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 75
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In reviewing the eventful career of this man's life, one is impressed with the thought that his lot has been cast in the wilds of a new country, and co-incident with many a privation and hardship, though perhaps not without its accompa- nying advantages and pleasant surround- ings. To be a pioneer means to encounter many of the unpleasant things of life, as well as not a few of the pleasant: Mr. McTwigan was but sixteen years of age upon coming West, and a year later crossed the plains, which at that time was described on the geographies of the common schools as " The Great American Desert." A sketch of this character is all too short to picture the transformation which has taken place West of the Mis- souri River during our subject's residence in the West. In fact the past forty years has been the formative period in the West, and is replete with much of thrill- ing interest both in adventure and history. All things considered, there are but few pioneers who found their way to the " vast, illimitable and ever changing West," and whose eyes are now growing dim with age, who ever regret having emigrated from the Old World or the
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rock-bound coast of New England, to what has now come to be the "Middle Kingdom " of this great Republic, and our subject may well look back with pride over his experience during the past third of a century.
C ANTINE R. WILLIAMS, a promi- nent farmer of Raglan Township, liv- ing on section 24, came to Harrison County, in the spring of 1881. He first located at Logan, near which place he rented a farm for two years after which he bought the place he now occupies, which consisted of one hundred and sixty acres of partly improved land, to which he added many substantial additions, in the way of buildings, wells, an orchard and shade trees. He now has seventy-five acres under the plow, while the balance is in timber, pasture and meadow.
Our subject is one of the eleven hun- dred people of Harrison County, who were born in New York State. He was born in Orleans County, April, 1843, and is a son of Bradley F. and Eusebia Williams, natives of Vermont and New Hampshire, respect- ively, and whose family consisted of the following children: Eveline, Fred W., Smith G., Olin H., Cantine R., Velina and Alden P.
Our subject lived in the Empire State until seven years of age when his parents removed to Van Buren County, Mich., where he remained until nineteen years of age, at which time he enlisted in 'Com- pany C, Thirteenth Michigan Infantry, and was mustered into service at Kala- mazoo. They were at once sent to Chat- tanooga, Tenn., and were with Gen. W. T. Sherman, on his famous march to the sea.
He received an honorable discharge, at Jackson, Mich., after a three years' service in the Union Army, during which time he was never wounded nor in the hospital. After his return from the service, he farmed on- rented land for two years, and then bought a farm of eighty acres, which he cultivated eleven years, and then dis- posed of the same rented land the next year and then came to Harrison County. He was united in marriage in February, 1869, to Amelia, daughter of Augustine and Elizabeth Chapin, natives of New York whose five children were as follows: Orson, Martha, Emeline, Louisa, all de- ceased, and Amelia.
Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children : Edith, born March 31, 1871; Perry, August 31, 1874, and Maude, February 22, 1890. Politically, our sub- ject affiliates with the Republican party, and in religious matters he and his wife are Congregational in church choice.
0 LIVER PERRY MURPHY, mana- ger of Capt. George Bacon's farm and orchard at Magnolia, was born March 23, 1853, at Lagro, Wabash County,
Ind. He is the son of J. K. and C. M. Murphy, both natives of the Hoosier State. His father died when he was about one year old and he knows but little about his father's ancestry. The mother's parents were Isaac and Mary Bedsaul. The father of our subject departed this life in Indiana in 1854, and the mother married George S. Bacon, who removed to Mag- nolia in 1855 and now resides at Des- Moines, Iowa. (See sketch of Capt. George S. Bacon and Isaac Bedsaul.)
Our subject attended the common and
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High School at Magnolia and has lived in Harrison County nearly all his life, except from 1879 to 1884, during which time he was a janitor in Council Bluffs.
He was united in marriage January 9, 1876, at Magnolia, to Dora E. Benson, born October 16, 1859, in Ohio. She is the daughter of Caleb and Mary Jane Benson, residents of Magnolia. By this union four sons and two daughters have been born-J. Kelly, December 13, 1876; Oliver Perry, October 2, 1878; Louis Fran- cis, December 12, 1880; George Burton, July 11, 1883: Mary Jane, September 8, 1885: Dora Edna, May 19, 1891.
Mr. and Mrs. Murphy are both accept- able members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to Magnolia Lodge, No. 126, A. F. & A. M., and Magnolia Lodge, No. 177, A. O. U. W.
Politically, he affiliates with the Re- publican party.
C HARLES F. PLATH, a farmer, living on section 5, Magnolia Town- ship, was born in Mecklenburg, Ger- many, October 19, 1856, and in the autumn of 1857 his parents came to America, and remained in the city of Cleveland until November, 1879, when our subject came to Harrison County, working by the month for one year, and then bought one hundred and twenty acres of partly improved land. He went to work on this land and im- proved it and in 1886 built a house 16x26 feet, one story and a half high, and a little later on built a barn, sheds and other out- buildings, and now has a finely improved. farm, with sixty-nine acres under the plow, while the balance is in meadow and pas- ture land, and all the property that he
possesses he has made by his own exertion.
He was married April 3, 1883, in Mag- nolia Township, to Miss Dora Vohs, and they are the parents of five children-Julia W., Lena H., Emma A., Dora W., and Mattie L.
Mrs. Plath was born in Hanover, Ger- many, January 1, 1864, and when a small girl her parents removed to America, re- mained one year in Jackson County, Iowa, and then came to Harrison County, set- tling in Calhoun Township.
Mr. and Mrs. Plath are members of the German Lutheran Church.
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R EUBEN A. MARTIN, of the firm of Schroder & Martin, merchants at Modale, is a son of Benjamin and Jane A. Martin. He was born in Harrison County, Iowa, December 26, 1869. The father of our subject was a na- tive of West Virginia, born about 1792, and was killed by being run over by the cars in Harrison County, in the fall of 1875. Our subject's mother was a native of Kentucky, born in 1832, and died in Harrison County, in March, 1884. As has been stated elsewhere in another sketch of this family, they moved to Nebraska, and then came back to Harrison County, and our subject remained with his mother until her death, after which he made his home with Mr. Schroder, who is his half- brother. In the fall of 1883 he went to Lewis County, Mo., and remained with his uncle, H. H. Waggener, until August 19, 1890. While in Missouri he attended the LaBelle Western Academy, and in May, 1891, he engaged with his half- brother, Mr. Schroder.
He was married in Harrison County,
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Iowa, May 6, 1891, to Miss Jennie E. Boyd, daughter of Samuel J. and Evaline (Epperson) Boyd. She was born in Har- rison County, Iowa, November 5, 1871, and remained at home with her parents until married. She is a member of the Christian Church.
Politically Mr. Martin affiliates with the Republican party.
M AJOR JOHN R. WHEELER. In sketching the lives of men the bio- graphical writer finds a great num- ber of characteristics, experiences and accomplishments, upon which to base a sketch. Some lives are eventful, and unusually successful, and this for various reasons, while others perhaps of no less value in the world have but here and there made an interesting page in history. But we assure thereader, who shall peruse the memoir of this man's life, that he will find much of value and interest.
Maj. Wheeler, who has been a lumber dealer at Dunlap, Iowa, since July, 1867, was born in Frewsburg, N. Y., September 30, 1833, is the son of James Wheeler and the grandson of Josiah H. Wheeler and a great-grandson of Francis Wheeler, one of the Minute Men at Concord, Mass., he afterwards followed through the Revolu- tionary War, he served through the en- tire conflict, in our struggle for national independence. Josiah H. Wheeler was also a patriotic man, having served his country.
The father of our subject married Miss. Nancy Rose, who was reared in England. Both she and her husband died at the old homestead in New York. John R., of whom we write this sketch, was reared in
the Empire State, and was brought up in the lumber business, which his father fol- lowed, and in 1856 he came to Eau Claire, Wis., where he remained until December, 1861 when he enlisted in Company G, Sixteenth Wisconsin Infantry, which company he raised and went out with as Captain, but was promoted in 1864 to Ma- jor, and was as such mustered out in April, 1865. He received two wounds, the first at the battle of Pittsburg Land- ing, which was the first engagement he was in. He was shot through the upper lip. His company lost six men, with thirty-three wounded. July 21, 1864, in front of Atlanta he was wounded with a bullet passing through both of his thighs, and was kept under fire for ten days there- after before he could be removed from the field. The surgeons advised the amputa- tion of one limb, but he would not submit to it. He took part in the battle of Pitts- burg Landing and Corinth, which was one of his hottest engagements, where his men numbered less than one for every two of their opposing foe; next was Vicks- burg, Seige of Atlanta and the last fight was at Wises' Forks, where he met Bragg and Hook. Besides these the Major was in a large number of lesser engagements.
After his return from the service, hav- ing fought and subdued the rebel hoard and peace was declared, and that great principle forever settled, that all men are created "with certain inalienable rights," our subject again took up the lumber busi- ness along the line of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, dealing at various terminal points on that road, commenc- ing at Clinton, Boone and including Jef- ferson, Denison, Woodbine, Dunlap and Blair, Neb. He opened the first lumber- yard in Dunlap in the summer of 1867, from three car-loads which he had side -.
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tracked at this point, there being no sta- tion-house, postoffice, or other object to mark the spot as a town site. Later he purchased a lot upon which to establish his lumber-yard. and secured a yoke of oxen with which to draw the first invoice of lumber to his newly-purchased "yard." His next move was to erect a frame office, which still stands and is used by Mr. Wheeler, and is not unfrequently pointed out as the first building completed in Dunlap. The words "Lumber Office" which were painted on a sign board is still possessed by our subject as a relic of pio- neer days. This office afforded sleeping accommodations for a number of men for a long time, while the first buildings of the place were being erected.
The lumber business was very brisk for several years, one hundred and fifty car- loads being no unusual amount for his annual sales. . His trade extends for nearly forty miles in various directions. Settlers came from Harlan and Avoca. The first year that he was at Dunlap he also operated a yard at Woodbine, having located there in December, 1866, when there was only one completed building in the place, his office being the third structure of any kind. He had to send to Boone for a heating-stove as the weather was cold, and he had to make his office his home. However, he put up with the inconvenience as he was having a lively lumber trade. Lumber was very much higher than at present. The freight charges upon a car-load, from Clinton to Woodbine being $100 at that time, and dimension stuff being $40 per thousand. Flooring of medium grade sold for $60 and the best grade of shingles at $8. He sold thousands of bills to the early settlers in the vicinity of Dunlap. The people had plenty of money as it was just at the close
of the war and grain was selling at a high price, and all seemed in a prosperous con- dition. Mr. Wheeler has confined himself to the lumber trade continually since 1865, when he started at Clinton, Iowa, and fol- lowed up the line of construction of the Northwestern Railway. He is called the pioneer lumberman, because he furnished the first lumber at so many points in Iowa.
Politically, he affiliates with the Demo- cratic party. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Dunlap. He was married in 1876, at Hamburg, Iowa, to Nancy E. Tyler, a native of Wisconsin, and they are the parents of one child, John R., born in 1880.
Mrs. Wheeler is a daughter of William A. Tyler. a native of Ohio, and Jane B. (Brown) Tyler, a native of New York ; the former died in Wisconsin, the latter still resides in Hamburg, Iowa.
ACOB PROBASCO, the son of Samuel and Anna (Hodgson) Prob- asco, (whose sketch appears else . where in this work) will form the subject of this notice :
Jacob was born in La Salle County, Ill., July 23, 1858, and was reared midst the scenes of farm life, and received his edu- cation in the public schools of the Prairie State. In the autumn of 1878, he came to Harrison County, Iowa, and has been identified with her interests ever since. Upon coming to the county, he first lo- cated on a farm, belonging to his father, situtated on section 22, of Harrison Town- ship, where he spent about three years, after which he purchased eighty acres on section 35, where he made his home until
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1888, and then removed to one of his father's farms nearer town, and on section 15, which he still operates, carrying on extensive farming, as well as the breeding of fancy stock. They keep on hand an average of fifty head of high grade draft horses ; and at this time have five head of high bred stallions-Norman and Clydes- dale, two having been imported. Their principal business being to raise high grade horses for the market, and they pro- duce some of the very best horses seen in the State. They own "Debille" 3rd (2376) Norman, light grey, seventeen hands high, weighing two thousand pounds ; also "Red Gauntlet" 2nd, No. 514, Clydesdale, which is a dark bay, sixteen hands high, weigh- ing seventeen hundred and fifteen pounds. They have made horse breeding a special- ty since 1887, and handle a large number of cattle each year, upon the farm which comprises three hundred acres.
. Our subject was united in marriage November 20. 1878, to Adaline Elbert, · daughter of Noah and Elizabeth (Rey- nolds) Elbert, the fo me a native of Ohio, and the latter of Pe insylvania, but who now reside in Harrison Township. Mrs. Probasco was born in Knox County, Ohio, April 21, 1860. They have a family of three children-Anna E., born Novem- ber 19, 1879; Leonard B., July 23, 1883 and Laura V., January 11, 1885.
Noah Elbert, father of Mrs. Probasco, was born in Ohio, July 4, 1824. He is a son of George and Margaret Elbert, and was reared to farm life and was married in in May, 1852, to Elizabeth Reynolds, who was born in Washington County, Penn., December 7, 1822. She is the daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Hortupee) Reyno- lds. After Mr. Elbert was married, he lived in Ohio for several years, after which he made it his home in Illinois until 1880,
since which time they have lived in Har- rison County, Iowa. They are the parents of ten children-David B., William E., Sarah E., wife of David Goodrich; Mary A., wife of Jacob Probasco; John P., Olive M., deceased; Ellen, wife of George Rosenbaugh, and three, who died in in- fancy. Mr. Elbert, in his political choice, voted the Democratic ticket.
Jacob Probasco, the subject of this sketch, affiliates with the Democratic party. He has been a member of the School Board and is a thorough-going business man in all that that term implies.
Harrison Township is noted for its fine horse-farms, and none have produced better stock than has our subject whose animals are known far and near. The horse in all ages has been considered the most valuable of all domestic animals, and seems nearer akin to the human kind, than any other animal. And he, who seeks to improve the horses of his coun- try whether for roadsters or draft horses, is not only sure to be remunerated him- self, but is also a benefactor to his fellow- man.
W ILLIAM O. RIDDELL, of the Woodbine Normal School, will form the subject of this biograph- ical notice.
Mr. Riddell was born in Allamakee County, Iowa, February 7, 1858. He is the son of William B. and Anna M. (Provines) Riddell, both natives of Ohio. His father was born January 22, 1824, and his mother March 7, 1833. In the spring of 1859 the family moved to Harrison County, Iowa, and first settled in what is now Union Township, where they re-
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mained eleven years, and then bought an improved farm in La Grange Township. Our subject remained at home until the summer of 1872, when he entered the Missouri Valley High School, which he attended one year, and the following year clerked in the general store of Bump & Smith, of Missouri Valley. In Septem- ber, 1874, lie entered the Nebraska State University at Lincoln, where he remained three years, between 1874 and 1878, dur- ing which time he taught several months. From 1878 to 1881 he attended Knox Col- lege, Galesburg, Ill., Ann Arbor, Mich., and the Indiana University. During all the time he was not in school he was teaching. September, 1881, he was made Principal of the schools at Andrews, Ind., where he remained until June, 1883. From June, 1883, to June, 1885, he was Assistant Principal of the Missouri Valley High School, and from June, 1885, to to June, 1887, he was Principal of the Magnolia High School. During the last named year he was one of the organizers, in company with Profs. Kinney and Mat- ter, of the Woodbine Normal, with which he is still connected.
Besides the school work above named, Prof. Riddell has been connected with. teachers' institute work in Harrison, Ply- mouth, Crawford and Hardin Counties, in Iowa, and Huntington County, Ind. In this work he spends his entire summer vacations.
He was united in marriage in Osceola, Neb., July 30, 1885, to Miss Marie Waldt, the daughter of Franz and Wilhelmine (Rauscher) Waldt, both natives of Ham- burg, Germany. Mrs. Riddell was born in Hamburg, Germany, April 11, 1863, and in 1880 bade farewell to the scenes of her childhood home and came to America. The first two years she taught school in
New York, and the two years following taught in Lincoln, Neb., where she re- mained until the date of her marriage, since which time she has followed teach- ing with her husband. She graduated from the Hamburg (Germany) High School in 1877, and from the Normal School of the same place in 1880.
In February, 1891, Mr. Riddell pur- chased the old home farm in La Grange Township, the same consisting of two hundred and forty acres of well improved land, provided with a good two-story farm house.
. Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party. In 1889 he was a candidate for State Representative on the Republican ticket, but was not successful in securing the office. When one con- siders that the subject of this notice is but thirty-three years of age, and reviews the work he has already performed for himself and for others, it will go without saying that his has been a busy life, and that he has accomplished more than a majority of men do in a lifetime.
P RANCIS M. KERN, a farmer liv- ing on section 25, of Washington Township, came to Harrison County inthe spring of 1881, and settled on the farm he now lives upon, purchasing a quarter section of improved land.
He was born in Huntington County, Pa., May 7, 1849, where he remained until the spring of 1875, then he came to Louisa County, Iowa, and there worked on a farm by the month for three years, at the end of which time he came to Shelby County, and there remained until the spring of 1881. He was married May
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23, 1876, in Louisa County, to Miss Clar- rissa C. Dryden, who was born January 11, 1855, by which union five children have been born-John N., Anna M., William C., George W., deceased, Sam- uel M.
Mrs. Kern was born in Louisa County, Iowa, January 11, 1855, and remained in that county until the date of her mar- riage. She is the daughter of Robert C. Dryden, a native of Washington County, Pa., born March 23, 1827, and two years later he moved with his parents to Harrison County, Ohio, and in 1848 left there for Des Moines County, Iowa, and two years later to Louisa County, where he died, September 18, 1890. His wife, Mary (Mickey) Dryden was a native of Richland County, Ohio, and her parents came to Des Moines County, Iowa, at an early day, but soon moved to Louisa County. They were the parents of nine children, Mrs. Kern being the second child.
The father of our subject was Peter Kern bornin Huntington County, Pa, Sep- tember 20, 1815. He was a farmer by oc- cupation, and remained in the Keystone State until his death, which occurred in 1880. His wife was Anna E. (Stinson) Kern, a native of Fulton County, Pa., born April 3, 1818. After her husband's death she came to Shelby County, Iowa, where she died in September, 1895. They were the parents of nine children, of whom our subject is the fourth.
Politically, our subject votes with the Democratic party, and in religious matters he and his wife are Presbyterians.
Mr. Kern is now in possession of a good home, and owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Harrison County, besides one hundred and twenty acres in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, and a small tract of
timber land in Louisa County. At the present time he is building a commodious two-story, 20x30 house upon his place in Washington Township.
C HARLES W. EVANS, an enter- prising farmer of section 26, Wash- ington Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1881, and not be- ing possessed of an over abundance of this world's goods, but being possessed of that spirit which wins, he worked two years by the month, and in the autumn of 1882, in company with Lem Cutchall, pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of improved land on section 26. Our sub- ject borrowed his share of the money with which to make his first payment of $500. In the autumn of 1883, he sold his interest to his partner, and bought his present farm, which tract contained one hundred and sixty acres. Subsequently he added forty acres more, the last-named piece being on section 24.
Mr. Evans was born in Huntington County, Pa., November 7, 1855; he re- mained under the paternal roof until the spring of 1881, when he came to Harrison County, Iowa. He was married in Shelby County, Iowa, February 7, 1884, to Miss Cassie A. Shirk, by which union one child has been born-Sarah E., May 29, 1885.
Our subject's father, Samuel D. Evans, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., Sep- tember 5, 1832. When a boy his parents removed to Huntington County, where he remained until 1871, then moved to Fulton County, Pa., where he spent the remainder of his days, dying January 10, 1877. The mother of our subject, Eliza- beth J. (Ramsey) Evans, was born in Ful-
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ton County, Pa., lived there until her marriage, and still clings to that locality in her old age. Mr. and Mrs. Evans were the parents of ten children, our subject being the second in number.
Politically our subject is identified with the Democratic party, and in religious matters he and his wife are in sympathy with the Presbyterian Church
G EORGE MAIN, of Magnolia, was born at Croxton, Cambridgeshire, England, August 11, 1820. He re- moved with his parents to America in 1833, and settled in Geauga County, Ohio. He came to Raglan Township, Harrison County, Iowa, in August, 1856, with his wife and family, and engaged in farın- ing.
August 18, 1862, he enlisted in Com- pany C, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and was mustered out June 6, 1865, at Little Rock, Ark., and returned to Mag- nolia, where his family was residing at the end of the war.
He owns a farm near the Village of Magnolia. Mr. and Mrs. Main and fam- ily are members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. He is also a member of Magnolia Lodge, A. F. & A. M.
AMES DOUGHERTY, ranks among the early settlers of Harrison County. He located in St. John's Township, on sections 26 and 35, in 1858, where he bought forty acres of land, to which he has added until he lias two hundred and ten acres. Vast has been
the change since he purchased his wild land, and made various improvements up to the present time. His nearest post- office and trading point was Council Bluffs. He lived in a log cabin, and the snow would sift through the clapboard roof and had to be removed each day for weeks at a time. This house served the purpose of a home until 1861, when a frame house was built. He has since built a fine residence.
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