USA > Iowa > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 37
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On March 20, 1882, Mr. Larson was united in marriage to Miss Ereka Erickson, who was born in Sweden, October 22, 1861, a daughter of Herman and Julia Erickson, both natives of Sweden. They came to America in 1862 and lived for eight years in Minnesota and then located in Crawford county, Iowa, where they continued during the remainder of their lives, the mother passing away April 18, 1888, and the father November 6, 1896. Three chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Erickson, the wife of our subject being the only one now living. Twelve children constitute the family of Mr. and Mrs. Larson, one of whom died in infancy, the others being: Lillie E., born Feb- ruary 22, 1883, who received a musical education and is now the wife of Rufus Morgan, of Crawford county; Alma B., who was born January 15, 1885, and is a graduate of Highland Park College of Des Moines, Iowa; Alfred O., who was born December 9, 1886, and is now farming upon the old homestead; Julia J., born June 7, 1888, Etta I., born February 15, 1890, and Eldred R., born March 16, 1892, all of whom are at home; Alvin L., who was born February 18, 1895, and died on the 8th of March following; Russell A., born April 25, 1897, Edna F., born April 14, 1898, Earlin L., born June 28, 1900, and Lafe Theodore, born July 7, 1902, all of whom are at home.
Mr. Larson owes his present prosperous condition to his habits of industry and a laudable ambition to win a reputable place for himself in the community. His success is proof of the possibilities in America for young men of good habits who are willing to apply themselves in early life in order to enjoy an abundance in later years. Politically he gives his adherence to the republican party and although he has not sought the honors of office, he has served with marked ability as school director and road superintendent. He and his wife are stanch members and supporters of the Baptist church.
ANDREW A. BOSS.
For the past seven years the agricultural skill of Andrew A. Boss has been expended in the cultivation of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres located on section 36, Iowa township, the general appearance of the property being a tribute to his well directed efforts. Mr. Boss was born in Guttenberg, Clayton county, Iowa, on the 12th of January, 1865, and is a son of the late John and Agatha (Veonberell) Boss, natives of Germany. The father came from Lich- tenstein to the United States in 1848, first locating in Dubuque, Iowa, where he remained for two years, and then removed to Guttenberg, where he met the lady whom he subsequently married. They became the parents of three chil- dren besides our subject, who is the third in order of birth: John, who is living near Casey, Iowa; Matthias, deceased; and Sophia, the wife of Martin Peter- son, of Carroll county, Iowa. The father passed away in Guttenberg in 1893. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined that organization in the fatherland, and he was also a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted
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as a private in Company D, Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry. On the 9th of April, 1864, while in discharge of his duties at Pleasant Hill, he was captured by the enemy and sent to Fort Tyler and Hampton, Texas, where he was retained for eight months and then exchanged, returning to his command on the 27th of December, 1864. He saw much active service during the war, participating in many of the notable battles, but was never wounded but once. Mrs. Boss survived her husband two years, her demise occurring in Pottawatt- amie county, Iowa, where she was buried, in 1895.
The common schools of Guttenberg provided Andrew A. Boss with an education, which was acquired before the age of fourteen years, at which time he left the paternal roof to begin his business career. For several years after leaving home he worked for various farmers in the neighborhood and then re- moved to Walnut, Iowa, where he continued to follow the same occupation for six years longer. At the expiration of that period he leased land, in the culti- vation of which he engaged for four years, coming to Crawford county about 1893. During the first five years of his residence here he lived about a mile and a half north of his present homestead. He subsequently rented this prop- erty and removed to Carroll county, where he farmed for three years, and then went to Audubon county, remaining there for five years. Returning to Craw- ford county seven years ago, he purchased a quarter section of land in Iowa township, upon which he continues to reside. He has made practically all of the improvements upon this property, and they are all substantial structures and well kept. General farming and stock-raising absorb his attention and he makes a specialty of breeding shorthorn cattle and other graded stock.
In 1895 Mr. Boss was united in marriage to Miss Helen Sanders, and they have become the parents of four children: Alfred, George, William and Edna, all of whom are at home.
The religious views of the family coincide with those of the Lutheran de- nomination with which they affiliate. The fraternal relations of Mr. Boss are confined to membership in the Modern Woodmen of America, his identification being with Manilla Camp, while in politics he is a stanch democrat. He takes an active interest in local affairs and was at one time road supervisor, while for the past year he has served as president of the school board of Iowa town- ship, but he prefers to concentrate his energies upon the development of his private pursuits.
W. A. DAVIE.
One of the well known citizens of Crawford county is W. A. Davie, farmer, business man and member of the state legislature. He has passed the greater part of his life in this county and few men are better informed as to the re- sources and possibilities of this part of the state or have a larger acquaintance among its people. He was born near Pontiac, in Livingston county, Illinois, October 13, 1855, a son of John Turner and Hannah (Hoskins) Davie. The father was born in Devonshire, England, December 23, 1823. He was one of
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five children, the eldest of whom inherited the family estate. Two brothers went to Australia and have never since been heard from. John T. Davie served in the British army and later learned the brick-mason's trade. Desiring to im- prove his condition, he emigrated to America and made his home for a short time in Quebec, Canada. Subsequently he removed to Michigan and lived there for several years, then moving to Pontiac, Illinois, where he remained until 1856, when he came west and took up his home in Orange township, Clinton county, Iowa. In 1861 he removed to Monona (now Crawford) county and engaged for fifteen years in farming in Boyer township, but in 1876 crossed the line into Harrison county. He passed away December 3, 1883. He was highly successful as a farmer, especially in the raising of grain. In political belief he affiliated with the democratic party and was prominent in its councils, serving as township clerk, trustee, assessor and in other offices. Religiously he was identified with the Church of England and fraternally was a valued member of the Masonic order. His wife was born in New Jersey and was of Irish and Dutch descent. Her parents died when she was quite young and she was reared by an aunt in New York. There were eight children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Davie: Isabel, now the wife of John W. Coon, of Paradise town- ship; W. A., of this review ; Emma, now Mrs. Amos Hunt, of Canada ; Estella, who died March 26, 1876; Ida, the wife of Livy Hunt, also of Harrison town- ship; Nettie, who is deceased; Frank, who died January 15, 1906; and Minnie, who married T. J. Rule, of Paradise township. Mrs. Davie was twice married, her first husband being John Rogers, by whom she had one child, Ellen, who became the wife of Frank Roberts, of Dunlap, Iowa, and is now deceased.
W. A. Davie received his early education in the district schools of Boyer township and continued at home until he grew to maturity. In 1876 he began farming on his own account, in which he has been highly successful, making a specialty of stock-raising. He is the owner of two hundred and eighty acres in Crawford and Shelby counties, which under his management are yielding sub- stantial annual returns. For two years past he has been manager of the Farm- ers Cooperative Lumber Company of Dunlap. He was one of the organizers of this company in 1900 and was its first president and still continues in that office. The company started with a capital of twenty-five hundred dollars and now is capitalized at nearly twenty-five thousand dollars, being one of the highly prosperous concerns of the county. Mr. Davie was also one of the organizers of the Kiron Insurance Company, formerly a Swedish concern, which has since been taken over by the Farmers Mutual Fire & Tornado Insurance Associa- tion of Kiron, Crawford county, Iowa, and he has served as director of the same for five terms.
On October 29, 1876, Mr. Davie was united in marriage to Miss Mary Eliza- beth Fullerton, a native of Ohio, and five children have blessed this union : Edith, who is the wife of John Hunt, of Harrison county ; Maude, now Mrs. Omer Musgrove, also of Harrison county; Ray, who is engaged in farming, his place adjoining that of his father; Harry, who assists his father on the home farm; and Maybelle, now the wife of Fred Cook, of Union township. The mother of these children was called away April 29, 1904, and Mr. Davie was
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subsequently married to Mrs. Florence (Painter) Griffith, a lady of many ex- cellent qualifications of mind and heart.
In political affairs Mr. Davie is a supporter of the democratic party and has taken an active part in its campaigns. He served in the twenty-second, twenty- third, thirty-first and thirty-second Iowa general assemblies and also was elected to fill a vacancy in the twenty-ninth general assembly, discharging his duties most effectively. In 1885 he was elected a member of the county board of su- pervisors and has also served in all of the township offices, being now a member of the board of trustees. Fraternally he is connected with Lodge No. 244, A. F. & A. M., Chapter No. 89, R. A. M., and Lodge No. 385, O. E. S., all of Dunlap; also being connected with Golden Lodge, No. 178, I. O. O. F., and Golden Crown Lodge of the Rebekahs. While not affiliated with any religious denomination, he attends all churches and is a liberal contributor to religious causes. Of a genial and kindly temperament, he has many friends and ac- quaintances and is entirely worthy of the sincere regard in which he is held by all who know him.
HENRY C. SCHROEDER.
The permanent progress of any state depends largely upon its farming com- munity, not only because of the development of the natural resources but be- cause the agriculturist always establishes a home, thus laying the foundation of the social and educational as well as the civil advancement. Henry C. Schroe- der, of Schleswig, had been prominently identified with the farming and political development of Crawford county for a quarter of a century. He was born in Germany on the 15th of October, 1854, a son of Emanuel and Ann M. (Muder) Schroeder, who emigrated to the United States in 1870. They first located in Cook county, Illinois, and after residing there for a short time removed to Crawford county, Iowa, where they passed away, the father on the 4th of March, 1889, and the mother on the Ist of March, 1907. Of the four children born to them the son Henry C. is the only one now surviving, the daughter and second child, Anna E., having passed away, while the two youngest died in infancy.
Henry C. Schroeder remained in the fatherland until he had passed his fif- teenth year, when he took passage for the United States. He remained with his parents in Cook county, Illinois, until 1878, when he went to Ida county, Iowa, where he worked as a farm hand for two years and then rented eighty acres in Crawford county, which he cultivated for one year and then bought it. He was an energetic, ambitious young man, possessing that determined persis- tence which invariably wins success in any undertaking, and he shortly added to this another eighty acres. He was married soon afterward and then began cultivating his wife's farm, which consisted of two hundred acres, in addition to his own. He engaged in general farming and stock-raising until 1884, at which time he began making a specialty of buying and feeding stock for the market and so sold his two eighty-acre tracts and operated his two hundred acre farm. He is a man who quickly recognizes an opportunity which the less
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sagacious would ignore and as a result he wins where others lose, not only because of his unusual foresight, which reveals possibilities, but because he dominates conditions. He is today acknowledged as one of the affluent citizens of the county, owning almost eleven hundred acres of farming land, all of which is well improved and under a high state of cultivation. In the fall of 1910 he retired to Schleswig, where he owns a comfortable home and is enjoying the ease and relaxation from business responsibilities which his comfortable com- petence assures him.
Mr. Schroeder was united in marriage on the 27th of January, 1883, to Mrs. Minna Zabel, who was an only child of Sigismund and Augusta (Weckwerth) Brietang. Four children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder but only three attained maturity, Annie, the eldest, dying at the age of five years. The three surviving are as follows: Hulda, the wife of William Reinking, of Ida county, Iowa; Clara, who became the wife of Carl Jessen, of Crawford county; and Henry H., also a resident of this county.
The faith of the family is that of the Lutheran denomination, with which organization they are identified by membership. Ever since acquiring the full rights of citizenship, Mr. Schroeder has supported the candidates and principles of the democratic party, as he considers that its policy is best adapted to pro- tect the interests of the majority. He has always actively participated in all political issues and has been awarded some of the best offices not only of the township but the county. His party first elected him to the position of school director, he was later made treasurer of the board and was then made township assessor; at the expiration of his term he was elected township clerk, after which he served on the board of county supervisors and has but recently retired from the state legislature. In each and all of these positions, from the lowest to the highest, he has conscientiously discharged his duties and has received the approval of all. As the years of his residence in Crawford county have increased it has but served to strengthen the esteem and respect which is accorded him, binding him more closely to his fellowmen.
GEORGE P. SWARTZ.
George P. Swartz, one of the substantial and well known citizens of Stock- holm township, Crawford county, was born May 24, 1859, in Clinton county, Iowa, a son of Henry P. and Eliza (Koch) Swartz, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, whence they moved in 1855 to a farm in Clinton county, Iowa. They were the parents of seven children, five of whom are still living, namely : Ella, the wife of E. P. Keith, of Ida Grove, Iowa; George P .; William L., of Tipton, Iowa; Arthur L., of Westbrook, Minnesota ; and Burdette V., of South Dakota. The mother died in Cedar county when about fifty years old, the father's demise occurring in Ida Grove at the age of seventy-five.
George P. Swartz attended the public schools and remained on the home farmi until twenty-three years old, when he rented one hundred and twenty acres of land in Cedar county, Iowa, which he cultivated for about one year.
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He then went to Jones county, located on one hundred and sixty acres and re- mained there two years. At the end of that time he returned to Cedar county for one year, after which he moved to Ida county and there engaged in farming and various other industries until 1894, when he went to Minnesota and rented one-half section of land near what is now known as Westbrook. There he resided until 1900 and then removed to Pine county, the same state, where he bought forty acres and remained there until 1905, in which year he came to Crawford county, Iowa, and purchased what is now his home in Boyer, Stock- holm township.
Mr. Swartz has been twice married, his first wife being Anna Nash, a daughter of William and Mary (Gates) Nash, of Cedar county, Iowa, whom he wedded in the fall of 1883 at Tipton, Iowa. Of the three children born to them, two are living, namely: Catherine E., the wife of Cliff Lawrence, of Houston, Texas; and Angie Irene, who married George Maynard and lives in Crawford county. Mrs. Swartz departed this life in 1887 at Clarence, Cedar county, Iowa. On January 30, 1901, Mr. Swartz was married to Lydia Erick- son, a daughter of John A. and Martha Erickson.
Mr. Swartz in his political relations is a stalwart republican and has always given his support to the men and principles of that party. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Brotherhood Association. His life has been one of industry, bringing to his work an intelligent appreciation of all that goes to make success, and that he has attained this goal is manifested by the prosperity which he at present enjoys.
WILLIAM F. NUTTER.
The owner of one hundred and twenty acres of highly productive land in Willow township, William F. Nutter is assured of a handsome annual income and is numbered among the respected and representative citizens of Crawford county. In his life work he has shown himself possessed of the elements of energy, thrift and other traits necessary in the attainment of a worthy purpose in any calling.
He was born in Clinton county, Iowa, August 21, 1874, a son of Franklin and Elizabeth (Mathing) Nutter. The parents were both natives of Licking county, Ohio, and were married in that county. They came to Iowa and made their home at Clinton until 1881, when they removed to a farm near Odebolt, Sac county, and two years later came to Crawford county, locating in Willow township. After renting land for a while, Mr. Nutter purchased one hundred and sixty acres in that township, which he improved until it became a valuable property. He died in 1899, and his wife passed away three years later. There were eight children in their family: Alitha, now the wife of James Wickwire. of Boulder, Colorado; Jackson, who lives at Durango, Colorado; Wallace, who has charge of a boat on the Great Lakes; James, of Clarinda, Iowa; Mary, who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Edward, also of Minneapolis; Ida, the wife of F. H. Brown. of Charter Oak; and William F., of this review.
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Educated in the public schools, William F. Nutter assisted in the work of the home farm until he reached the age of twenty-one years and then began cultivating the land upon which he has since lived. He owns one hundred and twenty acres, which he has improved by the erection of substantial buildings, making it one of the desirable places in the township. He is a good manager, as he engages actively and intelligently in his business, and his efforts have been rewarded with good results.
In 1896 Mr. Nutter was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Cue, a daugh- ter of Joseph and Susannah R. (Arrowsmith) Cue. Her father was born in England and was among the early settlers of Willow township, Crawford county, Iowa, becoming a very prominent citizen of this section. He served valiantly for three years in behalf of the Union in the war of the rebellion and is now living at Wichita, Kansas. Mrs. Nutter's mother died in May, 1901. They were the parents of five children : Alfred, of Gordon, Nebraska; Marion, of Willow township; Augusta, now Mrs. William F. Nutter; and Elizabeth and Ralph, both of whom live in Willow township. Two children have come to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Nutter: Charlotte L., now fourteen ; and Hazel May, now twelve years of age.
Mr. Nutter has always voted in support of the candidates and platforms of the republican party, although he has never had political aspirations. He is a sincere believer in honesty in public as well as in private affairs, and his life is a commendable example of fairness in all dealings with others. He is not a member of any religious denomination but attends the Methodist church, and as a useful and progressive citizen he possesses the respect of the people of the entire neighborhood.
WILLIAM H. PRUTER.
William H. Pruter, of Crawford county, is a native son of Iowa, born Au- gust 22, 1873, his parents being William F. and Helena (Rohr) Pruter. They are natives of Holstein, Germany, and were married in the old country. In 1869, believing that more favorable opportunities awaited energetic and de- serving people in the western hemisphere than could be expected in the older countries of Europe, they crossed the ocean to America and after spending four years in Clinton county, Iowa, removed to Crawford county. Here Mr. Pruter engaged very successfully in agriculture and stock-raising and became the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of good land in Crawford and Carroll coun- ties. He started upon his own resources without capital and deserves great credit for what he accomplished. In 1902 he and his wife removed to Daven- port, where they are now living. There were four children in their family : Frank, of Hayes township; Charles, of Iowa township; John, who is now living in the state of Washington; and William HI.
The subject of this review acquired a practical education in the common schools, thus laying the foundation for a life of usefulness and honor. He continued at home with his parents, assuming many of the responsibilities, until
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after attaining his majority. Then, having been married, he lived across the road from the old home until after his parents removed to town, since which time he has resided at the family homestead. He owns two hundred and forty acres of valuable land, which yields bounteous harvests, and his wife is the owner of sixty acres near West Side. He gives his attention to agriculture and also to raising graded stock for the market.
In 1895 Mr. Pruter was married to Miss Clara Moeller, who was born at Davenport, a daughter of Peter Moeller, of West Side, Iowa. Two children have come to brighten their home, Clarence and Leslie. Mr. Pruter and his wife are not members of any religious denomination, but they are stanch be- lievers in Christianity and attend the German Lutheran church, being liberal contributors to that organization. He has voted independently ever since he reached his majority. He is recognized as an industrious, enterprising and pro- gressive man and has gained a measure of success which gives proof of the wise application of his energies.
REV. ADOLPH AMSTEIN.
Twenty-one years ago Rev. Adolph Amstein accepted a call to fill the pulpit of the German Lutheran church at Charter Oak, of which he has ever since been pastor, discharging his duties with an earnestness and fidelity that have met with the hearty approval of the entire community. He was born in Ger- many, February 26, 1869, a son of Sebastian and Fredericka (Bartholmaes) Amstein, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father was by trade a blacksmith, but later became a hotel and store keeper and so continued until his retirement. He died at the age of seventy-three years, but the mother is still living in Germany and has arrived at the venerable age of eighty-five years. There were ten children in their family, namely: Aurelia, deceased; Mathilde, Pauline, Florine, Heinrich, Christiana, Johann and Rosine, all of whom are living in Germany; Reinhold, now living in Ida county, Iowa; and Adolph, of this review.
Adolph Amstein was given excellent advantages of education in his native land, attending the common schools until he reached the age of fourteen years. He received private lessons for two years in Latin and German and at the same time studied music, history, geography, algebra and essays at an academy. In 1885, being then sixteen years of age, he came to America and, as he had de- cided to enter the Christian ministry, took a course of instruction in theology at Springfield, Illinois. Being too young to qualify as a regular minister of the church, he was sent out as a vicar or assistant, spending one year in Dakota, six months at Davenport, Iowa, and an equal length of time in Hanover town- ship, Crawford county. He then returned to Springfield and completed his course. In 1890 he received a call from the German Lutheran church at Charter Oak, which he has accepted and he has ever since most acceptably occupied that position.
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