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 67
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
then took charge of the mills at Swanton until 1861 when he enlisted in the Independent Company which afterward became Company A, First Vermont Regiment; enlisted for three months, and was Orderly Sergeant of the company; at the end of the three months returned to Swanton and soon after re-enlisted in Company A, Ninth Vermont Regiment, and was elected Captain of this company; remained as Captain one year, when he was Commis- sioned Lieut .- Colonel of the regiment, and held that position until the close of the war, when he returned home and engaged in the marble business four years; when, owing to trouble with his lungs from exposure in army, went to Florida six r len removed with his family to Minneapolis, Miun. He engaged in the real estate business there three years, then came to Charles City, in 1872, and has loaned money and speculated in land here since. Mr. Barney married Miss Maria L. Hadwen, April 21. 1857; she was born in Danby, Vt., and was a daughter of John and Abigail (Baker) Hadwen; they were Quakers, and natives of New York; they had a family of nine children, seven daughters and two SONS. Mrs. Col. Barney is a member of the M. E. church. They have had four children, viz .: Caroline E., born Feb. 7, 1858; Fred E., Oct. 10, 1859, is Assistant Cashier in Commercial Bank of Minneapolis, Minn .; Bertha M., born July 9, 1866; Frank, Oct. 3, 1871. Mr. Barney is one of the representative business men and citizens of Charles City, and is one of the directors of the First National Bauk here. He owns a farm of 200 acres in St. Charles Township, 160 acres in Sioux County, Ia., eighty acres in Chick- asaw County, and 400 in Wright County. In politics he is a Republican and cast tlie first vote for John C. Fremont for Presi- dent of the United States. He has been a supporter of that party since. He is of Welsh, English and French descent. His father put in the first American marble tile flooring in the United States; he is still living and actively engaged in business at Swanton, Vt. Col. V. G. Barney's brother, Elisha L. Barney, was Colonel of the Sixth Vermont Infantry Volunteers, and was killed in the battle of the Wilderness, in Virginia, in 1864. Mr. Barney has always taken an active interest in educational matters, and for the past six years has been a member of the School Board. He has been a member of the City Council two years. He is liberal in his views politically as well as religiously; he has always taken an active interest in any thing that promised progression to Charles City.
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CHARLES CITY.
He secured an appropriation from City Council to lay out city park and set out the trees, and lay out walks. Mr. Campbell and Mr. Barney own the Park House.
J. A. Becker, Clerk of St. Charles Township and farmer, was born in Vernon, Oneida County, N. Y., on Dec. 24, 1837. His parents, Jacob and Melissa R. (Knox) Becker, were natives of New York, and had a family of two children, viz .: Melissa J., who mar- ried J. S. Freeman, and the subject of this sketch. His father died two weeks before he was born, and his mother afterward mar- ried Lyman Jacobs. J. A. lived in Vernon with his mother and stepfather on a farm and attended school until twenty-one, when lie attended the Oneida Conference Seminary two terms; then took a three-months' course at Eastman's Business College Poughkeepsie. He then began teaching school, and taught winters and worked summers at the carpenter's trade seven years; then came to Charles City, Ia., in March, 1870. He has been engaged in farming since. He taught school in St. Charles Township the winter of 1871-'2. He married Addie L. Griswold, Oct. 23, 1867: She was born in Augusta, Oneida County, N. Y., and was a daugh- ter of Warren H. and Aroxsa (Hart) Griswold. Mr. and Mrs. Becker are members of the M. E. church and have had one s mn, viz .: Warren Earl, born Aug. 30, 1881. In the spring of 1879, Mr. Becker was appointed Township Clerk, but by subsequent election has held that office since. He has held the office of Sec- retary of the School Board since 1872, and that of Assessor three years. In politics he is a Republican. He is one of the enter- prising, representative men of Charles City, and farmers of Floyd County, where he has been identified since 1870. He is of Mo- hawk Dutch and New England desent.
De Grand Benjamin, retired farmer, miller and manufacturer of cheese, was born in De Ruyter, Madison County, N. Y., Oct. 2, 1816, a son of Elias P. and Martha (Rich) Benjamin. She was from Connecticut, and he was a native of Dutchess County, N. Y. He was a miller and farmer. They were members of the Univer- salist church, and had a family of six sons and three daughters. De Grand, subject of this sketch, was the third son. He attended school-working on his father's farm-until twenty-one, when he engaged in teaching school in Madison County, continuing seven years. He was married to Miss Roxalina Sexton, Sept. 23, 1843, at Union Valley, Portland County, N. Y. She was born there and was a daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Carpenter) Sexton.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
After Mr. Benjamin was married he located in Union Valley, and through his efforts a postoffice was established here and he was appointed Postinaster. He also owned and conducted a farm there. In 1849 he returned to the home of his boyhood and pur- chased a farm within two miles of his father, and engaged in farming and milling until his father's death. He inherited the old homestead of his father. The State chang : I the course of the river that propelled his mill for canal purposes, soon after, so he converted his mill into a cheese factory. In March, 1874, he came to Charles City, Ia., purchased some property and has since resided here, engaged in speculating and loaning money. Mrs. Benja- min is a member of the Congregational church. They have had three childrien, two living, viz .: Martha A., born March 27, 1847, and Alida H., born May 8, 1852. Mr. Benjamin is one of the enterprising, representative men of Charles City. In politics, he was first a Democrat, but at the outbreak of the war became a strong Republican and has since supported that party. He is a man liberal in his views, original in mind, and a strong believer in all men having equal rights. He is of English descent. He owns a nice home and eight lots in Charles City, and a farm of 120 acres in Scott Township, most all under cultivation and well stocked.
Edward Berg, one of the oldest and most prominent business men of Charles City, was born in Eutin, Oldensburg, Germany, on Aug. 6, 1844, a son of Adoph and Sophia Berg, nee Boessing, who had a family of seven children. They were members of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Adolph Berg was a Privy Councilor of the Gov- ernment of Oldenburg. Edward attended school in Germany, making a specialty of the studies of chemistry and forrestry until twenty-two years of age, when he came to the United States, landed at New York, and from there went at once to St. Louis, Mo. He re- mained there a short time, and in December, 1867, came to Charles City, where he clerked for J. H. Stolle, until March. 1873, when he open his present store. He carries a complete stock of groceries, provisions and staple goods, also keeps a full line of crockery and chinaware. One department of his store is devoted to drugs and medicines of all kinds. This stock is valned at $3,000. He is agent for the German Fire Insurance Company, of Freeport, Ill., and has had the agency since 1871. Politically, he is independent in his views.
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CHARLES CITY.
F. A. Burton, proprietor of the Charles City livery, feed and sale stable, was born in Andover, Vt., March 7, 1854; his parents were Horace and Mary A. (Taylor) Burton. They were natives of Vermont and had a family of four sons and three daughters. Frank A., subject of this memoir, was the youngest; he attended school in Andover, Vt., until thirteen or fourteen years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Black Earth, Dane County, Wis., where he attended school two years; then worked in the Wisconsin pineries on the Mississippi River one year; then came to Charles City, and attended the High School four years; then he purchased his present livery, feed and sale stable. Mr. Burton married Miss Emma Henderson, at Charles City, Ia. She was born in Mount Carroll, Ill., in 1856, and was a daughter of Berry and Amanda C. (Youce) Henderson. Mr. and Mrs. Burton have one daughter -Miss Jessie M., born June 24, 1879. Mr. Burton is one of the enterprising, representative business men of Charles City. He was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Floyd County for four years. He owns and runs the largest and most complete stables in the city. He keeps from eighteen to twenty fine buggy and carriage horses and a full line of buggies and carriages. Mr. Burton has taken the premium for carriage horses at the county fair, ever since he came here. He is a thorough gentleman and has the con- fidence and respect of all who know him. Mr. Burton started at seventeen years of age to make his way in the world, and it is by his own efforts that he has educated himself and established his present business.
Joseph Clemens, of the firm of Joseph Clemens & Co., manu- facturers of wagons, carriages and buggies, Charles City, was a son of Jacob and Gertrude Clemens, nee Guble, and was born June 30, 1829, in Ediger, on the River Mosle, Prussia, Germany. He was the youngest of a family of six children, and was the recip- ient of a practical business education in his native country. He also learned the furniture-maker's trade there, and when twenty years of age, came with three of his brothers to the United States. They landed at New York, and from there went to Milwaukee, Wis., where Joseph worked at the cabinet-maker's trade three years, and at the wagon-maker's one year; then went to Dubuque, Ia. He opened a shop there, and remained until 1867, when he went to McGregor, Ia., continuing there his former business. In July, 1872, he came to Charles City, where he has been prominently
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
identified with the business interests since. In September. 1857, Mr. Clemens married Agnes Zumhof, a native of Hanover, Ger- many. They have five children-Joseph, Jr., who is employed in his father's shop; Michael, clerking in Mile's drug store; Mollie, Lucy and Augusta. Formerly Mr. Clemens was Republican in his political views, but of late has become rather independent, voting for principle rather than party.
Maurice S. Cole, one of Floyd County's early settlers, is one of the oldest wagon-makers of this county. He is a native of Ver- mont, and was born in Sutton, Orleans County, on Feb. 14, 1827. His parents, Andrew and Mary A. Cole, were natives of Providence, R. I., and had a family of six sons and one daugh- ter. Maurice, subject of this sketch, was the youngest. He lived on the farm with his father until sixteen, then went to Charles- ton, Vt., and worked one year at his trade, that of a wagon - maker; thence to Holliston, Mass., where he spent two years, learning the boot and shoe trade ; he then returned to Charleston, Vt., and worked at the wagon-maker's trade until January, 1854, when he went to Gasconade County, Mo., and teamed there on the Missouri Pacific Road until October, 1855, when he came to Charles City, Ia., and teamed from Charles City and McGregor, Ia., until May, 1856, when he opened his wagon-shop, and has been engaged in this business since, and is now the oldest wagon-maker in the county. Mr. Cole married Mary A. Ingram, at Charles City, in 1858. She was born in Vermont, and was a daughter of Henry Ingram-a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Cole have one child, a daughter-Celia. Mr. Cole is one of the early, few old settlers now living in Floyd County. When he came to Charles City there were but three frame buildings in the town, and he has seen its change from a wild, un- cultivated state to the present prosperous condition. In politics Mr. Cole is rather independent, and inclined to vote for the best man.
Charles P. Collins, Jr., stone mason and contractor, Charles City, is one of the old settlers of Floyd County. He was born opposite the town of Newport, at the head of Memphremagog Lake, Canada, Feb. 18, 1829. His parents were Charles P. and Mary J. W. (Rever) Collins; he was born in Chicopee, Mass., and she was a native of Canada; he was a painter and stone cutter and a member of the Baptist church, and she was a member of the Uni- versalist church. They had one child, viz .: Charles P., Jr., subject of this sketch. When he was an infant he removed with his parents
733
CHARLES CITY.
to Lowell, Mass., where he attended school until nineteen, when he learned the stone-mason's trade; when twenty-three he went to Warner, N. H., and worked here and at Nashua until the spring of 1853 when he came West to Beloit, Wis., and worked at his trade here until the spring of 1857; then came to Iowa and located in Charles City. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Twelfth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, and was in the battles of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Shiloh an was taken prisoner at Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and was taken to Corinth, Memphis, Tenn., Jackson, Miss., Mobile and Montgomery, Ala., thence to Camp Oglethrop, Macon, Ga., where he remained in the rebel prison four months, then was removed to Columbus, S. C., thence to Wilmington, N. C., thence to Raleigh, N. C., thence to the "Libby Prison." He was paroled Oct. 20, 1862. He went first to Annapolis, Md., from there to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Mo., where he joined the fifteen men that were left of his company; he was then in the fight at Springfield, Mo., when he returned to St. Louis and was mustered out of the service on account of disability, March 17, 1863. He returned home to Charles City, until the fall of 1864, when he re-enlisted in Company C, Thirteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, and went with Sherman on his march to the sea, around to Washington, thence to Louisville, Ky., and was discharged at Davenport, Ia., at the close of the war. He again returned home to Charles City, Ia., where he has since resided. Mr. Collins was promoted Orderly Sergeant of his company; at the battle of Fort Donelson he was wounded with a musket ball which passed through his right hand. Mr. Collins married Miss Elizabeth Osgood, April 11, 1841. She was born in New Hampshire. The fruits of this marriage were three sons and one daughter, viz .: Chas. H., who married Miss Eveline Clark; he is a mason and they reside at Verndale, Minn. Ellen M. is the wife of Frank Kellogg; he is engineer of the Charles City Furniture factory. William C. Collins married Miss Catherine Allen; they reside in Charles City, where he works at his trade of brick mason, and Frank E. Collins, engaged in farming at Osage, Mitchell County, Ia. Mr. Charles P. Collins married his present wife, Miss Minnie Cold, May 28,1868. She was born in Bennington, Ben- nington County, Vt., and was a daughter of Lorenzo Cold. Mr. Collins is one the few old settlers of Floyd County now living; he is one of the enterprising men and citizens of Charles City, where he has been identified since its infancy. In politics he is a Republican and has always been a strong supporter of this party.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
William W. Dennis, Deputy County Recorder of Floyd County, is a native of Ohio, and was born on a farm in Wayne County, May 16, 1838. His parents were William and Rebecca (Luther) Dennis, natives of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Universalist church, and was by trade a carpenter and joiner, and also followed farming. She was a member of the Lutheran church. They had a family of four sons and four daughters, William, subject of this sketch, being the youngest son. He attended school winters, working on his father's farm until seventeen, when his mother died. He then worked at the carpenter's trade during the summer, attending school winters until twenty-one, and on May 19, 1861, he married Miss Angie Isora Logan at Seville, Medina County, O. She was born in Pennsylvania and was a daughter of William and Mary (Beale) Logan, natives of Pennsylvania and mem- bers of the Baptist church. After his marriage, on Nov. 14, 1861, Mr. Dennis enlisted in Company D, Third Battalion U.S. Infantry, and remained in the service three years. He was in various battles, among them the first siege of Corinth, Miss., in the month of April and in May, 1862. He fought in the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, Oct. 8, 1862; Stone River battles Dec. 31, 1862, and Jan. 12, of 1863, and the battle of Hoovers Gap, Tenn., June 26, 1863. The last sixteen months of his service he was detailed as a recruiting officer at Toledo, O., and was discharged at Colum- bus, O., Nov. 14, 1864. He remained in Ohio some time then removed to Bourbon, Marshall County, Ind., and followed his trade until July 19, 1865, when he located in Charles City, Ia. He fol- lowed contracting and building here until 1878, when, owing to failing health, he abandoned his trade, and on April 8, 1879, he was appointed his present office as Deputy County Recorder. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis are members of the Christian church, and have one son, viz. : Arthur W., born Feb. 19, 1862. He is clerk in the Charles City Savings Bank. Mr. Dennis is one of the enterpris- ing representative men and citizens of Charles City, where he has been identified since June, 1865. He is Secretary of St. Charles Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 141, and has held this office seven years. He has been a Mason since twenty-one years of age. In politics he is a Republican and cast his first vote for A. Lincoln, first term. He is of English, Irish, Scotch and German descent.
Gustavus B. Eastman, retired banker and First Assistant Inter- nal Revenue Assessor for Floyd County, Ia., is a native of Ver-
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CHARLES CITY.
mont, born in New Haven, Addison County, Nov. 20, 1820. His parents were Silas N. and Amanda (Bird) Eastman ; his father was a saddle and liarness maker, and both were natives of Ver- mont and members of the Congregational church. They had a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters. Gustavus B., subject of this sketch, was the second son. When some three years of age he removed with his parents to Hopkinton, N. Y., where he lived three years; thence to Malone, Franklin County, where he attended school one year; then to Madrid, N. Y. There he at- tended school and worked in the harness-shop with his father until seventeen, when the family removed to Ogdensburg, N. Y .; one year later they moved to Heuvelton, and Mr. E. taught school in Morley, Canton Township, and other schools in the vicinity. He was Deputy Clerk of St. Lawrence County until 1846, when he came to Milwaukee, Wis .; remained here until the fall, when he went to Roscoe, Ill., and taught school one winter; thence to Rock- ford, Ill., and worked for William Hulin, County Recorder, one year, when he began to work for Robertson & Hall, lawyers and land agents and bankers at Rockford. In the fall of 1852 he went to Dixon, Ill., and opened a bank and land office under the firm name of Robertson, Eastman & Co .; remained there until 1855, when he came to Dubuque, Ia., and engaged in buying and selling Iowa lands at Dubuque and Decorah, until the spring of 1856, when he moved to Charles City, Ia., where he has since re- mained; he engaged in the land and banking business until the fall of 1858, and since then has been operating in lands. In 1862 he was appointed Assistant Internal Revenue Assessor of Floyd County, and held that position until Jan. 1, 1864, when he resigned to accept the office of County Recorder of Floyd County, and held that office eight years; since then has speculated in land and city property. In 1857 Mr. Eastman, Duncan Ferguson, Samuel Rid- dill and Samuel Hackley built a saw-mill in the north part of Charles City, this being the second steam mill in Charles City. Mr. Eastman married Eleanor S. Dixon at Rockford, Ill., Feb. 26, 1850. She was born at Geneva, N. Y., and was a daughter of George and Eleanor (Stevenson) Dixon. Sheis a member of the Congregational church. They had a family of three children, none of whom are living. Mr. Eastman is one of the old settlers, and one of the enterprising representative men of Charles City, where he has been identified since 1856. He has always taken an active interest in anything that promised progression to this city.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Though not a member of any church, has always been a liberal supporter, not only of one but all churches. In politics he was first a Whig, and since the organization of the Republican party has been one of its strongest supporters.
Rev. George Elliott, pastor of the M. E. church of Charles City, is a native of Ohio, born in Tucking County, near Pataskala, Lima Township, Dec. 14, 1851, a son of Alexander C. and Margaret (Hanawalt) Elliott. His father was a farmer in early life, and afterward a minister of the M. E. church; she was also a member of this church. They had a family of three sons and five daughters, George, subject of this memoir, being the eldest. When five years of age he removed, with his parents, to Green County, Wis., and soon after his father entered the ministry, and traveled in the Wisconsin Conference nntil George was fifteen, when he was transferred to the Upper Iowa Conference and located in Ma- qnoketa. In 1868 George entered Cornell College, at Mount Ver- mon. Ia., a Methodist institution, graduating in 1872. He went to Sabula, Ia., and edited a newspaper for one year, the Sabula Index, and thence to Humboldt and edited the Humboldt Ros-
mos one year. He entered the Upper Iowa Annual Confer- ence of the M. E. church at Charles City, in October, 1874, an was appointed pastor of a church at Parkersburg, where he re- mained one year, and was stationed at Lansing two years, Mitchell one year, Cresco three years, and appointed minister of the First M. E. Church of Charles City, in the fall of 1881. Mr. Elliott mar- ried Miss A. M. Corfield, at Clinton, Ia., Nov. 12, 1875. She was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and was a danghter of William and Mary (Kemplon) Corfield. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have three children- George, born Dec. 18, 1876; Phillip, Sept. 7, 1878; Mary, Nov. 1, 1880. Mrs. Elliott is also a member of the M. E. church. He is of Scotch, Irish and Dutch descent. He was one of the active workers in the late temperance contest, in favor of the amendment prohibiting the sale and manufacture of intoxicating liquor. His great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary war.
Charles Engelhart, business manager for his father, F. Engel- hart, grocer, Charles City, was born near Gotha, Prussia, Germany, Nov. 7, 1846. His parents, Frederick and Mary (Otto) Engel- hart, were natives of Prussia, and members of the Lutheran church. They had a family of four children, three sons and one daughter; Charles, subject of this sketch was the eldest. He came with his parents to America when seven years of age, landed in New York
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CHARLES CITY.
City, after being eleven weeks at sea in a sailing vessel; the family settled on a farm twenty-four miles southwest of Chicago. Charles remained on the farm until twenty-two, when he married Johanna Grosskopf in New Bremen, Ill. They lived with his father one year, and he then ran a store of his own in New Bremen, one year, when he bought a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1872, when he came to Charles City, Ia. He farmed in St. Charles Township three years, since which time he has been engaged in the grocery business in Charles City with his father. He and wife are members of the German M. E. church, and have had two sons and one daughter, viz. : Louisa, Frederick and Ernest. Mr. Engelhart is one of the enterprising representative business men of Charles City, where he has been identified since 1874. In politics he is a Republican. He enlisted in Company G, Thirty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, in the late Rebellion, and remained in the ser- vice until the close of the war. He was wounded twice: first at the siege of Vicksburg in front of the skirmish line in June, 1864, being shot in the hand and losing the fore finger of the right hand; and was wounded in the left thigh at Fort Craig in front of Peters- burg, April 2, 1865, and he remained at Fort Monroe, Va., six months ; was in all the battles of 1864 and 1865. At the close of the war he returned home to Illinois. His parents are living in New Bremen, Cook County, Ill.
E. C. Egloff, agent for the Illinois Central Railroad, is a native of Germany, born near Frankfort, on the Main River, June 17, 1851. His parents were William J. and Mary (Brandel) Egloff. The former was born in the eastern part of France, in the province of Alsace, April 9, 1804. At the age of five, he commenced study in a French school, where he continued until the age of thirteen. He then attended the University of Passau, in Bavaria, where he remained eight years, graduating as a classic student. He next took up the study of law, which he followed for three years, grad- uating with honors, afterward practicing his profession with success. He was appointed District Judge in 1850, which posi- tion he held until 1855, when he resigned to come to America. He came to Iowa, and settled in Delaware County, and farmed until 1859. He then opened a hotel and restaurant at Manchester, and in 1861 removed to Cedar Falls, Ia., and continued in the same business there for five years. In 1865 removed to Waterloo, Ia., and in the spring of 1868 came to Charles City and retired from active business. He removed to Mason City in 1871, and died
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