USA > Iowa > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 6
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GUSS A. SMITHBURG.
Guss A. Smithburg is of Swedish origin having been born in Sweden, August 5, 1842. He was the son of Peter and Catherine Smithburg, natives of Sweden where his father was a coppersmith by trade, working at this occupation until he came to America in the year 1848. He settled in Jefferson county where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Lockridge township. He was about to cultivate his property and make improvements thereon when he met with a sudden death. On his way to a neighboring sawmill, whither he was going for the purpose of buying his building materials, he was drowned in Brush Creek, the mill-race on which Ross's sawmill was situated. Mr. Smithburg's death left his widowed wife alone with six children, strangers in a strange land. Guss A. Smith- burg, who still retains some dim recollections of this period, was only six years old at the time. His mother, however, met the situation confronting her with the heroism born of stoical determination and, with the help of the older children, carried out her husband's plans for clearing and im- proving the land, so that in time her farm bore abundant crops. She remained on the homestead until her death, which occurred in 1869, at the age of sixty-eight years.
Guss A. Smithburg was educated in the Lockridge township district schools. At the age of nineteen years he enlisted in Company M, Fourth Iowa Cavalry and served all through the Civil war. Upon the termination of the war he returned to his home and lived with his mother until her death. Then he gained possession of the home farm by right of purchase from the other heirs and, devoting himself to the cultivation of this land, has continued to operate it ever since. He now enjoys the reputation of owning one of the finest and best improved farms in Jefferson county, having added to the original land until he had two hundred and forty acres in all.
The marriage of Guss A. Smithburg to Miss Christina Anderson was celebrated December 27, 1868. She was a daughter of Andrew M. and C. Louisa (Johnson) Anderson, natives of Sweden who came to Jefferson county in 1849. Here they acquired forty acres in Lockridge township which they cleared and improved. At the outbreak of the war Mr. Ander- son sold this farm and removed to Henry county, Iowa, where he bought
GUSS A. SMITHBURG
MRS. GUSS A. SMITHBURG
PUBLI
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land near Swedesburg. He operated this for the remainder of his life. He died in 1890, being eighty-one years of age, his widow surviving him, being now ninety years of age and making her home at present in Galesburg.
Mr. and Mrs. Smithburg were the parents of eight children. The living are: Elmer M., residing in Lockridge, Iowa; Alma M., twin sister of Elmer, married to Frank Cox of Cedar township, Jefferson county ; Bertha, the wife of E. A. Kauffman, a farmer in Lockridge township; Walter W., who has taken up a homestead in Canada; Minnie, married to Clarence Wedertz, living at Keokuk, Iowa; Ralph E., a farmer in Canada. The deceased are: Clara E., the first born, who died December 5, 1873, at the age of four years; and Clark A., who died December 9, 1873, at the age of one year.
Mr. Smithburg has served as trustee of his township for several years. He is a republican in his political allegiance. As a veteran of the Civil war he is an enthusiastic member of the George Strong Post, G. A. R., at Fairfield, Iowa. He worships in the Methodist church in which his wife is also a member. The handsome home in which he lives and the broad acres of rich fields with which it is surrounded give ample testimony of the success that has crowned his life's labors.
GREER McKEE.
There is no record which the American citizen holds in higher honor than that of the man whose strength of character, determination of pur- pose and indefatigable energy have enabled him to work his way upward from a humble position to one of affluence and who, throughout his busi- ness career, has followed a straightforward, honorable course, that neither seeks nor requires disguise. Such has been the record of Greer McKee. and no history of Jefferson county would be complete if it failed to make mention of this venerable citizen who, although he has now reached the eighty-fourth milestone on life's journey, is still as active in the world's work as many men of much younger age. He was born on the 8th of November, 1827, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and comes from a family which has been represented in this country since colonial days. The American progenitor of the family was William McKee, the grand- father of our subject, who was born in County Derry, in the north of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish descent, and came to America prior to the Revolu- tionary war and fought throughout the long war for independence. He was a man of good college training who had been educated for the Presby- terian ministry, but later in life learned the trade of a coverlet weaver, Vol. II .- 4
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following that occupation in connection with agricultural pursuits in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, for a number of years. In his family were nine children of whom three sons died in early life, while three sons and three daughters lived to maturity. Of this number Henry McKee, the father of Greer McKee, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and spent almost his entire life in the Keystone state. Prior to his demise he removed to Ohio, locating in Harrison county, and there continued to fol- low the trade of a carpenter until his death. He had been a soldier of the war of 1812, and took part in the battle of Plattsburg. He married Elizabeth Duncan, who was born, reared and married in Washington county, Pennsylvania, where her death also occurred. Her father, James Duncan, was a lifelong resident of the Keystone state, where he carried on general farming. He, too, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and Greer McKee, of this review, believes that he is the only man in the state of Iowa who is the grandson of two Revolutionary soldiers. By a former marriage to John McCloskey, Mrs. McKee had four children, and unto her second marriage were born two children of whom Greer McKee is the elder. His sister, Mary Jane, who married Andrew Myers, is now a resident of Spokane, Washington, her husband having died shortly after participating in the battle of Perryville, in the Civil war, his death being caused by a wound received in that engagement.
Greer McKee was but six years of age when his mother passed away. He continued a resident of Pennsylvania until his sixteenth year, when he went with his father to Harrison county, Ohio, where he remained until he enlisted for service in the Civil war on the 15th of May, 1864, joining Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for one hundred days' service. He had previously, however, served in the state troops, the martial spirit which characterized the father and grand- fathers being strong within him. After the close of hostilities, he came to Iowa, in the spring of 1865, and located in Liberty township, Jefferson county, upon the farm which is now his home, his first purchase making him the owner of one hundred and twenty acres. In early life, Greer McKee had learned and followed the trade of carpentry, which he had mastered under the direction of his father, and for which he had strong preference. After arriving in Iowa, he also engaged in that occupation in connection with his farming for about four years, but, later, withdrew from that line of activity to devote his entire attention to his agricultural pursuits, which demanded more and more of his time. He applied himself diligently to the tasks at hand, and, as the years passed, success in large measure attended his efforts so that he was able, from time to time, to add to his original holdings until, eventually, he became one of the largest landowners in his section of the county. At one time, he owned five
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hundred acres, all located in Jefferson and Van Buren counties, one hun- dred and twenty acres in Audubon county and one hundred and sixty acres in Ringgold county. With the exception of one hundred and fifteen acres upon which he now resides, however, Mr. McKee has disposed of all of his property as advancing years have made it impossible for him to per- sonally supervise such extensive holdings. His home place is located in Jefferson county, on the Van Buren county line, and is a finely developed farm, equipped with modern improvements and accessories. His life record may well serve as an example to others inasmuch as he started out in life a poor boy, without any special advantages at the outset of his career ; but by earnest endeavor, close application and well directed efforts, he worked his way upward in the business world until he became one of the wealthiest residents of this district. Much of his property and income, however, has been turned over to his children, all of whom he has helped in a very substantial manner.
Mr. McKee was married, on the Ist of March, 1860, in Harrison county, Ohio, to Miss Mary Ann Tedrow, who was born in that county January 8, 1842, a daughter of Goliah and Christian (Miller) Tedrow, both of whom passed away in Ohio. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McKee have been born twelve children, as follows: Flora Bell, who married James F. Lawson, of Liberty township; G. T., of Union township, Van Buren county ; Mary Elizabeth, the deceased wife of Reuben Johnson; W. G., of Van Buren county ; Anna Eliza, who wedded James Simpson, of this township; John, who resides at home with his father, and owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Van Buren county : Rosetta, the wife of William Lawson, of Liberty township; Ira, who passed away at the age of three years ; Willis C., of Center township, Jefferson county ; U. S. Grant, of Van Buren county ; Jennie May, a student at Parsons College ; and Nora, who married Pearl Kirkhart. All of this number were born in Jefferson county, Iowa, with the exception of the three eldest, whose births occurred in Ohio.
Mr. McKee has found the inspiration for the faithful performance of each day's duties in his connection with the Presbyterian church, of which he has been a member for sixty years. He now belongs to the church at Birmingham, of which he has served as elder since his arrival here, at the present time acting as ruling elder. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party which stood as the support of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war, and on that ticket was elected to the office of township trustee. He has also held school offices throughout much of the period of his residence here, and has been most zealous in his support of all movements which have for their object the improvement and de- velopment of the community, being a stalwart champion of material, in- tellectual and moral progress, recognizing, as he does, that each plays an
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important part in the world's affairs. He taught Sunday school for about sixty years. In spite of his eighty-four years, Greer McKee is still to be found at work in the fields or about the farm; and, so lightly do his years rest upon him, that he claims he can pile more hay on a wagon today than any other man in the locality. His has indeed been a well spent life. characterized by faithfulness to duty in every relation. Today, he enjoys the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one of advanced years whose life has been in large measure an exemplification of all that is praiseworthy in man's relation to his fellowmen and to the community in which he resides.
GEORGE BRADFIELD.
George Bradfield, who for the past seven years has lived retired in Brookville, was numbered among the substantial and representative agri- culturists of Jefferson county during his early manhood ; later, he engaged in business as a huckster and painter of Fairfield. His birth occurred in Monroe county, Ohio, on the 16th of January, 1837, his parents being Stephen and Nancy (Bradfield) Bradfield, both of whom were natives of Prince William county, Virginia, in which state their marriage was cele- brated. The father came of English descent; the mother was of Scotch lineage. In 1831, they removed to Ohio, locating in Monroe county, where they continued to reside until 1849, which year witnessed their arrival in Jefferson county, Iowa. Stephen Bradfield operated a rented farm in Fairfield township for several years. Subsequently he purchased a tract of land north of Abingdon, in Polk township, residing thereon throughout the remainder of his life. His wife survived him for seven years.
George Bradfield obtained his education in the district schools. After he had attained his majority, he worked on shares with his father, residing under the parental roof until thirty years of age, when he was married and established a home of his own. In 1863, he enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of Company F, Third Iowa Cavalry. He par- ticipated in the battle of Little Rock, Arkansas, and was then assigned to the Eastern department, taking part in the engagements at Oxford and Guntown, Mississippi. He was also in a number of skirmishes incident to Price's raid through Arkansas and Missouri, and on the Blue river. On one occasion, his horse was killed and fell upon him, dislocating one of his ankles and shoulders. After spending four months in the hospital at Jefferson City, Missouri, Mr. Bradfield returned to his company at Louis- ville, Kentucky, and did active duty as a soldier until the cessation of
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hostilities, when he was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa. Returning home with a creditable military record, Mr. Bradfield resumed farming, in association with his father. Following his marriage, he took up his abode on a farm in Wapello county, where he remained for one year ; subsequently, he spent four years on the old Gow place in Fairfield town- ship, Jefferson county. Removing to Kansas, he there remained for four years, on the expiration of which period he was obliged to leave the Sun- flower state because of the ravages of the grasshoppers. In 1874, he re- turned to this county, locating in Brookville, where he made his home for twenty years. He next removed to Fairfield, where he resided for two years ; he then spent four years in Brookville, and afterward again lived in Fairfield for five years. While a resident of Fairfield, he was success- fully engaged in business as a huckster and painter, but, during the past seven years, has lived in honorable retirement at Brookville, owning an attractive residence and thirteen acres of land in section II, Locust Grove township.
On the 19th of February, 1867, at the home of the bride's parents in Fairfield township, Mr. Bradfield was united in marriage to Miss Christina C. Gow, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Peter and Jeanette (Parker) Gow, both of whom were born in Glasgow, Scotland. Emigrating to America, her parents first located in Ohio; later, about 1848, they took up their abode on a farm in Fairfield township, Jefferson county, Iowa. The last years of their lives, however, were spent in retirement at Fairfield.
The record of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Bradfield is given below. Cora Eva gave her hand in marriage to Benson Ashmead, an agriculturist residing east of Bloomfield, by whom she has five children: Ethel, Edgar, Clifford, Fred and Carl. Harry E. operates a farm of one hundred and twenty-eight acres, just south of Brookville, in association with his son Bruce. In early manhood, he wedded Miss Nora Hoffman, daughter of Esham Hoffman, a well known farmer of Locust Grove township. Unto them were born four children, two of whom survive; Bruce and Bernice. Both Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Bradfield are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Brookville. The former served as assessor of Locust Grove township for one term. Frank Bradfield, who farms a tract of land northeast of Brookville, married Lilly Ireland, of Locust Grove town- ship, by whom he has two children, Hilda and Charles. The mother was twice married, her first husband being Nelson Goodman, by whom she had one child: Marjory May Goodman.
In politics, Mr. Bradfield is a stanch republican, loyally supporting the party which was the defense of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war. For four years, he held the office of postmaster at Brookville, under President Benjamin Harrison. Both he and his wife belong to the
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Methodist Episcopal church of Brookville, taking a helpful part in its work. Mr. Bradfield was a member of Abingdon post of the Grand Army of the Republic, until it was disbanded. Now, in the evening of life, he is living retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil in well earned ease.
DAVID L. BROWN.
It has often been said that death is no respecter of persons, but when the aged are called, although regret is often felt at their passing, it yet seems to be in the course of nature. When the young are called, however, no such feeling palliates the deep grief that comes to those who are left behind and there must ever remain a feeling of sorrow that a carcer is thus cut short. Many of the older citizens of Jefferson county remember with pleasure their acquaintance with David L. Brown, who was identified with the coal mining interests of Coalport before the Civil war and again from the time he returned, a wounded soldier, until death claimed him in 1869.
He was born in Clinton, Pennsylvania, October 25, 1840, his parents being John B. and Jane (Dalton) Brown, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of the Keystone state. On coming to the new world John B. Brown settled in Pennsylvania, where he resided until 1849, when, attracted by the discovery of gold in California and the opportunities there offered, in a business way, he went to the Pacific coast, where he remained until 1859. In that year he retraced his steps as far as Jefferson county, Iowa, where he took up his abode, turning his attention to the coal mining business at Coalport. He was thus engaged throughout the remainder of his life and both he and his wife passed away in this county.
David L. Brown was a little lad of eight years when the long journey was made to California, and was a youth of nineteen when the family came to Jefferson county. His education, which was begun in the schools of the Golden state, was continued after he reached Iowa and his home training stimulated in him habits of industry and resolute purpose. On August 9, 1862, he enlisted for service as a member of Company G, Thir- tieth Iowa Infantry, and served until the charge on Vicksburg, when he was seriously wounded and because of his condition was forced to return home. For a year thereafter he was obliged to go about on crutches. On again coming to Jefferson county he reentered the coal business, in which he had previously engaged, and on the death of his father in 1865 took charge of his coal interests at Coalport. He found, however, that the heavy work was more than he could stand and the drain upon his
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strength and vitality was such that his health became undermined and he passed away on the 29th of April, 1869.
Mr. Brown left a young widow, having been married on the Ioth of December, 1867, to Miss Mary U. Hopkirk, whose parents were William and Jane (Redpath) Hopkirk, natives of Scotland. About 1834 they left the land of hills and heather and came to the United States, settling first in New York, where the father followed the trade of dyeing for several years, having previously acquainted himself with the business when in Scotland. He afterward went to Ohio but a few years later came to Jefferson county, settling here in 1842. That the district was still sparsely settled is indicated by the fact that there was land yet unclaimed and he entered a tract from the government. The state, too, had not been ad- mitted into the Union and there were many evidences of frontier life on all sides. Mr. Hopkirk took up the arduous task of developing a new farm and built thereon a log house and barn and year by year continued the cultivation of his place until it became one of the well improved farms of Lockridge township. His labors enhanced its productiveness and there- fore its value and the excellent work which he did in the cultivation of the fields furnished an object lesson that others might well follow. Moreover, he became to a considerable extent a director of public opinion and during his residence on the farm he was called to represent his district in the fifteenth general assembly, where he made such a creditable record that he received public indorsement in a reelection to the sixteenth assembly. He gave careful consideration to each question which came up for settle- ment and he at all times enjoyed the confidence and respect of his colleagues in the assembly. He likewise filled various local offices in the township and county and acted as justice of the peace, holding court in his own home. His official service was ever characterized by a loyal devotion to duty that none questioned. Born in 18II, he was eighty-one years of age, when, in 1892, he was called to his final rest, and his wife, who was born in 1813, reached the age of fifty-six years, her death occurring in 1869. In their family were eleven children, six of whom are deceased. Of the others, two are residing in Fairfield, one in Lockridge township, one in California, and another in the state of Washington.
Of this family Mrs. Brown was born in West Virginia, on the 25th of February, 1842, and was brought to Iowa by her parents when three months old. Her girlhood days were spent under the parental roof and she was carefully trained in the work of the household, so that she was well qualified to take care of a home of her own at the time of her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown was born one child, Mary J., born November 21, 1868; she graduated from the Fairfield high school in 1888 and has taught school for twenty years; she is now a teacher in the Logan school at Fair-
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field. Mr. Brown and his wife attended the Methodist church, but Mrs. Brown later on joined the Baptist denomination in Lockridge and about 1887 she and her daughter became members of the Methodist church here. His political belief Mr. Brown accorded the republican party. His was re- garded as a most untimely death, for he had not yet passed the twenty- eighth milestone on life's journey. He was laid to rest with full military honors and is yet remembered by many of the older settlers as a young man of good business ability, whose sterling qualities were such as to gain for him the admiration and the friendship of many. His associates and friends all mourned his death but the loss came with greatest force to his little family and though more than forty years have come and gone since he was laid to rest, his widow yet remains true to his memory.
JOSEPH V. CLARK.
Joseph V. Clark, a prominent and influential resident of Van Buren county, where he is successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits, is perhaps equally well known in financial and business circles in this locality with which he was identified for many years. He is one of the county's na- tive sons, his birth having occurred in Village township on the 29th of Octo- ber, 1849. His parents, Julius L. and Emeline M. (Carson) Clark, were both born in Belmont county, Ohio, the former on the 7th of April, 1824, and the latter on the 3Ist of October, 1827. In 1846 they came to Van Buren county, Iowa, in company with the parents of Mrs. Clark, and here they were married. Mr. Clark at once purchased a farm of eighty acres which had just been entered by another northeast of Doud Station, and in 1850 he went to California by the overland route, returning to Iowa after a year and a half spent on the coast, the return trip being made via the isth- mus. He was a wagon maker by trade, having followed that occupation for about twenty years, and he also gave much of his attention to general farm- ing. He was one of a family of nine children, all now deceased, of whom all but the eldest, Madison, and the two daughters, Elizabeth and Caroline Smith, who were the youngest in the family, enlisted for service in the Civil war. Julius L. Clark, however, after enlisting in the Tenth Iowa Infantry was rejected but his five brothers all went to the front and gave up their lives on the altar of their country. Joseph enlisted from Mansfield, Ohio : John became a member of the Thirtieth Iowa Regiment ; George enlisted in an Illinois Regiment and later reenlisted in the marine service, being killed at the battle of Mobile, while Waterman and Samuel both belonged to an Ohio Regiment. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Julius L. Clark were born nine children,
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