USA > Iowa > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 16
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ing the colonies from England. For seventeen years he served as a member of the state legislature of Vermont and displayed as much ability as a lawmaker as he had bravery as a soldier. He was of Eng- lish birth and parentage, but his whole sympathy was with the patriot cause. His son, Daniel Smith, married Sarah Emmons, of Vermont, and they were the parents of twelve children. The father of Mrs. Mallette, Francis G. Manney, resided for a number of years in Canada and served in the army during some trouble in that country. He was a member of the Masonic order and was also a communicant of the Episcopal church. To him and his wife were born ten chil- dren, Eunice, Mary J., Frederick A., Sarah G., Alice, Daniel S., Emeline A., Francis J., Johnson S. and Laura E.
Mrs. Mallette was born in Plymouth, Wisconsin, and was edu- cated in the Garden Grove schools. For eight years she taught in the public schools and was so successful and popular that in the fall of 1882 she was chosen county superintendent of schools of Decatur county, winning the election by a good majority although the party on whose ticket she ran was normally in the minority. Her election to the office was therefore a personal tribute to her ability and an evi- dence of the confidence which the people of the county reposed in her. She was successful in promoting the interests of the public schools and during the two years that she held the office demonstrated her ability as an executive. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and belongs to the Woman's Relief Corps. Everything relating to the work of the Episcopal church, of which she is a communicant, is a matter of interest to her and she has taken an active part in the furthering of its aims and purposes. For sev- eral years she has taught the Bible class known as the Town class and is associated with many movements that seek the moral advancement of her community. Mr. and Mrs. Mallette have a son, Francis G., who was educated in the public schools and in the State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts at Ames. He is a civil engineer by profession and is now serving as county engineer of Decatur county, proving accurate and trustworthy in the discharge of the duties in- cumbent upon him.
Mr. Mallette is a republican in his political belief and for eighteen years served Garden Grove township well as its trustee, while for several years he was a member of the school board. He is identified with the Episcopal church and for several years served on the official board thereof, giving the church the benefit of his business judgment and experience in the management of the material affairs of the parish. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, in the local lodge
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of which he has held all of the offices, and he is loyal to the best inter- ests of the order. In carrying out his plans and in attaining the financial success which is now his he has not only won a high place for himself among the farmers, dairymen and stock-raisers of De- catur county but has contributed in no small degree to the develop- ment of his county along those lines.
JAMES McDIFFIT.
James McDiffit, who has built up a large business as a coal mer- chant, is a factor in the business and commercial expansion of Davis City. He was born in Marion county, West Virginia, on the 24th of April, 1837, of the marriage of John and Elizabeth ( Yost) McDiffit, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The father took up his residence in the latter state many years ago. He devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and died in the spring of 1865, having survived his wife since 1849.
James McDiffit was reared in his native state and there attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education. He remained with his father until 1857, in which year he was married. Following that event he removed to Wheeling, West Virginia, where he worked in the coal mines for ten years, after which he emigrated to Lucas county, Iowa, and settled on eighty acres of land near Chariton. He worked out small veins of coal upon his place and then removed to Cleveland, Iowa. He bought a residence there and worked in the mines in that vicinity until 1879, when he became a stationary engi- neer and was so employed until 1888. In that year he arrived in Decatur county and purchased eighty acres of land in New Buda township which he operated for four years. At the end of that time he sold out and removed to Davis City. He purchased a good residence there and lived retired for a time but traded that property for a farm in Wright county, Missouri, in the fall of 1896. He operated that place for two years, after which he sold out and returned to Davis City, Iowa, buying property here. He has since resided in Davis City and has been continuously engaged in the coal business. He has met with a gratifying measure of success and during the last fall and winter sold over eight hundred tons of coal. His early expe- rience in coal mines has stood him in good stead, making him an ex- pert judge of the quality of coal, and he is able to secure high grades at reasonable prices for his customers.
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In August, 1857, Mr. McDiffit married Miss Nancy Haines, a daughter of Reuben and Elsie (Dobbins) Haines, natives of Penn- sylvania, both of whom passed away in Greene county, that state. The father was a carpenter and followed that pursuit throughout his active life. Mr. and Mrs. McDiffit had two children, both of whom died in infancy, but they reared three of her brother's children, Martha, Julia and William Fox. Julia passed away in early woman- hood, leaving four children whom our subject and his wife reared. William resides near Davis City and Martha, who is the wife of John Allen, lives in the state of Washington. Mrs. McDiffit passed away on the 17th of May, 1913, after but five hours' illness, and her sud- den demise was a great shock to all who knew her.
Mr. McDiffit is a republican and has always been willing to place the public good above private interests. At the time of the Civil war he served in the Union army, enlisting from Wheeling, West Vir- ginia, in October, 1864, in Company I, Sixth West Virginia Infantry, and being mustered out in June, 1865. He finds much pleasure in his association with other veteran soldiers through the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of the Reorganized Church of Lat- ter Day Saints, of which he is an elder, and does much to further the interests of that denomination in his locality.
J. W. HURST.
· J. W. Hurst, who is conducting a large and well patronized ladies' furnishings store in Leon under the firm name of J. W. Hurst & Company, was born in Leon January 20, 1873. After completing his elementary and secondary education he entered the State Uni- versity of Iowa, where he took a liberal arts course. Practically all of his active life has been devoted to the mercantile business and the store which he now owns was established in 1861 by his father, S. W. Hurst, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work and who conducted the business for a number of years under his own name. He sold out to George Hurst, J. W. Hawkins and J. R. Conrey, who remained the owners of the business for several years. At length Mr. Hawkins retired and the firm became Hurst & Conrey until C. E. Hurst acquired Mr. Conrey's share in the business, and the name became Hurst Brothers, so continuing until 1913, when the style name was changed to J. W. Hurst & Company, the partner of our subject being J. F. Hurst. At the present time, however, the store is managed entirely by J. W. Hurst. The firm carry a com-
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plete line of ladies' furnishings, carpets and rugs and their name is synonymous with high quality and reasonable prices. There has never been any question as to the integrity of the firm's business deal- ings and their generous policy has won them the confidence of the public and enabled them to gain a large and lucrative patronage. The store is the only one of the kind in this part of Iowa and fills a definite want in the community. From four to eight people are em- ployed, according to the season, and the yearly volume of business reaches a large figure.
Mr. Hurst married Miss Helen Young, a daughter of the late Major J. L. Young, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work, and they have a son and daughter, James White, Jr., and Katherine, both of whom are attending school.
Mr. Hurst gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and keeps well informed as to the trend of the times in political affairs, believing it to be every citizen's duty to keep abreast of the progress that is being made in solving the great problems that confront the country. Fraternally he belongs to the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and he attends the Methodist Episcopal church. He is one of the most successful merchants of Leon and in the conduct of his mercantile interests has not only won financial independence for himself but has also contributed to the commercial expansion of his community.
HENRY A. STEBBINS.
Henry A. Stebbins, of Lamoni, has been highly honored by his church-the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints-and has held many important offices in that denomination, while for forty- eight years he was active in its ministry. He was born at Toledo, Ohio, on the 28th of January, 1844, a son of Charles and Julia E. Stebbins. There were five sons and a daughter in the family, the subject of this review being the youngest.' When in 1846 the father died the daughter was taken by an aunt and all of the sons went to work with exception of Henry A., who continued with his mother. In 1851 his brother George was instrumental in securing the removal of the family to Wisconsin, the greater part of the journey being made by lake. The mother and our subject settled at Newark, Rock county, but subsequently removed about eight miles to the southeast of Beloit. In 1856 our subject accompanied his brother George on
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his removal to Pecatonica, Winnebago county, Illinois, and there con- tinued his education. When not in school he clerked in stores and thus provided for his own support. In July, 1860, he began to learn the wagon-maker's trade but before his term of apprenticeship was ended the Civil war broke out and he put aside all personal interests and aims, joining the Union army when eighteen years of age. He became a corporal in Company B, Seventy-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infan- try, and went with his command to the south. Many of his comrades died from exposure and sickness and he himself was eventually dis- charged because of disability due to illness.
While in the army and in the hospital Mr. Stebbins thought much on religious matters and on the 23d of August, 1863, was baptized in the Church of Latter Day Saints by Elder Samuel Powers, who at the time signified that Mr. Stebbins would be called upon to preach the Gospel. The following year, 1864, our subject visited his brothers, who were in business at Atchison, Kansas, and when he informed them that he intended to devote his life to religious work they refused to have anything more to do with him as they believed that he was throwing his life away. They would not even correspond with him and for thirty-five years he did not see his oldest brother, and another brother he did not see for twenty-eight years, but while on a visit to Denver in 1902 he saw them both after their long separation. The eldest died in 1904, when seventy-five years of age, leaving an estate valued at a quarter of a million dollars, but he gave nothing to his brother Henry.
Henry A. Stebbins followed the trade of wagon-making at Pecatonica, Illinois, when his health permitted but did not give up his desire to preach the Gospel and on the 20th of July, 1865, was ordained an elder by Elder Powers. The nearest congregation of the Latter Day Saints was at Marengo, Illinois, and in 1867 and again in 1868 he visited the church there. In April of the latter year he offered his name at Plano, Illinois, and was appointed to labor in Michigan under Elder E. C. Briggs, who was also associated with Elder David H. Smith. He bore his own expenses and traveled much on foot, but all of the time he was gaining confidence in himself and obtaining knowledge. Upon recovering from an attack of chills and fever in the spring of 1869 he was assigned to a mission in Wisconsin and preached in Rock county and at Prairie Du Chien. In August and September of that year he preached at Hudson, Wisconsin, and at Stillwater, Minnesota. His labors in these fields resulted in the baptism of four persons and in October he baptized four more con- verts in Dunn county. He continued to preach at various places
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during the winter of 1869-70, which he spent at the home of O. N. Dutton, near Janesville. In April, 1870, he attended conference at Plano, and he and William H. Garrett acted as the secretaries of that body. In June of that year Mr. Stebbins was chosen president of the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin district and for six years, or until June, 1876, he traveled almost continuously among the twelve branches. In 1874 he preached in Chicago, his sermons being the first ever given there by a minister of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. In April, 1876, he was chosen one of the board of publication and assistant editor of the Herald, which was then and still is the official paper of the church, Lamoni, Iowa, being since 1881 the place of publication. In 1880 Mr. Stebbins resigned as assistant editor and removed to Lamoni, where he engaged in the grain and lumber business in connection with David Dancer and A. S. Cochran. However, his heart was still with the work of the church and after a short time he withdrew from his business con- nections and again gave his undivided attention to promoting the interests of religion. For forty-eight years he was active in the min- istry of his church and during that time preached in Illinois, Wiscon- sin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, California and Utah. His labors resulted in the baptism of about five hundred people and he is widely known among the members of the Reorganized Church.
Mr. Stebbins was general church recorder for thirty-two years, from 1874 to 1906, and held the office of church secretary from 1875 until 1895. For twenty-one years he was secretary of the Quorum of High Priests, serving in that office from April, 1882, to April, 1903, and from 1871 to 1882 he was bookkeeper and secretary for Bishop Israel L. Rogers. In 1875 he was made secretary and coun- - selor of the First Quorum of Elders and held that office for four years. For five years, from 1870 to 1875, he was secretary and book- keeper of the First United Order of Enoch and in 1879 he was or- dained as a high priest. In 1901 he was made one of the Lamoni Stake Council and held that position until 1907, when he resigned on account of increasing deafness. He served as one of the board of location appointed to decide on a site for the Herald office and for the church headquarters and with others was instrumental in securing the removal from Plano to Lamoni in 1880. For two or three years he was president of the Lamoni branch and for eight years was presi- dent of the Decatur district, now known as the Lamoni stake, and for some time in 1882 was president of the Nauvoo and String Prairie district.
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HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
At Burlington, Iowa, on the 7th of October, 1879, Mr. Stebbins was united in marriage to Miss Clara B. Sellon. Three children were born to them, all of whom, however, have passed away. The birth of Mrs. Stebbins occurred in Shiawassee county, Michigan, on the 13th of December, 1858, and her parents were William R. and Alma Sophia (Fletcher) Sellon. Her parental grandfather, Rev. John Sellon, was an Episcopal clergyman of New England and was a force for good in his community. Her father, William R. Sellon, served in the Mexican war and in the Civil war, holding the rank of lieuten- ant colonel in the Union army in the latter conflict. He was a native of New York and his wife's birth occurred in Pennsylvania. They were married in Pittsfield, Pike county, Illinois, and subsequently removed to Michigan, where the father taught school for a number of years. In 1862 the family home was established at Burlington, Iowa, and the father was successively a bookkeeper, superintendent of schools of Des Moines county and court reporter. He was a highly educated man and took his college work at Columbia University. For some time he lived in California and served as court reporter while a resident of Riverside, that state, but eventually returned to Burling- ton, where he died in May, 1906, at the age of eighty-two years, as he was born in 1824. He was a member of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, as was his wife, who passed away in 1890, at the age of sixty-four. Mrs. Stebbins is the fifth in the family of eight children, of whom another daughter, Mrs. H. S. Cramer, of Denver, Colorado, and a son, Brodie R. Sellon, who is presumably living in California, also survive. A relative of the family, Sir Benjamin Brodie, was a noted chemist and was surgeon to Queen Victoria and prominent in his profession. Merle d'Aubigné, the distinguished Swiss Protestant church historian, married a great aunt of Mrs. Stebbins and on her mother's side she is descended from Governor Bradford, of Massachusetts. She is also related to the Webster family, of which Noah Webster, the great lexicographer, was a representative.
Mrs. Stebbins has been a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints since 1875 and has taught in the Sunday school the greater part of the time during the years that have since elapsed. In 1890 she began editing the domestic department in Autumn Leaves and later had charge of the Daughters of Zion department and still later the Ladies' Auxiliary department. She is at present writing for the Woman's Auxiliary, her articles appearing in the home column of the Herald, which is published in Lamoni. For many years she has been superintendent of the primary department in the Sunday school at
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Lamoni and is at present a member of the board of trustees and has served as secretary of the admission and dismission committee of the Children's Home maintained by the church. She is also a member of the education and clothing committees. Until recently she was a member of the advisory board of the Woman's Auxiliary for Social Service and for many years has been president of the local Woman's Auxiliary and is making that department an active force for good.
Mr. Stebbins gives his support to the republican party but has never taken much part in political affairs, although he has been at all times willing to aid in promoting the welfare of the community. His paternal grandfather fought in the Revolutionary war and his maternal grandfather was a soldier of the War of 1812. Mr. Steb- bins has never been found lacking in commendable public spirit. His life work, however, has been the preaching of the Gospel and the spread of the influence of his church and in those lines he has accom- plished much.
ORIN J. HILL.
Among the successful farmers and stock-raisers of Hamilton township is Orin J. Hill, who was born in Washington county, Ohio, · near the city of Marietta, on the 12th of September, 1860, a son of McIntosh and Lovina (Johnston) Hill. The father was born in Washington county, Ohio, of Irish and Pennsylvania-Dutch ancestry. His father, Abraham Hill, was a native of Maryland and his grand- father, Isaac Hill, was a farmer of that state. Abraham Hill was by profession a trained nurse. His wife was in her maidenhood Miss Mary Brittain and was born in Pennsylvania. Their son, McIntosh Hill, followed the carpenter's trade in his early manhood but subse- quently gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. He served for three years in the Civil war, enlisting at Marietta, Ohio, in Com- pany I, Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The year 1871 wit- nessed his removal to Fayette county, Ohio, and there he worked at carpentering and farmed for fifteen years. In 1886 he located in Wayne county, Iowa, where he remained for a like period of time, after which he came to this county, settling in Hamilton township, where he purchased land. Three years later he was called to his reward, his demise occurring on the 15th of February, 1905. His wife was a daughter of Peter and Comfort Johnston, natives re- spectively of West Virginia and of Maine. The mother of Comfort
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Johnston was before her marriage Miss Lois Cottle and was likewise born in the Pine Tree state. Peter and Comfort Johnston both removed to Indiana in their youth and there their marriage was solemnized. Their daughter Lovina was born in Virginia and was married in Washington county, Ohio. Following the demise of her husband she removed to Pleasanton, where she passed away in 1909. They were the parents of eight children, six of whom survive, namely: Hannah Elizabeth, who resides with her sister, Mrs. J. H. Stover, who is the next in order of birth and further mention of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Orin J .; John M., a resident of Custer, Okla- homa; George C., of Davis City, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere in this volume; and James Henry, a carpenter living in Mercer county, Missouri.
Orin J. Hill received a common-school education in Fayette county, Ohio, and since 1886 has resided in this state. He remained with his parents and assisted his father with the work of the farm until he emigrated to Iowa and thus gained agricultural knowledge which enabled him to carry on general farming for himself after his arrival in this county. He located in Hamilton township one mile due east of his present home and for a few years farmed rented land. He then purchased a forty acre brush tract, which he cleared as soon as possible and which he cultivated for a number of years. In March, 1911, he purchased his present home of one hundred and twenty acres of well improved land on sections 15 and 16, Hamilton town- ship, forty acres of which he subsequently sold. He still owns eighty acres and derives a good income from his work as a farmer and stock- raiser. He feeds high grade cattle and hogs, which he sells to the shippers, and, as his animals are always in good condition, they bring a high price.
Mr. Hill was married in 1887 to Miss Chloe A. Moorman, a daughter of James and Susanna (Allen) Moorman. Her father was born in Greene county, Ohio, September 5, 1835, and followed the occupation of farming. In 1885 he located on a farm in Decatur county two and a half miles east of Pleasanton, becoming the owner of eighty acres of land, upon which he resided until his death, which occurred November 25, 1907. He was married to Susanna Allen in 1860 in Greene county, Ohio, and her demise occurred there in 1872. Later he married Miss Hannah Johnson, a daughter of Peter John- son. She died on the 22d of November, 1906. Mrs. Hill, who was the only child born to her parents, has become the mother of three children: Ora Esther, whose birth occurred June 17, 1889, and who is the wife of Oakland Vaughn, a farmer of Hamilton township, by Vol. II-11
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whom she has two children, Beatrice and Ronald; James Orville, who was born March 7, 1894, and died February 20, 1909; and Alta Lenora, born January 25, 1904, who is attending school in district No. 7, Hamilton township.
Mr. Hill casts his ballot in support of the candidates and principles of the republican party and has served for four years as trustee of Hamilton township, while for one term he was school director in dis- trict No. 7, of that township, and for several terms was director of district No. 6. Both he and his wife belong to the Christian Union church at Pleasanton, Iowa, and their religious faith is embodied in their daily lives. He holds the unqualified respect of all who have come in contact with him, as he has at all times conformed to high standards of morality and as he is ready and willing to cooperate in securing the advancement of his community along either material or moral lines.
EDWIN BEVINS.
Edwin Bevins is one of the oldest and also one of the most honored residents of Eden township. He has almost reached the eighty-fourth milestone on life's journey and has at all times discharged to the full all of the obligations resting upon him. For many years he was actively engaged in farming but is now enjoying a well earned rest and leisure. He was born in Hague, Warren county, New York, August 30, 1831, of the marriage of Thomas C. and Rowena (But- ters) Bevins, natives respectively of Vermont and New Hampshire. The father emigrated to New York in his early manhood and there engaged in farming and lumbering for forty-nine years. In 1865, however, he removed to Illinois and made his home with our subject until his demise, which occurred in March, 1873. He had long sur- vived his wife, who died in September, 1835.
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