still owns. Mr. Turner is the present mayor of Wiota, and is noticed at length in that connec- tion.

Charles Jackson, in the fall of 1855, made a settlement upon section 7, and erected a log cabin. In the summer of -

1856, he broke up some land and com- meneed making some improvements, but in August of that year, he sold his claim to Frederick Stoodt, and removed to Fre- mont county. He came this State from Indiana.

William Judd settled upon section 18, during the year 1855, where his widow now resides. He was a native of North Carolina, but came here from Jefferson county, Iowa. He died, here, in April, 1881.

D. D. Morris settled in Franklin town- ship in the spring of 1855, and remained there till 1874, when he removed to his present location on section 11, Atlantic township.

George Magee, made a settlement upon section 18, in 1856. He was born in county Donegal, Ireland, March 10, 1822, where be lived until he was eighteen years old, when he emigrated to America. He located, at first, in the city of Philadel- phia, where he worked for the Govern-

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

ment, making shoes for the troops, then in Mexico. He came here, as above, and purchased a farm of a man by the name of Marshall, on section 18, which had a small cabin erected upon it, that was but sixteen feet square, and in this he moved and lived until 1863 when he erccted a better residence. He spent the year 1861 and 2, in the mountains, in mining. He died at the homestead in this township on the 9th of June, 1881. He followed his trade of shoemaker somewhat after com- ing here, and was the first in the township in that line. His widow still resides upon the old place. She was formerly Ann Magee, and was also a native of the "Em- " erald Isle." She has three children- George W., Mary Jane and Rebecca E.

In the spring of 1856, a man by the name of Miles settled upon section 17. He came here from Illinois. In January, 1857, his wife fell and dislocated her hip, but they thought at the time it was sim- ply a bad sprain, and did nothing for it. But as it continued to grow worse and worse, a physician was called in. In its then swollen condition he found it im- possible to do anything to relieve the woman's suffering, or attempt a cure, and the following May, she died from the effects of the fall, and her body was buried on the place. Her husband re- mained but a little time, when he returned to Illinois, and his present whereabouts are unknown.

At the same time Miles came Wil- liam Hedges made a settlement on section 17. He, also, came from Illinois. He opened up a farm and made some improv- ments, and remained here about two years when he removed to Clark's Grove,

Atlantic township. In the spring of 1863, he sold out and removed to the State of Missouri.

Frederick Stoodt, one of the old settlers of this township, came here in the sum- mer of 1856, and on the 24th of August, of that year, purchased the claim of Charles Jackson, on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 7, where be is still living. Mr. Stoodt is a native of Germany, and was born on the 1st of October, 1813. He came to the United States in June, 1847, and located inįRichland county, Ohio. From there he removed to Allen county, in the same State, and from the latter to Cass county, and settled as above. In 1863, Mr. Stoodt and his family went to Colorado, and en- gaged in mining and were quite success- ful. Returned to the farm in 1865. His wife was Mary Koheiser, who was born in the same town in Germany as her hus- band, on the Ist of February, 1821. They have three sons, all residents of the town- ship.

Frank Nordman, settled upon section 18, on the 26th of Angust, 1856 where he resided until 1859. He is now a resident of the township.

Frank Nordman lives just outside the village limits of Wiota, on the north, where he owns a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He is one of the pioneers of Cass county, and among the earliest settlers of Franklin township, where he located, August 26, 1856. At that time he bought forty acres of land from Wil- liam Judd on section 17, on to which he moved with his family; he fenced and im- proved this land and carried on the busi- ness of blacksmithing. In the fall of 1856, he built the first blacksmith shop

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

erected in the township. He resided on this place and worked at his trade until 1859, when he went to Colorado and re- moved his family to that Territory where he engaged in blacksmithing until 1866, when he returned to Cass county and bought the farm where he now lives. Mr. Nordman was born in Prussia, April 26, 1827, and came to the United States in 1851, locating first at New Orleans, then went to St. Louis, and thence to Cass county, Illinois, and from there to Cass county, Iowa, where he was married February 22d, to Catharine Stoodt, a native of Germany, who came to this country when six years old. They are the parents of three children-Mary Samantha, a teacher in the public schools at Wiota; George Colorado, now farming his father's farm; and Eureka Isabella, wife of Charles McDermott, of Benton township.

P. N. Finch made a settlement on sec- tion 2, in October, 1856, and is still a residentof the township.

P. M. Finch, one of the early settlers of Cass county, located where he now lives, in October, 1856. He was born in Erie county, New York, September 15, 1815. When he was nine years of age he re- moved with his parents to Michigan where bis father, Joel Finch, resided until his decease. The subject of this sketch was married in Michigan, to Martha Pelton, a native of Connecticut, and removed to Iowa, in 1856. They have two children- Mary and Josiah." Mr. Finch's farm is located on section 2. Mr. Finch, like most of the pioneers of this county, has, by steady industry, amassed an easy com- petency and is enjoying the proud con-

sciousness of having always done his duty.

John Seaman, and his son, Frederick August, came to Franklin township, in 1857. Mr. Seaman, the elder, was a na- tive of Germany, who had emigrated to the "Land of the Free" in 1853. He had located near Watertown, Wisconsin, on his arrival, but removed to Cass county as stated above. Ile pre-empted the farm now owned by J. Pollock, on section 20, where he lived unto the day of his death, which occurred in March, 1867. Fred- erick A, his son, was born in Germany, in 1843, and was fourteen years old when he came here. During the war he en- listed in company I, Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, and served three years. After his term of service had expired he re- turned to this county, and now lives on section 20.

Wilson Prall came to Franklin town- ship in 1857, where he improved a farm, and remained till 1865, when he removed to Atlantic township, where he now resides.

Cary Antrim located here about the year 1856, and remained about two years, when he removed to Fremont county, where he probably now resides.

In 1857, Fabius Robbins located upon section 8. He came to Cass county from Ohio, and remained here until 1864 or 5, when he left, suddenly, going to southern Kansas. The farm he opened is now the property of A. C. and J. L. Jameson.

John W. Humerick, senior, made a settlement on section 30, in September, 1858. Ile was born in Prussia, in 1810, and came to the United States in 1845, settling at Columbus, Ohio. From thence he removed to Allen county in the same

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

State, and from there to this place. He put up a log cabin and commenced making improvements. He was a man of excel- lent constitution and robust health and a hard worker, and soon the place began to assume a homelike appearance. He and his family lived in the cabin that he built until 1872, when he built the fine sub- stantial frame residence where his widow now lives. He was married in Germany and was the father of six children, three of whom are living-Elizabeth, Julia and John W., Jr. Mr. Humerick died, quite suddenly, on the 27th of February, 1873.

W. W. Richmond settled upon section 9, during the" year 1858, where he lived until 1868. He removed to Missouri at that date, and is living there now.

In 1859, Harley Soper and family set- tled in Franklin township. They after- wards removed to Atlantic township.

Robert Turner made a settlement in Franklin township, on section 3, in Jan- uary, 1860, where he resided until March, 1861, when he died. He was an English- man by birth and came to this country in 1842. His son, James R. resides upon the old homestead. Mrs. Robert Turner died in January, 1878. James R. Turner is among the most prominent and solid men of the county, and is looked up to by his friends and neighbors as a man of sterling integrity and untarnished honor. It is just such men that make a county what it is, and these annals of the county's history would be incomplete without a short mention of so prominent and in- fluential a citizen as Mr. Turner.

J. R. Turner was born in Derbyshire, England, April 1, 1838. At the age of four years he came with his parents to

the United States. He was married to Eliza J. Russel, a native of Ontario, Can- ada. They have five children-Nellie May, Robert Roy, Charles F., Jesse J. and William. Mr. Turner's farm con- tains one hundred and forty-three and one-half acres.

William W. McClure made a settlement on section 4, in 1860.

William W. McClure resides on section 4, where he settled in 1860, purchasing a fine farm on this section. Upon this place, at that time, was a log house, and ten acres broken. Mr. McClure now has a rich farm with good improvements. He was born in Ohio, in 1833, and remained there until 1859. In that year he started for Pike's Peak, but turned back on learn- ing that the reports of finding gold had proved false, and went to Guthrie county, Iowa. In the spring of 1860 he came to Cass county. In 1863 he again started for Pike's Peak, and after arriving there remained one year. He was married to Jennie McCaferty, who was born in Ohio, in 1833. Mr. and Mrs. McClure have four children-Allison, Mary, Willie and Char- lie. Alva and Elva (twins) died at the respective ages of eleven and thirteen months.

REPRESENTATIVE MEN.

Among the men who are residents of Franklin township to-day, the following have been selected, as the most prominent, with the intention in view of showing of what excellent material the population of this sub-division of Cass county is com- posed. It is no wonder that, with many such men, the township is fast progress- ing to a front rank and a foremost place in the county.

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

James S. Morgan resides upon section 7, Franklin township, where he owns two hundred and forty-five acres. He entered the eighty on which he resides, and an eighty adjoining on section 8, in 1855, but did not locate here until 1864. He was born in Richland county, Ohio, July 24, 1825. His early years were spent in his native State, and he was there married to Rebecca Steele, a native of the same county, born in 1832. He came to Iowa in 1856, and located in Jasper county, where he lived until he came to Cass county in 1864. His parents, Jacob and Mary Morgan, settled in Belmont county, Ohio, at an early day. Jacob Morgan died in Ohio. His wife died in Jasper county. Mrs. Morgan's parents, James and Eliza- beth Steele, were brought up in Pennsyl- vania, and afterward settled in Richland county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have three children-Harry S., now in Califor- nia; Alice, wife of Edward Berg, and George Franklin, at home with his pa- rents.

William Wood was born in Derbyshire, England, on the 30th day of October, 1838, and is the son of Samuel and Ma- tilda (Cartlidge) Wood. When about six years of age he came with his parents to America, and located in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where he was reared and educated. In January, 1865, William came to Cass county, Iowa, and settled in Franklin township. In March, 1873, he removed his family to section 10, where he now owns one hundred and forty acres of land, thirty acres of which are timber. He was married in Cass county in April, 1866, to Harriet Turner, a native of Eng- land, who when quite young came to Amer-

ica, where her parents died, and are buried in the Jameson cemetery, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have five children living- Charles A., Lenora A., Walter W., Hattie and Samuel, William died in August, 1868, aged one month, and Jessie K. died in August, 1875, at the age of five months. Mr. Wood was elected to the office of justice of the peace in November, 1880, and has been township assessor, trustee, supervisor and school director. IIe is a Republican in politics, and is a member of the Odd Fellows' organization.

Mrs. Sarah Robinson, widow of James Robinson, lives upon the northeast quar- ter of section 3, where she settled with her husband, in April, 1865. The farm was then unimproved, with the exception of the breaking of abont two acres. James Robinson was born in Londonderry, Ire- land, in 1826. He came to the United States with his parents, when about fif- teen years old. The family settled near Pittsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were married in Pennsylvania, in March 1849. They emigrated to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1858. One year later, they came to Cass county and settled on the farm of his brother-in-law, Joseph Turner, in the town of Pymosa, which he broke and fenced. They remained on the place three years, then removed to a farm, at Grove City, where they lived three years. Mr. Robinson died July 2, 1865, about three months after locating in Franklin township. Mr. and Mra. Robinson had nine children born to them, all of whom are living. Robert, now in Colorado, James A., in Adair county; Joseph W., in Benton township ; William, living at home with his mother ; Emma, wife of

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

F. M. IIemphill ; Clifton, at home ; Hat- tie M., Agnes C. and Alice B. Mrs. Rob- inson was formerly Sarah Turner, a daugh- ter of Robert Turner. She was born in England in 1825, and came to this country with her father's family. Her farm con- tains two hundred acres.

Henry H. Most settled in 1866, on sec- tion 31, where he now resides. He was born in the province of Hesse, Germany, in 1828. Ile came to the United States in 1865. He has been twice married. His first wife died in this town, March 29, 1872. He was again married to Susanna Heyman, a native of Hesse, Germany, born in 1840. She came to this country in 1866. By the first union there were five children: Philip, Ernest, Anna, Lizzie and a little girl, born November 3, 1871, whose death occurred February 16, 1872. By the second wife there was one son- George.

S. J. Roe settled in 1866, on the north- west quarter of the southeast quarter of section 17, where he still resides. This is is one of the first farms opened in the township. It contains three hundred and sixty acres, for which Mr. Roe paid five dollars per acre, and is all under cultiva- tion. He was born in Chenango county New York, in the town of Norwich. When he was five years old his parents removed to Knox county, Illinois, where he lived until 1864. In that year he came here and purchased his farm, then re- turned to Knox county and enlisted in company A, of the Thirtieth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. Ilis regiment was attached to the Seventeenth army corps. He par- ticipated in numerous engagements, and

in Sherman's march from Atlanta to the sea. He located upon his present farm soon after the close of the war. His wife was formerly Nancy Swim, a native of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Roe have seven children : Leroy, Edwin, Robert, Jack, Lilly, Fanny and Florence.

Mrs. Tabitha Bartles, widow of Nicholas Bartles, resides on eighty acres that is on section 22. She owns a farm, eighty acres 'of which is on section 27. Nicholas Bar- tles was born in Fulton county, Illinois, April 9, 1842. He enlisted in the Forty- seventh Illinois Infantry, March 8, 1865, and served until the close of the war. He came to Cass county after the war, and was married in 1870, to Tabitha Eller, a daughter of Jesse Eller. They settled soon after marriage, upon the farm where Mrs. Bartles now lives. Mr. Bartles' death occurred in 1880. Mrs. Bartles was born in Jefferson county, Iowa, in 1848. She is a daughter of one of the early set- tlers of the county. She has three sons : Jesse F., Clarence E. and Charles O.

John McKnight settled upon section 31, his present residence, in 1870. His first purchase was forty acres, to which he has added until he now owns two hundred and forty acres. He was born in Tusca- rawas county, Ohio, September 19, 1837. His early life was spent in his native county. He enlisted in 1861 and served until the close of the war. He was at the battle of Antietam, South Mountain, sec- ond battle of Bull Run, siege of Atlanta, siege of Vicksburg and Sherman's march to the sea. After the war he returned to Ohio, where he remained until he came to Iowa, in 1867. He lived three years in Poweshiek county, then came to Cass

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

county. Mrs. McKnight was formerly Rachel Forney, a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. McKnight have five child- ren: Callie P., Ulysses G., Elsie B., Frank W. and Dollie M. Mr. Mcknight is an enterprising and successful farmer.

John M. Engle lives upon section 27, where he owns one hundred and twenty acres. He settled here in the spring of 1870, purchasing his land of Sammel Baumer and A. S. Walker. The farm was wholly unimproved, he being the first settler upon it. Mr. Engle was born in Menard county, Illinois, in 1827, and was there reared to agricultural pursuits. He decided, on attaining manhood, to learn the wagon makers' trade and fol- lowed wagon and carriage making for a number of years. He lived in Illinois un- til he came to Iowa in 1870. At the age of fifteen years he became a member of the Church of God, and, several years later, was made an elder and bishop of that denomination. On one occasion the brethren of the church, met and chose him as elder and pastor, in which capacity be served some years. He began preach- ing in 1872 and continued to preach regu- larly for a number of years but was com- pelled, some time since, to abandon it, on account of a bronchial trouble. He was married in Illinois to Mary Jane Smith, a native of Morgan county, Virginia. She removed with her parents to Illinois when seven years old. Mr. and Mrs. Engle have had nine children born to them, only two of whom are living: Fred, born in Illinois in 1864 and Leonard, born in 1865. Of their seven deceased children, four died in June, 1876, between the 18th and 22d.

In Portland, Maine, on the 18th of Feb- ruary, 1833, Charles W. Simonton was born, his father being Benjamin Simon- ton, a native of Maine, who fought in the War of 1812. His mother, Anne Buck, was born in Dorchester, New Brunswick. Charles remained in Maine until twenty years of age, when he moved to Illinois, and resided, in Henry county, until the year 1872, when he came to Cass county, Iowa. His mother died in April, 1883, aged eighty-three years, while his father died in January, 1883, being at the time of his death about eighty-seven years old. In Illinois, Charles was united in marriage with Hannah E. Watrous on the 24th of April, 1869. By their union they have been blessed with five children, whose names are: Sarah M., aged fourteen; Ar- thur R., aged eleven; Nellie E., aged nine; Melville C., seven; and Eddie B., four. Mr. Simonton is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 10, in Franklin township.

Jamison Lamoreaux, son of Darius and Ellen (Darling) Lamoreaux, was born February 17, 1847, in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. He was reared and edu- cated in his native State. ' When he was eighteen years of age, his father, who was a farmer, moved to Mason county, Illinois. The subject of this sketch came to Cass county, Iowa, in 1874, and settled then upon his present farm, which is located on section 16, of Franklin township. It contains eighty acres and is all under cul- tivation. He is engaged in general farm- ing. Mr. Lamoreanx was married in this county, April 26, 1877, to Elizabeth Pol- lock, a native of Pennsylvania. They have two children: Orris, born in May,

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

1878, and Blanche, born in December, 1880.

Philip Dasher, owes his nativity to Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, having been born there on the second day of April, 1836, and is the son of John and Eliza- beth Dasher. Philip came to the United States in 1854, and located in Pennsyl- vania about three months, when he moved to Warren county, Illinois, and began his early life in the agricultural pursuits. He remained in that county until 1870, when he came to Iowa, and located on section 15, Franklin township, Cass county, where he owns two hundred and forty acres of nicely cultivated land, and raises some of the finest stock in the county. Mr. Dasher was married in Warren county, Illinois, in October, 1866, to Anna Wisner, a native of Germany. Their union has been blessed with three children, whose names we learn are: George Philip, Anna M. and Harry. Mary K., died in 1874, aged two years. Mr. Dasher and family are prominent members of the Lutheran church.

George Dalzell came to Cass connty in 1873, and settled at that time, on section 3, where he now lives. He is a native of county Armagh, Ireland. He came to the United States in 1846, and settled in Pennsylvania, where he remained ten years. He then went to California, and lived upon the Pacific coast sixteen years. Mr. Dalzell was married in Pennsylvania, in 1851. Mrs. Dalzell was born in county Derry, Ireland, and came to this country in 1841. They have five children living- Anna, Charles, Lavina, George and Robert. Three have died, Anna J., who died in Pennsylvania; Elizabeth, who died in

Idaho, and William, who was killed at the age of twenty, by the kick of a horse, in the fall of 1877. Charles is a teacher in the higher department of the Wiota school. Anna, also, has been engaged in teaching for several years. Mr. Dalzell's farm is two hundred acres, one hundred acres of which is on section 4.

James W. Kelsey owns and resides upon the northwest quarter of section 33, where he settled in 1874. At that time the land was wholly unimproved, but he now has a fine farm in a high state of cultivation, and is an enterprising and successful farmer. In 1884 Mr. Kelsey had one hundred and ten acres of his farm planted to corn, which will probably average fifty bushels per acre. He has an orchard containing one hundred trees, and all of the land is well fenced. Mr. Kelsey was born in Saratoga county, New York, November 19, 1831, and was reared a farmer. In 1854 he went to Whiteside county, Illinois, and opened a farm of eighty acres. He came to this county from Sterling, Illinois. He was married to Martha E. King, a native of Vermont, and daughter of Hosea King. They have no children living. They have lost one son-Willie.

Mrs. Catherine Euken resides on sec- tion 35, Franklin township, where she located with her family in 1876. Her farm contains one hundred and sixty acres of land, which, at the time of her purchase, was wholly unimproved, but is now well cultivated. Mrs. Euken is the widow of John R. Euken, a native of Germany, who emigrated to the United States with his family in 1869. They set- tled in Whiteside county, Illinois, upon a

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

farm, where Mr. Euken died in the fall of 1872. The family came to Iowa for the purpose of getting more land than they then owned in Illinois. Mrs. Euken has five children, four sons and one daughter -Emke, Edward, Carl, Amelia and Her- man, all of whom were born in Germany.

David W. Paine came to Franklin in 1876, and settled on section 28, where he has a farm of two hundred and forty acres, all of which was unbroken prairie at the time of his purchase. He now has it fenced and other excellent improve- ments upon it. He has stables sufficient to accommodate many cattle, sheep and hogs, in the raising of which, Mr. Paine is largely engaged. His residence is on section 18, he having leased the farm above mentioned, for five years. He pur- chased the place on which he resides, in the fall of 1881. It contains one hundred and sixty acres, most of the improvements upon it have been made by Mr. Paine. It is a beautiful place. He makes a specialty of Short-horn cattle and Poland China hogs, and is one of the most extensive breeders of fine stock in Cass county. He keeps, also, fine mutton sheep. Mr. Paine was born in Addison county, Vermont, in 1834. He remained in his native State until 1862, when he, with his family, came west and located in Whiteside county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming. They removed from that county to Cass. Mrs. Paine was formerly Marion Lang- don, a native of Addison county, Ver- mont. They have five children-Lilly D., Lelia J., Wesley W., Leslie L. and Wilton A. Mr. Paine's parents, David and Eunice Paine, were also natives of the Green Mountain State. They had but two chil-

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Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918