USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume II > Part 29
USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume II > Part 29
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
It was on the 4th of June, 1907, that Joseph E. Malek was married to Miss Barbara Pecka, a daughter of Wenzel and Mary Pecka, the former a farmer of Winneshiek county. Mr. and Mrs. Malek have become the parents of five children: Ralph, Clarence. Evelyn, Louise and Helen, all of whom are upon the home farm with their father and mother and are being educated in the public schools of New Oregon township.
Joseph E. Malek is also indebted to the public school system of Howard county for the educational privileges he enjoyed and during his later life he has learned many valuable lessons in the school of experience. He is interested in all that pertains to the public welfare and has served as school director for three years. He has member- ship with the Modern Woodmen of America, having been identified with that order for about four years. His political faith is that of the democratic party and in religious belief he is a Catholic, his membership being in the church at Protivin. He has been a very active worker in support of the Red Cross and Liberty Loan drives and is one hundred per cent American in all that pertains to the welfare and development of the county, the commonwealth and the country.
JOSEPH KOUDELKA.
Joseph Koudelka, a farmer living on section 14, Utica township, Chickasaw county. was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, March 25, 1881. His parents, John and Catherine (Fencl) Koudelka are mentioned elsewhere in this work in connection with the sketch of their son, Anton Koudelka.
Joseph Koudelka, after acquiring a district school education, worked upon the home farm to the time of his marriage and gained practical and valuable knowledge concerning the best methods of tilling the fields and caring for the crops. On the 11th of June, 1907, he wedded Miss Anna Praska, a daughter of John Praska, one of
223
CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
the early settlers of Deerfield township, Chickasaw county, who is now living retired at New Hampton.
Following his marriage Mr. Koudelka settled on his present home farm, his father having purchased one hundred and seventy acres of this place for him the year prior to his marriage. In later years Mr. Koudelka has increased his holdings and is now the owner of two hundred and thirty acres. He is regarded as one of the able farmers and progressive men of Utica township, his highly cultivated fields bearing testimony to his diligence and ability. For several years he specialized in the breeding and raising of thoroughbred shorthorn cattle but sold his stock in 1915 and for three years thereafter rented his farm, during which period he was engaged in merchandising at Little Turkey. In the spring of 1918, however, he disposed of the business and the following fall returned to the farm. In the spring of 1918 a cyclone destroyed all of the buildings upon his land, but he has replaced them with modern structures and has one of the best farm residences in Utica township, while barns and outbuildings are large and substantial, furnishing ample shelter to grain and stock. He and his brothers have their own threshing outfit and corn shredder and do all their own threshing. There are five brothers-John, Joseph, Anton, Carl and Frank-and they are among the biggest farm operators in Utica township and are among its most pro- gressive citizens. They thoroughly understand the scientific as well as the practical phases of farming and their progressive methods have resulted in the attainment of splendid results. In 1907, when Joseph Koudelka took up his abode on his present home farm, there was an indebtedness of three thousand dollars upon it. He erected buildings to the cost of six thousand dollars and he paid fifty-five hundred dollars for more land. He also built the modern brick store building in Little Turkey which he still owns. After his farm was devastated by the cyclone he replaced his buildings with better and more modern structures and is today the owner of one of the best improved farms in his part of the county, practically free from all indebtedness.
To Mr. and Mrs. Koudelka have been born two daughters, Helen and Beatrice. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and Mr. Koudelka is identified also with the Knights of Columbus. In politics he is a democrat and for two terms he served as a member of the township board of trustees, but he has little ambition to hold office, preferring that his time, thought and energies shall be placed upon his business affairs. He has wisely used the opportunities that have come to him and step by step he has advanced along lines that have made his progress of a most substantial character.
D. H. THOMAS.
In business circles of Howard county the name of D. H. Thomas, cashier of the First National Bank of Lime Springs, is well known. He comes to Iowa from the neighboring state of Minnesota, his birth having occurred in Fillmore county, eight miles north of Lime Springs, on the 26th of August, 1874, his parents being William H. and Claudia (Davis) Thomas, the former a native of Wales and the latter of Nebraska. The father was a plasterer and bricklayer by trade and followed those pursuits throughout his entire life. He died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while working on a contract there in July, 1874. His widow is still living and makes her home in Lime Springs.
D. H. Thomas of this review was educated in the high school at Spring Valley, Minnesota, and was graduated with the class of 1894. He then took up the profession of teaching and through the subsequent five years devoted his time to that work and to farming. In the fall of 1899 he turned his attention to the banking business, enter- ing the bank of which he is now the cashier and financial director. It was then a private bank and his position was that of assistant cashier. In 1902 he was made cashier of the institution, which in 1903 was incorporated as the First National Bank. Mr. Thomas has continued to direct the financial policy of the bank, the business of which has greatly increased under his management. The deposits have grown from
224
CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
less than fifty thousand dollars to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars since he assumed active control and the bank's business has developed in every particular. The institution most carefully safeguards the interests of depositors and at the same time follows progressive methods that result in the upbuilding of the business.
In 1906 Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Ida A. Jones, of Bonair, Howard county, and they have become parents of four children: Theodore, Gwendolyn, Alice and David H., Jr. In politics Mr. Thomas is a republican and for six years he served as mayor of Lime Springs. His administration was characterized by a most progressive policy, resulting largely to the benefit and upbuilding of the city. He was also a member of the town council for four years and for the past eight years he has served as chairman of the republican county central committee, doing everything in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of the republican party because of his firm belief in the efficacy of its principles as factors in good government. He belongs to Howard Lodge, No. 214, A. F. & A. M., of Lime Springs, and he and his wife are consistent and faithful members of the Presbyterian church, guiding their lives according to its teachings. They are highly esteemed by all who know them and most of all by those who know them best.
A. E. MARSH.
A. E. Marsh is a hardware dealer of Lime Springs and one of the foremost business men of Howard county. Moreover, he is numbered among the pioneer settlers of this section of the state, having for many years not only been a witness of the growth and progress but also a factor in the continuous development of northern Iowa. He was born in Elgin, Illinois, October 14, 1845, and is a son of Melvin M. and Sarah (Mason) Marsh, both of whom were natives of Onondaga county, New York, where they resided until after their marriage. In 1834 they removed westward to Illinois, passing through Chicago when there were but seven houses in the town. Mr. Marsh located on a farm in Kane county, about five miles from where the city of Elgin now stands. He was a railroad contractor and built the first dam and the first bridge across the Rock river at Rockford. He established all of the depots and built many of them on the Fox River Valley Railroad and he also constructed several sections of the road. Subsequently he removed to Mc- Henry, Illinois, and in 1856 came to Howard county, Iowa, settling on the site of the old town of Lime Springs, one mile north of the present town. There he pur- chased the town plat of sixty or eighty acres from D. C. and Joseph Knowlton and the following year he began the erection of a grist mill, which he completed in the succeeding year. He was busily engaged in the operation of that mill for eleven years, meeting with success in the business until 1869, when he sold the property and afterward lived retired until death called him to his final home. His political allegiance was given to the whig party until its dissolution, when he joined the ranks of the new republican party, of which he was an earnest supporter.
A. E. Marsh was a lad of but eleven years at the time of the removal of the family to Howard county, where he has since made his home, covering a period of sixty-two consecutive years. He was educated in the district schools, also in the Lime Springs Academy and in the Cedar Valley Seminary at Osage, Iowa, before entering the Upper lowa University at Fayette. After completing his education there he bought out a drug business in the old town and was identified with the trade for fifteen years. He later spent a year in the west as a traveling salesman, covering North and South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. In the spring of 1878 he returned to Howard county and decided to engage in farming but was unfortu- nate enough to take up this work at a time when the state had had two years of almost complete failure in the wheat crop. He had therefore invested ten thousand dollars which brought him no return. He next rented the hotel building in the new town of Lime Springs and conducted the hotel for three years, after which he spent a year in looking over Kansas and Indian Territory. However, he returned to Lime
F
-
A. E. MARSH AND FAMILY
227
CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
Springs and engaged in the farm implement business for a period of two years. He then sold his store and purchased the farm that had been preempted by W. O. Chesebrough, his half brother, in 1854. During the following eleven years Mr. Marsh engaged in general agricultural pursuits and this time the venture proveu more profitable, as he produced good crops and brought his land under a high state of cultivation. In 1897 he traded his farm property for his present hardware business, which he has since conducted, and he now has one of the well appointed mercantile establishments of Lime Springs.
In 1873 Mr. Marsh was married to Miss Hattie A. Stalker, of Randolph, Wis- consin, and to them have been born three children: Lena J., the wife of Anthony Marshall, of Cresco, Iowa; Eugene S., who is with the New York Central Railroad as traveling storekeeper, with headquarters at Cleveland, Ohio; and Marvin M., who was a commercial salesman and died at Des Moines, Iowa, January 13, 1919.
Mr. Marsh has always maintained an independent course in politics and has steadily refused political preferment. He belongs to Lime Springs Lodge, No. 214, A. F. & A. M., and is its oldest representative. He has ever remained a faithful follower of the craft and is equally loyal in his connection with the Knights of Pythias. His religious faith is that of the Christian Science church. Howard county numbers him among its oldest and best known pioneer settlers and with every phase of the county's development and progress he is thoroughly familiar.
HIRAM H. KNOX.
Hiram H. Knox, deceased, was born in Sheldon, Houston county, Minnesota, Sep- tember 20. 1871, a son of Hiram and Lovantia E. Knox. The father was born near Augusta, Maine, while the mother was a native of Massachusetts, and their marriage was celebrated near Buffalo, New York. The father followed the occupation of farming as a life work, but in 1849, following the discovery of gold in California, he crossed the plans to the Pacific coast in order to search for the precious metal there and accumu- lated a considerable fortune. He afterward retraced his steps as far as Houston, Minne- sota, where he purchased land and engaged in farming, in loaning money and in the raising of fast horses. He loaned considerable money to the government during the Civil war. He was a well known, prominent and representative resident of Houston county, Minnesota, for many years, there making his home to the time of his death, which occurred in September, 1906. His wife died November 12, 1918, at Sheldon, Minnesota. He held membership in the Presbyterian church and its teachings guided him in all the relations of life. His political support was given to the republican party.
Hiram H Knox spent his boyhood days in and near Houston, Minnesota, and after acquiring a high school education became a student in Carlton College of Minnesota and later took up the profession of teaching. He was afterward appointed to the position of deputy sheriff of Houston county and served in that capacity for a term, while later he spent one year on a farm in Winneshiek county, Iowa. He next became a teller in the Houston Bank of Houston, Minnesota, and likewise assisted in the conduct of a farm implement, grain and cattle business that was carried on by the bank. He re- mained in that connection until his death, which occurred on the 10th of January, 1908, when he had reached the age of thirty-six years.
On the 11th of December, 1895, Mr. Knox was united in marriage to Miss Clara Goocher, a daughter of William B. and Mary A. (Bottler) Goocher. Mrs. Knox was born in Orleans township, Winneshiek county, Iowa. Her father was a native of the province of Saxony. He was born March 8, 1828, and on the 2d of July, 1848, started for America as passenger on a United States sailing ship. He took up his abode in Sheboygan. Wisconsin, and later went to Milwaukee, where he resided until 1849. He afterward worked on various farms in order to acquaint himself with the English language and in the spring of 1850 returned to Milwaukee, where he was employed by a stage coach company. He also carried the mail for four years and later purchased a team and con- veyed passengers from Dubuque to Decorah, Iowa, making trips to the land office. In
228
CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
the fall of 1856 he entered into partnership with J. W. Stiles in the livery business and was thus connected for three years. On the 7th of October, 1857, Mr. Goocher was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Bottler, of Decorah, and in 1859 he removed with his family to Orleans township, Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he turned his atten- tion to farming and stock raising. There he carefully tilled the soil and carried on his business. meeting with substantial success in his undertakings until 1894, when he built a home about a mile south of the old farm and retired from active business life, enjoying a rest which he had truly earned and richly deserved. He resided upon that place until his demise, which occurred on the 27th of January, 1897. To Mr. and Mrs. Goocher were born four children, Henry W., George B., Alice and Carrie, but the last named died at the age of three years, and the family circle was again broken by the hand of death when Mr. Knox passed away in 1897.
He had always given his political support to the republican party and he stood for progressive citizenship, cooperating in many well defined plans and measures for the general good. Fraternally he was a Mason and exemplified in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. He was always thoroughly reliable as well as progressive in his business affairs and his carefully directed interests brought to him a substantial meas- ure of success, so that he was able to leave his family in comfortable financial circum- tances, and at the same time he left to them the priceless heritage of an untarnished name.
W. G. SHAFFER.
W. G. Shaffer is president of the Second National Bank of New Hampton and presi- dent of the Aetna Savings Bank at McIntire, Iowa. In all of his business career he has been characterized by thoroughness, delving below the surface of things and mastering every problem that has confronted him. He has thus made his labors count for the utmost and his efforts have at all times been guided by a sound judgment that has readily discriminated between the essential and the non-essential. His success in one venture has enabled him to extend his efforts and in addition to his connection with the institutions already named he is president of the First National Bank at Hopkins, Min- nesota, vice president of the First State Bank of Fredericksburg, Iowa, and half owner of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Riceville, Iowa, a private banking institution. He is likewise a director and stockholder in several other banks and his name carries weight in financial circles throughout northern Iowa.
Mr. Shaffer was born in Jacksonville township, Chickasaw county, April 26, 1860. a son of H. H. and Sarah (Albert) Shaffer, both of whom were natives of Butler county, Pennsylvania, where they were reared and married. Soon afterward they removed west- ward to Iowa, where they took up their abode early in 1855. H. H. Shaffer had previ- cusly made a trip to Chickasaw county in 1853 and had located land in Jacksonville town- ship on which he settled with his bride in the spring of 1855. With characteristic energy lie began the development and improvement of his farm and thereon continued to reside until his death, which occurred on the 23d of November, 1882. He was a man ot strong purpose who accomplished what he undertook and as the years passed he acquired extensive land holdings throughout the county. While his school training was limited, he became through experience, observation and wide reading a well informed man. He taught school for a number of years both in Pennsylvania and in Iowa and was also called upon for public service, filling the position of county surveyor of Chicka- saw county for a number of years. His worth was manifest in many directions and Chickasaw county numbered him among her most prominent, influential and valued citizens.
W. G. Shaffer was educated in the public schools of Chickasaw county and also attended the Breckenridge Institute at Decorah, Iowa. After reaching adult age he took up agricultural pursuits as a life work and following his father's death took charge of and operated the home farm. He was thus actively engaged in farming until 1891, when he left the farm and removed to New Hampton. In February of the following year
229
CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
he opened a private bank in New Hampton and this has constituted the nucleus of his steadily growing banking interests and connections until he is today identified, either as officer or director, with fourteen different banks in this section of the country.
On the 26th of March, 1885, Mr. Shaffer was married to Miss Izettie Markle, of Jacksonville township, Chickasaw county, daughter of Lieutenant Frederick Markle, a veteran of the Civil war, who came to Chickasaw county soon after the close of hostilities between the north and the south. The mother of Mrs. Shaffer was prior to her mar- riage Miss Alcena Abbott, a daughter of E. C. Abbott, who was one of the early settlers of Chickasaw county, where he served for a number of years as a member of the board of county supervisors. Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer have become parents of eight children, of whom six are living. Frederick Blaine, a practicing attorney of New Hampton, was serving as county attorney when war was declared with Germany. He resigned his office and was specially inducted into the service by General Crowder and ordered to an officers training camp to qualify for service in the heavy artillery branch of the army. He married Katherine Parson, of Algona, and has one son. Myrtle E. is the wife of C. B. Phillips, assistant cashier of the Second National Bank of New Hampton. They have two children, Dorothy and Geraldine, attending school. Grace M. was educated in music at Des Moines College of Des Moines, Iowa, and at Oberlin College of Oberlin, Ohio, and is now teaching that art. Gordon M. became a member of the Second Division Signal Corps and was on active duty in Germany. He went into action on the 17th of March, 1918, and was on the front line and active in the German occupation until Sep- tember, 1919. He received the decoration of the Cross de Guerre from the French for extraordinary action in several battles, without food and regardless of enemy shell fire. He received other citations for bravery in action and was mentioned for the Distinguished Service Cross awarded by the United States government. Lauren C., attending Des Moines College, completed his military training in the Students' Army Training Corps in the summer of 1918 and at the time of the signing of the armistice was being trans- ferred to the Officers' Training Corps. Alice, the youngest of the family, is at home. All three of the sons, therefore, became connected with the army during the period of the great European war.
In politics Mr. Shaffer is a republican and served four years as mayor of New Hampton, while for four years he was a member of the city council. In the campaign of 1918 he ran for congress in the primary in the fourth district, and while he carried his home county by a large majority, showing his popularity among those by whom he is best known, he failed of nomination. As mayor he had given to his city a businesslike and progressive administration that brought about various needed reforms and improve- ments and maintained a high standard of civic virtue. He and his family are members of the Baptist church and his connection with banking interests, with public office and with the intellectual and moral development of the community places him among those citizens to whom Chickasaw county is largely indebted for her progress and her welfare.
JOHN LUNDAK.
Jolın Lundak, who follows farming on section 18, New Oregon township, Howard county, was born in Bohemia, June 20, 1864, coming from that land that has furnished so many substantial and representative citizens to this section of the state. He is a son of Joseph and Victoria (Hron) Lundak, who came to the United States in 1867. They did not tarry on the Atlantic coast but at once made their way across the country and took up their abode in New Oregon township, Howard county, where the father resided until his death, his demise occurring on the 11th of November, 1918, the day on which the armistice was signed-a never-to-be-forgotten day in the history of America and the world. Mr. Lundak was then in his eighty-seventh year. He had for three years sur- vived his wife, who passed away September 28, 1915.
John Lundak was but three years of age when the family came to the United States. He was educated in the district schools and spent his youthful days in the usual manner of the farm-bred boy, who divides his time between the acquirement of an education and
230
CHICKASAW AND HOWARD COUNTIES
the work of the fields. In 1889 he was united in marriage to Miss Veronica Humpal, of Winneshiek county, Iowa, and to them have been born four children: Victoria, now the wife of Frank Voyna, a resident farmer of New Oregon township; William J., who joined the Engineering Corps of the American army and was on active duty with the expeditionary forces in France; and Albert J. and Rudolph, who are at home.
Following his marriage Mr. Lundak took charge of the old homestead farm of the family and was engaged in its further cultivation and development until 1902, when, having carefully saved his earnings, he was able to purchase his present home place, comprising two hundred and thirty acres in New Oregon township. He removed to this place two years after making the purchase and has since resided thereon. He also owns eighty acres of land adjoining the old home farm and is operating both tracts. The old homestead was deeded to his two sons at the time of their grandfather's death. Mr. Lundak has been a most active and energetic farmer and is regarded as a prominent representative of the agricultural interests of his section of the State. In politics he is a democrat and has served as township road boss for several years and also as a member of the school board for a number of years. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America. He is regarded as one of the leading citizens of New Oregon township, where the greater part of his life has been passed. He has always been active in farming interests and his progressive spirit has enabled him to overcome obstacles and difficul- ties in his path and work his way steadily upward. When one avenue of opportunity has seemed closed he has carved out other paths whereby to reach the desired goal and his position among the representative farmers of the community is now a most creditable one.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.