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 95
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Politically, our subject is a Democrat "to the backbone," and he called the first
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Democratic convention in Harrison County, in 1857. It may here be remarked that his great-grandfather, Mason Hobart, was in the Revolutionary War. In the way of civic societies, Mr. Raymond is a member of Missouri Valley Lodge, No. 232, of A. F. & A. M., having joined that order in Connecticut in 1851, being a member of Hiram Lodge, No. 1, at New Haven. At one time he was connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows.
H. SNIFF, editor of the Missouri Valley News, came to Dunlap, Har- rison County, Iowa, in 1882, as Su- perintendent of the Public Schools of that place, which position he held forfour years. In 1886 he removed to Missouri Val- ley, where he filled a similar position for one year. The Harrison County News was established at Logan in 1880, and was moved to Missouri Valley in 1884; two years later our subject purchased the plant, taking charge of the paper, in May 1887, and converted it from a weekly into a semi-weekly journal, and established the "department system" of Harrison County News in 1888, adding the Sioux News, Mondamin News, Modale News and Per- sia News, all being auxiliary publication's. In May, 1889, our enterprising subject began the publication of the Daily News, since which time the paper has been known as the Harrison County News, Daily and Weekly.
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In the Presidential campaign of 1888 Mr. Sniff was elected one of the Presiden- tial Electors on the Republican ticket, and had the honor of casting the vote for the Ninth Congressional District of Iowa
for Benjamin Harrison, as President of the United States.
Mr. Sniff was born in Logan County, Ohio, June 12, 1853, the son of Edward and Mary (Funk) Sniff. The father was of Pennsylvania-German stock, but a na- tive of the Buckeye State. He was a con- tractor and builder and came to Ft. Madi- son, Iowa, in 1857, following the trade of a builder for twenty-five years. Since 1872 he has resided on a dairy farm, at Denmark, Iowa.
Mr. Sniff, our subject, was the first child of a family of twelve, nine of whom are still living. His early education was re- ceived in the public schools of Lee County, Iowa, and at Denmark Academy, under the Presidency of Henry K. Edson. At the age of eighteen, he began teaching in Lee County, Iowa, and followed this pro- fession until 1887, as Superintendent, of the city schools at Webster City, Iowa; Nevada, Iowa, Dunlap and Missouri Val- ley, Iowa, besides devoting much time to Normal Institutes in various counties within Iowa, since which time he has been engaged as above related.
Mr. Sniff was united in marriage No- vember 28, 1878, at Ackley, Iowa, to Mary E. Guthrie, the daughter of Dr. James A. Guthrie, who belonged to the regular school, and served as an assistant surgeon in the Mexican War, and lost a hand at the battle of Cerro Gordo. He settled at an early day at Quasqueton, Iowa. In 1858 lie removed to Butler County, Iowa, and in 1863, represented that district in the Legislature, and died in New Hartford in 1883. The mother is still a resident of New Hartford.
After having given our subject's con- nection with the newspaper business it is unnecessary to remark that he is a Repub- lican.
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HARRISON COUNTY.
He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Hospitable Lodge, No. 244, at Dunlap, Iowa, as well as of Ark Chapter of the same place. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Missouri Valley.
Mrs. Sniff has been a very successful teacher, beginning at the age of fifteen years, she threw the whole of her ener- gies into her profession, and as an instruc- tor in literature and history, she was emi- nently successful. She taught in the Dunlap High School four years, and has been Principal of the Grammar depart- ment of Missouri Valley High Schools for five years.
ENRY REEL (deceased), better known to the people of Logan as "Uncle Henry Reel," was the founder of the town of Logan, and named the same in honor of one of the chieftains of the Civil War-Gen. John A. Logan.
Mr. Reel departed this life March 5, 1890. No more truly praiseworthy name can be mentioned in connection with the history of Logan than the one heading this sketch. He was of the old-fashioned back woods stripe of pioneers. He loved the life of a frontierman, and wanted to be numbered with this class throughout his days. But advanced civilized life and progress got ahead of him when he came to Harrison County, at least not many years later. Mr. Reel was born March 16, 1803, in Montgomery County, Va.
In 1822, hein company with his brother, John Reel, removed from Dayton, Ohio,
to Putnam County, Ind., which section was then a wilderness indeed.
There the two brothers erected the first saw and grist mill in the community, do- ing the most of the millwright work from wood fashioned by their own hands. They had to go on foot to Lawrenceburg, on the Ohio River, a distance of one hundred and thirty-five miles, to market. They usually had an axe strapped to their backs, for the purpose of building camp-fires and constructing rude "floats" or rafts, by which they were enabled to cross streams too deep and angry to wade. But when the iron rails of the first railway pene- trated the forests of his farm land, "Uncle Henry" could no longer endure his Indiana home, hence emigrated West, and finally settled where Logan now stands. He procured the lands hereabouts, together with a mill site where the Roller Mills are now situated. He came in the autumn of 1852 and built his log cabin, and not many months after had a sawmill and "corn. cracker" in operation. The space allotted to any one man's sketch is all too short to embrace the many deeds of pioneer hardships and genuine manhood which went toward making up this man's event- ful life. His later history is woven in and recorded with that of the city of Logan and the county of Harrison.
Among the special features of this old pioneer's life, may be mentioned his un- yielding integrity and uprightness; his religious convictions; his loyalty to the Union of States, offering on the altar of his country as he did, three sons, who perished by reason of the Rebellion.
He was a life long-walker, always pre- ferring to walk, rather than to ride in any sort of a conveyance. Not unfrequently would he walk from Logan to Council Bluffs, when teams were all along the
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way. He was a member of the Predestin- arian Baptist Church, and erected a church building at Logan for that denom . ination, at his own expense. He held large landed interests, milling interests, town site interests, and at one time owned the only newspaper at Logan. At the time of his death the remnant of his fam- ily consisted of his wife and one daughter, Mrs. William Brayton, of Logan. Mr. Reel's first wife was Catherine Starr, who bore him seven children.
Thus one by one the scythe of time mows from the face of earth her children, and they sink to sleep in the bosom of that mother earth whose embrace shall at last envelop all mankind.
LBERT J. MILLER, with Stern & Milliman, Logan, Iowa, has been a resident of Harrison County since April, 1876. Upon coming to the county he engaged in teaching district school, which he followed three years, then taught one year at Missouri Valley and one year and a half at Logan, after which he was Deputy County Clerk, serv- ing from 1879 to 1881, and in the fall of the last named year, was elected to the office of County Superintendent of Schools which office he held with credit to him- self and his constituents. After retiring from that office he was in the employ of Harvey & Ford, bankers, also connected with the Logan postoffice for a time, and during the month of September, 1887, en- tered the employ of Stern & Milliman, real-estate and loan agents.
He was born in Winnebago County, Wis., January 5, 1853, and is the son of George and Mary (Estey) Miller. His fa-
ther was of Scotch descent and followed farming for a livelihood. Our subject at- tended the district schools in the Badger State, where he obtained a good education. When fifteen years of age he entered Ri- pon College, where he remained until he graduated in June, 1875, after which he came West and taught one term of school in Monona County, Iowa, and from there came to Harrison County, as above re- lated.
He was united in marriage January 27, 1882, witlı Clara Hedges, a native ofIllinois, by whom one child, Clara, was born March 16, 1885. Mrs. Miller died February 6, 1886, and October 15, 1890, Mr. Miller was married to Clara B. Cadwell, daughter of G. B. and Clara Cadwell, of Logan, Iowa.
Mr. Miller and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church and he belongs to Logan Lodge, No. 355, I. O. O. F. also to Boyer Valley Lodge, No. 149, A. O. U. W., at Logan.
Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party, believing this political organization best subserves the interests of the masses.
L IVY M. HUNT, a respected citizen, and a native of Harrison County, now residing on section 36, of Douglas Township, forms the subject of the subjoined sketch. He was born at Six-Mile Grove in 1852, and remained with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age, attending school winters, and working on the farm summers. His father gave himn one hundred and twenty- acres of wild land, which he improved by building a house 16x20 feet, a story and a half high, to which he has since added ;
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he dug a well, erected a windmill, and provided good outbuildings, and has since added sixty acres to his farm, making one hundred and eighty in all.
Our subject is a son of Jasen and Mary Hunt, natives of the Empire State, who had a family of six children, five of whom are now living-Camilla, Livy, Harriet, Orville (died at five years of age) Ellen and Charles.
Alice Billiter, daughter of William Billiter, a native of Indiana, became our subject's wife April 11, 1877. She was the second of a family of seven children, and she died childless in December, 1879. Mr. Hunt was again married, November 4, 1881, to Ida, daughter of John and Han- · nah Davie. The father was a native of England, and the mother of New York State. They had eight children, of whom our subject's wife was the fifth. Their names are-William, Belle, Emma, Ida, Stella, Nettie, Frank and Minnie.
Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children-Nettie A., born No- vember 5, 1885; Jasen T., August 1, 1887 ; and John, December 29, 1889.
W ILLIAM R .. KIRKHAM, a farmer of section 5, in Douglas Town- ship, came to Harrison County during the month of March, 1876, and stopped at Reeder's Mills for three months teaching school.
By reading this sketch it will be ob- served that our subject has followed the profession of a teacher for many years, his ability in this direction causing him to be engaged to teach in Mills, Potta- wattamie and Harrison Counties for many
terms in succession. After completing his school at Reeder's Mills, and in the month of September the same year, he was engaged to teach a seven months' school near Missouri Valley, and the fol- lowing spring taught a three months' term in St. John's Township, as well as a winter school. Seeming satisfied with school teaching, and having many appli- cations, he was again engaged to teach a three months' term in the spring of 1878. Being very successful at teaching the young ideas how to shoot, he was en- gaged in September to teach a nine months' term in the same township. In 1879 and 1880, as well as in 1881, he taught in St. John's Township and Mis- souri Valley. Seven months of the years 1882 and 1883 he taught in the same place, after which he went into the railroad office at Missouri Valley, and there re- mained a year and a half, at the expira- tion of which time he was engaged to teach a three months' term in Pottawatta- mie County, Iowa, which ended on Feb- . ruary, 1885, and the following month he purchased the farm upon which he now lives. During the winters of 1885-86 he was employed to teach in his home dis- trict, which was the last term of school he taught. He commenced as a teacher in 1872, in Mills County, Iowa, and in all had taught ninety-two months. He was born in Hancock County, Ohio, August 9, 1848, and in 1852 removed with his par- ents to Johnson County, Iowa, and four months later to Iowa County, where they remained four years, and then returned to Johnson County, and then in the spring of 1858 they moved to Ringgold County, Iowa, where he remained until the fall of 1869, then went to Missouri where he en- gaged at farm labor, and took the census of two townships in Buchanan County, of
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HARRISON COUNTY.
that State, for the 1870 United States census. In 1871 he came to Tabor, Fre- mont County, Iowa, where he attended college, after which he went to teaching. In 1873 he made a trip to Colorado, being gone about seven months, having in- tended to teach in that section of the country, but finding his profession over- done, he returned and began teaching in Pottawattamie County, after having worked on a ranch for several months.
He was united in marriage June 27,1878, at Missouri Valley, with Miss Virginia Wade, by whom one child was born- Effie M., born May 21, 1880.
In the fall of 1887 they took a boy to raise ; he was from the Orphans' Home at Council Bluffs-William E., born De- cember 16, 1882.
Concerning our subject's father and mother, it may be said that the father was born in Genesee County, N. Y., in Septem- ber, 1802, and was reared in Tompkins County, N. Y. He practiced medicine for about twenty years, and left the Em- pire State, coming to Ohio, where he re- mained until he came to Iowa. He was married to Catharine B. Moore in Pitts- burg, Pa., about 1828. They were the parents of thirteen children, our subject being the tenth child. Twelve of the family grew to manhood and womanhood.
The mother was born in Springfield, Mass., in 1811, and in 1816 her parents re- moved to Pittsburg, Pa., where she re- mained until the date of her marriage. Her father was engaged at the armory at Springfield, Mass., Pittsburg, Pa., and then at Harper's Ferry, being in com- mand of the armory. The mother died in Ringgold County, in December, 1885, and the father in the summer of 1880.
Virginia (Wade) Kirkham, wife of our subject, was born in Wood County, Ohio,
October 4, 1856, and when two years old her parents removed to Allen County, where they remained until April, 1875, when they came to Harrison County, Iowa, locating near Missouri Valley, at which place they now live.
Politically, our subject votes with the Republican party, and in religious matters is a Metliodist.
E DWIN B. WAITLEY, photo- grapher, at Dunlap, established his business at that point in 1882, and being a representative business man of that portion of the county, the following' biographical notice of him will be given in this connection.
He is a native of Mt. Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, born December 12, 1859. When an infant, his parents removed to La Grange County, Ind., in which section he spent his early life and received his ed- ucation in the common schools. From the time he was ten years of age he assisted his father , who was foreman in a saw- mill, and when he was only fourteen years old he took full charge of the mill at such times as his father was absent, and at the age of sixteen commenced to learn the printer's trade, which he followed two years and then came to Iowa, locating at Dunlap. The way he came to locate at this point was on account of his having the "Indiana ager," and upon going to Chicago from his home he purchased a railroad ticket to Council Bluffs and ex- pected to go farther on West, but when the train stopped at Dunlap for dinner he crawled off the train in order to try and eat something, and the surroundings of the place caught his eye; everything
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looked so cool and inviting that he deter- mined to stop over. which he did, and as a result he located at this point. He en- gaged with a man to help him husk his corn, with the understanding that if his services were worth anything he should receive it ; so for six weeks he husked corn and fought ague every other day; at the end of which time he came out conqueror. He then engaged at his trade in Dunlap. He followed painting for two years, part of the time for the Northwestern Railroad Company, and early in the '80s he con- cluded to engage in the photograph business. He commenced to learn the business of H. L. Hoff, with whom he was associated twenty-one months, after which he spent one winter in Gallatin, Mo., and then returned to Dunlap and bought out his former employer. Up- on coming to the county the first time he had only enough to barely get him here from Indiana, but by close application to his business and the practice of economy, he has come into the possession of a hand- some property, including a quarter-section farm in Crawford County, three miles north of Dunlap, which he keeps well stocked with cattle, handling about fifty head each year. In 1890 he and William Cook purchased the VanScoy brick yards, which they operated one year.
Politically, our subject is a Republican, believing this to come the nearest his ideas of a political organization. He is a member of Golden Rule Lodge, No. 178, I. O. O. F., and is at present Vice-Grand. He is also leader of the Dunlap Cornet Band.
Miss Vina Roberts became his wife De- cember 12, 1882. She is the daughter of Moses and Matilda (Davis) Roberts, and was born in Clinton County, Iowa, May 10, 1863. They have a family of two chil-
dren-Ward, born May 2, 1886, and Neal, February 14, 1890. Mrs. Waitley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The parents of our subject, Cordan and Rosella (McKinzie) Waitley, who were na- tives of New York and Ohio, respectively, came to Iowa the same fall our subject did, and have since resided in Crawford County. They had a family of five chil- dren-Flora, wife of W. Hoff, a resident of Carroll, Iowa; Eva, wife of L. Q. Spalding, M. D., residing at Battle Creek, Iowa; Charles, an attorney, resident of Logan; Ida, residing at home; Edwin B., our subject, who is the second child in the family. The family are among the most highly respected people in the com- munity in which they live, and our sub- ject is one of the live, energetic business men of Dunlap. His life is a good exam- ple of what a man can accomplish who has the pluck and ambition to push to the front. He is a thorough master of his art, and does fine work in photography, crayon and india ink work.
S AMUEL B. SHIELD, a merchant doing business at Missouri Valley, came to the place twenty-one years ago, and began clerking for S. B. Jackson, then with E. W. Meech, and later with Charles Connolly, all of whom were en- gaged in the grocery business. He spent three years with these three firms. In 1873 he was engaged with the Northern Pacific Railroad in the work of construc- tion. After this he returned to Missouri Valley, and formed a partnership with E. W. Meech in the grocery business, the firm being Shields & Meech. They con-
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tinued in business until 1876, at which time our subject bought his partner out and one year later formed a partnership with C. A. Walker, which existed four years, when he bought Walker out, and one year afterward formed a partnership with L. E. Massie, the firm being Shields & Massie, which was finally changed to S. B. Shields & Co., and so remains to this time.
Mr. Shields was born at Washington, Warren County, N. J., March 4, 1840. He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Emery) Shields. The Shields were of Irish descent. The grandmother's name, on the Shields' side, was Coleman. Our subject was the seventh of a family of five sons and three daughters. Seven of the children are still living. Mrs. Arndt, of Missouri Valley, is one of the sisters; one brother lives in South Amboy, N. J .; one in Belvidere, N. J .; one in Wilkesbarre, Pa., and one sister at Dover, N. J., and another in Washington, N. J.
The father was a farmer, and died seve- ral years ago, aged sixty-seven years. His wife died at the age of fifty-four. Our subject's brother David died at the age of twenty-nine years at Scranton, Pa.
Our subject obtained his education at common schools, after which he remained one year on his father's farm, and then began business for himself at Hyde Park, Pa. From there he went to Pittston, Pa., and from there to Binghampton, N. Y. He then returned to Washington, N. J., and from there came to Missouri Valley, Iowa.
He was married January 29, 1850, to Linda B. Yard. who was a native of the same county in which our subject was born. Two of Mr. Shields' brothers mar- ried sisters of his wife. Mrs. Shields' parents are both deceased. Mr. and Mrs.
Shields are the parents of three children -Whitfield, died in infancy; Elmer E. Ellsworth at the age of eight months; Lela A. was born October 23, 1868, at Washington, N. J., and is still at home.
Politically, our subject is a Democrat. He belongs to Valley Lodge, No. 232, A. F. & A. M.
D AVID HERRING, a son of the Key- stoneState, whocame to Iowa twenty- five years ago, and is now a re- spected citizen of Little Sioux Township, was born in Adams County, Pa., Decem- ber 25, 1843. He is the son of Michael and Mary (Rife) Herring, both of whom are deceased, and who were natives of Pennsylvania. This worthy couple reared a family of nine children, our subject being the seventh child. His early life was spent in Pennsylvania, and his education re- ceived there in the common schools. The Herring family are of German descent.
Our subject began working on a farm at his majority, and in February, 1864, at Chambersburg, Pa., enlisted in Company B, Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry, and took part in the Civil War. His com- pany was sent to Washington, D. C., where they were dismounted and at once entered into active service. They took part in the battles of Cold Harbor, battle of the Wilderness, the siege and battle of Petersburg, and later on were mounted as cavalrymen and joined Sheridan's Cav- alry Corps. After which they fought at Boynton's Plank Road, Stony Creek, Bellefield Raid, Hatchies Run, Davidson Courthouse, Amelia Springs, and Flat Creek, as well as Farmvale and wound up by helping capture Gen. Robert E. Lee,
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the leader of the Southern Confederacy, at Appomattox. Mr. Herring was taken prisoner at Amelia Springs, April 5, 1865, and was with the Confederate army until Lee surrendered. He was discharged July 17, 1865, and returned home, where he remained a short time, spent two months in Clearfield County, Pa., then returned home and remained until April, 1866, when he came to Harrison County, Iowa, and worked one year for H. Herring, and then bought forty acres of tim ber land on section 3, of Little Sioux Township. He purchased his present farm in 1867, and now has one hundred and twenty acres of land, one-half of which is under cultivation.
He was married February 9, 1879, at Little Sioux, to Sarena Rife, the daugh- ter of David and Harriet (Wolfe) Rife. In April, 1885, Mr. and Mrs. Herring adopted a niece and nephew of Mrs. Herring, their names being Bert and Kittie Kelley, aged respectively twelve and nine years. They came from Harrisburg, Pa.
Politically Mr. Herring is identified with the Republican party, as are a great majority of the soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
W ILLIAM H. HOPE. The subject of this sketch is a native of New York State and came to Harrison County in 1870. He was born in Greene County, N. Y., September 26, 1841, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Swin- dels) Hope, natives of England. The paternal grand parents were William and Ann, the grandfather on the mother's side being John Swindels, also of England.
Our subject's early life was spent in New York, and in 1850 the family came to McHenry County, Ill. The father was a cabinet maker, and came to Iowa and en- gaged in the cabinet business. William H. Hope came to Iowa and engaged in a general store, in company with his brother, now living in Sioux City. He started a drug store at Little Sioux in 1879, and was burned out in 1890, but rebuilt the same year.
Mr. Hope was united in marriage, in December 1875, to Miss Belle Ellis, a daughter of Hiram Ellis. She died in 1876, and three years later he married Luella Ellis, a sister of his first wife, by whom six children were born-Eva, Leona, and Ervin living, and three dead.
Politically, Mr. Hope is a Republican, and in his religious views a Methodist.
W. MINTUN, Auditor of Harri- son County, accompanied his fa- ther's family to these parts in the autumn of 1879. His father located near Modale, where he still lives. Our subject was born in Brighton, Washing- ton County, Iowa, December 21, 1859. His father, Daniel P. Mintun, is a native of Indiana, and his mother, Mary J. (Donovan) Mintun, is a native of Ohio.
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