USA > Iowa > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 12
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Broadway and is widely recognized as a substantial and representative citizen of the community.
In February, 1892, Mr. Saggan was united in marriage to Miss Ella Jepsen, a daughter of Peter and Anna Jepsen, of whom more extended mention is made on another page of this volume. Unto our subject and his wife have been born five children, as follows : Henry P., Saggan Hugo, Martin, Edward and Harry.
Mr. Saggan gives his political allegiance to the democracy but has no desire for the honors and emoluments of office. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Lodge No. 393 at Denison. He well merits the proud American title of a self-made man, owing his present prosperity entirely to his own efforts.
ALBERT BANDOW.
Albert Bandow, a successful and enterprising agriculturist of East Boyer township, is the owner of a well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres. His birth occurred on Canal street in Chicago, Illinois, on the 23d of June, 1875. his parents being Christ and Frederica (Witenberg) Bandow, who were born, reared and married in Germany. The father, who worked as a farm hand in Germany, crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1870, locating in Chicago, Illinois, where he was employed in a tanning establishment for six years. On the expiration of that period, in 1876, he removed to Carroll county, Iowa, tak- ing up his abode in Washington township, where he made his home until called to his final rest in 1900. His widow, who still survives, now makes her home with one of her sons in East Boyer township, Crawford county. They were the parents of eleven children, seven daughters and four sons, namely: Mary, the wife of William Jensen, of Arcadia, lowa; Lena, the wife of George Kellen, of Garden, Michigan; Sophia, the wife of Henry Precht, of Jennings, Louisiana ; Anna, the wife of Charles Segbert, of East Boyer township; Bertha, the wife of Nels Bredahl, of Adair county, Iowa; Emma, the wife of Hans Bredahl, of Adair County, Iowa; Albert, of this review; Amelia, who is deceased; Lewis, living in East Boyer township; Julius, who is with his brothers; and Charles, who is likewise a resident of East Boyer township.
Albert Bandow acquired his education in the district schools and remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority. At that time he started out as an agriculturist on his own account and in connection with the tilling of the soil also engaged in threshing. His present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in East Boyer township was his original and only purchase of land and is now under a high state of cultivation and improvement. He keeps good graded stock and in both his farming and live stock interests has won a gratifying measure of success.
On the 8th of September, 1899. Mr. Bandow was united in marriage to Miss Frieda Jager, a native of Clayton county, Iowa, born May 16. 1881, and a daugh- ter of Lewis and Minnie ( Lapel ) Jager. Her father, a native of Germany, emi- grated to America in 1867 and passed away March 24, 1898. The mother of
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Mrs. Bandow died November 7, 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Jager were the parents of five children, as follows: Herman and Lewis, both of whom are deceased ; Mrs. Albert Bandow; Adella, the wife of Lewis Bandow, of East Boyer town- ship; and Ella, who has also passed away. Unto our subject and his wife have been born three children : Lewis, Carl and Herbert, all at home.
Mr. Bandow gives his political allegiance to the republican party, believing that its principles are most conducive to good government. In religious faith he is a Lutheran, both he and his wife belonging to the church of that denomina- tion. His salient characteristics are such as make for good citizenship in any community and which win the esteem, confidence and good-will of all.
CHAUNCY D. MILLER.
Coming of worthy ancestry and early imbued with an ambition to win an honored name in the world, Chauncy D. Miller, of Denison, has succeeded in maintaining the good name of his family and also in earning substantial recogni- tion as a leading citizen of Crawford county. He was born in Tompkins county, New York, January 4, 1846, a son of Andrew J. and Marilla (Searles) Miller, the former of whom was a native of New York and the latter of Massachusetts. The father was reared as a farmer and moved to Huron county, Ohio, in 1852, where he lived for sixteen years, then taking up his residence in Lenawee county, Michigan, where he spent the remainder of his life, being called away after he had passed the eightieth milestone of his earthly career. His wife survived him and died in Crawford county, Iowa, when about eighty years of age. Mr. Miller was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and a leader in the community. He took an active part in politics and held various town offices, always discharging his duties with the highest sense of honor. He and his wife were consistent members of the Baptist church. Alexander Miller. the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a native of New York. He served as an officer in the Revolutionary war and applied for a pension from the gov- ernment when he was one hundred and four years old. The grandfather Searles was a native of Massachusetts but moved to New York state, where he passed his later years. He lived to the age of ninety-two.
Nine children were born to Andrew J. and Marilla Miller, three of whom are now living, namely: Aretas H., who was for three years a soldier in the Civil war and now makes his home in Denison; Clara E., the wife of Henry Hall, of Boyne, Michigan; and Chauncy D., our subject.
Chauncy D. Miller at the age of six years moved with his parents to the state of Ohio, where he grew to manhood and received his education in the pub- lic schools. In 1868 he accompanied his parents to Michigan, but having de- cided to make his home west of the Mississippi river, he traveled across the country in the fall of 1871, his objective point being Crawford county, Iowa, He began life in this county by renting a farm in Denison township but later moved to the city of Denison, where he lived for three years. He then bought one hundred acres in East Boyer township, which he greatly improved. He has
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acquired more land and owns one hundred and forty-three acres in one tract. He continued upon his farm until 1898, when he rented it to his son, and once more took up his residence in Denison. In 1899 he entered the milling business and in the spring of the following year he built a modern mill at Denison, which he has ever since operated. Under excellent management, the business has been largely developed and the products of the mill are now distributed over a radius of many miles in this section.
In September, 1868, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Marcia T. Butler, a native of Morenci, Michigan, and a daughter of Flavel and Jane ( Bald- win) Butler. Elias Baldwin, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Miller, moved from Massachusetts to Michigan in the territorial days of the latter state and was prominent in business and municipal affairs. His wife was Tryphena Moore before her marriage. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller, namely : Ethel T., now a bookkeeper in her father's mill, who graduated from the Denison Normal School and taught school for ten years; Arthur W., who is connected with a fruit-packing establishment at Whittier, California; Albert E., who was graduated from the University of Iowa and is now in the law department of the census bureau at Washington, D. C .; and Edward F., who married Miss Daisy Miller, of New York, and is now in the paymaster's department at Mare Island navy yard. Miss Ethel T. Miller is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and is a lady of unusually fine mental attainments.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller are active members of the Baptist church, in which he serves as trustee. Politically he is allied with the republican party and has held various township offices. He was for nine years consecutively a member of the school board of East Boyer township and also served as justice of the peace. He is a man of energy, enterprise and progressiveness, and his labors have met with deserved financial reward. Always prompt and straightforward in his dealings, he enjoys the confidence of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in this part of the state.
LEONARD S. HOFFMAN.
Leonard S. Hoffman, who was appointed assistant postmaster of Vail on the Ist of July, 1897. has since ably discharged the duties devolving upon him in that connection. He is numbered among the worthy native sons of Crawford. county, his birth having here occurred on the 21st of February. 1877. His parents were Thomas J. and Debbie (Leonard) Hoffman, more extended men- tion of whom is made on another page of this work. He attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education and was reared to manhood under the parental roof. Starting out to earn his own livelihood, he entered the ser- vice of the Northwestern Railroad Company and remained in the employ of that corporation for a year and a half. On the Ist of July, 1897, he was appointed assistant postmaster of Vail and has held the office continuously since, aiding his father, who has acted as postmaster for the past fourteen years. He owns
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a fine residence and also a lot in Vail and is widely recognized as a substantial and respected citizen of the community.
On the 30th of November, 1897, Mr. Hoffman was united in marriage to Miss .Alice M. Crampton, who was born in Crawford county on the 11th of April, 1880, her parents being Benjamin and Jane Crampton, natives of England. Following their emigration to the new world they took up their abode in Clinton county, Iowa, but are now residents of Vail. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman have four children, namely: Gladys, Grace G., Dorothy J. and Edward C.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Hoffman has sup- ported the republican party, believing that its principles are most conducive to good government. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Diamond Lodge, No. 422, at Vail, of which he has served as secretary for eleven years. He is also a member of Homestead Lodge, No. 659, of the Yeomen and likewise belongs to the Pioneer Homestead Association of Des Moines, Iowa. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, with which his wife is also affiliated. They have spent their entire lives in Crawford county and enjoy a wide and favorable acquaintance within its borders.
FRANK E. COMSTOCK.
Frank E. Comstock, a well known and enterprising agriculturist of East Boyer township, resides on a highly improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres and also owns a quarter section of land in Iowa township. His birth oc- curred in this state on the 5th of October, 1880, his parents being John W. and Ella (Keller) Comstock. A sketch of the father appears on another page of this work. John W. Comstock came to Crawford county when his son Frank was one year old and has resided within its borders continuously since. Unto him and his wife were born seven children, as follows: Charles, who is a resi- dent of Montana; Frank E., of this review; Nellie, the wife of Patrick Has- sett, who follows farming in Denison township; and May, Dowie, David and Mabel, all of whom are yet at home.
Frank E. Comstock attended the common schools of Nishnabotny township in the acquirement of an education and remained on his father's farm until twenty-six years of age, when he was married and established a home of his own. He resided in Goodrich township for two years and then came to East Boyer township, locating on the farm which has remained his place of abode continuously since. The property embraces one hundred and sixty acres of rich and productive land and all of the improvements thereon stand as monuments to his enterprise and industry. In addition to his home farm he owns a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in Iowa township, which is also under a high state of cultivation. He annually gathers rich and abundant harvests as a reward for his labor and well deserves recognition among the substantial and representa- tive citizens of the community.
On the 24th of April, 1906, Mr. Comstock was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Hassett, a daughter of Jerry and Bridget (O'Donovan) Hassett, who
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are natives of Ireland and now make their home in Denison, Iowa. They are the parents of eleven children, namely: Mary, the wife of Michael McMann, of Denison, this state; Con, who is a resident of East Boyer township; Bridget, the wife of Francis McSurley, of Nishnabotny township; Tom, an agriculturist of East Boyer township; Patrick, living in Denison township; Maggie, who is. the wife of Patrick Lane and resides near Vail, lowa; John, who resides on the old homestead in East Boyer township; Nellie, the wife of James Bowman, of Washington township; Mrs. Comstock; Kate, who is employed as a stenographer by the Swanson Lumber Company of Denison, Iowa; and Lizzie, the wife of Clarence O'Mara, of Washington township. Unto our subject and his wife has been born one child, Francis Lee, whose birth occurred on the 4th of February, 1907.
In politics Mr. Comstock is a republican, while his religious faith is indi- cated by his membership in the Catholic church, of which his wife is likewise a communicant. He has won a creditable measure of prosperity for one of his years and the sterling qualities of his manhood have made the circle of his. friends almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances.
ALBERT SLECHTA.
Coming to America very early in life Albert Slechta has since his childhood made his home in Crawford county. He has been closely identified with agricul- tural and stock-raising interests and has acquired an enviable reputation as a breeder. He was born in Bohemia, March 27. 1876, and is a son of Albert and Mary ( Vonnestic) Slechta. The family emigrated to America in 1881 and located in Crawford county. Iowa, where the father successfully engaged in farming. He rented land for ten years and then purchased two hundred and forty acres, which became the home place. He died at the age of seventy-seven, but the mother is now living on the homestead with her son Albert. There were seven children in their family, six of whom grew to maturity, namely : Mary, who is now deceased; Frank, who lives in Crawford county; Albert, of this review; Joseph, who also lives on the home place; Charles, at home; and Lucy, deceased.
Albert Slechta received his education in the common schools of Crawford county and was reared on the home farm, showing an interest in the various duties pertaining to stock-raising and agriculture, which indicated marked ability in a pursuit to which he has devoted the best energies of his life. After the death of his father he and his brother Joseph were associated in carrying forward the work, although at the time they did not have money enough even to buy a team of horses. Today they have acquired an acknowledged reputation as farm- ers and stock-breeders and are in possession of one of the valuable properties of Milford township. They have devoted special attention to the breeding of full blooded Percheron horses and have about fifty head in their herd, the leader of which they value at more than fifteen hundred dollars. They have five full blooded mares, two of them having been imported from Europe. They are
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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
both men of resourceful business ability, and in the field to which they have turned their attention they have found ample room for the exercise of talents. which have brought well merited rewards.
Mr. Slechta of this review is in hearty sympathy with the democratic party but has never aspired to public office as he is entirely devoted to his business. He and his brother are members of the Catholic church, in which they were reared, and as citizens they have ever attempted to perform their duty in be- half of their fellowmen.
LOUIS MARTIN HENRY MUNDT.
Louis Martin Henry Mundt, one of the worthy native sons of Crawford county, is well known as a successful agriculturist and respected resident of East Boyer township, where he owns three hundred and twenty acres of rich and arable land. His birth occurred in that township, one mile from his present resi- dence, on the 7th of July, 1878, his parents being Robert and Frederica (Voss) Mundt. The father, a native of Hanover, Germany, crossed the Atlantic to the United States about 1865, locating near McGregor, Clayton county, Iowa, where he resided for two or three years. On the expiration of that period, in company with Fred Heiden, he came to Crawford county in a covered wagon, locating in East Boyer township, where he followed farming until 1898. In connection with the tilling of the soil he devoted considerable attention to the feeding of stock, meeting with success in both branches of his business. On putting aside the active work of the fields he took up his abode in Denison, where he lived in honorable retirement until called to his final rest in 1908. He had prospered in his undertakings and at the time of his demise owned eleven hun- dred and thirty acres of valuable land. Coming to the new world in early man- hood, he eagerly availed himself of the opportunities here offered and as the years passed by worked his way steadily upward to a position of affluence. He justly merited the proud American title of a self-made man and in his passing the community lost one of its most esteemed and substantial citizens. His widow, likewise a native of Germany, still makes her home in Denison, where she has an extensive circle of warm friends. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: one who died in infancy; W. N., who is a resident of California ; Ida and Willie, who are deceased; Freda, the wife of William Plagge, of Buck- grove, Iowa; Louis M. H., of this review; and Emma, who has likewise passed away.
In pursuit of an education Louis M. H. Mundt attended the common schools of his native township and also spent one term in the German school at Deni- son. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, when he was married and established a home of his own, locating on the farm which has been his place of abode continuously since. The property embraces three hun- dred and twenty acres of land and is lacking in none of the improvements and accessories of a model farm of the twentieth century. The place in its neat and. thrifty appearance gives evidence of his careful supervision and the well tilled
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fields annually yield golden harvests in return for the care and labor which he bestows upon them.
In 1900 Mr. Mundt was united in marriage to Miss Dora Kahl, a native of Holstein, Germany, and a daughter of Christ and Henrietta (Coke) Kahl, who were likewise born in that country. They emigrated to the United States in 1890, settling in Goodrich township, Crawford county, Iowa, where they have resided continuously since. Unto them were born eight children, namely : August, living in Goodrich township, this county; Lizzie, who is deceased ; Ber- tha, the wife of Fred Kahl, of Milford township; William, who makes his home in Goodrich township; Anna, the wife of John Keighan of Shelby county, Iowa ; Minnie, the wife of William Watje, of Redlands, California; Mrs. Mundt; and Augusta, the wife of William Warn, of Goodrich township. Mr. and Mrs. Mundt have three children, Freda, Albert and Hattie, aged respectively ten, eight and four years.
Mr. Mundt is a democrat in politics and has served as school director. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Lutheran church, of which his wife is also a communicant. He has resided in Crawford county from his birth to the present time and is well known as a reliable and straightforward business man, fully meriting the confidence and good will which are extended to him by his fellow citizens.
OSCAR S. GOODRICH.
For more than half a century the Goodrich family have been prominently identified with the agricultural development of Crawford county, the late Isaac B. Goodrich having been the first settler to enter land in the county, in recog- nition of which fact he was later honored by having the township where his homestead was located named after him. He was born in the state of New York in 1804, a son of Philander Goodrich, who was a descendant of one of the old families of New England. The spirit engendered by many generations of pioneer life early drove Isaac B. Goodrich westward. He first located in Michigan and later in Illinois and at an age when the majority of men consider retiring from active life again migrated, Iowa being his destination this time. He arrived in Crawford county in June, 1854, after a long and tiresome jour- ney by wagon oftentimes over unbroken prairie. Locating in Milford town- ship, he erected a log cabin fourteen by twenty feet, which was the first shingled house in the county. This provided shelter for the family, while he and his sons cleared the land and placed it under cultivation. In 1855 a sawmill was located in Denison at the foot of the hill near the present site of the North- western Railroad stockyards, and with the assistance of his sons, Mr. Goodrich cut the trees which were hauled to the mill, the lumber being later transported to Goodrich township, where it was utilized in the construction of a house. Many weeks of hard labor were spent in the cutting and hauling of the timber, after which they had to erect the house, which was built entirely of oak and walnut. The shingles which were of black walnut, Mr. Goodrich made himself,
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OSCAR GOODRICH AND FAMILY
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in the course of which process, owing to his crude and limited facilities, he sacrificed three of the fingers of his right hand. He acquired two hundred and ninety acres of land, which he cultivated up to the time of his demise in 1881. Mrs. Goodrich only survived him until April of the following year. Always having been just a little in advance of the progress of civilization, their lives had ever been hard, but they possessed all the essential characteristics of the pioneer, their personalities being strongly felt in the social, as well as the educa- tional development of the county.
Mr. Goodrich and Miss Margaret Gamble were united in marriage in New York and unto them were born eleven children. The first five, Luzina, Sa- brina, Adeline, Leverett C. and Tully, and also the two youngest, Philander and Minerva, are deceased. The others are: William, a resident of South Dakota; Oscar, our subject; Rufus, living in Idaho; and Milo, who resides in Minnesota. The family always attended the services of the Baptist church, of which the parents were members. His political support Mr. Goodrich accorded the democratic party. He was a public-spirited man and always took an active and helpful part in civic affairs, for many years serving as a member of the board of supervisors. A man of high ideals, sound principles and incorruptible integrity his personality was a dominant factor in the development of the county where he spent the latter years of his life.
Oscar S. Goodrich, a son of Isaac B. and Margaret (Gamble) Goodrich, was born in Illinois on the 4th of September, 1854. Being but an infant when his parents removed to Iowa, the greater part of his life has been spent in the Hawkeye state, in the district schools of which he acquired his education. He remained a member of his father's household until he had attained his majority, at which time he rented sixty acres of land and engaged in agricultural pur- suits. After cultivating this for two years he removed to an eighty acre tract which his father presented him. Here he followed general farming and stock- raising until the 22d of November, 1910, when he removed to Denison, where he continues to live retired.
Mr. Goodrich's plans for a home of his own had their culmination on the 5th of November, 1873, in his marriage to Miss Lucy Butler, of Arion, Iowa. Mrs. Goodrich is a daughter of James and Catherine (McCall) Butler, who lived on a farm on the present site of the town of Arion. The family residence was a log house, as were the majority of the homes of that period, and there Mrs. Goodrich as well as her two sisters were married. Mr. Butler was cap- tain of a company of volunteers in 1864-5, stationed at Cherokee, where they were ready to respond to calls from the settlers who were greatly harassed at that time by the Indians. Ten children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Butler : Donald J., deceased, who was the first white boy born in Crawford county; Margaret, the wife of Valdo Talcott; William; Lucy, the wife of Oscar S. Goodrich; Agnes, who married Dr. W. B. Evans; Lorenzo C .; Charles; and three who died in infancy. All members of the family now surviving reside in Arion, with the exception of Mrs. Goodrich, who lives in Denison.
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