USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > History of Des Moines County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 5
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
sented. He again spent the winter in Wisconsin with his parents and in the spring of 1858 went to Minnesota, where he again became foreman in connection with railroad construction. In the spring of 1859 he went to St. Paul, where he arranged with a contractor to take his teams and outfit back to Reynolds Station, Indiana, and complete work begun there six years before. Mr. Young finished that con- tract by fall and then went to Albany, Indiana, on the Ohio river, where he took passage on a steamboat bound for Vicksburg, intend- ing to spend the winter in the south. He obtained work as foreman in charge of levee building during the winter of 1859-60, and dur- ing the succeeding winter he was awarded a contract for getting out ties for the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. He was at Corinth at the time the news was received of the fall of Fort Sumter. He completed his contract and for some time afterward engaged in railroad building near Paducah, Kentucky, but his sympathy was with the Union, and he left the south for Wisconsin.
In 1862 Mr. Young secured the position of overseer in railroad building at Kaukauna, near Green Bay, Wisconsin, and when fall came he went to Downers Grove, Illinois, where he also executed a contract. The succeeding summer was spent at Escanaba, Michigan, working on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, and in the fall of that year he returned to Downers Grove to finish his contract. He afterward went to Milwaukee and took a contract for further work on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad near that city. He was married in 1864 and about a year later established his home in Chillicothe, Iowa, having secured a contract on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad. In 1866 he removed with his family to Burlington, where he continued to make his home until his death, and throughout the entire period he conducted a general contracting busi- ness, his work extending over several states. In 1873 he was awarded the contract for the building of the first street car line in Burling- ton-that on South Hill. In the years which intervened from that period until his death he was awarded many other contracts which had to do with the improvement of the city. He was a large con- tractor for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, construct- ing the greater part of its line between Burlington and Omaha, and he built the narrow gauge railroad from Burlington to Oskaloosa, which has since been converted into the standard system. As the years passed on his business, growing steadily in volume and impor- tance, brought to him a substantial measure of prosperity and for a long period ere his death he was numbered among Burlington's men of affluence. He was at the time of his demise one of the directors
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of the Merchants' Life Association and of the Merchants National Bank, and his splendid business qualifications were further called into requisition as a trustee of the Elks Building Association and the Elks lodge. His advice and judgment in business matters were con- stantly being sought by his associates and were always sound.
On the 17th of September, 1864, Mr. Young was united in mar- riage in Milwaukee to Miss Cate Schlenger, a native of Germany and a daughter of George and Maria J. Schlenger, who came to the new world when Mrs. Young was but four years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Young became the parents of nine children, of whom two died in infancy, while seven are yet living: Viola Eugene, the widow of Dr. Julius Oswald, of Chicago; George J., who is with his mother; Josephine, the wife of F. W. Heaney, of Cedar Rapids; William, who pursued a civil engineering course and is now engaged in the real estate business in Kingsville, Texas; Arthur Le Roy, who is in the bond business in Chicago; Mary Clara, at home; and Earl H., who is conducting a contracting business in connection with his brother George in Burlington.
The death of Mr. Young occurred February 25, 1913. His polit- ical allegiance was given to the republican party and his religious faith was that of the Congregational church, to which his widow still belongs. He was also a member of the Crystal Lake Club and was president thereof from its organization, continuing to serve,until his death. He was devoted to his family and gave his children good edu- cational advantages and encouraged them in the study of music and other useful accomplishments. His personal tastes were simple, but he had a keen relish for sport and was an ardent lover of rod and gun. A contemporary biographer spoke of him as a member of "that class of men whose resources were in themselves, their unwavering optimism and faith in the future, men who brought these resources to bear upon the problems that confronted them, whether of a moral or physical character, and found a solution, in the one case leading to the recognition of a universal brotherhood, and in the other to 'make the wilderness to blossom as the rose.' These were men of integrity, of noble purpose and indomitable courage. Often poor, limited in opportunities for early education, hampered by having to follow hith- erto untried ways or to mark out entirely new paths, they mastered almost insuperable difficulties and have left to posterity an unsur- passed heritage. Such a man was Mr. N. S. Young, in whose pass- ing Burlington loses a good citizen, a man whose business ability was recognized by all and withal a man of kindly heart. * * In his attitude toward men and affairs he was a despiser of shams, but
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was a genuine and sympathetic supporter of every worthy cause, being liberal in his contributions thereto, and took an active interest in matters pertaining to the public good. He has resided in Burlington since 1866, and in the course of his long residence has made many friends who admired him for his sincerity, his purity of heart and motive, his kindly hospitality, and his real interest in the community's progress,"
HON. JOHN J. SEERLEY.
Hon. John J. Seerley, who has been representative of his district in congress and thus as lawmaker as well as lawyer is well known to the people of Des Moines county, now practices his profession in Burlington as senior partner in the firm of Seerley & Clark. He was born in Toulon, Illinois, on the 13th of March, 1852, a son of Thomas and Eliza (Smith) Seerley. The family is of French and German descent and came to America in colonial days. The father was a farmer by occupation and on leaving Illinois in 1854 established his home in Keokuk county, Iowa, where he carried on general agricul- tural pursuits until 1894 or for a period of forty years. He then retired from active life and took up his abode in Iowa City, where he remained until called to his final rest.
John J. Seerley acquired a public school education and afterward entered the State University, in which he completed his more specif- ically literary course with the class of 1875. He then remained in that institution for the study of law and was graduated from the law department in 1877. Immediately afterward he came to Burlington, where for thirty-seven years he has been a well known member of the bar. Advancement in the profession is proverbially slow, yet it was not long before he had established himself as an able lawyer, capable of finding ready solution for intricate and involved legal problems. As the years have passed on his practice has steadily grown in volume and importance and he now enjoys a large and distinctively repre- sentative clientage. After practicing alone for many years he was joined by C. C. Clark in the present firm of Seerley & Clark. While the practice of law has been his real life work and the greater part of his attention has been given thereto, he also has some other interests, being president of the Merchants Life Association for the past ten years, while for several years he has been a director of the National `State Bank. He has also made extensive and judicious investments
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in farm property and gives general supervision to the development and cultivation of his farm lands. In all his business affairs he has displayed sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise and his success is well merited.
In 1879 Mr. Seerley was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth L. Clark, of Iowa City, by whom he has three children, namely : Florence, Hazel and John, Jr. Mr. Seerley is well known in Masonic circles. He is a past master of Malta Lodge, No. 318, A. F. & A. M. ; a past high priest of lowa Chapter, R. A. M .; and past eminent commander of St. Omar Commandery, No. 15, K. T. Mr. Seerley has also been identified with various interests of a public and semi-public character and has been a cooperant factor in many of the movements which have been of greatest benefit to the city in its up- building and improvement. He is now president of the Burlington Hospital. For ten years he was city attorney of Burlington and in 1892 was elected to represent his district in the fifty-second congress on the democratic ticket. He is always deeply interested in impor- tant political problems, keeping well informed on the leading ques- tions and issues of the day, and his opinions are those of a clear-sighted, analytical mind. In fact he delves to the root of all things in matters relating to the public welfare and his efforts have been a forceful element in bringing about public improvement along many lines.
WILLIAM F. GILMAN.
William F. Gilman is the secretary of the Burlington Lumber Company, is also secretary of the Citizens' Water Company, and in his business career illustrates the possibilities that are open to young men of determination, ambition and persistency of purpose. He was born August 31, 1869, in the city which is still his home, and was educated in the graded schools, supplemented by a two years' course in the high school. After a course in Elliott's Business College he started out to make his own way in the world. For five years he was employed by the old Narrow Gauge Railroad, in the auditor's office, -a road that afterward became a part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system. On severing his connection with that railroad com- pany he entered the employ of the Cascade Lumber Company, with which he continued for two years. On the expiration of that period he embarked in the lumber commission business, in which he
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remained until 1898, when he became connected with the Burlington Lumber Company, with which he has now been identified for six- teen years. Gradually he worked his way upward until he became secretary of the company in 1911. He has since bent his energies to administrative direction and executive control and his efforts have been an element in the growing trade and continued success of the business.
In 1905 Mr. Gilman was united in marriage to Miss Edna Uhler, of Burlington, and they have become the parents of three children, William Warren, who died in infancy, and Edna Loraine and John Berry, aged respectively six and two years. Mr. Gilman belongs to the Masonic fraternity and to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and his political allegiance is given to the republican party. He does not seek nor desire office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, and it has been by reason of his close application and unremitting diligence that he has won the creditable position which he now occupies as a representative of the lumber trade in Burlington. At the same time he takes an active interest in the welfare of the city and cooperates in many plans and measures for Burlington's upbuilding and improvement.
HAROLD J. WILSON.
Following his admission to the bar in 1904 Harold J. Wilson became junior partner in the firm of Blake & Wilson, which today is regarded as one of the strongest and ablest law firms of south- eastern Iowa. A native of Monmouth, Illinois, he was born August 20, 1879, and is a son of Robert A. and Ella J. (Joss) Wilson. The father devoted much of his life to merchandising and was also inter- ested in the Weir Pottery Company, now a part of the Western Stoneware Corporation. In the former connection he was president of the firm of R. A. Wilson & Company, dealers in house furnish- ings. He was energetic and progressive, possessing in large measure the spirit of initiative, and in the conduct of his business affairs ad- vanced steadily to success, for if his path seemed blocked in one direction he sought out another road which would lead to the desired goal.
Robert A. Wilson was prominently connected with interests affecting the public welfare. For fourteen years he served as treas- urer of Monmouth College and for many years was its financial
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agent. At the time of his resignation it was published that, although during his tenure of office he had loaned the entire endowment of Monmouth College, he had never lost a cent of interest or principal from that fund, so judiciously did he manage the interests intrusted to him. He was an elder in the United Presbyterian church for fif- teen years and had charge of the western depository of the United Presbyterian Board of Publication. His political indorsement was given to the republican party and he always kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day, believing that the adoption of republican principles would best promote good government. He died in the year 1902 and is survived by his wife, who yet makes her home in Monmouth. They were the parents of the following chil- dren: Harold J .; Ralph W., who is living in New York city and is resident manager for Theodore Foster & Company, jewelers of Provi- dence, Rhode Island ; Robert E., a real-estate broker in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Lucille M., the wife of Lyman J. Hurd, a banker of Minneapolis; and Elbert C., attending the Monmouth high school.
Highly endowed in a business and financial way, Harold J. Wil- son attended the public schools and Monmouth College, from which he was graduated with first honors in 1901, securing the degree of Bachelor of Arts. By special thesis he won his Master of Arts degree in 1904. He began preparation for his profession as a law student in the office of A. W. Kirkpatrick, one of the best known of the old school attorneys of Monmouth. For nearly two years Mr. Wilson, although just from his collegiate studies, conducted the Retail Mer- chants Association of Monmouth which experience taught him many of the rudiments of commercial law, along which line he has since shown himself especially fitted. Later he went into the office of W. E. Blake of Burlington, continuing his reading along with prac- tical experience until he passed the required examination, securing his admission to the bar of the state of Iowa. He entered into part- nership with his former preceptor in July of the same year and the firm of Blake & Wilson came into existence. Their offices are rooms 301-8 in the Tama building and constitute one of the finest suites in Burlington, and theirs is one of the largest and most completely equipped law libraries. They are engaged in general practice, although taking no criminal cases, and to a large extent have con- fined their attention to corporation law. They are now attorneys for the Merchants National Bank, the Keokuk Water Power Company, the Citizens Water Company, the Perkins, Chamberlain and Bar- hydt estates and for other prominent clients.
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On the 3d of February, 1904, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Lucretia Barnes Blake and they have had three children : Richard, who was born April 17, 1906, and died June 15, 1912; Robert Edgar, born May 8, 1911; and Lucia Hurd, born April 3, 1914.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of the Presbyterian church, in the work of which they take an active and helpful interest. For the past five years he has been superintendent of the Sunday school, is a most earnest worker in that direction and is affiliated with the State Sunday School Association. He is also a member of the state executive committee of the Young Men's Christian Association and is often in demand in various parts of Iowa as a speaker at the larger religious gatherings. He belongs to the Golf Club and to the Shoko- quom Boat Club and he likewise holds membership in the Commer- cial Exchange. In politics he is a republican but has never aspired to office, realizing that law is a jealous mistress. He prefers that his public duties shall be done as a private citizen and to that extent he cooperates in all movements for the benefit of Burlington. Nature and heredity endowed him with keen mentality and he has used his talents wisely and well. To his intellectual qualities he has added the discipline and embellishments of culture and his is an attractive personality, especially to the young. Well versed in the learning of his profession and with a deep knowledge of the springs of human conduct, with extraordinary tact, although still a young man, he is in the courts an advocate of power and influence, an effective speaker before judge or jury. He has been engaged in the trial of cases of a class not usually intrusted to the younger professional men. Whether in his profession or in any other sphere, he works with his might and with a deep sense of conscientious obligation and thus has developed that executive ability which comes only through wide experience.
F. H. A. KOCH.
It was left to a man of German birth, F. H. A. Koch, of Bur- lington, Iowa, to found one of the important insurance organiza- tions of the state, the German-American Mutual Life Association. This company was organized by Mr. Koch in 1887 as the German- American Equation Premium Life Association, and later adopted
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THE NEWYORK PUBLICLIPRARY
AS ' OR, I VOIX TLD . F ·NY
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HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY
its present style as the German-American Life Insurance Company of Iowa.
Mr. Koch was born in Westphalia, Germany, September 26, 1845, and was educated in the public schools of that country. In 1867, when about twenty-two years of age, he came to the United States in search of greater opportunities. He first located in Pitts- field, Pike county, Illinois, where he became a dealer in musical in- struments and also acted as agent for life and fire insurance. He so continued for a time, but in order to perfect himself in business Eng- lish and business methods he entered Wesleyan College at Warren- ton, Missouri, where he studied for some time. Later he returned to Pittsfield and resumed his business, remaining there until 1886. During this time he had made a thorough study of life insurance and had formulated and perfected in his fertile brain a plan for carrying on such a business independently. When he came to Bur- lington, Iowa, in 1887 he realized his plans by organizing a com- pany, of which he became secretary, and which had an auspicious beginning and continued to prosper. Mr. Koch perfected an en- tirely new plan of insurance based on the equation premium plan, under which the company was reorganized as the German-American Equation Premium Life Association, Mr. Koch remaining as secre- tary and continuing in that office until his death. The business was large and satisfactory and the prosperous condition of the institution must be ascribed to the systematic efforts of our subject, who tire- lessly worked for the extension of the business. It was his intimate and expert knowledge that was the foundation of the success of this insurance company, now known as the German-American Life In- surance Company of Iowa. In addition Mr. Koch was secretary of the General Agency Company, which had charge of the agency business of the insurance association.
At Pittsfield, Illinois, on April 4, 1877, Mr. Koch was married to Miss Elizabeth Catherine Herling, of Rushville, Illinois, and to them were born nine children, and those living are: Dr. F. E., Lewis H. and Robert Koch. Mrs. Koch resides in Burlington, mak- ing her home at No. 715 South Garfield avenue.
Mr. Koch always took a deep interest in church work and was a member of the Locust Street German Methodist Episcopal church, to which he belonged for twenty-six years. In the earlier struggles for the existence of the organization which he founded he acted as local preacher and was also superintendent of the Sunday school. He represented the Burlington district as a lay delegate to the gen- eral conference at Buffalo, New York, in 1896, and at the time of Vol. II-4
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his death was a trustee of the church. Fraternally Mr. Koch was a member of Des Moines Lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. M., and also be- longed to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics he was a republican, but not an active party man. Mr. Koch died October 1, 1911, and thus passed away one of those men who had made valuable contributions toward the growth of Burlington. He was honored and respected by all who knew him for what he had accomplished and for those characteristics which had made possible his achievements. His untarnished name is the most precious heri- tage which he left to his family.
FRANK M. TOMBAUGH, M. D.
Dr. Frank M. Tombaugh, an eminent surgeon of Burlington, was born in Odell, Illinois, August 27, 1869, a son of Mathias and Elvira (Leatherman) Tombaugh. The father was a farmer and teacher and filled the position of county superintendent of schools for many years while residing in Livingston county, Illinois, his efforts being a most potent element in promoting the educational interests of his sec- tion of the state. Both he and his wife are deceased.
Dr. Tombaugh acquired a public-school education. His parents, however, were ambitious for him to advance still farther along intel- lectual lines and his own desires supplemented their wishes. Accord- ingly he became a student in the Illinois Wesleyan University and in literary learning laid the foundation upon which to rear the super- structure of professional knowledge. In due time he matriculated in the medical department of the Northwestern University at Chicago and won his degree upon graduation with the class of 1896. He then put his theoretical knowledge to the practical test in eighteen months' service as interne in Mercy Hospital of Chicago and at the end of that time he was appointed medical examiner for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company at Galesburg, Illinois, where he remained for two years. On the ist of November, 1899, he arrived in Burlington and for ten years occupied the position of examiner for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company and also through that decade continued in general practice. In 1910, how- ever, he severed his connection with railroad work and now confines his efforts to surgery. Such is the high reputation which he has won in this connection that he is over-burdened by the demands made upon him. He has done post-graduate work in medical colleges of both
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Chicago and Philadelphia and has carried his investigations far and wide into the realms of modern scientific surgery. His intellectual perception is supplemented by a steady hand and calm nerve, which renders him quiet and composed in the face of the greatest emergencics.
On the 12th of October, 1898, Dr. Tombaugh was united in mar- riage to Miss Annettie Butler, of Sheldon, Illinois, a daughter of L. M. and Rachel Butler, the former a merchant of that place. Dr. and Mrs. Tombaugh have become parents of two children, Helen Rachel and Ruth Elizabeth. The parents are consistent members of the Methodist church and Dr. Tombaugh is also an exemplary repre- sentative of the Masonic lodge. His political indorsement is given to the republican party, but he does not seek nor desire the honors or emoluments of office. He belongs to the Des Moines County Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society and the American Medical Association and has been honored with the presidency of the county organization. A spirit of progressiveness has characterized all his professional service, for he keeps in constant touch with advanced thought and improved methods in surgical practice and his efforts have been of the utmost benefit to mankind in this section of the state.
C. H. MOHLAND.
For two decades C. H. Mohland has been a member of the Bur- lington bar and has made for himself a creditable position among the able lawyers here practicing. Iowa claims him as a native son, his birth having occurred at Sigourney on the 11th of February, 1850, his parents being Martin and Julia (Leurs) Mohland, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to the United States in 1832 and were among the pioneer residents of Burlington, there taking up their abode in 1839, when the city was but a small village of little commercial or industrial prominence. On May 1, 1843, the interior of the state of Iowa was opened up for settlement and at twelve o'clock at night of April 30 of that year Martin Mohland with four other German citizens of Burlington were marking off their homesteads in the new purchase. On the land then selected the remaining days of the parents were passed and on this farm C. H. Mohland was born and grew to manhood.
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