USA > Iowa > Clayton County > History of Clayton County, Iowa : from the earliest historical times down to the present : including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families, prepared from data obtained from original sources of information, Volume I > Part 64
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Jackson E. Bowman is one of the alert and popular young busi- ness men of his native county and is now the general manager of the well ordered department store conducted at Volga by the firm of Pohl & Bink. He was born in Mallory township, this county, on the 18th of June, 1888, and is a son of Silas and Martha (Walters) Bowman, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter of whom was born in Clayton county, a member of one of
the sterling pioneer families of this favored section of the Hawkeye state. Silas Bowman came to Clayton county when a young man and was one of the substantial farmers and honored and influential citizens of Mallory township at the time of his death, which occurred on the 24th of June, 1912. He was a Democrat in politics and his religious faith was that of the Congregational church, of which his widow, now a resident of Guttenberg, this county, like- wise is a zealous member. Walter, the eldest of the five children, is now a resident of Cedar Bluff, Nebraska; Frank died in child- hood; the subject of this review was the third in order of birth; Leroy resides at Guttenberg; and Dolly is the wife of August Bendschmidt, of Elkport, this county. Jackson E. Bowman fur- thered his preparation for the active duties and responsibilities of life by making good use of the advantages afforded in the excellent public schools at Guttenberg, and as a youth he found employment in the grocery store of A. W. Latta, at Osterdock. After being
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thus engaged about one year he there entered the employ of the firm of Walters & Company, engaged in the general merchandise business, and about a year later he there assumed a clerical posi- tion in the general store of John Mosher, with whom he remained about three months. With marked circumspection and judgment he then decided to advance himself in fitness for business life by taking a course in a commercial college in the city of Cedar Rapids, and he there continued his studies eight months. He applied him- self with characteristic diligence and appreciation and after having thus more effectually equipped himself for executive service he entered the employ of the representative mercantile firm of Pohl & Bink, of whose well equipped general merchandise or department store at Volga he has been manager since May 26, 1915, the enter- prise having most signally prospered under his careful and pro- gressive direction. Mr. Bowman is found aligned with the Demo- cratic party and both he and his wife hold membership in the Congregational church at Volga, the while they are popular factors in the representative social life of their home community. On the 24th of August, 1914, Mr. Bowman wedded Miss Ida Neihause, who was born and reared in this county, and their one child, Ruth, was born January 2, 1915.
Warren A. Boynton is one of the representative farmers of the younger generation in Clayton county and is known for his civic and industrial progressiveness and for his vigorous mentality and well fortified opinions. He shows a high sense of personal stewardship in connection with community interests and is one of the well known and distinctively popular citizens of Clayton county, within whose borders the major part of his life has been passed. Warren Adelbert Boynton was born in Grundy county, Iowa, on the 1st of December, 1879, and is a son of Charles Henry and Sarah Ellen (Cole) Boynton, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Iowa, where her parents settled in the early pioneer days. Charles H. Boynton was the son of Charles Sherman Boyn- ton, who was born at Rodman, New York, January 16, 1822, and who died at the home of his son at Strawberry Point, May 27, 1916, at the age of ninety-four years, five months, eleven days. In 1856, he came with his wife Clarissa and his family to Iowa and settled five miles east of Strawberry Point on the farm now owned by his son Charles H. and operated by his grandson Warren A. Boynton. Charles H. Boynton, the father of the subject of this sketch, came with his parents to Iowa in 1856, and resided in Clayton county until his marriage. He then settled on a farm in Grundy county, after having resided for two years in Clay county, and he continued his activities as a successful farmer in Grundy county for seventeen years. In 1890 he purchased the farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Clayton county, this being the old homestead farm situated in Section 20, Lodomillo township. Of the children of Charles H. and Sarah Ellen Boynton, the first born, a daughter, died at the time of birth ; Charles D. now resides near the city of Spokane, Washington; Alma M. is the wife of George Maresh, M. D., of Riverside, Iowa; Raymond Scepter, a talented artist, maintains his
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home at San Francisco, Cal .; and the sixth child, a daughter, died in infancy; Warren A., of this review, having been the third in order of birth. After having gained due preliminary discipline in the rural schools, Warren A. Boynton supplemented this by an effective course in the High School at Strawberry Point. That he made good use of his educational opportunities is indicated by the fact that he became a successful teacher in the district schools of Clayton county. He continued as a popular representative of the pedagogic profession for one year, and he passed the ensuing two years on a farm in Grundy county. Upon his return to Clayton county he assumed the management of his father's farm in Lodo- millo township, and after two years he married and removed to Wisconsin. He remained in that state only nine months, and since that time he has had the active management of his father's farm in Lodomillo township, where he has successfully given his atten- tion to diversified agriculture and the raising of fine live stock. Mr. Boynton is not constrained by strict partisan lines in politics but gives his support to the men and measures meeting the approval of his judgment, his attitude thus being that of an independent voter. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Modern Woodmen of America; both he and his wife are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On the 5th of April, 1904, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Boynton to Miss Agnes Judett, who was born at Central City, Linn county, Iowa, and their six children are Charles Floyd, Ellen Margaret, Hazel, Adel, Howard Raymond, Edwin Russell, Faith.
Elmer H. Brandt has given distinctive evidence of his progres- siveness and good judgment in connection with the ownership and operation of one of the fine farms of his native county, for the major part of the splendid improvements on the place has been made by him and the pervasive atmosphere of thrift and prosperity marks the owner as a man of energy and enterprise. Mr. Brandt was born in Garnavillo township, this county, on the 5th of Novem- ber, 1890, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Nieman) Brandt, who are now living retired in the village of Garnavillo, both being natives of Germany. Henry Brandt was a boy at the time of the family immigration to America and his parents became early pioneer set- tlers of Clayton county, where they passed the remainder of their lives and where he himself gave his entire active career to effective operations as a farmer and stock-grower, through the medium of which industries he gained the success that enables him and his wife to pass the gracious twilight of their lives in peace and pros- perity. He is a Republican in his political adherence and both he and his wife are devoted communicants of the Lutheran church. Elmer H. Brandt was reared on the home farm and after complet- ing the curriculum of the district schools he continued his studies in turn in the Garnavillo high school, took a business course and an agricultural course. After reaching his legal majority he became associated with his brother Louis H. in the management of the home farm, and three years later he removed to his present fine farm, of which he is the owner and which comprises two hundred
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and nine acres, in section 7 and 12, Garnavillo township. Though he gives his attention to diversified agriculture and utilizes the most approved scientific methods in this connection, Mr. Brandt has specialized in the raising of high grade cattle of the Shorthorn type and has made this department of his farm enterprise notably productive in financial returns. He is a Republican in politics and is serving as secretary of the school board of his district. On the 11th of February, 1914, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Brandt to Miss Laura M. Kregel, daughter of Edward W. Kregel, con- cerning whom detailed mention is made on other pages of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Brandt are the parents of a fine pair of twin sons, Gerald and Harold, who were born on the 9th of October, 1915. Mrs. Brandt has been a resident of Clayton county from the time of her birth, attended the Garnavillo high school and both she and her husband have a host of loyal friends in their home county.
Louis H. Brandt is admirably proving his resourcefulness and progressive policies as a representative of agricultural and live- stock industry in his native county, and it is gratifying to record that he has the direct control and management of the fine old home- stead farm on which he was born and reared and which is now known as Sunny View Farm. This admirably improved landed estate is situated in section 24, Garnavillo township, and comprises three hundred and four acres of as fine land as is to be found in this favored section of the Hawkeye state. Mr. Brandt's unwavering loyalty to and appreciation of his native county are manifested not only in his active and successful association with its agricultural interests but also by his enterprise and public spirit as a citizen. He is aligned firmly and consistently with the Republican party and his personal popularity in the community which has ever rep- resented his home is definitely signified by the fact that in 1916 he is found serving as township clerk and as school director of his district. Both he and his wife are earnest communicants of St. Paul's Lutheran church at Garnavillo. Louis H. Brandt was born June 23, 1886, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Nieman) Brandt, both of whom were born in Germany and both of whom are living in gracious comfort and retirement in the village of Garnavillo, secure in the high esteem of all who know them. Henry Brandt was but a boy at the time when he came with his parents from Germany to America, and soon afterward the family home was established in Clayton county, where he was reared to manhood under the conditions and influences of the pioneer days and where he eventually gained a place of prominence as one of the repre- sentative farmers of the county. Both he and his wife, now vener- able in years, are devout communicants of the Lutheran church and he has given unwavering allegiance to the Republican party. Of the eight children, two sons and six daughters, all are living, save one daughter who died in infancy. Louis H. Brandt early began to lend his aid in the work of the home farm and in the meanwhile he made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools of his native county, his educational discipline thereafter being effec- tively supplemented by a two years' course in the college of agri-
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culture of the great University of Wisconsin, at Madison. He has continuously been identified with the operations of the fine farm- stead on which he was born, and he assumed charge of the same shortly after his marriage, which occurred on November 23, 1910, when he was twenty-four years of age. As a farmer and stock- grower he has fully upheld and even added to the high reputation long sustained by his honored father, and he is essentially one of the broad-minded, energetic and progressive exponents of these basic lines of industry in his native county. He has been distinc- tively successful in the breeding and raising of full-blood Short- horn cattle, to which branch of farm enterprise he is giving special attention. In the year 1910 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Brandt to Miss Amanda Matt, who was born and reared in Farm- ersburg township, this county, where her father, Joseph Matt, is still actively identified with agricultural pursuits, the mother having passed to eternal rest when about 35 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Brandt have two fine little sons-Valmah H. and Robert J.
Harrison Douglas Brown, familiarly known to all as "Doug." Brown, is a native Iowan, born in McGregor, June 24, 1861, and was the son of Mathias J. Brown, born in New York State and Bertha (Amundsun) Brown, a native of Norway. They came to McGregor in Clayton county about 1850, where the father followed the trade of plasterer until his death June 3, 1885. The wife survived her hus- band ten years, dying September 19, 1895. They were the parents of seven children. Clara, the oldest living child, is the wife of John R. Rallton of St. Louis; George W. resides in Lakeport, Florida ; Douglas, the subject of this sketch ; Bertha, deceased; Alma, who is now Mrs. George Heilma of McGregor; and Cyrus, deceased. Douglas Brown received his elementary education in the McGregor public schools, but at the age of thirteen he was obliged to give up his studies and begin the making of his own way in the world. In 1877, he, together with his brother, went to Minnesota, where for three years he was employed by a railroad company. Abandoning railroading as a business, he went to McGregor, Iowa, in 1882, where he took up the tinner's trade, engaging in that work until 1884, spending two years in McGregor and three in Elkader. At the end of that time he entered into business for himself, opening a hardware store, which is the oldest and most complete of its kind in Elkader, dealing in hardware and stoves of all descriptions, and which includes thoroughly up-to-date tinning and plumbing departments. He was united in marriage to Emma Heilman, May 11, 1886, a native of Clayton county, and the daughter of Jacob and Eliza (Schmidt) Heilman, both natives of Germany, but who immi- grated into America in their early youth, joining the sturdy pioneer colonies which have done so much to place Iowa in the front rank of the states of our Union. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Brown have but one child remaining of the four that were born to them. Their first- born were twins, one of which died in infancy, and the other, Hazel, reached the age of eight years; and H. Douglas, the only survivor, is affectionately called "Doug., Jr." Mr. Brown takes an active interest in the affairs of the Republican party, of which he is a
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member, and has served on the city council as alderman, and on the school board. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge, is a thirty-second degree member of the Ancient and Accepted Order of Scottish Rite, and affiliates with the Congregational church, in all of which he holds a deservedly high standing. Notwithstanding his varied time absorbing occupations, our subject finds opportunity to wield a poetic pen, and has given glimpses of the great pleasure afforded him in his favorite pursuit of railroading in several poems, entitled, "The Old Elkader Line"; "On the Old I. and D."; and "Beulah Land." While he claims no particular literary merit for these verses, yet the descriptions given in them are unexcelled and were read with great interest and appreciation by his many friends in Clayton county. He describes the pioneer experiences of Mr. V. R. Miller, an old pioneer, most aptly in a poem, a portion of which is quoted below :
When the deer and bear and wildcat roamed the forests at their will, And the voices of the Indians could be heard from hill to hill, As they called out to their comrades for to join them in their play Of romping, fishing and hunting just to pass the time away, When through the stillness of the midnight you heard the coyotes howl,
And it made you kind of shaky to hear the hooting of the owl. When around in the darkness stealthy shadows softly crept, As the wild beast of the forest prowled around you while you slept.
When Uncle Sam was fighting and had Mexico on the run, And before the California craze for gold had begun, Allured by far spread reports that Iowa's soil was best A young man left New England, and started for the west. He has seen the ox-teams haul the wheat from a hundred miles away.
The old stage coach has come and gone, it too, has had its day. And all the big warehouses that once were on the shore, As they bulged with wheat and grain, clear to the door; With dressed pork on the river bank, and every kind of game; That was when the steamboat thrived before the railroad came.
Herbert C. Brownson is one of a family of three children, who own one of the fine landed estates of Clayton county, and the prop- erty includes the original old homestead which was obtained by their paternal grandfather in the early pioneer days when this now opulent section of the Hawkeye state was little more than an un- trammeled wilderness. Herbert C. Brownson and his brother and sister own and reside upon the old homestead and as representa- tives of the third generation of the family in Clayton county they are well upholding the honors of a name that has been one repre- sentative of prominence and influence in connection with the civic
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and industrial development and upbuilding of the county. The eldest of the three children is Miss Lois Brownson, who was grad- uated in the Fayette Business College and who is now the popular chatelaine of the attractive home, the extensive farm being under the direct and effective management of her brothers, Herbert C. and Lloyd. Herbert C. Brownson was born on the farm which now represents his home and which comprises two hundred acres of most productive land, in Section 22 Farmersburg township. The date of his nativity was February 5, 1884, and he was the second in order of birth of the three children who remain on the old home- stead. His parents, Freeman and Rachel (Datisman) Brownson, were natives respectively of the state of New York and of Ger- many, and the latter was a child at the time of her parents' immi- gration to the United States. Freeman Brownson was a youth at the time when his parents established their home amid the pioneer wilds of Clayton county, and here he and his wife continued to reside until their death. He inherited the pioneer homestead of his father, Daniel Brownson, who came to Clayton county in 1846 and who acquired in 1849 a homestead of forty acres that is now included in the fine landed domain owned by his grandchildren. Freeman Brownson was a man of vigor and industry, known for his sterling character and his mature judgment, and he added to the area of the old homestead until he had accumulated one of the valuable farm properties of the county, the same being represented in the splendid farm now owned and occupied by his three children. The Brownson brothers are known as progressive young agricul- turists and stock-growers and are giving special attention to the raising of short-horn cattle and Duroc-Jersey swine. Both give allegiance to the Democratic party and Herbert C., the immediate subject of this review, is now serving as treasurer of the school district in which he gained his early education. He and his brother and sister are still unwed and in the attractive home they are fully upholding its long maintained reputation for generous hospitality. All attend and support the Congregational church in the village of McGregor, which is their postoffice address.
Jason D. Brownson .- One of the professional men of Clayton county, who has gained for himself not only the esteem and good will of the people of his community, but a high place in the ranks of his chosen profession, is Dr. Jason D. Brownson of Monona. Dr. Brownson is a worthy son of one of the pioneers of the county who by his progressive ideas left a deep impress upon the agricul- tural developments and especially upon the live stock industry of his community. Throughout the history of Clayton county as re- corded in the first volume of this work, frequent mention has been made of Freeman Brownson, as one who was prominent in county affairs, in the promotion of agricultural interests and in the impor- tation of thoroughbred stock, thus aiding in the establishment of the reputation which Clayton county proudly holds, today, for the high standard which it maintains in the production of cattle, horses and swine. Freeman Brownson and his wife Lana (Flanagan) Brownson were both natives of the state of New York, and together
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they came to Iowa at an early date and joined the colony of pio- neers who were beginning that wonderful process of transforma- tion which has made Clayton county the richest in Iowa. To Mr. Freeman Brownson must be given the credit of having imported the first thoroughbred Percheron horses ever owned in the county, and also of being the owner of the first full blood Poland-China hogs which the county had ever known. To this pioneer couple were born three children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the eldest, and two died in infancy. The mother died in 1870, when Jason Brownson was but three years of age, and a few years later his father was again married to Miss Rachel Datisman, and to them seven children were born: Frank, Lucy, Ruben and Una (deceased), Lois, Herbert C. and Lloyd, all of whom reside in the county in the vicinity of National. Jason D. Brownson lived the life of the farm lad of his day, attended the public schools of the county and, being ambitious for a higher education and for pro- fessional training, after completing the course of study in the county schools, he matriculated in Cornell College at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, an institution which for many years has maintained the high- est standard of excellence. From this institution he graduated in 1892, and to the excellent education there received Mr. Brownson added a course of four years' professional instruction in the famous Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois; here he received his professional degree, graduating with honor, in 1896, after which he immediately began the practice of his profession at Elkader. In 1900 he removed to the beautiful city of Monona and there for sixteen years he has continued in practice most successfully and has achieved not only a competency, but a high reputation both professionally and as a citizen. He was married September 5, 1895, to Miss Minnie Penman of Rockton, Illinois, and their delightful home is one of the social centers of Monona. Politically, Dr. Brownson has affiliated himself with the Democratic party and socially he is a member of high standing in the Masonic Order and in the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks.
Parke Buckley has the active supervision and management of a landed estate of five hundred acres, in section 19, Lodomillo township, and of this fine property-the splendid farm was accu- mulated and developed by his honored father-he owns through inheritance the major part, his personal holding comprising three hundred and sixty acres. On this model farmstead of the twentieth century Parke Buckley has resided from the time of his birth, which here occurred on the 10th of July, 1856, and the old home- stead at that time was but a pioneer farm that was of far less extent than the present estate and that was in process of reclama- tion from the frontier wilds. Mr. Buckley is a son of Franklin R. and Helen M. (Turner) Buckley, both of whom were born and reared in the State of New York and both of whom became honored pioneers of Clayton county, Iowa, the venerable mother being now a resident of the village of Strawberry Point, where she has main- tained her home the greater part of the time since the death of her husband. Franklin R. Buckley established his home in this county in
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the year 1854, his purchase of the original homestead place in Lodo- millo township having been effected in the preceding year. A man of high character and virile progressiveness, he achieved large and worthy success in his farm operations and at the time of his death, May 10, 1901, he was the owner of more than seven hundred acres of valuable land in Clayton county. He was influential in com- munity affairs, as a leader in popular sentiment and action, and he commanded secure place in the esteem of the people with whom he came in contact in the varied relations of life. His political sup- port was given to the Republican party and he supported the Con- gregational church, of which his widow has long been a devoted adherent. Of their six children the eldest is Sarah, who is the wife of Jesse F. Taintor, of Ripon, Wisconsin; Parke, of this review, was the next in order of birth and is the only son; Eva is the wife of Byron W. Newberry of Strawberry Point; Jessie is the wife of Miles Alderson, of Stanley, Wisconsin; Mary is the wife of James Alderson, M. D., and they reside in the city of Dubuque ; and Helen remains with her widowed mother. After having made good use of the advantages afforded in the excellent public schools of his native county Parke Buckley entered Iowa College, at Grinnell, in which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1881. He is a farmer and stock-grower. His political proclivities are indicated in his staunch support of the cause of the Republican party and he and his wife are members of the Congregational church at Strawberry Point, which place is their postoffice address. The maiden name of Mr. Buckley's first wife was Nettie Williams, and she is survived by one daughter, Harriet, who is now the wife of Walter Hall, of Leroy, Minnesota. For his second wife Mr. Buckley married Miss Lucina Bixby, and no children have been born of this union.
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