USA > Iowa > Clay County > History of Clay County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1909 > Part 25
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In the common schools of Massachusetts and of Clinton and Jones counties, Iowa, J. W. Batcheler acquired his education, engaging in the routine of their farm life until he was twenty-one years of age, when he removed to Linn county, renting his father's land, which he cultivated for a period of four years, and then worked a farm in Clay county for one year. The returns of his harvest were found sufficient to enable him to purchase one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 19, at that time in an uncultivated condition, but this was soon cleared off and made arable and productive of an excellent quality of crops. From year to year, being successful in his undertakings, he was soon in a position to add to that farm, and now owns two hundred and eighty acres of highly improved and fertile farming land, upon which there is a fine residence, ample barn room and all the necessary conveniences for carrying on agricultural pursuits and stock raising.
In 1872 Mr. Batcheler wedded Miss Ella Carpenter, a daughter of W. A. and Clara (Shelden) Carpenter, born in Rhode Island, her father, who died in 1860, being a jeweler of Providence, that state. They had the following chil-
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dren : Clara, wife of William Mason, of Providence, Rhode Island; W. M., who is in the creamery business at Grand Island, Nebraska : Andrew, who is proprietor of a fruit ranch in California : A. R., deceased ; Florence. of Providence, Rhode Island ; Eugene, deceased ; and Ella, now Mrs. Batcheler. Mr. and Mrs. Batch- eler are the parents of: Alfred, an agriculturist of Peterson township, Clay county : M. Gilbert, who is proprietor of a farm near Dickens, Iowa; Julia, wife of Elmer Lane, also an agriculturist of Peterson township; Lewis, who operates a farm in that township: Everett, who also has large farming interests in Peter- son township; Clarence, who owns a farm near that of his father ; Nathan, who attends school at Cedar Falls. Iowa; Clara and Cora, twins; Florence; and Joseph D. and Josie, twins. Mr. Batcheler is a loyal supporter of the republican party. the principles of which he asserts contain the best policy by which to pre- serve the financial integrity of the nation and maintain its permanent prosperity. Among the services which he has rendered the township is that of school director, in which office he has officiated for a number of years. He is a member of the Church of God, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows meeting at Royal, Iowa, and the Daughters of Rebekah, convening at the same place. Mr. Batcheler stands high in the financial circles of the community, and his progressive spirit and the noble qualities of his character have won him the confidence and respect of the community.
JOHN HOPKINS.
John Hopkins is conducting business in Langdon and his efforts have been a factor in the commercial development of the town. He is now operating an elevator here and in addition is well known as a dealer in coal, hides and other commodities. For seven years he has lived in the village and previously was identified with agricultural interests in Meadow township for fifteen years. Iowa numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Scott county on the 6th of December, 1864. His father, James H. Hopkins, was a native of Rhode Island but, leaving New England, came to the middle west as a young man and settled upon a farm in Scott county, Iowa. He found this a frontier state but the resolute spirit of a New England ancestry prompted him to put forth determined and indefatigable effort in developing for himself a pro- ductive and valuable farm. He married Miss Elmira Miller, a native of Cincin- nati, Ohio, where her girlhood days were passed, while later she came to Iowa with her parents, who established their home in Scott county. Following their marriage Mr. Hopkins removed to Jasper county, where he opened up a farm and carried on general agricultural pursuits until 1886, when he came to Clay county. Here he also developed a tract of new land and made it his home for several years, after which he removed to Colorado and located upon a farm in that state. He still lives there and is now seventy-four years of age.
John Hopkins of this review was largely reared to manhood in Jasper county, Iowa, acquiring, his early education in the common schools. In 1886 he came to Clay county and assisted his father in developing a new tract of land. He carried
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on that farm until thirty years of age, working diligently and gaining the broad experience which has proven the foundation for his later success. He has dis- played sound judgment in all he has undertaken and his energy has been one of the potent features in his progress.
On the IIth of March, 1895, Mr. Hopkins was married to Miss Pauline Bernhagen, a native of Wisconsin and a daughter of Michael Bernhagen, one of the early settlers of Clay county, who in pioneer times secured a homestead in Lake township. Mrs. Hopkins was reared and educated here and before her marriage engaged in teaching school, thus forwarding the educational interests of the community in an early day. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hop- kins took up their abode upon a rented farm, where they lived for two years and then removed to a tract of eighty acres which he had purchased prior to their marriage. He bought an old homestead and began to develop and further im- prove the place, carefully conducting it for ten years. It was situated in Meadow township and his labors were attended with success. In 1902, however, he located in Langdon, where he took charge of an elevator and engaged in buying grain for P. M. Ingo. Subsequently he engaged in business on his own account as a dealer in coal and has since continued in this line. He likewise buys and sells poultry and is a dealer in hides. He built up a good business in this connec- tion and has further extended his efforts to include the grain trade, for in 1904 he took charge of an elevator, which he still operates. He also bought eight lots and built two residences and a blacksmith shop. His labors and enterprise have been important factors in the upbuilding and development of the town, and while Mr. Hopkins carefully conducts his commercial interests, his wife is carrying on a hotel and thus accommodates the traveling public. Mr. Hopkins is also secre- tary of the Cooperative Creamery Company and in all business matters displays energy and sound judgment.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins have been born two children. Roy L. and Mary A. Mr. Hopkins has served as a member of the school board but has never been an office seeker and is independent in his political relations. Socially he is a Master Mason, belonging to the blue lodge of Spencer. He is a prominent busi- ness man of Langdon, identified with its growth and development, and is well known in Clay county as one of its public-spirited citizens.
WALTER J. MARR.
Summit township contains many beautiful country homes and well devel- oped farms. A neat and well improved property is that of Walter J. Marr, who is living in section 15. where he owns and cultivates a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He has lived in the county since 1892 and in the intervening years has become widely known as an industrious, energetic man, who keeps in touch with the spirit of progress that has been manifest in agricultural lines as well as in other departments of business activity. He started upon the journey of life January 3, 1876, the place of his nativity being Waushara county, Wisconsin. His father, Lucien Marr, was a native of New York, and on leaving that state in
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his childhood days accompanied his parents to Wisconsin, where he was reared to manhood among the wild scenes and environment of frontier life. Having reached adult age he was there married to Miss Kate McLaughlan, a native of Wisconsin, and in order to provide a home he carried on husbandry and devel- oped a new farm, which he cultivated for seven years. In 1892 he removed to Iowa, settling first in Summit township, Clay county, where he devoted his ener- gies to general agricultural pursuits for two years when, in 1894, he was called to his final rest at the age of fifty-two years. His wife survived him and resides on a farm in Summit township. People of the highest respectability, they enjoyed in large measure the confidence and good will of all who knew them.
Walter J. Marr came to Clay county when a youth of sixteen years. His early education was acquired in the district schools and later he attended the Dickens school. He started out in business life on his own account in 1897. when he began operating his father's place. The same year he purchased an improved farm, upon which he now resides. and to its further development and cultivation has since given his energies. The residence which now stands upon the place was erected by him and he has also put up a substantial barn, has fenced his fields and added many modern improvements. He has a wind-pump and feed-mill and owns and operates a corn-sheller, feed-grinder and wood-saw. A gasoline engine furnishes motive power to shell the corn and grind the feed. Another element of his success is his stock-raising. He annually feeds a large number of hogs and in the year 1908 his sales amounted to nearly one thousand dollars. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator and also in the Tele- phone Company at Fostoria. He believes in progress at all times and this is manifest in his business connections and in the manner in which he conducts his farming interests.
On the 10th of April. 1907. Mr. Marr was united in marriage to Miss Ella O'Brien, a daughter of Joseph O'Brien, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. He was one of the pioneer residents of the county, arriving here at a date early enough to secure a homestead claim. Mrs. Marr was born and reared and educated in this county. She attended school in Spencer for a time and prior to her marriage successfully engaged in teaching in the county for two years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Marr has been born a daughter, Marian.
In his political views Mr. Marr has always been a republican, for he believes firmly in the principles of the party, but the honors and emoluments of office have no attraction for him. He is well known in his home locality as a man of good business ability, kind and obliging nature, while his home is a most hos- pitable one, in which good cheer and good will are characteristic features.
JOHN ADAMS.
The real builders and promoters of Clay county have largely been the men who came into this region when it was an unimproved tract and utilized its natural resources, transforming the wild prairie into rich and productive fields. the products of which constitute the chief source of the county's prosperity. Iowa is pre-eminently an agricultural state and may well be proud of her emi-
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nence in this regard, for in many ways she leads the other states of the Union. John Adams, now residing in Everly, is one of those who have contributed in substantial measure to the county's development and advancement, for in Water- ford township he opened up and improved a new farm of four hundred and forty acres, which prior to his occupancy was largely wild land, undeveloped in accordance with modern ideas of agricultural progress. Mr. Adams has been a resident of Iowa for much more than half a century, having arrived in Clinton county in 1852, while his residence in Clay county dates from 1884. He was born in New York city, March 25, 1837. His father. William Adams, was a native of Ireland, where he remained until seventeen years of age, when he crossed the Atlantic and became a resident of New York city. He learned and followed the trade of stone and marble cutting, being thus busily engaged for some years in the eastern metropolis. While there he married Sarah Maloy, also a native of Ireland, whence she was brought to the new world, when a maiden of six summers, by her brother, who also settled in New York city. In 1840 William Adams removed to Tioga county. Pennsyl- vania, where he purchased a farm and soon afterward met death by accident. His wife survived him for many years, married again and reared her family.
John Adams was but four years of age at the time of the removal to the Keystone state and in Tioga county spent a portion of his minority, acquiring his preliminary education in the schools there. He was fifteen years of age when in 1852 he came to Iowa with his mother and stepfather. the family home being established in Clinton county. Here he continued his education as a pupil in the Dewitt schools and was identified with agricultural interests in the state until the outbreak of the Civil war, when his patriotic spirit was aroused and, feeling that his country needed his aid, he enlisted in Jackson county on the 20th of August, 1861, as a member of Company A. Ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under com- mand of Captain Grips. As a private he went to the front. the regiment being. attached to the Western Army and was first under fire at Pea Ridge, Arkansas. He participated in numerous skirmishes and in the battles of Haynes Bluff. Ray- mond, Mississippi, and the siege of Vicksburg. He was there taken prisoner and was incarcerated in Vicksburg for thirty-eight days previous to the surrender of the city. He afterward took part in the battle of Black River Bridge, in the engagements at Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain and later went into Ala- bama. His term expired when he was at Woodville but he reenlisted as a vet- eran and returned home for a thirty days' furlough with his regiment. In March, however, he rejoined his command at Davenport, Iowa, and returned with his comrades to Woodville, Alabama, after which they joined Sherman on the Atlanta campaign, participating in the battle of Resaca, fighting every day until Atlanta was reached. Mr. Adams assisted in the capture of the city and subsequently went with Sherman as he marched from that place to the sea and proved how weak were the interior defenses of the Confederacy. He also participated in the capture of Savannah, where the troops remained for about a week and then went to Hiltonhead. Later they joined another branch of the army and on their way northward participated in various skirmishes and the battle at Goldsboro, South Carolina. He also assisted in the taking of Columbus, South Carolina. Mr. Adams, although often in the thickest of the fight, meeting the enemy on many
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a hotly contested battlefield, was never wounded nor did he lose time from sick- ness or other cause. From Goldsboro the troops marched to Petersburg and on to Richmond, thence to Washington, where he participated in the grand review. the most celebrated military pageant ever seen on the western hemisphere. It was a gala day in the history of the nation. Over Pennsylvania avenue was a broad banner bearing the words, "The only debt which our country cannot pay is the debt which she owes to her soldiers." Thousands of people lined the streets of the city as the victorious army marched in parade down the avenue and passed the stand on which stood the President reviewing the troops. After three or four weeks spent in Washington the regiment to which Mr. Adams belonged was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, and was there mustered out in August, being hon- orably discharged at Clinton, Iowa, on the 25th of the same month.
Mr. Adams had participated in the long. hard marches, the arduous cam- paigns and the hotly contested battles. and now with a most creditable military record he returned to his home and resumed the work of the farm. Prior to the war he had purchased a farm in Clinton county nine miles north of Dewitt. where he had one hundred and sixty acres of land. He brought as a bride to his home Miss Kate Varner, whom he wedded in Clinton county on the 19th of November, 1865. She was born in Spencer county. Indiana, but was brought to Iowa when a little girl of three years by her father. Conrad Varner, who was one of the early settlers of the state. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Adams continued to reside for sixteen years on the Clinton county farm, during which time he transformed the raw prairie into productive fields and developed an excellent property. In 1881 he came to Clay county and purchased four hundred and forty acres of land that was still in its primitive condition. Later he sold his Clinton county property and in 1884 took up his abode upon his purchase in this county, bending his energies to the development and improvement of the fields. Later he sold two hundred and forty acres of this and retired to private life. In the meantime he had cultivated and improved two new farins, had placed thereon two sets of good farm buildings and with characteristic energy had continued to till the soil. At length, however, his unremitting diligence brought to him success that enabled him to put aside further business cares and in 1901 he left the farm and removed to Everly, where he purchased a home, which is comfortable, at- tractively furnished and most hospitable. His farm is rented and he receives therefrom a substantial annual income.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Adams have been born five children, who are yet living. two sons and three daughters: Carl, who is engaged in the lumber business at Steele. North Dakota; John. of Cleveland. North Dakota, who, in partnership with his brother Carl, is a member of the Winnor & Adams Lumber Company, owning and operating five lumber yards; May, the wife of H. E. Barto, a drug- gist of Fairmont, Minnesota : Pearl, the wife of A. R. Ogilvie, a dentist of Edmore. North Dakota ; and Effie, the wife of George H. Mumm, living at Good- rich. North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Adams also lost two children-their first born, William, who died at the age of one year and three months, and Maud, who became the wife of E. L. Clark. For a number of years they resided in this county and then removed to Wheaton, Minnesota, where Mrs. Clark died in August. 1905. at the age of thirty-five years, leaving two sons.
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Mr. Adams is a member of Everly Lodge, A. F. & A. M., while his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. His political views are in har- mony with the principles of the republican party and he cast his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, since which time he has supported all of the standard bearers of the party. While on the farm he served for six consecutive years as assessor, was also township trustee for a number of years, township treasurer for several years and since removing to Everly has been elected and reelected supervisor until his incumbency will have covered nine years in Jan- uary. 1910. He has served on all the committees of the board, has also been a member of the drainage board and was the prime mover in organizing drainage district No. 2. At all times he has been interested in the welfare of the county and has given active cooperation to many movements for the public good, while his efforts in behalf of general improvement have been effective and far-reaching. Living in Iowa for fifty-seven years and in Clay county for twenty-four years, he is one of the best known citizens of this locality, being widely recognized as a man of tried integrity and worth, of business enterprise and of unfaltering dili- gence. Now that he has passed the seventieth milestone on life's journey he is enjoying a well earned rest, for it is fitting that his former business career should give to him this period of leisure in which to enjoy the fruits of his previous toil. His fellow townsmen honor and respect him and wherever he is known he has an extensive circle of friends. Moreover, he deserves mention in this volume as one of the veterans of the Civil war to whom the country owes a debt of grati- tude that can never be repaid.
WIRT BRONSON.
Wirt Bronsen, a man of enterprise and marked force of character, who throughout his business life has made good use of his opportunities, is now manager of the Spencer City Mills and thus figures prominently in industrial circles in Clay county. He is one of Iowa's native sons, his birth having occurred in Manchester on the 16th of January, 1871, his parents being Charles E. and Jennie (Sheldon) Bronson, natives of New York and Ohio respectively. The former was a son of Clark M. and Abigail (Cornish) Bronson. The grandfather, also a native of the Empire state, conducted business as merchant tailor there and after making and losing one fortune he retrieved his lost pos- sessions, again becoming financially independent. Both he and his wife lived to an advanced age, his death occurring when he was more than seventy years of age, while his wife was in the eighties. They were the parents of two sons and a daughter who reached years of maturity: Charles E .; Clark Henry, of Chi- cago; and Nellie E., the wife of Frank E. Merriam. Comparatively little is known concerning the maternal grandparents of Wirt Bronson, save that the grandfather was a farmer and trader and lived to an advanced age, as did his wife. They reared a large family.
Charles E. Bronson, who died in November, 1908, was well known as a practitioner of the Iowa bar. He was an early settler of Manchester, Delaware county, this state, where he was engaged in law practice for more than forty
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years. Moreover he gained distinction in democratic circles as a leader of the party and for one term represented his district in the state senate. Both he and his wife were of the Universalist faith. Their family numbered five chil- dren: Earl, of Spencer: Wirt, of this review; Lee, who is located at Craik, Canada : Byron, of Muskogee, Oklahoma ; and Henry, a resident of Manchester, Iowa.
Wirt Bronson remained a resident of his native town until nineteen years of age and was a pupil in the public and high schools of that place. At the age of sixteen years he began working in the postoffice there, acting as assistant under his father during President Cleveland's first administration and also con- tinuing for one year under the Harrison administration. Later he took up the printer's trade and in 1891 came to Spencer, where in partnership with his brother Earl he established the Spencer Herald. They were associated in its publication and conduct until 1892, when Wirt Bronson sold his interest to his brother and purchased an interest in the Spencer City Mills, at which time he assumed the management and has since been in charge. This is a well equipped plant, thor- oughly supplied with all modern improved machinery, and has a capacity of one hundred and fifty barrels per day. That the output is of excellent quality is indicated by the ready sale on the market. The Spencer Milling Company also owns the mill at White Lake, South Dakota, which has a capacity of sixty barrels per day and the business interests of the two plants are proving most profitable.
On the 3d of June, 1896, Mr. Bronson was married to Miss Nellie Evans, a daughter of Joseph P. and Mary M. ( Moore ) Evans. Mrs. Bronson was born near Belleville, Illinois, and by her marriage has become the mother of five children : Kathleen, Carl, Joseph, Virginia and Mary. Mr. Bronson belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge and the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he is loyal in its support and devoted to its welfare. As a citizen he is public spirited and what- ever tends to promote the best interests of the community receives his endorse- ment and hearty support.
JOSEPH O'BRIEN.
Joseph O'Brien has been a resident of Clay county since 1870 and has there- fore witnessed almost its entire growth and development, for few settlements had been made within its borders at the time of his arrival and all of the evidences of frontier life were to be seen. while the hardships and trials incident to a pioneer existence were to be met. Mr. O'Brien was born in the year 1837 and has there- fore reached the seventy-second milestone on life's journey. Moreover, he deserves mention in this volume, from the fact that he is a self-made man, who owes his prosperity and progress entirely to his own well-directed labors and unfaltering determination. His farm of one hundred and sixty acres is the visible evidence of a well-spent life. His birth occurred in Wilkesbarre, Penn- sylvania. on the 19th of March. 1837. and there he was reared to manhood, but when a lad of only seven years began earning his own livelihood by working on
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the canal. He was thus employed for about twenty years, being at first a driver on the tow-path, while later he had charge of a boat. He continued in active canal service until the 31st of March, 1864, when he offered his services to the government and was assigned to duty with Company K of the One Hundred and Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. This regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, Fifth Corps, under General Warren, and Mr. O'Brien participated in the charge at Fort Hell, June 18, 1864, and also in the fight which resulted in the capture of the Weldon railroad. He served until the close of the war, making a most creditable military record, for he never faltered in the performance of any task and thus gave proof of his loyalty to the Union. He was honorably discharged at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, following the close of hostilities.
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