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 93

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 93

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Politically, Mr. Preston believes in the great principles of the Republican party. Descending as he did from the old line Whig and Puritanic patriots, he very naturally casts his vote with what he be- lieves to be the higher, more progressive party of the age in which he lives.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Preston has

been made happy by the advent of two intelligent children : Nellie A., born Jan- uary 7, 1864, now the wife of William F. Cook, of Harrison County, and Herbert L., born October 23, 1867, a resident of Dunlap, Iowa.

In concluding this biographical notice, it only needs to be added, that the Pres- ton family are true representativetypes of numerous New England families, found scattered here and there, throughout the Western States, who possess a high de- gree of intelligence ; are purely American in their ideas, loyal to our form of gov- ernment and firm believers in the Christ- ian religion, and their lives are both practical and appreciative. As a success- ful agriculturist, Mr. Preston has but few superiors, while Mrs. Preston is pos- sessed with rare graces, characteristics and abilities. Their home gives every in- dication of thrift and refinement, while. all acknowledge Mrs. Preston's ability, both as a writer on practical topics, and an untiring worker in all that goes toward building up religious and moral institu- tions.

RANK M. IRVIN, a farmer resid- ing on section 17, Union Township, has been a resident of Harrison County since April 20, 1863, and will form the subject of this biographical notice.

He was born in Alabama January 3, 1887, and is the son of William and Martha (At- wood) Irvin, the former a native of Vir- ginia and the latter a native of Georgia. Their children were as follows : Milton V., Sylvanus H., deceased; Ansel W., de- ceased; Addison M., deceased ; Elizabeth P., deceased ; Isaiah C., deceased ; Mary T.,

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HARRISON COUNTY.

Frank M., and Harriet A. Our subject's father died when he was about ten years of age, his mother having died three years prior to that time. After the death of his father, he went to learn the car- riagemaker's trade, with Sarven Bro- thers, with whom he remained four years. He then worked at his trade two years elsewhere, after which he commenced to work at his trade for himself, and followed . this business until the black war-cloud of the Rebellion darkened the peaceful hori- zon. When the mutterings of Civil War shook the foundations of the great Repub- lic, he suspended business and came to Chicago, where he remained one year, and then went to Rock Island, where he worked at his trade eight months. From that point he went to Council Bluffs, but shortly afterwards came to Harrison County.

One of the most important events of this man's life occurred December 2, 1867, when he was united in marriage to Aman- da V. Dickinson, the daughter of Richard and Saphrona Dickinson, natives of Ken- tucky and Ohio, respectively. They were the parents of four children : William H., James W., Amanda V., Isaiah H. Mr. and Mrs. Irvin are the parents of one child, Saphrona, born September 22, 1868.

Mr. and Mrs. Irvin are both acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, belonging at Harris Grove, where they assisted in erecting a new church in 1890.

Upon coming to Harrison County, our subject worked at the carpenter's trade, by the month, for about four years. When he came here lie did not have enough money to pay his lodging over night, but by "shoving the jack plane" early and late, he earned a span of colts, which he traded to William Townsend for ninety-three

acres of land in St. John's Township, pay- ing $4 per acre. He gave the colts and $50 in cash for the land. He made sub- stantial improvements on this place, in- cluding good buildings and a rail fence, which he mauled out himself, from native timber cut upon a ten-acre lot in Calhoun Township. He remained upon this place ten years, sold out and bought the place he now occupies, which then consisted of one hundred and forty-five acres of wild land. This he improved, provided good buildings and an orchard of four hundred trees.

In 1864 he enlisted from LaGrange Township, as a member of the Third Iowa Battery, and went to Little Rock, Ark. He was in the service about fourteen months, but was in no regular engage- ments, and received an honorable dis- charge.

LBERT GUNNETTE, whose farm is situated on section 26, of Union Township, came to Harrison County in the summer of 1874 with his mother, who was a widow. He lived with Samuel Wood until fourteen years of age, when he hired out to work by the month on a farm, and three years later went to farming on his own account, receiving at that time $133 from his father's estate. In the fall of that year our subject bought the farm on which he now lives, paying $25 per acre for the same.

Our subject was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, March 10, 1868, and moved with his parents to Michigan, where his parents died when he was about three years old. His father's family consisted

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HARRISON COUNTY.

of ten children, three of whom are now living, and are as follows: John M., Minnie M. and Albert.

Our subject was married January 23, 1889, to Nellie B. Childs, daughter of A. J. and Fannie Childs, who had four chil- dren, of whom our subject's wife was the oldest. These children were as follows: Vinnie, Eliza, Nellie and Jesse. The pa- rents were natives of Indiana.

Mr. and Mrs. Gunnette are the parents of one child-Vernie A., born January 3, 1890.

Politically, our subject affiliates with the People's party.

Being left an orphan boy at the tender age of three years, and having to face the cold world as our subject did, he is en- titled to much credit; having faced ad- versity manfully as he has, he can now enter into the enjoyment of his home cir- cle with a right hearty good will.

ANIEL KEMMISH, whose history in Harrison County dates from Oc- tober, 1865, when he came from Council Bluffs to these parts, with his parents, will form the subject of this bio- graphical notice.

By nationality Mr. Kemmish was an Englishman, having been born at Ports- mouth, July 15, 1848. He is the seventh child of a family of eleven children, and when he was five years of age his parents emigrated to the United States, landing at New Orleans and thence up the Missis- sippi River to Keokuk, Iowa, from which point they started for Utah Territory by ox-teams, crossing the Great American Desert, which at that time was the home of the Indian and the prairie dog. They

remained in Salt Lake City three years and then removed to a point ninety miles south of Salt Lake and remained until 1859, and then returned to St. Joseph, Mo., halted a few months and then came to Fremont County, Iowa, where they rented a farm for two years. We next find the family at Pacific City, Mills County, Iowa, and later at a point five miles east of Council Bluffs, where in 1862 they bought forty acres of land ; they remained on this only a short time, after which they moved into Council Bluffs and oper- ated the pioneer hotel known as "The Farmers' Inn" and there remained until about three months before coming to Harrison County.

Mr. Kemmish was united in marriage, April 2, 1870, in Pottawattamie County, to Nettie Eniex, a native of Ohio, born August 16, 1853, daughter of Jerry and Francais (Denny) Eniex, and she is the youngest of a family of three children. Her parents came to Pottawattamie County in 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Kemmish are the parents of the following children, Frances E., Katie M., Jerry C., Fourth M., Lee W., Blanche, Minnie, and one who died in infancy.

In his political belief our subject is a supporter of the Republican party. Our subject started in life on his own account at the age of fourteen years, going to Denver, Colo. He hauled lumber to re- build Julesburg in 1865 and remained in that country about nine months, returned to Iowa but soon went back to the West, and was snowed in during the winter of 1866. In January he started back on foot in company with twenty others. He had been engaged at ox-team freighting in the West, but upon his return worked in the brickyard in Council Bluffs, continuing that until the date of his marriage, when

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HARRISON COUNTY.

he came Harrison County to make a per- manent home. He has always been a hard worker and earned, as well as lost, large sums of money. In one instance he lost $900 of wages, earned as freighting across the plains. He has had fully his share of frontier hardships, crossing the plains as he did at that early day, and not unfre- quently lying all night behind a pile of ox yokes, watching for the red man. His life's story reads like a romance, but he knows full well its reality, and now seated by his own fireside he may relate to his children these early day experiences, by which they may profit.

AVID W. KENNEDY, who lives adjoining the town plat of Logan, is a native of Ohio, born in Athens County, April 11, 1838. He is the son of Charles and Elizabeth (Marshall) Kennedy, and came with the family to Crawford County, Iowa, arriving Novem- ber 15, 1854, locating on a quarter section of land.

Charles Kennedy, father of our subject, was a native of Ireland,' born in April 1790, remained in his native land until about 1821 and then emigrated to America, lo- cating in Philadelphia, Pa., where he en- gaged at making hair trunks, having learned the weaver's trade in Ireland. In 1837, he removed to Athens County, Ohio where he remained until coming to Iowa. He moved to Harrison County in 1868, where both he and his wife spent the re- mainder of their days, with their children. He was united in marriage in 1829, to Elizabeth, daughter of William and Jen- nie (Armstrong) Marshall, who were nat- ives of Ireland, Elizabeth being the eldest

of their seven children. She was born in Fermanagh County, Ireland, February 8, 1795, and came to this country in 1821, her parents locating at Philadelphia. Her father soon returned to Ireland on business, and there died, the mother hav- ing died soon after landing in this country.

Charles and Elizabeth (Marshall) Ken- nedy were the parents of the following children : Sarah Jane, born July 14, 1830; Samuel G., born September 4, 1831, and died October 8, 1859, leaving a wife and two children; Zelotes M., born July 13, 1833, now deceased; Joshua M., born Oc- tober 30, 1835; David W., our subject, April 11, 1838; Elizabeth Ann, April 30, 1840. Charles Kennedy, the father of these children, died in Harrison County, Iowa, February 27. 1873, aged eighty- three years. The mother died March 19, 1883, aged eighty-three years, and is buried in Whitesboro Cemetery, in Har- rison County.

Charles Kennedy's parents were Patrick and Esther (Butler) Kennedy, natives of Ireland. Patrick, under the leadership of Henry Gratton, took sides with the "Pa- triots" in the Rebellion of 1798, and was not seen or heard of afterwards.

David W., of whom we write this sketch, located on eighty acres of land near the old town site of Whitesboro, in Jefferson Township, March 1, 1878, where he remained and added to his land until September 8, 1885, and then moved to his present place. He was united in marriage, January 1, 1868, to Miss Nellie J. Newman, a native of New York State, born August 10, 1841. She is a daughter of Stephen F. and Lovinia (Klock) New- man, also natives of the Empire State. Our subject's wife came to Illinois in De- cember, 1861, and four years later to Crawford County, Iowa, arriving May 2,

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HARRISON COUNTY.

1865. Her father was born in New York, November 1, 1809, and was the son of Nathaniel and Esther (Frost) Newman, and was of English descent.

Our subject and his wife are the par- ents of the following children : Charles S., born December 23, 1868; George M., August 9, 1870; Merritt E., December 15, 1871; David Earl, born May 13, 1874, died September 2, 1874; Lewis M., born February 17, 1876, died January 22, 1882; Minnie L., born November 22, 1878; Mark B., August 31, 1881, and Nellie May, February 28, 1886. Charles S. at- tended the district school at Whitesboro until sixteen years of age, and then at- tended the High School at Logan three years, after which he took a course in the Omaha Business College, graduating from the same July 16, 1890, and at present is engaged in studying stenography and typewriting. George M. is engaged in the windmill and pump business at Logan.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Republican party, while in religious mat- ters he and his wife are members of the Latter Day Saints .Church. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a mem- ber of Chrysolite Lodge, No. 240, A. F. & A. M., at Logan.

OHN G. BRUNDIGE, a farmer liv- ing on section 8, La Grange Town- ship, has been a resident of Harri- son County since the spring of 1868, when he settled in St. John's Town- ship. He worked by the month that season and went to school in the winter, and in the summer of 1869, again worked by the month, but in 1870 rented a farm in St. John's Township. In 1869 our sub-

ject purchased eighty acres of wild land, and in 1873 erected a house upon the same, which was a small frame structure, 14x22 feet, boarded up and down. In 1873 he did some breaking and other im- provements were made. He lived in the house above referred to until the autumn of 1885, when he built his present house, which is a two-story building, 24x28 feet. His barn was built in 1882, the same be- ing 30x36 feet. He has added to his farm until it now comprises two hundred and twenty acres, eighty of which are under the plow; twenty-five acres in tame pas- ture and the balance meadow and wild pasture.

Our subject was born in Hardin County, Ohio, June 18, 1846, and in the autumn of 1847 his parents moved to Wabash County, Ind., where he remained with them until the spring of 1868, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa.

He was married to Miss Jane Chin- worth in Wabash County, Ind., June 6, 1870. They are the parents of seven chil- dren-Elizabeth A., Edgar C., Ida M., girl baby, died in infancy; Kenton E., boy baby died in infancy, and Novella .B.

Jane (Chinworth) Brundige, was born Wabash County, Ind., June 26, 1847, and remained with her parents until the date of her marriage.

The father of our subject, Uriah Brun- dige, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, December 6, 1813, and lived in that county until he grew to be a man, and then moved to Hardin County, Ohio, where he remained until 1847 ; then moved to Wabash County, where he died in the month of November 1879. He followed farming throughout his days.

His wife, Elizabeth (McGavren) Brun- dige was a native of Pennsylvania, and when a girl moved with her parents to

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HARRISON COUNTY.

Hardin County, Ohio, where she remained until the date of her marriage. She is still living in Wabash County, Ind. They were the parents of eight children, our subject being the oldest.

S AMUEL C. BARTHOLOMEW, who is prominently known through- out Harrison County as one of the representative citizens and well-to-do farmers, is a resident of Jackson Town- ship. He is a leader in those projects that tend to progression in moral as well as in financial matters. He came to the county in September, 1870, with a capital of but $125, and an eighty-acre tract of land, which he had previously purchased. He came to the county with his family nestled within a covered wagon drawn by one span of horses. He at once set about building for himself a home, and one who surveys his goodly possessions to-day can testify as to the success he has made. His farm is among the best in the county, and every- thing about the premises gives evidence of a thrifty, painstaking husbandman who, be it said to his credit, has carved out his own fortune.

That the reader may know of his earlier history-of that period of his life prior to his coming to Harrison County-it may be stated that he was born in Ripley County, Ind., January 6, 1845. He is the son of James and Mary (Alden) Barthol- omew. His father was a native of Essex- shire, England, and came to America, set- tling in Dearborn County, Ind., where he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Al- den, a native of the last-named county, and the daughter of Samuel J. Alden, who is a direct descendant of the famous puri-

tan, John Alden, who came over in the " Mayflower" in 1620, and who is the hero of Longfellow's poem so highly prized in American literature.

After the marriage of James Bartholo- mew, he removed to Tippecanoe County, Ind., where he followed farming and the manufacture of brooms until March 2, 1849, upon which day the angel of death called him from the scenes of earth. His good wife died at the home of her parents, in Dearborn County, Ind., in 1859. Her father, who was born about 1790, carried on farming and fruit-raising until his death in 1879.

Our subject, S. C. Bartholomew, was the second child of a family of three born to his parents. When eight years of age he went to live with a man named Stillman Ransom, in Ripley County, Ind., where he remained five years, at the end of which time he went to live with his grandfather, Samuel J. Alden, and there remained until he was seventeen years old, at which time (August 13, 1862) he enlisted in Company G, Eighty-third In- diana Volunteer Infantry and served two years and ten months, when the civil con- fict closed. He was discharged June 13, 1865, at Washington, D. C. During his service Mr. Bartholomew participated in the battles of Chickasaw Bayou, Decem- ber 28, 1862; Arkansas Post, January 11, 1863; Battle of Vicksburg; Jackson, Miss. He then returned to Memphis and went to Chattanooga, and took part in the Battle of Mission Ridge, Battle of Res- aca, and Kenesaw Mountain. He was also at the Battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, when Gen. McPherson was killed. Also July 28, 1864, at Atlanta, which was the hottest engagement he ever experienced. He was also with Sherman on his famous " March to the Sea." After being dis-

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HARRISON COUNTY.

charged he returned to his old home and for a time worked for his grandfather. He then attended a graded school at Greens- burgh, Decatur County, Ind., for seven months, then worked out for awhile and commenced farming on a piece of land with his brother, James L., who a year later came West and located in Monona County, Iowa. S. C., of whom this no- · tice is written, remained in Indiana an- other year, and we next find him in Har- rison County, Iowa, located on section 7, of Boyer Township, upon eighty acres of land, where he farmed until 1873, when he sold out and invested his money in cattle, which proved to be the foundation for his present home. For two years he rented. the Graham farm in Monona County, and came to Jackson Township in May, 1875. He now possesses eleven hundred and fifty acres of choice land in Jackson Township. Three hundred acres are under the plow, while the balance is in timber, pasture and meadow land. His fine farm- house was built in the summer of 1888. It is a two story structure, 24x28 feet, with an addition. It is looked upon as the best house within the township, and was erected at an expense of $3,000.

Mr. Bartholomew was married July 4, 1869, in Ripley County, Ind., to Mrs. Christina (Ertel) Clark, who had two children by her former husband, Mr. Clark. The names of the children were Henry L., deceased, and Ida May, now Mrs. William Arthur, Jr., of Jackson Township.

Mr. and Mrs. Bartholomew are the pa- rents of James Orval, born February 29, 1868, and now residing in Jackson Town- ship; he married Maggie Little, of Jeffer- son; Clara A., born January 7, 1873; Charles Albert, February 11, 1875; Mary A., April 2, 1877; Gracie B., May 6, 1886.

Mr. Bartholomew has been prominent in political circles, and in the 1891 cam- paign was a candidate for representative on the Independent ticket, receiving five hundred and eighty nine votes. He did not expect to be elected, hence was not disappointed. But his canvass proved him to be a strong man, and one who is thoroughly honest in his political deal- ings, and he stands high among men of all political faiths.

When one reviews the career of this gentleman, and the success he has made in Harrison County, they are impressed with the thought that industry and hon- esty are almost certain of final reward.

C LARK ELLIS, of the village of Lit- tle Sioux, came from Brown County, Ohio, with his mother and eight other children, in the spring of 1855, by the way of boat to St. Joseph, Mo., and by stage to Harrison County, and located in Jackson Township, where they rented a farm one year, after which the mother and six of her sons pre-empted land in this county. Clark was a little past eleven years old. At that time there were but few people in the township and the near- est market point was Kanesville. The first winter their main food was hominy, and he well remembers of even eating the sift- ings from corn meal. There was plenty of game which helped out their subsist- ence in a good degree. He tells of being obliged, in the winter of 1856-57, to go to bed through the day to keep from freezing, while the snow sifted through the"shakes', of the roof until it was a foot deep all over the house. He remained at home and when seventeen years of age he was the

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main support for his mother and six children, as his two older brothers had be- come soldiers in the Civil War. In the month of August, 1862, he and two broth- ers, A. B. M. and J. H., enlisted in Com- pany C., Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry. He went South and served three years, receiving his discharge August 10, 1865, at New Oleans and was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, feeling that he had done his share toward putting down the rebell- ion. He participated in the battles of He- lena, Ark .; Vicksburg ; fought their way to Little Rock, and was in the battle at Sa- line River, Ark., which lasted seven or eight hours, and the mud was knee deep. They returned to Little Rock, then went to Spanish Fort by the way of New Or- leans where they had a severe engage- ment, also Whistler Station. He was taken sick with the lung fever soon after the Saline River engagement, and was in the hospital two weeks, after which he was detailed in the hospital department, where he commenced his first experience in the drug business; he got back to the ranks a short time before he was dis- charged and was made Corporal. After coming out of the service he resumed farm life in Little Sioux Township, which he followed ten years, during which time he studied the drug business, and had been in a drug-store at odd times in Little Sioux.

May 1, 1875, he purchased his present location and moved in a stock of drugs, and has continued in this business ever since. As early as when he was eight years old, upon going into a drug-store, he re- solved that if he lived to be a man he would become a druggist.

Our subject was born in Brown County, Ohio, October 25, 1843; the son of John and Hannah (Martin) Ellis, and is the

twelfth of a family of thirteen children, all of whom grew to be. adults. He at- tended his first school in Brown County, Ohio, and after schools were provided in Harrison County he attended here, but most of his knowledge has been gained by home study and practical experience.

Mr. Ellis was united in marriage Feb- ruary 14, 1867, with Edna Hall, a native of Missouri, born January 14, 1852, and the . daughter of Andrew Hall. Her mother died when she was yet a small child. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, has been blessed by the advent of three children -Rufus N., Effie May and Samuel Strausser.

Our subject is a member of Lodge No. 389, I. O. O. F., and Frontier Lodge No. 382, of the Masonic order at Little Sioux.

b ON. FRANKLIN W. HART, At- torney-at-law, real estate and loan broker, at Logan, Iowa, is a native of Michigan and came to Iowa in 1862, and to Harrison County, in 1883. He was born in Branch County, Mich., in 1840, and is a son of I. D. and Emeline (Lewis) Hart, natives of Connecticut and Vermont. They reared a family of nine children, eight of whom still survive. Our subject's early life was spent in the Wol- verine State, and his education received in the common schools, and the select schools at Ottawa, Ill. ; then at Lombard University at Galesburg, Ill., and in 1863, he went to Cornell College, at Mt. Vernon, Iowa. In 1864, he enlisted in Company I, Forty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and served as a private in the Army of the West. After graduating at Mt. Vernon in 1869 he studied law under Maj. Thompson. In

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HARRISON COUNTY.

1881, our subject was nominated by accla- mation and elected by a large majority in Linn County, Iowa, as a member of the House of Representatives, on the Repub- lican ticket.

He was united in marriage at Missouri Valley, February, 1889, to Miss Causine Kern, daughter of Dr. Henry R. and Mary E. (Duvall) Kern, both of whom are de- ceased.

Our subject is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, and belongs to the Masonic Lodge, the G. A. R. Post; the Legion of Honor and a college society. He was a member of Gov. Larrabee's Staff, during his four years' administration and held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Mr. Hart is a man well informed and is widely and favorably known throughout Iowa.

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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 93

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