USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume II > Part 7
USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume II > Part 7
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M. Hgomes
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Mr. Jones is a republican in politics and has served as township assessor for a period of eight years. For several years he was a member of the board of town- ship trustees and was also township clerk. He likewise served as a member of the township school board and has been secretary since he was twenty-one years of age. He is now filling the office of mayor of Lime Springs for the second term, his re-election coming to him in merited recognition of his able service during his first term, in which he instituted various improvements in city management. He belongs to the Welsh Presbyterian church and his has been a most upright and honor- able life and useful career, placing him with the valued residents of Howard county.
JESSE MILES.
The farm property of Jesse Miles is situated on section 19, Saratoga township, Howard county, and embraces three hundred acres of land which is naturally rich and arable and responds readily to the care and labor which he bestows upon it. Mr. Miles has always been a resident of Howard county, his birth having occurred in Howard Center township in 1863. His parents were William and Jennie (Arnold) Miles, the former a native of Indiana, while the latter was born in Ireland. The father still sur- vives and makes his home with his son, Bert Miles, in Saratoga township, but the mother passed away in the same township in 1916.
Jesse Miles throughout his entire life has been identified with agricultural inter. ests. Twenty-four years ago, or in 1895, he purchased his present home farm, making investment in one hundred and sixty acres of land, and the property that he bought for fifteen dollars per acre is today worth from one hundred and seventy to two hundred dollars per acre, owing to the improvements which he has placed upon it and the nat- ural rise in land values, brought about through the settlement of the district. He has carefully tilled his fields and has gathered good harvests. He has also been the presi- dent of the Farmers Cooperative Creamery Company of Saratoga for the past two years and is recognized as a man of good business judgment and of unfaltering enterprise.
In 1897 Mr. Miles was married to Miss Flora Watson, of Saratoga township, a daugh- ter of A. A. and Mary Nellie Watson, the former now deceased, while the latter is liv- ing with Mr. and Mrs. Miles. Two children have been born of the marriage of this worthy couple, Alice and Nellie, who are still under the parental roof.
Mr. Miles was one of the directors of the school district as long as his daughters were attending school, and passing through consecutive grades, they in due time were graduated. Politically Mr. Miles maintains an independent course and is a member of the Union church of Saratoga. From early pioneer times the family name has been associated with the agricultural development of this section of the state and from his youth to the present time Jesse Miles has borne his share in promoting the develop- ment of the land, thereby adding to the material progress and prosperity of Howard county.
T. F. LONG.
T. F. Long, who follows farming on section 28, Paris township, Howard county, is a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families of this county. He was born, however, in Fillmore county, Minnesota, on the 10th of March, 1859, his parents being John T. and Mary E. (Ryan) Long, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Massachusetts. At an early day the family removed to Howard county and the parents continued to make their home here until called to their final rest, the father dying upon the present farm of our subject in 1889 and the mother passing away at a place south of Lourdes several years ago. They experienced all of the hardships and priva- tions incident to establishing a home in a new country and were numbered among the representative citizens of their community.
Vol. II-4
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During his boyhood and youth T. F. Long secured a good practical education in the local schools and acquired an excellent knowledge of agricultural pursuits under the direction of his father. About forty years ago he purchased his present farm on "section 28, Paris township, and has since engaged in its operation. He was married in 1899 to Miss Katherine Daley, a daughter of Martin and Bridget (Butler) Daley, who were also early settlers of Howard county, having come to this country from Ireland.
Mr. and Mrs. Long are faithful and consistent members of the Catholic church of Lourdes and he is also affiliated with the Farmers Equity of Elma. He gives his politi- cal support to the men and measures of the democratic party and aids in all enter- prises which he believes calculated to promote the general welfare.
JOHN LUSSON.
John Lusson is a successful farmer residing on section 10, Vernon Springs township, where he has carried on general agricultural pursuits through the past sixteen years. His birth occurred in La Salle county, Illinois, on the 28th of November, 1868, his parents being Joseph and Catherine (Perry) Lusson, more extended mention of whom is made on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of their son, Theo- dore Lusson.
John Lusson, who was but six years of age when the family home was established in Fayette county, Iowa, was there reared to manhood under the parental roof and acquired his education in the common schools. He was married when a young man of twenty-four years and then began farming for himself as a renter. Five years later, owing to his careful economy and untiring industry, he had acquired sufficient capital to enable him to purchase property of his own and came into possession of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Fayette county, which he continued to cultivate success- fully through the succeeding five years. On the expiration of that period, in 1903, he disposed of the place and came to Howard county, purchasing his present home farm in Vernon Springs township, which was then an unimproved and undeveloped property. As the years have passed his labors have wrought a marked transformation in the appearance of the tract, for he has erected modern and substantial buildings thereon, has also fenced the fields and has brought the land under a high state of cultivation, so that his is today one of the excellently improved farms of the township. He annually gathers good crops which find a ready sale on the market and is widely recognized as one of the representative and prosperous farmers of Howard county.
In January, 1893, Mr. Lusson was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Robinet, of Sioux county, Iowa, by whom he has seven children, as follows: Joseph, who follows farming in Vernon Springs township; Susan, the wife of Edward Bouska, a farmer of Vernon Springs township; and Matilda, Anna, Mary, Victor and Eleanora, all yet at liome.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Lusson has supported the men and measures of the democratic party, believing firmly in its principles. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Columbus and he and his family are communicants of the Catholic church. His life has been upright and honorable in every relation, com- manding the respect and esteem of all with whom he has been brought in contact.
RICHARD E. MCCARVILLE.
The name of McCarville has long figured on the pages of Howard county's history and Richard E. McCarville is now numbered among the representative farmers of Paris township. He was born in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, November 3, 1865, a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Woods) McCarville, who were natives of Ireland. In early life they came to the United States and for a time the father worked around the harbor of the city of New York. After a brief period. however, he left the eastern metropolis and
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made his way into the interior of the country, settling in Darlington, Lafayette county, Wisconsin, where he took up the occupation of farming. There he remained until 1870, when he brought his family to Iowa and purchased a farm in Howard county. He then bent his energies to the further development and improvement of that place, on which he lived until his death on the 27th of September, 1884. His had been an active and useful life, winning for him the confidence and respect of all who knew him.
Richard E. McCarville was reared under the parental roof and his educational opportunities were those accorded by the public schools of Howard county. At the time of his father's death he took over the home farm in connection with his brothers and after a few years he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the property and began operating the farm independently. The improvements upon the place at the present time were put there by him and stand as monuments to his progressive spirit and enterprise. He has ever been diligent and determined in carrying on his farm work and his labors have been productive of splendid results.
On the 29th of August, 1891, Mr. McCarville was married to Miss Theresa Byrnes, a daughter of Charles and Ann Byrnes. of Cresco, Iowa. She was born at Fox Lake, Wisconsin, a daughter of Charles and Ann (Madden) Byrnes. Mr. and Mrs. McCarville began their domestic life upon the farm which is still their home. To them have been born six children: Raphael E., Florence C., Mary L., Gladys E., Regina A., and Margaret, who died in infancy. The living children are all with their parents upon the home farm and are being accorded good educational opportunities, the three oldest daughters being graduates of the Cresco high school.
Mr. McCarville has been school treasurer for the past sixteen years and has other- wise filled public office, serving as superintendent of road improvement for the last three years. In politics he is a democrat. Mr. McCarville and his family attend the Catholic church of Lourdes, and the son, Raphael E., is a member of the Knights of Columbus, which fraternity draws its membership only from people of Catholic faith. While born in Wisconsin, Mr. McCarville has spent almost his entire life in Howard county and has been a witness of the rapid changes which have occurred as this district has been converted from a wild and unimproved region into one of rich fertility, con- stituting one of the excellent farming districts of the state.
SIDNEY W. LARRABEE.
Sidney W. Larrabee, who is engaged in general farming on section 33, Deerfield township, Chickasaw county, was born near Rockford, Illinois, April 5, 1856, a son of William H. and Esther (Tibbits) Larrabee, the former a native of Pennsylvania, while the latter was born in the state of New York. They were married in the Empire state. the father having removed to New York with his parents when a lad of nine years. After his marriage he removed westward with his bride to Mentor, Ohio, where he lived for a number of years, devoting his attention to farming during that period. He afterward spent two years in Cleveland, Ohio, where he engaged in teaming and draying. He was a resident there during the cholera scourge of 1850. From Cleveland he went to Illinois. settling on a farm near Rockford, and in 1856, when his son Sidney was but three weeks old, he brought his family to Chickasaw county, Iowa, then a frontier district in which the work of development and improvement had scarcely been begun. He secured a pre- emption claim of forty acres on section 8, Deerfield township, for which he paid a dollar and a quarter per acre, and upon that farm he lived for four years. He then sold the property and made investment in eighty acres on section 33, Deerfield township. and occupied that place throughout the remainder of his active business life. His wife passed away in 1878 and after her death Mr. Larrabee took up his home with his son Sidney, with whom he lived until called to his final rest in 1914, when eighty-seven years of age.
Sidney W. Larrabee acquired a district school education and spent his youthful days in the usual manner of the farm-bred boy, early acquiring knowledge concerning the best methods of tilling the fields that has been of great value and use to him in later years. On the 11th of May, 1878, Mr. Larrabee was united in marriage to Miss Alice A.
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Granger, a daughter of Aaron F. Granger, who removed from Delaware county, New York, to Chickasaw county, Iowa, in 1872, settling in Deerfield township. Subsequently, however, he made his way to Minnesota and thence to Canada, in which country he spent the remainder of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Larrabee have become parents of six children, as follows: William A., at home; Fred F., who is deceased; Nellie, the wife of John North, of Alta Vista, Chickasaw county; Alice L., the deceased wife of Lee Beard; Hettie A., the deceased wife of Glen Tedey; and Harry S., who went to France with the United States forces and died four days after arriving in that, country. Fred F., Alice L. and Hettie A. all died of influenza within a week.
Subsequent to his marriage Mr. Larrabee began farming on the old homestead. which he purchased at that time from his father. In later years he has bought other lands and his holdings now comprise two hundred and forty acres. In 1894 he removed to his present home farm and has thereon since resided. In 1914 he built upon this farm the largest and one of the finest barns in Chickasaw county, the dimensions of which are forty-four by one hundred and four feet. He has added all other buildings and modern equipments, including the latest improved farm machinery, and everything about his place indicates his progressive spirit and his indefatigable industry, which is one of lis dominant characteristics.
In his political views Mr. Larrabee is a republican and for many years he has served as a member of the school board, proving ever a stalwart champion of the cause of education. He has not sought or filled other public offices, however, yet his aid and support can be counted upon for any measure that tends to benefit the community in which he lives or advance its upbuilding. While born in Illinois, practically his entire life has been spent in Chickasaw county and his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive pioneer past and the progressive present.
HON. CHARLES H. WALLACE.
Hon. Charles H. Wallace, member of the state legislature from Howard county, is now living retired from business cares in Saratoga, although he is still the owner of valuable farm property. He was born in the state of New York, November 15. 1858, and is a son of Henry and Huldah Wallace. The mother died in the Empire state, after which the father removed to the west and spent his last days upon the farm now owned by his son Charles.
It was in 1870 that Charles H. Wallace accompanied his father to Iowa, at which time the latter purchased a farm on section 32, Saratoga township. Howard county. Charles H. Wallace was a youth of but eleven years at that time. He pursued his educa- tion in the public schools and worked with his father upon the home farm through the period of his boyhood and youth. He is still the owner of this place, known as The Oaks, which now comprises two hundred and forty acres of excellent land, and for a long period he was active in farm work but is now living retired, leaving the care of the place to his son. In business matters he was ever found reliable, and his straight- forward dealing as well as his energy constituted a factor in his growing and substantial success.
In 1881 Mr. Wallace was united in marriage to Miss Delia Miller, a resident of Sara- toga township. where her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Miller, were well known farm- ing people, then owning what is now known as the Alfred Miles farm in the town of Saratoga. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wallace: Grace H., who passed away at the age of eighteen years, and Frank M., who was married in 1917 to Elsie Mae Kakac, a daughter of Thomas Kakac, conducting a general store at Saratoga, and they now have an interesting little son, Arthur Lee.
Fraternally Charles H. Wallace is connected with the Masonic lodge at Riceville, Iowa, and also with the Modern Woodmen of America. His religious faith is that of the Congregational church, and his wife is also a member of that church. In politics Mr. Wallace is a democrat, giving earnest support to the party, and he has been called upon to fill several local positions. For the past nine years he has been a member of
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the board of supervisors of Howard county, and in 1918 higher political honors came to him in his election to the state legislature, of which he is now a member. Since taking his place in the general assembly he has given earnest consideration to all the vital questions which have come up for settlement and upon any important problem his posi- tion is never an equivocal one. Howard county numbers him among her representative and honored citizens.
GODLOVE G. LUKES.
Godlove G. Lukes, who follows farming on section 25, Utica township, Chickasaw county, was born February 13, 1892, in the county which is still his home, his parents being Joseph J. and Anna (Nohale) Lukes, the former a native of Winneshiek county, Iowa, and a son of Martin Lukes, who at an early period in the development of that section of the state took up his abode in Winneshiek county, coming to the new world from Bohemia. Joseph J. Lukes after his marriage removed to Chickasaw county, settling in Utica township upon a farm adjoining the town of Protivin. Here he acquired two hundred acres of land, forty of which he owns and farms. The other one hundred and sixty acres of the tract he has sold to his son, Godlove G. Lukes. For many years he has been numbered among the progressive agriculturists of this district, where his carefully directed labors brought to him the measure of success which now enables him to live practically retired.
Godlove G. Lukes was educated in the public schools of Protivin, and his training was that of the farmbred boy who divides his time between the work of the schoolroom, the pleasures of the playground and the cultivation of the fields. When he had attained his majority he was married on the 1st of October, 1912, to Miss Cecilia T. Novak, a daughter of Louis Novak, a native. of Winneshiek county, whose father, Thomas Novak, settled in that district when it was largely an undeveloped region, coming to this country from Bohemia. Mrs. Lukes' father now lives retired in Protivin but for a long period was identified with farming interests in this section of the state.
Soon after his marriage Mr. Lukes settled upon his present home farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres, which he rented from his father that year. In the fall of 1913 he purchased the property and since buying the place has built thereon a large modern barn and other farm buildings and made thoroughly up-to-date improvements, including a wind brake and orchard. He now has one of the excellent farm properties of Utica township and by the consensus of public opinion he is classed with the progressive agriculturalists of this section of the state. He breeds polled Angus cattle and Duroc- Jersey hogs and makes stock raising one of the important features of his business. At the same time he annually produces large crops, conducting the development of his fields along the most progressive lines.
To Mr. and Mrs. Lukes have been born four children, namely: Helen T., Robert L., Daniel J. and Joseph G. In his political views Mr. Lukes is a democrat and he has served as a member of the school board but has never been ambitious to hold public office. He and his family are of the Catholic faith and he has membership with the Modern Wood- men of America. A well spent and useful life has gained him classification with the representative citizens and successful farmers of Chickasaw county.
JAMES W. ROBERTS.
James W. Roberts, who successfully follows farming on section 17. Forest City town- ship, Howard county, was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, January 18, 1856, a son of William and Jane (Doyle) Roberts, who were natives of Wales and came to the United States in young manhood and womanhood. They settled in Dodge county, Wisconsin, where they were married and resided until called to their final rest. The father devoted lis attention to agricultural pursuits and was the owner of a farm of two hundred acres,
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preempted from the government, which he brought under a high state of cultivation. Both he and his wife lived to reach an advanced age, the former dying at the age of eighty, while the latter reached the eighty-second milestone on life's journey.
James W. Roberts was reared at home and pursued a district school education, while later he attended the high school at Columbus, Wisconsin. When he had completed his studies he devoted his entire time and attention to the work of the home farm until he reached his twenty-eighth year. In the fall of 1884 he came to Iowa, settling in Howard county. He had previously purchased his present farm, so that when he arrived he took up his abode upon the place which has now been his home for thirty-five years. He has carefully, persistently and intelligently carried on farm work and the results which accrued have been very satisfactory. Year after year he has gathered good crops and the wise expenditure of his time has brought gratifying results.
In February, 1896, Mr. Roberts was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Evans, of Osage county, Kansas, and to them have been born seven children. Archie, the eldest, now at home, was a member of the army, stationed at Camp Dodge with the Head- quarters Troop of the Nineteenth Division of Cavalry. Dewey is also at home. Mabel is a student in the Upper Iowa University at Fayette. Ruby, Pearl, Sidney and Catherine are likewise under the parental roof.
In politics Mr. Roberts is a democrat, having always given his political allegiance to that party. For the past fifteen years he has served as treasurer of the school board and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart friend who is ever ready to champion the interests of the schools. In fact in all things relative to the welfare and progress of the community he stands on the side of advancement and his support is of a practical and resultant character.
JOHN BURKE.
John Burke is a well known and prominent citizen of Riceville, where he is conducting a hotel and is also engaged in the real estate business. He was born January 1, 1859, in the city where he still resides, a son of Edward and Mary (Mahoney) Burke. The father was born in Ireland, September 3, 1829, and passed away in Mitchell county, Iowa, June 8, 1889, when sixty years of age. He had come to the United States when a little lad of but four years, or in 1833, in com- pany with his parents, the family home being established in the state of New York. The mother was born in Canada and died in Mitchell county, Iowa, January 20, 1895. Edward Burke, removing westward to this state, established his home in Jenkins township, Mitchell county, settling on the northeast quarter of section 36, where in 1856 he built a log house. In that pioneer cabin he and his wife estab- lished their home and upon the farm resided until within a few months of his death. He was an enterprising citizen, taking an active part in the organization of township and county and doing everything in his power to promote public prog- ress and improvement. He brought the first team of horses into the township and was otherwise connected with progressive affairs that indicated his interest in the welfare and upbuilding of the district. His son, Thomas Burke, still occupies the old homestead, which the father secured as a pre-emption claim. His other children are: John, of this review; W. S., also a pioneer of Howard county but now a resident of Chicago; Mary, the wife of E. C. Richmond, a druggist of Riceville; and Nellie, the wife of William Roache, also a druggist of Riceville.
John Burke, spending his youthful days under the parental roof, was educated in the public schools and after attaining his majority was married to Miss Kate Conners, of Howard county, in the year 1884. Up to the age of twenty-six years he had worked on the old homestead farm and at that time turned his attention to the further development of a farm in Douglas township, Mitchell county. He resided upon that place until forty-one years of age and then engaged in the machine busi- ness, to which he devoted two years. He next became connected with the operation of an elevator and the conduct of a creamery, poultry, egg and produce business,
JOHN BURKE
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which claimed his attention and brought to him a substantial measure of success until 1909, when he and his son established a real estate office under the firm style of John Burke & Son. Mr. Burke still continues in all of these enterprises and is one of the alert and energetic business men, wide-awake to opportunities, which he utilizes and improves to good advantage. Whatever he undertakes he carries forward to successful completion, allowing no obstacles or difficulties to bar his path if they' can be overcome by persistent and earnest effort. In addition to his other interests he is the proprietor of the Burke Hotel and his social characteristics as well as his business qualities have gained for him warm regard among all who know him.
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