USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume II > Part 50
USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume II > Part 50
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Nelson I. Mead after his marriage rented a farm in Chickasaw township and for four or five years cultivated leased land. He made his first purchase in the early '80s, becoming owner of one hundred forty acres near Ionia, on which he lived for five years. He then bought eighty acres two miles southeast of the town, on which he resided for fifteen or sixteen years. He next bought another farm property of one hundred and forty acres north of Ionia, on the Dayton township line, and occupied that place for eight years. In 1903 he bought his present home place, to which he removed and upon which he has since resided. His time and energies are devoted to the further develop- ment of this property, which is now well improved, its fields making ready response to his care and cultivation in golden harvests. He is also a stockholder in the Ionia Farmers' Creamery Association.
To Mr. and Mrs. Mead have been born four children, two of whom survive: Mabel, who is the wife of Winton B. Waite, of Chickasaw township; and Bert N., who is engaged in general agricultural pursuits, is a dealer in farm lands and also devotes considerable attention to the breeding of thoroughbred Aberdeen Angus cattle.
The family are members of the Congregational church and in his political views Mr. Mead is a republican. At different times he has served as a member of the board of township trustees and is always interested in everything that has to do with the welfare and upbuilding of the county in which his entire life has been passed. There are few phases of its development and progress with which he is not familiar and throughout the years of his residence here he has been regarded as a most enterpris- ing, reliable and substantial citizen.
JENS PLAMBECK.
Almost every country on the face of the globe has contributed to the citizenship of Howard county, but a very substantial portion has come from Denmark and of this class Jens Plambeck is a representative. He makes his home on section 20, Howard township, and is accounted one of the alert and energetic farmers of his part of the state. He was born in Denmark, October 16, 1870, a son of John and Marguerite (Knudsen) Plambeck, who are also natives of Denmark, where they still reside. The father devoted his attention to farming as a life work but is now living retired.
Jens Plambeck, having acquired his education in the public schools of Den- mark, came to the new world in 1892, when a young man of twenty-two years. He 'afterward attended the high school at Tyler, Minnesota, for one term and thus greatly improved his knowledge of the English language. He hoped to enjoy better business opportunities in the United States than he could secure in Denmark and he has never had occasion to regret his determination to try his fortune on this side of
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the Atlantic. He first settled in Blackhawk county, Iowa, where he began work as a farm hand and for eleven years he was thus employed for wages. In 1903 he began farming on his own account as a renter and cultivated leased land for six years. In 1909 he purchased his present home place, comprising one hundred and twenty acres of good land in Howard township, Howard county, and in the spring of 1910 he took up his abode upon this place. He is now carefully cultivating the farm and its excellent appearance gives proof of his industry. He is also a stock- holder in the Maple Leaf Creamery Company.
Mr. Plambeck is a Lutheran in religious faith. His political belief is that of the democratic party, which he has supported since becoming a naturalized American citizen. He has always been a broad reader and deep thinker and is said to possess the best library of any farmer in Howard county and is a subscriber to probably more periodicals than any other representative of the farming interests of this sec- tion of the state. His library contains the works of the world's greatest authors and with its contents he is largely familiar, deriving his greatest enjoyment from this association with men of master minds.
GEORGE ERWIN ELLISON.
George Erwin Ellison, owner and publisher of the Reporter and Weekly Nashua Post, making his home in Nashua, was born in Vinton, Iowa, February 15, 1870. His parents were George Leonard and Hepsie (Burnham) Ellison, who were natives of the state of New York and came to Iowa about 1865, the father devoting his time and attention to the occupation of farming.
George E. Ellison began his education in the rural schools and afterward attended the Tilford Academy at Vinton. He has always devoted his life to the printing business and his first position was in the office of the Weekly Wymorean at Wymore, Nebraska, where he engaged in setting type for six months. Returning to Iowa, he secured the position of devil in the office of the Eagle at Vinton and learned his trade under the direction of B. Murphy. He served an apprenticeship of three years, remaining with the Eagle until March, 1899, when he purchased the interest of Miss Minna F. Murray in the Reporter and became associated with J. M. Keller in publishing that paper. This relationship continued until the death of Mr. Keller in February, 1915. Soon afterward Mr. Ellison purchased the interest of Mrs. Keller in the paper and published the Reporter alone until December, 1918, when he purchased the Nashua Post and consolidated the two plants under the name of the Reporter and Weekly Nashua Post.
At Vinton, on the 13th day of June, 1894, Mr. Ellison was united in marriage to Miss Luella York, of Vinton, Iowa, and they have one son, George Merwin. In Masonic circles Mr. Ellison is well known, having attained high rank in the order. He was master of Bradford Lodge, No. 129, A. F. & A. M., from 1906 until 1908 and has been secretary since 1909, still filling that position. He is also a chapter Mason and belongs to De Molay Consistory No. 1, S. P. R. S., and to El Kahir Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is likewise a member of the Knights of Pythias and was chancellor commander of his lodge in 1913 and 1914. His religious faith is that of the Baptist church and in political belief he is a republican. He has been very active in community affairs and his labors have been a strong element in the up- building of the city in which he makes his home. He was elected a member of the city council in 1905 and through reelection was continued in that office for three years. In 1908 he was chosen city clerk and is still filling that position, of which he has been the capable and efficient incumbent for a period of eleven years. He was likewise a member of the school board for nine years and served as its president for three years, while since the organization of the board of trustees of the public library in 1912 he has been one of its members and for six years served as president of the board. There is no phase of public activity in Nashua in which he is not keenly interested, and his aid and support both as a private citizen and
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as a newspaper publisher are given to every plan and project which he believes will prove of practical value in the upbuilding of the city, the development of its re- sources and the upholding of its civic standards.
F. E. THORNE.
F. E. Thorne, who is a partner in the firm of Sloan, Thorne & Smith, general merchants of Fredericksburg, is also active along other lines that lead to the de- velopment and upbuilding of the city, being the president of the First State Bank. His activities have ever been of a character that have contributed to public progress and improvement as well as to individual success, and, moreover, in his support of any plan or measure for the general good he has displayed sound judgment, reçog- nizing that which is of true value and worth.
Mr. Thorne was born in Winnebago county, Illinois, on the 21st of May, 1861, and is a son of Justus P. and Elizabeth (Golly) Thorne, who were natives of the state of New York, where they were reared and married. About 1855 they removed to the middle west, settling in Winnebago county, Illinois, upon a farm which the father developed and improved and at the same time he carried on carpentering there until the fall of 1877. At that date he became a resident of Chickasaw couity, Iowa, and took up his abode upon a rented farm of four hundred and eighty acres in Stapleton township three miles north of Fredericksburg. The father con- tinued to engage in carpentering and the four sons developed the farm of four hun- dred and eighty acres through a period of seven years and the family succeeded in saving twelve hundred dollars during this time. Mr. Thorne then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Fredericksburg township, two miles north of the city of Fredericksburg, upon which he resided to the time of his death in 1907. Mr. Thorne was a most ardent republican and while never an aspirant for office put forth every possible effort to secure the success of his party at the polls. On elec- tion day he would drive into town with his horse and buggy and round up the republican voters, conveying them to the polls. The story is told of him that on his return one evening of an election day his wife jokingly asked him if he had voted, and bringing his fist down on the table with a crash, he said: "By George! I forgot to vote myself," and jumping into the buggy, he barely made the polls in time to deposit his ballot.
F. E. Thorne, whose name introduces this review, was educated in the schools of Pecatonica, Illinois, and through a period of seven years after the removal of the family to Iowa he remained upon the farm with his father and assisted him in gain- ing his start in Chickasaw county. The year after the father purchased the farm F. E. Thorne, feeling that his labors were no longer needed upon the home place, started out in the business world independently and spent one year in the employ of Leonard Nourse. He then returned to Illinois and for ten years was again a resident of the old home county. During the last five and a half years of that period he was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store and thus laid the foundation for his later business success.
In 1895 Mr. Thorne returned to Fredericksburg and in partnership with F. S. Sloan established a store under the firm style of Sloan & Thorne. Eight years later he purchased his partner's interest in the business, which he conducted independ- ently through the succeeding ten years. In 1913 he sold the store and for a time was engaged in the automobile trade. In 1917 he bought the interest of Mrs. Nellie M. Whitcomb in his former business and thus became a partner in the firm of Sloan, Thorne & Smith. In 1913, after selling his mercantile interests, he bought into the First State Bank and the following year was elected president of the insti- tution, in which capacity he has since served. He has thoroughly acquainted him- self with banking methods and has assisted in making the institution of which he is the president one of the strong moneyed concerns of this class of the state. In every-
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thing that he has undertaken he has displayed a spirit of marked enterprise and progress, and his labors have been attended with excellent results.
On the 30th of December, 1896, Mr. Thorne was married to Miss Lucy E. San- born, of Pecatonica, Illinois, and they have become the parents of three children: Beth, who is attending the State Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa; Grata, a high school pupil; and Frank Eugene, Jr., who is a lad of ten years.
In politics Mr. Thorne is a republican and has served as president of the school board for two terms but otherwise has filled no public offices and has no political aspirations. He is a member of Mount Horeb Lodge, No. 333, A. F. & A. M., and in the Odd Fellows lodge, in which he holds membership, he has filled the posi- tion of secretary for several years. His wife is connected with the Order of the Eastern Star. No one questions his right to classification with the representative men of the county. He has long occupied an enviable position in business circles, and his dominant qualities have wrought for success and at the same time have commanded for him the confidence, good will and respect of all with whom he has been associated.
B. A. HOLSCHLAG.
Farming interests of Chickasaw county find a worthy representative in B. A. Holschlag, who is busily engaged in the cultivation of a good tract of land on sec- tion 30, New Hampton township. Upon the old family homestead in that township he was born August 16, 1880, and has always lived upon the same land. He is a son of Henry W. and Adelhied (Brus) Holschlag, who were natives of Germany but came to the United States in early childhood with their respective parents. They became acquainted and were married in Davenport, Iowa, to which place the Brus family had removed after living for a time in Missouri, but the Holschlag fam- ily established their home in Davenport immediately after coming to the new world. Subsequent to his marriage Henry W. Holschlag engaged in the occupation of farm- ing in Scott county, near Davenport, until 1876, when he removed with his family to Chickasaw county, settling in New Hampton township on the place which is now the home of his son, B. A. He at that time purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and upon the farm he continued to reside until his life's labors were ended, winning a place among the prominent and representative agriculturists of this sec- tion of the state. He was very successful in the conduct of his business affairs and prior to his death had acquired about four hundred acres of valuable land. He made all of the improvements upon his property, erected all of the buildings and took great interest in making his place one of the model farms of northern Iowa. He also contributed to the growth and progress of the community at large, mani- festing at all times a public-spirited citizenship. He was born September 25, 1843, and had attained the age of fifty-six years when he passed away November 10, 1899. His wife, who was born September 10, 1839, died on the old homestead January 17, 1913, when in the seventy-fourth year of her age.
The youthful experiences of B. A. Holschlag were those of the farm-bred boy. He was reared under the parental roof and no event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for him. He attended the district schools and gained experience which later proved of great value to him when he took up farm- ing independently. He was married November 22, 1905, to Miss Justina Speltz, a daughter of Matthias and Katherine (Hentges) Speltz, both of whom were born in Dubuque county, Iowa, and now make their home in New Hampton. Mr. and Mrs. Holschlag have become parents of two sons, Cyril Matthias and Justine John.
Mr. Holschlag has always lived upon the old homestead and has come into pos- session of one hundred and twenty acres of this tract, in addition to which he rents and farms one hundred and sixty acres, so that he is now busily engaged in the further development and cultivation of two hundred and eighty acres of good land. He buys, sells and ships stock, having made this an important branch of his busi-
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ness for a long period. He has won a reputation as a leading stock raiser of his section of the state and he keeps a registered Durham bull and also a Chester White registered boar. His farm is pleasantly and conveniently located a half mile east and three miles south of New Hampton and he has placed two thousand rods of tiling on his land, thus draining it and keeping his fields in excellent condition. He has water works upon the place and every modern convenience to facilitate the work of further developing and improving his land or promoting his stock raising inter- ests.
Mr. Holschlag and his family are members of St. Mary's Catholic church of New Hampton and he belongs to Knights of Columbus Council No. 1697. He is also a member of the Chickasaw County Equity Cooperative Association. In politics he maintains an independent course nor has he ever been ambitious to hold office, for he has always desired to give his attention to his business interests and his pro- gressiveness in this regard has made him one of the prominent farmers and stock raisers of Chickasaw county.
ORVINE J. MCHUGH.
Orvine J. McHugh is well known in business circles at Cresco as an implement dealer and garage owner. He is the senior partner in the firm of McHugh & Lusson, who in addition to conducting an implement house have the agency for the Ford cars and in connection therewith maintain a well equipped garage. Mr. McHugh is num- bered among Iowa's native sons, his birth having occurred at Lawler, Chickasaw county, on the 18th of January, 1877. His father, John McHugh, was born at Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, on the 23d of December, 1842, his birthplace being the farm upon which his mother had been reared and also where his father spent his boyhood days. John Mc- Hugh experienced the usual hardships and privations of farm life on the frontier and became very proficient in all lines of farm work. He was equally at home in handling the plow, in swinging an axe, in cradling the grain or in caring for the stock. In fact pioneer conditions demanded the development of all one's latent powers and Mr. McHugh proved equal to any emergency. In July, 1863, he married Miss Margaret Falvey and in the following November left the farm to accept the position of governor of the county jail, to which position he was appointed through the influence of his father, who was warden of the county. He continued to serve in that capacity until 1866, when he resigned to come west. In June, 1867, he rented his Canadian farm property and started for Dubuque, Iowa, where he remained for a few months, but not finding a position there to his liking, he continued his way to McGregor, Iowa, and shortly afterward entered the employ of W. and J. Fleming, well known in connection with the lumber trade. He remained with them for one year as foreman of their extensive yard and at the end of that time the firm sent him to Lawler, Iowa, as manager of its interests at that place. With characteristic energy he took up his new duties and proved equal to the occasion. Not only did he win for himself a place as a very substantial and repre- sentative business man of that locality but also became a recognized leader in local affairs and during the five years following 1870 he was called to serve in various town- ship offices. He acted as township trustee, as school director, as recorder and was also mayor of the town of Lawler, to which he gave a businesslike and progressive adminis- tration. He had always been a stalwart champion of republican principles and in the fall of 1875 his party nominated him for the office of state representative and he was elected to that position by a majority of four hundred. In the same fall lie established the Bank of Lawler in company with D. R. Kirby and in November, 1877, he opened the Howard County Bank at Cresco. He figured prominently in financial circles as one whose word was above question and whose methods were always enterprising and pro- gressive. Forceful and resourceful, he extended his efforts into various fields and be- came proprietor of the Kendallville Roller Mills, which he operated in addition to his banking, commercial and official interests. He also entered the stock raising business, keeping a herd of fine shorthorn cattle, and he was an enthusiastic stock man He did
JOHN McHUGH
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with thoroughness and energy everything that he undertook and never stopped short of the successful accomplishment of his purpose. In religion he was a strict Catholic and was an active worker in the church. The Republican party found in him a most stal- wart advocate and his natural powers of oratory enabled him to sway his hearers, while the force of his logic carried conviction home to the minds of those who listened to him. For eight years he filled the office of National Bank Examiner for the state of Iowa.
Orvine J. McHugh, whose name introduces this record, spent his youthful days in Cresco, to which city he had removed with his parents in 1878. He there attended the parochial schools and afterward had the benefit of further instruction in Notre Dame University at Notre Dame, Indiana. Later he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he was employed as head bookkeeper by the Northern Trust Company and remained in that posi- tion for four years. In 1899 he returned to Cresco and entered into business relations with his father-in-law, D. A. Lyons, in the conduct of an implement establishment. That association was maintained for eleven years and in 1910 Mr. McHugh was joined by Theodore Lusson in the implement business, which they are still conducting under the firm style of McHugh & Lusson. They have the largest implement business in Cresco and their sales are annually increasing. The firm are also engaged in the garage busi. ness, having the Ford agency, and they do most excellent work in automobile repairing. Theirs is one of the most complete and thoroughly up-to-date garages in this part of the state and the business which they have built up in that connection adds materially to their income. That Mr. McHugh is a very prominent factor in business circles in Iowa is indicated in the fact that he has been honored with the presidency of the Implement Dealers' Association of Iowa and in that connection has put forth many valuable ideas whereby the trade has greatly benefited.
In 1899 Mr. McHugh was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Lyons, a daughter of D. A. and Catharine (Fitzgerald) Lyons and a native of Decorah, Winneshiek county, Iowa. Her father was for some time a well known implement dealer and leading business man of Cresco and enjoyed the respect and good will of all who knew him. To Mr. and Mrs. McHugh have been born two children: Katherine, whose birth occurred in 1904; and Margaret, who was born in 1906. Mr. MeHugh and his family are communicants of the Catholic church and he holds membership with the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Order of Foresters. He has been president of the Opera House Company of Cresco and is now president of the Cresco Commercial Club. He stands stanchly in support of all those practical movements which have to do with the upbuilding and development of his city along material lines and supports all those interests which are a matter of civic virtue and of civic pride.
MATHIAS RIES.
Mathias Ries, busily engaged in general farming on section 29, Washington township, Chickasaw county, has always lived in the township which is still his home. Here his birth occurred September 12, 1870, his parents being Michael and Margaret (Elenz) Ries, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father canie to the United States in 1852, when nineteen years of age and later brought his par- ents to this country. The lady whom he afterward made his wife also came to America with her parents and they became acquainted in Dubuque county, Iowa, where they were married. Subsequently they removed to Chickasaw county, settling in Washington township, where Michael Ries continued to engage in farming for many years. He won substantial success in his undertakings, accumulating considerable wealth. Year by year he carefully tilled the soil and cared for his crops, the sale of his products adding materially to his financial resources until 1894, when he retired from active farm life and removed to New Hampton, where both he and his wife resided until called by death.
Mathias Ries was reared on the old homestead farm and his youthful days were passed in the usual manner of the farm-bred boy who divides his time between the duties of the schoolroom, the pleasures of the playground and the work of the fields.
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When his schooldays were over he assisted more and more largely in the develop- ment of the home farm and has always made this his life work. He labors diligently and persistently in the further development of his holdings and is also a stockholder in the Farmers Equity Company of New Hampton.
In early manhood Mathias Ries was united in marriage to Miss Susanna Maiers, a daughter of Peter and Angela Maiers, the wedding being celebrated on the 11th of October, 1892. Her parents came from Germany to the new world and cast in their lot with the pioneer settlers of Washington township, Chickasaw county, where for a considerable period her father followed farming. He passed away in North Washington a number of years ago, but the mother is still living and yet makes her home at that place. Mr. and Mrs. Ries have become the parents of seven children: Aloysius, Louis Peter, Margaret, Walter, Michael, Reynold and Angela. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and they are communicants of the church in North Washington.
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