USA > Iowa > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa, and of the presidents of the United States > Part 52
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Our subject was born in Williams County, Ohio, February 18, 1866. John Varns, a native of Ohio, and of German descent, and a farmer by occupation, mar- ried and was the father of eight children, five of whom are yet living-Jacob, ill Kansas; George in Missouri Valley; Margaret, Mrs. Corbett, of Ohio; Mary,
Mrs. Shafer; Clara, of Ohio; and Albert of Ohio.
George Varns, father of our subject, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, Decem- ber 7, 1844, and there spent his early life. He married Caroline Weaver, the daugh- ter of William Weaver, and they were the parents of seven children, of whom our subject was the oldest. They were born in the following order-John W., Febru- ary 18, 1866; Francis M., May 9, 1871; May M., March 4, 1876; Addie Florence, August 22, 1878; Bertha Pearl, Septem- ber 1, 1883 and Hulda D., March 21, 1886.
Our subject accompanied his parents to this county when but five years of age. He attended the country and High School at Missouri Valley, after which he began work for himself, as the overseer of his father's large farm, which position he still holds.
Our subject was united in marriage November 20, 1890, to Nancy J. Deal, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Smith) Deal, who eame to this county in 1853, and of whom a biography appears else- where in this book.
Politically Mr. Varns is a firm believer in the principles of the Democratic party.
S AMUEL ETTINGER, one of the business men of Dunlap, and also one of the early settlers of Harrison County, is a native of Franklin County, Pa., being born August 4, 1825. He is the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Lay- master) Ettinger, of German ancestry, but natives of the Keystone State. When our subject was two years of age their family removed to New York State, and
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after about three years moved to Sandusky County, Ohio, where he was reared and educated at the common schools. When about fourteen years of age, his father and mother were both called from the scenes of earth, and after this sad affliction he was bound out to learn the sign painter's trade, at which he was engaged for some two years. When twenty years of age he dropped his painter's brush and took to the stage, travelling with theatrical troupes for four years, and then returned to Bellevue, Ohio, where he followed sign- painting, and in 1855 came to Mitchell County, Iowa, and engaged in the mer- cantile business with Charles Humphrey. They continued in business for five years at Mitchell, after which he made a trip to Pike's Peak, and upon his return trip from the Rockies, he had the pleasure of killing a buffalo. He then remained in Mitchell, Iowa, until 1862, when he with his wife and two children crossed the plains to Sacramento, Cal., where he kept hotel four years, and then removed to Appleton, Wis., and engaged in the grocery and crockery trade with his brother, Jesse. They remained in business at that point about four years and then came to Har- rison County, Iowa, where they each pur- chased a farm in Harrison Township. Our subject made a purchase of one hun- dred and sixty acres, on sections 32 and 33, where he farmed for three years, after which he and his brother embarked in the grocery, boot and shoe business at Dun- lap. They continued as partners eight or nine years, when he purchased his broth- er's interest and took in his son as a part- ner, who was associated with him until his death, January 22, 1887; after which our subject retired from trade, but subse- quently engaged in the restaurant bus- iness, which he still conducts.
He was united in marriage in 1856 to Mary A. Sneer, who was born in Utica, N. Y., and died May 15, 1887. They had a family of four children-Everett H., de- ceased; Mary E., wife of Samuel G. Lis- comb, of Dunlap; Anna B., wife of Fred Frazier, a resident of Dunlap; and Flora M., wife of W. E. Kinsella, a resident of Madison, Neb).
Politically, Mr. Ettinger affiliates with the Democratic party. He has been a member of the City Council of Dunlap, and is counted one of the good citizens of the place.
G EORGE MUSGRAVE, editor of the Nucleus, at Logan, Iowa, is a native of England, and has been connected with the newspaper press longer than almost any other man in Western Iowa, and has lived in Harrison County since 1851, two years before the organization of the county. He was born in Westmoreland County, in the North of England, June 2, 1838, and is the son of Richard and Margaret (Bailey) Musgrave. His grandfather was Thomas Musgrave, and on the mother's side the grandfather was John Bailey. Our subject was one of a family of seven children, three of whom are now living. The early days of his childhood were spent in his native land, but his early education was received in the schools of St. Louis, and Harrison County, Iowa. His father's family came to America in 1847, locating in St. Louis, his father being a machinist. Four years later they came to Harrison County, lo- cating near where Woodbine now stands, at which place the parents died, Our sub-
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ject was engaged as a printer on the Har- rison County Republican, at Magnolia, and after one year purchased a half inter- est in the same and continued to operate it for twelve years in Magnolia, but in 1872, after the building of the Northwest- ern Railway, be moved the plant to Logan, the name of the paper having been changed to the Western Star. Four years later he sold the plant which was removed to Harlan. In 1870, he established the Reporter at Dunlap. He also published the Tekamah Herald, of Nebraska one year. He started the Woodbine Twiner in 1879 and operated it until 1885, when he sold it to J. D. De Tar and then leased the Courier, at Logan, for one
year. At the expiration of this time started the Logan Observer, which he con- ducted five years and then sold to J. C. McCabe. May 24, 1890, appeared the first number of his present journal, the Nu- cleus.
In 1863, Mr. Musgrave was appoined Sheriff of the county by the Board of Sup- ervisors to fill a vacancy. He is a mem- ber of Lodge No. 355, I. O. O. F., at Logan.
Mr. Musgrave was married in January, 1861, at Magnolia, Iowa, to Miss Amanda Hetheri gton, the daughter of Townsend and Nancy Hetherington, natives of New York. After Mr. Hetherington's death the widow and her family came to Har- rison County in 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Musgrave are the parents of six children, now living and named as follows: Edgar W., Marie L., Maggie May, George R., Maude A. and Aggie J.
Mr. Musgrave is a keen, forcible writer, as is evinced from a glance at the various newspaper files on the Missouri slope, with which he has been connected during the last quarter of a century. More than
can be said of this man's journalistic abil- ity in this connection will be found in the various village and town histories in which he has published papers, but suffice to say that he is a thorough-going, practi- cal newspaper man.
L OUIS E. MASSIE, present Treas- urer of Harrison County, has been a resident of this locality since 1868. He came from Virginia to Iowa, locating in Missouri Valley that year. He was born in Virginia in 1849. His father was a farmer and our subject's early life was spent in assisting his father and attend- ing the common schools of the Old Do- minion State, remaining at home until he was nineteen years of age. His parents were T. B. and Margaret Massie, natives of Virginia and of Irish ancestry. They reared a family of ten children of whom Louis was the oldest.
After coming to Harrison County our subject engaged in merchandising, and was elected to the office of County Treas- urer in 1887 by a majority of three on the Democratic ticket. In the fall of 1889 was re-elected by a majority of nine hundred and ninety-nine, and again in 1891, by a majority of seven hundred and eight, which shows conclusively the popularity of the man and the ability he exhibited in the performance of his official duties. No Treasurer in Harrison County has filled this position with more credit to himself and with greater satisfaction to the tax- payers than has our subject, he having al- ways been obliging both in and out of office.
Politically, Mr. Massie believes in the principles of the Democratic party, cast-
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ing his first vote for President, for Samuel J. Tilden.
He was united in marriage in 1879 to Miss L. E. Snowden, the daughter of John and Susan Snowden, who were na- tives of Illinois; her early life was spent in Boonville, Mo., where she attained her education. By this marriage three chil- dren were born-L. B., C. B. and F. B.
Our subject was bereaved by the loss of his wife in 1883. She died while yet in the prime of her womanhood.
Mr. Massie is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and belongs to Valley Lodge No. 232. A. F. & A. M .; Tribune Chapter, at Missouri Valley and also to Ivanhoe Commandery of Knight Templars, at Council Bluffs.
His business interest in Harrison County consists of a stock of merchan- dise at Missouri Valley.
W ILLIAM T. WILSON, a highly- respected citizen of St. John's Township, came to the county in 1865, first locating on section 28, where he purchased eighty acres of partly-improved land. He remained there one year and then purchased forty acres of his present place on section 21. It was wild land at the time, upon which he has placed inany substantial improvements, and to which he has added until he now owns one hun- dred and sixty acres, all improved but fif- teen acres. He makes a specialty of breed- ing fine horses and hogs.
Mr. Wilson is a native of Knox County, Ky., born August 5, 1820, and traces his ancestry back to Peter Wilson, a native of Virginia, who married Elizabetlı Seers,
by whom eight children were born- Enoch, John, David, Peter, William, Peggy, Mrs. Furgeson, America, Mrs. Furgeson, Diana, Mrs. Hamlin. David Hamlin, the father of our subject, was born and reared on his father's farm in Kentucky, and married Mary Witt, of Georgia. She was the daughter of Asbro Witt. David Wilson and wife are the parents of twelve children, five of whom still survive-Almeda, Mrs. Claghorn, (deceased); Enoch, a resident of Ken- tucky; Virginia, Mrs. Hart (deceased) ; Elizabeth, Mrs. Hamlin, (deceased) ; William, our subject; Asbro, a resident of Colorado ; · Peter (deceased) ; Obedi- ence, Mrs. Cox, of Kansas; Susan, Mrs. Brown, (deceased) : John, a resident of Indiana ; Sampson, of Indiana ; and James (deceased.)
Mr. Wilson was born in Knox County, Ky., and was reared on his father's farm, and went to farming for himself when he became of age. In 1843 lie moved to Put- nam County, Ind., bought forty acres of land, and in 1856, moved to Park County, bought a farm which he cultivated four years, and then returned to Putnum County, and remained until the time of his coming to Harrison County, in 1865.
Our subject was united in marriage January 22, 1857, in Indiana, to Lucy A. Cox, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Pruett) Cox, of Kentucky. Fourteen children have been born of this union, six of whom still survive- Mary, Mrs. James, of Woodbury County; Senia (deceased) ; Enoch, deceased; Maggie. Mrs. Alexan- der, residing at Long Pine, Neb .; Eliza Ellen, deceased; Thomas S., a resident of Harrison County; Virginia, deceased : Ardella, and Susan at home; Hattie, Hettie and Harley, (triplets) deceased ;
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William P., deceased; and Millie at home.
Politically Mr. Wilson affiliates with the Democratic party. He belongs to the Mutual Protection society.
7.
W D. CROMIE, who will form the subject of this notice, has been a resident of Harrison County since April 1, 1867, when he with his father set- tled on a farm three miles north of Wood- bine, and there remained until 1875, and was then appointed Postmaster at that place, which office he held for eight years. He also engaged in the grocery business, continuing until the spring of 1878, when he put in a general stock. While in the grocery business, he occupied the build- ing now used by Mr. Canfield, north of Mr. Kibler's block. But when he put in his general stock, he moved into a build- ing now occupied by Mr. Pickard's restau- rant, as he required more room. He re- mained in that building until 1880, during which year, he bought a store room of J. A. Rohner, which he occupied until 1884, and then went out of business. In the spring of 1887, he again resumed general merchandising in which he is still engaged and also owns a half interest in a store at Moorhead, Iowa. His store building at Woodbine is 28x100 feet and is owned by Stephen King.
Our subject was born in Cecil County, Md., June 29, 1851, and he remained there until he came to Harrison County. His father was James Cromie, a son of the Emerald Isle, born in Ireland, in 1819. The mother was Frances (Maloy) Cromie, born in Ireland, in 1825.
Mr. Cromie was married October 25, 1877, to Miss Florence Dally, by whom
four children were born-Fred F., April 21,1880; Frank, July 2, 1882; Lee, August 22, 1885 and Bernard, July 31, 1887. In our subject's father's family, of which he is one of seven children, there were four sisters and three brothers. His brother, John, was his partner in trade from March, 1888 until August, 1889., H. M. Gilchrist from August. 1888 until March, 1889. Mr. Cromie carries a stock of goods, ranging from $10,000 to $15,000.
His has been a life of activity as well as business success. He now enjoys the good will and patronage of a large class of people living within the radius of Woodbine.
W ILLIAM J. CALENDER, a re- sident of Woodbine, Iowa, was born in Racine County, Wis., April 8, 1857, and came with his parents to Harrison County, settling at Woodbine in 1868. His parents were Thomas and Jane Calender, natives of Ireland.
Our subject's early youth was spent as was that of most of the Badger State boys, working and attending the district school. In the autumn of 1876, he entered Bailey's Business College at Keokuk, Iowa, where he remained six months, and came back to Woodbine, where he spent six months in the railroad office, learning telegraphy, after which he engaged as a clerk for C. D. Stevens, with whom he remained in the capacity of salesman for three years. We next find him employed as a salesman for Kibler Bros., with whom he was as- sociated for nearly eight years, when he erected a business house and engaged in the grocery business, and February 16, 1991, took W. D. Hayworth as a partner.
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HARRISON COUNTY.
Our subject was married to Miss Alice M. Sisson, in Woodbine, April 14, 1881 and they are the parents of three children -Harry C., born July 31, 1882; Camilla M., December 8, 1885; Ivyl C., April 28, 1887; Camilla M. died May 1, 1886. Our subject's wife was born in New York State, April 2, 1863, and remained with her par- ents until the date of her marriage.
Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party, and in religious matters, he is a Presbyterian.
He is a charter member of Lodge, No. 405, I. O. O. F. of Woodbine.
Thus far in life, Mr. Calender has made a good record, possessing the characteris- tics of a good business man, and forming a wide acquantance in and about Wood- bine, where he has established himself in a lucrative retail grocery trade.
ACOB BYERS, a mechanic in the eniploy of the railroad repair shops, at Missouri Valley, will form the subject of this notice.
He was born in Wayne County, Ohio, February 1, 1835, and is the son of Andrew and Saphronia (Spidle) Byers, the former a descendant of German stock, and the latter of German-English origin. They had a family of nine children, our subject being the fifth child of the family. One brother, Thomas Byers, is a farmer of Neosho County, Kan. Of his sisters, he knows nothing definitely, but supposes that four of them are living in Indiana. The father followed farming and cabinet- making. Both parents are dead. The father died in Ohio, and the mother in Indiana.
Our subject learned the carriage black- 1
smithing trade, in Hartford, Knox County, Ohio, but had only just completed the same when the Civil War broke out and threatened to dissolve the union of States. In the autumn of 1861 he enlisted in Com- pany F, Sixty-fifth Regiment Ohio In- fantry, and for three years carried a musket, and was in all the battles and . marches which his Company took part in. He was assigned to the Army of the Cum- berland, and was with Gen. William T. Sherman on his famous "March to the Sea." At the expiration of three years our subject re-enlisted, becoming a inem- ber of the Veteran Corps, and continued to wear the Loyal Blue until the close of the conflict. Thirty days' leave of absence was granted him in which to visit his old home, and at the expiration of this time he joined his comrades, and was at once made Bugler in his own regiment-the Sixty-fifth Ohio. The only wound he received was a slight one in the side, which, however, did not prove permanent.
At the close of the war Mr. Byers re- turned to the Buckeye State, and soon joined his family at Magnolia, Iowa, to which point they had removed two years previous. Here our subject remained four years, following blacksmithing. He next located at Missouri Valley, where he has remained ever since, with the exception of four years near Creighton, Neb., where he farmed. He has been in the employ of the North-Western Railroad Company for seventeen years, working in the capacity of a blacksmith in the repair shops.
He was united in marriage October 18, 1857, in Knox County, Ohio, to. Miss Matilda Goodrich, by which marriage union three children were born-Josephine, wife of Henry Rainbow, of Missouri Valley ; Annie, deceased in infancy; and Charley W., who married Ella Butler, a native of
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Carson, Iowa. He is engaged at railroad- ing. Henry Rainbow and wife are the parents of one son.
Mrs. Byers is a sister of L. M. Goodrich of Missouri Valley, and for the family history we refer the reader to Mr. Good- rich's sketch. Both our subject and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and politically, he has always been a Re- publican. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic at Missouri Valley, and takes much interest in the Post. It will be remembered that he saw his share of hard-fought battlefields during the days of the Rebellion, including Stone River, Chickamauga, Corinth, Winchester, Pea Ridge, and Lookout Mountain, being in nineteen engagements in all.
E PHRAIM BRANDRIFF, (deceased) located in Taylor Township in 1864 and remained there on a farm three years. November 25, 1866, Mrs. Hattie E. Long became his wife, by whom five children were born, three of whom are living. They lost two little boys. The other children are-Mary M. wife of Thomas L. Riley, a travelling salesman ; Louis, fifteen years of age, and Jessie, thirteen years of age. The family lived in Cincinnati Township until March, 1889, when they moved into town. The de- ceased owned five hundred and sixty acres of land, and lived on the farm twenty-two years. Mr. Brandriff belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church, while his wife is a Congregationalist. In his pol- itical views he was a Republican, and was a strong temperance advocate. He was made a member of the Odd Fellows order in New Jersey, In his home he seemed
at his best, was kind and affectionate to all, and in consequence had many friends.
Our subject was born in Millville, N. J., October 13, 1821, and died July 14, 1889, at the age of sixty-nine years, and was buried in the Calhoun Cemetery.
Mrs. Brandriff's maiden name was May- nard, and she was a native of Mt. Clemens, Mich. She came to Council Bluffs in 1854.
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M ORGAN B. COX, Editor and Pro- prietor of the Woodbine Courier, came to Harrison County, August, 1888, and established the Missouri Valley Eye, which he edited until January 1, 1890, when he sold to R. J. Miller, and came to Woodbine, as an employee on the Courier, for J. D. De Tar, who a month later, leased the paper to E. H. Wills, our subject still being employed in the office, but November 1, 1890, Mr. Cox bought the plant.
Mr. Cox was born in Shelby County, Iowa, November 29, 1866, and remained at home until fifteen years of age, when he left school and went to Oakland, Pot- tawattamie County, to learn the printer's trade with his brother, who was running the Oakland Acorn. He remained there until July, 1885, when he established the Lewis Independent, at Lewis, Cass County, Iowa. He conducted that journal, until July, 1887, at which time he sold the paper, returned to Harlan, and with his brother, A. T. Cox, established the Indus- trial American, with which paper he was connected until he went to Missouri Val- ley in July, 1888.
Mr. Cox was united in marriage Decem- ber 25, 1888, to Miss Minnie M. Parks,
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They are the parents of two children- Edward L., born October 18, 1889, and Fred P., February 18, 1891.
Our subject's father was James M. Cox, born in Jamestown, Ind., in 1821, and his mother was Mary P. (Trotter) Cox, who was born in Jamestown, Ind., in 1824. Mr. and Mrs. James Cox were the parents of nine children of whom our subject was the youngest.
Politically, Mr. Cox is an Independent.
HOMAS THOMPSON, a pioneer of the pioneers, who has been a resi- dent of Harrison County since the autumn of 1852, will form the subject of this biographical notice. But few of the early band of pioneers yet remain within the county to give the historian detailed facts concerning the early settlement. Before reviewing this gentleman's history as connected with Harrison County, we will speak of his earlier years. He was born in Berkshire, Scotland, June 7, 1824. His early years were spent with the en- joyment that only comes to boyhood and at the age of thirteen years he left home and worked upon a farm until May 26, 1850, when he married Miss Agnes Sharp, and at once emigrated to America, land- ing at New York harbor. They at once came to La Porte, Ind. Their voyage on the ocean occupied five weeks, and then they were tossed to and fro two weeks longer on the Erie Canal and Great Lakes. They made their home at La Porte until 1852, when they came to this county.
Of Mrs. Thompson let it be said that she was born in Berkshire, Scotland, August
5, 1829, and remained there until married. Our subject and his wife are the parents of eleven children, six sons and five daugh- ters-Robert, born October 29, 1851, and died January 10, 1852; Isabel, born April 13, 1853; Agnes, March 16, 1855; Nettie, September 2, 1856; Wallace, September 29, 1858, and died December 16, 1858; Thomas, born December 16, 1859; Will- iam, November 3, 1861, died September 19, 1878; Jane, born January 6, 1863; George, December 29, 1865, and died April 15, 1868; Anna, born April 1, 1867; James, September 28, 1872.
Upon coming to Harrison County Mr. Thompson settled on the banks of the creek now bearing his name, at the north side of Bigler's Grove, and on section 18, where he now lives, the same being in Boyer Township.
He entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, erected a log cabin in 14x18 feet, in which he lived until 1856, and then built the house in which he now lives, which is a frame structure 14x24 feet, and in 1876, he made an addition of twelve feet to this building, making his present residence 24x26 feet, and one and one- half stories high. During 1881 he erected a barn 14x30 feet, with twelve-foot posts. His present farm comprises three hun- dred acres of choice, well-improved land in Boyer Township. When our subject came to the county his nearest post-office was Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, and to that point he had to go for whatever article he wished to purchase, and the journey required two days' time. Land was not in the market at that time, so he pre-empted his place and held on until it was for sale at Government price.
The way of the pioneer was hard, and Mr. Thompson relates how, that during the winter of 1856-57 (one never to be
go. Milliman
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forgotten by those who lived within the Hawkeye State at that time), he went to a neighbor's a mile distant, the entire day being consumed in going and coming, so drifted was the snow. Again, that he, in company with a neighbor, started to mill with one sack of corn, and an ox-team. They had to go five miles, which journey took them two days. Their bread stuff at that date consisted of corn and buck- wheat. The mill referred to was L. D. Butler's, on the present site of the Wood- bine Mills, and what little machinery there was derived its motion from the wa- ters of the Boyer, but, alas! the mill building was not there. The burrs stood out in the open air, and they ground their corn, and Mr. Butler, proprietor of " The Mill," bolted the coarsely ground meal by means of a hand bolt, which was within a rude shanty, and was turned like a grind-stone.
The first winter our subject lived in the county they had to go to Crescent City to mill, which is in Pottawattamie County, and bought feed for his horses, nine miles east of Council Bluffs, and two years after his arrival, Magnolia was started, where they could procure some of the necessaries of life, providing they had the money.
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