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 67

Author: National Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, National Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1150

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 67

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Politically, our subject affiliates with the Republican party, and lie is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and also of the Knights of Pythias.

He was united in marriage January 31, 1870, to Fannie Estes, a native of Ken- tucky, born near Lexington, July 4th, 1847. The Doctor and his good wife are members of the Congregational Church at Dunlap. He has been Health Officer of that place for several years. He is a man affable and courteous in his manners, a liard student, and successful practitioner. Having had the experience of two schools of medicine, with a large amount of ex- perience, he is well qualified to cope with the diseases prevalent in his time.

Sempre

REDERICK A. JENNINGS, who has been a resident of Harrison County, Iowa, since 1881, is a native of La Salle County, Ill., born July 31, 1839. He is a son of Levi and Emily (Alis) Jennings, natives of Hartford, Conn., and Pittsburg, Pa., respectively. The father was born in 1801, and died April 23, 1852. He was the son of Levi and Hannah (Chapman) Jennings, natives of Connecticut and New York, and were of English origin. The mother of our sub- ject was born in Pittsburg, Pa., in 1808, and died in 1878.

The parents of our subject had twelve

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children, eight of whom still survive- Matthew I .. , a resident of Harrison town- ship, this county; Mary E., wife of Rich- ard Gage, of LaSalle County, Ill .; Lucy A., who lives with her brother Henry; Henry, a resident of Harrison Township; Frederick A., for whom this sketch is written; Emily J., wife of George L. Beach, of Brown County, S. Dak., (a Congregational minister) ; Katherine L., wife of R. S. Smawley, a resident of LaSalle County, Ill .; Julia A., wife of John J. Ford, of LaSalle County, Ill. Four others are deceased.

Levi, the father of our subject, when a young man learned the ship-carpenter's trade, but later in life operated a mill for several years. Politically, he was an old line Whig. He and his wife were devoted members of the Presbyterian Church.

Frederick A. was reared mid the scenes of farm-life, and worked out by the month and from the money thus earned he at- tended school and thus received a fair education. He commenced working by the month when sixteen years of age, and when he had secured a sufficient amount, he was admitted, with three other young men, to the Umloft Female Seminary, at Ottawa, Ill., where he spent two years, working his way through school. The following year he clerked in a store, and then returned to agricultural pursuits, which he followed until October 12, 1861, at which time he enlisted in Company A, Fifty-third Illinois Infantry. He was discharged November 12, 1864, at Rock Island, at which place he had been sta- tioned one year. He came out as Post Quartermaster Sergeant. He participated in the following engagements: Hatchie River, battle of Shiloh, Siege of Vicks. burg, Jackson, Miss., aside from small skirmishes, At Jackson, Miss., July 12,

1863, he was wounded in the hand and about the head, the former by canister shot, causing the loss of two fingers, while the latter was a skin wound grazing his temple. After he was able for duty lie was stationed at Rock Island, where he remained until he was discharged, when he returned to his former home in La Salle County, where he engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising, until March, 1881, when he came to Dunlap, and located four miles south of that place, on section 35, where he owns one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he improved from the wild prairie state, and lived upon until January 31, 1890, and then moved into the town of Dunlap.

Politically, he is a radical Republican, and has held numerous local offices. The year following his advent to the county, he was elected a Justice of the Peace for Harrison Township, and has held the office continually ever since. Upon com- ing to Dunlap, he was appointed Mayor, to fill an unexpired term, and was re- elected in 1891.

He belongs to the Shields Post No. 83, G. A. R., and was Commander of the same in 1889, and is at present quarter- master. He is a member of Golden Rule Lodge, No. 178, I. O. O. F., and is Worthy Advisor in Acorn Camp, No. 325 M. W. A.

Concerning his domestic life, he was married February 2, 1869, at Brookfield, LaSalle County, Ill., to Lucy A. Bishop, who was born November 8, 1848, and is the daughter of Joseph and Martha (Me- dell) Bishop, natives of England. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings are the parents of four children, Burton C., born December 18, 1870, a resident of Springville, Utah Ter- ritory ; Melvin, born May 18, 1873; Vinal A., born February 2, 1877, died March 23,

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1887; Flora E .. born November 17, 1884.

Mrs. Jennings is an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject has had an eventful life; has seen many hardships, both in days of peace and times of war, and his family who come after him may well point with pride to the sacrifices he made to put down an unjust Rebellion.

AMES O. ALTON came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1874, and now resides on section 29, of Jack- son Township. For the first six years, he rented land, at the end of which time he purchased his present place, which then consisted of eighty-four acres of wild land, upon which he erected a house, 14x20 feet, with a wing 10x20 feet. He also built the necessary outbuildings, and set out an orchard of twenty-five trees, as well as making the place beautiful, by shade and ornamental trees. To acquaint the reader with the earlier career of this man's life, it may be stated in this con- nection that he is a son of David F. and Susanah Alton, natives of New York State, who had ten children, of whom our subject was the youngest.

He was born in Hancock County, Ill., in 1854. In his father's family were the following children-Salome, Harriet, Will- iam, Cordelia, David, Benton, Mary A., two deceased and James O.

Our subject remained at home until six- teen years of age, at which time his father died, after which he commenced working out by the month, on a farm, following the same until he came to Harrison County,

Among the important events to be noted in this man's career, is that of his marriage union, in July, 1877, to Nettie Ross, the daughter of William and Salena Ross, who were natives of England, and had a family of nine children. (See sketch of William Ross.) Our subject and his wife have been blessed with the birth of six children-James A., William V., Byron E., Burt O., one deceased and Stanley.

Mr. Alton is a member of the Odd Fel- lows order, belonging to Lodge No. 389, at Little Sioux, Iowa.

In March, 1885, our subject met with a narrow escape, resulting in a serious acci- dent. In company with William Shaw, he was sawing a tree down. A wedge had been placed on the opposite side of the tree from which it was expected to fall. A little chopping was done when the tree fell the contrary way, throwing Mr. Alton forward with his hand on the stump. The butt of the tree fell and mashed three of his fingers off. Had it not been for the protection of the stump the results might have proven fatal.

M RS. ANN JOHNSON, wife of the late John Johnson, will form the subject of this biographical notice. Her home is on section 28, of Jack- son Township. She came to Harrison County September 12, 1859, in company with her husband. They located on the place she now occupies. They bought forty acres for which they paid $6.25 per acre. Mr. Johnson made substantial im- provements upon this place. His farm- house which was a 16x24 feet structure, was the first frame house built in Jackson

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Township; the lumber being sawed by horse power. In this rudely-constructed house the family lived for twenty-four years. After the death of Mr. Johnson the widow built a new house. They had added to the land, until at the time of his death he possessed one hundred and nine- ty-six acres, seventy of which are under the plow, and the balance in pasture, meadow and timber land. The place has been provided with good outbuildings, or- chard and shade trees. The family saw many hardships at an early day, including the grasshopper raids, when the little winged pests devastated much of the farm products.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were born in England. The husband was a son of Hugh and Martha Johnson, who had twelve children-Sarah, Mary A., Jane, Martha, Hannah, John, Joel, Thomas, James, Henry and Isaac, and one who died in in- fancy. They are all deceased but three.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were united in marriage December 19. 1834. Mrs. John- son's maiden name was Ann Hope, the daughter of William and Nancy A. Hope, natives of England, who also reared a family of twelve children-Elizabeth, James, Mary, Thomas, Charlotte, Han- nah, William, Ann, Francis, Jane, and two who died in infancy.

Of Mr. Johnson it may be said that he remained with his parents until he was twenty-four years of age, at which time he was married and started in life for him- self. He worked out for others before he came to this country. He landed in Bos- ton, Mass .. and went from there to Fall River, where he worked in a cotton fac- tory for six months, and the next two years were spent as a teamster in New Jersey. We next find Mr. Johnson in Council Bluffs, Iowa, near were he rented

land for two years, and then spent six monthsnear Preparation, Monona County, and then came to this county. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were the parents of six children-Salena, born April 4, 1836, Emily, deceased, born November 21, 1838; Henry, January 4, 1842; Emily, deceased, born December 4, 1845; Maroni, August 25, 1850; and Florence M., December 21, 1854.

Mr. Johnston was a member of the For- esters in England. They were both mem- bers of the Latter Day Saints Church, to which she still belongs.

E UGENE F. JAMES, came to Mis- souri Valley, December 29, 1867, soon after the town was platted, and is now engaged in the agricultural implement business. He was born in Al- leghany County, Pa., January 29, 1842. He is a son of Isaac and Margaret (Criss) James. The James family are of Scotch descent. Our subject's grandfather, James, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Our subject's father followed farm- ing throughout his life. The Criss fam- ily were originally from Germany. The family moved to Lafayette County, Wis., in 1847, and from there to Jo Dav- iess County, Ill., where the parents laid down the burden of life; the mother passed away in 1874, and the father in May, 1879. They reared a family of eleven children, the man of whom we write this sketch being the oldest. His early educa- tion was obtained in the Badger State, in the common schools. He assisted his father on the farm until 1864. He en- listed in the first company formed in La- fayette County, Wis., among the three-

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months' men who went out in 1861, he being a member of Company A, Third Wisconsin Infantry.

Politically, Mr. James votes with the Democratic party. He is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to Valley Lodge No. 232, A. F. & A. M. His wife is a member of the Christian Church, and an exemplary woman. He was united in marriage October 9, 1873, his wife's maiden name being Anna Early, the daughter of Leonard Early. Her mother died when she was very young, and her father now lives in Audubon County, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. James are the par- ents of two children-Laura B., born April 24, 1875 and one who died in in- fancy.

Our subject was employed for two years by the Sioux City & Pacific Railroad, and followed draying and transfer business for eleven years. In 1880, he established himself in the grain and farm machine im- plement business, which he still conducts.

large log room, and in the spring of 1869, built their present house. Upon coming to the county our subject was a poor man, having to go in debt for his land, and experienced his share of pioneer hard- ships, and was compelled to go to Council Bluffs, that being the nearest trading point. He was born in Marion County, Ohio, February 4, 1822, and when six years of age his parents moved to Cass County, Mich., and he remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age, or in the fall of 1852, when he came to Har- rison County. He remained one year, purchased land of his brother Thomas, in the Grove, which the latter had taken previous to this of the Mormons, but got discouraged and went back to Michigan, after one year, and there purchased a farm in Cass County, and remained until 1864, when he sold out and came to Harrison County. While living in Michigan, the last time, he cleared out a one hundred and sixty acre farm from the woods, which greatly impaired his health. He sold his place and moved into the village of Whitmanville, and lived three years.

Mr. Vanderhoof was married in Whit- manville, Cass County, Mich., October 6,: 1844, to Miss Dorcas Howard, by whom nine children were born-William T., Septem- ber 13, 1845; Lucian P., October 2, 1847 ; Hester E., December 16, 1849; Albert F., April 4, 1852; Rhoda S., April 7, 1854; Arminda, February 22, 1857; Adelbert, April 9, 1859; Clara M., March 29, 1861; Orrin J., January 3, 1864.

AVID B. VANDERHOOF, (de- ceased), came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1864, and settled on the farm his widow now lives upon, the same being a part of section 2, La Grange Township. The farm is known as "Hickory Heights." When Mr. Van- derhoof came to this place first, there was a small log cabin in which they lived the first winter, and then they built an addi- William T. died September 13, 1848; Adelbert died June 20, 1859. Rhoda, wife of Mr. Barn-tt, died March 12, 1873, leav- ing one child who is living with hir grand- mother, Mrs. Vanderhoof. tion. The early domicle was white-washed throughout, which gave it a nice appear- ance. This work was accomplished by Mrs. Vanderhoof and her daughter. This building served as a residence until the Dorcas (Howard) Vanderhoof, was born autumn of 1866, when they added another | in Canada, at Lundy's Lane, two miles

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from Niagara Falls, November 11, 1826, and when six years of age her parents moved to Lockport, New York, and five years latter moved to Whitmanville, Cass County, Mich .; where she remained until the date of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Vanderhoof were both members of the Presbyterian Church.

Concerning the children of our subject and his wife who have gone out into life for themselves, it may be said that Lucian, their oldest son, is married and living in Berrien County, Mich .; Orrin is married and in Chicago. Albert was born in Cass County, Mich., and has usually made his home with his parents. He went to Decatur County, Kan., where he took a claim, remained two years, and then came to Harrison County. At the time of his father's death, he was engaged in the livery business at Logan, but sold out and and took charge of the farm, where he still remains.

William B. Howard, the father of Mrs. Vanderhoof, was born in Syracuse, New York, July 1, 1800, and remained there until he grew to manhood, and then went into Canada and lived until 1832, then back to Lockport, New York, and from there to Michigan. During the gold excitement in 1849, he went to California. His first wife had died and he had married his second wife, and he sent for her after he had been West awhile. She started and got within forty miles of him, but suddenly died. He returned to Michi- gan in 1883, and his friends had not heard from him in twelve years. After making a brief visit in Michigan, he went to Lun- dy's Lane, Canada, to visit his daughter, and there died September 6, 1885.

The mother of Mrs. Vanderhoof Arme- lia Londy, was born at Lundy's Lane, Canada, July 19, 1806, and after her mar-

riage went to New York and died at Whitmanville, Michigan. They were the parents of ten children, Mrs. Vanderhoof being the oldest.

George D. Barnett, who was born in Harrison County, March 3, 1873, and whose mother died March 12, 1873, is liv- ing with his grand-mother, Mrs. Van- derhoof.

C HARLES C. ERICHSON, a farmer living on section 15, of Jackson Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1884, and first located in Taylor Township, and rented land there for six years and then bought the farm he now occupies, which consists of eighty and one-half acres of improved land, for which he paid $20 per acre. He has made other substantial improvements to the place and has remained there ever since.

Our subject was born April 7, 1861, in Germany. He is the son of Charles and Mary Erichson, natives of Germany, our subject being their only child. The fam- ily moved to America when our subject was only nine years old, and from New York harbor, came direct to Jackson County, Iowa, where the father and mother both died, and where Charles re- mained until he came to Harrison County. By industry and good management he had saved up $900, which he had upon coming to this county.

Among the important events of this man's life, was his marriage March 29, 1884, to Mary Peters, the daughter of John and Minnie Peters, natives of the German Empire, who were the parents of six children, of whom our subject's wife was the oldest. The children's names

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were in the following order: Mary, Her- man, Charles; Louis and Minnie, de- ceased; and Lena.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of four children, born in the following or- der: Mary, November 18, 1884; Fred, June 14, 1886; Joh , February 28, 1888; Charles, April 2, 1890; and Minnie, No- vember 5, 1891. The first born of these children is deceased. Our subject and his wife are both members of the Luth- eran Church.

D AVID GAMET. In looking over the names of the pioneer boys of Harrison County, one finds but few of those of 1853 settlers, but such is the man of whom we write. He is a native of New York State, and was born in Oswego County. He is a son of David M. and Hannah P. (Hyde) Gamet, of the Empire State, who had a family of six children- Solomon, David, Isaac, Gilbert, Levi and Sarah Ann. Five of these children are now living. When our subject was quite young the family removed to Hancock County, Ill., where they remained until 1846, and then came to Western Iowa, lo- cating near Council Bluffs; then moved to Glenwood, and from there came to this county in 1853, as above related, and located near Magnolia on a farm. D. M. Gamet, father of David, was the second Treasurer and Recorder of Harrison County, elected in 1854; was also a Jus- tice of the Peace. In 1857 he removed to Little Sioux, where he engaged in the mercantile business, which he followed until the time of his death in 1883.

Our subject commenced farming for

himself in 1857, on section 35, of Morgan Township. He now owns eight hundred and five acres within the county, all en- closed by a good fence, and the greater portion of it under cultivation. Upon the death of his father in 1883, Mr. Gamet entered the mercantile business at Little Sioux, and three years later erected the business block he now occupies. The firm was known as Gamet & Co. at first, but in 1889 was changed, and is now Gamet & Ogden. They also deal in live stock and grain.

Our subject was married in October, 1854, to Nancy Hutchinson, the daughter of James and Martha Hutchinson, of Ohio. By this union ten children have been born-Chrytie A., now Mrs. William Stuart; Hannah P., now Mrs. C. H. Derry ; Sarah E., now Mrs. J. L. Gunsol- ley ; Alice I., now Mrs. J. E. Gunsolley ; Hattie E., now Mrs. J. P. Garner ; James F .; Ira D .; Parley L .; Miriam E., now Mrs. W. P. Coffman; and George L.

Our subject and his wife are members of the Latter Day Saints Church, and in our subject's political choice he is a Dem- ocrat.

AMES F. GAMET, a son of David Gamet, one of the pioneer settlers of Harrison County, who effected a settlement in 1853, and whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work, will form the subject of this biographical notice. He was born in Morgan Township, Harri- son County, Iowa, September 17, 1866, and has spent his life in this locality. He received his education in the common schools of his county, and attended the Western College at Shenandoah, Iowa,

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for several months, after which he en- gaged in farming. He now owns eighty acres of land, all fenced and under a high state of cultivation. In his parents' family there were ten children, all of whom are living, born and named in the following order: Christie A., now Mrs. William Stuart; Hannah P., Mrs. C. H. Derry; Sarah E., Mrs. J. L. Gunsolley ; Alice I., Mrs. J. E. Gunsolley ; Hattie E., Mrs. J. P. Garner; James F .; Ira D .; Parley L .; Miriam E., Mrs. W. P. Coff- man; and George L.

Our subject was united in marriage in October, 1888, to Minnie Beaman, the daughter of J. W. and Elizabeth (Won- der) Beaman, natives of Indiana and Ohio respectively.

Mr. Gamet and his wife are the parents of one child-Everett, born November 4, 1889. They are members of the Christian Church, and in his political choice he favors the Democratic party.

D ANIEL W. BUTTS, editor of the Little Sioux Independent, first came to Iowa in 1846, before the State had been admitted into the Union, and moved to Monona County in 1852, and from there to this county in 1882. He was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., April 23, 1835, and was the son of Orrin and Re- becca (Ludden) Butts, natives of Vermont, both deceased. The grandfather, James Butts, and his wife, Lydia, were natives of Vermont, and the grandfather on the mother's side, William Ludden, was also born there. Our subject was one of a family of seven children. His early life was spent in the old Empire State, where

he attended school. The family came West in 1845 to Illinois, spent the winter at Nauvoo, and in the spring of 1845 came to Kanesville, Iowa. They also lived two years in Missouri, in Atchison County, then went to St. Joseph, where he learned his trade, remaining until 1852, and came to Monona County. Having just finished his trade in Missouri, we next find him printing a newspaper called the Harbinger and Organ, at Preparation, Monona County, the same being a religious journal. In 1856 he printed a weekly journal called the Nucleus and Echo. This was a Dem- ocratic local newspaper, which afterwards changed its name to the News and Mes- senger, and the plant was moved to Onawa in 1858, where it was known as the Onawa Adventure. It only continued there six weeks and was sold to parties at Magnolia. After the proprietor sold this paper, Mr. Butts went in company with A. Dimmick, in the publication of the Monona Cordon, which they operated for two years, when Mr. Butts took control and changed the name to the West Iowa Gazette, which he operated for three years and then sold to Mr. Holbrook. He farmed for two years and then went to Magnolia and printed the Magnolia Republican, then the West- ern Star. He afterwards spent four years in Kansas City, on the Journal of Com- merce, and returned to Iowa, and was em- ployed at Little Sioux, Dunlap, Logan and Mapleton. In 1882 he bought the paper at Mondamin, ran it one and a half years and moved it to Little Sioux in Au- gust, 1884.

At one time he was Supervisor in Mo- nona County for several terms. In relig- ious matters, he is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and politically, he is now a Republican, of the independ- ent order.

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He was married May 15. 1859, in Mag- nolia, to Miss Anna E. Lanyon, daughter of Thomas and Sophia (Campion) Lanyon, natives of England. The family came to Iowa in 1858 and to Harrison County in 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Butts are the parents of one child, Elsie E.

E RNEST G. TYLER, abstract and loan agent at Logan, is a native of Vermont, but has been a resident of Harrison County since 1867. He was born in Hinesburg, Vt., February 15, 1856, and is the son of Henry N. and Harriet A. (Coon) Tyler. The father was a native of Massachusetts, and was of English descent, while the mother was born in Vermont, and was of Scotch ex- traction. Our subject's father's father, was Amasa Tyler, and the mother's fath- er was William Coon, a captain in the War of 1812, whose wife was Grace Blair, of New York. The Coon name is a derivation of the MacCune, of Scotland. Of Amasa Tyler's family, there were four children : Henry N., the father of our sub- ject, being the youngest, and he was the father of ten children, of whom our sub- ject Ernest G., was the youngest. He spent his early life in the old Green Mountain State, and when ten years of age the family removed to Minnesota. re- mained one year, and in March, 1867, came to Dunlap, Iowa, where the parents still live.

Ernest G. attended school at Dunlap, and graduated from the Iowa Agricultural College, at Ames, in 1878, with the de- gree of Civil Engineer. He established his present abstracting business in 1880, and made the first set of complete abstract

books in Harrison County, and has made two complete sets since then.

Politically, Mr. Tyler, believes in the fundamental principles and political econ- omy as it is found in the planks of the National platform of the Republican party.

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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 67

Author: National Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, National Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1150

Author: National Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, National Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1150