USA > Iowa > Clay County > History of Clay County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1909 > Part 35
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Charlton B. Bailey was only about a year old when his parents left Vermont and therefore he was reared on the home farm in Clay county, where he early be- came familiar with various tasks which claim the time and energies of the farm boy. He attended the district schools until he had mastered the elementary branches of learning and later continued his studies in the Spencer high school.
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He pursued a business course in the Western Normal School at Shenandoah, Iowa. Following his graduation from that institution he engaged in teaching to the age of twenty-eight years, when he began farming on his own account and tilled the soil for two years. He had a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, which he later sold, for he found commercial pursuits more congenial. He then became manager of a lumberyard for the Superior Lumber Company at Royal, where he remained several years and for a brief period was also manager for the Royal Lumber Company at the same place. He then exchanged his farm for the lumberyard at Dickens, formerly owned by Somers Brothers, and on the 23d of April, 1908, came to this town, where he has since conducted business on his own account. He has a well equipped lumberyard and his interests are now carefully conducted, his previous experience in the trade well qualifying him for the duties which now devolve upon him.
On the 15th of March, 1897, Mr. Bailey was married to Miss Dora M. Dumkrieger, a daughter of Fred and Mary Dumkrieger. She was born near Sigourney, Iowa, and her parents were natives of Germany. On coming to America they settled in New York and afterward removed to Iowa, casting in their lot with the early residents in the vicinity of Sigourney, where the death of Mrs. Dumkrieger occurred in January, 1907. The father is still living.
In matters of citizenship Mr. Bailey manifests a spirit of helpfulness and progress. He votes with the republican party, while fraternally he is connected with Sunset Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Royal, Clay Chapter, No. 112. R. A. M., and Dickens Lodge, No. 583. I. O. O. F. His business interests are well con- trolled and his laudable ambition is leading him into important trade relations.
C. L. THUIRER.
C. L. Thuirer, active and progressive, his attention being given to farming and the breeding of shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, has a tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres on section 15, Summit township. He has lived in Clay county since the spring of 1882 and is a western man by birth, training and preference. His natal day was August 16, 1872, and the place of his nativity Greenleaf, Kansas. His father, Henry Thuirer, was born at Grant, Wisconsin, and removed with his parents to Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where he was reared to manhood. Following the outbreak of hostilities between the north and the south, he offered his services to the government and enlisted as a member of Company I, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, serving throughout the war. At its close he received an honorable discharge and returned home. He was married in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, to Miss Margaret Livingston, a native of that county, and subsequently they became residents of Kansas, securing a homestead claim in Washington county, where Mr. Thuirer engaged in farming for several years. In 1882, however, he sold his property in the Sunflower state and came to Iowa, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land upon which his son, C. L. Thuirer, now resides. With characteristic energy he began to till the soil and develop the place, added to and remodeled the house, which was standing on the
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farmı, built a barn, set out fruit, fenced his fields and continued the work of gen- eral improvement and development throughout his remaining days. His death occurred September 23, 1908. His widow still survives and yet remains on the old home farm.
C. L. Thuirer, the only heir, was a lad of ten years when the parents came to Clay county and here he was reared to manhood, while in the district schools he acquired his preliminary education, which was supplemented by a course of study in the Conservatory of Music at Minneapolis, and afterward engaged in teaching music in Spencer for eight years. His well developed musical talent is a source of much enjoyment to his many friends as well as comfort and enter- tainment to himself.
On the 23d of May, 1901, in Spencer, Mr. Thuirer was united in marriage to Miss Elenora Green, who was born and reared in Clay county and pursued her education in the school of Spencer. She is a daughter of A. W. Green, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Thuirer resided in Spencer two years and then removed to the farm, of which he took charge. After a time he engaged in raising pure blooded registered short- horn cattle and has recently closed out a herd of thirty head. He now has five head of registered shorthorns and at least one hundred and sixty head of Poland China hogs. He holds a public sale of hogs each year and his stock command good prices. He is an excellent judge of domestic animals and his keen dis- crimination constitutes an important feature in his growing success. In addition to his farming and live-stock interests he is a stockholder in the Fostoria Farmers Elevator.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Thuirer has been blessed with two children, Leland C. and Merrill F. They also lost one son, Ralph, who died in the spring of 1907 at the age of fourteen months. Politically Mr. Thuirer is a republican, where national issues are involved, but at local elections casts an independent bal- lot, nor has he ever sought or desired office. He and his wife are members of the Spencer Methodist Episcopal church and are greatly esteemed in the com- munity, the hospitality of the best homes being freely accorded them, while their own home is the center of a cultured society circle. Mr. Thuirer is widely recog- nized as an enterprising business man and as a successful dealer in pure blooded stock and his opinions have largely come to be received as authority on matters pertaining to the raising of Poland China hogs and shorthorn cattle. He stands high in both a business and social sense and well deserves mention as one of the representative agriculturists of Clay county.
HENRY JOHNSON.
Henry Johnson is the owner of an excellent farm in Lincoln township and also considerable property in Royal, where he makes his home. He was born in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, October 13, 1868, and is a son of Frank and Caroline (Hanson) Johnson. The parents were natives of Denmark and, crossing the Atlantic, became residents of Wisconsin at an early period in the develop-
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ment of that state. Twenty-four years ago they removed to Iowa and have since been residents of Clay county, where for a long period the father followed farm- ing. He is now living retired, and his wife also survives. They were the par- ents of seven children: Peter, who died in 1888; Henry, of this review ; Emma ; William B., living on the old homestead in Lincoln township; Martin, who is en- gaged in the hardware business in Montana; Martha, now in Chicago, Illinois ; and Frank, a grain merchant at Tolley, North Dakota.
At the usual age Henry Johnson began his education by becoming a student in the district schools of Wisconsin. His training at farm labor was not meager, for at an early age he began work in the fields and soon became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He remained on the home farm with his father until he reached the age of twenty-five years and then began farming on his own account in Lincoln township. He still owns a valuable tract of land of three hundred and twenty acres on sections 5, 7 and 8, Lincoln township. This was partially improved when it came into his possession and he continued the work of further development and progress, making it an attractive property, from which he annually derives a substantial income. He owns his residence and one adjoining in Royal, also the business block now occupied by the Wilson Drug Company, the firm of Jones & Anderson and the opera house. He is a man of resourceful business ability, who carefully formulates his plans and is determined and resolute in their execution. His business methods will bear the closest scrutiny and investigation and his well known business probity has gained for him the respect of all.
Mr. Johnson was married in 1902 to Miss Anna Sherman, a resident of Clay county, and they have many friends in Royal and this part of the state. His political views are in harmony with the principles of democracy, while fraternally he is connected with the Yeomen. Much of his life has been spent in Clay county, where he has a wide acquaintance and is favorably known.
JOHN A. KIRCHNER.
John A. Kirchner, a retired farmer, who was the first settler in Clay county and for many years identified with agricultural and other interests of Peterson township, and who has contributed largely to the general improvement and finan- cial worth of the vicinity, was born in Germany, May 24, 1829, a son of Christian and Magdalena (Knipchen) Kirchner. His father, also a native of Germany, came to the United States in 1841, making the voyage in a sailing vessel, and upon arriving in the new world went immediately to Albany, New York, where he remained for three years and then removed to a farm located about twenty-eight miles from that city where he engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1856 when he came to Peterson township, this county, and here spent his remaining years. The mother was born and married in Germany, and after a long and useful life also died in Peterson township. They had a family of eleven children, namely : John A., of this record ; Dorothy, deceased ; Mary, widow of C. H. Brokschink, of Webster City, Iowa; Barbara, who became the wife of Michael Spinger, of
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MRS. J. A. KIRCHNER
J. A. KIRCHNER
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Fort Dodge, Iowa ; Jacob, a miller of that place ; Christian and Philip, deceased , Charlotta, widow of Dr. Butler; Magdalena, who is united in marriage with Walter French, a clothier of Sioux City, Iowa; Julia, deceased ; and William, a farmer of this township.
In the common schools of his native land John A. Kirchner acquired his education and when twelve years of age left Germany with his parents for Albany, New York, where he was confirmed in the Lutheran church, remaining under the parental roof until he was nineteen years of age. He then started out in the world for himself, working out until 1852, when he went to California and located in Downieville, where he followed carpentering and mining for four years, and then returned to Peterson, this county, or rather where that town is now located. At that time there were few evidences of civilization in the vicinity and Mr. Kirchner squatted on the land which is now the site of Peterson, this being before the homestead law went into practice, and later he bought the property from the county as swamp land. Shortly after he made the purchase the railroad company laid claim to the same property, but he succeeded in buying it from the railroad corporation, though they failed to give him a bona fide deed. He was then obliged to purchase the land from the state and by appealing to the state legislature he had a special bill passed to the effect that one who had occu- pied land for a certain period of time could become its owner by paying two dollars and fifty cents an acre. Mr. Kirchner bought a half section in Peterson town- ship and was the first pioneer in this part of the state. In company with him was A. S. Mead, and they started to walk from Dubuque, Iowa, crossing the river on the ice and then westward. Upon coming to Cedar Falls they were overtaken by a severe storm and thinking. they had better stop over for a while, they applied at a hotel for lodging, but found it too expensive, so they decided to go on and were just leaving the building when the proprietor told them it would not be safe to make the venture in the terrible tempest,-that they had better remain until springtime inasmuch as they would be unable to cross the country against the odds of winter. Taking his advice they desisted from jour- neying farther until the weather had broken when they again started out to explore the surrounding county in search of desirable property and were finally directed to the Little Sioux, which they followed until they finally reached some land upon which Mr. Kirchner deemed it advisable to locate. Here he remained long enough to put a portion of this acreage into shape for cultivation and he went east to visit his family, bringing them back with him to the new country. Through their combined efforts a cabin was built, and he at once engaged in farming and he has followed this vocation more or less ever since. Mr. Kirchner's mother would often facetiously remark that they had the largest door-yard in existence, extending from Sioux City to Fort Dodge, and that her chickens did not cause any trouble with the neighbors. He engaged somewhat in other enter- prises, however, having built the first sawmill in Peterson township in 1872, which he has kept running constantly since its establishment. In addition to a tract of land consisting of four hundred and twenty acres in Clay township, Clay county, Mr. Kirchner owns two hundred and forty acres in Buena Vista county, eighty acres in Waterford township, Clay county, and five modern dwellings and one large store building in town.
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In 1859 Mr. Kirchner was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Bicknell, by whom were born four children, namely: Ella, who became the wife of Edward Sitz, a miller of this township; Charles E., a farmer of Clay township; Rosa, wife of John Parker, of Montana; and one child who is deceased. Mrs. Kirchner having departed this life, Mr. Kirchner was again united in marriage to Rachael Williams, by whom he had four children, namely: F. W., a hardware merchant of this township; John A., who resides in Oklahoma ; Clyde, a farmer of Buena Vista county ; and May, a foreign missionary in Chili, South America. Politically Mr. Kirchner has voted with the republican party since its organiza- tion and probably cast the first vote polled on that ticket in Clay county. He was the first postmaster of Peterson, officiating in that capacity for fifteen years, was also township clerk of the district court and county supervisor. Mr. and Mrs. Kirchner are members of the Lutheran and Methodist Episcopal churches, respectively, each being dutiful in the observance of religious obligations and faithful in attendance upon divine services with the respective congregations. Mr. Kirchner belongs to Peterson Lodge, A. F. & A. M., in which he takes a profound interest. Being a man of considerable business ability and executive judgment. he has contributed much to the general welfare of the community, being instrumental in getting the railroad through this place. During his days of activity his energy was untiring and it was through his zealous application to business and his straightforward dealing that he met with such rapid success and is now able to retire, maintaining the respect and praise of his fellow citizens and enjoying the comforts and contentment of a well spent and useful life.
JAMES R. GLOYD.
James R. Gloyd devotes his time and energies to tilling the soil, to raising stock and to the conduct of a dairy business. His life is a busy and useful one, his energies being well directed along carefully defined lines of labor. His home is on section 20, Meadow township, and he is one of the early settlers who arrived here at a period when comparatively few homes had been established within the borders of the county. In fact much of the land was still in possession of the government and Mr. Gloyd secured a homestead claim. He now owns one hun- dred and twenty acres of land, constituting one of the neat and well improved farms of the locality. He was closely associated with the growth and improve- ment of his part of the county and his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. for he has witnessed its trans- formation since the spring of 1872.
Mr. Gloyd is a native of Wisconsin, his birth having occurred in Delevan, May 25. 1852. His father, Levi Gloyd, was born in Massachusetts, in which state his youthful days were spent. He was married in New York, however, to Miss Clarissa Parsons, a native of the Empire state and then living near Rochester. On removing to the middle west Mr. Gloyd took up his abode in Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1840, and began merchandising in Delevan, being one of the pio- neer business men of that place. He conducted his store there for some years
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OLD KIRCHNER HOMESTEAD, First Modern House in Clay County
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and then removed to Dalton, where he carried on business for a time. Subse- quently he sold out there and went to Rockford, Illinois, where he purchased a farm. He also owned a store and was associated with commercial as well as agricultural interests in that locality. In 1872 he came to Clay county and took a homestead, setting himself resolutely to the arduous task of developing and improving a new farm. For some years he was thus busily occupied and then removed to Lawrence county, Kansas, establishing, his home near Council Grove. His life was one of intense and well-directed activity. He owned and operated twenty-four different farms in various states and his landed possessions in Clay county aggregated one thousand acres. He was seldom if ever at error in mat- ters of business judgment and his investments were so judiciously made as to bring him a gratifying financial return.
James R. Gloyd grew to manhood in the Badger state and to the public- school system of Wisconsin is indebted for the early educational privileges he enjoyed. He afterwards attended high school in Rockford, Illinois, and in 1870 came to Iowa, settling first in Cerro Gordo county. He there followed farming for two years and also worked on railroad construction in the employ of the Milwaukee Railway Company. The year 1872 witnessed his arrival in Clay county, where he secured a homestead claim of eighty acres, that constituted the nucleus of the farm upon which he is now living. Thirty-seven years have since come and gone and the county today bears little resemblance save in its general outlines to the region in which he settled. At that time much of the land was wild prairie, covered with its native grasses, while there were no graded roads and but few evidences of an advancing civilization. The pioneers were confronted by the difficult task of making homes in a region where their nearest neighbors were sometimes miles away. Oxen were often used in breaking the prairie and. the sod house was not an unusual feature of the landscape, but long since these evidences of frontier life have been replaced by conditions which show that the pioneer settlers have worked earnestly and persistently. Today the Iowa farms equal if not surpass in their improvements any to be found in other parts of the country. The soil is naturally rich and productive and the state leads all others in its corn crop and in many other ways.
On the 17th of July, 1872, the year of his arrival in the county, Mr. Gloyd was married at Clear Lake, Iowa, to Miss Josephine M. Case, a native of Chau- tauqua county, New York, and a daughter of J. A. Case, an own cousin of the renowned J. I. Case, of Racine, Wisconsin, who is now deceased. Mrs. Gloyd came to Iowa with her father when a young lady of sixteen years. She was edu- cated in the schools of New York and of this state and for some years prior to her marriage successfully engaged in teaching.
Mr. and Mrs. Gloyd began their domestic life upon the farm in Clay county. on which they now reside. Mr. Gloyd first built a small house and began break- ing the prairie. As the years passed he opened up a farm and the wild prairie grasses were replaced by fine crops of corn and other cereals best adapted to soil and climatic conditions here. He put out a grove and also planted an orchard and as his financial resources permitted he purchased an additional tract of forty acres. He has erected a neat and pleasant residence on his farm and recently built a silo which is one of the first in the county. He raises stock and for some
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years has been engaged in the dairy business, his dairy products commanding a ready sale and high price on the market. He is also one of the stockholders, di- rectors and the treasurer of the Cooperative Creamery Company, at Langdon, and his business interests make him a most active man.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gloyd has been born one son, Frank P., who married Miss Maud Wilson, a native of Wisconsin. They, too, have one child, James Leslie, a bright little lad of seven years. Frank P. Gloyd is now in partnership with his father in farming, stock raising and dairying.
In his political views James R. Gloyd is a republican, having given stalwart support to the party since casting his first presidential ballot for General U. S. Grant. He has since voted for every standard bearer of the party and is regarded as one of the leaders in its local ranks. He was elected and served as road super- visor here, filling the office for several years and for about twenty years alto- gether has been a member of the board of township trustees. He has continued in office for twelve consecutive years and has recently been elected for two years more, so that his continuous incumbency will cover at least fourteen years. In this capacity he discharges his duties with promptness and fidelity, his labors being of a practical character, beneficial to the community at large. He has also been officially identified with the schools, acting as a member and president of the school board for a number of years. He has frequently been chosen as a delegate to the state and county conventions of his party and has also served on the grand and petit juries. His wife is a member of the Christian church and is a lady of many excellent traits of character. Mr. Gloyd belongs to the Masonic lodge at Spencer, in which he has filled all of the chairs, serving two terms as master. He also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and at all times is loyal to the fraternal and beneficent spirit which underlines these organiza- tions. He is well known in Clay and adjacent counties as a man of tried integrity and worth and he and his family stand high in the estimation of the community. He is justly accounted one of the self-made men, for he started out in life empty- handed and has worked his way steadily upward, his diligence and industry con- stituting, the rounds of the ladder on which he has climbed to the plane of afflu- ence.
A. T. KNIGHT.
A spirit of enterprise and progress actuates A. T. Knight in all that he does. He has worked diligently and persistently to develop and improve his farm, which is today a good property of one hundred and sixty acres on section 31, Meadow township. It constitutes one of the important features in the landscape and is pleasantly and conveniently located within two miles of Spencer, so that all of the advantages of city life are easily obtainable, while at the same time he enjoys the freedom and independence of country life. Although one of the more recent arrivals in the county, dating his residence here from 1902, he has become widely known and has made for himself an enviable place in the regard of his fellow townsmen. He comes from far off New England, his birth having occurred in
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Vermont on the 14th of June, 1858. His father, William Knight, also a native of the Green Mountain state, was there reared and married, the lady of his choice being Miss Harriet Cook, who was also born in Vermont. Following his mar- riage the father carried on farming in his native state for several years or until after three children were born unto them there. About 1861 he removed west- ward with his family and took up his abode in Woodford county, Illinois, where he lived for about ten years. On the expiration of that period he established his home in McLean county, Illinois, where he also followed farming for ten years and then went to Dallas county, Missouri, where he resided until his death, which occurred in January, 1907. He had survived his wife for about ten years.
A. T. Knight was but a young lad at the time of the removal from New Eng- land to the middle west and was reared in McLean county, Illinois. The con- mon schools of that state afforded him his educational privileges and he remained with his father until he had attained his majority, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. When he started out in life on his own account he worked by the month as a farm hand and was thus employed for a few years.
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