History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 88

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 88

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

and removed with his family to the terri- tory of Ohio in 1796. Mr. Hunt is the only surviving member of a family of twelve children. He has been engaged in the ministry for more than forty years. He came to Hardin county in 1856, and settled in the township of Providence, where he resided for a long series of years. His house and other property was destroyed by the tornado of 1860. Fortunately, he and family were attending meeting at a distant farm-house, and were uninjured. He was pastor of the church in Providence till he came to Iowa Falls, in 1871. In 1866 he crossed the Atlantic, visiting England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. He went abroad in the interest of the Society of Friends. He was absent about a year and a half; while there was engaged in preaching the gospel, and doing other work in the interests of Christianity. Mr. Hunt has been four times married. His present wife is a native of Ohio. He has had seven children, only two of whom are living, viz-Mary D., wife of Wm. F. Andrews of New Providence, and L. G., also of the township of Providence. An adopted daughter of Mr. Hunt is the wife of Thomas J. Ashby, of Iowa Falls. Mrs. Hunt has also had seven children, five of whom are residents of this township. While not taking an active part in politics, Mr. Hunt has been identified with the Republican party since its organization. He was a member of the State Legislature for the years 1859 and 1860. He served as County Surveyor for a time, being appointed by the Board of Supervisors to fill a vacancy in that office.

The Baptist Church was organized in 1862 by Rev. O. A. Holmes, with eight

constitutent members-Mr. and Mrs. Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Coppock, Mr. and Miss Conklin, and Mrs. Lydia Holly. The first officers of the church, were the foregoing male members. After meeting in different places as the opportunity offered, the present church edifice was erected at a cost of $6,000. In size it is 40x60. The following named have served the church as pastors: Revs. O. A. Holmes, A. L. Farr, D. A. Robinson, F. B. Witter, Mr. Hayhurst, D. D. Proper, and G. J. Travis, the present pastor, who came in 1879. Its present officers are as follows: Leonard Hale, A. A. Jackson, J. C. Hammond, 'Deacons; J. T. Buttolph, J. S. Smith, D. A. Davis, Trustees; Rev. G. J. Travis, pastor. The present mem- bership of the church is 117. A Sunday School was organized in 1862. It has a membership at present of 125. A. J. Jack- son is the present Superintendent.

Rev. Gould J. Travis, the present pastor of the Baptist Church, was born in Kent, Putnam county, N. Y., in 1814. He was educated at Madison University, Hamilton, N. Y., graduating in 1870, with the degree of A. B. He graduated from the Theologi- cal Department of the same institution in 1876. He was ordained in 1870 at Hart- wick, Otsego county, N.Y., where he labored two years. He went from there to Pana, Mich., where he remained three years in charge of a church at that place, and then to Waterville, N. Y., where he remained four years, when he came to Iowa Falls. His wife was formerly Ella L. Ford, who was born in Steuben county, N. Y. They have four children-Eli M., Seward S., Carlisle and Ella.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

BANKS.

The bank of Iowa Falls was organized August 3, 1874, with a nominal capital of $50,000, half of which was paid up. It was organized under the general act. Its first officers were, J. T. Buttolpb, President; William Wilde, Vice-President; F. W. Shaxton, Cashier. Mr. Buttolph has been President since the organization of the bank, save from August, 1881, to August, 1882, when that position was held by J. H. Carleton. F. W. Shaxton was Cashier but nine months, when he was succeeded by the present Cashier, H. C. Miller. The first report made to the State Auditor was as follows:

Cash on hand $5,543 34

Loans and discounts 23,823 SO

Real estate and fixtures. 4,102 37

Due from banks 7,904 45

Capital 25,000 00

Deposits 15,426 91

Earnings 947 05

As showing the condition of the bank at present, the statement made July 31, 1882, is here given:

Bills receivable .$81,267 67

Furniture and fixtures 4,664 77

Expense and tax 2,761 46

Due from banks 7,226 58

Cash on hand 10,437 28 Liabilities-

Capital stock 33,750 00

Earnings

9,358 23

Deposits 63,249 53

The present officers of the bank are, J. T. Buttolph, President; Robert Wright, Vice-President; H. C. Miller, Cashier.

Jonathan T. Buttolph has been a resi- dent of Iowa Falls since June, 1857. He was born in Middlebury, Vt., December

10, 1826. His parents were Joseph and Harriet (Treadway) Buttolph. The But- tolphs settled early in Connecticut, and his grandfather, Elisha Buttolph, was one of the early settlers of Middlebury. Mr. Buttolph's father was a soldier in the second war with England, and his maternal grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Mr. Buttolph was educated in his native town. His parents intended that he should receive a collegiate education. He entered college, but left in the freshman year. A student's life seemed to be distasteful to him. He had a speculative turn of mind, afterwards fully developed, but it ran to live stock and corner lots rather than to scientific pursuits. At eighteen years of age, he went to Ticonderoga, N. Y .; was there employed as clerk for two years, then came as far West as Fon du Lac, Wis., in 1849, and engaged in speculating. A year or two later he returned to Vermont and farmed for six years in Orwell, and, as stated, came to the village of Iowa Falls in June, 1857. Here he began at once to buy and sell land, and to deal in live stock. On the 1st of October, 1874, the bank of Iowa Falls was incorporated. Mr. Buttolph was made its President, and has held that position since that time, except an interval of one year. Mr. Buttolph has been a life-long Democrat, strongly attached to his party, quite active in county politics, but has no aspirations to office. He has been a member of the Baptist Church for many years, and is a liberal supporter of benevolent and religious en- terprises. His wife was Miss Maria Wood- ruff, of Iowa Falls. They were married January 1, 1859. Their family consists of

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

three children-Kate R., now Mrs. J. D. Steere; Nellie M .. now Mrs. J. P. Carleton; and James S. Mr. Buttolph is endowed with a large degree of common sense, good judgment, and much Yankee shrewdness. He is a prudent and careful manager, and success has attended him in every branch of business.

H. C. Miller, Cashier of the Bank of Iowa Falls, was born in Warren county, Ohio, in 1850. His father is John P. Mil- ler, who came to Hardin county with his family in 1856. Mr. H. C. Miller has been Cashier of this bank during the whole of its existence, except the first nine months. He was married to Miss Annie Downend. They have two boys-John R. and Frank.

The Commercial Bank of Iowa Falls was organized August 3, 1882, with an authorized capital of $50,000. The stock- holders are, L. F. Wisner, Wm. Wilde, E. S. Ellsworth, W. F. Beck, J. L. Hoag, L. O. Bliss, J. H. Carleton and H. M. Nichols. The officers of the bank are, J. H. Carleton, President; Wm. Wilde, Vice-President; W. H. Woods, Cashier. August 30, 1882, the bank opened its doors for business. October 6, 1882, it published the following statement:

Bills receivable $35,272 16

Deposits 20,518 18

Due from banks 6,170 78

Cash on hand. 3,886 85

HOTELS.

Iowa Falls is well supplied with good hotels-Jones', Woods' and Stevens'.

The Woods Hotel is the oldest, and was erected in 1856 by Colburn & Wood. Ad- ditions have since been built, making it large and commodious.

The Jones House is a popular hotel.

L. P. Jones, proprietor of the Jones Hotel, Iowa Falls, is a settler of 1858, and has been in the hotel business since 1859, except an interval of two years. He built a hotel on Washington avenue in 1872, called the Jones Hotel, which was burned. He then erected a hotel on the site of his present building, which was also destroyed by fire. His present hotel is brick, built in 1874; dimensions, 95 by 22, and two stories in height. He also occupies, for hotel purposes, part of an adjoining build- ing. Mr. Jones was born in Litchfield county, Conn., in 1826. His father was H. P. Jones, who, for twenty years, kept a hotel in New Haven, Conn. The entire family came here in 1858. Mr. H. P. Jones kept the Western Hotel here for some time, and L. P. was also, for a short period, landlord of that house. The parents are now residents of Cedar Falls, where they have lived since 1864. Mrs. Jones was formerly Miss Agnes Ham- mond, born in Canada. Mr. Jones has been quite unfortunate in having his hotel twice destroyed by fire, but has displayed commendable energy in rebuilding. He keeps an excellent hotel. Mrs. Jones is possessed of excellent business qualities, and is a superior landlady, and to her is due, to no small extent, the high reputa- tion which the Jones Hotel bears for its excellence. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have one son, Louis, born in Connecticut, October 19, 1858. He is at present chief assistant in the real estate and loan office of E. S. Ellsworth. He was but six months old at the time he came here with his parents.

Hosmer Stevens, proprietor of the Stevens Hotel, is one of the three original

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

owners of the town plat of Iowa Falls. He same here in 1855. He selected the site for the dam of the flouring mill, and in 1857, with Messrs. Larkin and Estes, built the mill, and owned a third interest in the same till the spring of 1861, when he sold his interest to Mr. Robert Wright. Since that time he has been engaged in the hotel business. He built his first hotel in 1860, which was burned in 1874, when he built his present building. Mr. Stevens was born in the town of Shelden, Wyoming county, N. Y., in 1820. He went to Adrian, Mich., in 1837; thence to Marshall, in the same State; thence to Chicago, and finally settled in Kane county, Ill., where he lived till 1855, when he came here. Mr. Stevens has been mar- ried twice. His first wife was Maxey Marvin, born in the State of New York. His second wife was Mrs. Isabel Pierce, also from the State of New York. He has three children by his first wife.

FLOURING MILL.

The Iowa Flouring Mill was built in 1857, by Estes, Larkin & Stevens. It is of lime- stone, 28x40 feet, and 4} stories in height. The mill, originally, had three central dis- charge water-wheels, and two run of burrs. As a custom mill it supplied a vast extent of country. It was patronized from the west as far as Fort Dodge, from beyond Hamp- ton from the north, and New Hartford from the East. There being no other mill for a great distance, north, west or east. The parties who built the mill, run it till the spring of 1859. Mr. Robert Wright has had charge of the mill since that time, except an interval of one year, and has owned a third interest, since the spring of

1862. The property since that date has been in the firm name of Estes, Woods & Wright. Several dams have been carried away by the floods, during the existence of the mill. In 1872 a new flume and two new water-wheels (Eclipse) were put in, also an additional run of stone and a new bolt were added, and general repairs were also made. Mr. Wright who has been the practical man connected with the mill dur- ing nearly the whole of its existence, is a native of England, where he was born in 1818. He served an apprenticeship of seven years to the milling business. He came to New York from England March, 1846, thence to Galesville, Washington county, N.Y. From the State of New York he went to Manchester, Vt., where he was engaged in the milling business for eight years. He went from Vermont to Grant county, Wisconsin, where he was engaged as a civil engineer for a mining company for a year and a half. He lived in Grant county about three years, and came here, permantly, in 1859, coming- first in 1856. Mr. Wright has been married twice; lost his first wife here. He has one son-Robert, born in Iowa Falls, July, 1869. Mr. Wright is also a member of the mercantile firm of Wright & Shipley.

WOOLEN MILL.

The Iowa Falls Woolen Mills are now owned by Mr. John Creath, who has intro- duced improved machinery, and enlarged the manufacturing capacity of the factory. Mr. Creath took possession of the factory December 1, 1881. He is a native of Mount Sterling, Madison county, Ohio, and came here from Kansas. Mr. J. P. Sharp, general manager of the mills, was born in

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

Franklin county, Ohio, in 1844: He went to Kansas in 1870, where he had abont eight years experience in his present busi- ness. He and the owner, Mr. Creath, are brothers-in-law, and came here together from Kansas. Under the present manage. ment, and with improved facilities for manufacturing, the mills promise to be a success.

CREAMERY.

Leonidas L. Kelly is the proprietor of the Iowa Falls Creamery, and also of the bath-house and medicinal spring. His father, Samuel Kelly, with his two sons, Enos and L. L., built the Iowa Falls Woolen Mills.

Samuel Kelly came here in 1864. He was attracted hither by the well-known, valuable water-power and beautiful loca- tion of Iowa Falls. He selected the site for a factory, and the following year his sons came on, and they built the factory that season; but the dam being carried away, manufacturing was not begun until 1866. Enos Kelly died in 1869, and the father lost his wife, by an accident, in the spring of 1872. L. L. conducted the busi- ness until 1875, when he rented it to Chas. E. Phillips, who run it one season. L. L. again run the mill, until 1880, when, with Mr. E. Stickler, he put in extra machinery, and they run it together till the following year, manufacturing what is known as "convict goods," which was used in Ana- mosa and Fort Madison penitentiaries, and other institutions of the kind. Mr. Kelly then sold the factory to Mr. Stickler, but it is now in the hands of Mr. John Creath, who is running it quite successfully in the manufacture of yarns and flannels. The

building is a frame one, 30 by 80 feet, and located about one and one-half miles below the central portion of the village.

In May, 1881, Mr. Kelly, with Charles E. Frink, built the Iowa Falls Creamery. He bought Mr. Frink's interest in January, 1882. The capacity of the factory is 1,000 pounds of butter per day. Mr. Kelly has at his creamery a fine mineral, or medicinal spring, the water of which is similar to that of the Siloam spring, located near the city. He has also a bath house connected with the spring, where the weary or afflicted may indulge in the luxury of a warm or cold bath, and be restored to cleanliness and improved in health.

Mr. Kelly was born in Ohio, in 1846, where he was brought up. He served for a time in the war of the rebellion, in the 169th Ohio Infantry. His wife was Miss Lucena Eldred, a daughter of Nelson El- dred. They have one son-Frederick.

INSURANCE,

The insurance business of Iowa Falls is represented by S. P. Smith, J. C. Ham- mond, William Jones and J. H. Weiland.

Stephen P. Smith was one of the earlier settlers of Iowa Falls. He has a general grocery store, and is also a partner in the firm of Cady & Smith, jewelers. He has also for many years been engaged in the insurance business, and represents most of the best fire insurance companies in the country. He was born in Otsego county, N. Y., in 1827, where he lived until 1858. He was brought up to the business of farm- ing, and, when a young man, was engaged in teaching and clerking for some time. He came to Iowa Falls in July, 1858, and for several years was engaged in specu-

el A elmetto:

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

lating, etc. In 1862 he engaged in the in- surance business, which he has since fol- lowed. He established the mercantile business in 1870, was burned out in 1874, and rebuilt on the same site, the same sea- son. He sold out in 1875, and resumed business in July, 1881. The firm of Cady .& Smith, jewelers, was formed in 1878. Mr. Smith is a successful business man, and a genial and popular gentleman. Mrs. Smith was formerly Miss Farrelia Hardin, a daughter of Chauncy and Sally Hardin, who came to Iowa Falls at the time Mr. Smith came. Mr. Hardin died in Decem- ber, 1876. Mrs. Hardin is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one daughter-Jen- nie A.

James C. Hammond was one of the early settlers of Union township. His settle- ment there dates from October, 1854. He was born in Jefferson county, N. Y., where he lived till he was seventeen years of age, when he removed with his parents to Michigan; the family afterward removed to Illinois. His parents came to Hardin county in 1856, and settled in Eldora township, where they resided until their death. As before stated, Mr. Hammond's settlement in Hardin county dates from the fall of 1854. He is a millwright by trade. In 1856, in company with Luther Sander- son he built a saw-mill in Union town- ship. He run the mill for about three years, when he sold out to his partner, and removed to Xenia, in Eldora town- ship. There he built a saw-mill, of which, for a time, he owned a third interest. · He lived in Xenia till the spring of 1866, when he removed to Iowa Falls. He worked here for several years at the busi- ness of carpentering and millwrighting.

He has been a Justice of the Peace and an Insurance Agent for several years. Mrs. Hammond was formerly Mis- Jane Turner, a daughter of Wm. Ross Turner. She was born in Oswego county, N. Y., in 1826. Her father died in the State of New York. Her mother, with her family, removed to Boone county, Ill., in 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Hammond were married in Illinois, in 1846. They have had no children, but have an adopted son-Mathew Fitzmaurice, born in 1852, and adopted when but 21 months old. He is now in Polo Pinto county, Texas.

Wm. Jones, or Squire Jones, as he is generally known, came to Hardin county on the 1st day of November, 1855. He settled in what was then the village of Rocksylvania; he built the first frame house in the village, which stood till 1880, when it was burned. He was a blacksmith by trade, and was the first to engage in that business in Hardin township. At the time of its erection, Mr. Jones' house was about the only one between Webster City and Cedar Falls, and he was compelled by force of circumstances to keep a public house to accommodate travellers; he en- larged his house by a stone addition for that purpose. This was the first public house in Hardin township. Mr. Jones was elected a Justice of the Peace in 1856, and served in that capacity for eighteen years. He is now engaged in the insurance busi- ness, and represents the State Insurance Company of DesMoines. Mr. Jones was born in Winchester, Vt. in 1812, where he lived till twenty-one years of age, when he went to Montgomery county, Ohio, near Dayton, where he was married to Miss

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

Mary Miller, who was born in Montgomery county, in 1821. They removed to Green county, Ohio, where they lived nine years, coming here in 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have had ten children, all of whom are living but their second son and third child, Thomas B., who was a member of the 6th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and died at St. Louis, April 16, 1862.

J. H. Weiland, now engaged in the insurance business, was one of the earliest merchants of Hardin county. He came to the township of Hardin in the spring of 1857. He engaged in the mercantile bus- ness at Rocksylvania with Mr. Joseph White, but they removed their stock to the village of Iowa Falls, in the fall of 1859. After several years of mercantile life, he bought a farm on section 1, and was for some time engaged in farming. In 1868, Mr. Weiland went to Clear Lake, and engaged in the milling business, which he followed about four years, return- ing to Iowa Falls in the fall of 1872, and has been engaged in the insurance business most of the time since. His wife, now deceased, was Elizabeth Leonard. Mr. Weiland's children are-Sebastian L., in Louisville, Ky., engaged in railroad busi- ness; Melvina N., wife of Charles B. Cald- well, in California; Clinton C., in Ohio; Frank, in California, and Riley, in Hardin county. Mr. Weiland was born in York county, Pa., in 1818. He learned the trade of a miller when a young man, which busi- ness he followed for many years. He went from his native State to Indiana in 1841, coming here from that State. His wife died many years ago.

RAILROADS.

Iowa Falls has now completed through the town two railroads, with a prospect for a third.

William F. Beck, station agent for the Illinois Central Railroad Company at Iowa Falls, has been located here since 1865. He came here before the completion of the road to this point. Mr. Beck served in the capacity of clerk till 1867. Mr. V. A. Bryant being the first agent, Mrs. Bryant served as operator. Mr. Beck has been agent since 1867. But few men, if any on this road, have occupied a similar position for so great a length of time. Mr. Beck is a native of England, where he was born in 1836. His parents emigrated to Canada when he was a child. He went to Cedar Falls in 1864, and was in the employment of the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad Company at that place till he came here the following year. Mr. Beck's long con- nection with this railroad at this point, shows the confidence placed in his ability and integrity. He has been offered more lucrative positions, but his attachment to the place, from long and pleasant associa- tions, has prevented his making a change. Mrs. Beck, formerly Miss Jane Tucker, is also a native of England. They have two sons-Thomas, who is station agent at West Bend, and William F., an operator for the Illinois Central Railroad Company. Mr. Beck is a courteous intelligent gentle- man, possessing much general information, and thoroughly informed on whatever per- tains to his business.

BUSINESS MEN.

The history of a town is incomplete without a record of its live business men.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

The following named are worthy of special mention:

James S. Smith is one of the prominent business men of Iowa Falls, and one of its earliest settlers. He has also the honor of being the first merchant in this city. He was born in Dorchester, N. H., May 27, 1831. His parents were Thomas and Lydia P. (Wright) Smith, natives of New Hamp- shire. Mr. Smith was reared in the town of Holderness, and received an academic education at New Hampton, Belknap county. He was engaged as clerk for sev- eral years in Wentworth, N. H., and was then engaged in merchandising for him- self for about a year. He came to Iowa Falls in October, 1855. As before men- tioned, he was the first merchant of the place, hauling his first load of goods from Dubuque, a distance of 150 miles. He continued in the mercantile trade for fif- teen years. In 1870 he engaged in the grain and live stock business. As a busi- ness man, Mr. Smith has been very suc- cessful. He bears a high reputation for straight-forward, fair dealing, early secur- ing and steadily retaining the confidence of his patrons. Politically, he is a Democrat. His wife was Miss Rhoda A. Whipple, of Wentworth, N. H. They have had five children, four of whom are living.

Wm. Wilde, general merchant, estab- lished business here in March, 1864. He has been constantly in business since that time, and has been longer established than any other general merchant in town. In 1866 the present partnership of Wilde & Bliss was formed. Mr. Wilde was born in the city of Leeds, Yorkshire, England, in 1829. His parents, John and Mary Wilde, emigrated to the United States when Wil-

liam was less than six months old, and set- tled at Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pa. In the spring of 1834 the family removed to Galena, Ill., and to Mineral Point, Wis., in 1835. . In March, 1836, they removed to Dubuque, where his parents resided until their death. Mr. John Wilde was a car- penter by trade. He was one of the earli- est settlers of Dubuque. In 1851 Mr. Wilde engaged in the smelting business, which he followed until 1863, and at the same time was merchandising. He came here, as before stated, in 1864. Mr. Wilde has been twice married. His first wife was Sarah A. Long, whose family were early settlers of Dubuque. His present wife was Mary R. Robinson, of English birth. Mr. Wilde has three children by his first wife, viz: Maggie M., Richard and Ada Blanche; and one daughter by his second wife-Bessie A.

Colonel Mathew VanBuskirk, general merchant, established his business in Sep- tember, 1865. When he began business, he dealt for a time in boots, shoes and crockery. He afterward added dry goods, etc., to his stock, and is now doing a gen- eral merchandising business. Colonel Van Buskirk was born in Clinton county, N. Y., January 1, 1835. He left home in 1856, and went to Illinois, where he lived one year in LaSalle, and then removed to Polo, in that State. He enlisted, in September, 1862, in the 92d Regiment, Illinois In- fantry. On the organization of Company E of that regiment, he was made its Cap- tain. In February, 1864, he was promoted to the position of Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment, and had command of the regiment from October, 1864, until the close of the war. He was in active ser-

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History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 88

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1002

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002