USA > Iowa > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 15
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which he cultivated until 1908. He then rented the place and removed to Pleasanton, buying the lumber business known as the Pleasanton Lumber Company. He has since conducted that business and has met with gratifying success.
Mr. Hollister was married on the 28th of November, 1882, to Miss Martha A. Peaco, a daughter of James and Eliza (Keller) Peaco, natives of Virginia. Her father was the proprietor of a foundry in Virginia and during the Civil war served in the Confed- erate army. Both he and his wife passed away in their native state. Mr. and Mrs. Hollister have three children: Emmett, thirty-one years of age, who resides in St. Joseph, Missouri; Belva, twenty-five years old, the wife of J. Emmett Leeper, Jr., a resident of North Dakota; and Frank, who is twenty-three years of age and is operat- ing the farm belonging to our subject.
Mr. Hollister is a democrat and has taken an active part in local political affairs. For two terms he served as township clerk, was at one time mayor of Pleasanton and is at present a member of the town council. His religious faith is that of the Methodist church and fraternally he is connected with the Masons, the Modern Wood- men and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is energetic, possesses sound judgment and observes the highest business ethics, and the success which he has gained as proprietor of the Pleasanton Lumber Company is well deserved.
LATTA H. HAGEN.
Latta H. Hagen, who is a well known farmer of Burrell town- ship, was born in that township, June 7, 1860, a son of John and Eve (Asbach) Hagen, both natives of Germany, who upon emi- grating to the United States, settled in Decatur county, Iowa. The father served in the Austrian war and was taken prisoner and held for a long time. Eventually he made his escape with some comrades and soon afterward came to the United States. He pur- chased land in Burrell township, this county, and devoted the remain- der of his life to agricultural pursuits. He passed away in 1881 and his wife died in 1865.
Latta H. Hagen was reared and educated in this county and remained at home, farming in partnership with his father until the latter's demise. The estate was then divided and our subject received one hundred acres for his share. He operated his farm until 1889,
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when he sold it and purchased eighty acres on section 34, Burrell township, which he has since improved. He also owns one hundred and sixty acres which he rents to others and derives a gratifying income from his land.
Mr. Hagen' was married on the 30th of January, 1886, to Miss Emma Pruyn, a daughter of Theodore and Marietta (Pickle) Pruyn, natives of New York and Illinois respectively. The father removed to Wisconsin in early manhood and farmed there until 1882, when he came with his family to Decatur county, Iowa, and purchased land in New Buda township which he operated until his demise in Septem- ber, 1904. His widow is still living at Lemoni. Mr. and Mrs. Hagen have five children: Dora, at home; Roscoe, a rural mail carrier resid- ing in Davis City; and Anna, Ernest and Gilbert, all at home.
Mr. Hagen is a republican and is stanch in his support of the candidates and measures of that party. He is identified with the local lodge of Modern Woodmen of America and his church membership is held in the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. He is known as a man of sterling worth, as a good citizen and as a successful agriculturist and has many warm friends.
ROBERT C. BOLON.
Robert C. Bolon is one of the progressive farmers and stock- raisers of New Buda township and his place on section 2 is well improved. He also conducts a jewelry repair shop at his residence and as he is a skilled workman in that line enjoys a good trade. His birth occurred near Spring Valley in Hamilton township, May 2, 1860, and he is a son of James F. and Elizabeth (Clark) Bolon. The father was born in Ohio, of Irish stock, and was by trade a carpenter and plasterer. A more detailed account of his life is given elsewhere in this volume.
Robert C. Bolon attended the district schools, the Lineville (Ia.) high school and the law school of Drake University, from which institution he was graduated in 1886. He located in Des Moines, where he spent three years learning the jeweler's trade, after which he became the owner of a jewelry store on East Fifth street, that city, which he conducted for two years. At the end of that time he removed to Lineville, Wayne county, Iowa, and there opened a jewelry store which he owned for two years. At the end of that time he purchased a small farm of sixty-eight acres northeast of Lineville and for ten years devoted his time and energies to the culti-
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vation of his land. He then sold and removed to Davis City, Decatur county, buying land in New Buda township. Later he entered into partnership with his father, assisting the latter in the operation of a section of fine land. Father and son carried on agricultural pur- suits together until the demise of the former, when our subject received one hundred acres as his share of the estate. He removed to his farm, which is situated on section 2, New Buda township, and is still living there. He breeds and raises Hereford cattle of fine grade and Poland China hogs, selling his stock to the shipper. He also carries on general farming with the help of his sons and receives a gratifying income from his labors. He still conducts a jewelry repair shop and receives the greater part of the business in that line in his section.
On the 7th of May, 1894, Mr. Bolon married Miss Mary E. Logan, of Des Moines, a daughter of Michael and Mary E. (Scott) Logan, both natives of Ireland, who passed their entire lives in that country. The father carried on farming and general stock-raising in County Galway. His demise occurred in 1913 and that of his wife in 1914. Mrs. Bolon was born in County Galway, November 17, 1868, and was reared there until she reached the age of thirteen years. She then came to the United States with her uncle, James Mullan, who located near Webster City, Iowa. At the time of her marriage she was living in Des Moines. During the thirteen year interval between her arrival in America and her marriage she had through her own efforts accumulated fifteen hundred dollars, which she invested in the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Bolon are the parents of nine children, as follows: James Michael, born February 12, 1895, was graduated from the Davis City high school and also from the State Agricultural College at Ames with the class of 1915, taking first honors. On the 8th of September, 1914, he was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Fowler. Charles Logan, born June 12, 1896, is attending the Davis City high school. He assists his father with the work of the farm and takes a great interest in agricultural pursuits. In 1914 he won a trip to the Omaha stock show by raising ninety- three bushels of corn on an acre of land, which was the third best vield out of twenty-three acres entered. The prize was given by the State Agricultural College at Ames. Joseph, who was born August 31, 1897, died in infancy. Dewey A., who was born August 15, 1898, Elizabeth, whose birth occurred February 7, 1901, Margaret, born November 25, 1902, Grace Aletha, born June 27, 1904, Nellie, born May 4, 1905, and Hattie, born January 11, 1908, are all attending the Davis City schools.
Vol. II-10
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Mr. Bolon is an independent republican, voting for the man rather than the party when he deems it to the best interests of good government to do so. Both he and his wife belong to the Roman Catholic church of Des Moines. He is not only progressive and well-to-do but he is personally popular, his genial spirit and consid- eration for others enabling him to make and retain friends readily.
JOHN THOMAS.
John Thomas, who has for many years been actively engaged in agricultural pursuits in Morgan township, has disposed of part of his land but still operates thirty acres although he has reached the age of seventy-eight years. He was born in Beaver county, Penn- sylvania, in September, 1837, of the marriage of Samuel and Hannah (Hollinger) Thomas, both of whom were natives of Columbiana county, Ohio. The father, who operated a woolen mill in the Buckeye state, continued to engage in manufacturing until the spring of 1857, when he came to Decatur county with his family. He purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in Morgan township, on which he resided until his demise, which occurred in September, 1896, when he was eighty-four years of age. His wife preceded him in death twelve years.
John Thomas was reared under the parental roof and was edu- cated in Ohio. When twenty years of age he accompanied his parents to this county and did the greater part of the farm work for many years. However, he resided in and near Decatur City for four- teen years. He carried on agricultural pursuits in that locality for a time and then engaged in merchandising but as he did not find that profitable soon sold out and turned his attention to the carpenter's trade. Eventually he returned to the old homestead and two years after his father's demise purchased it. He has since given his time to the development of his farm and has made all of the improvements on the place. He has now disposed of all of his land save thirty acres, which he still operates, although he has reached an age when many men either by choice or necessity abandon all active work. His place is on section 18, Morgan township, is well improved and has an abun- dance of good fruit. He has long been numbered among the capable farmers of his locality.
Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Eliza J. Gardner in October, 1856. She is a daughter of Rudolph and Ann (John) Gardner, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively, both of whom are
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deceased, the father's demise occurring in Ohio in 1852, when he was but forty-four years of age, and the mother passing away at the home of our subject in 1910, when she had reached the venerable age of ninety-four. Mr. Gardner was a farmer and stonemason by occupation. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have been born three children: Ada F., the wife of William Toovy, a resident of Canada; Clarence Emmett, who is also living in the Dominion; and Arlie, who died in infancy.
Mr. Thomas is a republican and for years served on the school board, doing much to further the cause of the public schools in that time. He was elected justice of the peace but would not qualify. His religious faith is that of the Free Methodist church and its teach- ings have guided his life. He has enjoyed exceptional good health and is still vigorous and energetic, while he takes as keen an interest in public events as he did in his early manhood.
OLE H. MIDGORDEN.
Ole H. Midgorden, a well known farmer cultivating three hundred and twenty acres of fine land on section 4, Fayette township, is one of the excellent citizens whom Norway has given to Iowa. His birth occurred near Korrgesvinger, that country, on the 26th of August, 1855, and he is a son of Hans and Martha (Johnson) Midgorden, who in 1870 removed with their family to the United States. They settled in La Salle county, Illinois, where they resided until 1883, when they went to Rock county, Minnesota. Subsequently they came to this county and resided with our subject until called by death, the demise of the father occurring in 1910 when he was eighty-four years of age and that of the mother in 1907 when she was seventy-seven years old. They were Lutherans in their religious faith. To their union were born three children: Ole H .; Mary, the wife of Charles Nelson, a resident of Rock county, Minnesota; and John, who is living prac- tically retired in Lamoni.
Ole H. Midgorden attended school in Norway and for a short time in the United States. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for a number of years, but during the greater part of his life he has devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits. He has been very successful, although he began his independent career empty- handed, and now operates three hundred and twenty acres of well improved land on section 4, Fayette township, just west of Lamoni.
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Moreover, he owns eighty-five acres on section 20, Bloomington town- ship, which he rents to others. He has resided in this county since 1903 and in the intervening twelve years has won a place among the progressive and efficient farmers and stock-raisers of the county.
In 1878 Mr. Midgorden was married in Minnesota to Miss Mary Nelson, likewise a native of Norway. She was brought to this coun- try as a child by her parents, who are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Midgorden have been born ten children, namely: Silas, a farmer, who married Miss Mina Hepburn, by whom he has one daugh- ter, Florence; Nellie, at home; Caroline, the wife of James Roberts, a resident of Lamoni, by whom she has two children, Geraldine and Floyd; Melvin, who is in a garage in Lamoni and who married Ethel Landon, by whom he has two children, Marvin and Delores; and Oscar, Joseph, Clara, Leonard, Alvin and Dennis, all at home.
Mr. Midgorden believes in the basic principles of the democratic party, but often casts an independent ballot. He and his wife and eight of their children belong to the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints and are active in furthering the work of that organization. His life has been one of constant industry, he has at all times been straightforward and honorable in his dealings with others and the respect and esteem in which he is generally held are richly deserved.
MILLARD F. STOOKEY.
For nine years, or from April 1, 1906, until April 15, 1915, Mil- Jard F. Stookey was postmaster of Leon and gave strict attention to . the duties devolving upon him. His birth occurred near Leesburg, Kosciusko county, Indiana, April 25, 1849, and he is a son of Levi J. and Sarah J. (Clark) Stookey. The father was born in Fayette county, Ohio, and was reared by his grandparents as he lost his mother when but a small child. Upon attaining his majority he removed to Indiana, where he was married, but in 1855 he came with his family to Iowa, settling on a farm in Linn county. He spent the remainder of his life there, passing away at the age of eighty-seven years. Both he and his wife belonged to the Presbyterian church and his political allegiance was given to the republican party. His wife was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, and when a girl removed to Indiana with her parents. She is still living at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. They were the parents of eight children.
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Millard F. Stookey received his early education in the district schools of Linn county and subsequently attended the Marion high school. Later he was for two years a student at Western College in Linn county, which has since been removed to Toledo, Iowa, and which is now known as the Leander Clark College. During his vaca- tions Mr. Stookey worked in a printing office and learned the trade and after putting aside his textbooks he was for two years in a print- ing office at Toledo, Iowa, whence he went to Elroy, Wisconsin, where he edited a paper for two years. At the end of that time he came to Decatur county, Iowa, locating at Leon, September 1, 1877. After serving for two years as justice of the peace he was made clerk of the district court, which office he held for six years. At the end of that time he became associated with his cousin, Marion F. Stookey, in the conduct of the Decatur County Journal, our subject being the editor. The publication enjoyed a gratifying circulation and a good advertising patronage. On the 1st of April, 1906, he became postmaster of Leon and the acceptability of his service in that connection led to his being continued in the office until April 15, 1915, or for a little over nine years.
On the 20th of December, 1888, Mr. Stookey married Miss Jessie Forrey, a native of this place and a daughter of Judge Samuel and Abigail Forrey. Her father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, came to this county in 1854 and became a well known member of the bar. His preparation for the legal profession was secured by reading law with Thaddeus Stevens, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Mr. Forrey soon gained a foremost position in his profession and was elevated to the bench, serving for twelve years as judge of the district and circuit courts. He was one of the organizers of the repub- lican party in this county and was prominent in its councils. He became a member of the Masonic order in Pennsylvania and after removing to Leon helped to organize the lodge here. His demise was the occasion of sincere regret as he was a valued and public-spirited citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Stookey have one son, Paul F., who in 1913 was graduated from the Chicago College of Medicine & Surgery in Chicago. He has spent two years in hospital work, the greater part of that time being at the Wabash Railroad Hospital, at Decatur, Illinois. He is now connected with the South Park Hospital in Chicago.
Mr. Stookey is a stanch republican and save for the time that he was postmaster he has for years taken an active part in the work of the party and is recognized as one of its local leaders. He has served for several terms as chairman of the republican county committee and
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has also been a member of the state committee. Fraternally he be- longs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Leon. His wife is a member of the Eastern Star, the Century Club and the P. E. O. Sisterhood. In all relations of life, whether as a private citizen or as an official, Mr. Stookey has conformed his conduct to high stand- ards and has manifested a commendable regard for the general wel- fare.
OSCAR ANDERSON.
Oscar Anderson, cashier of the State Savings Bank of Lamoni, has been connected with that institution for seventeen years and is recognized as a leader in local financial circles. He was born in La Salle county, Illinois, on the 22d of January, 1872, a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Anderson, both natives of Norway. When the subject of this review was but two months old the family removed to Decatur county and the parents still reside at Lamoni.
Mr. Anderson was reared upon the home farm in the vicinity of Lamoni and remained under the parental roof until he attained his majority. He supplemented his public-school education by attend- ance at Highland Park College of Des Moines, from which he was graduated with the class of 1895, and he then taught in the Lamoni public schools for a period of three years, after which he became identified with the State Savings Bank of Lamoni, which was organ- ized at that time by the late David Dancer, who is mentioned else- where in this work. Since 1911 Mr. Anderson has been cashier of the bank, of which he is also a director, and he gives his closest atten- tion to the management of the affairs of the institution, which is conducted upon a safe and conservative basis. The policy of the institution, however, is to extend credit when there is sufficient se- curity, thus aiding in the legitimate business growth of the com- munity and at the same time discouraging ill-advised expansion by refusing too easy credit the bank not only safeguards its own inter- ests but in the end subserves the best interests of the community. Mr. Anderson also owns three hundred and nineteen acres of land on sec- tion 9, Fayette township, the cultivation of which he carefully super- vises. With his brother Andrew he rents and operates eleven hun- dred acres of land also in Fayette township, a part of the David Dancer estate, and in addition to his many other activities he looks after his sister's business affairs.
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Mr. Anderson was married at Lamoni to Miss Belle Kelley, a native of Michigan and a daughter of Elder William H. Kelley, now a resident of Lamoni. Mrs. Anderson began her education in the schools of Ohio; was graduated from the Lamoni high school in the class of 1903 and was also graduated in music from Graceland College of Lamoni. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born three chil- dren, Oscar Kelley, Richard Carroll and Margaret Belle.
Mr. Anderson votes the republican ticket and for the last thir- teen years has been a member of the Lamoni school board, of which he is now president. His religious faith is that of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints and he holds the office of elder therein, taking a very active interest in the work of the church and being now second counselor to one of the bishops. His life has been molded in accordance with high principles of manhood and he holds high rank in his community as a banker, as a citizen and as a man.
CHARLES D. MALLETTE.
Charles D. Mallette, who owns two hundred and thirty acres of excellent land in Garden Grove township, was born on the 17th of November, 1849, in Huron county, Ohio, of the marriage of Charles E. and Dorothy (Sawyer) Mallette. The birth of the father oc- curred in 1817, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and that of the mother in Kent, Sussex county, England, in 1818. When but five years of age she accompanied her parents, Stephen and Elizabeth (Lansdale) Sawyer, natives of England on their emigration to the United States, the family first locating in Connecticut. A short time later they re- moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and after residing there for a year took up their residence in Huron county, Ohio, where their family of eleven children grew to maturity. All but one became connected with agricultural pursuits. The paternal great-grandfather of our sub- ject emigrated to the United States from France in 1699 and his son, Stephen, was a farmer by occupation and the father of eleven children. His son, Charles E. Mallette, went to Huron county, Ohio, when twenty-one years of age and there taught school for several terms, after which he became a farmer. He passed away on the 16th of December, 1888, and was survived until the 16th of February, 1892, by his widow. Both were communicants of the Episcopal church and were estimable people. They were the parents of nine children, three of whom died in infancy, the others being: Stephen;
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Betsey A., who married Henry Griswold, a grandson of Governor Griswold, of Connecticut; Isaac; Charles D .; Sylvanus; and Ange- line.
Charles D. Mallette at the usual age became a student in the public schools in Huron county and in his youth attended the West- ern Reserve Normal College for two years and Oberlin College for one year. He then taught school for several terms in Ohio but in 1875 removed to Decatur county, Iowa, and here rented a farm, which he cultivated for three years, after which he purchased land in Wayne county, this state. He was identified with agricultural pursuits there until 1881, when he returned to Decatur county and bought his present farm, comprising two hundred and thirty acres of very rich and productive land. He has carried on general farm- ing for eighteen or twenty years. He has also given much time and attention to dairying and the manufacture of cheese, as he estab- lished and for twenty years operated the Garden Grove Cheese fac- tory, whose product found a ready sale upon the market, and for which he took second premium at the National Dairy Association meet at Dubuque. He also specialized to some extent in buying and raising stock, handling Holstein and Dutch Belted cattle, which he shipped to various states in the Union, including the far southwest and to Mexico. His farm is well managed and he derives a hand- some income from his land. The initiative and sound business judg- ment which enabled him to build up a market for his cheese and which were factors in his success as a stock shipper are manifested in the care which he takes in keeping everything about his place in splendid condition. He realizes that such things as good fences, adequate buildings for the shelter of grain, stock and machinery and the utiliza- tion of the most improved farm implements are factors of no little im- portance in securing financial success for the farmer and stock-raiser but in his zeal to secure everything that will make his work more effi- cient he has not neglected his residence, which is one of the com- fortable and attractive farm homes of his locality.
On the 17th of January, 1884, Mr. Mallette married Miss Eme- line A. Manney, a daughter of Francis G. and Ann Kendall (Smith) Manney. The father was born in Vermont on the 28th of February, 1806, and the mother at Sheldon, that state, on the 22d of April, 1818. Both passed away in Garden Grove township, Decatur county, the former on the 23d of January, 1887, and the latter on the 10th of January, 1877. The maternal great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Mallette bore the name of Elihu Smith and was an ensign in the War of the Revolution, performing well his part in the great work of free-
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