USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 102
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Jacob Hoffman was born in Owen County, Ind., March 8, 1838. He was a son of Wm. and Katie (Houwk) Hoffman. When Mr. Hoffman was fourteen years of age he came to Iowa, locating in Buffalo County, where he made his home twenty years. He was among the very first to settle that county. In the fall of 1882 he
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became a citizen of Floyd County, and bonght at that time 160 acres, where he still resides. At this date it was raw prairie, He has since brought it under a fine state of cultivation and the best of improvements. His house and surroundings are indeed pleas- ant. It can be said of Mr. Hoffman, that he has cansed the desert to blossom as the rose. He sold forty acres of this before improving it, at considerable of an advance of the price paid. Mr. Hoffman carries on quite a stroke of farming besides keeping considerable stock; keeps abont twenty head of cattle and seven head of horses, and usually keeps from forty to sixty, has kept as high as 160. Mr. Hoffinan was married in 1864 to Clarinda Kendell, immediately after his return from the army. He enlisted in 1861, in Company D, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Colonels Reed and Bellknap were the commanding officers; Cap- tain Madison was his first Captain. Mr. Hoffman was wounded at the battle of Atlanta on the morning of the 22d of May, receiving a gun-shot wound in the right groin, the ball passing clear through, another lodging in his right leg just above the knee; another lodged in the left arm above the elbow, while another cut its depth across the top of his left shoulder. At this charge he had fourteen bullet holes pass through his clothing in different places. He had his musket shot out of his hands, three balls passing through it at once cutting it off at each of the bands. Through the effects of these wounds he lay in the hospital as a patient for about one year, under the care of physicians. For five months he lay with ice water dropping upon him to prevent mor- tification. He participated before this in fourteen hard-fought battles. Mr. Hoffman veteraned and returned to the army and accompanied Sherman on his march to the sea. He was mustered out the fall after the close of the war. Mr. Hoft- inan's army life, consisting of three years and three months, was one indeed long to be remembered. He certainly deserves the highest respect and admiration of every patriotic man, woman and child. He is a man of no boastful qualities, but takes his position as a humble citizen. Mr. Hoffinan has always been a Democrat, though he votes for the best men for county officers.
Christopher Hofmeister, deceased, was born in Germany, May 6, 1810. On the 18th of June, 1847, he came to America, stop- ping for a few days in Milwaukee, thence to Dodge Courty, Wis., where he lived about seventeen years. In 1864 he moved to Chickasaw County, Ia., where he remained till 1869, when he be-
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came a citizen of Floyd County. His first purchase was in Ulster Township, where he lived about eighteen months. In 1871 he bought the farm where his son Henry now lives, on section 3, Union Township. There was in this farm, at the original pur- chase, 240 acres, but he sold an eighty about two years after his purchase. He repaired the house and made what improvements the farm possesses to-day, and made it his home till his death, which occurred July 29, 1879, leaving a family of four children, and one deceased-Fredric, who resides in Kansas, married and has a family; Christian died in the army in 1864, at about the age of twenty-five; he was single; Johannah married C. H. Stapher and resides in Chickasaw County, Ia .; Christopher W. is a resident of Kansas; Henry, the fifth child, bought the old homestead, and there resides; he was married in 1880 to Emma L. Ponto, a native of Wisconsin. They have one child-Lydia, now fifteen months of age. Mr. H. Hofmeister was born in 1855, and Mrs. Hofmeister in 1862. Both are members of the Methodist church. Politically we find Mr. Hofmeister a Democrat. Mrs. Christopher Hofmeister is still living, and resides in Kansas, at the advanced age of seventy-one.
I. M. Hutches was born in Steuben County, N. Y., in 1840. Until his father's death, which occurred in May, 1860, he was en- gaged principally in the pursuit of an education. From this date till about 1869 he remained on the farm, and engaged in the stock business, in connection with farming. At the expiration of this time he went to Livingston County, and engaged in the milling business, in a mill in which he had purchased a third interest. In the fall of 1873 he went to Iowa; stopped first in Cedar Falls, and came to Marble Rock the following spring, where he purchased a half interest in an elevator, with George Luce, and continued in the grain business about five years. In 1879 a joint stock com- pany was formed in the business between J. B. Shepardson, George B. Vansun and I. M. Hutches, which firm is still in ex- istence and doing a good business, handling in the neighborhood of 200,000 bushels yearly. I. M. Hutches has the entire control of the business in buying and selling. He was married in New York, in 1861, to Miss Cynthea King. They have one child- James L., now nineteen years of age. Mr. Hutches is a member of the I. O. O. F .; has been a life-long Republican and a sonnd Prohibitionist. Though not an aspirant for office, he has been elected Township Trustee and Alderman of the town.
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H. C. Inman was born in Kane County, Ill., in 1836. He was a son of Lorain and Lucy (Carpenter) Inman. Mr., Lorain Inman died at Marble Rock in 1878. Mrs. Inman is still living, and makes her home with her son, H. C. Inman. Mr. H. C. was the oldest of the family of eight children; Joseph, the second son, died in the army at Memphis, Teun., in January, 1862, at the age of twenty-two; Alonzo, the third son, resides in Union Township, Ephraim, the fourth, resides also in Union Township, this county ; Marinda resides in |Brainerd, Minn .; Dora married Mr. S. H. Waist, a resident of Minneapolis, Minn. Two children died in infancy. This family was one of Floyd County's first settlers, coming to Marble Rock in 1858, where the most of them have since resided. Since coming to Iowa Mr. H. C. Inman has turned his attention considerably to farming, though he has taught several terms of school, and held the office of County Surveyor five years. For about three and a half years he owned a half- interest in the Osceola Grist-Mill, which time he was engaged to some extent in running the mill. The confinement and heat was quite detrimental to his health, which was the principal cause of his selling the property and moving upon the farm. Though in impaired health somewhat, we find him very pleasantly situated on a farm of 160 acres, within about one and one-half miles of Marble Rock. Mr. Inman was married in 1867 to Miss Sarah E. McCallom, of Amesville, Ohio. They have no family. He is a member of the order of Freemasons and Odd Fellows, and was for many years a member of the Good Templars. Politically Mr. Inman is a Republican, and though not an aspirant for office, always has taken an active interest in the political issues of the day; is the present Assessor of the township, and has held that position three fourths of the time since coming to Iowa. Mr. Inman has been a member of the Free Baptist church the past twenty-eight years. Has held the office of Secretary of the School Board for about fourteen years.
E. Inman was born Sept. 1, 1846, in Kane County, Ill. He was the fourth son of Lorain and Lucy (Carpenter) Inman came to Floyd County, Iowa, with his parents in 1858, locating near Marble Rock, Union Township, where he, has since resided; is now residing upon the old homestead. Mr. Inman was married in 1867, in Charles City, to Miss Harriet Clay. They have five children-Lewis J., Harry E., Harvey E., Nellie L. and Lucy. Mr. Inman is a member of no secret society. Politically he is a Republican.
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A. Inman was born in Kane County, Ill., June 24, 1842. He was the third son of Lorain and Lucy (Carpenter) Inman, who came to this county in 1858, where most of the family still reside. Mr. A. Inman was married in October, 1869, in Charles City, by Elder Casbier to Miss C. E. Waist, a native of Vermont. They have two children-Lorain W. and Martha Esther, ages twelve and six respectively. Mr. Inman bought his farm of eighty acres, where he resides, about two miles southwest of Marble Rock, in 1870. He has recently made a purchase of eighty acres, adjoining his original farm. This is one of Floyd County's good farms. The natural fine drainage and good quality of the soil cannot be excelled anywhere. Though not an aspirant for office himself, he has always taken an active interest in politics, and voted the Republi- can ticket. In the day of Good Templars he was an active mem- ber. M Inman is a member of the Free-Will Baptist church and has been for the past twenty years.
Judge W. H. Johnson, deceased, was born in Deersville, O., Feb. 29, 1824. He received a collegiate education, and read law in that State. When about twenty-eight years of age he went to Mich igan and engaged in the practice of law a short time. About the year 1854 he went to Boylan's Grove, Butler County, Ia., and remained a short time, when he came to Floyd County, locating in Marble Rock, where he remained in the practice of law till his death, which occurred June 14, 1879, 'his disease being consumption. Judge Johnson lived an energetic and useful life, and had the best wishes of the community always at heart. As an attorney he was always found to be manly strong, and honest, securing the utmost confidence of his clients and respect of his opponents. As a notary public his papers of conveyance and transfers are invari- ably reliable and correct. As a politician he was a straight-forward Republican, and took an active interest in the live issues of the day though never an aspirant for office himself. In the year 1862 he was elected County Judge, which position he filled acceptably. While a resident of Michigan, in the year 1854, he married his first wife, Susan Sly, who died in January, 1863, leaving a family of four children, one of whom has since died. The names of the surviving ones are Josephine, married John Ryan, a telegraph operator at Riverside, Ia .; Kelso W., single and at this writing residing in Rockford; Cleopatra, now the wife of Charles Smith, a dry-goods clerk at Riverside. Judge Johnson married his
68
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second wife, Mrs. Clarissa Miller, in Marble Rock in the year of 1867. To them was born one daughter-Florence M., now thirteen years of age. Mrs. Clarissa Miller, Mr. Johnson's second wife was married to Mr. Elias G. Miller in 1856. He enlisted in Company G, Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in August, 1862. He served his country as a faithful soldier, till he was taken away through the hardships of army life, his death occurring at Benton, Ark., Dec. 12, 1863, it being the day his youngest son was two years of age. He left a family of three children-Lizzie. the eldest, married Maurice Bnunell and resides at Osceola, Clarke County, Ia .; the second child, Minerva, married Elvin Tape, a jeweler of Rock- ford; David E. is in the mining business in Colorado.
William A. Judd was born in Strafford, Orange County, Vt., July 9, 1817. Here he made his home with his father, Ira Judd, till he was nineteen years of age, when he started out to face the world alone. He went to Lowell, Mass., with the view of working in the woolen factory, but found the town overrun with people hunting work. He had only about twenty-five cents in his pocket, but finally got a chance to work for his board, and sell picture frames at night. At this he was engaged the most of the winter, and cleared about $10 in all. The next spring he engaged to work for a gardener seven months. The following winter he went to school. In the spring he tried the tanner's trade, but found it quite incompatible for his health, and returned home after working at it about two months. He helped his father through with his summer's work and started to seek his fortune in the West, stopping in the State of Illinois. The first fourteen years he was interested in farming, working rented land the first year and after that his own. In the year 1852 he engaged in the mer- cantile business in Brooklyn, Lee County, at which he continued till 1856, when he boxed his goods and shipped them West; sold his real estate and other property and came to Floyd County, Ia. The first ten weeks after coming he boarded at the Beelar House. He then bought a log building of Mr. Beelar and kept tavern and store in it for about eighteen months, when he bought out John Wallace, who was also in the dry-goods business. They exchanged places of business, and Mr. Judd kept store here two years. In 1860 he rented another building and commenced lowering his stock on account of his poor health and some discouraging features in trade. This state of affairs having no change, he abandoned the enterprise of merchandising, closed his store and boxed his goods,
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and has since nearly exhausted them by selling and using them in his family. Before coming to the State he bought 200 acres sight unseen. This he kept several years and sold it, doubling his money. He owns eighty acres of land in Union Township that requires the most of his attention, in connection with some town property. Though he has had his share of the pioneer's rebuffs, he would still be an active business man were it not for the feeble state of his health, which has been impaired for the last twenty years or more. Politically he has always been a Republican, and has always taken an active part in every enterprise demanding the attention of good citizens. He was the first President elected in the organization of the first temperance society called the Washing- tonians. He, in company with three others, formed the society of Good Templars in Marble Rock; has held the office of Justice of the Peace several years and was President of the School Board sev- eral years. Dec. 23, 1844, in Lee County, Ill., he and Miss Eliza- beth Melugin were united in marriage. She is a native of Tennes- see, and is still living, at the age of fifty-four. They have three children-Alice Adelaide is now the wife of W. E. Truax, and re- sides at Fort Ripley; Eliza Adalette is the wife of Martin E. Bridg- man, and resides in Cass County, D. T .; Mary T., single and resides at home. Mr. Judd is a member of the Freemasons. While he was a resident of Illinois he was County Commissioner, Town Treasurer and Constable for many years, and Deputy Sheriff for a term. In early days Mr. Judd attempted to rescue two young men who had been capsized in the Shell Rock River during high water. The fast-rising stream and floating ice made it quite hazardous. The people on shore tied ropes to an Indian canoe and he attempted to reach the young men, who were perched upon a tree many rods off. They were already nearly perished with cold, the day being quite cold; overcoming many difficulties Mr. Judd at last reached the spot, but just before he made his landing his canoe was swept from him and he had to cling to a tree that had lodged near by. Here the three awaited the assistance of those on shore, who, of course, seemed to them to move slow. At last the tree Mr. Judd wason became detached and moved off. He told the young men he must leave them, but to have courage and all would come out well. This was after dusk. Mr. Judd again had a lodging place, one half mile down the river. At last with boats all were rescued, amid considerable excitement.
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Conrad Keister, deceased, was born in Germany in 1824. He came to America when a small boy. After coming to the United States he lived most of the time in Lake County, Ind. In Sep- tember, 1861. in Indiana, he married Mary Waltz, a native of Germany, born in 1840, and came to the United States when four years old. Mr. Keister and wife came to this county in 1865 and bought forty acres, where she still resides, about two and a quarter miles east of Marble Rock. To this they have since purchased forty, making a farm of eighty acres. Upon this farm Mr. Keister resided till his death, which occurred in the fall of 1876. He was threshing with a side gear machine when the gearing caught his sleeve and front of his shirt, drawing him around against the side of the machine, and finally caught his left arm and tore it from the body at the shoulder. He lived about six hours. He left a family of five children. The oldest is Andrew, who carries on the farm; Mary, the second child, married James Clark, and resides in the Northwest; Anna and Julia reside at home; Nelly died at the age of three years, in 1873. Since the death of Mr. Keister the family have all been kept together and prosperous by the frugality and industry of Mrs. Keister. Since then Mrs. Keister and her son have built a good house and have carried on the farm. To Mrs. Keister's credit we are pleased to say she has helped all through the harvest, and pitched every sheaf for stacking, besides binding quite an amount. In 1878 Mrs. Keister married John Wulf, who died in October, 1880, leaving one child, Ida Wulf, now three years of age.
Charles E. Lamb was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., July 15, 1843. At the age of seven he left the State in company with his father, Smith Lamb, and went to Madison County, Wis., where they remained two years. From here Mr. Lamb moved with his family to Bureau County, Ill. Here they remained as a family till 1861, when they moved to Lee County, where Charles E. Lamb made his home principally till 1880, when he came to Marble Rock, this county, and purchased a stock of livery from Philip Shultz, in which business we find him still engaged and doing well. We say it, not to the discredit of any others, but the truth is he has the finest lot of horses we have seen in the county, and carriages and buggies equal in quality to any first-class livery stock. He is a genial, whole-souled man, and with his live and let live principles has won for himself many friends, not only in Marble Rock, but with the traveling public. Mr. Lamb was mar-
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ried in 1870 to Miss Jane E. Shultz, a native of Pennsylvania. They have one child-Everett, now eleven years of age. Politically he is a Republican, and is a member of the Masonic order.
W. D. Lamb was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1846; when very small moved with his father, Smith D. Lamb, to Wis- consin, where the family remained four years, and then moved to Illinois. Here W. D. Lamb made his home till 1868, when he came to Marble Rock, Union Township, Floyd County, Ia. The first two years after coming he teamed for J. B. Shepardson, who was then in the dry-goods business. The five years following he ran a lumber yard for him. The following four years he was in company with him in the stock business, and spent one year in buying and selling horses and collecting notes and accounts. In August, 1881, Mr. Lamb became the proprietor of the Beelar House, which position we find him filling with a competency that reflects great credit. It is truly the traveler's home, and the tired and hungry man's favorite resort. In a word, he is a model land- lord, and is adding every day to his already large trade. Mr. Lamb was married in 1879, to Miss Ella S. Wallace, a native of Wisconsin. They have one child-William E., a bright boy, eleven years of age. May 2, 1863, Mr. Lamb enlisted in the Seventh Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, and served his country over two years, being mustered out at Springfield, Ill., Dec. 5, 1865; was under the command of Major-General Hatch.
Dennis Manchester was born in New York State, Nov. 10, 1826. Here he made his home till 1865, when he came to Iowa, landing at Marble Rock the day following the assassination of President Lincoln. He learned the carpenter's trade when a young man and worked at his trade most of the time, though he farmed a couple of years and worked in a wagon shop two years. Many good evi- dences of his workmanship can be found in Union and Scott town- ships, while Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties bear evidence of him as a carpenter. Mr. Manchester was married in New York in. 1857, on Christmas eve, to Eliza M. Schemerhorn. Their family consists of three living children-Theron G., Essie M. and Dorr.
J. W. Martin was born in Bennington County, Vti., n 1841. He was the sixth child of William W. and Mary Martin, both natives of Vermont. Mr. Martin made Vermont his home till he was twenty years of age, when in 1861 he went to Strawberry Point, Clayton County, Ia. Here he remained only about one year, when he went, in company with some others, by land, to Virginia
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City, Nev., where he spent three years, most of the time engaged in silver mining. It being the year following the discovery of the mines, of course a hard class of citizens gathered before law and order came on the ground. Upon his return he took the steamer at San Francisco, and returned via Nicaragua route, landing at New York. The following winter he spent with friends in Vermont, and in the spring returned to Clayton County, where he spent another year; at the expiration of this time he went to Nora Springs, and remained about eight months. In the spring of 1870 he moved to Marble Rock, where he has since resided. Upon coming to Marble Rock he engaged in the drug business, and con- tinned it till 1879, when he traded his stock for a farm in Union Township. Has for several years been a partner in a company engaged in the grain business in Marble Rock. Mr. Martin, when a young man, took up the Republican principles inculcated by his father, and has been a life-long supporter of that ticket, and, though not an aspirant for office, always takes an active interest in the live issues of the day. Mr. Martin was the first Mayor of Marble Rock, and has held the office of Justice of the Peace for several years. Mr. Martin was married in January, 1870, in Dubuque, to Miss Gertrude Cragin, a native of Vermont. They have one child-Minnie, now eight years of age.
W. K. Martin was born in Quebec, Lower Canada, in 1824; came to the United States when three years of age, locating in Chester County, Pa., where his father purchased a farm. Here he resided till 1844, when he enlisted in the United States army; was first sent out to build Fort Atkinson, Winneshiek County, Ia., (then Iowa Territory). After this event his company went to Corpus Christi, Texas; then went clear through the Mexican cam- paign, when he received three flesh wounds. After his discharge, Aug. 25, 1849, at Fort Brown, Texas, he went to Allamakee County, Ia. There he bought a small farm, and engaged in farm- ing till he came to Floyd County, which was in 1876. In 1874 he purchased a farm of eighty acres which he gave to his son, C. B. Martin, a teacher in Sioux Falls, D. T. In 1876 he bought 320 acres, where he still resides, on section 33, Union Township. He farms about 225 acres in grain; the balance is in meadow and pasture. Mr. Martin was married in Allamakee County, Ia., in 1850, to Miss Temperance Bowman, a native of Indiana. This was the first marriage ever consummated in Allamakee County. Mr. Martin's family consists of seven children living and two deceased
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-Catharine, married Madison Blue, and resides in Leon County, Ia .; C. B. Martin, a teacher in Sioux Falls; Mary J., married James E. Miller, a resident of Union Township; Emma, married Henry Gates, of Union Township, and died in 1881; Cassie A., single, and at home; W. H., single, and in the livery business in Sioux Falls; T. B. and J. F., single, and at home; Carolina, died at the age of ten, in Union Township. Mr. Martin and his wife have been members of the United Brethren church for the past twenty-five years. Mr. Martin certainly has had an eventful career, passing through what but few ever live to see. Has been a pioneer all his life. Politically, he is a Republican. He wanted! to enlist in the late Rebellion, but was rejected on account of his wounds. Had a commission from Adjutant-General Baker, and raised and organized and sent to the field three companies, drill- ing them three months.
George Maxson was born in Harrison County, W. Va., near Clarksburg, Nov. 20, 1811. He was a son of George and Elizabeth Maxson. At about the age of twenty-two Mr. Maxson left that State and moved to Ohio; spent about twenty -five years in Allen County, that State, residing in the State about thirty years altogether. In the year 1868 he became a citizen of Floyd County, purchasing at the same time the farm of 160 acres, where he still resides, on section 11, Union Township, two and one-half miles northeast of Marble Rock; also 160 acres in section 14, where his son John F. resides, and fifty-four acres in St. Charles Township. This land he still owns except the fifty-four he sold, and has sold to his sons 160 acres, leaving 160 acres of a home- stead. Mr. Maxson was married in Allen County, Ohio, in 1842, to Rachel Harbut, a native of Harrison County, W. Va. They have a family of seven children living, four sons and three daugh- ters-Martha, married S. K. Sheafer, and resides in Union Town- ship; Sarah, John T., George Nelson, Charles H., Silas and Alice. Mr. and Mrs. Maxson and the whole family, are members of the regular Baptist church. This is a circumstance we have not met before in the county, but it is certainly worthy of imitation of other families, and reflects great credit upon the parents for the good example taught the children. Politically Mr. Maxson and his sons are all Republicans and substantial Prohibitionists, and temperance men. Mr. Maxson taught school twenty-five terms in Ohio, and one term in School District No. 2, Union Township, the second winter after coming to this county.
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