USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 16
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To Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have been born two daughters: Pearl Blanche (Fowler) Alford, whose natal day was March 15, 1886; and Mary Jane, who was born on the 20th of November, 1892, and died on the 3d of April, 1895. Mrs. Alford attended the rural and high schools of Blairsburg, graduating from the latter in 1904. She sup- plemented the same with a term in music at Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa. She was married on the 3d of February, 1909, to Adolphus Edison Alford, who was born at Mooers Forks, Clinton county, New York, on the 8th of October, 1882, a son of Leslie (de- ceased) and Elmina Dorcas (Chesbrow) Alford. Leslie Alford was born at Beekmantown, Clinton county, New York, on the 21st of January, 1855. He was a gentleman of American descent and a farmer by occupation. His demise occurred on the 16th of May, 1886, and his remains were interred at Mooers Forks, New York. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elmina Dorcas Chesbrow, was born at Beekmantown, Clinton county, New York, on the 8th of June, 1857, and is also of American descent. They were married at West Chazy, Clinton county, New York, on the 4th of July, 1877, and be- came the parents of six children, as follows: Alice Mary, who was born at Mooers Forks, New York, on the 8th of April, 1878: Herbert Franklin, who was born at Mooers Forks, New York, on the 22d of January, 1879, and died on the 23d of March, 1899; Wallace James, whose birth occurred at Saranac Lake, Franklin county, New York, on the Ist of August, 1881 ; Adolphus Edison, whose birth occurred at Mooers Forks, Clinton county, New York, on the 8th of October, 1882; Bertha Elizabeth, who was born at Mooers Forks, New York,
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on the 20th of March, 1884; and Fred Leslie, who was born at Ma- lone, Franklin county, New York, on the 15th of April, 1886. In June, 1892, the mother of this family gave her hand in marriage to J. Griffith, by whom she has two living children, Lorenzo and Fran- cese.
It was in 1890 that Adolphus Edison Alford removed to Cropsey, Illinois, with his mother, brothers and sisters, attending the schools of that place. His parents were farmers in New York. He and his brother Wallace came to Iowa in September, 1906, and together rented a farmi four and a half miles southwest of Blairsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Alford own a farm of choice land about three miles north of Blairs- burg, with good improvements. ,
The politics of both families is republican. Both families are mem- bers of the Congregational church of Blairsburg. Mr. Fowler united with the Methodist Episcopal church in 1875 and Mrs. Fowler, No- vember 25, 1877, at the organization of the Wesleyan Methodist church at Blairsburg. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fowler remained members of Wesleyan church until the building and organization of the Congre- gationalists at Blairsburg, which took place in 1891, when at that time they united and have been members ever since, Mr. Fowler now serving as treasurer. For six years he held the office of deacon. He has served as recorder of the town of Blairsburg four years, has served as a member of the board of education in times past and at the election held in March, 1912, was elected again. He has been a member of the town council and is one at the present time. He is held in high regard by his fellow townsmen, as he is a man of good standards and upright principles whose influence is always exerted on behalf of every progressive movement.
PETER W. KEITH.
Peter W. Keith, who engages in the insurance business in Blairs- burg, is one of those who valiantly served the Union during the time of its terrible need in the early '60s. He was born in Washington county, Ohio, on the 8th of January, 1842, and is a son of Robert and Anna (Boone) Keith, who were born, reared and married in the Buckeye state. They came to Iowa in 1854, locating in Delaware county. This section of the state was but sparsely settled at that period, which was prior to the advent of the railroad, and the father,
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who was quite extensively engaged in buying hogs, used to drive them to Anamosa, the nearest shipping point. He passed the re- mainder of his life in Delaware county, where he died at the age of ninety years. The mother was fifty-two at the time of her death, which occurred in Keithsburg, Ohio. She was a near relative of Daniel Boone, of Kentucky pioneer fame, and in the maternal line was descended from a long lived family, her mother having passed the one hundred year mark at the time of demise. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Keith numbered five: Sylvester, who died in infancy; W. B., who is a resident of Los Angeles, California; Peter W., our subject; Mrs. Mary Hunt, who died in Kansas City, and John, a locomotive engineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, one of the company's oldest living employes, who will soon be eligible to pension.
Peter W. Keith was a lad of twelve years when his parents set- tled in Delaware county, where he completed his education and was reared to manhood. During the early period of the Civil war he enlisted in Company G, Sixth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, remaining at the front for three years, his regiment being in the western army. When mustered out he returned to the home farm in Delaware county, and there engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1878. In the lat- ter year he went to Strawberry Point, where he conducted a hotel for twenty years. During that period he began writing insurance, subsequently devoting his entire time to this business. On the 6th of April, 1911, he came to Blairsburg and has ever since made this place his home. He has here established an office and is the local representative for the Continental, Aetna, St. Paul Fire & Marine, Hawkeye of Des Moines, State of Des Moines and State of Keokuk companies, and is also agent for a number of reliable and well known life insurance companies, and is doing a good business.
Mr. Keith has been twice married, his first union being with Miss Martha Abbey, who was born at Euclid, Ohio, on the 23d of March, 1843, and died in 1902. In March, 1905, Mr. Keith was married to Miss Emma Walsworth, who was born in Adams, Jefferson, New York, on January 25, 1858. She is the elder of the two daughters born of the marriage of John C. and Sybil (Abbey) Walsworth, pioneer settlers of Delaware county, Iowa. The father was born in Adams, Jefferson county, New York, on the 26th of December, 1830, and the mother in Middlebury, Vermont, on April 5, 1830. They came to Hamilton county in 1886, locating on a farm in Blairsburg township, where the father continued his agricultural pursuits un-
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til his death, which occurred on January 29, 1900. The mother passed away in 1901. Their younger daughter, Grace, is the wife of Charles Castner, who is mentioned at greater length elsewhere in this work.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Keith belong to the Congregational church, having been identified with this denomination for more than forty years, and she is one of the charter members of the Blairsburg church. Fraternally he is affiliated with Standard Lodge, No. 351, A. F. & A. M., of Waucoma; Mirabeau Chapter, No. 96, R. A. M., of Greeley, Iowa; and Language Chapter, No. 47, R. A. M., of West Union. He is also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star at Waucoma, and Waucoma Lodge, No. 303, I. O. O. F., and he was formerly a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge of Waucoma. He maintains relations with his old comrades of the field through the medium of his connection with Sutherland Post, No. 171, G. A. R., of Waucoma, of which he was commander for ten years. In politics he is a republican, and while residing in Strawberry Point served for four years as postmaster and as justice of the peace for two. He has a very pleasant home in Blairsburg and he also owns a residence prop- erty in Waucoma, while Mrs. Keith holds the title to forty acres of well improved land in Blairsburg township. They are both most estimable people and have many friends who accord them the regard and respect due those who represent the highest type of citizens.
CLEMUEL ROBBINS.
Clemuel Robbins now lives in retirement at No. 308 East Dubuque street, Webster City, Iowa, where he is well known as a man whose agricultural activities for many years have been a substantial asset in the upbuilding of county and state. His history extends back to the early days of settlement when most of the farms which are now the pride of Iowa were raw and unde- veloped prairie lands. He was born January 5, 1830, in Franklin , county, Ohio, his parents being Mathias and Sarah (Couder) Robbins, natives of Pennsylvania. They left that state for Ohio where the father was active in various capacities until his wife's death in 1848. He then moved to Illinois, where he resided until his demise which occurred at the age of eighty-six years and sixteen days.
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Clemuel Robbins received his early education in the public schools of Pennsylvania and Ohio. In 1854 he came to Iowa and with three companions walked from Dubuque to Homer in that state in order to enter his claim for one hundred and twenty acres of land. His original intention had been to take up one hundred and sixty acres at the government price of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. When he reached Homer, how- ever, he found that some of his money was in bad Kentucky bills and consequently his purchase was limited. When he proved his claim he went to Illinois and in the summer of 1856 again re- turned to Iowa. He remained in this state for one year but did not make it his permanent home until 1862. In that year he added to his one hundred and twenty acres by the purchase of forty acres adjoining and thus finally completed his original in- tention of having a one hundred and sixty acre farm. The rise of land values in Iowa made his second purchase of land more expensive than his original holdings. He paid eight dollars per acre in 1862 for land adjoining that which he bought in 1854 at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. His farm is all in Freedom township and is one of the prosperous and flourishing enterprises in that section.
When Mr. Robbins had completed his buying of land he im- mediately proceeded to put his one hundred and sixty acres under cultivation. He broke the prairie, built a house and barn and erected all the necessary outbuildings upon his property. He gave his personal attention and supervision to the tilling of his land and watched its evolution from an undeveloped state into one of the flourishing agricultural enterprises in the state of Iowa. His farming was practical and for that reason produced good results. Iowa land is fertile and rich and if a man is intel- ligent and industrious he can almost always gain from it a com- fortable competency. Mr. Robbins' labors were always along progressive and scientific lines and in 1891 he was enabled to give up the arduous duties incident to the development of his holdings and to move to Webster City where he is now living a retired life among his friends. He still owns his original farm of one hundred and sixty acres and has rented it to his son, William M. Robbins, who is carrying on the operation of the enterprise along the developing and expanding principles which his father instituted.
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In December, 1862, Clemuel Robbins was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Royster, a daughter of William and Adeline Roys- ter, who came from Indiana in 1856 and settled in Webster town- ship, Hamilton county. Mrs. Robbins died September 12, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Clemuel Robbins became the parents of four chil- dren. Elmer, whose birth occurred in 1863, was in 1891 married to Miss Alice Butler, a daughter of John F. and Martha Butler, who came to Webster City in 1854 and are now among its oldest living pioneers. Elmer Robbins is a farmer in Freedom town- ship where he now owns two hundred and forty acres of highly developed land. He is the father of three children: Leah M., whose birth occurred in 1893; Ella, born in 1899; and Bessie, born in 1904. The second son of Clemuel Robbins is William M. He was born in 1868 and in 1898 married Miss Estella B. John- son, a daughter of Jacob W. and Barbara Johnson of Webster township. It is William M. Robbins who is now renting his father's home farm of one hundred and sixty acres and is operat- ing this in addition to eighty acres which he owns in his own right. He is one of the representative and leading citizens of Freedom township and is prominent in fraternal and agricultural circles. He is at present noble grand of Elmo Lodge, No. 62, I. O. O. F., and has been through all the chairs of the Ridgeley Encampment, No. 9, of that organization. He is also a member of Eureka Canton. No. 23, and with his wife belongs to the superior Rebekahs Lodge, No. 378. Susan, the eldest daughter of Clemuel Robbins, in 1896 married Mr. B. C. Letts, a farmer in Freedom township, and she lives in that section with her husband and son, Harold D., born 1902. Nora was married in 1898 to James R. Silver, whose birth occurred in Scotland in 1871. He spent his youth in his native country and came to the United States in 1893, arriving in Iowa in March of the same year. To this union were born three children, Donald Cameron, Ada B. and Alta Catherine. James R. Silver is one of the representative men of Freedom township and is prominent in many lines of activity in that district. He holds membership in Elmo Lodge, No. 62, I. O. O. F., has passed through all the chairs of Ridgeley Encampment, No. 9, and is a member of Eureka Canton, No. 23, of the same organization.
The family of Clemuel Robbins is well known in many sec- tions of Iowa and its name has been prominent for many years in agricultural activities in that state. Mr. Robbins is representa-
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tive of a wide class of men who bring to farming a practical knowledge of the details of the occupation coupled with an in- telligent and scientific and progressively developing method of work which are rapidly making the state of Iowa one of the most prosperous agricultural regions in the United States.
WILLIAM L. WHITHAM.
William L. Whitham is engaged in the real-estate 'and insurance business at suite No. 4, Hamilton County State Bank building, Web- ster City, Iowa. He has an exhaustive knowledge of agricultural values and has sold land in all parts of the United States and Mexico. He is known throughout Hamilton county as a reliable and enterpris- ing business man and has built up an extensive patronage in his chosen line of activity. He was born in 1866, at Elk Grove, Lafayette county, Wisconsin. His parents were William Cameron and Fanny ( Brewer) Whitham. His father was born in Philadelphia in 1833 and came to Wisconsin when he was still a young man. He was active and pros- perous in the live-stock business and was also well known as a suc- cessful auctioneer, until his death, which occurred in 1904, when he was seventy-one years of age. Mrs. Fanny Whitham died in 1896, when she was fifty-four years of age.
William L. Whitham was educated in the common schools of Wisconsin, where he pursued the usual course of study. He supple- mented his education by attending the Northern Illinois Normal School at Dixon, Illinois, from which institution he was graduated in 1891. He commenced his business career as a bookkeeper and general manager in a merchandise business at Lead Mine, Wisconsin, and was successful in this field for four years. In 1895 he moved to Webster City, where for eight years he was engaged as a traveling salesman for a Dubuque and also a Milwaukee boot and shoe house. In 1903 he entered upon an independent commercial career by estab- lishing himself in his present real-estate and insurance business. His success has been continuous and rapid since that time and is founded on his well proven integrity and his upright and honorable principles. He makes a specialty of farm lands in various parts of the United States and is an expert judge of their value. He has sold property in nearly all the agricultural states of America and has even extended
W. L. WHITHAM
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his activities into Mexico. He also deals in city property and this part of his business is rapidly becoming important.
In 1893 Mr. Whitham was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Frances Cameron, a daughter of John D. Cameron of Montfort, Wis- consin. They have two children: Matred, born in 1895; and Ruby, whose birth occurred in 1897. Both of Mr. Whitham's children are natives of Webster City.
In his political views Mr. Whitham is republican. He is a promi- nent Mason, holding membership in Acacia Lodge, No. 176, F. & A. M., of which organization he was master in 1909. He is also con- nected with Hope Chapter, No. 88, R. A. M., of which he is at pres- ent high priest. He belongs to Triune Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar, and is active in the affairs of the Eastern Star order, of which he was worthy patron in 1911. He holds membership in the Congregational church. The family residence is at No. 826 Walnut street, Webster City. Mr. Whitham is well known as a public-spirited man, interested in every movement looking toward civic development and welfare. He is serving his city as a member of the council and has been active in this public office since 1911. He was a director of the Webster City Commercial League and this affiliation afforded him an adequate field for his municipal ideas. He is one of the substan- tial and valued citizens of Webster City, where his activities have in- fluenced business development. As a real-estate agent he never takes advantage of his patrons and has built up upon the solid basis of commercial honor and morality an enterprise which in its expansion and development is keeping pace with the civic progress and upbuild- ing of Webster City.
PEARLY SOWERS.
Pearly Sowers is farming eighty acres of land on section 34, Ellsworth township, and is numbered among the successful and representative agriculturists of this district. He is a native son of Iowa, born May 18, 1868, and he has spent his entire life in Hamilton county. His parents, Lindsey and Rebecca E. (Ward) Sowers, were among the earliest settlers in this part of the state, coming to Ellsworth township in the fall of 1856. His father was born in Fountain county, Indiana, December 25, 1833, and died upon his farm in Ellsworth township March 4, 1911. The mother
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of our subject was a native of Crawford county, Ohio, born De- cember 12, 1839. Her death occurred upon her husband's farm February 12, 1898. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey Sowers were eight children: Laura, born June 4, 1863, who died March 26, 1865; Albert, who was born March 25, 1865; Henry, born October 21, 1866, who died May 26, 1867; Pearly, the sub- ject of this review; Mrs. Mary Hughes, who was born February 7, 1871; Guy, whose birth occurred August 1, 1873; Planey, born January 29, 1876; and Charles, whose natal day was May 16, 1878. They were among the early settlers in this section of the state, coming here when there were no groves upon the prairies and no human dwelling between the place of their settlement and the Boone river. They established a home, reared a large family of sons and daughters and were among the most highly respected of the pioneers in Iowa.
Pearly Sowers attended the district schools of his native sec- tion and has always been identified with agricultural interests in Hamilton county. The farm of eighty acres which he is now cultivating is one of the fine properties of this section of the state, equipped with modern improvements and intelligently de- veloped in every department. Upon it Mr. Sowers lives in a com- fortable and well furnished home, being numbered among the successful and enterprising general farmers.
In September, 1895, Mr. Sowers married Miss Anna Templer, born October 14, 1870, a daughter of Daniel D. C. and Nancy (Ennis) Templer. Her father was born in Schenectady county, New York, May 2, 1838, and went to Hardin county, Iowa, in 1867. Three years later he settled in Ellsworth township where he cultivated a fine farm of one hundred and seven acres on sec- tion 15 and thereon resided until his death which occurred Octo- ber 17, 1897. Mrs. Sowers' mother was born in Princeton, New York, December 8, 1845, and is residing on the homestead in Ellsworth township. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Tem- pler were six children, five of whom are still living: Anna, the wife of our subject ; Jane, who is residing with her mother on the home farm and who is one of the most successful school teachers in Hamilton county; Ettie, who is acting as assistant in a photog- rapher's studio in Des Moines; Maggie, who died October 14, 1910; and Camie and Archie, who are associated in the operation of the homestead. Mrs. Sowers before her marriage taught in the Hamilton county public schools and was well known and suc-
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cessful in this line. She and her husband have three children: Pearly, Jr., born May 15, 1900; Ruby, who was born April 21, 1902; and Walter, whose birth occurred March 15, 1904. All of the children are attending school in the community.
Mr. Sowers gives his allegiance to the democratic party. His wife is a member of the Congregational church at Jewell. He is well known in this district where he has resided all his life and has won universal trust and good-will by reason of the straight- forward and honorable principles which he advocates and to which he consistently adheres.
CHARLES T. SMITH.
The largest clothing house in Hamilton county is operated by the firm of Charles T. Smith & Son at Nos. 609-613 Second street. The enterprise has been intelligently controlled and its policy well directed by Charles T. Smith, its organizer and founder and in the eleven years of its existence has developed into a flourishing business enterprise. Mr. Smith has been con- nected with the mercantile line in Iowa since he left school and every year of his activity has marked a new stage in his com- mercial prosperity. He was born on the 3d of August, 1857, at Pennsville, Morgan county, Ohio. Here his father, James Smith, was a prominent merchant for many years. He later moved to Tama City, Iowa, in 1865, and was successful in the general mer- chandise business in that city until he went to Marengo, Iowa, where he remained for three years. He eventually moved to Mount Vernon, Iowa, where for fifty years he was a representa- tive and prominent citizen. He died here on the 15th of Decem- ber, 1901, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Mr. Smith's mother, who in her maidenhood was Miss Ruth King, is still living in Mount Vernon where she is widely and favorably known.
Charles T. Smith was reared at home and was educated in the public schools of Iowa. He later attended Normal College in Mount Vernon and upon his graduation began work in his father's store in that city. He early learned the foundations of a successful business career by the standards of commercial honor and unwavering integrity which characterized his father. He became proficient in the systematic conduct of a mercantile
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enterprise and acquired by personal experience the knowledge neces- sary to insure his future success in his chosen field of endeavor. In 1880 he was taken into partnership by his father and remained in this association for ten years. He subsequently removed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where from 1890 to 1901 he was well known in the shoe business, the enterprise which he conducted being one of the progressive and representative mercantile concerns of that city. His residence in Webster City began in 1901 when he started in his present business independently. For some time he confined his activities entirely to men's furnishings but subse- quently expanded his enterprise along affiliated lines. He added a general shoe department and reorganized his business gen- erally, at this time taking his son into partnership. The firm of Charles T. Smith & Son is now the largest clothing house in Hamil- ton county and its operations extend beyond the limits of Webster City and influence the commercial development of the state of Iowa.
In 1882 Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Georgia S. Ayres, a daughter of James Ayres, of Dixon, Illinois. Mr. Ayres was a prominent Civil war veteran, who during his term of active service in the Federal army edited a paper giving the war news in a condensed form. He died in 1907 at the age of sixty-five years and is survived by his wife who resides in Dixon, Illinois. The Ayres family is of Scotch descent and trace their ancestors to representatives of the Cameron Clan in that country. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children. Harold James, born in 1884 and a graduate of St. John's College, Salina, Kansas, is now a partner in his father's clothing business. He is also prominent in fraternal circles in Webster City, holding membership in Acacia Lodge, No. 176, F. & A. M .; in Hope Chapter, No. 88, R. A. M .; and in the Triune Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar. He is also a member of Company C, Fifty-sixth Regiment, Illinois National Guards and serves as first lieutenant in that organization. Gladys A., the youngest of the family, was born in 1886. She is a graduate of Mount St. Joseph's College, Dubuque, Iowa, and of the School of Oratory of the Northwestern University of Evans- ton, Illinois. The family residence is at No. 1219 Prospect avenue, Webster City.
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