USA > Iowa > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its people, Volume II > Part 35
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On the 6th of October, 1881, Mr. Shakespeare married Miss Han- nah Willets, a daughter of Edward and Selena (Marsh) Willets, natives of England, who in 1864 located in Kewanee, Illinois, where the father became a coal miner. While living in England, however, he followed the baker's trade and also engaged in manufacturing horseshoe nails. His wife died on the 15th of May, 1914, when eighty- three years of age, after a very happy married life of sixty-five years. He is now eighty-three years of age and is living with our subject, with whom he has made his home for a quarter of a century. Mr. and Mrs. Willets became the parents of twelve children, two of whom died in infancy, the other ten growing to maturity and rearing famil- ies. Nine children survive. To Mr. and Mrs. Shakespeare have been born five children, namely: William E., a resident of Fargo, North Dakota; Ethel G., the wife of John C. May, a missionary of the Reor- ganized Church, of Latter Day Saints, who was stationed for six years in the Society Islands, but is now residing at Independence, Missouri; Mary A. and Harry A., both at home; and James A., who met death by drowning near Lamoni on the 26th of August, 1905.
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Mr. Shakespeare is a republican and has served as president of the school board of Fayette township for several years. His religious faith is that of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints and he is a teacher in that church. He has been very successful in gaining financial prosperity and has also found time to devote to the advance- ment of the educational, moral and civic interests of the community and his integrity and public spirit have commended him to the esteem of his fellow citizens.
MARTIN E. MANNASMITH.
Since 1882 Martin E. Mannasmith has operated a finely improved farm on section 7, Bloomington township, and he is recognized as an able and successful agriculturist. He was born in Marion county, Ohio, January 3, 1850, a son of Peter and Julia Ann (Denman) Mannasmith, the former a native of Pennsylvania. They were mar- ried in Ohio and the family continued to reside there until 1860, when they with three other families came by wagon to Decatur county, Iowa. The father followed agricultural pursuits until his demise, which occurred about eighteen years ago when he was sixty-seven years old. He was a democrat in his political belief and took a com- mendable interest in public affairs. His wife died in Ohio in 1854, leaving four sons, Martin E., James, John and Isaac, all of whom are living, but only our subject resides in this county. The father was again married, his second wife being Miss Susan Mclaughlin. whose family is mentioned elsewhere in this work. She died a year or two before her husband. To them were born five children, four daughters and one son, of whom two daughters are living.
Martin E. Mannasmith continued his education for a short time after his removal to Decatur county with the family in 1860, but since he was twelve years of age he has been dependent upon his own resources and has worked diligently and indefatigably. He has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and on the 8th of March, 1882, removed to his present farm on section 7, Bloomington town- ship. The place formerly comprised one hundred and sixty acres, but he has now disposed of eighty acres thereof. He operates the remaining eighty acres and is very successful as a farmer and stock- raiser, as he is energetic and progressive.
Mr. Mannasmith was married in this county on the 29th of Decem- ber, 1874, to Miss Sarah May, who was born near Davis City in New
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Buda township, on the 4th of June, 1857, and is a daughter of John and Clarissa (Jordan) May, who settled in Decatur county early in the '50s. They were the parents of nine children, but only Mrs. Man- nasmith is now living. She attended the common schools and remained at home until her marriage. Her parents were devout Methodists and reared their children in the Christian faith, making it a practice to conduct family worship. Mr. and Mrs. Mannasmith have three children, Dena May, who was born December 5, 1875, is the wife of John Burke, a farmer of Ringgold county. John Alexander was born February 28, 1878, and was married in January, 1913, to Miss Eula Shacklett. He is the carrier on rural route No. 3 from Keller- ton and resides in that city. Clarence Alfred was born December 24, 1879, and is assistant cashier of the Ringgold County Bank of Kellerton.
Mr. Mannasmith is a democrat and has held a number of local offices, discharging his duties with capability and conscientiousness. He belongs to lodge No. 425, I. O. O. F., at Kellerton, and has many friends throughout the county, who esteem him highly for his sterling worth. The success that he has gained is doubly creditable in that he began his business career without capital and without the aid of influ- ential frends.
W. R. WEST, D. D. S.
Although Dr. W. R. West has been engaged in the practice of dentistry in Leon for but a few brief years, he has already gained a good clientage and deserves to be classed among the successful pro- fessional men of Decatur county. He was born in this county, upon a farm in Long Creek township, in 1886, a son of I. W. and Florence (McKee) West, who now reside near Leon on a farm, whereon they took up their abode in 1915. The father is likewise a native of Long Creek township, his birth having occurred on the home farm in July, 1862. Being reared to agricultural pursuits he has always followed that occupation and is also interested in the stone and sand business, these two products being found upon his farm. Mrs. West was also born in Decatur county, near Grand River, and was one of the prom- inent teachers of the county for several years prior to her marriage which occurred March 18, 1885. For many years Mr. West was identified with farming interests in Long Creek township but in 1915 took up his abode upon a finely improved tract of land near Leon.
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His family numbers two sons and a daughter: W. R., of this review; Virginia, who is a trained nurse, located in Chicago; and Clifton A., who is attending high school at Leon.
Dr. West spent the period of his boyhood and youth upon the home farm and assisted his father in the work of the fields and care of the stock from an early age. He acquired his elementary education in the public schools and also completed a general course of instruction in Iowa City Academy at Iowa City in 1908. After reaching mature years he decided that a professional career would prove more con- genial to him than life upon the farm, and accordingly he entered upon a course of study in the dental department of the State Uni- versity of Iowa, being graduated with the class of 1911. In July of that year he fitted up a suite of rooms in the Biggs building on Main street, Leon, and began the practice of his profession, which has grown as the years have gone by until he now has a large clientage, which is increasing very steadily.
Dr. West chose as a companion and helpmate for the journey of life, Miss Lucette Edith Wilkinson, of Iowa City, who is also a grad- uate of Iowa City Academy and has taken considerable work in the colleges of Liberal Arts and Music at the State University of Iowa. They now have a little daughter, Edith Virginia.
The Doctor's study of the political questions and issues has caused him to give support to the republican party. He is identified with the Masonic order, belonging to the blue lodge, chapter and com- mandery, while both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. He keeps in close touch with the advance that is being made in the dental profession through his connection with the National, State, District and County Dental Associations. Dr. and Mrs. West are popular young people and have a wide circle of warm friends, to whom the hospitality of their pleasant home is cordially extended.
WILLIAM A. MACHLAN.
Two hundred acres of excellent land on section 18, Franklin township, pays tribute to its owner, William A. Machlan, and the excellent condition in which everything about the place is kept is testimony to his energy and good management. He was born in Rush county, Indiana, June 30, 1854, a son of George W. and Elizabeth (Mann) Machlan, both of whom were of Scotch descent. The pater-
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nal great-grandfather emigrated to America from Scotland. George W. Machlan became a resident of Decatur county in the early days when much of the land was still in the possession of the government and entered his homestead. He followed general agricultural pur- suits and also gave considerable attention to stock-raising and, more- over, worked at the carpenter's trade to some extent. He passed away in Linn, Iowa, in 1912, when eighty years of age. His wife died in December, 1906, when seventy-two years of age. They were the parents of five children, namely: William A .; Homer, a resident of Des Moines; Newton, who is living in Milo; Mrs. Edna Thomp- son, of Leon; and Mrs. Bertha Britt, of Davis City.
William A. Machlan received the advantages of a good common- school education and during his boyhood and youth also assisted in the work of the farm. Upon reaching mature years he decided to devote his life to agricultural pursuits and has never had occasion to regret his choice of an occupation. He owns two hundred acres of excellent land in Franklin township, upon which he has resided for the past thirty-five years. All of the buildings upon the place are well adapted to their purposes and are in good condition and the fertil- ity of the soil has been carefully conserved. He is successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising. The financial inde- pendence which he has gained is especially creditable as he began his career without capital or the aid of influential friends. He taught school for a time to provide himself with the capital necessary in securing a start as a farmer and the first land which he purchased was an eighty acre tract. From time to time as his resources in- creased he bought additional land and is now one of the substantial residents of his township.
On the 7th of September, 1879, Mr. Machlan married Miss Ella Moore, of Decatur county, a daughter of John and Eliza (Pace) Moore. Her father, who was a farmer and blacksmith by occupation, died many years ago but her mother survived for forty years. They were the parents of eight daughters and three sons. To Mr. and Mrs. Machlan have been born ten children: Perry Lester, who was born August 19, 1880, and who is a government inspector in the Philippine islands; Grace, born October 27, 1881, who is the wife of S. C. Jennings, a farmer of this county, by whom she has three sons; Laura, who was born March 6, 1883, and who married William Clay, a planter residing in Texas; George W., born September 22, 1884, who is a farmer and resides in Nebraska; Ora, born March 8, 1887, who married Frank Cronin, of this county, by whom she has four children; Amy, born March 27, 1889, who married Clarence Smith, of
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North Platte, Nebraska, by whom she has three children; Ethel, who was born May 8, 1891, and who married Gale Arnold, a farmer of Lucas county, Iowa; Howard, born December 12, 1893, who is now aiding in the work of the home farm; William R., born April 26, 1897, also assisting with the farm work; and Pauline, born April 29, 1902. Five of the children have taught in the local schools and previous to her marriage Mrs. Machlan followed the profession of teaching.
The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and not only contribute to its support but also take an active part in its work. Mr. Machlan is a republican but has never desired to hold office although he has always taken a keen interest in public affairs. During the thirty-five years that he has lived upon his present farm he has won the complete confidence and sincere respect of the resi- dents of his township and indeed is well known and highly esteemed throughout the county.
LEWIS HOLT.
Having passed the seventy-ninth milestone on life's journey, Lewis Holt is living largely retired in Van Wert, where he has made his home for a number of years. He was one of the leading carpenters and builders of his part of the county for many years and erected the greater number of the houses in Van Wert. He was born in Ohio, April 22, 1836, and is a son of John M. and Rachel A. (Black) Holt, both natives of New York. The father, who was by trade a carpen- ter, removed to Crawford county, Ohio, with his family and there worked at his trade until his demise, which occurred in 1846. His widow subsequently married his brother and in 1866 they removed to Decatur county, Iowa, where both resided until called by death.
Lewis Holt was reared in Ohio and attended the public schools of Monroeville, that state, in the acquirement of his education. He afterward taught school in the Buckeye state and remained there until 1859, when he emigrated westward, settling in Decatur county, Iowa. He continued to follow the profession of teaching for two years after removing here and some of his pupils are living in the county today and have great-grandchildren. After devoting two years to educational work he began following the carpenter's trade, which he had learned in Ohio. At the time of the Civil war he was drafted and went to Des Moines, where he enrolled as a member of Company A, Sixteenth Iowa Infantry. He was at the front for
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several months and was with Sherman on the memorable march to the sea. When peace was restored he returned to this county and for many years followed his trade, gaining an enviable reputation for his expert workmanship and honorable business methods. He erected most of the buildings in Van Wert, including the school- house, which is still standing. Eventually he purchased land in Long Creek township, one mile north of Van Wert, to the improvement and operation of which he devoted several years. However, when his sons reached maturity he turned the work of the farm over to them and took up his abode in Van Wert, where he has since lived. He erected his own residence, doing all of the work unaided.
Mr. Holt was married, in Ohio, in the spring of 1859, to Miss Rosanna E. Brown. Her parents were pioneers of the Buckeye state and her father passed away there but her mother died in this county. Mrs. Holt was called to her reward on the 5th of May, 1909. She was the mother of nine children, as follows: Charles E .; Wal- lace; Janet P .; Edwin; Nellie; Jessie T .; and three who died in infancy.
Mr. Holt is a republican and has held a number of local offices, serving as justice of the peace, as assessor, as a member of the town council and as mayor. He has at all times proved worthy of the trust and confidence reposed in him and has discharged his duties with ability and conscientiousness. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order and he also belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic. His wife was a devout member of the Freewill Baptist church. He is much interested in everything relating to the general welfare and can be depended upon to promote worthy causes. His life has been a busy and useful one and the structures which he has erected stand as monuments to his skill and his habit of doing all that his hand finds to do to the best of his ability.
JAMES G. McBROOM.
James G. McBroom is a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Garden Grove township and gives special attention to the breeding of full-blooded Jersey cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs. His birth occurred December 19, 1852, on the farm on which he resided until 1913, and he is a son of Robert and Susanna (Winters) McBroom. The maternal grandfather, Daniel Winters, removed to Decatur county from Ohio and was a well known pioneer Baptist preacher
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who held services in the homes of the settlers before a church edifice was erected. He also farmed and thus provided for his support, as the early ministers received very small salaries. He lived on Gospel Ridge, which received its name from the fact that he was a minister. When about seventy-five years of age he removed to Wayne county and passed away there when eighty-one years old. Robert McBroom was born in Hocking county, Ohio, but in 1850 removed to Decatur county, Iowa, and entered one hundred and sixty acres in Garden Grove township from the government, paying a dollar and a quarter per acre. Later he purchased a similar tract paying therefor two dollars and a half per acre. He followed farming and stock-raising during his active life and won a gratifying measure of success. He is now residing at Bozeman, Montana, with a son and has reached the advanced age of ninety-one years. He is a democrat and has always taken much interest in public affairs. As he has been an omnivorous reader and is a man of keen intelligence, he is well informed on all matters of general interest. His wife died June 20, 1900, when almost sixty-six years of age, as her birth occurred Novem- ber 7, 1834. Although reared in the Baptist church, she later became a member of the Methodist church. To their union were born three sons and four daughters, who survive, but our subject, who is the eldest, is the only one still living in Decatur county. The others are residing in Kansas, South Dakota, Montana and Canada.
James G. McBroom has resided practically his entire life in Decatur county and here acquired his education. In his boyhood he began to assist his father with the work of the farm and since begin- ning his independent career has continued to follow the occupation to which he was reared. He has been very successful and now owns five hundred acres in a body in Garden Grove township, including the old homestead, and also holds title to three hundred and twenty acres in Alberta, Canada, which is fenced and improved. His farm in this county has two sets of good improvements and he cultivates the greater part of the land himself, although he leases part of his holdings to a son.
In 1886 Mr. McBroom was married in Chariton, Iowa, to Miss Lou E. Harp, who was born in Missouri but who in her childhood accompanied her parents first to Mason City, Illinois, and later to Lucas county, Iowa. For over forty years her father, George W. Harp, has resided in Iowa and he is now living on a farm in Lucas county. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Annie Updyke, is deceased. Mrs. McBroom, who is one of a family of five daughters, grew to womanhood in Lucas county. By her marriage she has ten
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living children, all natives of Decatur county, namely: Curtis; Glenn, who operates land belonging to his father and who married Miss Lulu Shuts; Halard; Fay, the wife of Arthur Worden, a farmer of Garden Grove township; Sue; Merle, the wife of Fred Hensley, also a farmer of that township; Kyle, at home; James G., Jr .; and Clell and Wayne, at home. Carl died in 1914 when almost thirteen years of age.
Mr. McBroom is a stanch democrat but he has never desired public office as a reward for his party fealty. His wife is a member of the Church of Christ, in the work of which she takes an active interest. Mr. McBroom's dominant traits are industry, integrity and good judgment, and these characteristics have been large factors in his success in life. He has many warm friends and those who know him most intimately hold him in the highest esteem.
JAMES CARREL.
James Carrel, who owns and operates one hundred and fifty-four acres of land in Richland township, was born in Keokuk county, Iowa, June 3, 1855. His father, Sylvester Carrel, was probably born in Indiana and in 1854 took up his residence in Decatur county, Iowa, arriving here from Keokuk county, where he had lived for two years. He located in Richland township, thi's county, entering eighty acres of land on section 7, to which he later added forty acres. He was an efficient farmer and possessed good business judgment, which enabled him to accumulate a competence from his activity in the cultivation of his land and the raising of stock. He was a member of the Grange and his political belief was that of the democratic party. He passed away November 9, 1896. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Drusilla Dunlap, died in Iowa in 1856, when our subject was but an infant. She was at that time probably not more than twenty-five years of age. Both of her parents were lifelong residents of Indiana.
James Carrel, who was an only child, was reared upon the home farm and attended the district school in the acquirement of his educa- tion. He early began assisting his father with the work of the farm and thus became familiar with agricultural methods. Upon reaching years of maturity he decided to follow the occupation to which he had been reared and has never had occasion to regret his choice as he has gained a gratifying measure of success as a general farmer and stock-raiser. He owns one hundred and fifty-four acres of excel-
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lent land, upon which he has made many improvements, and is recog- nized as an up-to-date and prosperous farmer.
In December, 1877, occurred the marriage of Mr. Carrel and Miss Laura Alice Clark, who was born in Appanoose county, this state, on the 30th of May, 1859, of the marriage of William and Margaret Ann (Wallace) Clark, who removed from Ohio to Iowa in an early day. To them were born eight children, of whom Mrs. Carrel is the seventh. By her marriage she has become the mother of five children: Stella Drusilla, born November 28, 1878, who married George Needham, of Decatur county, by whom she has a son, Ver- nice; Ira A., who was born February 21, 1882, and died in childhood; Margaret Grace, born August 2, 1888, who gave her hand in marriage to Casper Lamb, of Union county, by whom she has three children, Elma Lorine, Carl Albert and Dewaine Clark; Ellnora, born Decem- ber 26, 1891, who is at home; and Goldie Gladys, born March 1, 1895, who is now the wife of William Jones, of Clarke county.
Mr. Carrel gives his political allegiance to the Democratic party, which he supports loyally at the polls, but he has never aspired to political office. Both he and his wife belong to the Christian church, whose work profits by their cooperation and material support. Dur- ing the many years that he has resided in this county Mr. Carrel has won the sincere friendship of many and the respect of all with whom he has come into contact.
J. VIRGIL ARNEY.
J. Virgil Arney has since January 1, 1913, held the office of deputy clerk of the supreme court of Iowa and has proved capable and con- scientious in the discharge of his important duties. He still considers Leon as his place of residence and is well known and highly esteemed throughout Decatur county. His birth occurred in Franklin town- ship, this county, on the 30th of November, 1873, and he is a son of Ambrose N. Arney. The family removed from Ohio to Indiana, thence to Illinois and later to Davis county, Iowa, where Ambrose N. Arney was living at the outbreak of the Civil war. In 1869 he came to Decatur county and taught school for two years. Following his marriage he engaged in farming in Franklin township and con- tinued to reside there until 1906, when he removed to Bonney, Texas, where he is now living practically retired. He is a zealous republican and holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and the Vol. II-23
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Masonic order. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Olive S. Delk, was born in Lucas county, Iowa, and died in 1896, when forty- six years of age, leaving two children: Dolly M., whose birth occurred on the 16th of December, 1872, and who is now the wife of Virgil F. Penniwell, of Leon; and J. Virgil.
The latter remained upon the home farm until he was sixteen years of age and attended the public schools in the acquirement of his early education. In the fall of 1889 he entered Simpson College at Indianola, Iowa, and remained there until the winter of 1892-3, when he returned home. He assisted with the work of the home farm until 1901, when he removed to the vicinity of Pleasanton, in Hamilton township, and a year later he took up his residence in Davis City, . where he engaged in the mercantile business until the spring of 1904. He was then made assistant cashier of the Valley Bank and held that office until 1905, when he returned to the homestead, which he oper- ated until January 1, 1913. Since that date he has been deputy clerk of the supreme court and has made a record that is highly creditable.
On the 28th of June, 1894, Mr. Arney married Miss Susan Wood- mansee, a daughter of John Woodmansee, of Leon, and to this union have been born five children, Vivian, Olive, Harold, Ruth and Frances, all natives of Decatur county and all at home.
Mr. Arney is a stalwart republican and was at one time his party's candidate for treasurer of Decatur county. He was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church but his wife and children belong to the Christian church. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic blue lodge and the subordinate lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Davis City and his wife holds membership in the Order of the Eastern Star and in the Rebekahs. Mr. Arney has been a lifelong resident of Decatur county and the fact that those who have known him since boyhood hold him in the highest esteem is incontrovertible proof that his life has been well spent.
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